Patent ID: 8365346

Claim:
An apparatus for suctioning fluid from a hard surface comprising: (a) a squeegee structure defining a collection space, the squeegee structure being movable across the hard surface and adapted to collect fluid from the hard surface in the collection space; (b) a collection tank; (c) a plurality of vacuum inlets communicating with the collection space; (d) a fluid flow structure including one or more conduits, the fluid flow structure being constructed and arranged to connect only one or more selected ones of the inlets to the tank; (e) a suction pump connected to the collection tank; wherein the vacuum inlets include a first inlet and a plurality of second inlets, the fluid flow structure being constructed and arranged to selectively connect all of the second inlets to the collection tank or disconnect all of the second inlets from the collection tank, and to selectively connect or disconnect the first inlet and the collection tank; wherein apparatus for the squeegee structure has a rear wall bounding the collection space and extending in a widthwise direction and a center point, the first inlet communicating with the collection space adjacent the center point of the rear wall, the second inlets communicating with the collection space adjacent the rear wall remote from the center point on opposite sides of the center point.