Dust and allergen control for surface cleaning apparatus

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12234087-B2
Application number	US-202217569622-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 6, 2022
Priority date	Dec 28, 2016
Publication date	Feb 25, 2025
Grant date	Feb 25, 2025

Abstract

A garbage can has an inlet port that is closable about a dirt collection region of a vacuum cleaner such that the inlet port is substantially sealed around the dirt collection region. The garbage can also has a suction motor to draw dirt out of the dirt collection region.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for emptying a dirt collection region of a surface cleaning apparatus, the dirt collection region comprising a first end, an opposed second end and a sidewall extending between the first and second ends, the first end comprising an openable portion and a closure member securing the openable portion in a closed position, the apparatus comprising:
an air flow passage from an inlet port to an air outlet wherein the dirt collection region is removably positionable in flow communication with the air flow passage and, when the dirt collection region is positioned in flow communication with the air flow passage, a deformable member engages the sidewall of the dirt collection region whereby the inlet port is substantially sealed, and
a release actuator which, when the openable portion is aligned with the inlet port, drives the closure member from an engaged position, in which the closure member secures the openable portion in the closed position, to a disengaged position, in which the openable portion is spaced from the closure member, whereby the openable portion is opened and the dirt collection region is emptyable,
wherein the apparatus is free standing on a floor.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein, when the dirt collection region is positioned in flow communication with the air flow passage, the deformable member is substantially sealable around the openable portion of the dirt collection region.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deformable member comprises at least one moveable member which substantially seals the inlet port when the dirt collection region is positioned in the inlet port.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the deformable member comprises at least one moveable member which substantially seals the inlet port when the dirt collection region is positioned in flow communication with the air flow passage.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein, when the dirt collection region is positioned in flow communication with the air flow passage, the at least one moveable member is biased to engage the sidewall of the dirt collection region.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising an air treatment member positioned upstream of a suction motor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the apparatus has an interior volume positioned below the inlet port which receives dirt that falls out of the dirt collection region when the dirt collection region is positioned in the inlet port and wherein the air treatment member is positioned external to the interior volume.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the air treatment member comprises an air treatment chamber having an air treatment chamber air inlet and an air treatment chamber air outlet and defining a chamber volume in which entrained dirt is removed due to the air flow as air travels through the air treatment chamber from the air treatment chamber air inlet to the air treatment chamber air outlet.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the apparatus has an openable end, and the inlet port is provided at the openable end.

11. A waste receptacle for emptying a dirt collection region of a surface cleaning apparatus, the dirt collection region comprising a first end, an opposed second end and a sidewall extending between the first and second ends, the first end comprising an openable portion and a closure member securing the openable portion in a closed position, the waste receptacle comprising:
(a) a container housing defining an interior volume and having an inlet port; and,
(b) an air flow path extending from the interior volume to a clean air outlet wherein, when the dirt collection region is positioned in flow communication with the inlet port, a suction motor draws air through the air flow path,
(c) a release actuator which, when the first end of the dirt collection region is positioned in the interior volume of the container housing, drives the closure member from an engaged position, in which the closure member secures the openable portion in the closed position, to a disengaged position in which the closure member is spaced from the openable portion whereby the openable portion is openable and the dirt collection region is emptyable into the interior volume,
wherein the inlet port comprises a deformable member provided on the container housing at the inlet port and the deformable member is substantially sealable around the openable portion of the dirt collection region of the surface cleaning apparatus, and
wherein the waste receptacle is free standing on a floor and, when the waste receptacle is free standing on the floor, the inlet port is located at an upper end of the waste receptacle, and
wherein the container housing is openable to remove dirt collected in the container housing.

12. The waste receptacle of claim 11 wherein the deformable member comprises at least one moveable member, and the at least one moveable member and the dirt collection region together substantially seal the inlet port when the dirt collection region is positioned in the inlet port.

13. The waste receptacle of claim 11 wherein the deformable member comprises at least one moveable member which, when the dirt collection region is positioned in the inlet port, engages the sidewall of the dirt collection region whereby the at least one moveable member and the dirt collection region together substantially seal the inlet port and the deformable member is substantially sealed around the dirt collection region.

14. The waste receptacle of claim 13 wherein, when the dirt collection region is positioned in the inlet port, the at least one moveable member is biased to engage the sidewall of the dirt collection region.

15. The waste receptacle of claim 11 further comprising an air treatment member positioned upstream of the suction motor.

16. The waste receptacle of claim 15 wherein the air treatment member is positioned external to the interior volume.

17. The waste receptacle of claim 16 wherein the air treatment member comprises an air treatment chamber having an air treatment chamber air inlet and an air treatment chamber air outlet and defining a chamber volume in which entrained dirt is removed due to the air flow as air travels through the air treatment chamber from the air treatment chamber air inlet to the air treatment chamber air outlet.

18. The waste receptacle of claim 17 wherein the air treatment member comprises a cyclone.

19. A system comprising:
(a) a dirt collection region of a surface cleaning apparatus, the dirt collection region comprising a first end, an opposed second end, a sidewall extending between the first and second ends, the first end comprising an openable portion and a closure member securing the openable portion in a closed position; and
(b) a waste receptacle comprising an interior volume, an air flow passage through the interior volume from an inlet port to an air outlet, and a release actuator having an engagement portion that is engageable with the closure member,
wherein, when the closure member is engaged by the engagement portion, the closure member is disengaged from the openable portion, whereby the openable portion is openable,
wherein at least a portion of the surface cleaning apparatus comprising the dirt collection region is alignable to the waste receptacle whereby the dirt collection region is removably positionable in flow communication with the air flow passage and, when the dirt collection region is positioned in flow communi

Assignees

• Omachron Intellectual Property Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Wayne Ernest

Classifications

• A47L2201/024

  Emptying dust or waste liquid containers · CPC title

• A47L9/2873

  Docking units or charging stations (for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02) · CPC title

• B65F1/1607

  with filling openings · CPC title

• B65F2210/129

  Deodorizing means · CPC title

• B65F1/105

  the filling means being pneumatic, e.g. using suction · CPC title