US4538971A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Assembly of tank lid and fan means of a wet/dry vacuum
Assignee: First Union National Bank of North Carolina
•
Filing: 1983-07-18
•
Granted: 1985-09-03
•
Expires: 2003-07-18
Abstract
Abstract A by-pass type wet/dry vacuum is provided with a removable lid assembly that includes an electric motor having a lower insulating housing, a cover for the upper end of the motor, a blower housing including vanes for regulating flow of main blower air, a fan having a pancake type impeller, a fan cover and a tank lid having an integrally formed float cage. Assembly of these elements is achieved by making all electrical connections between the motor, a power cord extending to the motor cover, and a manually operated control switch mounted on the motor cover; inverting the motor cover, inserting the upper end of the motor downward into the cover where the former is grasped by snap type retainers formed integrally with the cover, inverting the blower housing and securing same to the motor cover with a plurality of screws, securing the impeller to the lower end of the motor shaft, inverting the fan cover and securing it to the blower housing utilizing screws, placing the float ball in a depression of the fan cover, inverting the tank lid and securing same to the blower housing by means of screws. All of the above elements are assembled to one another without the necessity of lifting any of the elements once they are secured to the other elements.
Inventors
- 👤 Jonathan Miller
- 👤 Rudolph W. Wacek
- 👤 Robert C. Berfield
- 👤 Ronald F. Meland
- 👤 Robert L. Crevling, Jr.
- 👤 Lonnie B. Lawson, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 04:41
CPC Classifications
A; A47; A47L; A47L7/00; A47L7/0004; A47L7/0023; A47L7/0028; A47L7/0042; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S55/00; Y10S55/03
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
274 words
A removable lid assembly for a by-pass type vacuum cleaner; said assembly including: a concave motor cover; an electric motor having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being disposed within said motor cover, said motor further having a vertical output shaft; a blower housing having the lower portion of said motor disposed therein with a portion of said shaft extending below said blower housing; a suction producing fan impeller secured to said portion of said shaft; a fan cover disposed below said blower housing and cooperating therewith to define an impeller chamber in which said impeller rotates, said fan cover having an intake opening defined therein; flow regulating vanes in said impeller chamber; a removable tank lid for supporting the motor cover, the motor, the blower housing and the fan cover, said blower housing and said tank lid at least partially defining an expansion chamber radially outward of said impeller chamber; said impeller when rotating drawing suction producing air upward through said intake opening in said fan cover and directing said air radially outward past said flow regulating vanes into said expansion chamber; said motor being sandwiched between said motor cover and said blower housing; first fastening means for securing said blower housing to said motor cover, said first fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said blower housing; second fastening means for securing said fan cover to said blower housing, said second fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said fan cover; third fastening means for securing said lid to said cover, said third fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said lid.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
274 words
A removable lid assembly for a by-pass type vacuum cleaner; said assembly including: a concave motor cover; an electric motor having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being disposed within said motor cover, said motor further having a vertical output shaft; a blower housing having the lower portion of said motor disposed therein with a portion of said shaft extending below said blower housing; a suction producing fan impeller secured to said portion of said shaft; a fan cover disposed below said blower housing and cooperating therewith to define an impeller chamber in which said impeller rotates, said fan cover having an intake opening defined therein; flow regulating vanes in said impeller chamber; a removable tank lid for supporting the motor cover, the motor, the blower housing and the fan cover, said blower housing and said tank lid at least partially defining an expansion chamber radially outward of said impeller chamber; said impeller when rotating drawing suction producing air upward through said intake opening in said fan cover and directing said air radially outward past said flow regulating vanes into said expansion chamber; said motor being sandwiched between said motor cover and said blower housing; first fastening means for securing said blower housing to said motor cover, said first fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said blower housing; second fastening means for securing said fan cover to said blower housing, said second fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said fan cover; third fastening means for securing said lid to said cover, said third fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said lid.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
An assembly as in claim 1 in which said lid is operatively positioned to block separation of said fan cover from said blower housing until after said lid is removed from said blower housing.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
37 words
An assembly as in claim 1 in which said motor cover on the inside thereof is provided with clip means that secures said motor to said motor cover before the latter is secured to said blower housing.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
37 words
An assembly as in claim 3 in which said motor cover and said blower housing are each constructed of plastic insulating material, said clip means being integral with said motor cover and being of a snap-engaging type.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
42 words
An assembly as in claim 1 also including a cooling fan mounted to the upper end of said shaft, said motor cover having an internal downwardly extending inner partition surrounding said cooling fan, and intake aperture means disposed inboard of said partition.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
