Dust extractors

Abstract

Dust extraction systems are provided including a housing (120); an air inlet (462); a motor (461) disposed in the housing; a fan (463) driven by the motor to create suction through the air inlet; a cyclonic chamber (265) disposed in the housing and in communication with the air inlet, the cyclonic chamber receiving an amount of dust from the air inlet; a filter (250) disposed in the housing and stacked above the cyclonic chamber; and a tank (130) disposed in the housing and stacked below the cyclonic chamber. The filter, the cyclonic chamber, and the tank are configured so that a majority of the dust that enters the cyclonic chamber via the inlet drops into the tank with a remaining portion of the dust collected in the filter.

Description

DUST EXTRACTORSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 671,842 filed July 16, 2024, the content of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.FIELD

[0002] This present inventive concept relates generally to dust extractors and, more particularly, to efficient dust extractors using cyclonic separation systems and related semi-rigid bags.BACKGROUND

[0003] Many dust extractors (vacuums) can be utilized with and / or without a dust bag.Advantages of a dust bag include, for example, increasing filter life, providing relatively easy dust disposal, increasing dust containment when emptying a vacuum and the like. A dust bag may even be required in certain environments, for example, some job sites require the use of a dust bag. Vacuums that use dust bags generally have the air flow through the bag. The bags are said to be in "positive pressure," meaning the pressure inside the dust bag is greater than the pressure outside the dust bag. This allows the airflow to keep the bag open producing a "selfinflating" bag. These self-inflating bags are prone to becoming clogged with fine dust, which may require a large amount of energy to pull air through the dust bag and result in an overall drop in performance for the dust extractor (vacuum) itself.

[0004] Some dust extractors utilize a cyclonic separation system to separate particles out of the airstream before they reach the motor / filter. These extractors often put the cyclone portion of the system in before the motor, which helps maintain a clean motor fan. These extractors often use a rigid tank with no dust bag since the self-inflating dust bag would be in "negative pressure" and the airflow would collapse the bag. To use a dust bag with a cyclonic separation system, most extractors use a second dust tank or put the cyclonic separator after the motor,which allows dust particles to pass through the motor causing a dirty motor fan. Thus, improved dust extractor systems are desired that address the shortcomings discussed with conventional systems.SUMMARYIn an aspect, a dust extractor includes a housing, an air inlet, a motor disposed in the housing, a fan driven by the motor to create suction through the inlet, a cyclonic chamber disposed in the housing and in communication with the inlet that receives an amount of dust from the air inlet; a filter disposed in the housing and stacked above the cyclonic chamber, and a tank disposed in the housing and stacked below the cyclonic chamber, wherein the filter, the cyclonic chamber, and the tank are configured so that a majority of the dust that enters the cyclonic chamber via the inlet drops into the tank with a remaining portion of the dust collected in the filter.

[0005] Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the following features. The majority of the dust that drops into the tank may be at least 75% or at least 90% of the amount of dust that enters the cyclonic chamber from inlet. The vacuum may further include a filter cleaner configured to remove the dust collected in the filter. The filter cleaner may include a mechanical agitator configured to vibrate or shake the filter. The filter cleaner may automatically be actuated or may be manually actuatable by the user. The filter cleaner may include a solenoid and a solid bar configured to strike the filter. A bag may be removably receivable in the tank to collect dust. The bag may be disposed in a negative pressure portion of the housing. The bag may be rigid or semi-rigid. The housing may be wearable as a backpack. A remote-control user interface may be configured to remotely actuate the motor or the filter cleaner. The dust extractor may include a sensor configured to automatically turn on the vacuum when a power tool being used with the dust extractor is turned on.

[0006] Further implementations of this aspect may include a bag having a fabric body that defines a box-like dust collection volume. The bag may further include a bag opening to the dust collection volume that is kept in an open position by a top plate. In some embodiments, the bag may further include first and second rigid members on opposite sides of the fabric bodyto support the fabric body in an un-folded configuration. The first and second rigid members cooperate with ribs in the tank of the dust extraction system to restrict the fabric body from collapsing. The first and second rigid members may be cardboard.

[0007] Still further implementations of this aspect may include a housing that is wearable as a backpack. The housing may further include a harness that facilitates positioning the dust extraction system on a back of a user. The harness may include shoulder straps and a waist strap. The waist strap may pivot between a use position and a retracted position. The retracted position may be used when the housing is freestanding when the tank is removed. The shoulder straps may be adjustable to different heights in order to accommodate different user sizes.

