Abstract:
A vacuum is provided with a removable filter tray that allows a user to access the filter without having to disassemble the vacuum. The filter can then be changed or cleaned and easily replaced without disassembly of the vacuum.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/859,944, filed on Nov. 20, 2006. The disclosure of the above application is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates to vacuum filters, and more particularly, to a vacuum having a panel filter that is removable externally of the vacuum to allow easy cleaning and replacement of the filter panel without disassembly of the vacuum. 
       BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY 
       [0003]    The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art. 
         [0004]    Vacuums, particularly industrial shop vacuums may be equipped with a filter unit which is attached directly to an inlet passage of the vacuum head that is connected to the vacuum source. In order to access this vacuum filter, the vacuum head must be removed from the canister. Then, the vacuum filter must be either removed, or cleaned while mounted securely to the vacuum head. Cleaning and/or removing the filter can be cumbersome and messy. 
         [0005]    The present disclosure provides a vacuum including a housing defining a suction inlet opening and a debris chamber in communication with the suction inlet opening. A vacuum pressure source is disposed in the housing for providing a vacuum pressure to the suction inlet opening. A removable filter tray is accessible from the exterior of the housing and is disposed in an airflow path between the suction inlet opening and the vacuum pressure source. 
         [0006]    According to other aspects of the present disclosure, the removable filter tray can be inserted at an angle between 10 and 30 degrees relative to horizontal so that the filter tray can extend partially into the housing canister. The vacuum pressure source can include an electric motor operable to drive an impeller. The electric motor and the impeller can be disposed in the housing for providing a vacuum pressure to the suction inlet opening and a drive shaft of the electric mower can be angled between 10 and 30 degrees from vertical in order to correspond to an angled orientation of the removable filter tray within the vacuum head. 
         [0007]    Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a schematic-sectional view of a shop vacuum according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a removable filter tray according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a cut away perspective view illustrating the removable filter tray and access panel of a shop vacuum according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a partial sectional perspective view illustrating the removability of the filter tray, according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a shop vacuum incorporating a removable filter tray according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the removable filter tray according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0015]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view illustrating the filter insert cartridge removed from the removable filter tray according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0016]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the vacuum head, illustrating the insertion angle of the removable filter tray according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0017]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the removable filter tray received in the vacuum head as well as illustrating the angled orientation of the motor and vacuum impeller according to the principles of the present disclosure; 
           [0018]      FIG. 10  is a detailed cross-sectional view illustrating the sealed relationship between the filter tray and vacuum housing according to the principles of the present disclosure; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 11  is a detailed cross-sectional view illustrating the sealed relationship of the innermost portion of the removable filter tray and the vacuum housing according to the principles of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0020]    The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses. It should be understood that throughout the drawings, corresponding reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts and features. 
         [0021]    With reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , an example vacuum  10  according to the principles of the present disclosure will now be described. The vacuum  10  may include a canister  12  and a vacuum head  14  that closes the canister  12 . The vacuum head may support a drive motor  16 . The drive motor  16  may support a suction fan  18 , which may be provided in a fan chamber  20  of the vacuum head  14 . The fan chamber  20  may be in fluid communication with an exhaust port  22  and an intake port  24 . The intake port  24  may be covered by a filter assembly  26  situated in a filter housing  28  of the vacuum head  14 . The filter housing  28  may include ramps  30  that may influence the filter assembly  26  toward and into sealed engagement with an opening of the intake port  24 . 
         [0022]    The motor  16 , when powered up, may rotate the suction fan  18  to draw air into the suction inlet opening  31  and through the canister  12 , through the filter assembly  26 , through the intake port  24  and into the fan chamber  20 . The suction fan  18  may push the air in the fan chamber  20  through the exhaust port  22  and out of the vacuum  10 . A hose  32  can be attached to the inlet opening  31 . 
         [0023]    With reference to  FIG. 2 , the filter assembly  26  may include a frame  36  supporting a panel filter  38 . In the disclosed embodiment, the panel filter  38  may be a corrugated paper filter. In alternative embodiments, the panel filter  38  may be fabricated from numerous and alternative materials that are well known in the art. The panel filter  38  may include an input side that faces away from the intake port  24  and an output side that faces into the intake port  24 . 
         [0024]    As shown, the frame  36  may include a handle  40 . In this example embodiment, the frame  36  and the handle  40  may be of a unitary one-piece construction. In alternative embodiments, the frame  36  and the handle  40  may be separate and distinct components that are assembled together. The frame  36  may be fabricated from a material with sufficient rigidity to allow a user to grasp the handle  36  and shake and or bang the filter assembly  26  to clean the filter  38 . The frame  36  may be fabricated from plastic materials and/or numerous and varied alternative materials that are well known in the art. 
         [0025]    In the illustrated embodiment, the filter assembly  26  may have a square shape, or in alternative embodiments, the filter assembly  26  may have any geometric shape that extends across and covers the intake port  24 . Further, in the illustrated embodiment, the filter assembly  26  may have a flat (or planar) profile. In alternative embodiments, the filter assembly  26  may have numerous and varied profiles. By way of example only, the filter assembly  26  may have a concave profile toward the canister side of the filter assembly  26 . In this way, the effective cleaning area of the panel filter  26  may be increased. The filter assembly  26  may be accessed via a door  42  mounted on either the canister  12  or the vacuum head  14 . In this example embodiment, the bottom side of the door  42  may be hingedly coupled to the canister  12 . The top side of the door  42  and the canister  12  may include conventional features such as latches and/or cooperating ribs, that cooperate to provisionally secure the door  42  in a closed condition. In alternative embodiments, another side of the door  42 , other than the bottom side, may be hingedly coupled to the canister  12 . For example, a lateral side of the door  42  may be hinge coupled to the canister  12  so that the opposite side surface of the door  42  may be swung open. In the alternative embodiments, the door  42  may be slidably mounted in opposed grooves provided in the canister  12 , and without using any hinge couplings. 
         [0026]    With reference to  FIG. 3 , a gasket  44  may be interposed between the canister  12  and the door  42  to improve air-tightness. The gasket  44  may be mounted on the canister  12 , as shown. Alternatively, the gasket  44  may be mounted on the door  42 . The door  42  may include a saddle  46  that interacts with the handle  40  to improve air-tightness between the filter assembly  26  and the intake port  24 . For example, in the partially open condition of the door  42  depicted in  FIG. 4 , the saddle  46  may abut against the handle  40 . When the door  42  is moved to the closed condition depicted in  FIG. 3 , the saddle  46  may push the filter assembly  26  laterally into the filter housing  28  of the vacuum head  14 . The saddle  46  may also push the filter assembly  26  upward and against the intake port  24  due to the arcuate travel path of the door  42 . 
         [0027]    A user may gain access to the filter assembly  26  without having to remove the vacuum head  14  from the canister  12 . For example, the user may open the door  42 , grab the handle  40 , and pull the filter assembly  26  out of the filter housing  28 . The user may then shake and/or bang the filter assembly  26  to remove debris from the panel filter  38  or to replace the filter  38  with a new one. Further, the low profile filter assembly  26  may increase the capacity of the canister  12 . 
         [0028]    With reference to  FIGS. 5-11 , a second example vacuum  60  will be described. The vacuum  60  includes a canister  62  and a vacuum head  64  that closes the canister  62 . As shown in  FIG. 9 , the vacuum head  64  may support a drive motor  66 . The drive motor  66  may support a suction fan  68 , which may be provided in a fan chamber  70  of the vacuum head  64 . The fan chamber  70  may be in fluid communication with an exhaust port  72  and an intake port  74 . The intake port  74  may be covered by a filter assembly  76  situated in a filter housing  78  of the vacuum head  64 . The filter housing  78  may include a ramp  80  that may influence the filter assembly  76  toward and into engagement with an opening of the intake port  74 . In particular, as illustrated in  FIG. 11 , the ramp  80  provided on the interior surface of the filter housing  78  directs the filter assembly  76  in an upward direction so that a continuous gasket  82  provided around the perimeter of the filter engages a projecting rib  84  surrounding the intake opening  74  to provide a sealed connection between the filter assembly  76  and the intake opening  74 . The gasket  82  is also shown in  FIG. 10  engaging the projecting rib  84  at the proximal end of the filter assembly  76 . 
