BACKGROUND
Vacuum separation devices collect debris (dirt, dust, soil, construction debris, and other debris) of varying sizes and consistencies. A motor powers a fan to suck air through an intake of the vacuum separation device and deposit the debris within a debris collection chamber.
SUMMARY
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device including: a housing having a separator configured to separate debris, the housing defining an inlet configured to provide the debris to the separator and an outlet, wherein the outlet is configured to couple the vacuum separation device to a conduit of a vacuum suction device; a flexible conduit configured to couple to the inlet of the housing in a use position; and a plurality of clips configured to move between a stowed position and an extended position, wherein, in the extended position, each clip of the plurality of clips is configured to engage the vacuum suction device.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, wherein the vacuum separation device does not include an air source.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, further including a storage volume formed in an upper surface of the housing, wherein the flexible conduit is configured to attach to the housing within the storage volume in a storage position.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, further including a carrying handle positioned within the storage volume, wherein the flexible conduit is configured to extend around the carrying handle in the storage position.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, further including a debris chamber formed within the vacuum separation device, wherein the debris chamber is configured to collect the debris from the separator and a debris door formed in the housing and configured to rotate from a closed position to an open position to facilitate removal of the debris from the housing.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, further including a debris chamber formed within the vacuum separation device, wherein the debris chamber is configured to collect the debris from the separator and a clip movable between a first position in which the separator is in a use position and a second position in which the separator is configured to extend into the debris chamber such that an interior of the separator is accessible.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, wherein the clip is located within an interior of the housing.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, wherein the clip is accessible via a debris door formed in the housing, wherein the debris door is configured to rotate from a closed position to an open position to facilitate removal of the debris from the housing.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device including: a housing having a separator configured to separate debris, the housing defining an inlet configured to provide the debris to the separator and an outlet, wherein the outlet is configured to couple the vacuum separation device to a conduit of a vacuum suction device; a flexible conduit configured to couple to the inlet of the housing; a debris chamber formed within the vacuum separation device, wherein the debris chamber is configured to collect the debris from the separator; and a debris door formed in the housing and configured to rotate from a closed position to an open position to facilitate removal of the debris from the housing.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, further including a clip movable between a first position in which the separator is in a use position and a second position in which the separator is configured to extend into the debris chamber such that an interior of the separator is accessible.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, wherein the clip is accessible via the debris door.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device including: a housing having a separator configured to separate debris, the housing defining an inlet configured to provide the debris to the separator and an outlet, wherein the outlet is configured to couple the vacuum separation device to a conduit of a vacuum suction device; a flexible conduit configured to couple to the inlet of the housing; a debris chamber formed within the vacuum separation device, wherein the debris chamber is configured to collect the debris from the separator; and a clip movable between a first position in which the separator is in a use position and a second position in which the separator is configured to extend into the debris chamber such that an interior of the separator is accessible.
In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a vacuum separation device, wherein the clip is accessible via a debris door formed in the housing, wherein the debris door is configured to rotate from a closed position to an open position to facilitate removal of the debris from the housing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum separation device.
FIG. 2 is a further perspective view of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a top view of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a further perspective view of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a further perspective view of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1 with a debris door in an open position.
FIG. 6 is a further perspective view of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1 with wheel assemblies.
FIG. 7 is a further perspective view of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1 coupled to a vacuum suction device.
FIG. 9 is a further perspective view of the vacuum separation devices of FIG. 8.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a plurality of latches for coupling the vacuum separation devices of FIG. 8 having the latches in open positions.
FIG. 11 is an enlarged perspective view of a plurality of latches for coupling the vacuum separation devices of FIG. 8 having the latches in closed positions.
FIG. 12A is a further perspective view of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 12B is a partially deconstructed perspective view illustrating internals of the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 13A is an enlarged perspective view of the debris door in a closed position.
FIG. 13B is an enlarged perspective view of the debris door in an open position.
FIG. 13C illustrates a separator plate and clip within the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1.
FIG. 13D illustrates the separator plate in a lowered position.
FIGS. 14A-14B illustrate the latch transitioning from a disengaged position and an engaged position.
FIGS. 14C-14D illustrate the latch transitioning from the engaged position to the disengaged position.
