System and method for a debris shield that attaches to a vacuum shroud for tile removal

Abstract

A debris shield for use in conjunction with a vacuum shroud. The vacuum shroud attachment ring is configured to couple to the vacuum shroud and align its openings with the air intake openings of the vacuum shroud. The interior structure of the invention is such that a hook like structure extends from the opening closest to the vacuum shrouds air intake opening and acts to trap and deflect debris forcing it back into the vacuum shroud. Around the hook like structure there is an air passage configured to provide a continuous airway from the opening nearest where the air intake opening of the vacuum shroud is around to the outer edge of the vacuum shroud attachment ring.

Claims

1. A vacuum shroud attachment comprising: an exterior air passageway wall; an interior air passageway wall located beneath the exterior air passageway wall such that an air passageway is formed between the exterior air passageway wall and the interior air passageway wall, the interior air passageway wall comprising; a first vertical portion extending away from a base towards the exterior air passage wall; an arched hook-shaped portion coupled to a first end of the vertical portion and extending toward the base; an air passageway configured to exist between the interior air passageway wall and exterior air passageway wall configured to be in fluid communication between a plurality of air intake openings and a plurality of air exit openings dispersed along the base; a plurality of vertical air passageway walls extending from the base to the exterior air passageway wall configured to divide the air passageway into a plurality of air passageway which are in fluid communication from the air intake openings to the air exit openings.

2. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 1 wherein the exterior air passageway wall further comprises: a vertical portion extending away from the base; a arched portion coupled to a point distal from the base of the vertical portion and extending from a first end of the vertical portion to a horizontal section coupled to a first second end of the arched portion on an opposing side of the vacuum shroud attachment; and a horizontal section extending from the second end of the arched section.

3. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 1 wherein: the vacuum shroud attachment is configured to detachably couple to a vacuum shroud.

4. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 1 wherein: the plurality of vertical air passageway walls is coupled to a plurality of teeth.

5. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 4 wherein: the plurality of teeth is configured to maintain a structure that narrows the air intake openings.

6. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 1 wherein: the vacuum shroud attachment is comprised of at least one of a nylon, plastic, metal, rubber, Styrofoam, wood, ceramic, stone, wax, paper, glass, ice.

7. A vacuum shroud attachment comprising: an exterior air passageway wall; an air passageway configured to exist between beneath the exterior air passageway wall; and a plurality of vertical air passageway walls extending from the base to the exterior air passageway wall configured to divide the air passageway into a plurality of air passageway which are in fluid communication from the air intake openings to the air exit openings.

8. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 7 wherein: the exterior air passageway wall further comprises: a vertical portion extending away from the base; a flat portion that is parallel to the base and coupled to a point of the vertical portion that is distal from the base, the flat portion; a terminal portion affixed at a section of the flat portion most distal to an area it coupled to the vertical portion.

9. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 7 wherein: the vacuum shroud attachment is configured to detachably couple to a vacuum shroud.

10. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 7 wherein: the plurality of vertical air passageway walls is coupled to a plurality of teeth.

11. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 10 wherein: the plurality of teeth is configured to maintain a structure that narrows the air intake openings.

12. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 7 wherein: the vacuum shroud attachment is comprised of at least one of a nylon, plastic, metal, rubber, Styrofoam, wood, ceramic, stone, wax, paper, glass, ice.

13. A vacuum shroud attachment comprising: an exterior air passageway wall; an interior air passageway wall located beneath the exterior air passageway wall such that an air passageway is formed between the exterior air passageway wall and the interior air passageway wall, the interior air passageway wall comprising; a first vertical portion extending away from a base towards the exterior air passage wall; an air passageway configured to exist between the interior air passageway wall and exterior air passageway wall configured to be in fluid communication between a plurality of air intake openings and a plurality of air exit openings dispersed along the base; a plurality of vertical air passageway walls extending from the base to the exterior air passageway wall configured to divide the air passageway into a plurality of air passageway which are in fluid communication from the air intake openings to the air exit openings.

14. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 7 wherein: the exterior air passageway wall further comprises: a vertical portion extending away from the base; a quarter circular portion that starts parallel to the base and coupled to a point of the vertical portion that is distal from the base, the quarter circular portion bending around towards the base and around the interior air passageway wall; a terminal portion coupled at a section of the quarter circular portion most distal to an area it coupled to the vertical portion.

15. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 13 wherein: the vacuum shroud attachment is configured to detachably couple to a vacuum shroud.

16. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 13 wherein: the plurality of vertical air passageway walls is coupled to a plurality of teeth.

17. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 15 wherein: the plurality of teeth is configured to maintain a structure that narrows the air intake openings.

