Refuse holder and vacuum cleaner incorporating a refuse holder

A refuse holder for holding refuse in a vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a collector unit for collection of refuse from air entrained with refuse as the air is moved through the collector unit via an air inlet and an air outlet on configuration of the refuse holder in a vacuuming mode, said collector unit retaining the refuse as a batch of collected refuse;
• a storage unit mounted to the collector unit and in communication with the collector unit by a refuse outlet, the storage unit being adapted to store a plurality of batches of collected refuse from the collector unit, each batch being transferrable to the storage unit on configuration of the refuse holder in a refuse transfer mode;
• and
• a valve member for switching the configuration of the refuse holder between vacuuming mode and refuse transfer mode, the valve member being in communication with a suction source, and the valve member being movable between a first position for vacuuming mode communicating the suction source with the collector unit to generate a first air flow from external to the refuse holder through the collector unit via the air inlet and the air outlet, and a second position for refuse transfer mode communicating the suction source with the storage unit to generate a second air flow through the refuse outlet;
• wherein the collector unit further comprises:
• an inner wall;
• an outer wall surrounding the inner wall;
• and
• an end wall extending between the inner and outer walls;
• wherein at least one of the inner wall, the outer wall, and the end wall defines the air inlet for receiving the air entrained with refuse when the refuse holder is in the vacuuming mode;
• wherein at least one of the inner wall, the outer wall, and the end wall, defines the air outlet for removing the air from the collector unit when the refuse holder is in the vacuuming mode;
• and
• wherein at least one of the inner wall, the outer wall, and the end wall, defines the refuse outlet for transfer of each batch of collected refuse from the collector unit to the storage unit when the refuse holder is in the refuse transfer mode.

A refuse holder for holding refuse in a vacuum cleaner comprising:

• a collector unit for collection of refuse from air entrained with refuse as the air is moved through the collector unit via an air inlet and an air outlet on configuration of the refuse holder in a vacuuming mode, said collector unit retaining the refuse as a batch of collected refuse and including an internal region having at least one cyclone unit;
• a storage unit mounted to the collector unit and in communication with the collector unit by a refuse outlet, the storage unit being adapted to store a plurality of batches of collected refuse from the collector unit, each batch being transferrable to the storage unit on configuration of the refuse holder in a refuse transfer mode;
• and
• a valve member for switching the configuration of the refuse holder between vacuuming mode and refuse transfer mode, the valve member being in communication with a suction source, and the valve member being movable between a first position for vacuuming mode communicating the suction source with the collector unit to generate a first air flow from external to the refuse holder through the collector unit via the air inlet and the air outlet, and a second position for refuse transfer mode communicating the suction source with the storage unit to generate a second air flow through the refuse outlet.

A refuse holder for holding refuse in a vacuum cleaner, the refuse holder comprising:

• a collector unit including:
• a first inner wall;
• an outer wall surrounding the inner wall;
• and
• an end wall extending between the inner and outer walls;
• wherein at least one of the first inner wall, the outer wall, and the end wall defines an air inlet for receiving air entrained with refuse, said collector unit being adapted to collect said refuse as a batch of collected refuse when the refuse holder is in a vacuuming mode;
• wherein at least one of the first inner wall, the outer wall, and the end wall, defines an air outlet for removing the air from the collector unit when the refuse holder is in the vacuuming mode;
• wherein at least one of the first inner wall, the outer wall, and the end wall, defines a refuse outlet for removing the batch of collected refuse from the collector unit when the refuse holder is in a refuse transfer mode;
• a storage unit in communication with the refuse outlet for receiving the batch of collected refuse from the collector unit when the refuse holder is in the refuse transfer mode, and being adapted for storing a plurality of batches of collected refuse;
• and
• a valve member in communication with a suction source, the valve member being movable between a first position for vacuuming mode communicating the suction source with the collector unit to generate a first air flow from external to the refuse holder through the collector unit via the air inlet and the air outlet, and a second position for refuse transfer mode communicating the suction source with the storage unit to generate a second air flow through the refuse outlet.