Surface cleaner

Abstract

A surface cleaner having a cleaning head. The cleaning head has a deck and a skirt extending from the deck such that when the skirt is placed in contact with the surface to be cleaned, a cleaning volume is defined. The cleaning head has at least one vent port and at least one vacuum port formed therein. Nozzles are mounted in the cleaning volume for movement therein when fluid under pressure is supplied thereto and sprayed therefrom. A liquid supply system supplies the fluid under pressure to the nozzles so that the surface to be cleaned is effectively scrubbed by the fluid to produce a mixture of the fluid and contaminants loosened from the surface to be cleaned. A vacuum recycling system coupled to the vacuum port(s) draws high-pressure air through the vent port(s) and over the surface being sprayed with the liquid under pressure. The mixture of fluid and contaminants is suctioned through the vacuum port(s) and filtered to separate the fluid from the contaminants. The fluid so-separated is then discharged. The fluid has a boiling point lower than the temperature and atmospheric pressure in which the cleaner is operated.

1 . A surface cleaner, comprising: 
 a cleaning head having a deck and a skirt extending from said deck wherein, when said skirt is placed in contact with a surface to be cleaned, a cleaning volume is bounded by said deck, said skirt and the surface to be cleaned;    said cleaning head having at least one vent port and at least one vacuum port formed therein;    at least one nozzle mounted to said deck within said cleaning volume when fluid under pressure is supplied thereto and sprayed therefrom;    a fluid supply system for supplying said fluid under pressure to said nozzles wherein the surface to be cleaned is effectively scrubbed by said fluid to produce a mixture of said fluid and contaminants loosened from the surface to be cleaned; and    a vacuum system coupled to said at least one vacuum port for suctioning said mixture, filtering said mixture to separate said fluid from said contaminants and discharging said fluid so-separated;    wherein said fluid has a boiling point lower than the temperature and atmospheric pressure in which the surface cleaner is operated.    
   
   
       2 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  wherein said fluid is nitrogen.  
   
   
       3 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  having at least one drive system for propelling said surface cleaner on said surface to be cleaned.  
   
   
       4 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  wherein said at least one vent port and said at least one vacuum port are formed in said deck.  
   
   
       5 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  wherein said skirt at least partially comprises a series of bristles having spaces therebetween, and said at least vent port comprises the spaces between said bristles.  
   
   
       6 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  wherein the area defined by said at least one vent port is approximately equal to the area defined by said at least one vacuum port.  
   
   
       7 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  further comprising an open-ended duct extending from each said vent port and away from said cleaning volume.  
   
   
       8 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  wherein said skirt includes a flexible seal for contacting the surface to be cleaned.  
   
   
       9 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 8  wherein said flexible seal comprises a multi-layered material having at least one layer of rubber and at least one layer of nylon.  
   
   
       10 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 8  wherein said flexible seal is mounted for adjustable positioning relative to said deck.  
   
   
       11 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  further comprising means for adjusting a forward-to-rear pitch of said cleaning head relative to the surface to be cleaned.  
   
   
       12 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  further comprising means for adjusting a side-to-side pitch of said cleaning head relative to the surface to be cleaned.  
   
   
       13 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 3  wherein said at least one drive system comprises: 
 an electric motor;    a combustion-engine motor;    a drive train; and    means for selectively coupling one of said electric motor and said combustion-engine motor to said drive train to propel said surface cleaner.    
   
   
       14 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 13  further comprising: 
 at least one battery serving as a first source of electricity;    an alternator coupled to said combustion-engine motor wherein operation of said combustion-engine motor causes said alternator to serve as a second source of electricity; and    means for coupling one of said first source and said second source to said electric motor.    
   
   
       15 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 3  further comprising a speed limiter coupled to said at least one drive system for setting the top speed of said surface cleaner.  
   
   
       16 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 3  further comprising a speed control coupled to said at least one drive system for maintaining a selected constant speed of said surface cleaner.  
   
   
       17 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 3  wherein said at least one drive system comprises 
 a combustion-engine motor;    a hydraulic pump;    a drive train; and    means for selectively coupling one of said hydraulic pump and said combustion-engine motor to said drive train to propel said surface cleaner.    
   
   
       18 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  further comprising at least one mounting arm rotatably mounted to said deck between said forward portion and said rear portion for rotation within said cleaning volume in a plane substantially parallel to said deck, each of said mounting arms having at least one nozzle mounted thereon wherein said mounting arms rotate when said liquid under pressure is sprayed from said nozzles.  
   
   
       19 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  wherein said fluid supply system comprises: 
 a tank for storing said fluid; and    a pump coupled to said tank for pumping said fluid therefrom under pressure to said nozzles.    
   
   
       20 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  wherein said vacuum system comprises: 
 a vacuum tank coupled to said at least one vacuum port;    a filter means mounted in said vacuum tank for filtering said mixture and wherein said contaminants are deposited in said vacuum tank; and    a vacuum source coupled to said vacuum tank for suctioning air and fluid in a gaseous state from said vacuum tank to maintain a suction force at said at least one vacuum port.    
   
   
       21 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 18  further comprising a rotation means for rotating said mounting arms.  
   
   
       22 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 19  further comprising a fluid condenser coupled to said tank for supplying fluid to said tank.  
   
   
       23 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 18  wherein at least one nozzle is directed towards the surface to be cleaned at an acute angle with respect to the vertical.  
   
   
       24 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  wherein at least one of said fluid supply system and said vacuum system are mounted on a separate trailer.  
   
   
       25 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 1  comprising a secondary cleaning head mounted separate from said surface cleaner and operatively connected to said fluid supply system and vacuum system.  
   
   
       26 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 20  further comprising a horizontally extending screen in said vacuum tank on which solid contaminants are collected, and through which liquid may pass and collect in a lower portion of said vacuum tank.  
   
   
       27 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 26  further comprising a drain port in said lower portion of said vacuum tank.  
   
   
       28 . The surface cleaner as in  claim 27  further comprising a valve connected to said drain port through which liquid is selectively discharged for further filtering.  
   
   
       29 . A method of cleaning a surface comprising the steps of: 
 providing a surface cleaner on a surface to be cleaned, comprising: 
 a cleaning head having a deck and a skirt extending from said deck wherein, when said skirt is placed in contact with the surface to be cleaned, a cleaning volume is bounded by said deck, said skirt and the surface to be cleaned;  
 said cleaning head having at least one vent port and at least one vacuum port formed therein;  
 at least one nozzle mounted to said deck for movement within said cleaning volume when fluid under pressure is supplied thereto and sprayed therefrom;  
 a fluid supply system mounted on said cleaner; and  
 a vacuum recycling system mounted on said cleaner and coupled to said at least one vacuum port;  
 wherein said fluid has a boiling point lower than the temperature and atmospheric pressure in which the surface cleaner is operated;  
   supplying said fluid under pressure from said fluid supply system to said plurality of nozzles wherein the surface to be cleaned is effectively scrubbed by said fluid to produce a mixture of said fluid and contaminants loosened from the surface to be cleaned;    suctioning said mixture by said vacuum system;    filtering said mixture to separate said fluid from said contaminants; and    discharging said fluid so-separated.    
   
   
       30 . The method as in  claim 29  wherein said fluid is nitrogen.  
   
   
       31 . The method as in  claim 29  further providing at least one drive system for said surface cleaner.