Abstract:
A floor cleaning appliance includes a housing carrying both a suction generator and a dirt cup. The dirt cup includes a sidewall, a top wall and a dump door. A latch is provided to secure the dump door in a closed position. An actuator for releasing that latch is remotely positioned on the top wall. A linkage is carried on the sidewall and operatively connects the actuator with the latch.

Description:
[0001]     This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/563,272 filed on 16 Apr. 2004. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to a floor care appliance incorporating a novel dirt cup.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     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 in a dirt cup 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.  
         [0004]     The present invention relates to an improved dust collection assembly for a floor care appliance such as an upright or canister vacuum cleaner or even an extractor.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, a new and improved floor care appliance is provided. That floor care appliance includes a housing, a suction generator carried on the housing and a dirt cup carried on the housing. The dirt cup is provided to collect dirt and debris drawn into the appliance by the suction generator.  
         [0006]     The dirt cup is characterized by a sidewall, a bottom wall and a top wall. The bottom wall includes a dump door having a latch for securing the dump door in a closed position. The top wall includes an actuator for releasing the latch and opening the dump door in order to empty the contents from the dirt cup into an underlying trash receptacle. The sidewall carries a linkage for operatively connecting the actuator to the latch.  
         [0007]     More specifically describing the invention, the top wall includes a carrying handle. The actuator may be provided on the carrying handle if desired. Still further, the carrying handle may be made to pivot relative to a main body of the top wall. Further, the carrying handle includes a cavity and the actuator includes an elongated lug that extends through the cavity.  
         [0008]     The linkage on the sidewall includes an elongated member mounted so as to allow sliding movement relative to the sidewall. This sliding movement may be provided in a number of ways including a cooperating guide track and channel arrangement wherein either the guide track or the channel is provided on the elongated member and the other of the guide track or channel is provided on the sidewall.  
         [0009]     The elongated member includes a first end engaging the elongated lug of the actuator and a second end for engaging the latch. The second end may be provided with a cam surface.  
         [0010]     The latch includes a locking element that engages a locking tab when the dump door is in the closed position. In one possible embodiment the latch is resilient. The sidewall carries either the locking tab or the locking element and the other of the locking tab and the locking element is provided on the dump door.  
         [0011]     The bottom wall includes a frame. The dump door is connected to the frame by a hinge. The frame includes a mounting flange engaging the sidewall and securing the bottom wall to the sidewall.  
         [0012]     In one possible embodiment the top wall is a lid. The main body of the top wall includes a mounting skirt that engages the sidewall and secures the top wall thereto.  
         [0013]     In accordance with another aspect of the present invention a method is provided for constructing a dirt cup for a floor care appliance. The method comprises the steps of providing a dirt cup with a top wall, a bottom wall and a sidewall, positioning a dump door in the bottom wall and positioning an actuator for opening the dump door on the top wall.  
         [0014]     In the following description there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of one 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. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0015]     The accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part of this specification illustrates several aspects of the present invention and together with the description serves to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawing:  
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of one possible embodiment of a floor care appliance of the present invention;  
         [0017]      FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b  are perspective views of the dirt cup removed from the vacuum cleaner with  FIG. 2   a  illustrating the pivoting handle raised and the dump door open and  FIG. 2   b  illustrating the pivoting handle lowered and the dump door closed;  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a detailed exploded view of the pivoting handle and the actuator;  
         [0019]      FIG. 4   a  is a top plan view of the dirt cup with the upper wall or lid removed;  
         [0020]      FIG. 4   b  is a cross sectional view of the dirt cup shown in  FIG. 4   a  along line AA also including a detailed illustration of the dump door latching arrangement;  
         [0021]      FIG. 4   c  is a detailed front elevational view of that latching arrangement shown in  FIG. 4   b;    
         [0022]      FIG. 5  provides detailed cross sectional view of the dump door hinge and latch assemblies;  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  is a rear plan view of the linkage element that extends along the sidewall of the dirt cup; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 7  is a detailed cross sectional view illustrating how the linkage element is mounted to allow sliding movement relative to the sidewall of the dirt cup. 
     
    
       [0025]     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment of the invention, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0026]     Reference is now made to  FIG. 1  illustrating one possible embodiment of the vacuum cleaner  10  of the present invention. The illustrated embodiment is an upright vacuum cleaner  10 . It should be appreciated, however, that the present invention also includes and this patent also covers other floor cleaning appliances such as canister vacuum cleaners and extractors.  
