Vacuum cleaner dirt collecting system with filter cleaning devices

• US 20020166199A1
• Filed: 05/09/2001
• Published: 11/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Healthy Gain Investments Limited
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Bradshaw, David A., Svik, Rodney J., Morrow, Charles R., Waltz, Kevin S., Boles, David J., Bosyj, Nick M.
• Granted Patent: US 6,598,263 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/352
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/102 Dust separators cyclones A47L9/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/20 Means for cleaning filters
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner includes a dirt cup formed with a course particle separation chamber and a fine particle separation chamber separated by an apertured wall. An inlet opening is formed in the dirt cup and communicates with the course particle separation chamber for inputting a stream of dirt laden air into the course particle separation chamber. A clean air outlet opening is formed in the fine particle separation chamber for allowing the filtered air stream to exit the dirt cup. The apertured wall includes a pre-filter for filtering coarse particles from a stream of dirt laden and depositing the coarse particles in the course particle separation chamber. A fine particle separation filter is positioned within the fine particle separation chamber and communicates with the clean air outlet opening. The fine particle separation filter separates fine particles from the air stream and deposits the fine particles within the fine particle separation chamber. The fine particle separation filter is supported by a filter support which extends from the apertured wall to vertically support the fine particle filter within the fine particle separation chamber. The apertured wall, filter support and fine particle filter are removably mounted within the dirt cup to provide for removal and cleaning thereof. A course particle separation filter cleaning member is mounted at the top of the dirt cup adjacent the course particle separation filter and is in operative engagement with the course particle separation filter. The course particle separation filter cleaning member brushes and cleans the course particle separation filter as the apertured wall is removed from the dirt cup. A fine particle separation filter cleaning member is mounted on the apertured wall adjacent to and in operative engagement with the fine particle separation filter. A lid removably mounts on the dirt cup and has a rotating member located thereon in operative engagement with the fine particle separation filter. The rotating member is used to rotate the fine particle separation filter past the fine particle separation filter cleaning member to vibrate the edges of the fine particle separation filter and loosen accumulated dirt particles.

Claims

1. An improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner having a motor-fan assembly with a suction inlet opening, a dirt collecting chamber, and a housing, the motor-fan assembly creating a dirt laden airstream, the improvement comprising the dirt collecting chamber comprising:

a fine particle separation chamber;

a coarse particle separation chamber;

a course particle separating filter slidably mounted into and extending across said dirt collecting chamber and further dividing said dirt collecting chamber into the coarse particle separation chamber and a fine particle separation chamber;

a dirty air inlet opening formed in dirt collecting chamber;

a clean air outlet opening formed in said dirt collecting chamber;

a fine particle separation filter rotatably mounted in said fine particle separation chamber upstream of said clean air outlet, whereby all the air exiting said clean air outlet must pass through said fine particle separation filter;

a fine particle separation filter cleaning device mounted adjacent to said fine particle separation filter and in operative engagement with said fine particle filter, said fine particle separation filter cleaning device vibrating said fine particle separation filter to knock loose accumulated particles when said fine particle separation filter is rotated; and

a lid for sealing said dirt collecting chamber;

a course particle separation filter cleaning device mounted in said dirt cup in operative engagement with said course particle separation filter, said course particle separation cleaning device cleaning said course particle separation filter when said course particle separation filter is slidably removed from within said dirt collecting chamber.

2. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a rotating member mounted in said lid in operative engagement with said fine particle separation filter to rotate said fine particle separation filter.

3. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said rotating member is a knob.

4. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said fine particle separation filter has a top end cap and a circular post located thereon, said circular post further including a transverse gripping member located on an inner periphery and a pair of cavities located on opposing sides of the gripping member.

5. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said rotating member has a pair of projections on a lower surface of the rotating member for engaging said pair of cavities on the circular post of the fine particle separation filter.

6. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said course particle separation filter is mounted on a course particle separation filter frame.

7. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein said course particle separation filter frame is slidably mounted in said dirt collecting chamber.

