# US 2013/0152334 A1 · Pick-up head system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152334 A1 - Document ID: US20130152334A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/495,779 - Filed: 2012-06-13 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-06-13 - Inventors: Roger P. Vanderlinden - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152334A1 ## CPC - A47L 9/02: Nozzles (suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00) - A47L 11/4044: {Vacuuming or pick-up tools; Squeegees} - E01H 1/08: Pneumatically dislodging or taking-up undesirable matter {or small objects}({E01H1/006 and E01H1/005 take precedence;} suction cleaners in general A47L5/00 - A47L9/00; {sucking-off liquids or semi-liquids E01H1/108}); Drying by heat only or by streams of gas (permanently-installed heating or blowing devices E01C11/26; heating or drying for road- building or repairing E01C23/14; {devices for melting snow or ice in situ E01H5/10, E01H8/08; for scorching undesirable vegetation E01H11/00}); Cleaning by projecting abrasive particles (sand-blasting in general B24C; {roughening of road surfaces E01C23/08; cleaning of road joints E01C23/0906}) - E01H 1/0827: {Dislodging by suction; Mechanical dislodging-cleaning apparatus with independent or dependent exhaust, e.g. dislodging-sweeping machines with independent suction nozzles (combined with blowing E01H1/0872); Mechanical loosening devices working under vacuum} - E01H 1/0836: {Apparatus dislodging all of the dirt by suction (combined with loosening by blowing E01H1/0863; liquids or semi-liquids E01H1/108; removing snow by suction E01H5/106, E01H8/08; for cleaning rails E01H8/105, E01H8/125); Suction nozzles (suction and blowing nozzles E01H1/0863)} - E01H 1/0845: {with mechanical loosening or feeding instruments for the dirt to be sucked- up, e.g. brushes, scrapers (brushing installations per se E01H1/02; other loosening devices per se E01H1/105)} - E01H 1/0872: {with mechanical loosening or feeding instruments for the dirt to be removed pneumatically, e.g. brushes, scrapers (brushing installations per se E01H1/02; other loosening devices per se E01H1/105)} - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) - E01H: STREET CLEANING; CLEANING OF PERMANENT WAYS; CLEANING BEACHES; DISPERSING {OR PREVENTING} FOG IN GENERAL {CLEANING STREET OR RAILWAY FURNITURE OR TUNNEL WALLS}(cleaning in general B08B) ## Abstract A pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle comprises a housing having a substantially hollow interior and a suctioning bottom opening. A debris suctioning inlet in the housing is disposed adjacent the first end of the housing for suctioning debris into the housing. A debris outlet in the housing is open in fluid communication and debris transfer relation to the substantially hollow interior of the housing. Debris is suctioned into the substantially hollow interior of the housing through the debris suctioning inlet, and is discharged from the housing through the debris outlet. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A pick-up head system for use with a surface cleaning vehicle having a fore-aft axis of travel, said pick-up head system comprising: a housing extending between a first end and a second end and extending substantially transversely to said fore-aft axis of travel, and having a substantially hollow interior and a suctioning bottom opening defined by a bottom peripheral edge and open in fluid communication and debris transfer relation to said substantially hollow interior; a debris suctioning inlet in said housing disposed adjacent said first end of said housing for suctioning debris into said housing; and, a debris outlet in said housing open in fluid communication and debris transfer relation to said substantially hollow interior of said housing; wherein debris is suctioned into the substantially hollow interior of said housing through said debris suctioning inlet, and is discharged from said housing through said debris outlet. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, further comprising a substantially rigid debris deflecting skirt disposed at said bottom peripheral edge of said housing for interfacing said housing in substantially sealed relation with the surface to be cleaned as the surface cleaning vehicle moves along said surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The pick-up head system of claim 2, wherein said substantially rigid debris deflecting skirt is solid. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The pick-up head system of claim 2, wherein said substantially rigid debris deflecting skirt is gapless. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The pick-up head system of claim 2, wherein said substantially rigid debris deflecting skirt is non-curling. ### Claim 6 (depends on 2) The pick-up head system of claim 2, wherein said substantially rigid debris deflecting skirt is non-pliable. ### Claim 7 (depends on 2) The pick-up head system of claim 2, wherein said substantially rigid debris deflecting skirt is substantially horizontally oriented. ### Claim 8 (depends on 2) The pick-up head system of claim 2, wherein said substantially rigid debris deflecting skirt is disposed on said housing in debris deflecting relation, to thereby deflect debris across a surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein the width of said housing is greater than three-quarters of the width of the surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said housing has a front wall, and further comprising a debris receiving main inlet in said front wall of said housing in debris receiving relation with respect to a surface to be cleaned, for receiving debris to said housing, and a door apparatus operatively mounted at said debris receiving main inlet. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The pick-up head system of claim 10, wherein said door apparatus comprises a substantially sealed door apparatus. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The pick-up head system of claim 11, wherein said substantially sealed door apparatus comprises a rotatable door assembly defining a substantially horizontally oriented central pivot axis and an outer periphery, and sealing means operatively disposed in sealing relation between said rotatable door assembly and said housing. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The pick-up head system of claim 11, wherein said substantially sealed door apparatus further comprises a door frame surrounding said debris receiving main inlet, and said rotatable door assembly is mounted on said housing at said door frame, and said sealing means is operatively disposed in sealing relation between said rotatable door assembly and said door frame. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The pick-up head system of claim 12, wherein said rotatable door assembly comprises at least a first door portion and a second door portion joined together at a substantially horizontally oriented central pivot axis that is substantially transverse to said generally central fore-aft axis of travel. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The pick-up head system of claim 14, wherein said door frame further comprising an arcuate header portion. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The pick-up head system of claim 15, wherein said substantially horizontally oriented central pivot axis is collinear with said center axis of said arcuate header portion. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The pick-up head system of claim 15, wherein said door frame has a first side plate and a second side plate. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The pick-up head system of claim 17, wherein said first door portion and said second door portion each have a first side edge and a second side edge and an end edge spanning between said first side edge and said second side edge. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The pick-up head system of claim 18, wherein said end edge is substantially straight. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The pick-up head system of claim 18, wherein said sealing means comprises a sealing flap disposed at said side edges of each of said first door portion and said second door portion for contacting said first and second side plates in substantially sealed relation as said rotatable door means rotates, and a sealing flap disposed at said end edges of each of said first door portion and said second door portion for intermittently contacting a surface to be cleaned in substantially sealed relation as said rotatable door means rotates. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The pick-up head system of claim 20, wherein said sealing flaps are removable and replaceable. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The pick-up head system of claim 21, wherein the removable and replaceable sealing flaps have a plurality of vertically oriented slots therein for receiving fasteners therethrough, thereby permitting height adjustable mounting of said removable and replaceable sealing flaps. ### Claim 23 (depends on 20) The pick-up head system of claim 20, wherein said sealing flaps are made from rubber. ### Claim 24 (depends on 18) The pick-up head system of claim 18, further comprising a knife blade mounted on said end edge for cutting debris entering said housing. ### Claim 25 (depends on 18) The pick-up head system of claim 18, wherein said knife blade is mounted on an extension portion of said door portion, which extension portion projects substantially transversely from the door portion substantially in the direction of rotation of the rotatable door means. ### Claim 26 (depends on 10) The pick-up head system of claim 10, wherein said debris receiving main inlet is disposed generally centrally in the front wall of said housing. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The pick-up head system of claim 26, wherein said debris outlet is disposed immediately rearwardly of said debris receiving main inlet. ### Claim 28 (depends on 12) The pick-up head system of claim 12, further comprising a selectively operable actuation means for causing said rotatable door means to rotate. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The pick-up head system of claim 28, wherein said selectively operable actuation means comprises a hydraulic motor. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The pick-up head system of claim 28, wherein said rotatable door means is rotatable by said selectively operable actuation means to have an outer circumferential speed substantially equal to the forward speed of said sealed pick-up head along a surface to be cleaned, in a front-to-back direction. ### Claim 31 (depends on 12) The pick-up head system of claim 12, wherein said rotatable door assembly further comprises at least one surface engaging member for rolling engaging a surface to be cleaned as said surface cleaning vehicle moves forwardly along the surface to be cleaned, wherein such rolling engagement causes said rotatable door assembly to rotate such that the outer periphery of said rotatable door assembly has substantially a zero speed with respect to the surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The pick-up head system of claim 31, wherein said at least one surface engaging member comprises a first surface engaging wheel. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The pick-up head system of claim 32, wherein said rotatable door assembly has a left side and a right side, and said first surface engaging wheel is disposed at one of said left side and said right side of said rotatable door assembly. ### Claim 34 (depends on 31) The pick-up head system of claim 31, wherein said at least one surface engaging member is readily removable and replaceable. ### Claim 35 (depends on 12) The pick-up head system of claim 12, wherein the width of said housing is greater than three-quarters of the width of the surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 36 (depends on 12) The pick-up head system of claim 12, wherein said debris suctioning inlet is oriented forwardly to permit said debris suctioning inlet to receive debris as said pick-up head travels along a surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 37 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said debris suctioning inlet is oriented outwardly and forwardly to permit said debris suctioning inlet to receive debris as said pick-up head travels along a surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 38 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said housing is substantially “V”-shaped. ### Claim 39 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said debris outlet is generally centrally disposed in said housing. ### Claim 40 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, further comprising a gutter broom mounted on one of said housing and said surface cleaning vehicle, to be disposed adjacent said debris suctioning inlet of said housing. ### Claim 41 (depends on 40) The pick-up head system of claim 40, wherein said gutter broom is disposed exteriorly to said housing. ### Claim 42 (depends on 41) The pick-up head system of claim 41, wherein said gutter broom is disposed mostly exteriorly to said housing and partially within said housing. ### Claim 43 (depends on 40) The pick-up head system of claim 40, wherein said gutter broom is mounted by means of a mounting arm pivotally connected to on one of said housing and said surface cleaning vehicle, such that said gutter broom is pivotally movable about a substantially vertical axis between a plurality of sweeping positions. ### Claim 44 (depends on 40) The pick-up head system of claim 40, wherein said gutter broom is mounted by means of a mounting arm pivotally connected to on one of said housing and said surface cleaning vehicle, such that said gutter broom has a preferred sweeping position and a stowed position, and is movable between said preferred sweeping position and said stowed position. ### Claim 45 (depends on 40) The pick-up head system of claim 40, further comprising a gutter broom air blast apparatus. ### Claim 46 (depends on 45) The pick-up head system of claim 45, wherein said gutter broom air blast apparatus comprises a nozzle having a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, and a source of high speed or compressed air, and wherein said nozzle inlet is connected in air flow receiving relation to said source of high speed or compressed air, and said nozzle outlet is aimed to direct air under said gutter broom. ### Claim 47 (depends on 46) The pick-up head system of claim 46, wherein said nozzle outlet of said gutter broom air blast apparatus is aimed at least partially at said gutter broom. ### Claim 48 (depends on 46) The pick-up head system of claim 46, wherein said nozzle outlet is disposed adjacent said gutter broom. ### Claim 49 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein the width of said housing is greater than three-quarters of the width of the surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 50 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, further comprising an air flow apparatus for directing a flow of air for subsequent suctioning into said debris suctioning inlet. ### Claim 51 (depends on 50) The pick-up head system of claim 50, wherein said air flow apparatus comprises a nozzle having a nozzle inlet and a nozzle outlet, and a source of high speed or compressed air, and wherein said nozzle inlet is connected in air flow receiving relation to said source of high speed or compressed air, and said nozzle outlet is disposed adjacent said debris suctioning inlet of said housing. ### Claim 52 (depends on 51) The pick-up head system of claim 51, wherein said source of high speed or compressed air comprises the main fan of said surface cleaning vehicle. ### Claim 53 (depends on 52) The pick-up head system of claim 52, wherein said nozzle is connected in air flow receiving relation to said main fan by means of a conduit. ### Claim 54 (depends on 51) The pick-up head system of claim 51, wherein said nozzle outlet is positioned and oriented to aim said flow of air at debris on a surface to be cleaned to thereby remove debris from a surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 55 (depends on 51) The pick-up head system of claim 51, wherein said nozzle outlet is disposed exteriorly to said housing. ### Claim 56 (depends on 51) The pick-up head system of claim 51, wherein said nozzle outlet is disposed at said debris suctioning inlet of said housing. ### Claim 57 (depends on 51) The pick-up head system of claim 51, wherein said nozzle outlet of said air flow apparatus is oriented to aim said flow of air towards said debris suctioning inlet. ### Claim 58 (depends on 57) The pick-up head system of claim 57, wherein said nozzle outlet of said air flow apparatus is oriented to aim a flow of air into said debris suctioning inlet. ### Claim 59 (depends on 51) The pick-up head system of claim 51, wherein said nozzle outlet of said air flow apparatus is oriented to aim said flow of air laterally across said debris suctioning inlet. ### Claim 60 (depends on 51) The pick-up head system of claim 51, wherein said nozzle outlet of said air flow apparatus is disposed within said housing. ### Claim 61 (depends on 51) The pick-up head system of claim 51, wherein said nozzle outlet of said air flow apparatus is aimed at least partially downwardly. ### Claim 62 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein the width of said housing is greater than three-quarters of the width of the surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 63 (depends on 