Filtering system

• US 20030182756A1
• Filed: 03/29/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HMI Industries, Inc. (1670255 Ontario, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: HMI Industries, Inc. (1670255 Ontario, Inc.)
• Inventors: Duggan, Daniel J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,018,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/347
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/365 of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/125 funnel-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner having a reduced velocity chamber with a high velocity air inlet, an electric motor, a rotary blade driven by the motor to create a vacuum in the chamber, an outlet for exhausting air from the chamber, which air flows in a selected path from the air inlet, through the chamber and out the air exhaust outlet, a disposable porous sheet filter layer in the chamber for removing large solid particles from the air, and a disposable noncollapsible filter liner in the chamber and connected to the filter.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a low velocity chamber with a high velocity air inlet, a motor, a blade driven by said motor to create a vacuum in said chamber, an outlet for exhausting air from said chamber, said air flowing in a selected path from said air inlet, through said chamber and out said air exhaust outlet, the improvement comprising a filter and a filter liner positioned between said air inlet and said motor, said filter liner substantially made of a rigid, noncollapsible material.

2. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the interior side of the low velocity chamber.

3. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the low velocity chamber.

4. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 2, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the low velocity chamber.

5. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter liner includes at least one tab positioned on an upper portion of said filter liner.

6. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 4, wherein said filter liner includes at least one tab positioned on an upper portion of said filter liner.

7. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter liner includes a sealing lip adapted to form a substantially air tight seal with said low velocity chamber.

8. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 5, wherein said filter liner includes a sealing lip adapted to form a substantially air tight seal with said low velocity chamber.

9. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 6, wherein said filter liner includes a sealing lip adapted to form a substantially air tight seal with said low velocity chamber.

10. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 7, wherein said sealing lip includes a sealing notch adapted to at least partially mate with a sealing ridge on said low velocity chamber.

11. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 8, wherein said sealing lip includes a sealing notch adapted to at least partially mate with a sealing ridge on said low velocity chamber.

12. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 9, wherein said sealing lip includes a sealing notch adapted to at least partially mate with a sealing ridge on said low velocity chamber.

13. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter liner includes an adhesive which forms a connection between said filter liner and said filter.

14. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 12, wherein said filter liner includes an adhesive which forms a connection between said filter liner and said filter.

15. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 13, wherein said adhesive is at least partially covered by a removable strip.

16. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 14, wherein said adhesive is at least partially covered by a removable strip.

17. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 13, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

18. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 15, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

19. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 16, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

20. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter liner is substantially made of an air impermeable material.

21. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 19, wherein said filter liner is substantially made of an air impermeable material.

22. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, including a sealing patch adapted to be positioned over and seal an opening in a side of said filter liner.

23. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 21, including a sealing patch adapted to be positioned over and seal an opening in a side of said filter liner.

24. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 22, wherein said sealing patch is removably connected to a side of said filter liner.

25. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 23, wherein said sealing patch is removably connected to a side of said filter liner.

26. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter liner includes a dust door positioned in an opening in a side of said filter liner and biased in a closed positioned to substantially close said side opening.

27. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 21, wherein said filter liner includes a dust door positioned in an opening in a side of said filter liner and biased in a closed positioned to substantially close said side opening.

28. The vacuum cleaner as defined in claim 25, wherein said filter liner includes a dust door positioned in an opening in a side of said filter liner and biased in a closed positioned to substantially close said side opening.

29. The improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein said low velocity chamber is contained in a removable canister that is removably positioned on a base of said vacuum cleaner.

30. The improvement as defined in claim 28, wherein said low velocity chamber is it contained in a removable canister that is removably positioned on a base of said vacuum cleaner.

31. The improvement as defined in claim 27, wherein said low velocity chamber is contained in a removable canister that is removably positioned on a base of said vacuum cleaner.

32. The improvement as defined in claim 1, wherein said filter liner includes a seal flange positioned on an outside surface of the filter liner and closely adjacent to a side opening in said filter liner.

33. A filter liner adapted for use in a low velocity chamber of a vacuum cleaner, said filter liner substantially made of a rigid, noncollapsible material.

34. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the interior side of the low velocity chamber.

35. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the low velocity chamber.

36. The filter liner as defined in claim 34, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the low velocity chamber.

37. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, includes at least one tab positioned on an upper portion of said filter liner.

38. The filter liner as defined in claim 36, includes at least one tab positioned on an upper portion of said filter liner.

39. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, including a sealing lip adapted to form a substantially air tight seal with said low velocity chamber.

40. The filter liner as defined in claim 38, including a sealing lip adapted to form a substantially air tight seal with said low velocity chamber.

41. The filter liner as defined in claim 39, wherein said sealing lip includes a sealing notch adapted to at least partially mate with a sealing ridge on said low velocity chamber.

42. The filter liner as defined in claim 40, wherein said sealing lip includes a sealing notch adapted to at least partially mate with a sealing ridge on said low velocity chamber.

43. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, including an adhesive which forms a connection between said filter liner and a filter.

44. The filter liner as defined in claim 42, including an adhesive which forms a connection between said filter liner and a filter.

