Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
1998-08-24
2001-06-12
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S328000, C015S350000, C015S353000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06243912
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to apparatus for cleaning floors, carpets and the like and is more particularly concerned with a dual purpose apparatus suitable for both dry suction cleaning (“vacuum” cleaning) and for wet process cleaning operations involving the application and removal of a liquid. Such apparatus is sometimes known as a “three-in-one” appliance since, in addition to performing normal dry vacuuming operations and wet cleaning operations, it can also be used simply for drying floors or picking up spillages.
Many designs have been proposed for such dual purpose appliances, but the concept of interchangeability between wet and dry modes of operation has successfully been applied only in the context of vacuum cleaners of the so-called “canister” type in which a cleaning implement to which suction is applied is connected to a source of suction within a body of the appliance by means of a flexible hose. In general, the body of appliances of the canister type can be made relatively large and, indeed, heavy because, whilst it is mobile (on castors or the like) it is not required to be moved constantly back and forth by the user.
However, an alternative form of vacuum cleaner which is in common use is the so-called “upright” type in which a main cleaning implement is carried by a body of the appliance together with a source of suction so that the appliance as a whole is normally required to be moved back and forth by the user. Thus, different constraints on size and weight apply in the case of vacuum cleaners of the upright type, and for this reason it has not previously been possible to provide a commercially successful cleaner of the upright type which is capable of operating in both wet and dry modes.
In our British Patent specifications 1601456 and 2038168 there are disclosed two vacuum cleaners of the canister type in which a reservoir assembly for a cleaning liquid and a filter assembly for the separation of dry dust are interchangeably assembled between a source of suction and a collection container which is thereby adapted for either wet or dry operation. Thus the main body of the appliance in either mode of operation comprises three sections which are releasably clipped together, the central section comprising either of the two interchangeable sections. Such an arrangement is generally satisfactory for vacuum cleaners of the canister type because they stand stably on the floor and the user can use two hands to manipulate the various components as necessary without undue difficulty.
Whilst, theoretically, such a three-section construction could be adopted for a vacuum cleaner of the upright type, in practice this has a number of disadvantages to the user in particular.
Even where the upright cleaner is of the kind which includes a base member, in which the main cleaning implement and motor/impeller unit are located, with a swivellably connected handle portion carrying the collection container, so that the appliance as a whole can stand stably on the floor with the handle assembly in an upright position, the appliance is generally less stable than a cleaner of the canister type, partly because of its greater height and partly because of the swivellable connection between the handle assembly and the base member, so that manipulation of interchangeable sections to convert from wet to dry mode may be difficult. The difficulties would be even greater with a vacuum cleaner of the so-called “stick” type in which the cleaning implement is not incorporated in a base member whereby the appliance as a whole can stand in a stable manner on the floor.
Our International Patent specifications WO94/17722 and WO94/17723 disclose an appliance of the stick type in which the collection container is removably housed within a recess formed in a body of the appliance, but without any provision for conversion between wet and dry modes of operation, the collection container being removably coupled at its upper end to an air/liquid separator disposed non-removably within the body of the appliance.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner generally of the upright type (which term includes the stick type) which is adapted for operation selectively in wet and dry modes.
According to the present invention we provide a vacuum cleaner of the kind comprising a main cleaning implement which is carried by a body of the appliance together with a source of suction, the body having a recess adapted to receive a collection container releasably through an opening formed at one side of the body, wherein said collection container includes a suction passage which is releasably connectable at the base of the container to a suction duct connected with said cleaning implement, connection means are provided at the upper end of the collection container for releasable connection to a source of suction within the body to establish suction at said cleaning implement and air flow from said implement through said duct and said passage to said source of suction, and two interchangeable separator units are provided for selective assembly with the collection container, one of said separator units being a wet-mode separator unit which is adapted for connection to said suction passage when the apparatus is to be operated in a wet mode and operates to separate entrained liquid droplets from the air-flow, and the other of said separator units being a dry-mode separator unit which is adapted to be mounted within the collection container at a position spaced from said passage when the apparatus is to be used in the dry mode and operates to separate dry material entrained in the air-flow.
The wet mode separator unit may comprise a tube, forming in use an extension of said suction passage in the collection container, and having an outlet opening in register with a transversely disposed baffle which serves to reverse the direction of air flow and function as an air/liquid separator within the collection container. Preferably the suction passage is disposed centrally within said collection container, the tube also being disposed centrally of the collection chamber.
The baffle is preferably formed with a generally cylindrical skirt which extends over, and in spaced relation to, an end portion of said tube, said skirt being spaced inwardly from the side wall of the collection container.
Desirably, the wet mode separator unit also includes an obliquely inclined annular baffle plate which is arranged to extend across the collection container. The annular baffle plate may be carried by an oblique end face at the lower end of a tubular wall which is removably located within said collection container.
The dry mode separator unit may comprise a filter element adapted to be disposed within the collection container between the outlet of said suction passage and said connection means at the upper end of the collection chamber.
The filter element may be carried by a mounting ring which is removably mounted within, and sealingly engages against, the side wall of said collection container, and is preferably of tubular form and at the end thereof remote from said mounting ring is closed by a baffle plate which, in use, is in register with and spaced from the outlet of said suction passage in said collection container.
The invention further resides in a collection container for use with a vacuum cleaner of the kind comprising a main cleaning implement which is carried by a body of the appliance together with a source of suction, the body having a recess adapted to receive the collection container releasably through an opening formed at one side of the body, wherein the collection container comprises a suction passage which is releasably connectable at the base of the container to a suction duct in the cleaner, itself connected with said cleaning implement, connection means at the upper end of the collection container for releasable connection to said source of suction within the body of the cleaner to establish suction at said cleaning implemen
Kinberg Robert
Moore Chris K.
Spencer George H.
VAX Limited
Venable
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