The present invention relates to cleaning systems and more particularly, but not exclusively, relates to apparatus, devices, techniques, methods, and systems suitable for separating debris from a coarser landscaping medium.
There are many schemes for keeping landscaping fit. One approach utilizes blowers to clear away leaves and similar debris; however, this approach often just moves debris from one place in the yard to another—not a very tidy solution. Furthermore, sand, anthill soil, dead grass, and similar debris are not easily moved in this manner. Accordingly, it may be desirable to use a different technique to remove such debris. Moreover, there is a desire to remove debris from landscaping materials such as landscaping gravel and bark chips while leaving the landscaping materials in place—or in an improved distribution. The selective removal of sand and similar debris from these landscaping materials is particularly challenging. Even for conventional grass lawns, conventional devices leave a lot to be desired as to the removal of dead grass and the like. For all these different forms of landscaping material, current schemes to remove debris, rake it, groom it, and/or aerate it are often cumbersome to use, making it difficult to readily and consistently obtain a satisfactory result. Thus, there is an ongoing demand for further contributions in this area of technology.
One embodiment of the present application includes a unique technique for cleaning landscaping materials. This technique finds application in the removal of sand, other fine particulate debris such as soil/dirt, light debris such as dried leaves or grass, or the like from landscaping including at least one of a grass lawn, bark chips, bark pieces, wood chips, wood pieces, rocks, pebbles, cobbles, crushed stone, mulch, and pea-sized or larger gravel material. This technique can also be extended to cleaning any coarse medium by suction removal selective to finer/lighter debris.
Another form of the application is a unique vacuum cleaner attachment. This attachment defines a conduit extending from a suction inlet to a suction outlet. The suction outlet is sized and shaped to connect to a vacuum cleaner in fluid communication therewith. The attachment further includes a grating and several teeth connected to the grating. The grating extends across the conduit to define a number of apertures circumscribed by a conduit margin. The apertures are sized and shaped to selectively separate fine debris from a coarser landscaping medium when suction is applied through the conduit. The teeth project from the grating out of one end of the conduit to serve as a rake for grooming the coarser medium as the particulate debris is separated from it by suction applied through the conduit with the vacuum cleaner.
Still another embodiment of the present application is directed to a method, comprising: providing a vacuum cleaner including an attachment coupling tube; selecting a vacuum cleaner attachment to separate fine debris from a coarser landscaping medium, the attachment defining a conduit therethrough and including a grating extending across it to define a number of apertures sized and shaped to pass the fine debris therethrough while at least partially blocking the coarser landscaping medium—also, several teeth connect to the grating. This embodiment further includes coupling one end of the conduit to the attachment coupling tube to be in fluid communication therewith; and cleaning the coarser landscaping medium by moving the vacuum cleaner attachment relative thereto while applying suction through the conduit with the vacuum cleaner to separate the fine matter from the coarser landscaping medium.
A further form includes: a vacuum cleaner suction source; a debris collection vessel; and a vacuum cleaner head in fluid communication with the vacuum cleaner suction source and the debris collection vessel. The vacuum cleaner head defines a conduit therethrough and includes a grating extending across the conduit and several teeth extending from the grating toward one end of the conduit with a margin of the conduit circumscribing the teeth. The grating defines a number of apertures sized and shaped to selectively separate debris from a coarser medium when suction is applied through the conduit from the suction source.
Optional variations of this form include: the teeth extending out of the conduit, means for raking the coarser medium, the teeth numbering at least twelve, the teeth being arranged in several rows that each include three or more of the teeth, a tube coupling the vacuum cleaner head to the vacuum source and the debris collection vessel, the vacuum cleaner head being in the form of an attachment operatively detachable from and re-attachable to the vacuum cleaner to allow for exchange of different attachments as different corresponding vacuum cleaner heads, and/or the vacuum cleaner head is in the form of an attachment that has a friction fit to a vacuum cleaner tube and different attachments each are friction fit to the tube.
In another embodiment a device includes: a vacuum cleaner attachment defining a conduit therethrough, the conduit extending from a suction inlet to a suction outlet, the suction outlet being sized and shaped to connect to and detach from a vacuum cleaner to allow exchange with one or more other vacuum cleaner attachments, the vacuum cleaner attachment including a grating and at least six teeth connected to the grating, the grating extending across the conduit to define a number of apertures circumscribed by a conduit margin, the apertures being sized and shaped to selectively separate fine particulate matter from a coarser medium when suction is applied through the conduit, and the teeth project from the grating through the conduit and out of the inlet.
