VACUUM CLEANER INCLUDING A REMOVABLE DIRT COLLECTION ASSEMBLY
A vacuum cleaner having a vacuum cleaner housing, a suction nozzle, a motor configured to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle, a motor housing at least partially enclosing the motor and coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing, and a dirt collection assembly removably coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing. The dirt collection assembly includes a dirt cup, a handle for removing the dirt collection assembly, and a motor shroud at least partially enclosing the motor housing.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/059,246, filed Oct. 3, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.
BACKGROUNDThe present invention relates to vacuum cleaners and, more particularly, upright vacuum cleaners.
Vacuum cleaners are typically used to clean floor surfaces, such as carpeting, by generating suction to draw air and dirt through a suction nozzle. The dirt is separated from the air inside the vacuum cleaner and clean air is discharged from the vacuum cleaner. The dirt is collected inside the vacuum cleaner and can be emptied or removed.
SUMMARYIn one aspect, the invention provides a vacuum cleaner having a vacuum cleaner housing, a suction nozzle, a motor configured to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle, a motor housing at least partially enclosing the motor and coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing, and a dirt collection assembly removably coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing. The dirt collection assembly includes a dirt cup, a handle for removing the dirt collection assembly, and a motor shroud at least partially enclosing the motor housing.
In another aspect, the invention provides a vacuum cleaner having a base including a suction nozzle, a handle assembly movably coupled to the base for movement between an upright storage position and an inclined operating position, a motor configured to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle, and a motor housing at least partially enclosing the motor and coupled to the handle assembly. The vacuum cleaner also includes a dirt collection assembly removably coupled to at least one of the handle assembly and the base. The dirt collection assembly includes a dirt cup, a handle for removing the dirt collection assembly, and a motor shroud at least partially enclosing the motor housing.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides vacuum cleaner having a vacuum cleaner housing, a suction nozzle, a motor configured to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle, a motor housing at least partially enclosing the motor and coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing, and a dirt collection assembly removably coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing. The dirt collection assembly includes a dirt cup, a handle for removing the dirt collection assembly, and a cavity for at least partially receiving the motor housing.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any constructions of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other constructions and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.
As illustrated in
A pair of wheels 36 are coupled to the base 14 adjacent a rearward end 38 of the base 14. The wheels 36 facilitate moving the base 14 along the surface to be cleaned 16. In the illustrated construction, the base 14 includes two wheels positioned on opposing sides of the base. In other constructions, the base 14 may include fewer or more wheels. The wheels 36 may be idle wheels or driven wheels.
The handle assembly 12 generally defines a longitudinal axis A, or handle axis. The handle assembly 12 includes a power source 40 for powering a motor 42 (e.g., a suction motor). In the illustrated construction, the power source 40 includes a battery pack having battery cells 44. In other constructions, other power sources may be used, such as a fuel cell, or a cord and a plug for plugging into a source of utility power, etc.
The handle assembly 12 also includes a maneuvering handle 46 having a grip 48 for a user to grasp and maneuver the vacuum cleaner 10. The handle assembly 12 also includes an upright handle portion 50 and a spine 52 extending from the base 14 towards the maneuvering handle 46. In the illustrated embodiment, the handle assembly 12 includes a switch 54 for activating the motor 42. In other constructions, the switch 54 may be disposed in any desired location on the vacuum cleaner.
In the illustrated embodiment, the spine 52 includes an elongated tubular receptacle 56 for receiving the upright handle portion 50, the spine 52 extending generally along, and may be offset from, the longitudinal axis A. The upright handle portion 50 is coupled to the maneuvering handle 46. In the illustrated embodiment, the maneuvering handle 46 and the upright handle portion 50 are removable from the spine for use as a wand. When coupled with the receptacle 56, the wand 50 extends along the longitudinal axis A. In the illustrated embodiment, a second hose connector 58 is disposed at a first distal end 51 of the wand 50 proximate the maneuvering handle 46 for receiving the hose 32 to fluidly connect the wand 50 to a suction force generated by the motor 42. The wand 50 may be used to clean above-floor surfaces, e.g., stairs, drapes, corners, furniture, etc. An accessory tool 60 (e.g., a crevice tool, an upholstery tool, a pet tool, etc.) is detachably coupled to the handle assembly 12 for storage and may be coupled to a second distal end 53 of the wand 50 for specialized cleaning of non-floor surfaces. Other handle assembly configurations may be provided as desired.
