U.S. patent application number 11/396344 was filed with the patent office on 2007-10-04 for canister vacuum arrangement.
Invention is credited to Joseph E. Due.
Application Number | 20070226948 11/396344 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 38556742 |
Filed Date | 2007-10-04 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070226948 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Due; Joseph E. |
October 4, 2007 |
Canister vacuum arrangement
Abstract
A canister vacuum arrangement including a canister vacuum
carried by a cart. The canister vacuum including a blower motor and
a canister housing. The canister housing includes a separation
chamber, a particulate collection region located beneath the
separation chamber, and a filter chamber located above the
separation chamber. A removable filter is positioned within the
filter chamber. In operation, airflow generated by the blower motor
enters that canister housing at the separation chamber, flows
through the filter, and exits the canister housing through an
annular outlet defined between the separation chamber and the
filter chamber.
Inventors: |
Due; Joseph E.; (Mauston,
WI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
MERCHANT & GOULD PC
P.O. BOX 2903
MINNEAPOLIS
MN
55402-0903
US
|
Family ID: |
38556742 |
Appl. No.: |
11/396344 |
Filed: |
March 31, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/340.1 ;
15/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/20 20130101; A47L
9/1608 20130101; A47L 5/365 20130101; A47L 9/1666 20130101; A47L
9/009 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/340.1 ;
015/353 |
International
Class: |
E01H 1/08 20060101
E01H001/08; A47L 9/16 20060101 A47L009/16 |
Claims
1. A canister vacuum arrangement, comprising: a) a cart having a
front end and a rear end, the cart including wheels for transport
of the canister vacuum arrangement; b) a blower motor mounted
adjacent to one of the front and rear ends of the cart, the blower
motor including an inlet and an outlet; c) a canister housing
mounted adjacent to the other of the front and rear ends of the
cart, the canister housing including a canister inlet and a
canister outlet, the outlet of the blower motor being
interconnected to the canister inlet, the canister housing
including: i) a cylindrical separation chamber; ii) a particulate
collection region located beneath the separation chamber; and iii)
a filter chamber located above the separation chamber, the filter
chamber and the separation chamber defining the canister outlet
therebetween; and d) a removable filter positioned within the
filter chamber of the canister housing, the filter chamber having
an inlet side and an outlet side; e) wherein airflow generated by
the blower motor enters the canister housing at the cylindrical
separation chamber, flows through the filter, and exits the
canister housing through the canister outlet.
2. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein a first seal and a second
seal are provided between the inlet side and the outlet side of the
filter chamber when the filter is positioned within the filter
chamber.
3. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the canister inlet is
oriented to direct incoming airflow generated by the blower motor
toward an adjacent inner wall surface of the separation chamber
such that a cyclone effect is created during operation of the
canister vacuum arrangement.
4. The arrangement of claim 1, further including a filter cleaning
device that cleans the filter without removing the filter from the
filter chamber, the filter cleaning device including an operating
mechanism located at an exterior of the canister housing.
5. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the operating mechanism
includes a rotatable handle.
6. The arrangement of claim 5, wherein the rotatable handle extends
from a top wall of the filter chamber, the rotatable handle being
coupled to a dust removal arrangement located within the filter
chamber.
7. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the filter cleaning device
includes a flapper arrangement that rotates within an interior of
the filter to clean the filter.
8. The arrangement of claim 4, wherein the filter chamber is in
communication with the particulate collection region such that
particulate removed from the filter by the filter cleaning device
falls through the separation chamber and into the particulate
collection region.
9. The arrangement of claim 1, further including a removable
collection tray located within the particulate collection
region.
10. The arrangement of claim 9, wherein the canister housing
further includes a covered opening, the covered opening providing
access to the removable collection tray located within the
particulate collection region.
11. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical separation
chamber defines a volume, the volume being obstruction-free.
12. The arrangement of claim 1, wherein a circular airflow pattern
is created within the separation chamber, and wherein the
particulate collection region defines an expansion region that
stops the circular airflow pattern and permits some of the
particulate carried in the airflow to settle.
13. A canister vacuum, comprising: a) a canister housing including
an upper housing portion detachably secured to a lower housing
portion, the canister housing defining an annular vacuum outlet
between the upper and lower housing portions, the lower housing
portion including a cylindrical separation chamber having an
obstruction-free volume; b) a blower motor that generates airflow
from a work area to the canister housing; c) a removable filter
positioned within the upper housing portion of the canister
housing; and d) wherein airflow generated by the blower motor
enters that canister housing at the cylindrical separation chamber,
flows through the filter, and exits the canister housing through
the annular vacuum outlet.
14. The canister vacuum of claim 13, further including a
particulate collection region located beneath the separation
chamber.
15. The canister vacuum of claim 14, wherein the separation chamber
creates a circular airflow pattern, and wherein larger particulate
carried by the airflow falls from the separation chamber into the
particulate collection region.
16. The canister vacuum of claim 15, wherein the particulate
collection region defines an expansion region that stops the
circular airflow pattern to allow the larger particulate carried in
the airflow to settle.
17. The canister vacuum of claim 13, further including a filter
cleaning device that cleans the filter without detaching the upper
portion of the canister housing from the lower housing portion of
the canister housing.
18. The canister vacuum of claim 17, wherein the filter cleaning
device includes an operating mechanism located at an exterior of
the canister housing, the operating mechanism being coupled to a
dust removal arrangement located within the canister housing.
19. The canister vacuum of claim 18, wherein particulate removed
from the filter by the filter cleaning device is captured within a
particulate collection region located beneath the separation
chamber of the canister housing.
20. A method of using a canister vacuum arrangement, the method
comprising the steps of: a) operating a blower motor to generate
airflow that carries particulate from a work area to a canister
housing of the canister vacuum arrangement, the particulate
including larger-sized particulate and finer-sized particulate; b)
separating the larger-sized particulate from the finer-sized
particulate by circulating the airflow within a separation chamber
of the canister housing; c) collecting the larger-sized particulate
within a particulate collection region of the canister housing, the
particulate collection region being located below the separation
chamber; d) collecting the finer-sized particulate in a filter
positioned in a filter chamber of the canister housing, the filter
chamber being located above the separation chamber, the filter
chamber including a dirty air input side and a clean air output
side; and e) exhausting clean filtered air from the clean air
output side of the filter chamber through an annular opening formed
between the filter chamber of the canister housing and the
separation chamber.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to devices for
removing particulate and dust from a working surface or working
area. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a canister
vacuum arrangement for use in heavy-duty cleaning applications, and
associated methods of operation and use.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Shop vacuums are commonly used in the construction and
remodeling industry for removing and collecting particulates and
dust from working surfaces and working areas. In some projects,
such as the fabrication of a large concrete surface, a massive
amount of dust and particulate is produced. Conventional shop
vacuums used in industry today have bags that collect the larger
particulate. During operation of the conventional vacuums, however,
a significant amount of smaller sized particulate and dust often
leaks through the bags. The leaky vacuum bags create dust clouds in
the working area, which are difficult to work in and even dangerous
to one's health. Conventional shop vacuums are also messy to empty
or clean. In general, improvement has been sought with respect to
conventional vacuum arrangements, generally to improve particulate
retention and accommodate ease of use.
SUMMARY
[0003] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a canister
vacuum arrangement having a canister vacuum and a transport cart.
The canister vacuum includes a blower motor and a canister housing.
The canister housing includes a separation chamber, a particulate
collection region, and a filter chamber. A filter and filter
cleaning device are located within the filter chamber. The canister
vacuum arrangement improves particulate retention by providing a
canister housing that contains and captures particulate and dust in
a effective manner; and also eliminates the mess associated with
maintenance of the canister vacuum.