A further embodiment is directed to: providing a vacuum cleaner including an attachment coupling tube; selecting a vacuum cleaner attachment to clean a landscaping medium mixed with a finer particulate debris, the attachment defining a conduit including an intake opposite an outlet to provide fluid communication therebetween and including a grating extending across the conduit to define a number of apertures sized and shaped to pass finer particulate debris therethrough while at least partially blocking the landscaping medium, and the attachment intake further includes several teeth connected to the grating; connecting the attachment to the tube; placing the intake over the landscaping medium; and operating the vacuum cleaner during the placement over the landscaping medium to apply suction through the conduit to clean the landscaping medium by separating the finer particulate matter from the landscaping medium.
Still a further embodiment is directed to an apparatus, comprising: a vacuum cleaner suction source; a debris collection vessel; and a vacuum cleaner head in fluid communication with the vacuum cleaner suction source and the debris collection vessel. The vacuum cleaner head defines a conduit therethrough with an intake opening and includes a grating extending across the conduit and several teeth connected to the grating to extend from the grating through the conduit and out of the intake opening. A margin of the conduit circumscribes the teeth, the grating defines a number of apertures sized and shaped to selectively separate debris from a coarser medium when suction is provided by the suction source through the conduit of the vacuum cleaner head with the intake opening placed over the coarser medium within a proximity sufficient to be operative.
Yet a further embodiment is directed to: a vacuum cleaner attachment defining a conduit therethrough that extends from an intake opening to an outlet opening. The outlet opening is sized and shaped to connect to and detach from a vacuum cleaner to allow exchange with one or more other vacuum cleaner attachments. The vacuum cleaner attachment includes a grating and 6 or more projections connected to the grating that are spaced apart from each other and protrude from the grating through the conduit out of the intake opening. The grating extends across the conduit to define a number of apertures sized and shaped to selectively separate debris from a coarser medium when suction is applied through the conduit.
Another embodiment includes: providing a vacuum cleaner including an attachment coupling tube; selecting a landscaping medium with debris to remove therefrom; and selecting a vacuum cleaner attachment in accordance with the landscaping medium. The vacuum cleaner attachment defines a conduit therethrough that extends from an inlet to an outlet. The attachment further includes at least six rigid projections spaced apart from one another proximate to the inlet and each extending away from the inlet a distance of at least 0.750 of an inch. The embodiment further may include operating the vacuum cleaner with the attachment connected to the attachment coupling tube to apply suction through the conduit while raking the landscaping medium with the projections to remove debris from the landscaping medium. Other embodiments include: apparatus, devices, and systems to implement and/or practice this embodiment.
In one variation of this embodiment, the projections may number at least 12 with 4 of the projections extending along a first side of the inlet and 4 of the projections extending along a second side of the inlet opposite the first side, and the distance is less than or equal to 1.750 inches.
In a further variation, the landscaping medium includes a grass lawn and the distance is in a range from about 1.250 inches through about 1.750 inches.
In still a further variation, the landscaping medium includes at least one of bark chips, bark pieces, wood chips, wood pieces, rocks, pebbles, cobbles, crushed stone, mulch, and pea-sized or larger gravel material, and the attachment includes a grating extending across the conduit to define a number of apertures sized and shaped to pass the debris therethrough while at least partially blocking the landscaping medium.
In a further form of the embodiment, the landscaping medium includes at least one of bark chips, bark pieces, wood chips, wood pieces, rocks, pebbles, cobbles, crushed stone, mulch, and pea-sized or larger gravel material, the attachment includes a grating extending across the conduit to define a number of apertures sized and shaped to pass the debris therethrough while at least partially blocking the landscaping medium, the distance is in a range from about 1.000 inch through about 1.500 inches, 3 or more of the projections connect to the grating, the 3 or more projections contact the grating where connected thereto, and the 3 or more projections extend from the grating through the conduit and out of the inlet.
For another form, the landscaping medium includes at least one of bark chips, bark pieces, wood chips, wood pieces, rocks, pebbles, cobbles, crushed stone, mulch, and pea-sized or larger gravel material, the attachment includes a grating extending across the conduit to define a number of apertures sized and shaped to pass the debris therethrough while at least partially blocking the landscaping medium, the projections number 9 or more and are arranged in at least 3 rows with each including at least 3 of the projections, a first one of the rows extends along one side of the inlet, a second one of the rows extends along another side of the inlet opposite the one side, and a third one of the rows extends from the grating between the first one of the rows and the second one of the rows.
For another form, the landscaping medium includes a grass lawn and the distance is in a range from about 1.125 inches through about 1.875 inches.
Other forms, embodiments, applications, implementations, techniques, objects, benefits, advantages, and variations will become apparent from the description and figures provided herewith.
A further view of the front of the vacuum cleaner attachment of
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of any invention provided herein, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawing(s) and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of any invention is thereby intended. Any alterations and further modifications in the described embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the same as described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which they relate.
One embodiment of the present application is directed to a unique technique and device for cleaning a landscaping medium. Included may be a vacuum cleaner attachment with a screen selective to debris finer than the landscaping medium and/or with several projections extending through its intake opening. The projections can be used to free the debris from, rake, groom, arrange, turn, spread, aerate, stir-up, or otherwise redistribute a landscaping medium as suction is applied through the intake opening of the attachment to remove the finer debris intermixed with the landscaping medium.
In the illustrated embodiment, vacuum cleaner 30 includes vacuuming head 49 in the form of vacuum cleaner attachment 50. Attachment 50 is shown in use in
Referring additionally to
Next, referring to
Alternatively or additionally, vacuum cleaner 30 may be of a wet/dry type; provided with source 36 and vessel 38 being on a mobile form of base 31, such as one with wheels to facilitate relocation of vacuum cleaner 30; and/or provided in a traditional “upright” vacuum cleaner configuration. In one preferred embodiment, vacuum cleaner 30 is of a SHOP VAC canister type, and/or attachments 40 are each of the type typically provided with a SHOP VAC, a wet/dry vacuum, or other canister type. Alternatively or additionally, vacuum cleaner 30 is of the type configured to provide a pressurized air blowing output in one mode of operation and suction by partial vacuum in another mode (such modes may be provided by a “leaf blower” with an alternative vacuum mode for suction that directs debris into a vessel 38 in the form of an external, removable bag). In still another alternative or addition, vacuum cleaner 30 is configured to be strap-carried as a backpack or over-the-shoulder type. Likewise, attachment tube 32 is adapted to each different configuration. Alternatively, tube 32 may be of a rigid and/or fixed type relative to base 31, carrier 33, and/or enclosure 31; such that it is not provided in the form of a flexible hose 34 (not shown), and/or its length and sizing may be varied according to the specific configuration of other constituents of vacuum cleaner 30. In some alternatives, the length of tube 32 may be changed by the addition or removal of fixed-length rigid tubular sections with or without a flexible hose 34.
In the context of these nonlimiting variations of vacuum cleaner 30, further aspects of attachment 50 and its operation are next described with reference to
Attachment 50 includes housing 103 in the form of shoe 102. Shoe 102 may be comprised of a thermoset polymeric material, a thermoplastic polymeric material, a composite like fiberglass, metal, or such other material as would occur to those skilled in the art. Shoe 102 includes top portion 104 joined to opposing sidewall portions 106, front sidewall portion 108 and rear sidewall portion 110. Collectively, portions 104, 106, 108 and 110 comprise the sides and outer boundaries of intake 56. As shown in
Referring to
Intake 56 of attachment 50 includes grating 60 in the form of a screen 62 positioned to extend across conduit 52 positioned proximate to opening 56a of intake portion 52b, as perhaps best shown in
In the depicted embodiment, grating 60 is shown as a number of intersecting, crossing or joined members to provide partition portions 66a in a repeating diamond-shaped parallelogram pattern that defines diamond-shaped regular apertures 64a, and provide partition portions 66b in a partial diamond-shaped pattern that defines irregular apertures 64b extending between the regular apertures 64a and margin 65. Generally, irregular apertures 64b at least partially surround or encompass regular apertures 64a as may be observed in
Projections 80 are each connected to and in contact with grating 60 at approximately the point where portions/parts comprising grating 60 intersect, cross, join, or the like in correspondence to a vertex of one of the parallelogram-shaped regular apertures 64a. From these “cross-point” vertices, projections 80 each have a longitude extending along a longitudinal centerline axis P perpendicular to the view plane of
The interconnection of projections 80 with grating 60 places projections 80 in a spaced apart relationship to define a repeating tooth 82 pattern that in turn corresponds to aperture/partition pattern 68 (See
Referring specifically to
When applying suction to mixture 45 supplied by suction source 36 through tube 32 of system 20, it has been discovered that the configuration of intake 56 selectively separates and removes pieces of debris 48 from medium 46. A few of such separated pieces are shown as they travel through tube 32 in the cutaway of
It is theorized the arrangement of intake 56 is effective with common levels of suction from vacuum source 30 to remove pieces of debris 48 that are typically much smaller (<<) in size than pieces of medium 46, have a much lower weight and/or density than pieces of medium 46, and/or are readily deformable by action of the suction to be re-dimensioned to fit through an aperture 64 of grating 60 where pieces of medium 46 would not fit through. For instance, re-dimensioning occurs by separation of a single piece into two or more smaller pieces (like crushing or tearing a dried leaf constituent of debris 48), or folding/bending/deforming a piece to more readily fit through aperture 64 (like folding a piece of paper, dried grass, pine needle, or green leaf constituent of debris 48). It is preferred that pieces of debris 48 be sized with a maximum dimension 25% or less of a maximum dimension of typical pieces of medium 46. Alternatively or additionally, in another preferred embodiment debris pieces have a maximum dimension of 1 centimeter or less and landscaping medium pieces have a maximum dimension of more than 1 centimeter. In a more preferred embodiment, debris pieces have a maximum dimension of 5 millimeters or less and landscape medium pieces have a maximum dimension of at least 1 centimeter. For another preferred embodiment, system 20 selectively distinguishes between #9 gravel or smaller as debris 48 (separating it by suction) and #8 gravel or larger as medium 46 (leaving it behind). In an even more preferred embodiment, debris pieces have a maximum dimension of 2.5 millimeters or less and landscape medium pieces have a maximum dimension of 5 millimeters or more. In other embodiments, pieces of medium 46 or debris 48 may be differently sized, and/or grating 60 may be differently configured with differently sized and/or shaped apertures 64. For all these embodiments described herein and/or to which system 20 may be applied, it should be understood that any given mixture 45, pieces of medium 46 and/or debris 48 typically includes outliers, such that selective separation occurs for only some with the recited dimensional features. Indeed, for even the most ideal implementation, some pieces of debris 48 expected to be separated are left in mixture 45, and/or some pieces of medium 46 expected to be left unseparated are separated.
In addition to grating 60, it is theorized that projections 80 may also deter, retard, or prevent removal of at least some pieces of medium 46 by adding a “third dimension” to the two dimensional operation of grating 60 separation of debris 48 from media 46 by suction. That is, projections 80 provide a form of selective grating as viewed laterally, from the side of attachment 50. In addition, projections 80 provide a mechanism to rake or groom medium 46 and concurrently “stir-up” mixture 45 to facilitate freeing, release, and/or separation of debris 48 therefrom. Even so, in some embodiments, only a selective grating without projections is provided or only projections without the grating are provided. Grating 60 and projections 80 are made from a generally rigid material. For instance, grating 60 and/or projections 80 are made of a suitable metal, thermoplastic polymer, and/or thermoset polymer.
Several other alternative embodiments and variations of the present application are envisioned. In one alternative, head 49 is permanently attached to tube 32 such that there is no detachable/re-attachable attachment feature. For embodiments in which attachment 50 is configured to selectively attach to and detach from tube 32, one option is that this re-attachable, interchangeable configuration is provided by structuring collar 120 to engage tube 32 with a friction fit. In an alternative, attachment 50 connects to tube 32 with a bayonet arrangement secured by twisting one relative to the other. In another alternative, collar 120 and tube 32 are configured to attach and detach with threading on both that mutually engage upon twisting. Yet another alternative provides a spring-loaded nub on one that removably engages an opening in the other as commonly found on household vacuum cleaner systems. In still other embodiments, a different detachable coupling arrangement is used as would occur to those skilled in the art. The detachable nature of attachment 50 may be used to interchange one of attachments 40 with attachment 50 for performance of a task suitable to such exchange. In other alternatives there are more or fewer attachment projections/tines/teeth/spikes/prongs (if any) and/or may be with or without a grating.
By way of nonlimiting example,
Attachment 250 further includes a pattern 282 of spaced-apart, rigid projections 280. Projections 280 are each elongated and each extends from inlet 252b a distance L as previously described. In one form, L is about 1.5 inches, although in other embodiments L may be no more than one half an inch. In pattern 282, projections 280 are positioned about inlet 252b, and extend along each opposing side 206b of attachment 250. In one form, projections 280 number at least twelve. In another form, the projections 280 number at least 18. In a further form, projections 280 are made of metal. For another form, projections 280 are made from a suitable polymeric resin material integrally formed with sides 206b and/or sides 206a of attachment 250.
