A method of cleaning a surface includes positioning a brush in contact with the surface. The method further includes rotating the brush about a second axis relative to a drum. The method also includes rotating the drum about a first axis relative to a bracket, connected to a handle and rotatably supporting the drum, such that the brush orbitally revolves about the first axis. The first axis is parallel to the second axis.

A vacuum cleaner assembly configured to be mounted in a vehicle. The vacuum cleaner assembly includes a mounting plate having a vacuum cleaner area, one or more of the tool storage area or a hose storage area, and an accessory storage area. The vacuum cleaner area has an open-ended compartment and a pair of walls disposed adjacent to the open-ended compartment. A vacuum cleaner is disposed in the vacuum cleaner area and includes a collector module and a vacuum module coupled to the collector module. The vacuum module is secured to the vacuum storage area by one or more of the open-ended compartment and the pair of walls disposed adjacent to the open-ended compartment. So constructed, the mounting plate is configured to provide a single piece mounting body for the vacuum cleaner, one or more of the hose and a vacuum cleaner tool, and an accessory package.

A pre-filter for a filter system includes a frame having air flow openings having a height and an top portion having a width and a depth. The pre-filter includes a filter panel having a width less than or equal to the width of the top portion and a depth less than or equal to the depth of the top portion at least during insertion of the filter panel into the frame, and height equal to or greater than the height of the air flow openings. A filter system using the pre-filter includes a tank, an air intake aperture, an air exhaust aperture, and a cartridge filter. Another filter system has a relatively large air intake aperture that permits easy debris dumping. A vacuum cleaning system using the filter system includes a support structure connected to the filter system by a release lever.

The disclosed vacuum cleaner system for an automobile fits in a cavity in the vehicle and has a tank that can be removed in a lateral direction without tools and without detaching the vacuum hose. A circuit board that carries an electronic controller is positioned alongside the motor and extends generally parallel to both the axis of the motor and the lateral direction in which the tank is removed. Cooling air is drawn though a cooling air inlet on the cabin wall to the circuit board, and then one side of the motor, through the center of the motor, to the cooling fan. From there, it is blown into a cavity where it joins exhausted working air from the vacuum and is exhausted from the vehicle through an air release opening that leads to the exterior of the vehicle.

An integrated automobile vacuum system for cleaning a vehicle includes a vacuum motor with an intake side and an exhaust side. A power unit is coupled to the vacuum motor and provides power. An intake pipe is coupled to the intake aperture. A mounting plate is coupled to the intake pipe and is configured to attach to an interior wall of the vehicle. The mounting plate has a hose aperture extending through the interior wall and coupled to the intake pipe. A vacuum hose is selectively engageable with the hose aperture of the mounting plate. An exhaust hose has a motor end coupled to the exhaust aperture and a collection end coupled to a collection unit. The collection unit is configured to collect debris sucked through the vacuum motor.

A vacuum cleaner assembly configured to be mounted in a vehicle. The vacuum cleaner assembly including a vacuum unit configured to draw a vacuum, a canister assembly configured to collect debris and coupled to the vacuum unit, a hose junction configured to serve as a pathway for debris, and a chassis connecting the hose junction to the canister assembly. A pathway through the vacuum cleaner assembly may turn 180 degrees in the hose junction. A dirty air port of the canister assembly may be disposed at an angle relative to a surface of the chassis to facilitate placement and removal of the canister assembly.

An apparatus (100), for cleaning a surface (102), comprises a handle (126) and a bracket (104), connected to the handle (126). The apparatus (100) further comprises a drum (108), rotatably coupled to the bracket (104) and rotatable about a first axis (110) relative to the bracket (104), a drum motor (130), mounted to the handle (126), and a drum power-transmitting component (132), rotationally coupling the drum motor (130) and the drum (108). The apparatus (100) also comprises a brush motor (114), mounted to the drum (108), and a brush (112), rotatable by the brush motor (114) relative to the drum (108) about a second axis (116), which is parallel to the first axis (110).

A vacuum cleaner assembly configured to be mounted in a vehicle. The vacuum cleaner assembly includes a vacuum module and a collector module configured to collect debris and operatively coupled to the vacuum module. The collector module includes a canister assembly with an intake port, an output port, and a flapper valve coupled to the intake port. An elbow assembly couples the vacuum module to the collector module and includes an intake end attached to the output port of the canister assembly. The intake end has a foam section disposed on a grill insert. Upon removal of the canister assembly from the collector module, the flapper valve moves to a closed position over the intake port of the canister assembly to keep debris contained in the canister assembly, and the grill insert and the foam section remain in place in the intake end of the elbow assembly.

An electric vehicle with a cleaning device includes a electric motor, a cleaning device connected with a pipe installed in a vehicle cabin, a first clutch that connects and disconnects the electric motor with an axle of wheels of the vehicle, a second clutch that connects and disconnects the electric motor with the cleaning device, a control unit that controls one of the first clutch and the second clutch to selectively connect one of the cleaning device and the axle with the electric motor and activate the cleaning device.

Disclosed are exhaust heat recirculation systems for vehicle wash vacuums, methods for making/using such vacuum exhaust heat recirculation systems, and vehicle wash facilities with a central vacuum system having exhaust recirculation capabilities. A vehicle wash facility includes multiple vehicle stalls, and a vacuum system for removing debris from vehicles at the vehicle stalls. The vacuum system includes vacuum hoses mounted at the vehicle stalls, a central power unit that generates vacuum pressure for operating the hoses, and feeders for connecting the hoses to an inlet manifold of the central power unit. An exhaust heat recirculation system is operatively connected to and evacuates exhaust gases from the central power unit. The vacuum system may include a continuous-belt heater unit that receives the evacuated exhaust gases and repurposes the gas for drying towels, mitter cloth strips, brushes, etc.