Vacuum cleaner air flow sensing arrangement

• US 4,342,133 A
• Filed: 03/12/1981
• Issued: 08/03/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1981
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Maytag Corporation (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hoover Company (Whirlpool Corporation)
• Inventors: Minton, Keith G.
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US06/243,066
• Time in Patent Office: 509 Days
• Field of Search: 15/339, 15/412, 116/264, 116/268, 55/274, 55/DIG. 34
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/34 Indicator and controllers

Abstract

An air flow sensing arrangement is disclosed for use in a vacuum cleaner. A plenum chamber or cavity established by a first wall and a second wall is provided adjacent to a fan inlet with all air from a bag chamber being directed radially inward therethrough toward an aperture in the first wall communicating with the fan inlet. The second wall is provided with openings adjacent to its outer periphery so that air is proportionally directed into the cavity along a plurality of paths. An air distribution chamber is established by the second wall and a secondary filter is supported on the second wall. Air is distributed by the distribution chamber about an entire outer surface of a wall portion of the second wall so as to maintan a consistent proportion of air flow through the openings into the cavity in the event irregular filter clogging occurs. A flow sensing device including a pivoting vane having a magnet thereon is disposed within the cavity so as to be within a path of air flowing through the openings. Air impinging against the vane causes it to pivot in an arcuate path to indicate a predetermined air flow level. A switch means is mounted in a position so as to be tangential to arcuate movement of the magnet during a portion of its movement with the switch means being actuated by the magnet when air flow in the cleaner drops to a predetermined low level thereby indicating a condition such as, for example, a full filter bag, low power setting on the cleaner and/or clogged hose.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner including:

(a) plenum chamber disposed adjacent to a fan inlet and having all air from a bag chamber directed radially inward therethrough and axially therefrom to the fan inlet;

(b) said plenum chamber including a first wall having at least one opening therein communicating with the fan inlet and a second wall having a wall portion thereof spaced axially from the first wall and in a direction toward the bag chamber;

(c) said second wall at least in part providing openings located adjacent to its outer periphery so that air is proportionally directed into and through said plenum chamber along a plurality of paths;

(d) an air distribution means for distributing air about an outer surface of the wall portion thereby maintaining the proportionality of air being directed into the plenum chamber;

(e) an air flow sensor including a pivoting vane disposed within the plenum chamber so as to be in at least one of the plurality of paths of air; and

(f) means responsive to pivotal movement of the pivoting vane to provide a signal indicative of a predetermined air flow value.

2. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1 wherein the second wall is generally rectangular in shape with openings located adjacent to the outer periphery of three sides thereof.

3. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1 wherein the air distribution means includes a distribution chamber located adjacent to the outer surface for distributing air about the entire outer surface of the wall portion.

4. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 1 further including a magnet integrally mounted with said pivoting vane for movement therewith.

5. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 4 wherein said means responsive to pivotal movement of the pivoting vane includes a magnet actuatable switch responsive to the magnet during a portion of movement of the pivoting vane.

6. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a first wall disposed adjacent to a fan inlet and having at least one aperture therein communicating with the fan inlet;

(b) a second wall having a wall portion spaced from the first wall and in an axial direction toward a bag chamber to establish a cavity therebetween;

(c) a secondary filter spaced in an axial direction from an outer surface of the wall portion toward the bag chamber;

(d) said second wall at least in part providing apertures located adjacent to its outer periphery so as to provide proportional air flow into the cavity along a plurality of paths and thereby providing a radial inward flow of the air within the cavity toward the at least one aperture communicating with the fan inlet;

(e) said second wall and said secondary filter unit establishing an air distribution chamber for distributing air flow from the secondary filter toward the apertures located adjacent to the outer periphery of the second wall so as to maintain proportional air flow into the cavity; and

(f) air flow sensor including a pivotally mounted vane disposed within the cavity so as to be in at least one of the plurality of paths of air flow and movable thereby to indicate a predetermined air flow value.

7. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 6 further including rib members disposed between the outer surface of the wall portion and the secondary filter for maintaining axial spacing therebetween thereby permitting distribution of air about the entire outer surface for minimizing the effect of irregular clogging of the secondary filter on proportional air flow into the cavity.

8. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 6 wherein the first wall also provides separation between a motor and fan chamber and the bag chamber.

9. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a first wall disposed adjacent to a fan inlet and having at least one aperture therein communicating with the fan inlet;

(b) a second wall having a wall portion spaced from the first wall and in an axial direction toward a bag chamber to establish a cavity therebetween;

(c) said second wall at least in part providing apertures located adjacent to its outer periphery so as to provide proportional air flow into the cavity along a plurality of paths and thereby providing a radial inward flow of the air within the cavity toward the at least one aperture communicating with the fan inlet;

(d) a vane pivotally mounted within the cavity so as to be responsive to air flowing in at least one of the paths;

(e) a magnet integrally mounted with said vane and movable in an arcuate path in response to air flow against the vane; and

(f) switch means mounted in a position so as to be tangential to the arcuate path of the magnet during a portion of its movement, and actuatable by the magnet at a predetermined air flow level to provide a signal indicative of air flow.

10. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 9 wherein said magnet is mounted on said vane at a location offset from a pivot point of the vane with the weight of the magnet biasing the vane toward a position indicative of lesser air flow.

11. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 9 further including an indicating light responsive to said switch means to provide a visual signal indicating that air flow is equal to or less than the predetermined air flow level.

12. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 11 further including a second indicating light responsive to said switch means to provide a visual signal indicating that air flow exceeds the predetermined air flow level.

13. A vacuum cleaner in accordance with claim 9 wherein the switching means includes a reed switch actuatable by the magnet at the predetermined air flow level.