         [0027]     The vacuum cleaner  10  includes a housing, generally designated by reference numeral  12 , including a nozzle section  14  and a canister section  16 . As is known in the art, the canister section  16  is pivotally connected to the nozzle section  14  to aid the operator in manipulating the vacuum cleaner  10  to and fro across the floor. Wheels (not shown) carried on the housing  12  allow the vacuum cleaner  10  to be moved smoothly across the floor. As illustrated, the nozzle section  14  is equipped with a nozzle inlet  18 . In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle inlet  18  also includes a rotary agitator  20 .  
         [0028]     The canister section  16  houses a suction generator  22  (i.e. a fan and motor assembly) and a dirt cup  24  having a dirt collection chamber  26  (see also  FIG. 4   b ). The canister section  16  also includes a control handle  28  and an actuator switch  30  for controlling the operation of the vacuum cleaner  10  and thereby driving the rotary agitator  20  and the suction generator  22  as desired. In the illustrated embodiment the actuator switch  30  comprises a series of touch controls.  
         [0029]     During the cleaning operation the rotary agitator  20  brushes and beats dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned. The dirt and debris are then drawn by the suction generator  22  through the nozzle inlet  18  into the dirt cup  24  and through any filter element (not shown) that might be provided in the dirt cup. Dirt and debris are collected in the dirt collection chamber  26 . The airstream is then directed over the motor of the suction generator  22  to 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 port  34  into the environment.  
         [0030]     The dirt cup  24  will now be described in detailed. As illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a,    2   b,    4   a - 4   c  and  5 , the dirt cup includes a top wall  36 , a sidewall  38  and a dump door  40 . In the illustrated embodiment the top wall  36  is a lid comprising a main body having a mounting skirt  44  that threads or snaps onto the sidewall  38 . As best illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a,    2   b  and  3 , the top wall  36  also includes a carrying handle  46 . The carrying handle  46  is arcuate in shape and includes an inwardly projecting pivot pin  48  at each end. Each pivot pin  48  is captured in a notch provided in the top wall  36  so that the handle  46  is allowed to freely pivot relative to the main body. As best illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the handle  46  includes a first section  52  and a second section  54  connected together by fasteners such as screws  55 . A cavity  56  is formed between the two handle sections  52 ,  54 .  
         [0031]     A dump door actuator  58  is carried by the handle  46 . The dump door actuator  58  includes a sliding actuator switch  60  that is received in and runs along the guide track  62  formed by the two handle sections  52 ,  54 . Additionally, the dump door actuator  58  includes an elongated lug  64  extending from the actuator switch  60  and a biasing spring  65  held in the cavity  56  and received over the lug  64 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3  the lug  64  extends through the cavity  56  to the end of the handle  46 .  
         [0032]     As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the bottom wall or dump door  40  is connected by means of hinge  72  at one side thereof to the sidewall  38  of the dirt cup  24 . More specifically, the hinge  72  is received in a cooperating cavity  73  formed in the sidewall  38 . A bracket  75  functions to overlie the hinge  72  and capture it in the cavity  73 . The bracket  72  is secured to the sidewall by means of a screw or other fastener (not shown). When the dump door  40  is closed, a seal  74  extending around the entire periphery of the dump door sealingly engages a lip  68  on the sidewall  38  so as to seal the dirt cup  24  and prevent the passage of air, dust and dirt from the dirt cup into the environment  
         [0033]     A latch, generally designated by reference numeral  76 , is provided at the side of the dump door  40  oppositive the hinge  72  (see  FIG. 4   c ). In the illustrated embodiment the latch  76  comprises a cooperating locking tab  82  and a resilient locking element  78  made from plastic or other appropriate material. As best illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a  and  4   c,  the resilient locking element  78  is substantially U-shaped and includes an aperture  80  for receiving and holding the locking tab  82  carried by the sidewall  38  of the dirt cup  24 . Thus, when the dump door  40  is in the closed position the locking element  78  is engaging the locking tab  82 . This causes the seal  74  around the dump door  40  to seat against the lip  68  thereby closing the dirt cup  24 . This is the position of the dump door  40  when the dirt cup  24  is mounted in the canister section  16  and the vacuum cleaner  10  is operated to clean a floor.  
         [0034]     At some point during or following floor cleaning, it may become necessary or desirable to empty the dirt cup  24 . In order to achieve this end the dirt cup  24  is first removed from the canister section  16 . This can be done by engaging the carrying handle  46  (then in a position shown in  FIG. 2   b ) with the fingers and pivoting the handle up slightly from the seated position. As the handle pivots the latching lugs  84  are released from the canister section  16  thereby allowing the dirt cup  24  to be freely removed from the vacuum cleaner  10 . During the removal operation it should be appreciated that the dump door  40  remains closed and sealed at all times.  
