Vacuum cleaner having a filter cleaning mechanism

1. A vacuum cleaner having a filter cleaning mechanism, comprising:

a housing having an exterior side and an interior side, and a channel extending through the housing from the exterior side to the interior side;

a vacuum pump to draw air into the interior side of the housing;

a vacuum filter disposed on the interior side of the housing to filter the air;

a filter brush contacting a side of the vacuum filter;

a rod extending slidably through the channel and coupled to the filter brush; and

a handle coupled to the rod, wherein movement of the handle slides the rod through the channel and moves the filter brush along the side of the vacuum filter to remove debris from the filter, wherein the handle rotates from a folded position against the exterior side of the housing to an upright position; and

wherein the handle comprises a cam to translate rotation of the handle into linear movement of the handle.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising a seal member that surrounds the rod, wherein the seal member forms a seal between the rod and the channel when the handle is in the folded position and the handle pulls the rod such that the seal is disposed outside of the channel when the handle is in the upright position.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the handle at least partly surrounds and protects the seal member when the handle is in the upright position.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2 , wherein the seal member comprises an o-ring.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4 ,

wherein the handle covers the o-ring when the handle is in the upright position.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4 , wherein the seal between the rod and to seal the channel is formed between an interior side of the channel and the o-ring.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a cover and a lid cage joined together.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising:

another rod extending slidably through the housing and coupled to the filter brush;

wherein the handle is coupled to each of the rods.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising:

a brush holder coupled to the filter brush and connected to the rod by a rod retainer, wherein the brush holder is configured to be disconnected from the rod retainer.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9 , wherein the brush holder is configured to be disconnected from the rod retainer by rotating the brush holder around the filter.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , further comprising:

a bellows surrounding the rod, the bellows compressible from an extended configuration to a compressed configuration;

wherein the linear movement of the rod through the channel moves the bellows between the extended configuration and the compressed configuration.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the linear movement of the rod through the channel in a first direction moves the bellows from the extended configuration to the compressed configuration and prevents the accumulation of debris on the rod.

13. The vacuum cleaner filter of claim 11 , wherein the linear movement of the rod through the channel in a second direction moves the bellows from the compressed configuration to the extended configuration and sucks air from between the interior side of the housing and the vacuum filter.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising:

a rod wiper attached to a wiper holder attached to the interior side of the housing in the channel such that the linear movement of the rod through the channel cleans the rod;

wherein the rod wiper comprises felt.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14 , wherein the housing comprises a lid cage, wherein the wiper holder is attached to the lid cage.