Abstract: A vacuum cleaner with high efficiency in sucking dust includes a main body and a floor nozzle pivotally coupled to the main body. The body includes a body cover, and within the body, a fan motor and a dust-collecting bag mounting portion. The floor nozzle includes a floor nozzle cover having an opening at its surface in contact with a floor and a suction member on its wall against the body, a rotary brush member arranged to face the opening and driven by the fan motor, and a ventilation fan provided at an end of the rotary brush member and rotating according to rotation of the rotary brush member. The body further includes a hose with one end connected to the suction member and the other end connected to the dust-collecting bag mounting portion. The vacuum cleaner further includes a driving member for driving the rotary brush member and the ventilation fan.

Abstract: A controlled self operating vacuum cleaning system which comprises a stationary housing for the storage of a mobile vacuum cleaner apparatus and where the housing is provided with an automatically openable and closable closure allowing exit and entry of the mobile vacuum cleaner unit. The mobile unit is driven by an internal drive motor which is powered by one or more batteries carried by the mobile vacuum cleaner unit. At preestablished times and preestablished time intervals, the closure of the housing will automatically open providing for ingress and egress and the mobile vacuum cleaner unit will exit and randomly clean the carpet of a certain specified area for a predetermined time period. The mobile vacuum cleaner unit is provided with obstacle detectors for causing the mobile unit to move beyond an obstacle, if it contacts an obstacle, as well as detectors for detecting the edge of a staircase and the edge of a carpet to cause the mobile unit to remain on the carpeted area.

Abstract: A pipettor operable by a lateral pushing movement of a thumb of a user. The pipettor includes an ergonomically designed non-tubular body that has an operating surface and a supporting surface. The body of the pipettor is configured to be grasped between the thumb placed on the operating surface and at least one finger placed on the supporting surface in an opposing manner. The pipettor includes one or more fluid pick-up means disposed in the body of the pipettor for drawing a calibrated volume of fluid into the pipette tip. The fluid pick-up means is operable by the lateral pushing movement of the thumb against the operating surface of the body of the pipettor. Dispensing means is provided for dispensing the calibrated volume of fluid from the pipette tip. The dispensing means is operable by the lateral pushing movement of the thumb against the operating surface. A tip holder is coupled to the body and is configured to mate with a pipette tip.

Abstract: Squeegee adjustment in connection with a floor maintenance mechanism is provided. A single adjustment such as a laterally movable camming bar, permits rapid and reproducible squeegee height adjustment without the need for tools. A spring-urged squeegee pitch coupling is adjustable by a manually operable knob. Indicators or gauges provide an operator with information regarding the current height and/or pitch value of the squeegee.

Abstract: A handle 2 has an integral connector 7 for connection with a suction hose and hand-grip ribs 13-16. A head 6 projects below the handle 7 with a transverse slot-shaped bottom opening, and a blade 22 extends along the front margin of the opening with a scraping edge projecting below the opening. An upstanding projection at the junction between the head 6 and the handle 2 has a front face which slopes forwardly and downwardly to the blade 22 for applying manual pressure to the scraping head.

Abstract: A shoe bottom or side cleaning device which is either portable or installed in a floor of an entrance to a dwelling or building, and is either manually or automatically operated. The device includes a plurality of side-by-side, elongated and rotated brushes, a funnel beneath the brushes, a motor for driving the brushes and a squirrel cage fan for collecting dirt from the brushes via the funnel, and a chamber for accumulating the collected dirt. The chamber can be equipped with a dirt collection bag. A central building vacuum system can assist the device's fan. The elongated brushes can have either a solid core or a twisted" wire core.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner (10) includes a housing (14), an agitator brush (40) mounted for relative rotation in the housing (14) and a motor (30) including a shaft (42) for driving the agitator brush (40). A flexible belt (44) connects the drive shaft (42) of the motor (30) to the agitator brush (40). Further, a mechanism (50) is provided for disconnecting the belt (44) from either the motor drive shaft (42) or the agitator brush (40). That mechanism (50) includes an element or lug (54) carried on a shifter (52) and an actuator (56) for selectively displacing the shifter (52) and element/lug (54) carried thereon between a first position wherein the element/lug (54) is out of engagement with said belt (44) and a second position wherein the element/lug (54) engages the belt (44), thereby forcing the belt (44) out of engagement with either the motor drive shaft (42) or the agitator brush (40).

