Multi-purpose vacuum unit

• US 20100147331A1
• Filed: 12/15/2008
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecotech Service Co., LLC
• Original Assignee: Ecotech Service Co., LLC
• Inventors: Coppola, John R., Coppola, Frank G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,365,346 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: E01H 1/108 Removing liquids or semi- liquids, e.g. absorbing rain water, sucking-off mud in road washing machines E01H1/103; in snow melting E01H5/108; applying absorbing agents on oil or the like E01H1/001; constructional measures for draining roads E01C11/224

Abstract

A suction apparatus for retrieving liquids such as aircraft deicing fluid from a paved surface. The apparatus may have a squeegee structure with multiple inlets for fluid, and a fluid flow structure which can selectively connect only certain inlets to a suction tank. A large inlet can be used in deep fluids, whereas multiple smaller inlets can be used to retrieve a shallow layer of liquid. The inlets may be adjustable relative to the squeegee structure. The apparatus may be mounted on a trailer, and the trailer may be equipped with a hitch that can maintain the trailer in a predetermined level attitude regardless of the height of the hitch on the towing vehicle.

Claims

1. An apparatus for suctioning fluid from a hard surface comprising:

(a) a squeegee structure defining a collection space, the squeegee structure being movable across the hard surface and adapted to collect fluid from the hard surface in the collection space;

(b) a collection tank;

(c) a plurality of vacuum inlets communicating with the collection space;

(d) a fluid flow structure including one or more conduits, the fluid flow structure being constructed and arranged to connect only one or more selected ones of the inlets to the tank;

(e) a suction pump connected to the collection tank.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vacuum inlets include a first inlet and a plurality of second inlets, the fluid flow structure being constructed and arranged to selectively connect all of the second inlets to the collection tank or disconnect all of the second inlets from the collection tank, and to selectively connect or disconnect the first inlet and the collection tank.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the squeegee structure has a top wall extensive in a horizontal direction.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vacuum inlets are tubular members.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vacuum inlets move relative to the squeegee structure.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the diameter of the first inlet is greater than the diameter of the second inlets.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the squeegee structure has a rear wall bounding the collection space and extending in a widthwise direction and a center point, the first inlet communicating with the collection space adjacent the center point of the rear wall, the second inlets communicating with the collection space adjacent the rear wall remote from the center point on opposite sides of the center point.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the rear wall slopes in a forward direction away from the center point said squeegee structure having an opening at a forward side.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 further comprising a wheeled base, the squeegee structure being mounted to the wheeled base, the wheeled base being operable to move the squeegee structure in the forward direction.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the fluid flow structure includes a chamber for collecting fluid and connections for connecting the chamber to the tank, and connecting the second inlets to the chamber, so that fluid is transferred from second inlets, to the tank via the chamber.

11. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the wheeled base is a self powered vehicle.

12. Apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the wheeled base is a towable device.

13. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the apparatus contains an indicator on the tank for signaling the level of fluid in the tank.

14. The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the fluid flow structure includes direct connections between second vacuum inlets and the collection tank.

15. An apparatus for vacuuming fluid from a hard surface that is towable behind a vehicle and comprises:

(a) a trailer frame having a forward end, a rear end and main wheels mounted thereon between the ends;

(b) one or more hitch units, at least one of the hitch units being arranged to connect the forward end of the trailer frame to a hitch on the towing vehicle and to maintain the trailer frame in a predetermined attitude relative to the surface regardless of the height of the hitch on the towing vehicle; and

(c) a suction apparatus having a squeegee structure linked to the trailer frame and a vacuum unit connected to the squeegee structure for drawing fluid from the squeegee structure.

16. The apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the one or more hitch units include:

(d) a first hitch unit adapted to connect a towing vehicle and the frame so that the forward end of the frame is supported by the towing vehicle; and

(e) a second hitch unit including a steerable wheel adapted to support the frame near the front end and a connecting element arranged to link the forward end of the frame to the towing vehicle without vertically supporting the front end of the frame;

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the first hitch unit and second hitch unit are interchangeable on the trailer frame.

18. The trailer apparatus of claim 16 wherein the steerable wheel is fixedly mounted to the trailer at the forward end of the trailer.

19. The trailer apparatus of claim 16 wherein the suction apparatus includes a collection tank mounted to the trailer frame.

20. An apparatus for suctioning fluid from a hard surface comprising:

(a) a squeegee structure defining a collection space, the squeegee structure being movable across the hard surface and adapted to collect fluid from the hard surface in the collection space;

(b) a collection tank;

(c) a plurality of vacuum inlets communicating with the collection space, one more of the vacuum inlets being movable relative to the squeegee structure;

(d) a fluid flow structure including one or more conduits for connecting one or more of the vacuum inlets to the collection tank; and

(e) a suction pump connected to the collection tank.

21. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein the squeegee structure has a top wall extending in a horizontal direction and a rear wall projecting downwardly from the top wall.

22. Apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the squeegee structure is open at a front side and at a bottom side.

23. Apparatus as claimed in claim 20 wherein the one or more of the vacuum inlets are movable with a component of motion in a vertical direction.

24. A method for the removal of fluid from a hard surface comprising:

(a) moving a squeegee structure in a forward direction over the hard surface so that fluid accumulates in a collection space of the squeegee structure;

(b) creating suction in a collection tank;

(c) applying the suction in the tank to one or more selected vacuum inlets communicating with the collection space and vacuuming fluid through the selected vacuum inlets into the tank, the applying step being performed so that suction is applied to different ones of the vacuum inlets at different times during the applying step.

25. The method claimed in claim 24 wherein the applying step is performed so that suction is applied to a first vacuum inlet while the squeegee structure is engaged with a deep layer of fluid on the hard surface and so that suction is applied to a plurality of second vacuum inlets while the squeegee structure is engaged with a shallow layer of fluid on the hard surface.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 wherein the first vacuum inlet has a larger diameter than each of the second vacuum inlets.

27. The method as claimed in claim 24 wherein the fluid is airplane de-icing fluid.