Dirt container for a surface cleaning apparatus and method of use

• US 7,329,294 B2
• Filed: 10/25/2004
• Issued: 02/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polar Light Limited
• Original Assignee: Polar Light Limited
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins; Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US10/971,764
• Publication Number:
  US 20050115409A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,205 Days
• Field of Search: 553/19, 553/37, 554/18, 554/29, 554/591, 55D/IG.3, 554/67, 153/50, 153/53
• US Class Current: 55/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0009 Storing devices winding devices for electric cables A47L9/26; Supports, stands or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/102 Dust separators cyclones A47L9/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1463 specially adapted for rigid filtering receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/28 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A dirt container for a surface cleaning apparatus is constructed from an air impermeable material and exterior walls of sufficient rigidity to maintain the shape of the dirt container. The dirt container may be supplied in a disassembled condition and assembled by a consumer prior to use.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing; and

,

(b) a disposable dirt container constructed from an air impermeable material, the dirt container being removably receivable in the housing and including at least one cyclone.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising an airflow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and a motor and fan blade assembly, the fan blade positioned in the air flow path, the dirt container having an air inlet and an air outlet and being positioned in the air flow path.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dirt container has rigid exterior walls.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the walls have a thickness up to 1 mm.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the walls have a thickness from 0.3 to 1 mm.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dirt container further includes a gravity settling chamber.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the cyclone is downstream from the gravity-settling chamber.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 7 wherein the dirt container further includes a screen positioned upstream of the cyclone, the screen having openings therethrough sized to retain a portion of the particulate matter in the gravity settling chamber.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a cleaning head having a brush, and the dirt container includes a chamber positioned to receive particulate matter swept up by the brush.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the cyclone is downstream from the chamber.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the dirt container further includes a screen positioned upstream of the cyclone, the screen having openings therethrough sized to retain a portion of the particulate matter in the chamber.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dirt container has an inlet and a closure member movable between an open position in which the inlet is open and a closed position in which the inlet is closed.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 12 further including an actuator drivingly connectable to the closure member.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the actuator is mounted on the housing.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 14 wherein the actuator includes a cam.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the housing has a recess and an access panel which is moveably mounted between a closed position in which the recess is closed and an open position, and the dirt container is removably receivable in the recess.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 16 wherein the dirt container is removably mounted to the access panel.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the access panel is detachable from the housing.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the dirt container is configurable between an assembled configuration and a disassembled configuration.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 19 wherein, when the dirt container is in the disassembled configuration, the dirt container is at least partially nestable in another dirt container.

21. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing; and

,

(b) a disposable dirt container constructed from an air impermeable material, the dirt container being removably receivable in the housing and having an inlet and a closure member movable between an open position in which the inlet is open and a closed position in which the inlet is closed; and

,

(c) an actuator drivingly connectable to the closure member.

22. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 further comprising an airflow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and a motor and fan blade assembly, the fan blade positioned in the air flow path, the dirt container having an air outlet and being positioned in the air flow path.

23. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the dirt container has rigid exterior walls.

24. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the walls have a thickness up to 1 mm.

25. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 23 wherein the walls have a thickness from 0.3 to 1 mm.

26. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the dirt container includes at least one cyclone.

27. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the dirt container includes a gravity settling chamber and at least one cyclone.

28. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 27 wherein the cyclone is downstream from the gravity-settling chamber.

29. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 28 wherein the dirt container further includes a screen positioned upstream of the cyclone, the screen having openings therethrough sized to retain a portion of the particulate matter in the gravity settling chamber.

30. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 further comprising a cleaning head having a brush, and the dirt container includes a chamber positioned to receive particulate matter swept up by the brush.

31. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 30 wherein the dirt container further includes a cyclone.

32. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 31 wherein the cyclone is downstream from the chamber.

33. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 32 wherein the dirt container further includes a screen positioned upstream of the cyclone, the screen having openings therethrough sized to retain a portion of the particulate matter in the chamber.

34. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the actuator is mounted on the housing.

35. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 34 wherein the actuator includes a cam.

36. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the housing has a recess and an access panel which is moveably mounted between a closed position in which the recess is closed and an open position, and the dirt container is removably receivable in the recess.

37. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 36 wherein the dirt container is removably mounted to the access panel.

38. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 37 wherein the access panel is detachable from the housing.

39. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the dirt container is configurable between an assembled configuration and a disassembled configuration.

40. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 39 wherein, when the dirt container is in the disassembled configuration, the dirt container is at least partially nestable in another dirt container.

41. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing having a recess and an access panel which is moveably mounted between a closed position in which the recess is closed and an open position; and

,

(b) a disposable dirt container constructed from an air impermeable material, the dirt container being removably receivable in the recess and is removably mounted to the access panel.

42. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein the dirt container has rigid exterior walls.

43. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 42 wherein the walls have a thickness up to 1 mm.

44. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein the dirt container includes at least one cyclone.

45. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein the dirt container includes a gravity settling chamber and at least one cyclone.

46. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 45 wherein the cyclone is downstream from the gravity-settling chamber.

47. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 46 wherein the dirt container further includes a screen positioned upstream of the cyclone, the screen having openings therethrough sized to retain a portion of the particulate matter in the gravity settling chamber.

48. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein the access panel is detachable from the housing.

49. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 41 wherein the dirt container is configurable between an assembled configuration and a disassembled configuration.

50. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 49 wherein, when the dirt container is in the disassembled configuration, the dirt container is at least partially nestable in another dirt container.

51. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a housing;

(b) a disposable dirt container constructed from an air impermeable material, the dirt container being removably receivable in the housing; and

,

(c) the dirt container is configurable between an assembled configuration and a disassembled configuration and, when the dirt container is in the disassembled configuration, the dirt container is at least partially nestable in another dirt container.

52. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 51 wherein the dirt container has rigid exterior walls.

53. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 52 wherein the walls have a thickness up to 1 mm.

54. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 51 wherein the dirt container includes at least one cyclone.

55. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 54 wherein the dirt container includes a gravity settling chamber and at least one cyclone.

56. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 55 wherein the cyclone is downstream from the gravity-settling chamber.

57. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 56 wherein the dirt container further includes a screen positioned upstream of the cyclone, the screen having openings therethrough sized to retain a portion of the particulate matter in the gravity settling chamber.