Attachment for a carpet wand

Abstract

A conventional steam cleaning carpet wand can be modified to be used on a hard floor by an attachment that can be removably attached to the head of the carpet wand.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Australian Patent Application No. 2004205176, filed Aug. 23, 2004. The application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention is directed to an attachment that can be attached to a carpet wand to make the carpet wand particularly suitable for use on hard floors. The attachment can be quickly and easily attached to almost any type of carpet wand and can also be quickly detached. The attachment can also be used to increase the size of a normal carpet wand to make the carpet wand more efficient on carpets.

BACKGROUND ART

[0003] A carpet wand forms part of an apparatus that is used to steam clean carpets. The apparatus typically comprises a motor, a long flexible vacuum hose, and a carpet wand that is attached to the end of the hose. The carpet wand typically comprises a steel handle. The lower end of the steel handle contains a head. The head is formed with an elongate transverse slot. The motor generates a strong vacuum to cause particulate matter/water to be sucked through the transverse slot and through the hose. A water tank forms part of the apparatus and a heater is provided to heat the water. A smaller solution hose conveys hot water/cleaning agent to the head. The head of the carpet wand contains one or more nozzles in front of the transverse slot and hot water passes through these nozzles under pressure. The hot water loosens dirt in the carpets and the water/dirt is sucked through the slot and through the vacuum hose. It is common for a surfactant or other additive to be mixed with the water.

[0004] There are various different designs of the carpet wand and particularly, there are different head sizes.

[0005] While the carpet wand is efficient for steam cleaning carpets, it is not very efficient in cleaning hard floors such as wooden floors, cork floors, lino floors etc.

[0006] It is known to provide a purpose built wand for hard floors. This wand is sometimes known as a vacuum squeegee. The wand is again attached to a vacuum hose and hot water is provided under pressure fitted to jets inside the squeegee head.

[0007] When cleaning the floors in a houselbuilding, it is very common for the floors to be a combination of carpets and hard floors. Conventionally, it has been necessary to have two wands, one being a carpet wand, and the other being a wand for hard floors.

[0008] There would therefore be an advantage if it were possible to provide an attachment that could be attached to a carpet wand to make the carpet wand suitable for use on hard floor such that it would no longer be necessary to provide a completely separate wand for hard floors.

[0009] It will be clearly understood that, if a prior art publication is referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the art in Australia or in any other country.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An attachment for a carpet wand is provided that can make the carpet wand suitable for use on hard floors and which may provide a useful or commercial choice.

[0011] In one form, the invention resides in an attachment for a carpet wand, the attachment being attachable to the head of a carpet wand to make the carpet wand suitable for use on hard floors.

[0012] Suitably, the attachment comprises an elongate body.

[0013] The elongate body may have a length which is approximately the same length as the width of the carpet head or longer. Typically, the elongate body will have a length of between 20-80 centimetres.

[0014] The elongate body may be made of any suitable material including metal such as aluminium, steel, metal alloys and the like. The elongate body may also be made of plastics, composite materials and the like and it is not considered that the invention should be limited to the material from which the elongate body is made.

[0015] The elongate body typically comprises a top wall and a bottom wall. The top wall may be provided with an elongate slot or opening which is adapted to cooperate with the elongate slot on the head of the carpet wand. It is preferred that the elongate slot on the elongate body has a length which is sufficient to accommodate almost all commercial versions of carpet wands such that the attachment can be used on different carpet wands. The opening/elongate slot may be in communication with the outside air to provide an air flow through the opening/slot when vacuum is applied.

[0016] Attachment means may be provided to attach the attachment to the carpet wand. It is considered that any suitable type of attachment means could be used. For instance, the attachment means may comprise a clip, a clamp, a fastener, adhesive, straps and the like. In a particular embodiment, the attachment means comprises an attachment plate that can releasably lock the attachment to the head of the carpet wand. Suitably, a pair of attachment means is provided.

[0017] The elongate body typically comprises an opening in the bottom wall. The opening may comprise an elongate slot which cooperates with the opening/elongate slot on the top wall. The opening in the bottom wall preferably comprises an elongate slot that extends substantially along the length of the elongate body.

[0018] The attachment may comprise at least one nozzle/jet through which hot water or other fluid can pass preferably under pressure. Suitably, a plurality of nozzles/jets is provided. The nozzles/jets may be provided on the elongate body to direct fluid under pressure towards the ground, and may be connected to a manifold or like member.

[0019] The, or each, nozzle/jet preferably communicates with a hose that is attached to the attachment. The hose can be attached to the supply of hot water that forms part of the carpet cleaning apparatus as described above.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0020] An embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to the following drawings in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates a steam carpet wand in action on a carpet.

[0022] FIG. 2 illustrates the head of the carpet wand from below.

[0023] FIG. 3 illustrates a close-up view of the head of the carpet wand and particularly showing the hot water jets.

[0024] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of an attachment that can be attached to the head of the carpet wand illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 to make the carpet wand suitable for use on hard floor.

[0025] FIG. 5 illustrates a bottom view of the attachment of FIG. 4.

[0026] FIG. 6 illustrates a bottom view of the attachment attached to the carpet wand head.

[0027] FIG. 7 illustrates a top view of the attachment attached to the carpet wand head.

[0028] FIG. 8 illustrates a close-up view of a splashguard fixed to each end of the attachment to prevent overspray.

[0029] FIG. 9 illustrates the carpet wand containing the attachment cleaning a hard floor.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0030] Referring initially to FIGS. 1-3, these illustrate a conventional carpet cleaning wand head. Referring initially to FIG. 1, there is illustrated a carpet wand which is made of metal and which comprises a hollow handle 10 and a head 11.

[0031] FIG. 2 is an inverted view of head 11. Head 11 contains a transverse elongate slot 12 which communicates with handle 10 such that when a strong suction is applied to handle 10, slot 12 becomes a strong suction slot. Handle 10 also supports a smaller hot water hose 12. Hot water hose 12 couples to a pair of spray nozzles 13, 14 which are best illustrated in FIG. 3. Splashguards 15 are provided on head 11 to prevent overspray. This arrangement is entirely conventional.

[0032] FIGS. 4-5 illustrates a top view and a bottom view of an attachment that can be attached to head 11 to convert the carpet wand into a hard floor cleaning tool. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 illustrate the attachment fitted to the head.

[0033] Referring initially to FIG. 4, the attachment 16 comprises an elongate body 17 which has a top wall 18 containing an elongate slot 19. Slot 19 has a length which is at least long enough to hold slot 12 in head 11, such that slot 12 can fit within or against slot 19 (see FIG. 7). It is preferred that the slot 19 has a length to accommodate most types of wand heads, such that the attachment is a "universal type" attachment. Once head 11 has been attached such that slot 12 fits within slot 19, the head is clamped to attachment 16 by an attachment means which in the particular embodiment comprises a pair of angled plate members 20 which can be turned from the position illustrated in FIG. 4 to the position illustrated in FIG. 7. Members 20 can be tightened using wing nuts 21 to clamp the attachment 16 firmly to head 11.

[0034] Seals (not illustrated) can be used to ensure that slot 19 seals against slot 12 to minimise any loss of vacuum. The seals may comprise elongate rubber strips.

[0035] Slot 19 contains a portion 22 (best illustrated in FIG. 4) to accommodate the edge of an overspray shield 15 on the carpet wand head (see FIGS. 2 and 7).

[0036] A plurality of nozzles form part of attachment 16. The nozzles 23 extend from a manifold 24 which communicates with hose 25. Hot water passing through hose 25 will therefore pass through manifold 24 and through each of nozzles 23 to direct hot water to the floor. The manifold 24 is detachable from the elongate body and can be attached to either the leading or trailing side of the elongate body. When used in the trailing position, water is connected by the flexible hose in the same manner as in use in the leading position. When the operator wishes to use the floor tool in the trailing position and needs to use water from the existing nozzles on the wand head and from the nozzles attached to the manifold which is now attached in the trailing position, a T type joiner needs to be fitted at the end of the hot water solution hose where it connects to the wand nozzles.

