Handheld vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A handheld vacuum cleaner including a suction inlet, a main body, a handle defined by a portion of the main body, a motor disposed within the main body operating a suction source, and a filter coupled to the main body. The filter is configured to separate debris from a flow of fluid drawn through the suction inlet. The filter includes a housing forming a first volume and a filter media forming a second inner volume. The filter media is coupled to the housing such that the first and second inner volumes together at least partially define a collection container configured to store debris separated by the filter media from the flow of fluid. The filter further includes an inlet opening that extends through the housing to provide fluid communication into the collection container such that the flow of fluid with the debris can flow into the collection container such that the flow of fluid with the debris can flow into the collection container and a relatively clean flow of fluid exits through the filter media.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A handheld vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a suction inlet;   a fan for creating suction through the suction inlet;   a dirt collection container in fluid communication with the suction inlet for collecting debris;   a main body and a handle defining a portion of the main body;   a motor disposed within the main body, the motor operable to drive the fan;   a battery coupled to the main body operable to supply power to the motor; and   a volute surrounding the fan to direct debris from the suction inlet toward the dirt collection container.   
     
     
         2 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a conduit in fluid communication with the suction inlet and connected to the dirt collection container. 
     
     
         3 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the volute is operably disposed between the suction inlet and the conduit. 
     
     
         4 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the motor and the suction inlet are co-axial. 
     
     
         5 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the volute includes an inner periphery that is spaced circumferentially away from an outer periphery of the fan. 
     
     
         6 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the suction inlet is transverse to a plane defined by the fan. 
     
     
         7 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the dirt collection container defines a dirt collection axis that is along a plane defined by the fan. 
     
     
         8 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the battery is at least partially disposed within the handle. 
     
     
         9 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , where the volute further comprises a volute inlet, the volute inlet being aligned with the suction inlet. 
     
     
         10 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , where the dirt collection container comprises a filter media. 
     
     
         11 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the volute is operably disposed between the suction inlet and the dirt collection container. 
     
     
         12 . A handheld vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a suction inlet defining an inlet axis;   a conduit in fluid communication with the suction inlet, the conduit defining a conduit axis transverse to the inlet axis;   a dirt collection container for collecting debris, the dirt collection container being connected to the conduit;   a main body and a handle defining a portion of the main body;   a motor disposed within the main body, the motor defining a rotational axis that is generally aligned with the inlet axis;   a battery operable to supply power to the motor, the battery is coupled to the main body.   
     
     
         13 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , further comprising a user interface disposed on the main body positioned on a user-facing surface. 
     
     
         14 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the user interface is adjacent the handle such that a user can operate the user interface with the same hand that is grasping the handle. 
     
     
         15 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the user interface is operable to control the motor. 
     
     
         16 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , further comprising a fan that is driven by the motor for creating suction through the suction inlet, the fan defines a plane, and wherein the conduit axis is along the plane of the fan. 
     
     
         17 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the dirt collection container defines a dirt collection axis that is co-axial with the conduit axis. 
     
     
         18 . The handheld vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the battery is at least partially disposed within the handle.