US 2001/0018865 A1 · Vacuum cleaner with latching arrangement

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner having a dirt collecting system including a latch to seal a positively pressurized dirt cup. The latch also serves to secure the dirt cup to the cleaner housing when in the closed position. The dirt cup is formed with a first dirt collecting chamber and a second dirt collecting chamber separated by an apertured wall. An inlet opening is formed in the dirt cup and communicates with the first dirt collecting chamber for inputting a stream of dirt laden air into the first dirt collecting chamber. An exhaust opening is formed in the second dirt collecting chamber for allowing the filtered air stream to exit the dirt cup. The aperture wall includes a pre-filter for filtering coarse particles from a stream of dirt laden and depositing the coarse particles in the first dirt collecting chamber. A filter member is positioned within the second dirt collecting chamber and communicates with the exhaust port. The filter element filters fine particles from the air stream and deposits the fine particles within the second dirt collecting chamber. The filter member is supported by a filter support which extends from the aperture wall to vertically support the filter member within the second dirt collecting chamber. The aperture wall, filter support and filter member are removably mounted within the dirt cup to provide for removal and cleaning thereof.

Claims42

Dependent claims

A bagless vacuum cleaner including:

a housing;
a dirt cup;
a particle separator located in the housing for separating dirt particles from a stream of dirt-laden air;
a lid mounted on the dirt cup for retaining the dirt particles within the dirt cup;
a latch attached to the housing for retaining the lid position on the dirt cup and for retaining the dirt cup on the housing, said latch including:
a latch support rigidly attached to the housing;
and
a latching member mounted on the latch support and pivotable about a pivot axis for movement between an open and closed position, said latching member having a camming portion which engages the lid in an over-center position relative to a pivot axis when the latching member is placed in the closed position wherein an outward pressure from within the dirt cup tightens the latching member against said lid.

5 more elements

A bagless vacuum cleaner including:

a motor-fan assembly for creating an airflow, said motor-fan assembly having a suction end which receives the airflow into the motor-fan assembly and a suction end which receives the airflow into the motor-fan assembly and a positive pressure end which blows the airflow out of the motor-fan assembly;
a nozzle formed with a nozzle opening which is fluidly connected to the suction end of the motor-fan assembly;
a housing connected to the nozzle;
a dirt container supported on the housing and forming a dirt collecting chamber, said dirt container being formed with an inlet opening for fluidly connecting the dirt collecting chamber to the positive pressure end of the motor-fan assembly and an exhaust opening for fluidly connecting the dirt collecting chamber to the atmosphere, said inlet opening conveys the airflow blown from the motor-fan assembly into the dirt collecting chamber;
and
a latch connected to the housing, said latch applies a positive force against the dirt container which retains the dirt container on the housing and seals the dirt collecting chamber, said sealing of the dirt collecting chamber requires that the airflow blown into the dirt collecting chamber exits said dirt collecting chamber through the exhaust opening.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Vacuum cleaner with latching arrangement

Life of this patent

Vacuum cleaner with latching arrangement

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims42