U.S. patent application number 11/461046 was filed with the patent office on 2008-01-31 for debris removal apparatus and method.
Invention is credited to John L. Young.
Application Number | 20080022487 11/461046 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38984636 |
Filed Date | 2008-01-31 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080022487 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Young; John L. |
January 31, 2008 |
Debris Removal Apparatus and Method
Abstract
The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and
method of use thereof for cleaning a gutter, drain, or roof using a
vacuum system, and more particularly, to a system with a
semicircular bend hydraulically designed to prevent clogs by having
a substantially constant section and lower friction coefficients
and able to be disassembled during operation to manually remove
clogs in the bend. The apparatus is also further designed to be of
simple commercial constituents able to be used with an existing
shop vacuum. The cleaning apparatus has a single, semicircular bend
of constant radius and size to limit clogging.
Inventors: |
Young; John L.; (Manteca,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
VEDDER PRICE KAUFMAN & KAMMHOLZ
222 N. LASALLE STREET
CHICAGO
IL
60601
US
|
Family ID: |
38984636 |
Appl. No.: |
11/461046 |
Filed: |
July 31, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/414 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04D 13/0765 20130101;
A47L 9/02 20130101; A47L 7/0009 20130101; A47L 9/248 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/414 |
International
Class: |
A47L 9/02 20060101
A47L009/02 |
Claims
1. A gutter and roof cleaning apparatus, comprising: a vacuum
system; a collection system further comprising a flexible hose
having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is
operatively connected to the vacuum system; a first connector
having a first connecting end and a second connecting end, wherein
the first connecting end is operatively connected to the second end
of the flexible hose; a fluidic bend having a first fluidic end and
a second fluidic end, wherein the first fluidic end is operatively
connected to the second connecting end; and a second connector
having a third connecting end and a collecting end, wherein the
third connecting end is operatively connected to the second fluidic
end, wherein the vacuum system collects a volume of debris from a
gutter or a roof top by creating suction in the collection system,
and wherein the collecting system is of a substantially constant
section along its entire length to facilitate the transportation of
the volume of debris from the gutter or the rooftop to the vacuum
system.
2. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the
substantially constant section is circular.
3. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the
first connector, the fluidic bend, and the second connector can be
readily disassembled for unclogging cleaning of the fluidic bend
during operation.
4. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the
fluidic bend is a semicircular bend.
5. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the
vacuum system is a dry/wet vacuum system.
6. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 5, wherein the
dry/wet vacuum system is a shop vacuum.
7. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 4, wherein the
second connector is smaller in length than the first connector.
8. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 3, wherein the
second connector is assembled and disassembled using threads.
9. A method for cleaning a gutter and roof using a cleaning
apparatus having an improved bend access for unclogging, the
apparatus comprising a vacuum system, and a collection system
further comprising a flexible hose having a first end and a second
end, wherein the first end is operatively connected to the vacuum
system, a first connector having a first connecting end and a
second connecting end, wherein the first connecting end is
operatively connected to the second end of the flexible hose, a
fluidic bend having a first fluidic end and a second fluidic end,
wherein the first fluidic end is operatively connected to the
second connecting end, and a second connector having a third
connecting end and a collecting end, wherein the third connecting
end is operatively connected to the second fluidic end, wherein the
second connecting end is easily removable for manual unclogging
during operation, the method comprising the steps of: using the
cleaning apparatus by placing the collecting end in a gutter or on
a rooftop to be cleaned; suctioning a volume of debris and water
from the gutter or the rooftop into the vacuum system until a clog
is formed in the fluidic bend; disassembling the second connector
from the second fluidic end to provide access to the clog; using a
small object or a finger to push the clog further into the vacuum
system while the vacuum system remains in operation; assembling the
second connector to the fluidic bend to resume use of the cleaning
apparatus after unclogging.
10. The method for cleaning a gutter and roof using a cleaning
apparatus of claim 8, wherein the substantially constant section is
circular.
11. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein the
first connector, the fluidic bend, and the second connector can be
readily disassembled for cleaning by hand.
12. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 10, wherein the
fluidic bend is semicircular.
13. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein the
vacuum system is a dry/wet vacuum system.
14. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 12, wherein the
dry/wet vacuum system is a shop vacuum.
15. The gutter and roof cleaning apparatus of claim 8, wherein the
second connector is smaller in length than the first connector.
Description
FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0001] The present disclosure relates to an apparatus and method
for cleaning a gutter, drain, or roof using a vacuum system, and
more particularly, to a system with a semicircular bend
hydraulically designed to prevent clogs by having a substantially
constant section and lower friction coefficients and able to be
disassembled during operation to manually remove clogs in the
bend.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Houses are generally equipped with gutters and drains to
collect and dispose of rain water and protect against the formation
of humidity at the eaves of the roof. Gutters are generally
cup-shaped rails placed along the bottom edge of roofs. After
moving down the roof, rain water is directed by gravity across the
rails to floor drains and sewers. A roof not only collects rain
water but protects against pollen, wind, leaves, and sunshine. In
the process, it is vulnerable to varied environmental conditions.
