VACUUM CLEANER

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner including a motor housing having a suction source, a suction opening, an exhaust opening, and an air passageway in fluid communication with the suction source and the exhaust opening. A filter receives the suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening and the filter is expandable in response to the suction airflow traveling through the filter. The vacuum further includes a container in which the filter is located and the container includes a wall and ribs. The ribs limit expansion of the filter to create a gap between the filter and the wall. The suction airflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the exhaust opening. The motor housing is releasably coupled to the container, and the gap between the filter and the container wall is in fluid communication with the motor housing air passageway.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/637,858 filed Mar. 2, 2018, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners.

Vacuum cleaners typically include a suction source that draws debris into a debris separator. In some vacuum cleaners the debris separator is a cyclonic separator assembly. In some vacuum cleaners the debris separator is a filter bag. The filter bag both filters the suction airflow and also stores the debris in the bag. The bag is emptied or replaced when the bag is full. Changing the filter bag can require disassembly of the vacuum to access the compartment where the bag is housed in the vacuum.

In addition to the primary debris separator, vacuum cleaners can include additional filters, such as pre and post motor filters. These filters also require periodic replacement.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment a vacuum cleaner includes a motor housing including a suction source operable to generate a suction airflow and a suction opening in fluid communication with the suction source. The suction opening is configured to receive airflow entering the vacuum cleaner. The motor housing further includes an exhaust opening in fluid communication with the suction source configured to discharge the airflow from the vacuum cleaner and an air passageway in fluid communication with the suction source and the exhaust opening. The vacuum further includes a container and a filter that receives the suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening. The filter is expandable in response to the suction airflow traveling through the filter and the filter is configured separate debris from the suction airflow and store the debris within the filter. The container is where the filter is located and the container includes a wall and ribs. The ribs limit expansion of the filter to create a gap between the filter and the wall and the suction airflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the exhaust opening. The motor housing is releasably coupled to the container and the gap between the filter and the container wall is in fluid communication with the motor housing air passageway.

In another embodiment a vacuum cleaner includes a suction source operable to generate a suction airflow, a suction opening in fluid communication with the suction source configured to receive airflow entering the vacuum cleaner, an exhaust opening in fluid communication with the suction source configured to discharge the airflow from the vacuum cleaner, and a filter that receives the suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening. The filter is configured separate debris from the suction airflow and store the debris within the filter. The vacuum further includes a container in which the filter is located and a lid releasably coupled to the container. The lid is movable between an open position and a closed position. The lid includes a plenum that is in a flow path of the suction airflow between the filter and the exhaust opening.

In another embodiment, a vacuum cleaner includes a suction opening in fluid communication with the suction source configured to receive airflow entering the vacuum cleaner, an exhaust opening in fluid communication with the suction source configured to discharge the airflow from the vacuum cleaner, and a debris separator that receives the suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening. The debris separator is configured separate debris from the suction airflow and store the debris within the debris separator. The vacuum further includes a container in which the debris separator is located and a suction source operable to generate a suction airflow. The suction source includes a motor in an airflow passageway between the debris separator and the exhaust opening. The vacuum further includes a filter that surrounds the motor around a motor axis.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with outer cover details of the vacuum cleaner not shown.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vacuum of FIG. 3 with a lid in an open position.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum of FIG. 3 including a schematic representation of a filter.

FIG. 6a is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum of FIG. 3 including a schematic representation of cyclonic separator.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a cage of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a top view of a container of a vacuum cleaner with a lid removed according to an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a bottom view of the lid of the vacuum of FIG. 8.

Before any embodiments 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 embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a vacuum 10. The vacuum 10 includes a container 12 and a motor housing or lid 14 that is releasably coupled to the container 12. As will be discussed in more detail below, the container 12 and motor housing 14 are releaseably coupled for easy access to the debris separator of the vacuum 10 so that a user can easily change the filters and/or empty the debris separator and access components of the vacuum 10.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the motor housing 14 forms a lid of the container 12. The motor housing 14 includes a suction source 16, a suction opening 18, and an exhaust opening 20. The exhaust opening 20 is in fluid communication with the suction source 16 of the housing 14. The exhaust opening 20 discharges suction airflow from the vacuum 10. The suction source 16 includes a motor 22 and fan 24. The motor 22 rotates the fan 24 about a motor axis 26 to generate a suction airflow through the suction opening 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor 22 is a DC motor powered by a removable and rechargeable battery 29. In other embodiments, the motor can be powered by alternating current.

The suction opening 18 is in fluid communication with the suction source 16 as will be discussed in more detail below. The suction opening 18 receives the suction airflow entering the vacuum cleaner 10. In the illustrated embodiment a suction hose 28 (FIG. 1) is removably attached to the suction opening 18. A distal end of the suction hose 28 may include a floor nozzle or accessory tool having an inlet to receive the suction airflow into the suction hose 28 to the suction opening 18.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the motor housing or lid 14 is releasably coupled to the container 12 so that the motor housing 14 is movable between a closed position (FIG. 3) and an open position (FIG. 4). In the illustrated embodiment, the motor housing 14 is pivotally coupled to the container 12 for movement between the open and closed positions. As shown, the suction source 16 remains with the motor housing 14 for movement between the open and closed positions relative to the container 12.

