Vacuum cleaner head including insufflation and pulling fans

Abstract

Embodiments include a vacuum head portion and a combined suction and blowing mechanism configured to agitate and remove debris. A set of powered fans provide an external pressured air source to provide pressured air for the blowing mechanism. The vacuum head portion may include blowing and suction nozzles arranged with the blowing nozzles flanking the suction nozzles. The set of powered fans may be driven an electric motor or via air turbines disposed in an air stream of the suction nozzles. The blowing nozzles may be in parallel rows adjacent to the suction nozzles. The blowing mechanism may be operated to act as a suction device by reversing the rotational direction of the set of powered fans via a switching mechanism to create a negative pressure or suction to assist the suction nozzles. The vacuum head portion may be formed as a removable detachment to the vacuum cleaner.

1 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a housing including a suction portion having a suction source connected to a motor connected to a power source;   a suction pipe connected to the housing and the suction portion;   a head portion connected to the suction hose via an inlet opening; and   a set of rotating fans connected to a drive mechanism and disposed in the head portion,   wherein the set of rotating fans is further disposed adjacent to the inlet opening, and the set of rotating fans are configured to synchronously push or pull air to or from a surface to be cleaned when the suction portion is in operation.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a roller mechanism disposed in the head portion, wherein the roller mechanism is attached to an arm holder having an area slip configured for translational motion of the roller mechanism,   wherein the arm holder is attached to an electric switch having electric contacts separated by at least one compression spring, the electric switch is configured to turn on the set of rotating fans based on pressure applied to the head portion and the at least one compression spring.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the drive mechanism includes at least one turbine disposed in an air stream of the inlet opening and configured to rotate the set of rotating fans via a rotational axis arm in communication with a rotational arm of the set of rotating fans. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one turbine is further disposed adjacent a wall of the suction pipe and the at least one turbine has an axis of rotation orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the set of rotating fans. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the at least one turbine is further disposed in parallel to the set of rotating fans and parallel to the air stream, where the at least one turbine includes a horizontally aligned axis arm in rotational communication with the set of rotating fans. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 at least one roller brush disposed in the head portion adjacent the inlet opening, wherein the at least one roller brush being configured to rotate in a direction toward the inlet opening.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotational direction of the set of rotating fans is configured to be reversible via an electric switch spaced apart from the head portion. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a rotational direction of the set of rotating fans is configured to be reversible based on a predetermined amount of pressure applied to the roller mechanism upon contact with the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an air duct disposed adjacent to the set of rotating fans; and   at least one valve disposed at a distal end within the air duct and adjacent to the set of rotating fans, wherein the at least one valve is configured to direct air flow during synchronous pulling or pushing air via the set of rotating fans and the suction source.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a rotational speed of the set of rotating fans is configured to change based on a predetermined amount of pressure applied to the roller mechanism upon contact with the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the electric switch is further configured to trigger opening and closing of a set of shutters configured to either allow an airstream from the set of fans when opened or to block the airstream from the set of fans when closed. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   a head portion connected to the base via a suction pipe;   a suction inlet in the head portion; and   a set of rotating fans connected to a drive mechanism and disposed in the head portion adjacent to the suction inlet,   wherein the set of rotating fans are configured to synchronously push or pull air to or from a surface to be cleaned.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a roller mechanism disposed in the head portion, wherein the roller mechanism is attached to an arm holder having an area slip configured for translational motion of the roller mechanism,   wherein the arm holder is attached to an electric switch having electric contacts separated by at least one compression spring, the electric switch is configured to turn on the set of rotating fans based on pressure applied to the head portion and the at least one compression spring.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the drive mechanism includes at least one turbine disposed in an air stream of the suction inlet and configured to rotate the set of rotating fans via a rotational axis arm in communication with a rotational arm of the set of rotating fans. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one turbine is further disposed adjacent a wall of the suction pipe and the at least one turbine has an axis of rotation orthogonal to an axis of rotation of the set of rotating fans. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the at least one turbine is further disposed in parallel to the set of rotating fans and parallel to the air stream, where the at least one turbine includes a horizontally aligned axis arm in rotational communication with the set of rotating fans. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 at least one roller brush disposed in the head portion adjacent the inlet opening, wherein the at least one roller brush being configured to rotate in a direction toward the suction inlet.   
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the rotational direction of the set of rotating fans is configured to be reversible via an electric switch spaced apart from the head portion. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein the rotational direction of the set of rotating fans are configured to be reversible based on the amount of pressure applied to the roller mechanism at the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 an air duct disposed adjacent to the set of rotating fans; and   at least one valve disposed at a distal end within the air duct and adjacent to the set of rotating fans, wherein the at least one valve is configured to direct air flow during synchronous pulling or pushing air via the set of rotating fans and the suction inlet.   
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 12 , wherein a rotational speed of the set of rotating fans is configured to change based on a predetermined amount of pressure applied to the roller mechanism upon contact with the surface to be cleaned. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the electric switch is further configured to trigger opening and closing of a set of shutters configured to either allow an airstream from the set of fans when opened or to block the airstream from the set of fans when closed.