Handheld fluid extraction cleaner and drier

A handheld extraction cleaner for cleaning a surface comprising:

• a cleaner body which includes a forward end, a rearward end, and a top wall extending between said forward and rearward ends,
• a fluid container mounted on said cleaner body between the forward and rearward ends thereof, said fluid container being spaced from said top wall,
• a plenum chamber on said cleaner body in spaced relationship to said forward and rearward ends thereof, said plenum chamber having an open end which opens into said fluid container,
• vacuum means mounted on said cleaner body and operative to create a reduction of pressure in said plenum chamber, said vacuum means communicating with said plenum chamber in an area adjacent to but spaced from said top wall,
• a nozzle assembly formed at the forward end of said cleaner body for contacting said surface, said nozzle assembly including an internal nozzle chamber and a fluid receiving opening connecting said nozzle chamber to the exterior of said nozzle assembly,
• fluid conduit means extending from said nozzle chamber to said fluid container and opening into said fluid container at a point adjacent to the open end of said plenum chamber, and
• pump means mounted on said cleaner body to pump fluid from said fluid container to said nozzle assembly, said pump means including a fluid intake conduit free for movement within said fluid container and a weight attached adjacent an open end of said fluid intake conduit to move said fluid intake conduit within said fluid container in response to inclination of said cleaner body.

A handheld extraction cleaner for cleaning a surface comprising:

• a cleaner body which includes a forward end, a rearward end, and a top wall extending between said forward and rearward ends,
• a fluid container mounted on said cleaner body between the forward and rearward ends thereof, said fluid container means being spaced from said top wall,
• a plenum chamber on said cleaner body in spaced relationship to said forward and rearward ends thereof, said plenum chamber having an open end which opens into said fluid container,
• vacuum means mounted on said cleaner body and operative to create a reduction of pressure in said plenum chamber, said vacuum means communicating with said plenum chamber in an area adjacent to but spaced from said top wall,
• a nozzle assembly formed at the forward end of said cleaner body for contacting said surface, said nozzle assembly including an internal nozzle chamber and a fluid receiving opening connecting said nozzle chamber to the exterior of said nozzle assembly, and a fluid outlet opening,
• fluid conduit means extending from said nozzle chamber to said fluid container and opening into said fluid container at a point adjacent to the open end of said plenum chamber,
• pump means mounted on said cleaner body to pump fluid to said fluid outlet opening, and connector means on said nozzle assembly operative in a first position to permit fluid from said fluid outlet opening to be directed against said surface and in a second position to direct the fluid from said fluid outlet opening directly to said fluid receiving opening to provide self flushing of said handheld extraction cleaner.

A handheld extraction cleaner for cleaning a surface comprising:

• a cleaner body which includes a forward end, a rearward end, and a top wall extending between said forward and rearward ends,
• a fluid container mounted on said cleaner body between the forward and rearward ends thereof, said fluid container being spaced from said top wall,
• a plenum chamber on said cleaner body means in spaced relationship to said forward and rearward ends thereof, said plenum chamber having an open end which opens into said fluid container,
• vacuum means mounted on said cleaner body and operative to create a reduction of pressure in said plenum chamber, said vacuum means communicating with said plenum chamber in an area adjacent to but spaced from said top wall,
• a nozzle assembly formed at the forward end of said cleaner body for contacting said surface, said nozzle assembly including an internal nozzle chamber and a fluid receiving opening connecting said nozzle chamber to the exterior of said nozzle assembly,
• fluid conduit means extending from said nozzle chamber to said fluid container and opening into said fluid container at a point adjacent to the open end of said plenum chamber,
• said fluid container and said plenum chamber being formed of disposable materials, said fluid container and said plenum chamber further being formed as a unitary removable unit, said cleaner body including mounting means for removably mounting said fluid container and plenum chamber on said cleaner body.

A handheld liquid extraction cleaner for cleaning a surface comprising:

• a cleaner body which includes a forward end, a rearward end, and a top wall extending between said forward and rearward ends,
• fluid container means mounted on said cleaner body between the forward and rearward ends thereof, said fluid container means including a clean liquid container and a dirty liquid container, the fluid volume of said clean liquid container being less than one half the fluid volume of said dirty liquid container,
• a plenum chamber on said cleaner body in spaced relationship to said forward and rearward ends thereof, said plenum chamber extending to an open end which opens into said dirty liquid container substantially centrally thereof,
• vacuum means mounted on said cleaner body and operative to create a reduction of pressure in said plenum chamber,
• a nozzle assembly formed at the forward end of said cleaner body for contacting said surface, said nozzle assembly including an internal nozzle chamber and a fluid receiving opening connecting said nozzle chamber to the exterior of said nozzle means,
• and fluid conduit means extending from said nozzle chamber through said plenum chamber to said dirty liquid container and opening into said dirty liquid container at a point adjacent to the open end of said plenum chamber.

A handheld liquid extraction cleaner for cleaning a surface comprising:

• a cleaner body which includes a forward end, a rearward end, and a top wall extending between said forward and rearward ends,
• fluid container means mounted on said cleaner body between the forward and rearward ends thereof, said fluid container means being spaced from said top wall,
• a plenum chamber on said cleaner body in spaced relationship to said forward and rearward ends thereof, said plenum chamber extending to an open end which opens into said fluid container means,
• vacuum means mounted on said cleaner body and operative to create a reduction of pressure in said plenum chamber,
• a nozzle assembly formed at the forward end of said cleaner body for contacting said surface and including an internal nozzle chamber and a fluid receiving opening connecting said nozzle chamber to the exterior of said nozzle assembly, said nozzle chamber having chamber sidewalls shaped to provide a chamber which is substantially bell shaped in configuration with a first end containing said fluid receiving slot and a second end spaced from said first end which is of reduced width relative to said first end, and
• a fluid conduit communicating with said nozzle chamber and extending from the second end of said nozzle chamber through said plenum chamber into said fluid container means.

A handheld liquid extraction cleaner for cleaning a surface comprising:

• a cleaner body which includes a forward end, a rearward end, and a top wall extending between said forward and rearward ends,
• fluid container means mounted on said cleaner body between the forward and rearward ends thereof, said fluid container means including a clean liquid container and a dirty liquid container,
• a plenum chamber on said cleaner body in spaced relationship to said forward and rearward ends thereof, said plenum chamber including a column defining an internal column conduit having an open end which opens into said dirty liquid container,
• vacuum means mounted on said cleaner body and operative to create a reduction of pressure in said plenum chamber, said vacuum means communicating with said plenum chamber,
• a nozzle assembly formed at the forward end of said cleaner body for contacting said surface, said nozzle assembly including an internal nozzle chamber and a fluid receiving opening connecting said nozzle chamber to the exterior of said nozzle assembly,
• a fluid conduit extending from said nozzle chamber through said column conduit to said dirty liquid container and opening into said dirty liquid container at a point adjacent to the open end of said column conduit,
• and pressure application means mounted on said cleaner body to apply pressure to liquid in said clean liquid container.