FIGS. 15A-15B illustrate removal of a latch from the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 15C-15D illustrate assembly of a wheel assembly onto the vacuum separation device of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Before any embodiments are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms “mounted,” “connected” and “coupled” are used broadly and encompass both direct and indirect mounting, connecting and coupling. Further, “connected” and “coupled” are not restricted to physical or mechanical connections or couplings, and can include hydraulic or electrical connections or couplings, whether direct or indirect.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum separation device 100 for use in collecting debris and separating debris upstream of a vacuum suction device 200 (FIGS. 8-11). The vacuum separation device 100 includes a housing 104 defining an interior volume 108 and formed of one or more housing portions 112, 116. The housing 104 may be formed of one or more plastic materials and formed via, for example, a molding process. The housing 104 is generally rectangular, having an upper surface 120, a lower surface 124 opposite the upper surface 120, and four generally vertical surfaces 128A, 128B, 128C, 128D extending between the upper and lower surfaces 120, 124. In a use position, the upper surface 120 is located above the lower surface. As the vacuum separation device 100 is intended to mount to a floor surface (or atop a vacuum suction device 200), the lower surface 124 is positioned nearer the floor surface than the upper surface 120 with the lower surface 124 positioned between the upper surface 120 and the floor surface.
With reference to FIGS. 1-2, a first one of the generally vertical surfaces 128A is a front surface and includes an inlet 132 and an outlet 136. The inlet 132 is a debris inlet through which debris enters the vacuum separation device 100. A conduit 140 such as a flexible (e.g., corrugated) conduit, a rigid conduit, or a combination of the same is attachable to the inlet 132 to provide a suction path from an inlet 144 of the conduit 140 to the inlet 132 located on the front surface 128A of the vacuum separation device. The outlet 136 is located adjacent to the inlet 132, spaced apart horizontally from the inlet 132 with both formed on the front surface 128A. In some embodiments, the inlet 132 and outlet 136 are generally spaced the same distance from the lower surface 124.
FIG. 4 illustrates a second one of the generally vertical surfaces 128B, formed as a rear surface located opposite and generally parallel to the front surface 128A. The rear surface includes a debris door or hatch 152 that is openable to provide access to the interior 108 of the vacuum separation device 100, as described in greater detail below with respect to FIGS. 13A-D. The third and fourth generally vertical surfaces 128C, 128D are side surfaces that extend generally parallel to one another between the front and rear surfaces 128A, 128B.
As shown in FIGS. 2-3, the upper surface 120 of the housing 104 includes a recess 156 that functions as a storage volume for the conduit 140 when not coupled to the inlet 144 of the housing 104. In some embodiments, the recess 156 includes cutouts 158 sized to receive the conduit 140 (e.g., to receive the connector of the conduit 140, to receive the inlet of the conduit 140). The recess 156 covers a majority of the upper surface 120. FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the vacuum separation device 100 and illustrates the recess 156 accounting for an entirety of a central portion of the upper surface 120, with only a thin perimeter extending upward therefrom to define the upper extent of the vacuum separation device 100. A handle 160 extends upwards from within the recess to provide a handhold for a user to carry or otherwise move the vacuum separation device 100. The storage volume of the recess 156 extends around the handle 160 such that when the conduit 140 is stored within the recess 156, the conduit 140 wraps around opposing sides of the handle 160 to substantially surround the handle 160.
With continued reference to FIG. 2, the inlet 132 has a locking feature 164 to prevent accidental separation of the conduit 140 from the inlet 132. In the embodiment shown, the locking feature 164 is a twist locking recess that interacts with a mating protrusion on the conduit 140. Upon axial insertion of the conduit 140 into the inlet 132, a user rotates the conduit 140 relative to the housing 104 to prevent axial separation. The outlet 136 may include a similar locking feature or may otherwise couple to a conduit 204 of the vacuum suction device 200 via a friction fit.
With reference to FIGS. 12A-12B, the inlet 132 and outlet 136 collectively form an airflow path through the vacuum separation device 100. The airflow path extends from the inlet 132, through a cyclone separator 168, and to the outlet 136. The cyclone separator 168 is a cylinder (e.g., a tapered cylinder) configured to receive the debris from the inlet 132 at an opening adjacent the top of the separator 168 (i.e., along a sidewall near the top of the separator 168). A channel 172 extends between the inlet 132 and the separator 168 and, in some embodiments, is integrally formed with the separator 168. In some embodiments, the channel 172 intersects the separator 168 substantially tangent to the sidewall of the separator 168 such that debris entering the separator 168 follows the sidewall of the separator 168. An airflow channel 176 (separate from the channel 172 and separated from the channel 172 by the separator 168) extends between an airflow outlet 180 of the separator 168 (i.e., the outlet through which airflow is drawn from the separator 168) and the outlet 136 of the housing. In some embodiments, the airflow outlet 180 is positioned centrally on the top of the separator 168.
