Stick vacuum with dirt cup

• US 6,775,882 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Issued: 08/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Boll, David J., Murphy, John S., Kalman, Jeffrey M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US10/044,060
• Publication Number:
  US 20030131441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: 153/50, 153/51, 153/52, 153/53, 153/31, 153/34, 553/37, 554/29, 554/591, 554/82, 554/86, 55D/IG.3
• US Class Current: 15/352
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner includes a floor nozzle having a suction inlet and a handle. A housing has a first portion connected to the floor nozzle, a second portion connected to the handle and defines a cavity and at least one chamber. A dirt cup assembly is releasably connected to the housing and is at least partially received by the cavity. The dirt cup assembly defines a cyclonic airflow chamber and includes a wall. An inlet duct is defined on the dirt cup assembly wall and a filter assembly is removably positioned in the dirt cup assembly. A motor assembly is disposed in the at least one chamber defined by the housing

Claims

1. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a floor nozzle having a suction inlet;

a handle;

a housing having a first portion connected to said floor nozzle and a second portion connected to said handle, the housing defining a cavity and at least one chamber;

a dirt cup assembly releasably connected to said housing and at least partially received by said cavity, said dirt cup assembly defining a cyclonic airflow chamber and including a wall;

an inlet duct defined on said dirt cup assembly wall;

a filter assembly removably positioned in said dirt cup assembly, wherein said filter assembly includes a top wall which cooperates with at least one wall of said dirt cup assembly to seal at least a portion of said cyclonic airflow chamber; and

a motor assembly diposed in said at least one chamber defined by said housing.

2. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said filter assembly comprises a filter cage and a filter media mounted on said filter cage.

3. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said filter assembly is concentrically positioned in said dirt cup assembly.

4. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said dirt cup assembly comprises a support connected to a base wall, and wherein said filter assembly is mounted on said support.

5. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a latch assembly for selectively securing said dirt cup assembly to said housing.

6. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a ducting system located within said floor nozzle and said housing for fluidically connecting said suction inlet to said dirt cup inlet duct, whereby air is drawn in through said suction inlet, through said dirt cup inlet duct and cyclonically filtered in said dirt cup assembly and expelled through an opening in said dirt cup assembly.

7. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein said filter assembly top wall comprises a handle.

8. A stick vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a floor nozzle having a suction inlet;

a housing connected to said floor nozzle, the housing having a front panel and a rear panel, said housing including a cavity and at least one chamber spaced therefrom;

said front panel of said housing defining a first aperture that opens into said cavity;

said rear panel of said housing defining a second aperture that opens into said cavity, wherein said second aperture is smaller than said first aperture;

a dirt cup releasably mounted to said housing and at least partially received in said cavity, wherein the dirt cup extends into said first aperture and into said second aperture when mounted on said housing, said dirt cup being removable from said housing in a frontal direction; and

a motor assembly disposed in said at least one chamber defined by said housing.

9. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein said dirt cup comprises:

a front wall;

a rear wall;

a first side wall extending between said front and rear walls;

a second side wall extending between said front and rear walls;

a pair of wings extending respectively past said first and said second side walls adjacent said front wall, whereby at least a portion of said front wall remains substantially flush with said front portion of said housing when said dirt cup is mounted on said housing in a use position.

10. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein said dirt cup rear wall defines a contoured portion;

and

said housing second aperture cooperates with said contoured portion of said dirt cup when the dirt cup is mounted on said housing in a use position.

11. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein said dirt cup comprises a tangential inlet so that said dirt cup defines a cyclonic airflow chamber.

12. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 11, further comprising a removable filter assembly positioned in said cyclonic airflow chamber.

13. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 8, further comprising a latch assembly for selectively securing said dirt cup to said housing.

14. A stick vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a floor nozzle having a suction inlet;

a main handle;

a housing having a first portion connected to said floor nozzle and a second portion connected to said main handle, the housing defining a cavity and at least one chamber;

a dirt cup releasably connected to said housing and at least partially received by said cavity, wherein the dirt cup is movable in relation to said housing from a use position to an emptying position;

a filter assembly located in said dirt cup;

a lid selectively closing an open upper end of said dirt cup;

a handle located on said lid; and

a motor assembly disposed in said at least one chamber defined by said housing.

15. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein said filter assembly comprises a primary filter and further comprising a secondary filter mounted in said housing between said dirt cup and said motor assembly.

16. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 14 further comprising a dirt cup handle connected to said dirt cup assembly and spaced from said main handle, wherein the stick vacuum cleaner may be lifted by the dirt cup handle when the dirt cup is in the use position.

17. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein said lid is connected to said filter assembly.

18. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein said dirt cup includes a tangential inlet so that said dirt cup defines at least part of a cyclonic airflow chamber.

19. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein said dirt cup includes a base that defines an exhaust duct, and wherein said filter assembly and said exhaust duct are aligned with each other.

20. The stick vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a floor nozzle having a suction inlet;

a housing connected to said floor nozzle;

a dirt cup assembly releasably connected to said housing;

said dirt cup assembly including a base and walls which cooperate to define a cavity;

an inlet duct located on one of said base and walls of said dirt cup assembly;

a filter support element mounted on one of said base and walls of said dirt cup assembly;

a filter selectively mounted on said filter support element;

a motor mounted to said housing; and

a secondary filter, wherein said secondary filter is mounted in said housing between said dirt cup assembly and said motor.

21. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein said filter support element is an integrally molded component of said dirt cup base.

22. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein said filter suppport element is an independent component connected to said dirt cup base.

23. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein said dirt cup base defines an exhaust duct, and wherein said filter support element surrounds said exhaust duct and extends into said cavity.

24. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 23 wherein said exhaust duct and an inlet of said motor are align along a longitudinal axis.

25. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein said filter comprises a filter cage and a bottom support connected to a distal end of said filter cage, and wherein said bottom support cooperates with said filter support element to selectively mount said filter to said dirt cup assembly.

26. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 25, wherein at least one of said bottom support and said filter support element includes a sealing member, whereby a seal is formed between said bottom support and said filter support element by said sealing member.

27. A stick vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a floor nozzle having a suction inlet;

a housing connected to said floor nozzle, the housing defining a cavity and at least one chamber;

a dirt cup assembly releasably connected to said housing and at least partially received by said housing cavity, wherein said dirt cup assembly includes a front wall, a rear wall, a first side wall, a second side wall and a base wall, said walls being interconnected to define a dirt cup cavity;

a filter assembly mounted in said dirt cup cavity, said filter assembly including a top wall;

a gasket extending away from an upper surface of said filter assembly top wall;

a skirt extending away from a lower surface of said filter assembly top wall in a manner offset from said gasket, wherein at least one of said walls of said dirt cup assembly includes an upper portion having a projection, and wherein said filter assembly top wall, said gasket and said skirt cooperate with said dirt cup wall projection to form a labyrinth seal; and

a motor assembly disposed in said at least one chamber defined by said housing.

28. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 27, wherein said labyrinth seal encloses at least a portion of said dirt cup cavity.

29. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 27, wherein the filter assembly is removably mounted in said dirt cup cavity.

30. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 27, wherein said filter assembly is concentrically positioned in said dirt cup cavity.

31. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 27, wherein said dirt cup base wall defines an exhaust duct, and wherein said filter assembly and said exhaust duct are aligned.

32. An upright vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a housing comprising a floor nozzle and defining a first cavity and at least on chamber;

a dirt cup releasably connected to said housing and at least partially received in said first cavity, said dirt cup defining a second cavity;

said dirt cup including a conversion port for above-the-floor cleaning; and

a motor assembly disposed in said at least one chamber defined by said housing.

33. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 32, wherein said dirt cup includes an inlet duct and said conversion port is defined in said inlet duct.

34. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 33, wherein said inlet duct is located on a front wall of said dirt cup.

35. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 32, wherein said conversion port is defined in a rear wall of said dirt cup.

36. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 32, wherein said dirt cup includes a tangential inlet so that said second cavity functions as a cyclonic airflow chamber.

37. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 32, further comprising:

a hose including a conversion adapter having a distal end;

said conversion adapter engaging said conversion port in an above-the-floor cleaning mode, whereby the distal end of said adapter is in fluid communication with said second cavity.

38. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 37, wherein said adapter includes a shoulder having a larger circumference than is a circumference of an orifice defined by said conversion port.

39. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 37, further comprising a door disposed on said conversion port, whereby in a floor cleaning mode said door substantially seals an orifice defined by said conversion port.

40. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 39, wherein said door is pivotable about a hinge.

41. A stick vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a floor nozzle having a suction inlet;

a handle assembly pivotally mounted on said floor nozzle, said handle assembly comprising;

a first portion defining a motor chamber,

a motor assembly located in said motor chamber, and

a second portion defining a socket,

a dirt cup selectively positioned in said socket, said dirt cup including an inlet to a dirt separation chamber, at least partially defined in said dirt cup, and an outlet from said dirt separation chamber, said outlet communicating with said motor assembly; and

a conversion port defined in a wall of said dirt cup for above-the-floor cleaning.

42. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 41 further comprising a filter selectively located in said dirt cup, wherein said filter is spaced from said conversion port.

43. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 42 wherein said dirt cup further comprises a stem extending into said dirt separation chamber, said stem defining said dirt cup outlet, wherein said filter surrounds said stem.

44. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 41 wherein said conversion port is located on a front wall of said dirt cup.

45. The stick vacuum cleaner of claim 41 wherein said conversion port is located on a rear wall of said dirt cup.