U.S. patent application number 13/801815 was filed with the patent office on 2014-09-18 for surface sucking apparatus and methods of making and using same.
The applicant listed for this patent is Jason J. Martin, Robert William Allen Sellars. Invention is credited to Jason J. Martin, Robert William Allen Sellars.
Application Number | 20140261556 13/801815 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 51521859 |
Filed Date | 2014-09-18 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140261556 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Martin; Jason J. ; et
al. |
September 18, 2014 |
SURFACE SUCKING APPARATUS AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SAME
Abstract
A surface sucking apparatus having a body and a plurality of
legs. The body removably attachable to a vacuum hose. The body
having a first portion, a second portion and a passageway extending
therebetween for removing material. The plurality of legs
positioned about the body so that the body is movable between a
first position and a second position.
Inventors: |
Martin; Jason J.; (Choctaw,
OK) ; Sellars; Robert William Allen; (McLoud,
OK) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Martin; Jason J.
Sellars; Robert William Allen |
Choctaw
McLoud |
OK
OK |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
51521859 |
Appl. No.: |
13/801815 |
Filed: |
March 13, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
134/21 ;
15/415.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E01H 1/001 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
134/21 ;
15/415.1 |
International
Class: |
A47L 9/02 20060101
A47L009/02 |
Claims
1. A surface sucking apparatus, comprising: a body having a first
portion and a second portion defining a fluid passageway between an
inlet and an outlet of the body, a portion of the second portion of
the body having a plurality of legs for moving the body between a
first position and a second position.
2. The surface sucking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first
portion has an attachment portion for attaching and removing a
vacuum hose to the surface sucking apparatus for vacuuming a
material.
3. The surface sucking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second
portion is provided with a collar for supporting the plurality of
legs.
4. The surface sucking apparatus of claim 3, wherein a plurality of
holes are provided about the collar, wherein at least one of the
plurality of holes is sized to receive at least one of the
plurality of legs.
5. The surface sucking apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the
plurality of legs is provided with a first end, a second end and at
least one stop member to prevent the body from moving past the
first end and the second end of the leg.
6. The surface sucking apparatus of claim 1, wherein in the first
position, the body is movable along the plurality of legs such that
the inlet is lowered to be positioned near a surface having a
material and in the second position, the body is movable along the
plurality of legs such that the inlet is raised to be positioned
away from the surface.
7. A surface sucking apparatus, comprising: a body having a first
portion and a second portion defining a fluid passageway between an
inlet and an outlet of the body; and a plurality of legs positioned
about the body for moving the body between a first position and a
second position.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the first portion has an
attachment portion for attaching and removing a vacuum hose to the
surface sucking apparatus for vacuuming a material.
9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second portion is provided
with a collar for supporting the plurality of legs.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a plurality of holes are
provided about the collar, wherein at least one of the plurality of
holes is sized to receive at least one of the plurality of
legs.
11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein each of the plurality of legs
is provided with a first end, a second end and at least one stop
member to prevent the body from moving past the first end and the
second end of the leg.
12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein in the first position, the
body is movable along the plurality of legs such that the inlet is
lowered to be positioned near a surface having a material and in
the second position, the body is movable along the plurality of
legs such that the inlet is raised to be positioned away from the
surface.
13. A method of using a surface sucking apparatus to vacuum up a
material, comprising the steps of: attaching a vacuum hose to an
outlet of a surface sucking apparatus; positioning a surface
sucking apparatus on a surface having a material; moving a body of
the surface sucking apparatus along a plurality of legs; and
positioning an inlet of the surface sucking apparatus near the
surface having the material.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of: moving
the body of the surface sucking apparatus between a first position
and a second position.
15. The method of claim 14 wherein in the first position, the body
is movable along the plurality of legs such that the inlet is
lowered to be positioned near a surface having a material and in
the second position, the body is movable along the plurality of
legs such that the inlet is raised to be positioned away from the
surface.
16. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:
vacuuming the material from the surface.
17. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of:
removing the hose from the surface sucking apparatus.
18. The method of claim 13 wherein moving the body of the surface
sucking apparatus along the plurality of legs is manual.
19. The method of claim 13 wherein moving the body of the surface
sucking apparatus along the plurality of legs is automatic.
20. The method of claim 13 wherein a fluid passageway is defined
between the inlet and the outlet of the surface sucking apparatus.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] Not applicable.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Industrial vacuums are well known for vacuuming various
materials such as liquids, sludge, slurries, solids, etc., in a
variety of industries. Typically, such a vacuum system is utilized
with a truck and such materials are pulled through a vacuum hose by
the air that is drawn through a vacuum pump and the materials are
held in a holding area of the truck until evacuated.
