Broomstick, A Portable Vacuum Cleaner

Abstract

A portable vacuum cleaner is provided that is simple in construction and easy to use. The vacuum cleaner is comprised of a housing storing a rechargeable battery, motor, impeller fan, collection chamber, and at least one filter element. The battery and filter elements can be easily removed and replaced. The collection chamber can be easily removed for washing and repositioned in the housing. The vacuum cleaner can be easily charged and stored when not in use. The length of the vacuum cleaner can be extended by removably attaching one or more extension tube sections to the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner is provided with separate attachments for use in multiple purposes. The vacuum cleaner is lightweight. The vacuum cleaner can also be provided with belt clips for being easily carried.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of Invention

The present invention generally relates to a portable vacuum cleaner. More particularly, the present invention relates to “portable vacuum cleaner that is simple in construction, easy to use, maintain, and store, can be easily recharged, and includes multiple attachments for multiple purposes”.

(2) Background of Invention

Portable vacuum cleaners are popular today for cleaning a variety of surfaces in homes, offices, and vehicles. These vacuum cleaners are specifically useful to clean hard to reach surfaces. Furthermore, because larger vacuum cleaners are difficult to handle and operate, portable vacuum cleaners are effective in performing small cleaning tasks. Hence, many types of portable vacuum cleaners are developed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,011,624 A, issued to The Black And Decker Manufacturing Company on Mar. 15, 1977, discloses a battery operated vacuum cleaner that includes a motor, fan, filter, and dirt receptacle. Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,234 A, issued to The Scott & Fetzer Company on Mar. 4, 1986, discloses a battery operated hand-held vacuum cleaner that is rechargeable and is provided with a wall mounted storage and charging means. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 8,689,395 B2, issued to G.B.D. Corp. on Apr. 8, 2014, discloses a portable surface cleaning apparatus that includes a suction motor, a flexible suction hose, a suction hose wrap, and a cyclone bin assembly. However, these and other portable vacuum cleaners are complex in structure and, therefore, difficult to use, maintain, and store. Hence, there is a need for a portable vacuum cleaner that is simple in structure and easy to use, maintain, and store. Furthermore, it is desired that the portable vacuum cleaner can be easily recharged. Also, it is desired that the portable vacuum cleaner can be used for multiple purposes. Furthermore, it is useful to provide a portable vacuum cleaner that can be easily carried by the user during work.

It is an aspect of the invention to overcome or alleviate a problem of the prior art.

This permits the use of the present invention, which enhance the prior art of the portable vacuum cleaner for easy and simple cleaning for multiple purposes.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a portable vacuum cleaner.

Preferably, the portable vacuum cleaner addresses, or at least ameliorates, one or more of the problems described above. To this end, the present invention, related to a portable vacuum cleaner with some unique aspects, is disclosed.

Accordingly, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a portable vacuum cleaner that is simple in construction. The vacuum cleaner is comprised of a housing storing a rechargeable battery, motor, impeller fan, collection chamber, and at least one filter element.

It is yet another objective of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner that is easy to use, store, and maintain. The battery and filter elements can be easily removed and replaced. The vacuum cleaner can be easily charged. The collection chamber can be easily removed for washing, and easily repositioned in the housing.

It is yet another objective of the present invention that the length of the vacuum cleaner can be extended. The vacuum cleaner can be removably attached with one or more extension tube sections.

It is yet another objective of the present invention that the vacuum cleaner has separate attachments for multiple purposes.

It is another objective of the present invention that the vacuum cleaner is lightweight. The components of the vacuum cleaner are made of plastic.

It is still another objective of the present invention that the vacuum cleaner is easy to carry.

Other objectives of the present invention will become apparent, from time to time, throughout the specification, as hereinafter related.

In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments, and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description, and should not be regarded as limiting.

These, together with other objectives of the invention and the various features of novelty that characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and the specific objectives attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter, in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To further clarify various aspects of some example embodiments of the present invention, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended drawings. It is appreciated that the drawings depict only illustrated embodiments of the invention, and are, therefore, not to be considered limiting of its scope. The invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner with extension tube sections.

