Hover vacuum cleaner

Details Hover vacuum cleaner Hover vacuum cleaner

1998-11-18

2001-04-03

Till, Terrence R. (Department: 1744)

Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning

Machines

With air blast or suction

C015S327100, C015S353000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06209167

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to air-supported hover vacuum cleaners.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
Air-supported vacuum cleaners are known. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,751,038 to L. K. Acheson, which issued Jun. 19, 1956 discloses an air-supported vacuum cleaner which has an air space on the underside of the cleaner, which is bounded by the underside of the casing for the cleaner and a peripheral dam or bead. Other air-supported vacuum cleaners are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,780,826 to Coons et al., which issued Feb. 12, 1957, U.S. Pat. No. 3,283,355 to I. Jepson, which issued Nov. 8, 1966 and U.S. Pat. No. 2,889,570 to J. E. Duff, which issued Jun. 9, 1959. U.S. Pat. No. 2,743,787 to W. G. Seck, which issued May 1, 1956 discloses an air-supported vacuum cleaner which has an air space bounded by the underside of the casing for the cleaner and a peripheral dam. Outside the peripheral dam there is a deflector for preventing air from discharging across the surface of the floor upon which the vacuum cleaner rests or travels, and for directing the escaping air in an upward direction.
One of the problems with previous air-supported vacuum cleaners is a tendency for the vacuum cleaner to rock or judder as a result of uneven flow of air escaping from under the peripheral dam. One solution to this problem is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,814,064 to J. C. Montgomery, which issued Nov. 26, 1957 which discloses an air-supported vacuum cleaner with a peripheral double dam with an air diffusing channel between the dams. The air escapes from the air space, past the inner of the two dams and thence through the air diffusing channel. Such an arrangement adds to the cost of the vacuum cleaner and introduces complexity to the operation of the vacuum cleaner. The present invention is directed to a simple but effective air-supported vacuum cleaner which tends to be stable, not subject to juddering and is relatively inexpensive to produce. The invention is also directed to a hover vacuum cleaner with an arrangement which the hover performance tends not to diminish as the filter becomes filled with dust.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a vacuum cleaner comprising:
a casing, an underside to the casing in which the underside has a longitudinal axis, an impeller and drive motor for the impeller, a dust filter, an inlet for dust laden air, an exhaust port in the, a pathway for air to pass from the inlet, through the dust filter and impeller and around the motor, and through the exhaust port;
wherein the underside has dished air chambers, covering a substantial area of the underside, in locations selected from the group consisting of i) at least two dished air chambers on the underside, wherein each dished air chamber straddles the longitudinal axis, and adjacent dished air chambers are separated by a dam which is transverse to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the exhaust port is in direct fluid communication with one of the dished air chambers and the exhaust port straddles the longitudinal axis, ii) a first dished air chamber which straddles the longitudinal axis and an exhaust port which straddles the longitudinal axis, wherein the exhaust port is in direct fluid communication with the first air chamber, and at least one pair of dished air chambers wherein corresponding dished air chambers in each pair are on opposing sides of the longitudinal axis separated by a keel skirt, and wherein the first air chamber and the adjacent pair of dished air chambers are separated by a dam which is transverse to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the adjacent pairs of dished air chambers are separated by a dam which is transverse to the longitudinal axis; and
wherein the underside has a peripheral groove which is in fluid communication with a member selected from the group consisting of the exhaust port and the air chamber which is in direct fluid communication with the exhaust port, and a combination thereof.
In one embodiment, there are three dished air chambers, each of which straddle the longitudinal axis.
In a further embodiment, there are three dished air chambers, each of which straddles the longitudinal axis, and the air chamber in fluid communication with the exhaust port is an outer chamber.
In another embodiment, the underside of the vacuum has an extension which extends outwardly and upwardly from the peripheral groove, with the extension having an arcuate cross-section.
In yet another embodiment, the vacuum cleaner has a cyclonic action dust filter.
In a further embodiment, the inlet for dust laden air, which leads to the cyclonic action dust filter, has a nozzle which is rotatable about an axis which is parallel to a longitudinal axis for the dust filter.
In another embodiment, the inlet for dust laden air, which leads to the cyclonic action dust filter, has a nozzle which is rotatable so that the nozzle may direct air at any downward angle into the dust filter.
In yet another embodiment, the pathway for air from the impeller to the exhaust port is constrained by walls so that there is a steady flow of air therethrough when the vacuum is in operation.
In another embodiment, the walls are in a partial snail shell shape.
The present invention also provides a hover vacuum cleaner comprising:
a casing, an underside to the casing, a cyclonic dust filter, hover means on the underside to allow the vacuum cleaner to hover on a bed of air, an inlet to the cyclonic dust filter for dust laden air, an impeller and drive motor for the impeller, an exhaust port in the underside, a pathway for air to pass from the inlet, through the dust filter and impeller and around the motor, and through the exhaust port to the hover means.
In one embodiment, the inlet for dust laden air, which leads to the cyclonic action dust filter, has a nozzle which is rotatable about an axis which is parallel to a longitudinal axis for the dust filter.
In another embodiment, the inlet for dust laden air, which leads to the cyclonic action dust filter, has a nozzle which is rotatable so that the nozzle may direct air at any downward angle into the dust filter.
In yet another embodiment, the pathway for air from the impeller to the exhaust port is constrained by walls so that there is a steady flow of air therethrough when the vacuum is in operation.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2743787 (1956-05-01), Saek
patent: 2780826 (1957-02-01), Coons et al.
patent: 3958299 (1976-05-01), Tschudy
patent: 5799363 (1998-09-01), Inoue et al.
patent: 5799745 (1998-07-01), Kilstrom
patent: 5935279 (1999-08-01), Kilstrom
patent: 2945176 U (1981-05-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Hover vacuum cleaner does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Hover vacuum cleaner, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Hover vacuum cleaner will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2515177