Self-evacuating vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner has an electric motor driving an air impeller for creating suction and a pump impeller which is located in the tank and draws liquid material from the bottom of the tank and expels it from the tank. The vacuum cleaner may have an electrical or mechanical shut-off apparatus which turns off the electric motor if the water level in the tank is too high. The shut-off switch may be bypassed by a user to allow the motor to continue driving the pump impeller to remove liquid from the tank.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a tank for collecting material;    an air impeller for creating low pressure in the tank to draw material into the tank;    a shaft extending from the air impeller and rotating with the air impeller; and    a pump impeller, mechanically connected to the air impeller by the shaft, for drawing material out of the tank.    
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further including a motor driving the air impeller and the pump impeller, an upper vacuum assembly carrying the motor and the air impeller, an upper pump assembly including the pump impeller wherein the upper pump assembly is attached to the upper vacuum assembly and a lower pump assembly removably attached to the upper pump assembly wherein the lower pump assembly includes a pump inlet tube communicating with a lower portion of the tank.  
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , further including a tank extension supported by the tank between the tank and the upper vacuum assembly and carrying the lower pump assembly and removable from the tank and the upper vacuum assembly.  
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further including a source of mechanical force driving the air impeller and the pump impeller.  
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further including a pump having the pump impeller, an inlet near a lower portion of the tank and an outlet exterior to the tank wherein the material in the tank is drawn into the pump inlet by the pump impeller and expelled from the pump outlet.  
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , further including a bellows connected to the pump inlet wherein the bellows has an opening to permit liquid in the tank to enter the bellows and means for compressing the bellows to force liquid into the bellows toward the pump impeller.  
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein the means for compressing the bellows comprises a handle located outside the tank and connected to the bellows.  
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further including a lower pump assembly having a tube with an inlet near a lower portion of the tank and an upper pump assembly including the pump impeller wherein the lower pump assembly is removably attached to the upper pump assembly.  
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the lower pump assembly includes a fluid filter and means for sending a priming fluid toward the pump impeller.  
     
     
         10 . A wet/dry vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a tank for receiving vacuumed material;    an upper vacuum assembly;    a motor and an air impeller carried by the upper vacuum assembly; and    a pump for removing liquid material from the tank;    the pump including an upper pump assembly attached to the upper vacuum assembly and including a pump impeller and the pump further including a lower pump assembly removably attached to the upper pump assembly and including a pump inlet tube communicating with a lower portion of the tank.    
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , further including a tank extension supported by the tank between the tank and the upper vacuum assembly wherein the tank extension is removable from the tank and the upper vacuum assembly and carries the lower pump assembly.  
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , further including a pump outlet passing through the tank extension.  
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , further including a priming handle passing through the tank extension.  
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , further including a bellows connected to the pump inlet tube in fluid communication with the tank and means for compressing the bellows to force liquid in the bellows toward the pump impeller.  
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14  wherein the means for compressing the bellows comprises a handle connected to the bellows and located outside the tank.  
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the upper pump assembly includes an impeller housing and the lower pump assembly includes a pump outlet fitting communicating with a tank outlet and having a pump outlet seal, an inlet tube and an inlet tube seal wherein the upper pump assembly separates from the lower pump assembly at the pump outlet seal and the inlet tube seal.  
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the lower pump assembly includes a fluid filter and means for sending a priming fluid toward the pump impeller.  
     
     
         18 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a tank for collecting vacuumed material;    a source of mechanical force;    an air impeller driven by the source of mechanical force for creating a low pressure area in the tank to draw material into the tank;    a pump located in the tank and driven by the source of mechanical force;    a pump inlet near a lower portion of the tank; and    a pump outlet exterior to the tank;    wherein liquid material in the tank is drawn into the pump inlet by the pump impeller and expelled through the pump outlet.    
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the air impeller rotates about a first shaft and the pump impeller rotates about a second shaft and the first shaft is substantially collinear with the second shaft.  
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein the second shaft connects the air impeller to the pump impeller.  
     
     
         21 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , further comprising a bellows connected to the pump inlet wherein the bellows has an opening to permit liquid in the tank to enter the bellows and means for compressing the bellows to force liquid in the bellows toward the pump impeller.  
     
     
         22 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 21 , wherein the means for compressing the bellows comprises a handle located outside the tank and connected to the bellows.  
     
     
         23 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , further comprising a lower pump assembly having an inlet tube including the inlet near a lower portion of the tank and an upper pump assembly including the pump impeller wherein the lower pump assembly is removably attached to the upper pump assembly.  
     
     
         24 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 23 , wherein the lower pump assembly further comprises a fluid filter and means for sending a priming fluid toward the pump impeller.  
     
     
         25 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 23 , comprising an upper vacuum assembly wherein the upper vacuum assembly carries the source of mechanical force, the air impeller, and the upper pump assembly.  
     
     
         26 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 25 , further comprising a removable tank extension supported by the tank between the tank and the upper vacuum assembly and carrying the lower pump assembly.  
     
     
         27 . A wet/dry vacuum cleaner for vacuuming liquid or debris, comprising: 
 a tank for collecting material;    an air impeller for creating low pressure in the tank to draw material into the tank;    a motor driving the air impeller; and    a control circuit for controlling the motor, the control circuit including 
 an electrode disposed at a particular liquid level height in the liquid collection tank;  
 means for enabling the motor when liquid in the liquid collection tank is below the particular liquid level height;  
 means coupled to the electrode and the enabling means for disabling the motor when liquid in the liquid collection tank reaches the particular liquid level height; and  
 means coupled to the enabling means for selectively bypassing the disabling means to re-enable the motor when the liquid in the liquid collection tank reaches the particular liquid level height.  
   
     
     
         28 . The wet/dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 27 , wherein the control circuit further comprises an additional means coupled to the enabling means for disabling the motor after the motor has been re-enabled by the bypass means.  
     
     
         29 . The wet/dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 28 , wherein the control circuit further comprises a further electrode coupled to the additional disabling means and disposed at a further liquid level height in the liquid collection tank, wherein the additional disabling means disables the motor when the liquid level in the liquid collection tank reaches the further liquid level height.  
     
     
         30 . A control circuit for controlling a liquid collection device having a liquid collection tank, comprising: 
 an electrode disposed at a particular liquid level height in the liquid collection tank;    means for enabling the liquid collection device when liquid in the liquid collection tank is below the particular liquid level height;    means coupled to the electrode and the enabling means for disabling the liquid collection device when liquid in the liquid collection tank reaches the particular liquid level height; and    means coupled to the enabling means for selectively bypassing the disabling means to re-enable the liquid collection device when the liquid in the liquid collection tank reaches the particular liquid level height.    
     
     
         31 . The control circuit of  claim 30 , further comprising an additional means coupled to the enabling means for disabling the liquid collection device after the liquid collection device has been re-enabled by the bypass means.  
     
     
         32 . The control circuit of  claim 31 , further comprising a further electrode coupled to the additional disabling means and disposed at a further liquid level height in the liquid collection tank, wherein the additional disabling means disables the liquid collection device when the liquid level in the liquid collection tank reaches the further liquid level height.  
     
     
         33 . A wet/dry vacuum cleaner for vacuuming liquid or debris, comprising: 
 a tank for collecting material;    an air impeller for creating low pressure in the tank to draw material into the tank;    a motor driving the air impeller;    a switch having a first position in which power is provided to the motor and a second position in which power to the motor is interrupted;    a user operated actuator mechanism mechanically linked to the switch and capable of moving the switch to the first position or the second position; and    a float mechanically linked to the switch and capable of moving the switch from the first position to the second position.    
     
     
         34 . The wet/dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 33 , further comprising a toggle member which engages said switch to move said switch to the first or second position.  
     
     
         35 . The wet/dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 34 , further including a float transmission rod disposed between the toggle member and the float.  
     
     
         36 . The wet/dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 34 , wherein the toggle member includes a locking brace having a ramp portion and a locking portion inclined with respect to the ramp portion.  
     
     
         37 . The wet/dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 36 , wherein the switch includes an actuator which is engageable by the locking brace and is latched by the locking portion.  
     
     
         38 . The wet/dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 33 , wherein the actuator mechanism includes an upper leaf spring, a lower leaf spring, a leaf connection member spanning between and connecting the upper and lower leaf springs and an actuator stem attached to the leaf connection member wherein the upper and lower leaf springs center the actuator stem in an actuator slot.  
     
     
         39 . The wet/dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 34 , wherein the actuator mechanism includes a female coupling member having an upper flange member and a lower flange member and further defining a boss slot, and wherein the toggle member includes a sidewall and a boss connected to the sidewall and extending outward from the toggle member and into the boss slot and neither the upper nor lower lip of the female coupling member engages the boss when the actuator mechanism is centered.  
     
     
         40 . A mechanical shut-off and bypass assembly for controlling application of power to a motor, comprising: 
 a switch having a first position in which power is provided to the motor and a second position in which power to the motor is interrupted;    a toggle member which engages said switch to move said switch to the first or second position;    a user operated actuator mechanism for engaging the toggle member to move the switch to the first or the second position; and    an override mechanism for engaging the toggle member to move the switch from the first position to the second position.    
     
     
         41 . The mechanical shut-off and bypass assembly of  claim 40 , wherein the toggle member includes a locking brace having a ramp portion and a locking portion.  
     
     
         42 . The mechanical shut-off and bypass assembly of  claim 41 , wherein the switch includes an actuator which is engageable by the locking brace and is latched by the locking portion.  
     
     
         43 . The mechanical shut-off and bypass assembly of  claim 40 , wherein the actuator mechanism comprises an upper leaf spring, a lower leaf spring, a leaf connection member spanning between and connecting the upper and lower leaf spring and an actuator stem attached to the leaf connection member wherein the upper and lower leaf springs center the actuator stem in a slot.  
     
     
         44 . The mechanical shut-off and bypass assembly of  claim 40 , wherein the actuator mechanism includes a female coupling member having an upper flange member and a lower flange member and further defining a boss slot, wherein the toggle member includes a sidewall and a boss connected to the sidewall and extending outward from the toggle member and into the boss slot and wherein neither the upper nor lower lip of the female coupling member engages the boss when the actuator mechanism is centered.