Configuration of a cyclone assembly and surface cleaning apparatus having same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10327612-B2
Application number	US-201414529027-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 30, 2014
Priority date	Dec 19, 2007
Publication date	Jun 25, 2019
Grant date	Jun 25, 2019

Abstract

A cyclone separator useable in a surface cleaning apparatus comprises a cyclone casing defining a cyclone chamber and having first and second opposed ends and a sidewall extending between the first and second ends. A separated material collection chamber surrounds at least a portion of the cyclone chamber and is communication therewith via a separated material outlet. The separated material collection chamber is spaced at least about 0.5 inches from the cyclone chamber. In addition, the separated material collection chamber is spaced from the bottom of the cyclone by at least about 0.5 inches.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
(a) a cyclone separator comprising:
i. a cyclone casing defining a cyclone chamber and having first, the cyclone casing second spaced apart portions, a fluid inlet provided in the first portion, a fluid outlet provided in the first portion, a cyclone chamber sidewall and a dirt outlet, the first portion including a first end wall of the cyclone chamber and the second portion including a second end inner surface spaced apart from and facing the first end wall and an opposed second end outer surface, a portion of the cyclone casing comprising the second end inner surface being moveable to open the cyclone chamber; and
ii. a dirt collection chamber in communication with the dirt outlet and exterior to the cyclone chamber, the dirt collection chamber having an opposed surface spaced apart from and facing the second end outer surface and a dirt collection chamber sidewall, wherein the opposed surface of the dirt collection chamber and a first portion of the dirt collection chamber sidewall are moveable between a closed position and an open position, and wherein a second portion of the dirt collection chamber sidewall maintains a fixed relative position to the first end wall of the cyclone chamber when the opposed surface of the dirt collection chamber and the first portion of the dirt collection chamber sidewall are moved between the closed position and the open position,
wherein when the opposed surface of the dirt collection chamber and the first portion of the dirt collection chamber sidewall are in the open position, the dirt collection chamber is emptyable, and wherein a portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall that extends at least partially about an outer circumference of the cyclone chamber is moveable with the second end inner surface to open the cyclone chamber.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the cyclone chamber includes a single second end wall that comprises the second end inner surface and the second end outer surface.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 , wherein when the opposed surface of the dirt collection chamber and the first portion of the dirt collection chamber sidewall are in the closed position, the cyclone chamber is fluidly sealed except for the fluid inlet, the fluid outlet and the dirt outlet.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first portion of the dirt collection chamber sidewall is pivotally mounted to the second portion of the dirt collection chamber sidewall.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 , wherein when the opposed surface of the dirt collection chamber is in the closed position, the second end inner surface is parallel to the first end wall.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dirt outlet is located at the second end inner surface.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the dirt outlet is a slot that is at least partially bounded by the cyclone chamber sidewall.

8. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
(a) cyclone separator comprising:
i. a cyclone chamber extending along a cyclone chamber axis, the cyclone chamber comprising a fluid inlet, a cyclone chamber sidewall, a fluid outlet, a dirt outlet, a cyclone chamber first end having an inward facing first cyclone surface and an opposing cyclone chamber second end having a cyclone chamber second end surface axially spaced apart from the first cyclone surface, the cyclone chamber sidewall comprising a first cyclone chamber sidewall portion and a second cyclone chamber sidewall portion that at least partially defines the dirt outlet, a portion of the cyclone chamber comprising the cyclone chamber second end surface and the second cyclone chamber sidewall portion being moveable to open the cyclone chamber, and the cyclone chamber second end having an opposed second end outer surface; and,
ii. a dirt collection chamber external the cyclone chamber and in communication with the dirt outlet to receive dirt therefrom, the dirt collection chamber comprising:
1. a dirt collection chamber first end wall;
2. an opposing dirt collection chamber second end wall that is spaced apart from the dirt collection chamber first end wall and that is spaced apart from and faces the cyclone chamber second end outer surface; and
3. a dirt collection chamber sidewall extending axially between the dirt collection chamber first end wall and the dirt collection chamber second end wall and being disposed laterally outboard of and laterally surrounding the cyclone chamber sidewall, whereby a first portion of the dirt collection chamber is disposed between the dirt collection chamber second end wall and the cyclone chamber second end outer surface, and a second portion of the dirt collection chamber is disposed between a portion of the dirt collection chamber sidewall and the cyclone chamber sidewall;
wherein the dirt collection chamber second end wall is moveable concurrently with the moveable portion of the cyclone chamber comprising the cyclone chamber second end surface and the second cyclone chamber sidewall portion to concurrently open the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber,
and wherein the second portion of the dirt collection chamber and the cyclone chamber first end maintain a fixed relative position when the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber are concurrently opened.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 , wherein both the fluid inlet and the fluid outlet are located at a same end of the cyclone chamber and the dirt outlet is provided at the opposite end of the cyclone chamber.

10. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
(a) a cyclone separator for separating material from air flowing through the cyclone separator, the cyclone separator comprising:
i. a cyclone chamber comprising;
1. a cyclone chamber first end having a cyclone chamber first end wall;
2. an opposing cyclone chamber second end having a cyclone chamber second end wall spaced apart from the cyclone chamber first end wall along a cyclone chamber axis, the cyclone chamber second end wall closing the opposing cyclone chamber second end;
3. a cyclone chamber sidewall axially extending between the cyclone chamber first end wall and the cyclone chamber second end wall, the cyclone chamber sidewall comprising a first sidewall portion and a second sidewall portion, the first sidewall portion extending from the cyclone chamber first end wall to a first sidewall portion end and the second sidewall portion extending from the cyclone chamber second end wall to a second sidewall portion end;
4. a fluid inlet; and
5. a fluid outlet; and

ii. a door that is moveable between a closed position in which the first sidewall portion end is aligned with the second sidewall portion end about a perimeter of the cyclone chamber and an open position, wherein when the door is in the open position the cyclone chamber is opened, the door comprising the cyclone chamber second end wall and the second sidewall portion; and,

(b) a dirt collection chamber external to the cyclone chamber and in communication with a dirt outlet of the cyclone chamber, wherein the dirt collection chamber comprises:
i. a dirt collection chamber first end wall;
ii. an opposing dirt collection chamber second end wall that is spaced apart from the dirt collection chamber first end wall, the dirt collection chamber second end wall being spaced apart from and faces the cyclone chamber second end wall, the dirt collection chamber second end wall being openable whereby the dirt collection chamber is openable; and,
iii. a dirt collection chamber sidewall extending axially between the dirt collection chamber

Assignees

• Omachron Intellectual Property Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Wayne Ernest

Classifications

• B04C5/14

  Construction of the underflow ducting; Apex constructions; Discharge arrangements {; discharge through sidewall provided with a few slits or perforations (provided with a great number of slits or perforations B04C5/10)} · CPC title

• A47L9/1641

  for parallel flow · CPC title

• A47L9/1683

  Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles · CPC title

• A47L9/165

  Construction of inlets · CPC title

• B04C5/26

  for series flow · CPC title