Vacuum cleaner with dirt collection vessel having a stepped sidewall

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is provided including a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet and a canister assembly. A suction generator and dirt collection vessel ate carried on one of the nozzle assembly and canister assembly. The dirt collection vessel includes a base wall, a stepped sidewall and a dirt collection chamber. The stepped sidewall has a first cylindrical section with a circumference C 1 , and a second cylindrical section with a circumference C 2 where C 1 , C 1 >C 2 . In addition the stepped sidewall includes a step connecting the first and second cylindrical sections where the step and first cylindrical section define an included angle A 1 ≦90°.

1 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising: 
 a nozzle assembly including a suction inlet;    a canister assembly;    a suction generator carried on one of said canister assembly and said nozzle assembly;    a dirt collection vessel carried on one of said canister assembly and said nozzle assembly, said dirt collection vessel including a base wall, a stepped sidewall and a dirt collection chamber;    said dirt collection vessel being characterized by (1) said stepped sidewall having a first cylindrical section with a circumference C 1  and a second cylindrical section with a circumference C 2  where C 1 >C 2  and (2) a step connecting said first cylindrical section with said second cylindrical section where said step and said first cylindrical section define an included angle A 1 ≦90°.    
   
   
       2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein said step includes a channel opening toward said base wall.  
   
   
       3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said first cylindrical section, said second cylindrical section and said step define a channel opening toward said base wall.  
   
   
       4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said circumference C 1  is between about 18.8 in. and about 25.1 in.  
   
   
       5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein said circumference C 2  is between about 15.7 in. and about 22.0 in.  
   
   
       6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein said first cylindrical section has a height H 1  of between about 6 in. and about 7 in. and said second cylindrical section has a height H 2  of between about 5 in. and about 6 in.  
   
   
       7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein said circumference C 1 , and said height H 1 , define a volume V 1 , of between about 169.6 in. 3  and about 351.9 in. 3  and said circumference C 2  and said height H 2  define a volume V 2  of between about 98.2 in. 3  and about 230.9 in. 3 .  
   
   
       8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said step has a width between said first cylindrical section and said second cylindrical section of between about 0.1 in. and about 2.5 in.  
   
   
       9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further including a support concentrically received in said first cylindrical section and projecting from said base wall.  
   
   
       10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , including a prefilter carried on said support.  
   
   
       11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein said prefilter includes a third cylindrical section that carries an angled flange.  
   
   
       12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein said flange and said third cylindrical section meet at a vertex V defining an included angle A 2  of between about 135 to about 165 degrees.  
   
   
       13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein said vertex V is received concentrically within said second cylindrical section.  
   
   
       14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein said flange includes a straight, continuous face.  
   
   
       15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein an annular gap is provided between said flange and an end of said second cylindrical section, said gap having a width of between about 0.5 in. and about 2.5 in.  
   
   
       16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , further including a filter provided in said dirt collection chamber.  
   
   
       17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein said filter is carried on said prefilter.  
   
   
       18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein a lid including a top wall closes an end of said dirt collection vessel opposite said base wall.  
   
   
       19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein said lid includes an inlet and an outlet.  
   
   
       20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein said inlet is in communication with said dirt collection chamber and said outlet is in communication with an upstream side of said filter.  
   
   
       21 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said nozzle assembly is pivotally connected to said canister assembly.  
   
   
       22 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further including a rotary agitator carried on said nozzle assembly adjacent said suction inlet.  
   
   
       23 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said canister assembly includes a control handle.