18. The vacuum shroud attachment of claim 13 wherein: the vacuum shroud attachment is comprised of at least one of a nylon, plastic, metal, rubber, Styrofoam, wood, ceramic, stone, wax, paper, glass, ice.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] A more complete understanding of the present invention may be derived by referring to the detailed description when considered in connection with the following illustrative figures. In the figures, like reference numbers refer to like elements or acts throughout the figures.

[0035] FIGS. 1-2 depict an isometric view of an embodiment of a vacuum shroud attachment coupled to a vacuum shroud

[0036] FIGS. 3-4 depict a side view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment coupled to a vacuum shroud.

[0037] FIG. 5 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment with screws corresponding to holes on the vacuum shroud for coupling to the vacuum shroud.

[0038] FIGS. 6-7 depict an exploded front view with screws shown hovering over holes for coupling an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment to the vacuum shroud.

[0039] FIG. 8 depicts a cutaway view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment shown coupled to the vacuum shroud. Internal structure is visible.

[0040] FIG. 9 depicts a front sectional view of the internal structure of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment.

[0041] FIG. 10 depicts a cutaway view of a segment of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment.

[0042] FIG. 11 depicts an isometric cutaway view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment.

[0043] FIG. 12 depicts an isometric view from the top of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment not coupled to anything.

[0044] FIG. 13 depicts an isometric view from the bottom of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment not coupled to anything.

[0045] FIG. 14 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment from the top.

[0046] FIG. 15 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment from the bottom.

[0047] FIG. 16 depicts a top down exploded view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment.

[0048] FIG. 17 depicts a bottom up exploded view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment.

[0049] Elements and acts in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and have not necessarily been rendered according to any particular sequence or embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0050] In the following description, and for the purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the various aspects of the invention. It will be understood, however, by those skilled in the relevant arts, that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, known structures and devices are shown or discussed more generally in order to avoid obscuring the invention. In many cases, a description of the operation is sufficient to enable one to implement the various forms of the invention, particularly when the operation is to be implemented in software. It should be noted that there are many different and alternative configurations, devices and technologies to which the disclosed inventions may be applied. The full scope of the inventions is not limited to the examples that are described below.

[0051] The invention's embodiments usually include an exterior air passageway wall. The exterior air passageway wall in most embodiments comprises a vertical portion extending away from a base, this vertical portion may be angled from the base and does not need to extend perpendicularly from the base, although it may if necessary. This vertical portion in most embodiments will couple to another piece which may be arched, tented, triangular, flat, circular, or any shape that leaves space for the presence of a potential structure between the point of the vertical portion most distant from the base and the base itself. This other piece will then in some embodiments have a terminal piece on the side most distant to the point at which it couples to the vertical portion.

[0052] Underneath the exterior air passageway wall and in some embodiments, there may exist an interior air passageway wall. In some embodiments this may simply exist solely of a vertical portion extending from the base. In other embodiments this vertical portion may be coupled to an arched hook like portion, wherein the arched hook like portion is above an air exit opening which itself is nestled between the vertical portions of the exterior and interior air passageway walls. The arched hook like portion need not follow any particular curve, yet may be tented, triangular, flat to name a few nonlimiting structures. The arched hook like portion will extend towards the exterior air passageway walls vertical portion and it will extend towards the base. It will however not block an air passageway which is formed between the interior and exterior air passageway wall and configured to be in fluid communication between a series of air intake openings, located on the side opposite of the vertical portion of the exterior air passageway wall, and an air exit openings, located along the base between the vertical portions of the interior air passageway wall and exterior air passageway wall.

[0053] In other embodiments, the interior air passageway wall may simply not exist. However the air intake openings still will remain in fluid connection to the air exit openings.

[0054] Additionally, there are a plurality of vertical air passageway walls configured to divide the air passageway into a plurality of air passageways. These vertical air passageway walls are configured to extend from the base to the exterior air passageway walls. Where the vertical air passageway walls intersect with the air intake openings they are coupled to a plurality of teeth. These teeth are configured to narrow the air intake openings and may take one of many forms. For example, the teeth may be diamond shaped, square shaped, rectangular, circular, oval, to name a nonlimiting few.

[0055] The device may be operated in environments comprised of gases, liquids, or plasmas and the substances may flow in either direction through the air passageway. Though in most embodiments a gas will be drawn through the air intake openings and exit through the air exit openings.

[0056] It is an objective of the invention to deflect debris and through the use of environmental factors return the debris to the vacuum shroud the vacuum shroud attachment is coupled to.

[0057] In some embodiments the air intake openings will be dispersed around the outer perimeter of the device and in other embodiments the air intake openings may be dispersed around the interior perimeter of the device.

[0058] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 depict an isometric view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 coupled to a vacuum shroud. As shown, in this embodiment, the exterior air passage wall 110 surrounds the outside of the vacuum shroud attachment 100. In this embodiment, a plurality of air intake openings 120 are located around the outside of the vacuum shroud attachment 100.

[0059] FIG. 3 & FIG. 4 depict a side view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 coupled to a vacuum shroud. Like FIG. 1, the exterior air passageway wall 110 and a plurality of air intake openings 120 are visible.

[0060] FIG. 5 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 hovering above a vacuum shroud. A plurality of air intake openings 120 is dispersed around the edge of the device and keeps in fluid communication through the air passageway 510 connected to a plurality of air exit openings 520. In this embodiment there are a plurality of securing openings 530 and screws 540 configured to couple to a vacuum shroud. In other embodiments the vacuum shroud attachment 100, may be coupled to the vacuum shroud by way of pin, clip, hook and loop fastener, screw, or magnet to name a few methods by which it may be coupled.

[0061] FIG. 6 depicts a side view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 positioned above a vacuum shroud. A plurality of air intake openings are present 120 as is the exterior air passageway wall 110 and a plurality of securing openings 530, in addition to a plurality of screws 540 which may be used in some embodiments to couple the vacuum shroud attachment 100 to the vacuum shroud. In some embodiments, the vacuum shroud attachment 100 may be coupled by other methods or devices than the screws 540.

[0062] FIG. 7 depicts an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 where the vacuum shroud attachment 100 is configured to couple to the vacuum shroud via a series of securing openings 530 which in this case are secured using screws 540. Although in other embodiments, the vacuum shroud attachment 100 may be coupled to the vacuum shroud by other methods such as clips, hook and loop fastener, pins, by being threaded on to a track, to name a few.

[0063] FIG. 8 depicts a cutaway view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 coupled to a vacuum shroud. On one side of the embodiment the standard vacuum shroud attachment 100 with the exterior air passageway wall 110 and the interior air passageway wall 500 form an air passageway 510 between the air intake openings 120 and the air exit openings 520. On the other side of the embodiment there is a version of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 which has been offset by the vacuum tube of the vacuum shroud and as such has an alternative structure. The structure still retains an exterior air passageway wall 110 and an interior air passageway wall 500. Additionally, the air passageway 510 remains in fluid communication between the air intake openings 120 and the air exit openings 520. However in this embodiment, the two form a structure which directs the air passageway 510 vertically up and then slopes down towards the air intake openings 120 wherein the interior air passageway wall is comprised of only a vertical portion which may in some embodiments slope towards the air intake openings or in other embodiments simply be a vertical piece with no slope.

[0064] FIG. 9 depicts a cross section of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 coupled to a vacuum shroud. This figure shows an embodiment of the internal structure of the vacuum shroud attachment 100. In this figure, there is the exterior air passageway wall 110 comprising on the inner side of the vacuum shroud attachment 100, a vertical portion of the exterior passageway wall 900. On one end of the vertical portion of the exterior passageway wall 900 there is an arched hook like portion of the exterior passageway wall 910 that connects via the first end of the vertical portion of the exterior air passageway wall 904 to the second end of arched portion of exterior air passageway wall 912. Though in other embodiments, this arched structure need not be arched, it may instead be any shape, square, spiked, tented, etc., so long as the air passageway 510 is present. In this embodiment, the arched portion of the exterior passageway wall 910 leads into a horizontal portion of the exterior air passageway wall 920 by coupling at the first end of the arched portion of the exterior air passageway wall 914 to the second end of the terminal portion 922, which ends with the first end of the terminal portion 924. In this embodiment, inside the device exists an interior air passageway wall 500. The interior air passageway wall 500 in this embodiment is comprised of a first vertical portion of the interior air passageway wall 930 which progresses to an arched hook like portion of the interior air passageway wall 940, they connect at the first end of the vertical portion of the internal air passageway wall 942. The arched hook like portion 940, curves back towards the base and attaches to a terminal portion of the internal air passageway wall 950 through the second end of the arched hook like portion 944 and this terminal portion ends at a first end of the terminal portion 954. The arched hook like portion of the interior air passageway wall 940 in this embodiment acts to catch debris coming through the air exit openings 520 and allow a combination of gravity and the flow of air to return the debris to the vacuum shroud. Though in other embodiments, the air may enter either side and emerge from either opening. The interior air passageway wall 500 and the exterior air passageway wall 110 form an air passageway 510 that allows air to flow into the coupled shroud. Additionally in this embodiment, the air passageway 510 is intersected by a plurality of vertical air passageway walls 140 that separate the air passageway 510 into a plurality of air passageways 510 around the device.

