Cyclonic air treatment member and surface cleaning apparatus including the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10828649-B2
Application number	US-201916254918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 23, 2019
Priority date	Jan 23, 2019
Publication date	Nov 10, 2020
Grant date	Nov 10, 2020

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus includes an air flow path, a cyclone bin assembly, and a suction motor. The air flow path extends from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. The cyclone bin assembly is provided in the air flow path, and includes a cyclone chamber, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a cyclone axis of rotation, and an axially extending cyclone chamber sidewall extending between first and second axially opposed ends. The cyclone chamber sidewall has first portion that is moveably mounted with respect to a second portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall between a closed position in which the first and second portions meet at a first juncture and a second juncture and an open position in which the cyclone chamber is opened. The first juncture extends at an angle to a plane that is transverse to the cyclone axis of rotation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly provided in the air flow path, the cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a cyclone axis of rotation, an axially extending cyclone chamber sidewall extending between first and second axially opposed ends; and,
(c) a suction motor provided in the air flow path,
wherein the cyclone chamber sidewall has a first portion that is moveably mounted with respect to a second portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall between a closed position in which the first and second portions meet at a first juncture and a second juncture and an open position in which the cyclone chamber is opened and, in a plane that is transverse to the cyclone axis of rotation, the first portion comprises an arc shaped portion that extends between the first and second junctures, and
wherein the first juncture extends at a non-zero angle to the plane that is transverse to the cyclone axis of rotation.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the first juncture extends generally axially.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the first portion is pivotally mounted to vacuum cleaner about a pivot axis and the pivot axis extends through the cyclone chamber.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the cyclone air outlet is provided at the first opposed end and the second opposed end comprises an end wall that is moveable with the first portion.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the cyclone air outlet comprises a screen and the screen is moveably mounted with respect to one of the sidewall portions.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 wherein the screen is pivotally mounted to one of the sidewall portions.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 wherein the screen is removable after the first portion is moved to the open position.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 , wherein the cyclone air outlet is provided at the first opposed end, the cyclone air outlet comprises a screen, the second opposed end comprises an end wall and the vacuum cleaner further comprises a generally axially extending member provided in the cyclone chamber at the opposed end.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the cyclone air outlet is provided at the first opposed end and the second opposed end comprises an end wall that is moveable mounted with respect to the first and second portions.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9 wherein the end wall is pivotally mounted to one of the first and second portions.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the first portion is pivotally mounted to the vacuum cleaner about a pivot axis and the pivot axis extends generally axially.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the pivot axis is positioned external to the cyclone chamber.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the pivot axis comprises a piano hinge.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the pivot axis is aligned with the cyclone axis of rotation.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the pivot axis extends through the cyclone chamber and each of the first and second portions comprises an axial cylindrical segment.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15 wherein the first juncture extends generally axially.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein the second juncture that extends generally parallel to the first juncture and is angularly spaced around the cyclone chamber from the first juncture, whereby the first portion is axially translatable with respect to the second portion.

18. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly provided in the air flow path, the cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber, a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, a cyclone axis of rotation, an axially extending cyclone chamber sidewall extending between first and second axially opposed ends; and,
(c) a suction motor provided in the air flow path,
wherein the cyclone chamber sidewall has a first axially extending portion that is moveably mounted with respect to a second axially portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall between a closed position in which the first and second portions abut and an open position in which the cyclone chamber is opened and, in a plane that is transverse to the cyclone axis of rotation, the first portion comprises an arc shaped portion that extends between the first and second junctures.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18 wherein the first axially extending portion of the sidewall is pivotally mounted to the vacuum cleaner about a pivot axis and the pivot axis is generally transverse to the cyclone axis of rotation.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19 wherein the cyclone air outlet is provided at the first opposed end, the pivot axis is provided at the first opposed end, the cyclone air outlet comprises a screen and the screen is moveably mounted with respect to the second axially extending portion of the sidewall.

Assignees

• Omachron Intellectual Property Inc

Inventors

• Conrad Wayne Ernest

Classifications

• B04C9/00

  Combinations with other devices, e.g. fans, {expansion chambers, diffusors, water locks}(with filters B01D50/00) · CPC title

• A47L9/1608

  Cyclonic chamber constructions · CPC title

• B04C5/187

  forming an integral part of the vortex chamber · CPC title

• A47L5/225

  Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners · CPC title

• A47L9/106 Primary

  Dust removal · CPC title