Abstract:
A vacuum cleaner includes a receptacle with an interior, a motor assembly that draws air from the interior of the receptacle, an inlet on the receptacle wherein the inlet receives vacuumed material, and an opening on the receptacle in air flow communication with the interior of the receptacle. The vacuum cleaner also includes a dust pan that opens and closes the opening. The dust pan may be used for collecting large and small debris, liquids, and any other objects that cannot or should not enter the inlet.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to devices that allow large debris to enter a vacuum cleaner. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Vacuum cleaners generally include a motor assembly, a tank or other receptacle, a hose inlet on the receptacle, and a hose that attaches to the hose inlet at one end and has a nozzle at the other end. The motor of the motor assembly drives an impeller that creates a low pressure area inside the receptacle. The pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the receptacle creates a suction effect at the hose inlet, which causes dust, debris, and liquids to enter the receptacle through the hose. 
     The capability of vacuum cleaners to pick up large debris has been limited to debris that is smaller than the diameter of the hose. Further, even debris that is smaller than the hose diameter may clog the hose when passing through a bend in the hose. A large diameter hose for accepting large debris may not be acceptable because it will reduce the air velocity in the hose inlet, thus reducing the efficiency of the vacuum cleaner. Hoses are often used with nozzles which may have an even smaller cross section, and further increase the likelihood of clogging. Additionally, a hose with limited bending capability to allow passage of large debris reduces the versatility of the vacuum cleaner by making it ineffective for accessing hard to reach areas. Therefore, in most instances, a vacuum cleaner operator must manually pick up large debris and dispose of it by other means. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The dust pan closure for a vacuum cleaner of the present invention eliminates the drawbacks noted above in a simple and effective manner. 
     Particularly, a vacuum cleaner may include a receptacle with an interior and a motor assembly that draws air from the interior of the receptacle. The vacuum cleaner may further include an opening on the receptacle in air flow communication with the receptacle. The vacuum cleaner includes a dust pan, moveable between a first position closing the opening and a position in which the opening is not closed. 
     The dust pan may include a debris holding surface with a front edge, a back edge, and two side edges. The dust pan may further comprise a back wall, two side walls, and a handle. The back wall and the two side walls are attached to the back edge and the two side edges of the debris holding surface respectively. The handle is attached to the back wall. Additionally, the back wall may be curved and is larger in dimension than the largest cross section of the dust pan. 
     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like structures. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a top elevational view of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 taken at the lines  2 — 2  of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a receptacle of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention with the receptacle having an opening and a dust pan, wherein the dust pan is shown out of the opening. 
     FIG. 4 is an isometric view of a receptacle of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention with the receptacle having an opening and a dust pan, wherein the dust pan is inserted in the opening. 
     FIG. 5 is a top plan view of a dust pan of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a front view of a dust pan of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of a dust pan of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a front isometric view of a dust pan of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a back isometric view of a dust pan of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to FIGS. 1-4, a vacuum cleaner  20  includes a receptacle  22 , a lid  24  (FIGS.  1  and  2 ), a motor assembly  26  (FIGS.  1  and  2 ), a hose inlet  28  (FIGS.  1  and  2 ), an opening  30 , and a dust pan  32  opening and closing the opening  30 . The lid  24  has a rim  34  (FIGS. 1 and 2) which is designed to fit over the edge of the receptacle  22  for the vacuum cleaner  20 . Around the periphery of the lid  24  are several latch ports  36  (FIG. 1) which cooperate with latches  38  (FIG. 1) on the receptacle  22  in order to hold the lid  24  on the receptacle. The lid  24  houses a motor assembly  26  that is in air flow communication with the receptacle  22  through a filter  27  (FIG.  2 ). Generally, the motor assembly  26  includes a power cord  29  (FIG. 2) for use with an electrical outlet, an electric motor, an air impeller, various housings, and other associated equipment (all not depicted) that create a low pressure area inside the receptacle  22 . A hose  39  removably connects at a first end  40  to a hose inlet  28  on the receptacle  22 . A nozzle  42  (FIG. 2) is attached at a second end  44  (FIG. 2) of the hose  39  for collecting debris. The vacuum cleaner  20  can be lifted and moved with a handle  45  (FIGS. 1 and 2) that is placed on the vacuum cleaner  20 . Additionally, the vacuum cleaner  20  can be moved by rolling it on casters (not shown). 
     When the vacuum cleaner  20  is in operation, the low pressure created in the receptacle  22  by the motor assembly  26  creates a pressure difference between the receptacle  22  and the nozzle  42  to cause a suction effect at the nozzle  42 . Small debris enters the nozzle  42 , travels through the hose  39 , and is deposited into the receptacle  22 . 
