Hand vacuum with filter indicator

• US 7,418,763 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2004
• Issued: 09/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mooney, Patrick W., Makeev, Olga, Shaver, David M., Prosper, Jacob R., Hunter, Murray D., Martin, Carolyn
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US10/787,059
• Publication Number:
  US 20040216264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 15/330
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/14 cleaning by blowing-off, also combined with suction cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/04 for using the exhaust air for other purposes, e.g. for distribution of chemicals in a room, for sterilisation of the air spraying or atomising in general B05
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings

Abstract

A hand-held portable vacuum having a filter indicator that is coupled to an outlet housing and in fluid communication with a portion of the outlet housing between a fan inlet and an intake. The filter indicator includes a pressure differential indicator that is configured to indicate a pressure differential between air in the portion of the outlet housing and atmospheric air pressure. The filter indicator is employed to indicate to the user of the hand-held vacuum that replacement and/or cleaning of the filter is required. The vacuum may also be used in a blower mode with a set of inflator nozzles to permit a user to inflate an article.

Claims

1. A portable vacuum comprising:

an inlet housing defining an inlet that is configured to receive dirt, dust and debris therethrough;

an outlet housing releasably coupled to the inlet housing, the outlet housing defining a handle, an intake, and an exhaust outlet;

a fan assembly mounted in the outlet housing, the fan being operable for generating an air flow that is exhausted through the exhaust outlet;

a hose having a first end, which may be selectively coupled to the exhaust outlet, and a second end; and

a set of inflator nozzles, each of the inflator nozzles including a coupling portion, which is configured to selectively engage the second end of the hose, a tapered male connector that defines an outlet aperture, a hollow body portion, which is disposed between the coupling portion and the tapered male connector, and a relief aperture that extends through a wall of the inflator nozzle into a generally hollow interior;

wherein the tapered male connector of each inflator nozzle is differently sized; and

wherein the relief aperture is formed on a forward face of the hollow body portion, the forward face being oriented relative to the coupling portion such that when the relief aperture is closed by a thumb of a person using the portable vacuum, at least a portion of a force exerted by the thumb to close the relief aperture at least partially urges the inflator nozzle in a direction toward the second end of the hose.

2. The portable vacuum of claim 1, wherein the relief aperture is generally triangular in shape.

3. The portable vacuum of claim 1, wherein an area of the relief aperture is about twice as large as an area of the outlet aperture in at least one of the inflator nozzles.

4. The portable vacuum of claim 1, wherein an area of the relief aperture is about 0.09 square inches.

5. The portable vacuum of claim 1, wherein the set of inflator nozzles includes at least three inflator nozzles.

6. A portable vacuum comprising:

an inlet housing defining an inlet that is configured to receive dirt, dust and debris therethrough;

an outlet housing releasably coupled to the inlet housing, the outlet housing defining a handle, an intake, and an exhaust outlet;

a fan assembly mounted in the outlet housing, the fan being operable for generating an air flow that is exhausted through the exhaust outlet;

a hose having a first end, which may be selectively coupled to the exhaust outlet, and a second end;

a set of inflator nozzles, each of the inflator nozzles including a coupling portion, which is configured to selectively engage the second end of the hose, a tapered male connector that defines an outlet aperture, and a relief aperture that extends through a wall of the inflator nozzle into a generally hollow interior; and

a latch for releasably securing the second end of the hose and the coupling portion to one another;

wherein the tapered male connector of each inflator nozzle is differently sized.

7. The portable vacuum of claim 6, wherein the latch includes a recess that is formed into one of the coupling portion and the second end of hose, and an engagement member that is associated with the other one of the coupling portion and the second end of the hose, wherein placement of the engagement member in the recess latches one of the inflator nozzles to the second end of the hose.

8. The portable vacuum of claim 7, wherein a keyway is formed in one of the coupling portion and the second end of the hose and a mating key is associated with the other one of the coupling portion and the second end of the hose, and wherein placement of the key in the keyway aligns the engagement member and the recess to one another.

9. The portable vacuum of claim 7, wherein each of the inflator nozzles further includes a tab that is adapted to be grasped by a user of the portable vacuum to lift the engagement member out of the recess.

10. The portable vacuum of claim 9, wherein the tab is axially in line with the relief aperture.

11. The portable vacuum of claim 9, wherein the tab is coupled to the coupling portion by at least one living hinge.

12. The portable vacuum of claim 11, wherein the living hinges are located adjacent the relief aperture.

13. The portable vacuum of claim 10, wherein at least one link member couples an end of the tab opposite the living hinges to the coupling portion, the at least one link member being operable for limiting an amount by which the tab may be pivoted about the living hinges.

14. A hand-held portable vacuum comprising:

an inlet housing defining an inlet that is configured to receive dirt, dust and debris therethrough;

an outlet housing releasably coupled to the inlet housing, the outlet housing defining a handle, an intake, a fan mount and an outlet, the handle being configured to be grasped by a single hand of a user to permit the user to maneuver the hand-held portable vacuum and orient the inlet into a desired position, the fan mount being disposed between the intake and the outlet;

a fan assembly mounted in the fan mount and housed by the outlet housing, the fan assembly having a fan inlet and being operable for generating an air flow therethrough;

a filter disposed between the inlet and the intake and being releasably coupled to one of the inlet housing and the outlet housing;

a filter indicator coupled to the outlet housing and being in fluid communication with a portion of the outlet housing between the fan inlet and the intake, the filter indicator including a pressure differential indicator that is configured to indicate a pressure differential between air in the portion of the outlet housing and atmospheric air pressure;

a hose having a first end, which may be selectively coupled to the exhaust outlet, and a second end; and

a set of inflator nozzles, each of the inflator nozzles including a coupling portion, which is configured to selectively engage the second end of the hose, a tapered male connector that defines an outlet aperture, a hollow body portion, which is disposed between the coupling portion and the tapered male connector, and a relief aperture that extends through a wall of the inflator nozzle into a generally hollow interior;

wherein the tapered male connector of each inflator nozzle is differently sized; and

wherein the relief aperture is formed on a forward face of the hollow body portion, the forward face being oriented relative to the coupling portion such that when the relief aperture is closed by a thumb of a person using the portable vacuum, at least a portion of a force exerted by the thumb to close the relief aperture at least partially urges the inflator nozzle in a direction toward the second end of the hose.