WO2024102893A1

WO2024102893A1 - Air squeegee kit

Info

Publication number: WO2024102893A1
Application number: PCT/US2023/079205
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thomas E. CARLSON; Neal PETERS
Original assignee: Surface Cleaning Innovations, Llc
Priority date: 2022-11-11
Filing date: 2023-11-09
Publication date: 2024-05-16

Abstract

An air squeegee kit configured for a vacuum cleaning system. The air squeegee kit includes at least one an air squeegee housing attached adjacent to a vacuum inlet of the vacuum cleaning system. The air squeegee housing includes an air plenum and a slot orifice, wherein the slot orifice is configured at an angle to provide an air squeegee to dislodge, lift, and direct dirt from the hard or soft surface to be cleaned directly into the vacuum inlet.

Description

AIR SQUEEGEE KIT

RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to provisional application Serial No. 63/383,411, filed November 11, 2022, now pending.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The disclosure is directed to a kit that is configured to be added to various soft and hard surface cleaning devices to more effectively remove particles and dirt with minimum wetting and higher efficiency.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY

[0003] Surface and Carpet cleaning of residential, commercial, and industrial operations is an essential part of keeping people healthy from bacteria and viruses that are brought into the floors each time they are walked on. In addition, such frequent cleaning also supports indoor air quality by removing the dirt and dust that gets into carpet and hard surfaces during the walking steps and keeps the flooring looking new and maintains its original appearance for long durations.

[0004] Cleanliness and hygiene are the two most important factors in maintaining high standards of any commercial sector such as restaurants, hospitality, healthcare, entertainment venues to name a few. It is necessary not just to ensure proper health and safety of the staff but also to create a good perception among the customers. In response to the pandemic, consumers are very specific in terms of selecting places which offer clean and healthy environments.

[0005] Hospital application of floor cleaning machines is the major driver of the global market. Evidence suggests that the hospital surfaces and floors are mostly contaminated with pathogens that are the major cause of health infections. According to a recent multistate survey of about 183 acute care hospitals in the U.S. reported that approximately 1 out of every 25 patients developed at least one health infection per day due to lack of cleanliness. With the aim to ensure good health of the patients and staff, hospitals are increasingly using commercial floor cleaning machines during the day and with use for industrial floor cleaning applications at night. Dry Vacuuming

[0006] Dry Vacuuming of flooring and other surfaces is performed typically utilizing a backpack vacuum with a wand, upright vacuum with a rotating brush, portable hand vacuums, portable consumer vacuums, vacuums as part of a commercial auto scrubbers and ride on vacuums. These numerous and varied dry vacuum configurations have been used for decades with limited success because they do not have high enough cubic feet per minute (CFM) air flow velocity and are limited in their deep cleaning ability. Most are designed to brush or manually agitate the surface and create a vacuum suction within a shroud or cavity area that vacuums the dirt within the shroud environment in the wand head, upright vacuum rotating brush or other cavity that has vacuum suction within it. The use of battery powered machines reduced vacuum flow, and the goal of increasing the speed of vacuuming by using backpack vacuums or similar devices has had a negative impact on cleaning performance.

[0007] Broadly speaking there are three types of floor cleaning machines for home, commercial and industrial uses. The three types include: Home Floor Cleaning Machines - Cleaning machines that have compact designs and are small in size are considered to be home floor cleaning machines. Since these are designed for residential purposes, they are quite small in size. This ensures that these machines can access small spaces efficiently. The small floor cleaning machines, which are quite affordable, are ideal for small homes as they can be easily moved around the house. These are also quite light weight. One of the major advantages of this type of machine is that they take up very little storage space.

[0008] Commercial Floor Cleaning Machines - These cleaning machines are ideal for busy spaces like restaurants, hospitals, schools, offices, business areas, exhibition and conference halls as well as hotels. Since these carpets and hard floors require deeper cleaning, it is advisable to utilize commercial cleaning machines in these spaces. This equipment is a little costlier as compared to the residential. However, these are extremely durable and ensure quality cleaning. These machines are well equipped to fight tough grime and stubborn dirt, even dirt that is embedded deep into carpet.

[0009] Industrial Floor Cleaning Machines - These are heavy-duty cleaning machines that are quite durable and can wipe out very stubborn mud and dirt. These cleaning machines are designed in a way to provide long cleaning sessions. These are usually used for cleaning carpets that accumulate a great amount of debris and are exposed to larger dust particles. Encapsulation Carpet Cleaning

[00010] Encapsulation carpet cleaning is a “very low moisture” (VLM) type of cleaning using a special encapsulating cleaner that features polymers to encapsulate and crystallize stains and dirt for vacuuming. The detergents break the bind of the soil to the fiber and releases the soil from the carpet/fabric and the encapsulating polymers surround and holds the dirt and soil, so it is vacuumed out similar to dry soil, leaving additional soil protection on the carpet/fibers and providing an extended soil resistance. For the past few decades, encapsulation has gained popularity and garnered a reputation for both commercial and residential carpet cleaning.

[00011] Literature shows that vacuuming and floor cleaning technology has made improvements in all sectors since the invention of vacuum cleaners around 1900. The most significant of these improvements for each sector are briefly discussed below.

[00012] Despite the long history of advancement in cleaning techniques and machines, there remains a need to improved cleaning devices that are more effective in removing dirt and debris while using significantly reduced amounts of cleaning compositions. There is also a need for improved dry vacuuming devices that are more efficient and effective at removing dirt and debris from hard and soft surfaces.

[00013] With regard to the foregoing, an embodiment of the disclosure provides an air squeegee kit configured for a vacuum cleaning system. The air squeegee kit includes at least one an air squeegee housing attached adjacent to a vacuum inlet of the vacuum cleaning system. The air squeegee housing includes an air plenum and a slot orifice, wherein the slot orifice is configured at an angle to provide an air squeegee to dislodge, lift, and direct dirt from the hard or soft surface to be cleaned directly into the vacuum inlet.

[00014] In some embodiments, the air squeegee kit further includes one or more liquid spray nozzles and/or brushes or brush-rollers adjacent to the vacuum inlet and configured to enhance the efficiency of a vacuum cleaning system for hard and soft surfaces to which the air squeegee kit is attached,

[00015] In some embodiments, the air squeegee is configured to work in conjunction with the liquid spray nozzles and/or the brush-rollers for dislodging the dirt.

[00016] In some embodiments, there is provided a cleaning head configured for dry vacuuming a surface, wherein the cleaning head includes an air squeegee attached adjacent to a vacuum inlet of the cleaning head. [00017] In some embodiments, the air squeegee housing is made of a material selected from plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, and other light weight composite materials.

[00018] In some embodiments, The air squeegee kit is configured for operation over the following ranges:

Width: 0.6-800 cm, such as from about 10 to about 500 cm;

Orifice Gap: 0.00025-20 mm, such as from about 0.005 to about 10 mm;

Distance from surface: 1-25.4 cm, such as from about 3 to about 15 cm;

Air Velocities: 1-1524 m/min, such as from about 10 to about 500 m/min;

Air pressure: 0.1-70 kg-force/cm², such as from about 1 to about 40 kg-force/cm²;

Air flow rate: 0.1-1500 m³/min, such as from about 10 to about 500 m³/min.

[00019] In some embodiments, the air squeegee housing is configured to be manually or automatically adjusted with respect to the hard or soft surface to be cleaned.

[00020] In some embodiments, the air squeegee is configured to be supplied by an external air source selected from the group consisting of a compressor, a turbofan, clean exhaust from a vacuum source, and the like. In other embodiments, the external air source is a preheated air source configured to rapidly dry the wet surfaces.

[00021] In some embodiments, the air squeegee kit includes a vacuum inlet attachment.

[00022] In some embodiments, there is provided a floor and carpet cleaning system configured for home, commercial, or industrial use. The floor and carpet cleaning system includes at least one air squeegee, a vacuum inlet adjacent to the at least one air squeegee, and optionally, one or more liquid spray nozzles and/or brushes or brush-rollers adjacent to the vacuum inlet and configured to enhance the efficiency of a vacuum cleaning system for floor or carpet surfaces to which the at least one air squeegee is attached. The at least one air squeegee is configured at an angle to dislodge, lift, and direct dirt from the floor or carpet surfaces to be cleaned directly into the vacuum inlet.

[00023] In some embodiments, the floor and carpet cleaning system includes one or more air squeegee(s), each having an adjustable air pressure.

[00024] In some embodiments, there is provided a pressure washer system configured for hard surface cleaning. The pressure washer system includes an air squeegee, and a high pressure water spray nozzle adjacent to the air squeegee, wherein the pressure washer system is configured for highly effective cleaning of the hard surface and removal of wastewater for enhanced protection of environmental water systems by reducing pollution.

[00025] In some embodiments, the air squeegee and high pressure water spray nozzle are configured to be operated independently.

[00026] In some embodiments, the air squeegee is configured to apply preheated air to the hard surface for rapid drying thereof.

[00027] In another embodiment, there is provided a duster attachment configured for a cleaning device for various surfaces. The duster attachment includes an ionizing air squeegee configured to neutralize an electric charge on dust particles attached to the various surfaces.

[00028] The air squeegee kits and systems describe herein may be used for improving the effectiveness of dry soil removal using dry vacuuming in backpack vacuums, upright vacuums, tank (wet/dry) vacuums, portable consumer vacuums, hand vacuums, robotic vacuums (consumer and industrial), auto-scrubber commercial vacuums, and ride on vacuums. Likewise, the air squeegees described herein may be used for carpet and fabric wet extraction wands, extractors, spotting units, walk behind extractors, autos-scrubbers, and ride on extractors. The air squeegees may also be used with carpet encapsulation extraction machines. When used with window washing units, the air squeegee may provide one step cleaning and removal of dirt and debris from windows. The air squeegee may be used with a pressure washing system for greater cleaning efficiency.

[00029] The disclosed embodiments offer many improvements in the carpet and surface cleaning systems including, but not limited to, the following:

1) Increased soil removal over existing methods of dry vacuuming, wet extraction, or encapsulation cleaning techniques;

2) One pass cleaning that can be constructed to work in both directions for increase efficiency;

3) Less water usage;

4) Less energy usage;

5) Less labor usage;

6) Deeper cleaning than existing cleaning methods;

7) Quicker dry times due to the air squeegee process thereby reducing the growth of mold and bacteria; and 8) Higher levels of soil removal in dry vacuuming carpets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[00030] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a combination of an air squeegee specifically directed into a vacuum inlet for lifting and removal of material using a dry cleaning system.

[00031] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration showing how the air squeegee pushes and lifts water and/or soil in a squeegee like process from any soft or hard surface.

[00031] FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a combination of spray heads and an air squeegee specifically directed into a vacuum inlet for lifting and removal of material using a wet cleaning system.

[00032] FIG.4 is a schematic illustration showing details of wet extraction wand design version of the air squeegee, spray heads and the vacuum inlet.

[00033] FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a carpet cleaning wet extraction wand design version including spray heads, air squeegee, and the vacuum inlet.

[00034] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an air squeegee device.

[00035] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of how the air squeeze system can be enclosed as part of an attachment to be added internally or externally to a dry vacuum, wet or dry autoscrubber, wet or dry extraction, or various other machines or applications, for more effective and efficient dry or wet removal.

[00036] FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an air squeegee used with a rotary brush cleaning system.

[00037] FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration of an air squeegee used with an alternative rotary brush cleaning system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[00032] This invention specifically deals with greatly improving the efficiencies of cleaning systems for all types of surfaces by developing and incorporating an air squeegee into the cleaning head of the systems. For purposes of this disclosure, the “air squeegee kit” may include an air squeegee housing alone, a separate air supply, an air squeegee housing in combination with a vacuum port and/or a liquid spray nozzle or liquid spray head, or an air squeegee housing in combination with brushes or brush-rollers. A schematic arrangement of the components for a typical cleaning device 10 containing an air squeegee kit having a housing 12 and an orifice slot 14 is illustrated in FIG. 1. The components shown in FIG. 1 are configured to provide an air squeegee 16 angled toward a vacuum inlet 18 for removing soil from a surface 20. Soil is removed by a vacuum through the vacuum inlet 18 while moving the cleaning device 10 over the surface 20 in the direction of arrow 22. A blower or fan within the housing 12, or external pressurized air supply provides the motive air source for the air squeegee 16. The air squeegee is specifically directed toward the surface 20 at an angle to dislodge and lift liquid and dirt from the surface 20 in a straight consistent line direction and to push the liquid and dirt into the vacuum inlet 18 for more complete soil and dirt removal and recovery.

