Dirt cup filter with pre-filtration cap
First Claim
1. A filter for removing particulate from a gas stream flowing through a debris collecting chamber of a vacuum cleaner, the filter comprising:
- a) a base having an aperture through which the gas stream can flow;
b) a filter media strip having opposing first and second lateral edges, the first lateral edge sealingly mounted to the base around the base aperture forming an outwardly facing surface on the filter media strip, said filter media strip having pores of a predetermined size for permitting gas to flow through;
c) a substantially gas impermeable lid sealingly mounted to the second lateral edge of the filter media strip and spaced from the base with the filter media strip interposed between the lid and the base; and
d) a cap comprising;
i. a sidewall having a first end and an opposite second end mounted to the base, the sidewall having at least one pre-filtering porous panel spaced from the outwardly facing surface of the filter media strip, thereby forming a first gas pathway extending from openings formed in the sidewall'"'"'s pre-filtering porous panel through the pores in the filter media strip to the base aperture;
ii. a cap endwall extending across the sidewall at the first end, said endwall having at least one pre-filtering porous panel spaced from the gas impermeable lid, thereby forming a second gas pathway extending from openings formed in the endwall'"'"'s pre-filtering porous panel through the pores in the filter media strip to the base aperture; and
iii. wherein the openings in the pre-filtering porous panels are substantially larger than the pores in the filter media strip
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Accused Products
Abstract
A dual-stage vacuum cleaner filter with a pre-filtration cap having pre-filtering screens. A base with an aperture and a filter media strip pleated in the shape of a frustocone can be mounted within the dirt cup of a handheld vacuum. A circular, planar gas impermeable lid is sealingly fixed at the end of the filter media strip opposite the base. The cap is removably mounted to the base covering the filter media strip and lid. The cap has sidewall and endwall pre-filtering screens, and when the sidewall screens become loaded with debris, the endwall screen permits air to flow through a gap between the cap and the lid to the filter media strip.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A filter for removing particulate from a gas stream flowing through a debris collecting chamber of a vacuum cleaner, the filter comprising:
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a) a base having an aperture through which the gas stream can flow;
b) a filter media strip having opposing first and second lateral edges, the first lateral edge sealingly mounted to the base around the base aperture forming an outwardly facing surface on the filter media strip, said filter media strip having pores of a predetermined size for permitting gas to flow through;
c) a substantially gas impermeable lid sealingly mounted to the second lateral edge of the filter media strip and spaced from the base with the filter media strip interposed between the lid and the base; and
d) a cap comprising;
i. a sidewall having a first end and an opposite second end mounted to the base, the sidewall having at least one pre-filtering porous panel spaced from the outwardly facing surface of the filter media strip, thereby forming a first gas pathway extending from openings formed in the sidewall'"'"'s pre-filtering porous panel through the pores in the filter media strip to the base aperture;
ii. a cap endwall extending across the sidewall at the first end, said endwall having at least one pre-filtering porous panel spaced from the gas impermeable lid, thereby forming a second gas pathway extending from openings formed in the endwall'"'"'s pre-filtering porous panel through the pores in the filter media strip to the base aperture; and
iii. wherein the openings in the pre-filtering porous panels are substantially larger than the pores in the filter media strip - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A filter for removing particulate from a gas stream flowing through a dirt collecting chamber of a vacuum cleaner, the filter comprising:
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a) a substantially gas-impermeable base having an aperture through which the gas stream can flow, said aperture having an axis;
b) a filter media strip having opposing first and second lateral edges, the first lateral edge sealingly mounted to and curved around the base aperture, thereby forming an outwardly facing, substantially frustoconical surface on the filter media strip having an axis that is substantially coaxial with the aperture axis, said filter media having a predetermined “
pore size”
for permitting the gas stream to flow through;
c) a substantially gas impermeable lid sealingly mounted to the second lateral edge of the filter media strip and spaced from the base with the filter media strip interposed between the lid and the base for permitting the gas stream to flow through the filter media strip and then through the base aperture; and
d) a cap sealingly mounted to the base and extending over the filter media strip and the lid, the cap comprising;
i. a substantially frustoconical sidewall substantially coaxial with the filter media strip, the sidewall having a first end and an opposite second end mounted to the base, the sidewall also having at least one pre-filtering porous panel spaced from the outwardly facing surface of the filter media strip, thereby forming a first gas pathway from openings formed in the sidewall'"'"'s pre-filtering porous panel through the pores formed in the filter media strip to the base aperture;
ii. a substantially planar cap endwall extending across the sidewall at the first end and substantially parallel to the lid, said endwall having at least one pre-filtering porous panel spaced from the gas impermeable lid, thereby forming a second gas pathway extending from openings in the endwall'"'"'s pre-filtering porous panel through the pores in the filter media strip to the base aperture; and
iii. wherein the openings in the pre-filtering porous panels are substantially larger than the predetermined pore size of the filter media strip. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A filter for removing particulate from a gas stream flowing through a dirt collecting chamber of a vacuum cleaner, the filter comprising:
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a) a substantially gas-impermeable base having an aperture through which the gas stream can flow, said aperture having an axis;
b) a filter media strip having opposing first and second lateral edges, the first lateral edge sealingly mounted to and curved around the base aperture, thereby forming an outwardly facing, substantially cylindrical surface on the filter media strip having an axis that is substantially coaxial with the aperture axis, said filter media having a predetermined “
pore size”
for permitting the gas stream to flow through;
c) a substantially gas impermeable lid sealingly mounted to the second lateral edge of the filter media strip and spaced from the base with the filter media strip interposed between the lid and the base for permitting the gas stream to flow through the filter media strip and then through the base aperture; and
d) a cap sealingly mounted to the base and extending over the filter media strip and the lid, the cap comprising;
i. a substantially cylindrical sidewall substantially coaxial with the filter media strip, the sidewall having a first end and an opposite second end mounted to the base, the sidewall also having at least one pre-filtering porous panel spaced from the outwardly facing surface of the filter media strip, thereby forming a first gas pathway from openings formed in the sidewall'"'"'s pre-filtering porous panel through the pores formed in the filter media strip to the base aperture;
ii. a substantially planar cap endwall extending across the sidewall at the first end and substantially parallel to the lid, said endwall having at least one pre-filtering porous panel spaced from the gas impermeable lid, thereby forming a second gas pathway extending from openings in the endwall'"'"'s pre-filtering porous panel through the pores in the filter media strip to the base aperture; and
iii. wherein the openings in the pre-filtering porous panels are substantially larger than the predetermined pore size of the filter media strip. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification