Abstract:
A device and method of use for cleaning a ground surface with pressurized cleaning solution is disclosed. The device includes a transportable deck having at least a first chamber and a second chamber, each first and second chamber being in open communication with the surface, said first chamber having a nozzle for directing a pressurized cleaning solution toward the ground surface, and said second chamber having a vacuum outlet for removing cleaning solution and debris from the surface. Additional embodiments of the present invention may include a solution recycling system for reusing recovered solution.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Serial No. 06/295,106, filed May 31, 2001, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. §119, and the entire disclosure of which is incorporated in its entirety by reference herein. 
     
    
     
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to surface maintenance or conditioning machines, and particularly those machines employing one or more surface maintenance or conditioning appliances or tools that perform one or more tasks including, among others, scrubbing, sweeping, and vacuuming. More specifically, the present invention is particularly directed to a combination high-pressure spray cleaning system and a spent-solution recovery system.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Brush-type scrubbing systems and appliances are of course well known for surface maintenance, particularly floor surfaces. However, in some high demand or difficult surface maintenance applications and environments, brush-type-scrubbing systems may be inadequate. Examples of high demand or difficult cleaning applications include, among others, parking lots, airport runways, gas stations, and the like.  
           [0004]    Pressure washers or water blasting or jetting systems are of course well known and commercially available. Manufacturers of such water blasting systems and pressure washers include, among others, Vactor, Jetstream, Gardener Denver Water Jetting, Aqua-Dyne, Hammelmann, and Imperial Industries.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    An object of the present invention is to provide a high-pressure spray cleaning system.  
           [0006]    Another object of the invention is to provide a combination high-pressure spray cleaning system and solution recovery system.  
           [0007]    Another object of the invention is to provide a combination high-pressure spray cleaning system and solution recovery system intended to be coupled to a transport vehicle.  
           [0008]    Yet, another object of the invention is to provide a combination high-pressure spray cleaning system and solution recovery system intended to be coupled to a transport vehicle with a solution recycling system for solution reuse.  
           [0009]    In accordance with the present invention, a brushless scrub head for cleaning a surface comprises a spraying head system having one or more spraying nozzles from which a high-pressure solution exits therefrom and a solution recovery chamber for removing solution and debris from a surface. In an exemplary embodiment, a hydraulic motor is employed for driving the a rotary spraying head system and controlling the speed of rotation thereof, independent of the pressure of the solution exiting the nozzles. A high-pressure fluid solution pump may be provided for independently controlling the solution spray pressure exiting the nozzles.  
           [0010]    Further, in accordance with the present invention, the brushless scrub head is constructed to include a highly efficient solution recovery system.  
           [0011]    Further, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the combination brushless scrub head and recovery system is coupled to a transport vehicle including a self contained, solution tank system, solution recovery tank system and/or solution recycling system.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    [0012]FIG. 1 a block diagram of the brushless scrub head system in accordance with present invention.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 2 is a side view of a surface maintenance vehicle employing a brushless cleaning head system in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of one exemplary embodiment of the brushless cleaning head system assembly in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 4 is a top view of the brushless cleaning head system assembly of FIG. 3.  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 5 is a cross sectional-view taken along lines  5 - 5  of FIG. 4.  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 6 is a perspective bottom view of the brushless cleaning head system assembly of FIG. 3.  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 7 is a perspective top view of the brushless cleaning head system assembly of FIG. 3. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]    Illustrated in FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a scrubless head cleaning system  5  in accordance with the present invention and further employing a scrubless cleaning head  200  embodying further several aspects of the present invention. More specifically, a rotatable solution spraying wand system  80  includes a fluid carrying shaft  82  coupled to fluid carrying wands  84   a  and  84   b , each terminating with a nozzle  222 . Nozzle  222  and wands  84   a  and  84   b  are configured to have a selected spraying pattern for directing a solution at a selected angle relative to a horizontal surface  90 . Shaft  82  is coupled to drive motor  10  for causing shaft  82  to spin at a selected spin rate. Drive motor  10  may be a hydraulic motor, an electric motor, an air motor or combinations thereof.  
         [0020]    In one embodiment of the invention, scrubless cleaning head  200  is constructed to form an open ended spraying chamber  206  and an open ended vacuum chamber  208 , each chamber  206 ,  208  being open to the surface to be cleaned. It is intended that spinning wands  84   a ,  84   b  spin and solution spray exits nozzles  222  within spraying chamber  206 . Vacuum chamber  208  is intended to be coupled to spraying chamber  206  so as to follow chamber  208  when the scrubless cleaning head  200  is moving in the forward direction as illustrated in the drawings.  