45. The filter liner as defined in claim 43, wherein said adhesive is at least partially covered by a removable strip.

46. The filter liner as defined in claim 44, wherein said adhesive is at least partially covered by a removable strip.

47. The filter liner as defined in claim 43, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

48. The filter liner as defined in claim 45, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

49. The filter liner as defined in claim 46, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

50. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, wherein said filter liner is substantially made of an air impermeable material.

51. The filter liner as defined in claim 49, wherein said filter liner is substantially made of an air impermeable material.

52. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, including a sealing patch adapted to be positioned over and seal an opening in a side of said filter liner.

53. The filter liner as defined in claim 51, including a sealing patch adapted to be positioned over and seal an opening in a side of said filter liner.

54. The filter liner as defined in claim 52, wherein said sealing patch is removably connected to a side of said filter liner.

55. The filter liner as defined in claim 53, wherein said sealing patch is removably connected to a side of said filter liner.

56. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, including a dust door positioned in an opening in a side of said filter liner and biased in a closed positioned to substantially close said side opening.

57. The filter liner as defined in claim 51, including a dust door positioned in an opening in a side of said filter liner and biased in a closed positioned to substantially close said side opening.

58. The filter liner as defined in claim 55, including a dust door positioned in an opening in a side of said filter liner and biased in a closed positioned to substantially close said side opening.

59. The filter liner as defined in claim 33, including a seal flange positioned on an outside surface of the filter liner and closely adjacent to a side opening in said filter liner.

60. The filter liner as defined in claim 58, including a seal flange positioned on an outside surface of the filter liner and closely adjacent to a side opening in said filter liner.

61. A filter liner and filter combination adapted for use in a low velocity chamber of a vacuum cleaner, said filter liner substantially made of a rigid, noncollapsible material, said filter adapted to filter out a majority of particles entrained in air as the air passes through said filter.

62. The combination as defined in claim 61, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the interior side of the low velocity chamber.

63. The combination as defined in claim 61, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the low velocity chamber.

64. The combination as defined in claim 62, wherein said filter liner has substantially the same shape as the bottom surface of the low velocity chamber.

65. The combination as defined in claim 61, wherein said filter liner includes at least one tab positioned on an upper portion of said filter liner.

66. The combination as defined in claim 62, wherein said filter liner includes at least one tab positioned on an upper portion of said filter liner.

67. The combination as defined in claim 61, wherein said filter liner includes a sealing lip adapted to form a substantially air tight seal with said low velocity chamber.

68. The combination as defined in claim 66, wherein said filter liner includes a sealing lip adapted to form a substantially air tight seal with said low velocity chamber.

69. The combination as defined in claim 67, wherein said sealing lip includes a sealing notch adapted to at least partially mate with a sealing ridge on said low velocity chamber.

70. The combination as defined in claim 61, wherein said filter liner includes an adhesive which forms a connection between said filter liner and said filter.

71. The combination as defined in claim 68, wherein said filter liner includes an adhesive which forms a connection between said filter liner and said filter.

72. The combination as defined in claim 70, wherein said adhesive is at least partially covered by a removable strip.

73. The combination as defined in claim 71, wherein said adhesive is at least partially covered by a removable strip.

74. The combination as defined in claim 70, wherein said filter is connected to said filter liner by said adhesive after said removable strip is removed from said adhesive.

75. The combination as defined in claim 72, wherein said filter is connected to said filter liner by said adhesive after said removable strip is removed from said adhesive.

76. The combination as defined in claim 73, wherein said filter is connected to said filter liner by said adhesive after said removable strip is removed from said adhesive.

77. The combination as defined in claim 70, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

78. The combination as defined in claim 74, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

79. The combination as defined in claim 75, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

80. The combination as defined in claim 76, wherein said adhesive is positioned on a sealing lip of said filter liner.

81. The combination as defined in claim 61, wherein said filter liner is substantially made of an air impermeable material.

82. The combination as defined in claim 80, wherein said filter liner is substantially made of an air impermeable material.

83. The combination as defined in claim 61, including a sealing patch adapted to be positioned over and seal an opening in a side of said filter liner.

84. The combination as defined in claim 82, including a sealing patch adapted to be positioned over and seal an opening in a side of said filter liner.

85. The combination as defined in claim 83, wherein said sealing patch is removably connected to a side of said filter liner.

86. The combination as defined in claim 84, wherein said sealing patch is removably connected to a side of said filter liner.

87. The combination as defined in claim 61, wherein said filter liner includes a dust door positioned in an opening in a side of said filter liner and biased in a closed positioned to substantially close said side opening.

88. The combination as defined in claim 82, wherein said filter liner includes a dust door positioned in an opening in a side of said filter liner and biased in a closed positioned to substantially close said side opening.

89. The combination as defined in claim 61, wherein said filter liner includes a seal flange positioned on an outside surface of the filter liner and closely adjacent to a side opening in said filter liner.

90. The combination as defined in claim 82, wherein said filter liner includes a seal flange positioned on an outside surface of the filter liner and closely adjacent to a side opening in said filter liner.