US Patent 7343643 Selective bag or bagless cleaning system

A vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly and a canister assembly connected to the nozzle assembly. The nozzle assembly includes an inlet. A suction generator is carried on one of the nozzle assembly and canister assembly. A cyclonic separation chamber is carried on one of the nozzle assembly or the canister assembly. The cyclonic separation chamber includes an inlet and first and second outlets. A dirt collection vessel has a dirty air inlet in fluid communication with the first outlet of the cyclonic separation chamber and a discharge outlet in fluid communication with the suction generator.