Self-cleaning vacuum cleaner and receptacle therefor

• US 7,386,916 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2004
• Issued: 06/17/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bone, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US10/912,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091784A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 15/344
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/20 Means for cleaning filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation

Abstract

A self-cleaning vacuum cleaner 1 is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner 1 comprises a housing 2 having an inlet 5 and an outlet 6, and a fan arranged within the housing 2 for causing air to flow through a coarse filter and a fine filter. A vibrator mechanism causes vibration of the fine filter, and the vacuum cleaner 1 has a working condition in which the fan causes air to flow from the inlet 5 to the outlet 6, and a self-cleaning condition in which the vibrator mechanism causes vibrations of the fine filter to cause particles to be released from the fine filter, and in which the housing 2 is opened to enable at least some of the particles released from the fine filter to pass through the coarse filter and out of the housing 2 and into a receptacle 10.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing having at least one inlet for allowing intake of air and at least one outlet for allowing escape of air;

a suction device arranged in the housing for causing air to flow from at least one said inlet to at least one said outlet;

a first filter for preventing passage of particles larger than a first predetermined particle size in air flowing from at least one inlet to at least one outlet;

a second filter for preventing passage of particles larger than a second predetermined size, smaller than said first predetermined size, in air flowing from said first filter to at least one said outlet; and

an electrically operated vibrator for causing vibrations of said first filter or said second filter;

wherein the vacuum cleaner has a working condition, in which said suction device causes air to flow from at least one said inlet to at least one said outlet, and a self-cleaning condition in which the vibrator causes vibrations of said first or second said filter; and

wherein said housing is adapted to open when mounted to a cleaning receptacle for supporting said vacuum cleaner in said self-cleaning condition.

2. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said second filter comprises at least one pleated filter element.

3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said vibrator includes a plurality of projections adapted to fit between pleats of at least one said filter element.

4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising an enagement surface adapted to open said housing when engaged by a cleaning receptacle.

5. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said housing comprises at least one closure member adapted to pivot outwards of said housing to form a respective chute.

6. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, further comprising locking means for releasably locking the closure member in a closed condition.

7. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the housing defines a hollow handle, and air flows through the handle in use in the working condition from at least one said inlet to at least one said outlet.

8. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the suction device is adapted to cause air to flow from at least one said outlet to at least one said inlet in said self-cleaning condition.

13. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said vibrator is adapted to drive at least one eccentrically arranged weight.

14. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said vibrator includes at least one piezoelectric transducer.

15. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said vibrator includes a loudspeaker.

16. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 15, wherein at least one said loudspeaker is tuned to cause resonant vibration in said second filter.

17. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said vibrator is adapted to derive electrical power from stepped-down mains supply.

9. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing having at least one inlet for allowing intake of air and at least one outlet for allowing escape of air;

a suction device arranged in the housing for causing air to flow from at least one said inlet to at least one said outlet;

a first filter for preventing passage of particles larger than a first predetermined particle size in air flowing from at least one inlet to at least one outlet;

a second filter for preventing passage of particles larger than a second predetermined size, smaller than said first predetermined size, in air flowing from said first filter to at least one said outlet; and

an electrically operated vibrator for causing vibrations of said first filter or said second filter;

wherein the vacuum cleaner has a working condition, in which said suction means causes air to flow from at least one said inlet to at least one said outlet, and a self-cleaning condition in which the vibrator causes vibrations of said first or second said filter; and

wherein said first filter has at least one first filter body having at least two positions, a first working position in which said body sealingly engages said housing such that air travelling from each said inlet to each said outlet is forced through said first filter, and a second self-cleaning position inside of said housing in which said body allows at least some particles retained by said second filter to pass said first filter.

10. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein said suction device urges said first filter body into said working position.

11. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein said first filter body is adapted to move from said working position to said self-cleaning position under gravity.

12. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein said vibrator is adapted to cause vibration of at least one said first filter body so that the particles fall in a direction substantially parallel to a direction of movement of said filter body from the working to the self-cleaning position.

18. A cleaning receptacle for a vacuum cleaner, the receptacle comprising:

a support for supporting said vacuum cleaner;

an electrical connector for supplying electrical power to a vibrator in a vacuum cleaner for cleaning a filter; and

a dust collection chamber for collecting particles from the filter.

19. A receptacle according to claim 18, wherein said support is adapted to support said vacuum cleaner such that a second filter is located substantially above a first filter.

20. A receptacle according to claim 18, further comprising at least one closure member, and biasing means for biasing said closure member towards a closed position.

21. A receptacle according to claim 18, further comprising transformer means for stepping down mains voltage.

22. A receptacle according to claim 18, further comprising an engagement surface for engaging said vacuum cleaner to open said housing thereof.

23. A receptacle according to claim 18, further comprising a battery charger for recharging at least one battery of said vacuum cleaner.

24. A receptacle according to claim 18, wherein one of the vacuum cleaner or the receptacle further comprises a timer such that said vibrator is activated for a predetermined time when said vacuum cleaner is mounted to said receptacle.

25. A receptacle according to claim 24, wherein said timer is adapted to be actuated for a time determined by the charge level of at least one battery of the vacuum cleaner.