Referring to FIG. 2, the motor housing 14 further includes a plenum 30. The suction source 16 is located within the motor housing 14 and the suction source 16 draws in air from the plenum 30. A supply duct 32 may extend through the plenum 14 or be positioned outside of the plenum to supply the suction airflow from the suction opening 18 to the container 12.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a filter 34, which is a premotor filter, surrounds the motor 22 and the motor axis 26. In the illustrated embodiment, the filter 34 surrounds the motor axis 26 by 360 degrees and the plenum 30 surrounds the filter 34 configured to provide air flow around the filter. In this embodiment, the suction airflow enters the filter 34 and travels toward the fan 24 from 360 degrees around the motor axis 26. In an alternative embodiment, the filter is positioned in the motor housing 14 across an air flow path between the plenum 30 and the motor 22. In one embodiment, the filter 34 is a pleated HEPA filter. A filter lid 36 is removably coupled to a lower wall 38, or optionally a side or upper wall, of the motor housing 14 configured to close a filter-access opening through the motor housing. The lid 36 is removable to access the filter 34 so that the user can remove the filter 34 through the filter-access opening when the filter lid 36 is removed. In the illustrated embodiment, the filter 34 is removable in a direction along the motor axis 26. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the filter lid 36 presses the filter 34 against a filter seat 37 to seal the filter 34 into the airflow passageway between the plenum 30 and the motor 22.

Referring to FIG. 2, the vacuum 10 further includes a debris separator 40 located within the container 12. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, the debris separator 40 includes a filter bag 42. In other embodiments, such as the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 6a, the debris separator 40 can include a cyclonic separator. In other alternatives, the debris separator may be a pleated filter or other type of filter and the like. The debris separator 40 receives suction airflow from the supply duct 32 as indicated by arrow 44 in FIGS. 2 and 6a. For a debris separator 40 including a filter bag such as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 6, the filter 42 expands in response to the suction airflow traveling into and through the filter 42. The filter 42 forms a dust collection chamber such that debris is separated from the suction airflow and the debris remains within the filter 42 while the clean airflow travels through the filter 42.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 6, the filter 42 is located inside the container 12. The container 12 includes walls 46 and one or more ribs 48. The walls 46 define an interior of the container 12. In one embodiment, the walls 46 (including the walls of the motor housing 14) are formed by a foam housing 52. The foam housing 52 includes a foam material, such as a foam of polyurethane, polyether, polyisocyanurate, rubber, or any combinations thereof, or other polymeric foams. The foam material may be a resilient or semi-resilient foam. Alternatively, the foam material may be a rigid or semi-rigid foam. The foam material may be selected to provide sound dampening properties reducing noise from the vacuum 10 during operation. Optionally, an outer surface of the foam housing is covered with a layer of textile, film, or cladding covering material providing one or more surface properties such as water repellency, griping surface, soft surface, other tactile surface, chemical resistance, protective surface, strength, reinforcement, reflective or high-visibility surface, decoration, or other properties as desired.

The ribs 48 extend from the walls 46. In the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7, the vacuum 10 includes a cage 50 that is received within the container 12 and can be removed from the container 12. The cage 50 includes the ribs 48. In an alternative embodiment (FIG. 8), the ribs 48 are integrally formed with the walls 46. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the container 12 optionally is removable from a foam housing 52 that surrounds the container 12. In one embodiment, the foam housing 52 is be integrally molded around the container 12 or otherwise attached to the container 12.

In operation, the suction source 16 generates the suction airflow that draws the airflow and debris into the vacuum 10 through the suction opening 18. The airflow and debris travel through the supply duct 32 and into the filter 42. The airflow causes the filter 42 to expand to the position shown in FIG. 2. The ribs 48 limit expansion of the filter 42. That is, the one or more ribs 48 hold a portion of the filter media of the filter 42 away from the wall 46. Therefore, a gap 58 is created between the filter 42 and the walls 46 of the container 12 defined by the one or more ribs 48. Debris is separated by the filter 42 and the debris is stored in the filter 42. The relatively clean air passes through the filter 42 into the gap 58, which forms an air return passageway as indicated by arrows 60.

In the illustrated embodiment, such as shown in FIG. 4, the air return passageway, or gap 58, extends around the perimeter of the container 12. Alternatively, the air return passageway as indicated by arrows 60, may extend around a portion of the perimeter. The motor housing 14 includes a corresponding gap 62 around the perimeter of the lower wall 38 of the motor housing 14 forming a plenum inlet opening 62. The plenum inlet opening or gap 62 forms an air passageway into the plenum 30 of the motor housing 14. When the motor housing 14 is in the closed position (FIG. 2) the plenum inlet opening 62 and the air return passageway 60 of the container are connected for fluid communication. In the illustrated embodiment, when the motor housing 14 is in the closed position (FIG. 2) the gaps 58, 62 are aligned so that the airflow can pass from the gap 58 through the gap 62 and into the plenum 30. When the motor housing 14 is in the open position (FIG. 4) the plenum inlet opening 62 and the air return passageway 60 of the container, gaps 58, 62, are disconnected. In the alternative illustrated in FIG. 6a, the air return passageway as indicated by arrow 60, includes a duct configured to connect with a corresponding plenum inlet opening on the motor housing 14 in fluid communication when the motor housing 14 is in the closed position.