[0037] Best illustrated in FIG. 6 is hose 25 which is coupled to the hot water hose 12 that forms part of the conventional carpet wand. Specifically, one of the nozzles 13 of the conventional carpet wand is removed and hose 25 is connected to the opening to supply hot water to the attachment. Thus, it is not necessary to provide a separate supply of hot water as the attachment will use the hot water which is conventionally supplied to the carpet wand.

[0038] Referring to FIG. 5, there is illustrated a bottom view of attachment 16. An elongate slot 26 extends substantially along the length of the bottom of attachment 16 and communicates with slot 19.

[0039] Grooves are provided along the bottom of attachment 16 and various side pieces can be fitted into the grooves, these comprising rubber strips, nylon brush strips, stainless steel carpet cleaning lips, etc. In the particular embodiment, there is illustrated rubber strips 27 on each side of slot 26.

[0040] In use, the attachment is fitted to the conventional head 11 of a carpet wand. Vacuum is then turned on and hot water is provided through hose 12 such that hot water sprays through nozzles 23 and onto the hard surface (e.g. wooden floor, lino floor, etc). The water is sprayed onto the floor under pressure ahead of attachment 16. As the attachment is moved over the floor, the floor will be cleaned and then the vacuum will suck up the water/dirt via slots 26 and 19 (see FIG. 9). When not required, the attachment can be easily removed.

[0041] The rubber strips are manufactured from a non-marking substance and are moulded with grooves along the strip. When the rubber strips are moved over the floor surface, water is sucked through the grooves and into the vacuum slot and then to the waste area by the vacuum hose. When the rubber strips are inserted for use on hard floor, timber, vinyl and like material, the rubber strips acts as a buffer between the metal of the elongate body and the floor. This prevents any damage to the floor surface. Nylon brush strips can be used for scrubbing and cleaning and for uneven surfaces. Stainless steel lips can be used for carpet cleaning.

[0042] Side shields 30 (see FIG. 8) can be fitted to each side of the attachment to prevent overspray.

[0043] The attachment can fit to various different commercial brands of carpet wands and it is not necessary to damage or to modify the existing carpet wand in any way.

[0044] The attachment can be used to clean vinyl and ceramic tiles, timber, stone, slate, concrete and any other hard surface.

[0045] However, the attachment can also be used to clean carpets by attaching stainless steel carpet cleaning lips to replace rubber strips 27 thereby providing an increase in the cleaning width of the carpet wand. Therefore, the attachment should not be limited only to cleaning hard floors.

[0046] Throughout the specification and the claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "comprise", or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to apply the inclusion of the stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

[0047] Throughout the specification and claims (if present), unless the context requires otherwise, the term "substantially" or "about" will be understood to not be limited to the value for the range qualified by the terms.

[0048] It should be appreciated that various other changes and modifications can be made to any embodiment described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. An attachment for a carpet wand, the attachment being attachable to the head of a carpet wand to make the carpet wand suitable for use on hard floors the attachment further containing at least one spray nozzle, and being in communication with a vacuum slot in the head of the carpet wand.

2. The attachment as claimed in claim 1 which contains an elongate slot in a top wall, the elongate slot adapted for communication with the vacuum slot in the head of the carpet wand.

3. The attachment as claimed in claim 2, including attachment means to releasably attach the head of the carpet wand to the attachment.

4. The attachment as claimed in claim 3, wherein the attachment means comprises a pair of clamping plates which are attached to the attachment and which can clamp against the head of the carpet wand.

5. The attachment as claimed in claim 4 containing an elongate slot in a bottom wall which communicates with the head of the carpet wand.

6. The attachment as claimed in claim 1 containing at least one strip member to treat the floor.

7. The attachment as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one strip member comprises rubber strips, brush strips, and/or stainless steel strips.

8. The attachment as claimed in claim 6, wherein the at least one nozzle is operatively connected to the hot water/steam hose of the carpet wand.

9. The attachment as claimed in claim 8, containing a plurality of nozzles.

10. The attachment as claimed in claim 9 wherein the nozzles are operatively connected to a common manifold, the manifold being adapted for connection to the hot water hose on the conventional carpet wand.