Balanced pistol grip for a vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a body, a vacuum inlet at a distal end of the body, a waste receptacle removably coupled to the body and arranged downstream of the inlet when coupled to the body, a motor housed within the body downstream of the waste receptacle, a filter housed within the body downstream of the motor, a grip coupled to a proximal end of the body, and a battery pack. The battery pack is coupled to a portion of the body above the grip and the motor is housed within a portion of the body below the grip to balance a weight distribution around the grip.

Description

BALANCED PISTOL GRIP FOR A VACUUM CLEANERBACKGROUND

[0001] Cleaning tools such as vacuum cleaners have been used for decades to aid in cleaning dirt and other debris from floors. Most vacuum cleaners have a built-in motor to facilitate air suction and an area to collect dirt, but the units are often heavy and bulky, thus making it difficult to deftly maneuver the unit around a given floorspace or above-floor space. It can also be difficult to efficiently remove the debris from the waste receptacle or maximize the available space within a waste receptacle. Accordingly, there exist some drawbacks and other unsolved issues that limit the convenience of vacuum cleaners.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0002] Features and advantages of embodiments of the claimed subject matter will become apparent as the following Detailed Description proceeds, and upon reference to the Drawings, in which:

[0003] FIG. 1 illustrates a three-dimensional view of a vacuum cleaner, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0004] FIG.2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of a body of the vacuum cleaner, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0005] FIG. 2B illustrates the cross-sectional view of the body showing the path of airflow through the body, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0006] FIG. 3 illustrates a three-dimensional view of the body, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0007] FIG.4A illustrates a three-dimensional view of the waste receptacle being removed from the body, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 4B illustrates a three-dimensional view of a filter being removed from the body, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 5A illustrates three-dimensional views of a process to empty the waste receptacle, in ac cordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 5B illustrates a three-dimensional view of an operation to remove a filter screen from the waste receptacle, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIGs. 6A and 6B illustrate three dimensional views of the battery pack being removed from the body, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 7 illustrates the operation of a valve structure for controlling airflow through the battery pack, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 8 illustrates three-dimensional views of an operation for removing another filter from the housing, in accordance with some embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0014] Although the following Detailed Description will proceed with reference being made to illustrative embodiments, many alternatives, modifications, and variations thereof will be apparent in light of this disclosure.DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] As noted above, there are some non-trivial issues with the designs of most vacuum cleaners. Many of the issues pertain to matters of convenience for the user. For example, vacuum cleaners often include some form of a grip for a user to hold at a proximal end of the vacuum cleaner. Depending on the angle and weight of the vacuum cleaner, the user may experience strain discomfort in their hand while holding the vacuum cleaner. For example, stick vacuum cleaners can remove the down tube and floor nozzle to be used like a handheld vacuum cleaner above the floor. When used in this way, it is desirable for the vacuum to be well balanced around the grip and easily maneuverable. Additionally, cordless vacuum cleaners include some form of battery pack to power the vacuum. However, the battery pack can get hot during operation which may lead to further discomfort for the user and decreased energy efficiency for the batteries.

[0016] Thus, and in accordance with some embodiments, a vacuum cleaner is described that alleviates the deficiencies noted above. The vacuum cleaner includes a body with a pistol grip handle at a proximal end of the body. A distal end of the body includes a vacuum inlet to couple with any type of nozzle assembly. According to some embodiments, the pistol grip is arranged between a battery pack above the grip and a vacuum motor below the grip. The distribution of the weight of both the battery pack and vacuum motor being placed above and below the grip alleviates strain on the user’s wrist during use. In some examples, the battery pack is arranged directly abovethe grip while the motor is arranged offset from the grip in a direction closer to the distal end of the body. The motor may be housed within a motor housing along with a post motor filter.

[0017] According to some embodiments, a waste receptacle is removable coupled to the body in a way that is convenient for a user. For example, side latches may be disengaged using a pinching motion with fingers to allow the waste receptacle to slide off of the body. The waste receptacle may include a cyclone chamber nested within a debris chamber. Air and debris may be drawn together into the cyclone chamber where the debris is swept upwards in the vortex that is created to exit the cyclone chamber into the debris chamber. Meanwhile, the air passes through a screen filter where it continues to be drawn towards the vacuum motor. A door on the lower part of the waste receptacle may be opened to empty the contents of both the cyclone chamber and the debris chamber simultaneously, according to some embodiments.

[0018] The battery pack may include a plurality' of openings along a given surface of the battery pack that are arranged over one or more openings through the body of the vacuum cleaner. According to some embodiments, an air conduit leads from the one or more openings through the body to the motor housing on the inlet side of the motor. In this way, the motor can draw air both through the vacuum inlet at the distal end of the body and also through the one or more openings. The air drawn through the one or more openings passes across the batteries within the battery pack to cool the batteries during operation of the motor, according to some embodiments. Accordingly, other openings may be placed through any other surfaces of the battery pack to allow air to be drawn through the battery pack from the environment.

[0019] According to an embodiment, a vacuum cleaner includes a body, a vacuum inlet at a distal end of the body, a waste receptacle removably coupled to the body and arranged downstream of the inlet when coupled to the body, a motor housed within the body downstream of the waste receptacle, a filter housed within the body downstream of the motor, a grip coupled to a proximal end of the body, and a battery pack. The battery pack is coupled to a portion of the body above the grip and the motor is housed within a portion of the body below the grip.

[0020] According to an embodiment, a waste receptacle designed for use on a vacuum cleaner includes a housing having a debris chamber and a cyclone chamber, a door arranged to cover an opening into the housing when in a closed state, an air inlet extending into the cyclone chamber, an outlet extending between the cyclone chamber and the debris chamber, and a screen filter coupled to the door. Air can be drawn from outside of the housing through the air inlet into thecyclone chamber. The screen filter is within the cyclone chamber when the door is in the closed state.

[0021] According to an embodiment, a battery pack designed for use with a vacuum cleaner includes a battery housing. At least one surface of the battery housing has one or more openings passing through the at least one surface. The battery pack also includes one or more batteries and a valve structure configured to control an amount of air passing through the one or more openings.

[0022] These and other such embodiments will be described in more detail herein.

[0023] The description uses the phrases "in an embodiment" or "in embodiments," which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "including," "having," and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present disclosure, are synonymous. When used to describe a range of dimensions, the phrase "between X and Y" represents a range that includes X and Y.

[0024] Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature’s relationship to another element (s) or feature (s) as illustrated in the figures. The spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. The apparatus may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein may likewise be interpreted accordingly.

[0025] Figure 1 illustrates a perspective three-dimensional view of a vacuum cleaner 100, according to an embodiment. Vacuum cleaner 100 has the general shape of a stick vacuum, however, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein may be used on any type of vacuum cleaner, such as a stick vacuum cleaner, canister vacuum cleaner, or upright vacuum cleaner. In some embodiments, vacuum cleaner 100 includes a nozzle assembly 102 at a distal end of vacuum cleaner 100 while a body 104 may be coupled to a proximal end of vacuum cleaner 100, Nozzle assembly 102 can include a rotatable brush head or any other type of cleaning head for facilitating the gathering of debris from the floor or other surfaces.

[0026] According to some embodiments, vacuum cleaner 100 includes an air suction tube 106 that extends between nozzle assembly 102 and body 104. Nozzle assembly 102 may include various elements that aid in lifting dirt and debris from a floor surface. In other examples, nozzle assembly 102 is a simple opening or attachment at the end of a hand-held vacuum cleaner. Nozzleassembly may include one or more adapter features to connect with various cleaner attachments. Generally speaking, nozzle assembly 102 refers to the distal end of any vacuum cleaner where air is initially drawn into the vacuum cleaner. During operation, air is drawn from nozzle assembly 102 through air suction tube 106 into body 104 where dirt and other debris may be deposited within a waste receptacle 108.

[0027] According to some embodiments, a grip 110 is arranged at a proximal end of body 104 (the distal end of body 104 may be coupled to air suction tube 106). Body 104 includes a motor housing 112 arranged beneath grip 110 while a battery pack 114 is arranged above grip 110, according to some embodiments. Motor housing 112 may include a vacuum motor, such as a brushed or brushless DC motor, and any number of air filters. The various components of body 104 will be described in more detail herein.

[0028] Figure 2A illustrates a cross-sectional view of body 104, according to some embodiments. The cross-section view illustrates an example internal architecture for waste receptacle 108 and motor housing 112. According to some embodiments, waste receptacle 108 includes a housing 201 that may have any number of transparent or translucent walls to see within waste receptacle 108. Housing 201 includes a cyclone chamber 202 and a debris chamber 204. According to an embodiment, cyclone chamber 202 is nested within debris chamber 204 or is directly adjacent to debris chamber 204. Air and debris may be drawn through vacuum inlet 206 at the distal end of body 104 and through an air inlet 208 into cyclone chamber 202. The air and debris may be swept upwards within a vortex created within cyclone chamber 202 where the debris exits cyclone chamber 202 through an outlet 210 and passes into debris chamber 204. Meanwhile, the air is pulled through a screen filter 212 disposed within cyclone chamber 202 and passes through a pre-filter 214 before being drawn into the inlet side of a motor 216. The air may be expelled from the outlet side of motor 216 where it passes through a post-filter 218 before being vented into the environment around body 104. Figure 2B illustrates this example airpath and debris path through body 104 with solid arrows identifying the airpath and dashed arrow's identifying the debris path.

[0029] Cyclone chamber 202 may have a substantially cylindrical shape to induce the air to swirl within the chamber. Screen filter 212 may be a conically shaped filter or may have any other suitable shape. Screen filter 212 includes a plurality of openings to allow air to pass through while blocking any debris having a size larger than the size of the openings. Pre-filter 214 may be apleated filter (e.g., made from polyester, cotton, and / or paper), a foam filter, or any other appropriate filter media. In some examples, an electret is provided on either the upstream or downstream surface of pre-filter 214. Pre-filter 214 may be provided to remove any fine debris that passes through filter screen 212 so that it cannot damage motor 216. As noted above, the expelled air from motor 216 passes through post-filter 218 before being vented into the atmosphere. Post-filter 218 may be a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Post-filter 218 may be arranged adjacent to and downstream from motor 216. Pre-filter 214 is arranged to be downstream of filter screen 212 (e.g., downstream from waste receptacle 108) and upstream from motor 216.

[0030] According to some embodiments, motor housing 112 is arranged directly below grip 110, such that both motor 216 and post-filter 218 are below grip 110. As such, grip 110 may extend upwards directly from a top surface of motor housing 112. In some examples, motor 216 is offset from grip 110 towards the distal end of body 104. In the illustrated example, post-filter 218 is arranged directly below grip 110 while motor 216 is adjacent to post-filter 218 in the direction of the distal end of body 104.

[0031] Battery pack 114 is arranged above grip 110, and a portion of battery pack 114 may extend away from grip 110 towards the proximal end of body 104 by a distance d, which may be between about 20 mm and about 80 mm. This extension of battery pack 114 may rest upon the top of the hand of a user, which can provide additional comfort. Battery pack 114 includes any number of batteries 220, which can be any type of rechargeable battery material, such as lithium ion, nickel-cadmium, or nickel metal hydride.

[0032] In some embodiments, body 104 includes an interface 222 angled towards the proximal end of body 104. Interface 222 may include a screen or any type of digital display along with a user interface that can be interacted with to control various functions of the vacuum cleaner. Interface 222 may have any number of physical or touchscreen buttons as well as any number of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

[0033] According to some embodiments, grip 110 includes a finger rest 224. A user’s pointer finger may rest upon finger rest 224, providing additional comfort for the user. In some examples, finger rest 224 may be used to guide a user’s pointer finger towards a trigger that can be pulled with the pointer finger to actuate the vacuum motor 216.

[0034] Figure 3 illustrates a three-dimensional view of body 104, according to some embodiments. Housing 201 of waste receptacle 108 may include one or more mechanical grips 302 that can be pinched with the fingers to disengage waste receptacle 108 from the rest of body 104. Motor housing 112 may include one or more vents 304 to allow air that has passed through post-filter 218 to escape into the atmosphere.

[0035] Figures 4A and 4B illustrate an operation of removing waste receptacle 108 and pre-filter 214 from body 104, according to some embodiments. In Figure 4A, the one or more mechanical grips 302 are pinched or pulled to disengage a latch on waste receptacle 108 from an indent 402 and allow it to slide away from body 104 along one or more tracks 404. Accordingly, waste receptacle 108 may be pulled upwards away from body 104 while body 104 rests upon a surface. Returning waste receptacle 108 onto body 104 involves sliding waste receptacle 108 back down over one or more tracks 404 until the latch re-engages with indent 402. Note that removing waste receptacle 108 may expose at least a portion of pre-filter 214 from beneath waste receptacle 108.

[0036] In Figure 4B, pre-filter 214 has been lifted out and away from body 104 along with its associated electret 402, according to some embodiments. Pre-filter 214 and electret 402 may be disposed within a recess and supported by a filter frame 404. According to some embodiments, filter frame 404 includes any number and size of openings to allow air to pass through while providing sufficient support to pre-filter 214 and electret 402. In some examples, electret 402 is omitted.

[0037] Figure 5 A illustrates an operation for emptying waste receptacle 108 including further details on the structure of waste receptacle 108. Waste receptacle 108 includes a door 502 along a surface of waste receptacle 108. In some examples, door 502 extends along the entire bottom surface of waste receptacle 108, while in other examples, door 502 constitutes a portion of the bottom surface of waste receptacle 108. Door 502 may be arranged on surfaces other than the bottom surface of waste receptacle 108. According to some embodiments, waste receptacle 108 includes a button 504 that mechanically actuates the opening of door 502. The depression of button 504 may disengage a latch holding door 502 in the closed position. In some examples, button 504 is located on a back end of waste receptacle 504.

[0038] In the second image, button 504 has been pressed and door 502 freely swings open about a hinge, according to some embodiments. Any debris within either or both of debris chamber 204 and cyclone chamber 202 may be emptied through the opening previously covered by door 502.According to some embodiments, door 502 includes a pedestal 506 coupled to an inner surface of door 502 and a flange 508 on the top portion of pedestal 506. Filter screen 212 may be coupled to a top surface of flange 508. Pedestal 506 may have a hollow or partially hollow interior such that air passes through filter screen 212 and through the hollow region within pedestal 506 on its way towards pre-filter 214. According to some embodiments, flange 508 may have a generally circular shape the extends radially outwards from the ends of pedestal 506.

[0039] According to some embodiments, flange 508 is shaped to provide a seal along the lower edge of cyclone chamber 202 when door 502 is in the closed position. As such, flange 508 may provide the lower surface of cyclone chamber 202 when door 502 is in the closed position. Furthermore, when door 502 swings upward into the closed position, filter screen 212 is respectively moved into cyclone chamber 202. In some examples, flange 508 includes a compliant material on its top surface to form a seal with the lower edge of cyclone chamber 202. The compliant material may include any suitable rubber or polymer gasket material.

[0040] As shown in Figure 5B, filter screen 212 and flange 508 may be removed from pedestal 506 for cleaning and / or replacement of filter screen 212. In some examples, flange 508 remains fixed at the end of pedestal 506 and only filter screen 212 is removable from the end of flange 508.

[0041] Figures 6A and 6B are three-dimensional views of an operation to remove the battery pack 114 from body 104. According to some embodiments, battery pack 114 slides away from body 104 along a track(s) 602 on body 104. A corresponding groove 604 along the side or sides of battery pack 114 allow it to slide into place on track(s) 602. In an example, battery pack 114 may be pushed along track 602 until it snaps into place by engaging with a latch or similar structure at end wall 607. One or more electrical terminals on battery pack 114 may also engage with matching terminals on end wall 607,

[0042] According to some embodiments, body 104 includes one or more openings 606 arranged below battery pack 114 when battery pack 114 is coupled to body 104. Openings 606 may be slot¬ like openings or generally any shaped openings that may align with, or be generally beneath, one or more other openings 608 through the bottom surface of battery pack 114. Accordingly, one or more other openings 608 may also be slot-like openings or generally match the shape of the one or more openings 606 in body 104. It should be understood that one or more openings 606 could also be through any other portion of body 104, such as end wall 607, or generally any surface that directly faces a surface of battery pack 114 when battery pack 114 is coupled to body 104. Assuch, one or more other openings 608 through battery pack 114 may be on any surface of battery pack 114 to align with one or more openings 606.