[0003] The efficiency of such a system can be difficult due to the
amount of suction required to suck up the materials. One problem
created with such high suction is that while vacuuming the
materials, the end of the vacuum hose may stick to the surface of
the area on which the materials are located. Such high suction
makes it extremely difficult, if not impossible for an individual
to pull the stuck vacuum hose off of a surface. Thus, in order to
remove the vacuum hose from the surface, the vacuum pump must be
shut off. The delay caused by the removal of the vacuum hose may be
very time consuming and have a direct impact to the cost of an
operation due to the vacuum being turned on/off for periods of
time.
[0004] To this end, although vacuum systems of the existing art are
operable, further improvements are desirable and a need remains to
provide a surface sucking apparatus that is capable of assisting
with sucking the desired materials without sticking to a surface
and a method of making and using such an apparatus to improve the
safety, efficiency, and ease of vacuuming industrial materials. It
is to such a surface sucking apparatus and method of making and
using that at least one embodiment of the present invention is
directed.
SUMMARY
[0005] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate
generally to a vacuum system used in the industrial vacuum
industry, and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to
an improved surface sucking apparatus to assist in vacuuming solid
and liquid materials.
[0006] In at least one embodiment, a surface sucking apparatus
includes a body having a first portion and a second portion. The
first and second portions define a fluid passageway between an
inlet and an outlet of the body. A portion of the second portion of
the body has a plurality of legs for moving the body between a
first position and a second position. The first portion has an
attachment portion for attaching and removing a vacuum hose to the
surface sucking apparatus for vacuuming a material. The second
portion is provided with a collar for supporting the plurality of
legs. A plurality of holes are provided about the collar, wherein
at least one of the plurality of holes is sized to receive at least
one of the plurality of legs. Each of the plurality of legs is
provided with a first end, a second end and at least one stop
member to prevent the body from moving past the first end and the
second end of the leg. In the first position, the body is movable
along the plurality of legs such that the inlet is lowered to be
positioned near a surface having a material. In the second
position, the body is movable along the plurality of legs such that
the inlet is raised to be positioned away from the surface.
[0007] In at least one embodiment, a surface sucking apparatus
includes a body and a plurality of legs. The body has a first
portion and a second portion defining a fluid passageway between an
inlet and an outlet of the body. The plurality of legs are
positioned about the body for moving the body between a first
position and a second position. The first portion has an attachment
portion for attaching and removing a vacuum hose to the surface
sucking apparatus for vacuuming a material. The second portion is
provided with a collar for supporting the plurality of legs. A
plurality of holes are provided about the collar, wherein at least
one of the plurality of holes is sized to receive at least one of
the plurality of legs. Each of the plurality of legs is provided
with a first end, a second end and at least one stop member to
prevent the body from moving past the first end and the second end
of the leg. In the first position, the body is movable along the
plurality of legs such that the inlet is lowered to be positioned
near a surface having a material. In the second position, the body
is movable along the plurality of legs such that the inlet is
raised to be positioned away from the surface.
[0008] In at least one embodiment, a surface sucking apparatus is
used to vacuum up a material. A vacuum hose is attached to an
outlet of a surface sucking apparatus. The surface sucking
apparatus is positioned on a surface having a material. A body of
the surface sucking apparatus is moved along a plurality of legs.
An inlet of the surface sucking apparatus is positioned near the
surface having the material. In at least one embodiment, the body
of the surface sucking apparatus is moved between a first position
and a second position. In the first position, the body is movable
along the plurality of legs such that the inlet is lowered to be
positioned near a surface having a material. In the second
position, the body is movable along the plurality of legs such that
the inlet is raised to be positioned away from the surface.
[0009] In at least one embodiment, the material is vacuumed from a
surface.
[0010] In at least one embodiment, the hose is removed from the
surface sucking apparatus.
[0011] In at least one embodiment, moving the body of the surface
sucking apparatus along the plurality of legs is manual.
[0012] In at least one embodiment, moving the body of the surface
sucking apparatus along the plurality of legs is automatic.
[0013] In at least one embodiment, a fluid passageway is defined
between the inlet and the outlet of the surface sucking
apparatus.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a surface
sucking apparatus, constructed in accordance with the present
disclosure, in a first position attached to a conventional vacuum
truck.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the surface sucking
apparatus of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the surface sucking apparatus of
FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the surface sucking
apparatus of FIG. 1 in a second position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG.
