Apparatus for rapid and thorough edge cleaning of hard surfaces

• US 20070151069A1
• Filed: 09/13/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dana Kothrade
• Original Assignee: Dana Kothrade
• Inventors: Kothrade, Dana
• Application Number:
  US11/521,238
• Publication Number:
  US 20070151069A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/322
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/34 Machines for treating carpets in position by liquid, foam, or vapour, e.g. by steam
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4044 Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4088 Supply pumps; Spraying devices; Supply conduits

Abstract

The present invention is related to a hard surface edge cleaning apparatus, which comprises a cleaning head, a vacuum tube, a pressured cleaning solution supply line, a handle, and a pressure control valve. The cleaning head comprises a vacuum chamber having a bottom opening to engage with a hard surface to be cleaned, a front and rear wall, and two sidewalls, a wet-blast nozzle, and a vacuum port on the rear wall attached to the vacuum tube. The cleaning head further comprises a brush attached to the bottom opening to provide additional agitation for efficient edge cleaning.

Claims

1. A cleaning head for hard surface edge cleaning, comprising

a vacuum chamber having a front and rear wall, two straight sidewalls, and a bottom opening to be engaged with a hard surface to be cleaned;

one or more wet-blast nozzles each having an inlet attached to a pressured cleaning solution supply line and an outlet positioned inside the vacuum chamber and directed toward the bottom opening of the vacuum chamber; and

a vacuum port on the rear wall of the vacuum chamber.

2. The cleaning head of claim 1 further comprising a sealing gasket having sealing capacity between the bottom opening of the vacuum chamber and the hard surface.

3. The cleaning head of claim 2, wherein the sealing gasket is attached to the front wall, the rear wall, or a sidewall.

4. The cleaning head of claim 1 further comprising a brush attached to the front wall, the rear wall, or a sidewall, downwards from the bottom opening to engage with the hard surface.

5. The cleaning head of claim 1, wherein each sidewall has a width of no greater than about 6.4 mm.

6. The cleaning head of claim 2, wherein the sealing gasket has a width of no greater than about 6.4 mm.

7. The cleaning head of claim 2, wherein the brush has a row width of no greater than about 6.4 mm.

8. The cleaning head of claim 1, wherein the wet-blast nozzle is a turbo nozzle.

9. The cleaning head of claim 7, wherein the turbo nozzle has a rotating pressure of about 20 to about 10,000 psi.

10. The cleaning head of claim 1 further comprising an intermediate wall substantially parallel to the rear wall of the vacuum chamber, wherein the intermediate wall is mounted inside the vacuum chamber with a space from the rear wall.

11. The cleaning head of claim 1 further comprise a inner housing having a front and rear wall, two straight sidewalls, a bottom opening, and a port for mounting the wet-blast nozzle, wherein the rear wall of the inner housing is substantially parallel to the rear wall of the vacuum chamber and the inner housing is mounted inside the vacuum chamber so that there is a space between the rear wall of the inner housing and the rear wall of the vacuum chamber.

12. The cleaning head of claim 1 comprising two or more wet-blast nozzles.

13. The cleaning head of claim 12 further comprising a manifold, to which the wet-blast nozzles are attached.

14. A hard surface edge cleaning apparatus comprising:

a vacuum tube having a bottom end and a top end, wherein the top end is in communication with a vacuum system; and

a cleaning head comprising;

a vacuum chamber having a front and rear wall, two straight sidewalls, and a bottom opening to be engaged with a hard surface to be cleaned;

one or more wet-blast nozzles each having an inlet attached to a pressured cleaning solution supply line and an outlet positioned inside the vacuum chamber and directed toward the bottom opening of the vacuum chamber; and

a vacuum port on the rear wall of the vacuum chamber;

wherein the vacuum tube is attached to the vacuum port of the vacuum chamber.

15. The hard surface edge cleaning apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a pressured line for cleaning solution supply with a first end attached to the inlet of the wet-blast nozzle and the second end attached to a cleaning solution tank.

16. The hard surface edge cleaning apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a pressure control valve to regulate the blast pressure of the wet-blast nozzle.

17. The hard surface edge cleaning apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a handle assembly.

18. The hard surface edge cleaning apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a mounting bracket for securing the nozzle to the apparatus.

19. The hard surface edge cleaning apparatus of claim 18, wherein the mounting bracket is a L bracket.