Suction cleaner with cyclonic dirt separation

• US 20020011050A1
• Filed: 05/04/2001
• Published: 01/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Inventors: Mouw, Brandon L., McDowell, David E., Metzger, Eric R., Smith, Gary L., Hansen, Samuel N.
• Application Number:
  US09/849,143
• Publication Number:
  US 20020011050A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/337
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes

Abstract

The invention relates to cyclonic dirt separator comprising a dirt-collection assembly including a dirt tank having an inlet aperture and an outlet aperture, a cyclonic separator, at least one filter element, and a suction source fluidly connected with the dirt collection assembly. In one embodiment, the cyclonic dirt separator includes a separator plate cooperating with the housing to form a toroidal region of the dirt tank for aiding in the separation of dirt from a suction airstream developed by the suction source. The separator plate has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the dirt tank, creating a gap between the outer edge of the separator plate and the inner wall of the dirt tank. A further embodiment includes dual cyclonic separators fluidly connected through a filter assembly. A further embodiment includes a cyclonic separator in the form of a tangential helical ramp.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream, said housing further comprising a cyclonic chamber inlet and an airstream outlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic airflow chamber;

a nozzle base including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidly connected with said cyclonic chamber inlet;

an airstream suction source fluidly connected to said main suction opening and to the cyclonic airflow chamber for transporting dirt-containing air from the main suction opening to the cyclonic airflow chamber, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining a dirt-containing airstream from said main suction opening to said cyclonic chamber inlet;

a main filter assembly including a filter element positioned centrally within said cyclonic airflow chamber for filtering residual contaminants from said dirt-containing airstream prior to exit of said airstream from said cyclonic airflow chamber;

a dirt-collecting bin beneath the main filter assembly within the housing; and

a separator plate between the filter element and the dirt-collecting bin and forming a toroidal chamber within the housing and separating the toroidal chamber from a dirt-collecting chamber.

2. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the separator plate is mounted to a lower portion of the filter element and extends radially from the filter element toward the housing.

3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 wherein the separator plate forms a gap with the housing for passage of dirt particles from the toroidal chamber to the dirtcollecting bin.

6. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 wherein the separator plate is circular and the housing has a circular wall adjacent the separator plate.

7. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the cyclonic chamber inlet is in the toroidal chamber.

8. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the airstream outlet is in an upper central portion of the housing.

9. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, further comprising a secondary filter positioned between the filter element and the airstream outlet.

10. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 9 wherein the secondary filter comprises a fine mesh.

11. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a secondary filter positioned between the filter element and the airstream outlet.

12. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the secondary filter comprises a fine mesh.

13. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the airstream outlet is in a lower portion of the housing.

14. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the relative cross-sectional area of the separator plate with respect to the housing is in the range of 0.75 to 0.95.

15. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the relative cross-sectional area of the separator plate with respect to the housing is in the range of 0.8 to 0.92.

16. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the relative cross-sectional area of the separator plate with respect to the housing is about 0.9.

17. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the filter element comprises a fine mesh.

4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 4 wherein the gap between the separator plate and the housing is annular.

5. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 4 wherein the separator plate is circular and the housing has a circular wall adjacent the separator plate.

18. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing defining a first cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream, said housing further comprising an airstream inlet and an airstream outlet in fluid communication with said first cyclonic airflow chamber;

a nozzle base including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidly connected with said airstream inlet;

an airstream suction source fluidly connected to said main suction opening and to the first cyclonic airflow chamber for transporting the dirt-containing airstream from the main suction opening to the first cyclonic airflow chamber, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining the dirt-containing airstream from said main suction opening to said first cyclonic airflow chamber;

a second cyclonic airflow chamber formed coaxially with the first cyclonic airflow chamber;

a main filter assembly including a filter element positioned between the first and second cyclonic airflow chambers for filtering residual contaminants from said dirt-containing airstream prior to exit of said airstream from said first cyclonic airflow chamber;

a first dirt-collecting bin beneath said first cyclonic airflow chamber; and

a second dirt-collecting bin in communication with the second cyclonic air flow chamber and positioned axially of the first dirt-collecting bin.

19. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 18, further comprising a frustoconical wall defining the second cyclonic airflow chamber and a wall of the second dirtcollecting bin.

20. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 19 wherein the second dirtcollecting bin is positioned axially above the first dirt-collecting bin.

21. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 19 wherein the airstream outlet is positioned in a lower portion of the housing.

22. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 19 wherein the airstream outlet is positioned concentrically with respect to the second cyclonic airflow chamber.

23. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 22 wherein the second dirtcollecting bin is positioned axially above the first dirt-collecting bin.

24. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 22 wherein the airstream outlet is positioned in a lower portion of the housing.

25. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 18 wherein the airstream outlet is positioned concentrically with respect to the second cyclonic airflow chamber.

26. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 25 wherein the second dirtcollecting bin is positioned axially above the first dirt-collecting bin.

27. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 25 wherein the airstream outlet is positioned in a lower portion of the housing.

28. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 18 wherein the filter element is a foraminous wall.

29. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 18 wherein the second dirtcollecting bin is positioned axially above the first dirt-collecting bin.

30. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 18 wherein the airstream outlet is positioned in a lower portion of the housing.

31. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 18, further comprising a separator plate between the first cyclonic airflow chamber and the first dirt-collecting bin.

32. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 31 wherein the relative cross-sectional area of the separator plate with respect to the housing is in the range of 0.75 to 0.95.

33. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 31 wherein the relative cross-sectional area of the separator plate with respect to the housing is in the range of 0.8 to 0.92.

34. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 31 wherein the relative cross-sectional area of the separator plate with respect to the housing is about 0.9.

35. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 18, further comprising at least one vane positioned between the first and second cyclonic airflow chambers for imparting a tangential velocity component to the airflow.

36. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream, said housing further comprising an airstream inlet and an airstream outlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic airflow chamber;

a nozzle base including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidly connected with said airstream inlet;

an airstream suction source fluidly connected to said main suction opening and to the cyclonic airflow chamber for transporting the dirt-containing airstream from the main suction opening to the cyclonic airflow chamber, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining the dirt-containing airstream from said main suction opening to said airstream inlet;

a main filter assembly including a filter element for filtering residual contaminants from said suction airstream; and

a dirt-collecting bin beneath the cyclonic airflow chamber within the housing,

wherein the cyclonic airflow chamber is formed by a tangential helical ramp.

37. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 36 wherein the main filter assembly is concentric with the cyclonic airflow chamber.

38. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 36, further comprising an opening from the cyclonic airflow chamber into the dirt-collecting bin and an opening from the dirt-collecting bin into the main filter assembly, whereby the dirt-containing airstream changes direction to enter the main filter assembly.

39. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 36 wherein the airstream outlet is centrally located within the housing.

40. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 36 wherein the airstream outlet passes through the dirt-collecting bin.