Self Contained Vacuum Cleaning System

Abstract

The present invention is directed to improvements in the operation and design of a vacuum cleaning system installed within an aesthetically appealing housing. The invention advantageously incorporates a vacuum motor and debris canister design that is positioned within a slide out drawer assembly for quick removal of the motor and debris cannister from the housing. The vacuum motor's suction is directed to a pan that is substantially flush mounted with the floor. Debris from the floor is then moved into proximity of the pan where it is then suctioned into a pan that is substantially flush with the floor. The debris ultimately being deposited within the debris cannister of the vacuum cleaning system.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Provisional Application No. 60/979,281 filed on Oct. 11, 2007, entitled “Self Contained Cleaning System.”

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The disclosures herein relate generally to the field of a furniture based vacuum cleaning system. More particularly, the disclosed embodiments pertain to a device for removing debris, principally hair clippings, from a floor in a salon or pet grooming area.

2. Description of the Related Art

As is well known, in most barber shops, salons and pet grooming facilities across the country and the world, hair clippings and other debris on the floor are removed either with a broom, possibly in conjunction with a dust pan, or with the assistance of a dedicated vacuum sweeper that is tucked away in a corner of the facility where it remains with a long cumbersome hose that must be unraveled to allow the suction point to come into contact with the debris.

The conventional vacuum sweeper in these types of settings is a shop vacuum that is difficult to move, store and operate because of its various pieces which include the vacuum motor coupled with the debris repository, the long detachable hose and the electrical supply chord. Though effective at removing debris from the floor the standard shop vacuum that is used in barber shops, salons and pet grooming stores is considerably lacking when it comes to ease of use and simplicity of storage. With the cost of commercial space at a premium in most locales even storing a portable vacuum in a closet can result in lost storage capacity that is difficult to recapture. Consequently, lost storage capacity may cause added costs or simply decrease the aesthetic appeal of the shop because sufficient storage space is unavailable and the vacuum must remain in plain view of the customer which considerably detracts from the appeal of many high end shops.

Additionally, shop vacuums, or even conventional upright sweepers can be very noisy drowning out conversations in proximity to the vacuum's fan motor. These shop vacuums can create trip hazards caused not only by the electrical chord that is dragging behind the sweeper but also the long hose through which the floor debris travels before reaching the debris bag or canister. The non-observant patron who may be looking elsewhere in the shop or speaking to an employee or another customer while she traverses from one side of the shop to the other may stumble over the vacuum hose causing injury to herself and possibly others and may also damage to property as she trips or falls.

An example of a conventional shop vacuum is shown in FIG. 1. Referring to the figure, it can be see that a shop vacuum is large, cumbersome, not at all aesthetically appealing and problematic from a storage perspective. Moreover, as previously noted, a shop vacuum is an extremely noisy apparatus that basically drowns out all other typical noises within approximately fifteen (15) feet of the vacuum's fan motor. The loud noise is due to a variety of factors including the noise associated with a large fan motor that must produce a substantial air flow in order to establish a vacuum. In addition, air at high velocity and at high volume exiting the collection bag or repository creates a substantial cumulative production of sound with that of the electric fan motor.

Conventional designs like that shown in FIG. 1, have numerous drawbacks well known to user of a shop vacuum or even an upright vacuum to clean a shop floor. Therefore, there is a need in the art for an apparatus to remove debris from a shop floor that does not consume valuable storage space, eliminates the hazards associated with tripping over the hose and extension chord while the product is in use.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the disclosed invention include a vacuum motor and debris repository located within a fashionable cabinet configured to coincide with the look of the salon or grooming store. The suction of the vacuum motor is directed to floor level where the suction pulls debris from the floor that is pushed by a broom or other assistive device to within proximity of the suction and then is pulled into the debris repository. The vacuum motor and debris repository are functionally and conveniently located within a drawer that slides outwardly from the cabinet to facilitate quick emptying of the debris canister and service of the vacuum motor should that become necessary. The vacuum motor can be quickly disconnected from a standard 120 volt power supply to facilitate the emptying of the debris canister. Once the debris canister is emptied, the vacuum motor and cannister can be repositioned within the slide out drawer, reconnected to the standard power supply and then slide into the cabinet so that the vacuum motor, cannister and power chord cannot be perceived by the casual observer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Illustrative embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are incorporated by reference herein and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a furniture based vacuum apparatus housing;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the furniture based vacuum apparatus housing with a lower door open revealing a vacuum canister and an electrical hook-up;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the furniture based vacuum apparatus housing with a lower door open revealing a slidable drawer with a circular cutout for holding a vacuum canister;

