Apparatus for cleaning hard-to-reach areas
First Claim
1. A cleaning apparatus comprising:
- a wheeled chassis;
a device operable to collect debris located on a surface traveled over by the chassis attached to the chassis;
at least one blower attached to the chassis, at least one blower being capable of generating an air flow of at least 6,500 cubic feet per minute; and
duct attached to at least one of the blower, the at least one duct adapted to direct the air flow toward an area adjacent to the chassis, wherein the air flow can be generated independently of the device operable to collect debris, and wherein a volume per unit time of the air flow is adjustable.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for cleaning generally hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas uses a turbine blower attached to at least one duct for blowing debris located in the hard-to-reach or inaccessible area into an accessible area. The apparatus is most typically mounted on a street-cleaning machine that collects debris as the machine is driven over the debris. The duct can be directionally adjusted from a driver'"'"'s position of the street-cleaning machine. Air flow volume per unit time can be adjusted from the driver'"'"'s position. The debris is moved using the apparatus from the inaccessible or hard-to-reach area into an area that permits the street-cleaning machine to be driven over the debris to collect the debris.
77 Citations
30 Claims
-
1. A cleaning apparatus comprising:
-
a wheeled chassis;
a device operable to collect debris located on a surface traveled over by the chassis attached to the chassis;
at least one blower attached to the chassis, at least one blower being capable of generating an air flow of at least 6,500 cubic feet per minute; and
duct attached to at least one of the blower, the at least one duct adapted to direct the air flow toward an area adjacent to the chassis, wherein the air flow can be generated independently of the device operable to collect debris, and wherein a volume per unit time of the air flow is adjustable. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 18, 19)
-
-
12. A cleaning apparatus comprising:
-
a wheeled chassis;
a device operable to collect debris located on a surface traveled over by the chassis attached to the chassis;
at least one blower attached to the chassis at least one blower being capable of generating an air flow of at least 6,500 cubic feet per minute; and
duct attached to at least one of the blower, the at least one duct adapted to direct the air flow toward area adjacent to the chassis, wherein the air flow can be generated independently of the device operable to collect debris; and
wherein at least one duct is directionally adjustable via a device adapted to remotely control a direction of the air flow.- View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16)
the at least one blower comprises a first blower and a second blower;
the first blower generates the air flow directed by the at least one duct; and
the second blower generates a second air flow for collecting of the debris traveled over by the chassis.
-
-
14. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a device adapted to remotely control a volume per unit time of the air flow and a direction of at least one duct.
-
15. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the at least one duct comprises a valve for selectively reducing an air flow volume per unit time of the at least one duct.
-
16. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an instrument adapted to reduce the air flow.
-
17. A cleaning apparatus comprising:
-
a wheeled chassis;
a device operable to collect debris located on a surface traveled over by the chassis attached to the chassis;
at least one blower attached to the chassis at least one blower being capable of generating an air flow of at least 6,500 cubic feet per minute;
duct attached to at least one of the at least one blower, the at least one duct adapted to direct the air flow toward an area adjacent to the chassis, wherein generation of the air flow does not diminish a capacity of the apparatus to simultaneously collect debris being traveled over by the chassis; and
an instrument, attached to the chassis, adapted to reduce the air flow. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
the at least one blower comprises a first blower and a second blower;
the first blower generates the air flow directed by the at least one duct; and
the second blower generates a second air flow for collecting of the debris traveled over by the chassis.
-
-
30. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the apparatus is operable as a regenerative-air street-cleaning machine.
Specification