Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A cleaning system may include a vacuum cleaner having a body and a cleaner dust cup coupled to the body and a docking station, the vacuum cleaner configured to dock with the docking station. The cleaner dust cup may include an open end that is configured to be selectively received within the body and a dust cup outlet that is configured to be selectively opened and closed, the dust cup outlet and the open end being on different sides of the cleaner dust cup. The docking station may include a base having a suction motor and a station dust cup, an up-duct extending from the base, and a receptacle having a station inlet, the receptacle being configured to receive at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner, the up-duct fluidly couples the station inlet to the suction motor and the station dust cup.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a body; and   a dust cup configured to collect debris and being coupled to the body, the dust cup including a first debris opening configured to be selectively received within the body, a second debris opening outside of the body, and a dust cup door configured to selectively close the second debris opening, the dust cup being configured to selectively transition between a manual emptying configuration and an automated emptying configuration, wherein:
 when transitioned to the manual emptying configuration, the dust cup moves to expose the first debris opening to empty the debris from the dust cup; and 
 when transitioned to the automated emptying configuration, the dust cup door moves to expose the second debris opening to allow debris to be suctioned through the second debris opening. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the dust cup further includes a retainer configured to transition between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein movement of the dust cup door is substantially prevented when the retainer is in the locked position. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the first debris opening and the second debris opening are on different sides of the dust cup. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein, when transitioned to the manual emptying configuration, the dust cup pivots about a first pivot axis. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein, when transitioned to the automated emptying configuration, the dust cup door pivots about a second pivot axis, the second pivot axis being spaced apart from the first pivot axis. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the body includes an alignment groove configured to cooperate with a docking station. 
     
     
         7 . A cleaning system comprising:
 a vacuum cleaner including:
 a body; and 
 a cleaner dust cup configured to collect debris and being coupled to the body, the cleaner dust cup including a first debris opening configured to be selectively received within the body, a second debris opening outside of the body, and a dust cup door configured to selectively close the second debris opening, the cleaner dust cup being configured to selectively transition between a manual emptying configuration and an automated emptying configuration, wherein:
 when transitioned to the manual emptying configuration, the cleaner dust cup moves to expose the first debris opening to empty the debris from the cleaner dust cup; and 
 when transitioned to the automated emptying configuration, the dust cup door moves to expose the second debris opening to allow debris to be suctioned through the second debris opening; and 
 
   a docking station, the vacuum cleaner configured to dock with the docking station, the docking station including:
 a base having a suction motor and a station dust cup; 
 an up-duct extending from the base; and 
 a receptacle having a station inlet, the receptacle being configured to receive at least a portion of the vacuum cleaner, the up-duct fluidly couples the station inlet to the suction motor and the station dust cup. 
   
     
     
         8 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the station inlet is configured to fluidly couple with the second debris opening when the vacuum cleaner is docked with the docking station. 
     
     
         9 . The cleaning system of  claim 8 , wherein the receptacle includes a receptacle cavity, the receptacle cavity being configured to receive at least a portion of the dust cup door when the dust cup door moves to expose the second debris opening. 
     
     
         10 . The cleaning system of  claim 9 , wherein an airflow generated by the suction motor causes the dust cup door to move to expose the second debris opening. 
     
     
         11 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the cleaner dust cup further includes a retainer configured to transition between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein movement of the dust cup door is substantially prevented when the retainer is in the locked position. 
     
     
         12 . The cleaning system of  claim 11 , wherein the receptacle includes an actuation protrusion configured to transition the retainer from the locked position to the unlocked position when the vacuum cleaner is docked with the docking station. 
     
     
         13 . The cleaning system of  claim 12 , wherein the actuation protrusion extends transverse to an insertion/removal axis of the receptacle. 
     
     
         14 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the first debris opening and the second debris opening are on different sides of the cleaner dust cup. 
     
     
         15 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein, when transitioned to the manual emptying configuration, the cleaner dust cup pivots about a first pivot axis. 
     
     
         16 . The cleaning system of  claim 15 , wherein, when transitioned to the automated emptying configuration, the dust cup door pivots about a second pivot axis, the second pivot axis being spaced apart from the first pivot axis. 
     
     
         17 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the vacuum cleaner includes an alignment groove configured to cooperate with a corresponding cleaner aligner of the docking station. 
     
     
         18 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the up-duct extends vertically along a longitudinal axis and the receptacle is configured to encourage the vacuum cleaner to move along an insertion axis to fluidly couple the second debris opening to the station inlet, the insertion axis being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         19 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein a seal extends around the station inlet and is configured to be at least partially compressed when the vacuum cleaner is received within the receptacle. 
     
     
         20 . The cleaning system of  claim 7 , wherein the receptacle includes a sensor configured to detect when the vacuum cleaner is docked with the docking station.