Referring further to
In a more preferred embodiment, selection is made among different configurations of attachments based on the type/nature of the landscaping material to which the selected attachment is applied. By way of nonlimiting example, selection of one attachment is made for grass lawn application and a different attachment for application to at least one of bark chips, bark pieces, wood chips, wood pieces, rocks, pebbles, cobbles, crushed stone, mulch, and pea-sized or larger gravel material, or the like. The selected attachment may be coupled to the vacuum cleaner to apply suction to clean the desired landscaping medium.
Different attachments according the present application may or may not include projections/teeth or a grating. If there is a grating, it may or may not be carrying projections/teeth, which may or may not extend away from the inlet—if there are any projections/teeth at all. For attachments that have projections/teeth, they may differ in terms of various features, such as pattern, orientation, number, composition, application material, length, or any combination of these—just to name a few.
For applications differing in projection/tooth length, one preferred embodiment includes projections/teeth extending away from the inlet a distance of at least about 0.750 of an inch. In a more preferred embodiment, the distance is also less than or equal to about 1.750 inches, resulting in a range from about 0.750 of an inch through about 1.750 inches. In another more preferred embodiment, this range is from about 0.875 of an inch through about 1.625 inches. In further embodiment that is more preferred, this range is from about 1.125 inches through about 1.875 inches. For an even more preferred embodiment, the distance is in a range from about 1.250 inches through about 1.750 inches. In another embodiment that is even more preferred, the distance is in a range from about 1.000 inch through about 1.500 inches.
For those varying in pattern or orientation, one preferred embodiment includes at least two rows of projections/teeth disposed along opposite sides of the inlet. In a more preferred embodiment, at least 4 of the projections extend along a first side of the inlet and at least another 4 of the projections extend along a second side of the inlet opposite the first side. In another more preferred embodiment, the projections/teeth are arranged in at least 3 rows with each including at least 3 of the projections/teeth, a first one of the rows extends along one side of the inlet, a second one of the rows extends along another side of the inlet opposite the one side, and a third one of the rows extends between the first one of the rows and the second one of the rows.
For those attachments varying in the number of projections/teeth, one preferred embodiment includes at least 6 projections/teeth. In a more preferred embodiment, the projections/teeth number at least 9. In an even more preferred embodiment, the projections/teeth number at least 12.
For those embodiments varying in the application material to which the projections/teeth are applied, in one preferred embodiment the landscaping medium includes a green lawn. For a more preferred form of this embodiment, the distance L is about 1.5 inches. In another preferred embodiment, the landscaping medium includes at least one of bark chips, bark pieces, wood chips, wood pieces, rocks, pebbles, cobbles, crushed stone, mulch, and pea-sized or larger gravel material. For a more preferred form of this embodiment, the distance L is at least about 0.750 of an inch.
For those projections/teeth varying in composition, in one preferred embodiment, the projections/teeth are comprised of a thermoset or thermoplastic polymeric material. In a more preferred embodiment, at least some projections/teeth are formed integral with the shoe and collar of the attachment. In an even more preferred embodiment, the projections/teeth are comprised of metal.
In another aspect, the aspect ratio of the inlet profile is considered. In one preferred form, the aspect ratio is in a range from about 1 and to about 9. In a more preferred form, the aspect ratio is in a range from about 2 and to about 8. In an even more preferred form, the aspect ratio is in a range from about 3 and to about 7.
As used herein, projections or teeth broadly include reference to multiple tines, prongs, spikes, protrusions, and equivalents thereof.
Any theory, thesis, hypothesis, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding stated herein is meant to further enhance understanding of one or more of the inventions and is not intended to make any invention in any way dependent upon such theory, mechanism of operation, proof, or finding. It should be understood that any use of the words “preferable, preferably, preferred, more preferred, even more preferred, still more preferred, yet more preferred, further preferred, additionally preferred, and most preferred” in the description above indicates that the feature so described may be desirable, it nonetheless may not be necessary and any embodiment lacking the same comes within the scope of any corresponding invention of the present application, that scope being defined by the claims that follow. While one or more selected embodiments have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the selected embodiments have been shown and described, and that all changes, modifications and equivalents that come within the spirit of the invention(s) as defined herein or by any of the following claims are desired to be protected.