Abstract: A lottery ticket scratching device is provided including a housing adapted to contain at least one battery and a motor assembly including a motor mounted within the housing and including a rotor. Also included is a scratch assembly in communication with the rotor and positioned at an opening of the housing for removing a film from a ticket upon the rotation of the scratch assembly. A switch is connected between the motor and the battery for selectively rotating the scratch assembly.

Abstract: A connecting element for coupling of the suction pipe (3) of a suction cleaner to a mouthpiece (2) having a suction sole (9) with an abutment surface (10) and an elongated suction slot which debouches on the abutment surface (10) of the suction sole (9), and wherein the connecting element comprises flexible joints (4, 5, 7, 8) which may transmit an angle change of the suction pipe (3) of the vacuum cleaner about the longitudinal axis of the suction pipe to a rotation of the vacuum cleaner mouthpiece in the plane of the abutment surface (10), and also allows a freedom of movement between the vacuum cleaner mouthpiece (2) and the vacuum cleaner suction pipe (3) whereby the abutment surface may freely assume different orientations relative to the longitudinal axis of the suction pipe. According to the invention the flexible joint has a freedom of movement which allows the suction pipe to be freely movable about an axis (8a) which is parallel with the suction slot in an angle (.alpha.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a suction cleaning device which provides liquid dispensing, scrubbing, squeegeeing, and suction drying in a single, compact, self contained device. The suction cleaning device includes a cleaning device housing, a handle connected to the housing, an absorbent cleaning member mounted on the housing and movable between an extended and a retracted position, and a pair of squeegee blades. The device includes a suction system which draws the water from the floor surface which has been cleaned into a tank mounted on the housing which collects the liquid from the floor surface. A clean water bottle is provided on the housing for delivering cleaning liquid to the floor and a rechargeable battery power source provides power to the suction motor. The cleaning device is compact and lightweight and leaves the floor in a substantially dry state.

Abstract: An electric vacuum cleaner comprising a vacuum cleaner body, a hose to be connected to the vacuum cleaner body, a support pipe to be connected to the hose, and a suction device to be connected to the support pipe. The suction device is provided with running wheels, and the vacuum cleaner body is able to be detachably fastened to the support pipe so that it is supported by the wheels of the suction device when the vacuum cleaner body is attached to the support pipe. The cleaning workability is thus improved, and the external appearance of the vacuum cleaner body in a condition of being detached from the support pipe can be improved.

Abstract: An appliance for using suction to pick up liquid includes a collection container (10) with an air/liquid separator (30) arranged at a corner between two adjacent walls (13, 14) of the container and extending obliquely relative to both side walls. The separator (30) includes an inlet tube (31) which terminates in an outwardly widening outlet end portion (33) which discharges directly into the collection container (10). The inlet tube (31) and end portion (33) extend into the container (10) through an air outlet chamber (20) which is connected at an outlet opening (17) of the container (10). A filter element (40) is provided at the mouth (24) of the outlet chamber (20) and around the outlet end portion (33) of the inlet tube (31).

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes an optical dust sensor for detecting a quantity of dust which sensor is provided at a predetermined position of a suction path for sucking air by a suction force of the vacuum cleaner, whereby an output signal is supplied to a display device so that a display corresponding to the quantity of the sucked dust, which signal is output from the optical dust sensor and is varied in a stageless manner corresponding to the quantity of the dust.

Abstract: A cord rewinder assembly for a wet filter type vacuum cleaner with a moist air discharge outlet includes a conventional cord rewinder and a deflector plate. The deflector plate not only shields the cord rewinder from direct contact with the moist airflow discharge but also functions to remove moisture from the airflow so that it can be utilized to cool the electrical components of the cord rewinder. Incoming air carrying dirt and dust is cleaned by passing the air stream through a canister of water and a series of secondary filters. The clean discharge air, which contains moisture and water vapor, impinges on the deflector plate and is redirected downwardly at a high velocity toward a cavity. The airflow enters the cavity at a lower velocity, passes beneath the deflector plate and reverses direction. The decrease in airflow velocity and the redirection of the airflow allows the moisture and water vapor to drop out of the airflow.

