Patent Publication Number: US-7210196-B2

Title: Bagless vacuum cleaner and dirt collection assembly

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/499,131 filed on Aug. 29, 2003. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to an upright or canister vacuum cleaner equipped with a dirt collection assembly and such a novel dirt collection assembly. 
   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, a vacuum cleaner includes a housing, a suction generator and a dirt collection assembly. The dirt collection assembly includes an inlet, an outlet and a concave air deflector. 
   More specifically describing the invention, the dirt collection assembly includes a dirt cup having a sidewall and a bottom wall. The inlet is provided in the bottom wall. Further the dirt cup has an open top forming the outlet. A filter chamber is provided on the downstream side of the dirt cup and prefilter. An optional filter may be provided in the filter chamber. Additionally, the vacuum cleaner may also include a rotary agitator held in the housing. 
   In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a dirt collection assembly is provided. That dirt collection assembly comprises a dirt cup having a sidewall and a bottom wall, an inlet in the dirt cup, an outlet in the dirt cup and a concave air deflector. The inlet is provided in the bottom wall of the dirt cup. Additionally, a feed conduit extends from the inlet into the dirt cup. The concave air deflector is carried by the feed conduit. 
   The dirt collection assembly may further include a prefilter covering the outlet. In addition, the dirt collection assembly may include a filter chamber and a filter in the filter chamber. Both of these structures are optional but when provided the prefilter is positioned between the dirt cup outlet and the filter chamber. Typically the concave air deflector has a radius of curvature of between about 50 and about 100 mm. 
   In accordance with still another aspect of the present invention a method is provided for delivering air into a dirt collection vessel. The method comprises delivering that air into a dirt collection chamber formed in a dirt collection vessel along a substantially parabolic trajectory. This is done by deflecting the air off of a concave air deflector. 
   In the following description there is shown and described a preferred embodiment of this 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 FIGURES 
     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: 
       FIG. 1  is a schematical, elevational view illustrating a vacuum cleaner incorporating the novel dirt collection assembly of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a schematical side elevational view of the vacuum cleaner shown in  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 3  is a partially cutaway, detailed perspective view of the dirt collection vessel. 
     Reference will now be 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 
   The vacuum cleaner  10  generally comprises a housing including a nozzle assembly  12  and a canister assembly  14 . In the upright vacuum cleaner illustrated in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the canister assembly  14  is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly  12 . Of course, in a canister vacuum cleaner the nozzle assembly  12  would be connected to the canister assembly  14  through a wand assembly including a wand and a flexible hose. 
   The nozzle assembly  12  and canister assembly  14  of the upright vacuum cleaner  10  include a pair of rear wheels  16  and a pair of height adjustable front wheels  18  for supporting the weight of the vacuum cleaner. Additionally, the nozzle assembly  12  includes an agitator cavity  20  that receives a rotary agitator  22 . An intake port  24  is provided in the back of the agitator cavity  20 . The intake port  24  is in fluid communication with a suction conduit  26  that extends at least partially through both the nozzle assembly  12  and the canister assembly  14 . The canister assembly  14  includes a housing  28  including a cavity  30  for receiving and holding a dirt collection assembly generally designated by reference numeral  32 . A control handle  34  is also connected to the housing  28  of the nozzle assembly  14 . 
   The dirt collection assembly  32  includes a dirt cup  36  including a side wall  38  and a bottom wall  40  that define a dirt collection chamber  42 . An inlet  44  is provided in the bottom wall  40 . A feed conduit  46  is in fluid communication with the inlet  44  and extends at least partially into the dirt collection chamber  42 . An air deflector  48  is mounted on the feed conduit  46  adjacent the open end  47  thereof by means of a bracket  50 . As illustrated, the deflector  48  has a concave configuration with a concavity directed toward the open end of the feed conduit  46 . 
   Typically, the concave air deflector  48  has a radius of curvature of between about 50 and about 100 mm and still more typically 75 and about 100 mm. It should also be appreciated that the dirt collection chamber  42  formed in the dirt cup  36  is typically cylindrical in shape. Further, both the feed conduit  46  and the air deflector  48  are concentrically positioned in the dirt collection chamber  42 . 
   A prefilter  52 , in the form of a mesh or screen, is received over or in and encloses the open top of the dirt cup  38 . A filter  54 , such as a filter cartridge with a pleated filter media is held in a cavity  56  formed in the filter chamber housing  58 . A discharge outlet  60  in the filter chamber housing  58  is provided in fluid communication with a discharge conduit  62  formed in the rear of the canister assembly  14 . The discharge conduit  62  has an outlet  64  in fluid communication with the internal chamber  66  in the canister assembly  14  that houses the suction generator  68  comprising a fan and motor assembly. As illustrated, the internal chamber  66  is divided by a partition  70  into an inlet chamber  72  and an exhaust chamber  74 . The suction generator  68  bridges this partition  70 . 
   In operation, the rotary agitator  22  beats and brushes dirt and debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned. That dirt and debris becomes entrained in a suction airstream drawn into the intake port  24  by operation of the suction generator  68  (see action arrow A in  FIG. 1 ). The airstream, entrained with dirt and debris is then drawn from the suction conduit  26  through the inlet  44  and into the feed conduit  46  (note action arrows B in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Next, the airstream with entrained dirt and debris is drawn through the open end of the feed conduit  46  and is directed by the deflector  48  outwardly into the dirt collection chamber  36  of the dirt cup  38 . As a result of the action of the deflector  48 , the airstream is dispersed in a substantially parabolic trajectory or path similar in shape to that of an open umbrella. The relatively heavy dirt and debris collects in the bottom of the dirt collection chamber  36  while the airstream, now devoid of this larger and heavier material, is drawn by the suction generator  68  through the passages  76  in the prefilter  52  (note action arrows C). The airstream then passes through the filter  54  where any remaining fine dirt and debris is captured. 
   The now clean airstream is then drawn by the suction generator  68  from the filter chamber  56  through the outlet  60  into the discharge conduit  62  (note action arrow D). The airstream then passes from the outlet  64  and is drawn into the intake chamber  72  of the suction fan cavity  66  (note action arrow E). The airstream then passes over the motor of the suction generator  68  and advantageously provides cooling for the motor (note action arrow F). The airstream is then exhausted from the discharge chamber  74  of the suction generator cavity  66  through a final filter  78  and a group of exhaust ports  80  (note action arrow G). 
   The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of this 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, in the illustrated embodiment the dirt cup  36  and the combined filter chamber  56  and prefilter  52  are separately removable from the housing  28  of the canister assembly. In an alternative embodiment, they all may be removed together. Further while a single agitator  22  is illustrated in  FIG. 2 , it should be appreciated that the vacuum cleaner may include multiple agitators. In addition, while a “clean air” system is illustrated with the suction generator  68  downstream from the dirt collection assembly  32 , it should be appreciated that a “dirty air” system with the suction generator upstream from the dirt collection assembly is also contemplated. Further, while a dirt cup  38  is shown, a disposable bag could also be utilized in place of the dirt cup. 
   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 embodiment do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.