Referring to FIG. 2, the suction airflow, represented by arrows 66 passes from the air return passageway and plenum inlet opening into the plenum 30 and then through the premotor filer 34. After passing through the filter 34, the airflow travels through the fan 24 and then is exhausted from the vacuum 10 through the exhaust opening 20, represented by arrow 68. In one embodiment, the exhaust opening 20 includes baffles and/or foam members along the air flow path to muffle the sound of the air flowing out of the exhaust opening 20.

Referring to FIG. 1, in the illustrated construction, the vacuum cleaner 10 includes a shoulder harness 70 and a waist belt 72. The illustrated vacuum cleaner 10 can be worn on the back of a user using the harness 70 and the belt 72. Also, the illustrated vacuum cleaner 10 includes a fabric exterior shell 74. The shell 74 includes a zipper 76. The zipper 76 holds the motor housing 14 in the closed positioned. If the user desires to open the motor housing 14, as illustrated in FIG. 4, the user opens the zipper 76 and pivots the housing 14 to the open position. In the open position, the supply duct 32 is disconnected from fluid communication with the debris separator 40 and corresponding dust collection chamber. The motor housing 14 is opened so that the user can easily access filter 42 to remove and replace the filter 42, or access a cyclonic dust collection chamber 78 such as shown in FIG. 6a. The filter 42 is removed by lifting the filter 42 out of the container 12 and dropping a new filter 42 back into the container 12. Also, the user can easily access and remove filter lid 36 to replace the filter 34 when the motor housing 14 is opened. The user closes the motor housing 14 to reconnect the supply duct 32 to the debris separator 40 or filter 42 and the vacuum 10 is ready for use.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a motor housing including; a suction source operable to generate a suction airflow; a suction opening in fluid communication with the suction source, the suction opening configured to receive airflow entering the vacuum cleaner; an exhaust opening in fluid communication with the suction source configured to discharge the airflow from the vacuum cleaner; and an air passageway in fluid communication with the suction source and the exhaust opening;

a filter that receives the suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening, the filter expandable in response to the suction airflow traveling through the filter, the filter configured separate debris from the suction airflow and store the debris within the filter; and

a container in which the filter is located, the container includes a wall and ribs,

wherein the ribs limit expansion of the filter to create a gap between the filter and the wall, and wherein the suction airflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the exhaust opening;

wherein the motor housing is releasably coupled to the container such that the motor housing is movable between an open position and a closed position, and

wherein the gap between the filter and the container wall is in fluid communication with the motor housing air passageway when the motor housing is in the closed position and the motor housing air passageway and the gap are disconnected from fluid communication when the motor housing is in the open position,

wherein the motor housing includes a supply duct that provides fluid communication between the suction opening and the filter, wherein the supply duct is disconnected from fluid communication with the filter when the motor housing is in the open position and the supply duct is connected to the filter for fluid communication when the motor housing is in the closed position.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the ribs extend from the wall.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the ribs are integrally formed with the wall.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, further comprising a foam housing, wherein the container is located inside the housing.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the wall is an interior wall of the container and the ribs are removable from the wall.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the gap between the filter and the container wall is aligned with the motor housing air passageway.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the wall includes a foam wall.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a shoulder harness such that the vacuum cleaner is a backpack vacuum cleaner.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the motor housing includes a plenum that is in a flow path of the suction airflow between the filter and the exhaust opening.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein in the open position of the motor housing, the filter is accessible by a user to remove the filter from the container.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the plenum is in the flow path of the suction airflow between the filter and the suction source.

12. (canceled)

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the supply duct extends through the plenum.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the container includes an air return passageway, wherein the motor housing includes a plenum inlet opening corresponding with the air return passageway, and wherein the plenum inlet opening and the air return passageway of the container are connected for fluid communication when the motor housing is in the closed position and the plenum inlet opening and the air return passageway are disconnected from fluid communication when the motor housing is in the open position.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the gap forms the air return passageway such that the suction airflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the plenum.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the suction source includes a motor, the vacuum cleaner further comprising a second filter that surrounds the motor around a motor axis.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein the motor housing air passageway is configured for airflow to enter the second filter 360 degrees around the motor axis.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, further comprising a filter lid, the filter lid removably coupled to the motor housing of the vacuum to allow access to the second filter.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the filter lid is inaccessible when the motor hosing is in the closed position and the filter lid is accessible by a user to open the filter lid when the motor housing of the vacuum is in the open position.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the filter lid presses the second filter against a filter seat to seal the second filter in the motor housing air passageway.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the container includes a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the motor is adjacent the first side of the container and the supply duct is disconnected from fluid communication with the filter and connected to the filter for fluid communication adjacent the first side of the container.