US4557739A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Sweeper with precleaner and/or demister
Assignee: Tennant Co
•
Filing: 1984-08-27
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Granted: 1985-12-10
•
Expires: 2004-08-27
Abstract
Abstract This is concerned with a sweeper of the type that has a power operated brush that sweeps debris off of a floor or other surface to be cleaned and throws it into a hopper with a vacuum fan arranged to draw air from the hopper through a filter and exhaust it to the atmosphere. More particularly, the sweeper is provided with a precleaner and/or demister which separates the larger particles, and possibly moisture, from the airstream as it moves through the hopper, thereby protecting and/or aiding the filter.
Inventors
- 👤 Lloyd D. Fortman
- 👤 Mark D. Kinter
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 11:02
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47L; A47L11/00; A47L11/40; A47L11/4027; A47L11/24; A47L11/4013; B; B01; B01D; B01D50/00; B01D50/20; E; E01; E01H; E01H1/00; E01H1/08; E01H1/0827; E01H1/0854
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
269 words
In a sweeper, a mobile frame, wheels for the frame providing for its movement, a generally horizontal rotary brush on the frame adapted to propel debris from a surface to be cleaned, a debris receiving hopper with an inlet opening therein on the frame adapted to receive debris thrown by the brush, two chambers in the hopper, one chamber being a debris chamber for receiving debris from the brush and the other being a filter chamber with a filter unit therein, a vacuum fan on the frame for exhausting air from the hopper and connected to the filter chamber to reduce dusting and to draw air through the filter unit, an opening between the chambers remote from the brush providing for an air flow from the debris chamber to the filter chamber to reduce dusting around the sweeper, and a precleaner for separating some of the dust particles passing through the opening between the debris chamber and the filter chamber constructed and arranged to separate dust particles entrained in the airstream created by the vacuum fan before the airstream enters the filter chamber from the debris chamber, the precleaner including two spaced plates with a series of openings in each plate, the openings in one plate being offset relative to the openings in the other plate, the openings having a smaller dimension than the distance between the openings so that an opening in one plate is overlapped by a plate area in the next plate, thereby requiring the airflow to change direction in flowing from the openings in one plate to and through the openings in the next plate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
269 words
In a sweeper, a mobile frame, wheels for the frame providing for its movement, a generally horizontal rotary brush on the frame adapted to propel debris from a surface to be cleaned, a debris receiving hopper with an inlet opening therein on the frame adapted to receive debris thrown by the brush, two chambers in the hopper, one chamber being a debris chamber for receiving debris from the brush and the other being a filter chamber with a filter unit therein, a vacuum fan on the frame for exhausting air from the hopper and connected to the filter chamber to reduce dusting and to draw air through the filter unit, an opening between the chambers remote from the brush providing for an air flow from the debris chamber to the filter chamber to reduce dusting around the sweeper, and a precleaner for separating some of the dust particles passing through the opening between the debris chamber and the filter chamber constructed and arranged to separate dust particles entrained in the airstream created by the vacuum fan before the airstream enters the filter chamber from the debris chamber, the precleaner including two spaced plates with a series of openings in each plate, the openings in one plate being offset relative to the openings in the other plate, the openings having a smaller dimension than the distance between the openings so that an opening in one plate is overlapped by a plate area in the next plate, thereby requiring the airflow to change direction in flowing from the openings in one plate to and through the openings in the next plate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
16 words
The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the openings in the plates are elongated.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the precleaner is remote from the inlet opening in the hopper.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the plates are generally rectilinear.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the plates are disposed generally horizontal.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the plates are disposed generally vertical.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the line-of-sight free path through the offset openings between the plates is at an angle on the order of 35°.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The structure of claim 1 further characterized in that the ratio of the dimensions of the openings relative to the dimensions of the plate areas is on the order of 1 to between 1.25 and 1.31.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
253 words
In a sweeper, a mobile frame, wheels for the frame providing for its movement, a generally horizontal rotary brush on the frame adapted to propel debris from a surface to be cleaned, a debris receiving hopper with an inlet opening therein on the frame adapted to receive debris thrown by the brush, two chambers in the hopper, one chamber being a debris chamber for receiving debris from the brush and the other being a filter chamber with the filter unit therein, a vacuum fan on the frame for exhausting air from the hopper and connected to the filter chamber to reduce dusting and to draw air through the filter unit, an opening between the chambers remote from the brush providing for an air flow from the debris chamber to the filter chamber to reduce dusting around the sweeper, and a precleaner for separating some of the dust particles passing through the opening between the debris chamber and the filter chamber constructed and arranged to separate dust particles entrained in the airstream created by the vacuum fan before the airstream enters the filter chamber from the debris chamber, the precleaner including two generally parallel spaced plates with a series of openings in each plate, the openings in one plate being offset relative to the openings in the next plate, the plates being on the order of one inch apart, the size and spacing of the openings being such that the pressure drop through the precleaner is on the order of 0.1 inch of water.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
253 words
In a sweeper, a mobile frame, wheels for the frame providing for its movement, a generally horizontal rotary brush on the frame adapted to propel debris from a surface to be cleaned, a debris receiving hopper with an inlet opening therein on the frame adapted to receive debris thrown by the brush, two chambers in the hopper, one chamber being a debris chamber for receiving debris from the brush and the other being a filter chamber with the filter unit therein, a vacuum fan on the frame for exhausting air from the hopper and connected to the filter chamber to reduce dusting and to draw air through the filter unit, an opening between the chambers remote from the brush providing for an air flow from the debris chamber to the filter chamber to reduce dusting around the sweeper, and a precleaner for separating some of the dust particles passing through the opening between the debris chamber and the filter chamber constructed and arranged to separate dust particles entrained in the airstream created by the vacuum fan before the airstream enters the filter chamber from the debris chamber, the precleaner including two generally parallel spaced plates with a series of openings in each plate, the openings in one plate being offset relative to the openings in the next plate, the plates being on the order of one inch apart, the size and spacing of the openings being such that the pressure drop through the precleaner is on the order of 0.1 inch of water.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the openings in the plate are elongated.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the precleaner is remote from the inlet opening in the hopper.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the plates are generally rectilinear.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the plates are disposed generally horizontal.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
15 words
The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the plates are disposed generally vertical.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the line-of-sight free path through the offset openings between the plates is at an angle on the order of 35°.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
35 words
The structure of claim 9 further characterized in that the ratio of the dimensions of the openings relative to the dimensions of the plate areas is on the order of 1 to 1.25 and 1.31.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-12-09 | 1989-06-10 | 1989-12-10 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-12-09 | 1993-06-10 | 1993-12-10 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-12-09 | 1997-06-10 | 1997-12-10 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |