Dirt vessel equipped with cleaning plunger

A vacuum cleaner is provided including a housing, a nozzle inlet, a suction generator carried on the housing and a dirt vessel carried on the housing. The dirt vessel includes a sidewall and an open end. A plunger is received in the dirt vessel. The plunger is selectively displaceable between a first position spaced along the sidewall away from the open end and a second position spaced along the sidewall adjacent the open end.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to a vacuum cleaner incorporating a dirt collection assembly having a plunger for cleaning dirt and debris from a dirt collection vessel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bagless vacuum cleaner technology has long been known in the art. Japanese Patent Applications 56-136642 and 56-136650 both published in 1981 disclose an upright vacuum cleaner with a dust collection chamber that removably connects to an opening of the main unit to facilitate user convenience during the emptying of the cleaner. A removable filter fills an opening at the bottom of the dust chamber and serves to separate dust from air drawn through the vacuum cleaner by the fan and motor assembly.

The present invention relates to an improved dirt collection assembly for an upright or canister vacuum cleaner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, an improved vacuum cleaner is provided. That vacuum cleaner includes a housing, a nozzle inlet, a suction generator carried, and a dirt vessel. The dirt vessel includes a sidewall and an open end. A plunger is received in the dirt vessel. The plunger is selectively displaceable between a first position spaced along the sidewall away from the open end and a second position spaced along the sidewall adjacent the open end.

More specifically describing the invention, the plunger includes a margin slidingly engaging an inner surface of the sidewall. That margin includes a cleaning element in engagement with the sidewall. The cleaning element may comprise a resilient wiper, a brush, a pad or any other structure or component appropriate for sliding along and cleaning the interior surface of the sidewall.

Still further describing the invention, the dirt vessel may include a door for closing the open end thereof. The door may be connected by a hinge to the sidewall. A latch is provided for securing the door in a closed position relative to the sidewall.

The dirt vessel also includes an inlet and an outlet. The inlet may be provided in the plunger, the sidewall or the door. The outlet may also be provided in the plunger, the sidewall or the door.

Where cyclonic cleaning action is desired, the sidewall and door of the dirt vessel define a cylindrical dirt collection chamber. The inlet is provided in the sidewall and is tangentially directed with respect to the sidewall and the chamber. The outlet is provided in the door or the plunger. If desired a screen and/or cylindrical filter element may be provided over the outlet.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a dirt vessel is provided. The dirt vessel includes a sidewall and an open end. As described above a plunger is received in the sidewall. The plunger is selectively displaceable between a first position spaced along the sidewall away from the open end and a second position spaced along the sidewall adjacent the open end.

Still further, the present invention also includes a method of cleaning dirt and debris from a dirt vessel of a vacuum cleaner. The method comprises equipping the dirt vessel with a plunger at one end of a dirt collection chamber in the dirt vessel and instructing a user to displace the plunger through the dirt collection chamber in order to remove dirt and debris from the dirt collection chamber.

In the following description there is shown and described several possible embodiments of the invention simply by way of illustration of some of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

Reference is now made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Reference is now made toFIG. 1illustrating one possible embodiment of the vacuum cleaner10of the present invention. The illustrated embodiment is an upright vacuum cleaner10. It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention also includes and this patent covers canister and hand-held vacuum cleaners.

The vacuum cleaner10includes a housing, generally designated by reference numeral12, including a nozzle section14and a canister section16. As is known in the art, the canister section16is pivotally connected to the nozzle section14to aid the operator in manipulating the vacuum cleaner10to and fro across the floor. Wheels (not shown) carried on the housing12allow the vacuum cleaner10to be moved smoothly across the floor. As illustrated, the nozzle section14is equipped with a nozzle inlet18. In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle inlet18also includes a rotary agitator20.

The canister section16houses a suction generator22(i.e. a fan and motor assembly) and a dirt vessel24having a dirt collection chamber26. The canister section16also includes a control handle28and an actuator switch30for turning the vacuum cleaner10on and off and thereby driving the rotary agitator20and the suction generator22.

