Slide-out filter drawer for a central vacuum system

Abstract

A central vacuum system includes a cylindrical canister with a slide-out filter drawer that can be used either in a filtered or cyclonic vacuum system. The drawer permits servicing the filter without having to otherwise open the canister. The dirtier upstream side of the filter element faces downward to help prevent dust from piling up on the filter element.

1 . A central vacuum system for moving air, the system comprising: 
 a canister;    a divider disposed within the canister to divide the canister between an upper section and a lower section, wherein the divider include a rim that defines an air passageway;    a vacuum motor disposed within the upper section of the canister and being adapted to force the air from the lower section upward through the air passageway;    a filter drawer translatable within the upper section such that the filter drawer is translatable between an inserted position and a retracted position; and    a filter element that includes an upper surface and a lower surface and is supported by the filter drawer such that when the filter drawer is in the inserted position, the upper surface engages the rim of the divider to ensure that the air moving upward from the lower section through the air passageway passes through the filter element before passing through the air passageway, and when the filter drawer is in the retracted position, the filter element can be spaced apart from the canister and the divider, whereby the filter element is readily serviceable.    
   
   
       2 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , further comprising a main filter disposed inside the canister at an upstream location relative to the filter element, wherein the main filter helps clean the air prior to the air passing through the filter element.  
   
   
       3 . The central vacuum system of  claim 2 , wherein the main filter is a bag.  
   
   
       4 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , further comprising a cyclone apparatus disposed inside the canister at an upstream location relative to the filter element, wherein the cyclone apparatus helps clean the air prior to the air passing through the filter element.  
   
   
       5 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the filter drawer defines an opening through which the air can pass prior to passing into the lower surface of the filter element, and the filter element includes a porous perimeter through which the air can pass prior to passing out through the upper surface of the filter element, whereby the air can pass through both the lower surface and the porous perimeter before passing through the air passageway.  
   
   
       6 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the upper surface of the filter element includes an annular gasket that engages the rim when the drawer is in the inserted position.  
   
   
       7 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the rim includes an annular gasket that engages the upper surface of the filter element when the drawer is in the inserted position.  
   
   
       8 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the rim lies along a plane that is tilted at an angle relative to a longitudinal centerline of the canister.  
   
   
       9 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the drawer is upstream of the filter element.  
   
   
       10 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the lower surface of the filter element is upstream of the upper surface.  
   
   
       11 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum motor can create within the canister a vacuum that helps hold the drawer in the inserted position.  
   
   
       12 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum motor can create within the canister a vacuum that urges the filter element up against the rim.  
   
   
       13 . The central vacuum system of  claim 1 , wherein the lower section comprises a drawer-supporting section and a dust-collecting section, wherein the filter element is contained within the drawer-supporting section when the drawer is in the inserted position, and the dust-collecting section is removable out from underneath the drawer-supporting section to provide access to accumulated dust.  
   
   
       14 . A central vacuum system for moving air, the system comprising: 
 a canister;    a divider disposed within the canister to divide the canister between an upper section and a lower section, wherein the divider include a rim that defines an air passageway;    a vacuum motor disposed within the upper section of the canister and being adapted to draw the air from the lower section upward through the air passageway;    a filter drawer translatable within the lower section such that the filter drawer is translatable between an inserted position and a retracted position; and    a filter element that includes an upper surface and a lower surface and is supported by the filter drawer such that when the filter drawer is in the inserted position, the upper surface engages the rim of the divider to ensure that the air moving upward from the lower section through the air passageway passes through the filter element before passing through the air passageway, and when the filter drawer is in the retracted position, the filter element can be spaced apart from the canister and the divider, wherein the lower surface of the filter element is upstream of the upper surface and the vacuum motor can create within the canister a vacuum that urges the filter element up against the rim.    
   
   
       15 . The central vacuum system of  claim 14 , further comprising a main filter disposed inside the canister at an upstream location relative to the filter element, wherein the main filter helps clean the air prior to the air passing through the filter element.  
   
   
       16 . The central vacuum system of  claim 14 , further comprising a cyclone apparatus disposed inside the canister at an upstream location relative to the filter element, wherein the cyclone apparatus helps clean the air prior to the air passing through the filter element.  
   
   
       17 . The central vacuum system of  claim 14 , wherein the rim lies along a plane that is tilted at an angle relative to a longitudinal centerline of the canister.  
   
   
       18 . The central vacuum system of  claim 14 , wherein the drawer is upstream of the filter element.  
   
   
       19 . The central vacuum system of  claim 14 , wherein the lower section comprises a drawer-supporting section and a dust-collecting section, wherein the filter element is contained within the drawer-supporting section when the drawer is in the inserted position, and the dust-collecting section is removable out from underneath the drawer-supporting section to provide access to accumulated dust.  
   
   
       20 . A central vacuum system for moving air with dust, the system comprising: 
 a cylindrical canister that includes an upper section and a lower section, wherein the lower section comprises a drawer-supporting section and a dust-collecting section, wherein the dust-collecting section is removable out from underneath the drawer-supporting section to provide access to the dust that may have separated from the air and collected in the dust-collecting section;    a divider disposed within the canister to divide the canister between the upper section and the lower section, wherein the divider include a rim that defines an air passageway, wherein the rim lies along a plane that is tilted at an angle relative to a longitudinal centerline of the canister;    a vacuum motor disposed within the upper section of the canister and being adapted to draw the air from the lower section upward through the air passageway;    a filter drawer translatable within the lower section such that the filter drawer is translatable between an inserted position and a retracted position; and    a filter element that includes an upper surface and a lower surface and is supported by the filter drawer such that when the filter drawer is in the inserted position, the filter element is contained within the drawer-supporting section with the upper surface engaging the rim of the divider to ensure that the air moving upward from the lower section through the air passageway passes through the filter element before passing through the air passageway, and when the filter drawer is in the retracted position, the filter element can be spaced apart from the canister and the divider, wherein the lower surface of the filter element is upstream of the upper surface and the vacuum motor can create within the canister a vacuum that urges the filter element up against the rim and helps hold the drawer in the inserted position.