61 words
An assembly as in claim 5 in which the motor includes a pole piece through which said shaft extends, said motor cover having an internal downwardly extending outer partition surrounding said inner partition and extending therebelow to lie adjacent said pole piece and direct cooling air out of said motor cover through exhaust aperture means disposed outboard of said outer partition.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
53 words
An assembly as in claim 1 in which the motor also includes a lower housing having an annular extension through which said shaft extends, said blower housing having an annular sleeve formation surrounding said annular extension and being closely fitted therewith to provide a seal against liquid flowing upward into said motor cover.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
An assembly as in claim 7 in which the motor includes a lower bearing for said shaft, said lower bearing being retained in said annular extension.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
An assembly as in claim 1 in which the flow regulating vanes are integral with the blower housing.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
33 words
An assembly as in claim 1 in which the blower housing is provided with an outlet opening for said suction producing air, said outlet communicating with said expansion chamber and disposed downstream thereof.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
58 words
An assembly as in claim 1 also including an electrical junction box within said motor cover, a motor control switch within said box having an operating handle extending outside of said motor cover, a plurality of electrical connections disposed within said junction box, said connections joining said motor and said switch in an energizing circuit for said motor.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
An assembly as in claim 11 in which said motor cover further includes internal partitions for defining the major portion of said junction box, said internal partitions extending below said grid means, said motor further comprising a lower housing integrally including a box cover for closing said junction box at its bottom.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
An assembly as in claim 12 in which both the motor cover and the lower housing are constructed of fire resistant plastic insulating material.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
55 words
An assembly as in claim 1 in which said fan cover includes grid means disposed at said intake opening in said fan cover to moderate noise generated by flow of suction producing air, said fan cover also including an annular flange surrounding said intake opening in said fan cover and extending below said grid means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
237 words
A removable lid assembly for a by-pass type vacuum cleaner; said assembly including: a concave motor cover; an electric motor having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being disposed within said motor cover, said motor further having a vertical output shaft; a blower housing having the lower portion of said motor disposed therein with a portion of said shaft extending below said blower housing; a suction producing fan impeller secured to said portion of said shaft; a fan cover disposed below said blower housing and cooperating therewith to define a chamber in which said impeller rotates, said fan cover having an intake opening defined therein; said impeller when rotating drawing suction producing air upward through said intake opening in said fan cover and directing said air radially outward; a removable tank lid for supporting the motor cover, the motor, the blower housing and the fan cover, said motor being sandwiched between said motor cover and said blower housing; first fastening means for securing said blower housing to said motor cover, said first fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said blower housing; second fastening means for securing said fan cover to said blower housing, said second fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said fan cover; third fastening means for securing said lid to said cover, said third fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said lid.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
237 words
A removable lid assembly for a by-pass type vacuum cleaner; said assembly including: a concave motor cover; an electric motor having an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion being disposed within said motor cover, said motor further having a vertical output shaft; a blower housing having the lower portion of said motor disposed therein with a portion of said shaft extending below said blower housing; a suction producing fan impeller secured to said portion of said shaft; a fan cover disposed below said blower housing and cooperating therewith to define a chamber in which said impeller rotates, said fan cover having an intake opening defined therein; said impeller when rotating drawing suction producing air upward through said intake opening in said fan cover and directing said air radially outward; a removable tank lid for supporting the motor cover, the motor, the blower housing and the fan cover, said motor being sandwiched between said motor cover and said blower housing; first fastening means for securing said blower housing to said motor cover, said first fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said blower housing; second fastening means for securing said fan cover to said blower housing, said second fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said fan cover; third fastening means for securing said lid to said cover, said third fastening means being inserted at the bottom side of said lid.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2152756A
Cited
US2295984A
Cited
US2778563A
Cited
US2767904A
Cited
US2884185A
Cited
GB937312A
Cited
US3130246A
Cited
US3263908A
Cited
US3909219A
Cited
DE2541422A1
Cited
US4080104A
Cited
US4142270A
Cited
GB2036544A
Cited
US4330899A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-09-02 | 1989-03-04 | 1989-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-09-02 | 1993-03-04 | 1993-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-09-02 | 1997-03-04 | 1997-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |