Vacuum cleaner with air powered tool

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner base has an inlet and is configured to draw air through the inlet. A tool is configured to be removably attached to the base to be powered by the air to rotate a tool bit about a rotational axis. The tool enables a user to select the orientation of the rotational axis by turning the tool relative to the base. The tool fixes the selected orientation relative to the base.

1 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a vacuum cleaner base having an inlet and configured to draw air through the inlet; and    an air tool configured to be removably attached to the base to be powered by the air to rotate a tool bit about a rotational axis and enabling a user to select the orientation of the rotational axis by turning the tool relative to the base and fixing the selected orientation relative to the base.    
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a vacuuming nozzle configured to be removably attached to the base to be supported by the base and to conduct the air from a floor into the inlet to clean the floor.  
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the base has wheels enabling wheeling the base over a table top to adjust the horizontal position of the rotational axis.  
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising an inlet guard removably attachable to the base to filter debris from the air entering the inlet, and by which the tool is attachable to and supported by the base for the tool to be powered by the air that is drawn through the guard into the inlet.  
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said turning of the tool is about a turning axis that is perpendicular to the rotational axis.  
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said turning of the tool is about an axis that intersects the rotational axis.  
   
   
       7 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a cylindrical surface fixedly positioned relative to the base, with which the tool forms a friction fit seal surrounding the air drawn through the inlet.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a vacuum cleaner base having wheels and an inlet, and configured to draw air through the inlet; and    an air tool configured to be removably attached to the base to be powered by the air drawn through the inlet to rotate a tool bit about a rotational axis and to fix an orientation of the rotational axis relative to the base and to enable adjusting the horizontal position of the rotational axis by wheeling the base on its wheels over a table top.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising a vacuuming nozzle configured to be removably attached to the base to be supported by the base and to conduct the air from a floor into the inlet to clean the floor.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising an inlet guard removably attachable to the base to filter debris from the air drawn through the guard into the inlet, and by which the tool is attachable to and supported by the base for the tool to be powered by the air.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 8  further comprising an engagement surface fixedly positioned relative to the base, with which the tool forms a friction fit seal surrounding the air flowing through the inlet.  
   
   
       12 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a vacuum cleaner base having an inlet and configured to draw air through the inlet;    an inlet guard configured to be removably attached to and supported by the base in a fixed position relative to the base to cover the inlet and filter out debris from the air entering the inlet; and    an air tool configured to be removably attached to and supported by the guard to be powered by the air drawn through the guard.    
   
   
       13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the tool is configured, when attached to the guard, to fix the orientation of a rotational axis of a tool bit relative to the base.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the tool and the guard form a friction fit seal surrounding the air drawn through the guard into the inlet.  
   
   
       15 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a vacuum cleaner base having an inlet and configured to draw air through the inlet;    an inlet guard configured to be removably attached to the base to filter debris from the air flowing through the guard into the inlet; and    a device configured to be attached to the guard and to form with the guard a seal surrounding the flow path for the device to perform a function with the air.    
   
   
       16 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the seal is a friction fit seal.  
   
   
       17 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the device can be turned relative to the guard, by contacting surfaces of the seal sliding against each other, into in any one of a range of possible orientations.  
   
   
       18 . The apparatus of  claim 15  wherein the device uses the air to rotate a tool bit.  
   
   
       19 . An apparatus comprising: 
 a vacuum cleaner base having an inlet and configured to draw air through the inlet; and    an inlet guard configured to be removably attached to the base in a condition in which the guard is supported by the base in a fixed position relative to the base and filters debris from a flow of the air drawn through the guard into the inlet and having a cylindrical surface configured to form a friction fit seal surrounding the flow.    
   
   
       20 . The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the cylindrical surface is slightly frustoconical.