Filter for a vacuum cleaner

1. A filter assembly for a vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a filter carrier comprising:

a pair of opposed side walls, each having an arced rear edge;

a pair of opposed end walls that are narrower in width than the side walls, each end wall having a rear edge and a protrusion extending away from the end wall;

the rear edges of the side and end walls defining a concave air inlet opening; and

a front side having an air outlet; and

a filter element associated with the filter carrier;

wherein one of the protrusions comprises a planar surface oriented generally perpendicular to the end wall and generally parallel to and spaced from the rear edge, a ramped surface formed between the rear edge and the planar surface and increasing in height in a direction away from the air inlet, and a pair of opposed, parallel side walls extending orthogonally from the end wall to the planar surface and the ramped surface.

2. The filter assembly of claim 1 wherein the other of the protrusions comprises a second planar surface oriented generally perpendicular to the end wall and generally parallel to and spaced from the rear edge, and an arced surface extending from the top of the second planar surface towards the rear edge.

3. A filter assembly for a vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a filter carrier comprising:

a pair of opposed side walls, each having an arced rear edge;

a pair of opposed end walls that are narrower in width than the side walls, each end wall having a rear edge and an obverse surface;

a first protrusion projecting from at least one obverse surface;

the rear edges of the side and end walls defining a concave air inlet opening; and

a front side having an air outlet; and

a filter element adapted to be mounted within the filter carrier;

wherein the first protrusion comprises a planar surface oriented generally perpendicular to the end wall and generally parallel to the rear edge, the planar surface defining a ramp that extends from the planar surface towards the rear edge, and a pair of opposed, parallel side walls extending orthogonally from the end wall to the planar surface and the ramped surface.

4. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein a second protrusion extends away from the end wall opposite the at least one end wall.

5. The filter assembly of claim 4 wherein the second protrusion comprises a planar surface oriented generally perpendicular to the end wall and generally parallel to the rear edge and forms an arc from the top of the planar surface towards the rear edge.

6. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein a resilient gasket is affixed to the rear edges of the side and end walls to form a seal between the filter carrier and the filter receiver.

7. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein both the side walls and end walls are impermeable to air.

8. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein the filter element comprises a pleated filter.

9. The filter assembly of claim 8 wherein the filter element has a reinforcing rib along the length thereof and between the sides thereof.

10. The filter assembly of claim 9 wherein the filter element is sealed within the filter carrier.

11. The filter assembly of claim 10 wherein the filter element comprises a HEPA filter.

12. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein the radius of curvature of the arced rear edge of each side wall is in the range of about 700 mm to about 870 mm.

13. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein the radius of curvature of the arced rear edge of each side wall is about 786 mm.

14. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein the filter element is sealed within the filter carrier.

15. The filter assembly of claim 3 and further comprising a reinforcing rib along the length of the filter element and between the sides thereof.

16. The filter assembly of claim 3 wherein the ramp formed by the first protrusion increases in height in a direction away from the air inlet.

17. The filter assembly of claim 16 wherein a second protrusion extends away from the end wall opposite the at least one end wall and the second protrusion comprises a second planar surface oriented generally perpendicular to the end wall and generally parallel to and spaced from the rear edge, and an arced surface extending from the top of the second planar surface towards the rear edge.