[00033] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the principles for cleaning provided by an air squeegee 16. A source of air 24 is provided to an air plenum 26 in the housing 12 and is forced through the slot orifice 14 to provide a squeegee effect 26 on liquid or dirt 28 as the air squeegee is moved in the direction of arrow 22 across the surface 20 to be cleaned. The air squeegee 16 and the vacuum inlet 18 (FIG. 1) work in conjunction to clean and dry wet surfaces 20 rapidly, in the case of the use of liquid or foam applied to the surface 20. The drying process can be further enhanced by supplying heated air as the air source 24 to the air squeegee housing 12. The air source 24 can be preheated by passing it through a heater chamber assembly or may be heated from the exhaust air from the vacuum head, which is slightly heated from cooling the vacuum motor during its operation. Thus, mixing the exhaust air from the vacuum motor with the air source 24 to the squeegee housing 12 preheats the air to some extent. Thus, the cleaning system described herein for the hard surfaces and carpets is more efficient in drying the wet surfaces when heated air is used as the air source 24.

[00032] The air squeegee described herein is one of the most economical and cost-effective ways to deliver a hard-hitting sheet of air over short or long distances. Pressured air delivered through compressed air, or a turbo fan are the only requirements for operation. Air squeegees utilize the Coanda effect (entrainment of surrounding air) to amplify the air upwards of 40 times, making them very efficient. Compressed air or turbo fans are used in many industrial applications such as drying, cleaning, wiping, cooling, and blow off Air squeegees use pressurized air plenums and orifice slots containing a series of holes or a continuous exit air slot through which the pressurized air exits in a laminar flow pattern. In some embodiments, a blower may be within the air squeegee housing or be separate from the air squeegee housing. The exit air velocity from the slot orifice creates an impact air velocity directed to the surface of whatever object the air is directed. The impact air velocity can range from a gentle breeze to greater than Mach 0.6 (12,000 m/min) to alter the surface of a product without mechanical contact. Air squeegees are among the most efficient methods of removing or controlling unwanted or foreign substances on any surface. [00033] FIG. 3 is a schematic view of an air squeegee housing 12 attached adjacent to a vacuum inlet 18 for a cleaning device 30 that that includes one or more liquid or foam spray heads 32 for applying liquid or foam 34 to the surface 20 to be cleaned. As the cleaning device 30 is moved across the surface 20 the dirt and soil are released from the surface 20 by the air squeegee 16 and recovered in the direction of arrow 36 through the vacuum inlet 18 of the device 30. In the case of wet cleaning, the spray heads 32 apply a cleaning solution to the surface 20. In other embodiments, the cleaning solution or foam may be applied to the surface 20 by a brush, rollerbrush (cylindrical or rotary) or other alternative liquid or foam application device.

[00034] The spray heads 32 are not needed for dry soil vacuum applications as shown in FIG. 1. The dry application of air squeegees can be used in any wand or machine application for cleaning surfaces. As will be discussed later, there is an unlimited variety of applications for the air squeegee, along with controls to change the air squeegee exit air pressures, velocity, and the air squeegee height and orientation. The air squeegee can be produced as a kit that can be installed or attached to a standard vacuum head (upright or backpack), auto-scrubber, consumer mop/vacuum system, and many other cleaning devices creating a significant upgrade to the performance of the cleaning device.

[00035] Pressure washing of concrete/stone and ceramic or power extraction of soil or dirt from carpets can be achieved by attaching the air squeegee housing 12 adjacent to a vacuum inlet 18 as shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3. The combination of the air squeegee, vacuum, and water creates pressure washing or power extraction of the surfaces to be cleaned with immediate recovery and quicker dry times. In the foregoing applications, the pressurized air squeegee removes imbedded soils from the surfaces to be cleaned by pressure washing and vacuuming in a single step. Such a system has many advantages including; lower water use, shorter cleaning times with the dual action of the air and water, and cleaner surfaces due to the immediate removal of dirt and soil which will reduce the reabsorption of the liquified soil that often happens in the pressure washing cleaning process. The system will also reduce water pollution that happens due to pressure washing water run-off. [00036] In another embodiment, a wand 38 may be equipped with an air squeegee 40 as shown in FIG. 4 for spot cleaning applications. The wand 38 includes a vacuum inlet 42 and may include a spray nozzle 44 for applying liquid or foam to an area to be cleaned. When applying a wet cleaning solution, the air squeegee 40 of the wand 38 acts to dislodge and lift the liquid and dirt from the surfaces to be cleaned while the dirt is simultaneously being directed to the vacuum inlet 42. FIG. 5 illustrates an application of a carpet extraction wand 46 having an air squeegee housing 48 attached thereto and spray nozzles 50 for applying a cleaning solution to a carpet 52. The air squeegee is configured to move the cleaning solution along with the soil toward the vacuum inlet 54 as the carpet extraction wand 46 is moved in the direction of arrow 60. A window washer wand containing an air squeegee may be similarly arranged on a wand, with or without the spray nozzles to clean windows.

[00037] A schematic illustration of how an air squeegee 12 is designed to operate is illustrated in FIG. 6. Incoming pressurized air 24 circulates within the air plenum 26 and exits out of the slot orifice 14 at an angle to a surface to be cleaned ranging from about 20 to about 80 degrees creating a squeegee-like air stream 58 on a surface as shown in FIG. 2. Air squeegee housings may be made out of resilient materials, such as plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, composites, or other substances. The overall air squeegee housing configuration includes, but is not limited to, a bar shape, a finger shape, a tear shape, a semicircular shape, a square shape, a triangle shape, a curved shape, and a variety of custom shapes. The air squeegee housing described herein may also include an ionizing function that neutralizes the charged dust particles and creates dust free surfaces as opposed to conventional vacuum cleaners. The air squeegees described herein may have the following physical and operating ranges:

Width: 0.6-800 cm, such as from about 10 to about 500 cm;

Orifice Gap: 0.00025-20 mm, such as from about 0.005 to about 10 mm; Distance from surface: 1-25.4 cm, such as from about 3 to about 15 cm; Air Velocities: 1-1524 m/min, such as from about 10 to about 500 m/min; Air pressure: 0.1-70 kg-force/cm², such as from about 1 to about 40 kg-force/cm²; Air flow rate: 0.1-1500 m³/min, such as from about 1 to about 500 m³/min.

[00038] The following non-limiting example is presented by way of illustration for an air squeegee kit attached to a wet carpet cleaning machine. Wet Carpet Cleaner Example

[00039] The following range of parameters for an air squeegee are provided for a wet carpet cleaning. The variance in the ranges may exceed the following parameters depending on the thickness of the carpet, how delicate or robust the carpet is, and the width and speed of the carpet cleaning machine.

1) Width of cleaning machine: 2.54 cm to 122 cm (Wet Carpet Cleaning from an edge tool to a ride on autoscrubber)

2) Knife Gap: 2.54 microns to 102 microns for Carpet Extraction

3) Distance from carpet surface: 0 to 15.5 cm

4) Air Velocities: 610-4600 m/min

5) Air pressure: 0.7 - 10.5 kg-force/cm²

6) Air flow rate: 0.28 - 8.5 m³/min

[00040] It will be appreciated that each type of material to be cleaned may have different operating parameters for optimum effectiveness.

[00041] The incoming air 24 to the air squeegee 16 may be supplied by an external source such as a compressor or turbofan. In addition to the external sources, clean exhaust from a vacuum source may also be used to assist in air production for the air squeegee 16. The connection of the air squeegee housing 12 to an external air source may be made using tubing, whose placement in the system will depend on the use of the air squeegee in the final product. For example, for home use, a small tubing may be incorporated inside the vacuum inlet tube with a quick disconnect attachment for ease of connecting and disconnecting to the air squeegee housing 12. The return vacuum tube will also be part of the main tubing connecting the external air source and vacuum to the air squeegee housing 12.

[00034] In some applications, the vacuum or cleaning process will incorporate fixed or rotary brushes to further agitate the surface to assist in the loosening of soil before the final push and lift of the air squeegee. In wet cleaning applications, the air squeegee pushes and lifts the cleaning solution directly into the vacuum inlet for easy removal.

[00035] FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of an air squeegee housing that may be added internally or externally to a dry vacuum, wet or dry auto-scrubber, wet or dry extraction, or various other machines or applications, for more effective and efficient dry or wet removal. In FIG. 7, the air squeegee housing 60 is attached to a wet auto-scrubber 62. The air squeegee housings described herein can be incorporated into any machine or process that is meant to remove dry or wet liquid/material from any surface in any condition. For example, the air squeegee may be added to an existing dry vacuum design to replace the internal rotating brush through a kit that could be installed on the dry vacuum machine. In some applications, the air squeegee may be added to an existing dry vacuum machine as an attachment to the back of the vacuuming head. Accordingly, the air squeegees may be used with home, commercial and industrial cleaning machines. Air squeegee kits will have universal fittings for ease of adaptation by the most popular dry vacuum models for home use. It is anticipated that the use of such kits will be able to significantly enhance the dry vacuum performance of the systems fitted with the air squeegee kits. Air squeegee kits may also be provided for commercial and industrial vacuum removal systems.

[00036] An extension of many examples described above is a system that uses the air squeegee design to do air pressure cleaning of surfaces. The most important of these is a handheld duster that uses an ionizing air squeegee. The ionized air at low pressure and high concentration of ions will neutralize the dust that is highlighted on surfaces when they are exposed to sunlight. Such a handheld duster is useful for dust cleaning of surfaces at home, commercial and industrial facilities.

[00037] In almost all systems described herein, the air squeegee is adjustable as needed. The adjustment will be either manual or automated. All of the fittings may include quick connect or press fit fitting. Single or multiple ports may be used for pressurizing the air squeegee. The clean filtered exhaust return air from vacuum port can also be used to input the air squeegee. Such a use of the return air may also reduce the noise effect. The use of the air pressure through the air squeegee may reduce the power required for the vacuum system. The commercial and industrial systems may use multiple air squeegees and in more than one orientation to create the highest efficiency of soil and water pick up.

[00038] As described above, The air squeegee kit may be used to effectively clean of all type of surfaces including, but not limited to, dry surfaces, floor and carpet cleaning, concrete and other hard surface cleaning, pressure washing with air assist, window washing, and decontamination of radioactive/hazardous facilities.

[00042] The disclosed embodiments use novel designs of delivering the air through the use of an air squeegee that is specifically designed to apply air across a straight line to hit the surface causing a squeegee like effect. The squeegee like effect lifts and directs the materials to be removed directly into a vacuum port for one step removal with or without the need for a shroud thereby making the final vacuum and surface cleaning systems more effective, efficient, lighter weight and easier to use.

[00043] The above described air squeegee kits may be installed within or attached to any vacuum or cleaning system for unlimited industries and uses. For example, an air squeegee kit can be inserted in place of a rotation brush on a commercial upright dry vacuum system to create more effective and efficient agitation and dry soil removal from a surface. The air squeegee kit may also be inserted into a wand head of a commercial backpack dry vacuum system to create more efficient agitation and dry soil removal for home, commercial, and industrial applications. The air squeegee kit may also be added to a portable mop/vacuum system for home, commercial and industrial applications. A ride on or walk behind auto-scrubber, vacuum, or extractor system may include dual air squeegee kits in front and in back of the machine for recovery in both directions for home, commercial, and industrial applications. An air squeegee kit may be installed within a robot vacuum, mop, or carpet-surface cleaner to increase the effectiveness of the soil or liquid removal for home, commercial and industrial applications.

