Patent ID: 8453293

Claim:
A vacuum head for a rotary cleaning head for a cleaning machine for a floor, wherein said rotary cleaning head is operable to use a cleaning fluid and comprises a circumference, an axis of rotation, a radius extending outwardly from said axis of rotation, a direction of rotation about said axis of rotation, and a vacuum port; wherein said vacuum head is operable to be carried by said rotary cleaning head; wherein said vacuum head has a configuration that is at least generally L-shaped and comprises a vacuum port arm; a vacuum port at least partially defined by said vacuum port arm; a vacuum slot arm; a vacuum slot at least partially defined by said vacuum slot arm; and a leading side that faces in said rotary cleaning head's direction of rotation; wherein, when said vacuum head is installed on said rotary cleaning head, said vacuum head's vacuum port arm extends at least generally along said rotary cleaning head's radius; wherein said vacuum head's vacuum slot arm extends forward from said vacuum head's vacuum port arm at least generally in said rotary cleaning head's direction of rotation; wherein said vacuum slot arm comprises a leading end portion that faces in said rotary cleaning head's direction of rotation; wherein said vacuum slot arm's leading end portion has a height; wherein said vacuum head's vacuum port is operable to receive a vacuum from said rotary cleaning head's vacuum port; and wherein said vacuum head's vacuum slot is operable to receive a vacuum from said vacuum head's vacuum port; wherein, during use of said rotary cleaning head, at least some of said cleaning fluid comprises migrating cleaning fluid that moves radially outwardly along at least part of said vacuum head's leading side; wherein said vacuum head's vacuum slot is operable to vacuum up at least some of said migrating cleaning fluid, to help prevent at least some of said migrating cleaning fluid from being slung radially outwardly from said rotary cleaning head and wherein said height of said vacuum slot arm is tapered, to help enable said vacuum slot arm to be operable to ski up and over an obstacle on said floor during use of said rotary cleaning head.