Portable, hand-held, self-contained multi-surface, hydro-cleaning apparatus

• US 5,599,401 A
• Filed: 08/04/1994
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jancar Industries, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jancar Industries, Inc.
• Inventors: Brosky, Andrew P., Grandelis, Louis A., Radcliffe, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbaugh, Jan H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): GRAY, ROBIN SCOTT
• Application Number:
  US08/285,625
• Time in Patent Office: 915 Days
• Field of Search: 134/21, 134/37, 134/34, 15/344, 15/340.1, 15/340.3, 15/340.4, 15/383, 15/395
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0009 with means mounted on the nozzle; nozzles specially adapted for the recovery of liquid
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0038 with means for emptying the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0042 Gaskets; Sealing means

Abstract

A method for attaining increased suctioning power for taking up liquid debris and/or cleaning fluid directly into the impeller of a portable, hand-held, self-contained multi-surface hydro-cleaning apparatus, and for retaining the liquid debris in a collection chamber without leakage. The hydro-cleaning apparatus comprises an impeller, a deflector housing, a collection tank, an exhaust vent, and a porous filter. The method comprises the steps of creating a suction path with the impeller and directing air and the liquid debris into the cleaning apparatus along the suction path. Air and debris are suctioned directly into the impeller without obstruction or deflection. Upon reaching the impeller, the air and debris are drawn directly through the impeller and then deflected downward by the deflector housing into the collection tank. Both gravity and air flow dynamics act to retain incoming liquid debris in the collection tank while allowing the rush of incoming air to flow upward to the top of the collection tank where the air passes through the porous filter to escape through the exhaust vent. Liquid debris which may be splashed during the cleaning process and thus enabled to reach the exhaust vent, is absorbed by the porous filter to prevent unwanted transfer of liquid debris beyond the confines of the collection tank. Upon completion of the cleaning procedure, the collection tank can be easily detached and emptied.

Claims

1. A method of suctioning hydro-debris containing a quantity of liquid of up to sixteen fluid ounces into a portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus, and of retaining said hydro-debris and quantity of liquid within said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus without external leakage, said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus including a vacuum nozzle, an impeller having a plurality of blades, an impeller motor, a deflector housing, a non-porous collection tank, and an exhaust vent, comprising the steps of:

spinning the impeller using the impeller motor to create suction;

forcibly intaking air using the suction created by the spinning impeller to create a suction path;

introducing hydro-debris containing a quantity of up to sixteen fluid ounces of liquid into said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus through the vacuum nozzle;

conveying the hydro-debris inward along the suction path;

drawing the hydro-debris directly into and through the impeller of said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus;

deflecting, using the deflector housing, the hydro-debris passing through the plurality of blades, the hydro-debris moving downward responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics, while venting the forcibly intaked air upward and through the exhaust vent; and

containing the hydro-debris without leakage in the non-porous collection tank, located beneath the deflector housing, at a bottom of said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus.

2. A method of suctioning at least two fluid ounces of liquid as a volume of liquid into a hand-held, battery-operated cleaning apparatus, said hand-held, battery-operated cleaning apparatus including an impeller having a plurality of blades, a non-porous collection tank for retaining the volume of liquid, an impeller motor sealingly separated from the impeller and from the non-porous collection tank, and an exhaust vent, comprising the steps of:

spinning the impeller using the impeller motor to create suction;

forcibly intaking air using the suction created by the spinning impeller to create a suction path;

introducing the volume of liquid into said hand-held, battery-operated cleaning apparatus;

conveying the volume of liquid inward along the suction path toward the spinning impeller;

drawing the volume of liquid directly into the spinning impeller;

passing the volume of liquid directly through the spinning impeller; and

collecting the volume of liquid in the non-porous collection tank, located beneath the impeller, the volume of liquid moving downward and settling into the non-porous collection tank responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics while venting the forcibly-intaked air upward and through the exhaust vent.

3. In a method of taking up and recovering hydro-debris, with said hydro-debris including a quantity of fluid of up to twenty fluid ounces, from a surface using a portable, hand-held surface-cleaning apparatus, said portable, hand-held surface-cleaning apparatus including an impeller having an intake for forcibly intaking air as a means of suctioning said hydro-debris from the surface into said portable, hand-held surface-cleaning apparatus for splash-controlled containment in a non-porous collection tank located at a bottom of said portable, hand-held surface-cleaning apparatus, and an exhaust vent, the improvement comprising the steps of:

drawing said hydro-debris entrained in an airstream directly into the intake of the impeller;

directing said hydro-debris and airstream through the impeller and downward into the non-porous collection tank located beneath the impeller; and

collecting said hydro-debris, including the quantity of fluid of up to twenty fluid ounces, in the non-porous collection tank, said hydro-debris moving downward and settling into the non-porous collection tank responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics, while venting the airstream upward and through the exhaust vent.

