SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

• US 20110314631A1
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Published: 12/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 9,204,769 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/347
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• 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 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• 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 9/322 for hand-supported suction cleaners

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises a cyclone having an open end dirt outlet and a plate facing the open end, the height of a gap between the plate the open end is not constant.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

(b) a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage;

(c) a cyclone positioned in the air flow passage, the cyclone comprising an air inlet, an air outlet, an open end, a longitudinal axis and a longitudinally extending sidewall;

(d) a plate having a cyclone side facing the open end, the plate positioned to define a gap between the plate and the open end of the cyclone wherein the gap has a variable length in the direction of the longitudinal axis; and

,

(e) a dirt collection chamber in flow communication with the open end.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sidewall of the cyclone has a variable length.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the plate has a plate side wall extending towards the open end and the side wall extends part way around the plate.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein the sidewall of the plate has a constant length.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the sidewall of the plate has a variable length.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sidewall of the cyclone has a first end at the open end, the first end has a perimeter, the gap has a first portion having a first length and a second portion having a second length greater than the first length, and the first length and the second length are constant.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein one of the portions extends up to 210°

of the perimeter.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the second portion extends up to 210°

of the perimeter.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sidewall of the cyclone has a first end at the open end, the first end has a perimeter, the gap has a first portion having a first length and a second portion having a second length, and the first length is variable.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the second portion extends up to 240°

of the perimeter

22. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a portable vacuum cleaner.

23. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 22 wherein the portable vacuum cleaner is removably mountable to an upright vacuum cleaner.

11. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

(b) a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage;

(c) a cyclone positioned in the air flow passage, the cyclone comprising an air inlet, an air outlet, an open end, a longitudinal axis and a longitudinally extending sidewall, the side wall having a variable length; and

,

(d) a dirt collection chamber in flow communication with the open end.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein a first portion of the sidewall is longer than a second portion of the sidewall.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the sidewall has a first end at the open end, the first end has a perimeter and the first portion comprises up to 240 degrees of the perimeter and the second portion comprises from up to 120 degrees of the perimeter.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a plate facing the open end.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the plate is spaced from a front end wall of the surface cleaning apparatus.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein a first portion of the dirt collection chamber is provided between the plate and the front end wall.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein a second portion of the dirt collection chamber surrounds at least a portion of the cyclone.

18. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

(b) a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage;

(c) a cyclone positioned in the air flow passage, the cyclone comprising an air inlet, an air outlet, an open end, a longitudinal axis and a longitudinally extending sidewall;

(d) a plate having a cyclone side facing the open end, the plate positioned to define a gap between the plate and the open end of the cyclone, the plate having a plate sidewall extending towards the open end; and

,

(e) a dirt collection chamber in flow communication with the open end.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the plate sidewall extends part way around the plate.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the sidewall of the plate has a constant length.

21. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the sidewall of the plate has a variable height.

24. (canceled)