Patent ID: 8037572

Claim:
A vacuum comprising: a housing including a collection canister and a cover coupled to said canister, said cover and said canister defining an interior space; an inlet and an outlet, said inlet and outlet communicating with said interior space; a fan in fluid communication with said inlet and said outlet; a motor operable to rotationally drive said fan wherein rotation of said fan creates a fluid flow from said inlet, through said interior space, and out said outlet; a handle coupled to said housing and movable between a first position and a second position; and a locking mechanism associated with said handle and including a latch and a receiver, said receiver being fixed relative to said collection canister when said handle is moved between said first and second positions, said latch being moveable between a locked position restricting movement of said handle relative to said housing and an unlocked position allowing movement of said handle relative to said housing, said latch engaging said receiver in said locked position, wherein movement of said locking mechanism between said locked and unlocked positions includes relative pivotal movement between said latch and said receiver that is independent of movement of said handle between said first and second positions.