# US 8,782,852 B1 · Multiple motor vacuum check valve > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,782,852 B1 - Document ID: US8782852B1 - Status: Granted - Kind: B1 - Application number: 13/150,408 - Filed: 2011-06-01 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2010-06-01 - Applicants: Jon T. Henderson - Inventors: Jon T. Henderson - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8782852B1 ## CPC - A47L 5/22: with rotary fans - A47L 7/0028: {Security means, e.g. float valves or level switches for preventing overflow} - A47L 9/2831: {Motor parameters, e.g. motor load or speed} - A47L: DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING (brushes A46B; cleaning quantities of bottles or of other hollow articles of one kind B08B9/00; laundry D06F); SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL (cleaning in general B08) ## Abstract A vacuum system has multiple vacuum motors and a receptacle in fluid communication with each of the motors. Each of the motors has a check valve that has an opening spaced apart from the respective vacuum motor by a distance at least as great as an effective diameter of the vacuum motor's inlet. Each of the check valves preferably has an airflow clearance that is at least as great as said effective diameter, and the check valves may also include warning signals that can indicate working motors and a bad motor. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A vacuum system, comprising: an intake port; a receptacle in fluid communication with said intake port; a plurality of vacuum motors, wherein each of said vacuum motors has an inlet in fluid communication with said intake port and has an air outlet spaced apart from said inlet, and wherein each of said vacuum motors has an effective diameter for an airflow rate through said inlet and said air outlet; and a plurality of check valves, wherein each of said check valves is respectively in fluid communication with said vacuum motors, and wherein each of said check valves has an opening spaced apart from said respective vacuum motor inlet by a distance at least as great as said effective diameter, wherein at least one of said vacuum motors is inoperative while at least another of said vacuum motors is operative, wherein each of said check valves has an airflow clearance that is at least as great as said effective diameter, and wherein said check valve in fluid communication with said inoperative motor is pulled closed by a pressure differential between an ambient pressure at said air outlet side of said inoperative motor and a sub-ambient pressure within said receptacle. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The invention of claim 1, wherein said air outlet is in fluid communication with said intake port through said receptacle, and wherein said check valves are selected from the group of one-way valves consisting of a floating ball valve, a flap valve, a swing valve, a stop valve and any combination thereof. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The invention of claim 1, wherein said vacuum motors are positioned externally to said receptacle and wherein each of said check valves is comprised of a cylindrical housing extending away from said vacuum motors and into said receptacle by a distance at least equal to said effective diameter. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The invention of claim 3, wherein said cylindrical housing further comprises a semispherical cap at a distal end and a central hole in said semispherical cap, wherein said central hole has a diameter approximately equal to or larger than said effective diameter, and wherein said cylindrical housing further comprises a grate at a proximal end, and wherein a ball loosely fits within said cylindrical housing between said central hole and said grate, wherein said ball has a diameter greater than said central hole, said ball having a gravity-biased position proximal to said central hole when said vacuum motor is not operating and a vacuum-enabled position proximal to said grate when said vacuum motor is operating and wherein said ball has a freedom of movement between said central hole and said grate with a distance at least equal to said effective diameter. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The invention of claim 1, wherein said check valves are also in a biased closed position when said vacuum motors are off. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The invention of claim 5, further comprising a bad motor warning signal in operative communication with said check valve, said bad motor warning signal providing an indication of said inoperative vacuum motor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The invention of claim 6, wherein said bad motor warning signal is selected from the group of devices consisting of an electronic warning system, a mechanical warning system and any combination thereof. ### Claim 8 A vacuum system, comprising: an intake port; a receptacle in fluid communication with said intake port; a plurality of vacuum motors, wherein each of said vacuum motors has an inlet in fluid communication with said intake port and has an air outlet spaced apart from said inlet, and wherein each of said vacuum motors has an effective diameter for an airflow rate through said inlet and said air outlet; a plurality of check valves, wherein each of said check valves is respectively in fluid communication with said vacuum motors, and wherein each of said check valves has an opening spaced apart from said respective vacuum motor by a distance at least as great as said effective diameter; and a bad motor warning signal in operative communication with said check valve. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The invention of claim 8, wherein said bad motor warning signal is selected from the group of devices consisting of an electronic warning system, a mechanical warning system and any combination thereof. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The invention of claim 8, wherein said bad motor warning signal comprises a whistle in each said of said check valves. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The invention of claim 8, wherein each of said check valves is a floating ball valve. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The invention of claim 8, wherein said check valves are selected from the group of one-way valves consisting of a floating ball valve, a flap valve, a swing valve, a stop valve and any combination thereof. ### Claim 13 (depends on 8) The invention of claim 8, wherein at least one of said vacuum motors is inoperative while at least another of said vacuum motors is operative, wherein each of said check valves has an airflow clearance that is at least as great as said effective diameter, and wherein said check valve in fluid communication with said inoperative motor is in a biased closed position when said vacuum motors are off and is also pulled closed by a pressure differential between an ambient pressure at said air outlet side of said inoperative motor and a sub-ambient pressure within said receptacle. ### Claim 14 An improved vacuum system of the type comprising a plurality of vacuum motors and a receptacle in fluid communication with each of the vacuum motors, wherein each of the vacuum motors has an effective diameter for an airflow rate through the inlet and the air outlet, wherein the improvement comprises: a plurality of check valves, wherein each of said check valves is respectively in fluid communication with the vacuum motors, wherein each one of said check valves is in a biased closed position when said vacuum motors are off, and wherein each of said check valves has an opening spaced apart from the respective vacuum motor by a distance at least as great as said effective diameter. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The invention of claim 14, wherein at least one of the vacuum motors is inoperative while at least another of the vacuum motors is operative, wherein each of said check valves has an airflow clearance that is at least as great as said effective diameter, and wherein said check valve in fluid communication with the inoperative motor is pulled closed by a pressure differential between an ambient pressure at said air outlet side of the inoperative motor and a sub-ambient pressure within the receptacle. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The invention of claim 14, further comprising a bad motor warning signal in operative communication with each of said check valves. ### Claim 17 An improved vacuum system of the type comprising a plurality of vacuum motors and a receptacle in fluid communication with each of the vacuum motors, wherein each of the vacuum motors has an effective diameter for an airflow rate through an inlet and an air outlet, wherein the improvement comprises: a plurality of check valves, wherein each of said check valves is respectively in fluid communication with the vacuum motors, and wherein each of said check valves has an opening spaced apart from the respective vacuum motor by a distance at least as great as said effective diameter, and wherein at least one of the vacuum motors is inoperative while at least another of the vacuum motors is operative, wherein each of said check valves has an airflow clearance that is at least as great as said effective diameter, and wherein said check valve in fluid communication with the inoperative motor is pulled closed by a pressure differential between an ambient pressure at said air outlet side of said inoperative motor and a sub-ambient pressure within the receptacle. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The invention of claim 17, wherein each of said check valves is comprised of a cylindrical housing extending away from the vacuum motors and into the receptacle by a distance at least equal to said effective diameter, said cylindrical housing extending to a distal end with a semispherical cap, wherein said semispherical cap comprises a central hole, wherein said central hole has a diameter approximately equal to or larger than said effective diameter, and wherein said cylindrical housing further comprises a grate at a proximal end, and wherein a ball loosely fits within said cylindrical housing between said central hole and said grate, wherein said ball has a diameter greater than said central hole, said ball having a gravity-biased position proximal to said central hole when said vacuum motor is not operating and a vacuum-enabled position proximal to said grate when said vacuum motor is operating and wherein said ball has a freedom of movement between said central hole and said grate with a distance at least equal to said effective diameter. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The invention of claim 18, further comprising a bad motor warning signal in operative communication with each of said check valves, wherein said bad motor warning signal comprises a whistle in each said of said check valves, wherein said check valves are selected from the group of one-way valves consisting of a floating ball valve, a flap valve, a swing valve, a stop valve and any combination thereof. ### Claim 20 (depends on 17) The invention of claim 17, wherein each of said check valves is also in a biased closed position when said vacuum motors are off.