[0043] According to some embodiments, as illustrated in Figure 6B, a conduit 610 through body 104 may lead from one or more openings 606 to a region within motor housing 112 that is upstream of motor 216. Accordingly, during operation of motor 216, air is pulled through one or more openings 606 and conduit 610 towards motor 216. Conduit 610 may extend through a portion of body 104 adjacent to a back wall of waste receptacle 108 (as illustrated), or conduit 610 may extend through grip 110.

[0044] According to some embodiments, battery pack 114 includes any number of other openings on any one of its other surfaces, such that air can be drawn across the batteries within battery pack 114 and through both one or more other openings 608 through the bottom surface of battery pack 114 and through one or more openings 606 in body 104. Thus, in an embodiment, motor 216 draws air through vacuum inlet 206 and through waste receptacle 108 along a first flow' path and also draws air through battery pack 114 and conduit 610 along a second flow path. Drawing air from the atmosphere across the batteries helps to cool the batteries during operation of motor 216.

[0045] According to some embodiments, the amount of air drawn across batteries 220 within battery pack 114 may be controlled by the user or automatically controlled by the vacuum cleaner or by environmental conditions. Figure 7 illustrates an example operation of a switch 702 and the corresponding effect on a valve structure 704, according to some embodiments. Switch 702 may be a slider or other similar mechanical interface that a user can use to select different settings. In some examples, switch 702 is disposed on battery pack 114 (such as on a top surface of battery pack 114). In other examples, switch 702 is disposed on a portion of body 104, such as on grip 110 or interface 222. Switch 702 may be used to only actuate a position of valve structure 704 for controlling the amount of airflow through battery pack 114. In some examples, switch 702 also controls the speed of motor 216, such that selecting a faster motor speed also causes more air to flow through battery pack 114.

[0046] In the top illustration of Figure 7, switch 702 is in a first position and a valve structure 704 is respectively in a first position that covers an air inlet 706, according to some embodiments. In some examples, air inlet 706 represents one or more openings 606 in body 104, such that valve structure 704 is integrated within body 104. In some examples, air inlet 706 represents one or moreother openings 608 through battery pack 114, such that valve structure 704 is integrated within battery pack 114. Generally, valve structure 704 may be located at any position along the air path that flows through battery pack 114 to the inlet side of motor 216. Thus, in some examples, valve structure 704 may be located at the inlet end of the airpath (e.g., where air from the environment outside of body 104 is drawn in). This inlet end of the airpath may be located on battery pack 114 (such that valve structure 704 is integrated in battery pack 114), or it may be located at some position on body 104. In examples where the inlet end is located on body 104, the air may be drawn through a portion of body 104 to battery pack 114 where it enters battery pack 114 and flows across batteries 220 before returning back into body 104 and being drawn towards the inlet end of motor 216. Valve structure 704 may be a rotating or sliding valve structure to expose more or less of air inlet 706 depending on the setting.

[0047] In the middle illustration of Figure 7, switch 702 is in a second position and valve structure 704 is respectively in a second position that partially covers air inlet 706, according to some embodiments. With at least part of air inlet 706 uncovered, air is drawn through air inlet 706 and across batteries 220. The amount of air drawn across batteries 220 depends on the size of air inlet 706 and on how much of air inlet 706 is uncovered.

[0048] In the bottom illustration of Figure 7, switch 702 is in a third position and valve structure 704 is respectively in a third position that entirely uncovers air inlet 706, according to some embodiments. In this situation, the maximum amount of air is able to be drawn across batteries 220.

