Air-floated apparatus
OwnerArthur L. Fassauerinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention describes an air-floated vacuum cleaner comprising a housing having an air inlet opening, an open bottom and an inner wall, an impeller for pressurizing air within the housing to float the housing above a support surface, and a novel vacuum module/agitator located below the impeller. The vacuum module/agitator is rotatable with the impeller for agitating dust and debris on the support surface and for simultaneously suctioning the dust and debris upwards for lateral displacement against the inner wall. The dust and debris is then centrifuged to a duct communicating with the inner wall. The air-floated vacuum cleaner further includes a flotation plate module for entrapping and sealing within the housing pressurized air generated by the impeller.
Claims17
An air-floated vacuum cleaner for suctioning material from a support surface, comprising:
- a housing having an air inlet opening, an open bottom, and an inner wall;
- means for pressurizing the housing with air to float the housing above a support surface;
- vacuum means rotatable within the housing for creating a relative vacuum to suction the material upwards from the support surface and for moving the material laterally outwardly against the inner wall as the vacuum means is rotated;
- and
- means communicating with the inner wall of the housing for collecting the material moved laterally thereagainst.
An air-floated vacuum cleaner, comprising:
- a housing having an air inlet opening, an open bottom, and an inner wall;
- impeller means for pressurizing the housing with air to float the housing above a support surface;
- and
- vacuum means located below the impeller means, the vacuum means being rotatable with the impeller means for agitating material on the support surface and for suctioning the material upwards for lateral displacement against the inner wall as the vacuum means is rotated, the vacuum means comprising:
- a base having a periphery;
- at least one extension positioned on the periphery of said base;
- a member extending upwardly and angularly from the extension such that as the base is rotated with the impeller means a vacuum is generated behind the member;
- and
- a snap-on module secured to the extension and including a plurality of tines each of which extends downwardly from the extension and contacts the support surface.
An air-floated apparatus, comprising:
- a housing having an air inlet opening, an open bottom and an inner wall;
- impeller means for pressurizing the housing with air to float the housing above a support surface;
- and
- means for entrapping within the housing pressurized air generated by the impeller means, the means for entrapping comprises:
- support means having an upper channel and a lower channel, the upper channel for receiving a bottom edge of the housing;
- a plate projecting from the lower channel into said housing for directing air inwardly;
- an air entrapment boss member supported for vertical movement within the lower channel and including a boss for trapping the pressurized air generated by the impeller means;
- and
- means for adjusting a vertical position of the boss relative to the support surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.