Abstract: A vacuum system is described in which a hollow vacuum housing is provided with an intake plenum leading from an open bottom housing end of the housing to a vacuum line connector. A vacuum pump is attached to the vacuum line to produce suction through the intake plenum. A hot air housing is situated within the hollow vacuum housing and includes a hot air discharge plenum. The hot air discharge plenum is defined by a wall within the intake plenum, leading from an open bottom end that is substantially circumscribed by the intake plenum. A hot air blower on the hot air housing moves hot air downwardly. The hot air moves against the surface being cleaned or dried and is subsequently drawn back upwardly through the intake plenum. At least one and preferably two compressed injection air discharge lines are positioned within the hot air housing.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes an elongate housing which has a front end wall defining an air inlet, a rear end wall defining an inserting hole, and a circumferential wall between the front and rear end walls to define a dust collecting chamber. An air impeller is disposed in the housing posterior to the dust collecting chamber to create a vacuum behind the air inlet. A handle includes a handgrip portion and an inserting shaft portion that is disposed to slidably move along a longitudinal guiding way, and that is retractable to be hidden in the elongate housing. The inserting shaft portion has a distal section relative to the handgrip portion. A retaining member is disposed on the circumferential wall adjacent to a rear segment of the guiding way. Two spring-loaded engaging members are respectively disposed in and are radially retractable to position such that the inserting shaft portion in a retracted or pulled-out position.

Abstract: A central vacuum cleaner having an air flow exhaust pipe is provided with a muffler comprising an elongated muffler pipe having a reduced diameter inlet and a reduced diameter outlet and a noise reducing foam liner disposed in the muffler pipe between the inlet and outlet. The foam liner includes a smooth inner surface that is generally flush with inner surfaces of the inlet and outlet. The foam liner comprises a combustion modified polyether polyurethane foam tube inserted in the muffler pipe between the inlet and outlet.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for cleaning and rejuvenating septic tank sewage systems. Where the septic tank has a drainfield associated therewith, the method comprises penetrating the ground near a drainfield lateral, and agitating the area near the drainfield lateral while simultaneously applying suction to the drainfield lateral. Accumulated scum and waste is thereby removed from the drainfield lateral. Where the septic tank system has a dry well associated therewith, the method comprises penetrating the bottom of the dry well and agitating the area underneath the dry well to form accumulated scum and waste into a froth or malt at the bottom of the dry well, and removing the froth or malt by suction. The apparatus of the present invention comprises a penetrating nozzle attached to an articulated boom assembly for penetrating the ground near a drainfield lateral or underneath a dry well to apply forced air or fluid or suction to agitate the area near the drainfield lateral or underneath the dry well.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner has an electric motor driving an air impeller for creating suction and a pump impeller which is located in the tank and draws liquid material from the bottom of the tank and expels it from the tank. The vacuum cleaner may have an electrical or mechanical shut-off apparatus which turns off the electric motor if the water level in the tank is too high. The shut-off switch may be bypassed by a user to allow the motor to continue driving the pump impeller to remove liquid from the tank.

Abstract: A web vac including a rechargeable support member that has a bottom side with a pair of rectangular female electrical sockets recessed within the body member. The support member has a top side with a first extension wand extending outwardly. The first extension wand has a first wand end with a pair of cylindrical female electrical sockets recessed therein and a pair of projections spaced from the first wand end. Included is a housing member. The housing member has a rotatable separation means having an intake opening for reception of particles. A motor is positioned within the housing member for creating a vacuum to draw air and particles into the intake opening. The housing member has a second wand extension projecting outwardly from the proximal end. The second wand extension has a second wand end with an F-slot for engaging the pair of projections of the support member. The first wand and the second wand, when coupled, provide electrical current to the motor.