GB2240466A

GB2240466A - Suction/blow cleaning system

Info

Publication number: GB2240466A
Application number: GB9002352A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Darrell Kenneth Purchase
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-02-02
Filing date: 1990-02-02
Publication date: 1991-08-07
Also published as: GB9002352D0

Abstract

A suction/blow cleaning system for cleaning a room 1 comprises a suction fan/blower unit 12-14 located outside the room and connected thereto via duct 8, and a pipe 40 which is releasably connectable via connector 30 to the duct through which air is sucked or blown. End 42 of the pipe may be provided with a fitting 43 having a narrow, elongate mouth and also with an agitator, absorbent pad, brush or fluid applicator. A dust collector 10 may be located between unit 12-14 and duct 8. The system may be adapted for cleaning within a container or vehicle. In a modification, a liquid e.g. cleaning composition may be pumped from a reservoir outside the room through duct and pipe. The suck/blow cleaning system may be used to clear or loosen blockages in plumbing. <IMAGE>

Description

Title: "Cleaner" Description of the invention This invention relates to a cleaner for removing matter from an area and particularly, but not exclusively, for removing matter from a building which is bounded by four walls a roof and a floor.

By "matter" I mean generally unwanted particulate matter such as dust or light debris.

According to a first aspect of the invention I provide a cleaner for removing matter from an area which area is defined by a boundary which boundary has a first surface which faces towards the area and a second surface which faces away from the area, the cleaner comprising fluid moving means for moving fluid to or from the area, a duct which, at a first end thereof communicates with the fluid moving means and, at a second end thereof, communicates with a connector, and a pipe which is adapted for releasable connection with the duct at the connector such that fluid can be sucked or blown throught the pipe by the fluid moving means which fluid moving means is provided externally of the first surface of the boundary.

The fluid may be gaseous and preferably it is air.

The matter may be collected in a collecting unit.

The fluid moving means may be an evacuating means for withdrawing fluid from the area into the collecting unit.

The collecting unit may be provided externally of the first surface and it may be releasably and sealingly engaged with the evacuating means and with the duct.

Preferably the collecting unit comprises a container which is sealed except at a port from which fluid is withdrawn from the container by the evacuating means and at a further port which is in sealing engagement with the duct, for example the collecting unit may comprise a dust bag.

The collecting unit may be provided in a rigid container from which it is removable.

Moreover the collecting unit further may be openable at a port provided thereon which port is closed by an openable door which door sealingly engages a periphery of the port.

The collecting unit may be secured to the second surface of the boundary and preferably it is releasably secured thereto.

The evacuating means may comprise a motor driven fan.

A matter trap may be provided within one or more of the collecting unit or the evacuating means to trap matter such that fluid which is expelled from the evacuating means is substantially free from entrained matter.

The evacuating means may be secured to the second surface of the boundary and preferably it is releasably secured thereto.

At least a part of the duct may be provided externally of the first surface of the boundary end preferably the duct extends across the boundary and communicates with both the first and second surfaces thereof.

The duct sealingly and releasably may communicate with the connector.

The connector may be provided in or on the boundary of the area, at least a part of the connector being accessible from the area and preferably the connector is provided at the first surface of the boundary.

The connector may comprise a valve means which is closed in the absence of a pipe being connected thereto and is opened when a pipe is connected thereto, the valve in these respective conditions respectively closing and opening communication between the duct and the pipe.

The connector further may afford switch means by actuation of which the fluid moving means may be turned on or off.

The switch may be closed to turn on the fluid moving means concomitantly with connection of the pipe to the connector and the switch may be opened concomitantly with disconnection of the pipe from the conector.

A further duct may be provided, which, at a first end thereof, communicates with the duct and, at a second end thereof communicates with a further connector.

The further connector may be provided in or on a boundary of a further area and may be accessible from said further area.

Another duct also may be provided which, at a first end thereof communicates with the collecting unit and, at a second end thereof, communicates with another connector.

Said another connector may be provided in or on a boundary of another area and may be accessible from said another area.

The fluid may, alternatively, be a liquid and,preferably the liquid is a cleaning composition.

The fluid moving means may include a pump for pumping fluid into the area.

The pump may pump fluid from a reservoir of fluid.

Alternating means may be provided to permit of moving the fluid alternately to and from the area in repetitive fashion and preferably the alternating means operates automatically whilst the fluid moving means is operating.

The alternating means may be switch operated, the switch being actuated at will by an operator of the cleaner to cause alternation of the fluid flow.

Preferably the switch may be operated to afford unidirectional flow of fluid, in response to actuation of the fluid moving means, either towards or away from the area.

