Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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`JACUUM CLEANER
Back~round of the Invention
The present invention relates to the vacuum
cleaner art and more particularly to vacuum cleaners
employing a water filter.
The invention is particularly applicable to a
vacuum cleaner employing a bypass type blower motor in
association with a ~ater pan, separator and filter
assembly. However, it will be appreciated to those
skilled in the art that the invention could be readily
adapted for use with other types of vacuum cleaners or
other types of devices.
Conven~ional vacuum cleaners employing a water
filter are known but have suffered the problems
resulting from unreliable water filtration, excessive
water filter turbulence and water contamination of the
~otor bearing elements over a period of time. It is
important for the working air in a water filtration
system to pass through a sufficient amount of water to
draw off the dirt particles from the dirty working air.
Where the dirty working air passes through an inadequate
amount of water, the dirt particles are merely
transmitted through the system in association with the
uncleaned working air. Inadequate water passage has
occurred through design limitations or through excessive
turbulence of the water which created air passageways
through the water. Excessive and uncontrolled
turbulence can also cause excite~ impingement of water
splashes against the cleaner motor and bearings with
consequential harm occurring to such elements.
Another common problem in YacUum cleaner
construction is the undesirably hi8h level of noise made
by the cleaner during operation from the cleaner motor,
~he cleaner ~acuum fans and the resulting noise from
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turbulent working air. A variety of baffle arrangeme~ts
ha~e been suggested and employed in the industry, see
U.S. Patent No. 4,330,899, to reduce ~he noise level,
all with varying deg~ees o~ success.
The present inYention conteMplates a new and
improved vacuum cleaner construction which overcomes all
of the ~bove referred to problems and others to provide
a new vacuum cleaner construction which is simple in
design, economical to manufacture, provides improved
noise reduction, provides improved protection of the
motor and bearing elements against water and
contaminants during operation, provides improved water
separation operation from working air and which provides
improved and controlled operation of water turbulence
and working air operation.
Brief Summary of the_Invention
The broadest aspect of this invention relates to a vacuum
cleaner having an upper housing and a lower housing, said lower housing
having a working air inlet and a water filter means, said upper housing
having a bypass type blower motor and a working air outlet, said motor
being supported on a lower motor support assembly and an upper motor
support assembly, a separator element for communicating the working air
from the lower housing to the upper housing and separating water and
contaminants from the working air; the improvement compris;ng: an
annular sound reducing baffle ring radially ;nterposed between said
bypass type blower motor and a side wall of said upper housing and
extending from said lower support assembly to said upper support
assembly, said baffle ring defining a first air chamber between said
bypass type blower motor and said baffle ring for receiYing working air
communicated from said lower housing and said separator element and
including a baffle ring working air outlet port for communicating the
working air to a second air chamber defined by said baffle ring being
spaced from said side wall of said upper housing, said housing working
air outlet being in communication with said second air chamber and
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being spaced from said baffle ring working air outlet to maximize
working air flow travel distance from said first air chamber to said
second air chamber.
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Brief DescriPtion of the Drawin~s
The invention ~ay take physical form in certain
parts and arrangements of parts, the preferred
e~bodiment of which will be described in detail in this
specification and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings which form a part hereof alnd wherein:
PIGURE 1 is a cross-sectional view of a ~acuum
cleaner formed in accordanee with ~he present invention
showing a water level in the bottom pan assembly;
FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along
line 2-2 of FIGURE 1 particularly showing the
configuration of a baffle ring;
FIGURE 3 is a partial cross-sec~ional view of a
~oction of a motor of the present in~ention particularly
illustrating the air pressure sealing of the bearings of
~he motor against water contamination;
FIGURE 4 is a cross-sec~ional view taken along
line 4-4 of PIGUR~ 1 particulsrly showing ehe bott~m
wall and the kottom ~all air outlet port o~ the working
3S alr d~flector o~ the bottoo pan assembly; and,
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FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a water separator
element for~ed in accordance with ~he present ~nvention.
