PARTICLE SEPARATOR

• US 20090158932A1
• Filed: 03/21/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SharkNinja Operating LLC (JS Global Lifestyle Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Adrian Christopher Arnold
• Inventors: Arnold, Adrian Christopher
• Granted Patent: US 8,097,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 95/271
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1658 Construction of outlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 2009/002 with external filters
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 2009/005 with external rotors, e.g. impeller, ventilator, fan, blower, pump
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 3/00 Apparatus in which the axial direction of the vortex flow following a screw-thread type line remains unchanged ; Devices in which one of the two discharge ducts returns centrally through the vortex chamber, a reverse-flow vortex being prevented by bulkheads in the central discharge duct combined with other devices B04C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 3/06 Construction of inlets or outlets to the vortex chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/081 Shapes or dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/185 Dust collectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

Apparatus for separation of particles from a fluid stream entraining said particles comprises an inlet zone, a centrifugal separation zone, particles collection means and exhaust means, in which the inlet and separation zones are in communication via a transition zone for inducing vortical flow in the fluid stream, the transition zone having a diameter greater than the diameter of the inlet zone and comprising means defining an outlet port to the separation zone, an entry port being formed in the transition zone upstream of the baffle means, the entry and outlet ports being mutually arranged to minimise fluid perturbation in the fluid stream in use.

Claims

1. An apparatus for separating particles from a fluid stream, comprising an inlet zone, a centrifugal separation zone, particles collection means and exhaust means, in which the inlet and separation zones are in communication via a transition zone for inducing vortical flow in the fluid stream, the transition zone having a diameter greater than the diameter of the inlet zone and comprising means defining an outlet port to the separation zone, an entry port being formed in the transition zone upstream of the baffle means, the entry and outlet ports being mutually arranged to minimise fluid perturbation in the fluid stream in use.

2. (canceled)

3. (canceled)

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5. (canceled)

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12. (canceled)

13. A method for separation of particles from a fluid stream entraining said particles, the method comprising passing said stream is in essentially linear flow through apparatus comprising an inlet zone and a centrifugal separation zone, in which the stream passes through a transition zone between the inlet and separation zones to induce a vortical flow pathway in the separation zone with minimal fluid perturbation in passing through the transition zone.

14. (canceled)

15. A particle separator for separating particles from a fluid stream, comprising:

a separation container having a first end and an opposed second end;

a separation chamber having a closed inlet end and an open outlet end in the container and having a dimension less than the separation container for forming a collection chamber in the container in the space around the separation chamber;

an inlet duct extending from outside the separation container into the one end of the separation container for introducing the fluid stream into the separation chamber and having an end adapted to introduce helical flow in the fluid stream;

an exhaust duct extending from within the separation chamber to outside the one end of the container;

wherein a fluid stream leaving the end of the inlet duct travels in helical flow around the exhaust duct to the end of the separation chamber and changes direction and flows out the exhaust duct; and

as the fluid stream changes direction particles in the fluid stream are urged outside the separation chamber and collected in the collection chamber.

16. The particle separator of claim 15, wherein the separation chamber is substantially cylindrical.

17. The particle separator of claim 15, wherein the separation chamber is substantially conical.

18. The particle separator of claim 17, wherein the separation chamber is frusto-conical in shape.

19. The particle separator of claim 17, wherein the separation chamber is an inverted cone.

20. The particle separator of claim 15, wherein the inlet duct and outlet duct are coaxial.

21. The particle separator of claim 15, wherein the exhaust duct is substantially tubular.

22. The particle separator of claim 15, wherein the inlet and outlet ducts are of substantially the same cross-sectional area.

23. The particle separator of claim 21, wherein the inlet portion of the exhaust duct in the separation zone include a plurality of apertures.

24. The particle separator of claim 23, wherein the apertures are longitudinal slots.

25. The particle separator of claim 15, wherein the inlet duct enters the separation container at one end and the exhaust duct is at the opposite end thereof.

26. The particle separator of claim 15, wherein the inlet duct and outlet duct are at the same end of the separation container.

27. The particle separator of claim 15, wherein the inlet duct feeds the fluid stream into the separation chamber tangential to the inner wall of the separation chamber.