[0004] A variety of examples of desirable product features or
methods are set forth in part in the description that follows, and
in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by
practicing various aspects of the disclosure. The aspects of the
disclosure may relate to individual features as well as
combinations of features. It is to be understood that both the
foregoing general description and the following detailed
description are explanatory only, and are not restrictive of the
claimed invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a
canister vacuum arrangement according to the principles of the
present disclosure;
[0006] FIG. 2 is another front perspective view of the canister
vacuum arrangement of FIG. 1; and
[0007] FIG. 3 is a schematic, cross-sectional view of a portion of
the canister vacuum arrangement of FIG. 2, taken along line
3-3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0008] With reference now to the various figures in which identical
elements are numbered identically throughout, a description of
various exemplary aspects of the present invention will now be
provided.
[0009] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a canister vacuum arrangement 10 having
features that are examples of how inventive aspects in accordance
with the principles of the present disclosure may be practiced.
Preferred features are adapted for improving particulate retention
and accommodating ease of use.
[0010] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the canister vacuum arrangement
10 generally includes a wagon or cart 12 and a canister vacuum 14
carried by the cart 12. The canister vacuum 14 includes a canister
housing 16 and a blower motor 18 that suctions and transfers
particulate and dust from a working area to the canister housing
16.
[0011] The cart 12 includes a platform or base 20 having a front
end 22 and a rear end 22. The blower motor 18 is located at the
front end 22 of the cart platform 20. The canister vacuum 14 is
located at the rear end 22 of the cart platform 20.
[0012] Because of the size and weight of the present heavy-duty
canister vacuum 14, the cart 12 includes wheels and/or casters 28,
and is intended to be a pull-behind cart that attaches to a piece
of equipment for transport of the canister vacuum 14. A yoke or
hitch 26 is located at the front end 22 of the cart 12. In the
illustrated embodiment, the hitch 26 is pivotally connected to the
cart 12 to accommodate a variety of attachment configurations of
different equipment.
[0013] Referring still to FIGS. 1 and 2, a box structure 30 is used
to provide a mounting platform 32 to which the blower motor 18 is
mounted. The box structure 30 can include various mounting
configurations, such as holes and/or slots, to accommodate the
mounting pattern of the blower motor 18. In the illustrated
embodiment, the blower motor is a 4-hp motor. Suitable blower
motors that can be used are sold by Penn State Industries of
Philadelphia, Pa. The box structure 30 can be modified to
accommodate a number of different mounting patterns of different
blower motors. The box structure 30 can include an access opening
104 (FIG. 2) to access the mounting configurations. Structure other
than a box structure can also be used. In the alternative, the
blower motor 18 may be directly mounted to the cart platform
20.
[0014] The blower motor 18 includes an inlet 34 and an outlet 36.
Airflow is drawn or suctioned in through the inlet 34 and exhausted
or blown out through the outlet 36. An intake hose or tube 38 (FIG.
1) is attached to the inlet 34. In the illustrated embodiment, an
intermediate hose or tube 40 is also provided between the outlet 36
of the blower motor and the canister housing 16. The intermediate
tube 40 transports dirt, dust, and particulate suctioned in by the
blower motor 18 to the canister housing 16. In alternative
arrangements, the outlet 36 of the blower motor 18 can be directly
connected to the canister housing 16.
[0015] The canister housing 16 of the canister vacuum 14 includes a
first upper portion 42 detachably secured to a second lower portion
44. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper portion 42 is
detachably secured to the lower portion 44 by latches 46, such as
over-center latches. Other mechanisms and devices, such as
fasteners and brackets, hooks, or dowels and cotter pins, can also
be used to detachably secure the upper and lower portions 42, 44 to
one another.
[0016] Still referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower portion 44 of
the canister housing 16 defines a cylindrical separation chamber 50
and a particulate collection region 52. The cylindrical separation
chamber 50 defines a canister housing inlet 54 (FIG. 1). The
intermediate tube 40 interconnects the outlet 36 of the blower
motor 18 to the inlet 54 of the canister housing 16.
[0017] The inlet 54 of the canister housing 16 is arranged and
oriented to direct incoming airflow generated by the blower motor
18 toward an adjacent inner wall surface 56 (FIG. 3) of the
separation chamber 50. That is, airflow does not enter the
separation chamber in a direction toward the center of the chamber
50. Instead, the inlet 54 is offset so that a cyclone effect is
created with the separation chamber 50 (as shown by arrows in FIGS.