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner in a charging state.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of an attachment for the vacuum cleaner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description of the present invention enables teaching of the invention and its best, currently known embodiment. Those skilled in the art can understand that many changes can be made to the embodiments described, while still obtaining the beneficial results of the present invention. It will also be apparent that some of the desired benefits of the present invention can be obtained by selecting some of the features of the invention while not utilizing other features. Accordingly, those working in the relevant art will recognize that many adaptations and modification to the present invention can be made, may be desired in certain circumstances, and are part of the present invention. Thus, the following description is provided as illustrative of the principle of the present invention.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a simple, lightweight, portable vacuum cleaner. Accordingly, the specific embodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific manners in which to make and use this invention, and are not intended to represent an exhaustive list of all possible structures and processes of the present invention.

Embodiments of the portable vacuum cleaner are shown in the figures, and discussed below. While the structure and processes have been described with a certain degree of particularity, it is to be noted that many modifications may be made to the details of the structures and processes without departing from the spirit and scope of this disclosure. It is understood that the structures and processes are not limited to the embodiments set forth herein for purposes of exemplification.

Aspects of the present inventive subject matter are described with reference to the figures. The present invention provides a simple, lightweight, portable vacuum cleaner. Referring to FIG. 1, which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vacuum cleaner 10 is comprised of a housing 12 containing a battery 14, motor 16, impeller fan 18, collection chamber 20, and at least one filter element 22. The housing 12 is preferably cylindrical shaped and has an on/off switch 24 to operate the vacuum cleaner 10. The battery 14 provides power to motor. The battery 14 is rechargeable and replaceable. The upper part of the housing 12 forms a handle to allow a user handle the vacuum cleaner 10 while in use. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the top of the upper part of the housing 12 can be opened to remove the battery 14 from the housing 12 and slide and snap a new battery into the housing 12. The battery 14 is preferably a cylindrical battery for easy insertion into and removal from the housing 12. The motor 16 of the vacuum cleaner 10 is preferably a fixed motor. Furthermore, the motor 16 is a single speed motor, which works most efficiently and cost effectively with the battery and charger (discussed below). The motor 16 in the vacuum cleaner 10 can be provided in varying power capacities, according to the need. The impeller fan 18 includes multiple vanes. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the impeller fan 18 also includes rows of fins. The filter element 22 is positioned just below the impeller fan 18 in the housing 12. The filter used in the filter element 22 can be made of any suitable material, including but not limited to cloth, foam, or fine mesh. The filter element 22 is round or spherical to fit in the housing 12. The housing 12 can be made of tube sections, which can be detached at the position below the location of impeller fan 18 for the easy removal of the filter element 22. The removed filter element 22 can be washed and slid back into its position inside of the housing 12. This detachment feature of the housing 12 also allows for the easy replacement of the filter element 22. The housing 12 can be a pressed fitting or include a tapered tube at the position of the filter element. The tube sections forming the housing can also be threaded for easy detachment and reattachment. The collection chamber 20 is removable, and can be washed to be completely cleaned. The collection chamber 20 is made of plastic. The collection chamber 20 is preferably 4-5 inches long. The collection chamber 20 is fitted with a tube 26 that has an inner end 28 tapering to form an inverted cone inside of the collection chamber 20 to allow efficient accumulation of captured debris. The tube 26 has taper at its outer end 30 to serve as a suction tip or point of attachment of other elements described in detail below.

Referring to FIGS. 1 & 2, the housing 12 of the portable vacuum cleaner 10 further includes a plug 32 for charging the battery 14. The plug 32 in the housing 12 is preferably a rotating plug, which allows the vacuum cleaner 10 to be stored in an electric outlet upright while being charged. In another aspect, the plug 32 is a counter top charger or plug. In another aspect, the housing 12 can include a charging port to which a power adaptor can be connected to supply the charge from a power outlet.

