Bagless vacuum cleaner system

• US 20050015921A1
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Pullins, Alan T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,134,165 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/352
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• 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

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a housing as well as a suction generator and bagless dirt system carried on the housing. The bagless dirt system includes a dirt cup, a prefilter, a filter chamber remote from the dirt cup, a filter in the filter chamber and a first conduit providing fluid communication between the dirt cup and the filter chamber. A second conduit provides fluid communication between the filter chamber and the suction generator.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a housing;

a suction generator carried on said housing; and

a bagless dirt system carried on said housing, said bagless dirt system including a dirt cup, a filter chamber remote from said dirt cup, a filter in said filter chamber and a first conduit providing fluid communication between said dirt cup and said filter chamber.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further including a second conduit providing fluid communication between said filter chamber and said suction generator.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said filter chamber further includes an access door.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said filter is held in a cavity in said access door.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said access door is removable from said housing with said filter.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said access door includes an inlet in fluid communication with said first conduit.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein a dirt collection chamber is defined in said access door by said filter, said inlet being in direct communication with said dirt collection chamber.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein said canister assembly is pivotally connected to said nozzle assembly.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein said nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein a rotary agitator is carried by said nozzle assembly across said suction inlet.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said access door carries a latch for securing said access door to said housing.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a prefilter mounted in said dirt cup.