Abstract: A sanitizer using radiation comprises a hollow housing with an aperture, the housing being generally opaque to the radiation utilized. Mounted to the interior surfaces of the housing are radiation sources that produce radiation when powered. In operation, multiple objects to be sanitized are placed within the interior and the radiation sources powered, thereby sanitizing by radiation any pathogens present on the objects be irradiated. An easily adjustable shelving system that is substantially non-opaque to the radiation utilized, such as wire shelving with minimal opaque surfaces, may be used to support the objects to be sanitized. Depending on size, the portable box allows for multiple objects to be sanitized at the same time. The sanitizer in certain embodiments includes a plurality of UVC radiation sources mounted in the interior of the housing so as to surround the object to be sanitized on multiple sides.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a first tube and a second tube positioned within the first tube, where a first end of the first tube is connected to an outlet of the backbone and a first end of the second tube connected to an inlet of the backbone. A handle is on the first end of the first tube. When the backbone is in a retracted position the first end of the first tube surrounds the second end of the second tube, the second end of the second tube obstructs the outlet of the backbone, and the second end of the first tube surrounds the first end of the second tube. When the backbone is in an extended position the second end of the first tube aligns with the second end of the second tube, leaving the outlet of the backbone unobstructed to a dustcup. A floor nozzle is connected to the inlet of the backbone and includes a nozzle motor configured to operate a brush roll axle and a casing that provides an airpath to the inlet of the backbone.

Abstract: A cleaning system for pavement joints controlled and driven by a motor. A wheeled housing carries a nozzle system where a stream of pressurized or forced air is directed through rotating nozzles to clean the joint surfaces. The rotational speed (RPM) of the motor is selectively controlled by actuation of a valve by the operator, and allows the operator to selectively control the rate of rotation of the nozzles are required by the state of the surface to be cleaned. A suction head is further movable over the joint surfaces to remove the debris dislodged by the nozzle system and airflow.

Abstract: A cleaner includes: a suction motor that generates suction force; a dust separation unit disposed under the suction motor and separates dust from air; a handle disposed behind the suction motor; and a battery disposed under the handle and behind the dust separation unit to supply power to the suction motor.

Abstract: A robotic device for providing vertical mobility has a payload disposed inside a central compartment and can move up and down through spring load to keep intimate contact with the surface and cross over bumps. The apparatus uses a flexible seal to create a reliable vacuum chamber. The flexible seal comprises a foam ring inside fabric pocket. A plurality of rod and spring strips are configured to apply a downward force to the flexible seal to conform with surface curvatures. The fabric pocket fills in the gaps or seams to maintain a vacuum. The air flows inside a manifold and passes through a filter to avoid debris from damaging the vacuum motor assembly.

Abstract: The improved vacuum cleaner is a recirculating type vacuum cleaner with a suction mechanism, air retrieving passageway, and dirt collecting member, that has an detachable nozzle formed as an elongated hollow hose that is attached between the exhaust port on the surface of the vacuum body and an inlet on the vacuum head. The nozzle is adapted to push air downward onto the surface to be vacuumed to dislodge dirt and particles in the surface where the air and dirt into air retrieving opening on the vacuum head.

Abstract: An object is to provide a suction method and a suction device which depressurize the pressure of the surface of a target installed in an open system to a critical pressure or less and which thereby can suck it and a laser processing device and a laser processing method using these. In a state where a predetermined operating distance is apart from a target installed in an open system and a suction port, the pressure of an inside of a pressure reduction chamber communicating with the suction port is set equal to or less than a critical pressure at which the speed of a gas sucked from the suction port is brought into a critical state; the jet speed of the gas in a jetting port from which the gas is jetted toward the target is set more than a Mach number of 0.

Abstract: A low profile upright surface cleaning apparatus comprises a surface cleaning head and an upright section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head. The upright section comprises an air treatment member and a suction motor. Each lateral side of the upright section has a clean air outlet and post-motor porous filter media located upstream of the clean air outlet.

Abstract: An upright surface cleaning apparatus comprises a surface cleaning and an upright section moveably mounted to the surface cleaning head between a generally upright position and a rearwardly inclined in use position. The upright section comprising a cleaning unit comprising a carry handle wherein the carry handle extends in a direction transverse to the central longitudinal axis of the surface cleaning head and wherein the carry handle has a hand grip portion that has a length in the transverse direction that is greater than a depth of the cleaning unit in a direction of the central longitudinal axis.

Abstract: Highly efficient particulate collectors, such as for dust and street debris collected by a mobile street cleaning vehicle, with very low pressure loss are disclosed. One embodiment uses a specially contoured passage to separate the solid particles from particulate-laden gas stream by rapid directional change at a throat region. By using the Venturi effect at the accelerating zone communicating with a gas return channel from the particulate retaining chamber, a small amount of the gas will be recirculated from the deposit zone to help move and retain the separated particles in a confined collection receptacle.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner comprising: a body defining an air inlet, an air outlet, and a passageway extending therebetween; an electrostatic dust filter for removing dust from air as it passes through the passageway; and an air pump for drawing air into the air inlet and through the passageway to the air outlet; wherein the electrostatic dust filter comprises an electrode arrangement configured to kill microorganisms present in air passing through the passageway by exposing air to a voltage in excess of a threshold voltage.

Abstract: A grout cleaning assembly includes a housing that has a handle portion and a suction portion. A scrubbing unit is rotatably attached to the housing and the scrubbing unit is positioned on the suction portion. Thus, the scrubbing unit scrubs a grout from a support surface. A first port is coupled to the handle portion. The first port may be fluidly coupled to a fluid source thereby facilitating the first port to directing a fluid onto the scrubbing unit. A second port is coupled to the handle portion. The second port may be fluidly coupled to a vacuum thereby facilitating the second port to suctionally urge the fluid and the grout into the vacuum when the scrubbing unit scrubs the grout from the support surface.

Abstract: A vacuum producing suction and air blowing simultaneously at a same surface of the device, is disclosed here in. A pump and compressor work simultaneously to both blow and suck air through a dual-line hose. A pressure gradient is created between the surface of the device and a surface being cleaned, due to high pressure being created by the air blowing, and low pressure being created by the air sucking. This causes dust, dirt, and the like to be pulled from the surface being cleaned and sucked in a suction portal, and into a suction line of the dual-line hose. This can be accomplished with a central vacuum system or standalone vacuum.

Abstract: A lawn mower includes a mower deck including a blade rotationally driven to cut grass and generate an air flow to feed the cut grass. A cutting chamber houses the blade. An ejection outlet is open to the cutting chamber and ejects the cut grass. A grass collection container collects the cut grass ejected from the ejection outlet. An air chamber is provided in a vicinity of the cutting chamber and receives the air flow generated by rotation of the blade through the grass collection container. A first passage connects the ejection outlet and the grass collection container. A second passage connects the grass collection container and the air chamber. The air flow supplied from the grass collection container to the air chamber through the second passage is supplied to the cutting chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus comprises a main hopper having a surface cleaning configuration and a sander-salter configuration. In the surface cleaning configuration, the main hopper has a debris-laden airflow ingress, an airflow egress, and a debris dumping egress, and is sealed to the ambient surroundings other than the debris-laden airflow ingress and the airflow egress. In the sander-salter configuration, the main hopper has a sander and salt receiving ingress and a sand and salt egress. In use, in the surface cleaning configuration, the debris-laden air enters the main hopper through the debris-laden airflow ingress, air exits the main hopper through the airflow egress, and the debris exits the main hopper through the debris dumping egress. In use, in the sander-salter configuration, the sand and salt enter the main hopper through the sander and salt receiving ingress, and the sand and salt exit the main hopper through the sand and salt egress.

Abstract: In a cleaning system, dust stored in a dust box is suspended in air introduced into the dust box through a first opening formed through a robot cleaner, and is then discharged to a second opening formed through a maintenance station through the first opening of the robot cleaner.

Abstract: An arrangement for removing dust from the atmosphere during cleaning of a generally flat surface, such as floor, includes a reservoir for providing water to a nozzle. Also included is an air compressor and a compressed air tank. Compressed air is provided in a controlled manner at an elevated pressure to the nozzle to reduce the water to minute droplets which absorb/encapsulate the dust particles and deposit them on the floor surface under the influence of gravity. A manual or automatic pressure regulator coupled to the outlet of the compressed air tank allows for selecting the air velocity and the size of the water droplets to match the size of the dust particles to increase the extent of dust removal. This dust removal approach can be used with virtually any type of generally flat surface and the compressed air has a siphoning effect to increase the water droplets produced and the dust particles removed.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaning device comprises a unit (1) in which an oscillating airflow is generated which substantially zero net flow and an asymmetry between the suction and the blowing phases, such that in the blowing phase a jet is generated. A generator (31) which is needed for generating the oscillating airflow comprises a movable surface (30) which is integrated in a wall (12) of a housing (10) having an internal space (11) and at least one opening (13) for allowing air to flow to and from the internal space (11). The jet can be generates when the so-called Strouhal number, being the frequency of the movement of the movable surface (30) multiplied by a characteristic dimension of the opening (13) and divided by the velocity of the air in the opening (13), is not higher than a predetermined maximum.

