Vacuum cleaner and docking station configured to cooperate with the same

Abstract

A cleaning system may include a vacuum cleaner and a docking station. The vacuum cleaner may include an air inlet, a suction motor having a suction motor inlet and a suction motor outlet, and a cleaner dust cup configured to transition between a collection position and an emptying position, the cleaner dust cup being upstream of the suction motor inlet when in the collection position and downstream of the suction motor outlet when in the emptying position. The docking station may include a base, a support extending from the base, a station dust cup removably coupled to the support, and a receptacle coupled to the support and configured to receive at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner, the cleaner dust cup being fluidly coupled to and upstream of the station dust cup when the vacuum cleaner is inserted in the receptacle.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a vacuum cleaner including:
 a main body; 
 a suction motor having a suction motor inlet and a suction motor outlet; 
 a cleaner dust cup; and 
 a manifold assembly having a manifold connector coupled to the cleaner dust cup and a manifold plate coupled to the main body, the manifold connector including an air passthrough fluidly coupled to the cleaner dust cup and the manifold plate including: 
 a suction opening fluidly coupled with the suction motor inlet; and 
 an exhaust opening fluidly coupled with the suction motor outlet, wherein each of the suction opening and the exhaust opening is configured to selectively fluidly couple to the air passthrough; and 
   a docking station, the docking station including:
 a base; 
 a support extending from the base; 
 a station dust cup; and 
 a receptacle coupled to the support and configured to receive at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner. 
   
     
     
         2 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle includes a dust cup region for receiving at least a portion of the cleaner dust cup, an inlet region for receiving at least a portion of an air inlet of the vacuum cleaner, and a divider that extends between the dust cup region and the inlet region. 
     
     
         3 . The cleaning system of  claim 2 , wherein the dust cup region is configured such that an openable door of the cleaner dust cup can transition to an open position when the cleaner dust cup is received within the dust cup region. 
     
     
         4 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle includes at least one ramp configured to engage the cleaner dust cup, the engagement causing the air passthrough to transition from being fluidly coupled to the suction opening to being fluidly coupled to the exhaust opening. 
     
     
         5 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold plate includes a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being angled relative to the first surface. 
     
     
         6 . The cleaning system of  claim 5 , wherein the first surface includes the suction opening and the second surface includes the exhaust opening. 
     
     
         7 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold assembly further comprises a plurality of pivot arms pivotally coupling the manifold plate to the manifold connector. 
     
     
         8 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the manifold assembly further comprises a spring configured to bias the pivot arms. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning system of  claim 8 , wherein the pivot arms are biased such that that the air passthrough is urged to fluidly couple with the suction opening. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning system of  claim 1 , wherein the cleaner dust cup includes a deflector surface that is configured to cooperate with the exhaust opening to redirect air exiting the exhaust opening when the suction opening is fluidly coupled to the air passthrough. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning system of  claim 10 , wherein the deflector surface is configured to redirect air towards a cleaner exhaust. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning system of  claim 11 , wherein the deflector surface is an arcuate surface. 
     
     
         13 . A vacuum cleaner including:
 a main body;   a suction motor having a suction motor inlet and a suction motor outlet;   a cleaner dust cup; and   a manifold assembly having a manifold connector coupled to the cleaner dust cup and a manifold plate coupled to the main body, the manifold connector including an air passthrough fluidly coupled to the cleaner dust cup and the manifold plate including:
 a suction opening fluidly coupled with the suction motor inlet; and 
 an exhaust opening fluidly coupled with the suction motor outlet, wherein each of the suction opening and the exhaust opening is configured to selectively fluidly couple to the air passthrough. 
   
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the manifold plate includes a first surface and a second surface, the second surface being angled relative to the first surface. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the first surface includes the suction opening and the second surface includes the exhaust opening. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the manifold assembly further comprises a plurality of pivot arms pivotally coupling the manifold plate to the manifold connector. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the manifold assembly further comprises a spring configured to bias the pivot arms. 
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the pivot arms are biased such that that the air passthrough is urged to fluidly couple with the suction opening. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , wherein the cleaner dust cup includes a deflector surface that is configured to cooperate with the exhaust opening to redirect air exiting the exhaust opening when the suction opening is fluidly coupled to the air passthrough. 
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 19 , wherein the deflector surface is configured to redirect air towards a cleaner exhaust.