Patent ID: 8365350

Claim:
A utility vacuum comprising: a canister; a powerhead assembly removably coupled to the canister, the powerhead assembly comprising a rim, a first latch, a second latch, a handle, an inlet port, an outlet port, a fan, a fan inlet, a motor for providing rotary power to the fan, a receptacle assembly and an electric circuit for distributing electrical power to the motor, the first and second latches engaging the rim and the canister to secure the powerhead assembly to the canister, the handle being spaced apart from the rim and disposed horizontally between the inlet port and the outlet port when the vacuum is an upright position, the inlet port being in fluid communication with the canister when the powerhead assembly is coupled to the canister, the canister being in fluid communication with the fan inlet when the powerhead assembly is coupled to the canister, the fan being disposed between the fan inlet and the outlet port, the receptacle assembly having a receptacle housing and a connector, the receptacle housing defining at least a portion of an exterior surface of the powerhead assembly and being adapted to receive a battery pack, the connector having a plurality of terminals that are configured to electrically detachably couple the battery pack to the electric circuit, the electric circuit being adapted to receive a source of direct current power from the battery and to provide electrical power to the motor; a filter in fluid communication with the fan inlet; and a shut-off device associated with the powerhead assembly, the shut-off device being configured to prevent the fan from drawing a liquid into the fan inlet when a volume of the liquid in the canister exceeds a predetermined volume, wherein the powerhead assembly housing defines at least one cooling air intake aperture and at least one cooling air discharge aperture, the at least one cooling air discharge aperture being associated with the outlet port so that air flowing through the outlet port passes across the cooling air discharge to set up a zone of relatively low pressure that causes air to be drawn out of the cooling air discharge aperture to thereby cool the motor.