Abstract: A machine for cleaning a head-disk assembly (HDA) of a hard disk drive (HDD) includes a nest that seals the HDA between an upper and lower portion during cleaning. An inlet port receives a gas and an exhaust port exhausts the gas and entrained particles. A shock drive delivers mechanical shocks to the nest and the HDA while the gas is flowing through the HDA. A blower may circulate the gas from the exhaust port to the inlet port. A filter may be coupled to the inlet port. The HDA nest may be movable along an axis of the mechanical shocks delivered by the shock drive. A blow tube may deliver gas to a screw hole and a coaxial vacuum tube may rest against a surface around the screw hole to encapsulate the blow tube during cleaning and remove the gas and particles from the screw hole.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner includes a device for dispensing atomized liquid, the device having a reservoir for holding liquid and an ultrasonic transducer arranged to atomize the liquid in the reservoir. An airflow is created through the reservoir via the exhaust gasflow from the vacuum cleaner, the airflow carrying the atomized liquid via an elongate tube to dispensing outlet provided on a cleaning head of the vacuum cleaner. The ultrasonic transducer is simple and inexpensive, yet is able to reliably atomize the liquid for dispensing.

Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

Abstract: A machine for cleaning a head-disk assembly (HDA) of a hard disk drive (HDD) includes a nest that seals the HDA between an upper and lower portion during cleaning. An inlet port receives a gas and an exhaust port exhausts the gas and entrained particles. A shock drive delivers mechanical shocks to the nest and the HDA while the gas is flowing through the HDA. A blower may circulate the gas from the exhaust port to the inlet port. A filter may be coupled to the inlet port. The HDA nest may be movable along an axis of the mechanical shocks delivered by the shock drive. A blow tube may deliver gas to a screw hole and a coaxial vacuum tube may rest against a surface around the screw hole to encapsulate the blow tube during cleaning and remove the gas and particles from the screw hole.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for cleaning a ground surface of artificial turf with filler, comprising a frame, moving and supporting means arranged on the frame for the purpose of moving the device over the ground surface, and processing means arranged on the frame for processing a flow of material taken up from the ground surface, such as dirt and filler, wherein the processing means comprise: a take-up means, a separating means, a collecting means, a feedback means. The invention is characterized in that the processing means further comprise a dust suction device, wherein the dust suction device comprises at least a pump means for creating an underpressure and a dust inlet which is connected to a suction side of the pump means and which is arranged in the vicinity of the separating means in the device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cleaning apparatus (10) for releasing and transporting particles away from an area to be cleaned, comprising: a housing (6) having an opening (8) to be positioned on an area (1) to be cleaned;—a member that is movable within the apparatus for generating an airflow to release and transport particles away from the area; wherein the member comprises an airflow-generating surface (12) arranged within the housing (6), said airflow-generating surface in its operating condition lacing the area (1) to be cleaned and having a direction of movement that is substantially parallel to said area so as to cause an airflow parallel to said area. The apparatus according to the invention requires less energy for releasing and transporting particles away from an area to be cleaned.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface includes an upper body having a dust collection container received therein, a base unit and a carriage configured to provide movement of the base unit on the surface. A motor-fan unit is disposed in the base unit and configured to create a partial vacuum at the surface. A rigid, yoke-shaped duct member provides at least a portion of an air path from the base unit to the upper body. The yoke-shaped duct member supports the upper body such that the upper body is pivotable relative to the base unit about a tilt axis extending horizontally when the upright vacuum cleaner is in a position of use.

Abstract: An autonomous floor cleaning robot includes a transport drive and control system arranged for autonomous movement of the robot over a floor for performing cleaning operations. The robot chassis carries a first cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arranged to suction loose particulates up from the cleaning surface and a second cleaning zone comprising cleaning elements arraigned to apply a cleaning fluid onto the surface and to thereafter collect the cleaning fluid up from the surface after it has been used to clean the surface. The robot chassis carries a supply of cleaning fluid and a waste container for storing waste materials collected up from the cleaning surface.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner for cleaning a surface includes an upper body having a dust collection container received therein, a base unit and a carriage configured to provide movement of the base unit at the surface. A motor-fan unit is disposed in the upright vacuum cleaner outside the upper body and is unit configured to create a partial vacuum on the surface. The upper body and base unit are connected with a tilting joint such that the upper body is tiltable relative to the base unit about a tilt axis that extends horizontally when the upright vacuum cleaner is in a position of use. A swivel joint is disposed between the upper body and the base unit. The swivel joint is configured to change a direction of travel of the upright vacuum cleaner in response to twisting of the upper body. The swivel joint includes a tubular section articulated to the base unit and a bearing housing disposed rotatably about the tubular section. The bearing housing is received in a receiving structure of the upper body.