[0008] In another aspect, a dust extractor includes a housing, an air inlet, a motor disposed in the housing, a fan driven by the motor to create suction through the inlet, a cyclonic chamber disposed in the housing and in communication with the inlet, a tank disposed in the housing, and bag removably receivable in the tank, wherein the bag is rigid or semi-rigid and located in a negative pressure region of the housing.

[0009] Implementations of this aspect may include one or more of the following features. The bag may include a breathable material to contain the dust, rigid members, such as bars, beams, columns, or struts, that interface with the tank, and a top plate. The breathable material may allow pressure changes to occur. As the pressure in the dust extractor changes, the breathability of the bag allows air through to maintain pressure equilibrium. The rigid members may be configured to maintaining the bag's shape in an open state. The rigid members may be engageable with ribs in the tank. A filter may be disposed in the housing. The filter may be configured to collect a portion of dust received in the cyclonic chamber. The majority of the dust that enters the cyclonic chamber may be received in the bag with a remaining portion of the dust received in the filter. At least 75% or at least 90% of the amount of dust that enters the cyclonic chamber from inlet is collected in the bag. The dust extractor may further include a filter cleaner configured to remove the dust collected in the filter. The filter cleaner may include a mechanical agitator configured to vibrate or shake the filter. The filter cleaner may automatically be actuated or may be manually actuatable by the user. The filter cleaner may include a solenoid and a solid bar configured to strike the filter. The housing may be wearableas a backpack. A remote-control user interface may be configured to remotely actuate the motor or the filter cleaner. The dust extractor may include a sensor configured to automatically turn on the vacuum when a power tool being used with the dust extractor is turned on.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] Fig. 1 is a diagram illustrating a backpack vacuum in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0011] Figs. 2A and 2B are diagrams illustrating internal components of a dust extractor in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0012] Fig. 2C is a diagram illustrating operations for cleaning the filter in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0013] Figs. 3A through 3D are diagrams illustrating details of dust extractors in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0014] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating details of the motor and related components in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0015] Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a back view of the motor module in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0016] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example remote in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0017] Fig. 7 is a diagram illustrating operations of the cyclonic system in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0018] Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a backpack vacuum including a semi-rigid bag in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0019] Fig. 9 is a diagram of a semi-rigid bag in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0020] Fig. 10 is a diagram illustrating installation of the semi-rigid bag in a tank in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0021] Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating operations for using a semi-rigid bag in a tank in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0022] Fig. 12 is a diagram illustrating internal components of a dust extractor having a motor assembly above the filter in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0023] Figs. 13A through 16 are diagrams illustrating a harness to be used with the dust extractor in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0024] As discussed above, conventional dust extractors (vacuums) that use dust bags may include "self-inflating" bags that are prone to becoming clogged with fine dust, which requires a large amount of energy to pull air through the dust bag and results in an overall drop in performance for the dust extractor (vacuum) itself. Furthermore, dust extractors that use bagless cyclonic separation systems put the cyclone portion of the system in before the motor, which helps maintain a clean motor fan. However, cyclonic systems that use a dust bag may use a second dust tank or put the cyclonic separator after the motor, which allows dust particles to pass through the motor causing a dirty motor fan.

[0025] Accordingly, some embodiments of the present inventive concept provide a bagged cyclonic system that includes a single dust tank, a clean motor fan and performs efficiently. As will be discussed further below with respect to the figures, systems in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept provide a semi-rigid dust bag. The semi-rigid dust bag has a common soft bag construction to hold dust and rigid members to interface with the vacuum tank, which allows the bag to remain open to accept dust in a negative pressure environment.

[0026] The cyclonic system in accordance with embodiments discussed herein may further be designed having a stacked structure. The stacked structure provides the filter, cyclonic chamber, and the dust tank in a stacked configuration that allows the dust being collected by the filter to drop into the tank when the filter is cleaned during a cleaning cycle. It will be understood that the cyclonic system may be used with or without a dust bag. The semi-rigid dust bag discussed herein may be used with the stacked structure system discussed hereinwithout departing from the scope of the present inventive concept as will be discussed further herein.

[0027] Vacuums / Dust Extractors are generally required to collect fine dust. As used herein, the terms "vacuum" and "dust extractor" may be used interchangeably. This fine dust is known to quickly clog filters in the dust extractors. Furthermore, customers generally want the collected debris and dust to be contained in an easily disposable bag. As discussed above, current systems for removing dust and debris suffer from various performance issues.

