Patent ID: 6854157

Claim:
A debris collection device for limiting the dispersion of airborne particles comprising: (a) a vehicle with a plurality of wheels, at least one wheel being maneuverable by a selectively operable steering mechanism and at least one wheel providing propulsion; (b) a first debris contacting mechanism which contacts debris and moves said debris in a direction which is substantially the same as the direction of forward movement of the vehicle, said first debris contacting mechanism being configured to move said debris away from a surface that is intended to be cleaned of debris; (c) at least one peripheral debris contacting mechanism disposed forward of the first debris contacting mechanism relative to the direction of forward movement of the vehicle, the peripheral debris contacting mechanism being configured to contact debris on the surface that is intended to be cleaned of debris and deliver the debris to an area where it can be contacted by the first debris contacting mechanism; (d) a shroud enclosing at least a portion of the peripheral debris contacting mechanism and being configured to at least temporarily retain at least a portion of any airborne particles generated by the peripheral debris contacting mechanism; (e) a first debris transport mechanism including an inlet located proximal to said debris contacting mechanism and being configured to receive first debris moved by said debris contacting mechanism at an inlet and move said debris towards a debris storage compartment, wherein the operation of said first debris collection device including the debris contacting mechanism generates airborne particles in the area proximate to the inlet of said transport mechanism such that the airborne particles would disperse into the air unless processed by the debris collection device; (f) a filter and vacuum assembly including an inlet disposed downstream of the inlet of said transport mechanism and upstream of the debris storage compartment relative to the path of transported debris, said filter and vacuum assembly generating a primary air flow that draws the airborne particles into the inlet of the transport mechanism, along a path proximate to the transport mechanism, into the inlet of the filter and vacuum assembly and through a filter located within the filter and vacuum assembly without generating a substantial air-flow through the storage compartment; and (g) a shaking mechanism operably connected to said filter and arranged such that, upon operation of said shaking mechanism, debris is released from the filter and falls under gravity through the inlet of said filter and vacuum assembly and onto the debris transport mechanism, said debris transport mechanism carrying said released debris to said debris storage compartment where said released debris is deposited in said debris storage compartment without the presence of a significant air-flow that would tend to carry some of the released debris back into the filter.