US20040088815A1

US20040088815A1 - Vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system

Info

Publication number: US20040088815A1
Application number: US10/288,691
Authority: US
Inventors: James Tracy; Paul Zovko
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-11-07
Filing date: 2002-11-07
Publication date: 2004-05-13

Abstract

A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system for effectively and efficiently cleaning the floors in a building structure. The vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system includes a wall outlet being adapted to be attached to a wall structure and including a plate; and also including a cleaning assembly including a tool and hoses being connected to the tool and also being removably attached to the wall outlet; and further including a vacuum assembly including a conduit being connected to the wall outlet and being adapted to be disposed in the wall structure, and also including a waste separator being connected to the conduit, and further including a waste receptacle being connected to the waste separator, and further including a blower unit being connected to the waste separator for creating a suction through the conduit; and also including a cleaning solution injection assembly including a pipeline being connected to the wall outlet and being adapted to be disposed in the wall structure and to be connected to a water supply, and also including a water heater being connected to the pipeline, and further providing an assembly for providing cleaning detergent to the tool through the pipeline.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to vacuum/steam cleaners and more particularly pertains to a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system for effectively and efficiently cleaning the floors in a building structure.

2. Description of the Prior Art

The use of vacuum/steam cleaners is known in the prior art. More specifically, vacuum/steam cleaners heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements.

Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,551; U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,578; U.S. Pat. No. 5,168,599; U.S. Pat. No. 5,946,769; U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,126; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,469,598.

While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system. The inventive device includes a wall outlet being adapted to be attached to a wall structure and including a plate; and also including a cleaning assembly including a tool and hoses being connected to the tool and also being removably attached to the wall outlet; and further including a vacuum assembly including a conduit being connected to the wall outlet and being adapted to be disposed in the wall structure, and also including a waste separator being connected to the conduit, and further including a waste receptacle being connected to the waste separator, and further including a blower unit being connected to the waste separator for creating a suction through the conduit; and also including a cleaning solution injector assembly including a pipeline being connected to the wall outlet and being adapted to be disposed in the wall structure and to be connected to a water supply, and also including a water heater being connected to the pipeline, and further including an assembly for providing cleaning detergent to the tool through the pipeline, all features not described nor suggested in the prior art.

In these respects, the vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of effectively and efficiently cleaning the floors in a building structure and also for hot and cold water exterior pressure washing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the vacuum/steam cleaners mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art vacuum/steam cleaners, either alone or in any combination thereof.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system 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 invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the vacuum/steam cleaners mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art vacuum/steam cleaners, either alone or in any combination thereof.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system for effectively and efficiently cleaning the floors in a building structure.

Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system that eliminates the user having to drag in equipment from the outside to clean the floors in the building structure and that also allows the user to pressure wash exterior objects such as sidings, driveways, sidewalks, patio furniture, etc.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system that can be set up and used within minutes thus making the process easy and convenient.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention 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: [0016]
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system according to the present invention and shown in use. [0017]
FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the present invention. [0018]
FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of the present invention.[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 3 thereof, a new vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the [0020] reference numeral 10 will be described.
As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, the vacuum/steam cleaning and [0021] pressure washing system 10 generally comprises a wall outlet 11 being adapted to be attached to a wall structure 34 and including a plate. The plate includes hose-connection ports 12 being disposed therethrough. A cleaning assembly includes a tool 13 and hoses 16, 17 being conventionally connected to the tool 13 and also being removably and conventionally attached to the wall outlet 11. The tool 13 is a wand having a tubular handle member 14, and also having head members 15 being detachably and conventionally attached to a first end of the tubular handle member 14 for cleaning a floor surface. Each of the hoses 16,17 has a first end which is removably attached to a second end of the tubular handle member 14, and also has a second end which is removably and conventionally attached to a respective hose-connection port 12 of the plate with the hoses 16,17 including a water hose and a suction hose. The head members 15 includes a vacuum head member and a water-dispensing head member.
A vacuum assembly includes a [0022] conduit 18 being conventionally connected to the wall outlet 11 and being adapted to be disposed in the wall structure 34, and also includes a conventional cyclone waste separator 19 being conventionally connected to the conduit 18, and further includes a waste receptacle 20 being conventionally connected to the waste separator 19 and having a pumping member 35 and a drain 36, and further includes a conventional blower unit 21 having a removable filter and being conventionally connected to the waste separator 19 for creating a suction through the conduit 18, and also includes a vacuum power switch 22 being conventionally mounted to the plate and being connected with wires to the blower unit 21 for energizing the blower unit 21, and also includes a waste level monitoring sensor 23 being conventionally mounted to the waste receptacle 20 for indicating when the waste receptacle 20 is full.
A cleaning solution injection assembly includes a [0023] pipeline 24 being conventionally connected to the wall outlet 11 and being adapted to be disposed in the wall structure 34 and to be connected to a water supply, and also includes a water heater 25 being conventionally connected to the pipeline 24, and further includes a means for providing cleaning detergent to the tool 13 through the pipeline 24. The means for providing cleaning detergent further includes a detergent container 26, and also includes a detergent-dispensing pump 28 being conventionally connected to the detergent container 26 and to the pipeline 24, and further includes a detergent level monitoring sensor 27 being conventionally connected to the detergent container 26 for indicating when the detergent container is empty. The cleaning solution injection assembly further includes a cleaning solution activation switch 29 being conventionally mounted to the plate and to the cleaning solution-dispensing pump 28, and also includes a water pump 30 being conventionally connected to the pipeline 24 and to the cleaning solution activation switch 29. The cleaning solution injection assembly further includes a water temperature control sensor/switch 31 being conventionally connected to the pipeline 24 to control and set the temperature of the water being dispensed through the pipeline 24 from the water heater 25, and also includes a manual water flow control valve 32 being conventionally attached to the tool 13 and being disposed inline of the pipeline 24 to control the amount of water being dispensed through the water hose 16.
In use, the user attaches the [0024] hoses 16,17 to the hose-connection ports 12 in the wall outlet 11 which turns on the vacuum power switch 22 to energize the blower unit 21 and turns on the water pump 30 and the cleaning solution activation switch 29 to energize the detergent-dispensing pump 28 and the water pump 30 to clean the floors in a building structure 33 using the tool 13 and for cleaning the outside areas such as driveways, sidings, etc. Once finished, the user simply removes the hoses 16,17 from the wall outlet 11 which turns off the vacuum power switch.
As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. [0025]
With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, 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 the present invention. [0026]
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention 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 invention. [0027]

Claims

I claim:

1. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system comprising:

a wall outlet being adapted to be attached to a wall structure and including a plate;

a cleaning assembly including a tool and hoses being connected to said tool and also being removably attached to said wall outlet;

a vacuum assembly including a conduit being connected to said wall outlet and being adapted to be disposed in the wall structure, and also including a waste separator being connected to said conduit, and further including a waste receptacle being connected to said waste separator and having a pumping member and a drain, and further including a blower unit being connected to said waste separator for creating a suction through said conduit; and

a cleaning solution injection assembly including a pipeline being connected to said wall outlet and being adapted to be disposed in the wall structure and to be connected to a water supply, and also including a water heater being connected to said pipeline, and further including a means for providing cleaning detergent to said tool through said pipeline for cleaning the interiors of building structures and for also cleaning outside areas around the building structure using hot and cold high water pressure.

2. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system as described in claim 1, wherein said plate includes hose-connection ports being disposed therethrough.

3. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system as described in claim 2, wherein said tool is a wand having a tubular handle member, and also having head members being detachably attached to a first end of said tubular handle member for cleaning a floor surface.

4. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system as described in claim 3, wherein each of said hoses has a first end which is removably attached to a second end of the tubular handle member, and also has a second end which is removably attached to a respective said hose-connection port of said plate, said hoses including a water hose and a suction hose.

5. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system as described in claim 4, wherein said head members includes a vacuum head member and a water-dispensing head member.

6. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system as described in claim 1, wherein said vacuum assembly further includes a vacuum power switch being mounted to said plate and being connected with wires to said blower unit for energizing said blower unit, and also includes a waste level monitoring sensor being mounted to said waste receptacle for indicating when said waste receptacle is full.

7. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system as described in claim 4, wherein said means for providing cleaning detergent further includes a detergent container, and also includes a cleaning solution-dispensing pump being connected to said detergent container and being connected to said pipeline, and further includes a detergent level monitoring sensor being connected to said detergent container for indicating when said detergent container is empty.

8. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system as described in claim 7, wherein said cleaning solution injection assembly further includes a cleaning solution activation switch being mounted to said plate and being connected to said cleaning solution-dispensing pump, and also includes a water pump being connected to said pipeline and to said cleaning solution activation switch.

9. A vacuum/steam cleaning and pressure washing system as described in claim 8, wherein said cleaning solution injection assembly further includes a water temperature control sensor/switch being connected to said pipeline to control and set the temperature of the water being dispensed through said pipeline from said water heater, and also includes a water flow control valve being attached to said tool and being disposed inline of said pipeline to control the amount of water being dispensed through said water hose.