[0028] For example, in systems having disposable bags, the bag is typically located between a hose of the dust extractor and the filter. Thus, when collecting fine dust the filter typically clogs well before the bag is filled.

[0029] Some systems include a manual or automated filter cleaning system. Although these systems are popular with conventional dust extractors, if the user wishes to have the debris collected in a disposable bag, it must be open topped. If not open topped, these systems will also get clogged before the bag is filled.

[0030] Currently, there are two systems that use cyclonic action to separate out dust. In some of these systems a cyclonic chamber is positioned after the vacuum motor, thus, all debris must pass through the motor. Other systems provide a pre-filtration feature with a separate compartment for the dust, which requires both containers to be emptied for proper cleaning.

[0031] To address these shortcomings, some embodiments of the present inventive concept provide a dust extractor / vacuum system having the filter, cyclonic chamber, and tank in a stacked configuration, which allows dust collected by the filter to drop into the tank on a cleaning cycle. In particular, a dust extractor is provided that includes a housing, an air inlet, a motor disposed in the housing, a fan driven by the motor to create suction through the inlet, a cyclonic chamber disposed in the housing and in communication with the inlet, a filter disposed in the housing and stacked above the cyclonic chamber, and a tank disposed in the housing and stacked below the cyclonic chamber. As will be discussed, the filter, the cyclonic chamber, and the tank are positioned so that a majority of dust that enters the cyclonic chamber via the inlet drops into the tank with a remaining portion of the dust collected in the filter.

[0032] An example vacuum 100 in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept will be discussed with respect to Fig. 1. As illustrated therein, a backpack vacuum 100 includes a harness 110, a filter lid 115, a housing 120, a battery 125, a tank 130 and a remote 135. It will be understood that the vacuum 100 of Fig. 1 is provided as an example only and embodiments of the present inventive concept are not limited thereto. For example, the backpack vacuum 100 includes a remote control and is held on a user's back, however, floor vacuums with or without remotes may be used without departing from the present inventive concept. Further details of the harness 110 will be discussed further below.

[0033] Referring now to Figs. 2A and 2B, the internal components 200 of the vacuum 100 will be discussed. Fig. 2A shows the internal components of the vacuum 100 in an assembled state and Fig. 2B shows the internal components in an exploded view. As illustrated, the internal components 200 include a filter clamp 240, a solenoid 245, a filter 250, a motor mount 255, a motor fan assembly 260, a cyclonic chamber 265, a battery box 270 and an inlet 285. These internal components 200 are provided for example only, and embodiments of the present inventive concept are not limited to the configuration illustrated in Figs. 2A and 2B. For example, although the motor fan assembly 260 is shown to the side of the stacked filter, embodiments of the present inventive concept are not limited thereto. For example, the motor fan assembly 260 can be positioned above the filter 250 as shown in Fig. 12 without departing from the scope of the present inventive concept. It will be understood that the housing in embodiments illustrated in Fig. 12 may be taller to accommodate the motor fan assembly 260 above the filter 250.

[0034] In some embodiments, the filter 250 may have a rectangular shape as illustrated in Fig. 2B. In embodiments illustrated therein, a solid bar 241 extends across the middle of the filter. This bar gives the solenoid 245 something to strike on. It will be understood that filters 250 are not limited to the shape illustrated in Fig. 2B and can be any shape without departing from the scope of the present inventive concept.

[0035] Operations of the system will now be discussed with respect to Fig. 2C. In operation, the air flow comes into the inlet 285 through the cyclonic chamber 265 and a majority (e.g., at least approximately 75% or at least 90%, such as about 98%) of the dust separates out into thetank 130 immediately upon entry into the dust extractor 100. The remaining portions of the dust and debris (e.g., less than approximately 25%, or less than 10%, such as about 2%) go up into the filter. Then, at some point, the solenoid 245 mechanically agitates the filter 250, which causes the dust to drop back down from the filter 250 into the tank 130 (Fig. 1) illustrated by the downward arrows in Fig. 2C.

[0036] Thus, system may include a "filter cleaner" configured to remove the dust collected in the filter. The filter cleaner may include a mechanical agitator configured to vibrate or shake the filter. The filter cleaner may automatically be actuated or may be manually actuatable by the user. The filter cleaner may include a solenoid and a solid bar configured to strike the filter.

[0037] Figs. 3A through 3D are cross sections of the internal components 200 illustrating the details thereof. Specifically, Fig. 3B is a diagram of section A-A of Fig. 3A and Fig. 3C is a diagram of section B-B of Fig. 3B. As illustrated, the system includes an inlet 285, a solenoid 275, a filter 250, a funnel 280 (fixed or removable), a cyclonic chamber body 265, a tank 130 and an optional disposable bag (not shown). As discussed above, the filter 250, cyclonic chamber 265 and tank 130 are stacked, the filter 250 on top and the tank 130 on the bottom. By placing the components as shown, this system enables automatic / manual filter cleaning in addition to preseparation via cyclonic chamber while collecting the debris in a singular location.

[0038] In embodiments using a bag, the bag may be removably receivable in the tank to collect dust. The bag may be disposed in a negative pressure portion of the housing. The bag may be rigid or semi-rigid as will be discussed further below.

[0039] In some embodiments of the present inventive concept, the inlet 285 is a separate piece, however, embodiments are not limited thereto. As illustrated in Fig. 3D, the cyclonic chamber 265 has an inner tube and an outer tube. As illustrated in Fig. 3D, most of the dust comes down into the tank 130, but some of the dust goes up into the filter 250. The funnel portion 280 can be removeable is some embodiments, which makes it easier to remove items that get clogged.

[0040] Fig. 4 is a diagram illustrating details of the motor and related components in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept. As illustrated, the vacuum includes a motor 461, an air inlet 462, a fan 463, an air exhaust 464, a control module465, a wireless tool connect / control (WTC) module 466 and an auxiliary module 467. It will be understood that the elements illustrated in Fig. 4 are provided for example only. For example, elements may be added, removed, rotated and / or resized without departing from the scope of the present inventive concept.

[0041] In some embodiments, the motor 461 may be a sensorless brush motor. The air inlet 462 allows filtered air to enter the system as illustrated by the arrow in Fig. 4. In embodiments shown in Fig. 4, the fan 463 is directly connected to the motor shaft and baffles are mounted to the motor to provide higher efficiency and a smaller package. The air exhaust 464 routes air over the motor 461 and the control module 465. The control module 465 controls motor functions. The control module 465 may activate an air speed alarm and / or the solenoid by sending signals to, for example, the auxiliary board. The auxiliary module 467 converts logic level signals from the control board / module 465 to drive the solenoid and alarm. The auxiliary module 467 may also act as an interface board for run stop signals. The WTC module 466 sends a run stop signal. Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating a back view of the motor module of Fig. 4 in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept.

[0042] In some embodiments, the fan 463 is parallel with the cyclonic chamber. However, the fan 463 can be anywhere, just a packaging exercise of where the air goes. In embodiments illustrated in Fig. 4, the control module 465 is attached to the bottom of the motor, but embodiments are not limited thereto. The control board / module controls the solenoid 245. When the vacuum is turned off, the control board 465 activates a breaking sequence, stops the fan and waits. When the fan comes to a stop, the solenoid is activated and causes any dust / debris caught in the filter to fall into the tank.

[0043] As will be discussed further below, some embodiments provide a dust extractor / vacuum having an automatic filter clean function with a cyclonic chamber that collects dust in a single location. Embodiments of the present inventive concept use the solenoid (striking on the solid bar 241) to agitate the filter 250 upon shut down of the vacuum. This may happen automatically when the device is shut off. The dust in the filter falls down into the tank. In some embodiments, the cleaning cycle may also be requested by the user. Thus, for example, in operation, a user may be sanding drywall using a power tool and the dust extractor for abouttwenty minutes, upon shut down, the vacuum automatically cleans the filter as discussed above.

[0044] Embodiments of the present inventive concept provide significant improvements over conventional devices. Devices using a 1200-Watt AC motor may only allow a user to work for 3- 4 minutes before having to stop and clean the filter since all the air moves through the filter. Embodiments of the present inventive concept using, for example, a 300-Watt DC, motor allows uninterrupted work for about 30-40 minutes.

[0045] Fig. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example remote in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept. As discussed above, some embodiments of the present inventive concept include a remote 635 (135 Fig. 1). In backpack embodiments, having a wired remote to enable on / off and other functionality is an easier form factor such that the user does not have to reach behind them and find switches when the device is on their back.As illustrated in Fig. 6, the remote 635 may include a speed selection switch 651, for example, two speeds; a power switch 652; a WTC pair button 653; a WTC pairing light 654 and a filter clean button 655. It will be understood that the remote of Fig. 6 is provided as an example only and embodiments are not limited to the details thereof.

