Abstract:
An improved wail-mounted recessed vacuum cleaner system incorporates vibration dampening mounts between the motor and the outer housing, air channels within the housing to smooth air flow and reduced number of parts to significantly reduce the noise level during operation. The vacuum cleaner incorporates an extremely compact housing and motor design with a filtering debris receptacle arranged directly over the motor compartment.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to the field of wall mounted vacuum cleaners and particularly to an improved self-contained unit capable of being totally recessed within an interior wall and operating with a greatly reduced noise level.  
         [0003]     2. Background of the Invention  
         [0004]     Central vacuum cleaning systems are useful in homes, offices and commercial establishments. These systems generally utilize a unitary centrally located station containing a vacuum supply, a collection receptacle and a plurality of conduits which interconnect various parts of the structure to the central station. The conduits normally terminate in a hose adapter coupling enabling each area to be cleaned by inserting the hose assembly into the hose coupling and activating the central station vacuum supply. The hose assembly is normally moved from one room to another. In some systems the hose coupling also supplies electrical power to a brushing system, sometimes referred to as a powerhead.  
         [0005]     These systems suffer from the fact that an extremely powerful unit must be utilized in order to compensate for the pressure drop experienced in traversing the various heights and bends needed to route the conduit through the walls of the structure. Furthermore, prior art central vacuum systems have historically been limited to inclusion in only new construction since it is both difficult and costly to install the necessary conduits in existing structures.  
         [0006]     In addition, as the air filtering and residue collecting receptacle becomes filled, there is a tendency for the airflow around it to be impaired as it presses against the inner walls of its housing. The instant invention incorporates a unique baffle assembly which advantageously lines the inner walls of the housing around the collection receptacle and maintains an unimpeded flow path so as to insure optimum operation, even as the receptacle becomes filled.  
         [0007]     Wall recessed cleaning systems are known that are self-contained so as to include the vacuum supply, vacuum bag and hose receptacle in a single unit, adapted to be situated within an opening prepared in the wall of an existing structure. The problem with such prior art devices was that they were difficult to install within an interior wall recess since they were greater than  6  inches in depth. Another problem was that the geometry of the motor structure necessitated use of an inefficient flow pattern in order to reduce the unit&#39;s overall dimensions.  
         [0008]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,158,080 to Schlapkohl, the inventor of the instant improvement, is incorporated herein by reference. The patent teaches the provision of a small, compact, powerful, self-contained, wall mounted central vacuum system. The vacuum cleaner has a housing that encloses the air filtering and residue collection chamber together with the motor producing the air flow. The residue collection chamber is designed to incorporate easily removable and disposable bags. The housing includes hardware for mounting the vacuum cleaner on or recessed in a wall along with inlet and exhaust openings. The vacuum cleaner can simultaneously provide powerful and reliable cleaning without loss of efficiency as debris is collected.  
         [0009]     Because the vacuum cleaner is mounted on or in a wall, all vibrations and noise, are transmitted directly to the wall structure and disseminate throughout the larger enclosure. Therefore, an improved self-contained wall mounted vacuum cleaner that has a significantly reduced noise level is desired.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0010]     It is an objective of this invention to provide a self-contained, wall mounted, powerful, vacuum cleaner with a very low noise level during operation.  
         [0011]     It is another objective of this invention to provide a suspension system in the vacuum cleaner to isolate the pump and motor from the housing to reduce transfer of vibrations from the housing to the wall.  
         [0012]     It is a further objective of this invention to provide internal channels in the housing to direct air flow smoothly and efficiently from the inlet to the outlet producing a low noise level.  
         [0013]     It is yet another objective of this invention to provide a molded housing having very few separate parts thereby reducing vibration between components.  