During the cleaning operation the rotary agitator20brushes and beats dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned. That dirt and debris is then drawn by the suction generator22through the nozzle inlet18into the dirt vessel24where dirt and debris are collected in the chamber26. The airstream is then directed over the motor of the suction generator22to provide cooling before being routed through a final filter, to remove any carbon particles stripped from the brushes of the motor by the airstream, before exhausting the airstream through an exhaust port32into the environment.

One possible embodiment of the dirt vessel24of the present invention is illustrated inFIG. 2. As illustrated in that figure, the dirt vessel24includes a sidewall34having an open end36closed by a door38. The door38may be connected to the sidewall34by means of a hinge40. A latch42cooperates with the hinge40to secure the door38to the sidewall34and close the open end of the dirt vessel24. Together, the sidewall34and door38define the dirt collection chamber26. In the illustrated embodiment the dirt collection chamber26is substantially cylindrical in shape. It should be appreciated, however, that the dirt vessel24and the dirt collection chamber26may assume any number of shapes and configurations.

As further illustrated inFIG. 2an inlet44and an outlet46are both provided in the sidewall34. The outlet46is covered by a screen or grating48which functions to filter dirt and debris from the airstream. That dirt and debris then collects in the dirt collection chamber26. The dirt vessel24also includes a plunger50. As illustrated, the plunger50includes a margin holding a cleaning element52that slidably engages the inner surface of the sidewall34. The cleaning element52may assume substantially any appropriate form including, for example, a resilient wiper, a brush or a pad. Materials utilized to construct the cleaning element include but are not limited to rubber such as neoprene, low friction plastic material such as nylon, natural or synthetic bristles and soft fabric such as felt.

As best illustrated from reviewingFIGS. 2 and 5, the plunger50is selectively displaceable between a first position away from the open end36of the dirt vessel24(seeFIG. 2) and a second position adjacent to the open end (seeFIG. 5).

During vacuum cleaner operation, the plunger50is located in the first position illustrated inFIG. 2at the top of the sidewall34and away from the open end36and door38. Dirt and debris collects upstream from the screen48in the dirt collection chamber26. Eventually, it becomes necessary to empty the dirt collection chamber26. In order to do this, the dirt vessel24is removed from the canister section16of the vacuum cleaner10. The dirt vessel24is then positioned over an open garbage bag, garbage can or the like. The latch42is then released so that the door38swings open (seeFIG. 5) about the hinge40. The majority of the dirt and debris in the dirt collection chamber26then falls under the force of gravity into the underlying garbage receptacle.

The operator may positively eject any remaining debris and clean the sidewall34by engaging the handle54and displacing the plunger downwardly from the first position illustrated inFIG. 2to the second position illustrated inFIG. 5. As this is done the cleaning element52around the margin of the plunger50engages the inner surface of the sidewall34cleaning that inner surface of dirt and debris. Where the sidewall34is made from transparent material to allow the operator to visually inspect the contents of the dirt collection chamber26, the cleaning action of the cleaning element52is particularly beneficial. Specifically, by cleaning dirt and debris from the inner surface of the sidewall34, the visibility of the contents of the dirt collection chamber26is increased. Thus, this consumer convenience feature is enhanced.

Another possible alternative embodiment of the dirt vessel24is illustrated inFIG. 3. In this embodiment, the dirt vessel24again includes a sidewall56having an open end58. A door60closes the open end. Again, the door may be connected to the sidewall56by means of a hinge62. A latch64allows the door to be held closed against the sidewall56in order to close the open end58.

In the illustrated embodiment the sidewall56and door60define a cylindrical dirt collection chamber26. An inlet65is provided in the sidewall56. That inlet may be tangentially directed with respect to the sidewall56and the dirt collection chamber26so as to establish a vortex airstream in the dirt collection chamber. Such an arrangement provides cyclonic cleaning action which often provides higher cleaning efficiencies. An outlet66is provided in the door60. The door60also carries a filter element68covering the outlet66. The filter element68includes a frame comprising a pair of end walls70,72that hold a pleated filter media74. Air entrained with dirt and debris entering the dirt collection chamber through the inlet65is discharged therefrom through the outlet66after passing through the filter media74and an opening in the center of the end wall72. Thus, dirt and debris is trapped and collected in the dirt collection chamber26while clean air passes downstream to the suction generator22.

