Upright vacuum cleaner with cyclonic airflow
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner includes a first housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber and a second housing defining a main suction opening that is in communication with an inlet of the cyclonic chamber. A suction source has a suction airstream inlet in communication with an outlet of the cyclonic chamber, and establishes a suction airstream that enters said main suction opening, passes through said cyclonic chamber, and passes to an outlet of said suction source. A substantial portion of particulates entrained in the suction airstream are separated therefrom when said suction airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion through the cyclonic chamber. A main filter assembly, preferably including filter medium comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is located in the cyclonic chamber so that a suction airstream moving from the main suction opening to the inlet of said suction source by way of the cyclonic airflow chamber passes through the filter medium thereof after said airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion within the cyclonic airflow chamber to remove residual particulates from the suction airstream before it leaves the cyclonic chamber. A HEPA filter can be provided to filter the suction airstream exhausted through the outlet of the suction source prior to the airstream being discharged from the vacuum.
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Citations
62 Claims
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1-21. -21. (canceled)
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22. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a housing including a cyclonic airflow chamber adapted for separating dust and dirt from an airstream, wherein a suction opening is in fluid communication with an inlet of said cyclonic airflow chamber;
a handle for manipulating said housing over a surface to be cleaned;
an airflow source located in said housing and having an airflow inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of said cyclonic airflow chamber and an airflow outlet;
a main filter located at a downstream end of said cyclonic airflow chamber for filtering dust and dirt from the airstream that passes through said cyclonic airflow chamber, wherein said main filter comprises a pleated planar material, said main filter being selectively removeable from said housing; and
,a dust cup mounted to said housing and defining at least a portion of said cyclonic airflow chamber for receiving and retaining dirt and dust separated from the airstream, said dust cup being selectively detachable from said housing for emptying. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a housing comprising a cyclonic airflow chamber adapted for separating entrained dirt and dust from a circulating airstream;
an airstream source located in said housing and having an airstream inlet and an airstream outlet, said air stream source generating and maintaining an airstream flowing from said airstream inlet to said airstream outlet;
a handle mounted to said housing to allow manipulation of said housing over a surface meant to be cleaned;
a filter including a filter medium, said filter being located at an outlet end of said cyclonic airflow chamber so that the airstream passes through said filter medium after the airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion within said cyclonic airflow chamber, said filter being detachably mounted in said housing and being removable therefrom for cleaning; and
,a dust cup mounted to said housing and defining at least a portion of said cyclonic airflow chamber for receiving and retaining dirt and dust separated from the air stream, said dust cup being selectively detachable from said housing for emptying, said dust cup communicating with a main suction opening of the vacuum cleaner. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
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39. A vacuum cleaner comprising;
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a housing comprising a socket for holding a selectively removable dirt cup that at least partially defines a cyclonic dirt separation chamber for separating contaminants from an airstream, said housing further defining an airstream inlet to said dirt separation chamber and an airstream outlet from said dirt separation chamber and a main suction opening fluidically connected with said chamber inlet;
an airstream source, located in said housing for selectively establishing and maintaining a flow of the airstream; and
,a main filter element positioned in said housing to cover said outlet of said dirt separation chamber, said main filter element comprising a pleated planar material for filtering residual contaminants from said airstream prior to said airstream exiting said chamber. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43)
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44. A vacuum cleaner apparatus comprising:
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a housing including a suction source in fluid communication with a suction opening and an airflow chamber in fluid communication with said suction source for imparting a cyclonic flow pattern to an airstream that flows from said suction opening through said airflow chamber, whereby a portion of particulates entrained in the airstream is separated from the airstream leaving residual particulates entrained in the airstream;
a handle mounted to said housing to enable manipulation of said housing over a surface meant to be cleaned;
a filter assembly located in said airflow chamber and including a filter member placed in covering relation with an outlet of said airflow chamber whereby at least some of the residual particulates entrained in the airstream are blocked from exiting said airflow chamber, said filter member being selectively removable from said housing; and
,a dirt cup selectively mounted to said housing, wherein said dirt cup collects the portion of particulates separated from the airstream, and is removable from said housing for emptying. - View Dependent Claims (45, 46, 47, 48)
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49. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a housing in fluid communication with a nozzle;
a handle mounted to said housing to enable manipulation of said housing over a surface meant to be cleaned;
a dirt cup removably mounted to said housing, said dirt cup comprising a cyclonic dirt separation chamber for separating dirt and dust from an airstream that flows therethrough;
a suction source for the airstream, said suction source being located in said housing;
a filter construction located in said dirt separation chamber and comprising;
(i) a filter holder; and
, (ii) a filter element held by said filter holder adjacent an outlet of said dirt separation chamber for filtering the airstream before it exits said dirt separation chamber, said filter element comprising a pleated planar material and being selectively detachable from said filter holder for cleaning. - View Dependent Claims (50, 51, 52, 53)
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54. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a housing comprising a dirt separation chamber at least partially defined by a removable dirt cup, said dirt separation chamber separating dirt from an airstream flowing through said chamber by imparting a cyclonic flow pattern to said airstream, and said dirt cup receiving and retaining dirt separated from said airstream in said dirt separation chamber;
a handle mounted to said housing to enable manipulation of said housing over a surface to be cleaned;
a suction source, held by said housing and located downstream from said dirt separation chamber, for establishing and maintaining the airstream that flows from a nozzle into said dirt separation chamber, and out of said dirt separation chamber;
a filter support located in said dirt separation chamber;
a filter element releasably secured to said filter support and positioned to filter the airstream as the airstream exits said dirt separation chamber, said filter element comprising a pleated planar material. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56)
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57. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a housing including a handle, a suction source, a cyclonic dirt separation chamber and a nozzle communicating with said cyclonic dirt separation chamber;
a dirt cup removably mounted to said housing, said dirt cup defining at least a portion of said cyclonic dirt separation chamber; and
a filter mounted to said housing for filtering an associated airstream passing through said cyclonic dirt separation chamber, said filter comprising a pleated planar material and being selectively removable from said housing for cleaning. - View Dependent Claims (58, 59, 60, 61, 62)
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Specification