Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

This document discusses, among other things, a cleaning apparatus including a housing, at least one fan contained within the housing, a suction inlet in communication with a low pressure side of the fan and defining a suction flow path extending into the suction inlet, and a gas outlet proximate the suction inlet, the gas outlet defining a gas outlet flow path extending in or near the suction flow path. An example method includes blowing a gas from an apparatus toward a particulate matter and lifting the particulate matter off a surface, drawing the particulate matter into the apparatus, and collecting the particulate matter in the apparatus.

1 . A cleaning apparatus comprising: 
 a housing;    at least one fan contained within the housing;    a suction inlet in communication with a low pressure side of the fan and defining a suction flow path extending into the suction inlet; and    a gas outlet proximate the suction inlet, the gas outlet defining a gas outlet flow path extending in or near the suction flow path.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a second fan, the gas outlet in communication with a high pressure side of the second fan.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising a first electric drive motor coupled to the first fan, a second electric drive motor coupled to the second fan, and a speed control for the second motor, wherein an air velocity at the gas outlet is controllable by adjustment of the speed of the second motor.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gas outlet is in communication with a high pressure side of the first fan, the first fan operable to simultaneously blow air through the gas outlet and draw air into the suction inlet.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a first component couplable and decoupleable to the housing and including the suction inlet and the gas outlet, the first component replaceable by a second component couplable and decoupleable to the housing and having an alternate suction inlet and alternate gas outlet, at least one of the alternate suction inlet and the alternate gas outlet having a size and/or shape that is different from a respective size and/or shape of the respective suction inlet and gas outlet of the first component.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a hose coupled to the housing, the first component and second component couplable to the hose.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a means for adjusting a cross-section of the gas outlet, wherein a velocity of gas blowing through the gas outlet controllable through adjustment of the cross-section of the gas outlet.  
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional gas outlet defining a second gas outlet flow path extending in or near the suction flow path.  
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a hose coupled to the housing, the hose including a first lumen in communication with the suction inlet and a second lumen in communication with the gas outlet.  
   
   
       10 . A cleaning apparatus operable to collect particulate matter, the apparatus comprising: 
 a particulate collector;    means for drawing particulate matter through a first opening in communication with the particulate collector; and    means for blowing a gas through a second opening proximate the first opening, wherein blowing the gas through the second opening lifts particulate matter into an airstream flowing into the first opening.    
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the means for drawing particulate matter through a first opening includes a first fan, the first opening in communication with a low pressure side of the fan.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the means for blowing a gas through a second opening includes a second fan.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising means for changing the shape of the second opening.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising means for changing a direction of gas blown through the second opening.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , further comprising means for adjusting a velocity of gas blowing through the second opening.  
   
   
       16 . A method comprising: 
 blowing a gas from an apparatus toward a particulate matter and lifting the particulate matter off a surface;    drawing the particulate matter into the apparatus; and    collecting the particulate matter in the apparatus.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein blowing a gas includes blowing air.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein blowing the gas toward particulate matter includes blowing the gas through a first opening in the apparatus, and drawing the particulate matter into the apparatus includes drawing the particulate matter into a second opening in the apparatus proximate the first opening.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein drawing the particulate matter into the apparatus includes drawing the particulate matter into a first opening in a hose, and blowing the gas at particulate matter includes blowing the gas through a second opening in the hose.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein blowing the gas includes blowing the gas below a vacuum inlet in the apparatus, wherein blowing the gas lifts the particulate into an airstream flowing into the vacuum inlet.