Patent ID: 7896936

Claim:
A filter box for a surface maintenance machine comprising: a cylindrical air filter positioned within said filter box located remote from a debris hopper of said surface maintenance machine, with said debris hopper being lifted away from a ground surface during a hopper dumping procedure and with said filter box not being lifted during said hopper dumping procedure; an electric motor connected to a shaker plate, with said shaker plate engaging the cylindrical air filter; an eccentric mass connected to the electric motor and rotating in response to rotation of the electric motor during a filter cleaning procedure, wherein the shaker plate imparts a shaking motion thereto in order to dislodge an accumulation of dust from outer surfaces of said air filter; a vacuum fan motor attached to said filter box; a vacuum impeller contained within said filter box and rotated via said vacuum fan motor to draw air through said filter box; a debris outlet allowing said accumulation of dust from the air filter to pass into said hopper; and a seal across said debris outlet selectively preventing said accumulation of dust from exiting the filter box.