The handle assembly 12 also includes the motor 42 and a motor housing 74 that, in the illustrated construction, at least partially encloses the motor 42. As best illustrated in
The vacuum cleaner 10 includes a dirt collection assembly 62 supported by the handle assembly 12 and removably coupled to the handle assembly 12. The dirt collection assembly 62 generally defines a longitudinal axis B, or assembly axis, which in some embodiments may extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis A of the handle assembly 12 when the dirt collection assembly 62 is coupled to the handle assembly 12. The dirt collection assembly 62 includes a dirt cup 64, a dirt separator 66, a motor shroud 75, and a dirt collection handle 70 defining a hand grip 72 (
The motor shroud 75 is disposed generally on top of the dirt cup 64 and the dirt separator 66, e.g., in a direction defined generally from the base 14 towards the maneuvering handle 46, at least partially enclosing the motor housing when the dirt collection assembly 62 is supported by the handle assembly 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor shroud 75 is disposed substantially between the dirt separator 66 (or dirt cup 64) and the dirt collection handle 70 (or hand grip 72) with respect to the longitudinal axis B. In this example, the motor shroud 75 functions as a fixed linkage between the handle 70 and the dirt cup 64 and includes a cavity 77 for receiving the motor 42 and the motor housing 74 when the dirt collection assembly 62 is coupled to the handle assembly 12. In the illustrated construction, the dirt collection handle 70 is disposed on the motor shroud 75. In other constructions, the dirt collection handle 70 may be disposed elsewhere on the dirt collection assembly 62, such as on the dirt cup 64. In yet other constructions, it is possible for the dirt collection assembly 62 to include more than one handle 70. The handle 70 and the motor shroud 75 may be arranged relative to the dirt separator 66 as desired for the application. In the illustrated construction, the longitudinal axis B substantially passes through the cavity 77 and the handle 70.
The motor shroud 75 includes the cavity 77 (
The motor 42 drives the impeller 116 and generates a vacuum or suction force in the vacuum cleaner 10. The suction force draws air and dirt into the vacuum cleaner 10 through the floor nozzle 18, through the airflow passageway 26, through the hose 32, through the anchor 33, and into the dirt collection assembly 62 by way of an inlet 76 (
The dirt separator 66 removes dirt from the airflow 13 drawn into the vacuum cleaner 10 by the suction force, and the dirt cup 64 collects the dirt separated by the dirt separator 66. In the illustrated construction, the dirt separator 66 includes a cyclonic separator, which is best illustrated in
The dirt collection assembly 62 is removably coupled to the handle assembly 12 such that the dirt collection assembly 62 is moveable between a connected position (
As best illustrated in
In operation, when the motor 42 is energized, the airflow 13 is drawn by the motor 42 into the vacuum cleaner 10 through the floor nozzle 18 in the base 14. The base 14 directs the airflow 13 into the airflow passageway 26, which directs the airflow 13 into the hose 32 (
The dirt collection assembly 62 is manufactured and assembled together as a subassembly of the vacuum cleaner 10 that is removable from the vacuum cleaner 10 as one unit. That is the motor shroud 75, the dirt separator 66, and the dirt cup 64 are removable together as one unit. The user grasps the dirt collection handle 70, actuates the latch 86 to release the dirt collection assembly 62 to the disconnected position, and lifts the dirt collection assembly 62 from the handle assembly 12 (or from the base 14 or other portion of the vacuum cleaner 10 in other constructions). Then, the user actuates the dirt cup latch 104 to release the door 102 to the open position for emptying dirt from the dirt cup 64. In the disconnected position, the filter 82 can be accessed through the cavity 77 for being changed or cleaned as the cavity 77 no longer receives the motor housing 74. When the dirt collection assembly 62 is in the disconnected position, the dirt separator 66 is no longer fluidly coupled do the suction nozzle 18 and the motor 42.
