초록 ▼

An apparatus for cleaning surfaces, particularly solid surfaces, includes an outer housing and an inner housing configured to substantially encapsulate a surface being cleaned, a vacuum source traversing the outer housing, a rotating coupler, an impeller, at least one fluid jet coupled to the impell

An apparatus for cleaning surfaces, particularly solid surfaces, includes an outer housing and an inner housing configured to substantially encapsulate a surface being cleaned, a vacuum source traversing the outer housing, a rotating coupler, an impeller, at least one fluid jet coupled to the impeller, and at least one air induction port. The vacuum source is configured to induce air through the air induction ports past the impeller blades causing the impeller to rotate, which causes the rotating coupler and the fluid jets to rotate. Because the rotation of the fluid jets is due to induced air, the fluid jets can be positioned at any angle desired, including a negative angle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces, comprising: an outer housing having at least one air induction port traversing said outer housing;a vacuum source coupled to said outer housing;a rotating coupler;an impeller coupled to said rotating coupler and positioned below the at least one air induction p

1. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces, comprising: an outer housing having at least one air induction port traversing said outer housing;a vacuum source coupled to said outer housing;a rotating coupler;an impeller coupled to said rotating coupler and positioned below the at least one air induction port; andat least one liquid jet coupled to said rotating coupler, positioned below the impeller, and coupleable to a source of liquid;wherein rotation of said impeller causes said rotating coupler and said at least one liquid jet to rotate;an inner housing, said inner housing separating said at least one liquid jet and said impeller from said vacuum source, said air induction port traversing said inner housing, wherein said vacuum source induces air through said air induction port past said impeller, causing said impeller to rotate;upper baffles within said inner housing, said upper baffles extending circumferentially around a rotation volume of the impeller, said upper baffles being configured to further direct said induced air past said impeller; andlower baffles within said inner housing, said lower baffles being directly connected to said upper baffles directing said induced air towards a center of the surface within said outer housing. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said liquid jet emits a leading edge of liquid in the same direction as the rotation of said at least one liquid jet. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein, said at least one liquid jet is oriented between 75 and 90 degrees relative to said surface. 4. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces with a cleaning solution comprising: an outer housing configured to at least approximately enclose a surface being cleaned;a vacuum port traversing said outer housing;an induction port traversing the outer housing;an impeller positioned below the induction port and between the induction port and the vacuum port, the impeller being rotationally driven by air induced by a vacuum created by a vacuum source coupled to said vacuum port;at least one fluid jet coupled to said impeller, wherein rotation of said impeller causes said at least one fluid jet to rotate;at least one upper baffle disposed within said outer housing and extending circumferentially around a rotation volume of said impeller, wherein said at least one upper baffle is configured to guide said air induced by said vacuum to a center of said outer housing to force said cleaning solution to an edge of said outer housing; andat least one lower baffle directly connected to said at least one upper baffle. 5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said at least one fluid jet emits a leading edge of said cleaning solution in the same direction as the rotation of said impeller and said at least one fluid jet. 6. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising an inner housing; wherein said inner housing separates said at least one fluid jet and said impeller from said vacuum port; and wherein said at least one air induction port traverses said outer and said inner housings allowing said induced air to rotate said impeller. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said at least one lower baffle directs said induced air past said impeller and generally towards the center of said apparatus. 8. An apparatus for cleaning surfaces comprising: an outer housing configured to at least partially enclose a surface being cleaned;a vacuum port traversing said outer housing;an induction port traversing the housing;a rotating coupler coupled to an impeller, the impeller being positioned below the induction port, between the induction port and the vacuum port;said impeller rotationally driven by air induced by a vacuum; wherein said vacuum is created by a vacuum source coupled to said vacuum port;at least one fluid jet coupled to said rotating coupler; wherein rotation of said rotating coupler causes said at least one fluid jet to rotate;an inner housing; wherein said inner housing separates said at least one fluid jet and said impeller from said vacuum port;at least one upper baffle extending circumferentially around a rotation volume of the impeller and being configured to further direct said induced air past said impeller; andat lease one lower baffle being directly connected to said upper baffle. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least one air induction port traversing said inner housing and said outer housing; wherein said vacuum induces air through said air induction port; andsaid air induction port directs said induced air past said impeller, causing said impeller to rotate. 10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one lower baffle is configured to direct said induced air towards a center of said apparatus. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said at least one upper baffle directs said induced air through said impeller, causing said impeller to rotate and wherein said at least one lower baffle subsequently directs said induced air toward a center of said surface at least partially enclosed by said outer housing.