Abstract: A side plate of an impeller is formed so that the height thereof is lowered gradually from an edge portion of a central opening portion toward a circumferential portion. When the distance from the edge portion of the central opening portion to the circumferential portion, in a direction perpendicular to the output shaft, is taken as L, the distance from the edge portion of the central opening portion to the circumferential portion, in the direction of the output shaft, is taken as H, a point on the side plate away from the edge portion of the central opening portion by 0.1×L in the direction perpendicular to the output shaft is taken as P, and the distance from the edge portion of the central opening portion to the point P in the direction of the output shaft is taken as ?H, ?H/H?0.4 is satisfied. With this configuration, the formation of a vortex flow in the flow channel inside the impeller from the air inlet to the air outlet is reduced, and, thus, air blowing efficiency is improved.

Abstract: An improved pickup or intake hood for use in regenerative air flow road and pavement sweeper vehicles includes at least one side auxiliary plenums and/or at least one side-to-side plenum adjacent the primary air flow compartment. The auxiliary plenums are attached by appropriate ducting into the regenerative air flow so that any fugitive air and or dust flows from the primary air flow compartment are captured in the auxiliary plenums to minimize fugitive air and/or dust flows into the ambient atmosphere. Dust conduits from shrouded gutter brooms enter a manifold box to allow dust-entrained air flows from one or both gutter brooms to enter into the regenerative air flow to capture dust generated by the gutter brooms.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for suction of waste and contaminating substances from the ground of the type used in machines for cleaning roads and similar, comprising a suction pipe (2) and a recirculation pipe (3), the device comprising: an inlet aperture (2a) of the suction pipe (2a) and an outlet aperture (3a) of the recirculation pipe (3); the outlet aperture (3a) being a slot surrounding the inlet aperture (2a) near the ground; the device further comprising a system for adjustment (12) of the distance from the ground consisting of an articulated quadrilateral (13), a fluid dynamic cylinder (14) and at least one castor (15) in contact with the ground.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for cleaning a ground surface of artificial turf with filler, comprising a frame, moving and supporting means arranged on the frame for the purpose of moving the device over the ground surface, and processing means arranged on the frame for processing a flow of material taken up from the ground surface, such as dirt and filler, wherein the processing' means comprise: a take-up means, a separating means, a collecting means, a feedback means. The invention is characterized in that the processing means further comprise a dust suction device, wherein the dust suction device comprises at least a pump means for creating an underpressure and a dust inlet which is connected to a suction side of the pump means and which is arranged in the vicinity of the separating means in the device.

Abstract: A duct cleaning apparatus for cleaning ventilation ducts in a household environment comprises a typical household or light industrial vacuum cleaning having a sealed container, a blower having suction and exhaust, a first flexible hose attached to the suction port and a second flexible hose attached to the exhaust port. The hoses are adjacent and parallel to each other and fixed together using a plurality regularly spaced elastic bands. A blower nozzle and a suction nozzle are adjacent to each other and placed in a duct for cleaning. The blower nozzle directs a jet of air into the vacuum zone of the suction nozzle thereby agitating dirt and debris within the vacuum zone for a more efficient cleaning action.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus which can efficiently and satisfactorily clean component parts facing narrow spaces. A mixture of a substance in gaseous form and the same substance in liquid form or solid form as the former is jetted out from a jet pipe toward deposits attached to a structural object. The jetted mixture and the deposits to which the mixture has been jetted are sucked into a suction pipe.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning a ground surface of synthetic grass and a filler comprising a frame (4), moving and supporting means (5) arranged on the frame (4) for moving the apparatus over the ground surface, cleaning means for the filler arranged on the frame (4), wherein the cleaning means comprise at least one cleaning space for the filler and an air pump (14), wherein a suction side of the air pump (14) is connected to the cleaning space, wherein supply means (25-29, 30) are arranged on the frame for supplying the filler to the cleaning means. Moreover, a pressure side of the air pump is connected to the supply means.

