Latch assembly for wet/dry vacuum cleaner

A latch assembly for a wet/dry vacuum cleaner wherein the vacuum has a fan collector cover disposed between the filter cage and water tank of the vacuum cleaner and the drum lid of the vacuum housing the internal vacuum operating components. The filter cage is assembled to the drum lid or power head without tooling or screws while fixing the fan collector cover in place between the filter cage and drum lid. The power head housing is also attached to the bottom cover without screws or other fasteners.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to wet/dry vacuum cleaners, and, more particularly, to a latching assembly for latching the filter cage and fan collector cover of a wet/dry vacuum cleaner to the drum lid that is coupled to the blower housing without fasteners and to assemble and secure the cover housing to the drum lid also without screws or fasteners.

2. Related Art

Known wet/dry vacuum cleaners have fan collector housings secured to the filter housing with screws or rivets. There is a need for a quick attach-detach assembly for locking the fan collector housing to the filter housing. Such a latch mechanism must prevent leakage of water into the motor housing during wet vacuuming operation. Prior art wet/dry vacuum cleaners require fastener assemblies using screws or the like which had to be inserted through the aligned components. Such sealing means have proven unsatisfactory. Attempts to provide non-screw securing means use complicated parts that must be carefully machined.

There is a need for a latching assembly for a wet/dry vacuum cleaner that does not require screws or other fastening means wherein tools must be used to secure the components of the vacuum cleaner together.

SUMMARY

These and other objects are accomplished by providing a latch assembly for a wet/dry vacuum cleaner wherein the vacuum has a fan collector cover disposed between the filter cage and water tank of the vacuum cleaner and the drum lid housing the internal vacuum operating components. The filter cage is assembled to the drum lid or power head bottom cage holding the fan collector cover in place without screws or the like, this requiring no tooling for assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings,FIG. 1shows an assembled wet/dry vacuum10having a blower (not shown) mounted internally of blower housing11terminating at top in a handle12which may be a molded part of housing11. An on/off switch13is provided in an opening14at top of housing11for selectively turning the vacuum on and off. A plurality of air vents15are provided through the wall of housing11and a vacuum hole16is also providing through the wall of housing11. It is thus to be understood that a conventional wet/dry vacuum motor and fan assembly100(FIG. 5), as is well known in the art, is disposed internally of cover11when assembled over drum lid18, as is well known in the art.

When cover housing11is assembled to the assembled components ofFIG. 3, as will be discussed, the vacuum port or vacuum tube17aligns with, and latches to, vacuum hole16in housing11. In like manner, as seen inFIG. 9, exhaust port40aligns with, and latches to, exhaust port or hole16′. Thus, the interaction of tubes17and40with holes16and16′, respectively, act as the main latches for vacuum10against the holes16and16′ in housing11.

Latches51(FIG. 5) snap onto an internal rib or ribs300on the inner wall301of housing11. Thus, the power head housing11is further attached without screws to the bottom cover18by means of the latches51ofFIG. 5which engage with an internal rib or ribs300on the housing11, thus acting as a secondary latching system for housing11.

Drum lid18(see alsoFIG. 3) is shown inFIG. 2assembled to the filter cage19. It is to be understood that the drum lid18includes a conventional air intake section seen inFIG. 5, comprised of motor101activating a fan at top (not shown) as is well known in the art. The wiring therefor has been omitted for convenience of illustration. Filter cage19has an annular sealing rim20(FIG. 3) with a plurality of spaced latches21. As will be discussed further hereinbelow, an apertured ear22is also provided on rim20having a hole23(FIG. 4) with spaced upstanding posts24,25on each side of hole23. Filter cage19terminates at top in a flat circular member26(FIG. 3) and had a plurality of vertically spaced ribs27, extending to an annular band28interconnecting member26to rim20. A plurality of horizontally extending flanges29interconnect ribs27thus forming an open cage for filter19as is well known in the art.

An inverted cup float30, as is also well known in the art, is provided between filter cage19and fan collector cover31. Cover31has a central opening32surrounded by a circular boss33. Cup30fits over boss33and thus blocks opening32.

When the water lever rises in the tank, the float30is lifted. Cover31is configured similarly to the open area34internally of bottom cover18, the open area34being surrounded by an upstanding peripheral wall35. Wall35is connected to the inner peripheral rim36of cover18by a plurality of spaced flanges37. The bottom wall38, which forms open area34, interconnects inner rim36to outer wall39.

Again, as is well known in the art, an exhaust port40(seeFIG. 5) is also provided communicating with an opening (not shown) in cover11opposite opening16.

As seen inFIG. 3, a plurality of L-shaped slots41are provided along the top of wall35adapted to align with a like number of protrusions or latches21along rim28of filter cage19. As seen, each slot41is formed by a break or opening42(FIG. 6) in wall35communicating with a generally rectangularly shaped open area43. Wall35, at opening42, has a first portion44extending outwardly away therefrom and generally perpendicular thereto, then integral with an outer wall portion45extending across opening42to a second portion46extending inwardly toward wall35and generally perpendicular thereto. The width of opening42is wider than the width of opening43and, thus, forms an L-shaped slot for reasons to be discussed.

A flange47(FIG. 3) is integral with wall39, extending upwardly therefrom, terminating at an outwardly extending lip49. A plurality of tool retaining members50, integral with the exterior of wall39, are provided at spaced locations. Each flange47has an opening52therein. A plurality of downwardly extending locking flanges51are provided at spaced locations along the bottom of cover18.

As seen inFIG. 3, the first step in assembly of the parts is the placement of the fan collector cover31inside the open area34of the power head bottom cover18. Bottom cover18is snap fit to cover11by means of tabs51(FIG. 5) which snap into suitable latching ribs300on the inner wall of cover11, the curved wall301being used for alignment. Blower part40and vacuum part17align with blower hole16′ in cover11and a like hole16opposite hole16′.

However, looking again toFIG. 3, prior to assembly of bottom cover18to cover11, and after placement of fan collector cover31inside of bottom cover18, float30is then placed over boss32.

As particularly contemplated in the present invention, a quick and easy snap on and off release and engagement of the filter cage19to the power head bottom cover18is provided.

Thus, as seen inFIG. 6, each latch21has a tab portion200at top and a downwardly extending tapered portion201, best seen inFIG. 8, triangular in cross-section. Tapered portion201, integral with tab portion200, extends downwardly within slot41(FIG. 7) past opening42into open area43. By rotating filter cage19in the direction of arrow202, the tab portion200moves under the bottom wall203(FIG. 8) formed between walls45and35and thus is locked in position. When it is desired to unlock filter cage19from engagement with bottom cover18, filter cage19is moved clockwise or in the opposite direction of arrow202thus unlatching the filter cage19from engagement with bottom cover18.

Thus, the final assembled position of all parts of vacuum10is shown inFIG. 1. The filter cage19is disposed internally in a water/dust tank and filter housing54having outwardly spaced tabs55snap fitting into openings52in flanges47.

Any suitable materials may be used, such as plastic, where possible. Any suitable number, such as4, of slots41, may be provided in bottom cover18. Cover31fits inside of bottom cover18and covers the fan collector chamber therein.

The operation of a conventional wet/dry vacuum is well known in the art along with their internal components. One such vacuum is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,669 to Martin et al. Other such vacuums are discussed in the Background of the Invention of U.S. Pat. No. 6,101,669. In many prior art wet/dry vacuums, the fan collector cover is attached to the drum lid or power head bottom cover by means of screws or rivets.

In the present application, the fan collector chamber34is closed by a fan collector cover31. The cover31is held in place by the filter cage19. The filter cage19locks to the drum lid and, when it is desired to disengage filter cage19from cover18, the filter cage19is turned in a clockwise direction releasing latches21from engagement in slots41. Thus, the fan collector cover31and filter cage19are assembled to bottom cover18without the use of screws or tools. Fan collector cover31, in its assembly to cover18, prior to engagement of filter cage19to cover18, is merely placed within open area34guided by its configuration and the configuration of area34. The power head housing11is also attached without screws on other fasteners to the bottom cover18.

In jurisdictions where safety standards are such that a positive lock, requiring tools necessary to remove components that cover such moving parts, are the law, an optional threaded screw or bolt, such as bolt53, and mating hole23, may be provided.

Thus, as seen inFIG. 4, apertured flange22is adapted to receive a screw or bolt53in hole23which is aligned with hole53′ in cover31(FIG. 3).

Also, in the instant application, the fan collector cover31is assembled from the bottom of the drum lid or bottom cover18providing additional protection. If any leakage were to occur, the water would fall into the tank formed within housing54instead of coming into contact with live motor parts.

It can thus be seen that there is disclosed a wet/dry vacuum cleaner wherein the assembly of the fan collector cover to the drum lid is performed without the need of tooling or screws or bolts or the like. Although a particular embodiment of the invention is disclosed, variations thereof may occur to an artisan and the scope of the invention should only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.