# US 11,304,580 B2 · Vacuum cleaner purge port > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,304,580 B2 - Document ID: US11304580B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/937,268 - Filed: 2020-07-23 - Published: 2021-01-28 - Granted: 2022-04-19 - Earliest claimed: 2019-07-23 - Applicants: Nabil Robert Boury - Inventors: Nabil Robert Boury - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11304580B2 ## CPC - A47L 9/248: {Parts, details or accessories of hoses or pipes (nozzles A47L9/02)} - A47L 5/365: {of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type} - A47L 9/242: {Hose or pipe couplings} - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract A purge port system for clearing a clogged vacuum cleaner hose including a housing that is connected to, or part of, the vacuum cleaner. The housing includes housing openings. An insert engages with the housing. Openings are included on the insert. The housing and insert openings can receive an output and an input of a hose. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A system for clearing a clogged vacuum cleaner hose of a vacuum cleaner, the system comprising: a housing operatively connected to the vacuum cleaner; an insert adapted to moveably engage with the housing, wherein the insert comprises a plurality of insert openings, wherein the insert is adaptable to an output and an input of a hose; a spacer block configured to attach to a body of the vacuum cleaner, wherein the spacer block comprises a plurality of plate openings; and wherein the housing further comprises a plurality of housing openings, wherein the plurality of housing openings, the plurality of insert openings and the plurality of plate openings are of like size and shape. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 wherein a top of the housing comprises an opening wherein the opening is adapted to receive the insert. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising an open position wherein the insert is partially removed from the housing via a handle on a top of the insert. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The system according to claim 1 further comprising an air chamber distributed in an internal void of the insert. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The system of claim 4 wherein the air chamber is formed by a front piece of the insert and a back piece of the insert wherein the front piece and the back piece form the insert comprising the internal void therebetween. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The system of claim 1 further comprising a closed position wherein the insert is inside the housing and wherein at least one of the plurality of housing openings aligns with at least one of the plurality of insert openings and at least one of the plurality of plate openings wherein an opening of the aligned openings is adapted to receive a first end of the hose of the vacuum cleaner. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein the opening of the aligned openings and the first end of the hose form a passage attached to the vacuum cleaner for suction. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The system of claim 6 wherein the open position further comprises displacement of the aligned openings and wherein another at least one opening of the plurality of insert openings is adapted to receive a second end of the hose of the vacuum cleaner. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The system of claim 8 wherein the second end of the hose is adapted to connect to one of the housing or the insert while the first end of the hose is also adapted to connect to one of the housing or the insert. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The system of claim 9 wherein the system is in the closed position for a vacuum suction operation through the first end of the hose. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10 wherein the system is in the open position to clear a clogged hose, and wherein the system is in the open position for a vacuum suction operation through the second end of the hose. ### Claim 12 An apparatus for removal of a clog from a vacuum cleaner hose of a vacuum cleaner, the apparatus comprising: a housing configured on a body of the vacuum cleaner wherein the housing comprises a plurality of circular openings displaced on the housing, the circular openings adapted to accept at least one end of the vacuum hose; and a removable insert configured to slideably engage relative to the housing wherein the removable insert comprises a plurality of circular openings adapted to accept the at least one end of the vacuum hose; and an open position wherein the removable insert is partially removed from the housing via a handle on a top of the removable insert. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the removable insert further comprises two openings of the plurality of circular openings. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the removable insert further comprises three openings of the plurality of circular openings and wherein the insert further comprises an air passage. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the apparatus is in a first position wherein the housing further comprises an air passage opening aligned with an air passage opening of the insert when the insert is engaged with the housing, wherein the air passage openings are configured to pass air in and out of the insert and housing during operation of the vacuum cleaner. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the plurality of circular openings of the housing align with a first portion of the plurality of circular openings of the removable insert when the apparatus is in the first position. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the apparatus further comprises a second position wherein the removable insert is engaged with the housing to dis-align the first portion of the plurality of circular openings of the removable insert with the plurality of circular openings of the housing. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the second position further comprises a second portion of the plurality of circular openings of the removable insert to align with a portion of the plurality of circular openings of the housing. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the apparatus is adapted to alternate between the first position and the second position by vertical displacement of the insert. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the apparatus is adapted to alternate between the first position and the second position by radial displacement of the insert. ### Claim 21 A method of removing a clog from a vacuum cleaner, the method comprising the steps of: integrating a purge port apparatus with a body of a vacuum wherein the purge port apparatus comprises a housing and an insert wherein the housing and the insert each comprise a plurality of circular inputs; slideably engaging the insert with the housing on an edge of the housing; aligning at least one of the plurality of circular inputs of the housing with at least one of the plurality of circular inputs of the insert; attaching an end of a vacuum cleaner hose to a first circular input of the housing aligned with a first circular input of the insert wherein the end of the vacuum cleaner hose is operatively connected to the body of the vacuum cleaner providing suctioning air flow from an opposite end of the hose into the vacuum cleaner; and creating make-up air within the purge port apparatus through an air chamber displaced in a void. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The method of removing a clog from a vacuum cleaner according to claim 21, the method further comprising: connecting the opposite end of the hose to a second circular input of the housing; partially removing the insert from the housing and re-inserting the insert into the housing; creating additional make-up air through removing and inserting the insert; reversing the direction of the suctioning air flow upon partially removing the insert from the housing, wherein the opposite end of the hose suctions air flow; and dislodging a clog in the hose entering the vacuum through the opposite end of the hose.