Vacuum and cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A vacuum cleaning device provides improved removal of dirt and cleaning solution while using less air flow than conventional cleaning devices, requiring less power to operate. The device utilizes an air control valve which may or may not be coupled to a liquid valve. An existing power system may then be used to operate additional cleaning devices.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/661,729, filed Mar. 15, 2005, which is hereby incorporated in its entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a vacuum and/or cleaning apparatus. More specifically, the present invention relates to an improved cleaning wand, system, and method of use and an improved air control valve and air and fluid control valves and an improved vacuum head and air nozzle. 2. State of the Art

In commercial cleaning, a system is used to provide suction, heated and/or pressurized cleaning fluid, and the like to various types of vacuum and/or cleaning devices, such as floor and upholstery cleaning heads, hard surface scrubbing heads, etc. Many of the various cleaning heads typically spray a cleaning solution onto the surface which is cleaned and use suction to subsequently remove the cleaning solution from the surface. Alternatively, cleaning solution may not be applied at all, or may be applied independent of the cleaning device and subsequently removed.

Typically, a truck mounted or stand-alone power system is used to power the various cleaning heads, which are used to clean houses, offices, businesses, etc. The cleaning devices are typically much more powerful that a typical household vacuum. It will thus be appreciated that the power required for such cleaning devices is much greater than for a household vacuum. Thus, a large power unit providing suction and pressurized cleaning solution is used. The power unit may be truck mounted to provide greater power than a stand-alone unit and to keep unwanted attributes such as noise away from the area being cleaned. Many cleaning devices, such as those for carpet and upholstery, utilize constant suction, and have valves to control the application of cleaning solution. It will be appreciated that using a greater number of cleaning devices increases the power required to operate the devices. Thus, more powerful power systems are utilized. For any power system, there is a maximum number of cleaning devices which may be used. In order to use additional cleaning devices, a larger power system is required.

One common problem with cleaning devices is the loss of suction or vacuum pressure when the device is raised from the surface being cleaned. This can cause a loss is suction for all of the devices on the same suction/vacuum network.

It is thus desirable to have cleaning devices which are more efficient, so as to allow additional cleaning units without requiring a larger power system. In particular, it is desirable to have a cleaning device which more efficiently utilizes the suction provided by the power system. It is also desirable to have cleaning devices with improved cleaning performance and liquid/dirt extraction performance over existing devices.

There is thus a need for an improved cleaning device which cleans better than existing cleaning devices, and for a cleaning device which allows more cleaning devices to be operated from an existing power system.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved cleaning/vacuum device. In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaning device which provides better control as it removes dirt and cleaning solution from the item being cleaned and which provides a reduced power draw on the power system.

According to one aspect of the present invention a cleaning device is provided which uses less suction than existing cleaning devices. An improved valve is provided which reduces the amount of suction used by the cleaning device. Such a cleaning device requires less power to operate than a conventional cleaning device, and allows more cleaning devices to operate simultaneously from a single power system.

According to another aspect of the invention, a cleaning device is provided which more effective in removing dirt and liquids from the surface being cleaned. An improved orifice design for a vacuum head is provided which is elongate and which has a number of angular bends or curved bends provides improved performance in removing dirt and cleaning solutions as compared to existing vacuum head designs.

These and other aspects of the present invention are realized in an improved cleaning device as disclosed in the following description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various embodiments of the present invention are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cleaning device known in the prior art;

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a vacuum head according to the present invention;

FIG. 3A shows a bottom view of a vacuum head according to the present invention;

FIG. 3B shows a side view of the vacuum head of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C shows another side view of the vacuum head of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 4 shows a bottom view of another vacuum head according to the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a bottom view of another vacuum head according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a side view of a valve assembly according to aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 7 shows a side view of another valve assembly according to aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 8 shows a side view of yet another valve assembly according to the present invention;

FIG. 9 shows a side view of an adapter according to the present invention;

FIG. 10 shows a side view of a cleaning device according to the present invention;

FIG. 11 shows a side view of another adapter according to aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 12 shows a side view of another air control valve according to aspects of the present invention;

FIG. 13 shows a front view of an air control valve according to aspects of the present invention; and

FIG. 14 shows a side view of yet another air control valve according to the present invention.

It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention which is defined by the appended claims. The various embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The drawings and descriptions are exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims.

Turning to FIG. 1, a perspective view of a cleaning device known in the prior art is shown. The cleaning device 10 is of the type used in commercial cleaning systems, utilizing a cleaning fluid which is sprayed onto a surface and a vacuum head to remove the cleaning fluid and dirt from the surface. Thus, the cleaning device 10 is formed with a vacuum tube 14, a vacuum head 18, and a connector 22. The connector 22 is used to connect the vacuum tube 14 to a power system (not shown) which generates suction. The vacuum head 18 has an opening, indicated generally at 26, into which air flows, removing cleaning liquid and dirt from the surface being cleaned. The opening 26 is typically large, allowing a high volume of air to flow into the device 10.

Spray nozzles 30 are attached to the vacuum head 18 and are used to spray cleaning fluid onto the surface being cleaned. The spray nozzles 30 are typically positioned behind the vacuum head 18 as shown such that as a person pulls the cleaning device 10 towards himself or herself, the nozzles 30 sprays cleaning fluid onto a surface and the vacuum head 18 then removes the cleaning fluid. The spray nozzles 30 are connected to a valve 34 via hose 38. The valve 34 and handle 42 allow the person to turn the flow of cleaning fluid on and off. The valve 34 typically has an attachment means 46, such as a quick release adapter, to connect the valve to the power system, which heats and/or pressurizes the cleaning liquid.

Conventional cleaning devices 10 are disadvantageous as the vacuum head 18 is less efficient at removing the cleaning liquid from a surface such as carpet or upholstery, requiring additional time and labor to satisfactorily remove the cleaning liquid. Additionally, after the cleaning device 10 is lifted from the surface and extended away from the person operating the device 10 and prior to placing the device 10 back on the surface, a large amount of air is allowed to pass through the vacuum head and through the cleaning device. This lowers the suction which the power system can provide to any other cleaning devices to which it is connected and increases the power required to operate any number of cleaning devices 10, limiting the number of devices which a particular power system is capable of operating simultaneously. Additionally, if high suction is maintained by the power system, which is desired, the cleaning/vacuum device may be somewhat difficult to lift away from the surface being cleaned.

Turning now to FIG. 2, a perspective view of a vacuum head according to the present invention is shown. The vacuum head 50 has an air outlet 54, which may attach to a cleaning wand, or may be part of a cleaning device, such as tube 14 of FIG. 1. The vacuum head 50 has a slot 58 formed in surface 62 which contacts the surface being cleaned. The slot 58 is narrow, and has been formed in a sinusoidal or wave-like shape. The slot may be formed into a looser or tighter wave as is desired. The slot 58 is typically between 1/32 and ¼ of an inch wide, and more preferably between 1/16 and ⅛ of an inch wide. A sinusoidal or wave shaped slot as is shown may have considerable advantages over other slots. It is appreciated that a slot which has corners or points may snag the carpet and cause damage to the carpet. Conversely, a slot which is wavelike does not present points or sharp corners as a square or zigzag slot would, and would be more gentle on the carpet being cleaned. Similarly, FIG. 5 shows another wavelike slot without sharp corners.

Being considerably narrower and smaller than the opening 26 of FIG. 1, the slot 58 may use less air flow than conventional cleaning devices, and may thus maintain a stronger suction inside of the vacuum head 50, creating a higher velocity of air movement into the vacuum head 50 and aiding in the removal of dirt and cleaning fluid. Additionally, it is believed that the bent shape of the slot 58 aids in removal of dirt and cleaning fluid, while not catching on carpet threads, etc. The vacuum head may also have spray nozzles (not shown) which would typically be positioned adjacent the head, such as in the area indicated at 66. The spray nozzles may be mounted to the vacuum head 50, to the tube 70, etc. and are not shown for clarity.

