US20070163073A1 - Vacuum cleaner dustcup and conduit construction - Google Patents

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner having a housing with a handle at an upper end and a base at the bottom end. The base is pivotally attached to the housing and has a floor inlet nozzle facing generally downwardly from it. A dustcup assembly is associated with at least one of the housing and the base, and includes a sidewall defining an interior space having an open top end and a bottom end, a bottom wall extending across the bottom end and having a dustcup outlet therethrough, a dustcup inlet, a dustcup lid adapted to selectively cover the open top, and a fluid conduit formed separately from the bottom wall and attached to the bottom wall at the dustcup outlet. The fluid conduit extends into the interior space defined by the sidewall. The vacuum cleaner also has a vacuum source associated with at least one of the housing and the base. The vacuum source is adapted to create a working air flow that enters the floor inlet nozzle, passes into the dustcup assembly through the dustcup inlet, and exits the dustcup assembly through the dustcup outlet.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners, and more particularly, to a bagless dust cup assembly to be used with a vacuum cleaner apparatus in lieu of a disposable dirt collection bag.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
• Floor cleaning devices, such as vacuums, have been produced in the prior art. These prior art devices are typically provided in canister, upright, hand-held and other portable configurations, and may be powered by an electrical cord or by batteries. In many cases, the device is provided with a bagless dustcup assembly that utilizes a cyclonic separation action and/or one or more filters to facilitate separation of the vacuumed debris and air. These bagless dustcup assemblies generally include, for example, a separation chamber having a dirty air inlet, a dirt separation system including a cyclone and/or a filter, and at least one outlet for removing cleaned air. In some cases the outlet may comprise a conduit passing through the chamber itself. Various systems for emptying dirt from the separation chamber are known in the art, such as an openable lower door, a dustbin located at the bottom of the separation chamber, or a removable lid that covers and may form part of the separation chamber.
• Known bagless dustcup assemblies are often formed of a single integrated piece of plastic comprising a cup-like arrangement of walls. In some cases, a fluid conduit may be formed as part of this cup. An example of such a device is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,826, in which an outlet conduit is shown as being integrally molded with a cyclone chamber dustcup. While the outlet is often through the bottom of the cup, it may alternatively exit through the lid. For example, one such device is shown in European Patent Application EP 0 728 435, in which a clean air outlet is shown molded with the cyclone chamber lid. Other conduits may be integrally formed to the outside of dirt-receiving portion of the bagless dustcup, such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,745, which shows an integrally-molded outlet conduit, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,641, which shows an integrally-molded inlet conduit. All of the foregoing patents are incorporated herein by reference.
• The prior art also discloses devices in which an outlet conduit is formed separately from the cyclone chamber, and attached thereto. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,684,125 shows an outlet conduit that appears to be welded or otherwise bonded to a cyclone chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,596 also discloses that an outlet conduit may be welded or removably attached to a cyclone chamber by mechanical locking means, but does not illustrate or describe how these locking means would operate. U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,230, discloses a outlet and bottom wall that are integrally formed with one another, and attached to the side wall of the cup by threaded engagement. While such threaded engagement may be useful to initially attach the two parts, it is likely that manufacturing tolerances and friction between the parts will make repeated disassembly and reassembly of the parts difficult. Furthermore, the presence of fine particles may rapidly deteriorate the integrity of the threads, as well as add to the difficulty in separating and joining the parts. The foregoing patents are incorporated herein by reference.
• While the known cyclone chamber designs can be useful for providing dirt separation for vacuum cleaners and the like, the present inventors have discovered new and useful alternative cyclone chamber construction techniques to supplement and advance the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
• The present invention provides, in a first aspect, an upright vacuum cleaner having a housing with a handle at an upper end and a base at the bottom end. The base is pivotally attached to the housing and has a floor inlet nozzle facing generally downwardly from it. A dustcup assembly is associated with at least one of the housing and the base, and includes a sidewall defining an interior space having an open top end and a bottom end, a bottom wall extending across the bottom end and having a dustcup outlet therethrough, a dustcup inlet, a dustcup lid adapted to selectively cover the open top, and a fluid conduit formed separately from the bottom wall and attached to the bottom wall at the dustcup outlet. The fluid conduit extends into the interior space defined by the sidewall. The vacuum cleaner also has a vacuum source associated with at least one of the housing and the base. The vacuum source is adapted to create a working air flow that enters the floor inlet nozzle, passes into the dustcup assembly through the dustcup inlet, and exits the dustcup assembly through the dustcup outlet.
• In a second aspect, the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner with a housing, one or more air inlet nozzles associated with the housing, and a dustcup assembly associated with the housing. The dustcup assembly has a sidewall defining an interior space having an open top end and a bottom end, a bottom wall extending across the bottom end and having a dustcup outlet therethrough, a dustcup inlet, a dustcup lid adapted to selectively cover the open top, and a fluid conduit formed separately from the bottom wall and releasably attached to the bottom wall at the dustcup outlet, the fluid conduit extending into the interior space defined by the sidewall. The vacuum cleaner also has a vacuum source associated with the housing, which is adapted to create a working air flow that enters the one or more inlet nozzles, passes into the dustcup assembly through the dustcup inlet, and exits the dustcup assembly through the dustcup outlet.
• In a third aspect, the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner having a housing, one or more air inlet nozzles associated with the housing, and a dustcup assembly associated with the housing. The dustcup assembly includes a sidewall defining an interior space having an open top end and a bottom end, a bottom wall extending across the bottom end and having a dustcup outlet therethrough, a dustcup inlet, a dustcup lid adapted to selectively cover the open top, and a fluid conduit attached to the bottom wall at the dustcup outlet, the fluid conduit extending into the interior space defined by the sidewall. The fluid conduit and at least a portion of the bottom wall form a combined conduit/bottom wall part that is formed separately from the sidewall and attached thereto. The vacuum cleaner also includes a vacuum source associated with the housing. The vacuum source being adapted to create a working air flow that enters the one or more inlet nozzles, passes into the dustcup assembly through the dustcup inlet, and exits the dustcup assembly through the dustcup outlet.
