Granted Patent B2

US 12,234,088 · App. 18/092,875 · Granted Feb 25, 2025

Inventor: Wayne Ernest Conrad (Hampton, CA)

Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.

B65F1/14A47L9/106A47L9/12A47L9/16A47L9/1683B65F1/105B65F1/1607B65F2210/129

Abstract

Claims (36)

1. A system comprising a vacuum cleaner comprising a dirt collection region, and an apparatus for receiving dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner, the dirt collection region having an openable portion and a closure member securing the openable portion in a closed position wherein dirt is emptyable from the dirt collection region when the openable portion is opened, the apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow passage from an inlet port to a clean air outlet, wherein the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positionable in air flow communication with the inlet port;

(b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the inlet port, the air treatment member comprising an apparatus chamber having an apparatus chamber air inlet and an apparatus chamber air outlet; and,

(c) a release actuator which engages the closure member and moves the closure member to an unlocked position, in which the closure member is disengaged from the openable portion, whereby the openable portion is openable,

wherein the apparatus is configured to be free standing on a floor and, when the apparatus is standing on the floor, the apparatus has an upper end which has the inlet port, and

wherein, when the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positioned to be in air flow communication with the apparatus and the system is in an emptying mode of operation, a motor and fan assembly produces a flow of air from the inlet port to the clean air outlet, the flow of air conveying dirt, which enters the apparatus from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner, to the apparatus chamber and any additional filtration member that is downstream of the apparatus chamber air inlet is positioned exterior to an open contiguous volume of the apparatus chamber.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the apparatus is portable.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein, during the emptying mode of operation, at least a portion of an openable door of the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positioned in the apparatus.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein, when the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is in an emptying position, an openable door of the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is aligned with the inlet port.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein, when the apparatus is standing on the floor, the inlet port is provided in an upwardly facing surface of the apparatus.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the inlet port comprises a majority of the upwardly facing surface of the apparatus.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein the upwardly facing surface of the apparatus comprises an annular wall and the inlet port is provided radially inwardly of the annular wall.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner is insertable into the apparatus.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein, when the apparatus is standing on the floor, the inlet port faces upwardly.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein, when the apparatus is standing on the floor, the apparatus chamber has a bottom wall, an upper wall and a generally vertically extending sidewall and the apparatus chamber air outlet is provided in the generally vertically extending sidewall of the apparatus.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is moveable in a downward direction to an emptying position in which the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is in air flow communication with the inlet port.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein an additional filtration member is downstream of the apparatus chamber air outlet and upstream of the motor and fan assembly.

13. A system comprising a vacuum cleaner comprising a dirt collection region, and an apparatus for receiving dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner, the dirt collection region having an openable portion and a closure member securing the openable portion in a closed position wherein dirt is emptyable from the dirt collection region when the openable portion is opened, the apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow passage from an inlet port to a clean air outlet, and the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positionable in air flow communication with the inlet port;

(b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the inlet port, the air treatment member comprising an apparatus dirt collection region; and,

(c) a release actuator which directly engages the closure member and moves the closure member to an unlocked position whereby the openable portion is openable,

wherein the apparatus is configured to be free standing on a floor and, when the apparatus is standing on the floor, the apparatus has an upper end having the inlet port, and

wherein, when the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positioned to be in air flow communication with the apparatus and the system is in an emptying mode of operation, a motor and fan assembly produces a flow of air that conveys dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner to the apparatus dirt collection region and subsequently out an outlet port of the apparatus dirt collection region.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein, when the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positioned in air flow communication with the inlet port and the motor and fan assembly is actuated, air travels downwardly from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner into the apparatus.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein, during the emptying mode of operation, an openable door of the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is receivable in the apparatus.

16. The system of claim 13 wherein the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner comprises an openable door of the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner and, during the emptying mode of operation, the openable door of the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positioned in the apparatus.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the openable door of the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner comprises all of an end wall of the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner.

18. The system of claim 13 wherein the inlet port comprises a majority of an upwardly facing surface of the apparatus.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is moveable in a downward direction to a position in which the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is in air flow communication with the inlet port.

20. A system comprising a vacuum cleaner comprising a dirt collection region, and an apparatus for receiving dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner, the dirt collection region having an openable portion and a closure member securing the openable portion in a closed position wherein dirt is emptyable from the dirt collection region when the openable portion is opened, the apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow passage from an inlet port to a clean air outlet, wherein the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positionable in air flow communication with the inlet port;

(b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the inlet port, the air treatment member comprising an apparatus chamber having an apparatus chamber air outlet; and,

(c) a release actuator which disengages the closure member from the openable portion whereby the release actuator enables the openable portion to be opened after the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is sealed to the apparatus,

wherein the apparatus is configured to be free standing on a floor and, when the apparatus is standing on the floor, the apparatus has an upper end which has the inlet port, and

wherein, when the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positioned to be in air flow communication with the apparatus and the system is in an emptying mode of operation, a motor and fan assembly produces a flow of air from the inlet port to the clean air outlet, the flow of air conveying dirt, which enters the apparatus from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner, to the apparatus chamber and all of an open contiguous volume of the apparatus chamber is free of a physical filtration member.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein, when the apparatus is standing on the floor, the apparatus chamber has a bottom wall, an upper wall and a generally vertically extending sidewall and the apparatus chamber air outlet is provided in the generally vertically extending sidewall of the apparatus.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (3)

References Cited (400)

Cited By (1)

US 12,727,731