[0049] In some examples, switch 702 and valve structure 704 includes pre-set positions that a user can select between. For example, switch 702 may be used to select between three motor speeds of “Normal”, “Fast”, and “Turbo”, with each motor speed being associated with a different position of valve structure 704 (e.g., fully closed for normal, partially open for fast, and fully open for turbo). In some examples, switch 702 may be moved along a continuum to any position to adjust the speed of motor 216 while valve structure 704 moves respective to the position of switch 702 (e.g., to any location between fully closed and fully open). In some embodiments, the position of valve structure 704 is automatically adjusted by the vacuum cleaner based on some sensor input. For example, a temperature sensor or pressure sensor could be arranged on the vacuum cleaner to provide a signal that causes valve structure 704 to change its position. In some embodiments, valve structure 704 is a pressure-actuated valve or a temperature-actuated valve. For example, valvestructure 704 may be a bleed valve that automatically opens partially or fully depending on the amount of suction being provided by motor 216. In another example, valve structure 704 is a bimetallic strip, shape memory alloy, or any other temperature sensitive material that changes shape based on the ambient temperature, such that valve structure 704 opens or partially opens in response to rising temperature near batteries 220.

[0050] According to some embodiments, the actuation of value structure 704 may be independent of the change in speed of motor 216. For example, a button (e.g., a boost button) located on either battery pack 114 or body 104 may be pressed by a user to cause motor 216 to operate at a faster (or a fastest) speed. Valve structure 704 may be opened by mechanically opening or moving a slider or panel that covers the boost button from being pressed. In this way, a user would first open or move the slider or panel to open valve structure 704, and then separately press the exposed boost button to cause motor 216 to operate at an increased speed. In some other examples, the boost button can be pressed at any time by a user and works in conjunction with a bleed valve, such that the faster motor operation causes the bleed valve to open automatically thus drawing air over batteries 220 during the faster operation of motor 216.

[0051] Figure 8 illustrates an example operation for removing the post-filter 218, according to some embodiments. An end cap 802 may be arranged at one end of motor housing 112. End cap 802 may be removed to expose a back end of post-filter 218, according to some embodiments. Thus, post-filter 218 can be removed from the back of motor housing 112 for cleaning and / or replacement.

[0052] Numerous specific details have been set forth herein to provide a thorough understanding of the embodiments. It will be understood in light of this disclosure, however, that the embodiments may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well known operations and components have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the embodiments. It can be appreciated that the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein may be representative and do not necessarily limit the scope of the embodiments. In addition, although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features and / or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described herein. Rather, the specific features and acts described herein are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.

Claims

CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:a body;a vacuum inlet at a distal end of the body;a waste receptacle removably coupled to the body and arranged downstream of the inlet when coupled to the body;a motor housed within the body downstream of the waste receptacle;a filter housed within the body downstream of the motor;a grip coupled to a proximal end of the body; anda battery pack,wherein the battery pack is coupled to a portion of the body above the grip and the motor is housed within a portion of the body below the grip.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the vacuum inlet is configured to interface with a nozzle assembly.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter is arranged directly below the grip within the housing, and the motor is arranged adjacent to the filter.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the motor is arranged adjacent to the filter in a direction towards the distal end of the body.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the battery pack extends back from the grip by between 20 mm and 80 mm in a direction away from the distal end of the body.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the battery pack is slidably engaged with the housing and is configured to be removable from the housing.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter is a HEPA filter.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter is a first filter and the vacuum cleaner further comprises a second filter arranged downstream of the waste receptacle and upstream of the motor.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein the second filter is tilted at an angle between 15° and 45° with respect to an axis passing axially through a center of the motor.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the waste receptacle is slidably engaged with the body.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the waste receptacle comprises one or more translucent or transparent walls.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the waste receptacle comprises a debris chamber and a cyclone chamber.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the cyclone chamber is nested within the debris chamber.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises a conduit connected between the vacuum inlet and a chamber inlet leading into the cyclone chamber.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the cyclone chamber includes a chamber outlet that leads to the debris chamber.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the chamber inlet is arranged at a bottom of the cyclone chamber and the chamber outlet is arranged at a top of the cyclone chamber.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the cyclone chamber has a substantially cylindrical shape.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the waste receptacle comprises a door that seals along one side of the waste receptacle.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the door is configured to rotate about one or more hinges between a closed state and an open state.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein the door comprises a pedestal and a flange extending radially outward from a top portion of the pedestal.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 20, wherein the flange is configured to seal against a botom surface of the cyclone chamber when the door is in the closed position.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 21, further comprising a screen filter coupled to a portion of the flange, such that the screen filter is within the cyclone chamber when the door is in the closed position.

