Squeegee Attachment Assembly And Vacuum Accessory Including Same

Abstract

A vacuum accessory includes a nozzle body and a squeegee attachment assembly. The squeegee attachment assembly includes a housing selectively connectable to the nozzle body and defining a suction inlet and a squeegee assembly rotatably connected to the housing such that the squeegee assembly is rotatable relative to the suction inlet. The squeegee assembly is at least partially disposed within the suction inlet and rotatable between a forward position, in which the squeegee assembly occludes a forward side of the suction inlet, and a rearward position, in which the squeegee assembly occludes a rearward side of the suction inlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum accessory comprising:
 a nozzle body defining a cavity and a vacuum inlet port selectively connectable to a vacuum conduit; and   a squeegee attachment assembly removably connected to the nozzle body, the squeegee attachment assembly comprising:
 a housing selectively connectable to the nozzle body, wherein the housing defines a suction inlet; and 
 a squeegee assembly rotatably connected to the housing such that the squeegee assembly is rotatable relative to the suction inlet, wherein the squeegee assembly is at least partially disposed within the suction inlet, wherein the squeegee assembly is rotatable between a forward position, in which the squeegee assembly occludes a forward side of the suction inlet, and a rearward position, in which the squeegee assembly occludes a rearward side of the suction inlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a lower surface defining a plurality of channels oriented perpendicular to the suction inlet. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee assembly is rotatable from a neutral position to the forward position and from the neutral position to the rearward position, wherein the forward position and the rearward position are approximately equal degrees of rotation from the neutral position. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 3 , wherein the forward position and the rearward position are at least 10 degrees of rotation from the neutral position. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the squeegee assembly comprises:
 a holder assembly including a first holder bracket and a second holder bracket rotatably connected to the first holder bracket, wherein the first and second holder brackets are rotatable between an open position and a closed position in which the holder assembly defines a holder pocket; and   a squeegee blade including a blade portion and a base portion, wherein the base portion is sized and shaped to be received within the holder pocket and the blade portion extends outside of the holder pocket.   
     
     
         6 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 5 , wherein one of the first holder bracket and the second holder bracket includes a keyed opening and the other of the first holder bracket and the second holder bracket includes a keyed clip sized and shaped to be received within the keyed opening, wherein the keyed clip is disposed within the keyed opening to selectively connect the first holder bracket to the second holder bracket. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 5 , wherein the first holder bracket defines a first alignment feature and the second holder bracket defines a second alignment feature, wherein the first and second alignment features are in contact with one another when the first holder bracket and the second holder bracket are in the closed position. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 5 , wherein the holder assembly contacts a front side of the suction inlet when the holder assembly is rotated in the forward position, thereby restricting further forward rotation, and wherein the holder assembly contacts a rear side of the suction inlet when the holder assembly is rotated in the rearward position, thereby restricting further rearward rotation. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a clip positioned over the suction inlet and defining a clip pocket, wherein at least a portion of the squeegee assembly is disposed within the clip pocket, and wherein the squeegee assembly is rotatable within the clip pocket between the forward and rearward positions. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum accessory of  claim 9 , wherein the housing includes a plurality of clips disposed at different locations along a length of the suction inlet. 
     
     
         11 . A squeegee attachment assembly for use with a vacuum accessory, the squeegee attachment assembly comprising:
 a housing defining a suction inlet, the housing including at least one connector to selectively connect the squeegee attachment assembly to a nozzle body; and   a squeegee assembly rotatably connected to the housing such that the squeegee assembly is rotatable relative to the suction inlet, wherein the squeegee assembly is at least partially disposed within the suction inlet, wherein the squeegee assembly is rotatable between a forward position, in which the squeegee assembly occludes a forward side of the suction inlet, and a rearward position, in which the squeegee assembly occludes a rearward side of the suction inlet.   
     
     
         12 . The squeegee attachment assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes a lower surface defining a plurality of channels oriented perpendicular to the suction inlet. 
     
     
         13 . The squeegee attachment assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the squeegee assembly is rotatable from a neutral position to the forward position and from the neutral position to the rearward position, wherein the forward position and the rearward position are approximately equal degrees of rotation from the neutral position. 
     
     
         14 . The squeegee attachment assembly according to  claim 13 , wherein the forward position and the rearward position are at least 10 degrees of rotation from the neutral position. 
     
     
         15 . The squeegee attachment assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the squeegee assembly comprises:
 a holder assembly including a first holder bracket and a second holder bracket rotatably connected to the first holder bracket, wherein the first and second holder brackets are rotatable between an open position and a closed position in which the holder assembly defines a holder pocket; and   a squeegee blade including a blade portion and a base portion, wherein the base portion is sized and shaped to be received within the holder pocket and the blade portion extends outside of the holder pocket.   
     
     
         16 . The squeegee attachment assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein one of the first holder bracket and the second holder bracket includes a keyed opening and the other of the first holder bracket and the second holder bracket includes a keyed clip sized and shaped to be received within the keyed opening, wherein the keyed clip is disposed within the keyed opening to selectively connect the first holder bracket to the second holder bracket. 
     
     
         17 . The squeegee attachment assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the first holder bracket defines a first alignment feature, and the second holder bracket defines a second alignment feature, wherein the first and second alignment features are in contact with one another when the first holder bracket and the second holder bracket are in the closed position. 
     
     
         18 . The squeegee attachment assembly according to  claim 15 , wherein the holder assembly contacts a front side of the suction inlet when the holder assembly is rotated in the forward position, thereby restricting further forward rotation, and wherein the holder assembly contacts a rear side of the suction inlet when the holder assembly is rotated in the rearward position, thereby restricting further rearward rotation. 
     
     
         19 . The squeegee attachment assembly according to  claim 11 , wherein the housing includes a clip positioned over the suction inlet and defining a clip pocket, wherein at least a portion of the squeegee assembly is disposed within the clip pocket, and wherein the squeegee assembly is rotatable within the clip pocket between the forward and rearward positions. 
     
     
         20 . A method of assembling a vacuum accessory including a nozzle body and a squeegee attachment assembly, the squeegee attachment assembly including a squeegee assembly and a housing defining a suction inlet, the method comprising:
 positioning a base portion of a squeegee blade in a holder pocket defined by one of a first holder bracket and a second holder bracket of a holder assembly;   connecting the first holder bracket to the second holder bracket to retain the base portion within the holder assembly;   rotatably connecting the holder assembly to a clip of the housing such that the squeegee assembly is at least partially disposed within the suction inlet and rotatable relative to the suction inlet between a forward position, in which the squeegee assembly occludes a front side of the suction inlet, and a rearward position, in which the squeegee assembly occludes a rear side of the suction inlet; and   connecting the squeegee assembly to the nozzle body.