MODULAR VACUUM SYSTEM

Abstract

A modular vacuum system includes a plurality of power heads configured to be removably coupled to a plurality of canisters, each canister having a debris collection chamber of a different capacity, a first power source configured to output a first voltage, and a second power source configured to output the first voltage. A first power head of the plurality of power heads is configured to receive the first power source, and includes a first suction motor rated to operate at a first performance level defined by the first voltage. A second power head of the plurality of power heads is configured to receive the first power source with the second power source, and includes a second suction motor rated to operate at a second performance level greater than the first performance level.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 17/711,182, filed Apr. 1, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/426,068, filed May 30, 2019, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,291,339, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/680,134 filed on Jun. 4, 2018, the entire contents of each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners.

Vacuum cleaners may include a power head including a fan and a motor for generating a suction airflow. The suction airflow supplied by the vacuum cleaner is often used for collecting debris and depositing the debris in a collector or compartment. These collectors are often removable from the power head to empty the collector

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the invention provides a modular vacuum system including a first canister with a first capacity configured to store debris, a second canister with a second capacity greater than the first capacity, a first power head and a second power head. The first power head is coupled to either the first canister or the second canister. The first power head is operable at a first voltage to generate a first suction airflow, and the first power head can be coupled to the first canister such that the first canister receives the first suction airflow. The first canister stores debris separated from the first suction airflow. The first power head can be coupled to the second canister such that the second canister receives the first suction airflow. The second canister stores debris separated from the first suction airflow. The second power head can be coupled to either the first canister or the second canister. The second power head is operable at a second voltage, greater than the first voltage, to generate a second suction airflow, and the second power head can be coupled to the first canister such that the first canister receives the second suction airflow. The first canister stores debris separated from the second suction airflow. The second power head can be coupled to the second canister such that the second canister receives the second suction airflow. The second canister stores debris separated from the second suction airflow.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a modular vacuum system including a first canister with a first capacity configured to store debris, a second canister with a second capacity greater than the first capacity, and a power head that can be coupled to either the first canister or the second canister. The power head is operable to generate a suction airflow. The power head can be coupled to the first canister such that the first canister receives the suction airflow and the first canister stores debris separated from the suction airflow. The power head can be coupled to the second canister having a greater capacity than the first canister such that the second canister receives the suction airflow and the second canister stores debris separated from the suction airflow.

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 the modular vacuum system according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the modular vacuum system of FIG. 1 with a canister and a power head removed from a cart.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the power head removed from the canister.

FIG. 4 illustrates a variety of canisters with mating cross-sections corresponding to a mating cross-section of the power head.

FIG. 5 illustrates a variety of canister paired with a variety of power heads.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

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.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a modular vacuum system 10. The modular vacuum system 10 includes a first power head 12, a second power head 14, a first canister 16, a second canister 17, a third canister 18 and a base 20. The power heads 12, 14 can be connected to canisters 16, 17, 18 by using a latch 19, and the canisters 16, 17, 18 can be connected to the base 20. The latch 19 can be actuated to lock or release the power heads 12, 14 to the canisters 16, 17, 18. The power heads 12, 14 have different performance levels and the canisters 16, 17, 18 have different capacities. Therefore, the user can select the power head performance, the canister size, and the base 20 for a modular and custom design to fit the user's needs.

FIG. 5 illustrates the first power head 12 and the second power head 14. The first power head 12 has a first performance level and includes a first fan 21 and a first motor 22. The second power head 14 has a second performance level generally exceeding the first performance level and includes a second fan 23 and a second motor 24. The first performance level has a first voltage and the second performance level has a second voltage greater than the first voltage. The first voltage is provided by an 18 volt lithium-ion battery 25. The second voltage is provided by two of the 18 volt lithium-ion batteries 25 that create a 36 volt system. In other embodiments, different battery voltages can be used. In another embodiment, the power heads 12, 14 include an AC power input 26 to charge the 18 volt lithium-ion battery 25, and/or to power the power heads 12, 14 when the 18 volt lithium-ion battery 25 is not used. In yet another embodiment, the power heads 12, 14 may be only powered by the AC power input 26. The power heads 12, 14 may include a horizontal filter. The filter is interchangeable for various purposes—wet, dust, HEPA, etc. In one embodiment, the filter includes a visual indicator on the side of the filter so the user knows what type of filter (e.g. wet, dust, HEPA, etc.) is installed.

