Abstract:
A vacuum attachment for a floor buffer having a base atop of which is mounted a motor and below which a buffing pad is positioned for engagement with a floor and for rotation by the motor. The vacuum attachment includes a suction ring configured for positioning around the buffing pad. The suction ring is hollow and is provided with a number of inlets through which liquid and dry waste thrown off by the buffing pad can be drawn. A backpack, adapted for wear by a user, is positioned remote from the suction ring. A wet/dry vacuum is positioned in the backpack. A hose connects the suction ring to the vacuum such that, when the vacuum is energized, liquid and dry waste thrown off by the buffing pad are drawn through the inlets in the suction ring and through the hose into the vacuum for collection and subsequent disposal.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates generally to machines for brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning, and, more particularly, to such machines with air blast or suction capabilities.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Cleaning uncarpeted floors in heavily trafficked buildings has always been a time-consuming and messy chore. To remove heavy amounts of dirt and grime, a liquid cleaner is normally mopped onto a floor, allowed to soak, and, then, the floor is buffed using a rotary floor buffer. If minimal amounts of dirt are present, smaller volumes of liquid cleaner are used which can be applied to a floor by means of a squirt bottle or by a dispenser provided within the floor buffer itself. In any event, during use, the floor buffer can throw off significant amounts of liquid cleaner from floors where such is heavily applied and can discharge much dust from floors where liquid cleaner is lightly applied. Any excess liquid cleaner remaining on a floor after buffing must be mopped up and any dust sent into the air must be wiped from nearby furniture, equipment, fixtures, and goods before a cleaning task can be considered complete.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In light of the problems associated with cleaning the floors of heavily trafficked buildings, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an attachment to a floor buffer which vacuums up excess cleaning, polishing, and stripping liquids as well as dirt and dust as soon as such are thrown off the floor buffer&#39;s rotating pad. Suction is applied about the periphery of the buffing pad so that particulate matter, whether it is in a solid or liquid phase, has little opportunity to escape into the environment remote from the floor buffer. Also, a tight seal against a floor is not required by the attachment to work effectively. Thus, the need to mop or dust after a floor is buffed is minimized thereby saving time for a user.  
         [0004]     It is another object of the invention to provide an attachment of the type described that can be connected to rotary floor buffers of numerous makes and models. Connection can be afforded with few tools and with minimal instruction. Furthermore, the attachment is intuitive to use.  
         [0005]     It is a further object of the invention to provide an attachment of the type described that does not impede the movements of a floor buffer. After joining the attachment to a floor buffer, the floor buffer can, during use, be moved easily in any direction whatsoever and into tight areas. The buffer need not be moved in a straight line, but can be moved tirelessly in graceful arcs.  
         [0006]     Still another object of the invention is to provide a vacuum attachment for a floor buffer that is energized when the floor buffer is energized so as to not waste electrical energy.  
         [0007]     It is an object of the invention to provide improved features and arrangements thereof in a vacuum attachment for a floor buffer for the purposes described that is lightweight in construction for easy transport, inexpensive to manufacture, and fully dependable in use.  
         [0008]     Briefly, the vacuum attachment in accordance with this invention achieves the intended objects by featuring a suction ring with a tubular hoop adapted to encircle the buffing pad of a floor buffer and to slide upon a floor. The tubular hoop is hollow and is provided with a plurality of inlets through which liquid and dry waste thrown off by the buffing pad can be drawn. A tubular stem extends upwardly from the tubular hoop. A hose clamp is positioned atop the tubular stem for releasably fastening one end of a hose to the tubular stem. The other end of the hose is attached to a wet/dry vacuum that can be carried in a backpack by a user.  
         [0009]     The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following detailed description of the two embodiments as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0010]     The present invention may be more readily described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the suction ring of a vacuum attachment for a floor buffer in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged perspective view of the suction ring of  FIG. 1  connected to a floor buffer with portions of both the suction ring and floor buffer being broken away.  
         [0013]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the vacuum attachment connected to a floor buffer.  
         [0014]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the suction ring of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0015]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the suction ring taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 .  
         [0016]      FIG. 6  is a bottom view of an alternative suction ring.  
         [0017]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the alternative suction ring taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 .  