8. An improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner having a motor-fan assembly with a suction inlet opening, a dirt collecting chamber, and a housing, the motor fan assembly creating a dirt laden airstream, the improvement comprising a dirt collecting chamber comprising:

a first particle separation chamber;

a second particle separation chamber;

a course particle separation filter slidably mounted into and extending across said dirt collecting chamber and further dividing said dirt collecting chamber into the first particle separation chamber and the second particle separation chamber;

a dirty air inlet opening formed in dirt collecting chamber;

a clean air outlet opening formed in said dirt collecting chamber;

a lid for sealing said dirt collecting chamber;

a course particle separation filter cleaning member mounted in said dirt cup in operative engagement with said course particle separation filter, said course particle separation cleaning member cleaning said course particle separating filter when said course particle separation filter slidably removed from within said dirt collecting chamber.

9. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein said course particle separation filter is mounted on a course particle separation filter frame.

10. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein said course particle separation filter frame is slidably mounted in said dirt collecting chamber.

11. An improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner having a motor-fan assembly with a suction inlet opening, a dirt collecting chamber, and a housing, the motor-fan assembly creating a dirt laden airstream, the improvement comprising a dirt collecting chamber comprising:

a first particle separation chamber;

a second particle separation chamber;

a dirty air inlet opening formed in dirt collecting chamber;

a clean air outlet opening formed in said dirt collecting chamber;

a fine particle separation filter rotatably mounted in said fine particle separation chamber upstream of said clean air outlet, whereby all the air exiting said clean air outlet must pass through said fine particle separation filter;

a fine particle separation filter cleaning device mounted adjacent to said fine particle separation filter and in operative engagement with said fine particle filter, said fine particle separation filter cleaning device vibrating said fine particle separation filter to knock loose accumulated particles when said fine particle separation filter is rotated; and

a lid for sealing said dirt collecting chamber.

12. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 11, further including a rotating member mounted in said lid in operative engagement with said fine particle separation filter to rotate said fine particle separation filter.

13. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein said rotating member is a knob.

14. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein said fine particle separating filter has a top end cap and a circular post located thereon, said circular post further including a transverse gripping member located on an inner periphery and a pair of cavities located on opposing sides of the gripping member.

15. The improved dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein said rotating member has a pair of projections on a lower surface of the rotating member for engaging said pair of cavities on the circular post of the fine particle separating filter.

19. The dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein said horizontal airstream and said vertical airstream are perpendicular.

16. A method of cleaning a filter for a vacuum cleaner, comprised of the steps of:

providing a dirt collecting chamber;

providing a course particle separation filter slidably and removably mounted in said dirt collecting chamber;

providing a course particle separation filter cleaning member mounted in said dirt collecting chamber in operative engagement with said course particle separation filter;

providing a lid for sealing said dirt collecting chamber;

opening said lid; and

cleaning said course particle separation filter by slidably removing said course particle separation filter from said dirt collecting chamber.

17. A method of cleaning a filter for a vacuum cleaner, comprised of the steps of:

providing a dirt collecting chamber;

providing a fine particle separation filter rotatably mounted in said dirt collecting chamber;

providing a fine particle separation filter cleaning member mounted in said dirt collecting chamber in operative engagement with said fine particle separation filter;

providing a lid for sealing said dirt collecting chamber;

providing a rotation member mounted in said lid in operative engagement with said fine particle filter; and

cleaning said course particle separation filter by slidably removing said course particle separation filter from said dirt collecting chamber.

18. A dirt collecting system for a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner having a motor-fan assembly with a suction inlet opening and a dirt collecting chamber, the motor-fan assembly creating a dirt laden airstream, comprising:

a motor housing wherein said motor-fan assembly is located;

a motor housing cavity adjacent to the motor-fan assembly;

a motor housing cavity inlet opening;

a dirty air inlet opening formed in the dirt collecting chamber;

a clean air outlet opening formed in said dirt collecting chamber; and

wherein the motor-fan assembly has a horizontal orientation and is fluidly connected to said motor housing cavity and said dirt collecting chamber, said motor-fan assembly establishing and maintaining a horizontal airstream from said motor-fan assembly suction inlet opening into said motor housing cavity before said airstream changes direction in said motor housing cavity to a vertical airstream passing through said motor housing cavity inlet opening and said clean air outlet opening to said dirt collecting chamber.