Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2001-05-29
2002-12-31
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S337000, C015S405000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06499182
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to vacuum cleaner blower ports, and more particularly to a removable cap for a blower port of a vacuum cleaner that closes off the blower port when not used as a blower and that reduces noise generated at the blower port.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Typical wet/dry vacuum cleaners have a tank and a motor housing supported by the tank. A motor is disposed within the housing and has an impeller that, when operating, draws air or creates a vacuum at a vacuum port of the housing. Air is exhausted through a blower port of the housing. When utilized as a blower, the hose is attached to the blower port whereby air is forced through the port and the vacuum hose, exiting a nozzle end of the hose. When the vacuum cleaner is used as a suction vacuum, the hose is attached to the vacuum port which leaves the blower port open.
A conventional wet/dry vacuum cleaner motor creates a relatively high decibel, high pitch noise when operating as a vacuum. A significant amount of the noise is generated by turbulent flow of air exiting the blower port. The blower port communicates with an interior plenum of the motor housing wherein air is forced by the motor into the plenum and out the blower port.
Attempts have been made to reduce the noise of a wet/dry vacuum cleaner that is generated via the blower port. For example, the motor housing can be provided with a plurality of vent openings spaced along the motor housing that each communicate with the plenum of the motor housing. The blower port is closed by a plug or a cap such that air cannot exit the blower port when the vacuum is used as a suction vacuum cleaner. Instead, the air exits the plenum via the plurality of vents. By incorporating one or more vents and spacing them along the plenum, air within the plenum is distributed and dispersed, exiting the plenum at lower velocity, reducing noise generated by the vacuum. The air is redirected through larger volume spaces and thus expanded. The expansion and redirection of the air muffles sound generated by the flow of air within the plenum.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,757,753 discloses an interior spring biased shutter valve that automatically closes off the blower port when a vacuum cleaner is used as a conventional vacuum permitting air to exit the vacuum housing through a plurality of vents or ports. Insertion of a hose into the blower port opens the shutter valve permitting the vacuum to be used as a blower.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,959,804 discloses a vacuum with a blower port having a spring biased cover that is in the closed position when the vacuum is used as a vacuum. A cover plate deflects air exiting the vacuum to a high-volume opening instead of through the blower opening.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,986,765 discloses utilizing a removable cap similar to a coffee can lid that is moved from the vacuum port to the inlet port depending upon the particular use of the vacuum cleaner. The disclosed vacuum cleaner has a third opening at the top of the vacuum for admitting or exhausting air from the body of the vacuum, depending on its use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,003,662 discloses a lid for a convertible blower/vacuum wherein the lid is connected via a hinge to a port of the vacuum and is biased by a spring to a closed position over the port. The lid is held open when a hose is inserted in the port.
A number of problems and deficiencies exist with these types of blower port covers. A permanently connected, spring biased, hinged lid requires a number of separate components such as a hinge pin or pins, hinge bearing surfaces, and a bias spring in order to form the hinge of the types described above. In addition, the mold utilized to make the lid can be relatively expensive and complicated because of the non-symmetrical and precision mold features necessary to form the hinge bearing surfaces which require fairly precise manufacturing control. Another problem with these devices is that, once the spring or the bearing surface breaks, the lid will no longer function properly unless the components are replaced. If the lid is internally mounted within the housing, this can be a fairly difficult and expensive process.
A problem with lids that are not attached to the vacuum cleaner is that they can easily become lost or misplaced. Once lost, the user must purchase another lid or will simply utilize the vacuum without the lid, eliminating the benefits of having the lid. In addition, if the lid is not properly designed, noise may be created by turbulent air flow inside a chamber that is closed by the lid.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon a review of the examples herein and the accompanying drawing figures. In one example constructed according to the teachings of the present invention, a convertible blower port for a vacuum cleaner has a cylindrical port wall carried by a portion of the vacuum cleaner. The port wall has a first end facing inwardly toward the vacuum cleaner and a second end opposite the first end. The port wall defines a blower passage in communication with a plenum section of the vacuum cleaner. A blower port outlet is provided on the second end of the port wall. A removable cap closes off the blower port outlet and has an exterior surface adapted for gripping the cap and further has a hub configured to fill the blower passage. The hub has a substantially smooth inner end face positioned generally across the first end of the port wall and facing the plenum of the vacuum cleaner.
In one example, a tether is provided connecting the cap and a portion of the vacuum cleaner so that the cap can be secured over the blower port outlet or suspended from the tether when removed from the outlet.
In one example, the port wall extends outward from the vacuum cleaner around the blower port such that the first end is connected to the vacuum cleaner and the second end and the blower port outlet are spaced from the vacuum cleaner.
In one example, at least one mechanical thread is provided on the port wall and at least one corresponding mechanical thread is provided on a portion of the cap for removably securing the cap to the blower port.
In one example, the cap of the blower port includes an annular cap wall defining a cap center axis and having an exterior cap wall surface that defines the exterior cap gripping surface. The cap wall also has a generally cylindrical interior cap wall surface. An exterior annular hub surface is spaced radially inward from the interior annular wall surface to define a gap between the hub and the annular cap wall. At least a portion of the port wall is received in the gap when the cap is installed over the blower port.
In one example, at least one mechanical thread is provided on an exterior surface of the port wall and at least one corresponding mechanical thread is provided on the interior surface of the cap wall for removably securing the cap to the blower port.
In one example, the exterior surface of the annular cap wall is generally cylindrical and includes a plurality of grip assist features provided thereon.
In one example of the present invention, a cap is provided for selectively closing off a blower port of a vacuum cleaner. The cap has an annular wall defining a central cap axis and has an inwardly facing end, an outwardly facing end, an exterior wall surface, and a generally cylindrical interior wall surface. An outer cap end face faces in the direction of the outwardly facing end of the cap wall. A cylindrical hub is disposed concentric with the cap axis and has an exterior annular hub surface spaced radially inward from the interior wall surface. A substantially smooth inner cap end face is carried on one end of the hub and faces in the direction of the inwardly facing end of the cap wall. A tether extends from a portion of the cap for attachment to the vacuum cleaner.
In one example, the outer cap end face is provided on a cap cover plate removably secured to a portion of the cap.
In one example, a blind bore is provided concentric with the cap axis and is carrie
Berfield Robert C.
Buss Randy L.
Fry Kevin
Griffin Ronald
Marshall Gerstein & Borun
Moore Chris K.
Shop-Vac Corporation
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