TheFIG. 3embodiment is also equipped with a plunger76. The plunger76is identical to the plunger50illustrated in theFIG. 2embodiment. Accordingly, the margin of the plunger76holds a cleaning element52for engaging and cleaning the sidewall56of the dirt vessel24.

When it is desired to empty dirt and debris from the dirt vessel24of theFIG. 3embodiment, the latch64is released and the door60swings open about the hinge62under the force of gravity. Most of the dirt and debris also falls under the force of gravity into the underlying garbage receptacle. The plunger76is displaced downwardly in the direction of action arrow A from the first position illustrated inFIG. 3until it is adjacent to the open end58of the dirt vessel24using the handle78. Advantageously, the cleaning element52cleans dirt and debris from the sidewall56by frictional contact. Where the sidewall56is made from transparent material, this enhances the visibility of the contents of the dirt collection chamber26through the sidewall. Consequently, the operator can more easily monitor the airflow through the dirt vessel24and the level of dirt and debris in the vessel.

Yet another embodiment of the dirt vessel24of the present invention is illustrated inFIG. 4. Similar to the other embodiments, the dirt vessel24ofFIG. 4includes a sidewall80having an open end82closed by a door84. The door84is connected to the sidewall80by means of a hinge86and a cooperating latch88. An inlet90is provided in the sidewall80.

The dirt vessel24illustrated inFIG. 4also includes a plunger92. Similar to the plungers50and76, the plunger92includes a margin holding a cleaning element94. That cleaning element94engages the inner surface of the sidewall80. In contrast to the other plunger embodiment, the plunger92includes an outlet96. Further, the plunger92carries a filter element98that covers the outlet96. The filter element98includes a frame having two end walls100,102. The end wall100may be threaded to or connected by tabs or other cooperating means to the plunger92. A pleated filter media104of a type well known in the art is held between the end walls100,102of the filter element98.

In the embodiment illustrated inFIG. 4, the sidewall80and door84define a cylindrical dirt collection chamber. The inlet90is tangentially directed with respect to the sidewall80and that dirt collection chamber26. Thus, dirty air and debris from the nozzle inlet18enters the dirt vessel24through the inlet90. A cyclonic airflow is established to aid in the separation of dirt and debris from the airstream. The airstream passes through the filter media104of the filter element98and dirt and debris is trapped in the dirt collection chamber26. The clean air then travels through the outlet96to the suction generator22.

When it becomes necessary to empty dirt and debris from the dirt vessel24, the dirt vessel is removed from the canister section16and placed over a trash receptacle. The latch88is released and the door84swings open about the hinge86. The majority of dirt and debris simply falls under the force of gravity from the dirt vessel. If desired, the operator may engage the handles106and displace the plunger92from the first position illustrated inFIG. 4in the direction of action arrow A to a second position adjacent the open end82of the sidewall80. During displacement the cleaning element94sweeps and scrubs and dirt and debris from the interior surface of the sidewall80. Accordingly, visibility through the sidewall is enhanced. This allows the user to more readily monitor the operating condition of the dirt vessel24.

The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of this invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings.

For example, while the illustrated embodiment is an upright vacuum cleaner, the present invention also relates to and includes canister and hand-held vacuum cleaners. Further, while the illustrated embodiment is a “clean air” system with the suction generator22downstream from the dirt cup24and dirt collection chamber26, the present invention also includes “dirty air” systems where the suction generator is located upstream of either or both of these structures. Further, while the inlet is provided in the sidewall of the dirt vessel in all of the illustrated embodiments, it should be appreciated that the inlet could also be provided in the plunger or the door. Similarly, the outlet could also be provided in the sidewall, the plunger or the door.

The embodiments were chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and preferred embodiments do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.