High efficiency vacuum cleaning apparatus and method

A method of vacuuming a floor, comprising:

• maintaining a plurality of debris inlets in spaced relationship over the floor in a generally parallel orientation, said debris inlets in air flow communication with a debris receptacle via a debris transport passage having a cross-sectional area not less than the combined area of said debris inlets;
• generating an air flow from said debris inlets to said debris receptacle, said air flow resulting from a vacuum source;
• and
• moving said debris inlets over the floor, in a generally parallel orientation with respect to the floor, so as to collect debris from the floor in said air flow.

A vacuum cleaner, comprising

• a debris transport passage having a minimum cross-sectional area, operative to remove debris in an air stream generated by a vacuum source;
• an internally segmented housing, defining a vacuum chamber in airflow relationship with said debris transport passage and a mechanical chamber substantially sealed from said vacuum chamber;
• at least one rotating head including at least one debris inlet maintained in generally parallel spaced relationship to the floor, wherein the total area of all said debris inlets is not greater than said minimum cross-sectional area, each said rotating head in airflow relationship with said vacuum chamber via a hollow shaft connected to said rotating head and passing through said mechanical chamber, such that debris removed from the floor by an air stream flowing into said debris inlet is transported out through said debris transport passage;
• and
• drive means within said mechanical chamber for rotating each said rotating head about its axis.