SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS WITH OFF-CENTRE DIRT BIN INLET

• US 20080196194A1
• Filed: 12/10/2007
• Published: 08/21/2008
• 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 8,869,344 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/353
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus is provided. The surface cleaning apparatus comprises a fluid flow path extending from a dirt inlet to a clean fluid outlet, and a fluid flow motor positioned in the fluid flow path. The surface cleaning apparatus further comprises a first cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a cyclone chamber. A dirt chamber is in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber and positioned below the cyclone chamber. The dirt chamber has a dirt chamber inlet that is off-centre.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a) a fluid flow path extending from a dirt inlet to a clean fluid outlet and a fluid flow motor positioned in the fluid flow path;

b) a cyclonic cleaning stage provided in the fluid flow path and comprising a cyclone chamber; and

,

c) at least one dirt chamber in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber and positioned below the cyclone chamber, the dirt chamber having an upper portion proximate the cyclone chamber, a lower portion, a central axis extending vertically between the upper portion and the lower portion, and a dirt chamber inlet spaced from the central axis.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper portion of the dirt chamber has a maximum width, and the dirt chamber inlet is spaced from the central axis by distance of at least 10% of the maximum width.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2, wherein the dirt chamber inlet is spaced from the central axis by distance of at least 15% of the maximum width.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3, the dirt chamber inlet is spaced from the central axis by distance of at least 25% of the maximum width.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cyclonic cleaning stage comprises a single cyclone having a dirt outlet positioned at the dirt chamber inlet, which is defined in an upper surface of the dirt chamber.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a generally transversely extending plate positioned adjacent the dirt chamber inlet.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6, wherein the plate is positioned in the dirt chamber below the dirt chamber inlet.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the upper portion has a perimeter, and the dirt chamber inlet is proximate the perimeter.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cyclone chamber has a longitudinal axis, and the central axis of the dirt chamber is spaced from the longitudinal axis.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dirt chamber is cylindrical.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dirt chamber comprises at least two sidewalls that meet at an angle.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclonic cleaning stage has a maximum cross sectional area in a plane transverse to the a longitudinal axis of the cyclonic cleaning stage and the dirt chamber has a maximum cross sectional area in a plane transverse to the central axis that is larger than the maximum cross sectional area of the cyclonic cleaning stage.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the maximum cross sectional area of the dirt chamber is at least 50% larger than the maximum cross sectional area of the cyclonic cleaning stage.

14. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

a) a fluid flow path extending from a dirt inlet to a clean fluid outlet and a fluid flow motor positioned in the fluid flow path;

b) a first cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a cyclone chamber; and

c) a dirt chamber in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber and positioned below the cyclone chamber, the dirt chamber having a dirt chamber inlet that is off-centre.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dirt chamber has an upper portion proximate the cyclone chamber, a lower portion, and a central axis extending vertically between the upper portion and the lower portion, and the dirt chamber inlet is spaced from the central axis.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dirt chamber has a maximum width, and the dirt chamber inlet is off-centre by a distance of at least 10% of the maximum width.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 16, wherein the dirt chamber inlet is off-centre by a distance of at least 15% of the maximum width.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 17, wherein the dirt chamber inlet is off-centre by a distance of at least 25% of the maximum width.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the surface cleaning apparatus further comprises a generally transversely extending plate positioned adjacent the dirt chamber inlet.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14, wherein a plate is provided in a flow path from the cyclone chamber to the dirt chamber.

21. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 20, wherein the plate is provided in the dirt chamber.

22. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14, wherein the dirt chamber inlet comprises a dirt outlet of the cyclone chamber.

23. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15, wherein the upper portion defines a perimeter, and the dirt chamber inlet is proximate the perimeter.

24. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a second cyclonic cleaning stage downstream from the cyclone.

25. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 24, wherein the second cyclonic cleaning stage comprises a plurality of cyclones in parallel.

26. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 25, wherein the first cyclonic cleaning stage comprises a single cyclone.