• In various embodiments of the foregoing aspects of the invention, the fluid conduit or combined conduit/bottom wall part may be attached by screws, a rotating cam lock arrangement, one or more flexible latching tabs, snap-fit engagement, an interference fit, bayonet fittings, or a fastening ring. The conduit/bottom wall part may also be attached by a fastener that does not include threads formed on the conduit/bottom wall part itself. A gasket may be interposed between the fluid conduit and the bottom wall or between the conduit/bottom wall part and the sidewall. The fluid conduit may have an airfoil cross-section, one or more integrally formed contours to assist with dust separation, or one or more integrally formed airflow deflectors. The fluid conduit may also comprise a first section having a first geometric profile, and a second section having a second geometric profile that is different from the first geometric profile. The bottom wall may have an additional dustcup outlet with an additional fluid conduit attached to this outlet and extending into the interior space defined by the sidewall. The dustcup assembly may be releasably attached to the housing, with the dustcup lid formed by the housing or as a separate part that is removable with the dustcup assembly from the housing. Also, the dustcup inlet may pass through the lid or the sidewall. Finally, the fluid conduit or combined conduit/bottom wall part may or may not be releasably attached.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a prior art upright vacuum cleaner suitable for use with an embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is an exemplary prior art dustcup assembly.
• FIG. 3A is a partially exploded view of a first embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 3B is an assembled view the embodiment ofFIG. 3A.
• FIG. 4A is a partially exploded view of a second embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 4B is an assembled view the embodiment ofFIG. 4A.
• FIG. 5A is an exploded view of a third embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 5B is a fragmented and exploded view of the attachment arrangement of the embodiment ofFIG. 5A.
• FIG. 6A is a fragmented, partially cut away, exploded view of a fourth embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 6B is an assembled view of the embodiment ofFIG. 6A.
• FIG. 7A is an exploded view of a fifth embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 7B is a fragmented, cross-sectional detail view of the embodiment ofFIG. 7A, showing the portion encompassed by circle A thereof.
• FIG. 8A is a partially exploded view of a sixth embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 8B is another partially exploded view of the embodiment ofFIG. 8A.
• FIG. 8C is a top view of the embodiment ofFIG. 8A.
• FIG. 9A is a schematic representation of a variation of the locking mechanism of the embodiment ofFIG. 8A.
• FIG. 9B is a schematic representation of another variation of the locking mechanism of the embodiment ofFIG. 8A.
• FIG. 10A is an exploded view of a seventh embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 10B is a fragmented, cross-sectional detail view of the embodiment ofFIG. 10A, showing the portion encompassed by circle A thereof.
• FIG. 11 is an exploded view of an eighth embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 12 is an alternative embodiment of an outlet tube that may be used with the present invention.
• FIG. 13A is a ninth embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 13B illustrates the installation of the embodiment ofFIG. 13A in an exemplary vacuum cleaner housing.
• FIG. 14A depicts an embodiment of an outlet conduit with a rectangular cross-section.
• FIG. 14B depicts an embodiment of an outlet conduit with a square cross-section.
• FIG. 14C depicts an embodiment of an outlet conduit with a triangular cross-section.
• FIG. 14D depicts an embodiment of a multi-part outlet conduit with rectangular cross-sections.
• FIG. 14E depicts an embodiment of a multi-part outlet conduit with square cross-sections.
• FIG. 14F depicts an embodiment of a multi-part outlet conduit with circular and triangular cross-sections.
• FIG. 14G depicts an embodiment of an outlet conduit with an airfoil cross-sections.
• FIG. 15A is side view of another embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention.
• FIG. 15B is a top view of the embodiment ofFIG. 15A, shown along line I-I thereof.
• FIG. 15C is an exploded view of the embodiment ofFIG. 15A, shown with the lid and filter removed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
• The present invention provides an improved cyclonic separation chamber for cleaning devices. Embodiments of the present invention may be used with any type of vacuum cleaning device, including, but not limited to, upright vacuum cleaners, canister vacuum cleaners, wet extractors, hand-held vacuum cleaners, so-called “stick” vacuum cleaners, and so on. The implementation of the present inventions with such devices will be within the understanding and skill of persons of ordinary skill in the art after review of the present disclosure and with routine experimentation with the present invention.
• An example of a conventional upright vacuum cleaner to which the present invention may be applied is shown inFIG. 1. Theupright vacuum cleaner100 generally includes afloor engaging base102, an upright rear housing104, and ahandle106. The base102 typically includes a laterally extending, downwardly-facinginlet nozzle108 that is positioned to lift dirt and debris from the floor. A known rotating brush element (not shown) may be located in thenozzle108 to agitate the surface being cleaned and help with the cleaning operation. The rear housing104 is pivotally attached to thebase102, and thehandle106 is attached to the rear housing104. A conventional vacuum source (not shown) is located in the base102 or rear housing104, and is operated to generate a working air flow that is used to clean surfaces. The working air flow applies suction to theinlet nozzle108, causing dirt and debris to be entrained in the working air flow. The working air flow then passes through adirt cup assembly110, which is typically mounted on the rear housing104, but may instead be on thebase102, to remove all or part of the entrained dirt and debris. Thedirt cup assembly110 is typically located upstream of the vacuum source so that it operates under negative pressure, but may alternatively be downstream of the vacuum source so that it operates under positive pressure. Ahose110 may also be provided to access and clean surfaces that are above the floor or difficult to reach with the nozzle. Various pre- and post-motor filters may also be added to the device to further filter the incoming and exiting working air. Additional features of upright vacuum cleaners are known in the art, and shown, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,829,804, which is incorporated herein by reference. Any such features, or other features known in the art or generally understood to be useful for cleaning floors and other surfaces, may be included in embodiments of the present invention.
• Referring now toFIG. 2, a typical priorart cyclone assembly200 is shown. Theassembly200 comprises asidewall202, abottom wall204, and alid206 that form a generally air-tight chamber with the exception of anair inlet208 and anair outlet210. All or part of theassembly200 may be transparent so that a user can view its operation and determine when it needs to be emptied, but thelid206 is typically opaque. In use, dirt laden air enters theassembly200 through theinlet208, and travels in a cyclonic path to thereby separate dirt from the air in a known manner. Various means may be used to generate cyclonic airflow. In the shown device, the cyclonic airflow is generated by introducing the air in a tangential direction, as shown by arrow A. In other devices, such as the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,804, the air may be introduced along a helical ramp in the lid to impart the desired cyclonic motion. In still other devices the air may be introduced perpendicular to the chamber, but diverted by a surface to travel in a tangential direction, as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,341,404 and 6,436,160, which are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention is applicable to these and any other cyclone generation configurations.
• In the cyclone assembly ofFIG. 2, theoutlet210 comprises a tube that extends through a portion of theassembly200 and along its central axis, and exits through thebottom wall204. In alternative embodiments, the outlet may extend through an upper wall or thelid206, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,558,453, which is incorporated herein by reference. A filter (not shown), such as the one shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,804, may be placed over or in theoutlet120 to further filter the air, as is known in the art. Various filters and filtration devices are known in the art, such as paper or sheet filters, mesh screens, perforated shrouds, HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filters, ULPA (ultra low penetration air) filters, and so on, which may be reusable and may have any shape, such as a porous foam block or a pleated air permeable filter. Any such filters may be used with the present invention, or the filter may be omitted as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art.
• Prior art cyclone assemblies are operatively associated with vacuum cleaners in a variety of ways. For example, all or part of thecyclone assembly200 may be formed as part of the vacuum cleaner's base102 or rear housing104 (or canister, in the case of canister-style vacuum cleaners), and intended to remain attached thereto during operation and emptying. However, in many instances thecyclone assembly200, or portions thereof, is selectively removable from the rest of the vacuum cleaner. For example, referring toFIG. 1, thecyclone assembly110 of the device shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,829,804, includes asidewall112 andbottom wall114 that form a dirt cup upon which aremovable lid116 is positioned. Theoutlet120 is in the form of a tube that is molded directly into thebottom wall114, and afilter122 removably secured to the top of theoutlet120. In addition to forming a cyclonic separation chamber, thesidewall112,bottom wall114, andoutlet tube120 form a cup-like structure that holds dirt captured by the device. When it is desired to empty the cup, the cup and lid are removed from the rear housing104 as a unit, then thelid116 is removed and the dirt cup inverted to empty its contents. One or more handles (not shown) may be provided to assist with handling the cyclone chamber, dirt cup, or lid.
• In other devices, such as in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,579,334 and 6,910,245, which are incorporated herein by reference, the cyclone assembly lid is formed as part of the rear housing, and only the cup portion of the cyclone assembly—that is, the portion formed by the sidewall and the bottom wall—is removable to empty it. In addition, while the foregoing embodiments describe the cup being removed from the lid to be emptied, the cyclone chamber may alternatively be emptied by opening or removing the lower wall, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,546,593, which is incorporated herein by reference. In still other embodiments, the cyclone assembly may deposit dirt and debris into a separate chamber by inertia, as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,641, or by the operation of a manual or automatic trapdoor, as in U.S. Pat. No. 6,344,064. These patents are incorporated herein by reference. The present invention may be used with any suitable configuration for attaching the cyclone assembly to the vacuum cleaner.
• As noted before, the prior art contemplates forming theoutlet210 integrally with thebottom wall204 andsidewall202. The present inventors have found that using this one-piece construction can limit the manufacturer's ability to economically produce desirable inlet and outlet conduit configurations. The prior art also contemplates welding an outlet conduit to a dirt cup, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,684,125. However this prevents removal of the outlet conduit, and may also require expensive manufacturing equipment and increased manufacturing time. The prior art also contemplates forming these parts separately, and joining them, but does so using threads formed on the parts being joined. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,578,230, which is incorporated herein by reference, discloses a outlet and bottom wall that appear to be integrally formed with one another, and attached to the sidewall by threaded engagement. The threads are located at the outer perimeter of the bottom wall, where it meets the lower edge of the cylindrical sidewall. This construction is believed to suffer from various disadvantages, such as thread degradation caused by the intrusion of dirt particles into the threads, and assembly difficulties caused by dirt accumulation, friction, misalignment and thread stripping. This configuration also appears to require relatively high manufacturing tolerances to ensure that the parts are close enough in shape to properly thread together, and requires both parts to include threaded portions, which increases the thickness at those locations, thus also increasing the weight and cost of the materials and their manufacture. In view of these expected shortcomings, it is preferred, in at least some embodiments of the invention, to avoid the use of such threads formed on the parts that form the dustcup assembly itself.
• The present invention provides alternative dustcup assemblies that provide various advantages over the prior art, and may ameliorate or lessen the known and expected shortcomings of the prior art. It will be understood that it is not required for each embodiment of the claimed invention to address all, or even any, of the listed shortcomings of the prior art.
• A first exemplary embodiment of adustcup assembly300 of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 3A and 3B. In this embodiment, thedustcup assembly300 comprises a generally cylindrical sidewall302 (although other shapes may be used), abottom wall304, and an open top303 to which a lid (not shown) may be fastened in any conventional manner. For example in this embodiment, the lid is fastened using bayonet fasteners, and onereceiving slot305 for the lid's bayonet fastener tabs is visible at the upper end of thesidewall302. It will also be appreciated that the lid may be omitted, and thedustcup assembly300 fastened directly to the vacuum cleaner housing to close and seal thedustcup assembly300, such as in the device of U.S. Pat. No. 6,910,245. Thedustcup assembly300 also includes an inlet (not shown) to generate the desired cyclonic air movement. The inlet may enter thedustcup assembly300 through the sidewall302 (as, for example, in the embodiment ofFIGS. 4A and 4B), through the lid, or in any other manner. The foregoing variations regarding the dustcup shape, lid attachment and inlet style, and any other typical variations to these or other features, may be made to this or any other embodiment of the inventions described herein, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art, and further reference to such variations is omitted in the following discussion for the sake of brevity.
• The embodiment ofFIGS. 3A and 3B includes afluid conduit310, which in this case is an outlet tube, that is removably installed in a hole through the center of thebottom wall304. When installed, theoutlet tube310 extends generally along thecylindrical axis301 of thedustcup assembly300. It is preferred that theoutlet tube310 extend a substantial distance, preferably along at least about 50% of the length of thesidewall302, however this length are not strictly required for the invention. One ormore screws312 or other fasteners, such as quarter-turn fasteners, snaps, and the like, may be used to attach the two parts. To this end, thebottom wall304 is provided with arecess314 into which acorresponding flange316 on the outer perimeter of the bottom end of theoutlet tube310 fits. An o-ring seal326, or other type of sealing member (such a foam gasket) is preferably provided to fit between therecess314 and theflange316 to prevent air from passing through this location. A supplemental adhesive and or sealant may also be provided between the parts, if desired. In some instances, however, it might be desirable to omit thisseal326, and even provide a small bleed air passage to ensure that air can pass to the vacuum source if thedustcup assembly300 becomes blocked, and thereby prevent overheating. A second seal (not shown) may also be provided on the bottom side of theflange316 to mate with a lip or other surface surrounding the inlet to the vacuum source. The flange may also serve as a mounting location for a filter installed in or at the bottom of theoutlet tube310. As noted before, a filter may also be located at the top of theoutlet tube310, if desired.
