BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The invention relates generally to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly to a hand vacuum with a self-cleaning filter and a sweeper stand that functions as an electric dustpan when the hand vacuum is seated within the sweeper stand. The hand vacuum can also be converted to a stick vacuum with the attachment of a nozzle at the suction end and a floor handle at the other end.

[0002] Vacuum cleaners are well known and a common household appliance.

Most hand vacuum cleaners are light-weight units with a suction opening at one end and a hand grip at the other. The nozzle end includes a collection bin. The nozzle is generally separate from the hand grip typically part of a housing enclosing the vacuum motor.

[0003] Most vacuum cleaners include filters. Some vacuum cleaners have the facility for jarring and/or vibrating a vacuum filter to dislodge dirt from the filter. For example, U.S. Patent No. 3,708,962 to Deguchi et al. discloses a vacuum cleaner including a vibration generator for removing dust from the filter by using the suction force of the vacuum cleaner.

[0004] Hand vacuum cleaners that are battery operated or have a power supply cord are well known. Battery operated vacuum systems may have a battery recharging base. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,560,077 to Crotchett discloses a wheeled vacuum housing with a separate ramped recharging base. The vacuum system may also include hand-vacuums, such as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,225,814 and 4,573,234. The rechargeable base allows the user to vacuum without worrying if there are electric outlets available around the area to be vacuumed.

[0005] Hand vacuums are particularly useful for cleaning household items and hard to reach areas. Various types of hand vacuums are known in the art. Some hand vacuums operate on rechargeable batteries while other hand vacuums have power supply

cords. For example, U.S. Patent No. 4,225,814 to Gantz discloses a storing and recharging base for a hand-held vacuum unit. To prevent dirt spillage from the nozzle and nozzle fouling rechargeable hand vacuums are held on the recharging unit in a position where the nozzle is pointing upwards as disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 4,573,234 to Kochte. Other hand vacuum cleaners may have a portion of the housing of the vacuum cleaner pivotally connected to the remainder of the housing. For example, U.S. Patent No. 5,966,774 to Bone et al. discloses a hand-held vacuum that has a first and second portion that can be pivotally separated where one portion moves below the other portion to provide a chute to guide dirt emptied from the filter.

[0006] Electric dustpans have been used to suction dirt swept by a broom are known in the art. For example, U.S. Patent No. 6,671,924 to Rood discloses a dustpan with an inlet that includes an apron that extends outwardly from the inlet with an inclined surface to direct swept debris toward the inlet. Similarly, U.S. Patent No. 6,058,560 to Gab, shows a trash device with a floor dustpan and U.S. Patent No. 5,205,013 to Lopes shows a decorative storage housing with a floor suction opening.

[0007] Notwithstanding the wide variety of hand vacuums and electric dustpans available, there exists the need to provide continued improvements and alternative designs to improve hand vacuums and electric dustpans that are economical to use, simple in design and easy for the user to operate and in this case, provide a combination hand vacuum and electric dustpan system for a vacuum cleaner.

SUMMARY QF THE INVENTION

[0008] Generally speaking, in accordance with the invention, a vacuum cleaner having a nozzle and a hand grip with a self-cleaning filter is provided. The vacuum cleaner has a housing with a vacuum motor positioned therein and a dirt collection chamber. In a preferred embodiment a pivotably openable dirt collection tray at the bottom of the housing opens for ease of cleaning. A self-cleaning filter positioned between the nozzle is agitated to release entrained dirt when the collection tray is opened

for cleaning. The hand vacuum cleaner is mountable in a floor-mounted sweeper stand with the vacuum nozzle engaging an opening facing the floor in the sweeper stand so that the unit can function as an electric dustpan.

[0009] Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved hand vacuum cleaner with a self-cleaning filter.

[0010] Another object of the invention is to provide an improved hand vacuum cleaner with a pivotable dirt collection tray that opens to the bottom for emptying the vacuum.

[0011] A further object of the invention is to provide an improved hand vacuum cleaner with a self-cleaning filter that is cleaned as the dirt collecting tray pivots open.

[0012] It is another object of the invention to provide an improved hand vacuum cleaner with a self-cleaning filter that includes a dirt collection tray pivotally connected to the hand vacuum housing to easily remove dirt from the dirt collection tray.

[0013] It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved hand vacuum cleaner that fits into a sweeper stand that functions as an electric floor dustpan when the hand vacuum is seated within the sweeper stand.

[0014] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a hand vacuum cleaner that readily converts to a stick vacuum by mounting a floor nozzle at the nozzle end and inserting a pipe handle in the hand grip.

[0015] Still other objects and advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

[0016] The invention accordingly comprises a product possessing the features, properties, and the relation of components which will be exemplified in the product hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing(s), in which:

[0018] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand vacuum cleaner constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention;

[0019] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the hand vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 having a pleated filter with the dirt collection tray in the closed position;

[0020] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the hand vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 having a pleated filter with the dirt collection tray in the open position;

[0021] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the filter cleaning arch used in the hand vacuum of FIGS. 1 and 2;

[0022] FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the hand vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 having a filter mounted over a ribbed structure on a filter housing with the dirt collection tray in the closed position;

[0023] FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view of the hand vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 having a filter mounted over the ribbed structure on the filter housing with the dirt collection tray in the open position;

[0024] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a filter unit that includes the filter mounted over the ribbed structure on the filter housing used in the hand vacuum of FIGS. 4 A and 4B.

[0025] FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of a sweeper stand and recharging unit constructed and arranged in accordance with the invention for use with the vacuum cleaner of FIGS. 1-4;

[0026] FIG. 7 is a side elevational view of the sweeper stand and recharging unit of FIG. 6;

[0027] FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of the hand vacuum of FIGS. 1-4 seated within the sweeper stand of FIGS. 6 and 7;

[0028] FIG. 9 is a right side elevational view of the hand vacuum in the sweeper stand of FIG. 8;

[0029] FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the hand vacuum of FIGS. 1-4 showing how the hand vacuum is transformed into a stick vacuum by attaching a pipe handle and nozzle; and

[0030] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the assembled stick vacuum of FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hand vacuum 11 having a unitary elongated housing 12 with an air inlet or nozzle opening 13 at one end and a hand grip 14 at the opposite end. Hand vacuum 11 is powered by a vacuum motor 30 positioned in a motor compartment 27 at the hand grip end. As shown in detail in FIG. 2A, housing 12 is defined by an upper wall 12a that runs from nozzle end 13 to hand grip 14 and a lower wall 12b. A hand grip wall 12c connects upper wall 12a and lower wall 12b. A portion of lower wall 12b has an electrical connector plate 15 below vacuum motor 30.

[0032] The outer portion of motor compartment 27 is defined by upper wall 12a, lower wall 12b and hand grip wall 12c and is separated from nozzle 13 by a divider wall 23. Divider wall 23 runs from upper wall 12a to lower wall 12b of housing 12 with an opening or vent 22 allowing air entering nozzle opening 13 to communicate with motor compartment 27. Motor 30 for hand vacuum 11 is connected to a power source by an electric cord 20. A power switch 16 is located on housing 12 at hand grip 14 for ease of use.

[0033] Housing 12 includes a nozzle passageway 13a that is formed by top wall

12a of housing 12 and an intermediate lower wall 18. A deflector 19 is positioned at the

end of passageway 13a opposite nozzle opening 13 that extends downward from top wall 12a before divider wall 23.

[0034] A flap 60 pivotably attaches to lower wall 18 at the interior end of passageway 13 a, opens to allow air with entrained dirt to travel into enclosure and closes to prevent dirt from falling down air passageway 13a when the suction is turned off.