2 and 3). As shown in FIG. 1, the separation chamber includes an
offset entry port 48 to which the intermediate tube 40 is
attached.
[0018] Dirt, dust, and particulate carried by the airflow from the
blower motor 18 to the separation chamber 50 can range in size from
larger particulate to finer particulate. Larger particulate is the
particulate that is not easily suspended or carried by the airflow,
such that over time, the weight of the particulate causes the
particulate to fall or settle. Finer particulate is more easily
suspended and requires filtration or a physical barrier, as opposed
to gravity, to remove such particulate from the airflow.
[0019] Referring now to FIG. 3, the cyclone effect created in the
separation chamber 50 causes the airflow from the blower motor 18
to travel around in a circular pattern within the chamber. As the
air circulates, the larger and/or heavier particulate carried in
the airflow falls downward through the separation chamber 50.
Eventually, the larger particulate falls into the particulate
collection region 52 of the canister housing 16. In the illustrated
embodiment, the separation chamber 50 is free of obstructions. That
is, with the exception of the particulate carried by the airflow,
the volume of the separation chamber is empty so as to not inhibit
the free circulation of air within the chamber.
[0020] The particulate collection region 52 located beneath the
separation chamber 50 is preferably of a shape that impedes or
causes the circulation of airflow to cease. In the illustrated
embodiment, an expansion region 106 provided between the
cylindrical separation chamber 50 and the larger non-cylindrical
particulate collection region 52 stops the cyclone effect to permit
the larger particulate to settle. In the illustrated embodiment, a
removable tray 58 is located within the particulate collection
region 52. Preferably, the tray 58 is sized and positioned within
the region 52 such that the larger particulate that falls from the
separate chamber 50 falls within the tray 58.
[0021] Referring back to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower portion 44 of the
canister housing 16 includes a covered opening 60 that provides
access to the tray 58 (FIG. 3). The covered opening 60 in the shown
embodiment includes a removable rear panel 62 that partially
defines the particulate collection region 52. Securing devices 64,
such as latches, secure the removable panel 62 to the lower portion
44 of the canister housing 16. To empty the particulate collected
within the particulate collection region 52, the user simply
removes the panel 62 from the lower portion of the canister housing
16, and empties the tray 58.
[0022] Some of the particulate carried by the airflow is fine, and
not heavy or large enough to fall down into the particulate
collection region 52 of the canister vacuum 14. The finer
particulate is instead carried by the airflow into the upper
portion 42 of the canister housing 16. The upper portion 42 of the
canister housing 16 defines a filter chamber 66. The filter chamber
66 is located above the separation chamber 50. A removable filter
70 (FIG. 3) is positioned within the filter chamber 66 of the
canister housing 16. In the illustrated embodiment, the removable
filter 70 has a cylindrical shape similar to the shape of the
filter chamber 66.
[0023] Referring again to FIG. 3, the filter 70 has an inlet side
72 and an outlet side 74. Air flows through the inlet side 72, and
exits from the outlet side 74. Finer particulate, e.g.,
smaller-sized dirt particles and dust, still carried by the airflow
from the separation chamber 50 is filtered from the air and trapped
in the filter 70, primarily at the inlet side 72 of the filter.
[0024] The canister housing 16 of the canister vacuum 14 defines a
canister housing outlet 68 through which the clean, filtered air is
exhausted. The canister outlet 68 is an annular opening provided
between the upper and lower portions 42, 44 of the canister housing
16. As shown in FIG. 3, the outlet or annular opening 68 is located
between the separation chamber 50 of the lower portion 44 of the
canister housing 16 and the filter chamber 66 of the upper portion
42.
