Vacuum assisted squeegee attachment

• US 5,184,372 A
• Filed: 01/07/1991
• Issued: 02/09/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gerhard R. Mache
• Original Assignee: Gerhard R. Mache
• Inventors: Mache, Gerhard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US07/638,433
• Time in Patent Office: 764 Days
• Field of Search: 15/401, 15/245
• US Class Current: 15/401
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 13/11 Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0009 with means mounted on the nozzle; nozzles specially adapted for the recovery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/06 with fixed, e.g. adjustably fixed brushes or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0673 with removable brushes, combs, lips or pads

Abstract

A squeegee attachment tool for use with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner incorporating an oblong but narrow in profile suction head fitted with a very short squeegee blade providing both high suction and superior aspiration and yet reaches to the extreme edges of a cleaned surface at both the beginning and end of a cleaning stroke. Internal angled ribs coupled with an efficient vacuum chamber a narrow but deep intake port throat with side channel creates improved pressure distribution at the intake port mouth and provides significant side suction to remove liquid and debris from along and beneath adjacent surfaces and other obstructions. Specifically dimensioned and angled handle improves operator comfort and effectiveness.

Claims

1. A vacuum assisted squeegee attachment tool for use with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner for the removal of both liquids and foreign debris from typically planar surfaces and comprising:

(a) a main body containing a hollow handle connectable to a vacuum source having a handle exit port and an intake port throat at opposite ends thereof,

(b) an enclosed vacuum chamber within said main body assisting in the distribution of suction pressure interposed between the intake port throat and the handle exit port to a vacuum cleaner,

(c) an oblong suction head at one end of said main body, said oblong suction head with said intake port throat in said head being perpendicular to a normal direction of use and connectively attached to the vacuum chamber such that the intake port throat has direct communication with a vacuum source provided by the vacuum cleaner,

(d) a cover mounted on said main body in sealed engagement therewith, an inside cover wall comprising part of said vacuum chamber,

(e) releasable attachment means joining the cover in removable assembly with said main body and

(f) a squeegee blade held in place between the cover and the main body and having a blade tip positioned exteriorly of said oblong suction head for engaging a surface to be wiped by the squeegee blade.

2. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 1 wherein the intake port an intake port bottom wall, said squeegee blade extending greater than 0.075 inches but not greater than 1/4 inch beyond said intake port bottom wall.

3. A squeegee attachment tool as defined in claim 2 wherein the squeegee blade is at 60 degrees to a plane of a cleaned surface, said blade having an extreme bottom surface outer tip which extends outside a perpendicular line from the cleaned surface touching an outer most point of the tool and also extends outside a parallel line to the cleaned surface touching a lowest most point of the tool.

4. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 2 with

(a) the intake port throat having a mouth of total area less than 80 percent but greater than 25 percent of the cross sectional area of the handle exit port,

(b) the intake port throat extending at essentially the same height as the intake port mouth rearwardly into the main body at least 0.500 inches behind the intake port mouth,

(c) the intake port bottom wall having an outer surface which is 15 degrees or less to the plane of the squeegee blade.

5. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 2 wherein angled ribs and pads are provided within the intake port throat for controlling and directing air flow and suction pressure distribution, said angled ribs and pads also providing means to support the squeegee blade, and means to support the cover from an underside thereof.

6. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 2 wherein a center axis of said handle is manually set at between 0 and less than 20 degrees in relation to the plane of a cleaning surface when said tool is positioned at its designed, intended and preferred working angle.

7. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 1 further having side slots at each end of and continuous with the intake port throat.

8. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 1 where the vacuum chamber is provided with outwardly extending walls extended from the handle to the ends of the intake port, and the space defined by said outwardly extending walls and said main body and cover being free of dead air pockets so to obtain more uniform efficient air flow through the vacuum chamber.

9. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said suction head has a series of transversely spaced ribs extending away from said oblong suction head and providing means for spacing said oblong suction head away from a planar surface border thus enabling an air gap to be maintained between said suction head and said border.

10. The squeegee tool as defined in claim 1 wherein said squeegee blade is mounted on said oblong suction head, the intake port throat ending in a bottom wall, said squeegee blade extending greater than 0.075 inches but not greater than 1/4 inch beyond said bottom wall.

11. The squeegee tool as defined in claim 10 wherein the suction head has a bottom wall whose leading edge is bevelled.

17. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 1 where the vacuum chamber has walls extending from the handle to essentially an outer most point of the tool, said walls being free of concave forms and being smooth and uninterrupted avoiding dead air pockets generating air turbulence causing obstructions.

12. A vacuum assisted squeegee attachment tool for use with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner for the removal of both liquids and foreign debris from typically planar surfaces and comprising:

(a) a main body containing a hollow handle connectable to a vacuum source having a handle exit port, said main body having an intake port, said handle exit port and said intake port being at opposite ends,

(b) an enclosed vacuum chamber within said main body assisting in the distribution of suction pressure interposed between the intake port and the handle exit port to a vacuum cleaner connectively attached to the handle,

(c) an oblong suction head at one end of said main body with said intake port in said head being perpendicular to a normal direction of use and connectively attached to the vacuum chamber such that the intake port has direct communication with a vacuum source provided by the vacuum cleaner,

(d) a cover mounted on said main body and with a portion of the cover co-acting with the main body forming the suction head intake port,

(e) a squeegee blade mounted between said cover and said main body, and

(f) releasable means on the main body and cover and cooperating to lock the squeegee blade against accidental disassembly from said suction head.

13. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 12 with the intake port including an intake port bottom wall, said squeegee blade greater than 0.075 but not greater than 1/4 inch beyond said intake port bottom wall.

14. A squeegee attachment tool as defined in claim 12 wherein when the squeegee blade is held at a desired position at 60 degrees to a plane of a cleaned surface, said blade then has an extreme bottom surface outer tip which extends outside a perpendicular line from the cleaned surface touching an outer most point of the tool and also extends outside a parallel line to the cleaned surface touching a lowest most point of the tool.

15. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 12 with

(a) the intake port throat having a mouth of total area less than 80 percent but greater than 25 percent of the cross sectional area of the handle exit port,

(b) the intake port throat extending at essentially the same height as the intake port mouth rearwardly into the main body at least 0.500 inches or more behind the intake port mouth,

(c) the intake port bottom wall having an outer surface which is 15 degrees or less to the plane of the squeegee blade.

16. A squeegee tool as defined in claim 12 wherein said releasible means secures the cover over said top surface of said main body, angled spaced ribs positioned on said main body within the intake port which (1) control and direct air flow and suction pressure distribution into said port, (2) said spaced ribs engaging against said squeegee blade to support the squeegee blade, and (3) said ribs also providing supports for the cover from its underside.

18. A vacuum assisted squeegee attachment tool for use with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner for the removal of both liquids and foreign debris from typically planar surfaces and comprising:

(a) a main body containing a hollow handle connectable to a vacuum source having a handle exit port and intake port at opposite ends thereof,

(b) an enclosed vacuum chamber within said main body assisting in the distribution of suction pressure interposed between the intake port throat and the handle exit port to a vacuum cleaner and connectively attached to the handle and suction head,

(c) an oblong suction head at one end of said main body with said intake port in said head being perpendicular to a normal direction of use and connectively attached to the vacuum chamber such that the intake port has direct communication with a vacuum source provided by the vacuum cleaner,

(d) a squeegee blade held in place on the main body and having a blade tip positioned exteriorly of said oblong suction head for engaging a surface to be wiped by the squeegee blade,

(c) angled ribs and pads are provided within the intake port throat for controlling and directing air flow and suction pressure distribution, said angled ribs and pads also providing means to support the squeegee blade, and

(d) a cover overlying but spaced from said angled ribs and pads, the squeegee blade being held in place between the cover and the main body, and means comprising said ribs and pads supporting the cover from an underside thereof on said main body.

19. A vacuum assisted squeegee attachment tool for use with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner for the removal of both liquids and foreign debris from typically planar surfaces and comprising:

(a) a main body containing a hollow handle connectable to a vacuum source having a handle exit port and intake port at opposite ends thereof,

(b) an enclosed vacuum chamber within said main body assisting in the distribution of suction pressure interposed between the intake port and the handle exit port to a vacuum cleaner and connectively attached to the handle and suction head, and

(c) an oblong suction head at one end of said main body with said intake port in said head being perpendicular to a normal direction of use and connectively attached to the vacuum chamber such that the intake port has direct communication with a vacuum source provided by the vacuum cleaner, said suction head has a series of transversely spaced ribs extending away from said oblong suction head and providing means for spacing said oblong suction head away from the border of a planar surface being cleaned thus enabling an air gap to be maintained between said suction head and said border.

20. A vacuum assisted squeegee attachment tool for use with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner for the removal of both liquids and foreign debris from typically planar surfaces and comprising:

(a) a main body containing a hollow handle connectable to a vacuum source having a handle exit port and intake port at opposite ends thereof,

(b) an enclosed vacuum chamber within said main body assisting in the distribution of suction pressure interposed between the intake port and the handle exit port to a vacuum cleaner and connectively attached to the handle and suction head,

(c) an oblong suction head at one end of said main body with said intake port in said head being perpendicular to a normal direction of use and connectively attached to the vacuum chamber such that the intake port has direct communication with a vacuum source provided by the vacuum cleaner, and

(d) a squeegee blade mounted between said cover and said main body, and the squeegee blade when held at a desired position, is at 60 degrees to a plane of a cleaned surface, said blade then has an extreme bottom surface outer tip which extends outside beyond a perpendicular line from the cleaned surface touching an outer most point of the tool and also extends outside a parallel line to the cleaned surface touching a lowest most point of the tool.

21. A vacuum assisted squeegee attachment tool for use with a wet/dry vacuum cleaner for the removal of both liquids and foreign debris from typically planar surfaces and comprising:

(a) a main body containing a hollow handle connectable to a vacuum source having a handle exit port and intake port at opposite ends thereof,

(b) an enclosed vacuum chamber within said main body assisting in the distribution of suction pressure interposed between the intake port and the handle exit port to a vacuum cleaner connectively attached to the handle and suction head,

(c) an oblong suction head at one end of said main body with said intake port being in said head and being perpendicular to a normal direction of use and connectively attached to the vacuum chamber such that the intake port has direct communication with a vacuum source provided by the vacuum cleaner, the suction head having a squeegee blade mounted in proximity to the inlet port,

(d) the intake port having a mouth of total area less than 80 percent but greater than 25 percent of the cross sectional area of the handle exit port,

(e) the intake port and the intake port mouth extending at essentially the same height rearwardly into the main body at least 0.500 inches behind the intake port mouth,

(f) the oblong suction head having an intake port bottom wall said intake port bottom wall having an outer surface which is angled 15 degrees or less to the plane of the squeegee blade.