Means may be provided to permit of concomitantly sucking fluid from the area through a first part of the duct and a first part of the pipe which first parts communicate with each other and of blowing fluid through another part of the duct and another part of the pipe which another parts communicate with each other.

Preferably the pipe is a flexible pipe and especially preferably the pipe affords, at first end thereof which is away from to the end which is adapted for releasable connection with the connector, a cleaning head which affords a narrow, elongate mouth, so as to move fluid therethrough efficiently over a narrow elongate area.

The head may provide one or more of a matter agitating means, an absorbant pad, or a fluid applicator.

The matter agitating means may comprise at least one of a brush or an air operated beating device.

The first part of the pipe may communicate with a first part of the head which is a fluid withdrawing part and a second part of the pipe may communicate with a second part of the head which is a fluid applicator or distributor part.

The area may be an enclosed area and the boundary may be one of a wall, a floor or a ceiling of the area.

Preferably area is a building or a room of a building or an area within a container or an enclosed area within a vehicle and the further area and the another area comprise respectively further buildings, rooms, containers, or enclosed areas within vehicles and other buildings, rooms, containers or enclosed areas within vehicles.

Where the fluid is air, the rate of air flow through the fluid moving means may be within the range 10 litres per second to 1,500 litres per second and preferably it is 1,000 litres per second.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide, in combination, an area and a cleaner for collecting matter therefrom, the cleaner being in accordance with the cleaner according to any one of the preceding statements.

According to a third aspect of the invention we provide a method of cleaning an enclosed area comprising the steps of installing a cleaner according to any one of the preceding statements in or around the enclosed area and operating the cleaner.

The method may include the step of periodically removing the collecting unit and taking one of either of the further steps of emptying the collecting unit and replacing it or discarding the collecing unit and fitting a new collector unit to the end of the duct.

Hitherto it has been the practice to clean areas such as buildings or rooms of buildings by the use of cleaners such as vacuum cleaners which are within the area during use, that is to say they operate from an electrical power supply afforded in a boundary of the area and they comprise a dust and particle collecting unit and an evacuating means which is moved by an operator within the area.

This arrangement is inconvenient for several reasons. For example such cleaners are generally quite noisy and thus are a disturbance to other persons occupying the area or adjacent areas. The cleaners themselves have to be moved about to some degree by operators of the cleaners and the cleaners are sometime heavy and cumbersome. Furthermore, because of imperfections in seals between parts of such cleaners which are in theory, sealing engaged, at least when the evacuating means is actuated, in fact some dust and debris is scattered by such cleaners within the area in which they are operating.

The cleaner according to the present invention overcomes or reduces each of these difficulties by provision of the evacuating means and the collecting unit outside of the area which is to be cleaned and by provision of a connector or connectors at the boundary which defines the area or each area which it is desired to clean. For example in a house, at least one connector could be provided in each of the rooms of the house, each connector communicating by a duct with a single collecting unit which is secured to an outside wall of the house or each connector communicating, by a duct to a respective collecting unit which may be secured to an outside wall of the house.

Moreover a cleaner according to the invention may be used to remove matter from an area by blowing it away rather than, or in addition to, sucking it up. For example by forcing air or another fluid through the duct and pipe from a pump which is provided instead of or in addition to an evacuating means, or by an evacuating means which is itself a pump capable of moving fluid in either direction along the pipe, it may be possible to blow matter from an area. For example the pipe could be applied to blocked plumbing to blow clear a blockage in the plumbing or to loosen such a blockage by alternate blowing and sucking action from the pump or pumps.

Furthermore a fluid moving means which can move fluid into the area can be used to distribute, say cleaning fluid, about an area, subsequently to the fluid being sucked back up again.

If desired, of course, fluid may be moved into the area through a first part of the pipe and a first part of the duct to be distributed from a first part of a cleaning head and then withdrawn from the area through a second part of the cleaning head, a second part of the pipe and a second part of the duct, so that, as the cleaning head is moved over the area, cleaning fluid is applied to the area very briefly and then removed. In this case a pump is used to move fluid into the area and another fluid moving means is used to withdraw it again.

A specific embodiment of the invention concerned only with vacuum cleaning of an area will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawing which is a sectional elevation through part of an enclosed area in or around which is installed a cleaner according to the invention.

Referring to the drawing an enclosed area 1 comprises a floor 2, a ceiling 3 and side walls which support the ceiling 3 off the floor 2, two of the side walls 4, 5 being shown in the figure which side walls 4, 5 extend perpendicular to one another. It will be appreciated that the cleaner according to the invention can be used in relation to an area which lacks, for example, a ceiling and/or one or more side walls, that is to say the area may not be an enclosed area.

The wall 4 defines an internally facing first surface 6 and an externally second facing surface 7 thereof.

Extending through the wall 4 between the first surface 6 and the second surface 7 is a duct 8 which affords communication between an area enclosed or partially enclosed by the walls 4, 5, the floor 2 and the ceiling 3, and a collecting unit 10 for collecting matter such as dust, light debris and the like. The collecting unit is fixed to the wall 4 and/or to a ground or floor surface 20 which is outside the enclosed area 1. If desired the collecting unit 10 may simply rest on the floor or ground surface 20. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the collecting unit 10 is rigidly secured to the wall 4 by means of securing means 11 such as screws extending through brackets provided by the collecting unit 10 and extending into the wall 4.

Alternatively the collecting unit may be secured to the wall at a distance above the ground such that it may be suspended over a bin. In this way debris from the collector can be readily transferred to the bin.

The collecting unit 10 includes or has associated with it evacuating means 12 which is shown schematically in the drawing as providing a fan 13 which is driven by a motor 14 but it will be appreciated that any other sort of evacuating means may be used alternatively to or additionally with such a motor driven fan.

The evacuating means is operable to withdraw air from the area.

In the drawing the collecting unit 10 is represented merely as a container in which matter can be collected. Several possible variations on the construction of the collecting unit are possible. For example the collecting unit 10 may be separable from or provided permanently fixed to and integral with the evacuating means 12. In either case the collecting unit 10 may comprise a hollow container in which matter is collected until a certain degree of fulness of the collecting unit is achieved whereupon the collecting unit 10 can be replaced by a fresh collecting unit.

Alternatively the collecting unit 10 may provide a port which is closed by an openable door such that when a certain degree of fulness of the collecting unit is achieved the matter can be removed from the collecting unit by suitable means by opening the openable door and removing the matter.

A still further alternative is that the collecting unit may comprise, for example, a dust bag within a container, the dust bag being removeable from the container for disposal when it is full and being replaceable by a fresh dust bag.

In each of these possible arrangements a suitable filter is provided to prevent exhaust of the matter from the collecting unit 10 when the exacuating means 12 is operated otherwise the matter may clog the evacuating means and/or simply be distributed untidily outside the area.

If the collecting unit 10 is to be removed from the duct 8 either for disposal of the collecting unit 10 or for emptying of the collecting unit it will be understood that a suitable means must be provided for connecting a fresh collecting unit or re-connecting a collecting unit to the duct 8 such that sealing connection 15 exists between the collecting unit 10 and the duct 8 at least when the evacuating means 12 is acutated to draw air through the duct 8 and into the collecting unit 10.

At the first surface 6 of the wall 4 the duct 8 communicates with a connector 30. The connector 30 serves to connect the duct 8 with a pipe 40 which pipe 40 provides, at a first end 41 thereof, means for releasably engaging with the connector 30 and, at a second end 42 thereof, means for securing to the second end 42 matter agitating means such as a brush or an air operated beating device for beating a rug or carpet and/or an absorbant pad for absorbing liquid and/or a fluid applicator for distributing liquid. Alternatively, if desired, the pipe 40 may be used without any fitting 43 attached thereto so as to suck up matter simply through the end 42 of the pipe 40.

The connector 30 provides releasable locking means 31 which serve to engage the means provided at the first end 41 of the pipe 40 to releasably engage the first end 41 in the connector 30. The connector 30 further provides a valve 32. The valve 32 is opened automatically upon insertion of the first end 41 of the pipe 40 in the connector 30. Moreover the connector 30 includes a button 33 which is depressed by insertion of the first end 41 of the pipe 40 in the connector 30 the button 33, when depressed, throwing a switch which actuates the motor 14 of the evacuating means 12. Thus insertion of the first end 41 of the pipe 40 in the connector 30 concomitantly actuates the evacuating means 12.

The releasable engagement of the first end 41 of the pipe 40 with the connector 30 is such that, upon insertion of the first end 41 in the connector 30 the first end 41 is sealingly engaged with the connector 30 or with the duct 8 or, alternatively, upon actuation of the evacuating means 12 the first end 41 is brought into sealing engagement with the connector 30 or the duct 8.

Alternatives to the relationship described above between the pipe 40 and the connector 30 wil be evident.