[0065] FIG. 10 depicts an alternative embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment's 100 inner structure. Here the exterior air passageway wall substantially forms a semi circle above the interior air passageway wall 500 and the interior air passageway wall comprises a substantially vertical portion. The air passageway 510 is still in fluid communication between the air intake openings 120 and the air exit openings 520.

[0066] FIG. 11 depicts an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 as seen from an isometric cutaway view. Here, extending from the base is the first vertical portion of the exterior air passageway wall 900 which is then affixed to an arched portion of the exterior air passageway wall 910 and ends in a horizontal portion of the exterior air passageway wall 920. In other embodiments, the exterior air passageway wall can be higher or lower and may take other shapes so long as an air passageway 510 is formed. The air passageway 510 is formed inside the vacuum shroud attachment 100 and keeps the air intake openings 120 in fluid connection with the air exit openings 520. Inside the structure can be seen the interior air passageway wall 500. The interior air passageway wall 500 is formed of a first vertical portion of the interior air passageway wall 930, which extends away from the base underneath the exterior air passageway wall 110. The first vertical portion of the interior air passageway wall 930 in some embodiments may be on its own however it is shown here with an arched hook like portion of the interior air passageway wall 940 which curves under the exterior air passageway wall 110 and terminates with a terminal vertical portion of the interior air passageway wall 950 that extends towards the base. In other embodiments the structure of the arched portion of the interior air passageway wall 940 may be higher or lower, flatter or sharper and may take on other forms, so long as the air intake openings 120 remain in fluid connection with the air exit openings 520.

[0067] FIG. 12 depicts an isometric view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100. Here it is unattached to a vacuum shroud. Again, the exterior passageway wall 110 and a plurality of air intake openings 120 are present.

[0068] FIG. 13 depicts an isometric view of the bottom of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100. Here the base 130 is present and need not be flat, in other embodiments it may be grooved, curved, cut away at points or shaped unevenly to name a few nonlimiting configurations. Additionally, a plurality of air intake openings 120 in fluid connection to the air exit openings 520 are present. Flanking the air intake openings can be seen a plurality of teeth 150. The teeth 150 serve to ensure that any debris that finds itself in the air passageway does not make it outside the vacuum shroud attachment 100. The teeth 150 do not need to be square or rectangular and can take a plurality of other shapes, to name a nonlimiting few options, the teeth 150 may be oval, round, triangular, and so on. It can also be shown that there is a plurality of vertical air passageway walls 140 that section the air passageway off into segments. The walls allow the debris to bounce around and end up back in the device the vacuum shroud attachment 100 is coupled to. Additionally, an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 can be seen here, wherein there is a component that lacks an interior air passageway wall 500 and wherein the exterior air passageway wall is comprised of a flat portion.

[0069] FIG. 14 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 from above.

[0070] FIG. 15 depicts an exploded view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100 from below. Additionally, the base 130 which in most embodiments is flat however, may in some instances be of a different shape in order to accommodate coupling it to a shroud. i.e. it may be slanted, ridged, periodically cut away, to name a few nonlimiting options, is present.

[0071] FIG. 16 depicts a top down view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100.

[0072] FIG. 17 depicts a bottom up view of an embodiment of the vacuum shroud attachment 100. A plurality of teeth 150 ring the air intake openings 120 and then there are vertical air passageway walls 140 which extend from the teeth 150 to the exterior air passageway wall dividing the air passageway into segments.

[0073] In some embodiments, the entire structure may have no interior air passageway wall whereas in other embodiments the entire structure may be comprised solely of a structure where the interior air passage wall has only the vertical segment or maybe it can also have the hook like structure affixed to the vertical segment. In yet other embodiments, the vacuum shroud attachment 100 may have any combination of these segments.

[0074] The vacuum shroud attachment in its many embodiments need not all operate solely with air. In other embodiments, the vacuum shroud may be used with liquids, gases, or plasmas.

[0075] Depending on the embodiment, there are a plurality of ways to couple or affix the vacuum shroud attachment to other structures such as a vacuum shroud to name a nonlimiting few. The vacuum shroud attachment may be coupled through methods such as clamps, hook and loop fastener, screws, clips, adhesive, being slid onto a track or thread, to name a few nonlimiting options.

[0076] In places where the description above refers to particular implementations of a vacuum shroud attachment, it should be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and that these implementations may be applied to other vacuum shroud attachments.