As shown in the FIGS. 4 and 5, the canisters 16, 17, 18 have multiple canister sizes. In the illustrated embodiment, the first canister 16 has a capacity ranging from two gallons to six gallons. The second canister 17 has a capacity ranging seven gallons to sixteen gallons. In other embodiments the canisters 16, 17, 18 may have capacities ranging from two gallons to twenty gallons. The canisters 16, 17, 18 have an open upper end 27 and a closed lower end 28. FIG. 5 illustrates the first canister 16 with a first height 30 measured from the open upper end 27 to the closed lower end 28. The second canister 17 has a second height 31 and the third canister 18 has a third height 32. The shape of the open upper end 27 has a first polygonal cross-section 33 and the shape of the closed lower end 28 has a second polygonal cross-section 34. The size and shape of the open upper end 27 and closed lower end 28 are consistent across the canisters 16, 17, 18. Therefore, the capacity of each canister in the illustrated embodiments is varied by the heights 30, 31, 32 of the canisters 16, 17, 18. The canisters 16, 17, 18 can connect with the power heads 12, 14 at the open upper end 27, and they can connect to the base 20 at the closed lower end 28.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the base 20 includes a handle 38, a release 40, a wheels 41, and a brake 42. The release 40 is used for unlocking the canisters 16, 17, 18 from the base 20 (e.g., for emptying or for changing the canister or the base). In the illustrated embodiment, the handle 38 is an adjustable handle connected to the base 20 used to move the canisters 16, 17, 18 when they are attached to the base 20. The release 40 is a release lever actuated to remove the canisters 16, 17, 18 from the base 20. In one embodiment, the release 40 may be foot actuated release lever. In the illustrated embodiment, the brake 42 prevents the base 20 from moving by locking at least one of the wheels 41.

Referring to FIGS. 3-5, the canisters 16, 17, 18 can stand freely without the base 20. That is, the canisters 16, 17, 18 can be set on the ground, and the modular vacuum system 10 can be used without the base 20. In some embodiments, the canisters 16, 17, 18 may include integrated handle(s) for emptying.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 2, the modular vacuum system 10 includes an inlet 44 attached to the first power head 12. A hose 48 is removably coupled to the inlet 44. During the operation of the modular vacuum system 10, the first motor 22 is operated at the first voltage to generate a first suction airflow through the inlet 44. The first suction airflow collects debris that passes through the inlet 44. The debris is separated from the first suction airflow and stored in the canisters 16, 17, 18. In one embodiment, the inlet 44 may be attached to the second power head 14. In that embodiment, the second motor 24 generates a second suction airflow through the inlet 44, where the second suction airflow collects debris, and the debris is separated from the second suction airflow and deposited in the canisters 16, 17, 18. FIG. 5 illustrates the modularity of the modular vacuum system 10 illustrates the canisters 16, 17, 18 coupled to the power heads 12, 14 such that the canisters 16, 17, 18 may receive the first or second suction airflow generated by the power heads 12, 14. In yet another embodiment, the inlet 44 may be attached the canisters 16, 17, 18.

Claims

1-20. (canceled)

21. A modular vacuum system comprising:

a first canister configured to store debris, the first canister having a first capacity and an open upper end;

a second canister configured to store debris, the second canister having a second capacity greater than the first capacity and an open upper end having a size and shape consistent with the open upper end of the first canister;

a first power head configured to be coupled to either the first canister at the open upper end or the second canister at the open upper end, the first power head battery-powered to generate a first suction airflow and configured to be coupled to the first canister such that the first canister receives the first suction airflow and the first canister stores debris separated from the first suction airflow, and the first power head configured to be coupled to the second canister such that the second canister receives the first suction airflow and the second canister stores debris separated from the first suction airflow; and

a second power head configured to be coupled to either the first canister at the open upper end or the second canister at the open upper end, the second power head powered by an AC power input to generate a second suction airflow and configured to be coupled to the first canister such that the first canister receives the second suction airflow and the first canister stores debris separated from the second suction airflow and the second power head can be coupled to the second canister such that the second canister receives the second suction airflow and the second canister stores debris separated from the second suction airflow.

22. The modular vacuum system of claim 21, wherein the first power head is operable at a first voltage to generate the first suction airflow, and wherein the second power head operable at a second voltage, greater than the first voltage, to generate a second suction airflow.

23. The modular vacuum system of claim 22, wherein the first power head is battery powered at the first voltage but not the second voltage and the second power head is powered at the second voltage by the AC power input but not the first voltage.

24. The modular vacuum system of claim 21, wherein the first canister has a first height and the second canister has a second height greater than the first height.

25. The modular vacuum system of claim 24, wherein the first canister includes a closed lower end, the first height measured from the open upper end of the first canister to the closed lower end of the first canister, wherein the second canister includes a closed lower end, the second height measured from the open upper end of the second canister to the closed lower end of the second canister.