10) The pick-up head system of claim 10, wherein said front wall of said housing has a first sloped portion and a second sloped portion that are each sloped rearwardly and inwardly towards said debris receiving main inlet, and wherein said debris receiving main inlet is disposed between said first sloped portion and said second sloped portion, in debris receiving relation with respect to a surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 64 (depends on 63) The pick-up head system of claim 63, wherein said housing is substantially “V”-shaped and said debris receiving main inlet is disposed at the vertex of said “V”-shaped front wall. ### Claim 65 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, further comprising a substantially unobstructed debris passage within said housing from said debris suctioning inlet to said debris outlet. ### Claim 66 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said debris suctioning inlet in said housing disposed at a maximum distance along said housing from said debris outlet. ### Claim 67 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein the cross-sectional area from front-to-back and top-to-bottom of the debris passage in said housing from said debris suctioning inlet to said debris outlet is substantially constant. ### Claim 68 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said housing defines a fore-aft axis and wherein said back wall portion extends outwardly away from said fore-aft axis further than said front wall portion, thereby creating a laterally and forwardly facing debris suctioning inlet. ### Claim 69 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said housing defines a fore-aft axis and wherein said back wall portion and said front wall portion each extend substantially equidistantly outwardly away from said fore-aft axis, thereby creating a laterally facing debris suctioning inlet. ### Claim 70 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said debris suctioning inlet defines an external debris suctioning space immediately beyond said debris suctioning inlet on said surface to be cleaned, whereat debris disposed externally to said housing and adjacent said debris suctioning inlet can be readily suctioned into said housing, and wherein said external debris suctioning space is substantially unobstructed. ### Claim 71 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein said debris suctioning inlet has a cross-sectional area about one-half the cross-sectional area of said debris outlet. ### Claim 72 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein the width of said housing is approximately equal to the width of the surface cleaning vehicle. ### Claim 73 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, wherein the width of said housing is greater than three-quarters of the width of the surface to be cleaned. ### Claim 74 (depends on 1) The pick-up head system of claim 1, further comprising a second debris suctioning inlet in said housing disposed adjacent said second end of said housing for suctioning debris into said housing. ### Claim 75 (depends on 74) The pick-up head system of claim 74, further comprising a first closure mechanism for selectively closing off said first debris suctioning inlet and a second closure mechanism for selectively closing off said second debris suctioning inlet. ### Claim 76 (depends on 12) The pick-up head system of claim 12, wherein said rotatable door assembly extends substantially the entire distance between said first end and said second end of said housing. ### Claim 77 (depends on 12) The pick-up head system of claim 12, wherein said substantially sealed door apparatus comprises: a first rotatable support mechanism rotatable about a first door axis; a second rotatable support mechanism rotatable about a second door axis; a flexible ring-shaped belt mounted peripherally around said first rotatable support mechanism and said second rotatable support mechanism for peripheral movement of said flexible ring-shaped belt peripherally about said first rotatable support mechanism and said second rotatable support mechanism; a drive mechanism operatively engaging said flexible ring-shaped belt in driving relation to thereby drive said flexible ring-shaped belt through its peripheral movement; wherein said flexible ring-shaped belt is substantially solid to thereby preclude the flow of air therethrough; a plurality of doors mounted in outwardly extending relation on said flexible ring-shaped belt such that each door can contact a surface being cleaned; an air flow barrier operatively disposed between said plurality of doors and said housing to substantially preclude the passage of air and small debris between said plurality of doors and said housing. ### Claim 78 A self-propelled surface cleaning system comprising: a main vehicle having a width; a pick-up head operatively mounted on said main vehicle, said pick-up head including a housing extending between a first end and a second end and extending substantially transversely to said fore-aft axis of travel, and having a substantially hollow interior and a suctioning bottom opening defined by a bottom peripheral edge and open in fluid communication and debris transfer relation to said substantially hollow interior; a debris suctioning inlet in said housing disposed adjacent said first end of said housing for suctioning debris into said housing; and, a debris outlet in said housing open in fluid communication and debris transfer relation to said substantially hollow interior of said housing; wherein debris is suctioned into the substantially hollow interior of said housing through said debris suctioning inlet, and is discharged from said housing through said debris outlet. ### Claim 79 (depends on 78) The self-propelled surface cleaning system of claim 78, wherein said housing of said pick-up head is substantially the same width as said main vehicle.