FIG. 4 is a cut-away view of the connection port of the pan of the furniture based vacuum apparatus;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the suction port of the vacuum canister of the furniture based vacuum apparatus;

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the suction port of the vacuum canister in communication with the connection port of the pan of the furniture based vacuum system;

FIG. 7 is an elevation view of the connection port and rubberized gasket of the pan of the furniture based vacuum apparatus;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the pan and the connection port of the pan of the furniture based vacuum apparatus;

FIG. 9 is an elevation view of the connection port of the pan of the furniture based vacuum apparatus;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the back side of the housing of the furniture based vacuum apparatus; and

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the slidable drawer and vacuum canister residing within the circular drawer cutout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosed embodiment of the self contained vacuum cleaning system 6 disposed within a housing 12 is shown in FIG. 1. A preferred embodiment of the housing 12 is comprised of two sides 14, 16, a top 18, a back panel 20 and in the present embodiment depicted in FIG. 1, a plurality of outwardly extendable platforms or drawers 22 with drawer fronts, 23. These drawers may be either linearly or rotatably extensible in operation. The housing sides 14, 16, top 18, back 20 and extendable drawers 22 can be constructed of numerous materials including plywood, plastic, particle board, Plexiglas® and a wide range of other materials. The preferred embodiment utilizes a wood particle board material that is covered with a decorative outer veneer to provide aesthetic appeal.

As is seen in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 2, the lowermost drawer 22 contains an vacuum motor and debris repository canister 30. The vacuum motor and debris canister 30 serve to provide the necessary suction to extract debris from the floor of the location where the cleaning system resides. The vacuum motor and debris canister 30 can be of any number of designs that are common in the industry such as a Shop-Vac®, six gallon, 87M Series, Model 87M300.

The vacuum motor and debris canister 30 in the preferred embodiment are positioned within a circular cut out 32 of the drawer 22 as is depicted in FIG. 3. The vacuum motor and debris canister 30 are disposed within the circular cutout 32 in such a manner to align with the connection port 36 of the collection pan 38 as shown in FIG. 4. The connection port 36 of the pan 38 aligns with the intake port 40 of the vacuum cannister 30 as shown in FIG. 5. When the vacuum debris canister 30 is repositioned within the cutout 32 of the slidable drawer 24 it is oriented such that it makes an airtight seal with the connection port 36 of the pan. This allows the suction produced by the fan motor of the vacuum to be channeled from proximate the pan 38, which is mounted generally flush with the floor, to the connection port 36 of the pan 38 through the intake port 40 of the vacuum canister 30 and ultimately into the debris canister of the vacuum where it resides until manually removed.

FIG. 6 shows another perspective view of the communication between the vacuum canister's intake port 40 and the connection port 36 of the pan 38. A rubberized gasket 44, as seen in FIG. 7, positioned atop the connection port 36 of the pan 38 facilitates maintaining an airtight seal that prevents leakage of debris prior to entering the debris canister. As is also seen in FIG. 6, the pan 38 is preferably securely fastened by screws or other appropriate means to the back side 48 of the drawer front 23. Secure and rigid fastening of the pan to the door is critical in that it allows downward manual pressure to be applied to the pan and to the rubber gasket 44 when the vacuum canister 30 is being repositioned within the circular cutout 32 of the drawer 22 and thereby facilitating the formation of the required airtight seal.

The pan 38 configuration, exemplary embodiments which can be seen in FIGS. 8 and 9, is central to the effective operation of the vacuum cleaning system 10. As seen in FIG. 2, the pan 38 is positioned beneath the extendable drawer 22 of the vacuum cleaning system and is mounted so as to be in close proximity to the floor. The pan 38 can be configured in varying widths but generally a pan 38 width of from 6 to 15 inches will allow a sufficiently powerful suction force to draw debris from the floor into the pan and ultimately into the debris cannister 30 of the vacuum cleaning system. The pan 38 is preferably constructed of sheet metal that is formed, riveted, and if necessary, welded into the proper configuration. Alternatively, other materials such as plastic may be acceptable if they are sufficiently durable and wear resistant. The shape of the pan 38 is a critical feature in that it must be configured to draw the debris from the floor back to the point of suction at the connection port. FIG. 8 reveals a triangular shaped pan 38 with the suction port immediately above one of the vertices of the triangle. This configuration serves to move the floor debris that enters the pan at the front opening 31 farthest removed from the intake port 36 along the rear walls 50 of the pan 38 until the debris is immediately below the intake port 36 and at which time is extracted by suction force from the pan 38 for placement within the debris cannister 30 of the vacuum system 10.

As is best seen in FIG. 2, an electrical connection 52 positioned in proximity to the vacuum motor supplies electrical power to the vacuum motor. This electrical connection 52 allows for easy disconnection of the vacuum motor and associated cannister from the electrical supply when it is time to empty the debris cannister or possibly to perform maintenance on the system. FIG. 10 reveals a conduit 56 exiting from the back panel 20 of the vacuum system housing 12 and terminating in a junction box 58. Exiting from the junction box 58 is an electrical chord 60 that is ultimately plugged into a standard 110 volt outlet supplying power to the vacuum system fan motor thereby allowing the system to suction debris from the floor.

An actuation switch (not shown) is most preferably supplied proximate the top surface 18 of the housing 12. The actuation switch would complete the power circuit to the fan motor of the vacuum system and thereby initiate generation of the vacuum. Placing the actuation switch on the right side of the housing 12 in proximity to the top surface 18 is most preferred because the largest segment of the population is right handed and placing the switch 14 at the top of the housing 12 will reduce amount of bending and resultant back strain that could occur from excessive stooping to reach a switch that could be positioned lower on the housing.

When in operation the aesthetically appealing housing 12, as seen in an exemplary form in FIG. 1, can be prominently positioned alongside the finest furnishings of any salon or grooming facility. The housing 12, within certain constraints, can be individually configured in height, width, number of drawers and exterior finish to suit the varying tastes and elegance of the location where it is to be utilized.

The housing 12 and its internal components would most preferably be positioned against, or in very close proximity to a wall or a floor electrical outlet. Proximity to an outlet is essential to provide electrical power to the fan motor of the vacuum. Once properly positioned within the Salon or grooming area, debris is swept, generally with the assistance of a broom, into close proximity to the cutout in the opening 31 of the front base portion wherein it will also be in close proximity to the pan 38. The vacuum fan motor is then activated through the use of the actuation switch and the debris is suctioned into the pan at the front opening 31 and ultimately into the connection port 36 of the pan 38. After passing through the connection port 38 it moves past the intake port 40 of the canister 30 and ultimately into the cannister where it resides until emptied. This process is repeated whenever excessive debris accumulates on the floor that the staff, or management, determines that it is appropriate to remove it from the floor.

Periodically, the debris cannister 30 of the vacuum system 10 must be emptied of collected debris. As shown in FIG. 2, the housing drawer 22 is opened to reveal the vacuum cannister 30 with associated fan motor assembly. As best seen in FIG. 11, the cannister and vacuum motor assembly are positioned within a circular cutout 32 of the drawer 22 and pulled outwardly from the housing on slide rails 70. The slide rails 70 as seen in FIG. 3 consist of a pair of rails that allow the vacuum canister 30 and embedded motor to be moved outwardly an amount sufficient to avoid interference with the adjacent upper drawer when attempting to remove the cannister. At this time the power supply of the vacuum fan motor should be disconnected from the power supply by turning and pulling the connector 52 thereby freeing it from the female connector 74. When positioned at the cannister drawer's 22 furthest most outward extension from the housing, the vacuum cannister 30 can be manually lifted vertically from the circular cutout 32 that secures it in position. Once this is accomplished the debris residing within the cannister can be emptied.

Following the process of emptying the debris from the cannister, the vacuum cannister must be repositioned. The intake port 40 of the debris canister 30, as seen in FIG. 5, is located on the bottom surface of the cannister. The intake port, upon repositioning within the circular cutout of the slidable drawer, must be aligned with the connection port 36 of the pan 38. Once there is alignment of the intake port and the connection port, slight manual downward pressure must be applied to the canister 30 to create an airtight seal between the various components in order to avoid leakage of debris as it passes through this area. Once the cannister 30 is repositioned, the electrical power connector 52 should be reinserted into the female electrical connector 74 provided internal to the housing 12. The male connector 52 should be inserted into the female connector 74 and turned to lock the connector 52 in place thereby preventing the loosening of the connection caused by vibration of the fan motor.

Once the electrical connection is complete the drawer 22 containing the canister 30 may be pushed back inside of the housing 12. The door covering the vacuum componentry can then be closed and the vacuum system is once again ready to commence removing debris from the floor of the Salon or shop.

Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention have been described with the intent to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described.

Claims

1. A vacuum generating debris collecting system disposed within an item of furniture comprising;

a housing;

a vacuum generating apparatus disposed within the housing;

a collection pan disposed proximate the surface of the floor into which debris is suctioned by the vacuum generating apparatus and deposited into a repository internal to the housing.

2. The vacuum generating debris collecting system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum generating apparatus is supported by a platform that is extensible between a first and second position.

3. The vacuum generating debris collecting system of claim 1, wherein the vacuum generating apparatus is supported by a platform that is rotatable between a first and second position.

4. The vacuum generating debris collecting system of claim 2, wherein the vacuum generating apparatus is removable from the extensible platform when in the second position.

5. The vacuum generating debris collecting system of claim 3, wherein the vacuum generating apparatus is removable from the rotatable platform when in the second position.

6. The vacuum generating debris collecting system of claim 1, wherein a first side of the collection pan is in operable communication with the vacuum generating apparatus and a second side of the collection pan is configured to broadly disperse the suction delivered by the first side of the collection pan.

7. A vacuum generating cleaning system for removing debris from a floor, the cleaning system comprising:

a vacuum motor and a repository for collecting debris dispersed about a floor;

a housing with at least one platform repositionable between a first and second position; and

a collection pan disposed in proximity to the floor wherein the suction generated by the vacuum motor is directed to an opening in a first side of the pan so that debris may be induced to enter the second side of the pan for deposition into the repository.

8. The vacuum generating cleaning system of claim 7, wherein the housing includes space for at least one drawer for storage of instruments.

9. The vacuum generating cleaning system of claim 7, wherein the vacuum motor comprises a canister vacuum cleaner with an integral debris repository.

10. The vacuum generating cleaning system of claim 7, wherein the vacuum motor is manually activated by a user.

11. The vacuum generating cleaning system of claim 7, wherein the first position of the repositionable platform is the operable position of the system with the vacuum motor substantially obscured from view within the housing.

12. The vacuum generating cleaning system of claim 7, wherein the second position of the repositionable platform is for removal of the vacuum motor from the platform and for emptying of the repository containing collected debris.

13. The vacuum generating cleaning system of claim 7, wherein the first side of the collection pan is detachably securable to a duct leading to the vacuum motor with suctioned debris being deposited into the repository proximate the vacuum motor.

14. A vacuum cleaning system for removing debris from a floor, the cleaning system comprising:

a vacuum motor and a debris repository;

a housing and at least one repositionable platform for releasably securing the vacuum motor and debris repository into position; and

a collection pan disposed proximate the housing and substantially flush with the floor upon which the system is positioned, the collection pan having a first side in operable communication with the vacuum motor and debris repository, and a second side substantially flush with the floor for suctioning debris from the floor.

15. The vacuum cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the housing includes a plurality of sides for obscuring from view the vacuum motor and debris repository and a substantially horizontal work surface disposed atop the housing.

16. The vacuum cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the housing includes at least one drawer for storage of instruments.

17. The vacuum cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the vacuum motor and debris repository are an integral unit.

18. The vacuum cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the first side of the collection pan is detachably secured to a duct leading to the vacuum motor with suctioned debris being deposited into the repository proximate the vacuum motor.

19. The vacuum cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the repositionable platform is extensible between a first internal position and a second fully extended position and wherein the vacuum motor and debris repository are removable from the repositionable platform when in the second position.

20. The vacuum generating cleaning system of claim 14, wherein the second opening of the collection pan further comprises a laterally extending edge disposed substantially flush with the floor to provide optimal opportunity to remove floor debris and yet remain consistent with the constraints imposed by the housing external dimensions.