Upright vacuum cleaner

• US 9,763,548 B2
• Filed: 10/01/2015
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Theising, John L.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US14/872,668
• Publication Number:
  US 20160022102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• 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 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0411 driven by electric motor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/102 Dust separators cyclones A47L9/16
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/14 Bags or the like; Rigid filtering receptacles; Attachment of, or closures for, bags or receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1409 Rigid filtering receptacles dust collecting receptacles for cyclones A47L9/1683
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1427 Means for mounting or attaching bags or filtering receptacles in suction cleaners; Adapters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1463 specially adapted for rigid filtering receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1472 combined with security means, e.g. for preventing use, e.g. in case of absence of the bag
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2821 Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2831 Motor parameters, e.g. motor load or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner with one or more features, such as a top opening rigid container, a headlight, a replaceable power cord a motor housing suspended within the vacuum to reduce noise and/or vibration a clutch assembly with a RPM sensor, and/or one or more filter plates to improve airflow.

Claims

1. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a motor configured to drive a fan to induce airflow through the vacuum cleaner and lift debris entrained in the airflow;

a floor engaging power head comprising an opening through which the airflow enters the power head to ingest debris entrained in the airflow into the vacuum;

a main support rotatably secured to the power head; and

a container assembly configured to filter the airflow and thereby collect the debris entrained in the airflow, the container assembly including—

a container secured to the main support,

a door, and

a latch assembly including a latch and a cam lock configured to selectively hold the door closed, such that the door is in sealing engagement with the container, the cam lock including a wedge slidably engaging a protrusion of the latch to bias the door toward the container,

wherein the container assembly includes at least one sidewall to contain a filter bag within the container assembly, and at least one filter plate offset from the sidewall, and between the sidewall and the filter bag, wherein the filter plate is oriented substantially parallel to the sidewall and includes a plurality of holes extending through the filter plate from a first side of the filter plate to an opposing second side of the filter plate, wherein the first side engages the sidewall of the container assembly and the second side engages the filter bag to maintain the filter bag offset from the sidewall.

2. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a motor housing containing the motor, the motor housing including a pressure sensor configured to indicate status information related to the airflow.

3. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the motor also drives a clutch assembly which in turn drives the brush, the clutch assembly including a revolution per minute (RPM) sensor configured to indicate status information related to the brush.

4. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including an extension assembly, the extension assembly including a flexible hose removably secured to the container assembly and a wand removably positioned alongside the container assembly, the wand including an arcuate lip, and the container assembly including an arcuate projection positioned to engage the arcuate lip of the wand and thereby hold the wand in position relative to the container assembly.

5. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including an extension assembly removably secured between the power head and the container assembly, wherein the airflow flows into the opening of power head, through the power head, through the extension assembly, into the container assembly, through the filter plate, past the fan and out of the vacuum, in that order.

6. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter bag and the filter plate are removable from the container assembly.

7. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a resilient gasket between the door and the container.

8. The upright vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the latch is secured to the main support and positioned to engage the cam lock and hold the door closed, and wherein the wedge slidably engages the protrusion of the latch to compress the gasket thereby sealing the door to the container.

9. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a motor configured to drive a fan to induce airflow through the vacuum cleaner and lift debris entrained in the airflow;

a floor engaging power head comprising an opening through which the airflow enters the power head to ingest debris entrained in the airflow into the vacuum; and

a container assembly configured to filter the airflow and thereby collect the debris entrained in the airflow, the container assembly including—

a container,

a filter bag within the container,

at least one sidewall to contain the filter bag within the container assembly, and

a filter plate between the sidewall and the filter bag, wherein the filter bag is offset from the sidewall by the filter plate, thereby providing an airflow path between the filter bag and the sidewall, wherein the filter plate is oriented substantially parallel to the sidewall and includes a plurality of holes extending through the filter plate from a first side of the filter plate to an opposing second side of the filter plate, wherein the first side engages the sidewall of the container assembly and the second side engages the filter bag to maintain the filter bag offset from the sidewall.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further including a motor housing containing the motor, the motor housing including a pressure sensor configured to indicate status information related to the airflow.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the motor also drives a clutch assembly which in turn drives the brush, the clutch assembly including a revolution per minute (RPM) sensor configured to indicate status information related to the brush.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further including an extension assembly, the extension assembly including a flexible hose removably secured to the container assembly and a wand removably positioned alongside the container assembly, the wand including an arcuate lip, and the container assembly including an arcuate projection positioned to engage the arcuate lip of the wand and thereby hold the wand in position relative to the container assembly.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the filter bag and the filter plate are removable from the container assembly.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further including a resilient gasket between the container and a door of the container.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further including an extension assembly removably secured between the power head and the container assembly, wherein the airflow flows into the opening of power head, through the power head, through the extension assembly, into the container assembly, through the filter plate, past the fan and out of the vacuum, in that order.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the filter plate is removable from the container assembly.

17. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a motor configured to drive a fan to induce airflow through the vacuum cleaner and lift debris entrained in the airflow;

a floor engaging power head comprising an opening through which the airflow enters the power head to ingest debris entrained in the airflow into the vacuum; and

a container assembly configured to filter the airflow and thereby collect the debris entrained in the airflow, the container assembly including—

a container comprising at least one sidewall,

a removable filter bag within the container, and

a filter plate between the sidewall and the filter bag, wherein the filter plate is oriented substantially parallel to the sidewall and includes a plurality of holes extending through the filter plate from a first side of the filter plate to an opposing second side of the filter plate, wherein the first side engages the sidewall of the container assembly and the second side engages the filter bag to maintain the filter bag offset from the sidewall, thereby providing an airflow path between the filter bag and the sidewall.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, further including a motor housing containing the motor, the motor housing including a pressure sensor configured to indicate status information related to the airflow.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the motor also drives a clutch assembly which in turn drives the brush, the clutch assembly including a revolution per minute (RPM) sensor configured to indicate status information related to the brush.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, further including an extension assembly, the extension assembly including a flexible hose removably secured to the container assembly and a wand removably positioned alongside the container assembly, the wand including an arcuate lip, and the container assembly including an arcuate projection positioned to engage the arcuate lip of the wand and thereby hold the wand in position relative to the container assembly.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the filter bag and the filter plate are removable from the container assembly.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, further including a resilient gasket between the container and a door of the container.

23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, further including an extension assembly removably secured between the power head and the container assembly, wherein the airflow flows into the opening of power head, through the power head, through the extension assembly, into the container assembly, through the filter plate, past the fan and out of the vacuum, in that order.

24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the filter plate is removable from the container assembly.