Vacuum cleaner housing and airflow chamber
First Claim
1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- an outer housing having a dirty air flow opening;
a source of vacuum located in the housing, the source of vacuum including a motor and an impeller; and
a separable air chamber contained within the outer housing and surrounding the impeller, the air chamber being comprised of at least two half sections that form an outlet conduit having an entrance portion including a first section disposed generally perpendicular to and spaced from an entrance of the vacuum impeller and a second section disposed parallel to and adjacent the entrance of the impeller, said first and second sections being joined by a generally curved section, and an exit portion having a flow section disposed generally parallel to the first section of the entrance portion, an impeller chamber disposed downstream of said inlet conduit, the inlet conduit having a substantially constant cross-sectional area along its length, said inlet conduit communicating with said dirty air flow opening of said housing to provide a flow of dirty air into said air chamber.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner with a housing, a source of vacuum, and an air chamber located in the housing and connected to the source of vacuum. The housing includes a bottom member, a top member and a handle contacting and extending from a top surface of the top member. The handle is separately connected to the bottom member such that the handle is supported by both the top and bottom members. The air chamber is located in the housing between the top and bottom members with an inlet aperture and an exhaust aperture located at the exterior of the housing. The air chamber is comprised of two half sections that combine to form an inlet conduit, an outlet conduit, and an impeller chamber. An impeller of the source of vacuum is located in the impeller chamber. The source of vacuum has a motor with a first end connected to the impeller and a second end forming a drive shaft to drive a belt connected to a rotatable brush assembly.
71 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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an outer housing having a dirty air flow opening; a source of vacuum located in the housing, the source of vacuum including a motor and an impeller; and a separable air chamber contained within the outer housing and surrounding the impeller, the air chamber being comprised of at least two half sections that form an outlet conduit having an entrance portion including a first section disposed generally perpendicular to and spaced from an entrance of the vacuum impeller and a second section disposed parallel to and adjacent the entrance of the impeller, said first and second sections being joined by a generally curved section, and an exit portion having a flow section disposed generally parallel to the first section of the entrance portion, an impeller chamber disposed downstream of said inlet conduit, the inlet conduit having a substantially constant cross-sectional area along its length, said inlet conduit communicating with said dirty air flow opening of said housing to provide a flow of dirty air into said air chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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an outer housing having a dirty air flow opening; a motor connected to the housing, the motor having a first end with a vacuum impeller connected thereto and an opposite second end forming a drive shaft; a rotatable brush assembly connected to the housing; a drive belt connecting the rotatable brush assembly to the drive shaft of the motor; and a separate air chamber contained within the outer housing and surrounding the vacuum impeller, the air chamber having an inlet conduit including an entrance portion having a first section disposed generally perpendicular to and spaced from an entrance of the vacuum impeller and a second section disposed generally parallel to and adjacent the entrance of the vacuum impeller, said first and second sections being joined by a generally curved section and an exit portion having a flow section disposed generally parallel to the first section of the entrance portion said inlet conduit communicating with said dirty air flow opening of said housing to provide a flow of dirty air into said air chamber. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A vacuum cleaner conduit assembly, the vacuum cleaner having an outer housing having a dirty air flow opening, a motor supported within the housing and an impeller driven by said motor, the conduit assembly comprising;
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a first half section; and a second half section connected to the first half section, the first and second half sections forming an inlet conduit including an entrance portion having a first section disposed generally perpendicular to and spaced from an entrance of the impeller and a second section disposed generally parallel to and adjacent the entrance of the impeller, said first and second sections being joined by a generally curved section, and an exit portion having a flow section disposed generally parallel to the first section of the entrance portion, an impeller chamber, the first and second half sections being contained within and separable from the outer housing, substantially surround the impeller in the impeller chamber, and provide an air flow pathway inside the housing to help prevent dirt from contaminating the motor, said first and second half sections of the air chamber providing an airflow barrier between said airflow pathway and said motor.
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Specification