System and apparatus for cleaning surfaces

Abstract

Systems and apparatus are provided for polishing and grinding glass, stone, or other hard surfaces safely and cleanly. The apparatus presented comprises a mounting plate to be mounted to a rotary grinder, a cowl which may be easily attached to and removed from the mounting plate, and which comprises components to enable safe polishing and grinding of hard surfaces by capturing particulates produced by the grinding. A user may use the apparatus to clean and/or polish hard surfaces without creating a difficult-to-clean and dusty work environment, offering benefits to cleanliness, efficiency of work, and health and safety. The present invention solves problems with the currently available systems and apparatuses for polishing and grinding glass, stone, or other hard surfaces.

Accordingly, what is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for cleaning a surface, the apparatus comprising:
 a threaded mounting plate, wherein the threaded mounting plate can be reversibly attached to and detached from a grinder; and wherein the threaded mounting plate comprises a plate protrusion, wherein the plate protrusion is approximately cylindrical, and wherein the plate protrusion extends away from the grinder, and wherein the plate protrusion comprises a plate threading;   a cowl; wherein the cowl comprises a threaded cowl mount which threaded cowl mount comprises a mount threading, and wherein the cowl can be threaded onto and off of the threaded mounting plate, with the mount threading engaging with the plate threading; and wherein the cowl comprises an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are substantially circular and substantially concentric, and define a circumferential space between the outer wall and the inner wall; and   a handle, which may be securely affixed to and removed from the grinder;   wherein the cowl comprises a vacuum port, wherein the vacuum port is reversibly detachable from the cowl, and reversibly attachable to the cowl.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cowl can be any of a number of one or more cowls, being a first cowl  120   a , a second cowl  120   b , a third cowl  120   c , or more cowls. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the inner wall is slightly smaller than the outer wall such that the inner wall is disposed in an interior space of the cowl, the interior space being a volume defined by the outer wall. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a circular flange, wherein the circular flange is disposed in the circumferential space, and wherein the circular flange comprises a proximal perimeter and a distal perimeter. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the circular flange comprises one or more flange elastic members, wherein the one or more flange elastic members are disposed at the distal perimeter, and wherein the one or more flange elastic members are distributed around the distal perimeter. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the one or more flange elastic members comprise a sufficient number such that the circular flange is elastically pushed from multiple positions around the distal perimeter. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the outer wall comprises one or more wall-flange retainers, and wherein the circular flange comprises one or more flange retention slots, wherein the one or more flange retention slots are disposed around the circular flange, and wherein the one or more flange retention slots are reversibly connected with or disposed over the one or more wall-flange retainers, wherein the one or more flange retention slots may slide distally and proximally within the circumferential space, such that the one or more flange retention slots enable the circular flange to slide distally and proximally on the one or more wall-flange retainers, while the one or more wall-flange retainers prevent the circular flange from rotating within the circumferential space. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall further comprises a vacuum port hole, wherein the vacuum port interfaces with the vacuum port hole, to allow a vacuum to be reversibly attached to and removed from the vacuum port. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein all debris is pulled away from the surface through the circumferential space and then through the vacuum port. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the handle further comprises one or more fluid control ports, and a handle-fluid line, and a fluid control switch; and wherein the threaded mounting plate further comprises a plate notch. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for containing particulates while grinding a surface, the apparatus comprising:
 a threaded mounting plate, wherein the threaded mounting plate can be reversibly attached to and detached from a grinder; and wherein the threaded mounting plate comprises a plate protrusion, wherein the plate protrusion is approximately cylindrical; and   a cowl; wherein the cowl comprises a threaded cowl mount, which threaded cowl mount comprises a mount threading, and wherein the cowl can be threaded onto and off of the threaded mounting plate.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the cowl comprises an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are substantially circular and substantially concentric, and wherein the inner wall is slightly smaller than the outer wall such that the inner wall is disposed in an interior space of the cowl, the interior space being a volume defined by the outer wall, such that the outer wall and the inner wall define a circumferential space between the outer wall and the inner wall. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a circular flange, wherein the circular flange is disposed in the circumferential space, and wherein the circular flange comprises a proximal perimeter and a distal perimeter. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the circular flange comprises one or more flange elastic members, wherein the one or more flange elastic members are disposed at the distal perimeter, and wherein the one or more flange elastic members are distributed around the distal perimeter. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more flange elastic members comprise a sufficient number such that the circular flange is elastically pushed from multiple positions around the distal perimeter. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the outer wall comprises one or more wall-flange retainers, and wherein the circular flange comprises one or more flange retention slots, wherein the one or more flange retention slots are disposed around the circular flange, and wherein the one or more flange retention slots are reversibly connected with or disposed over the one or more wall-flange retainers, wherein the one or more flange retention slots may slide distally and proximally within the circumferential space, such that the one or more flange retention slots enable the circular flange to slide distally and proximally on the one or more wall-flange retainers, while the one or more wall-flange retainers prevent the circular flange from rotating within the circumferential space. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the cowl further comprises a vacuum port, wherein the vacuum port is reversibly detachable from the cowl, and reversibly attachable to the cowl, and wherein the outer wall further comprises a vacuum port hole, wherein the vacuum port interfaces with the vacuum port hole, to allow a vacuum to be reversibly attached to and removed from the vacuum port. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , wherein waste materials are pulled away from the surface through the circumferential space and then through the vacuum port. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a handle, and wherein the handle further comprises one or more fluid control ports, and a handle-fluid line, and a fluid control switch. 
     
     
         20 . An apparatus for containing particulates while grinding a surface, the apparatus comprising:
 a mounting plate, wherein the mounting plate can be reversibly attached to and detached from a grinder; and wherein the mounting plate comprises a protrusion, wherein the protrusion is approximately cylindrical;   a cowl; wherein the cowl comprises a cowl mount, wherein the cowl mount comprises a mount, and wherein the cowl can be mounted onto and off of the mounting plate; and   wherein the cowl comprises an outer wall and an inner wall, wherein the outer wall and the inner wall are substantially circular and substantially concentric, and wherein the outer wall and the inner wall define a circumferential space between the outer wall and the inner wall; and   wherein the apparatus further comprises a circular flange, wherein the circular flange is disposed in the circumferential space, and wherein the circular flange comprises a proximal perimeter and a distal perimeter; and   wherein the circular flange comprises one or more flange elastic members, wherein the one or more flange elastic members are disposed at the distal perimeter, and wherein the one or more flange elastic members are distributed around the distal perimeter; and   wherein the outer wall comprises one or more wall-flange retainers, and wherein the circular flange comprises one or more flange retention slots, wherein the one or more flange retention slots are disposed around the circular flange, and wherein the one or more flange retention slots are reversibly connected with or disposed over the one or more wall-flange retainers, wherein the one or more flange retention slots may slide distally and proximally within the circumferential space, such that the one or more flange retention slots enable the circular flange to slide distally and proximally on the one or more wall-flange retainers, while the one or more wall-flange retainers prevent the circular flange from rotating within the circumferential space.