         [0021]    A vacuum system  114  is coupled to vacuum chamber  208  through a conduit  40  for collecting spent solution exiting from nozzles  222  after being directed toward surface  90 . In turn the collected solution may be transferred to a recovery/recycling tank system  20 . For a recycling tank system, collected solution may be recycled and used as the cleaning solution as depicted by the dotted line conduit  50  coupled to the cleaning solution tank  15 . A variety of known recycling technologies may be utilized to recycle the collected solution, including but not limited to mesh media filters, porous filters, hydrocyclones, or combinations thereof. Alternatively, as illustrate in the drawing, cleaning solution tank  15  may be coupled to a source  17  of solution, e.g., water, or alternatively to a solvent or detergent that may be added to an aqueous solution as is well known in the art.  
         [0022]    Illustrated in FIG. 2 is a surface maintenance vehicle, generally indicated by numeral  100 . Surface maintenance vehicle  100  may include, among other components and systems, a solution inlet  102 , a solvent inlet  106 , a solution tank  104 , a solvent tank  108 , a recovery tank  110 , a solution recycling system  112 . Further, surface maintenance vehicle  100  may also include: a vacuum system  114 , a pumping system  116  for a pressurized spray cleaning system, a solution deliver system  118 , a recovered solution transport system  120 , brushless scrub head  200 , a hydraulic system  123 , and requisite piping and valves, well known in the art and not shown, to enable a variety of system configurations. Alternative embodiments of surface maintenance vehicles may also be used to practice aspects of the present invention.  
         [0023]    An exemplary embodiment of scrubless brush head  200  in accordance with the present invention is particularly described with reference to FIGS.  3 - 7 . FIG. 3 is a perspective view of brushless scrub head  200  including a rigid deck generally indicated by numeral  216 . Deck  216  includes a downwardly depending shroud member  217 , at least in part, for securing a resilient skirt  232 . The combination of deck  216 , shroud  217  and resilient skirt  232  forms an open ended chamber  206 , herein referred to as spraying chamber  206 —the open end of chamber  206  being in communication with the surface intended to be cleaned.  
         [0024]    Associated with a rearward section of deck  216  is a second open-ended chamber  208 . Chamber  208  is formed in part by a resilient skirt  235  attached to shroud member  217 , a chamber dividing portion resilient skirt  232  indicated by numeral  232 B, and an upper chamber member  221 —the open end of chamber  208  being in communication with the surface intended to be cleaned.  
         [0025]    Resilient skirt  235  is illustrated as extending generally from left and right side portions of deck  216  generally indicated by numerals  216 L and  216 R, and forming left and right air inlets  214 L and  214 R by way of an intended separation between end extremities of skirt  235  and adjacent portion of skirt  232  in proximity to the aforesaid left and right deck sides indicated by numerals  216 L and  216 R of deck  216 .  
         [0026]    Chamber  208  can be characterized as providing a double skirt wall across approximately the rear one-half of chamber  206 , extending from the right air inlet  214 R around the rear portion of chamber  206  and to the left air inlet  216 L (the double skirt wall comprising portions of skirt  232  and skirt  235 ). Side portions of double skirt wall (proximate to air inlets  214 R and  214 L) permit the capture of solution which may otherwise spray out of spraying chamber  206 .  
         [0027]    As further illustrated in the exemplary embodiment of the brushless scrub head  200  illustrated in the drawings, deck  216  is attached to frame members  202 , supported by three caster wheels  204   a - c . Frame members  202 , by way of an example may then be coupled to lifting mechanism (not shown) and appropriate linkage associated with the transport vehicle  100  for lifting and lowering brushless scrub head deck  216  relative to the surface intended to be cleaned. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, brushless scrub head  200  is intended to be supported by the three caster wheels to provide a consistent scrub head floating just above the surface intended to be cleaned, as illustrated in FIG. 5.  
         [0028]    In the exemplary embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, solution spraying wand system  80  includes three spinner bars  210   a - c  each with two nozzles  222  at opposite ends thereof. The attachment of the spinner bars  210   a - c  to a solution conduit  30  may be accomplished by way of water swivels  212   a - c . Three independent hydraulic drive motors  224  are attached to an upper surface of deck  216  by way of mounting brackets  226 , and so positioned to facilitate connection to the water swivels  212   a - c , respectively, for rotating spinner bars or wands  210   a - c , respectively.  
