An autonomous cleaning robot (e.g., an autonomous vacuum) may clean an environment using a cleaning head that is self-actuated. The cleaning head includes an actuator assembly comprising an actuator configured to control rotation and vertical movement of a cleaning roller, a controller, and a cleaning roller having an elongated cylindrical length connected to the actuator assembly. The cleaning head also includes a computer processor connected to the actuator assembly and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium that causes the computer processor to map the environment based on sensor data captured by the autonomous vacuum. The computer processor may determine an optimal height for the cleaning head based on the map and instruct the actuator assembly to adjust the height of the cleaning head.

The present disclosure provides a floor cleaner that includes a replaceable component, such as a brushroll or a filter. The floor cleaner has a detection mechanism comprising a magnet on the replaceable component and a Hall Effect sensor positioned to detect the permanent magnet when the replaceable component is correctly installed on the floor cleaner. Operation of one or more electrically-powered components of the floor cleaner is prevented when the permanent magnet is not detected by the Hall Effect sensor.

Articles and methods involving filter media are generally provided. In certain embodiments, the filter media includes at least a first layer, a second layer, and an adhesive resin positioned between the first layer and the second layer. In some embodiments, the first layer may be a pre-filter layer or a support layer. The second layer may, for example, comprise fibers formed by a solution spinning process and/or may comprise fine fibers. In some embodiments, the adhesive resin may be present in a relatively low amount and/or may have a low glass transition temperature. The filter media as a whole may have one or more advantageous properties, including one or more of a high stiffness, a high bond strength between the first layer and the second layer, a high gamma, and/or a low increase in air resistance after being subjected to an IPA vapor discharge. The filter media may be, for example, a HEPA filter and/or an ULPA filter.

A vacuum cleaner including a suction inlet, a conduit in fluid communication with the suction inlet, a filter having a valve releasably connected to a filter inlet, the filter configured to collect debris drawn through the suction inlet. The vacuum cleaner further comprising a release mechanism moveable from a first position to a second position. In the first position, the filter is in fluid communication with the conduit to collect debris with the valve being open, and in the second position, the filter is disconnected from the conduit with the valve being closed. Movement of the release mechanism between the first and second positions closes the valve.

An in-line vacuum filter comprises a manifold having an inlet, an outlet, a collecting container, and an actuatable filter paddle. A flow of air generated by a source of negative pressure travels from the inlet to the outlet. The actuatable filter paddle is positioned within the manifold such that it can be actuated between a first position and a second position. In the first position, the actuatable filter paddle is placed within the flow of air and in the second position, the actuatable filter paddle is removed from the flow of air. The filter paddle is preferably arcuate concave and comprises a plurality of apertures. In the first position, the filter paddle gradually diverts objects larger than a width of the apertures away from the flow of air. Diverted objects may travel to a removable collection container.

A handheld vacuum cleaner including a fluid flow path, a main body, a fluid flow motor, a battery, and a cyclone chamber. The fluid flow path extends from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, and the main body includes a handle. The fluid flow motor is positioned in the fluid flow path. The battery is positioned below the fluid flow motor. The cyclone chamber is in the fluid flow path transverse to the dirty air inlet. The cyclone chamber includes a first end wall and a second end wall, a cyclone chamber axis passing through the first end wall and the second end wall, a cyclone dirty fluid inlet, and a cyclone clean fluid outlet. The first end wall and the second end wall of the cyclone chamber both intersect a common horizontal plane when the handheld vacuum cleaner is positioned on a horizontal surface.

An environmental control unit comprises a housing, a vacuum cleaner, a filtration unit, and a blower. The vacuum cleaner is positioned in the housing and is configured to receive a tool contaminant stream produced by at least one tool. The vacuum cleaner filters particulate matter from the tool contaminant stream, thereby producing a filtered air stream. The filtration unit is also positioned within the housing and comprises at least one filter. The blower is positioned within the housing downstream of the filtration unit. The blower is configured to create negative air pressure within the second compartment to draw an area contaminant stream from an exterior of the environmental control unit into the housing. A second blower may also be present. The blower draws the filtered air stream and the area contaminant stream through the at least one filter in the filtration unit to produce a filtered mixture stream.

The present disclosure provides a floor cleaner that includes a replaceable component, such as a brushroll or a filter. The floor cleaner has a detection mechanism comprising a magnet on the replaceable component and a Hall Effect sensor positioned to detect the permanent magnet when the replaceable component is correctly installed on the floor cleaner. Operation of one or more electrically-powered components of the floor cleaner is prevented when the permanent magnet is not detected by the Hall Effect sensor.

The present disclosure concerns the field of vacuum cleaners and, in particular, those which have a filter bag for collecting air entrained detritus. The invention relates especially to a vacuum cleaner which reduces the exposure to the operator of dust and contaminated matter collected during cleaning when replacing the filter bag. The invention provides a vacuum cleaner comprising a suction drive unit in fluid communication with a vacuum chamber for accommodating a filter cartridge, the vacuum chamber itself being fed by a fluid inlet port in communication with a nozzle via which air is drawn into the vacuum chamber when the suction drive unit is in operation, wherein the filter cartridge comprises a gas-porous membrane including wall portions which define a filter interior, the cartridge having an airflow inlet at one end through which air-entrained dirt enters the filter, with dirt retained in the interior and air passing through the gas-porous membrane, wherein the chamber is configurable between open and closed configurations, so that in the closed configuration the cartridge filter is enclosed and constrained within the vacuum chamber with the cartridge inlet disposed so as to be fed by the fluid inlet port, and in the open configuration the constraint is at least partially removed so that the cartridge is free to be removed from the chamber by travel in a removal direction.

A filter device for a vacuum cleaner having a turbine device and a motor. The vacuum cleaner includes two chambers and filter elements of the filter device are dedusted by an abrupt change in position of a dividing element in the chambers. Since, when one of the two chambers is being dedusted, the suction operation of the vacuum cleaner can be maintained through the other chamber, the filter dedusting can advantageously take place during continued suction operation of the vacuum cleaner. A method for dedusting a filter device in a vacuum cleaner, wherein, as a result of a valve being actuated, an air volume is driven out of one of the two chambers so that a dividing element is advantageously made to change position, and this can result in a backflushing pulse and mechanical shaking of the filter element, and dedusting of the filter device.