     
    
       [0018]     Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the accompanying drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]     Referring now to the FIGS., a floor buffer is shown at  10 . Floor buffer  10  includes a circular base  12  atop of which is mounted an electric motor  14 . Motor  14  is connected to a circular, buffing pad  16  secured beneath base  12  such that, when motor  14  is energized, buffing pad  16  is rotated to clean or polish a floor. A handle  18  is secured to the back of base  12  and extends upwardly and rearwardly therefrom. A handgrip  20  is affixed to the top of handle  18  and supports a controller  22  that can be manipulated by the hands  24  of a user  26  to energize motor  14  and regulate its speed and direction of rotation. A cable  28  extends from controller  22  to a wall outlet (not shown) for supplying electrical power to motor  14 . A pair of auxiliary wheels  30  is secured to the back of base  12  for moving buffer  10  when motor  14  is not energized.  
         [0020]     A vacuum attachment  32  in accordance with the present invention is used with floor buffer  10  to collect cleaning liquids and dirt thrown from buffing pad  16 . Vacuum attachment  32  includes a suction ring  34  sized for positioning around buffing pad  16 . Suction ring  34  is hollow and is provided with a plurality of inlets  36   a  and  36   b  through which waste can be drawn into suction ring  34 . Suction ring  34  is also provided with an outlet  38  that is connected by a hose  40  to the inlet  42  of a wet/dry vacuum  44  carried in a backpack  46  by user  26 . Vacuum  44  is connected by a cable  48  to an electrical outlet  50 , positioned atop base  12  of buffer  10 , that is connected in series with motor  14  so that, whenever motor  14  is energized, vacuum  44  is also energized to draw waste through ring  34  and hose  40  into itself.  
         [0021]     Outlet  38  is a tee fitting that includes a tubular crosspiece  52  with opposed ends that are both open. Crosspiece  52  is provided with a bottom surface  54  that is planar for smooth engagement with a floor and a longitudinal channel  56  in bottom surface  54  extending from one end of crosspiece  52  to the other end thereof. An inlet opening  36   b  passes through bottom surface  54  and bisects channel  56  to provide access to the interior of crosspiece  52 .  
         [0022]     Outlet  50  also includes a tubular stem  58  that is integrally formed with crosspiece  52  and that extends upwardly therefrom. Stem  58  is in fluid communication with the interior of crosspiece  52 . The top of stem  58  is threaded to receive a hose clamp  60  for releasably fastening hose  40  to stem  58  in a sealed manner.  
         [0023]     A tubular hoop  62  is carried by outlet  52 . Hoop  62  is a length of tubing, albeit one with a short segment removed, formed into a circle with a diameter that is a few inches greater than that of buffing pad  16 . The segment or gap in hoop  62  is bridged by crosspiece  52  of outlet  50  into whose opposite ends the opposite ends of hoop  62  are inserted and adhesively fastened. If desired, outlet  50  and hoop  62  can be formed as an integral whole to minimize assembly steps.  
         [0024]     A channel  64  is provided in the bottom of hoop  62  so as to face vertically downward towards a floor as at  66  upon which attachment  32  is positioned. A plurality of inlets  36   a  penetrates channel  64  at spaced intervals to provide access to the interior of hoop  62 . The dimensions of channel  64  and the number, spacing and dimensions of inlets  36   a  is largely a matter of design choice, being dependent upon the characteristics of the waste that these fluid flow pathways are meant to convey. For example, a small channel  64  and small inlets  36   a , capable of generating higher flow velocities for a given amount of suction from vacuum  44  than a wide channel  64  and large inlets  36   a , are best suited to moving liquids, dense solids, and particles of relatively large size. Large channels  64  and inlets  36   a , producing lower velocities than small ones with all other things remaining equal, pull small and light particles like dust into hoop  62  with greater efficiency.  
         [0025]     A pair of bumpers  68  is affixed to the top of hoop  62  equidistant from outlet  50  so as to maintain hoop  62  at a predetermined distance from rotating pad  16  and to ensure the optimum pickup of waste during use of attachment  32 . Each bumper  68  is a resilient plastic disc that is held in place by a metallic band  70  that tightly encircles hoop  62  and passes through bumper  68 . As shown, bumpers  68  tilt inwardly toward the center of hoop  62  to engage base  12  of buffer  10  and better separate hoop  62  from buffing pad  16 . It should be noted, however, that bumpers  68  could be provided in any number and with configurations of infinite variety.  