[0046] In particular, the power switch 652 may be a three-position power switch, one position for each of on, off and WTC. The WTC - wireless to connect / control - senses when the vacuum is connected to the power tool. When the power tool turns on, the vacuum turns on to collect the debris. Similarly, when the power tool turns off, the WTC function also turns the vacuum off. This function can be enabled from the remote 635 or, in some embodiments, on the body of the vacuum. In some embodiments, a light 654 may be provided to indicate whether the WTC function is enabled.

[0047] The filter clean 655 button is on the remote 635. The filter clean button 655 may activate a clean cycle if the vacuum is currently running. Details of the clean cycle are discussed below. The filter clean cycle may also turn on when the vacuum is cycled from run to stop unless too many filter clean cycles recently occurred.

[0048] Example operations (701-708) of the vacuum 100 in accordance with embodiments discussed herein will be discussed referring to Fig. 7. The vacuum 100 (Fig. 1) is activated by,for example, a power switch or wirelessly using, for example, the remote 135. The motor turns on creating a low-pressure pulling air through the system. Dirty / dusty air enters via the hose inlet 285 (Fig. 3A) (705) and is induced to spiral in the cyclonic chamber body (708). Through the spiral action of the cyclonic chamber, for example, approximately 98% of the dust will fall into the tank 130. The remaining dust will travel up through the funnel (704) and into the filter 250 (702) (see Fig. 3 - arrows). Upon completion of the task the user shuts off the vacuum, either with the power switch or wirelessly. The motor goes into braking mode, which stops the airflow in approximately 1 second. Once airflow stops, the solenoid (701) taps the filter causing the dust to fall out of the filter. The dislodged dust falls into the funnel (703 and 704) below the filter and the dust is funneled into the cyclonic chamber body (708) and finally into the tank (706 and 707).

[0049] Under normal circumstances the user may simply turn the vacuum back on with fully restored performance. If the cyclonic chamber is well tuned for the application this can be the primary way the user interacts with the product. However, if the vacuum is not operating efficiently after the above procedure is performed, two additional actions may be taken by the user.

[0050] First, if vacuum performance due to filter clogging drops before the task is complete, the user can press a dedicated "clean filter" button. This will activate the steps discussed above 701, 703, 704, 706-708. In particular, once airflow stops, the solenoid (701) taps the filter causing the dust to fall out of the filter. The dislodged dust falls into the funnel (703 and 704) below the filter and the dust is funneled into the cyclonic chamber body (706) and finally into the tank (706 and 707). Then the vacuum automatically resets. In some embodiments, this process may take approximately 5 seconds.

[0051] Second, if the dust extractor sucks up an object that gets lodged in the cyclonic chamber, there is also a clean out feature. In particular, the user may open the filter lid, unclamp the filter and remove the filter. Removing the removable portion of the filter funnel gives the user full access to the inside of the cyclonic chamber body, allowing the object to be removed and proper operation to resume.

[0052] As discussed above, some embodiments of the present inventive concept include a semi-rigid bag positioned in the tank discussed above. This semi-rigid bag will now be discussed with respect to Figs. 8 through 11. Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating a backpack dust extractor 801 including a vacuum (extractor head) housing 803, a tank (dust collection chamber) 830 and a semi-rigid bag 890 configured to be received by the tank 830. The tank may be removably connected to the bottom of the dust extractor by a latch mechanism 831 in some embodiments. The semi-rigid bag 890 allows a system to be designed that does not require a positive pressure in the bag to keep the bag from collapsing. Furthermore, the system can collect dust from the cyclonic chamber using a single bag without requiring multiple compartments. The system uses a clean fan which allows for the use of high speed and high efficiency fan / motor units and may be more compact overall.

[0053] Referring now to Fig. 9, a diagram illustrating the semi-rigid bag 890 in accordance with some embodiments of the present inventive concept will be discussed. As illustrated, the semirigid bag includes three parts, a breathable material 991 (fabric body) for the main bag to contain the dust, rigid members 995 that interface with the tank 830, and a top plate 993 (inlet support). The rigid members 995 may be, for example, bars, beams, columns, or struts. The material of the semi-rigid bag 890 is breathable to allow pressure changes to occur. Normally, the semi-rigid bag 890 is at equal pressure with the tank 830. However, as the pressure in the system changes, the breathability of the bag allows air through to maintain pressure equilibrium.

[0054] As shown in Fig. 10, the rigid members 995 on opposite sides of the bag interact with the ribs 1097 on the tank 830 to maintain the bag's shape and keep the bag 890 from collapsing as the system constantly changes pressure. For example, the cardboard rigid members 995 are used to stretch the bag 890 over the ribs 1097 of the tank to keep the bag open. The rigid members 995 extend the height of the bag to keep the bag open. In other words, the bags 890 are not self-supported, it is the interface with the tank that keeps the bags open in rigid.