Loose environmental debris may be transported by rain or wind and
end up in gutters clogging the drainage and water evacuation
system. Some types of debris, such as leaves, twigs, and branches,
can accumulate in the rails and gutters and prevent the evacuation
of water through the normal collection system. Debris can also form
clogs that resist water flow in pipes.
[0003] Periodic maintenance is required to keep gutter and drain
systems in working conditions. A plurality of systems in the prior
art are designed to collect debris using a vacuum system, but these
systems present important disadvantages. U.S. Pat. No. 3,971,098
discloses a system equipped with a U-shaped head having two bends
and a nozzle designed to collect wet leaves or other debris. This
invention, as with the other inventions disclosed in the prior art,
does not address numerous fundamental limitations. First, loose
material able to clog a gutter or a drain has already shown a
propensity to resist removal and may be lodged in place by pressure
or drying. The use of nozzles, bends, and other flow restrictions
may seriously limit the effectiveness of these devices. Debris is
often lumped, oversized, or viscous and is likely, even if
collected, to clog the collection device during removal. Second,
the loose material removal operation, unless performed by a service
provider, may be required only infrequently, so the apparatus must
be easily adaptable, require a low financial investment, and be
invulnerable to long-term storage. Finally, some users may already
have access to industrial shop-type vacuums able to clean both wet
and dry surfaces. These users may require an apparatus able to
adapt to existing technology in order to offer a further
convenience of use.
[0004] What is required is a cost-effective apparatus an apparatus
able to be placed on an existing shop vacuum and specifically
designed to prevent excessive clogging by removing obstacles and
limit sectional variations in the path of the movement of the
collected debris. In addition, the apparatus must be able to be
manually unclogged during the collection of debris.
SUMMARY
[0005] The present disclosure relates generally to an apparatus and
method of use thereof for cleaning a gutter, drain, or roof using a
vacuum system, and more particularly, to a system with a
semicircular bend hydraulically designed to prevent clogs by having
a substantially constant section and lower friction coefficients
and able to be disassembled during operation to manually remove
clogs in the bend. The apparatus is also further designed to be of
simple commercial constituents able to be used with an existing
shop vacuum. The cleaning apparatus has a single, semicircular bend
of constant radius and size to limit clogging.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the
present disclosure.
[0007] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the collection system in
accordance with the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
[0008] FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the assembled first
connector, the second connector, and the fluidic bend in accordance
to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
[0009] FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the disassembled first
connector, the second connector, and the fluidic bend in accordance
to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
[0010] FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram illustrating the method
of use of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0011] The present disclosure relates to a gutter and roof cleaning
apparatus 1 shown in a preferred embodiment in FIG. 1. The cleaning
apparatus comprises a vacuum system 5 and a collection system
comprising a flexible hose 2 having a first end 3 and a second end
4. The first end 3 is operatively connected to the vacuum system 5.
It is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that while a
possible embodiment where a vacuum system is shown in dashed lines
corresponding to a shop vacuum used in industrial environments, any
possible system able to create suction in a connected flexible hose
associated with dry and humid debris removal is contemplated,
including but not limited to wall vacuums, drums with hand
activated or electrical pumps, vacuum pumps, or the like. It is
also understood that while no specific type of connection is shown
on FIG. 1, the first end 3 is connected to the vacuum system 5
using regular types of connectors generally associated with vacuum
system technology.
[0012] The cleaning apparatus 1 further comprises a first connector
6 having a first connecting end 7 and a second connecting end 8.
The first connecting end 7 is operatively connected to the second
end 4 of the flexible hose 2. FIG. 2 shows another embodiment where
the first connector 6 is longer and may be associated with a fixed
prolongation 9 also having a top end 11 and a bottom end 10 forming
a single element of two joined elements. It is understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art that while no part of the collection
system, such as the prolongation 9, is illustrated with a flexible
or rotatable junction point, this disclosure is applicable to any
possible arrangement of fixed or flexible tubing used in this art.
It is also understood that while typical piping with filets 100 and
101 is shown in FIGS. 4-5, as a preferred embodiment, the different
fixed or flexible tubing elements may be attached using a variety
of temporary fixation means generally used in this art or any
permanent fixations such as welding or gluing. The cleaning
apparatus shown in FIG. 1 can also be used without a holder 51 if
the user climbs on a ladder (not shown) or accesses the gutter by
another means such as opening a window and extending the cleaning
apparatus 1 to the desired cleaning location. FIG. 1 illustrates an
embodiment where the first connector 6 is fixed to the flexible
hose by the use of a threaded connector. The threaded connector may
be permanently fixed to the second end as is commonly made in the
field of fixation apparatus for a flexible hose.