The separator 168 includes a debris outlet separate from the airflow outlet 180 that is located at the base (i.e., narrower, lower end) of the separator 168 through which debris from the inlet 132 is directed to a debris chamber 184. The debris outlet 180 is positioned below the airflow outlet 180 such that debris is drawn into the separator 168 via airflow from the airflow outlet 180 and directed downward to the debris chamber 184 via the debris outlet 180. As shown, the debris chamber 184 is defined by the housing 104 of the vacuum separation device 100. In alternative embodiments, the debris chamber 184 is alternatively positioned within the housing 104 of the vacuum separation device 100 (e.g., as a removable tray or container). The separator 168 and debris chamber 184 capture a significant amount of debris (e.g., dirt, dust, soil, construction debris, and other debris), thereby extending the capacity of the vacuum suction device 200 and increasing the lifespan of a filter of the vacuum suction device 200.
As shown in FIGS. 13A-13B, the rear surface 128B of the housing 1043 includes a debris door 152 that is movable (e.g., rotatable) between a first position or closed position (FIG. 13A) and a second position or open position (FIG. 13B). In some embodiments, a biasing mechanism such as a spring biases the door 152 into the open position (or to the closed position). As shown in FIG. 13B, when the door 152 is in the open position, the debris chamber 184 is accessible for emptying. As shown in FIG. 13A, the door 152 includes a handle 188 that includes a handhold for being grasped by a user and also functions as a latch. When the handle 188 is lifted (e.g., translated upwards to an unlocked position), the door 152 is unlocked and can be moved from the closed position to the open position. The handle 188 is biased to the locked position such that when the door 152 is in the closed position, the handle 188 secures the door 152 to the remainder of the housing 104 (unless opened by a user).
With the door 152 in the open position, the debris chamber 184 is open to the environment to allow the debris collected within the debris chamber to be discarded (e.g., dumped) by lifting and/or rotating the vacuum separation device 100. Additionally, with reference to FIGS. 13C-13D, the separator 168 is accessible for cleaning and emptying via the debris door 152. The separator 168 is maintained in a use position (in which the separator 168 is operable) via a clip 192. The clip 192 is located within the housing 104 of the vacuum separation device 100 and is accessible by a user when the debris door 152 is in the open position. As shown in FIG. 13C, the clip 192 is located adjacent the debris door 152. The clip 192 is rotatable between a first position in which the clip 192 holds the separator 168 in the use position, and a second position in which the separator 168 is configured to move (e.g., drop towards and into the debris chamber 184) into a cleaning position in which the interior of the separator 168 is accessible for cleaning via the debris door 152.
The vacuum separation device 100 operates based on airflow drawing debris into the separator 168. The vacuum separation device 100 does not include an air source (e.g., fan, turbine, motor, etc.) for generating the airflow, but relies upon the airflow generated by the vacuum suction device 200 to which the vacuum separation device 100 is connected. In some embodiments, the vacuum suction device 200 is powered via a removable and rechargeable battery (FIG. 8). Airflow is generated by the vacuum suction device 200 (e.g., by a motor-driven fan/turbine/impeller of the vacuum suction device 200), providing suction through the vacuum separation device 100. Rather than operating the vacuum suction device 200 in the normal manner by drawing debris through an inlet 208 of a conduit 204 (FIG. 8) of the vacuum suction device 200 and into a debris chamber of the vacuum suction device 200, the inlet 208 of the conduit 204 is connected to the outlet 136 of the vacuum separation device 100 such that the airflow generated by the vacuum suction device 200 provides suction through the vacuum separation device 100. The airflow path extends from the vacuum suction device 200, through the conduit 204 of the vacuum suction device 200, through the outlet 136 of the vacuum separation device 100, through the airflow channel 176, the separator 168, the channel 172, the inlet 132 of the vacuum separation device 100, and the conduit 140 coupled to the inlet 132. In this way, the vacuum suction device 200 generates airflow (i.e., suction) through the vacuum separation device 100. The vacuum suction device 200 is additionally operable to collect (i.e., suction) debris independent of (i.e., not connected to) the vacuum separation device 100, though without the debris separation provided by the separator 168.