     As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the opening  30  accommodates large debris that cannot enter or that may become trapped inside of the hose  39 . The dust pan  32  can be pulled out of the receptacle  22  to open the opening  30 , and the dust pan  32  can be inserted into the opening  30  on the receptacle  22  to close the opening  30 . A vacuum cleaner operator deposits large debris into the receptacle  22  in either of two ways. First, the vacuum cleaner operator can open the opening  30  by removing the dust pan  32 , manually deposit large debris into the receptacle  22 , and close the opening  30  by inserting the dust pan into the opening  30 . Second, the vacuum cleaner operator can open the opening  30  by removing the dust pan  32 , sweep dust, large or small debris, and liquids into the dust pan  32  with a broom, manually or otherwise, and close the opening  30  by inserting the dust pan  32  into the opening  30 . It may be advantageous to sweep certain items, due to their size, shape or density, into the dustpan rather than attempting to draw them into the tank through the hose. 
     FIGS. 5-9 illustrate the dust pan  32  in greater detail. The dust pan  32  may comprise a dust and debris holding surface  50  (FIGS. 5,  8 , and  9 ) that is partially enclosed on its sides by side walls  52  (FIGS. 5,  7 , and  9 ) and fully enclosed at its back side by a back wall  54  (FIGS.  5 - 9 ). The top of the dust pan can be partially enclosed by a top section  56  (FIGS. 5,  8 , and  9 ) that is attached to the back wall  54  and attached to the two side walls  52 . The dust pan  32  may further include a handle  58  that is attached to the back wall  54  to facilitate handling of the dust pan  32  by a vacuum operator when removing or inserting the dustpan  32 . 
     The side walls  52  prevent spillage of dust and debris from the sides of the holding surface  50 . The portion of the back wall  54  that is inside the dust pan  32  and the top section  56  prevent spillage of dust and debris from the back side of the holding surface  50 . The back wall  54  is curved, thus having a concave side  55  (FIGS. 5,  8 , and  9 ) and a convex side  57  (FIGS. 5,  6 ,  8 ,  9 ). The back wall  54  extends beyond the boundaries of the cross section of the dust pan  32  by having larger dimensions than the dimensions of the largest cross section of the dust pan  32 . The extension of the back wall  54  in combination with its curvature creates a curved surface  60  (FIGS. 5,  7 , and  9 ) that is on the perimeter of the concave side  55  of the back wall  54 . The curvature of the back wall  54  matches the curvature of the receptacle  22  at the location of the opening  30  on the receptacle  22 . Consequently, as illustrated in FIG. 4, when the dust pan  32  is fully inserted into the receptacle  22  to close the opening  30 , the curved surface  60  fits flush against the receptacle  22  to seal the opening  30 . The outside surface of the top section  56 , the outside surfaces of the side walls  54 , and the outside surface of the holding surface  50  guide the dust pan  32  into the opening  30  when the dust pan  32  is being inserted into the opening  30 , and secure the dust pan  32  from movement when it is fully inserted into the opening  30 . 
     The handle  58  is attached to the convex side  57  of the back wall  54 . The handle  58  may comprise a first section  62  (FIGS. 5-9) that extends away from the outside of the back wall  54 , and a second section  64  (FIGS. 6-9) that is attached to the first section  62  and extends downwardly from the first section  62 . The first section  62  and the second section  64  of the handle  58  provide a cavity  66  (FIGS. 6-9) under the handle  58  so that a vacuum operator can insert his/her fingers in the cavity  66  to pull the dust pan  32  out of the receptacle  22 . The handle  58  may further comprise third sections  68  (FIGS. 7-9) that are attached to the first section  62  and the second section  64  on the sides of the handle  58  to reduce the flexure of the handle  58  when a vacuum cleaner operator is pulling the dust pan  32  out of the receptacle  22 . 
     Although the present invention has been applied to tank or receptacle type vacuum cleaners, other types of vacuum cleaners, such as upright vacuum cleaners may be used in connection with the present invention. The opening and the dust pan of the present invention can be incorporated into any debris holding tank or receptacle component of other types of vacuum cleaners. The dust pan closure may be located in many areas of the vacuum cleaner, other than the side wall of the receptacle or tank as shown in FIGS. 1-4. For instance, the dustpan can be located on the lid of a receptacle or even on a compartment separate from but in air flow communication with the main tank or the receptacle. 
     The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding only, and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications would be obvious to those skilled in the art.