Patent Application
20220333322
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The disclosure relates to cleaning devices and more particularly pertains to a new rock cleaning device for dislodging and cleaning landscaping materials, such as landscape rock.
The prior art relates to cleaning devices. Prior art devices for cleaning landscape rock may comprise a vacuum powered separation module for generating an airflow having debris and landscape rock entrained therein, wherein the rock is separated from the debris when a speed of the airflow is reduced. The prior art does not teach the combination of vacuum induced airflow and compressed air disclosed herein.
An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a vacuum assembly and a suction head. The vacuum assembly is configured to generate an airflow through a tube thereof. The suction head is engaged to the tube distal from the vacuum assembly so that an interior space, which is defined by the suction head, is in fluidic communication with the tube. The suction head has an opening positioned in a bottom thereof. A set of nozzles is coupled to a top of the suction head and is configured to engage a hose, which extends from a source of pressurized air. The nozzles are configured to direct a spray of compressed air from the hose through the interior space to dislodge objects, such as landscape rock, wood chips, mulch, and the like, which embedded in a surface, and to clean the objects that now are entrained in the airflow.
In one embodiment, the vacuum assembly and suction head combination comprises a cannister, which has a vacuum module coupled to an upper end thereof. The tube extends from the cannister proximate to the upper end. A plurality of wheels is coupled to a lower end of the cannister. In these respects, the vacuum assembly and suction head combination of this embodiment is similar to an off-the-shelf wet/dry vacuum. The air source to supply the set of nozzles in this embodiment may comprise a hose connected to compressed air. An internal screen is selectively positionable within, and engageable to, the cannister. The internal screen defines an upper chamber and a lower chamber and is configured to separate the objects, such as the landscape rocks, from the debris in the airflow.
In another embodiment, the vacuum assembly and suction head combination comprises a platform, which is mobile. The platform may comprise a trailer, which is configured to be selectively hitched to a vehicle so that the platform is towable. In this embodiment, the source of pressurized air comprises a first tank and an air compressor, which are positioned on the platform. The first tank is configured to hold compressed air. The air compressor is operationally engaged to the first tank and to the hose and thus is configured to release the compressed air from the first tank through the hose to the set of nozzles.
A vacuum unit and a second tank also are positioned on the platform. A conduit is engaged to and extends between the vacuum unit and the second tank so that the second tank is in fluidic communication with the vacuum unit. The tube extends from the second tank to the suction head. The second tank is configured to hold the objects, such as the landscape rock, the debris, and the water from the airflow. A screening unit is selectively positionable inline between the second tank and the suction head. The screening unit is configured to extract the objects from the airflow while leaving the debris entrained in the airflow.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.
The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to
As best illustrated in
A handle 18 is engaged to and extends from the suction head 14 and is configured to be grasped in a hand of a user to maneuver the suction head 14. A ball joint 20 is engaged to and positioned between the suction head 14 and the handle 18 so that the handle 18 is pivotable relative to the suction head 14. The handle 18 may comprise a first rod 22 and a second rod 24, as shown in
The present invention also anticipates the suction head 14 being selectively engageable to a mini-excavator (not shown), allowing the user to utilize the mini-excavator to position and manipulate the suction head 14.
The vacuum assembly 12 is configured to generate an airflow through a tube 26 thereof. The suction head 14 is engaged to the tube 26 distal from the vacuum assembly 12 so that an interior space 28, which is defined by the suction head 14, is in fluidic communication with the tube 26. The suction head 14 has an opening 30 positioned in a bottom 32 thereof. The suction head 14 may have a pipe 34 coupled thereto and extending therefrom. The pipe 34 is configured to selectively engage the tube 26 of the vacuum assembly 12 so that the tube 26 is removably engageable to the suction head 14.
A set of nozzles 36 is coupled to the top 16 of the suction head 14 and is configured to engage a hose 38, which extends from a source of pressurized or compressed air. The nozzles 36 are configured to direct compressed air from the hose 38 through the interior space 28 to dislodge objects, such as landscape rock embedded in a surface, and to clean the objects that now are entrained in the airflow. The set of nozzles 36 may comprise four nozzles 36, as shown in
A head screen 40 is selectively engageable to the suction head 14 so that the head screen 40 extends over the opening 30. The head screen 40 is configured to exclude objects larger than a mesh size 84 of the head screen 40. The objects larger than the mesh size 84 are cleaned by the compressed air flowing from the hose 38 but are excluded from the interior space 28. The present invention anticipates head screens 40 having a variety of mesh sizes 84 for use with objects of various sizes.
A pair of rails 42 is coupled to the bottom 32 so that the rails 42 bracket the opening 30, as shown in
A manifold 44 is engaged to and is in fluidic communication with the set of nozzles 36. A connector 46 is coupled to the manifold 44 and is configured to engage the hose 38 that extends from the source of the pressurized air. The connector 46 may comprise a male hose connection 48, as shown in
In one embodiment, as shown in
In another embodiment, as shown in
In this embodiment, the source of pressurized air comprises a first tank 68 and an air compressor 70, which are positioned on the platform 64. The first tank 68 is configured to hold water. The air compressor 70 is operationally engaged to the first tank 68 and to the hose 38 and thus is configured to release the compressed air from the first tank 68 through the hose 38 to the set of nozzles 36.
A vacuum unit 72 and a second tank 74 are positioned on the platform 64. A conduit 76 is engaged to and extends between the vacuum unit 72 and the second tank 74 so that the second tank 74 is in fluidic communication with the vacuum unit 72. The tube 26 extends from the second tank 74 to the suction head 14. The second tank 74 is configured to hold the objects, such as the landscape rock, wood chips, mulch, and the like, along with the debris and the water from the airflow. A screening unit 78 is selectively positionable inline between the second tank 74 and the suction head 14. The screening unit 78 is configured to extract the objects from the airflow while leaving the debris entrained in the airflow.
In use, the suction head 14 is engaged to the tube 26. If the objects are to be cleaned and immediately returned to the surface, the head screen 40 is inserted between the rails 42 to cover the opening 30 in the suction head 14. The vacuum assembly 12 is actuated to start the airflow through the tube 26 and the interior space 28. The source of pressurized air also is actuated to initiate the release of pressurized air from the nozzles 36. The objects are cleaned of debris by the spray but are prevented from entering the interior space 28 by the head screen 40.
If the objects are to be cleaned and removed from the surface, the head screen 40 is not used. The vacuum assembly 12 and the source of pressurized air are actuated, as above. However, without the head screen 40 in place the objects are still cleaned of debris, but also pass through the interior space 28 and the tube 26. With the objects removed from the surface, the user can perform maintenance of the surface, such as repair or replacement of a weed barrier, prior to repositioning the objects on the surface. In one embodiment, the objects are collected on the internal screen 82 in the cannister 52, while in another embodiment the objects are collected in the screening unit 78.
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements.