[00044] FIG. 8, illustrates a cleaning system 70 containing cylindrical rotary brushes 72, a liquid or foam application nozzle 74, a vacuum inlet 76, and an air squeegee housing attached adjacent to the vacuum inlet 76 between the rotary brushes 72 for cleaning a surface 80 moving in the direction of arrow 82. FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative arrangement of a cleaning system 90 that includes rotary brushes 92, a vacuum inlet 94, and an air squeegee housing 96 attached to the vacuum inlet 94 after the rotary brushes 92 for cleaning a surface 98 moving in the direction of arrow 100. In other embodiments, the rotary brushes may be horizontal circular rotary brushes rather than rotary cylindrical brushes.

[00045] While particular embodiments have been described, alternatives, modifications, variations, improvements, and substantial equivalents that are or can be presently unforeseen can arise to applicants or others skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims as filed and as they can be amended are intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications variations, improvements, and substantial equivalents.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. An air squeegee kit configured for a vacuum cleaning system, the air squeegee kit comprising: at least one an air squeegee housing attached adjacent to a vacuum inlet of the vacuum cleaning system, the air squeegee housing further comprising an air plenum and a slot orifice, wherein the slot orifice is configured at an angle to provide an air squeegee to dislodge, lift, and direct dirt from the hard or soft surface to be cleaned directly into the vacuum inlet.

2. The air squeegee kit of claim 1, further comprising one or more liquid spray nozzles and/or brushes or brush-rollers adjacent to the vacuum inlet and the air squeegee housing and configured to enhance the efficiency of a vacuum cleaning system for hard and soft surfaces to which the air squeegee kit is attached,

3. The air squeegee kit of claim 2, wherein the air squeegee is configured to work in conjunction with the liquid spray nozzles and/or the brush-rollers for dislodging the dirt.

4. A cleaning head configured for dry vacuuming comprising the air squeegee kit of claim 1.

5. The air squeegee kit of claim 1, wherein the air squeegee housing is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, and other light weight composite materials.

6. The air squeegee kit of claim 1 configured for operation over the following ranges:

Width: 0.6-800 cm;

Orifice Gap: 0.00025-20 mm;

Distance from surface: 1-25.4 cm;

Air Velocities: 1-1524 m/min;

Air pressure: 0.1-70 kg-force/cm²;

Air flow rate: 0.1-1500 m³/min.

7. The air squeegee kit of claim 1, wherein the air squeegee housing is configured to be manually or automatically adjusted with respect to the hard or soft surface to be cleaned.

8. The air squeegee kit of claim 1, wherein the air squeegee is configured to be supplied by an external air source selected from the group consisting of a compressor, a turbofan, clean exhaust from a vacuum source, and the like.

9. The air squeegee kit of claim 8, wherein the external air source is a preheated air source configured to rapidly dry the wet surfaces.

10. The air squeegee kit of claim 1, further comprising one or more liquid spray heads configured for spraying foam or cleaning solution to the hard or soft surface to be cleaned.

11. A floor and carpet cleaning system configured for home, commercial, or industrial use, comprising, at least one air squeegee, a vacuum inlet adjacent to the at least one air squeegee, and optionally, one or more liquid spray nozzles and/or brushes or brush-rollers adjacent to the vacuum inlet and configured to enhance the efficiency of a vacuum cleaning system for floor or carpet surfaces to which the at least one air squeegee is attached, wherein the at least one air squeegee is configured at an angle to dislodge, lift, and direct dirt from the floor or carpet surfaces to be cleaned directly into the vacuum inlet.

12. The floor and carpet cleaning system of claim 11, comprising one or more air squeegee(s), each having an adjustable air pressure.

13. The floor and carpet cleaning system of claim 11, wherein the at least one air squeegee is configured with adjustable heated air for rapid drying of the floor or carpet surfaces being cleaned.

14. The floor and carpet cleaning system of claim 11, comprising one or more liquid spray nozzles configured for applying a cleaning solution or foam to the floor or carpet surfaces to be cleaned.

15. A pressure washer system configured for hard surface cleaning, the pressure washer system comprising: an air squeegee, and a high pressure water spray nozzle adjacent to the air squeegee, wherein the pressure washer system is configured for highly effective cleaning of the hard surface.

16. The pressure washer system of claim 15, wherein the air squeegee and high pressure water spray nozzle are configured to be operated independently.

17. The pressure washer system of claim 15, where the air squeegee is configured to apply preheated air to the hard surface for rapid drying thereof.