Patent ID: 8590099

Claim:
A vacuum cleaner having a detachable blower, the vacuum cleaner comprising: a dirt tank; a tank cover mounted on the dirt tank; a tank inlet extending through at least one of the dirt tank or the tank cover to provide a passage for transmitting material into the dirt tank; a filter assembly within the dirt tank mounted to the tank cover; a blower mounted on the tank cover so as to be detachable from the dirt tank, the tank cover and the filter assembly, the blower having a blower inlet in communication with the filter assembly and a blowing outlet, and including a main body and having a handle, the handle being a single handle on the main body and being located on a top face of the main body with a substantially symmetrical construction and including a central plane, the blower including a drive motor having a motor shaft with an axis substantially aligned with the central plane, the blower configured to draw material into the dirt tank via the tank inlet when the blower causes air to flow through the tank inlet, the filter assembly, the blower inlet and the blower outlet; and a locking assembly including a latch pivotally mounted on the blower, the locking assembly having an activating portion extending from an underside of the handle facing the top face and a latch section for selectively engaging the tank cover, thereby attaching or detaching the blower and the tank cover.