         [0035]     After positioning the dirt cup  24  over a trash can, garbage can or other dirt receptacle, the operator engages the dump door actuator  58  in order to open the dump door  40  and empty the dirt cup  24 . More specifically, the operator presses a finger against the sliding actuator  60  and slides the dump door actuator  58  along the guide track  62  in the direction of action arrow A (see  FIG. 3 ) against the biasing force of the spring  65 . This causes the lug  64  of the dump door actuator  58  to be extended further from the cavity  56  in the carrying handle  46 . The end of the lug  64  engages a first end  86  of a linkage element  88  mounted on the sidewall  38  of the dirt cup  24 . More specifically, the linkage element  88  is mounted so as to allow free sliding movement relative to the sidewall  38 . This may be accomplished by substantially any means known in the art including but not limited to cooperating rails and channels provided on the linkage element  88  and the exterior surface of the sidewall  38 .  
         [0036]     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the sidewall  38  includes a substantially L-shaped guide track  100  that forms a channel  102 . The linkage element  88  includes a cavity  104  formed by the two sidewalls  106 ,  108  and the top wall  110 . A guide track follower includes a first series of guide tabs  112  extending from the first sidewall  106  and a second series of guide tabs  114  extending from the sidewall  108 . As illustrated, the first series of guide tabs  112  are captured for free sliding movement in the channel  102  of the guide track  100 . Simultaneously, the second series of guide tabs  114  engage the upstanding post  116  of the guide track to effectively hold the first series of guide tabs  112  in the channel  102 . Two stops  118 , one adjacent each end of the linkage element  88 , engage the ends of the guide track  100  to limit the range or extent of the sliding movement of the linkage element  88  on the guide track  100 .  
         [0037]     As the lug  64  is moved in the direction of action arrow A, it engages the first end  86  of the linkage element  88  and forces the linkage element downward along the sidewall  38  of the dirt cup in the direction of action arrow B (note  FIG. 4   c ). As this occurs the second end  90  of the linkage element  88  engages the locking element  78  of the latch  76 . More specifically, as best illustrated in  FIG. 4   c  the second end  90  of the linkage element  88  includes a cam surface  92  that cooperatively engages a cam surface  94  carried on the locking element  78 . This forces the locking element  78  in an outward direction (note action arrow C) until the locking element is clear of the locking tab  82 . At that point in time the force of gravity acting upon the dump door  40  and the dirt and debris in the dirt cup  24  causes the dump door to swing open (note  FIG. 2   a  ) and the dirt and debris falls from the collection chamber  26  of the dirt cup into the underlying trash receptacle.  
         [0038]     After the dirt cup  24  has been emptied, the dump door  40  is pivoted closed and the locking element  78  is resiliently latched to the locking tab  82  to hold the dump door in the closed position. The linkage element  88  is free to shift upward in the direction of action arrow D in  FIG. 4   c  since the biasing spring  65  previously returned the dump door actuator to the home or locked position. The dirt cup  24  is then reinserted in the canister section  16  and the vacuum cleaner  10  is again ready for operation.  
         [0039]     In summary, numerous benefits result from employing the concepts of the present invention. By locating the dump door actuator  58  on the handle  46  where the actuator switch  60  may be readily engaged with the thumb, the dirt cup  24  may be conveniently emptied with use of a single hand. The linkage element  88  is mounted for sliding movement on the exterior sidewall  38  of the dirt cup  24  where it is isolated from dirt and debris held inside the dirt cup. As a consequence, the possibility of that dirt and debris interfering or jamming proper operation of that linkage is absolutely avoided.  
         [0040]     The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention has 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, as illustrated in  FIGS. 2   a  and  2   b,  the sidewall  38  is round and the dirt cup  24  is cylindrical in shape. Further, the dirty air inlet  96  provided in the sidewall  38  is tangentially oriented in order to provide cyclonic air flow in the dirt cup  24 . While the illustrated embodiment provides cyclonic air flow, it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to dirt cups providing cyclonic air flow. In fact, the inlet could be provided in the sidewall in an orientation other than tangential or in the top wall. Similarly, the outlet from the dirt cup could be provided in the sidewall or the top wall as desired. Further, while a single, round sidewall  38  is disclosed and illustrated, it should be appreciated that the sidewall could be polygonal if desired. Still further, it should be appreciated that while the illustrated embodiment shows the locking tab  82  on the sidewall  38  of the dirt cup  24  and the resilient locking element  78  on the dump door  40 , the relative positions of the locking tab and locking element could be reversed if desired.  
         [0041]     The embodiment was 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.