Integrated cyclonic separator in a wet-dry vacuum

Abstract

A wet-dry vacuum cleaner including a collecting bin and a power head removably coupled to the collecting bin. The power head includes a housing configured to support the power head on the collecting bin, an exhaust outlet, and a cyclonic separator positioned within the housing. The cyclonic separator includes a dirty air inlet, a chamber, and a clean air outlet. The power head further includes a suction motor assembly operable to create a working airflow path from the dirty air inlet to the exhaust outlet, and a filter disposed within a filter housing hanging downwardly from the suction motor assembly. The filter is positioned within the working airflow path adjacent the clean air outlet of the cyclonic separator.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A wet-dry vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a collecting bin;   a cyclonic separator removably coupled to the collecting bin, the cyclonic separator including a dirty air inlet and a clean air outlet,   a housing removably coupled to the cyclonic separator, the housing supporting a filter therein, the filter positioned adjacent the clean air outlet of the cyclonic separator when the housing is coupled to the cyclonic separator;   a power head integrally formed on the housing, the power head including an exhaust outlet; and   a suction motor assembly operable to create a working airflow path for a working airflow, the working airflow path extending from the dirty air inlet, through the cyclonic separator, through the clean air outlet, and to the exhaust outlet,   wherein the cyclonic separator is configured to separate heavier debris from the working airflow and discharge the separated heavier debris into the collecting bin.   
     
     
         2 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the working airflow path from the cyclonic separator through the housing is substantially vertical, and wherein the wet-dry vacuum cleaner is configured to be battery operated. 
     
     
         3 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is selectively stackable on an upper portion of the cyclonic separator or directly coupled to the collecting bin. 
     
     
         4 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein the housing includes a first latch moveable to a latched position in which a portion of the first latch couples the housing to the cyclonic separator, and wherein while in the latched position, the housing supports the power head on top of the cyclonic separator in a stacked configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the first latch is moveable to an unlatched position, and wherein the housing is configured to alternately be received within the collecting bin while the cyclonic separator is separated from the housing and the first latch is in the unlatched position. 
     
     
         6 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the collecting bin includes a second latch moveable to a first latched position in which a portion of the second latch couples the cyclonic separator to the collecting bin, and wherein the second latch is moveable to a second latched position in which a portion of the second latch, while the cyclonic separator is removed from the wet-dry vacuum cleaner, couples the power head to the collecting bin. 
     
     
         7 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the cyclonic separator includes one or more after-market parts that can be integrated into the wet-dry vacuum cleaner in a stacked configuration, and wherein the cyclonic separator is configured to operate with a typical wet-dry vacuum cleaner in a non-stacked configuration. 
     
     
         8 . A wet-dry vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a collecting bin;   a cyclonic separator removably coupled to the collecting bin, the cyclonic separator including a dirty air inlet and a clean air outlet;   a housing removably coupled to the cyclonic separator;   a power head integrally formed on the housing, the power head including:
 an exhaust outlet, 
 a suction motor assembly operable to create a working airflow path from the dirty air inlet to the exhaust outlet, and 
 a filter disposed within a filter housing hanging downwardly from the suction motor assembly, the filter positioned within the working airflow path adjacent the clean air outlet of the cyclonic separator, 
   wherein the filter housing receives air from the clean air outlet of the cyclonic separator,   wherein working air in the working airflow path passes over the cyclonic separator before entering the filter housing, and   wherein working air is drawn from the clean air outlet of the cyclonic separator into the filter housing.   
     
     
         9 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the cyclonic separator is fluidly disposed between the power head and the collecting bin, and wherein the cyclonic separator is configured to separate heavier debris from working air in the working airflow path. 
     
     
         10 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the filter is disposed fluidly downstream of the cyclonic separator and physically above the cyclonic separator, wherein working air in the working airflow path is drawn into the filter and travels away from the cyclonic separator. 
     
     
         11 . The wet-dry vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the filter includes a cylindrical body at least partially formed by filter media, and wherein working air is drawn vertically through the filter media and then horizontally toward the exhaust outlet. 
     
     
         12 . A method of utilizing a wet-dry vacuum cleaner, the method comprising:
 removably coupling a cyclonic separator to a collecting bin, the cyclonic separator including a dirty air inlet and a clean air outlet,   stacking a housing onto an upper portion of the cyclonic separator, the housing supporting a filter therein and a power head integrally formed thereon;   drawing an airflow through the dirty air inlet, through the cyclonic separator, through the clean air outlet, through the filter, and then through an exhaust outlet of the housing, and   separating heavier debris from the airflow via the cyclonic separator and discharging the separated heavier debris into the collecting bin.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein drawing the airflow through the cyclonic separator, through the clean air outlet, and through the filter includes drawing the airflow substantially vertically. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein stacking the housing onto an upper portion of the cyclonic separator includes moving a first latch to a latched position to couple the housing to the cyclonic separator. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising unlatching the first latch, separating the cyclonic separator from the collecting bin, and positioning the housing within the collecting bin. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein removably coupling the cyclonic separator to the collecting bin includes moving a latch from an unlatched position to a first latched position to couple the cyclonic separator to the collecting bin. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising separating the cyclonic separator from the collecting bin and moving the latch from the unlatched position to a second latched position to couple the power head to the collecting bin, wherein the collecting bin includes a second latch moveable to a first latched position in which a portion of the second latch couples the cyclonic separator to the collecting bin, and wherein the second latch is moveable to a second latched position in which a portion of the second latch, while the cyclonic separator is removed from the wet-dry vacuum cleaner, couples the power head to the collecting bin. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising assembling one or more after-market parts in a stacked configuration with the cyclonic separator, the collecting bin, and the housing. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein stacking the housing onto the upper portion of the cyclonic separator includes sandwiching an annular edge of the cyclonic separator between an edge of the housing and an edge of the collecting bin. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein drawing the airflow includes powering a suction motor to draw air through the dirty air inlet, through the cyclonic separator, through the clean air outlet, and through the filter, and exhaust the air through the exhaust outlet of the housing.