Abstract:
A vacuum cleaner assembly is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner assembly includes a housing assembly having a motor connected to a vacuum source, a particulate collection pan interconnected to the housing and a base and an illumination source for illuminating the particulate collection pan.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Vacuum cleaners of various designs are used in residential and commercial applications for cleaning. These vacuum cleaners create a suction airflow that picks up dirt and dust particulates from a surface in need of cleaning. The vacuum cleaner separates these particulates from an ingested air for later disposal. 
     One type of vacuum cleaner design is a water filtration vacuum cleaner, which includes a canister style vacuum cleaner with a water bath. Such vacuum cleaners use water as a filter. These vacuum cleaners typically include a main housing with a removably attached water bath pan. In operation, these vacuum cleaners force the intake air and ingested particulates to pass through a water bath, which absorbs most of the particulates before the air is exhausted to the environment. While the water filters out debris that is water soluble; this debris may harbor unseen bacteria that may be harmful if exhausted in airborne particulates. Once the water has absorbed the particulates, the operator is required to dump the water basin and rinse the machine. However, it is difficult for the operator to see the cleanliness of the water to determine when the water should be discarded, which can cause the further breeding of bacteria. 
     Ultraviolet (UV) radiation can be an effective viricide and bactericide and is somewhat effective in treating microorganisms such as cryptosporidium. Therefore, a need exists for a device that provides clear examination to determine when to dispose of a soiled water bath while enhancing a potential for killing bacterium. Particularly, a need exists for a light source providing illumination of the vacuum cleaner canister as well as potentially killing any bacterium existing in a particulate canister. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring now to the drawings, illustrative embodiments are shown in detail. Although the drawings represent some embodiments, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated, removed, or partially sectioned to better illustrate and explain the present invention. Further, the embodiments set forth herein are not intended to be exhaustive or otherwise limit or restrict the claims to the precise forms and configurations shown in the drawings and disclosed in the following detailed description. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner assembly, partially broken away and in cross section; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner housing of  FIG. 1 , partially broken away and in cross section illustrating an intake port and lighting position; 
         FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of the vacuum cleaner housing of  FIG. 1 , illustrating the lighting position relative to the intake port and a wiring connection; 
         FIG. 4  is a partial side view of the vacuum cleaner housing, partially broken away and in cross section illustrating a lighting mount and a wiring position; and 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric view of the bottom of the vacuum cleaner housing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Although the drawings represent some embodiments, the drawings are not necessarily to scale and certain features may be exaggerated, removed, or partially sectioned to better illustrate and explain the present invention. Further, the embodiments set forth herein are exemplary and are not intended to be exhaustive or otherwise limit or restrict the claims to the precise forms and configurations shown in the drawings and disclosed in the following detailed description. 
     Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views a vacuum cleaner assembly is generally shown at  10 . The vacuum cleaner assembly  10  comprises a housing  12  having internal area and an external surface. The housing  12  includes a flow path having an intake port  14  and an outlet  16 . A motor  18  is disposed within the internal area of the housing  12  between the intake port  14  and the outlet  16 . The motor  18  includes an output shaft  20  for rotating about an axis. 
     The assembly  10  also includes a cooling fan  22 , mounted within the housing  12  above the motor  18  and coupled to the output shaft  20  for generating a vacuum airflow through the intake port  14  in the housing  12 . The cooling fan  22  circulates cooling air around the motor  18 . The assembly  10  further comprises a cooling air filter  26  surrounding the motor  18  wherein the cooling air filter  26  directs the cooling air around the motor  18  and filters the cooling air prior to being exhausted. 
     A fan assembly  24  is mounted within the housing  12  below the motor  18 . The fan assembly  24  provides for drawing air into the intake port  14  and exhausting air outwardly through the outlet  16 . 
     A separator, generally shown at  28 , may be coupled to the output shaft  20  to separate dust and dirt particulates. In such an arrangement, the separator  28  is mounted below the fan assembly  24  and is designed to circulate the air and a water bath  30  within a water bath pan  32 . The water bath pan  32  is also considered to be a particulate canister. A combination of the water bath pan  32  and the water bath  30  is used as a primary filter for filtering particulates, generally indicated at  34 , from the air prior to exhausting the air outwardly through the outlet  16 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , a mounting member  36  is provided. The mounting member  36  provides a mechanism for mounting and supporting the intake port tubing  15  as well as a surface for mounting a light source  40  above the water bath pan  32 . The mounting surface  36  is shown as generally planar but could be a surface of any shape or contour capable of attaching the intake port tubing  15  and the light source  40 . Further, while shown as a one-piece mounting surface  36 , it is understood that mounting surface  36  may be constructed of multiple pieces. As shown in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , in one exemplary arrangement, the intake port tubing  15  extends through the mounting surface  36 . 
     The mounting surface  36  may include a notch or an aperture  41  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) that is capable of receiving either a light source  40  or light bulb housings  42  for receiving the light source  40 . The bulb housings  42  provide a barrier between the water bath pan  32  and the light source  40 . The bulb housings  42  are generally translucent allowing the light source  40  to penetrate into the water bath pan  32 . It is noted that while the light source  40  has been shown as being mounted to the mounting surface  36 , light source  40  may be mounted on any surface within the housing  12  that is capable of supporting the light source  40  as it projects light into the water bath pan  32 . 
     The light source  40  includes a wiring harness  50  that is connected to a receptacle (not shown) on a power source (not shown) within the housing  12 . The power source is energized when the operator attaches the vacuum cleaner assembly  10  to a conventional electrical outlet within the operator&#39;s work area. The power source also provides power to the motor  18  creating rotation which, in turn, creates the vacuum within the assembly  10 . 
     The light bulb housing  42  includes a mounting lip  44 , which provides a positive stop keeping the light bulb housing  42  from falling through when inserted into the aperture or notch  41  of the mounting surface  36 . The light bulb housing  42  also provides a protective shell from water and anything else that may damage the light source  40 . 
     In one exemplary arrangement, the light source  40  is inserted into the light bulb housing  42  and is retained by a locking mechanism  38 . However, the light source  40  may also be inserted and retained by a press fit between the light source  40  exterior surface and the light bulb housing  42  interior surface. As illustrated, the locking mechanism has a lip  52  that engages the top surface of the light source  40  and is held in place by a snap fit mechanical latching system. The locking mechanism  38  may also be held in place by any type of known mechanical latching system such as screws, snap-fit, press-fit, latches or adhered by adhesives. The locking mechanism  38  also provides a guide for attaching the wiring harness  50  keeping the wiring harness  50  away from spinning components such as the motor  18  and the separator  28 . 
     The light source  40  may be one of any known illumination device including, but not limited to, light emitting diodes (LEDs), incandescent bulbs, ultraviolet or florescent lights. The light source  40  provides multiple functions, including illumination of the water bath  30  demonstrating that the vacuum is functioning properly on the vacuum assembly  10 . The illumination of the water bath  30  allows serves as an indicator to visually indicate to an operator when the assembly  10  is pulling vacuum, as well as when the water bath  30  has become saturated with particulates  34 , requiring the water bath pan  32  to be emptied. When using the ultra-violet light source  40  the operator will be able to potentially kill any bacterium that is present within the particulate in the water bath  30  thus preventing the bacterium and particulate from reentering the atmosphere through the vacuum exhaust outlet  16 . 
     The appended claims have been particularly shown and described with reference to the foregoing embodiments, which are merely illustrative of the best modes for carrying out the invention defined by the appended claims. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that various alternatives to the embodiments described herein may be employed in practicing the invention defined by the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in claims. The embodiments should be understood to include all novel and non-obvious combinations of elements described herein, and claims may be presented in this or a later application to any novel and non-obvious combination of these elements. Moreover, the foregoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or element is essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this or a later application. 
     With regard to the processes, methods, heuristics, etc. described herein, it should be understood that although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. It further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted. In other words, the descriptions of processes described herein are provided for illustrating certain embodiments and should in no way be construed to limit the appended claims. 
     Accordingly, it is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many embodiments and applications other than the examples provided would be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading the above description. The scope of the invention should be determined, not with reference to the above description, but should instead be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. It is anticipated and intended that future developments will occur in the arts discussed herein, and that the disclosed systems and methods will be incorporated into such future embodiments. In sum, it should be understood that the invention is capable of modification and variation and is limited only by the following claims. 
     All terms used in the claims are intended to be given their broadest reasonable constructions and their ordinary meanings as understood by those skilled in the art unless an explicit indication to the contrary is made herein. In particular, use of the singular articles such as “a,” “the,” “said,” etc. should be read to recite one or more of the indicated elements unless a claim recites an explicit limitation to the contrary.