4. The method as set forth in claim 3 further comprising the steps of:

moving said portable, hand-held surface-cleaning apparatus back and forth while drawing said hydro-debris, causing oscillation of the quantity of fluid collected within the non-porous collection tank and creating splashed hydro-debris;

venting the airstreams, directed into the non-porous collection tank with said hydro-debris, through said exhaust vent in a top of said portable, hand-held surface-cleaning apparatus; and

trapping and containing the splashed hydro-debris using an absorbent filter mounted against a bottom surface of the exhaust vent.

5. A method of maximizing suction power for suctioning a quantity of fluid from a surface into a portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus using an impeller having a plurality of blades, a non-porous collection tank with a capacity for retaining at least ten fluid ounces, an impeller motor sealingly separated from the impeller and from the non-porous collection tank, and an exhaust vent, comprising the steps of:

spinning the impeller using the impeller motor to create suction;

forcibly intaking air using the suction created by the spinning impeller to create an unencumbered suction path;

exposing the quantity of fluid to the suction;

conveying the quantity of fluid inward along the unencumbered suction path directly toward the spinning impeller;

drawing the quantity of fluid directly into the spinning impeller;

passing the quantity of fluid directly through the plurality of blades of the spinning impeller; and

collecting and retaining the quantity of fluid in the non-porous collection tank, located beneath the impeller, the quantity of fluid moving downward and settling into the non-porous collection tank responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics, while venting the forcibly-intaked air upward and through the exhaust vent.

6. A method of increasing suction for suctioning from one to twenty-four ounces of liquid as a quantity of fluid from a surface into a battery-operated, hand-held cleaning apparatus, and for retaining the quantity of fluid during movement of said battery-operated, hand-held cleaning apparatus without spillage of the quantity of fluid and without spillage of a subquantity of fluid splashed within a collection tank responsive to said movement of said battery-operated hand-held cleaning apparatus, the subquantity of fluid being a part of the quantity of fluid, said battery-operated, hand-held cleaning apparatus including an impeller, a collection tank having a porous filter in a top of a cathedral section of said collection tank and having a non-porous collection tank base, the non-porous collection tank base for collecting and retaining the quantity of fluid, and the porous filter in the top of the cathedral section for absorbing the subquantity of fluid, an exhaust vent, and an impeller motor sealingly separated from the impeller and from the collection tank, comprising the steps of:

spinning the impeller using the impeller motor to create suction;

forcibly intaking air using the suction created by the spinning impeller to create an unencumbered suction path;

exposing the quantity of fluid to the suction;

conveying the quantity of fluid into said battery-operated, hand-held cleaning apparatus along the unencumbered suction path directly toward the spinning impeller;

drawing the quantity of fluid directly into and through the spinning impeller;

collecting the quantity of fluid in the non-porous collection tank base, located beneath the impeller, the quantity of fluid moving downward and settling into the non-porous collection tank base responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics, the quantity of fluid being retained within the non-porous collection tank base without leakage until such time as the collection tank may be emptied, while venting the forcibly intaked air upward and through the exhaust vent; and

absorbing the subquantity of fluid splashed during said movement of said battery-operated, hand-held cleaning apparatus using the porous filter in the top of the cathedral section of the collection tank.

11. The method as set forth in claim 6 or 7, further comprising the steps of:

storing, without external leakage, the quantity of fluid collected in the non-porous collection tank, the quantity of fluid at least partially filling the non-porous collection tank;

detaching the non-porous collection tank;

pouring out the quantity of fluid; and

re-attaching the non-porous collection tank to the hand-held cleaning apparatus.

7. A method of increasing suction strength for suctioning at least two ounces of liquid as a quantity of fluid from a surface into a hand-held cleaning apparatus, said hand-held cleaning apparatus powered by one of battery-power and AC power and including an impeller for generating suction, a deflector housing, a non-porous collection tank having a cathedral area above the non-porous collection tank, an exhaust vent in a top of the cathedral area, and a porous filter mounted to a bottom of the exhaust vent, comprising the steps of:

generating suction by spinning the impeller;

forcibly intaking air through an input attachment to create a direct suction path to said impeller;

exposing the quantity of fluid to the suction;

conveying the quantity of fluid into said hand-held cleaning apparatus along the direct suction path and into the impeller;

drawing the quantity of fluid directly through the impeller;

deflecting downward the quantity of fluid exiting an exhaust side of the impeller;

collecting and retaining the quantity of fluid in the non-porous collection tank, located beneath the impeller, the quantity of fluid moving downward and settling into the non-porous collection tank responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics; and

venting air drawn into said hand-held cleaning apparatus through the porous filter mounted to the bottom of the exhaust vent.

10. The method as set forth in claim 7 or 8, further comprising the steps of:

moving said hand-held cleaning apparatus in a back and forth motion while exposing the quantity of fluid to the suction;

splashing, responsive to the back and forth motion, fluid collected in the non-porous collection tank as splashed fluid; and

capturing the splashed fluid in the porous filter.

