Wet and/or dry vacuum cleaning unit

Claim 2

A vacuum system having a closed air flow loop for cleaning rugs and floor or other surfaces which comprises: a) a vacuum source having a suction side and a controlled air flow pressure side (exhaust side); b) a pair of spaced apart wheels positioned at the rear of said vacuum system and adapted to ride on the surface to be cleaned; c) a head assembly positioned in said system forwardly of said pair of spaced apart wheels and adapted to ride on the rug or floor or other surface to be cleaned in order to form said closed air flow loop; d) at least one rotatable brush within said head assembly; e) means of communicating the suction side of the vacuum source with the head assembly to provide suction within said head assembly for picking up dirt or other materials; f) a turbine motor; g) means communicating the air exhaust side of the vacuum source with said head assembly, said turbine motor being positioned within said means whereby the air exhaust impinges on and drives the turbine motor; h) means interconnecting the brush and the turbine motor whereby the turbine motor drives the brush, said means interconnecting being at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the brush; and i) peripheral air containment means associated with said head assembly for preventing air from entering or leaving around the periphery of said head assembly when it rides on said surface to be cleaned.

Claim 3

The system of claim 1 wherein the air is injected into said head assembly and onto said surface to be cleaned to agitate dirt and facilitate dirt removal.

Claim 4

The system of claim 1 wherein air filter means is positioned between the suction side of the vacuum source and the head assembly to remove dirt and other solid, liquid or other particulate material in a closed loop manner.

Claim 6

The system of claim 4 wherein the means for injection includes a venturi.

Claim 7

The system of claim 4 wherein the liquid may contain germicidal and bacterial killing compounds for removal of germs and bacteria from the surfaces to be cleaned and continuous scrubbing of the liquid and air within the unit system in a closed loop manner.

Claim 8

The system of claim 4 wherein air filter means is positioned between said vacuum source and said head assembly to remove dirty atomized liquid to form a condensate; and means for communicating said filtered clean condensate with said means for injecting atomized liquid.

Claim 9

The system of claim 10 embodied in a self-contained, upright cleaner configuration comprising an upright portion and a head assembly portion carrying said vacuum source and said cleaning liquid source, said upright portion being rotatable from the vertical position to the horizontal position for use in vacuuming under furniture and the like, said upright portion containing means to prevent backflow of cleaning liquid into said air filter means when said upright portion is in the horizontal position.

Claim 10

The system of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of brushes.

Claim 11

The system of claim 1 including further air directing means within said head assembly for forcing the air through the tufts of the rug being cleaned.

Claim 12

The system of claim 1 wherein said means interconnecting the brush and the turbine motor includes pulleys and a drive belt.

Claim 13

The system of claim 1 wherein the means for communicating the exhaust side of the vacuum source with said head assembly to inject air into said head assembly is positioned so that the air is alternately injected ahead of the said brush in both directions.

Claim 14

The system of claim 1 wherein the means for communicating the suction side of the vacuum source with the head assembly to provide suction within said head assembly for picking up dirt and other material is positioned so that suction is available over said brush in both dry and wet mode.

Claim 15

The system of claim 1 wherein said means for interconnecting the brush and the turbine motor is at one end of the brush.

Claim 16

The system of claim 1 wherein there are a plurality of vacuum motors.

Claim 17

The system of claim 1 further including means to alternately inject air at opposite sides of said brush so that the said unit can be used to clean when moving forward and backward.

Claim 18

A vacuum system for cleaning rugs and floor or other surfaces having a closed loop for both the air and the cleaning liquid to continuously recirculate and filter the air and sanitize the cleaning liquid which comprises: a) a vacuum source having a suction side and a controlled air flow pressure side (exhaust side); b) a pair of spaced apart wheels positioned at the rear of said vacuum system and adapted to ride on the surface to be cleaned; c) a head assembly positioned in said system forwardly of said pair of spaced apart wheels and adapted to ride on the rug or floor or other surface to be cleaned in order to form said closed air flow loop; d) at least one rotatable brush within said head assembly; e) means of communicating the suction side of the vacuum source with the head assembly to provide suction within said head assembly for picking up dirt or other materials; f) a turbine motor; g) means for communicating filtered air exhaust side of the vacuum source with said head assembly, said turbine motor being positioned within said means whereby the air exhaust impinges on and drives the turbine motor; h) means interconnecting the brush and the turbine motor whereby the turbine motor drives the brush, said means interconnecting being at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the brush; i) a liquid source and means for the injection of atomized liquid into said head assembly ahead of said brush, said liquid may contain germicidal and bacterial killing compounds for removal of germs and bacteria from the surfaces to be cleaned and continuous scrubbing of the liquid and air within the unit system; j) air containment means including air dams provided around the periphery of said head assembly for preventing air from entering or leaving said head assembly when it rides on said surface to be cleaned; k) air filter means positioned between the vacuum source and the head assembly to remove dirty atomized liquid to form a condensate; l) means for filtering said condensate; and 1) means for communicating said filtered clean condensate with said means for injecting atomized liquid.

Claim 19

A vacuum system for cleaning rugs and floor or other surfaces having a closed loop for both the air and the cleaning liquid to continuously recirculate and filter the air and sanitize the cleaning liquid which comprises: a) a vacuum source having a suction side and a controlled air flow pressure side (exhaust side); b) a pair of spaced apart wheels positioned at the rear of said vacuum system and adapted to ride on the surface to be cleaned; c) a head assembly positioned in said system forwardly of said pair of spaced apart wheels and adapted to ride on the rug or floor or other surface to be cleaned in order to form said closed air flow loop; d) at least one rotatable brush within said head assembly; e) means of communicating the suction side of the vacuum source with the head assembly to provide suction within said head assembly for picking up dirt or other materials; f) a turbine motor; g) means for communicating filtered air exhaust side of the vacuum source with said head assembly, said turbine motor being positioned within said means whereby the air exhaust impinges on and drives the turbine motor; h) means interconnecting the brush and the turbine motor whereby the turbine motor drives the brush, said means interconnecting being at a right angle to the axis of rotation of the brush; i) a liquid source and means for the injection of atomized liquid into said head assembly ahead of said brush, said liquid may contain germicidal and bacterial killing compounds for removal of germs and bacteria from the surfaces to be cleaned and continuous scrubbing of the liquid and air within the unit system; j) air containment means including air dams provided around the periphery of said head assembly for preventing air from entering or leaving said head assembly when it rides on said surface to be cleaned; k) air filter means positioned between the vacuum source and the head assembly to remove dirty atomized liquid to form a condensate; l) means for filtering said condensate; and 1) means for communicating said filtered clean condensate with said means for injecting atomized liquid.

Claim 20

The system of claim 17 wherein there are a plurality of brushes.

Claim 21

The system of claim 17 including further air directing means within said head assembly for forcing the air through the tufts of the rug being cleaned.

Claim 22

The system of claim 17 wherein said means interconnecting the brush and the turbine motor includes pulleys and a drive belt.

Claim 23

The system of claim 17 embodied in a self-contained, upright vacuum cleaner configuration comprising an upright portion and a head assembly portion carrying said vacuum means and said cleaning liquid source, said upright portion being rotatable from the vertical position to the horizontal position for use in vacuuming under furniture and the like, said upright portion containing means to prevent backflow of cleaning liquid into said air filter means when said upright portion is in the horizontal position.

Claim 24

The system of claim 17 wherein said means for connecting the brush and the turbine motor is at one end of the brush.