Vacuum cleaner with cyclonic separating dirt cup and dirt cup door
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner. In one embodiment, a hand-held vacuum cleaner includes a housing having a first end and a second end, a suction nozzle located at the first end of the housing, and a suction fan and motor assembly located in the housing. A brushroll may be disposed within the suction nozzle. The hand-held vacuum cleaner further includes a dirt cup including an inlet, an outlet, a cyclonic flow chamber, a filter assembly, and a dirt cup door. The dirt cup is rotatably detachable from the housing. At least one nub cooperates with the at least one slot in the dirt cup to rotatably secure the dirt cup to the second end of the housing. In addition, the filter assembly includes at twist on filter cartridge.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 29/221,441, filed on Jan. 14, 2005, and Ser. No. 29/221,442, filed on Jan. 14, 2005, and Ser. No. 29/237,958, filed on Sep. 8, 2005.
BACKGROUNDThe present invention relates to the field of vacuum cleaners. It finds particular application in conjunction with vacuum cleaners which employ cyclonic separation.
Vacuum cleaners have become extremely popular for cleaning a variety of surfaces in homes, offices, cars or the like. One well known type of vacuum cleaner is a portable hand-held unit. Such units are utilized typically for small clean-up jobs or for cleaning in hard-to-reach places. These portable vacuum cleaner units are relatively light-weight and have a handle in order to enable a user to readily employ them in places where canister, upright, or shop-type vacuum cleaners cannot be used or are inconvenient to use.
However, the above mentioned hand-held vacuum cleaners suffer a number of disadvantages. One disadvantage is that the filter elements are often small and tend to clog with debris relatively quickly. This disadvantage arises as a result of the compact nature of these hand-held vacuum cleaners. As the filter collects debris the air flow through the hand-held vacuum cleaner is reduced. Thus, the overall vacuum and pickup efficiency of the cleaner is reduced as well.
Another disadvantage with prior hand-held vacuum cleaners is that they do not provide a convenient method of emptying the dirt which accumulates in the dirt cup of the cleaner. These units require the operator to shut-off the device and physically remove the dirt cup in order to empty the collected debris.
Accordingly, it is desirable to develop a new and improved vacuum cleaner which would overcome the foregoing deficiencies and others while meeting the above stated needs and providing better and more advantageous results.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one aspect of the present invention, a hand-held vacuum cleaner includes a housing having a first end and a second end, a suction nozzle located adjacent the first end of the housing, a suction fan and motor assembly located in the housing, and a dirt cup detachably mounted adjacent the second end of the housing. The dirt cup includes an inlet in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, an outlet in fluid communication with the suction fan and motor assembly, and a dirt cup door located on one end of the dirt cup.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a vacuum cleaner includes a housing having at least one nub disposed about an outer circumference of the housing, a suction nozzle located adjacent a first end of the housing, a suction fan and motor assembly located in the housing, and a dirt cup including a first end and a second end. The dirt cup includes an inlet in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and an outlet in fluid communication with the suction fan and motor assembly. The dirt cup further includes at least one slot disposed about an inner circumference of the first end of the dirt cup, wherein the at least one nub of the housing cooperates with the at least one slot to rotatably secure the dirt cup to the housing. The vacuum cleaner further includes a filter assembly mounted to at least one of the dirt cup and the housing.
According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a vacuum cleaner includes a housing having a first end and a second end, a suction nozzle located adjacent the first end of the housing, a suction fan and motor assembly located in the housing, a dirt cup rotatably mounted to the housing, and a filter support including a segmented flange. The segmented flange includes at least one notch and at least one detent adjacent to the at least one notch. The filter support plate is disposed upstream from said suction fan and motor assembly. The vacuum cleaner further includes a filter which includes at least one tab disposed on the filter. The at least one tab includes a ridge. The at least one tab and the ridge cooperate with the at least one notch and the at least one detent to rotatably mount the filter to the filter support.
Other benefits and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those of average skill in the art upon a reading of the following detailed specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSThe invention may take form in certain structures and components, several embodiments of which will be described in detail in this specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:
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When the filter assembly 128 is inserted into the dirt cup 116, the volumetric space between the filter support plate 142 and the dirt cup door 134 defines a cyclonic flow chamber. It should be noted that the dirty air outlet 132 (
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The handle 152c may be used to grip the filter cartridge 144 so as to facilitate the installation and removal of the filter cartridge 144 without damaging the filter medium 154. The filter medium 154 may be formed from a pleated filter material such as paper or a filter mesh material using fiberglass, nylon, plastic, or other various synthetic or organic materials. Assembly of the filter cartridge 144 may be accomplished by adhering, molding, or crimping the filter cap 156 to a first end of the filter medium 154 and by similarly attaching the base 152 to a second end of the filter medium 154.
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During operation of the hand-held vacuum cleaner 100, dirty air is drawn into the dirt cup wherein the dirty air undergoes a cyclonic dirt separation as described previously. As more and more debris collects in the dirt cup, the air flow through the vacuum cleaner 100 is reduced. This results in a lower amount of suction being produced at the suction nozzle. In order to restore the air flow to its original level, the user of the hand-held vacuum cleaner 100 will need to empty the dirt cup. Emptying the dirt cup may be accomplished in a number of ways. One way of emptying the dirt cup is by simply removing the dirt cup from the housing. This is accomplished by rotating the dirt cup in a clockwise direction (as viewed from the front of the hand-held vacuum cleaner 100) and pulling outward until the nubs 120 disengage the slots 122 (
Another technique for emptying the dirt cup involves using the dirt cup door. In this case, the dirt cup need not be removed from the housing. Nor does this require the filter assembly to be removed from the dirt cup. In fact, the hand-held vacuum cleaner 100 need only be tilted in a vertical orientation with the dirt cup door pointing in a downward direction while the user depresses the latch. Depressing the latch releases the catch and allows the dirt cup door to swing open. Agitating or lightly tapping the dirt cup will aid in dislodging dirt and debris within the dirt cup, allowing such dirt and debris to drop through the dirt cup door opening and into an appropriate trash receptacle. As before, the user may elect to clean or change out the filter cartridge after removing the dirt cup. In fact, it should be appreciated, that the filter cartridge could be removed from the dirt cup (without first removing the dirt cup from the housing) by reaching through the dirt cup door opening and disengaging the filter cartridge from the filter support plate. However, as illustrated, the present filter cartridge is too large to pass entirely through the dirt cup door opening. Nevertheless, it can be contemplated that either the present filter cartridge can be reduced in size to accommodate the dirt cup door opening or the dirt cup door opening could be enlarged to accommodate the filter cartridge.
Also, to facilitate the removal of the filter cartridge from the filter support plate, it should be appreciated that the handle on the filter cartridge could be differently shaped and located elsewhere on the filter cartridge. For example, the filter cartridge could utilize a filter frame that would rigidly secure the filter base 152 to the end cap 156 (
It should be noted that multiple gaskets located in the handheld vacuum cleaner 100 cooperate to prevent unfiltered dirty air flow from entering the suction fan and motor assembly and to also prevent ambient air from entering into the dirt cup from the edges of the dirt cup door during operation. The dirty air outlet gasket, the filter support plate gasket, and the filter cartridge base gasket prevents unfiltered dirty air within the dirt cup 116 from directly entering the suction fan and motor assembly 118. A leak of this nature, over-time, could cause extensive dirt accumulation within the suction fan and motor assembly. This accumulation could result in overheating of the motor or premature wear-out of journal and or roller bearings. The dirt cup door gasket, located about the perimeter of the dirt cup door, prevents ambient air from entering the dirt cup during operation of the hand-held vacuum cleaner 100 and prevents fine debris from escaping when the cleaner is not operating. An air leak of this nature would have no detrimental impact on the suction fan and motor assembly, however, it would reduce the overall suction capability of the hand-held vacuum cleaner 100. The dirt cup door gasket is compressed due to the pressure generated between the catch and the latch, thus, providing an air tight seal about the dirt cup door opening. Because of the pressure generated between the catch and the latch, the dirt cup door is prevented from accidentally opening on its own during use. Additional latch pressure may be generated by placing a compression spring beneath the button surface of the latch to generate greater downward force at the tip of the latch.
The hand-held vacuum cleaner 100 may be powered by a variety of sources. One source could be a 110-120 volts AC house supply (as is standard in the U.S.A.) or 220-240 volts AC (as prevalent in Europe) provided via a power line 170, shown in
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In much the same way (as described previously with respect to the first embodiment 100), the user of the second embodiment may use a dirt cup door 234 to empty debris that is collected in the dirt cup 216 during vacuuming. As before, the dirt cup 216 may be emptied a number of ways. The user may elect to twist off the entire dirt cup 216, remove the filter support plate 242 along with the filter cartridge 244 and empty out the contents of the dirt cup 216. Alternatively, the user may elect to leave the dirt cup 216 attached and use the dirt cup door 234 to the empty the dirt cup 216. The debris may be emptied through the dirt cup door 234 by depressing the latch 240 and allowing the dirt cup door 234 to rotate about the hinge 236. In this case, the user may conveniently empty the dirt cup by simply lifting the stick type vacuum cleaner 200 over a trash receptacle while depressing the latch 240. In all other aspects, the operation of the dirt cup 216 and the dirt cup door 234 are the same as in the first embodiment 100.
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Once again, the method of operation and attachment of the dirt cup 316 and the filter cartridge 344 are the same in the third embodiment as they were in the first and second embodiments. One noteworthy difference is the dirt cup 316 and the filter cartridge 344 have an overall longer length than the dirt cup 216 and filter cartridge 244 of the second embodiment. The longer or larger dirt cup 316 and larger filter cartridge 344 provide for greater volume of debris accumulation than do the first or second embodiments. This provides the added advantage of reducing the frequency of emptying the dirt cup 316. Furthermore, a larger cartridge 344 provides a lower loss of air flow through the upright vacuum cleaner 300 as dirt and debris begin to accumulate in the dirt cup 316.
Another difference involves the pathways of the clean air and dirty air through the upright vacuum cleaner 300. The dirty air flow pathway begins at an opening in the suction head 312 moving past a rotating brushroll 313 and flows through the suction head through a dirty air fluid channel 364 in the housing 310. Then the airflow begins to move downward towards the dirt cup 316 and impinges against the cyclonic air flow deflector 350 which induces the cyclonic airflow separation within the dirt cup 316. As the air flow slows, it enters through the sides of the filter cartridge 344 initially traveling upward into the clean air fluid channel in the housing 310, then downwards through the suction fan and motor assembly 318 eventually exiting the upright vacuum cleaner 300.
It should also be noted that the dirt cup 316 need not be removed in order to be emptied. The user may simply and conveniently locate a trash receptacle beneath the dirt cup 316 directly below the dirt cup door 334 and depress the latch 340 in order to empty any dirt and debris directly into the trash receptacle. The unique structural orientation of the dirt cup 316 with respect to the upright vacuum cleaner 300 permits this method of convenient emptying of the dirt cup 316. In all other aspects, the operation of the dirt cup 316 and the dirt cup door 334 are the same as in the first embodiment.
Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon reading and understanding the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the embodiments described herein be construed as including all such modifications and alterations, insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A hand-held vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a housing having a first end and a second end;
- a suction nozzle located adjacent the first end of the housing;
- a suction fan and motor assembly located in the housing;
- a dirt cup detachably mounted adjacent the second end of the housing;
- wherein, the dirt cup includes an inlet in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, an outlet in fluid communication with the suction fan and motor assembly, and a dirt cup door located on one end of the dirt cup.
2. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the dirt cup defines a cyclonic flow chamber.
3. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the dirt cup includes a latch for releasably engaging the dirt cup door.
4. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein the dirt cup door includes a catch for releasably engaging the latch.
5. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the dirt cup includes a hinge for the dirt cup door.
6. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a filter assembly releasably mounted to the dirt cup, wherein the filter assembly is disposed upstream of the suction fan and motor assembly.
7. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 6 wherein the filter assembly includes a filter cartridge and a filter support plate.
8. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 7 wherein the filter support plate includes a cyclonic airflow deflector inlet, a centrally located clean air outlet, and a sealing gasket disposed about an outer circumference of the filter support plate.
9. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a brushroll mounted to the housing wherein the brushroll is rotatably driven by the fan and motor assembly.
10. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the dirt cup door includes a sealing gasket.
11. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a housing including at least one nub disposed about an outer circumference of the housing;
- a suction nozzle located adjacent a first end of the housing;
- a suction fan and motor assembly located in the housing; and
- a dirt cup including a first end and a second end, the dirt cup having an inlet in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and an outlet in fluid communication with the suction fan and motor assembly, and at least one slot disposed about an inner circumference of the first end of the dirt cup, wherein the at least one nub of the housing cooperates with the at least one slot to rotatably secure the dirt cup to the housing; and
- a filter assembly mounted to at least one of the dirt cup and the housing.
12. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 11 further comprising a brushroll which is rotatably driven by the fan and motor assembly.
13. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the filter assembly includes a filter cartridge and a filter support plate.
14. Then hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein a cyclonic flow chamber is defined within the dirt cup between the filter support plate and the second end of the dirt cup.
15. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the filter support plate includes a cyclonic airflow deflector, a centrally located outlet, and a sealing gasket about an outer circumference of the filter support plate.
16. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the filter assembly is disposed upstream of the suction fan.
17. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the filter assembly is frictionally engaged along an inner wall surface of the dirt cup.
18. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 13 wherein the filter cartridge includes a filter base, a filter end cap, and a filter medium disposed between the filter base and the filter end cap.
19. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein the filter base includes at least one tab that is snappingly engageable with at least one detent of the filter support plate.
20. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein the filter base includes a handle portion.
21. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a housing having a first end and a second end;
- a suction nozzle located adjacent the first end of the housing;
- a suction fan and motor assembly located in the housing;
- a dirt cup rotatably mounted to the housing;
- a filter support including a segmented flange, the segmented flange having at least one notch and at least one detent adjacent to the at least one notch, the filter support plate being disposed upstream from said suction fan and motor assembly; and
- a filter including at least one tab disposed on the filter, the at least one tab having a ridge, the at least one tab and the ridge cooperating with the at least one notch and the at least one detent to rotatably mount the filter to the filter support.
22. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 21 wherein the segmented flange includes at least one stop adjacent to the at least one detent, the at least one stop precluding the at least one tab from rotating past the at least one detent.
23. The hand-held vacuum cleaner of claim 21 wherein the filter further comprises a handle portion.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 13, 2005
Publication Date: Jul 20, 2006
Applicant:
Inventor: David Khalil (Highland Heights, OH)
Application Number: 11/249,282
International Classification: A47L 5/24 (20060101); A47L 5/28 (20060101);