The length of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be extended by removably attaching one or more extension tube sections to the vacuum cleaner 10. In one aspect, the length of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be extended by attaching only one long extension tube section to the tube 26. In another aspect, the length of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be extended by attaching multiple small tube sections to the vacuum cleaner 10, starting at the tube 26. In a preferred embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 10 includes 2 or 3 extension tubes for achieving its maximum length. Preferably, the extension tube sections, as shown in FIG. 1, have a plug end 36 and a sleeve end 38 for telescopically attaching to each other. In one preferred embodiment, the plug end of the extension tube section is tapered, and the sleeve end is cylindrical. The tapering plug end of one tube section can be inserted inside of the cylindrical sleeve end to create a snug fitting of the tube sections. In this manner, one extension tube section 34 can be attached to the tube 26 by inserting the tapering outer end 30 of the tube 26 into the cylindrical shaped sleeve end 38 of the extension tube section 34, thereby creating a snug fitting between the tube 26 and extension tube section 34. Other extension tube sections can be similarly attached to the vacuum cleaner to create the desired length of the vacuum cleaner for easy and comfortable cleaning without the user needing to bend. Preferably, the shortest length of the vacuum cleaner is 12 inches, and the longest length is 32-36 inches. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, the suction tip of the outermost tube section 40 includes a soft end cap 42 made of rubber to prevent scratching floors or furniture.

In one aspect, the vacuum cleaner also includes a belt clip adapted to carry on person while doing tasks such as window washing or household/commercial chores. For example, the belt clip can be used to carry on the vacuum cleaner by a painter vacuuming a windowsill, or by movers picking up dust. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the motor of the vacuum cleaner can be reversed to act as a blower for sweeping small areas. Preferably, the vacuum cleaner is provided with attachments for additional reach or work in detailed areas, such as computer components or automobiles. One such attachment includes an attachment 44 with a brush at its tip, as shown in FIG. 3. Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention is provided in multiple colors to coordinate with home decor or even franchise colors in commercial settings.

The vacuum cleaner of the present invention can be used as a debris collection device designed to pick up small accumulations of waste, such as dirt, dust lint, grass, insects, and other household litter. The vacuum cleaner is especially useful for spot pickup in tight areas that may be tough to reach with conventional corded vacuums or short portable hand held devices. The vacuum cleaner of the present invention is easy to access and store, so it can be used in place of larger vacuums for smaller regular cleanups. It is ideal for the elderly or people with limited strength or mobility. The vacuum cleaner of the present invention could also be worn for use, for example, with help of the belt clip while doing other tasks that generate debris. The compact dimensions and rapid deployment capabilities of the vacuum cleaner of the present invention provides cleaning ease and simplicity to a user.

It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above discussed embodiments may be used in combination with each other. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description.

Whereas the construction and method have been described in relation to the figures of the drawings, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention.

Claims

1. A portable vacuum cleaner comprising:

a cylindrical housing;

a rechargeable battery positioned in said housing;

a motor connected to said rechargeable battery in said housing;

an impeller fan connected to said motor in said housing;

a collection chamber positioned in said housing;

at least one filter element positioned in said housing below said impeller fan;

a tube including a tapering outer end and a tapering inner end, wherein said tapering inner end forms an inverted cone inside said collection chamber; and

an on/off switch on said housing.

2. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said portable vacuum cleaner further includes a plug for charging said rechargeable battery.

3. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said portable vacuum cleaner further includes a rotating plug for charging said rechargeable battery.

4. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said rechargeable battery is removably positioned in said housing.

5. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said collection chamber is removably positioned in said housing.

6. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said at least one filter element is removably positioned in said housing.

7. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said housing is pressed fitting at the position of said filter element.

8. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a tapered tube at the position of said filter element.

9. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said motor is fixed motor.

10. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said motor is single speed motor.

11. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said outer end of said tube is a suction tip.

12. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said filter element includes a filter made of material selected from cloth, foam, and fine mesh.

13. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said filter element is round.

14. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said filter element is spherical.

15. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said portable vacuum cleaner is attached with at least one extension tube section for increasing length of said portable vacuum cleaner.

16. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said portable vacuum cleaner is attached with at least one extension tube section for increasing length of said portable vacuum cleaner, said at least one extension tube section includes a plug end and a sleeve end, said plug end of first extension tube section adapted to be inserted inside sleeve end of second extension tube section for snug fitting said first extension tube section with said second extension tube section.

17. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said collection chamber is made of plastic.

18. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said portable vacuum cleaner is 12 inches long.

19. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said portable vacuum cleaner is 32 inches long.

20. The portable vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said portable vacuum cleaner is 36 inches long.