Cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A cleaning system may include a vacuum cleaner and a docking station. The vacuum cleaner may include a dust cup including an emptying opening and an openable door configured to selectively open and close the emptying opening. The openable door may include a retention assembly having a latching end, an actuation end, and a latch disposed at the latching end and configured to move between a latched and an unlatched position. The vacuum cleaner may further include a latch actuator disposed at the actuation end of the retention assembly and configured to cooperate with the retention assembly to cause the latch to move from the latched position to the unlatched position. The docking station includes a collection bin, the docking station configured to cooperate with the vacuum cleaner to urge debris from the dust cup to the collection bin.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner including:
 a cleaner suction motor; 
 a main body, the main body including a body inlet; 
 a dust cup coupled to the main body and fluidly coupled to the cleaner suction motor and the body inlet, the dust cup including an emptying opening and an openable door configured to selectively open and close the emptying opening, the openable door including a retention assembly having:
 a latching end; 
 an actuation end, the actuation end and the latching end being on different sides of the openable door; and 
 a latch disposed at the latching end and configured to move between a latched and an unlatched position; and 
 
 a latch actuator disposed at the actuation end of the retention assembly and configured to cooperate with the retention assembly to cause the latch to move from the latched position to the unlatched position; and 
   a docking station having a collection bin, the docking station configured to cooperate with the vacuum cleaner to urge debris from the dust cup to the collection bin.   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the docking station includes a lockout, the lockout configured to selectively actuate the latch actuator when the vacuum cleaner is coupled to the docking station. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning system of  claim 2 , wherein the lockout includes a lockout toggle, wherein movement of the lockout toggle causes a plunger to move between an extended position and a retracted position, the plunger being configured to actuate the latch actuator when in the extended position and to not actuate the latch actuator when in the retracted position. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning system of  claim 2 , wherein the lockout is further configured to actuate a toggle position switch, wherein a position of the toggle position switch is configured to indicate whether the lockout is in an emptying cycle locked out state or an emptying cycle enabled state. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning system of  claim 4 , wherein the docking station further includes a dock suction motor and the dock suction motor is configured to be disabled when the toggle position switch indicates that the lockout is in the emptying cycle locked out state. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning system of  claim 5 , wherein, when the toggle position switch indicates that the lockout is in the emptying cycle enabled state, the dock suction motor is configured to be enabled in response to the vacuum cleaner being coupled to the docking station. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the retention assembly further includes an actuator body configured to move along a body axis, movement of the actuator along the body axis is configured to cause a corresponding movement of the latch along a latch axis. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the latch axis is substantially parallel to the body axis. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning system of  claim 8 , wherein the actuator body moves along the body axis in a first direction and the latch moves along the latch axis in a second direction, the first direction being opposite the second direction. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the movement of the actuator body along the body axis causes a pivotal movement in a connector and the pivotal movement of the connector causes the latch to move along the latch axis. 
     
     
         11 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a cleaner suction motor;   a main body, the main body including a body inlet;   a dust cup coupled to the main body and fluidly coupled to the cleaner suction motor and the body inlet, the dust cup including an emptying opening and an openable door configured to selectively open and close the emptying opening, the openable door including a retention assembly having:
 a latching end; 
 an actuation end, the actuation end and the latching end being on different sides of the openable door; and 
 a latch disposed at the latching end and configured to move between a latched and an unlatched position; and 
   a latch actuator disposed at the actuation end of the retention assembly and configured to cooperate with the retention assembly to cause the latch to move from the latched position to the unlatched position.   
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the retention assembly further includes an actuator body configured to move along a body axis, movement of the actuator along the body axis is configured to cause a corresponding movement of the latch along a latch axis. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the latch axis is substantially parallel to the body axis. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the actuator body moves along the body axis in a first direction and the latch moves along the latch axis in a second direction, the first direction being opposite the second direction. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the movement of the actuator body along the body axis causes a pivotal movement in a connector and the pivotal movement of the connector causes the latch to move along the latch axis. 
     
     
         16 . A docking station configured to cooperate with a vacuum cleaner to urge debris from a dust cup of the vacuum cleaner, the docking station comprising:
 a base;   an upstanding body extending from the base;   a cleaner mount coupled to the upstanding body and configured to couple to the vacuum cleaner;   a collection bin configured to collect debris from the dust cup of the vacuum cleaner, the collection bin being fluidly coupled to the cleaner mount via the upstanding body; and   a lockout coupled to the cleaner mount and including a lockout toggle and a plunger, wherein movement of the lockout toggle causes the plunger to move between an extended position and a retracted position, wherein, when in the extended position, the plunger extends from the cleaner mount and, when in the retracted position, the plunger is at least partially retracted into the cleaner mount.   
     
     
         17 . The docking station of  claim 16 , wherein the lockout is further configured to actuate a toggle position switch, wherein a position of the toggle position switch is configured to indicate whether the lockout is in an emptying cycle locked out state or an emptying cycle enabled state. 
     
     
         18 . The docking station of  claim 17 , wherein the docking station further includes a dock suction motor and the dock suction motor is configured to be disabled when the toggle position switch indicates that the lockout is in the emptying cycle locked out state. 
     
     
         19 . The docking station of  claim 18 , wherein, when the toggle position switch indicates that the lockout is in the emptying cycle enabled state, the dock suction motor is configured to be enabled in response to the vacuum cleaner being coupled to the docking station. 
     
     
         20 . The docking station of  claim 16 , wherein the lockout includes a lockout frame configured to couple to the cleaner mount and a plunger shuttle coupled to the plunger and configured to slide within a shuttle channel of the lockout frame in response to movement of the lockout toggle, the lockout toggle being movably coupled to the lockout frame.