Bagged vacuum cleaner

Abstract

This invention relates to a bagged vacuum cleaner, i.e. to a vacuum cleaner in which dirt and debris is collected in a disposable bag. The vacuum cleaner (10) has a body (12), the body having a dirt-collection chamber (26), a motor (14) and an impeller (16). The body also has an inlet duct (30) upstream of the dirt-collection chamber, the inlet duct being connected to an inlet tube (36) adapted to fit to an opening of the disposable bag. A wall (40) of the inlet duct adjacent to the inlet tube (36) is transparent so that a user can look through the wall and into the inlet tube to observe whether or not the bag is full.

Claims

1. A hand-held vacuum cleaner having a body, the body having a carrying handle, a dirt-collection chamber, a motor, an impeller and at least one battery for powering the motor, the body having a housing located at the top of the body and above the dirt-collection chamber, the housing containing an inlet duct which is upstream of the dirt-collection chamber, the inlet duct being connected at one of its ends to an inlet tube which is carried by the housing and which projects from the housing into the top of the dirt-collection chamber and is adapted to fit to an opening of a disposable bag, the inlet duct being connected at its other end to a nozzle which projects from the housing, a wall of the inlet duct adjacent to the inlet tube providing an exterior wall of the housing and being transparent.

2. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 in which the at least one battery is mounted in the carrying handle.

3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 in which the motor is located below the carrying handle.

4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 in which the motor and the impeller are located adjacent to the bottom of the dirt-collection chamber.

5. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 in which the body has a removable top.

6. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 in which the removable top comprises a part of the inlet duct including the transparent wall.

7. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 in which the removable top has a pair of finger grips.

8. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 in which the transparent wall is adjacent to the nozzle whereby a user can look through the transparent wall and through the nozzle.

9. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 having a light to illuminate the inlet duct.

10. A vacuum cleaner having a body, the body having a dirt-collection chamber, a motor and an impeller, the body having an inlet duct upstream of the dirt-collection chamber, the inlet duct being connected to an inlet tube adapted to fit to an opening of a disposable bag, a wall of the inlet duct adjacent to the inlet tube being transparent, in which the body has a removable top, in which the removable top has a pair of finger grips, and in which the transparent wall is located between the finger grips.

11. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 10 in which the body has a carrying handle.

12. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 11 having at least one battery for powering the motor.

13. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 12 in which the at least one battery is mounted in the carrying handle.

14. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 11 in which the motor is located below the carrying handle.

15. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 10 in which the inlet tube opens into the top of the dirt-collection chamber and the motor and the impeller are located adjacent to the bottom of the dirt-collection chamber.

16. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 10 in which the body has a nozzle, and in which the transparent wall is adjacent to the nozzle whereby a user can look through the transparent wall and through the nozzle.

17. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 10 having a light to illuminate the inlet duct.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(1) The invention will now be described in more detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a side view of the vacuum cleaner according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the top of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 shows a top view of the vacuum cleaner;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view from above of the vacuum cleaner; and

(7) FIG. 6 shows an underside view of the top part of the vacuum cleaner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) The hand-held vacuum cleaner 10 shown in the drawings has a body 12. As seen in the sectional view of FIG. 2, the body 12 houses the motor 14 and impeller 16 which create the desired airflow. The body also houses the rechargeable battery (not shown) which provides the electrical power to the motor 14. In common with many battery-powered devices, the battery comprises a battery pack made up of a number of interconnected cells.

(9) The body 12 has a carrying handle 20 by which the vacuum cleaner can be lifted and manoeuvred (one-handed) by the user. The carrying handle is substantially linear with a longitudinal axis A-A which is at an angle α to the base 22. Ideally the angle α is around 60°, but angles of between 50° and 80° will also be comfortable to the user.

(10) The base 22 is substantially flat and is designed to be the surface upon which the vacuum cleaner rests when not in use. The vacuum cleaner is therefore stable when resting with its base 22 upon a substantially horizontal surface such as during storage upon a shelf or the floor for example. Whilst it is understood that the vacuum cleaner can be manoeuvred and oriented as desired, for ease of reference the term “normal orientation” is used to describe the vacuum cleaner in an orientation with the base 22 substantially horizontal and with the handle 20 above the base as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

(11) The battery pack can if desired be located inside the handle 20. In known fashion, the battery pack may be removable or non-removable as desired. In any event, it is desired that the battery pack can be recharged without removal.

(12) The hand-held vacuum cleaner 10 has a nozzle 24. The nozzle may be applied directly to an area to be cleaned, or it may mount a cleaning tool such as a (removable) crevice tool or a dusting brush (not shown). Also, the nozzle may mount a (removable) suction head (also not shown). The suction head may be of known form and may be connected directly to the nozzle 24; alternatively, one end of a rigid extension tube (not shown) may be fitted to the nozzle 24, the other end of the extension tube carrying the suction head, in a “stick-vac” configuration. The suction head may incorporate a rotating brush, in which case the nozzle will preferably have electrical contacts to communicate electrical power from the battery along the extension tube to the suction head. The form of the suction head and cleaning tools which may be connected to the nozzle 24 is not relevant to the present invention.

(13) The body 12 includes a dirt-collection chamber 26 which is designed to accommodate a disposable bag (not seen) in which collected dirt and debris accumulates.

(14) It will be understood that locating the (relatively heavy) motor 14 below the handle 20, and locating the (relatively heavy) battery pack in the handle 20, results in the centre of gravity of the vacuum cleaner being close to the bottom end of the handle 20, which has been found to be comfortable for the user even over sustained periods of use.

(15) An operating switch 28 is located adjacent to the top end of the carrying handle 20 where it can readily be depressed by a user's finger or thumb.

(16) In use, air is drawn into the vacuum cleaner through the nozzle 24, along the inlet duct 30 and into the bag located in the dirt-collection chamber 26. The air passes through the air-permeable wall of the bag which acts as a first-stage filter to retain most of the dirt and debris within the bag. A second stage filter can be provided upstream of the impeller 16 if desired, the air passing the impeller before leaving the vacuum cleaner body 12 through an exhaust outlet 32. In this embodiment at least some of the air is directed past the motor 14 on its way to the exhaust 32, so as to cool the motor.

(17) As seen most clearly in FIG. 2, the inlet duct 30 is relatively short, and has only a single bend. Reducing the length of the inlet duct, minimising the number and severity of the bends, and reducing or avoiding restrictions within the inlet duct, minimises the pumping losses, which is a valuable feature of a battery-powered vacuum cleaner.

(18) FIG. 6 shows an underneath view of the top part of the body 12, i.e. the part above the dirt-collection chamber 26. That part includes the nozzle 24 and has a housing 34 which contains the inlet duct 30. As seen in FIG. 2, the inlet duct 30 is connected to an inlet tube 36 which is also carried by the housing 34. The inlet tube 36 is open into the interior of the dirt-collection chamber 26.

(19) In known fashion the inlet tube 36 is a substantially rigid tube of circular cross-section, the circumference of the inlet tube being designed closely to match the circumferential length of the opening of the bag (not shown). The opening of the bag will typically have a flexible and resilient sealing member so as to form a substantially air-tight seal around the inlet tube 36, in known fashion.

(20) As will be seen from the representations of FIGS. 4 and 5 in particular, the inlet duct 30 is located at the top of the body 12 and has a transparent (top) wall 40 through which the inlet tube 36 can be seen. The user can therefore look through the transparent wall 40 and see whether there is dirt and debris filling the bag up to the level of the inlet tube 36 (and can see if there is dirt or debris blocking the inlet duct 30).

(21) A light emitting diode 38 is located close to the inlet tube 36, which LED will illuminate the inlet tube 36 and the bag opening. The provision of a light will reduce the effect of any dirt and dust which coats the inside (or less likely the outside) of the transparent wall 40. The top cover 42 of the housing 34 is nevertheless removable, the top cover including the transparent wall 40, whereby to permit periodic cleaning of the inside surface of the transparent wall 40. In this embodiment the top cover 42 is retained by detents or clips (not seen), and can be held during removal, cleaning and replacement by way of the finger-grips 44.

(22) When dirt and debris is observed to be accumulating up to (or close to) the inlet tube 36 the bag will require removal and replacement. The dirt-collection chamber 26 is opened by way of a latch 50 (FIG. 2), release of the latch 50 enabling the user to grasp the front wall 52 of the dirt-collection chamber by way of finger grips 54. When the front wall 52 of the dirt-collection 46 has been removed the user can access the full bag and release it from the inlet tube 36 for disposal, and can insert a replacement bag.