Water filtration vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A water filtration vacuum cleaner that has a modular construction. A motor module fits deep into a central opening of a water tank module so that the center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner is lowered. The water tank module is then placed on top of a trolley module, which has a rotatable arm. When rotated into a substantially vertical position, the arm secures the water tank module and motor module to the trolley module. A vacuum hose connects into the water tank from above. The air path from the hose into the water tank module extends through an upper surface of the water tank module that incorporates the motor module. When activated, motor cooling air is drawn in through the bottom of a central opening in the trolley module.

1 . A water filtration vacuum cleaner of the kind including a hose and canister; the canister comprising: 
 (a) a liquid container module having a bottom and an exterior upstanding wall;    (b) the exterior upstanding wall of the liquid container module forming the major exterior surface of the canister;    (c) the exterior upstanding wall of the liquid container module being transparent or translucent to permit visual observation of the level of liquid in the liquid container module;    (d) the exterior upstanding wall of the liquid container sloping inwardly and merging with a top wall of the liquid container module;    (e) the top wall of the liquid container module sloping downwardly centrally of the liquid container module to merge with an upstanding central wall surrounding a central opening through the liquid container module;    (f) a suction opening into the interior of the liquid container module adapted to receive a suction hose;    (g) the suction opening into the interior of the liquid container module opening through an upwardly facing exterior surface portion of the liquid container module through the one of a sloping inwardly location of the exterior upstanding wall and the top wall of the liquid container module;    (h) an air exhaust opening from the liquid container module;    (i) a motor module;    (j) the motor module being at least partially recessed within the central opening through the liquid container module;    (k) the motor module having an outer casing forming a minor exterior surface of the canister; and    (l) a fan carried by a shaft of a motor housed in the motor module.    
   
   
       2 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , the fan being in air moving communication with the interior of the liquid container module and operative to draw dirty air through the hose, into the liquid container module and clean air through the air exhaust opening from the liquid container module.  
   
   
       3 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising a flexible suction hose having a tubular fitting adapted to be releasably secured to the suction opening.  
   
   
       4 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 3 , additionally comprising a floor cleaning attachment adapted to be releasably attached to the flexible suction hose; 
 wherein the attachment has a retractable brush mounted on a rocker plate supported pivotally within the attachment.    
   
   
       5 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 3 , wherein a manually depressible actuator extends through an opening in the upper surface of the attachment to push the rocker plate from a brush retracted position to a brush projected position.  
   
   
       6 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 3 , wherein the flexible suction hose includes tool mounts adapted to carry vacuum tools.  
   
   
       7 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising a trolley module having wheels and adapted to hold the liquid container module.  
   
   
       8 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 7 , additionally comprising a u-shaped handle that is pivotally connected at its two arms to the trolley module.  
   
   
       9 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 8 , wherein the handle is adapted to secure the liquid container module to the trolley module when the handle is moved to a first, substantially vertical position.  
   
   
       10 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 9 , wherein the handle is adapted to engage the top of the motor module when handle is in the first, vertical position.  
   
   
       11 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner according to  claim 9 , wherein the handle is adapted release the liquid module from the trolley module when the handle moved from the first, substantially vertical position to a second, substantially horizontal position.  
   
   
       12 . A method of water filtration vacuum cleaning, comprising: 
 (a) providing a motor module having a motor connected to a fan via a shaft;    (b) providing a liquid container module having an exterior, a hollow interior adapted to accommodate a liquid, and an air filtration pathway, wherein the air filtration pathway travels from an air inlet located on the exterior of the liquid container, through the hollow interior, and passes through an air exhaust opening located on the exterior of the liquid container;    (c) providing a trolley module having a bottom surface, sidewalls and a handle pivotally connected to the sidewalls, wherein the bottom surface and sidewalls define a cradle member;    (d) placing the motor module into an opening of the liquid container module so that a lower portion of the motor module is recessed in the liquid container module;    (e) placing the liquid container module in the cradle member of the trolley;    (f) releasably securing the liquid container module to the trolley module by moving the handle into a locked position;    (g) inserting a liquid into the liquid container module;    (h) placing at least one air filter along the air filtration pathway between the air inlet and the exhaust opening;    (i) providing at least one baffle located in the hollow interior along the air filtration pathway;    (j) drawing air through the inlet nozzle and along the air filtration pathway when the motor module is powered; and    (k) causing at least some of the air to travel through the liquid, the air filter and through the exhaust opening.    
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the motor module is placed into the opening of the liquid container module into a position so that the vacuum cleaner has a low center of gravity.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 12 , additionally comprising the step of drawing air through an opening located at the bottom center of the trolley module for cooling the motor module.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 12 , additionally comprising the step of releasably securing a flexible suction hose to the air inlet.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 12 , additionally comprising the step of providing the inlet at a location on the upper portion of the water tank.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 12 , additionally comprising the step of emptying the liquid container module.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the emptying step additionally comprising moving the handle to a release position and lifting the liquid container module off of the trolley module.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the emptying step comprises removing the motor module from the liquid container module.  
   
   
       20 . A water filtration vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 tank means for holding a reservoir of liquid, wherein the tank means includes a plurality of baffle means for improving the circulation of air through the reservoir of liquid;    filter means for filtering the air that circulated through the reservoir of liquid;    transport means for moving the vacuum cleaner;    handle means for removably securing the tank means to the transport means; and    motor means for providing motive power to circulate air through the vacuum cleaner.    
   
   
       21 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , additionally comprising a hose means for suction of dirty air.  
   
   
       22 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 21 , wherein the hose means additionally comprises an attachment means for cleaning a floor.  
   
   
       23 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 21 , additionally comprising a connection means for attaching a cleaning tool to the hose means.  
   
   
       24 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 21 , wherein the hose means additionally comprises a connection means for attaching the tank means to the hose means.  
   
   
       25 . A modular water filtration vacuum cleaner having a tank module, a motor module, a trolley module and an air intake hose, the tank module having an outer surface forming a major portion of the vacuum cleaner, the tank module having a central opening therethrough receiving the motor module and the trolley module having an upper surface seating the tank module and a central opening, the motor module carrying a flow in moving communication with the interior of the tank module, the hank module having an intake opening adapted for connection with the hose and an air outlet, the fan being located to move air in through the hose to the interior of the tank module, through water contained in the tank module, through a filter and out through the air outlet, the motor module having an air moving impeller in communication with the central openings of the trolley module and tank module for moving motor-cooling air through the central opening of the trolley module into the central opening of the tank module and into cooling relation with a motor in the motor module.  
   
   
       26 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 25  further comprising a tank module lifting handle spanning the central opening through the tank module.  
   
   
       27 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 26 , wherein the lifting handle has ends slidingly attached to the liquid container module on opposite sides of the central opening allowing the handle to slide upward to a lifting position and downward to retracted position.  
   
   
       28 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 25 , wherein the hose and the liquid container module have interfitting connecting parts including an arcuate groomed part and a raised arcuate projection; at least one of which groove and projection broadens lengthwise such that the parts are wedged together upon less than a full turn of one part with respect to the other when brought together.  
   
   
       29 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 25 , wherein the hose carries at its intake end a tubular fitting having integrally molded resilient figures with raised tips, a tubular intermediate mating fitting having openings into which the tips snap, a metal nozzle joined to the mating fitting by a further tubular connector fitting over the mating fitting, and an extensible tool mounting tube connected to the tubular connector.  
   
   
       30 . The water filtration vacuum cleaner of  claim 29 , wherein the further tubular connector has openings aligning with grooves encircling the mating fitting, a c-clamp with radially inward projections partly encircling the further tubular connector with its projections extending through openings into grooves.