Cyclonic surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus, which in one embodiment is a hand held vacuum cleaner, comprises a cyclone and a suction motor wherein the cyclone air outlet and the suction motor inlet are positioned towards the same end of the surface cleaning apparatus whereby air exiting the cyclone travels laterally and then axially to the suction motor inlet. A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a cyclone and a suction motor wherein the suction motor is positioned rearward of the cyclone and the cyclone air outlet is positioned at a lower end of the cyclone whereby air exiting the cyclone travels laterally and then axially towards the suction motor inlet.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) a dirty air inlet; (b) a filtration apparatus comprising a cyclone downstream from the dirty air inlet, the cyclone having an upper end, a lower end, a cyclone axis, a dirt outlet, a cyclone air inlet and a cyclone air outlet, wherein the cyclone air outlet comprises a passage that is positioned at the lower end of the cyclone; (c) a cyclone dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone and having a lower openable a dirt collection surface; (d) a suction motor having a suction motor axis, an upper end, a lower end, a suction motor inlet positioned at the lower end of the suction motor; (e) an air flow passage extending from the cyclone air outlet to the suction motor inlet and comprising a transversely extending portion; and, (f) a clean air outlet downstream from the suction motor.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein air exiting the cyclone outlet travels transversely through the transversely extending portion of the air flow passage and upwardly to the suction motor inlet.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclone and the dirt collection chamber are concurrently openable.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection chamber is positioned around at least a portion of the cyclone.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclone is inverted.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a pre-motor filter is positioned laterally from the cyclone and below the suction motor.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor axis and the cyclone axis are parallel and the suction motor is laterally spaced from the cyclone.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand held vacuum cleaner.

9. A surface cleaning apparatus having a first end and a second spaced apart end, the surface cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) a dirty air inlet; (b) a filtration apparatus comprising a cyclone downstream from the dirty air inlet, the cyclone having a cyclone axis, a dirt outlet, a cyclone air inlet and a cyclone air outlet, wherein the cyclone air outlet comprises a passage that is positioned towards the second end; (c) a cyclone dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone and having an openable a dirt collection surface positioned towards the second end; (d) a suction motor having a suction motor axis, an inlet end, an outlet end, a suction motor inlet positioned towards the second end; (e) an air flow passage extending from the cyclone air outlet to the suction motor inlet and comprising a transversely extending portion; and, (f) a clean air outlet downstream from the suction motor.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein air exiting the cyclone outlet travels transversely through the transversely extending portion of the air flow passage and axially to the suction motor inlet.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the cyclone and the dirt collection chamber are concurrently openable.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein a pre-motor filter is positioned laterally from the cyclone and upstream from the suction motor.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the suction motor axis and the cyclone axis are parallel and the suction motor is laterally spaced from the cyclone.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand held vacuum cleaner.

15. A surface cleaning apparatus having a front end and a rear end, the surface cleaning apparatus comprising: (a) a dirty air inlet; (b) a filtration apparatus comprising a cyclone downstream from the dirty air inlet, the cyclone having an upper end, a lower end, a cyclone axis, a dirt outlet, a cyclone air inlet and a cyclone air outlet, wherein the cyclone air outlet comprises a passage that is positioned at the lower end of the cyclone; (c) a cyclone dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone and having a lower openable a dirt collection surface; (d) a suction motor having a suction motor axis, the suction motor is positioned rearward of the cyclone; (e) an air flow passage extending from the cyclone air outlet to the suction motor and comprising a transversely extending portion; and, (f) a clean air outlet downstream from the suction motor wherein air exiting the cyclone outlet travels transversely through the transversely extending portion of the air flow passage and upwardly towards the suction motor.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the cyclone and the dirt collection chamber are concurrently openable.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the cyclone is inverted.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein a pre-motor filter is positioned laterally from the cyclone and below the suction motor.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the suction motor axis and the cyclone axis are parallel and the suction motor is laterally spaced from the cyclone.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand held vacuum cleaner.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other advantages will be more fully and completely understood in conjunction with the following description of the preferred embodiments in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a preferred embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with this design wherein the outer casing surrounding the cyclone and forming an outer wall of a dirt collection chamber is optionally transparent;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the front and the right side of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is a cross-section along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 showing the airflow passage therethrough;

