The patent refers to a portable device for the dry cleaning of mattresses, rags, carpets and textile covers of furniture. The said device in order to achieve dry cleaning adopts a rotating vibration-cylinder and alternatively a scrubbing cylinder. The function of the said device is based on the double action of vibration and/or scrubbing by rotating cylinders which bear waveform sinusoidal patterns on their surface and by the suction of the dust from the surface to be cleaned. Also, the said device removes the allergenic agents and bugs from mattresses, carpets and rugs due to the multiple strong micro-vibrations it produces. Technical field of the invention are the portable cleaning devices.

State of the art

Removal of the allergenic dust bugs from mattresses and bed sheet is achieved by a portable device which features suction and ultraviolet radiation as described in US 20080052872. Another approach (US 6576190) combined ozone with ultraviolet radiation, without suction though, in order to disinfect bed sheet and exterminate the harmful microorganisms. Many simplistic approaches include portable vacuum cleaners in order to achieve some kind of cleaning combined with suction. The invention described here, does not employ chemical (US 20010034922) nor superheated vapor (US 20040111822) in order to achieve cleaning action.

The device described in our application is not a vacuum cleaner but can be adapted to any vacuum cleaner appliance, of home or professional use, featuring dry or wet cleaning. Also, the said device does not disinfect by the use of radiation or chemical agents such as ozone or vapor, but vibrates the mattresses and bed sheet or covers, at a high frequency, so that all dust, bugs and microorganisms are ejected and then absorbed by a duct and flexible tube. The said device is of ecological operation since it removes dust and potentially harmful or allergenic microorganisms without the use of aggressive agents or radiation.

Figures

Figure 1: 3D Perspective of the device (for clarity purposes device cover is seen as semi-transparent)

Figure 2: Side view/partial cut of the device and in Detail A, the scrubbing/vibration cylinder with sinusoidal surface undulations on its surface, of triangular cross- section.

Device Parts in detail

1. Device Cover made of plastic or metal

2. Device internal frame (framework) made from metallic tube of circular or rectangular cross-section

3. Cylinder for scrubbing and/or vibrating with sinusoidal waveform surface bars made from rods of circular or triangular cross-section respectively. (Figure 2, detail A)

4. Elastic strip attached to the device cover 5. Duct, opening for dust suction

6. Electric Motor

7. Mains cable 8. Pulley

9. Rotation Transmission belt

10. Elastic wheel

11. Cylindrical bearing housing for elastic wheel axle 12. Rotation axle of the elastic wheel

13. Handle of the device and mount attached to the device frame

14. Flexible suction tube leading to a professional or home type of a vacuum cleaner.

15. Vibration/Scrubbing Cylinder Dampers 16. Vibration/Scrubbing Cylinder Axle

Device Description

This invention refers to a portable device which aims at dry and effective cleaning of bed sheet, bed covers, carpets, rugs, mattresses and furniture cloth covers, from dust and potentially harmful bugs and micro-organisms which can cause allergies and infections to the human organism. The operation of the said device is based on the combination of powerful micro-vibrations produced by the action of a special cylinder which has sinusoidal waveform patterns on its surface made from bars of triangular or circular cross-section. The device is made from a rigid metal framework (2) which is mounted on the inner top of the device cover (1) which is made from metal or plastic sheet resilient to impact. The vibration/scrubbing cylinder is mounted on the metal framework (2) by two cylindrical dampers (15). The existence of these dampers ensures that no vibrations produced by the vibration/scrubbing cylinder (3) are transferred to the frame (2) and to the rest of the device. Also, the dampers allow small inclinations of the rotating cylinder (3) following possible surface undulations. The rapid rotation of the vibration/scrubbing cylinder (3) is ensured by an electric motor (6) mounted on the frame (2) and supplied by an external mains source by an electric cable (7). The electric motor rotation is then transferred to the vibration/scrubbing cylinder (3) via a pulley (8) mounted on it and an elastic belt (9). The vibration/scrubbing cylinder (3) then rotates around its axle (16) on the surface to be cleaned. The waveform undulations of the vibration/scrubbing cylinder (3) coming in contact with the surface to be cleaned vibrate it rapidly; all solid dirt, dust and micro-organisms attached to it are then ejected from the surface. The dust cloud thus created is contained within the curved device cover (1) and the elastic strip on the from device edge (4). The elastic strip (4) also protects sensitive surfaces of furniture or floors from scratching. The cloud of dust produced by the rapid micro-vibrations is sucked through the duct (5) by a flexible tube (14) leading to a home or professional vacuum cleaner appliance.

Moving of the device on the horizontal level is possible by two elastic wheels (10) which rotate freely around an axle (12) which passes through two cylindrical housings of bearings (11) attached to the device cover. The device operator by acting on its handle (13) mounted on the device framework can move the device around on the floor or other surface.

Device Operation

The device is placed on the surface desired to be cleaned. Prior to operating the device flexible suction tube (14) must be connected to a vacuum cleaner of professional or home kind, or other dust suction device. The device is the connected to mains by the electrical cable (7). Once turned on by an electric switch, the electric motor (6) starts to rotate. The electric motor through the pulley (8) and elastic belt (9) rotates the corresponding pulley (8) mounted on the side of the vibration/scrubbing cylinder (3). In this way, the vibration/scrubbing cylinder (3) rotates also at a high speed, around its axle (16) which is suspended two independent cylindrical dampers (15) allowing also small inclinations, with respect to the horizontal level. The rapid rotation of the vibration/scrubbing cylinder (3) in combination with the special surface undulations has as a result the creation of a dust cloud. This cloud is composed of dust particles, fibers, hair, micro-organisms, and other solid dirt attached to the surfaced cleaned, is contained in the volume created by the curved device cover

(I) and sucked through the vent (5) and driven thru the flexible tube (14) to any home or professional vacuum cleaner appliance. The said device can be moved around by its operator by the handle (13) mounted on the framework (2). To facilitate better movement of the device, the flexible elastic wheels (10) can rotate freely around a metal axle (12) passing thru cylindrical bearing housings

(II) attached to the cover (1). The device has an elastic strip (4) attached to its front cover edge so as to protect any objects it comes to contact with. When the device is used for cleaning of carpets, rugs etc. the cylinder with triangular- shaped surface undulations is used as shown in Figure 2, detail A., whereas on bed mattresses, covers, bed sheet and furniture clothing the cylinder with circular cross-section undulations is used.

Device advantages compared to previous state of the art

The portable device for cleaning of bed mattresses, sheet and cloth covers, rugs etc. exhibits the following advantages compared to the previous state of the art:

a. No cylinders with brushes are used for scrubbing, which are only superficially effective, due to their constant need for removing the fibers attaching to the brushes. b. No aggressive chemical agents such as ozone or cleaning chemicals or disinfection liquids are used, providing safety for its operators and the environment, and significant cost reductions. c. No aggressive radiation (such as ultraviolet) is used in order to neutralize micro-organisms, protecting the operators from harmful radiation and saving the costs of usually expensive ultraviolet lamps. d. It can be adapted to any existing home or professional grade, dry or wet suction device or vacuum cleaner. e. Due to the strong micro-vibrations it produces, on the mattresses and all surfaces applied, all solid dirt is transformed into dust powder and is ejected from the surface and inside layers of the fabrics. f. The said device does not employ superheated or chemical vapor, which can alter the quality of some fabrics, thus maintaining texture, color and quality of the materials cleaned. g. The said device can be alternatively applied on bed sheet, rugs, carpets, cloth and textile covers, just by using the appropriate cylinder (only vibration, or vibration/scrubbing) respectively.