Vacuum cleaner with integrated water filter

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner device containing a water filter and a filter shroud. The filter shroud contains an outer wall having a gap for the passage of water and air, an inner wall placed near the gap and coaxial with the outer wall, and a dry filter at the top of the device. Contaminated air enters the filter shroud near the center of the inner wall. Most of the contaminants are filtered out of the air by the water. The air passes along the inner wall, through a channel between the inner and outer walls, through the gap in the outer wall, and up through the dry filter. The air reaching the dry filter has lost all of the water and most of the contaminants. The configuration of the filter shroud prevents the dry filter from becoming wet and losing its effectiveness.

1 . A vacuum cleaner device comprising a container having a top, a bottom, at least one side wall, an inlet for contaminated air, an outlet for clean air, a vacuum motor, a dry filter at the outlet, water having an upper surface at the bottom of the container, and a filter shroud having a top, said filter shroud comprising an air barrier at the top, an arcuate outer wall containing a gap, and a coaxial arcuate inner wall so positioned that incoming air will contact the water, proceed around the inner surface of the inner wall, make a 180° turn and proceed through a channel between the inner wall and the outer wall to exit at the gap in the outer wall, proceed upwardly to the dry filter, and exit the device through the outlet. 
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the arcuate inner wall contains parallel extensions. 
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein an inlet hose goes from the air inlet to the water barrier at the top of the filter shroud. 
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet hose goes from the air inlet to beneath the upper surface of the water. 
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the outer wall of the filter shroud contains a plurality of notches. 
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the filter shroud contains a plurality of adjustable legs. 
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein there is an indicator on the filter shroud which indicates the desired level of water in the container relative to the filter shroud. 
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the air barrier is a lofted air barrier.