Patent Publication Number: US-6981338-B2

Title: Device for improved removal of liquid from fabric

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to a device for improving the efficiency of a carpet cleaning machine and other extraction machines in removing cleaning solution and other liquids from fabric, such as carpet. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved vacuum head for extracting a fluid from carpet. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Carpet-cleaning machines spray a cleaning solution onto a fabric or carpet and then vacuum the solution from the carpet into the machine. Other extraction machines may spray a liquid onto a fabric or simply remove a pre-existing liquid from the fabric. 
   Carpet-cleaning machines typically include a wand with a cleaning head that is movable over the carpet, or a rotating platform that rotates one or more cleaning heads over the carpet. The cleaning heads usually include a spray nozzle for spraying a liquid, such as a cleaning solution, onto and/or into the carpet. In addition, the cleaning heads usually include a vacuum head for vacuuming or sucking the fluid, and any dirt, from the carpet. The vacuum heads commonly include a large opening, such as with an inverted funnel, which sits and moves atop the carpet vacuuming or sucking the fluid, and any dirt from the carpet. 
   One disadvantage with many vacuum heads is their inefficiency. Some vacuum heads remove less than 20% of the fluid. It will be appreciated that the fluid remaining in the carpet renders the carpet wet, and thus off limits for many hours while the carpet dries. In addition it will be appreciated that a significant amount of dirt remains in the carpet with the remaining fluid. What is needed is a vacuum head device for removing a fluid that overcomes many or all of these limitations. 
   The following patents are offered to assist in understanding the state of the art known to be at least somewhat related to the present invention, and are herein incorporated by reference for their supporting teachings: 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,538 is a cleaning device. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,309 is an apparatus for cleaning a carpet. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,182,001 is a surface cleaning and rinsing device. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,238 is a cleaning tool. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,391,017 is a device for removing incendiary matter from the interior of an aircraft. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,677,705 is an exhauster nozzle. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,692,959 is a rotary cleaner/scrubber mechanism. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,463,791 is a surface cleaning appliance. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,051 is the carpet drying system. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,892 B1 is a device for enhancing removal of liquid from fabric. 
   U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,577 B1 is a device for enhancing removal of liquid from fabric. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention has been developed in response to the present state of the art, and in particular, in response to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully solved by currently available vacuum head devices. Accordingly, the present invention has been developed to provide a device for vacuum systems that overcome many or all of the above-discussed shortcomings in the art. 
   A vacuum head device for removal of liquid from an object is provided. In one embodiment the vacuum head device may comprise a first surface coupled to the device, a second surface coupled to the device and configured to penetrate the fabric, and an extraction slot formed by the first and second surface. Preferably, the vacuum head device is configured to remove a liquid from a carpeted surface. However, the vacuum head device functions equally well removing a liquid from a fabric. 
   The first and second surfaces may have a V-shaped cross-section. In further embodiments, the surfaces may have, but are not limited to a substantially circular cross-section, or a substantially rectangular cross-section, with rounded edges. Additionally, the first surface may comprise a plurality of channels extending toward the extraction slot, the plurality of channels configured to force liquid towards the extraction slot. 
   In one embodiment, the plurality of channels is disposed at a bottom surface of the V-shaped cross section. Furthermore, the first surface may comprise a plurality of contact points disposed between the channels configured to apply pressure to the object. 
   Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment. 
   Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention. 
   These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating a cross-section of one embodiment of a vacuum system in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vacuum head device in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a top and side perspective view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vacuum head device in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vacuum head device in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vacuum head device in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom and side perspective view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vacuum head device in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a top and side perspective view diagram illustrating one embodiment of a vacuum head device in accordance with the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment,” “an embodiment,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in one embodiment,” “in an embodiment,” and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment. 
   Furthermore, the described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention. 
     FIG. 1  is a schematic block diagram illustrating a cross-section of one embodiment of a vacuum system  100 . The vacuum system  100  may be used to withdraw fluid from a carpeted surface  102 . Such a system  100  maybe constructed initially in a carpet cleaning machine or other machine, or it may be attached to existing machines. The vacuum system  100  may comprise a vacuum head device  104  coupled to the vacuum machine  106 . The vacuum system  100  is movable on or through the carpeted surface  102 , and the vacuum machine  106  is configured to withdraw a fluid  108  under a vacuum force supplied by the vacuum system  100 , as is well known in the art. 
   In one embodiment, the vacuum head device  104  comprises a first surface, leading portion, or leading member  110  and a second surface, trailing portion, or trailing member  112 . As depicted, the cross-sections of the surfaces  110 ,  112  may be substantially circular. Additionally, the first surface  110 , or leading surface, is preferably smaller. The surfaces  110 ,  112  are attached to the portion of the device  104  that will contact the fabric or carpeted surface  102  so that the when force is applied the surfaces  110 ,  112  will extend into the fabric. The surfaces  110 ,  112  may be oriented and shaped in any fashion that will push liquid  108  toward the vacuum machine  106  for extraction. The second, larger surface  112  acts as a barrier to the liquid  108  and functions in a manner similar to the way that a snow plow pushes snow ahead and to the side of the plow. There is also a sloping member  105  configured to facilitate travel of the device across fabric. As shown in the illustration, the sloping member provides a ramped interface surface to the fabric as the device travels across the fabric. 
