Self-evacuating vacuum cleaner
First Claim
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1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a tank having a first inlet for receiving liquid material;
a powered pump defining an aperture which places the interior of the pump in air flow communication with the interior of the tank;
a second inlet disposed within the tank and in fluid communication with the interior of the pump, placing the second inlet in air flow communication with the interior of the tank;
an air impeller assembly, disposed in air flow communication with the interior of the tank, including a housing defining an opening and a driven impeller disposed within the housing, such that the impeller is in air flow communication with the interior of the tank and creates a relatively low pressure area in the interior of the tank which, by way of communication, creates low relative pressure areas in the interior of the pump and the second inlet; and
a priming apparatus, disposed within the tank in fluid communication with the second inlet, having a source of pressure which is high relative to the relatively low pressure in the interior of the tank, wherein when the liquid material received by the tank reaches the level of the second inlet, the source of relatively high pressure acts in concert with the relatively low pressure in the second inlet to establish a pressure differential across the second inlet, wherein the pump is primed.
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Abstract
A vacuum cleaner has an electric motor driving an air impeller for creating suction and a pump which draws liquid material through an inlet tube from the bottom of the tank and expels it from the tank. A priming apparatus is disposed in the tank chamber in fluid communication with the pump and a valve is selectively actuable to establish a pressure differential across liquid in the priming apparatus to thereby prime the pump.
158 Citations
10 Claims
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1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a tank having a first inlet for receiving liquid material; a powered pump defining an aperture which places the interior of the pump in air flow communication with the interior of the tank; a second inlet disposed within the tank and in fluid communication with the interior of the pump, placing the second inlet in air flow communication with the interior of the tank; an air impeller assembly, disposed in air flow communication with the interior of the tank, including a housing defining an opening and a driven impeller disposed within the housing, such that the impeller is in air flow communication with the interior of the tank and creates a relatively low pressure area in the interior of the tank which, by way of communication, creates low relative pressure areas in the interior of the pump and the second inlet; and a priming apparatus, disposed within the tank in fluid communication with the second inlet, having a source of pressure which is high relative to the relatively low pressure in the interior of the tank, wherein when the liquid material received by the tank reaches the level of the second inlet, the source of relatively high pressure acts in concert with the relatively low pressure in the second inlet to establish a pressure differential across the second inlet, wherein the pump is primed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification