Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A wet-dry vacuum cleaner comprising a housing assembly providing a cavity, a motor within said cavity, an impeller driven by said motor to produce a vacuum, a canister having an intake nozzle for reception of dirt, liquid and air drawn into said nozzle by said vacuum, said nozzle having an air intake port and an air exit port within said canister, and a filter assembly largely within said canister and providing an air flow path from said canister to said impeller, said filter assembly including a tubular filter holder having a large diameter rear end sealingly engaging an end of said canister remote from said nozzle and a front end spaced a substantial distance forwardly from said rear-end, a tubular filter intake element within said canister and having an opening from end to end thereof in communication with said air flow path of said filter holder, and means positioned in the vicinity of said air exit port of said nozzle for deflecting the dirt and liquid drawn into said nozzle away from said opening of said intake element.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
178 words
A wet-dry vacuum cleaner comprising a housing assembly providing a cavity, a motor within said cavity, an impeller driven by said motor to produce a vacuum, a canister having an intake nozzle for reception of dirt, liquid and air drawn into said nozzle by said vacuum, said nozzle having an air intake port and an air exit port within said canister, and a filter assembly largely within said canister and providing an air flow path from said canister to said impeller, said filter assembly including a tubular filter holder having a large diameter rear end sealingly engaging an end of said canister remote from said nozzle and a front end spaced a substantial distance forwardly from said rear-end, a tubular filter intake element within said canister and having an opening from end to end thereof in communication with said air flow path of said filter holder, and means positioned in the vicinity of said air exit port of said nozzle for deflecting the dirt and liquid drawn into said nozzle away from said opening of said intake element.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein said large diameter rear end of said filter holder includes a concavely-dished surface toward said nozzle.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 further comprising a tubular connector having a rear end engaging said front end of said filter holder and a forward end located within said filter intake element and a spongy rubber-like filter removably assembled with said forward end of said connector.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
86 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 3 wherein said forward end of said connector has radial blades with an air passage therebetween, the radially outer portions of said blades having similar bulges with undercut portions rearwardly of said bulges, and said spongy filter having a body portion with a closed end and a flange portion with an internal flange providing said spongy filter with an open end, said bulges of said connector overlapping said internal flange to hold said spongy filter in place on said connector.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
41 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 3 wherein said filter intake element has an external surface with vent passages connecting said opening and said external surfaces and said vacuum cleaner further comprises a guaze filter element wrapped around said external surface.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
74 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 wherein the portion of the interior of said canister unoccupied by said filter assembly provides a storage chamber and said filter intake element has a forward end and a rearward end and the volume of said storage chamber forward of said forward end of said filter intake element is less than the volume of said storage chamber rearward of said rearward end of said filter intake element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
41 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein said filter intake element has an external surface with vent passages connecting said opening and said external surface, and said vacuum cleaner further comprises a gauze filter element wrapped around said external surface.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein said canister has a window above said air exit port of said nozzle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein said impeller is within said rear end of said filter holder and said vacuum cleaner further comprises an impeller cover within said rear end of said filter holder.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein said means for deflecting comprises a downwardly facing extension of said air exit port.