Suction motor and fan assembly housing construction for a surface cleaning apparatus

• US 8,528,160 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Spisich, Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): HORTON, ANDREW ALAN
• Application Number:
  US13/039,792
• Publication Number:
  US 20120222263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 922 Days
• Field of Search: 153/47, 153/53, 153271-3277, 553/37, 554/28, 554/29, 55D/IG.3, 554/67, 554/71
• US Class Current: 15/327.2
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• 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: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/26 Incorporation of winding devices for electric cables devices specially adapted for repeatedly paying-out or re-storing cables B65H75/34; arrangements of electrical cables or lines between relatively-movable parts H02G11/00

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, an air treatment member and a suction motor. The surface cleaning apparatus comprises a main body comprising a front end and a rear end, first and second opposed sidewalls and a suction motor housing. At least one of the first and second opposed sidewalls may have a suction motor access opening.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and including an air treatment member and a suction motor;

(b) a main body comprising a front end, a rear end, first and second opposed sidewalls and a suction motor housing, the first opposed sidewall has a suction motor access opening, an openable suction motor housing grill covering the suction motor access opening when the suction motor housing grill is in a closed position, and the suction motor is positioned laterally inwardly of the first opposed sidewall;

(c) an outer wall positioned laterally outwardly of the first opposed sidewall and generally parallel to the first opposed sidewall;

(d) a treated air flow passage extending from an outlet of the air treatment member to the suction motor and positioned between the first opposed sidewall and the outer wall; and

,

(e) a pair of side wheels wherein one of the side wheels is positioned laterally of the treated air flow passage.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor is positioned in the main body between the sidewalls.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surface cleaning apparatus is moveable in a forward direction and the suction motor has a longitudinal axis that extends transverse to the forward direction.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone chamber having a longitudinal axis that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the suction motor.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the suction motor has an inlet end and the inlet end is provided adjacent the suction motor access opening.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the treated air flow passage comprises a pre-motor filter that is positioned in the treated air flow passage.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor has an inlet end and the inlet end is provided adjacent the suction motor access opening.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the treated air flow passage comprises a pre-motor filter that is positioned in the treated air flow passage.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 wherein the pre-motor filter has a cross sectional area that is at least 60% of a cross sectional area of the first opposed sidewall.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 wherein the pre- motor filter has a cross sectional area that is proximate that of the first opposed sidewall.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 wherein the pre-motor filter is removably mounted and the suction motor access opening is accessible when the pre-motor filter is removed.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the pre-motor filter is provided in an openable sealed filter housing.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the filter housing is accessible when one of the wheels is moved away from the main body to an open position.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the outer wall comprises a seal plate of the filter housing and one of the side wheels is positioned laterally outwardly of the seal plate.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor access opening is accessible when one of the wheels is moved away from the main body to an open position.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the one of the wheels is removably mounted to the surface cleaning apparatus.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the main body further comprises a cavity between the sidewalls that has an open upper end positioned between the first and second opposed sidewalls and the air treatment member is removably mounted in the cavity.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 17 wherein the air treatment member seats on a platform in the cavity and the platform comprises a portion of the suction motor housing.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the outer wall comprises one of the side wheels.

20. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and including an air treatment member and a suction motor;

(b) a main body comprising a front end, a rear end, first and second opposed sidewalls and a suction motor housing, the first opposed sidewall has a suction motor access opening, an openable suction motor housing grill covering the suction motor access opening when the suction motor housing grill is in a closed position, and the suction motor is positioned laterally inwardly of the first opposed sidewall;

(c) an outer wall positioned laterally outwardly of the first opposed sidewall;

(d) a treated air flow passage extending from an outlet of the air treatment member to the suction motor and positioned between the first opposed sidewall and the outer wall, a pre-motor filter is positioned in the treated air flow passage, wherein the pre-motor filter has a cross sectional area that is proximate that of the first opposed sidewall; and

,

(e) a pair of side wheels wherein one of the side wheels is positioned laterally of the treated air flow passage.