Vacuum cleaner construction

Claim 2

A liquid bath vacuum cleaner comprising a pan assembly adapted to contain a liquid bath including inlet means for enabling ingress of cleaning air into said vacuum cleaner and having an outer wall and a wall extending radially inwardly from said outer wall forming an opening at the top of the pan assembly, a baffle means operably associated with said outer wall and said radial wall of said pan assembly for reducing vacuum noise, a main housing operably associated with said baffle means, said baffle means operably positioned between said pan assembly and said main housing, said main housing including a main housing cavity including outlet means for enabling egress of cleaning air from said main housing cavity and said vacuum cleaner, a cap assembly operable associated with said main housing, said cap assembly including a cap assembly cavity, an inner canister positioned within said cap assembly including a motor, a motor assembly mounted within said inner canister, means for drawing cooling air into said cap assembly associated with said motor, means for enabling cooling air to egress from said inner canister into said cap assembly cavity, means for enabling cooling air to egress from said cap assembly cavity and said vacuum cleaner, means operably associated with said main housing assembly for dividing said main housing assembly from said cap assembly, said dividing means including an opening, means operably associated with said dividing means for separating said main housing cavity from said cap assembly cavity, said separating means including a support ring having an opening associated with and secured to said dividing means at said dividing means opening, and a fan housing assembly, including a fan, positioned within said main housing cavity and associated with and secured to said support ring at said support ring opening, means for establishing a seal between said fan housing assembly and said radially inwardly extending wall and a separator for drawing cleaning air into said pan assembly and for separating said cleaning air from liquid droplets.

Claim 3

A liquid bath vacuum cleaner as in claim 1 wherein a shaft depends from the motor, said shaft rotating said fan and said separator.

Claim 4

A liquid bath vacuum cleaner as in claim 2 wherein a positive pressure seal is formed around said separator for sealing said fan housing assembly from liquid and liquid vapors contained in said fan assembly.

Claim 5

A liquid bath vacuum cleaner as in claim 3 wherein a sealed bearing means is mounted on said shaft within said fan housing adjacent to said motor for sealing said fan housing from cooling air disposed in said inner canister.

Claim 6

A liquid bath vacuum cleaner comprising a pan assembly adapted to contain a liquid bath including an inlet for enabling ingress of cleaning air into said vacuum cleaner and having an outer wall and a wall extending ratially inwardly from said outer wall forming an opening at the top of the pan assembly, a baffle means removably connected to said outer wall and said radial wall of said pan assembly for reducing vacuum noise, a main housing assembly removably connected to said baffle means, said main housing assembly including a main housing cavity, said main housing assembly having an outer wall, a concentric wall having an opening, a wall extending radially inwardly from said outer wall having a radially inwardly flange including an opening, and an outlet associated with said outer wall for enabling egress of cleaning air from said main housing cavity and said vacuum cleaner, a cap assembly operably associated with said main housing, said cap assembly including a cap assembly cavity, an inner canister positioned within said cap assembly cavity, a motor assembly, including a motor, mounted within said inner canister, means for drawing cooling air into said cap assembly associated with said motor, means for enabling cooling air to egress from said inner canister into said cap assembly cavity, means for enabling cooling air to egress from said cap assembly cavity and said vacuum cleaner, means positioned at said opening of said radially inward flange of said main housing assembly for separating said main housing assembly cavity from said cap assembly cavity, said separating means including a support ring associated with and secured to said radially inward flange of said main housing assembly, and a fan housing assembly, including a fan, positioned within said main housing cavity and associated with and secured to said support ring at said radial flange opening, said concentric wall extending between said support ring and said radially inwardly wall, means for establishing a seal between said fan housing assembly and said pan assembly radially inwardly extending wall and a separator positioned within said pan assembly for drawing cleaning air into said pan assembly and separating said cleaning air from liquid droplets.

Claim 7

A liquid bath vacuum cleaner comprising a pan assembly adapted to contain a liquid bath including an inlet for enabling ingress of cleaning air into said vacuum cleaner and having an outer wall and a wall extending ratially inwardly from said outer wall forming an opening at the top of the pan assembly, a baffle means removably connected to said outer wall and said radial wall of said pan assembly for reducing vacuum noise, a main housing assembly removably connected to said baffle means, said main housing assembly including a main housing cavity, said main housing assembly having an outer wall, a concentric wall having an opening, a wall extending radially inwardly from said outer wall having a radially inwardly flange including an opening, and an outlet associated with said outer wall for enabling egress of cleaning air from said main housing cavity and said vacuum cleaner, a cap assembly operably associated with said main housing, said cap assembly including a cap assembly cavity, an inner canister positioned within said cap assembly cavity, a motor assembly, including a motor, mounted within said inner canister, means for drawing cooling air into said cap assembly associated with said motor, means for enabling cooling air to egress from said inner canister into said cap assembly cavity, means for enabling cooling air to egress from said cap assembly cavity and said vacuum cleaner, means positioned at said opening of said radially inward flange of said main housing assembly for separating said main housing assembly cavity from said cap assembly cavity, said separating means including a support ring associated with and secured to said radially inward flange of said main housing assembly, and a fan housing assembly, including a fan, positioned within said main housing cavity and associated with and secured to said support ring at said radial flange opening, said concentric wall extending between said support ring and said radially inwardly wall, means for establishing a seal between said fan housing assembly and said pan assembly radially inwardly extending wall and a separator positioned within said pan assembly for drawing cleaning air into said pan assembly and separating said cleaning air from liquid droplets.

Claim 8

The liquid bath vacuum cleaner as in claim 5 wherein a shaft depends from the motor, said shaft rotating said fan and said separator.

Claim 9

The liquid bath vacuum cleaner as in claim 6 wherein a positive pressure seal is formed around said separator for sealing said fan housing assembly to constrain water vapors from entering said canister.

Claim 10

The liquid bath vacuum cleaner as in claim 7 wherein a sealed bearing means is mounted on said shaft within said fan housing assembly adjacent to said motor for sealing said fan housing assembly from said cooling air and said inner canister.