Turning now to FIG. 3, a bottom view of another vacuum head according to the present invention is shown. The vacuum head 74 has a front portion 78 which is connected to a vacuum tube 82, through which air, dirt, and cleaning fluid are carried. The vacuum head will typically have spray nozzles (not shown) as described in connection with FIG. 2. A slot 86 is formed in the front portion 78. Air flows through the slot and into the cleaning device. The front portion 78 may be formed from tube or hollow bar stock or the like, or may be molded from plastics, or any suitable material. The front portion 78 provides a hollow chamber through which air, dirt, cleaning fluid, etc. which channels air from the slot 78 into the tube 82. The slot 86 is shown with a zigzag shape.

Referring to FIGS. 3B and 3C, side views of the cleaning head of FIG. 3A are shown. It is appreciated that the vacuum head may be formed with various types of tubing. The front portion 78 may be formed from square tubing as is shown in FIG. 3C, or round tubing as is shown in FIG. 3B. It is appreciated that the functionality of the cleaning head resides more in the slot 86, but may also be related to the side profile of the tubing or material used to make the front 78. It is appreciated that the side views and discussion apply to all of the various vacuum cleaning heads discussed.

Turning now to FIG. 4, a bottom view of another vacuum head according to aspects of the present invention is shown. The vacuum head 90 has a front portion 94, a tube 98, and a slot 102 similar to the vacuum head of FIG. 3. The slot 102 has been formed in a square wave-like pattern having straight lines 106 joined at angles 110. The slot 102 may be formed of 90 degree angles as shown, or may incorporate many other angles as is desired.

Turning now to FIG. 5, a bottom view of yet another vacuum head according to aspects of the present invention is shown. The vacuum head 114 has a front portion 118, a tube 122, and a slot 126 similar to the vacuum head of FIG. 3 The slot is formed of a series of curved loops 130, resulting in a wavy appearance. The wavelike nature of the slot allows a long slot which does not present sharp points or angles which may snag and damage carpet, as previously discussed. It is believed that a longer slot may be more effective in removing cleaning solution from the carpet than a slot having the same overall width but a shorter overall length, as the solution is drawn around the edges of the slot and into the cleaning head.

It will be appreciated that a number of different slot designs are possible. The slot may incorporate combinations of straight segments, curved segments, angles, corners, etc. It has been observed that slots which are more tortuous or more highly bent or curved are somewhat more effective at removing dirt and cleaning liquid from surfaces such as carpet and upholstery, but the present invention also encompasses slots which are less bent or straight.

Turning now to FIG. 6, a side view of a valve according to the present invention is shown. The valve, indicated generally at 134, has a butterfly valve 138 which fits inside of a tube 142 and is used to control the flow of air through the tube 142. The tube may be a part of the vacuum wand, or hose, or may be an adapter used between an existing cleaning device and the suction hose. The butterfly valve 138 is attached to a pivot 146, which is connected to a lever 150 which is outside of the tube 142, and is used to actuate the butterfly valve 138. A handle 154 is attached to the outside of the tube 142 at a pivot point 158, and has an arm 162 attached whereby the handle 154 may be used to actuate the butterfly valve. As the handle 154 is moved in the direction of arrow 166, the arm 162 pushes against the lever 150 to open the valve 138, rotating the valve 138 in the direction of arrow 170. The pivot 146 is mounted above the center of the tube 142 such that the movement of air through the tube 142, represented by arrow 174, tends to close the butterfly valve 138 because of the unequal forces exerted on the unequally sized sides of the valve 138. The butterfly valve 138 shown has been made such that it is somewhat oval in shape and closes against the tube 142 while at an angle. A butterfly valve 138 formed as shown so that it remains at an angle when closed utilizes the vacuum pressure to hold the valve 138 closed.

The handle 154 also has a lever arm 178 formed on the front thereof. When the handle 154 is moved sufficiently, the lever 178 contacts a button 182 on a liquid control valve 186, allowing pressurized cleaning fluid to be sprayed onto the surface being cleaned. The liquid control valve 186 typically has a port 190 whereby the liquid control valve 186 is connected to spray nozzles on the vacuum head, and a port 194, such as a quick release coupling, whereby the liquid control valve 186 may be connected to the power system (not shown) which supplies the cleaning fluid. Thus, in operation, the butterfly valve 138 prevents or substantially inhibits the flow of air through the tube 142 until a person applies force to handle 154 and allows air flow through the tube 142. If the person moves the handle 154 further, the lever 178 contacts button 182 and causes liquid to flow out of the spray nozzles. Thus, a person may have separate control over both the flow of air and cleaning liquid by allowing a person to allow air flow before allowing fluid flow. Similarly, for most or all of the subsequently discussed valves it is possible to arrange the handle and mechanical connections between the valves to allow a person to begin air flow before allowing the flow of cleaning solution. The valve 134 is thus advantageous as it allows a person to inhibit or prevent air flow through the cleaning device when air flow is not necessary, such as when the cleaning device is off of the ground or not in use. This lowers the amount of power required from the power system, allowing more cleaning devices to be used simultaneously. It will be appreciated that, in a conventional system, more air flows when the cleaning device is lifted off of the surface being cleaned as compared to when the device is in use, causing a loss in the suction available to other devices. According to the present invention, this loss of suction may be eliminated or significantly reduced by having the valve 134 closed whenever the head is lifted off of the carpet or other surface being cleaned.

Turning now to FIG. 7, a side view of another valve according to aspects of the present invention is shown. The valve, indicated generally at 198, functions similar to the valve of FIG. 6. The valve uses a butterfly valve 202 mounted on pivot 206 and mounted inside of tube 210 to control the flow of air through the tube 210. The butterfly valve 202 is controlled by lever 214 which is mounted external to the tube 210. A handle 218 is mounted to the tube 210 via bracket 222 and pivot 226. The front end of the handle 218 forms a lever 230 which is coupled to lever 214 by a rod 234 or other means. Thus, when the handle 218 is moved, the butterfly valve 202 opens. When the handle 218 is moved sufficiently, lever 230 contacts button 238 on fluid control valve 242. The fluid control valve 242 has a connector 246 for connecting to spray nozzles and a connector 250 for connecting to the power system. The butterfly valve 202 is formed with a pivot 206 which is located off center in tube 210, causing the air flow through the tube to bias the butterfly valve 202 into a closed position, as previously discussed. The butterfly valve 202 is also shown such that the valve 202 remains at an angle relative to the tube 210 when closed, utilizing the vacuum pressure to help hold the valve closed. It will be appreciated that the valve 202 need not be a butterfly valve, but may be a ball valve, or other valves suitable for controlling the flow of air or liquids in a tube.

Turning now to FIG. 8, a side view of another valve according to the present invention is shown. The valve, indicated generally at 254, is shown with a butterfly valve 258 mounted inside of a tube 262. The butterfly valve 258 is mounted to a pivot 266, which is in turn connected to a lever 270, mounted outside of the tube 262. A handle 274 is connected via a pivot 278 and mount 282 to the tube 262. The handle 274 also forms or is attached to a lever 286, which is connected to lever 270 by a rod or connector 290. As the handle 274 is moved in the direction of arrow 294, the butterfly valve 258 opens. A biasing element 298, such as a spring or elastic element, urges the handle 274 in the direction opposite arrow 294, closing the butterfly valve 258. It will thus be appreciated that various means exist for closing the air flow valve and thereby stopping the flow of air through the cleaning device. It is also possible to use a small control motor, a solenoid, a pneumatic or hydraulic diaphragm, etc. to open and/or close the valve. Such embodiments are covered by the present invention. When the handle 274 is moved sufficiently far, lever 286 contacts button 302 on valve 306, allowing cleaning solution to flow to spray nozzles (not shown) via connector 310 and hose 314. A second connector 318 allows the cleaning device to be connected to the power system which provides heated and/or pressurized cleaning solution. It will be appreciated that the various linkages and levers of the valve 254 may be adjusted in size and orientation to customize the operation of the valve 254. Advantageously, the valve 254 and all of the valves shown allow a person to quickly and easily control the air flow through the cleaning device, allowing the person to stop the air flow when the device is not in use or lifted off of the surface being cleaned. Such a valve may significantly reduce the power requirements of the vacuum pump used to power the cleaning wands by reducing or eliminating the vacuum loss when a cleaning wand is lifted. Additionally, the valves shown may significantly increase the performance of a cleaning system because reducing the loss of vacuum which typically occurs when lifting a cleaning wand off of the floor will maintain the vacuum pressure in the system, and will thus provide higher and more consistent suction to all of the vacuum cleaning wands used in the system.

Turning to FIG. 9, a side view of an adapter having an air and fluid control valve according to the present invention is shown. The adapter, indicated generally at 322, has a section of tubing 326 through which air flows. The tubing 326 may have adapters or collars 330 placed on the ends of the tubing 326 as may be necessary to connect the adapter to a cleaning device and the suction hose coming from the power system. A valve assembly including a handle 334, fluid control valve 338, and air control valve 342 are attached to and integrated into the tubing 326, and functions similar to the valve described in FIG. 8. Thus, the adapter 322 may be connected to an existing cleaning device and power system to increase the efficiency and performance of the cleaning system.

Turning now to FIG. 10, a side view of a cleaning device according to the present invention is shown. The cleaning device, indicated generally at 346, is formed with an air flow tube 350. The tube 350 has a collar or adapter 354 to allow the device 346 to be connected to the suction hose of a power system. According to the present invention, a control valve, indicated generally at 358, is attached to the tube and includes a butterfly valve 362, a fluid valve 366, and an actuating lever 370. The control valve 358 allows a person to control the air and fluid flow of the cleaning device 346, and most advantageously, allows a person to stop or significantly reduce the flow of air when the vacuum is not in use or in contact with the surface being cleaned. This reduces the load placed on the power system and increases the number of cleaning devices which may be run simultaneously on a given power system.

The fluid valve 366 is connected to a hose 374 which carries the cleaning liquid to spray nozzles 378 which are typically mounted behind the vacuum head 382. The vacuum head 382 is fluidly connected to the tube 350 such that air, dirt, and cleaning fluid flowing into the vacuum head 382 are carried through the tube 350 and are carried away by the suction hose and power system. The vacuum head 382 has an opening formed in the bottom surface 386 of the head 382 through which dirt, air, and cleaning fluid are carried away from the object being cleaned. The slot may be formed as a narrow slot as shown in FIG. 2 through FIG. 5 for increased cleaning performance and to reduce the load placed on the power system as previously discussed. When the air and liquid valve system and the narrow cleaning slot are used together greater benefit is realized in increased control, improved cleaning performance, and allowing additional cleaning devices to be used with the same power system.

Turning now to FIG. 11, a side view of another adapter according to aspects of the present invention. The adapter 390 allows a person to connect an existing cleaning device to a source of suction. The adapter 390 is formed from a piece of tube 394, and has an air control valve 398 as previously discussed mounted within the tube 394. The air control valve 398 is operatively connected to a handle 402 by lever 406, arm 410, and lever 414. Thus, handle 402 allows a person to easily open and close the valve 398 to thereby control the flow of air through the tube 394. The tube 394 may be formed with a tapered end 418 which may easily be connected to another piece of tubing, such as a cleaning wand, and may have a straight end 422 allowing a tapered end to be inserted into the adapter 390.

Thus, the adapter 390 allows a person to restrict the flow of air through the tube when the cleaning device is not in use, such as when the person has set the cleaning device down to move a piece of furniture. It will be appreciated that in commercial cleaning systems, it is typical to have a truck mounted power system which provides suction to one or to a number of cleaning devices. Conventional cleaning devices do not allow a person to shut off air flow when not in use other than turning off the power supply, and as such the power system works harder than normal to maintain the suction in the cleaning system when a cleaning device is lifted off of the surface being cleaned or is set aside to perform another task. When multiple cleaning devices are powered by a single power system, lifting one device creates loss of suction as previously described and the second cleaning device may not have enough suction to function properly. The power system is also caused to work harder in an attempt to maintain suction. Thus, the air control valve according to the present invention is advantageous as it substantially prevents the loss of suction and excessive power draw discussed above.

