US 5,634,238 A · Pick-up head for a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An attachment for connection to a suction hose of a vacuum cleaner for enabling liquid to be picked up from a surface and collected by the attachment. The attachment comprises a hollow body defining a collection container for receiving and collecting liquid therein; an outlet member defining an outlet and including a connector adapted to be connected to the suction hose; a pick-up inlet member defining an inlet adapted to pick up liquid from the surface; and a flow path member extending in a flow path between the container and the outlet member. The flow path member defines a flow restricting orifice adjacent a side wall of the container and near an upper end of the container, the orifice having a cross-sectional area significantly less than that of the outlet and that of the inlet; an air expansion chamber disposed in a flow path between the orifice and the outlet; a vortex chamber disposed in a flow path upstream of and adjacent the orifice, the vortex chamber including a curved wall defining a concave flow surface extending across the flow path member from a position opposite the orifice to a position adjacent the orifice such that a flow off the concave flow surface is directed generally away from the orifice; and an element for reversing the flow off the concave flow surface from a direction generally away from the orifice to a direction toward the orifice.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An attachment for connection to a suction hose of a vacuum cleaner for enabling liquid to be picked up from a surface and collected by the attachment, the attachment comprising:

a hollow body defining a collection container for receiving and collecting liquid therein;
an outlet member disposed to be in flow communication with the container, the outlet member defining an outlet and including a connector adapted to be connected to the suction hose;
a pick-up inlet member disposed to be in flow communication with the container, the inlet member defining an inlet adapted to be applied to the surface for picking up liquid therefrom;
a flow path member extending in a flow path between the container and the outlet member, the flow path member defining:
a flow restricting orifice adjacent a side wall of the container and near an upper end of the container, the orifice thereby being disposed upstream of the outlet and further having a cross-sectional area significantly less than that of the outlet and that of the inlet;
an air expansion chamber disposed in a flow path between the orifice and the outlet;
a vortex chamber disposed in a flow path upstream of and adjacent the orifice, the vortex chamber including a curved wall defining a concave flow surface extending across the flow path member from a position opposite the orifice to a position adjacent the orifice such that a flow off the concave flow surface is directed generally away from the orifice;
and
a means for reversing the flow off the concave flow surface from a direction generally away from the orifice to a direction toward the orifice.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pick-up head for a vacuum cleaner

Life of this patent

Pick-up head for a vacuum cleaner

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14