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US 6,085,382 AGranted
Air filtrating self-propelled upright vacuum cleaner
AssigneeWhite Consolidated Industries, Inc.
InventorsVincent L. Bobrosky, Richard J. Eisenmenger, John A. Huebsch, Christer T. Kontio, Joseph L. Mulcahy, William R. Reimer, Timothy P. Toohill
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Disclosed is a unique and novel air filtrating, self-propelled upright vacuum cleaner. The filtration system utilizes a HEPA-rated air filter as a final filtering element. The disclosed vacuum cleaner contains numerous other features including a self-propelled drive mechanism.
Claims22
A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a rear housing having an upper portion, a middle portion, and a lower portion;
- an upper front cover engaged with said upper portion of said rear housing;
- a bag cover releasably engaged with said middle portion of said rear housing, wherein said bag cover and said rear housing define a suction chamber for enclosing a filter bag;
- a base unit providing a lower enclosure, said base unit pivotally secured to said rear housing;
- a motor and fan assembly disposed in a motor and fan shroud within said rear housing;
- said motor and fan shroud defining a sealed air flow passage around the entire motor and fan assembly, said shroud having an inlet duct and an outlet duct, said inlet duct being in fluid communication with said suction chamber and said outlet duct being in communication with an exhaust chamber;
- said exhaust chamber comprising a compartment adjacent said suction chamber and said motor and fan shroud, said exhaust chamber being separated from said suction chamber by a wall;
- a nested wand releasably retained along the exterior of said rear housing, said wand having an upper portion and a lower portion;
- a lower air conduit extending between said base unit and said lower portion of said nested wand;
- and
- an upper air conduit extending between said upper portion of said nested wand and said suction chamber.
8 more elements
A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a lower base unit;
- an upper enclosure for retaining a filter bag, said upper enclosure being pivotable with respect to said lower base unit, said upper enclosure defining a suction chamber, a sealed exhaust chamber, and an exhaust opening in a wall of said upper enclosure providing airflow communication from the exhaust opening to the atmosphere;
- a motor and fan assembly in said upper enclosure;
- a motor and fan shroud within said upper enclosure surrounding said motor and fan assembly and defining a sealed air flow passage around the entire motor and fan assembly, said shroud having an inlet duct and an outlet duct, said inlet duct being in fluid communication with said suction chamber and said outlet duct being in fluid communication with said exhaust chamber;
- an exhaust filter removably sealed to said exhaust opening;
- and
- an air intake duct extending between and in communication with said suction chamber and said shroud;
- wherein said upper enclosure further includes a partitioning wall separating said suction chamber from a region of said upper enclosure at substantially atmospheric pressure within which is disposed said motor and fan assembly and said shroud, said partitioning wall defining a suction chamber outlet, said air intake duct engaging said partitioning wall at said suction chamber outlet along an unsealed interface to permit air at substantially atmospheric pressure from said region.
5 more elements
A vacuum cleaner comprising;
- a lower base enclosure;
- an upper enclosure having internal walls dividing said upper enclosure into a negative pressure suction chamber, an exhaust chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure, and a motor chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure;
- a motor and fan assembly completely disposed in a sealed shroud, said shroud disposed in said motor chamber of said upper enclosure;
- an air intake duct extending between and in communication with said suction chamber and said shroud,
- wherein said air intake duct engages at least one of (i) a wall defining a lower portion of said suction chamber along an unsealed interface between an area of negative pressure and an area of substantially atmospheric pressure to permit air at substantially atmospheric pressure to be sucked through said unsealed interface and into said air intake duct, and (ii) said shroud along an unsealed interface between an area of negative pressure and an area of substantially atmospheric pressure to permit air at substantially atmospheric pressure to be sucked through said unsealed interface and into said shroud.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.