Detailed Descri~tion of the Invention
Referring now to the clrawings wherein the
showings are for purposes of illustrating the preferred
embodiment of the invention only and not for purposes of
limiting the same, the FIGU~ES show a vacuum cleaner A
employing a primary wa~er filter for cleaning air and
collecting dirt materials into a water tank or pan
receptacle~
More specifically, and with reference to FIGURE
1, vacuum cleaner A comprises an upper housing 10 and a
lower housing 12. The upper housing 10 contains a
bypass-type blower motor assembly 14 including a fan
chamber 16 and a working air inlet port 18 to the fan
chamber 16. The motor assembly 14 is supported on a
lower mounting plate assembly 24 ~astened to the side
wall 26 of the upper housing lO with a plurality of
fasteners 28 and brackets 30. The lower mounting plate
as5embly 24 includes an annular flanged member 32 which
ls sealingly engaged to annular lower sealing gasket
34. The flanged number 32 and sealing gasket 34 in turn
support the fan chamber 16 and ultimately the motor
assembly 14. The lower mountin~ plate assembly 24
lncludes an inner opening 36 for the com~unication of
working air ~rom the lower housing 12 to the upper
housing 10.
Upper ~ounting plate assembly 44 is of a
similar construction to the lower ~ounting plate
asse~bly and is fastened to the side wall 26. It
lncludes 3n upper snnular flanged ~ember 46 in sealing
engagement to upper seallng gasket 4B. The ~otor S0 of
~otor assembly 14 oxtends through the upper ~ounting
plats asse~bly 44 into the dome 52 of the upper housing
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10. A cover ring 54 ls interposed between the dome 52 ,
~nd the side w8115 26 of the upper housing and includes
an annular opening 5~ or the egress of ~otor cooling
air as will herein~fter be more fully explained. The
cover ring radially innermost edged portions 58 are
substantially air-sealed against the motor 50 to
segrega~e ~otor cooling a ir intake from the motor
cooling air exhaust. The ~otor cooling air intake is
communicated through an inlet port tnot shown) in the
dome 52. Handle 5g is fastened to the dome 52 with
fasteners 60 for facilitating transport of the vacuum
cleaner A.
With continued reference to FIGURE 1, and with
reference to FIGURE 2, a baffle ring 64 is radially
interposed between fan chamber 16 and upper housing side
wall 26. The baffle ring extends from the lower
mounting plate assembly 24 to the upper mounting plate
assembly 44 to define a first air chamber 66 about the
fan chamber 16 and a second air chamber 68 adjacent the
side wall 26 of the upper housing. The baffle ring
provides a tor~uous working air exhaust flow pattern
from the ~an chamber 16 to provide for noise reduction
in the operation of the vacuum cleaner A. Working air
exhausted from the plurality of fan chamber exhaust
por~s 70 is immediately communicated into the first air
chamber 66. A single baffle ring working air outlet
port 72 communicates working air from the first air
chamber 66 to the second air chamber 68. The baffle
ring outl~t port 72 is spaced 180 irom the ultimate
working air outlet port 74 of the cleaner A to naximize
working air flow travel distance fro~ the first air
chamber 66 to the second air chamber 68 and out from the
cleaner A. It ~s within the scope of the invention to
include a plurality of spaced radially extending baffle
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plates 78~ a first portion of which depe~d from the side.
wall 26 and a ~econd portion of which depend from the
baffle ring 64. The baffle plates further provide
tortuous air flow patterns for noise reduction in the
operation of the cleaner A.
The subject cleaner employs a dynamic air seal
to better seal the fan bearings and motor against
moisture and contaminants that may be intermixed with
the working air during operation o the cleaner. The
operation of the air seal shown in FIGURE 3 is more
particularly identified in U.S. Patent No. 4,226,575.
In general operation, a working air fan 84 draws working
air through the fan chamber working air inlet port 18
(FIGURE 1) and out the fan chamber exhaust ports 70. To
keep the working air away from the bearings 86 of the
fan drive, a sealing air fan 88 draws air from sealing
air inlet port 90, about check valve 92 along sealing
air baffle ring 93 and through the sealing air port 94
which is slightly spaced from the fan dri~e 96. The
sealing air exhaust is similarly expelled through
exhaust ports 70. The air pressure seal at sealing air
port 94 during opera~ion of the fans 84, 88 effectively
seals the bearing 86 and the motor against the working
air sucked 1nto the fan chamber 16 by working air fans
84.
With pareicular reference to FIGURES 1 and ~,
the subject vacuum cleaner A includes a bypass-type fan
~o~or asse~bly having a ~an engaged to the fsn drive
separate from the ~ain working air fans in ~he fan
chamber 16 for blowing cooling air over the ~o~or. The
~otor cooling air flow is kept separate from the working
air flow passing through the fan chamber 16. The
cooling ~ir ~or the laotor 50 is drawn in through the
do~e 5~ thr~ugh a cool lng air inlet port tnot ~hown) in
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the side wall of the dome. A fan tnot shown) is
typically positioned in the top portion such as
indicated at 98 in the motor 50 to draw air in ~rom the
dome 52 and is expelled out through the motor through
ventilating ports spaced in the motor such as indicated
at 100. The cooling air is then ul~i~ately expelled
through the annular opening 56 in ~he cover rinB 54.
With particular reference to FIGURES 1, 4 and
S, the dirt iltration and cleaning operation of the
invention will now be particularly discussed. The lower
housing 12 includes a dolly assembly 106 for supporting
a water pan 108 and for clamping attachment and support
of ~he upper housing 10 through a plurality of clamps
110. The clamps 110 engage a clamping flange 116
depending from the side wall 26 of the upper housing 10
for selective attachment of the lower housing to the
upper housing. A sealing gasket 118 facilitates water
and air sealing of the upper housing to the lower
housing. The dolly assembly further includes casters
112 for rolling support of the ~acuum cleaner ~nd
support legs 114 for supporting the water pan 108.
The water pan 108 is preferably of a clear
plastic material such that the water 124, and more
particularly the water level, ~ay be viewed by an
operator o~ the cleaner. The pan includes a flanged rim
portion 126 which cooperates with sealing gasket 118,
upper housing flange 116, and clamp 110 to facilitate
sealing of the upper housing to the lower housing.
A water separator element 130 is pro~ided in
the lower housing 12 to separate and condense water from
the working air during operation o the cleaner. During
such operation the working air is passed through the
water 124 and quite a bit of water turbulence OCCUTS in
tho pan water chamb~r. The separa~or elemene 130
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facilitates separation and condensation of water from
working air and filtration of con~aminants from the
working air. The separator element is preferably
constructed of a durable and long-lasting material such
as aluminum although it is within the scope of the
inventian to include other ~aterials such as plastics as
the construction ~aterial. It is of a generally
frusto-conical configuration including a sloping side
wall 132 which tapers towards the bottom of the water
pan 108. A bottom wall 134 defines the bottom end
portion of a separator element 130 and includes a water
outlet aperture or drain hole 136 for the communication
of water condensed within the separator element or along
the side wall 130. The drain hole is preferably sized
to have a one quarter inch diameter. The bottom wall is
positioned at the water level in the pan. The side wall
132 includes a water-porous portion and a water
non-porous portion. The water-porous portion is
lllustrated as a screen portion 138 including a
plurality of stamped or punched holes 140 having an
eighth of an inch diameter. The screen por~ion 138
communicates filtered working air from the water chamber
towards the ~an chamber 16. In the preferred
~bodi~ent, th~rty one rows of holes 140 ,extend through
a 180 seg~ent of the side wall 130 from the bott~m wall
134 towards the side wall flan~e 142. It is preferable
that the screen portion is spaced away $rvm the working
a~r inlet port 150 of the botto~ pan 108 as the area of
~reatest ~a~er turbulence occurs immediately adjacent
the working air inlet port 150. The non-porous portion
of the separator ele~ent generally faces towards the
~orkin8 air inlet port 150 to ~inimize passage of water
through ~he separator eloment caused by ~iolent water
turbulence. Positioning of the water soparator element
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130 relative to the bottom pan 108 is facilitated by a
locator device such as mating and locating pin 152
extending from the flanged rim portion 126 of the water
pan which is received in the bore 154 in the separator
flange 142. By these means, positioning of ~he
separator element 130 in the preferred position is
accomplished.
The water pan further includes a deflector
element 160 which deflects the working air from the
working air inlet port 150 and directs it to the water
124 contained in the water pan. The deflector includes
a side wall 162 depending from the water pan 108 and may
be integrally formed in the water pan or fastened as a
separate element as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 4. The
deflector element side wall 162 deflects the working air
towards the deflector element bottom wall 164 which is
preferably positioned be~ow the water level in the water
pan. The bottom wall includes an opening 166
intermediately disposed in the bottom wall 164 which
communicates the working air from the air inlet aperture
150 to the water of the water pan. It may be seen that
the bottom wall 164 provides a shelf portion over which
working air ~ust pass before passage out of the water
and through the separator element. It is through the
passage across the shelf portion of the bottom wall 164
that the working air is drawn through the water and
primarily washed. The inclusion of a shelf portion in
the deflector element 160 provides improved washing over
deflector elements which do not include a bottom wall
and only proYide washing as working air passes about the
bottom edge of the side wall of a deflector element. It
has been ~ound that such ~inlmal washing provides
undes irabl e resul ts particularly where oxcessive
turbulence ~a~ allow dirty working air to pass to the
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separator element without passage through the water of
the water pan.
The invention also includes a secondary
filtration system for filtering dirty working air
containing elements, such as ash, which cannot be picked
up by water. Secondary filter 170 comprises a washable
type filter element which is air-porous to allow
eommunication of working air to the fan chamber 16. It
is mounted on an annular receiving member 172 depending
from the lower mounting plate assembly 24. The
secondary filter element may be mounted to the receiving
Dember 172 in a number of con~entional ways such as by
an elastomeric band tnot shown) or by compression
fitting the fil~er to the receiving member.
OPeration
With particular sttention to PIGUR~ 1, the
improved operational characteristics of the new Yacuum
cleaner will be specifically discussed.
The invention has a triple filtration system
~or dirty working air. Water 124 is provided in the pan
108 to a preselected level just below the bottom wall
134 of the separator element 130 and above the bottom
wall 164 of the deflector 160. Dirty working air sucked
in through the working air inlet port 150 of the water
pan 108 is initially filtered in the water 124 of the
water pan. Those elements that are picked up by water
such as dust and most other types of elements picked up
by a ~acuum cleaner, are filtered from the working air
in this filtration step. During operation, the water
1~4 is quite turbulent and impinges against the
separator element 130 which primarily functions to
separate and condense water particles from the working
air and prevents splashing of water towards the upper
hou~in~, but also opera~cs as the second dirt filtration
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~ystem. The area of the plurality of holes 140 in the
screen portion is impor~ant in that it ~ay not be so
limited as to affect the velocity of the air flow
through the screen portion. As aYailable area ~or
5 passage is lessened, ehe velocity of air flow
therethrough must increaseO In the preferred embodiment
of the invention, the open area of the holes of the
screen portion is 19.35 sq. inches and air flow through
the separator is 63 cubic ft./minute. The third
filtration system comprises the secondary filtering
element 170 which filters those elements not previously
filtered by water and the separator element 130. Air
flow is controlled in part by the size of the working
air inlet port 18 of the fan chamber 16. In the
preferred e~bodiment, the working air inlet port 18 has
been reduced to a seven-eights of an inch round aperture
to regulate the volume of air being drawn through the
syste~ to a preselec~ed level facilitating efficient
performance. By the time the working air has en~ered
the working air inlet port 18 it has been cleaned and is
ready for co~munication back to the environment of the
cleaner. The working air is drawn up through the fan
cha~bers 16 and is expelled through fan chamber ports 70
into the first air chamber 66 then out through the
baffle ring outlet port 72 into the second air chamber
68 and ulti~ately out through the working air outlet
port 74 of the cleaner.
The invention has been described with reference
to the preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications
and alt~rations will occur to others upon the reading
and understanding of the specifioation. It is ~y
intention to include all such modifications and
alterations insofar as ehey come within ~he scope of ~he
appended clai~s or the oqui~alents thereof.
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Having thus described my invention, I now cla~m:
