Patent ID: 7908706

Claim:
A dirt container for a vacuum cleaner, the dirt container comprising: a first chamber having an upper opening, a sidewall forming an upper edge that surrounds the upper opening, and an air inlet; a removable filter element comprising: an upper portion having a central opening and a peripheral edge located radially outward of the central opening, a filter portion extending from the upper portion and having a proximal end attached to the upper portion to surround the central opening, and a lower portion attached to a distal end of the filter portion, wherein at least a portion of the lower portion extends radially from the filter portion, and wherein the lower portion comprises a peripheral flange extending away from the lower portion; and a handle extending across the central opening, wherein the peripheral edge of the upper portion is adapted to selectively engage the upper edge of the first chamber to attach the removable filter thereto, and wherein the filter portion extends into the first chamber when the peripheral edge is engaged with the upper edge.