   As will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the surfaces  110 ,  112  may be bars to which the vacuum machine  106  is attached. Alternatively, the surfaces  110 ,  112  may have, but are not limited to, a substantially rectangular cross-section, a V-shaped cross-section, or an elliptical cross-section. A gasket (not shown) that is well known in the art may be placed between the vacuum machine  106  and the vacuum head device  104  to form a seal when the device  104  is attached. In a further embodiment, the vacuum head device  104  may be attached to a wand or other nozzle. 
     FIGS. 2  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the vacuum head device  104  of the present invention. As illustrated, the vacuum head device  104  may comprise the first surface  110 , and the second surface  112  as described above. Additionally, the vacuum head device may have protrusions  114  for coupling the vacuum head device  104  to a vacuum device (not shown). In one embodiment, only the protrusions  114  are inserted into the vacuum device wand or other attachment. The protrusions  114  prevent the above described gasket from inadvertently obstructing fluid extraction. 
     FIG. 3  is a top and side perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the vacuum head device  104 . The first surface  110  and the second surface  112  form an extraction slot  116 . The cross-sectional area of the extraction slot  116  is selected to be large enough to permit solid contaminants that can be expected to be in the liquid to pass through the extraction slot  116  without clogging the extraction slot  116 . Since such contaminants are generally larger than the diameter of carpet fibers, the selected cross-sectional area of the extraction slot  116  is larger than the carpet fibers and therefore carpet fibers will not clog the extraction slot  116 . 
   The vacuum head device  104  is designed to minimize the surface area of contact between the carpeted surface  102  and the vacuum head device  104 . Since pressure is equal to force divided by the component of surface area that applies such force and that is perpendicular to the body to which force is applied, the pressure exerted by the device upon the fabric is increased by decreasing the surface area of the device that contacts the fabric. Advantageously, the reduced surface area also minimizes wear and tear on carpeted surfaces. 
   When force is applied to the device, the surface  112  extends farther into the fabric than any other portion of the device. As described above, this allows the second surface  112  to function in a manner similar to a snow plow or squeegee, collecting liquid in the fabric for removal through the extraction slot  116 . 
     FIG. 4  is a schematic block diagram illustrating one embodiment of the vacuum head device  104  of the present invention. In the depicted embodiment, the first surface  118  may comprise a plurality of channels  120 . The configuration of the channels  120  will be discussed in greater detail below with reference to  FIGS. 5–7 . The first surface  118  may be selected with a cross-sectional area substantially equivalent to the second surface  112 . Without the plurality of channels  120 , such a cross-sectional area would inhibit the flow of liquid towards the extraction slot  116 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 5 , shown therein is a front perspective view diagram illustrating one embodiment of the vacuum head device  104 . In one embodiment, the first surface  118  comprises a plurality of channels  120 . As illustrated, five channels  120  direct fluid towards the extraction slot. However, the first surface  118  may be configured with any number of channels  120  deemed to effectively extract liquid from the carpeted surface  102 . The channels preferably extend from the forward edge, or leading surface, of the first surface, or leading portion  118  to the trailing surface of the first surface, or leading portion  118 , thereby extending to the extraction slot  116 . The channels  120  are preferably formed at the lower end of the first surface  118 , such that the channels  120  can be located closer to the fluid at the bottom of the carpeted surface  102 . Advantageously, the channels  120  allow fluid to flow into the extraction slot  116  formed by the first surface  118  and the second surface  112 . 
     FIG. 6  is a bottom and side perspective view diagram illustrating one embodiment of the vacuum head device  104 . As depicted, the plurality of channels  120  is configured to funnel fluid towards the extraction slot  116 . The plurality of channels  120  advantageously allows liquid that may build up in front of the first surface  118  to pass to the extraction slot  116 . Additionally, the plurality of channels  120  is formed with a generally rounded profile to minimize damage to the carpeted surface  102 . 
   Alternatively, the plurality of channels may be formed with substantially rectangular contact points  122 . The contact points  122  represent the lowest part of the first surface  118 , and are the points that apply the most pressure to the carpeted surface  102 . The contact points  122  are preferably configured with a small contact surface area. The small contact surface area decreases friction between the vacuum head device  104  and the carpeted surface  102  as the vacuum head device  104  travels over the carpeted surface  102 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , shown therein is a top and side perspective view illustrating one embodiment of the vacuum head device  104 . As described above, the plurality of channels  120  may be configured with semi-rectangular contact points  122 . In a further embodiment, the plurality of channels  120  may be configured with semi-circular contact points  122 . A more rounded, gentle profile will decrease drag and damage done to the carpeted surface  102  by the vacuum head device  104 . 
   The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.