초록 ▼

A method and apparatus for cleaning generally hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas uses a turbine blower attached to at least one duct for blowing debris located in the hard-to-reach or inaccessible area into an accessible area. The apparatus is most typically mounted on a street-cleaning machine tha

A method and apparatus for cleaning generally hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas uses a turbine blower attached to at least one duct for blowing debris located in the hard-to-reach or inaccessible area into an accessible area. The apparatus is most typically mounted on a street-cleaning machine that collects debris as the machine is driven over the debris. The duct can be directionally adjusted from a driver's position of the street-cleaning machine. Air flow volume per unit time can be adjusted from the driver's position. The debris is moved using the apparatus from the inaccessible or hard-to-reach area into an area that permits the street-cleaning machine to be driven over the debris to collect the debris.

대표청구항 ▼

A method and apparatus for cleaning generally hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas uses a turbine blower attached to at least one duct for blowing debris located in the hard-to-reach or inaccessible area into an accessible area. The apparatus is most typically mounted on a street-cleaning machine tha

A method and apparatus for cleaning generally hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas uses a turbine blower attached to at least one duct for blowing debris located in the hard-to-reach or inaccessible area into an accessible area. The apparatus is most typically mounted on a street-cleaning machine that collects debris as the machine is driven over the debris. The duct can be directionally adjusted from a driver's position of the street-cleaning machine. Air flow volume per unit time can be adjusted from the driver's position. The debris is moved using the apparatus from the inaccessible or hard-to-reach area into an area that permits the street-cleaning machine to be driven over the debris to collect the debris. ng liquid from the supply of cleaning liquid;a pump in line with the fluid conduit having an outlet that is maintained at a high pressure, the pump configured to drive the flow of cleaning liquid through the conduit and the outlet; anda flow restriction member configured to generate a pressure drop in the conduit thereby restricting the flow of the cleaning liquid therethrough.18. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the flow restriction member includes a plate having an orifice therethrough.19. The cleaner of claim 18, wherein the diameter of the orifice is approximately 0.03 inch.20. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein a flow rate of the flow of cleaning liquid is less than 0.5 gallons per minute.21. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the pressure at the outlet of the pump is variable.22. The cleaner of claim 21, wherein the pressure at the outlet of the pump is varied in accordance with a velocity of the hard floor cleaner.23. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the pressure at the outlet is held substantially constant.24. The cleaner of claim 23, wherein the pressure at the outlet is approximately 40 psi.25. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the cleaning liquid includes a primary cleaning component and a cleaning agent.26. The cleaner of claim 25, wherein the ratio of primary cleaning component to cleaning agent is approximately 1000:1.27. The cleaner of claim 25, where in the cleaning agent includes an anionic surfactant, a nonionic surfactant, and/or a cationic surfactant.28. The cleaner of claim 17, including: a supply of a primary cleaning component; and a chemical dispenser having an output flow of cleaning agent; and a fluid mixing member configured to combine the primary cleaning component and the output flow of cleaning agent and produce the supply of cleaning liquid. 29. The cleaner of claim 28, wherein the chemical dispenser includes a removable cartridge containing a supply of the cleaning agent.30. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the cleaning liquid is a primary cleaning component.31. The cleaner of claim 30, including: a chemical dispenser having an output flow of cleaning agent; and a fluid mixing member in fluid communication with the chemical dispenser and the cleaning liquid and producing an output flow comprising a combination of the cleaning agent and the cleaning liquid. 32. The cleaner of claim 17, including: a fluid distributor in fluid communication with the conduit and directing the flow of cleaning liquid to a hard floor surface; a scrubbing member engaging the hard floor surface and the cleaning liquid; and a fluid recovery device adjacent the scrubbing member, the fluid recovery device removing at least a portion of the cleaning liquid from the hard floor surface. 33. The cleaner of claim 32, wherein the scrubbing member includes a rotatable scrub medium.34. The cleaner of claim 33, wherein the scrub medium is a cylindrical-type scrub brush rotated about a generally horizontal axis of rotation relative to the hard floor surface.35. The cleaner of claim 32, wherein the fluid recovery device is a vacuum device for conveying soiled cleaning liquid from the hard floor surface.36. The cleaner of claim 17, including: an aerator in fluid communication with the flow of cleaning liquid, the aerator converting the cleaning liquid to a foam-like aerated cleaning liquid; a fluid distributor directing the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid onto the hard floor surface; a scrubbing member engaging the hard floor surface and the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid; and a fluid recovery device downstream of the scrubbing member and removing at least a portion of the foam-like aerated cleaning liquid from the hard floor surface. 37. The cleaner of claim 36, wherein the aerator includes a mixing member receiving the flow of cleaning liquid, pressurized air, or both.38. The cleaner of claim 36, wherein the cleaning liquid is collected such that the foam-aerated cleaning liquid substantially de-aerat