Carpet cleaning wand having uniform air flow distribution

• US 20090320234A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bluefin Carpet Company, LLC LLC
• Original Assignee: HydraMaster North America, Inc. (Nilfisk Holding A/S)
• Inventors: Boone, Moses, Drexler, Jason, Aadland, Nicholas, Stoy, Michael A., Carrol, Michael, Jordan, Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,594 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/415.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00

Abstract

A novel suction head for a carpet cleaning wand wherein either or both of two designs are utilized. Each design utilizes a generally fan shaped internal suction channel that fares smoothly between an exhaust channel of substantially round cross section and lips of an intake opening having a much wider and substantially rectangular cross section. The internal suction channel utilized by one design is formed with a cross section that is non-uniform when viewed along the direction of air flow through the wand, which is a dramatic contrast to the uniform cross sections of known current designs. Another design utilizes an internal airfoil interrupting the internal suction channel along its centerline for diverting the air flow more towards the outside edges of the internal suction channel.

Claims

1. A suction head, comprising:

a substantially rigid conduit comprising an exhaust channel;

a substantially rigid body comprising a crown portion coupled to the conduit, and an intake opening formed between a pair of spaced apart lips adjacent to a foot portion thereof; and

a generally fan shaped suction channel internal of the body and extended between the intake opening thereof and the exhaust channel of the conduit, the suction channel comprising a non-uniform transverse cross section that increases in cross-sectional area substantially symmetrically outwardly from a central portion thereof.

2. The suction head of claim 1 wherein the non-uniform transverse cross section of the internal suction channel further fares smoothly into the fluid communication with both the intake opening of the body and the exhaust channel of the conduit.

3. The suction head of claim 2 wherein the central portion of the non-uniform transverse cross section of the internal suction channel further comprises a transverse connecting channel smoothly fared between portions that increase in area substantially symmetrically outwardly therefrom.

4. The suction head of claim 3 wherein the portions of the non-uniform transverse cross section of the internal suction channel that substantially symmetrically increase in area outwardly from the transverse connecting channel each further comprises an ovoid elongated outwardly therefrom.

5. The suction head of claim 4 wherein the non-uniform transverse cross section of the internal suction channel further comprises a first pair of surfaces curving outwardly from the transverse connecting channel and smoothly faring into a respective one of the ovoids elongated outwardly therefrom.

6. The suction head of claim 5 wherein the non-uniform transverse cross section is further substantially symmetrical about an axis of the connecting channel oriented substantially transverse of the internal suction channel.

7. The suction head of claim 6 wherein the internal suction channel further comprises a first curved portion adjacent to the exhaust channel of the conduit and in fluid communication therewith and further being partially extended toward the intake opening of the body.

8. The suction head of claim 7 wherein the internal suction channel further comprises a curved throat portion in fluid communication between the first curved portion and the intake opening of the body, the throat portion being curved substantially oppositely of the first curved portion.

9. The suction head of claim 8 wherein the non-uniform transverse cross section further extends substantially through the curved neck portion of the internal suction channel.

10. The suction head of claim 9 wherein the non-uniform transverse cross section further extends substantially through the intake opening of the body.

11. The suction head of claim 10 wherein the internal suction channel further comprises an airfoil substantially interrupting the non-uniform transverse cross section thereof

12. The suction head of claim 11 wherein the airfoil is further aligned substantially along a centerline of the internal suction channel, the airfoil further comprising a curved leading surface spaced away from the intake opening of the body and tapering toward the exhaust channel of the conduit.

14. The suction head of claim 12 wherein the internal suction channel further comprises a curved throat portion rotating a portion thereof in fluid communication with the intake opening away from the upper suction channel portion.

15. The suction head of claim 14 wherein the upper suction channel portion further comprises a portion thereof curved substantially oppositely of the curved neck portion.

16. The suction head of claim 15 wherein the non-uniform cross section is further extended substantially adjacent to the intake opening.

17. The suction head of claim 16 wherein the internal suction channel further comprises an airfoil substantially interrupting the non-uniform transverse cross section thereof and being substantially aligned with the flow path between the intake opening and the exhaust channel, the airfoil further comprising a substantially closed surface positioned within the internal suction channel having a convexly curved leading surface portion spaced away from the intake opening of the body, and a pair of opposing side surface portions tapering toward the exhaust channel of the conduit.

13. A suction head, comprising:

a substantially rigid suction body portion having extended therefrom a substantially rigid tubular conduit comprising a substantially cylindrical exhaust channel, the body portion comprising;

a crown portion adjacent to the conduit,

a wide foot portion opposite from the crown portion and forming a pair of spaced apart lips coextensive with an intake opening thereinto, and

a generally fan shaped suction channel formed internal of the body portion and extended between the crown portion thereof and the intake opening, the internal suction channel comprising an upper suction channel portion adjacent to the exhaust channel of the conduit being smoothly fared in fluid communication with the substantially cylindrical exhaust channel thereof, at least a portion of the upper suction channel portion further comprising a non-uniform cross section transverse of a flow path between the intake opening and the exhaust channel and smoothly increasing in spacing between opposing front and back wall surfaces of the upper suction channel outwardly from a central portion thereof

18. A suction head, comprising:

a substantially rigid tubular conduit comprising a substantially cylindrical exhaust channel formed therethrough;

a substantially rigid body extended from the conduit adjacent to one end thereof, the body being generally fan shaped and further comprising;

a crown portion joined to the conduit adjacent to one end of the exhaust channel formed therethrough,

a foot portion wider than the crown portion and positioned opposite therefrom, the foot portion comprising a pair of spaced apart front and back walls forming an intake opening thereinto between spaced apart lips formed coextensively therewith,

an inversely arched upper body portion substantially smoothly joined to the crown portion opposite from the conduit, and

a neck portion curved substantially oppositely of the inversely arched upper body portion and rotating the foot portion away therefrom; and

a generally fan shaped suction channel formed internal of the body portion and extended between the crown portion and intake opening thereof, the internal suction channel comprising;

an exhaust outlet within the crown portion of the body, the outlet being formed substantially coextensive with the exhaust channel formed through the conduit and being substantially smoothly fared in fluid communication therewith,

an inversely arched upper suction channel portion within the inversely arched upper body portion adjacent to the exhaust channel of the conduit, the inversely arched upper suction channel portion being smoothly fared in fluid communication with the exhaust outlet, and at least a portion of the upper suction channel portion further comprising a non-uniform cross section transverse of a flow path between the intake opening and the outlet and comprising a pair of elongated ovoids interconnected by a connecting channel narrower than the ovoids and continuously conjoined therewith through a first pair of outwardly curving surfaces on a first wall surface of the internal suction channel, and a second pair of oppositely outwardly curving surfaces on an opposite second wall surface thereof,

a base suction channel portion within the foot portion of the body, the base suction channel portion being smoothly fared in fluid communication with the inversely arched upper suction channel portion opposite from the outlet, and being formed substantially coextensive with the intake opening and being substantially smoothly fared in fluid communication therewith, and

a curved throat suction channel portion within the curved neck portion of the body, the curved throat suction channel portion being smoothly fared in fluid communication between the base suction channel portion and the inversely arched upper suction channel portion, and being curved substantially oppositely of the inversely arched upper suction channel portion and rotating the base suction channel portion away therefrom.

19. The suction head of claim 18 wherein the non-uniform cross section is further extended through the curved throat suction channel portion and into the base suction channel portion substantially adjacent to the intake opening.

20. The suction head of claim 19 wherein the internal suction channel further comprises an airfoil substantially interrupting the non-uniform transverse cross section thereof and being substantially aligned with the flow path between the intake opening and the exhaust channel, the airfoil further comprising a substantially closed surface positioned within the internal suction channel having a convexly curved leading surface portion spaced away from the intake opening of the body, and a pair of opposing side surface portions extended from the convexly curved leading portion and tapering toward the exhaust channel of the conduit and meeting in a substantially smooth joint adjacent thereto.