(6) FIG. 5 is a perspective view from the bottom of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 wherein the bottom of the first and second housings is open; and,

(7) FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the bottom of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 wherein the first and second housings are closed but an access door is open.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(8) As shown in FIGS. 1-6, a surface cleaning apparatus comprises a vacuum cleaner 10 having a filtration apparatus having at least one cyclone. The filtration apparatus may be of any design or configuration. As exemplified, surface cleaning apparatus 10 has a first housing 12 and a second housing 14. First housing 12 comprises at least one cyclone 16 and a dirt collection chamber 18 and second housing 14 houses the filtration members and the suction motor. In an alternate embodiment, it will be appreciated that surface cleaning apparatus 10 may have a first cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a single cyclone having a dirt collection chamber and a second cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a plurality of second stage cyclones in parallel. It will be appreciated that only a single filter may be provided and a side by side construction need not be used.

(9) As exemplified in FIG. 3, suction motor 26 is positioned in second housing 14, preferably with a suction fan provided below the electric motor. Clean air outlet 60 is provided downstream from suction motor 26. An optional post-motor filter may be provided downstream from suction motor 26, such as in post-motor filter housing 62, which may be accessible via post motor filter housing door 64, which could be pivotally mounted to second housing 14.

(10) As exemplified in FIGS. 1-6, vacuum cleaner 10 comprises a hand held vacuum cleaner. Accordingly, vacuum cleaner 10 may be provided with handle 54, which is affixed to lid 32 and lid 58 of second housing 14. Handle 54 may alternately be affixed to any other portion or portions of vacuum cleaner 10 as is known in the art. Optionally, as exemplified, on/off switch 56 may be provided on handle 54. On/off switch 56 may alternately be provided on any other portion of vacuum cleaner 10.

(11) It will be appreciated that, surface cleaning apparatus may be a vacuum cleaner, a carpet extractor, a bare floor cleaner or the like. As exemplified, the surface cleaning apparatus is hand held. However the surface cleaning apparatus may be configured as an upright vacuum cleaner, a stick vacuum cleaner, a canister vacuum cleaner, a backpack or shoulder strap vacuum cleaner or other configuration known in the art. The surface cleaning apparatus may have a single cyclonic cleaning stage, which may be of any construction known in the art, or a plurality of cyclonic cleaning stages, each of which may be of any construction known in the art, e.g. they may comprise a single cyclone or a plurality of cyclones in parallel.

(12) The following description is based on FIGS. 1-6, which exemplifies the use of an inverted cyclone. However, in an alternate embodiment, it will be appreciated that the cyclone 16 may be of any configuration and orientation and need not be inverted (e.g., cyclone 16 may be a horizontally mounted cyclone or a vertically mounted upright cyclone with an upper air inlet, an upper air out and a lower dirt outlet). Accordingly, the reference to upper and lower and floor are for convenience in the following discussion and relate to a preferred embodiment.

(13) As exemplified in FIG. 3, cyclone 16 has a lower air inlet 34 and a lower air outlet 36. Air inlet 34 is positioned downstream from dirty air inlet 38 of surface cleaning nozzle 40. Surface cleaning nozzle 40 may be any surface cleaning nozzle known in the art. Air inlet 34 of cyclone 16 may be in airflow communication with surface cleaning nozzle 40 in any manner known in the art. The exact structure of surface cleaning nozzle 40 and the communication passage between surface cleaning nozzle 40 and air inlet 34 will vary depending if the surface cleaning apparatus is an upright vacuum cleaner, canister vacuum cleaner or, as exemplified, a portable hand held vacuum cleaner. In operation, air will enter cyclone 16 through inlet 34 and travel upwardly, as exemplified in FIG. 4. The air will then travel downwardly to exit cyclone 16 via outlet 34. As shown in FIG. 4 by the hatched arrows, dirt will exit upwardly through outlet 28 and deposit on dirt collection chamber floor 42. In addition, some of the heavier particulate matter may not be entrained in the air stream and may be deposited on cyclone floor 34.

(14) In an alternate embodiment, it will be appreciated that cyclone 16 may be any cyclone casing having a separator plate to divide the cyclone casing into an upper cyclone chamber positioned above the separator plate and a lower dirt collection chamber positioned below the separator plate. Alternately, the cyclone may be provided with a dirt outlet 28 and may be provided with an impingement member 30 or members spaced a distance D from the dirt outlet and facing the dirt outlet. The cyclone may be an upright cyclone or a cyclone having a single direction of travel of the air.

(15) As exemplified, cyclone 16 is a frustoconical cyclone having cylindrical portion 46 and frustoconical portion 48. Alternately, or in addition to the orientation of cyclone 16, it will be appreciated that cyclone 16 may be cylindrical, entirely frustoconical or any other shape known in the art.

(16) As exemplified in FIG. 3, outlet 36 of cyclone 16 comprises a vortex finder that extends inwardly into the cyclone chamber defined by cyclone 16. Outlet 36 preferably comprises a generally cylindrical passage having an inlet 50 and an outlet 52. It will be appreciated that, in an alternate embodiment any outlet or vortex finder known in the art for cyclones may be utilized. While inlet 50 may be covered by a screen, shroud or filter as in known in the art, it is preferred that no screen, shroud or filter is provided. Accordingly, inlet 50 will not become clogged during use and will not require cleaning. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that bottom 44 need not be openable to permit a screen or a shroud or filter associated with inlet end 50 of outlet 36 to be cleaned. The material that would otherwise clog a screen or shroud that surrounds inlet 50 will be retained by screen 78 which may be easily accessed and with may be larger than a screen in a cyclone chamber.

(17) While the use of impingement member 30 is exemplified in a surface cleaning apparatus having side-by-side housings 12, 14, it will be appreciated that this design may be used in any vacuum cleaner configuration. It will also be appreciated that an impingement surface need not be used.

(18) In accordance with any embodiment, dirt collection chamber 18 may surround at least a portion of and, as exemplified, preferably all of cyclone 16. Accordingly, cyclone 16 may be positioned in dirt collection chamber 18 and, preferably, generally centrally therein.

(19) In accordance with any embodiment, vacuum cleaner 10 may be configured such that the dirt collected on floor 44 of cyclone 16 is emptied at the same time as dirt collected on floor 42 of dirt collection chamber 18. The following description refers to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6 wherein the openable end of the dirt collection camber is the dirt collection surface (floor 42). However, in an alternate embodiment, it will be appreciated that the openable portion need not be the dirt collection surface. For example, if cyclone 16 is mounted horizontally, then the openable portion may be the end of dirt collection chamber 18 facing dirt outlet 28 to which impingement member 30 is attached. In such a case, the dirt collection surface will be a sidewall of dirt collection chamber 18.

(20) As exemplified, floor 42 and floor 44 are both movable and connected to each other whereby both floor 42 and 44 are concurrently movable such that dirt collection chamber 18 and cyclone 16 are concurrently emptied. In an alternate embodiment, dirt collection chamber 18 may be provided in the bottom of cyclone 16.

(21) Referring to FIG. 5, floors 42 and 44 may comprise a pivoting bottom of first housing 12 and, alternately, of the filtration apparatus (e.g. housings 12 and 14 of this embodiment). Accordingly, as seen in FIG. 5, when floors 42 and 44 are opened, both cyclone 16 and dirt collection chamber 18 may be emptied by holding vacuum cleaner 10 in the upright position (as shown in FIG. 1). Accordingly, the dirt will fall out of collection chamber 16 and cyclone 16 and will fall downwardly off of floors 42 and 44.

