Vacuum cleaner including a removable canister assembly

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a base having a foot and a handle assembly pivotally coupled to the foot, and a canister assembly removably supported by the base. The vacuum cleaner also includes a first engagement member extending from one of the base and the canister assembly. The first engagement member engages the other of the base and the canister assembly to support the canister assembly on the base and inhibit the canister assembly from sliding side-to-side relative to the base. The vacuum cleaner further includes a second engagement member supported by one of the base and the canister assembly. The second engagement member engages the other of the base and the canister assembly to inhibit movement of the canister assembly away from the handle assembly when the canister assembly is supported on the base by the first engagement member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a base including
 a foot having a suction nozzle, and 
 a handle assembly pivotally coupled to the foot for movement between an upright storage position and an inclined operating position; 
   a canister assembly removably supported by the base, the canister assembly including
 a suction motor operable to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle, and 
 a dirt collection unit in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, the dirt collection unit configured to collect dirt particles from an airflow drawn through the suction nozzle by the suction motor; 
   a first engagement member extending from one of the base and the canister assembly, the first engagement member engaging the other of the base and the canister assembly to support the canister assembly on the base and inhibit the canister assembly from sliding side-to-side relative to the base; and   a second engagement member supported by one of the base and the canister assembly, the second engagement member engaging the other of the base and the canister assembly to inhibit movement of the canister assembly away from the handle assembly when the canister assembly is supported on the base by the first engagement member.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first engagement member allows the canister assembly to pivot toward and away from the handle assembly, 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the second engagement member engages the other of the base and the canister assembly when the canister assembly is pivoted toward the handle assembly to releasably secure the canister assembly to the base, and wherein the second engagement member is disengageable from the other of the base and the canister assembly to allow the canister assembly to pivot away from the handle assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the canister assembly is liftable off of the base when the canister assembly is pivoted away from the handle assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the dirt collection unit is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle through the handle assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein the dirt collection unit remains in fluid communication with the suction nozzle through the handle assembly when the canister assembly is not supported by the base. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the handle assembly includes a first end coupled to the foot and a second end supporting a grip, wherein the first engagement member is located adjacent the first end of handle assembly, and wherein the second engagement member is located between the grip and the first engagement member. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the canister assembly also includes a body, wherein the suction motor is positioned within the body, and wherein the dirt collection unit is supported by the body. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the canister assembly further includes a separator unit supported by the body in fluid communication with the dirt collection unit, and wherein the separator unit is operable to separate the dirt particles from the airflow. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the separator unit and the dirt collection unit are removable from the body. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the canister assembly further includes a handle extending from the separator unit. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first engagement member includes a mounting post extending from the foot, wherein the canister assembly defines a groove, and wherein the mounting post extends into the groove to support the canister assembly on the foot. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein a surface of the canister assembly that defines the groove rests on the mounting post such that the canister assembly is pivotable relative to the handle assembly about the mounting post. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the mounting post includes two end portions extending in opposing directions from the foot, and wherein the two end portions engage the canister assembly at two discrete locations to inhibit rotation of the canister assembly about the handle assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the two end portions of the mounting post extend from opposing sides of the base, and wherein a portion of the canister assembly straddles the opposing sides of the base to engage the two end portions of the mounting post. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the second engagement member includes a latch, wherein the handle assembly includes a flange, and wherein the latch is supported by the canister assembly and engages the flange. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the latch includes a manual actuator, and wherein the manual actuator is movable relative to the canister assembly to disengage the latch from the flange. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the latch also includes a biasing member, wherein the biasing member biases the latch into engagement with the flange, and wherein the manual actuator is movable against the bias of the biasing member to disengage the latch from the flange. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the latch includes a hook that engages the flange. 
     
     
         20 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a base including
 a foot having a suction nozzle, and 
 a handle assembly pivotally coupled to the foot for movement between an upright storage position and an inclined operating position; 
   a canister assembly removably supported by the base, the canister assembly including
 a suction motor operable to generate a suction force through the suction nozzle, and 
 a dirt collection unit in fluid communication with the suction nozzle, the dirt collection unit configured to collect dirt particles from an airflow drawn through the suction nozzle by the suction motor; 
   a first engagement member extending from a first side of the base;   a second engagement member extending from a second side of the base that is opposite the first side, wherein a portion of the canister assembly extends over a portion of the first side and a portion of the second side of the base to rest on the first and second engagement members and to straddle the base; and   a third engagement member supported by one of the base and the canister assembly, wherein the third engagement member engages the other of the base and the canister assembly to releasably secure the canister assembly to the base.   
     
     
         21 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the canister assembly is pivotable about the first and second engagement members relative to the base. 
     
     
         22 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 21 , wherein the third engagement member engages the other of the base and the canister assembly as the canister assembly pivots toward the handle assembly, and wherein the third engagement member is disengageable from the other of the base and the canister assembly to allow the canister assembly to pivot away from the handle assembly. 
     
     
         23 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 22 , wherein the canister assembly is liftable off of the base when the canister assembly is pivoted away from the handle assembly. 
     
     
         24 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the dirt collection unit is in fluid communication with the suction nozzle through the handle assembly. 
     
     
         25 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 24 , wherein the dirt collection unit remains in fluid communication with the suction nozzle through the handle assembly when the canister assembly is not supported by the base. 
     
     
         26 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the handle assembly includes a first end coupled to the foot and a second end supporting a grip, wherein the first and second engagement members are located adjacent the first end of handle assembly, and wherein the third engagement member is located between the grip and the first and second engagement members. 
     
     
         27 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the canister assembly also includes a body, wherein the suction motor is positioned within the body, and wherein the dirt collection unit is supported by the body. 
     
     
         28 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 27 , wherein the canister assembly further includes a separator unit supported by the body in fluid communication with the dirt collection unit, and wherein the separator unit is operable to separate the dirt particles from the airflow. 
     
     
         29 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 28 , wherein the separator unit and the dirt collection unit are removable from the body. 
     
     
         30 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the first engagement member includes a first boss extending from the base, wherein the second engagement member includes a second boss extending from the base, and wherein the canister assembly defines at least one groove that receives the first and second bosses. 
     
     
         31 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the third engagement member includes a latch supported by the one of the base and the canister assembly, and wherein the other of the base and the canister assembly includes a flange that is engaged by the latch.