SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

• US 20080134460A1
• Filed: 07/26/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 8,146,201 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/335
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/36 Suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing; Suction cleaners for fixing on staircases; Suction cleaners for carrying on the back
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0019 Details of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0038 with means for emptying the tanks
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0042 Gaskets; Sealing means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0027 specially adapted for holding the suction cleaning tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1616 Multiple arrangement thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner comprises adjacent housings, which contain the filtration and suction fan motor assembly of the vacuum cleaner.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a dirt air inlet and a cleaned air outlet and a fluid flow path extending therebetween; and

,

(b) first and second housings positioned side by side, the first housing comprises at least one cyclone and has an exterior wall and the second housing comprises a suction motor wherein the at least one cyclone and the suction motor are part of the fluid flow path.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first and second housings are secured together.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second housings are integrally molded.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein the first and second housings are constructed from a transparent plastic.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the exterior wall of the at least one cyclone forms at least a portion of the exterior wall of the first housing.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surface cleaning apparatus is portable and further comprises a flexible hose positioned between a cleaning tool having the dirt inlet and the first housing and at least one of a strap and a handle.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the strap comprises at least one of a shoulder strap and a waist strap.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising a rigid conduit extending between the cleaning tool and the flexible hose, the rigid conduit having a handle.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second housing includes at least one filter positioned upstream from the suction motor.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the filter is mounted in a filter housing and the housing is removable provided in the second housing and has handles.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein each housing has an upper portion, an air flow passage is provided from the first housing to the second housing and at least one openable lid is provided on the upper portions, whereby, when the lid is opened, the filter is visible.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein when the lid is opened, the airflow passage is accessible.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the second housing further comprises a second cyclonic cleaning stage.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 13 wherein the second cyclonic cleaning stage comprises a plurality of cyclones in parallel.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each housing has an upper portion, an air flow passage is provided from the first housing to the second housing and at least one openable lid is provided on the upper portions, whereby, when the lid is opened, the airflow passage is accessible.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the lid has an inner surface and the airflow passage is defined as a volume between the inner surface of the lid and the upper portions of the first and second housings.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein a single lid closes the upper portions.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first housing has a bottom and a plate is provided in the first housing above the bottom and the bottom of the first housing is openable.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 18 wherein the plate is mounted to the bottom.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first housing comprises a single cyclone and has a bottom, a plate is provided in the first housing above the bottom and the bottom of the first housing is openable.

21. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second housings have a volume and the at least one cyclone has a volume that is at least 40% of the volume of the first and second housings.

22. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 21 wherein the at least one cyclone has a volume that is a least 60% of the volume of the first and second housings.

23. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second housings are each generally vertically extending.

24. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each housing has a height and the ratio of height of the first housing to the height of the second housing is from 0.6:

1 to 1;

0.6.

25. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each housing has a height and the ratio of height of the first housing to the height of the second housing is from 0.75:

1 to 1;

0.75.

26. The surface cleaning apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein each housing has a height and the ratio of height of the first housing to the height of the second housing is from 0.9:

1 to 1;

0.9.