Bagless canister vacuum cleaner

A bagless vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a body;
• a dirt cup releasably connected to and selectively separable from said body, said dirt cup comprising a handle;
• and
• a plurality of wheels each connected to one of said body and said dirt cup for movably supporting said body and said dirt cup on an associated support surface when said dirt cup is connected to said body, said plurality of wheels comprising at least one wheel connected to said handle of said dirt cup.

A bagless canister vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a main housing defining a suction source inlet,
• an exhaust outlet and a receiver region adapted to receive a dirt cup;
• a suction source located fluidically between said suction source inlet and said exhaust outlet;
• a dirt cup releasably coupled to said receiver region of said main housing, said dirt cup comprising:
• (i) an interior wall defining a dirt separation chamber;
• (ii) an open first end in communication with said dirt separation chamber;
• and, (iii) a closed second end with an aperture forming an airstream outlet from said dirt separation chamber, said dirt cup releasably coupled to said main housing with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup mated with said suction source inlet of said main housing;
• a filter assembly releasably connected to said dirt cup and located in said dirt separation chamber, said filter assembly comprising a filter element located in covering relation with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup and positioned so that an annular airflow space is defined between said filter element and said interior wall of said dirt cup;
• and,
• a cover pivotably connected to said housing, said cover movable between an open position, where said cover is disengaged from said dirt cup, and a closed, operative position where said cover is placed in covering relation with and blocks said open first end of said dirt cup, said cover, when located in said closed, operative position, preventing separation of said dirt cup from said main housing.

A bagless canister vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a main housing defining an airflow inlet, an airflow outlet and a receiver region adapted to receive a dirt cup;
• a suction source located in said housing and operational to establish and maintain an airstream that flows from said airflow inlet to said airflow outlet;
• a dirt cup releasably coupled to said receiver region of said main housing, said dirt cup comprising:
• (i) an interior wall defining a dirt separation chamber conformed to impart a rotational flow path to a dirty airstream passing therethrough whereby contaminants are separated from the dirty airstream and deposited in said dirt cup;
• (ii) an open first end in communication with said dirt separation chamber;
• and,
• iii) an opposed second end which defines an airstream outlet from said dirt separation chamber, said dirt cup releasably coupled to said main housing with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup mated with said airflow inlet of said main housing;
• a filter assembly releasably connected to said dirt cup and located in said dirt separation chamber, said filter assembly comprising a filter element located in covering relation with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup;
• and,
• a cover connected to said housing, said cover movable between an open position, where said cover is disengaged from said dirt cup, and a closed, operative position where said cover is placed in covering relation with and blocks said open first end of said dirt cup, said cover, when located in said closed, operative position, preventing separation of said dirt cup from said main housing.

A bagless vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a main housing defining a suction source inlet, an exhaust outlet and a receiver region adapted to receive a dirt cup;
• a suction source located fluidically between said suction source inlet and said exhaust outlet;
• a dirt cup releasably coupled to said receiver region of said main housing, said dirt cup comprising:
• (i) an interior wall defining a dirt separation chamber;
• (ii) an open first end in communication with said dirt separation chamber;
• and,
• (iii) an airstream outlet from said dirt separation chamber, said dirt cup releasably coupled to said main housing with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup mated with said suction source inlet of said main housing;
• a filter assembly releasably connected to said dirt cup and located in said dirt separation chamber, said filter assembly comprising a filter element located in covering relation with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup and positioned so that an annular airflow space is defined between said filter element and said interior wall of said dirt cup;
• and, a base connected to said main housing and conformed to support said main housing and said dirt cup releasably connected to said receiver region of said main housing on a support surface in a second, non-operative position with said open first end of said dirt cup elevated to a select elevation relative to said dirt separation chamber to prevent spillage of associated dirt and debris contents of said dirt separation chamber from said open first end of said dirt cup.

A vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a housing;
• a dirt cup releasably connected to said housing, said dirt cup defining a dirt separation chamber;
• a filter located in said dirt separation chamber of said dirt cup;
• and, a suction source located in said housing and in fluid communication with said dirt separation chamber, said suction source, when selectively operated, establishing and maintaining a suction airstream that flows into and through said dirt separation chamber to an exhaust outlet defined by said housing, wherein said suction airstream, when moving through said dirt separation chamber, moves rotationally around a substantially horizontal axis of said filter before passing through said filter and exiting said dirt separation chamber.

A bagless canister vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a main housing defining a suction source inlet, an exhaust outlet and a receiver region adapted to receive a dirt cup;
• a suction source fluidly coupled between said suction source inlet and said exhaust outlet;
• a dirt cup releasably coupled to said receiver region of said main housing, said dirt cup comprising:
• (i) an wall defining a dirt separation chamber;
• (ii) an open first end in communication with said dirt separation chamber;
• and,
• (iii) a closed second end with an aperture forming an airstream outlet from said dirt separation chamber, said dirt cup releasably coupled to said main housing with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup mated with said suction source inlet of said main housing;
• and
• a first filter located in covering relation with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup and positioned so that an annular airflow space is defined between said filter and said interior wall of said dirt cup.

A bagless vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a housing, said housing including a first handle which extends in a first direction:
• a cover member, pivotally connected with the housing, which includes a second handle;
• and,
• a dirt cup releasably connected to and selectively separable from said housing, said dirt cup comprising a third handle which extends in a second direction, opposite said first direction, when the dirt cup is connected to the housing.

A bagless canister vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a main housing defining a suction source inlet, an exhaust outlet and a receiver region adapted to receive a dirt cup;
• a suction source fluidly coupled between said suction source inlet and said exhaust outlet;
• a dirt cup releasably coupled to said receiver region of said main housing, said dirt cup comprising:
• (i) an interior wall defining a dirt separation chamber;
• (ii) a closed end with an aperture forming an airstream outlet from said dirt separation chamber, said dirt cup releasably coupled to said main housing with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup adjacent to said suction source inlet of said main housing;
• and,
• (iii) an open end in communication with said dirt separation chamber, and axially spaced from said closed end;
• a filter located in covering relation with said airstream outlet of said dirt cup.