• Therecess314 andflange316 are preferably, but not necessarily, shaped so that theflange316 can not rotate relative to therecess314 when it is installed therein. While any non-circular shape will suffice, relative rotation is prevented in the embodiment ofFIGS. 3A and 3B by providingseveral protrusions318 on theflange316 that fit into correspondingopenings320 in therecess314. Theseprotrusions318 andopenings320 also serve as screw mounting locations, and eachprotrusion318 has ascrew passage322, and eachopening320 has ascrew mounting boss324. The mountingbosses324 have internal threads to receive thescrews312 and hold theoutlet tube310 in place. The mountingbosses324 may be provided with inserts (not shown), such as metal nuts that are captured or molded in place, to assist with engaging and retaining thescrews312. Conveniently, when theflange316 is fully seated in therecess314, thescrew openings322 and mountingbosses324 are aligned relative to one another by the engagement of theprotrusions318 in theopenings320, and no further manipulation of the parts is necessary to prepare them for the installation of thescrews312, which potentially saves manufacturing time and allows relatively simple automated assembly. As shown inFIG. 3B, theflange316 is preferably flush with thebottom wall304 when it is fully installed to minimize the overall height of thedustcup assembly300. To remove theoutlet tube310, the screws130 are simply backed out of the mounting bosses.
• Various modifications to this design are possible. For example, the screws could pass through thelower wall304 and be installed into theflange316. The screws may also be omitted, and theflange316 andrecess314 may be adapted to have snap-fitting tabs and detents to allow theoutlet tube310 to simply be pressed into place. Theflange316 andrecess314 may also be slightly tapered or provided with interfering dimensions to allow them to be press-fit together. Furthermore, while releasable attachment is preferred, theoutlet tube310 may be permanently attached, such as by ultrasonic welding, spin welding, adhesives, and so on.
• In addition, while the embodiment ofFIGS. 3A and 3B illustrates thebottom wall304 being integrally formed with thesidewall302, and therecess314 being formed in thebottom wall304, it will be appreciated that all or a portion of thebottom wall304 may instead be formed as part of theflange316 and outlet tube310 (or the flange may simply form the bottom wall), and this combined outlet tube /bottom wall part could then be attached to the lower periphery of thesidewalls302 or to the remaining portion of thebottom wall304. Other variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present specification and with routine practice of the inventions described herein.
• A second exemplary embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 4A and 4B asdustcup assembly400. In this embodiment, the dustcup assembly once again comprises asidewall402,bottom wall404, and open top403 that is covered by a removable lid (not shown), which may be a separate part, or simply part of the housing to which thedustcup assembly400 is ultimately attached. Thedustcup assembly400 includes an air inlet408 (FIG. 4B) through thesidewall402, and anair outlet tube410 through thebottom wall404. Theoutlet tube410 andbottom wall404 are preferably formed together as a single part, such as by plastic molding, and attached to the lower peripheral edge of thesidewall402.
• Thebottom wall404 is preferably attached by an arrangement including alatch412 on one side of thesidewall402, and atab414 on the opposite side of thesidewall402. Thetab414 fits into a corresponding slot or opening416 on a raisedportion418 of thebottom wall404. This raisedportion418 preferably surrounds or abuts the lower edge of thesidewall402 and includes a seal to form an airtight seal between the two parts when they are assembled. In the shown embodiment, thetab414 is located in arecess420 to help minimize the radial dimension of the assembly.
• Thelatch412 comprises a pivoting member including ahook422 at its lower end, abutton424 at its upper end, and apivot426 or other fulcrum between thehook422 and thebutton424. Thelatch412 is oriented on thesidewall402 with thehook422 located to engage a corresponding portion of thebottom wall404. The combined engagement of thelatch412 on one side and thetab414 andopening416 on the other side of thebottom wall404 prevent it (and the attached outlet tube410) from being separated from thedustcup assembly400. Thepivot426 is attached to thesidewall402 so that thebutton424 can be pressed radially inwardly, which moves thehook422 radially outward, and out of engagement with thebottom wall404, thereby allowing disassembly. A spring (not shown), is preferably captured between thebutton424 and thesidewall402 to resiliently bias thebutton424 outward, and therefore thehook422 inward, and in the locked position.
• Like thetab414, thelatch412 is preferably located in arecess428 to help minimize the radial dimension of thedustcup assembly400. Furthermore, thelatch412 preferably is positioned so that it is inaccessible when thedustcup assembly400 is installed to the vacuum cleaner for use, such as by being located on the back side of the assembly along with theair inlet408. As such, the latch is inaccessible in order to prevent accidental openings, and can only be activated when thedustcup assembly400 is removed from the vacuum cleaner. In addition, while thelatch412 andtab414 are illustrated as being on thesidewall402, with the corresponding mating structures on thebottom wall404, these positions can be reversed for thelatch412,tab414, or both.
• While it would be possible in the embodiment ofFIGS. 4A and 4B to empty thedustcup assembly400 by removing the lid and inverting the assembly, it may also be emptied by simply removing thebottom wall404 andoutlet tube410. As such, in variations of this embodiment, the open top403 may be covered by a lid (not shown) that is permanently affixed to the sidewall402 (such as by being integrally formed therewith), or a lid that is not intended to be removed during normal use (such as by being screwed in place). In such an embodiment, thedustcup assembly400 may be emptied by removing it from the vacuum cleaner, inverting it, removing thebottom wall402 and outlet tube410 (which, by virtue of the inversion of the assembly are now above the lid end), and then inverting the assembly once again to empty its contents. Reassembly would follow the opposite procedure. This procedure may prove to be advantageous, as the movement of theoutlet conduit410 relative to thesidewall402 may help to dislodge dirt that becomes packed down in thedustcup assembly400, and theoutlet conduit410 or a filter (not shown) located at the top end of theoutlet conduit410 may act as a piston to pull the dirt and debris out of thedustcup assembly400 without requiring the user to otherwise mechanically agitate the assembly to dislodge the dirt.
• Referring now toFIGS. 5A and 5B, a third embodiment of the present invention provides adustcup assembly500 comprising a combinedlower wall504 andfluid conduit510 that is connected to thesidewall502 byflexible latching tabs512. Theflexible tabs512 extend, in a cantilevered fashion, from anannular wall514 that protrudes upwardly from thebottom wall504. Eachtab512 comprises avertical wall516 having anopening518 therein, and afinger tab520 that protrudes away from thedustcup assembly500 to allow a user easily manipulate thetab512. Eachopening518 is positioned to overlie and engage acorresponding catch522 formed on the outer surface of thesidewall502. Thecatches522 preferably include a ramped lower surface, and a flat upper surface. The ramped lower surfaces help press theflexible tabs512 outward to allow the bottom wall/outlet tube assembly to be installed without manipulating theflexible tabs512. Once in place, theopenings518 surround thecatches522, and the flat upper surfaces prevent disassembly until the user presses on one or both of thefinger tabs520 to release theopenings518 from thecatches522. While the latchingtabs512 are shown as havingopenings518 that fit overcatches522 on thesidewall502, the catches may instead be positioned on the tabs and adapted to fit into corresponding openings (or detents) on the sidewall. For simplicity, the term flexible latching tab will be understood to encompass any variation of a flexible tab that hold parts together by engagement between a catch and a detent or opening (or two catches), regardless of which part has the catch, and which has the opening or detent.
• In use, it is likely that the operator will only have to operate a single one of theflexible latching tabs512, and therefore the otherflexible tab512 may optionally be replaced by an inflexible tab, such as the one shown in the embodiment ofFIGS. 4A and 4B. Of course, many variations are possible, and additional tabs may be used, or the512 may be located on thesidewall502 and thecatches522 located on thebottom wall504.
• The upper end of thedustcup assembly500 comprises anopen end503 that is covered with a removable lid (not shown). Thedustcup assembly500 is emptied by removing it from the vacuum cleaner, and inverting it to drop out the contents. This is done without disassembling thebottom wall504 andoutlet tube510 from thesidewall502. However, as with the embodiment ofFIGS. 4A and 4B, the latching arrangement for thebottom wall514 andoutlet tube510 allows relatively quick and simple disassembly, and therefore this may alternatively be used as the primary emptying means. In such a case, the upper end may be closed or a provided with a permanent or semi-permanent lid, and the emptying procedure described above with respect toFIGS. 4A and 4B could be used to empty it.
• In the embodiments described thus far herein, the outlet tube is attached to the dustcup assembly by inserting it from below the sidewalls. However, the opposite assembly is also possible with the present invention. An embodiment of such a construction is illustrated inFIGS. 6A and 6B. In this embodiment, thedustcup assembly600 comprises asidewall602, abottom wall604, andoutlet tube610. Thebottom wall604 andoutlet tube610 are formed as a single part that is assembled with thesidewall602 by advancing it downward through the sidewall until it snaps into place or is otherwise attached.
• The embodiment ofFIGS. 6A and 6B is held together in a similar manner as the embodiment of FIGS.5A and5B—namely, by the use offlexible tabs612. Theflexible latching tabs612 extend downwardly from thebottom wall604, and eachtab612 includes acatch614 that protrudes radially outward. When thebottom wall604/outlet tube610 part is fully seated, thecatches614 engage a corresponding structure on thesidewall602 to hold the parts together. While fourtabs612 are preferred (the fourth being omitted from the figures by virtue of them being cutaway views taken along the centerline of the device), more orfewer tabs612 may be used.
• While the structure with which thecatches614 engage may simply comprise the lower edge of thesidewall602 or an inwardly-extending lip on thesidewall602, it is preferred to provide thesidewall602 with a radially inwardly-extendingflange616 with a downwardly-extendingannular wall618. Thecatches614 engage the annular wall as shown inFIG. 6B. The use of this inwardly-extendingflange616 allows the radially outermost portion of thebottom wall604′ to overlie theflange616 and create a serpentine passage to prevent dirt from escaping through the bottom of thedustcup assembly600, and prevent air from entering thedustcup assembly600 through this juncture during operation. A gasket or other seal (not shown) may be provided between the parts to assist with sealing any air gap. Similarly, the bottom wall is provided with anannular recess622 into which agasket624 is fitted to seal against a corresponding annular wall on the vacuum cleaner housing (not shown) to which the dustcup assembly is attached. Alternatively (or in addition), a seal (not shown) may be provided in theannular space626 between theannular wall618 and thesidewall602, which, when engaged by a corresponding portion of the vacuum cleaner housing, could effectively seal the entire bottom of thedustcup assembly600 against air leaking into the assembly during operation of the vacuum source.
• The manufacture of thebottom wall604, theflexible tabs612 and thecatches614 may be facilitated by creating thebottom wall604 withsmall openings620 over eachcatch614, which allows injection molding the part with only two mold portions. Thebottom wall604 may also include an annular wall that lies adjacent toannular wall618, although this is not shown in the Figures. As with the embodiment ofFIGS. 5A and 5B, theflexible tabs612 are shaped and sized to allow them to be flexed inwardly, as shown by the arrows A, far enough to allow thecatches614 to bypass theannular wall618 as the part is installed, but firmly snap back approximately into their unflexed position to hold the parts together. The precise considerations of length, with and material thickness will depend on the material selected for the part, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art. Theannular wall618 may also include ramps or slightly tapered surfaces (not shown) along which thecatches614 may ride as they are being installed to gradually flex them inwardly, which should decrease the amount of effort required to attach the parts. Such ramps may be particularly useful if it is desired to make theflexible tabs612 resilient enough to attach the parts together, but difficult to flex them back by hand to disassemble the parts, thereby providing a somewhat more permanent assembly. If it is desired to orient theoutlet tube610 andbottom wall604 in a particular angular orientation relative to sidewall602, the parts may be provided with one or more keys and slots that engage with one another to prevent assembly in any but the desired position, as will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure.
• A fifth embodiment of the invention is shown inFIGS. 7A and 7B. In this embodiment, thedustcup assembly700 comprises asidewall702 having a plurality ofopenings712 arranged in an annular pattern around the bottom end of thesidewall702. Thebottom wall704 andoutlet tube610 are again constructed as a single part, although, as with other embodiments, they may be separately formed and connected together. Thebottom wall704 includes anannular sidewall714 that is constructed such that its exterior surface fits within the interior surface of thedustcup sidewall702. A plurality oftabs716 extend radially outward from thesidewall714. Eachopening712 is adapted to receive acorresponding tab716, as illustrated inFIG. 7B in order to secure thebottom wall704 andoutlet tube710 thesidewall702 to form thedustcup assembly700. Of course, theopenings712 may be replaced by indentations on the inner surface of thesidewall702 that do not pass all the way through thesidewall702.
• In this embodiment, one or both of thedustcup sidewall702 and thebottom wall sidewall714 must flex in a manner to allow the parts to be pushed together for assembly. To this end, one or both parts may be made of a somewhat flexible material, or may be provided with slots between theopenings712 and/or tabs716 (not shown) that increase the local flexibility of the material in the region proximate to theopenings712 and/ortabs716. Thetabs716 may also be beveled to ease their entry into thesidewall702, and thesidewall702 may be provided with a chamfered interior edge or ramps for the same purpose. A seal (not shown) may also be provided between the parts to assist with forming an air- and dirt-tight connection. As with the foregoing embodiment, it will be appreciated that the number and size of thetabs716 andopenings712 can be varied according to the manufacturer's desires. Generally, the use ofmore tabs716 andopenings712 provides a more positive lock between the parts, but may require greater manufacturing tolerances or steps to produce the parts. A greater number oftabs716 andopenings712 also increases the difficulty of disassembling the parts, making it a one-shot snap-fit, which may be preferred if it not desired for the end-user to be able to perform such disassembly. For example, one instance in which disassembly may not be desired is when the parts are provided with an airtight seal by an adhesive tape or epoxy that could be damaged or destroyed by disassembly.
• FIGS. 8A to8C show a sixth embodiment of adustcup assembly800 of the present invention, in which rotating cam locks are used to hold the parts together. This embodiment comprises asidewall802 andbottom wall804 that are integrally molded as a single part, and anoutlet conduit810 that is attached to thebottom wall804 by a cam lock mechanism. Like the embodiment ofFIGS. 4A and 4B, thedustcup assembly800 includes an inlet808 through thesidewall802, and an open top803 that is covered by a lid (not shown), but variations of these features are within the scope of the invention, as explained previously herein. One ormore ribs811 are provided on thesidewall802 to fit into corresponding slots (not shown) on the vacuum cleaner housing to help orient thedustcup assembly800 for proper installation.
