Air cushion vacuum cleaner
OwnerJames R. Altoninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner canister assembly supported on a cushion of air. A generally concentric series of ridges and channels surround a domed pocket in the base of the canister assembly. Air discharged into the pocket escapes under the ridges and flows into the channels so as to be distributed about the base of the assembly. The pocket is located generally beneath the center of mass and on the centerline of the assembly. A collection chamber also accumulates collected particulate so as to be located generally proximate the center of mass. An inlet tube at the front of the assembly is angled downwardly towards the floor to reduce the load on the canister assembly from the weight of the hose.
Claims14
A vacuum cleaner canister assembly that generates an air cushion to support said canister assembly over a floor surface, said canister assembly comprising:
- a base assembly that generates an air cushion to support said canister assembly, said base assembly comprising:
- an exhaust port through which a flow of air exhausted from a motor of said canister assembly is discharged below said base assembly;
- an upwardly domed pocket having said exhaust port located therein so that said flow of air exiting said exhaust port is received and constrained within said domed pocket;
- a first depending ridge circumscribing said domed pocket, under which air escapes from said pocket so as to generate lift against a floor surface underlying said base assembly;
- an upwardly recessed first channel circumscribing said first ridge into which said air escaping under said first ridge flows so as to be distributed about said domed pocket;
- a second depending ridge circumscribing said first channel under which said flow of air escapes from said first channel so as to generate lift against said underlying floor surface;
- a second upwardly recessed channel circumscribing said second ridge that receives and distributes said flow of air about said second ridge;
- and
- a third depending ridge circumscribing said second channel under which said flow of air escapes from said second channel so as to generate additional lift against said underlying floor surface.
A vacuum cleaner canister assembly that generates an air cushion to support said canister assembly over a floor surface, said canister assembly comprising:
- a base assembly that generates an air cushion to support said canister assembly, said base assembly comprising:
- an exhaust port through which a flow of air exhausted from a motor of said canister assembly is discharged below said base assembly;
- an upwardly domed pocket having said exhaust port located therein so that said flow of air exiting said exhaust port is received and constrained within said domed pocket, said domed pocket being located generally beneath a center of mass of said vacuum cleaner canister assembly;
- a first depending ridge circumscribing said domed pocket, under which air escapes from said pocket so as to generate lift against a floor surface underlying said base assembly;
- an upwardly recessed first channel circumscribing said first ridge into which said air escaping under said first ridge flows so as to be distributed about said domed pocket;
- a second depending ridge circumscribing said first channel under which said flow of air escapes from said first channel so as to generate lift against said underlying floor surface;
- a second upwardly recessed channel circumscribing said second ridge that receives and distributes said flow of air about said second ridge;
- a third depending ridge circumscribing said second channel under which said flow of air escapes from said second channel so as to generate additional lift against said underlying floor surface;
- said upwardly recessed channels being arranged generally concentrically about said domed pocket that receives said flow of air from said exhaust port;
- and
- said domed pocket and said upwardly recessed channels cooperating to form forward and rearward regions of lift aligned generally along a longitudinal axis of said canister assembly and located respectively generally forwardly and rearwardly of said center of gravity of said canister assembly;
- and
- an upper housing assembly, comprising:
- an blower motor that draws said flow of air through said filer chamber and expels said flow of air through said exhaust port into said domed pocket on said bottom of said base;
- a filter chamber;
- and
- an inlet tube in fluid communication with a vacuum hose, said inlet tube having a discharge end that is angled to direct said flow of air towards a rearward side of said filter chamber that is located towards said center of mass of said canister assembly, so that heavy particulate carried by said flow of air accumulates adjacent said rearward wall of said filter chamber so as to be generally proximate said center of mass of said canister assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.