In operation, the vacuum separation device 100 is connected to the vacuum suction device 200 via the conduit 204 of the vacuum suction device 200. The conduit 140 is coupled to the inlet 132 of the vacuum separation device 100. The vacuum suction device 200 is energized to generate an airflow through the vacuum separation device 100 and the vacuum suction device 200. A user suctions debris through the conduit 140 and into the inlet 132 of the vacuum separation device 100. The debris is drawn into the cyclone separator 168 where at least some (e.g., a majority) of the debris falls into the debris chamber 184 with the remaining debris passing through the conduit 204 to the vacuum suction device 200. To empty the vacuum separation device 100, a user engages the handle 188 of the debris door 152, rotating the debris door 152 into an open position. By moving the clip 192 to the second position, the separator 168 likewise can be emptied with the debris door 152 in the open position. By lifting the separator 168 back into the use position and moving the clip 192 back to the first position, the separator 168 is again in position for operation. The debris door 152 is returned to the closed position, latching in place via the handle 188.
FIGS. 8-11 illustrate the vacuum separation device 100 mounted atop the vacuum suction device 200. As shown in more detail in FIGS. 10-11, each of the sidewalls 128C, 128D of the vacuum separation device 100 includes one or more (as shown two) mounting clips 300 movably (e.g., rotatably) coupled to the housing 104. Each of the mounting clips 300 includes a hook 304 at a distal end for engaging a mounting post 212 of the vacuum suction device 200. Each mounting clip 300 rotates about a rotational axis 308 (FIGS. 14A-D) between a stowed position and an engaged position. In the stowed position, the clip 300 is positioned within a recess 312 of the housing 104. A detent 316 holds the clip 300 in the stowed position. Each clip 300 is rotatable into engagement with a corresponding one of the mounting posts 212 to secure the vacuum separation device 100 to the vacuum suction device 200. FIG. 10 illustrates a clip 300 in a stowed position (the clip 300 to the right), a clip 300 in an intermediate position (the clip 300 to the left, the intermediate position being between the stowed position and the engaged position). The clips 300 are shown in the engaged position in FIG. 11. Each mounting post 212 is generally U-shaped and is coupled to the vacuum suction device 200 via fasteners 216 (threaded fasteners). With the clips 300 coupling the vacuum separation device 100 to the vacuum suction device 200, the vacuum separation device 100 is movable with the vacuum suction device 200. FIG. 14A illustrates the clip 300 in the stowed position. FIG. 14B illustrates the clip in the engaged position. FIGS. 14C-14D illustrate removal of the clip 300 from the engaged position (FIG. 14C) and returning to the stowed position (FIG. 14D). With each clip 300 returned to the stowed position, the vacuum separation device 100 is removable from the vacuum suction device 200.
In addition to the clips 300, the vacuum separation device 100 includes cleats 318 on the lower surface 124 for engaging and locking to other devices (e.g., storage devices, vacuum devices). In some embodiments, multiple jobsite components have similar cleats for engaging the cleats 318 of the vacuum separation device to enable stacking for movement and/or storage. The upper surface 120 includes similar cleats 320 such that additional components can be stacked atop the vacuum separation device 100. A latch 324 is located on the front surface 128A that is graspable by a user for disengaging the cleats 318 from the device mounted under the vacuum separation device 100. As shown in FIGS. 15A-15B, the clips 300 are attachable to the housing 104 via an intermediate bracket 328 that is coupled to the housing 104 via a fastener 332 (e.g., a threaded fastener). As shown in FIG. 15B, by removing the fastener 332, the clip 300 is removable from the housing 104.
As shown in FIGS. 15C-15D, a user is able to replace the bracket 328 and clip 300 with a wheel assembly 400. The wheel assembly 400 includes a bracket 404 and a caster wheel 408 coupled to one another and coupled to the housing 104 with the fastener 332 (or in some embodiments, a different fastener). By replacing the clips 328 with wheel assemblies 400, the vacuum separation device 100 is configured to move along a ground surface, as shown in FIG. 7.
Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Patent Application
20250127356