[0025] The annular opening 68 is in fluid communication with an
output side 94 of the filter chamber 66, but is sealed from fluid
communication with an input side 96 of the filter chamber 66. That
is, the canister housing 16 is constructed to create upper and
lower annular seals 98, 100 between the housing 16 and the filter
70 when the filter 70 is seated within the filter chamber 66. In
particular, the upper seal 98 is created between a top wall 78 of
the upper portion 42 of the canister housing 16, and the lower seal
100 is created between a top edge 102 of the lower portion 44 of
the canister housing. Accordingly, airflow entering the canister
housing 16 can only exit the housing by passing through the filter
70 and out the annular opening 68.
[0026] As with any filter, over time, dirt and dust collected by
the filter 70 can cause the filter 70 to become clogged. The
present canister vacuum arrangement 10 includes a filter cleaning
device 80 for maintenance of the filter 70.
[0027] The filter cleaning device 80 includes a dust removal
arrangement 82 that removes dust and finer particulate from the
filter 70 to extend the filter's useful life. Preferably, the dust
removal arrangement 82 can be operated without removing the filter
70 from the canister housing 16 to avoid the mess associated with
traditional methods of filter cleaning.
[0028] Referring back to FIG. 1, in the illustrated embodiment, the
dust removal arrangement 82 is operated by an operating mechanism
84 located at an exterior 76 of the canister housing 16. The
operating mechanism 84 is accessible at the exterior 76 of the
housing for cleaning the filter 70 (FIG. 3) while sealed within the
filter chamber 66. The operating mechanism 84 shown is a rotatable
handle 86. The handle 86 extends from the top wall 78 of the
canister housing 16, and is coupled to the dust removal arrangement
82 located within the filter chamber 66.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 3, the dust removal arrangement 82 of the
filter cleaning device 80 is a flapper arrangement having one or
more flaps 88 attached to a central shaft 90. In the illustrated
embodiment, the cleaning device 80 includes three flaps 88 that
radially extend from the central shaft 90. Each of the flaps 88
includes a pliable blade 92 that contacts the inlet side 72 of the
filter 70. To clean the filter, the user rotates the handle 86,
which in turn rotates that central shaft 90. The flaps 88 then
rotate within the interior of the filter 70 such that the pliable
blades 92 contact or scrape the inlet side 72 of the filter. Dust
and particulate shaken or scraped from the filter 70 by the flapper
arrangement 82 falls through the separation region 50 and is
collected in the tray 58 of the particulate collection region
52.
[0030] In use, the blower motor 18 generates airflow. The airflow
draws in particulate from a work area through the intake hose 38.
The particulate is transported to the separation chamber 50 via the
intermediate tube 40. At the separation chamber 50, the particulate
carried by the airflow is separated into larger particulate and
finer particulate by the cyclone effect created within the
separation chamber. The larger particulate falls through the
separation chamber 50 and is collected within the particulate
collection region 52 of the canister housing 16. The finer
particulate is carried by the airflow into the filter chamber 66 of
the canister housing 16.
[0031] The airflow passes from the input side 96 of the filter
chamber 66 to the output side 94 through the filter 70. The filter
70 filters the finer particulate from the airflow. Clean, filtered
air from the output side 94 of the filter chamber 66 is exhausted
through the annular opening 68 of the canister housing 16.
[0032] The canister vacuum 14 of the disclosed canister vacuum
arrangement 10 improves particulate retention by providing a
canister housing 16 that contains and captures particulate and dust
in a more effective manner than conventional arrangements. The
canister vacuum arrangement 10 enhances the ease of use of the
canister vacuum by providing a cart-mounted arrangement that is
easy to transport to and about a working area.
[0033] The canister vacuum 14 also eliminates the mess associated
with conventional methods of emptying a vacuum or of cleaning
filter elements. In contrast to some conventional arrangements, the
present arrangement 10 permits a user to empty the particulate
collection region 52 without having to remove the filter 70. That
is, a user may simply access the removable collection tray 58
through the covered opening 60 of particulate collection region 52.
In addition, the filter 70 can be cleaned without removing the
filter from the filter chamber 66. The user need only rotate the
handle 86 of the filter cleaning device 80 to maintenance the
filter.
[0034] The above specification, examples and data provide a
complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition
of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be
made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,
the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.
* * * * *