Thus, the invention provides, among other things, a vacuum cleaner having a dirt collection assembly that is removable to a disconnected position while keeping the motor electrically coupled with the power source. Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a vacuum cleaner housing;
- a suction nozzle;
- a motor configured to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle;
- a motor housing at least partially enclosing the motor and coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing; and
- a dirt collection assembly removably coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing, the dirt collection assembly including a dirt cup, a handle for removing the dirt collection assembly, and a motor shroud at least partially enclosing the motor housing.
2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the motor shroud defines a cavity configured to receive the motor housing.
3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the cavity of the motor shroud is generally shaped to substantially receive the motor housing.
4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the motor is electrically coupled to a battery.
5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, further comprising a handle assembly, wherein the handle assembly generally defines a handle axis, and wherein the dirt cup generally defines a longitudinal axis disposed generally along the handle axis when the dirt cup assembly is connected to the vacuum cleaner housing.
6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the handle is disposed adjacent the motor shroud in a direction defined by the longitudinal axis.
7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the motor shroud is disposed adjacent the dirt cup, and wherein the longitudinal axis passes through a cavity defined by the motor shroud.
8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the motor shroud is disposed substantially between the dirt cup and the handle.
9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a latch operatively coupled between the dirt collection assembly and the vacuum cleaner housing for selectively removing and securing the dirt collection assembly to the vacuum cleaner housing.
10. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a base including a suction nozzle;
- a handle assembly movably coupled to the base for movement between an upright storage position and an inclined operating position;
- a motor configured to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle;
- a motor housing at least partially enclosing the motor and coupled to the handle assembly; and
- a dirt collection assembly removably coupled to at least one of the handle assembly and the base, the dirt collection assembly including a dirt cup, a handle for removing the dirt collection assembly, and a motor shroud at least partially enclosing the motor housing.
11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the motor shroud defines a cavity configured to receive the motor.
12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein the cavity of the motor shroud is generally shaped to receive at least a portion of the motor housing.
13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the motor is electrically coupled to a battery disposed on the vacuum cleaner.
14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, wherein the handle assembly generally defines a handle axis, and wherein the dirt cup generally defines a longitudinal axis disposed generally along the handle axis when the dirt cup assembly is connected to the handle assembly.
15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the handle is disposed adjacent the motor shroud in a direction defined by the longitudinal axis.
16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the motor shroud is disposed adjacent the dirt cup, and wherein the longitudinal axis passes through a cavity defined by the motor shroud.
17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the motor shroud is disposed substantially between the dirt cup and the handle.
18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, further comprising a latch operatively coupled between the dirt collection assembly and at least one of the base or the handle assembly for selectively removing and securing the dirt collection assembly to the at least one of the base or the handle assembly.
19. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a vacuum cleaner housing;
- a suction nozzle;
- a motor configured to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle;
- a motor housing at least partially enclosing the motor and coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing; and
- a dirt collection assembly removably coupled to the vacuum cleaner housing, the dirt collection assembly including a dirt cup, a handle for removing the dirt collection assembly, and a cavity for at least partially receiving the motor housing.
20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein the cavity is disposed substantially between the dirt cup and the handle.
21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein the dirt collection assembly further comprises a motor shroud defining the cavity, wherein the motor shroud is generally shaped to substantially receive the motor housing.
22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein the motor is electrically coupled to a battery.
23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19, further comprising a latch operatively coupled between the dirt collection assembly and the vacuum cleaner housing.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 2, 2015
Publication Date: Apr 7, 2016
Inventors: Will Sebastian (Sagamore Hills, OH), Richard Friend (Streetsboro, OH)
Application Number: 14/873,751