         [0029]    The motor  66 , when powered up, may rotate the suction fan  68  to draw air through a suction inlet  85  into the canister  62 , from the canister  62  through the filter assembly  76 , through the intake port  74  and into the fan chamber  70 . The suction fan  68  may push the air in the fan chamber  70  through the exhaust port  72  and out of the vacuum  60 . 
         [0030]    With reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the filter assembly  76  may include a frame  90  supporting a panel filter  92 . In the disclosed embodiment, the panel filter  92  may be a corrugated paper filter having a plastic, elastomeric or rubber frame portion  96  surrounding the corrugated paper filter. The frame portion  96  can include a recess  97  therein for receiving the gasket  82  therein. Alternatively, the gasket  82  and frame portion  96  can be integrally formed in order to eliminate additional components. In this case, the combined filter frame and gasket can be formed from a soft elastomeric material in order to encourage a sealing engagement between the gasket and the projecting portion  84  surrounding the intake passage  74 . In alternative embodiments, the panel filter  92  may be fabricated from numerous and alternative materials that are well known in the art. The panel filter  92  may include an input side  92   a  that faces away from the intake port  74  and an output side  92   b  that faces into the intake port  74 . 
         [0031]    As shown, the tray frame  90  may include a handle  100 . In this example embodiment, the frame  90  and the handle  100  may be of a unitary one-piece construction. In alternative embodiments, the frame  90  and the handle  100  may be separate and distinct components that are assembled together. The frame  90  may be fabricated from a material with sufficient rigidity to allow a user a grasp the handle  100  and shake and/or bang the filter assembly  76  to clean the filter  92 . The frame  90  may be fabricated from plastic materials, and/or numerous and varied alternative materials that are well known in the art. 
         [0032]    In the illustrated embodiment, the filter assembly  76  has a rectangular shape. However, the filter assembly  76  may have any geometric shape that extends across and covers the intake port  74 . 
         [0033]    The filter  76  may be accessed via the handle  100  which is exposed to the exterior of the vacuum  60  as illustrated in  FIG. 5 . The filter assembly  76  is slidably received within the filter housing  78  as illustrated in  FIG. 8 . As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , the insertion direction of the removable filter tray  76  can be disposed at an angle α 1  which can be between 10 and 45 degrees relative to horizontal an angle of. Thus, the filter housing  78  of the vacuum head  64  may extend downward into the canister  62  at the filter housing&#39;s most inward end. The angled orientation of the filter tray assembly  76  thus allows the motor  66  and suction fan  68  to be oriented such that the drive shaft  67  of the motor  66  is disposed at the angle α 2  relative to vertical, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The angel α 2  can be between 10 and 45 degrees relative to vertical, or if preferred, out of line. The angles α 1  and α 2  can be the same or approximately the same as one another although they can also be varied from one another. The angled orientation of the filter tray assembly  76 , the electric motor  66  and suction fan  68  allows the overall stack height of the motor, fan and filter to be reduced in the vertical direction in order to minimize the overall height of the vacuum  60 . Furthermore, the angled orientation of the filter assembly  76  allows the filter to be oriented more inline with the suction inlet  85  of the canister  62 , as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . With reference to  FIG. 10 , it is noted that the filter housing  78  can be provided with projecting ribs  106 , which engage a corresponding projecting rib  108  provided on the surface of the tray  90 . The projecting ribs  106  and  108  engage one another in order to secure the tray  90  within the filter housing  78 . The ribs  106 , 108  provide the user with a tactile indicator letting them know that the tray  90  is properly inserted into the filter housing  78 . Additional seals  110  can be provided for sealingly engaging the handle portion of the tray against the opening leading into the filter housing  78 . This sealed connection prevents air from being drawn into the vacuum around the opening of the tray housing thus, eliminating undesirable noises and reductions in vacuum pressure utilized for picking up debris.