Patent ID: 8317774

Claim:
A system for providing suction to a target area, comprising: a suction head assembly comprising an enclosure configured for covering the target area such that the target area is enclosed in the enclosure and in fluid communication therewith, the enclosure having an open end adapted to be in fluid communication with at least a portion of the target area via the open end, and a pump head comprising a pumping chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the pump head being integrated with the enclosure, and wherein the inlet is comprised in the enclosure and is in fluid communication therewith; a powered drive apparatus comprising a drive unit coupled to a primary pump, and a non-mechanical coupling arrangement for connecting the primary pump to the pump head, in operation the powered drive apparatus being configured for operating the pump head via the non-mechanical coupling arrangement when driven by the drive unit; wherein the system is adapted for selectively providing a predetermined working pressure within the enclosure below ambient pressure of an external environment via operation of the pump head, wherein the pump head comprises an actuation chamber that is mechanically coupled to the pumping chamber, and wherein the non-mechanical coupling arrangement comprises a pneumatic or hydraulic coupling arrangement comprising a control volume of working fluid that respectively pneumatically or hydraulically couples the primary pump with the actuating chamber, the mechanical coupling being configured for enabling the drive unit to operate the pump head by inducing pumping of the pumping chamber via pneumatic coupling or hydraulic coupling, respectively, between the primary pump and the actuation chamber.