Patent ID: 8695156

Claim:
An apparatus for efficiently removing dust particles from a surface without direct contact, the apparatus comprising: a tweeter comprising having at least one acoustic generator for generating sound waves; and a bounded vortex generator coupled to the tweeter, wherein the bounded vortex generator comprises: a central axis; at least one vacuum port oriented along the central axis for providing dust removing suction; an acoustic emitter concentric with the bounded vortex generator for emitting acoustic energy provided by the tweeter; a plurality of tilted jets surrounding the acoustic emitter for providing an air flow substantially tangential to a surface below the bounded vortex generator and oriented to induce a vortex air motion about the central axis concentric to the bounded vortex generator; and wherein the acoustic emitter is arranged to provide acoustic radiation normal to the surface below the bounded vortex generator to levitate dust particles and break their adhesive bonds to the surface wherein the at least one vacuum port suction and the plurality of tilted jets blowing operate conjunctively to form a standing vortex with a high shear stress region tangential to the surface to efficiently remove the dust particles.