Removable dirt separation system for a vacuum cleaner

1. A removable dirt separation system for a vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a dirt cup with (i) a number of outer walls having a first portion defined by a filter assembly having a screen panel and a filter element which can be selectively secured to the screen panel, and a second portion with a first translucent panel to allow viewing material which accumulates within the dirt cup, (ii) a top opening to allow emptying of the dirt cup, and (iii) an inlet in fluid communication with a suction nozzle of the vacuum cleaner;

a lid for sealing the top opening of the dirt cup; and

a dirt duct for routing air which exits the filter assembly to an exit opening of the dirt separation system,

wherein a fine particle separation chamber is at least partially defined by the screen panel and filter element.

2. The dirt separation system of claim 1 , further comprising a fine particle exit opening in an upper portion of the of the filter assembly to allow emptying of the fine particle separation chamber.

3. The dirt separation system of claim 2 , wherein the lid further seals the fine particle exit opening.

4. The dirt separation system of claim 1 , wherein the dirt duct includes a second translucent panel for viewing a filtered airflow which exits the filter assembly.

5. The dirt separation system of claim 1 , wherein the first translucent panel includes a left lateral extension which can be used as a hand grip.

6. The dirt separation system of claim 1 , wherein the first translucent panel includes a right lateral extension which can be used as a hand grip.

7. The dirt separation system of claim 1 , further comprising a air directing vane for (i) directing the filtered air toward the exit opening of the dirt separation system and (ii) supporting the wall support.

8. The dirt separation system of claim 7 , further comprising a wall support, and

wherein the screen panel and filter element are releasably secured to the wall support.

9. The dirt cup of claim 1 , wherein the filter member includes a layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE).

10. A method of operating a removable dirt separation system for a vacuum cleaner, comprising the steps of:

admitting a dirt laden airflow into the an inlet of a dirt cup;

filtering the dirt laden airflow with a filter assembly which defines a first portion of the outer walls of a dirt cup by (i) passing the airflow through a screen element defined in a screen panel of the filter assembly, (ii) filtering fine particles with a filter element subsequent to passing the airflow through the screen element, and (iii) accumulating fine particles within a fine particle separation chamber is at least partially defined by the screen element and filter element;

accumulating particles within the dirt cup which cannot pass through the filter assembly in the filtering step;

routing a filtered airflow which exits the filter assembly to an exit opening via a dirt duct; and

viewing the particles accumulated during the accumulating step within the dirt cup through a translucent wall which defines a second portion of the dirt cup.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

emptying the fine particles from the fine particle separation chamber via a fine particle exit opening defined in an upper portion of the filter assembly.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of sealing the fine particle exit opening with a lid.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of viewing the filtered airflow which exits the filter assembly through a second translucent panel.

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

extending the first translucent panel to create a left lateral extension which can be used as a hand grip; and

grasping the left lateral extension to empty the contents of the dirt cup.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

extending the first translucent panel to create a right lateral extension which can be used as a hand grip; and

grasping the right lateral extension to empty the contents of the dirt cup.

16. The method of claim 10 , the routing step further comprising the step of directing the airflow toward the exit opening with a flow directing vane.

17. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of releasing the screen element and filter element from a wall support.

18. The method of claim 10 , the filtering fine particles step further including the step passing the airflow through a layer of expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE).