Wet/dry vacuum appliance, dust filtration attachment therefore, and methods of use

Abstract

A wet/dry vacuum assembly is described which includes a powerhead assembly capable of removable attachment to the open upper end of a container, the powerhead assembly including a housing, a motor, a fan, and air inlet, and an air exhaust port; and, a container having an open upper end, a closed lower end, and at least one sidewall there between, the container including a continuous handle member for carrying the container in a suspended position. Also described are water filter attachments having particle diffusing means formed therein, for use with the wet/dry to vacuum assembly for use in dust control when the vacuum assembly is used for vacuuming up fine particulate dust, such as dust generated from sanding drywall joint compound.

1 . A vacuum assembly comprising:
 a container having an open upper end, a closed lower end, and at least one sidewall there between, the container including a continuous handle member for carrying the container in a suspended position;   a power head assembly capable of removable attachment to the open upper end of the container, the power head assembly including a to housing, a motor, a fan, an air inlet and an air outlet; and   two oppositely spaced handle-latching assemblies, having V- or U-shaped notches formed by two latching ears, wherein the latching members are spaced on opposite sides of the lower outer rim of the power head assembly.   
     
     
         2 . A wet/dry vacuum assembly comprising:
 a container having an open upper end, a closed lower end, and at least one sidewall there between, the container including a continuous handle member for carrying the container in a suspended position;   a power head assembly capable of removable attachment to the open upper end of the container, the power head assembly including a housing, a motor, a fan, an air inlet and an air outlet; and   two oppositely spaced handle-latching assemblies having V- or U-shaped notches formed by two latching ears, wherein the latching members are spaced on opposite sides of the lower outer rim of the power head assembly.   
     
     
         3 . A wet/dry vacuum power head assembly capable of being removably attached to a container/receptacle having a handle for carrying the receptacle portion in a suspended position, the handle being a single, continuous member, wherein the power head assembly comprises:
 a motor;   an air inlet port;   an air outlet exhaust port oriented substantially 180-degrees from the air inlet port; and   two oppositely spaced handle-latching assemblies, having V- or U-shaped notches formed by two latching ears, wherein the latching members are spaced on opposite sides of the lower outer rim of the power head assembly.   
     
     
         4 . The wet/dry vacuum powerhead assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the assembly is sized to be removably attached to a container having a cylindrical configuration. 
     
     
         5 . A water filter kit for a wet/dry vacuum assembly for dust control so as to capture and control dust generated from a construction-related process, the kit comprising, in combination:
 a container having an open upper end, a closed lower end opposite the upper end, and at least one side wall extending therebetween, the container being capable of holding a predetermined quantity of water therein;   a wet/dry vacuum assembly comprising a power head assembly capable of removable attachment to the open upper end of the container, the power head assembly including a housing, a motor, a fan, an air inlet, an air outlet, and a filter cage; and   a filtering assembly, the filtering assembly comprising:
 a filtering tube having an open proximal end and an oppositely spaced distal end, the proximal end being capable of securedly engaging the lower face of the power head assembly in an air-tight manner such that the distal end extends downwardly towards the interior of the container; and 
 a diffusion plate securable to the distal end of the filtering tube, the diffusion plate extending substantially parallel to the lower end of the container. 
   
     
     
         6 . The water filter kit of  claim 5 , wherein the container has a cylindrical configuration and a cylindrical side wall extending between the upper end and the lower end. 
     
     
         7 . A method of filtering vacuum air streams comprising sub-micron particulate contaminants from a contaminated vacuum air stream, the method comprising:
 a wet/dry vacuum assembly of  claim 2 ; and   a water filter kit for use with the wet/dry vacuum assembly.