Patent Abstract:
A liquid vacuuming and filtering device may include a container having a sealed interior, a vacuum pump connected to the interior, a two-way valve connected to the interior, a flexible hose connected to the valve, a filter positioned within the interior and connected to the valve and a standpipe positioned within the interior and connected to the valve. The pump may be adjusted to a filling configuration, in which the pump evacuates the container interior to a pressure below ambient, causing fluid to be drawn through the hose, valve, and filter, which collects suspended particulates; or to a discharge configuration, in which the pump pressurizes the interior to a pressure above ambient, wherein the valve is adjusted to allow filtered fluid within the container to flow through the standpipe, valve and out through the hose.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     This disclosure is directed to vacuuming devices and, more particularly, to vacuuming devices that collect and filter contaminated fluid and the filtered fluid is subsequently discharged. 
     Vacuuming devices have been developed in a variety of designs, each to accomplish a specific task or set of tasks. One common configuration of a vacuuming device is a portable vacuum in which a canister, which may be a drum or other enclosed vessel, is used to collect material that is to be vacuumed. A flexible hose that terminates in a rigid wand or other tool is connected to the canister and the wand is placed in or near the material to be collected. Such devices typically include a vacuum pump that lowers the pressure within the sealed canister to below ambient, and the pressure differential causes material to be sucked through the collection hose and collected within the interior of the canister. Such portable devices may be used to vacuum and collect dry particulate material, fluids or a combination of fluids and particulate material. 
     Certain types of vacuuming devices may be adjusted to a vacuuming configuration, in which particulate material, a fluid or a combination thereof, is drawn through the collection hose and is retained within the canister, or to a discharge configuration, in which operation of the vacuum pump is reversed to pressurize the interior of the canister above ambient pressure. The pressurized interior forces the collected material, typically a fluid, out through the collection hose, or in some embodiments out through a second hose, thereby emptying the contents of the canister. 
     A common application for such vacuuming devices with reversible vacuum pumps is the collection and filtering of fluid that contains or is contaminated with particulate material. With such devices, the collection hose is first connected to a port that communicates with a collection filter within the canister. In the vacuuming or collecting mode, fluid with particulate material suspended in it is drawn through the collection hose and through the filter in the canister, which collects the particulate material suspended in the fluid. The filtered fluid is also retained within the canister. In a discharge mode, the collection hose is disconnected from a collection port, that port is closed off and the hose is connected to a second port that communicates with the interior of the canister and bypasses the filter. The vacuum pump is then adjusted to pressurize the interior of the canister. The filtered, collected fluid in the canister is then discharged through the hose. 
     There is a need for a liquid vacuuming and filtering device that is simple to operate and eliminates the need to adjust hoses when switching from a collection mode to a discharge mode. 
     SUMMARY 
     This disclosure is directed to a liquid vacuuming and filtering device and method. The device may be adjustable to a liquid collecting mode and to a liquid discharge mode without having to disconnect and reconnect the fluid collection hose. Moreover, the disclosed liquid vacuuming and filtering device may use the same, single hose both for collecting contaminated fluid and for discharging filtered fluid. Multiple hoses or discharge ports may not be needed. 
     In one aspect, the disclosed liquid vacuuming and filtering device may include a sealed container, a reversible vacuum pump communicating with an interior of the container, a two-way valve mounted on the container, a flexible hose connected to the valve, a filter positioned within the container and connected to the valve and a standpipe connected to the valve and extending within the container. In one aspect, the vacuum pump may be a reversible pneumatic pump. When the reversible pneumatic pump and the valve are adjusted to a filling configuration, and the flexible hose is placed at or in a fluid containing particulate material, the pump evacuates air from within the container to create a below-ambient pressure within the container. This partial vacuum may cause fluid to be drawn through the flexible hose, through the valve and into the filter within the container interior. The container interior fills with fluid and the filter may trap and collect the particulate material that was suspended in the fluid or was taken in through the hose along with the fluid. 
     The disclosed reversible vacuum pump and valve may be adjusted to a discharge configuration in which the reversible vacuum pump pressurizes the container interior to a pressure above ambient. In this configuration, the valve may be adjusted to create a fluid flow channel through the standpipe in the interior of the container, through the valve and out the flexible hose. The above-ambient pressure within the container may cause fluid within the container to flow through this channel and be discharged through the hose. 
     In this fashion, the disclosed liquid vacuuming and filtering device may be used to recondition cutting fluid or machine coolant that has become contaminated with particulate material such as dirt, metal particles and shavings. Operation of the device may draw such contaminated fluid from a sump through the flexible hose, valve and through the filter so that the particulate material may be collected within the filter and the filtered fluid fills the container. The device then may be adjusted to a discharge configuration and the filtered fluid returned to the sump through the flexible hose. 
     It is within the scope of the disclosure to utilize such a device in a number of other applications. For example, the device may be used to filter and recondition contaminated fluid from any sort of power transmission gear enclosure, such as an automobile transmission or differential, to filter and recondition contaminated fluid from equipment with oil or coolant reservoirs, to filter and recondition cooking oil, to clean ponds, to filter fluid taken from flooded vaults, and to collect and filter fluid from other waste containers. 
     It is also within the scope of this disclosure to utilize the disclosed device to clean up spills. In such applications, the hose may include a tool, such as a floor attachment, attached to its distil end that would facilitate vacuuming spilled fluid from, for example, a shop floor. The fluid may then be collected within the device and any particulate material filtered from the fluid. Disposal of the fluid and the particulate material thus would be facilitated. 
     In one aspect, the device may utilize a polyester bag filter that is removable and replaceable. Such a filter may be used with varying pore sizes, from 5 to 50 microns and larger, and down to 1 micron or less for applications to reclaim precious metals. It is also within the scope of the disclosure to utilize mesh filters made of other materials, such as metal. 
     Other objects and advantages of the disclosed device will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic, perspective view of one embodiment of the disclosed liquid vacuuming and filtering device, shown connected to a source of compressed air, and in which the interior of the container is partially broken away to reveal internal components; 
         FIG. 2  is a detail of the device of  FIG. 1 , showing the tank lid and broken away to show the interior of the container; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic, side elevation in section of the device of  FIG. 1 , shown adjusted to a filling configuration; and 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic, side elevation in section of the device of  FIG. 1 , shown adjusted to a discharge configuration. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     An embodiment of the disclosed liquid vacuuming and filtering device, generally designated  10 , is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The device  10  may include a container  12 , such as a standard 55-gallon drum. Other containers may be used, such as a 5-gallon or 30-gallon drum or a tank. Plastic containers may be used as well. Any container that is capable of being pressurized positively and negatively without leakage may be used. 
     The container  12  may include a container body  14  and a removable lid  16 . The lid  16  may be secured to the body by a drum latch ring  18  to form a sealed, substantially air-tight interior  20 . 
     A reversible vacuum pump  22  may be mounted on the lid  16  and may be attached to form a substantially air-tight seal with the lid. The pump  22  may include a shut-off valve  23  (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ), such as a float valve, that automatically shuts the valve off should the liquid level in the container  12  reach a predetermined maximum level and actuate the valve. This shut-off valve  23  may prevent overfilling the container  12 . 
     The pump  22  also may include a manually operated shut-off valve  24 . The shut-off valve  24  may be integrated with the pump, or as shown in  FIG. 1 , may comprise a separate valve positioned upstream of the pump  22 . The pump  22  may be a reversible pneumatic pump, such as an EXAIR Model 6091 Reversible Drum Vac. If the pump  22  is pneumatically operated, the pump may be connected to a source of compressed air, generally designated  26 , by a supply line  28 , such as a flexible hose or rigid conduit. In such a configuration, the supply line  28  may be connected to the shut-off valve  24 , which in turn is connected to pump  22 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the source of compressed air  26  may be a pressurized tank, as shown in  FIG. 1  or it may be a compressor or other device for creating pressurized air. The preferred range of delivered compressed air is 80-100 psig. Alternatively, the pump  22  may be an electrically powered pump or blower. 
     The device  10  may include a flexible hose  29  that may optionally terminate in a tool  30  mounted or attached to its distal end. Tool  30  may be a rigid wand, as shown in  FIG. 1 , or may be another tool, such as a floor vacuum attachment. 
     The device  10  also may include a valve, generally designated  32 , which may be a two-way valve. The valve  32  may be connected to the intake hose  29  at port  33 , which may be a barbed fitting. Valve  32  also may be a three-way valve, or a valve having more than three settings. 
     A filter  34  may be positioned within the interior  20  of the container  12  and connected to the valve  32  by an elbow  36 , which may be a female quick release elbow adaptor, which is connected to port  37  of the valve. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the filter  34  may be a porous filter bag, such as a polyester bag. The filter  34  may include a filter bag  38  and an adaptor  40 . The adaptor  40  may be connected to a quick-release adaptor  42 , such as a male quick release adaptor, that forms a part of the elbow  36 . The adaptor  40  may include a bulkhead fitting that forms a substantially air-tight seal with lid  16 . 
     The pore size of the filter bag  38  may vary, depending upon the particular application of the device  10  and the size range of the particulate material to be filtered from the fluid to be collected by the device  10 . For example, the bag  38  may have pores in the range of 1μ up to 125μ in size. Other forms of filter  34  may be employed, such as a mesh filter made of metal. Other shapes of filter  34  may be employed as well. 
     Also as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the device may include a discharge pipe  44 , such as a standpipe that may comprise a section of PVC pipe. Alternatively, the discharge pipe  44  may be made of corrosion-resistant metal, metal coated or treated to be corrosion resistant, or a plastic other than PVC, such as nylon. The standpipe  44  may be connected to the valve  32  by a quick-release elbow adaptor  46 , such as a female quick release elbow adaptor, which may be attached to port  47  of the valve. Elbow adaptor  46  may include a quick-release adaptor  48 , such as a male quick release adaptor. Adaptor  48  may form a substantially air-tight seal with lid  16 . Alternatively, the discharge pipe  44  may pass through the body  14  of container  12  or through the bottom of the container and extend to valve  32 . 
     The method of operation of the device  10  is shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . To place the device  10  in a filling configuration, as shown in  FIG. 3 , the shut-off valve  24  is closed, which shuts off the flow of pressurized air to inactivate the reversible vacuum pump  22 . The knob  50  on the pump  22  is turned to adjust the pump to a configuration in which air is evacuated from the interior  20  of the container  12 . The handle  52  on two-way valve  32  is adjusted to connect the hose  29  with the filter bag  34  within the interior  20  of the container  12 . Thus, a continuous intake channel is formed that extends through the tool  30 , hose  29 , ports  33  and  37  of valve  32 , elbow  36  and quick-release adaptor  42  and filter  34  in the interior  20  of container  12 . The tool  30 , such as a wand shown in  FIG. 3 , is placed within the contaminated fluid  54  in a vessel  56 , such as the sump shown in  FIG. 3 . 
     The shut-off valve  24  is opened and the reversible pump  22  evacuates air from the interior  20  of the container  12 . This creates a below-ambient pressure condition within the container  12  so that fluid  54  is drawn through the wand  30 , hose  29 , valve  32 , elbow  36  and into the filter bag  34 . The particulate material  58  contained in the fluid  54  is collected in the filter bag  34 . The interior  20  of the container  12  then fills with filtered fluid  60 . It is preferable for an operator to move the wand around in the vessel  56  to make sure that all the contaminants are stirred up and drawn through the hose  29  with the fluid  54  and into the container  12 . 
     Once the vessel  56  is emptied, the shut-off valve  24  may be closed to stop the pump  22  and prevent overfilling or to prevent fluid or air from continuing to be drawn from the interior  20  of the container  12 . Alternatively, the device may be allowed to operate until the shut-off valve  23  is activated by the rising level of fluid  60  in the container  12 , which shuts off pump  22 . The container  12  is now filled with fluid  60  from which the particulate contaminants  58  have been removed. 
     As shown in  FIG. 4 , to place the device  10  in a discharging configuration, shut off valve  24  preferably is in the closed position. The knob  50  then may turned on the reversible vacuum pump  22  so that the pump is adjusted to pressurize the interior  20  of the container  12 . The handle  52  of the valve  32  is adjusted to connect the standpipe  44  within the container  12  with the hose  29 . A continuous fluid discharge channel is thus formed that extends through standpipe  44 , elbow  46  and quick release  48 , ports  47  and  33  of valve  32 , and flexible hose  29  and tool  30 . The wand  30  is placed into the vessel  56  where clean, filtered fluid  60  from the interior  20  of the container  12  is desired. The shut-off valve  24  is opened, allowing pressurized air from source  26  (see  FIG. 1 ) to activate the reversible vacuum pump  22 , which begins to pressurize the interior  20  of the container  12 . This above-ambient pressure condition in the interior  20  forces the filtered fluid  60  within the interior  20  to flow upwardly through the standpipe  44 , through elbow  46 , valve  32 , and through the hose  29  and wand  30  back into the vessel  56 , if desired. The vessel  56  then is refilled with the clean, filtered fluid  60 . 
     The standpipe  44  preferably is oriented substantially vertically within the container  12  and sized to open near the bottom of the interior  20  so that the container may be substantially completely emptied of filtered fluid  60  during fluid discharge operation. When the fluid  60  is discharged from the container  12 , the shut-off valve  24  may be adjusted to shut off the flow of compressed air from the source  26  ( FIG. 1 ) to the pump  22 , which stops the pump and the discharge of fluid  60  from the container  12 . 
     At this time, the latch ring  18  (see  FIGS. 1 and 2 ) may be disengaged, which allows an operator to remove the lid  16  from the body  14  of the container  12 . The filter bag  34  may be removed from the adaptor  40  and the collected particulate material  58  emptied from the bag. In the alternative, the bag  34  may be discarded and replaced with a fresh bag. 
     In conclusion, the device  10  provides a means of vacuuming, filtering and returning filtered fluid to a source, such as a sump, without the necessity of disconnecting and reconnecting hoses. The device preferably is portable and may be mounted on a wheeled dolly (not shown), or may be provided in a stationary or wall-mounted form. 
     While the form of apparatus herein described and illustrated may constitute a preferred embodiment of the disclosed device, it is to be understood that this device is not limited to this precise form of apparatus, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1