Method and apparatus of particle transfer in multi-stage particle separators

• US 20020043055A1
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Published: 04/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polar Light Limited
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 6,582,489 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/337
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0009 Storing devices winding devices for electric cables A47L9/26; Supports, stands or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/12 by centrifugal forces centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 50/20 Combinations of devices covered by groups B01D45/00 and B01D46/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An improved two-stage separator uses reusable containers for collecting particles separated by each separation stage. The reusable containers are constructed such that a user empties both reusable containers by the actions required to empty just one of the reusable containers.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a cleaner head having a dirty air inlet; and

,

(b) a casing having a filtration member, the filtration member having an inlet in fluid flow communication with the dirty air inlet and an outlet in fluid flow communication with a source of suction, the filtration member comprising at least one upstream particle separator having an associated upstream particle collector and at least one downstream particle separator having an associated downstream particle collector disposed adjacent the upstream particle separation member, the particle collectors are configured such that the downstream particle collector is emptied by transferring its contents into the upstream particle collector.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the upstream particle separator is removable from the casing.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a particle transfer member positioned between one of the particle separation members and its associated particle collector whereby particles separated by the said particle separation member are conveyed to said particle collector.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the particle transfer member is angled downwardly whereby particles travel to said particle collector at least partially under the influence of gravity.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein the downstream particle collector has side walls and a bottom that is mounted for movement between a closed position and an open position and the bottom moves to the open position as the upstream particle collector is prepared for emptying.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5 wherein the bottom is maintained in the closed position by interaction between the bottom and a member positioned on a portion of the vacuum cleaner that is not removed with the upstream particle collector.

7. A separator for separating entrained particles from a fluid flow, the separator comprising:

(a) a first particle separation member;

(b) a reusable particle collector disposed beneath the particle separation member, the particle collector having a moveable member movably mounted between a closed position and an open position; and

,

(c) a particle receiving chamber disposed beneath the particle collector, wherein when the moveable member moves from its closed position to its open position, particles collected in the particle collector are substantially transferred to the particle receiving chamber.

8. The separator of claim 7 further comprising a second particle separation member, wherein the particle receiving chamber receives particles separated from the fluid flow by the second particle separation member.

9. A separator comprising:

(a) an inlet in fluid flow communication with a source of fluid having particles therein;

(b) a particle separation member;

(c) a first particle collector disposed below the particle separation member; and

,

(d) a particle transfer member positioned between the particle separation member and the particle collector whereby particles separated by the particle separation member are conveyed to the particle collector.

10. The separator of claim 9 wherein at least a portion of the particle transfer member is angled downwardly to the first particle collector whereby particles travel to the first particle collector at least partially under the influence of gravity.

11. The separator of claim 9 wherein the first particle separation member is chosen from the group of a cyclone, a Prandtl layer turbine and an electrostatic filter.

12. The separator of claim 9 wherein the first particle collector is positioned in the second particle separation member.

13. The separator of claim 12 wherein the second particle collector is removably mounted in a casing and the first particle collector is constructed to empty into the second particle when the second particle collector is removed from the casing.

14. The separator of claim 9 wherein the first particle collector is disposed adjacent the second particle separation member.

15. The separator of claim 9 wherein the particle transfer member comprises a pivotally mounted disc.

17. The separator of claim 16 wherein the second separation stage is positioned downstream from the first separation stage.

18. The separator of claim 16 wherein the second particle collector has a collector housing including a bottom panel and the bottom panel is movably mounted between a closed position in which the second particle collector collects material separated by the second separation stage and an open position in which the second particle collector is emptied.

19. The separator of claim 16 wherein each of the first and second separation stage comprise at least one cyclone.

20. The separator of claim 16 wherein the first separation stage comprises a cyclone and the second separation stage comprises a plurality of cyclones.

21. The separator of claim 16 further comprising a cleaning head having a dirty air inlet and the separator is connectable in fluid flow communication with the dirty air inlet wherein the separator comprises a filtration stage of a vacuum cleaner.

16. A separator for separating entrained particles from a fluid flow, the separator comprising:

(a) a housing having a first separation stage and a first particle collector in communication with the first separation stage;

(b) a second separation stage; and

,

(c) a second particle collector in communication with the second separation stage and positioned in the housing, the first and second particle collectors are configured such that the second particle collector is emptied when the first particle collector is emptied.