26. The modular vacuum system of claim 25, wherein the closed lower end of the first canister has a same size and shape as the closed lower end of the second canister.

27. The modular vacuum system of claim 26, further comprising a base defining a recess configured to separately and removably receive the closed lower end of the first canister and the closed lower end of the second canister, wherein the base includes a plurality of wheels.

28. The modular vacuum system of claim 27, wherein the first canister includes a sidewall extending between the closed lower end of the first canister and the open upper end of the first canister, wherein the second canister includes a sidewall extending between the closed lower end of the second canister and the open upper end of the second canister, wherein the base is configured to surround at least a portion of the sidewall of the first canister when the base receives the closed lower end of the first canister, and wherein the base is configured to surround at least a portion of the sidewall of the second canister when the base receives the closed lower end of the second canister.

29. The modular vacuum system of claim 28, wherein the sidewall of the second canister includes a drain port, wherein the base includes a cutout aligned with the drain port of the second canister when the base receives the closed lower end of the second canister such that the base does not cover the drain port.

30. The modular vacuum system of claim 21, wherein the first capacity is in a range from 2 gallons to 6 gallons, wherein the second capacity is in the range from 7 gallons to 16 gallons.

31. The modular vacuum system of claim 21, wherein the first power head includes a first motor operable at a first voltage to generate the first suction airflow, wherein the second power head includes a second motor operable at a second voltage to generate the second suction airflow.

32. A modular vacuum system comprising:

a first canister configured to store debris, the first canister having a first capacity;

a second canister configured to store debris, the second canister having a second capacity greater than the first capacity;

a plurality of power heads that can each be coupled to either the first canister or the second canister, each power head of the plurality of power heads operable to generate a suction airflow, each power head of the plurality of power heads can be coupled to the first canister such that the first canister receives the suction airflow and the first canister stores debris separated from the suction airflow, and each power head of the plurality of power heads can be coupled to the second canister having a greater capacity than the first canister, such that the second canister receives the suction airflow and the second canister stores debris separated from the suction airflow;

wherein the plurality of power heads includes a first battery-powered powerhead operable at a first voltage, a second battery-powered powerhead operable at a second voltage greater than the first voltage, and a third powerhead powered by an AC power input.

33. The modular vacuum system of claim 32, wherein each power head of the plurality of power heads is operable at one of a plurality of respective performance levels and each power head of the plurality of power heads is operable only at their respective performance level.

34. The modular vacuum system of claim 32, wherein the first canister has a first height and the second canister has a second height greater than the first height.

35. The modular vacuum system of claim 34, wherein the first canister includes an open upper end and a closed lower end, the first height measured from the open upper end to the closed lower end, wherein the second canister includes an open upper end and a closed lower end, the second height measured from the open upper end of the second canister to the closed lower end of the second canister.

36. The modular vacuum system of claim 32, wherein the first canister includes an open upper end and the second canister includes an open upper end, wherein the open upper end of the first canister has a same size and shape as the open upper end of the second canister.

37. The modular vacuum system of claim 36, wherein the open upper end of the first canister has a first perimeter, wherein the open upper end of the second canister has a second perimeter equal to the first perimeter, and wherein the first perimeter and the second perimeter have a polygonal cross-section.

38. The modular vacuum system of claim 32, wherein the first capacity is in a range from 2 gallons to 6 gallons, wherein the second capacity is in the range from 7 gallons to 16 gallons.

39. A modular vacuum system comprising:

a plurality of canisters, at least one canister in the plurality of canisters having a first capacity and at least another canister in the plurality of canisters having a second capacity different than the first capacity, wherein each canister of the plurality of canisters includes an open upper end and a closed lower end, wherein the closed lower end of each canister of the plurality of canisters has a same size and shape;

a plurality of power heads, at least one power head of the plurality of power heads operable at a first voltage supplied by a battery power source and at least another power head of the plurality of power heads operable at a second voltage supplied by an AC power input, the second voltage being different than the first voltage; and

a base defining a recess configured to separately and removably receive the closed lower end of each canister of the plurality of canisters, wherein the base includes a plurality of wheels;

wherein each canister of the plurality of canisters can be selectively coupled to each power head of the plurality of power heads; and

wherein each power head of the plurality of power heads is configured to operate at the first voltage or the second voltage but not both the first voltage and the second voltage.

40. The modular vacuum system of claim 39, wherein each canister of the plurality of canisters includes a sidewall extending between the closed lower end and the open upper end, wherein the base is configured to surround at least a portion of the sidewall of the canister received within the base.