12. The method as set forth in claim 7 or 8, with said hand-held cleaning apparatus including a spray nozzle, a spray pump, a cleaning fluid tank containing cleaning fluid, and a cleaning fluid hose, further comprising the steps of:

pumping, using the spray pump, the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid tank, through the cleaning fluid hose, to the spray nozzle;

dispensing the cleaning fluid onto the surface for cleaning; and

exposing the cleaning fluid, with the quantity of fluid, to the suction.

8. A method of increasing suction strength for suctioning up to twelve ounces of liquid as a quantity of fluid from a surface into a hand-held cleaning apparatus powered by one of battery-power and AC current, said hand-held cleaning apparatus including an impeller for generating suction, an impeller motor for powering the impeller sealingly separated from said impeller, a deflector housing, a non-porous collection tank capable of retaining at least twelve ounces of liquid, an exhaust vent, and a porous filter mounted to a bottom of the exhaust vent, comprising the steps of:

generating suction by spinning the impeller using the impeller motor;

forcibly intaking air to create a direct suction path to said impeller;

exposing the quantity of fluid to the suction;

entraining the quantity of fluid in the forcibly intaked air as a plurality of entrained fluid particles;

conveying the plurality of entrained fluid particles into said hand-held cleaning apparatus along the direct suction path and into the impeller;

drawing the plurality of entrained fluid particles directly through the impeller;

de-entraining the plurality of entrained fluid particles through collision against the deflector housing to form a de-entrained quantity of fluid separate from the forcibly intaked air;

deflecting downward the de-entrained quantity of fluid and the forcibly intaked air exiting an exhaust side of the impeller to enter the non-porous collection tank;

collecting and retaining the de-entrained quantity of fluid in the non-porous collection tank, located beneath the impeller, the de-entrained quantity of fluid moving downward and settling into the non-porous collection tank responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics; and

venting the forcibly intaked air drawn into the non-porous collection tank upward and through the exhaust.

9. A method of increasing suction intensity for suctioning up to twenty-four ounces of liquid as a quantity of fluid from a surface into a portable cleaning apparatus, and for retaining in a non-porous collection tank the quantity of fluid during back-and-forth movement of said portable cleaning apparatus without spillage, said portable cleaning apparatus including an intake attachment, an impeller having an intake side and an exhaust side, the non-porous collection tank, an exhaust vent on an upper surface of said portable cleaning device and having an inner side and an outer side, a porous filter mounted on the inner side of the exhaust vent, a deflection housing, and an impeller motor sealingly separated from the impeller and from the non-porous collection tank, comprising the steps of:

spinning the impeller using the impeller motor to create suction and thereby suctioning air to create a suction path;

placing the intake attachment of said portable cleaning apparatus over the quantity of fluid;

suctioning the quantity of fluid directly from the surface into the intake side of the spinning impeller and through the spinning impeller;

deflecting the quantity of fluid with the deflector housing on the exhaust side of the spinning impeller;

collecting and retaining the quantity of fluid in the non-porous collection tank, located beneath the spinning impeller, the quantity of fluid moving downward and settling into the non-porous collection tank responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics;

venting air suctioned into said portable cleaning apparatus upward through the exhaust vent; and

capturing, using the porous filter, fluid particles entrained in the vented air.

13. A method of cleaning debris from a surface with a cleaning fluid by dispensing the cleaning fluid onto the surface and then suctioning the cleaning fluid and the debris from the surface as liquid debris into a portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus, and of retaining the liquid debris within said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus without external leakage, said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus including a vacuum nozzle, a spray nozzle, a spray pump, a cleaning fluid tank containing cleaning fluid, a cleaning fluid hose, an impeller having a plurality of blades, an impeller motor, a deflector housing, a non-porous collection tank detachedly connected to said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus, and an exhaust vent, comprising the steps of:

pumping, using the spray pump, the cleaning fluid from the cleaning fluid tank, through the cleaning fluid hose, to the spray nozzle;

dispensing the cleaning fluid onto the surface having debris to be cleaned;

spinning the impeller using the impeller motor to create suction;

forcibly intaking air using the suction created by the spinning impeller to create a suction path;

suctioning the cleaning fluid and the debris from the surface into said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus through the vacuum nozzle as liquid debris;

conveying the liquid debris inward along the suction path;

drawing the liquid debris directly into and through the impeller of said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus;

deflecting, using the deflector housing, the liquid debris passing through the plurality of blades, the liquid debris moving downward responsive to gravity and air flow dynamics, while venting the forcibly intaked air upward and through the exhaust vent;

collecting the liquid debris in the non-porous collection tank, located beneath the deflector housing, at a bottom of said portable, hand-held cleaning apparatus, the liquid debris at least partially filling the non-porous collection tank;

detaching the non-porous collection tank;

pouring out the liquid debris; and

reattaching the non-porous collection tank.