[0013] The cleaning apparatus further comprises a fluidic bend 12
having a first fluidic end 13 and a second fluidic end 14, wherein
the first fluidic end 13 is operatively connected to second
connecting end 8. In a preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4, the
first fluidic bend is made of a semicircular pipe having a 180
degree bend. The best mode contemplates the use of a single,
semicircular bend 12 since it minimizes reduction of pressure in
the bend and enables the cleaning apparatus to maintain the most
suction at the collection end 22. While a single fluidic bend is
shown in FIGS. 1-4, it is understood by one of ordinary skill in
the art that the location of the gutter 16 as is sometimes
protected by covers or rims and may dictate the use of a bend of
irregular shape to reach the removal area. In the preferred
embodiment, the pipe is of regular cylindrical geometry. FIG. 4
illustrates a situation where the inside portion of the first
fluidic end 13 has threads to allow for the removal of the
semicircular bend 12 during operation for cleaning and unclogging
of the collection system 1. It is understood by one of ordinary
skill in the art that while a threaded section is shown, any
connection system that may be disassembled quickly and confines the
loose debris to be collected from the gutter 16 or roof 15 may be
used.
[0014] This semicircular geometry is designed to limit the
reduction of pressure in the fluidic bend 12 to maintain the
largest amount of suction at the collection end 22. Finally, a
second connector 18 having a third connecting end 19 and a
collecting end 22 is used when applicable. The second connector 18
has a third connecting end 19 operatively connected to the second
fluidic end 14. In a preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 4, a
threaded section is used to connect the second connector 18 to the
second fluidic end 14. It is understood by one of ordinary skill in
the art that while threaded connection is shown, any system capable
of effecting a vacuum connection, such as a clip-on, tabbed
connector, or other such devices, may be used.
[0015] The vacuum system collects a volume of debris from a gutter
16 or a roof 15 to be stored in the vacuum system 5 after the
debris has traveled through the collection system by suction. The
collecting system is of a substantially constant section along its
entire length to facilitate the transportation of the volume of
debris from the gutter 16 or the roof 15 to the vacuum system.
[0016] A portable apparatus is designed to be placed in the gutter
16 or on the roof 15 or any other location such as a drain (not
shown) where loose debris can be collected by the vacuum system by
suction through the collection system. The disclosed apparatus
contemplates the formation of clogs in the connectors 6, 18 or the
fluidic bend 12 of the collection system and provides for the
disassembly of the system to provide the user access to any clog
formed during the course of operation. Access to the fluidic bend
is such that a user may simply remove either the first or second
connector 6, 18 manually at the connection points either by
unscrewing the threaded connectors 6, 18 or by using any other
method of disassembly contemplated by this disclosure.
[0017] While an embodiment is shown, it is understood by one of
ordinary skill in the art that a plurality of alternate embodiments
is contemplated. The collection system may include rotational
points, junctions, connections, or any other types of commonly used
vacuum-based devices and accessories in order to obtain the
disclosed advantages. In one embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the second
connector 18 is smaller in length than the first connector 6. It is
understood that the reverse situation is also contemplated as long
as it is convenient for the gutters 16 to be cleaned and
unclogged.
[0018] What is further disclosed is a method for cleaning a gutter
and roof using a cleaning apparatus having an improved bend access
for unclogging, the apparatus comprising a vacuum system 5, and a
collection system further comprising a flexible hose 2 having a
first end 3 and a second end 4, where the first end 3 is
operatively connected to the vacuum system 5, a first connector 6
having a first connecting end 7 and a second connecting end 8,
where the first connecting end 7 is operatively connected to the
second end 4 of the flexible hose 2, a fluidic bend 12 having a
first fluidic end 13 and a second fluidic end 14, where the first
fluidic end 13 is operatively connected to second connecting end 8,
and a second connector 18 having a third connecting end 19 and a
collecting end 22, wherein the third connecting end 19 is
operatively connected to the second fluidic end 14, and the second
connecting end 18 is easily removable for manual unclogging of the
fluidic bend 12 during operation.
[0019] The method comprises the steps of using the cleaning
apparatus by placing the collecting end in a gutter 16 or on a
rooftop 15 to be cleaned 201, suctioning a volume of debris and
water from the gutter 16 or the rooftop 15 into the vacuum system 5
until a clog is formed in the fluidic bend 202, disassembling the
second connector 18 from the second fluidic end 14 to provide
access to the clog 203, using any small object or a finger to push
the clog formed in the fluidic bend further into the vacuum system
while the vacuum system remains in operation 204, assembling the
second connector 18 to the fluidic bend, and resuming use of the
cleaning apparatus.
[0020] It is understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that
while the removal of the second connector is disclosed, what is
contemplated is an apparatus and method designed to unclog the
fluidic bend 12 of a clog located in the collection system located
close to the fluidic bend 12. It is contemplated that the fluidic
bend may be removed from the first connector 6 if the clog is
located in the section of the fluidic bend closer to the second end
where access is better obtained by removing the fluidic end 12 from
the first connector 6.
[0021] Persons of ordinary skill in the art appreciate that
although the teachings of the disclosure have been illustrated in
connection with certain embodiments and method, there is no intent
to limit the invention to such embodiments and method. On the
contrary, the intention of this application is to cover all
modifications and embodiments falling fairly within the scope of
the teachings of the disclosure.
* * * * *