Patent Application
20050166361
An improved vacuum nozzle head for removing water off of a floor or other flat surface is shown and described. More specifically, the improved vacuum nozzle includes an integrated squeegee disposed along the front or leading edge of the vacuum nozzle that picks up or removes liquid materials off of a floor and moves the liquid materials towards the inlet of the nozzle head as the nozzle head is drawn towards the user.
Vacuum nozzle heads or vacuum nozzles for vacuum cleaners are known. Further, so-called squeegee devices for removing liquid materials from windows and floors are also known. U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,007 discloses a snap together wet nozzle device for use with a vacuum cleaner. The nozzle head includes a means for attaching a squeegee device to the rear wall or rear edge of the nozzle head. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,279,198 discloses a nozzle head wherein a brush or a squeegee may be snapped into a central portion of the nozzle head.
The problem associated with both of these devices is that neither device is particularly efficient at removing liquid from a floor when the nozzle head is drawn backward or toward the user. Essentially, the liquid on the floor is not efficiently directed towards the vacuum inlet and therefore the liquid is not efficiently sucked up off of the floor during a typical retracting stroke whereby the nozzle head is drawn towards the user or rearwardly.
Similarly, an older patent, U.S. Pat. No. 954,541 discloses a scrubbing device whereby squeegee elements, or flexible rubber-type strips are mounted on both the forward and rearward edges of the nozzle. This device is inefficient for a wet vacuum cleaner as one of the squeegee elements always directs liquid away from the vacuum inlet and outside of the area defined by the nozzle opening.
Another problem associated with the above-referenced devices is the requirement that the squeegee element be fabricated separately from the nozzle housing. The squeegee elements are either snap-fitted into place (U.S. Pat. No. 5,419,007) or secured to the nozzle housing with some sort of fastener elements such as screws (U.S. Pat. No. 954,541). However, today's vacuum cleaner nozzle housings are fabricated from injection molded or blow molded plastic. In today's competitive market, manufacturing efficiencies results in lower manufacturing costs and more competitive pricing. Therefore, there is a need for an improved vacuum nozzle housing which has an integrated squeegee device that is molded with the nozzle housing itself.
In satisfaction of the aforenoted needs, an improved vacuum nozzle is disclosed which comprises an inlet connected to a nozzle housing. The nozzle housing defines an elongated opening defined by a front wall extending substantially perpendicular to the inlet and a rear wall also extending substantially perpendicular to the inlet. Two opposing sidewalls are disposed between and connected to the front and rear walls so that the elongated opening is defined by the front, rear and sidewalls. The front wall is connected to either a downwardly or forwardly extending front lip.
In a refinement, the inlet is connected to the nozzle housing between the front and rear walls.
In another refinement, the front lip and nozzle housing are a one-piece molded structure.
In another refinement, the inlet, nozzle housing and lip are a one-piece molded structure.
In yet another refinement, the nozzle housing, inlet and lip are a unitary injection-molded structure.
An improved method for claiming liquid materials off of a floor or horizontal surface is also disclosed which comprises providing a nozzle housing with either a downwardly or forwardly extending front lip as described above, providing a suction through the inlet and nozzle housing, drawing the vacuum nozzle across an area to be cleaned with the rear wall proceeding prior to the front wall and with the front lip engaging the area to be cleaned, trailing the elongated opening and thereby pushing liquid materials towards the elongated opening where it is drawn upward through the opening and inlet.
The disclosed vacuum nozzles are described more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawings wherein:
The drawings are not necessarily to scale in the embodiments have sometimes been illustrated by phantom lines and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the disclosed embodiments or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that this disclosure is not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
As shown in
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The integrally formed squeegees 18, 18a as described herein can be easily manufactured with the nozzle 10, 10a as separate attachment of these structures is not necessary. The nozzles 10, 10a are preferably manufactured by an injection molding process. Preferred polymer materials for such a process include high density polyethylenes, high density polypropylenes, polyvinylchlorides, polyisocyanurates and other suitable polymeric materials. The nozzles 10, 10a can be provided as primary nozzles or secondary nozzles for wet vacuum cleaners and wet-dry vacuum cleaners.
One preferred material of construction for the nozzles 10, 10a is polypropylene, but certain polyethylenes can be used as well. Other suitable materials include polyvinylchloride, polyethyleneterepthalate, polycarbonate and mixtures thereof. Also, the nozzles 10, 10a may be equipped with pliant pads as discussed above which would be separately molded from a softer material, such as a thermal plastic elastomer (TPE). Many TPEs are available and known to those skilled in the art.
While only certain embodiments have been set forth, alternative embodiments and various modifications will be apparent from the above-description to those skilled in the art. These and other alternatives are considered equivalents and within the spirit and scope of this disclosure.