• The bottom of theoutlet tube810 includes three cam followers812 (two of which are visible inFIG. 8A) that extend radially from the outlet tube wall. Theoutlet tube810 also has an outwardly-extendingflange814 at its end. There is a small gap between eachcam follower812 and theflange814. Eachcam follower812 includes asmall tab820 that extends downward into this gap. A seal (not shown) may be positioned between thecam followers812 and theflange814 to seal thedustcup assembly800 when theoutlet tube810 is installed.
• As shown inFIGS. 8B and 8C, thebottom wall804 has acentral opening816 into which theoutlet tube810 fits. Thecentral opening816 has threenotches818 that are arranged in the same pattern as thecam followers812 so that thecam followers812 can be received therein. As shown most clearly inFIG. 8C, each notch is located circumferentially adjacent a portion of the upper surface of thebottom wall804 that includes an upwardly-extendingcatch822, and acam stop824. (Theoutlet tube810 is shown inserted into the central opening inFIG. 8C, but not yet rotated into place.) To secure theoutlet tube810 to thedustcup assembly800, thetube810 is inserted intocentral opening816 along thelongitudinal axis801 of the dustcup assembly until thecam followers812 pass through thenotches818, and theflange814 is seated against thebottom wall804. If a seal is provided, some compression of the seal may be necessary to reach this point, but this is not required. Theoutlet tube810 is then rotated relative to thesidewall802 andbottom wall804, preferably by about ⅛^thof one turn (45 degrees). As this happens, thecam followers812 and the downwardly-extendingtabs820 are pushed against and over the upwardly-extendingcatches822, after which, the sides of thecam followers812 abut the cam stops824. The contact between thetabs820 and thecatches822 creates a physical obstruction to hold theoutlet tube810 in place. The cam stops824 prevent over-rotation of theoutlet tube810, and thereby ensures proper installation. Removal is done by simply reversing the rotation of theoutlet tube810 and overcoming the retaining force generated by contact between thetabs820 and thecatches822. Providing relatively gentile ramps on thetabs820 and catches822 will reduce the force necessary to assemble and disassemble the parts. If it is desired to provide a more permanent installation, thetabs820 and catches822 may be made with square back sides that lock together once the parts are rotated into place. A schematic of this variation is shown inFIG. 9A.
• In a variation of this embodiment, shown inFIG. 9B, the portion of thebottom wall804 between thenotches818 and thecatches822 is made with a gradually thickeningprofile902 that is ultimately nearly equal or greater in thickness than the size of the gap between thecam followers812 and the flange820 (or the seal, if one is provided) on theoutlet tube810. In this variation, thecatches822 are replaced withdetents904 into which thetabs820 fit when theoutlet tube810 is rotated to the desired installation position. It will be understood, of course, that all of these variations essentially use a rotating cam lock arrangement having a tab on one part, and a catch, ramp or notch (or a combination thereof) on the other part.
• Other variations of rotating cam locking devices may be used with the present invention. In addition, as with other embodiments described herein, the outlet tube may actually be formed integrally with the bottom wall, and these parts may be cam locked to the sidewall. The bottom wall may also be formed in two parts, one of which is attached to the sidewall, and the other of which is attached to the outlet tube, and which are attached together by cam locks to form the dustcup assembly. Other variations of the cam locking devices and their location and use to form a dustcup assembly will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure, and with routing experimentation with the present invention.
• Referring now toFIGS. 10A and 10B, a seventh embodiment of adustcup assembly1000 of the present invention comprises a combinedoutlet tube1010 andbottom wall1004 that is attached to asidewall1002 by afastening ring1012. Thefastening ring1012 includes alower radial wall1014, an upperradial wall1016, and anannular wall1018 that connects the upper and lower radial walls. The upperradial wall1016 includes a number ofnotches1020 extending therethrough. Thesidewall1002 includes a number of radially-extendingcatches1022, which are spaced and sized to fit into thenotches1020.
• Thedustcup assembly1000 is assembled by positioning thebottom wall1004 to abut the lower edge of thesidewall1002, and installing thefastening ring1012 over thebottom wall1004. Thecatches1022 pass through thenotches1020 in the upperradial wall1016, and thefastening ring1012 is rotated until he catches are located under the upperradial wall1016. In this position, thebottom wall1004 is captured in place between thefastening ring1012 and thesidewall1002, and secured by thecatches1022. One or both of thecatches1022 and the lower surface of the upperradial wall1016 may include detents, cam surfaces, or other devices to provide a compression force or a locking engagement to hold the parts together, as described above with reference toFIGS. 8A to9B, or as otherwise known in the art. For example, in one embodiment, the foregoing arrangement may comprise bayonet fittings. The foregoing arrangement may alternatively comprise threads, rather thancatches1022, which is made more practical in this embodiment than in the known art by locating the threads where they do not risk substantial contact with dirt and debris from thedustcup assembly1000. One or more seals (not shown) may be provided between one or more of thesidewall1002,bottom wall1004 andfastening ring1012.
• The foregoing embodiments and variations thereof provide several performance advantages in dustcup assemblies. For example, the use of such heterogeneous parts can provide weight savings, improved cleanability, additional options for emptying the dustcup assembly, improved aesthetics, and so on. This construction also allows the dustcup assembly to include specialty materials without unduly raising the cost of the device. For example the outlet conduit may be produced with an anti-microbial additive, such as MICROBAN (available from Microban International, Ltd. of New York, N.Y.), to assist with keeping the dustcup assembly microbe free, but the sidewall may not be treated to reduce expense.
• In addition, the present invention can provide a number of manufacturing and engineering benefits. For example, in many instances, the parts can be manufactured as two simple assemblies using two-part injection molds. This two-part construction allows the parts to be made from different materials, with different thicknesses, or with different colors or graphics. Other manufacturing advantages may include quicker molding time, reduced tooling cost, reduced molding scrap, eliminating the need for providing a mold-griping surface on the parts, and so on. The two-part construction of the present invention also allows, if desired, the parts to be disassembled for more economical shipping, as removal of the outlet tube from the center of the dustcup assembly can allow additional parts of the device to be shipped within the dustcup assembly itself. Still another benefit of using a separate part for the outlet tube is that the outlet tube can be replaced with different shaped tubes (e.g., longer, shorter, wider, or narrower) to facilitate the use of different filter sizes and to make different end products, without requiring an entirely new dustcup assembly mold to be produced. This has one particular advantage of improving product development lead times.
• In addition, while the embodiments described herein describe the outlet tube as being an air passage for air to exit the dustcup assembly, the present teachings are also applicable to air inlet passages that are attached to or pass through the dustcup assembly, and are also applicable to dustcup assembly inserts that do not actually carry an airflow therethrough.
• Still other benefits of the two-piece construction of present invention are described below with respect of various additional embodiments, which may be used with any of the foregoing embodiments.
• Referring now toFIG. 11, the use of a separate outlet tube according to the present invention allows practical formation of airflow-enhancing shapes on the dustcup assembly sidewall and outlet tube. In this embodiment, thedustcup assembly1100 comprise asidewall1102 and a combinedbottom wall1104 andoutlet tube1104. Thebottom wall1104 attaches to the sidewall, as in any of the foregoing embodiments or variations thereof, at or near the outer edge of thesidewall1102. This allows airflow-enhancingcontours1112 to be molded into the inner surface of thesidewall1102 using a conventional injection molding techniques, and may even be performed using simple two-part molds. This construction similarly allows airflow-enhancingcontours1114 to be molded on theoutlet tube1110. As with thecontours1112 on thesidewall1102, thesecontours1114 can be molded much more readily than if theoutlet tube1110 were molded with the remainder of thedustcup assembly1100. Either set ofcontours1112,1114 may also be provided on a separate sleeve that is assembled with thedustcup assembly1100.
• An alternative embodiment of an outlet tube that may be used with the present invention is shown inFIG. 12. In this embodiment, theoutlet tube1210 comprises anairflow deflector1212 that is integrally molded with theoutlet tube1210. In embodiments in which theoutlet tube1210 is installed through a hole through the bottom of the dustcup assembly (not shown), theairflow deflector1212 is limited in size and shape to being insertable through the installation hole, but in embodiments in which it is installed through the open top end of the dustcup assembly, theairflow deflector1212 may be larger. The airflow preferably has a flat, disk-like shape, which allows theoutlet tube1210 to be made by clamshell molds that form either lateral side of theoutlet tube1210 with an third mold insert to form the hollow interior of theoutlet tube1210. However, thedeflector1212 may be made with a compound, curved or angled surfaces, or any other deflector shapes known in the art. the proper molding techniques for such shapes will be understood to those of ordinary skill in the art based on the present disclosure.
• Another embodiment of a dustcup assembly of the present invention that is facilitated by the use of a two-part assembly is shown inFIGS. 13A and 13B. In this embodiment, thedustcup assembly1300 comprises asidewall1302, abottom wall1304, and anoutlet tube1310 that exits through thesidewall1302. Theoutlet tube1310 is installed using screws, cam-lock fasteners, or the like, as described previously herein. This construction would be relatively difficult or expensive with conventional injection molding techniques, but is greatly simplified by forming theoutlet tube1310 separately. Since theoutlet tube1310 is manufactured separately from thesidewall1302, it can also be economically manufactured with a plurality ofperforations1312 around its end to act as a fine or coarse filter, or to act as an emergency screen to prevent the filter (not shown), if used, from entering theoutlet tube1310 and then the vacuum motor if it is torn or otherwise disintegrates. Of course, this feature may be provided with any of the other embodiments of the invention as well.
• A particular advantage of two-part construction of the present invention is that this embodiment may be manufactured from any of the foregoing embodiments by molding thesidewall1302 with an opening to receive theoutlet tube1310, and covering the original opening through thebottom wall1304 with an airtight cover (or vice versa for making any of the foregoing embodiments from the present embodiment). This facilitates the manufacture of a variety of products using a single sidewall as a platform.
• The installation of the embodiment ofFIG. 13 into an exemplary vacuum cleaner is shown inFIG. 13B. Here, the vacuum cleaner comprises an upright vacuum having anozzle base1314 to which arear housing1316 is pivotally attached. the rear housing includes a dustcupassembly receiving portion1318 having anair inlet connection1320 and anair outlet connection1322. Theinlet connection1320 mates with thedustcup assembly inlet1308, and the outlet connection mates with theoutlet tube1310 when thedustcup assembly1310 is installed. A suitable latch, as are known in the art, holds thedustcup assembly1300 in place.
• While the foregoing embodiments have depicted the sidewall being cylindrical, this shape is not required, and conical, frusto-conical, and other shapes may be used. In addition the outlet tube may have any number of non-circular profiles. The use of the two-part assembly of the present invention also facilitates the manufacture of outlet tubes having relatively complex shapes. Referring toFIGS. 14A to14G, a number of exemplary variations are shown. These shapes may be used with any embodiment of the present invention.
• FIG. 14A illustrates analternative outlet tube1410ahaving a rectangular profile.FIG. 14B illustrates analternative outlet tube1410bhaving a square profile.FIG. 14C illustrates and alternative outlet tube1410chaving a triangular profile. Such rectilinear profiles may, by virtue of not being circular, initiate the creation of sub-cyclones within the dustcup assembly that help separate particles from the air.
• The embodiments ofFIGS. 14D to14F illustrate multi-part conduits, which have upper and lower portions having different shapes and/or sizes. In the embodiment ofFIG. 14D, bothoutlet tube sections1410d′ and1410d″ are rectangular, but thelower section1410d′ is larger than theupper section1410d″. Of course, the opposite arrangement, that is, having thelower section1410d′ smaller than theupper section1410d″, may also be used. In the embodiment ofFIG. 14E, bothoutlet tube sections1410e′ and1410e″ are square, but thelower section1410e′ is rotated relative to theupper section1410e″. In the embodiment ofFIG. 14F, the loweroutlet tube section1410f′ is triangular, and the upperoutlet tube section1410f″ is cylindrical. These embodiments are provided only by way of example, and many other embodiments will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in view of the present disclosure and with routine experimentation with the present invention. Additional examples of outlet tube geometries and airflow enhancing contours that may be produced on the outlet tube are provided in U.S. Pat. No. 6,419,719, which is incorporated herein by reference.
• FIG. 14G illustrates still another embodiment of an alternative outlet tube geometry of the present invention. In this embodiment, theoutlet tube1410gcomprises an airfoil-like shape. While this airfoil shape may be located in the center of the dustcup assembly1400, it may alternatively be located closer to thesidewall1402. As the air in the dustcup assembly1400 circles around thesidewall1402 and past the airflow shaped outlet tube1410, a lower pressure develops between the outlet tube1410 and thesidewall1402, which is expected to increase the efficiency of the cyclonic separating action. In this embodiment, an airfoil-shapedfilter1412 may be used to further assist with cyclone separation and enhance the aesthetic quality of the device.
• The present invention also allows the use of multiple outlet tubes having relatively complex geometry. Referring now toFIGS. 15A to15C, in another embodiment of the invention thedustcup assembly1500 comprises asidewall1502,bottom wall1504, andlid1506. The single outlet tube of the previous embodiments is replaced by a pair ofcurved outlet tubes1510 that extend downwardly in a spiral pattern that may enhance the cyclonic airflow within thedustcup assembly1500. Theoutlet tubes1510 may be formed separately from one another, and separately assembled to thebottom wall1504, as described previously herein, or bothoutlet tubes1510 may be formed as a single piece with thebottom wall1504 attaching them, and this assembly installed to thesidewall1502. Other variations will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art with consideration of the present disclosure.
• In one embodiment, the afilter1512 is located at the top of thetubes1510, but this is not required. If such afilter1512 is provided, theoutlet tubes1510 may be attached to the bottom of thefilter1512 to draw air from thefilter1512 in a tangential manner, which may enhance the post-filter airflow through the device.
• While the embodiments of the invention described above are preferred, it will be recognized and understood that these embodiments are not intended to limit the invention, which is limited only by the appended claims. Various modifications may be made to these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

Claims (44)

1. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing having an upper housing end and a lower housing end;

a handle associated with the upper housing end;

a base pivotally attached to the lower housing end, the base comprising a floor inlet nozzle facing generally downwardly therefrom;

a dustcup assembly associated with at least one of the housing and the base, the dustcup assembly comprising:

a sidewall defining an interior space having an open top end and a bottom end,

a bottom wall extending across the bottom end and having a dustcup outlet therethrough,

a dustcup inlet,

a dustcup lid adapted to selectively cover the open top, and

a fluid conduit formed separately from the bottom wall and attached to the bottom wall at the dustcup outlet, the fluid conduit extending into the interior space defined by the sidewall; and

a vacuum source associated with at least one of the housing and the base, the vacuum source being adapted to create a working air flow that enters the floor inlet nozzle, passes into the dustcup assembly through the dustcup inlet, and exits the dustcup assembly through the dustcup outlet.

2. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is attached to the bottom wall by one or more screws.

3. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is attached to the bottom wall by a rotating cam lock arrangement.

4. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is attached to the bottom wall by one or more flexible latching tabs.

5. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is attached to the bottom wall by snap-fit engagement.

6. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is attached to the bottom wall by an interference fit.

7. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is attached to the bottom wall by bayonet fittings.

8. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is attached to the bottom wall by a fastening ring.

9. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, further comprising a gasket interposed between the fluid conduit and the bottom wall.

10. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit comprises an airfoil cross-section.

11. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit comprises one or more integrally formed contours to assist with dust separation.

12. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit comprises one or more integrally formed airflow deflectors.

13. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the bottom wall comprises at least one additional dustcup outlet, and the dustcup assembly comprises at least one additional fluid conduit attached to the bottom wall at the at additional dustcup outlet and extending into the interior space defined by the sidewall.

14. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit comprises a first section having a first geometric profile, and a second section having a second geometric profile, the second geometric profile being different from the first geometric profile.

15. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the dustcup assembly is adapted to be releasably attached to the housing, and the dustcup lid is formed by the housing.

16. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the dustcup assembly is adapted to be releasably attached to the housing, and the dustcup lid is a separate part that is removable with the dustcup assembly from the housing.

17. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the dustcup inlet enters the interior space defined by the sidewall through the lid.

18. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the dustcup inlet enters the interior space defined by the sidewall through the sidewall.

19. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is releasably attached to the bottom wall.

20. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 1, wherein the fluid conduit is not releasably attached to the bottom wall.

21. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing;

one or more air inlet nozzles associated with the housing;

a dustcup assembly associated with the housing, the dustcup assembly comprising:

a sidewall defining an interior space having an open top end and a bottom end,

a bottom wall extending across the bottom end and having a dustcup outlet therethrough,

a dustcup inlet,

a dustcup lid adapted to selectively cover the open top, and

a fluid conduit formed separately from the bottom wall and releasably attached to the bottom wall at the dustcup outlet, the fluid conduit extending into the interior space defined by the sidewall; and

a vacuum source associated with the housing, the vacuum source being adapted to create a working air flow that enters the one or more inlet nozzles, passes into the dustcup assembly through the dustcup inlet, and exits the dustcup assembly through the dustcup outlet.

22. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the fluid conduit is attached to the bottom wall by one or more of the following devices: one or more screws, a rotating cam lock arrangement, one or more flexible latching tabs, snap-fitting members, interference fitting members, bayonet fittings, a fastening ring.

23. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, further comprising a gasket interposed between the fluid conduit and the bottom wall.

24. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the fluid conduit comprises an airfoil cross-section.

25. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the fluid conduit comprises one or more integrally formed contours to assist with dust separation.

26. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the fluid conduit comprises one or more integrally formed airflow deflectors.

27. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the bottom wall comprises at least one additional dustcup outlet, and the dustcup assembly comprises at least one additional fluid conduit attached to the bottom wall at the at additional dustcup outlet and extending into the interior space defined by the sidewall.

28. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the fluid conduit comprises a first section having a first geometric profile, and a second section having a second geometric profile, the second geometric profile being different from the first geometric profile.

29. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the dustcup assembly is adapted to be releasably attached to the housing, and the dustcup lid is formed by the housing.

30. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the dustcup assembly is adapted to be releasably attached to the housing, and the dustcup lid is a separate part that is removable with the dustcup assembly from the housing.

31. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the dustcup inlet enters the interior space defined by the sidewall through the lid.

32. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 21, wherein the dustcup inlet enters the interior space defined by the sidewall through the sidewall.

33. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing;

one or more air inlet nozzles associated with the housing;

a dustcup assembly associated with the housing, the dustcup assembly comprising:

a sidewall defining an interior space having an open top end and a bottom end,

a bottom wall extending across the bottom end and having a dustcup outlet therethrough,

a dustcup inlet,

a dustcup lid adapted to selectively cover the open top, and

a fluid conduit attached to the bottom wall at the dustcup outlet, the fluid conduit extending into the interior space defined by the sidewall,

wherein the fluid conduit and at least a portion of the bottom wall form a combined conduit/bottom wall part that is formed separately from the sidewall and attached thereto; and

a vacuum source associated with the housing, the vacuum source being adapted to create a working air flow that enters the one or more inlet nozzles, passes into the dustcup assembly through the dustcup inlet, and exits the dustcup assembly through the dustcup outlet.

34. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is removably attached to the sidewall by a fastener that does not comprise threads formed on the combined conduit/bottom wall part itself.

35. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is attached to the sidewall by one or more screws.

36. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is attached to the sidewall by a rotating cam lock arrangement.

37. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is attached to the sidewall by one or more flexible latching tabs.

38. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is attached to the sidewall by snap-fit engagement.

39. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is attached to the sidewall by an interference fit.

40. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is attached to the sidewall by bayonet fittings.

41. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is attached to the sidewall by a fastening ring.

42. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, further comprising a gasket interposed between the combined conduit/bottom wall part and the sidewall.

43. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is releasably attached to the sidewall.

44. The vacuum cleaner ofclaim 33, wherein the combined conduit/bottom wall part is not releasably attached to the sidewall.

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