Vacuum assist scraper tool

1. A vacuum-assist scraper tool having a head in which a scraper blade is mounted, the head having a cavity defined between front and back walls, the front and back walls converging curvedly to an intake slot opening, a hollow tubular grip portion extending proximally from the head, and a vacuum hose-accepting tubular connector extending proximally from said tubular grip portion; and said scraper tool having a plurality of blade mounting positions for attaching a scraper blade, including one or both of a first mounting position within said intake slot opening at a back surface of said front wall and a second mounting position at a rear surface of said rear wall, wherein said tool is formed of upper and lower molded halves that fit onto one another at a partition, and including a snap-together connection that includes a first portion formed on said upper half and a mating second portion formed on a mating location on the lower half; such that when assembled the first portion and second portion snap securely one into the other.

2. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 1 , in which the tubular connector is angled downward relative to an axis of said tubular grip portion.

3. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 1 , wherein the front wall of said head curves within said cavity in a continuous arc to said slot opening.

4. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 3 wherein said front and back wall at said head each curve in a continuous arc and converge towards said slot opening.

5. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 1 wherein said partition includes a left parting line and a right parting line each extending along a respective side of the tool and defining a juncture of said upper and lower molded halves.

6. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 5 wherein a pair of longitudinal slots are formed in the lower molded half of said tool adjacent a proximal end of the tubular connector, and corresponding cleats are molded on opposite sides of the lower molded half at or near the proximal end of the tubular connector, such that the cleats are adapted to snap into the longitudinal slots, respectively, when the upper half is mounted on said lower half.

7. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 1 wherein each of said plurality of blade mounting positions on said tool has a pair of standard screw openings therein configured for mounting a standard flat scraper blade.

8. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 1 comprising left and right ergonomic protuberances that extend laterally outward approximately from the junction of the grip portion with the tubular connector.

9. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 1 wherein the front wall of said head has a plurality of longitudinal parallel ribs formed on the interior of the head adapted for directing the flow of air within said head portion and avoiding turbulence in the air intake through said mouth.

10. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 9 wherein said ribs extend partway from the front wall of said head towards the back wall of said head and are spaced from said back wall.

11. A vacuum-assist scraper tool having a head in which a scraper blade is mounted, the head having a cavity defined between front and back walls, the front and back walls converging in a continuous curved path to an intake slot opening, a hollow tubular grip portion extending proximally from the head, and a vacuum hose-accepting tubular connector extending proximally from said tubular grip portion; and said scraper tool having a plurality of blade mounting positions for attaching a scraper blade, including a first mounting position within said intake slot opening at a back surface of said front wall and a second mounting position at a rear surface of said rear wall, such that said scraper blade is held against the back surface of the front wall when in said first mounting position and is held against the back surface of the back wall when in said second mounting position; wherein each of said plurality of blade mounting positions on said tool has a pair of standard screw openings therein configured for mounting a standard flat scraper blade; and further comprising a bent scraper blade having a scraping edge on a lower portion, a bend, and an upper portion across said bend, and with a pair of mounting apertures on said upper portion permitting said bent scraper blade adapted to be mounted on the second mounting position of said plurality of positions, such that said lower portion extends at least partway across said slot in a proximal-distal direction.

12. A vacuum-assist scraper tool having a head in which a scraper blade is mounted, the head having a cavity defined between front and back walls, the front and back walls converging in a continuous curved path to an intake slot opening, a hollow tubular grip portion extending proximally from the head, and a vacuum hose-accepting tubular connector extending proximally from said tubular grip portion; and said scraper tool having a plurality of blade mounting positions for attaching a scraper blade, including a first mounting position within said intake slot opening at a back surface of said front wall and a second mounting position at a rear surface of said rear wall, such that said scraper blade is held against the back surface of the front wall when in said first mounting position and is held against the back surface of the back wall when in said second mounting position, wherein each of said plurality of blade mounting positions on said tool has a pair of standard screw openings therein configured for mounting a standard flat scraper blade, and wherein said front mounting position includes a pair of blade-support slots on left and right sides of said head, each extending to said intake slot, and defining an open area therebetween for accessing said screw openings of the front mounting position, and which support left and right portions of the blade when the same is mounted in the front mounting position.

13. A vacuum-assist scraper tool having a head in which a scraper blade is mounted, the head having a cavity defined between front and back walls, the front and back walls converging in a continuous curved path to an intake slot opening, a hollow tubular grip portion extending proximally from the head, and a vacuum hose-accepting tubular connector extending proximally from said tubular grip portion; and said scraper tool having a plurality of blade mounting positions for attaching a scraper blade, including a first mounting position within said intake slot opening at a back surface of said front wall and a second mounting position at a rear surface of said rear wall, such that said scraper blade is held against the back surface of the front wall when in said first mounting position and is held against the back surface of the back wall when in said second mounting position; the tubular connector further comprising a tab portion extending proximally from a proximal end of the tubular connector and following the curves of inner and outer surfaces of the tubular connector; said tab portion having a tool-hanging hole therein.

14. The vacuum-assist scraper tool of claim 13 wherein said tubular connector has outer and inner walls adapted to receive a female vacuum hose fitting and a male vacuum hose fitting, respectively.