For example the valve 32 may be opened independently of insertion of the first end 41 in the connector 30, for example, the valve 32 may be opened automatically upon actuation of the evacuating means 2 or it may be opened by actuation of a switch by an operator of the cleaner, the switch being provided at or near the conector 30 for actuation by the operator. Similarly, acuation of the evacuating means may be accomplished by actuation of a switch provided on or near the actuator 30 by an operator of the cleaner rather than automatically being actuated in response to insertion of the first end 41 in the connector 30.

It will be understood that a filter may be provided at or adjacent the conector 30 in addition to the valve 32, for example to prevent clogging of the valve 32 and, moreover, a valve may be provided in the duct 8 or in the collecting unit 10 at or adjacent the junction of the collecting unit 10 and the duct 8 to prevent suck-back of debris into the duct 8 from the collecting unit 10 when the evacutating means is switched off.

In order to facilitate ease of cleaning of the enclosed area 1 the pipe 40 is flexible or jointed so that all parts of the area 1 can be reached by the seconded 42 of the pipe 40.

If desired several connectors 30 may be provided at different parts of the walls 4, 5 etc. of the area 1 which are connected by ducts 8 to the collecting unit 10 to facilitate cleaning of the entire area 1 if the area should be very large such that a very long pipe 40 would be undesirable or inconvenient.

Furthermore, if desired, several connectors 30 may be provided, one or more in each of a number of other areas within the same building as the area 1 or within, say, other buildings or constructions which are separate from the building or construction which provides the area 1 but are adjacent to it. In this case, again ducts 8 are provided from each of the connectors 30 to the collecting unit 10.

Alternatively, whether a plurality of connectors 30 is provided within a single area 1 or for a plurality of such areas each connector may provide a duct which connects with a respective collecting unit 10.

Alternatively again a single collecting unit may communicate with one or more connectors only on a single storey of a building which provides such connectors.

In summary then, the or each collecting unit may communicate with one or more connectors by means of ducts 8.

In the case where a single collecting unit communicates with several connectors, each connector may communicate directly with the collecting unit by means of a respective duct or, alternatively, respective ducts may each communicate with one or more main ducts which communicate with the collecting unit.

A cleaner according to the invention can be installed in or around a pre-constructed building by provision of apertures in the walls of such a building to receive the ducts 8. Alternatively the ducts 8 can be run beneath the floors or above the ceilings of such buildings or, if desired, they can be run along outwardly facing surfaces of such buildings. Moreover, provision for installation of a cleaner according to the invention can be built into a building or construction which is under construction.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A cleaner for removing matter from an area which area is defined by a boundary which boundary has a first surface which faces towards the area and a second surface which faces away from the area, the cleaner comprising fluid moving means for moving fluid to or from the area, a duct which, at a first end thereof communicates with the fluid moving means and, at a second end thereof, communicates with a connector, and a pipe which is adapted for releasable connection with the duct at the connector such that fluid can be sucked or blown throught the pipe by the fluid moving means which fluid moving means is provided externally of the first surface of the boundary.

2. A cleaner according to Claim 1 in which the fluid is gaseous.

3. A cleaner according to Claim 2 in which the fluid is air.

4. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the matter is collected in a collecting unit.

5. A cleaner according to Claim 4 in which the fluid moving means is an evacuating means for withdrawing fluid from the area into the collecting unit.

6. A cleaner according to Claim 4 or Claim 5 in which the collecting unit is provided externally of the first surface.

7. A cleaner according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 in which the collecting unit is releasably and sealingly engaged with the evacuating means and with the duct.

8. A cleaner according to any one of Claims 4 to 8 in which the collecting unit comprises a container which is sealed except at a port from which fluid is withdrawn from the container by the evacuating means and at a further port which is in sealing engagement with the duct.

9. A cleaner according to Claim 8 in which the collecting unit comprises a dust bag.

10. A cleaner according to any one of Claims 4 to 9 in which the collecting unit is provided in a rigid container from which it is removable.

11. A cleaner according to Claim 8 in which the collecting unit further is openable at a port provided thereon which port is closed by an opeanable door which door sealingly engages a periphery of the port.

12. A cleaner according to any one of claims 4 to 11 in which the collecting unit is secured to the second surface of the boundary.

13. A cleaner according to Claim 12 in which the collecting unit is releasably secured to the second surface.

14. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the evacuating means comprises a motor driven fan.

15. A cleaner according to any one of claims 4 to 14 in which a matter trap is provided within one or more of the collecting unit or the evacuating means to trap matter such that fluid which is expelled from the evacuating means is substantially free from entrained matter.

16. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the evacuating means is secured to the second surface of the boundary.