         [0014]     Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein are set forth, by way of illustration and example, certain embodiments of this invention. The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention and illustrate various objects and features thereof. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]      FIG. 1  is a front plan view of the vacuum system with the assembly removed;  
         [0016]      FIG. 2   a  is a top view of the motor shroud;  
         [0017]      FIG. 2   b  is a front view of the motor shroud;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the supporting grid element;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4  is a side plan view of the vacuum system;  
         [0020]      FIG. 5  is a front plan view of the access panel latch;  
         [0021]      FIG. 6  is a front plan view of the cover assembly;  
         [0022]      FIG. 7  is a plain view of the inside of the cover assembly; and  
         [0023]      FIGS. 8   a,    8   b,  and  8   c  are an orthographic projection view of a vertical baffle assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0024]     The wall-mounted vacuum system of the instant invention is characterized by a front cover frame assembly  50  and an open faced housing  10 . The open-faced rectangular housing  10  has a rear wall  12  two side walls  14 ,  14 A, a top wall  16  and a bottom wall  18 . The top wall and adjacent side walls each have a perpendicular flange  20  adjacent the front face thereof containing a series of spaced perforations  22 . These perforations aid in the accurate positioning of the cover frame assembly  50  by accepting alignment tabs  52  which are molded about the perimeter of the rear side of the cover frame assembly. The system components are constructed and arranged so as to mount within the open-faced rectangular housing  10 . The housing  10  and cover frame assembly  50  may be formed of stainless steel or galvanized sheet metal. Alternatively, they may be molded from ABS or a polycarbonate/ABS blend.  
         [0025]     The minimal depth of the housing  10  enables it to fit within the recess created when an opening is formed between the studs of a standard wall construction. A peripheral flange  20  extends perpendicularly from the sidewalls  14 ,  14 A at the outermost edge thereof so as to provide a rigid surface for firmly positioning the housing adjacent to the wall face. The positioning of components and compact motor design result in the housing  10  having a depth of only 3 ⅞ inches. The arcuate projection of the front cover frame  50  adds 13/16 inch resulting in a device having a total depth of only 4 11/16 inches. The minimal depth required for installation permits placement of the unit in any partition structure, for example gypsum board walls, plaster walls, and fiberglass or metal panels found in boats or recreational vehicles.  
         [0026]     The open faced housing  10  has an upper containment compartment  26  and a lower evacuation compartment  28  separated by a partition assembly  24 . The containment compartment  26  supports an air filtering and residue collecting receptacle, such as a removable vacuum bag  49 , and a coupling adapter  74  to attach a vacuum hose (not shown) which communicates with the inside of the bag. The partition  24  has a thin extension  84  that projects beyond the side walls and fits within a transverse channel  85  in the cover frame assembly  50  to seal the containment compartment except for the central circular opening  43 . This prevents entrained air from spilling over the partition  24  into the evacuation chamber  28  creating back pressure and vibration between the cover frame  50  and the housing  10 .  
         [0027]     The sidewalls  14 ,  14 A have integral positioning members  44  which support the internal components while simultaneously insuring unimpeded airflow between the containment and evacuation compartments. These positioning members  44  may be in the form of upstanding ridges or alternatively may constitute channels which may be machined or molded into the sidewall construction thereby stiffening the wall structure and reducing vibration.  
         [0028]     In order to prevent a reduction in the ability of air to flow through the system as debris collects within the receptacle a vertical baffle assembly  44  is molded or otherwise integrally attached in spaced relation to the rear wall  12  of the housing, also strengthening the housing  10 . The positioning of these vertical baffles allows optimum air flow to be maintained between the containment chamber and the evacuation chamber, even as the collection receptacle becomes filled during use. The integral baffle assemblies  44  are in the form of a plurality of members which contain vertical ribs in spaced relation to the housing sidewalls and rear wall so as to thereby create an area for unrestricted air flow throughout the containment chamber.  
         [0029]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3 , supporting grid element  40 , termed a bag grid, is positioned below the mesh filter element  38 . This member, which in a preferred embodiment is formed from a flame retardant ABS resin, contains a plurality of baffles  47  circumferentially spaced about the central opening  43  and designed to provide rigid support for the overlying bag. As the bag fills with accumulated debris, there is a tendency for material to collect unevenly within the bag. The bag grid provides overall support along the bottom of the bag structure thereby preventing the mesh filter  38  from being deformed. By fully supporting the bag and preventing filter deformation, uniform flow rate is maintained throughout the vacuum cleaner assembly and efficient cleaning can be attained.  
