Abstract:
A filter assembly (10) for a vacuum cleaner. The assembly (10) is a cup (23) that generally surrounds a cartridge chamber (20). Located in the chamber (20) is a filter cartridge (21). The assembly (10) further includes means to illuminate the chamber (20), the means including light pipes (29) and a circuit board (27).

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to filter assemblies, and more particularly but not exclusively to filter assemblies employable with a vacuum cleaner. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Typically a vacuum cleaner includes a hollow body within which there is located an electric motor that drives an air pump. The air pump draws air in the through the vacuum cleaner from a hose that is held and manoeuvred by a person using the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner also includes a filter through which the air passes, with the filter arranged to remove material from the airstream passing through the vacuum cleaner. 
         [0003]    A disadvantage of known vacuum cleaners is that the efficiency of the vacuum cleaner diminishes as the volume of material accumulating increases. A further disadvantage is that the operator may not be aware that the efficiency of the vacuum cleaner is diminishing. 
       OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least one of the above disadvantages. 
       SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
       [0005]    There is disclosed herein a filter assembly including: 
         [0006]    a hollow body providing a duct through which air passes from an inlet to an outlet, the duct including a filter chamber, an inlet duct portion joining the inlet with the chamber, an outlet duct portion joining the chamber and the outlet, with the body also including a filter cover at least partly enclosing the chamber; 
         [0007]    a filter located in the chamber, the filter cooperating with the body so that air flow from the inlet to the outlet passes through the filter; 
         [0008]    a light assembly mounted in the body and including a powered light source cooperating with the body to illuminate the chamber, and wherein at least part of the chamber is visible through the cover to provide for visual inspection of the chamber. 
         [0009]    Preferably, the filter cover is a removable cup. 
         [0010]    Preferably, the cup has at least portion that is transparent so that a user of the assembly may view the filter. 
         [0011]    Preferably, the light assembly includes the light source cooperating with the cup so that the cup is illuminated. 
         [0012]    Preferably, the cup is formed of light conducting material, with the light source directing light at an edge of the cup. 
         [0013]    Preferably, the light source includes at least one LED, with each LED delivering light to a light pipe that transmits light to be delivered to the cup. 
         [0014]    Preferably, the filter is removable. 
         [0015]    Preferably, the filter cover includes a closed base from which the filter cover upwardly extends, with the filter cartridge being located in an upper portion of the filter chamber. 
         [0016]    Preferably, at least portion of the cover is transparent to provide for visual inspection of the chamber and filter without removal of the cover. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0017]    Preferred forms of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0018]      FIG. 1  is a schematic sectioned side elevation of a filter assembly for a vacuum cleaner; and 
           [0019]      FIG. 2  is a further schematic sectioned side elevation of the filter assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0020]    In the accompanying drawings there is schematically depicted a filter assembly  10 . The assembly  10  includes a hollow body  30  moulded of plastics material and has an inlet tube  11  and an outlet tube  12 . The tubes  11  and  12  are coupled to hoses or tubes  13  and  14  of a vacuum cleaner. As an example, the tube  14  may be a flexible hose, and the tube  13  a metal tube that is generally gripped by a user of the vacuum cleaner. As an alternative, the tube  13  may also be a flexible hose. 
         [0021]    The inlet tube  11  has an inlet opening  15 , while the outlet tube  12  has an outlet opening  16 . 
         [0022]    The body  11  also provides a duct  17 , extending from the inlet opening  15  to the outlet opening  16 , through which air passes. 
         [0023]    The duct  17  includes an inlet duct portion  18  and an outlet duct portion  19 , between which there is located a filter chamber  20 . 
         [0024]    Located in the filter chamber  20  is a removable filter cartridge  21  that engages a hollow, tubular mounting  22 . The chamber  30  and filter cartridge  21  collect dust removed from the air stream passing through the assembly  10 . 
         [0025]    In operation of the above described assembly  10 , the tube  14  is connected to the suction end of a vacuum cleaner. The tube  13  would be attached to a vacuum cleaner head. Air is drawn through the assembly  10  from the opening  15  to the opening  16 , with air passing along the duct  17  so as to pass through the filter cartridge  21  so as to be filtered thereby. 
         [0026]    The body  30  also includes a removable filter cup  23 . Preferably, the cup  23  has an annular end portion  24  that frictionally engages or alternatively threadably engages a tubular mounting portion  25  of the body  30 . Removal of the cup  23  enables a user to engage the cartridge  21  for the purposes of removal and/or cleaning the cartridge  21  and chamber  20 . Preferably at least part of the cup  23  is transparent so that the chamber  20  and cartridge  21  can be inspected. Preferably the entire cup  23  is transparent. Preferably the cup  23  is coloured so that scratches are not so apparent. 
         [0027]    The body  30  also provides a cavity  26  within which there is located a circuit board  27  having mounted thereon a plurality of LEDs that are energized to delivery light to light pipes  29 . The board  27  may be connected to the vacuum cleaner power supply, or may be battery powered. The light pipes  29  transmit light to the edge of the cup  23 . Preferably the cup  23  is of light conducting material so that the cup  23  is illuminated while illuminating the chamber  20 . Light may be continually delivered to the cup  23  when the vacuum cleaner is in use, or the user may just operate a switch connected to the board  27 . 
         [0028]    Preferably there is an air gap between the cup  23  and light pipes  29 . 
         [0029]    The printer circuit board  27  would be electrically coupled to the mains power supply through the vacuum cleaner. 
         [0030]    The cup  23  is upwardly elongated from its closed bottom  31 , with the filter cartridge  21  being located in an upper portion of the chamber  20 . Air enters the chamber  20 , passes through the filter cartridge  21 , and then passes upwardly through the passage  32  of the mounting  22 . The passage  32  extends to the outlet dust portion  19 . 
         [0031]    The cup  23  has a generally central longitudinal axis  33 , with air passing radially inward through the filter cartridge  21  toward the axis  33 . After passing through the filter cartridge  21  the defiltered air enters the passage  32 . 
         [0032]    An advantage of the above embodiment is that it allows the user to see how much dirt they have collected as they vacuum.