23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 22, wherein the screen filter has a conical shape.

24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the battery pack includes one or more openings through a surface of the battery pack.

25. The vacuum cleaner of claim 24, wherein the one or more openings through the surface of the battery pack are aligned with one or more openings in the body above the grip when the battery pack is coupled to the portion of the body above the grip.

26. The vacuum cleaner of claim 25, further comprising a conduit leading from the one or more openings in the body to another portion of the body that is upstream of the motor.

27. The vacuum cleaner of claim 26, wherein the filter is a first filter and the vacuum cleaner further comprises a second filter arranged downstream of the waste receptacle and upstream of the motor, wherein the another portion of the body is downstream of the second filter.

28. The vacuum cleaner of claim 26, wherein the conduit passes through the grip.

29. The vacuum cleaner of claim 24, wherein the battery pack or the body further comprises a valve structure configured to control an amount of air passing through the one or more openings through the surface of the battery pack.

30. The vacuum cleaner of claim 29, wherein the battery pack or the body comprises a mechanical slider configured to change a position of the valve structure to control the amount of air passing through the one or more openings through the surface of the battery pack.

31. The vacuum cleaner of claim 24, wherein the surface is a first surface and the battery pack includes one or more openings through a second surface of the batery pack.

32. A waste receptacle configured for use on a vacuum cleaner, the waste receptacle comprising:a housing having a debris chamber and a cyclone chamber;a door configured to cover an opening into the housing when in a closed state;an air inlet extending into the cyclone chamber, such that air can be drawn from outside of the housing through the air inlet into the cyclone chamber;an outlet extending between the cyclone chamber and the debris chamber; anda screen filter coupled to the door, such that the screen filter is within the cyclone chamber when the door is in the closed state.

33. The waste receptacle of claim 32, wherein the screen filter has a conical shape.

34. The waste receptacle of claim 32, wherein the door comprises a pedestal upwards from a surface of the door.

35. The waste receptacle of claim 34, further comprising a flange structure coupled to the pedestal, wherein the screen filter is coupled to a surface of the flange.

36. The waste receptacle of claim 35, wherein the flange structure is configured to seal against a bottom surface of the cyclone chamber when the door is in the closed position.

37. The waste receptacle of claim 35, wherein the flange and filter are removable together from the pedestal.

38. The waste receptacle of claim 32, wherein the door is configured to rotate about one or more hinges between the closed state and an open state.

39. The waste receptacle of claim 32, further comprising a latch coupled to one end of the door and configured to hold the door within the closed state.

40. The waste receptacle of claim 32, wherein the cyclone chamber has a cylindrical shape.

41. The waste receptacle of claim 32, wherein one or more walls of the housing are transparent or translucent.

42. A battery pack configured for use with a vacuum cleaner, the battery pack comprising: a battery housing, wherein at least one surface of the battery housing has one or more openings passing through the at least one surface;one or more batteries; anda valve structure configured to control an amount of air passing through the one or more openings.

43. The battery pack of claim 42, further comprising a mechanical slider configured to change a position of the valve structure to control the amount of air passing through the one or more openings.

44. The battery pack of claim 42, wherein another surface of the battery housing has one or more openings passing through the another surface.

45. The battery pack of claim 42, wherein the one or more openings comprise a plurality of parallel slot openings.

46. The battery pack of claim 42, wherein the at least one surface is a bottom surface of the battery housing.

47. The battery pack of claim 42, wherein the battery housing comprises one or more grooves configured to slide into corresponding tracks on the vacuum cleaner.

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