[0055] By maintaining the bag's shape and remaining in an open state with help from the rigid members 995 and tank mating ribs 1097, the bag can continue to receive dust particulates. Without these rigid members 995, the bag would collapse, and dust would not enter the bag.Furthermore, without the rigid members 995, the dust and the bag could be sucked into the system due to the negative pressure. Finally, the top plate 993 contains the opening 994 for the bag. This top plate 993 locates the bag opening 994 so it can be reliably mated to the dust path of the system. Some embodiments further include aligning members 999 to further aid in aligning the bag.

[0056] The semi rigid bag in accordance with some embodiments provide advantages over other bags when they are packed and shipped. These bags are made to lay flat when not engaged in the system. Furthermore, by gaining their structure from the tank itself, each semirigid bag has a smaller amount of structural components. Thus, each bag costs less to make and to ship than a full rigid or self-supporting embodiment.

[0057] Although embodiments of the present inventive concept discuss the rigid members 995 as being made of cardboard, embodiments of the present inventive concept are not limited thereto. Any rigid material that can be used to stretch the bag over the tank mating ribs 1097 may be used without departing from the scope of the present inventive concept.

[0058] Although embodiments of the present inventive concept discuss a soft breathable bag with rigid members that interact with the tank ribs to maintain its shape, other embodiments of the bag may be used without departing from the scope of the present inventive concept. For example, a cage like structure may be used to keep the bag open. In other words, the bag can be wrapped around the cage. A thin steel frame may be provided with fabric wrapped around the frame to maintain its shape may be used. As long as the bag has a breathable portion, many embodiments may be used.

[0059] Furthermore, the material used for the bag may vary. For example, the bag may be paper, fabric, a polyester fleece multilayer material and the like. Furthermore, regulations may dictate what material should be used. For example, silica dust must be contained in a bag, for example, a fleece bag.

[0060] Semi-rigid dust bags 995 as discussed herein are configured to be installed into a dust extractor, for example, the dust extractor 100 of Fig. 1. Dust extractors are frequently used with hazardous dust. Thus, these extractors may be used in accordance with a method to helpreduce the likelihood, or possibly prevent, the user from coming into contact with the dust. This method includes using disposable collection bags or in unit filter cleaning.

[0061] Historically dust extractors with a disposable bag installed require the air to pass through the bag. Due to the fine dust, the bag will quickly clog requiring a high amount of energy to pull air through the bag. The semi-rigid bag 890 in accordance with some embodiments discussed herein may be utilized in a negative pressure environment within a system that does not need to force air through the bag. The bag 890 is inserted into the tank 830 with the rigid members 995 contacting the tank ribs 1097. The tank ribs 1097 may be between the rigid members 995 and the centerline of the bag, reducing the likelihood, or possibly preventing, any inward movement from the bag.

[0062] As discussed, the bag 890 may be used in a negative pressure environment. However, the bag 890 is versatile as it can also be used in a positive pressure environment if the top plate 993 is compatible with the system. In these embodiments, the rigid members 995 may have no effect on the bag's performance.

[0063] The ability for the bag to be used a negative pressure environment allows for total design freedom in the system itself. The designer of the system may no longer need to worry about the pressure in the tank. The bag will keep itself open and ready to receive particulate. Therefore, the system designer can integrate and combine various other features like cyclonic separation, a single dust collection point, filter cleaning, and others without being concerned about tank and bag design / location within the system.

[0064] Referring now to Fig. 11, operations for using / i nsta I li ng the bag 890 will be discussed. The user drops the bag (C) into the tank (D). Ribs in the tank mate with the rigid members of the bag in area E on both sides of the tank. This establishes a uniform shape for the bag. If the pressure changes and there is a negative pressure inside the bag, the interaction between these ribs will keep the bag open and in this uniform shape. This allows the bag to continue to receive dropping particulate as the pressure equalizes. Without these rigid members, the bag would collapse and not receive particulate or be sucked into the system entirely.

[0065] Referring now to Figs. 13A through 16, details with respect to the harness 110 will be discussed. As illustrated in Figs. 13A, 13B and 14, the harness 110 included on the extractor hasshoulder straps 1490 and a waist strap 1491. The waist strap pivoted between a use position (Fig. 13A) and a retracted position (Fig. 13B) so the unit can be freestanding on the ground when the dust tank is removed. As discussed above, the tank 130 is where the majority of the dust is collected. As illustrated in Figs. 15A and 15B, the shoulder straps 190 can be coupled to the unit at different heights in order to accommodate different user sizes. As further illustrated in Fig. 16, the waist strap can be coupled to the unit using screws in some embodiments.

