Brushing – scrubbing – and general cleaning – Machines – With air blast or suction
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-20
2001-01-30
Moore, Chris K. (Department: 1744)
Brushing, scrubbing, and general cleaning
Machines
With air blast or suction
C015S352000, C055S429000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178590
ABSTRACT:
THE FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to central vacuum cleaners, and in particular, to such a vacuum cleaner in which the refuse compartment is adapted for maintaining a disposable bag inside to receive the refuse.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention enables a vacuum cleaner to use flexible bags as disposable liners for the refuse compartment of the cleaner, similar to the common use of thin-film plastic bags as disposable liners for trash containers. The problem with using such a liner directly in a vacuum cleaner is that the liner or the refuse inside tends to be drawn into the vacuum pump or other parts of the cleaner during operation.
There have been various attempts by other manufacturers to secure such liners inside the refuse compartments so that neither the liners nor their contents are drawn into other parts of the cleaner. Such attempts have included external pressure-equalization tubes, bag weights, reusable magnets, and clips that attach to the bottom of the liner. These attempts have proven to be expensive or inconvenient for the operator of the vacuum. If the operator forgets or otherwise fails to properly attach the liner just one time, the cleaner can be damaged.
A more convenient attempt to hold the liner in place is shown in Lubraniecki, U.S. Pat. No. 4,811,453. This method involves creating a difference in air pressure between the inside and outside of the liner so that the liner is drawn outwards and held in place against porous walls of the refuse compartment. The pressure difference is created by forcing the air used in the cleaning process to flow through a filter, such as the porous filters used in many vacuum cleaners to separate dirt from the air stream. This method requires that the connection to the liner be sealed and that the liner itself be non-porous so that air cannot bypass the filter. It also requires a double wall for the dirt compartment, including a porous inside wall to support the liner. In addition, air ducts are required to connect the liner and the double wall to the filter.
This method suffers from the added expense required for making the more complex refuse compartment and from the problematic clogging of the double wall that can result from a break in the liner or from omitting the liner even one time. The added expense is particularly a problem for vacuum cleaners that use cyclonic dirt separators since an extra filter must be added for this method. In addition, the operator must employ extra care to be sure that the bag seals properly in order for the method to work.
Consequently, there is a need for an inexpensive method of securing a liner inside the refuse compartment of a vacuum cleaner in a manner that is as convenient as placing a liner in a regular trash container and in a manner that will not damage the cleaner in case that the liner breaks or that the liner is not positioned correctly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Applicant's invention involves a vacuum cleaner with a standard bottom cannister for receiving the refuse of the cleaning process. The upper portion of the cleaner includes an air intake, a vacuum suction pump, and an air exhaust. A flexible, disposable liner, such as a thin-wall plastic bag, is secured within the bottom cannister so that refuse can be removed in a more hygienic and convenient manner.
The bottom cannister is fitted with a plate that forms an air channel along a portion of the interior side wall of the cannister. The air channel keeps the liner from blocking the flow of air inside the channel. When air flows across the top of the air channel, suction occurs that is used to secure the disposable liner inside the cannister and thereby to prevent the liner from being sucked upwardly into a duct and blocking the operation of the vacuum cleaner. The flow of air across the top of the air channel is caused by an angled inlet to the cleaner that injects air tangentially into the bottom cannister, creating a cyclonic or swirling flow of air. Consequently, the invention is particularly suited for vacuum cleaners that use cyclonic separation rather Man physical filters to separate dirt from the air stream.
The air channel connects the region outside the bottom and the sides of the liner with the lower pressure region that exists along the top inside wall of the dirt cannister. This top region has a lower pressure than the comparatively calm air inside the liner because the air in this top region is moving rapidly in a swirling, or cyclonic, pattern. As a result of the pressure differential between the inside and the outside, the bag expands outward, as desired, to fill the refuse cannister. The lower pressure that results from the faster movement of air is evidence of Bernoulli's Principle, which states that the pressure associated with a stream of fluid (including air) decreases as the speed of the stream is increased.
In addition, the air channel can be fitted with a clip to aid in the installation of the liner and also fitted with a hood or cone to optimize the flow of air across the top of the air channel.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
The objects of the invention are to provide an inexpensive method of securing a liner inside the refuse compartment of a vacuum cleaner in a manner that is as convenient as placing a liner in a regular trash container and in a manner that will not damage the cleaner in case that the liner breaks or that the liner is not positioned correctly. In particular, it is an object of the invention to provide such a method that is easily adapted to vacuum cleaners that use cyclonic separation instead of physical filters to separate refuse from the intake air. Furthermore, it is an objective of the invention to provide such a method that permits the use of porous liners, such as paper bags, in addition to sealed liners, such as plastic bags.
Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and preferred embodiment of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art and the disclosed invention is not limited to the embodiments hereafter following except insofar as set forth in the claims.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2815621 (1957-12-01), Carter
patent: 3740933 (1973-06-01), Hollowell
patent: 3755992 (1973-09-01), Ylinen
patent: 3910781 (1975-10-01), Bryant
patent: 3961921 (1976-06-01), Heiman et al.
patent: 4523936 (1985-06-01), Disanza, Jr.
patent: 4575895 (1986-03-01), Spellman
patent: 4811453 (1989-03-01), Lubraniecki
patent: 4838907 (1989-06-01), Perry
patent: 5129125 (1992-07-01), Gamou et al.
patent: 5145499 (1992-09-01), Dyson
patent: 5526547 (1996-06-01), Williams et al.
patent: 5564155 (1996-10-01), Monesson
Lindsay, III Winston S.
Lindsay, Jr. Edward W.
Day Wm. Bruce
Lindsay Manufacturing, Inc.
Moore Chris K.
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