[0035] A dirt collection tray 21 forms the bottom front portion of housing 12. Dirt collection tray 21 is pivotably connected to lower wall 12b of housing 12 by a pin 29 to form a hinge and held closed by a latch 28. Latch 28 is pivotably connected to lower wall 18 by a pin 28a to form a hinge. In another embodiment, latch 28 mounted to lower wall 18 is opened by sliding latch 28 towards lower wall 18. In a further embodiment, latch 28 is mounted to the outer surface of dirt collection tray 21 by a rib so that the latch 28 could slide towards dirt collection tray 21 to release from housing 12. In addition, note that in another embodiment, dirt collection tray 21 may be pivotably connected to lower wall 12b of housing by two pins - one on each side of the dirt collection tray 21. A filter unit 24 is mounted at one end to a divider wall 23 above a vent 22. A filter cleaning arch 26 positioned above filter unit 24 is mounted to dirt collection tray 21 so that it moves with the dirt collection tray 21 as it is opened and closed.

[0036] Filter unit 24 includes a filter housing 25 and a filtering material. In one embodiment, the filtering material may be a rigid pleated filter media 24a as shown in FIGS. 2 A and 2B. One wall of the filtering housing mounts onto and seals against motor divider wall 23 and has an opening 51 (see FIG. 5) that mates with vent 22.

[0037] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of hand vacuum cleaner 11 with dirt collection tray 21 in an opened position. Here, it is shown that when hand vacuum 11 is opened to discard dirt from dirt collection tray 21, dirt collection tray 21 pivots open at pin 29 so that dirt collection tray 21 separates from housing 12.

[0038] FIGS. 2 A and 2B also show the main air flow pattern in housing 12 of vacuum cleaner 11. Dirt laden air enters nozzle opening 13 as shown by arrow A and enters housing 12 through a passageway 13a. Air flowing through passageway 13a is

directed by deflector 19 at the end of passageway 13a to help direct dirt in the dirt laden air to a dirt collection tray 21. Air then is drawn through vent 22 in motor divider wall 23. As air is drawn towards vent 22, air with any remaining entrained dirt passes through pleated filter 24a. Filter 24a further separates dirt from the air before the air is drawn into motor compartment 27. The positioning of filter 24a provides a barrier between passageway 13a and motor compartment 27 to protect the motor 30.

[0039] When a user actuates latch release (not shown) dirt collection tray 21 pivots open at pin 29 so that dirt collection tray 21 separates from housing 12 as shown by an arrow B in FIG. 2B. As dirt collection tray 21 pivots open, filter cleaning arch 26 is displaced from a first closed position adjacent to divider wall 23 as shown in FIG. 2A to a second open position at the other end of filter 24a as shown in FIG. 2B. This movement of filter arch 26 riffling the pleats in filter 24a separates any entrained dirt from filter 24a and sweeps the dirt onto dirt collection tray 21 to be discarded. Filter cleaning arch 26 mounted to dirt collection tray 21 is shown more clearly shown in FIG. 3. This construction allows the user to clean filter 24a each time vacuum 11 is opened for emptying to discard dirt in an easy and efficient way. Filter 24a may also be removed from motor divider wall 23 for a more thorough cleaning or replacement.

[0040] FIGS. 4A and 4B show another embodiment of the present invention where the filtering material may be a soft filtering material or non-pleated filter 24b mounted over a ribbed structure 46 on filter housing 45 as shown in FIG. 4 A and 4B. FIG. 4 A shows the dirt collection tray in the closed position while FIG. 4B shows the dirt collection tray in the open position. Here, as dirt collection tray 21 pivots open, filter cleaning arch 26 is displaced from a first closed position adjacent to divider wall 23 as shown in FIG. 4A to a second open position at the other end of non-pleated filter 24b as shown in FIG. 4B. This movement of filter arch 26 riffling filter 24b mounted on ribbed structure 46 of filter housing 45 separates any entrained dirt from filter 24b and sweeps the dirt onto dirt collection tray 21 to be discarded. Filter unit 24 which includes a non- pleated filter 24b is shown more clearly in FIG. 5. Here, soft filtering material or non- pleated filter 24b is mounted over a ribbed structure 46 on filter housing 45. This

construction allows the user to clean filter 24b each time vacuum 11 is opened for emptying to discard dirt in an easy and efficient way. Filter 24b may also be removed from motor divider wall 23 for a more thorough cleaning or replacement.

[0041] In the illustrated embodiments, filter arch 26 is fixed to pivotably mounted dirt collection tray 21 and filter 24 is fixed to divider wall 23. However, it should be understood that the invention applies equally to a filter element fixed to a movable door such as collection tray 21 with a cleaning element such as filter arch 26 fixed within housing 12 and positioned so that the filter element is agitated by the cleaning element as collection tray 21 pivots open. The key here is that either the cleaning arch or filter element moves causing the filter element to agitate and thereby dislodge any dirt collected prior to entering motor 30.

[0042] In another embodiment of the invention, the front of the nozzle opening 13 is wide and thin and has an oval shaped with a larger opening in the center to allow for picking up larger pieces of debris. Dividers may be positioned in passageway 13a connecting the upper wall 12a to intermediate lower wall 18 through the length of passageway 13a into different sections. This helps to equalize the suction across a wide nozzle width such that the center opening is one section.

[0043] In another embodiment of the invention, a pre-motor filter 22a may be positioned over vent 22 to extend the life of the motor 30.

[0044] FIGS. 6 and 7 show front and side elevational views of a sweeper stand and a recharging unit, respectively. Sweeper stand 31 has a vertical housing with a flat bottom 35 designed to sit on the floor or other flat surface. Sweeper stand 31 is configured with a vacuum receiving holder 38 with a vacuum opening 37 for receiving and holding vacuum 11 with nozzle opening 13 facing bottom opening 33. Sweeper stand 31 includes a handle 36 pivotably mounted to upper housing of sweeper stand 31 by a pin 39 and a pin 40 for portability. A floor switch 34 for actuating hand vacuum 11 is mounted at the base of sweeper stand 31. Alternatively, when hand vacuum 11 is battery operated, sweeper stand 31 may be configured to sit on top of recharging unit 55 or

sweeper stand 31 may itself include a charging unit so that when hand vacuum 11 is mounted on sweeper stand 31, hand vacuum 11 may be recharged at the same time the electric dustpan is used.

[0045] FIGS. 8 and 9 show hand vacuum 11 seated within sweeper stand 31 with nozzle opening 13 in position in sweeper stand 31. When in this position and turned on the combination of hand vacuum 11 and sweeper stand 31 functions as an electric dustpan. Floor switch 34 on sweeper stand 31 bypasses or in the alternative actuates power switch 16 of hand vacuum 11 since sweeper stand 31 has a sweeper electrical connection plate (not shown) located on the inside of vacuum receiving holder 38 that contacts electrical connection plate 15 of hand vacuum 11. When sweeper stand 31 is actuated, hand vacuum 11 provides suction to opening 33 of the sweeper stand 31.

[0046] FIG. 10 shows how hand vacuum 11 may be easily converted to a stick vacuum 111. A pipe handle 41 is inserted into the end of hand vacuum hand grip 14. A suction nozzle 42 is coupled to air inlet 13 of hand vacuum 11 thereby forming stick vacuum 111 with ease.

[0047] FIG. 11 shows an assembled stick vacuum of FIG. 10.

[0048] Air inlet 13 of hand vacuum 11 may be attached to various conventionally used attachments, such as a brush attachment, to tailor hand vacuum 11 for a variety of uses.

[0049] In a further embodiment of the invention, hand vacuum 11 may be a battery operated unit. In this case it can be easily recharged in accordance with well known ways. In addition, it may be recharged when placed into a floor recharging unit such as a sweeper stand that includes a charging unit. In this embodiment, sweeper stand would include a charging unit connected to a conventional wall outlet. Alternatively, sweeper stand may be made to fit on top of the recharging unit so that when the hand vacuum is placed on the sweeper stand to be used as an electric dustpan, it may simultaneously be recharged. Additionally, an auxiliary battery pack could be stored and recharged in the

lower portion of sweeper stand. This would provide additional run time for a battery- operated unit.

[0050] It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above product without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

[0051] It is also to be understood that the following claims are intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the invention herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

[0052] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes of the invention. Accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, rather than the foregoing specification, as indicating the scope of the invention.