1, a surface sucking apparatus 10 constructed in accordance with at
least one embodiment of the present disclosure is shown attached to
a hose 12 of a conventional vacuum truck 14 to assist in vacuuming
a material 15 on a surface 17. Materials typically vacuumed include
solids, liquids, sludge, slurries, temperature sensitive materials
and the like. It should be understood by one of ordinary skill in
the art that although shown herein utilized with a conventional
vacuum truck 14, the surface sucking apparatus 10 may be adapted to
be utilized with a variety of vacuum-type vehicles and/or any other
mobile or stationary vacuum system. It will be appreciated that
vacuum trucks are well known in the art. It is not believed
necessary to describe the vacuum truck 14 in further detail and is
deemed sufficient for purposes of understanding the vacuum truck 14
in accordance with the surface sucking apparatus 10 constructed in
accordance with at least one embodiment of the present disclosure.
Thus, no further description of the vacuum truck 14 components,
assembly, construction, or operation is believed necessary for one
skilled in the art to understand and implement at least one
embodiment of the surface sucking apparatus 10 of the present
disclosure.
[0019] Suitable materials for construction of the surface sucking
apparatus 10 and any components thereof include polymeric
materials, plastics, metals such as aluminum, steel, titanium,
magnesium or alloys containing these metals, woods, and/or
composite materials, and/or any such materials which are capable of
providing the desired strength and durability for the surface
sucking apparatus 10. Further, it should be understood that the
surface sucking apparatus 10 may be constructed from materials that
may be water-resistant, anti-microbial, or waterproof, so that the
surface sucking apparatus 10 may be easily cleaned and/or
disinfected.
[0020] Additionally, it should be understood that the surface
sucking apparatus 10 and/or portions thereof may be any shape, such
as circular, oval, square, rectangular, triangular, polygonal,
quadrilateral, ellipsoidal and the like, for example. The surface
sucking apparatus 10 may be rigid, semi-rigid, flexible,
semi-flexible, foldable, collapsible, and the like. Further, it
will be appreciated that the size and configuration of the surface
sucking apparatus 10, and portions thereof, may vary widely
dependent upon the size of the hose and of the type of material
being vacuumed. It will be understood that the surface sucking
apparatus 10 can be sized to be attached to any size hose in a
manner so that the surface sucking apparatus 10 functions as
described herein.
[0021] Referring to FIGS. 2-4, generally, the surface sucking
apparatus 10 includes a body 16 and a plurality of legs 18. It is
contemplated, in one embodiment, that the surface sucking apparatus
10 and/or the components thereof are constructed from multiple
components and/or materials, however, it should be understood by
one of ordinary skill in the art that the surface sucking apparatus
10 and/or components may be constructed from a single component
and/or material, as well.
[0022] The body 16 includes an exterior 20, an interior 22, an open
first end 24, an open second end 26, a sidewall 28, and a
passageway 30 extending between the first end 24 and the second end
26. The body 16 is constructed such to provide an internal pressure
suitable to force a vacuumed material out of the body 16 of the
surface sucking apparatus 10 into the hose 14 when a vacuum is
applied.
[0023] The body 16 of the surface sucking apparatus 10 has a first
portion 32 and a second portion 34. In one embodiment, the first
portion 32 of the body 16 is provided with an elbow portion 36 and
the second portion 34 of the body 16 is provided with a collar 38.
It should be understood that the elbow portion 36 may be sized and
configured in various shapes so long as the first portion 32
functions as described herein and directs the material 15 to be
vacuumed up. Further, the first portion 32 is provided with an
attachment portion 40 for attaching and removing the hose 12 from
the surface sucking apparatus 10 so as to maintain a fluid-tight
seal between the attachment portion 40 and the hose 14. It should
be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that any method
and apparatus of removably attaching one object to another may be
utilized, such as a snap-fit attachment, exterior clamping, or the
like, so long as the attachment method functions in accordance with
at least one embodiment of the present disclosure as described
herein and removal attaches the hose 14 to the attachment portion
40 of the first portion 32 of the body 16 of the surface sucking
apparatus 10.
[0024] The collar 38 of the second portion 34 of the surface
sucking apparatus 10 is provided with a plurality of holes 41
positioned about the collar 38 for receiving at least one leg 18.
In one embodiment, the holes 41 are threaded for receiving at least
one threaded leg 18. It should be understood that the collar 38,
although shown herein as a circular-shaped portion, may be
configured in a variety of shapes, such as oval, square,
rectangular, triangular, polygonal, quadrilateral, ellipsoidal, and
the like, for example, so long as the collar functions in
accordance with at least one embodiment of the disclosed disclosure
as providing support to at least one of the legs 18.
[0025] The passageway 30 of the surface sucking apparatus 10
extends between an inlet 50 at the second end 26 of the body 16 of
the surface sucking apparatus 10 for receiving the material 15, and
an outlet 52 at the first end 24 of the body 16 of the surface
sucking apparatus 10 for outputting the material 15 from the body
16 of the surface sucking apparatus 10. The passageway 30 may be
sized and configured in a variety of sizes and shapes in order to
receive any amount and type of material required for vacuum
removal.
