Vacuum cleaner comprising a filter drawer

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) comprising a housing ( 2 ) in which a drawer-like compartment ( 8 ) can be removably positioned, said compartment comprising a dust chamber ( 7 ) for receiving a dust collector which can be arranged in a suction air flow path between a connecting piece ( 4 ) of a suction hose ( 5 ) or a suction tube and an intake opening ( 20 ) of a motor/ventilator unit ( 21 ). In order to improve one such vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) such that the dust collector ( 16 ) can be removed from the vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) in a simple, user-friendly manner, the motor/ventilator unit ( 21 ) is fixed in the housing and the dust collector ( 16 ) can be removed from the suction air flow path by pulling out the drawer-like compartment ( 8 ). In this way, the drawer-like compartment ( 8 ) can be removed with little expenditure of force.

1 - 12 . (canceled)  
     
     
         13 . A vacuum cleaner comprising a housing, in which a drawer-like pull-out is mounted to be withdrawable, which has a dust chamber for receiving a dust separator insertable into a flow path of suction air between a connecting stub pipe of at least one of a suction hose and a suction pipe and a suction opening of a motor/fan unit, which is fixedly arranged in the housing, wherein the dust separator is removable from the flow path of suction air by withdrawal of the drawer-like pull-out, wherein the connecting stub pipe for the at least one of the suction hose and the suction pipe is fastened to the housing and the dust separator is connectible with the stub pipe by way of the drawer-like pull-out.  
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the drawer-like pull-out carries a coupling member which can be flowed through by suction air and by way of which in a closed position of the drawer-like pull-out the dust separator is connected with the connecting stub pipe.  
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 14 , wherein the drawer-like pull-out is mounted in the housing to be displaceable in a plane inclined relative to the horizontal.  
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 15 , wherein the plane is inclined in such a manner that displacement of the drawer-like pull-out into the closed position is assisted by gravitational force.  
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 14 , wherein the drawer-like pull-out has a front panel which in the closed position of the drawer-like pull-out bears in airtight manner against the housing.  
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 14 , wherein a detent means for holding the drawer-like pull-out in its closed position is provided between the drawer-like pull-out and the housing.  
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 18 , wherein the vacuum cleaner has an actuating element for unlocking the detent means.  
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 19 , wherein the actuating element is arranged at a grip of the drawer-like pull-out.  
     
     
         21 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 14 , wherein the vacuum cleaner has a resilient biasing element, the drawer-like pull-out being kept in the closed position against the spring force of the biasing element.  
     
     
         22 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the drawer-like pull-out is completely removable from the housing.  
     
     
         23 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 13 , wherein the drawer-like pull-out is arranged above at least one of the motor/fan unit and a cable winding device in the housing of the vacuum cleaner.  
     
     
         24 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a housing;    a stub pipe connected to the housing and forming an intake opening for receiving air into the housing;    a dust chamber defined within the housing and being in fluid communication with the stub pipe, the housing having an access opening providing access to the dust chamber;    a motor/fan unit disposed within the housing and generating a suction air flow through the housing, the motor/fan unit connected to a suction opening in fluid communication with the dust chamber;    a dust separator positionable within the dust chamber in the path of the suction air flow between the stub pipe and the suction opening; and    a pull-out drawer slidably supported by the housing for movement with respect to the housing and being positionable within the dust chamber through the access opening and supporting the dust separator, the pull-out drawer being movable between a closed condition, in which the dust separator is coupled to the stub pipe and positioned in the flow path of suction air and the pull-out drawer seals the dust chamber, and an open condition, in which the dust separator is uncoupled from the stub pipe and removed from the flow path of suction air and the pull-out drawer is withdrawn from the housing.    
     
     
         25 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 24 , wherein housing includes an inclined plane supporting the pull-out drawer for slidable movement and sloping downwardly from the access opening toward the stub pipe, wherein the positioning of the pull-out drawer into the closed condition is assisted by gravitational force.  
     
     
         26 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 24 , wherein the pull-out drawer has a front panel that engages the housing in the closed position to form a substantially airtight seal with the housing to seal the dust chamber.  
     
     
         27 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 24 , further comprising a detent means connected to the housing and releasably engaging the pull-out drawer to lock the pull-out drawer in the closed condition.  
     
     
         28 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 24 , further comprising a biasing element biasing the pull-out drawer toward the open condition, the pull-out drawer being kept in the closed condition against the biasing force of the biasing element.  
     
     
         29 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 24 , wherein the pull-out drawer is completely removable from the housing in the open condition.  
     
     
         30 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 24 , wherein the pull-out drawer includes two opposing side walls extending longitudinally along the pull-out drawer and a curved support extending upwardly and across the top off the pull-out drawer between the two side walls, the dust separator having a coupling member engaging the stub pipe and being supported by the curved support.  
     
     
         31 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a housing;    a stub pipe connected to the housing for receiving air into the housing;    a dust chamber defined within the housing and being in fluid communication with the stub pipe;    a motor/fan unit disposed within the housing and generating a suction air flow through the housing;    a dust separator positionable within the dust chamber in the path of the suction air flow between the stub pipe and the motor/fan unit; and    a removable retaining means retaining the dust separator and being slidably supported by the housing for movement with respect to the housing, the retaining means being movable between a closed condition, in which the dust separator is coupled to the stub pipe and positioned in the flow path of suction air, and an open condition, in which the dust separator is uncoupled from the stub pipe and removed from the flow path of suction air.    
     
     
         32 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 31 , further comprising: 
 an inclined plane defined within the housing and supporting the retaining means for slidable movement and sloping downwardly toward the stub pipe, wherein the positioning of the retaining means into the closed condition is assisted by gravitational force;    a detent means connected to the housing and releasably engaging the retaining means to lock the retaining means in the closed condition; and    a biasing element biasing the retaining means toward the open condition, the retaining means being kept in the closed condition against the biasing force of the biasing element.