Vacuum cleaner and docking station for use with the same

Abstract

A docking station for a vacuum cleaner may include a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner such that, in response to engaging the receptacle, a vacuum cleaner flow path extending within the vacuum cleaner is transitioned from a cleaning flow path to an evacuation flow path, a suction motor of the vacuum cleaner being configured to urge air along the vacuum cleaner flow path and a docking station dust cup configured to receive debris from a vacuum cleaner dust cup of the vacuum cleaner.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A docking station for a vacuum cleaner having a vacuum cleaner dust cup and a wiper configured to move relative to a filter, the docking station comprising:
 a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner such that, in response to engaging the receptacle, a vacuum cleaner flow path extending within the vacuum cleaner is transitioned from a cleaning flow path to an evacuation flow path, a suction motor of the vacuum cleaner being configured to urge air along the vacuum cleaner flow path, wherein air flowing along the evacuation flow path causes the wiper to move to remove debris adhered to a debris collection side of the filter; and   a docking station dust cup configured to receive debris from the vacuum cleaner dust cup.   
     
     
         2 . The docking station of  claim 1 , further comprising a base and an upright section extending from the base, the receptacle being coupled to the upright section. 
     
     
         3 . The docking station of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle defines at least a portion of a bypass channel, the evacuation flow path extending through the bypass channel. 
     
     
         4 . The docking station of  claim 3 , wherein the bypass channel includes a turbine configured to be rotated in response to air moving along the evacuation flow path. 
     
     
         5 . The docking station of  claim 4 , wherein rotation of the turbine causes the wiper within the vacuum cleaner to move relative to the filter. 
     
     
         6 . A vacuum cleaner configured to engage a docking station comprising:
 a vacuum assembly configured such that, in response to the vacuum assembly engaging the docking station, a vacuum cleaner flow path extending within the vacuum assembly transitions from a cleaning flow path to an evacuation flow path, the vacuum assembly including:
 a vacuum cleaner dust cup; 
 a filter; 
 a wiper configured to move relative to the filter when air flows along the evacuation flow path to remove debris adhered to a debris collection side of the filter; and 
 a suction motor configured to urge air along the vacuum cleaner flow path. 
   
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein the evacuation flow path is configured such that air flowing along the evacuation flow path urges debris within the vacuum cleaner dust cup into a docking station dust cup of the docking station. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein the wiper includes a wiper channel through which air passes. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the wiper does not contact the filter. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein the wiper is configured to oscillate along an arcuate path, the arcuate path generally corresponding to a shape of the filter. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the wiper defines a wiper channel, the wiper channel being configured to increase a velocity of air flowing therethrough. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the evacuation flow path extends through the wiper channel. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the wiper is configured to move in response to a rotation of a turbine. 
     
     
         14 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner including a vacuum assembly, the vacuum assembly including:
 a vacuum cleaner dust cup; 
 a filter; 
 a suction motor configured to urge air along one of a cleaning flow path or an evacuation flow path; and 
 a wiper configured to move relative to the filter when air flows along the evacuation flow path to remove debris adhered to a debris collection side of the filter; and 
   a docking station, the docking station including:
 a receptacle configured to engage at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner such that, in response to at least a portion the vacuum cleaner engaging the receptacle, the cleaning flow path is transitioned to the evacuation flow path; and 
 a docking station dust cup configured to receive debris from the vacuum cleaner dust cup. 
   
     
     
         15 . The cleaning system of  claim 14 , wherein the docking station further includes a base and an upright section extending from the base, the receptacle being coupled to the upright section. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning system of  claim 14 , wherein the receptacle defines at least a portion of a bypass channel, the evacuation flow path extending through the bypass channel. 
     
     
         17 . The cleaning system of  claim 16 , wherein the bypass channel includes a turbine configured to be rotated in response to air moving along the evacuation flow path. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaning system of  claim 17 , wherein the wiper is configured to move in response to rotation of the turbine. 
     
     
         19 . The cleaning system of  claim 18 , wherein the wiper defines a wiper channel, the wiper channel being configured to increase a velocity of air flowing therethrough. 
     
     
         20 . The cleaning system of  claim 19 , wherein the evacuation flow path extends through the wiper channel.