Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner including a motor housing having a suction source, a suction opening, an exhaust opening, and an air passageway in fluid communication with the suction source and the exhaust opening. A filter receives the suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening and the filter is expandable in response to the suction airflow traveling through the filter. The vacuum further includes a container in which the filter is located and the container includes a wall and ribs. The ribs limit expansion of the filter to create a gap between the filter and the wall. The suction airflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the exhaust opening. The motor housing is releasably coupled to the container, and the gap between the filter and the container wall is in fluid communication with the motor housing air passageway.

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a motor housing including;
 a suction source operable to generate a suction airflow; 
 a suction opening in fluid communication with the suction source, the suction opening configured to receive airflow entering the vacuum cleaner; 
 an exhaust opening in fluid communication with the suction source configured to discharge the airflow from the vacuum cleaner; and 
 an air passageway in fluid communication with the suction source and the exhaust opening; 
   a filter that receives the suction airflow between the suction opening and the exhaust opening, the filter expandable in response to the suction airflow traveling through the filter, the filter configured separate debris from the suction airflow and store the debris within the filter; and   a container in which the filter is located, the container includes a wall and ribs,   wherein the ribs limit expansion of the filter to create a gap between the filter and the wall, and wherein the suction airflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the exhaust opening;   wherein the motor housing is releasably coupled to the container such that the motor housing is movable between an open position and a closed position, and   wherein the gap between the filter and the container wall is in fluid communication with the motor housing air passageway when the motor housing is in the closed position and the motor housing air passageway and the gap are disconnected from fluid communication when the motor housing is in the open position,   wherein the motor housing includes a supply duct that provides fluid communication between the suction opening and the filter, wherein the supply duct is disconnected from fluid communication with the filter when the motor housing is in the open position and the supply duct is connected to the filter for fluid communication when the motor housing is in the closed position.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the ribs extend from the wall. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the ribs are integrally formed with the wall. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , further comprising a foam housing, wherein the container is located inside the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the wall is an interior wall of the container and the ribs are removable from the wall. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the gap between the filter and the container wall is aligned with the motor housing air passageway. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the wall includes a foam wall. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a shoulder harness such that the vacuum cleaner is a backpack vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the motor housing includes a plenum that is in a flow path of the suction airflow between the filter and the exhaust opening. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein in the open position of the motor housing, the filter is accessible by a user to remove the filter from the container. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the plenum is in the flow path of the suction airflow between the filter and the suction source. 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the supply duct extends through the plenum. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the container includes an air return passageway, wherein the motor housing includes a plenum inlet opening corresponding with the air return passageway, and wherein the plenum inlet opening and the air return passageway of the container are connected for fluid communication when the motor housing is in the closed position and the plenum inlet opening and the air return passageway are disconnected from fluid communication when the motor housing is in the open position. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the gap forms the air return passageway such that the suction airflow travels from the filter through the gap towards the plenum. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the suction source includes a motor, the vacuum cleaner further comprising a second filter that surrounds the motor around a motor axis. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the motor housing air passageway is configured for airflow to enter the second filter 360 degrees around the motor axis. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , further comprising a filter lid, the filter lid removably coupled to the motor housing of the vacuum to allow access to the second filter. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the filter lid is inaccessible when the motor hosing is in the closed position and the filter lid is accessible by a user to open the filter lid when the motor housing of the vacuum is in the open position. 
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the filter lid presses the second filter against a filter seat to seal the second filter in the motor housing air passageway. 
     
     
         21 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the motor is adjacent the first side of the container and the supply duct is disconnected from fluid communication with the filter and connected to the filter for fluid communication adjacent the first side of the container.