Protectant application
View Patent ↗A hand-held nozzle is attached to the end of a vacuum and fluid delivery hose of an upright deep cleaner. The nozzle includes a reservoir to contain a solution to be applied to a surface. When a solution delivery system of the deep cleaner is pressurized, water from the upright cleaner clean water tank is routed through the hose to the hand-held nozzle. The water is routed through a venturi valve connected to the reservoir, which draws the solution to the valve to mix with the water stream. The resultant mixture flows from the hand-held nozzle for application to a surface being treated. One embodiment of the solution reservoir includes a retainer cap bonded to the reservoir and utilizing a bayonet-type mounting arrangement for mounting the reservoir to a nozzle assembly.
1. A spray applicator for attachment to a portable surface cleaning apparatus having a combination vacuum hose and a fluid delivery conduit, comprising:
a unitary body having a suction opening at one end adapted to sealingly connect to the vacuum hose and further having a nozzle pressure conduit that is adapted to fluidly connect to a fluid delivery conduit at one end thereof;
a reservoir mounted to the unitary body;
a spray nozzle connected to another end of the nozzle pressure conduit; and
a fluid reservoir pump in the nozzle pressure conduit and connected to the reservoir for drawing fluid from the reservoir and mixing the reservoir fluid with liquid in the nozzle pressure conduit for spraying a mixture of fluid from the reservoir and fluid from the fluid delivery line onto a surface.
2. The spray applicator according to claim 1 wherein the unitary body further comprises a vent connected to the suction opening for venting suction in the vacuum hose to atmosphere.
3. The spray applicator according to claim 1 wherein the fluid reservoir pump is an aspirator.
4. The spray applicator according to claim 1 and further comprising a body of liquid protectant within the reservoir.
5. The spray applicator according to claim 1 and further comprising a body of liquid miticide within the reservoir.
6. The spray applicator according to claim 1 and further comprising a body of at least one of a liquid stain repellent composition, a liquid miticide composition and a liquid mildew resistant composition in the reservoir.
7. The spray applicator according to claim 1 wherein the unitary body and the reservoir have a quick connect mechanism for removably mounting the reservoir to the unitary body.
8. The spray applicator according to claim 7 wherein the quick connect mechanism includes an open neck on an upper portion of the reservoir.
9. The spray applicator according to claim 8 and further comprising a cap for mounting to the open neck of the reservoir when the reservoir is removed from the unitary body for sealing the reservoir when the reservoir is removed from the unitary body.
10. The spray applicator according to claim 9 wherein the neck is threaded and the cap is threaded onto the neck.
11. The spray applicator according to claim 10 wherein the reservoir is vented through the threads on the neck.
12. The spray applicator according to claim 7 wherein the quick connect is a bayonet connection.
13. The spray applicator according to claim 1 wherein the reservoir has a generally cylindrical sidewall, a bottom wall and a top wall, and wherein a portion of the bottom wall extends at an acute angle to the sidewall at a position beneath the spray nozzle.
14. The spray applicator according to claim 13 wherein the acute angle is in the range of about 30 to 60 degrees.