Vacuum cleaner equipped with sound cancellation generator

Abstract

A floor cleaning apparatus includes a housing, a suction generator having a motor and a sound cancellation generator. During operation of the apparatus the motor produces a first sound and the sound cancellation generator produces a second sound. The second sound produced by the sound cancellation generator is substantially 180 degrees out of phase with the first sound so that noise generated during operation of the floor cleaning apparatus is reduced.

1 . A floor cleaning apparatus, comprising: 
 a housing;    a suction generator including a motor carried on said housing, said motor producing a first sound during operation of said floor cleaning apparatus; and    a sound cancellation generator producing a second sound during operation of said floor cleaning apparatus, said second sound being substantially 180 degrees out of phase with said first sound whereby noise generated during operation of said floor cleaning apparatus is reduced.    
   
   
       2 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said sound cancellation generator includes a controller and a sound transducer.  
   
   
       3 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said sound cancellation generator further includes a sound sensor for detecting an amplitude A and frequency F of said first sound.  
   
   
       4 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein (a) said controller is responsive to detected amplitude and frequency signals from said sound sensor and (b) said sound transducer is responsive to said controller to produce said second sound having an amplitude of substantially A and a frequency of substantially F, substantially 180 degrees out of phase with said first sound.  
   
   
       5 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein said housing includes a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly.  
   
   
       6 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein said canister assembly is pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly.  
   
   
       7 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein said nozzle assembly includes a suction inlet.  
   
   
       8 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 7 , further including a rotary agitator carried on said nozzle assembly adjacent said suction inlet.  
   
   
       9 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 8 , further including a dirt collection vessel carried on one of said nozzle assembly and said canister assembly.  
   
   
       10 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a porous dust bag.  
   
   
       11 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein said dirt collection vessel is a dirt cup.  
   
   
       12 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein said dirt cup includes a cylindrical dirt collection chamber and a tangentially directed inlet.  
   
   
       13 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 12 , further including a first filter provided in said dirt cup.  
   
   
       14 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 13 , further including a second filter provided downstream from said suction generator.  
   
   
       15 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 14 , further including a wireless control interface.  
   
   
       16 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein said wireless control interface includes a control actuator, a transmitter connected to said control actuator, a receiver remote from said transmitter and a CPU connected to said receiver.  
   
   
       17 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 16 , further including a control handle and wand assembly displaceable between a first, floor cleaning position wherein said handle and wand is carried on said housing and a second, remote cleaning position wherein said handle and wand assembly is removed from said housing and wherein said control actuator and said transmitter are carried on said control handle and wand assembly.  
   
   
       18 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 9 , further including a wand assembly including a wand, a control handle and a flexible hose wherein said wand assembly is displaceable between a first, floor cleaning position wherein said wand is carried on said housing and a second, remote cleaning position wherein said wand is removed from said housing.  
   
   
       19 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 18 , further including a wireless control interface.  
   
   
       20 . The floor cleaning apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein said wireless control interface includes a control actuator, a transmitter connected to said control actuator, a receiver remote from said transmitter and a CPU connected to said receiver.