CYCLONIC SEPARATION APPARATUS

• US 20130091814A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/12/2011
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: SMITH, Kevin
• Application Number:
  US13/649,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20130091814A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 55/345
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1633 Concentric cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles

Abstract

A cyclonic separation apparatus for a vacuum cleaner, the cyclonic separation apparatus comprising: a first cyclonic separating unit comprising a hollow substantially cylindrical dirt container with a central axis, an air inlet port arranged tangentially through a side wall of the dirt container and an air outlet; and a second cyclonic separating unit comprising at least one cyclone with an air inlet port and an air outlet port, wherein the second cyclonic separating unit receives air flow downstream from the first cyclonic separating unit, wherein the second cyclonic separating unit is located within the dirt container and wherein the second cyclonic separating unit is detachably connected to the dirt container for removal through either longitudinal end of the dirt container. A vacuum cleaner comprising a motor coupled to a fan and the cyclonic separation apparatus.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner having a cyclonic separation apparatus, the cyclonic separation apparatus comprising:

a first cyclonic separating unit comprising a hollow substantially cylindrical dirt container with a longitudinal central axis, an air inlet port arranged tangentially through a side wall of the dirt container and an air outlet;

a second cyclonic separating unit comprising at least one cyclone with an air inlet port and an air outlet port;

wherein the second cyclonic separating unit receives air flow downstream from the first cyclonic separating unit, wherein the second cyclonic separating unit is located within the dirt container; and

characterised in that the second cyclonic separating unit is detachably connected to the dirt container for removal through either longitudinal end of the dirt container.

2. The vacuum cleaner in claim 1, wherein the first cyclonic separating unit comprises an openable door at a longitudinal end of the dirt container and the second cyclonic separating unit is located near or at an opposite longitudinal end of the dirt container.

3. The vacuum cleaner in claim 2, wherein the cyclonic separation apparatus comprises an intermediate wall defining a chamber arranged within the dirt container and around the air inlet port of the or each cyclone, wherein the intermediate wall comprises an air permeable wall arranged as the air flow outlet from the dirt container to the chamber and wherein the intermediate wall is detachably connected to the first cyclonic separating unit and/or the second cyclonic separating unit.

4. The vacuum cleaner in claim 3, wherein the air permeable wall is detachably connected to the intermediate wall.

5. The vacuum cleaner in claim 3, wherein the intermediate wall comprises a bulkhead arranged to divide a discharge nozzle of the or each cyclone from the chamber and wherein the bulkhead is detachably connected to the intermediate wall.

6. The vacuum cleaner in claim 5, wherein the cyclonic separation apparatus comprises a funnel arranged about the discharge nozzle of the or each cyclone, wherein the funnel comprises a conical wall tapered towards the door of the dirt container to convey material separated by the second cyclonic separating unit to a part of the dirt container isolated by the funnel from air flow in the first cyclonic separating unit and wherein the funnel is detachably connected to the intermediate wall.

7. The vacuum cleaner in claim 6, wherein a longitudinal end wall of the funnel is in a complementary mating arrangement with the door of the dirt container.

8. The vacuum cleaner in claim 5, wherein the intermediate wall comprises an impermeable wall around each cyclone and wherein the impermeable wall is detachably connected to the intermediate wall.

9. The vacuum cleaner in claim 5, wherein each cyclone comprises:

a cyclone body divided into a hollow generally cylindrical portion and a hollow generally frustro-conical portion depending from the cylindrical portion;

the discharge nozzle is located at a longitudinal end of the frustro-conical portion;

the air inlet port arranged tangentially through a side of the cylindrical portion; and

the air outlet port through an opposite longitudinal end of the cylindrical portion.

10. The vacuum cleaner in claim 9, wherein the second cyclonic separating unit comprises a vortex finder assembly comprising a planar base surrounding a vortex finder of the air outlet port of the or each cyclone, wherein the base abuts the cylindrical portion of the or each cyclone and wherein the vortex finder assembly is detachably connected to the or each of cyclone.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, further comprising:

a motor coupled to a fan for generating air flow; and

wherein the cyclonic separation apparatus is located in a path of the air flow generated by the fan, wherein the at least one cyclone comprises a generally circular array of cyclones and wherein the motor is nested within the generally circular array of cyclones.

12. The vacuum cleaner in claim 11, wherein the motor and the fan are housed in a motor fan housing and wherein the motor fan housing is detachably connected to the cyclonic separation apparatus.

13. The vacuum cleaner in claim 11, wherein the vacuum cleaner comprises an outlet duct for ducting the path of air flow between the first cyclonic separation apparatus and the fan.