[0026] Each of the plurality of legs 18 has a first end 54 and a
second end 56. Although shown in one embodiment being provided with
a plurality of legs, it should be understood that the surface
sucking apparatus 10 can be constructed utilizing at least one leg
18 so long as the surface sucking apparatus 10 functions in
accordance with at least one embodiment of the disclosure as
described herein. The plurality of legs 18 may be a variety of
heights depending on the material to be vacuumed. Further, it
should be understood that the legs 18 may be a constructed as part
of the body 16 or may be constructed as a separate component that
is attached to the body 16. Fasteners 58, such as a nut, are
provided on opposing ends 54 and 56 of each leg 18 to act as a stop
member. The stop member prevents the body 16 from moving past the
first end 54 and the second end 56 of the leg 18 when the body 16
of the surface sucking apparatus 10 is moved between a first
position (FIG. 2) and a second position (FIG. 4), as described in
more detail hereinafter. It should be understood by one of ordinary
skill in the art that although a nut is shown acting as a stopper,
any fastener or other device attachable to the leg 18 may be
utilized so long as the leg 18 functions as described herein and is
movable between the first and second positions. Further, the legs
18 may be configured to move manually and automatically from the
body 16 of the surface sucking apparatus 10 as well as, manually
and automatically moving the body 16 of the surface sucking
apparatus 10 along the legs 18 of the surface sucking apparatus 10.
The body 16 is adjustable/movable at various distances between the
inlet 50 and the surface 17 and the legs 18 are adjustable at
various heights allowing for different air to flow material ratios.
The surface sucking apparatus 10 is designed to not stick to any
surface and eliminates risk of injury to a user or air mover
equipment, such as blowers on air mover units.
[0027] Referring to FIGS. 2 and 4, the surface sucking apparatus 10
is movable between the first position (FIG. 2) and the second
position (FIG. 4). In the first position, the body 16 of the
surface sucking apparatus 10 is movable along the plurality of legs
18 such that the inlet 50 is lowered to be positioned near the
surface 17 to vacuum up the material 15. In the second position,
the body 16 of the surface sucking apparatus 10 is movable along
the plurality of legs 18 such that the inlet 50 is raised to be
positioned away from the surface 17.
[0028] In use, referring to FIGS. 1-4, the hose 14 is removably
attached to the attachment portion 40 of the first portion 32 of
the surface sucking apparatus 10. The surface sucking apparatus 10
is positioned on the surface 17 having the material 15 to be
vacuumed. The surface sucking apparatus 10 is movable to the first
position, if not already done, by moving the body 16 of the surface
sucking apparatus 10 along the plurality of legs 18 such that the
inlet 50 is lowered and positioned near the surface 17. The
material is vacuumed up. During the vacuuming of the material 15,
the surface sucking apparatus 10 may be moved into the second
position by moving the body 16 of the surface sucking apparatus 10
along the plurality of legs 18 at various distances between the
surface 17 and the inlet 50, such that the inlet 50 is raised to be
positioned away from the surface 17.
[0029] Other embodiments of the surface sucking apparatus 10 may
include the following features: (1) removable handle for transport;
(2) adjustable legs having locking casters--for easy maneuvering;
(3) sealed rotating bearing--so the upper portion of the apparatus
can move 360.degree.; (4) a lifting eye--for mechanical lifting up
and down.
[0030] In various embodiments, the surface sucking apparatus 10 can
be utilized in the following industries: power plants (coal
burners, gas plants, trash burners--duct work, silos, trenches,
pits, boilers, coal yards, sump pits, cooling towers); grain mills
(elevators, silos, bunkers, pits, floors); waste water treatment
plants (lagoons, pits, holding ponds, tanks, retaining vessels);
oil field (mud pits, frac tanks, mixer tanks and spills); rail
yards (rail cars and spills); municipalities (road resurface, man
holes, lift stations); mines (shafts, elevators, tunnels), etc.
[0031] While at least one embodiment of the present disclosure is
described herein utilized in an industrial application, it should
be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, the apparatus
and methods of the present disclosure may be readily applied to use
in other applications and with other vacuum systems and other
suitable devices. It should be understood that changes may be made
in the operation and the setup of at least one embodiment of the
present disclosure accordingly.
[0032] From the above description, it is clear that the present
invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and to attain
the advantages mentioned herein as well as those inherent in the
invention. While presently preferred embodiments of the invention
have been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be
understood that numerous changes may be made which will readily
suggest themselves to those skilled in the art and which are
accomplished within the spirit of the invention disclosed and
claimed.
* * * * *