         [0026]     Suction ring  34  is tethered to base  12  of floor buffer  10  by flexible links, namely chains  72 . Chains  72  extend through bumpers  68  and through correspondingly positioned eyelets  74  affixed to base  12  of floor buffer  10  by means of penetrating fasteners. Chains  72  are long enough to permit suction ring  34  to slide upon a floor, yet are short enough to permit buffer  10  to be rocked back upon wheels  30  without suction ring  34  shifting far from its preferred position closely adjacent the periphery of pad  16 . Interestingly, chains  72  also permit suction ring  34  to be temporarily elevated from a floor while pad  16  is being rotated to permit pad  16  to buff hard-to-reach places along walls and in the corners of floors.  
         [0027]     Hose  40  is flexible and extends from outlet  50  of suction ring  34  to inlet  42  of vacuum  44 . As shown, hose  40  has a diameter that is substantially equal to that of the tubing used to form hoop  62  of suction ring  34 . The length of hose  40  is adequate to permit buffer  10  to be moved about by user  26  without being so short that it impedes movement or being so long that it creates a tripping hazard.  
         [0028]     Wet/dry vacuum  44  is a well-known machine produced by one of a group of numerous manufacturers throughout the world. As such, the construction of vacuum  44  will not be belabored here. Suffice it to say, however, that vacuum  44  contains a motor-driven impeller capable of drawing air into its inlet  42  and forcing such from its outlet (not shown) when energized. Matter, like droplets of cleaning liquids, sand, dust, and dirt, entrained in the air passing through vacuum  44 , is trapped therein. When sufficient waste matter is captured within vacuum  44 , such is emptied and vacuuming is subsequently resumed.  
         [0029]     Backpack  46  supports wet/dry vacuum  44  upon the back  76  of user  26 . Backpack  46  includes a cradle  78  that snugly receives and comfortably supports vacuum  44  and a pair of shoulder straps  80  extending forward from cradle  78 . With cradle  78  positioned against the back  76  of user  26 , straps  80  are extended over the shoulders  82  of user  26  to permit vacuum  44  to be conveniently toted from place to place in close proximity to buffer  10 . If vacuum  44  is large and heavy, backpack  46  can be eliminated from attachment  32  with casters (not shown) being affixed to the bottom of vacuum  44  to provide an effective, burden-reducing substitute.  
         [0030]     From the foregoing, it should be appreciated that the use of attachment  32  is straightforward. First, with suction ring  34  attached to base  12  of buffer  10  by chains  72 , backpack  46 , with vacuum  44  positioned therein, is donned by user  26 . Then, by pushing down upon handgrips  20 , buffer  10  is rotated onto wheels  30  and is rolled to a floor requiring cleaning. (Suction ring  34  does not impede the turning of wheels  30 .) Next, pad  16  is permitted to settle onto the floor. Afterward, cable  28  is plugged into a wall outlet and, by manually manipulating controller  22 , buffer motor  14  and vacuum  44  are simultaneously energized. With buffing pad  16  now spinning, buffer  10  is pushed about the floor to clean and polish it. When cleaning and polishing operations are complete, buffer  10  is wheeled back to a convenient location for storage and later use.  
         [0031]     While buffing pad  16  is spinning, pad  16  will lift dust and dirt from the floor and discharge much of it from its periphery. Cleaning liquids and polishes can be applied to the floor by mop, handheld bottle or by buffer  10  itself, assuming that it is provided with a liquid dispenser, to aid in improving the appearance of a floor. The dust, dirt and excess cleaning liquids and polishes are, by means of the air being drawn into wet/dry vacuum  44  through inlets  36   a  and  36   b  in suction ring  34 , carried into suction ring  34  and, then, through hose  40 , to vacuum  44 . When vacuum  44  becomes full of waste matter drawn from the floor, it will become heavy thereby signaling the need for vacuum  44  to be emptied. To empty vacuum  44 , backpack  46  is normally doffed and vacuum  44  is opened to permit its waste trap to be dumped. After dumping, buffing operations can resume immediately. Thus, except while momentarily dumping waste, attachment  32  is always ready for use.  
         [0032]     While the invention has been described with a high degree of particularity, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made to it. For example, as illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a suction ring  84  can be substituted for suction ring  34  to provide attachment  32  with enhanced dust take-up capabilities. Suction ring  84  includes an outlet  86  and a hoop  88  similar to those of ring  34  with its inlets  36   a  having central axes B 1  that are vertical and pass through the center C 1  of the tubing from which hoop  62  is formed. Inlets  95  of ring  88 , however, have central axes B 2  that are inclined at an angle A from a vertical line B 3  passing through the center C 2  of hoop  88  to receive particulates from pad  16  of buffer  10 . Also, ring  84  can be provided with two pairs of bumpers  92  held in place by bands  94 . Therefore, it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the various embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.