Dust collecting device for vacuum cleaner

• US 20070084161A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 04/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yoo, Dong-hun
• Granted Patent: US 7,635,400 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/345
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series 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: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A dust collecting device of a vacuum cleaner includes a first cyclone unit comprising a first cyclone chamber where the air enters through a first inlet and spins, and a first dust collecting chamber where dust separated from the air is collected; and a second cyclone unit comprising a second cyclone chamber where the air, discharged from the first cyclone unit, enters through a second inlet and spins, and one or more dust collecting parts formed on a circumference of a second cyclone body to separate minute dust from the air upon contacting with the air spinning within the second cyclone chamber. Accordingly, efficiency in collecting minute dust by the dust collecting device increases.

Claims

1. A dust collecting device of for mounting to a body of a vacuum cleaner to separate dust from an externally drawn air by using centrifugal force, the dust collecting device comprising:

a first cyclone unit comprising a first cyclone chamber where the externally drawn air enters through a first inlet and spins, and a first dust collecting chamber where dust separated from the externally drawn air is collected; and

a second cyclone unit comprising a second cyclone chamber where air, discharged from the first cyclone unit, enters through a second inlet and spins, and one or more dust collecting parts formed on a circumference of a second cyclone body to separate minute dust from the air upon contacting with the air spinning within the second cyclone chamber.

2. The dust collecting device of claim 1, wherein the one or more dust collecting parts comprise:

a second dust collecting chamber formed within a pocket which comprises an outerwadly-protruding part of the sidewall of the second cyclone body, the second cyclone body housing the second cyclone chamber therewithin; and

a screen comprising one or more dust passing holes to let minute dust, which is separated from the air spinning in the second cyclone chamber, into the second dust collecting chamber, the screen blocking between the second dust collecting chamber and the second cyclone chamber.

3. The dust collecting device of claim 2, wherein one side of the screen facing the second cyclone chamber is at the same plane as an inner circumference of the second cyclone body so as not to generate any difference of height.

4. The dust collecting device of claim 2, wherein one or more dust passing holes comprise a plurality of the dust passing holes formed in a manner such that an area for passing the minute dust gradually decreases as farther away from the second inlet, and

each of the plurality of dust passing holes has an inlet facing the second cyclone chamber and an outlet being smaller than the inlet and facing the second dust collecting chamber.

5. The dust collecting device of claim 2, wherein the one or more dust passing holes comprise an inner circumference that is inclined with respect to a radial direction of the second cyclone chamber such that an advancing direction of the minute dust passing through the one or more dust passing holes is at an acute angle with a spinning direction of the air.

6. The dust collecting device of claim 2, wherein the second cyclone unit further comprises a second cover for opening and closing openable upper ends of both of the second cyclone body and the pocket.

7. The dust collecting device of claim 2, wherein the screen is removably disposed on an entrance part of the pocket.

8. The dust collecting device of claim 7, wherein the second cyclone unit further comprises a second air discharge tube formed within the second cyclone body in fluid communication with a second outlet formed in the bottom of the second cyclone body, and a grill formed at an upper inlet of the second air discharge tube, and

the second outlet penetrates a lower sidewall of the second cyclone body such that the air drawn into the second cyclone body through the second outlet ascends toward the grill in a spinning current.

9. The dust collecting device of claim 8, wherein the second cyclone body is connected to an end of a connecting tube that penetrates the sidewall of the first cyclone body such that the second cyclone body is exposed outside of the body of the vacuum cleaner upon mounting,

the first cyclone body comprises an air discharge port for guiding the air from the second cyclone unit into the vacuum cleaner body, and

a first passage is connected with a first outlet which guides the air being discharged from the second inlet and the first cyclone unit, and a second passage is connected with a second outlet which guides the air being discharged from the air discharge port and the second cyclone chamber, and the first and the second passages are formed within the connecting tube and isolated from each other.

10. The dust collecting device of claim 9, wherein the first cyclone unit comprises:

an air inlet tube connected to a lower sidewall of the first cyclone body and forming the first inlet; and

a cyclone receptacle arranged within the first cyclone body, formed in a cylindrical configuration with an open upper end, and connected at a lower sidewall to the first inlet, and

the first cyclone chamber is formed within the cyclone receptacle, and the first dust collecting chamber is formed between an outer wall of the first cyclone receptacle and an inner wall of the first cyclone body.

