Dual Stage Cyclone Vacuum Cleaner

• US 20090031525A1
• Filed: 12/22/2006
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Techtronic Floor Care Technology Limited (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Kawolics, Raymond P. JR., Makarov, Sergey V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,438,700 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/347
• 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 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/20 Means for cleaning filters

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a home cleaning appliance including a housing having a nozzle, which includes a main suction opening. An airstream suction source is mounted to the housing and includes a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet. A cyclone main body is mounted to the housing and communicates with the nozzle main suction opening. The cyclone main body includes a first stage separator and a plurality of second stage separators. A dirt cup is connected to the cyclone main body for collecting dust particles separated by the first stage separator and the plurality of second stage separators. An air manifold is mounted to the first stage separator for fluidly connecting the first stage separator to the plurality of second stage separators.

Claims

1. A home cleaning appliance comprising:

a housing comprising a nozzle, including a main suction opening;

an airstream suction source, mounted to said housing and including a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining a flow of air from said nozzle main suction opening to said airstream outlet;

a cyclone main body mounted to said housing and in communication with said nozzle main suction opening, said cyclone main body including a first stage separator and a plurality of second stage separators;

a dirt cup connected to said cyclone main body for collecting dust particles separated by said first stage separator and said plurality of second stage separators;

an air manifold mounted to said first stage separator for fluidly connecting said first stage separator to said plurality of second stage separators, said air manifold including;

a top wall and a side wall which cooperate to direct partially cleaned air from said first stage separator to said plurality of second stage separators,

a mounting assembly connected to said side wall and configured to secure said plurality of second stage separators to said air manifold, and

an outer cover connected to said mounting assembly, said outer cover encircling said plurality of second stage separators; and

a cover connected to said air manifold for directing air discharged from said plurality of second stage separators to said inlet of said airstream suction source.

2. The home cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein said air manifold is separated into a plurality of first isolated air conduits by a plurality of first dividing walls, each air conduit having an air outlet located on said side wall for directing a volume of partially cleaned air generally tangentially into an inlet of each second stage separator.

3. The home cleaning appliance of claim 2, further comprising a perforated tube disposed within said first stage separator for fluidly connecting said first stage separator to said plurality of second stage separators, said perforated tube including a cylindrical section, and a plurality of openings located around a portion of the circumference of said cylindrical section.

4. The home cleaning appliance of claim 3, wherein said perforated tube is separated into a plurality of isolated second air conduits by a plurality of second dividing walls extending longitudinally through said perforated tube, said plurality of second air conduits communicating with said plurality of first air conduits.

5. The home cleaning appliance of claim 4, wherein each second dividing wall includes a first end secured to an interior surface of said cylindrical section and a second end secured to a tubular member disposed within said perforated tube.

6. The home cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein said mounting assembly includes an upper radial flange and a lower radial flange, each radial flange including a cutout dimensioned to at least partially receive one of said plurality of second stage separators.

7. The home cleaning appliance of claim 6, further including at least one strengthening member extending between said upper and lower flanges, said at least one strengthening member disposed between adjacent second stage cyclones.

8. The home cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein said top wall is generally funnel-shaped.

9. The home cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein said dirt cup includes:

a first particle collector communicating with said first stage separator for collecting for collecting a first portion of dust particles, and

a separate second particle collector communicating with said plurality of second stage separator for collecting for collecting a second portion of dust particles.

10. The home cleaning appliance of claim 9, wherein said second particle collector includes a plurality of separate fine dust compartments, each fine dust compartment being fluidly connected to one of said plurality of second stage separators.

11. The home cleaning appliance of claim 10, further including a plurality of exterior generally tubular members, each of said tubular members having a first end connected to a respective second stage separator and a second end connected to a respective fine dust compartment, said plurality of tubular members transferring said second portion of dust particles separated by said plurality of downstream separators into said plurality of separate fine dust compartments.

12. The home cleaning appliance of claim 1, further including a generally cylindrical central portion extending longitudinally in said first stage separator, said central portion comprising dead air space.

13. A home cleaning appliance comprising:

a housing comprising a nozzle, including a main suction opening;

an airstream suction source, mounted to said housing and including a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining a flow of air from said nozzle main suction opening to said airstream outlet;

a cyclone main body mounted to said housing and in communication with said nozzle main suction opening, said cyclone main body including a first stage separator and a plurality of second stage separators;

a dirt cup connected to said cyclone main body for collecting dust particles separated by said first stage separator and said plurality of second stage separators; and

a plurality of isolated air conduits for fluidly connecting said first stage separator to said plurality of second stage separators, each conduit including a first section disposed longitudinally within said first stage separator and said dirt cup and a second section for directing a volume of partially cleaned air generally tangentially into an inlet of a respective second stage separator.

14. The home cleaning appliance of claim 13, further comprising a perforated tube disposed within said first stage separator and said dirt cup, said perforated tube including a plurality of spaced apart first dividing walls defining said first sections of said plurality of air conduits.

15. The home cleaning appliance of claim 14, further comprising an air manifold mounted atop said first stage separator, said air manifold including a plurality of spaced apart second dividing walls defining said second sections of said plurality of air conduits.

16. The home cleaning appliance of claim 15, wherein an end section of each first dividing wall is generally contiguous with an adjacent end section of each second dividing wall.

17. A home cleaning appliance comprising:

a housing comprising a nozzle, including a main suction opening;

an airstream suction source, mounted to said housing and including a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining a flow of air from said nozzle main suction opening to said airstream outlet;

a cyclone main body mounted to said housing and in communication with said nozzle main suction opening, said cyclone main body including a first stage separator and a plurality of second stage separators; and

a dirt cup connected to said cyclone main body, said dirt cup including;

a first particle collector communicating with said first stage separator for collecting a first portion of dust particles, and

a separate second particle collector communicating with said plurality of second stage separators for collecting a second portion of dust particles, said second particle collector including a plurality of separate fine dust compartments, each fine dust compartment being fluidly connected to one of said plurality of second stage separators.

18. The home cleaning appliance of claim 17, further including a plurality of generally tubular conduits, each conduit having a first end connected to a respective second stage separator and a second end connected to a respective fine dust compartment, said plurality of conduits transferring said second portion of dust particles separated by said plurality of downstream separators into said plurality of separate fine dust compartments.

19. The home cleaning appliance of claim 18, wherein an inlet of each conduit includes a rounded venturi for reducing air velocities and preventing said second portion of dust particles from being picked up by an air stream exiting each second stage separator.

20. The home cleaning appliance of claim 18, wherein each conduit includes a flow director to retard air from circulating within said conduit.

21. The home cleaning appliance of claim 17, further including a ring-shaped housing connected to said first particle collector for housing said plurality of separated fine dust compartments.

22. A home cleaning appliance comprising:

a nozzle;

a cyclone main body fluidly connected to said nozzle, said cyclone main body comprising;

a first stage cyclonic separator including a cylindrical side wall, wherein cyclonic flow occurs adjacent said side wall,

a plurality of second stage cyclonic separators disposed adjacent said first stage separator and fluidly connected thereto, and

a longitudinally extending generally cylindrical central portion located at least partially in said first stage separator, wherein there is no airflow in said central portion.

23. The home cleaning appliance of claim 22, further comprising an air manifold which fluidly connects said first stage separator and said plurality of second stage separators, wherein said central portion extends in said air manifold.

24. The home cleaning appliance of claim 22, further comprising a filtration stage located downstream from said plurality of second stage separators and wherein said central portion extends in said filtration stage.