VACUUM CLEANER WITH SHROUD IN DIRT CUP
A vacuum cleaner includes an air flow path, housing, dirt cup, and shroud. The air flow path directs airflow from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. The housing defines the clean air outlet. The dirt cup is removably coupled to the housing. The dirt cup includes a dirt cup inlet, dirt cup outlet, and dirt collection chamber. The shroud is disposed in the dirt cup between the dirt cup inlet and the dirt cup outlet. The shroud includes a first end, second end, and plurality of shroud lateral sides extending between the first and second ends. The second end is spaced farther from the dirt cup outlet than the first end is. At least one of the shroud lateral sides is closed to airflow therethrough. The other of the shroud lateral sides are permeable to airflow for filtering debris from the airflow.
1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
an air flow path directing airflow from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;
a housing defining the clean air outlet;
a dirt cup removably coupled to the housing, the dirt cup including a dirt cup inlet, a dirt cup outlet, and a dirt collection chamber;
a shroud disposed in the dirt cup between the dirt cup inlet and the dirt cup outlet, the shroud including a first end, a second end spaced farther from the dirt cup outlet than the first end is, and a plurality of shroud lateral sides extending between the first and second ends; and
wherein at least one of the shroud lateral sides is closed to airflow therethrough and the other of the shroud lateral sides are permeable to airflow for filtering debris from the airflow passing from the dirt cup inlet to the dirt cup outlet.
2 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
an entirety of the one of the shroud lateral sides is closed to airflow therethrough.
3 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the shroud lateral sides permeable to airflow further include a mesh screen.
4 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the shroud further includes a shroud endwall, and
the shroud endwall is closed to airflow therethrough.
5 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 4 , wherein
the shroud further includes a shroud frame, and
the shroud endwall is integrally formed as a unitary part with the shroud frame.
6 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the shroud is generally in the shape of a hexagonal prism.
7 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the shroud is generally in the shape of a rectangular prism.
8 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the dirt cup includes a dirt cup opening defined therein, and
the shroud extends through the dirt cup opening.
9 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 , wherein
the dirt cup opening defines the dirt cup outlet.
10 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 , further comprising
a wipe member disposed at least partially about the dirt cup opening, the wipe member extending inwardly to reduce the dirt cup opening and configured such that the wipe member extends adjacent to or in contact with shroud lateral sides upon removal of the shroud from the dirt cup opening.
11 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 , wherein
the wipe member is flexible and configured to wipe the shroud upon removal of the shroud from the dirt cup.
12 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 , wherein
the wipe member is overmolded onto the dirt cup.
13 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 , wherein
an entirety of the one of the shroud lateral sides is closed to airflow therethrough,
the dirt cup opening includes a plurality of opening sides, and
the wipe member is disposed on fewer than all of the plurality of opening sides.
14 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 13 , wherein
the wipe member is disposed on all of the plurality of opening sides except an opening side corresponding to the at least one of the shroud lateral sides that is closed to airflow therethrough.
15 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the shroud further includes a shroud lateral sidewall, and
the shroud lateral sidewall blocks airflow through at least a portion of the at least one of the shroud lateral sides that is closed to airflow therethrough.
16 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 15 , wherein
the shroud further includes a shroud frame, and
the shroud lateral sidewall is integrally formed as a unitary part with the shroud frame.
17 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the dirt cup includes a plurality of dirt cup sidewalls, and
the at least one of the shroud lateral sides having a portion closed to airflow therethrough is positioned adjacent one of the dirt cup sidewalls.
18 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 , wherein
the at least one of the shroud lateral sides having a portion closed to airflow therethrough is removably coupled to the one of the dirt cup sidewalls.
19 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 , wherein
the shroud is positioned nearer one of the dirt cup sidewalls than another of the dirt cup sidewalls such that the shroud is off-center with respect to the dirt cup in cross-section.
20 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the vacuum cleaner includes a handheld vacuum cleaner.
21 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein
the shroud further includes a shroud frame and a mesh screen coupled to the shroud frame, the mesh screen and shroud frame defining a shroud lateral outer perimeter; and
wherein, in a cross-section of the shroud, the shroud frame blocks airflow from passing through a continuous section of at least twenty-five percent of the shroud lateral outer perimeter.
22 . The vacuum cleaner of claim 21 , wherein
the cross-section of the shroud is taken in a plane that is perpendicular to the longest dimension of the shroud.