11. The dust collecting device of claim 10, wherein the first cyclone body is formed in a cylindrical configuration with an open upper end,

the first cyclone unit further comprises a first cover openably covering the open upper end of the first cyclone body, and

the open upper end of the cyclone receptacle and the first cover are arranged at a predetermined distance away from each other to form a first dust discharge port through which the dust, which is separated from the ascending, spinning air inside the first cyclone chamber by the centrifugal force, is drawn into the first dust collecting chamber.

12. The dust collecting device of claim 11, wherein the first cyclone unit further comprises a first air discharge tube in fluid communication with the first outlet, and

the first air discharge tube is arranged within the cyclone receptacle such that the open upper end of the first air discharge tube is positioned on an inner upper end of the cyclone receptacle.

13. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a first cyclone unit comprising a first cyclone chamber where externally drawn air enters through a first inlet and spins, and a first dust collecting chamber where dust separated from the externally drawn air is collected;

a second cyclone unit comprising a second cyclone chamber where air, discharged from the first cyclone unit, enters through a second inlet and spins, and one or more dust collecting parts formed on a circumference of a second cyclone body to separate minute dust from the air upon contacting with the air spinning within the second cyclone chamber, wherein the first and second cyclone units form a dust collecting device;

a vacuum cleaner body;

a mount where the first cyclone unit is seated, a suction passage for guiding the externally drawn air to the mount, and a discharge passage for guiding the air discharged from the mount to the outside of the vacuum cleaner body, wherein the suction passage has an outlet formed within the mount that is connectible with the first inlet in parallel direction with respect to the mounting direction of the first cyclone body.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, wherein the one or more dust collecting parts comprise:

a second dust collecting chamber formed within a pocket which comprises an outerwadly-protruding part of the sidewall of the second cyclone body, the second cyclone body housing the second cyclone chamber therewithin; and

a screen comprising one or more dust passing holes to let minute dust, which is separated from the air spinning in the second cyclone chamber, into the second dust collecting chamber, the screen blocking between the second dust collecting chamber and the second cyclone chamber.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the screen is removably disposed on an entrance part of the pocket.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the second cyclone unit further comprises a second air discharge tube formed within the second cyclone body in fluid communication with a second outlet formed in the bottom of the second cyclone body, and a grill formed at an upper inlet of the second air discharge tube, and

the second outlet penetrates a lower sidewall of the second cyclone body such that the air drawn into the second cyclone body through the second outlet ascends toward the grill in a spinning current.

17. The vacuum of claim 16, wherein the second cyclone body is connected to an end of a connecting tube that penetrates the sidewall of the first cyclone body such that the second cyclone body is exposed outside of the body of the vacuum cleaner upon mounting,

the first cyclone body comprises an air discharge port for guiding the air from the second cyclone unit into the vacuum cleaner body, and

a first passage is connected with a first outlet which guides the air being discharged from the second inlet and the first cyclone unit, and a second passage is connected with a second outlet which guides the air being discharged from the air discharge port and the second cyclone chamber, and the first and the second passages are formed within the connecting tube and isolated from each other.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the first cyclone unit comprises:

an air inlet tube connected to a lower sidewall of the first cyclone body and forming the first inlet; and

a cyclone receptacle arranged within the first cyclone body, formed in a cylindrical configuration with an open upper end, and connected at a lower sidewall to the first inlet, and

the first cyclone chamber is formed within the cyclone receptacle, and the first dust collecting chamber is formed between an outer wall of the first cyclone receptacle and an inner wall of the first cyclone body.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the first cyclone body is formed in a cylindrical configuration with an open upper end,

the first cyclone unit further comprises a first cover openably covering the open upper end of the first cyclone body, and

the open upper end of the cyclone receptacle and the first cover are arranged at a predetermined distance away from each other to form a first-dust discharge port through which the dust, which is separated from the ascending, spinning air inside the first cyclone chamber by the centrifugal force, is drawn into the first dust collecting chamber.

20. The dust collecting device of claim 19, wherein the vacuum cleaner body further comprises an operating lever which is turnably engaged with an upper wall of the mount,

and the operating lever comprises an external lever exposed outside the vacuum cleaner body for turning operation by a user,-and one or more first guide cams formed to face the first cover, and the first cover comprises,

a hook protruding from the upper surface of the first cover to hook in a first hole formed in the operating lever,

a fixing protrusion protruding from the upper surface of the first cover to pass through the first hole and inserted in a hole formed in an upper wall of the mount so as to restraint the first cover from turning when the operating lever turns, and

one or more second guide cams corresponding to the guide cam of the operating lever to raise and lower the first cover according to the turning movement of the operating lever, such that

the first cover ascends and descends according to the turning operation of the operating lever to selectively open the upper end of the first cyclone body.