CYCLONE CHAMBER AND DIRT COLLECTION ASSEMBLY FOR A SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

• US 20120222262A1
• Filed: 03/03/2011
• Published: 09/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 8,973,214 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/412
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• 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 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/242 Hose or pipe couplings
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/26 Incorporation of winding devices for electric cables devices specially adapted for repeatedly paying-out or re-storing cables B65H75/34; arrangements of electrical cables or lines between relatively-movable parts H02G11/00

Abstract

A cyclone bin assembly comprises a cyclone chamber having an air inlet, an air outlet, a dirt outlet and first and second opposed ends. The cyclone bin assembly may comprise a dirt collection chamber in communication with the dirt outlet. The dirt bin may surround at least a portion of the cyclone chamber and comprising first and second portions. The first and second portions may comprise discrete chambers that are separated from each other by a passage extending between the dirt outlet and a wall of the dirt collection chamber. A portion of the wall facing the dirt outlet may extend inwardly towards the dirt outlet.

Claims

1. A cyclone bin assembly comprising:

(a) a cyclone chamber having an air inlet, an air outlet, a dirt outlet and a first opposed end and a second opposed end; and

,

(b) a dirt collection chamber in communication with the dirt outlet and surrounding at least a portion of the cyclone chamber and comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions comprising discrete chambers that are separated from each other by a passage extending between the dirt outlet and a wall of the dirt collection chamber,

wherein a portion of the wall facing the dirt outlet extends inwardly towards the dirt outlet.

2. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the cyclone chamber has a longitudinal axis, the dirt outlet has a height in a direction of the longitudinal axis and the portion of the wall has a height so as to extend along the height of the dirt outlet.

3. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 2 wherein the portion of the wall extends away from the dirt outlet along at least a portion of a length of the cyclone chamber.

4. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection chamber comprises a first opposed end and a second opposed end, the dirt outlet is positioned adjacent the second end of the dirt collection chamber and the passage terminates prior to the first opposed end of the dirt collection chamber.

5. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the portion of the wall facing the dirt outlet extends convexly inwardly towards the dirt outlet.

6. A vacuum cleaner comprising an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, the air flow path including a suction motor in a suction motor housing and the cyclone bin assembly of claim 1, wherein the portion of the wall is configured to seat on a portion of the suction motor housing.

7. A vacuum cleaner comprising an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, the air flow path including a suction motor in a suction motor housing and the cyclone bin assembly of claim 1, wherein the first and second portions are configured to be positioned on opposed sides of the suction motor.

8. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the air inlet and the air outlet are at the first opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

9. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 8 wherein the dirt outlet is spaced from the first opposed end.

10. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 9 wherein the dirt outlet is at the second end of the cyclone chamber.

11. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the cyclone chamber comprises a sidewall extending between the first and second opposed ends and the dirt outlet comprises a slot that is provided in the sidewall adjacent the second end.

12. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 11 wherein a portion of the sidewall terminates prior to the second end and defines a terminal end of the sidewall, the terminal end extending part way around the cyclone chamber.

13. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the dirt outlet has an angular extent around the cyclone chamber and a larger portion of the angular extent of the slot faces the first portion.

14. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 13 wherein the cyclone chamber has a direction of rotation and the first portion is angularly positioned upstream of the second portion in the direction of rotation.

15. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 14 wherein the dirt collection chamber comprises first and second opposed ends, the dirt outlet is positioned adjacent the second end of the dirt collection chamber, the first and second portions have ends first and second sides, the first side positioned adjacent the passage and the second side angularly spaced from the passage, the second portion has a divider wall that extends inwardly towards the second end of the dirt collection chamber from the first opposed end of the dirt collection chamber and the divider wall is spaced from the second side.

16. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 15 wherein the divider wall is positioned adjacent the first side.

17. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the cyclone chamber has a longitudinal axis that is essentially horizontal.

18. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 17 wherein the dirt outlet is provided in a lower portion of the cyclone chamber and has a portion that is positioned at an upper end of the dirt collection chamber.

19. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 17 wherein the dirt outlet has a portion that is positioned at an upper end of one of the first and second portions.

20. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 19 wherein the dirt outlet has a portion that is positioned at an upper end of the first portion.

21. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the portion of the wall is configured to produce an airstream travelling through the passage between the first and second portions that has a velocity that is greater than a velocity of the airstream immediately upstream and downstream of the passage.

22. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 1 wherein the cyclone chamber has a direction of rotation and the first portion is angularly positioned upstream of the second portion in the direction of rotation.

23. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 22 wherein the dirt collection chamber comprises first and second opposed ends, the dirt outlet is positioned adjacent the second end of the dirt collection chamber, the first and second portions have first and second sides, the first side positioned adjacent the passage and the second side angularly spaced from the passage, the second portion has a divider wall that extends inwardly towards the second end of the dirt collection chamber from the first opposed end of the dirt collection chamber and the divider wall is spaced from the second side.

24. The cyclone bin assembly of claim 23 wherein the divider wall is positioned adjacent the first side.