Motor mounting arrangement and method for a vacuum cleaner

In combination with a vacuum cleaner including a support chassis and a motor and fan unit having a first mounting portion on a first end of said motor and fan unit, a second mounting portion on a second end of said motor and fan unit, an arrangement for enclosing said motor and fan unit and for mounting said motor and fan unit on said support chassis, said enclosing and mounting arrangement comprising:

• (a) a support structure attached to said support chassis and defining an opening for receiving said first mounting portion of said motor and fan unit;
• (b) a support member attached to said support chassis and spaced from said support structure, said support member having a recessed portion for receiving said second mounting portion of said motor and fan unit;
• and
• (c) a flexible locking tab attached to said support chassis and disposed adjacent to said support member, said locking tab being movable between engaging and disengaging positions relative to said second mounting portion of said motor and fan unit, said locking tab having an opening for receiving said second mounting portion of said motor and fan unit when in said engaging position.

A method for mounting a motor and fan unit in a vacuum cleaner, comprising the steps of:

• (a) providing a mounting arrangement including a support structure defining an opening for receiving a first mounting portion at a first end of the motor and fan unit, a support member spaced from said support structure and having a recessed portion for receiving a second mounting portion at a front end of the motor and fan unit, and a flexible locking tab disposed adjacent to said support member and movable between engaging and disengaging positions relative to the second mounting portion and having an opening for receiving the second mounting portion when in the engaging position, said support structure, support member and locking tab of said mounting arrangement being aligned along a common support axis having a length relatively greater than the axial length of a body portion of the motor and fan unit disposed between the first and second mounting portions;
• (b) moving the motor and fan Unit at an angle to said support axis for partial engagement of the first mounting portion of the motor and fan unit into the opening of said support structure;
• (c) moving said locking tab outwardly from said support member to the disengaging position;
• (d) pivoting the motor and fan unit downward toward said common support axis to place the second mounting portion of the motor and fan unit onto said recessed portion of said support member and concurrently moving the first mounting portion of the motor and fan unit further into said opening in said support structure;
• and
• (e) releasing said flexible locking tab inwardly from said disengaged position to said engaged position so as to lock said second mounting portion in said opening in said locking tab.