Turning now to FIG. 12, a side view of another air control valve according to the present invention is shown. The air control valve, indicated generally at 426, is formed from a butterfly valve 430 which is mounted on a pivot shaft 434 inside of tube 438. The pivot shaft 434 is connected to a lever 442 disposed on the outside of the tube 438. The lever may be used to open the valve 426. A catch 446 may be placed on or attached to the tube 438 to allow a person to lock the valve 426 in an open position when in use. The flow of air through the tube, indicated by arrow 450, may be used to bias the valve 426 into a closed position by adjusting the angle at which the butterfly valve 430 is closed, the location of the pivot 434 relative to the center of the tube 438, etc.

Turning now to FIG. 13, a front view of a valve according to the present invention is shown. A piece of tubing 454 has been formed to receive a pivot shaft 458 which may pass through the tubing 454. The valve 462 is mounted to the pivot shaft 458 by bolts, rivets, welding, etc. The valve 462 may be round, oval, etc. as desired. For a round tube 454, a round valve 462 will stop air flow when perpendicular to the tube 454, while an oval valve 462 will stop air flow when at an angle to the tube 454. The pivot shaft 458 is also attached to a lever 466 which is used to move the valve 462. It will be appreciated that the tube 454 need not be round, but may be oval, square, etc. as is desired. The shape of the valve 462 is largely determined by the shape of the tube 454.

Turning now to FIG. 14, a side view of another air control valve according to the present invention is shown. A piece of tube 470 used to carry air is formed to receive a pivot 474. The pivot 474 may extend through the wall of the tube 470, may be attached with bolts or pins which extend through the tube 470, or may be mounted internally to the tube 470. A valve 478 is attached to the pivot 474. The valve is shown in a closed position. The angle of the valve 478 and the position of the pivot 474 relative to the tube 470, in combination with the direction of air flow, as indicated by arrow 482, urge the valve 478 into the closed position. A handle 486, which may be mounted to or attached to the tube 470, has a lever 490 attached thereto which interacts with lever 494 and thereby moves the valve 478. As the handle is rotated about pivot 498 in the direction of arrow 502, lever 494 and valve 478 are rotated in the direction of arrow 506, opening the valve. When the handle 486 is released, the air flow 482 urges the valve into a closed position. The valve shown may be integrated into a cleaning apparatus, a hose to be attached to a cleaning apparatus, or an adapter used to retrofit a cleaning apparatus as previously discussed.

It will be appreciated that numerous modifications may be made to the present invention which fall within the scope of the invention as defined by the present claims. The preceding examples are illustrative of the invention and do not limit the invention to any specific embodiment. Additionally, the device maybe made from a variety of different materials, and equivalent structures may be included in the device. The appended claims determine the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A fluid control device for vacuum cleaning comprising:

a tube having a first end and a second end;

an air valve disposed in the tube, the air valve being movable between a first valve position wherein the air valve substantially prevents air flow through the tube and a second valve position wherein the air valve allows air flow through the tube; and

a handle disposed in communication with the valve, wherein the handle is movable between a first handle position and a second handle position, and wherein the handle is operatively connected to the air valve such that the air valve is in the first valve position when the handle is in the first handle position, and such that the air valve is in the second valve position when the handle is in the second handle position.

2. The fluid control device of claim 1, wherein the air valve comprises a butterfly valve.

3. The fluid control device of claim 1, wherein the air valve comprises a plate which is pivotably attached to the tube at a pivot axis, and wherein the pivot axis extends across the tube generally perpendicular to the lumen of the tube, and wherein the pivot axis is disposed so as to unevenly divide the cross-sectional area of the tube and thereby bias the plate into a closed position.

4. The fluid control device of claim 1, further comprising a biasing element which biases the handle into the first handle position and the air valve into the first valve position.

