IP Library › Granted Patent US 10,278,557
Granted Patent B2
US 10,278,557 · App. 15/300,131 · Granted May 7, 2019

Vacuum cleaner

Inventor: Douglas M Rukavina (Massillon, OH)
Assignee: Techtronic Industries Co. Ltd.
A47L9/1691A47L5/28A47L9/122A47L9/1666A47L9/1683
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,278,557
App. No.
15/300,131
Granted
May 7, 2019
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vacuum cleaner that includes a suction source, a main body, a dirt separator removably coupled to the main body, a pre-motor filter in contacting engagement with the main body in a vertically orientated plane, and a post-motor filter in contacting engagement with the main body along the vertically orientated plane.

Claims (32)

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a suction source;

a main body;

a dirt separator removably coupled to the main body;

a base including a suction nozzle, the base configured to move along a surface to be cleaned, the main body is pivotally coupled to the base and pivotable relative to the base between an upright storage position and an inclined operating position;

a pre-motor filter in contacting engagement with the main body in a vertically orientated plane; and

a post-motor filter in contacting engagement with the main body along the vertically orientated plane, wherein air flows through the pre-motor filter and the post-motor filter in substantially the same direction,

wherein the pre-motor filter and the post-motor filter are inaccessible for replacement when the dirt separator is coupled to the main body and the pre-motor filter and the post-motor filter are accessible for replacement when the dirt separator in uncoupled from the main body.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the vertically orientated plane extends through post-motor filter.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the post-motor filter is generally parallel to the vertically orientated plane.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3 , wherein the post-motor filter is located in the vertically orientated plane.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pre-motor filter includes a pre-motor filter face, the pre-motor filter configured to filter an airflow that travels through the pre-motor filter generally perpendicular to the pre-motor filter face, and wherein the pre-motor filter face defines the vertically orientated plane.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 , wherein the dirt separator includes a cyclonic separator and a dirt cup configured to receive debris separated by the cyclonic separator.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a first side that generally faces the dirt separator and a second side opposed to the first side, wherein the pre-motor filter and the post-motor filter are accessible from the first side of the main body.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7 , wherein the pre-motor filter and the post-motor filter are generally inaccessible when the dirt separator is coupled to the main body and in fluid communication with the suction source.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 , wherein the pre-motor filter and the post-motor filter are generally accessible when the dirt separator is uncoupled from the main body.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a post-motor filter chamber, the post-motor filter received within the post-motor filter chamber to couple the post-motor filter to the main body.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 , further comprising a door that encloses and provides accesses to the post-motor filter chamber.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the door is pivotally coupled to the main body.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 , wherein the door is coupled to the dirt separator and removable with the dirt separator from the main body.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a handle configured to move the vacuum cleaner along the surface, wherein the main body includes a lower end adjacent the base and an upper end adjacent the handle, wherein the post-motor filter is coupled to the main body below the pre-motor filter, between the pre-motor filter and the lower end of the base, and wherein the pre-motor filter is coupled to the main body between the post-motor filter and the upper end of the main body.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the main body includes a duct that provides fluid communication between the dirt separator and the suction source and the pre-motor filter is located within the duct.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15 , wherein the duct includes an inlet adjacent the dirt separator, wherein the pre-motor filter is adjacent the inlet.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the pre-motor filter is removably coupled to the main body and the pre-motor filter is configured to be coupled to the main body in a first orientation and a second orientation.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 , wherein the first orientation is 180 degrees from the second orientation.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the dirt separator includes an outlet along an axis, and wherein the pre-motor filter intersects the axis.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein air flows through the pre-motor filter in a first direction and the post-motor filter in a second direction, wherein the first direction and second direction are substantially parallel.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , further including a first face of the pre-motor filter and a second face of the post-motor filter, wherein the first face and the second face are substantially parallel.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the dirt separator further includes a dirt cup configured to be removed from the main body in order to access the pre-motor filter and the post-motor filter.

23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the dirt separator further includes a dirt cup, wherein the pre-motor filter and the post-motor filter are positioned substantially adjacent a side of the dirt cup.

24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the post-motor filter includes a door positioned between the post-motor filter and the dirt separator.

25. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the dirt separator further includes a dirt cup extending along a second vertically oriented plane, wherein the second vertically oriented plane is substantially parallel to the vertically oriented plane.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 28, 2016
From: RUKAVINA, DOUGLAS M.
To: TECHTRONIC INDUSTRIES CO. LTD.
Reel/Frame 039879/0180 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61975332 · Apr 4, 2014
Related Publication 20170172366A1 · Jun 22, 2017
Cited By (1)
US 1,071,415