Vacuum canister and mounting bracket for use therewith

• US 20040172782A1
• Filed: 03/07/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/07/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Products Incorporated (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Products Incorporated (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Gabric, Andrew L., Smith, James F., Nieschwitz, Darrell V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,080,425 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/314
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/38 Built-in suction cleaner installations, i.e. with fixed tube system to which, at different stations, hoses can be connected
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/08 Built-in vacuum cleaners

Abstract

A mounting bracket for use in association with a vacuum canister for a central vacuum system is disclosed. The mounting bracket is received within the housing of the vacuum canister and thereby divides the canister into clean and dirt collection chambers. Dirt collection chamber is adapted to receive dirt-laden air from the central vacuum system while clean chamber is adapted to re-circulate cleaned air back into the building. Mounting bracket is preferably a molded structure having a central bore. A plurality of stepped grooves are provided for receiving one of a variety of sizes of motor therein. A plurality of circuit board brackets are formed on mounting bracket, said circuit board brackets range in size so as to accommodate a range of sizes of circuit boards therein. Mounting bracket further includes a filter support formed therein. The filter support includes a quick attachment/release mechanism for installing filters thereon. Mounting bracket also includes an aperture and straight tube connection for connecting a clean chamber auxiliary intake valve assembly to the dirt collection chamber of the vacuum canister.

Claims

1. A vacuum canister for use in a central vacuum system, said vacuum canister comprising:

a housing having a dirt collection chamber and a clean chamber separated from the dirt collection chamber, whereby a hole extends through said housing into the clean chamber;

an integrally molded mounting bracket extending intermediate the clean chamber and the dirt collection chamber of the housing;

said mounting bracket having an upper surface and a lower surface;

whereby said mounting bracket defines a bore that connects the dirt collection chamber to the clean chamber.

2. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 1, wherein the mounting bracket further comprises a first motor-receiving groove disposed on said mounting bracket.

3. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 2, wherein said first motor-receiving groove is concentric with the bore.

4. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 3, further comprising a second motor-receiving groove disposed concentrically around said bore;

said first groove having a first diameter and said second groove having a second diameter;

the first diameter being different to the second diameter.

5. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 4, wherein the second diameter is larger than the first diameter.

6. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 5, wherein said second groove lies in vertical stepped relation to said first groove.

7. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 4, wherein said mounting bracket is molded and said first and second grooves are integrally molded with said mounting bracket.

8. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 4, wherein said mounting bracket has an outer perimeter that is adapted to abut said housing and said mounting bracket further comprises:

a ring of horizontally spaced-apart ribs disposed about said second groove, said ribs radiating outwardly from said second groove toward the outer perimeter of said mounting bracket.

9. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 1, further comprising a first circuit board bracket mounted on the upper surface of said mounting bracket.

10. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 9, wherein said first circuit board bracket comprises a pair of spaced-apart upright first supports, each first support extending at generally ninety-degrees from said upper surface, each first support having a slit therein, the slits being disposed so that the slits of the two first supports lie opposite to each other, the slits being adapted to slidingly receive a circuit board therebetween

11. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 9, further comprising a stop member disposed between the supports, the stop member being adapted to receive an end of a circuit board thereon.

12. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 9, further comprising a second circuit board bracket, the second circuit board bracket comprising a pair of spaced-apart upright second supports, each second support extending upwardly at generally ninety-degrees to said upper surface, each second support having a second slit therein, the second slits being disposed so that the second slits of the two second supports lie opposite to each other, the second slits being adapted to slidingly receive a circuit board;

wherein the distance between the first supports of the first circuit board bracket is smaller than the distance between the second supports of the second circuit board bracket.

13. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 12, further comprising a pair of gussets, one gusset connecting each second support to the mounting bracket.

14. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and second circuit board brackets are integrally formed with the mounting bracket.

15. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 1, further comprising a filter support extending outwardly from the lower surface of said mounting bracket, wherein said filter support is concentric with the bore.

16. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 15, wherein said filter support is frusto-conical in shape, having a wider diameter proximate the lower surface of said mounting bracket and tapering in diameter away from the lower surface.

17. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 16, wherein said filter support has an interior that is hollow and said interior is continuous with the bore.

18. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 17, wherein said filter support is integrally formed with said mounting bracket.

19. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 16, wherein said filter support includes a plurality of apertures therein, said apertures opening into the interior of said filter support, thereby allowing for airflow from the dirt collection chamber of the canister through the bore and into the clean chamber.

20. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 16, wherein said filter support terminates in an end cap remote from the lower surface of said mounting bracket.

21. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 16, further comprising a mounting post disposed on the end cap, said mounting post being adapted to be locked to a filter that is received on said filter support.

22. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 21, wherein said mounting post includes a pair of lock posts.

23. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 22, wherein said mounting post includes a pair of release posts.

24. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 23, further comprising a locking member releasably connected to said mounting post, said locking member being selectively rotatable between a first position and a second position;

the first position being one in which the locking member is in a released state wherein a filter may be removed from or installed on said filter support;

the second position being one in which the locking member is in a locked state wherein a filter is locked onto said filter support.

25. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 24, wherein said locking member comprises a pair of detents adapted to engage said release posts when said locking member is in a first released position.

26. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 25, wherein said locking member defines a pair of slots and said slots are adapted to clear the lock posts when said locking member is in a released position.

27. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 26, wherein said locking member has opposing edges, said edges being adapted to engage said lock posts when said locking member is in a locked position.

28. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 27, wherein the mounting post is oblong is shape.

29. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 16, wherein said dirt collection chamber includes a suction intake pipe and said canister further includes an air deflector, said air deflector being mounted on the lower surface of said mounting bracket a spaced distance from said filter support, said air deflector having a lower edge that extends below the ingress point of the suction intake pipe.

30. A vacuum canister as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing has a wall and the wall includes a projection extending therefrom, and wherein the lower surface of said mounting bracket includes a lip and the lip is adapted to engage said projection to secure said mounting bracket within said housing.

31. A vacuum canister for use in association with a central vacuum system, the vacuum canister comprising:

a housing having an upper end and a lower end, and further having a clean chamber proximate the upper end and a dirt collection chamber proximate the lower end, the dirt collection chamber defining an opening adapted to received dirt separated from circulating dirt-laden air, the lower end of said housing being formed into a projecting sealing edge;

a funnel disposed beneath the opening of the dirt collection chamber, the funnel being adapted to direct the collected dirt downwardly;

said funnel having;

an upper end curved outwardly to form a lip

an outwardly projecting flange, said flange disposed a short distance from the lip;

a resilient seal having a slot therein, wherein the flange is received within the slot;

whereby the lip of said funnel engages with the sealing edge of the housing to retain the funnel to the housing;

a collection bin removably disposed beneath the funnel to collect the funneled dirt;

whereby the funnel remains attached to said housing when said collection bin is removed from said housing.