Vacuum cleaning system

Abstract

A vacuum cleaning system comprises a vacuum cleaner and a docking station. The docking station comprises a dirt storage chamber and an interface configured to mate with a dirt bin of the vacuum cleaner such that dirt expelled from the dirt bin through a bin opening is ejected into the dirt storage chamber of the docking station. A vacuum generator evacuates air from the dirt storage chamber when the vacuum cleaner is docked. In a dirt bin emptying mode, the system operates the vacuum generator to generate a partial vacuum in the dirt storage chamber and, opens a dirt bin door once a sufficient negative pressure level has been generated, and operates an air valve arrangement to admit a pulse of air into the dirt bin to eject dirt from the dirt bin through the bin opening and into the dirt storage chamber.

1 . A vacuum cleaning system comprising a vacuum cleaner and a docking station, wherein the docking station comprises a dirt storage chamber and an interface configured to mate with a dirt bin of the vacuum cleaner such that dirt expelled from the dirt bin through a bin opening is ejected into the dirt storage chamber of the docking station,
 wherein the vacuum cleaning system further comprises a suction generator configured to evacuate air from the dirt storage chamber when the vacuum cleaner is docked with the docking station, wherein the system is configured to operate in a dirt bin emptying mode comprising:
 operating the suction generator to generate a partial vacuum in the dirt storage chamber, 
 once a negative pressure level has been generated, opening a dirt bin door of the vacuum cleaner and operating an air valve arrangement to admit a pulse of air into the dirt bin of the vacuum cleaner thereby to eject dirt from the dirt bin through the bin opening and into the dirt storage chamber. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the air valve arrangement is configured to generating a swirling air flow through the dirt bin. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner is configured such that a flow of the admitted pulse of air passes through or over at least one separating system of the vacuum cleaner during the dirt bin emptying mode to clean dirt from that respective separating system. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more separating system includes at least one of a surface filter and a depth filter. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the surface filter comprises a shroud filter located in the dirt bin. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the air valve arrangement is located in at least a portion of a dirt bin wall distal from the dirt bin opening. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the air valve arrangement has a total area that is configured to be not more than the minimum cross sectional area of the dirt bin. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the air valve arrangement is configured to be operated by differential pressure between the dirt bin and ambient environment. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the air valve arrangement is configured to be operated repeatedly during sustained operation of the suction generator, thereby permitting a plurality of sequential air pulses to flow through the dirt bin. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an intermediate chamber upstream of the dirt storage chamber. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the intermediate chamber and the dirt storage chamber are separated by a one way valve to allow dirt to pass into the dirt storage chamber from the intermediate chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the intermediate chamber includes one or more air flow apertures to allow air to flow into it during the dirt bin emptying mode. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the one or more air flow apertures are configured to generate a swirling air flow around the intermediate chamber. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the dirt storage chamber comprises a porous dirt bag. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the suction generator creates a negative pressure level in the dirt storage chamber by drawing air from the dirt storage chamber through the vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the vacuum cleaner includes an inlet nozzle that is at least in part surrounded by the bin door. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the docking station includes two or more interfaces, each of which is configured to mate a different type of vacuum cleaner to the docking station. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the suction generator forms part of the vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         19 . A method of operating a vacuum cleaner system, the system comprising a vacuum cleaner and a docking station, wherein the docking station defines an interface configured to mate with a dirt bin of the vacuum cleaner such that dirt expelled from the dirt bin through a bin door is ejected into a dirt storage chamber of the docking station, wherein the system further comprises a suction generator configured to evacuate air from the dirt storage chamber,
 wherein the method comprises:
 generating a partial vacuum in the dirt storage chamber; 
 opening a bin door of the dirt bin of the vacuum cleaner; and 
 admitting a pulse of air into the dirt bin of the vacuum cleaner such that dirt stored in the dirt bin is ejected into the dirt storage chamber of the docking station.