17. A cleaner according to Claim 16 in which the evacuating means is releasably secured to the second surface of the boundary.

18. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which at least a part of the duct is provided externally of the first surface of the boundary.

19. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the duct extends across the boundary and communicates with both the first and second surfaces thereof.

20. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the duct sealingly and releasably communicates with the connector.

21. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the connector is provided in or on the boundary of the area, at least a part of the connector being accessible from the area.

22. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the connector is provided at the first surface of the boundary.

23. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the connector comprises a valve means which is closed in the absence of a pipe being connected thereto and is opened when a pipe is connected thereto, the valve in these respective conditions respectively closing and opening communication between the duct and the pipe.

24. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the connector affords switch means by actuation of which the fluid moving means may be turned on or off.

25. A cleaner according to Claim 24 in which the switch is closed to turn on the fluid moving means concomitantly with connection of the pipe to the connector and the switch is opened concomitantly with disconnection of the pipe from the conector.

26. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which a further duct is provided, which, at a first end thereof, communicates with the duct and, at a second end thereof communicates with a further connector.

27. A cleaner according to Claim 26 in which the further connector is provided in or on a boundary of a further area and is accessible from said further area.

28. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which another duct is provided which, at a first end thereof communicates with the collecting unit and, at a second end thereof, communicates with another connector.

29. A cleaner according to Claim 28 in which said another connector is provided in or on a boundary of another area and is accessible from said another area.

30. A cleaner according to any one of Claims 1 or 4 to 29 when appendent to Claim 1 in which the fluid is a liquid.

31. A cleaner according to Claim 30 in which the liquid is a cleaning composition.

32. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the fluid moving means includes a pump for pumping fluid into the area.

33. A cleaner according to Claim 32 in which the pump pumps fluid from a reservoir of fluid.

34. A cleaner according to Claim 32 or Claim 33 in which alternating means is provided to permit of moving the fluid alternately to and from the area in repetitive fashion.

35. A cleaner according to Claim 34 in which the alternating means operates automatically whilst the fluid moving means is operating.

36. A cleaner according to Claim 34 in which the alternating means is switch operated, the switch being actuated at will by an operator of the cleaner to cause alternation of the fluid flow.

37. A cleaner according to Claim 36 in which the switch may be operated to afford unidirectional flow of fluid, in response to actuation of the fluid moving means, either towards or away from the area.

38. A cleaner according to Claim 32 or Claim 33 in which means are provided to permit of concomitantly sucking fluid from the area through a first part of the duct and a first part of the pipe which first parts communicate with each other and of blowing fluid through another part of the duct and another part of the pipe which another parts communicate with each other.

39. A cleaner according to any one of the pre#ceding claims in which the pipe is a flexible pipe.

40. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the pipe affords, at first end thereof which is away from to the end which is adapted for releasable connection with the connector, a cleaning head which affords a narrow, elongate mouth, so as to move fluid therethrough efficiently over a narrow elongate area.

41. A cleaner according to Claim 40 in which the head provides one or more of a matter agitating means, an absorbant pad, or a fluid applicator.

42. A cleaner according to Claim 41 in which the matter agitating means comprises at least one of a brush or an air operated beating device.

43. A cleaner according to Claim 40 when appendant to Claim 38 in which the first part of the pipe communicates with a first part of the head which is a fluid withdrawing part and a second part of the pipe communicates with a second part of the head which is a fluid applicator or distributor part.

44. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the area is an enclosed area and the boundary is one of a wall, a floor or a ceiling of the area.

45. A cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims in which the area is a building or a room of a building or an area within a container or an enclosed area within a vehicle and the further area and the another area comprise respectively further buildings, rooms, containers, or enclosed areas within vehicles and other buildings, rooms, containers or enclosed areas within vehicles.

46. A cleaner according to any one of claims 3 to 45 in which the rate of air flow through the fluid moving means is within the range 10 litres per second to 1500 litres per second.

47. A cleaner according to Claim 46 in which the rate of air flow is 1000 litres per second.

48. A cleaner substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

49. In combination, an area and a cleaner for collecting matter therefrom, the cleaner being in accordance with the cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 31.

50. A combination substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

51. A method of cleaning an enclosed area comprising the steps of installing a cleaner according to any one of Claims 1 to 48 in or around the enclosed area and operating the cleaner.

52. A method according to Claim 51 when appendant to any one of Claims 7 to 48 which includes the step of periodically removing the collecting unit and taking one of either of the further steps of emptying the collecting unit and replacing it or discarding the collecing unit and fitting a new collector unit to the end of the duct.

53. A method substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

54. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.