5. The fluid control device of claim 1, further comprising a catch for locking the air valve into an open position.

6. The fluid control device of claim 1, further comprising:

a liquid valve having an inlet, an outlet, and an actuation element for selectively allowing flow through the valve, and wherein the handle operatively engages the actuation element such that movement of the handle selectively allows liquid flow through the valve.

7. The fluid control device of claim 6, wherein the actuation element has a first actuation position wherein the actuation element prevents liquid flow through the valve, and a second actuation position wherein the actuation element allows liquid flow through the valve, and wherein the actuation element is in the first actuation position when the handle is in the first handle position and in the second actuation position when the handle is in the second handle position.

8. The fluid control device of claim 6, wherein the actuation element has a first actuation position wherein the actuation element prevents liquid flow through the valve, and a second actuation position wherein the actuation element allows liquid flow through the valve and wherein the handle has a third handle position beyond the second handle position, and wherein the actuation element is in the first actuation position when the handle is in the first handle position and in the second handle position and in the second actuation position when the handle is in the third handle position.

9. The fluid control device of claim 1, wherein the first end of the tube is configured for attachment to a hose providing suction to the tube and the second end of the tube is configured for attachment to a vacuum cleaning wand.

10. The fluid control device of claim 1, wherein the first end of the tube is configured for attachment to a hose providing suction to the tube and the second end of the tube comprises a vacuum cleaning wand.

11. The fluid control device of claim 10, wherein the vacuum cleaning wand comprises a suction head.

12. The fluid control device of claim 6, wherein the first end of the tube is configured for attachment to a hose providing suction to the tube and the second end of the tube comprises a vacuum cleaning wand having spray jets connected to the outlet of the liquid valve.

13. A fluid control device for vacuum cleaning comprising:

a tube having a first end configured for attachment to a hose providing suction and a second end comprising a vacuum cleaning wand;

an air valve disposed in the tube, the air valve being movable between a first valve position wherein the air valve blocks air flow through the tube and a second valve position wherein the air valve allows air flow through the tube;

a handle operatively connected to the air valve, such that movement of the handle moves the air valve into the second valve position.

14. The fluid control device of claim 13, wherein the handle is movable between a first handle position and a second handle position, and wherein the handle is operatively connected to the air valve such that the air valve is in the first valve position when the handle is in the first handle position, and such that the air valve is in the second valve position when the handle is in the second handle position.

15. The fluid control device of claim 13, further comprising a liquid valve having an inlet, an outlet, and an actuation mechanism, and wherein the handle is movable between a first handle position, a second handle position, and a third handle position, and wherein the handle is operatively connected to the air valve such that the air valve is in the first valve position when the handle is in the first handle position, and such that the air valve is in the second valve position when the handle is in the second handle position, and wherein the handle operatively engages the liquid valve such that when the handle is in the first handle position liquid flow is not allowed through the liquid valve and when the handle is in the third handle position liquid flow is allowed through the liquid valve.

16. The fluid control device of claim 15, wherein the vacuum cleaning wand comprises a vacuum head, and wherein the device further comprises liquid spray nozzles attached adjacent the vacuum head and in fluid engagement with the liquid valve outlet.

17. The fluid control device of claim 13, wherein the air valve is biased into the first position by air flow through the tube.

18. The fluid control device of claim 15, wherein the liquid valve actuation mechanism comprises a button.

19. A fluid control device for vacuum cleaning comprising:

a vacuum cleaning wand comprising an air flow tube;

an air valve disposed in the air flow tube and configured for allowing or blocking air flow through the tube; and

a handle operatively connected to the air valve such that movement of the handle moves the air flow valve to block air flow through the tube.

20. A vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising:

a head defining a width;

a suction tube in fluid connection to the head; and

an elongate slot formed in a lower surface of the head so as to allow air to flow into the slot, through the head, and into the tube, the elongate slot having a wave like shape.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the slot defines a sinusoidal shape.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the slot comprises a plurality of horseshoe shaped bends.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the slot lacks any angular bends.