Abstract: A manually guided suction apparatus for suctioning up material via a suction air stream, comprising a suction fan having a fan housing surrounding a fan wheel and provided with an intake opening. A centrifugal separator is disposed upstream of the intake opening and produces a curved path of the suction air stream. The centrifugal separator has a curved peripheral wall in which is disposed a removal opening for material that is to be sucked up. The intake opening is disposed approximately in a central portion of the centrifugal separator.

Abstract: An apparatus for collection and reduction of yard debris combining a frontally facing vacuum pick up with a chipper-shredder-blower unit to induce airflow for entraining debris collected at the vacuum pick up; reduce the entrained debris to a more manageable volume; impel the reduced debris to a two-stage free-flow-separator device for removing the debris from the air in which it is entrained; and deposit the debris in a detachable accumulator for subsequent dumping.

Abstract: Systems and methods for debris extraction reduce the lifting force on the workpiece through a supply air feature. The supply air feature can be implemented through an extraction nozzle, which has an outer supply duct surrounding an inner exhaust duct. Further reduction of the lifting force can be realized through the use of multiple extraction nozzles which limit exhaust airflow to areas of the workpiece with active laser scribing.

Abstract: A fluid recirculating cleaning device includes an exhaust port defining an exhaust port longitudinal axis, a fluid source end and an exhaust end defining a first cross-sectional area. A suction port includes a suction port longitudinal axis, a fluid exit end and a fluid entrance end defining a second cross-sectional area greater than the first cross-sectional area. The suction port includes a second outer surface that extends from the entrance end toward the fluid exit end. A vacuum blower motor sucks fluid in through the suction port to create fluid flow away from the vacuum motor and toward the exhaust port exhaust end. The exhaust port exhaust end is recessed from the suction port fluid entrance end and the two ports are located with respect to one another so that fluid flow from the exhaust port will be effectively drawn into the suction port.

Abstract: A manually guided suction apparatus for suctioning up material via a suction air stream, comprising a suction fan having a fan housing surrounding a fan wheel and provided with an intake opening. A removal opening for sucked up material is disposed upstream of the intake opening in an intake channel that guides the suction air stream toward the suction fan. The removal opening empties into a collection bag, and the suction air stream in the intake channel is guided past the removal opening. An endless tube folded up to form a supply portion is stored in a storage chamber. A container portion of the endless tube forms the collection bag. A weight support for the collection bag prevents the supply portion from being pulled out of the storage chamber.

Abstract: A soft-surface remediation (SSR) device and method of remediating soft surfaces using preferably forced air is disclosed. The device is lightweight, and easy-to-use and preferably includes an outer housing with an optional corner pickup region and a removable cover, an inner housing, a motor housing for housing a fan assembly, an optional disposal catch mechanism, an optional mounted delivery device, a first air channel with an air outlet, a second air channel with an air inlet, and a return air channel in close proximity to the disposal mechanism. The method of performing soft-surface remediation preferably includes use of this SSR device.

Abstract: A cleaning unit is disclosed, comprising: a containment chamber (2) defining an accumulation base (10), a suction apparatus (3) including a suction inlet (6) positioned close to the ground, and a filtering apparatus (12), the suction apparatus (3) comprising primary suction means (4) and secondary suction means (5) positioned in parallel to one another above the accumulation base (10), the primary suction means (4) controlling said suction inlet (6) and the secondary suction means (5) being suitable to expel filtered air, and the containment chamber (2) including separating element (9) which separates the turbulent zone (5a), the air inside of which being highly turbulent, and a recirculation zone (4a), the air inside of which having a low turbulence, the recirculation zone (4a) being connected to the primary suction means (4) and the turbulent zone (5a) being connected to the secondary suction means (5).

Abstract: The brushless vacuum cleaner is an electrical cleaning device that would feature conventional components from traditional upright vacuum cleaners but would use forced air to agitate debris from the surface to be cleaned. The brushless vacuum cleaner would consist of a base unit with multiple air injectors on the bottom, a pump case located on top of the base unit, a collection unit extending upward from the pump case, a vacuum chamber connecting the bottom of the base unit to the collection unit, and a handle that features various control buttons. The pump case would contain an electrical motor which would operate a dual-cycle agitator responsible for pulsing air flow through alternating air injectors on every other cycle. This system would replace the beater brush found on conventional upright vacuum cleaners, thus creating less wear and tear to carpeting and prolonging the life of the carpet.

Abstract: A cleaning apparatus and method which includes spraying high pressure air obliquely onto a cleaning surface from an air nozzle disposed in the vicinity of the cleaning surface of a cleaning object to be cleaned. A recovery portion of the cleaning apparatus which is disposed in front of an outlet port of the air nozzle recovers at least air containing foreign matter removed from the cleaning object by making the air exhaust into an exhaust introducing passage along a wall surface of an air guide. The recovery portion of the cleaning apparatus includes an air guide section disposed in front of the outlet port of the air nozzle, and an air cover section, which forms an exhaust introducing passage for recovering the air that flows along an air guide wall surface of the air guide section.

Abstract: An improved pickup or intake hood for use in regenerative air flow road and pavement sweeper vehicles includes at least one side auxiliary plenums and/or at least one side-to-side plenum adjacent the primary air flow compartment. The auxiliary plenums are attached by appropriate ducting into the regenerative air flow so that any fugitive air and or dust flows from the primary air flow compartment are captured in the auxiliary plenums to minimize fugitive air and/or dust flows into the ambient atmosphere. Dust conduits from shrouded gutter brooms enter a manifold box to allow dust-entrained air flows from one or both gutter brooms to enter into the regenerative air flow to capture dust generated by the gutter brooms.

Abstract: A vacuum container mounted on an inclined slope and having a liquid water storage container mounted beneath the incline of the vacuum container. The water storage container may support the vacuum container. The slope may be of sufficient angle to allow debris to be emptied from the vacuum container by gravity when the access door is opened. A filter housing may be mounted to and supported by the vacuum container. By flush mounting the clean out end of the filter housing with the clean out end of the vacuum container, a single access clean out door may be used to access both simultaneously.

Abstract: A vacuum cleaner with a closed loop air system is disclosed that is intended for the cleaning of soft-coated floors, such as carpets and rugs. The cleaner includes two main units: a floating foot, containing an intake nozzle and an expanded chamber for the returning air stream, and a managing unit, containing a managing handle and supporting wheels. The floating foot has a seal along its perimeter, enclosing the space between the surface being cleaned and the bottom of the foot from the surrounding space and also contains the expanded chamber for the returning air stream. The foot and managing unit are joined by a universal joint that makes the foot floating, allowing it to swing forward, back, left and right. It also guarantees that the foot is always pressed to the surface being cleaned, independent of the position of the managing unit and handle movement. This guaranteed contact prevents the escape of the air stream, as a working medium, from the closed loop system into the surrounding space.

Abstract: An upright vacuum cleaner includes a suction nozzle unit, an inlet formed on a bottom surface of the suction nozzle unit, an injection path disposed near the inlet, a suction motor mounted in the suction nozzle unit, and a main body attached to the suction nozzle unit and in fluid communication with the suction motor. The injection path ejects air toward a surface to be cleaned. The suction motor generates a suction force to draw in air and dust through the inlet. The main body separates dust from the air using centrifugal force, collects the dust, and discharges the air to the suction nozzle unit. The air discharged from the main body flows through the suction motor, is ejected from the injection path toward the surface to be cleaned, and is then suctioned into the inlet so that a portion of the discharged air circulates within the vacuum cleaner.

Abstract: A fluid recirculating cleaning device includes an exhaust port defining an exhaust port longitudinal axis, a fluid source end and an exhaust end defining a first cross-sectional area. A suction port includes a suction port longitudinal axis, a fluid exit end and a fluid entrance end defining a second cross-sectional area greater than the first cross-sectional area. The suction port includes a second outer surface that extends from the entrance end toward the fluid exit end. A vacuum blower motor sucks fluid in through the suction port to create fluid flow away from the vacuum motor and toward the exhaust port exhaust end. The exhaust port exhaust end is recessed from the suction port fluid entrance end and the two ports are located with respect to one another so that fluid flow from the exhaust port will be effectively drawn into the suction port.

Abstract: An agitation apparatus which is suitable for use in a cleaning head of a vacuum cleaner includes first and second flow paths. Each of these flow paths has a resonant cavity and an inlet/outlet port which joins the cavity to a space within the cleaning head. A generator, such as a loudspeaker with a diaphragm, generates an alternating pressure wave between the ports. Pressure waves are emitted from one of the ports in an anti-phase relationship with the pressure waves from the other of the ports, thus reducing operating noise. Due to both sides of the generator or diaphragm being exposed to an equal static pressure, the generator operates more reliably. A plurality of these arrangements can be provided across the cleaning head, and a part of the agitation apparatus, such as the driver, can be mounted on the main body of the vacuum cleaner.