Air flow modification in vacuum cleaners
AssigneeBlack & Decker Inc.
InventorDaniel Bone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A Vacuum Cleaner (1) having a removable dust collection bowl (5) through which the air flow passes so as to deposit dirt carried on the air flow. The dust bowl (5) contains a closure member (7) which is slidably displaceable relative the dust bowl (5) so as to simultaneously close a first air inlet (33) into the dust bowl (5) while opening a second air flow path (61) to the dust bowl (5) that is remote from the first air flow path (33). The second air flow path allows an external hose connector to be coupled in air flow communication with the dust bowl. The closure member (7) comprises a slidable shuttle cassette.
Claims29
A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a removable dust collection module which forms part of an air flow path through the vacuum cleaner;
- and
- a closure member arranged to be moved relative to the collection module so as simultaneously to close a first air flow path into the dust collection module and to open a second air flow path into the dust collection module that is remote from the first dust flow path, and vice versa.
For a vacuum cleaner, a dust collection module which in use forms part of an air flow path through the vacuum cleaner, the dust collection module component part(s) comprising:
- first and second air inlets;
- and
- a closure member in the form of a shuttle member that can be slid to the component part(s) simultaneously to cover the first air inlet and uncover the second air inlet, and vice versa, whereby the air flow path into the component part(s) can be changed.
A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a dust collection component which in use forms part of an airflow path through the vacuum cleaner, the component including first and second air inlets;
- a shuttle member supported by said dust collection component, said shuttle member comprising at least one aperture and an airflow blocking portion, said shuttle member being movable slidably relative to said dust collection component;
- said shuttle member being movable from a first position, wherein said aperture is in airflow communication with said first air inlet and said airflow blocking portion blocks said second inlet, to a second position wherein said aperture is not in airflow communication with said first air inlet and said airflow blocking portion is not blocking said second inlet.
A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a dust collection component which in use forms part of an airflow path through the vacuum cleaner, the component including spaced apart first and second air inlets;
- a shuttle member supported for slidable movement relative to said dust collection component, said shuttle member including first and second spaced apart openings and first and second airflow blocking portions;
- said shuttle being movable from a first position wherein said first opening communicates with said first air inlet and said second airflow blocking portion blocks said second air inlet, to a second position wherein said second opening communicates with said second air inlet and said first airflow blocking portion blocks said first air inlet.
A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a dust collection component which in use forms part of an airflow path through the vacuum cleaner;
- a shuttle member movable slidably generally linearly relative to said dust collection component;
- said shuttle member providing a first airflow path for dirt entrained air into said dust collection component when said shuttle is in a first position;
- and
- said shuttle member providing a second airflow path for dirt entrained air into said dust collection component when said shuttle is moved into a second position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.