         [0030]     The chamber separating partition assembly  24  containing a bag supporting grid element, a motor protecting filter element and a motor shroud element, is situated between the motor and the air filtering and collection receptacle. The chamber separating assembly  24  serves a two-fold function. Firstly, the spaced relationship of the bag support grid element, motor protecting filter element and motor shroud provide support for the air filtration and debris collecting receptacle above the motor housing and help to insure a uniform and unimpeded flow of air to the suction fan and motor housing. Secondly, the underside of the motor shroud provides a downwardly directed member which frictionally engages the flow-thru motor assembly  30  so as to provide reliable and rigid support therefore.  
         [0031]     During operation, the air flow through the opening  43  enters the evacuation chamber  28  coaxially with the motor and is directed outwardly toward the sides of the chamber. An air flow divider  80  is molded to the rear wall  12  and the bottom wall  18  of the evacuation compartment  28 . The air flow divider  80  is a thin curved flange that extends beyond the side walls  14 ,  14 A and terminates in an outermost edge  81 . The outermost edge  81  cooperates with a curved channel  86  in the front cover frame  50  to subdivide the evacuation compartment into a central plenum  82  and an outer airway  83 . By separating the empty space of the plenum from the airway  83 , a smooth air flow is formed eliminating noise producing turbulence in the plenum. The air flow curves downwardly and inwardly toward the bottom of the unit.  
         [0032]     An air exhaust is located at the bottom of the unit. The exhaust is formed by an outlet grid  56  extending between the cover frame  50  and the housing  10 . Because a portion of the air flow divider  80  extends past the side walls of the housing, the air flow is directed through the grid  56 . A final filter  58  is supported by the grid. The filter prevents debris from re-entry into the room and further muffles the sound of the device.  
         [0033]     The lower section or evacuation chamber  28  contains the flow-thru motor housing assembly  30  which is comprised of a compact flow-thru vacuum motor  32  which draws air therethrough so as to create an area of lower pressure within the containment chamber.  
         [0034]     The bottom surface of the partition assembly  24  is defined by a motor shroud  36 . The motor shroud contains an upstanding and generally circular flange adapted to frictionally engage the flow-thru motor assembly  30  so as to precisely position the source of vacuum beneath the shroud. Directly above the flow-thru motor assembly, the motor shroud contains a plurality of upstanding rigid members or baffles which are circumferentially spaced about a central circular member  43 .  
         [0035]     Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2   a  and  2   b,  the motor shroud  36  is sized so as to completely fill the cross-sectional area of the housing above the motor assembly  30 . The shroud is constructed and arranged so that the lowermost side includes plural molded members  33  to rigidly engage the motor housing assembly. In the preferred embodiment, an additional cushioning member, such as a thick rubber ring  86 , positioned between the molded members  33  and the motor housing, can be utilized to dampen vibration between the shroud  36  and the housing  10  and to increase the frictional force which retains the motor assembly within the shroud. The resilient cushioning member may be discontinuous rather than a ring. Also, an air pervious foam  66  is wrapped about the motor to absorb the sound of the motor. The air transmission rate of the foam must be such that temperature build-up is prevented during operation.  
         [0036]     The other end of the flow-through motor assembly is attached to a thick elastomeric shock absorber  60 . The shock absorber  60  is held in a molded motor mount  61  formed as a part of the bottom wall  18  of the housing  10 .  
         [0037]     Thus the flow-through vacuum motor assembly  30  is isolated from the housing  10  and the front cover frame  50  by resilient vibration dampening elements at both ends of the motor. The elastomeric shock absorber and the thick rubber ring inside the shroud  36  deaden the vibration and resultant noise in the system producing a low noise operation.  
         [0038]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a side plan view of the vacuum system is shown. The cover frame assembly  50  extends the full length of the housing. It contains a plurality of alignment tabs  52  which are adapted to be inserted within perforations  22  in peripheral flanges  20  ( FIG. 1 ) thereby insuring precise positioning. The cover frame assembly contains an arcuate area  54  designed to accommodate the motor assembly  30 .  
         [0039]     At the uppermost edge of the cover frame assembly, a latch receiving area  62  is formed which retains a molded latch  65  more particularly described in  FIG. 5 . The latch is capable of vertical reciprocating motion so as to enable it to secure the air collection and debris collecting or containment chamber access panel  64 . Access panel  64  is formed with a small groove  66  along the perimeter of its rear face within which a resilient sealing member, e.g. an elastomeric O-ring (not shown) is positioned. Access panel  64  further contains an inlet cover  72  hingeably attached and juxtaposed to the vacuum hose coupling adapter  74 , which is adapted on a first outer side thereof for fluid communication with a vacuum hose and further adapted, on a second inner side thereof, for fluid communication with an air filtration and debris collecting receptacle. The inlet cover is normally maintained flat against the access panel thereby sealing the coupling area when the vacuum is not in operation.  
         [0040]     In an alternative embodiment, a T-coupling (not shown) may be substituted for the coupling adapter  74 . In this case the access cover is sealed in the area of the inlet cover  72  and an alternative vacuum hose adapter coupling is included above the top wall and having a secondary conduit which extends to an adjacent room area. In such an embodiment, each vacuum hose adapter coupling has both a sealing inlet cover and an electrical interlock which initiates power to the motor upon insertion of the vacuum hose. The reduced pressure within the containment chamber during operation of the flow-thru motor urges the elastomeric O-ring into sealing engagement with the cover frame assembly thereby maintaining a hermetic seal. When closing the containment chamber, the lowermost flange  68  of the access panel is inserted behind mating flange  70  of the cover frame assembly, the panel is held against the cover frame assembly and the latch  64  is engaged. The act of latching the access panel causes the O-ring to be urged against the cover frame thereby bringing the O-ring into sealing engagement with the cover frame assembly.  
         [0041]     In a further alternative embodiment, the air is directed along a secondary path which causes it to exit from a port in the rear wall of the housing, thereby preventing any exhaust from being directed back into the room and providing for more quiet operation.  
         [0042]     In still another alternative embodiment, the entire vacuum cleaning system may be adapted to be flush mounted upon a wall surface and a power cord is then provided for attachment to a standard electrical outlet. In such an embodiment the vacuum hose may be adapted to be stored upon the housing itself.  
         [0043]     Referring now to  FIG. 5 , molded latch  65  is shown. The latch is preferably formed from a nylon or acetal resin. The latch is designed to fit with extremely close tolerance within latch receiving area  62  (see  FIG. 4 ). The lowermost edge  76  of the latch is urged downwardly due to compressive forces developed by resilient ears  78  as they are retained within the cavity  62 . This insures positive engagement of the latch with the access panel Operator intervention is thus necessary to deflect the latch upwardly, thereby disengaging the access panel and allowing opening thereof.  
         [0044]     To operate the unit one simply attaches the appropriate hose, which is adapted to slidably fit within the hose coupling adapter  74 , and activates the motor via the motor actuator means, e.g. a switch provided in the cover frame assembly  50 . The front cover frame  50  further includes an electrical power supply receptacle integrally mounted therein.  
         [0045]     When incorporated in new construction, an alternative embodiment provides for the inclusion of a branched or T-fitting in fluid communication with the inlet conduit structure. The use of a T-fitting allows for extension of the conduit to a second room or floor. In such an installation a plurality of vacuum hose coupling devices are utilized containing a parallel electrical interlock formed integral with the hose coupling which serves to activate the motor upon insertion of the hose in any one of the plural devices.  
         [0046]     It is to be understood that while a certain form of the invention is illustrated, it is not to be limited to the specific form or arrangement of parts herein described and shown. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention and the invention is not to be considered limited to what is shown in the drawings and described in the specification.