         [0029]    Illustrated in FIG. 4 is a top view of the brushless scrub head system  200  in accordance with the present invention and particularly depicting the pair of air inlets  214 L and  214 R in proximity to deck sides  216 L and  216 R respectively provided by the end portions of resilient skirt  235  and skirt  232 . As illustrated in FIG. 4, primary vacuum chamber  208  is generally chevron-shaped, as defined by the inwardly directed shroud  232  faces.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 illustrates a cross sectional view of scrubless head system  200  taken along lines  5 - 5  of FIG. 4. A portion of shroud  217  and resilient member  232 B acts as a divider between chamber  206  and chamber  208 . Resilient members  232  and  235  are optimized to control air flow in system  200 . In particular, a distance between a lower edge of resilient members  232  and  235  and the floor surface is generally indicated as distance “D 1 ”. Furthermore a distance between a lower edge of resilient member  232 B and the floor surface is indicated as distance “D 2 ”. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, distance D 2  is greater than distance D 1 . A gap created by resilient member  232 B facilitates airflow from chamber  206  into chamber  208 . This airflow from chamber  206  into chamber  208  functions to minimize the amount of solution sprayed out of chamber  206  and that is not captured in chamber  208 . Additionally, the airflow from chamber  206  is directed between chamber dividing portion  232 B of skirt  232  and the ground surface to facilitate removal of solution from surface depressions, cracks, etc. In an exemplary embodiment, distance Dl is approximately zero (touching), and distance D 2  is approximately between {fraction (1/16)} to ⅛ inch.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate top and bottom perspective views of the scrubless head system  200  being coupled to a surface maintenance vehicle  100 , respectively.  
         [0032]    Brushless scrub head  200  provides a forward spraying chamber  206  and a rearward vacuum chamber  208 . In part, spraying chamber  206  serves as a secondary vacuum chamber provided primarily by skirt  232  and deck  216 . The primary vacuum chamber  208  is coupled to vacuum system pump  114  through a conduit  40  or  220 . Airflow inlets  214 L and  214 R accentuate removal of spent solution which enters through under surfaces of rear portions of skirt  232  which forms, in part vacuum chamber  208 . Airflow from inlets  214 L and  214 R, indicated by arrows in FIG. 4, facilitates spent solution and debris removal by providing a relatively strong airflow to lift and/or transport solution and debris from surface cracks, undulations, pad-eyes, and other surface irregularities.  
         [0033]    Upper chamber member  221  includes a single vacuum duct  220 . In an alternative embodiment, a plurality of vacuum ports may be used to facilitate removal of spent cleaning solution and surface debris from the affected surface area. A single large vacuum duct  220  ( 40  in FIG. 1) may be utilized for transporting the spent cleaning solution and debris to the recovery system or recycling system  112  or any combination thereof.  
         [0034]    In operation, flexible skirt  232   b  at the rear of the spraying chamber  206  is specifically designed in such manner to only allow sufficient airflow to be taken from the spraying chamber and enter the primary vacuum chamber  208  to prevent cleaning solution from spraying out of the front portion of the spraying chamber  206 .  
         [0035]    One embodiment of brushless scrub head system  200  of the present invention contains rotating spray wands and accompanying nozzles that are driven by a hydraulic pump and motor. The combination of the hydraulic pump and a variable pressure valve allows for controlling the spray nozzle rotation speed independent of the spray solution pressure, thereby uncoupling the rotation speed from the solution spray pressure. The present invention has solved problems with existing pressurized cleaning systems where the rotation speed of the sprayer arms is created as a reaction to spray solution exiting the fluid nozzles.  
         [0036]    It should be noted that the sprayed cleaning solution used in concert with the inventive brushless cleaning head system, may be an aqueous cleaning solution or a combination aqueous and miscible solvent solution. The aqueous and miscible solvent combination may be combined by one of several methods. One specific embodiment is an injection pump mixing system whereby the two liquids are mechanically mixed. A second embodiment is an aspiration mechanism whereby the two liquids are combined at the spray nozzle.  
         [0037]    The solution recovery system may be any number of combinations of a solution recovery tank, a solution recycling system, a solution tank, a solvent tank, and any number of vacuums and pumps along with the requisite pipes and valves necessary to power and connect the components of the system.  
         [0038]    Resilient skirts  232  and  235  may be constructed by way of a wide array of resilient materials, e.g., rubber, plastics, and the like which function in part as squeegees and develop the requite chambers as described herein.  
         [0039]    In accordance with the present invention, a control system may be employed to regulate the combined solution spray pressure exiting the nozzles and the speed of rotation of the wands in relation the speed of the transport vehicle in order to optimize cleaning performance in the intended application. Of course, the aforementioned control characteristics are dependent upon the selected nozzles and resulting spray patterns and angle of attack relative to the surface intended to be cleaned.  
         [0040]    Although a multiple wand system has been illustrated in the drawings, a single wand system is within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, although a recovery system has been illustrated coupled directly to the spraying chamber, independent control of both exiting solvent pressure and speed of rotation of the wands without a jointly coupled recovery system is within true sprit and scope of the present invention.  
         [0041]    It should be recognized that spraying chamber  206  as well as vacuum chamber  208  may be constructed by wide array of manufacturing techniques and configurations in order to achieve the intended functions.  
         [0042]    Although the invention has been described in connection with particular embodiments thereof other embodiments, applications, and modifications thereof which will be obvious to those skilled in the relevant arts are included within the spirit and scope of the invention.