[0066] As discussed briefly above, some embodiments of the present inventive concept provide dust extractors utilizing a cyclonic separation system that are usable with a semi-rigid vacuum bag. As discussed above, dirty air enters through the hose inlet of the vacuum / dust collector and enters into the top of the cyclonic chamber. The cyclonic action causes, in some embodiments, 98-99 percent of the dust to flow down through the filter / cyclonic chamber and into the tank. The remaining 1-2 percent of the dust may go up to the filter. The filtered air may then be pulled through the motor fan assembly and then exhausted out of the unit. The dust may be captured in the tank having a semi-rigid bag therein. The bag may be required in some environments and makes the dust easier to remove. Accordingly, some embodiments of the present inventive concept provide a bagged cyclonic system that includes a single dust tank, a clean motor fan and performs efficiently.

[0067] Further, some embodiments of the present inventive concept provide a backpack vacuum cleaner having a tank (debris collection chamber), a cyclone separation unit and filter in a stacked arrangement aligned along an axis. In use, a motor / fan draws dirty air into the cyclone separation unit through an air inlet. The dirty air flows around in the cyclone separation unit, so that dirt is separated from the airflow and falls through the dust outlet into the tank. The air then flows through a filter which collects remaining dirt in the airstream before the air leaves the product and re-enters the surrounding environment. When the motor / fan is not in use a filter cleaning mechanism may apply impacts to the filter for shaking collected dirt from the filter. Due to the stacked arrangement such dirt falls through the cyclone separation unit, through the dust outlet and into the dust collection chamber. The dust collection chamber may removably connected to the bottom of the unit by a latch mechanism in some embodiments.

[0068] Example embodiments have been provided so that this disclosure will be thorough, and to fully convey the scope to those who are skilled in the art. Numerous specific details are set forth such as examples of specific components, devices, and methods, to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present disclosure. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that specific details need not be employed, that example embodiments may be embodied in many different forms and that neither should be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. In some example embodiments, well-known processes, well-known device structures, and well-known technologies are not described in detail.

[0069] The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular example embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, the singular forms "a," "an," and "the" may be intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms "comprises," "comprising," "including," and "having," are inclusive and therefore specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. The method steps, processes, and operations described herein are not to be construed as necessarily requiring their performance in the particular order discussed or illustrated, unless specifically identified as an order of performance. It is also to be understood that additional or alternative steps may be employed.

[0070] When an element or layer is referred to as being "on," "engaged to," "connected to," or "coupled to" another element or layer, it may be directly on, engaged, connected or coupled to the other element or layer, or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on," "directly engaged to," "directly connected to," or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, there may be no intervening elements or layers present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., "between" versus "directly between," "adjacent" versus "directly adjacent," etc.). As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0071] Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as "first," "second," and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments.

[0072] Terms of degree such as "generally," "substantially," "approximately," and "about" may be used herein when describing the relative positions, sizes, dimensions, or values of various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections. These terms mean that such relative positions, sizes, dimensions, or values are within the defined range or comparison (e.g., equal or close to equal) with sufficient precision as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art in the context of the various elements, components, regions, layers and / or sections being described.

[0073] In the specification, there have been disclosed embodiments of the inventive concept and, although specific terms are used, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

Claims

IN THE CLAIMS:

1. A dust extraction system comprising: a housing; an air inlet; a motor disposed in the housing; a fan driven by the motor to create suction through the air inlet; a cyclonic chamber disposed in the housing and in communication with the air inlet, the cyclonic chamber receiving an amount of dust from the air inlet; a filter disposed in the housing and stacked above the cyclonic chamber; and a tank disposed in the housing and stacked below the cyclonic chamber, wherein the filter, the cyclonic chamber, and the tank are configured so that a majority of the dust that enters the cyclonic chamber via the air inlet drops into the tank with a remaining portion of the dust collected in the filter.

2. The dust extraction system of Claim 1, wherein the majority of the dust that drops into the tank is at least 75% or at least 90% of the amount of the dust that enters the cyclonic chamber from the air inlet.

3. The dust extraction system of Claim 1, further comprising a filter cleaner configured to remove the dust collected in the filter.

4. The dust extraction system of Claim 3, wherein the filter cleaner comprises a mechanical agitator configured to vibrate or shake the filter.

5. The dust extraction system of Claim 3, wherein the filter cleaner is automatically actuated or manually actuatable by a user.

6. The dust extraction system of Claim 3, wherein the filter cleaner comprises a solenoid and a solid bar configured to strike the filter.

7. The dust extraction system of Claim 1, further comprising a bag that is removably receivable in the tank to collect the dust.

8. The dust extraction system of Claim 7, wherein the housing comprises a negative pressure portion, and the bag is disposed in the negative pressure portion of the housing.

9. The dust extraction system of Claim 7, wherein the bag is rigid or semi-rigid.

10. The dust extraction system of Claim 7, wherein the bag has a fabric body that defines a box-like dust collection volume.

11. The dust extraction system of Claim 10, wherein the bag further comprises a bag opening to the dust collection volume that is kept in an open position by a top plate.

12. The dust extraction system of Claim 11, wherein the bag further comprises first and second rigid members on opposite sides of the fabric body to support the fabric body in an un-folded configuration.

13. The dust extraction system of Claim 12, wherein the first and second rigid members cooperate with ribs in the tank of the dust extraction system to restrict the fabric body from collapsing.

14. The dust extraction system of Claim 12, wherein the first and second rigid members are cardboard.

15. The dust extraction system of Claim 1, wherein the housing is wearable as a backpack.

16. The dust extraction system of Claim 15, wherein the housing further comprises a harness that facilitates positioning the dust extraction system on a back of a user, the harness comprising shoulder straps and a waist strap.

17. The dust extraction system of Claim 16, wherein the waist strap pivots between a use position and a retracted position, wherein the retracted position is used when the housing is freestanding when the tank is removed.

18. The dust extraction system of Claim 16, wherein the shoulder straps are adjustable to different heights in order to accommodate different user sizes.

19. The dust extraction system of Claim 1, further comprising a remote-control user interface that is configured to remotely actuate the motor or a filter cleaner.

20. The dust extraction system of Claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to automatically turn on the dust extraction system when a power tool being used with the dust extraction system is turned on.

21. A dust extractor comprising: a housing; an air inlet; a motor disposed in the housing; a fan driven by the motor to create suction through the air inlet; a cyclonic chamber disposed in the housing and in communication with the air inlet; a tank disposed in the housing; and a bag removably receivable in the tank, wherein the bag is rigid or semi-rigid and located in a negative pressure region of the housing.

22. The dust extractor of Claim 21, wherein the bag comprises: a breathable material to contain dust; rigid members that interface with the tank; and a top plate.

23. The dust extractor of Claim 22, wherein the rigid members comprise bars, beams, columns, or struts.

24. The dust extractor of Claim 22, wherein the breathable material allows pressure changes to occur.

25. The dust extractor of Claim 24, wherein as pressure changes in the dust extractor occur, breathability of the bag allows air through to maintain pressure equilibrium.

26. The dust extractor of Claim 22, wherein the rigid members are configured to maintain a shape of the bag in an open state.

27. The dust extractor of Claim 22, wherein the rigid members are engageable with ribs in the tank.

28. The dust extractor of Claim 21, further comprising a filter disposed in the housing.

29. The dust extractor of Claim 28, wherein the filter is configured to collect a portion of dust received in the cyclonic chamber.

30. The dust extractor of Claim 29, wherein a majority of the dust that enters the cyclonic chamber is received in the bag with a remaining portion of the dust received in the filter.

31. The dust extractor of Claim 30, wherein the majority of the dust comprises at least 75% or at least 90% of an amount of dust that enters the cyclonic chamber from inlet is collected in the bag.

32. The dust extractor of Claim 28, wherein the dust extractor further comprises a filter cleaner configured to remove the dust collected in the filter.

33. The dust extractor of Claim 32, wherein the filter cleaner comprises a mechanical agitator configured to vibrate or shake the filter.

34. The dust extractor of Claim 32, wherein the filter cleaner is automatically actuated or manually actuatable by a user.

35. The dust extractor of Claim 32, wherein the filter cleaner comprises a solenoid and a solid bar configured to strike the filter.

36. The dust extractor of Claim 21, wherein the housing is wearable as a backpack.

37. The dust extractor of Claim 21, further comprising a remote-control user interface configured to remotely actuate the motor or a filter cleaner.

38. The dust extractor of Claim 21, further comprising a sensor configured to automatically turn on the dust extractor when a power tool being used with the dust extractor is turned on.

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