Grout and hard surface cleaning apparatus
First Claim
1. A grout- and hard-surface cleaner comprising:
- a cleaning enclosure having a perimeter with a surface-covering bottom portion and an open interior volume having a vacuum-suction top portion;
a water-blast nozzle positioned on the cleaning enclosure;
the water-blast nozzle having an inlet means positioned externally from an outside periphery of the cleaning enclosure and having an outlet orifice positioned internally of said open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure;
the outlet orifice having an outlet axis with an angular relationship and a distance relationship to an intended surface;
a water-supply source having high supply pressure in combination with a water-supply outlet with a low cross-sectional area to provide a water-supply force;
a high-pressure tube in fluid communication with a water-supply source and the inlet means for the water-blast nozzle;
a surface seal having sealing capacity between a bottom edge of the perimeter of the cleaning enclosure and the intended surface;
a wet vacuum to provide a maximum suction pressure to a volume defined by the cleaning enclosure;
an air control valve in an air control orifice which controllably and directly communicates the open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure with a surrounding ambience; and
a vacuum tube in fluid communication intermediate the wet vacuum and the vacuum-suction top portion of the open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A grout- and hard-surface cleaner has a water-blast nozzle (5) positioned on a cleaning enclosure (1) to direct a high-pressure and low-volume jet stream of water (36, 37) and optional cleaning material at an attitude onto a surface (4) being cleaned. Resilient and preferably rubberlike surfaces (14) are provided on bottom portions (2) of walls of the cleaning enclosure to facilitate sliding-seal contact with the cleaning enclosure and to provide sliding ease of movement with water and optional cleaning fluid to provide lubricity between the surface being cleaned and the bottom edges of the cleaning enclosure. A wet-vacuum suction tube (12) positioned on a top suction portion (3) of the cleaning enclosure provides low-pressure and high-volume suction pressure that is that provides a level of suction for sliding-seal contact of the cleaning enclosure against the surface being cleaned. An adjustable air control valve (21, 26) in the wall of the cleaning enclosure directly communicates open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure with the outside ambient air to obtain an optimum balance between suction force and water-blast force. Appropriate handling and control means are also provided.
62 Citations
41 Claims
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1. A grout- and hard-surface cleaner comprising:
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a cleaning enclosure having a perimeter with a surface-covering bottom portion and an open interior volume having a vacuum-suction top portion; a water-blast nozzle positioned on the cleaning enclosure; the water-blast nozzle having an inlet means positioned externally from an outside periphery of the cleaning enclosure and having an outlet orifice positioned internally of said open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure; the outlet orifice having an outlet axis with an angular relationship and a distance relationship to an intended surface; a water-supply source having high supply pressure in combination with a water-supply outlet with a low cross-sectional area to provide a water-supply force; a high-pressure tube in fluid communication with a water-supply source and the inlet means for the water-blast nozzle; a surface seal having sealing capacity between a bottom edge of the perimeter of the cleaning enclosure and the intended surface; a wet vacuum to provide a maximum suction pressure to a volume defined by the cleaning enclosure; an air control valve in an air control orifice which controllably and directly communicates the open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure with a surrounding ambience; and a vacuum tube in fluid communication intermediate the wet vacuum and the vacuum-suction top portion of the open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A grout- and hard-surface cleaner comprising:
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a cleaning enclosure having a perimeter with a surface-covering bottom portion and an open interior volume having a vacuum-suction top portion; a water-blast nozzle positioned on the cleaning enclosure; the water-blast nozzle having an inlet means positioned externally from an outside periphery of the cleaning enclosure and having an outlet orifice positioned internally of said open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure; the outlet orifice having an outlet axis with an angular relationship and a distance relationship to an intended surface; a water-supply source having high supply pressure in combination with a water-supply outlet with a small cross-sectional area to provide a water-supply force; a high-pressure tube connecting the water-supply source to the inlet means for the water-blast nozzle; a surface seal having sealing capacity connected to a bottom edge of the perimeter of the cleaning enclosure and in contact with the intended surface; a wet vacuum to provide a maximum suction force to a volume defined by the cleaning enclosure; a means for adjusting and maintaining the suction pressure in desired proportion to ease of movement of the cleaning enclosure across the surface being cleaned; the means for adjusting and maintaining the suction pressure in desired proportion to ease of movement of the cleaning enclosure being an air control valve in a force-control orifice which controllably and directly communicates the open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure with a surrounding ambience; a cleaner handle having a rigid vacuum tube extended from the vacuum-suction top portion of the open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure at an angle and for a distance; a flexible vacuum tube connected to the cleaner handle and the wet-vacuum; a water-supply tube attached to the cleaner handle and extended flexibly to the water-supply source; and the wet vacuum and the water-supply source are joined together as a single cleaning-support unit. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A grout- and hard-surface cleaner comprising:
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a cleaning enclosure having a perimeter with a surface-covering bottom portion and an open interior volume having a vacuum-suction top portion; a water-blast nozzle positioned on the cleaning enclosure; the water-blast nozzle having an inlet means positioned externally of an outside periphery of the cleaning enclosure and having an outlet orifice positioned internally of said open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure; the outlet orifice having an outlet axis with an angular relationship and a distance relationship to an intended surface; a water-supply source having high supply pressure in combination with a water-supply outlet with a low cross-sectional area to provide a water-supply force; a high-pressure tube connecting the water-supply source to the inlet means for the water-blast nozzle; a surface seal having sealing capacity connected to a bottom edge of the perimeter of the cleaning enclosure and in contact with the intended surface; a wet vacuum to provide a maximum suction force to a volume defined by the cleaning enclosure; a vacuum tube in fluid communication with the wet vacuum and the vacuum-suction top portion of the open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure; an air control valve in an air control orifice which controllably and directly communicates the open interior volume of the cleaning enclosure with a surrounding ambience; and cleaner wheels having axles attached to the cleaning enclosure, such that the cleaning enclosure is maintained at a distance vertically above the intended surface. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41)
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Specification