(22) As shown in FIG. 5, housings 12 and 14 have a pivoting bottom 66, which is secured to each of housings 12 and 14 by a pivot 68. In the closed position exemplified in FIGS. 1 and 4, pivoting bottom 66 is secured in position by latch 70. Latch 70 has a button 72 which, when pressed, causes arm 74 to move outwardly thereby disengaging a flange provided on the bottom end of arm 74 from flange 76 provided on pivoting bottom 66. A gasket or other sealing member may be provided at the interface of housings 12 and 14 and pivoting bottom 66 to provide an air tight or fluid tight seal. It will be appreciated that bottom 66 may be moveable in any other direction by any other means known in the art (e.g., slideable, translatable) and may optionally be removable from housings 12, 14 (e.g., by a snap fit, a screw mount, a bayonet mount or the like). Further, bottom 66 may be moveably secured in position by any other means known in the art and need not be connected to surface cleaning apparatus 10 for relative motion thereto.

(23) As exemplified in FIG. 5, outlet 36 is provided as part of floor 42, and is preferably integrally molded therewith. In an alternate embodiment, it will be appreciated that outlet 36 need not be removable from cyclone 16 with floor 42.

(24) In an alternate embodiment, it will be appreciated that only floors 42 and 44 may be pivotably mounted to housing 12. In such an embodiment, foam filter 20 may remain sealed when cyclone 16 and dirt collection chamber 18 are emptied. In an alternate embodiment, a side-by-side of housings 12, 14 design as exemplified in FIG. 1 need not be utilized. In such a case, floor 42 and floor 44 may comprise the entire floor of the filtration assembly.

(25) If bottom 66 opens both housings 12 and 14, then it will be appreciated that dirt positioned on the upstream surface of filter 20 will be emptied when bottom 66 is opened.

(26) As exemplified, screen 78 is provided in an openable filtration chamber 80. As exemplified, filtration chamber 80 is provided as part of the lower surface of cyclone 16. It will be appreciated that it is preferred that filtration chamber 80 is positioned adjacent air outlet 36 of cyclone 16, or downstream of the first cyclonic stage if a plurality of cyclonic stages are provided. If filtration chamber is positioned beside cyclone 16, e.g., it is located where foam filter 20 is provided, it will be appreciated that filtration chamber 80 and cyclone 16 may be concurrently opened, e.g., by a pivoting bottom 66. Alternately, or in addition, using a similar construction, filtration chamber 80 may be opened when dirt collection chamber 18 is opened.

(27) As exemplified, filtration chamber 80 is openable independently of any other member, e.g., cyclone 16, dirt collection chamber 18 and the chamber housing foam filter 20. Also, as exemplified, the lower surface of filtration chamber 80 is openable. However, it will be appreciated that an alternate wall or portion of filtration chamber 80 may be openable and that filtration chamber 80 may be at alternate locations on a surface cleaning apparatus provided it is located downstream in the fluid flow path through the surface cleaning apparatus from the first cyclonic cleaning stage.

(28) As exemplified, filtration chamber 80 is provided adjacent outlet 36 and, preferably, screen 78 is in sealing engagement with outlet 52. It will be appreciated that screen 78 is preferably mounted in filtration chamber 80 such that the air exiting cyclone 16 is forced to pass through screen 78 as the air travel downstream of filtration chamber 80 (e.g., to a second cyclonic cleaning stage or foam filter 80). Referring to FIG. 3, screen 78 is positioned on rear surface 84 of floor 44 and overlies outlet 52. Accordingly, air that exits outlet 36 travels through screen 78. The air then travels through filtration chamber 80 and travels laterally to outlet 86, which is in air flow communication with headspace 88 below filter 20.

(29) Preferably, screen 78 comprises a screen, such as an open mesh screen, e.g., a wire mesh screen or, alternately, a plastic mesh screen. It may be flat or curved, e.g. bowl shaped, so as to increase the surface area of the screen.

(30) In one embodiment, filtration chamber 80 has an openable portion. Accordingly, an access door 82 may be provided to permit access to screen 78 such that screen 78 may be cleaned. Access door 82 may be any door that is movably mounted in overlying relationship to filtration chamber 80. It will also be appreciated that if filtration chamber 80 is removably mounted to surface cleaning apparatus 10, it may be opened as it is removed from surface cleaning apparatus 10. For example, a wall of surface cleaning apparatus 10 to which filtration chamber 80 is attached may close the side of filtration chamber 80 that abuts surface cleaning apparatus 10. However, it is preferred that a lower surface of filtration chamber 80 is openable.

(31) As exemplified in FIG. 6, access door 82 may be pivotally mounted by pivot 90 to pivoting bottom 66, and is secured in position by a latch 120. Latch 120, for example, may have a button 122 which, when pressed, causes arm 124 to move outwardly thereby disengaging a flange on the bottom end of arm 124 from flange 92 provided on the front end of access door 82. A sealing gasket or other sealing member known in the art may be utilized to provide an air tight or fluid tight seal for filtration chamber 80. Any other securing member known in the art may be used. Further door 82 may be removable and need not be connected to surface cleaning apparatus 10 for relative (e.g., sliding, translation) motion thereto.

(32) Preferably, screen 78 is mounted and, more preferably, movably mounted and, most preferably, removably mounted to access door 82. As shown in FIG. 6, screen 78 is pivotally mounted to the inner surface of access door 82. Accordingly, when a user desires to clean screen 78, it may be pivoted in the direction shown by arrow A in FIG. 6 to an open or cleaning position. Alternately, screen 78 may be movably mounted and, preferably, removably mounted to another portion of filtration chamber 80.

(33) It will be noticed that access door 82 may be opened independently of pivoting bottom 66. In an alternate embodiment, it will be appreciated that a pivoting bottom 66 need not be provided.

(34) Preferably, at least a portion of and, more preferably, all of access door 82 is transparent. Accordingly, a user may lift the vacuum cleaner, invert the vacuum cleaner or tilt the vacuum cleaner on its side to view screen 78 and determine whether filtration 78 requires cleaning or, alternately, replacement. It will be appreciated that another part of filtration chamber 80, preferably all of filtration chamber 80, may be transparent.

(35) As exemplified in FIG. 3, vortex finder 36 is not surrounded by a screen or any shroud or filter. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, vortex finder 36 has no cover member (e.g. shroud, screen or the like). Accordingly, no filtration or screen member interior of cyclone 16 requires cleaning. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that bottom 44 need not be openable to permit a screen or a shroud or filter associated with inlet end 50 of outlet 36 to be cleaned.

(36) In accordance with any embodiment, a series of filtration members may be used in series downstream from screen 78. In accordance with this preferred embodiment, the filtration members may comprise two or more of a foam filter 20 downstream from screen 78, a felt filter 22 downstream from foam 20 and a HEPA filter 24 downstream from felt filter 22. Preferably, all of these filters are positioned upstream from suction motor 26. As shown, suction motor 26 has a suction motor inlet 27. Alternately, one or more of these filters may be positioned downstream from suction motor 26. In particular HEPA filter 24 may be downstream from suction motor 26. Accordingly, a plurality of screening and filtration members, each of which have a finer filtration capacity (e.g. smaller pores) are provided in series in the downstream direction. Optionally, a shroud (e.g. a perforated or apertured plastic cover) may be provided surrounding or overlying inlet 50 of outlet 36.

(37) It will also be appreciated that any of the aforementioned embodiments may be used singly or in any particular combination or sub-combination of the remaining features listed above.

(38) Although specific embodiments have been described, if is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims. In addition, citation or identification of any reference in this application shall not be construed as an admission that such reference is available as prior art.