CYCLONIC DIRT SEPARATION MODULE
First Claim
1. A vacuum cleaner module comprising:
- a module housing;
a dirt separation housing removably mounted in the module housing and defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream, the housing further comprising an inlet opening for the cyclonic chamber adapted to be connected to a suction cleaning nozzle and an airstream outlet opening in an upper central portion of the dirt separation housing and in communication with the inlet opening;
an airstream suction source mounted in the module housing and fluidly connected to the cyclonic chamber inlet opening, the cyclonic airflow chamber and the airstream outlet opening to establish and maintain a tangential flow of a dirt-containing airstream within the cyclone airflow chamber as the airstream flows between the cyclonic chamber inlet opening and the airstream outlet opening for separating dirt from the air stream in the cyclonic airflow chamber;
a support element mounted in an upper portion of said dirt separator housing;
a dirt-collecting chamber within the module housing and beneath the cyclonic airflow chamber to collect dirt separated from the dirt-containing airstream in the cyclonic airflow chamber; and
a separator plate mounted to a lower portion of the support element above the dirt-collecting bin, and separating the cyclonic airflow chamber from the dirt collecting chamber.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to dirt separator module comprising a dirt-separation housing having an inlet and an outlet opening and defining a cyclonic airflow separator, and a suction source fluidly connected with the dirt-separation housing. A separator plate and a cylindrical wall of the dirt-separation housing form a toroidal cyclonic airflow chamber in the dirt-separator 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 cylindrical wall of the dirt-separation housing, 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.
201 Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A vacuum cleaner module comprising:
-
a module housing;
a dirt separation housing removably mounted in the module housing and defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream, the housing further comprising an inlet opening for the cyclonic chamber adapted to be connected to a suction cleaning nozzle and an airstream outlet opening in an upper central portion of the dirt separation housing and in communication with the inlet opening;
an airstream suction source mounted in the module housing and fluidly connected to the cyclonic chamber inlet opening, the cyclonic airflow chamber and the airstream outlet opening to establish and maintain a tangential flow of a dirt-containing airstream within the cyclone airflow chamber as the airstream flows between the cyclonic chamber inlet opening and the airstream outlet opening for separating dirt from the air stream in the cyclonic airflow chamber;
a support element mounted in an upper portion of said dirt separator housing;
a dirt-collecting chamber within the module housing and beneath the cyclonic airflow chamber to collect dirt separated from the dirt-containing airstream in the cyclonic airflow chamber; and
a separator plate mounted to a lower portion of the support element above the dirt-collecting bin, and separating the cyclonic airflow chamber from the dirt collecting chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
-
-
22. A vacuum cleaner comprising;
-
a dirt separator housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream, said dirt separator housing further comprising a cyclonic chamber inlet and an airstream outlet in fluid communication with each other;
an airstream suction source fluidly connected to the cyclonic airflow chamber for transporting dirt-containing air from a source of a dirt-containing airstream to the cyclonic airflow chamber, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining the dirt-containing airstream from said source of a dirt-containing airstream to said cyclonic chamber inlet and for maintaining tangential flow of the dirt-containing airstream within the cyclone airflow chamber for separating dirt from the air stream in the cyclonic airflow chamber;
a support element positioned within said dirt separation housing and mounting a separator plate that forms a toroidal chamber within the dirt separation housing with a cylindrical side wall and upper wall of the dirt separation housing;
a dirt-collecting bin beneath the separator plate within the dirt separation housing and forming a dirt collecting chamber; and
wherein the relative cross-sectional areas of the separator plate with respect to the housing cross sectional area at the separator plate is in the range of 0.75 to 0.95. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
-
Specification