Patent ID: 8782852

Claim:
A vacuum system, comprising: an intake port; a receptacle in fluid communication with said intake port; a plurality of vacuum motors, wherein each of said vacuum motors has an inlet in fluid communication with said intake port and has an air outlet spaced apart from said inlet, and wherein each of said vacuum motors has an effective diameter for an airflow rate through said inlet and said air outlet; and a plurality of check valves, wherein each of said check valves is respectively in fluid communication with said vacuum motors, and wherein each of said check valves has an opening spaced apart from said respective vacuum motor inlet by a distance at least as great as said effective diameter, wherein at least one of said vacuum motors is inoperative while at least another of said vacuum motors is operative, wherein each of said check valves has an airflow clearance that is at least as great as said effective diameter, and wherein said check valve in fluid communication with said inoperative motor is pulled closed by a pressure differential between an ambient pressure at said air outlet side of said inoperative motor and a sub-ambient pressure within said receptacle.