Compacting waste receptacle for vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A waste receptacle design is described that includes a substantially cylindrical body (or an elongated body) that is designed to slide longitudinally (e.g., along the length of the vacuum cleaner) around a filter/motor housing such that a front part of the filter/motor housing compacts any dirt or debris within the waste receptacle. The waste receptacle may include an inner chamber and a body around the inner chamber with space between the inner chamber and the body. Dirt and debris may be collected within the inner chamber while air passes into the inner chamber and out through a mesh or screen on the walls of the inner chamber to the space between the inner chamber and the body. When sliding the waste receptacle back towards the filter/motor housing, a distal wall of the filter/motor housing moves through the inner chamber of the waste receptacle to compact dirt and debris.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a waste receptacle;   a motor configured to draw air into the waste receptacle;   a wall at a proximal end of the waste receptacle; and   a door at a distal end of the waste receptacle;   wherein the waste receptacle is configured to move relative to the wall such that the waste receptacle is configured to slide around the wall.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the waste receptacle comprises a body and an inner chamber nested within the body, such that a diameter of the inner chamber is less than a diameter of the body. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein a wall of the inner chamber comprises a plurality of openings. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein air can pass from the inner chamber through the plurality of openings to a region between the inner chamber and the body. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the wall moves through the inner chamber of the waste receptacle. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein the vacuum cleaner comprises:
 a nozzle assembly; and   an air suction tube coupled between the nozzle assembly and an inlet into the inner chamber of the waste receptacle.   
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the waste receptacle is configured to laterally slide along a track. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the motor and filter structure are housed together in a filter/motor housing. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the filter/motor housing has a proximal end coupled to the proximal end of the vacuum cleaner, and the filter/motor housing is configured to rotate or pivot about its proximal end. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein the waste receptacle is configured to be detachable from the filter/motor housing. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a handle; and   one or more energy storage cells disposed within the handle.   
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein the handle is configured to be detachable from the vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the handle is slidably detachable from the vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the wall is a distal wall of a filter structure comprising a filter. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the filter structure comprises a filter stage having the filter and a cyclone stage adjacent to the filter stage. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the cyclone stage is tilted at an angle with respect to a central axis passing axially through the waste receptacle. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the cyclone stage comprises an outlet coupled to a collection chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the waste receptacle comprises a body and an inner chamber nested within the body, and the collection chamber is arranged beneath the inner chamber. 
     
     
         19 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a nozzle assembly at a distal end of the vacuum cleaner;   a handle at a proximal end of the vacuum cleaner;   a waste receptacle having an inner chamber and a body around the inner chamber;   a motor configured to draw air through the nozzle assembly and into the waste receptacle; and   a filter structure having a filter coupled thereto;   wherein the waste receptacle is configured to move relative to the filter structure such that the inner chamber of the waste receptacle slides around at least a portion of the filter structure.   
     
     
         20 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a nozzle assembly at a distal end of the vacuum cleaner;   a handle at a proximal end of the vacuum cleaner;   a waste receptacle;   a motor configured to draw air through the nozzle assembly and into the waste receptacle; and   a filter structure having a wall at a first end of the filter structure and a filter coupled between the first end of the filter structure and a second end of the filter structure;   wherein the waste receptacle and the filter structure are configured to move relative to one another such that the wall at the first end of the filter structure moves through the waste receptacle.