Vacuum Cleaner

Abstract

A portable vacuum cleaner having a fan which draws air inwards through inlet duct and inlet to coarse filter element. Larger dirt particles are trapped within coarse filter element, and the filtered air passes through fine filter element and into fan, where it is expelled through outlet duct and outlet aperture. A cleaning member mounted on the coarse filter element that engages the fine filter element so that upon remove of the coarse filter element, the cleaning member slides along the fine filter element removing particles thereon.

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 an inlet for entry of air;   an outlet for exit of air;   suction means for generating a difference in air pressure between the inlet and the outlet;   a first filter for removing particles larger than a first particle size from air flowing from said inlet to said outlet; and   a second filter for removing particles larger than a second particle size, smaller than said first particle size, from air flowing from said first filter to said outlet;   wherein said first filter comprises a cleaning member mounted thereto and adapted to engage said second filter such that removal of the first filter causes the cleaning member to remove particles on said second filter.   
   
   
       2 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein said cleaning member comprises a brush that slides along the surface of the second filter when said first filter is removed. 
   
   
       3 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the first filter defines a cavity for collecting particles therein, and said second filter is arranged outwardly of said first filter. 
   
   
       4 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein said first filter encloses the inlet. 
   
   
       5 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein said first filter is elongate with a longitudinal axis and is adapted to receive air adjacent a first end thereof, the air entering the first filter in a direction parallel to the axis. 
   
   
       6 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the second filter is pleated. 
   
   
       7 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein said cleaning member engages the pleats of said second filter. 
   
   
       8 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the suction means comprises a fan for displacing air towards said outlet. 
   
   
       9 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein said first filter is elongate, and inlet air is directed in a helical path over a surface of said elongate first filter. 
   
   
       10 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a housing having an air inlet and an air outlet;   a motor in said housing;   a first filter for removing particles larger than a first particle size;   a second filter for removing particles larger than a second particle size, the second particle size being smaller than the first particle size;   wherein air passes through the first filter before passing through the second filter; and   a cleaning member mounted to the first filter and engaging the second filter, so that upon removal of the first filter from the housing the cleaning member removes particles on the second filter.   
   
   
       11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the first filter has a first end and a second end, and the first end of the first filter encloses the air inlet and the cleaning member is mounted to the second end of the first filter. 
   
   
       12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the first filter is located inside the second filter, and the cleaning member engages the second filter on an end thereof. 
   
   
       13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , where the second filter is pleated, and the cleaning member engages the pleats and upon removal of the first filter, the cleaning member slides along the pleats to remove particles thereon.