VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20130160232A1
• Filed: 12/21/2012
• Published: 06/27/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: PEACE, Michael James
• Granted Patent: US 9,211,046 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/353
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/06 with rotary fans
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/16 Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1633 Concentric cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1658 Construction of outlets
• 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 9/322 for hand-supported suction cleaners

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner comprising a cyclonic separating apparatus including a dirty air inlet, a main body connected to the cyclonic separating apparatus and a motor and fan unit for generating an airflow through the cyclonic separating apparatus from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, wherein the cyclonic separating apparatus includes at least a first cyclonic cleaning stage and an elongate filter arranged fluidly downstream from the first cyclonic cleaning stage, the elongate filter being housed in a duct at least partially surrounded by the first cleaning stage, and wherein the filter comprises an inlet portion and a filter portion defining a generally tubular filter chamber, the inlet portion including one or more radially facing inlets to permit air to flow into the inlet portion in a radial direction from where the air flows from the inlet portion to the filter chamber in an axial direction.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a cyclonic separating apparatus including a dirty air inlet, a main body connected to the cyclonic separating apparatus and a motor and fan unit for generating an airflow through the cyclonic separating apparatus from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, wherein the cyclonic separating apparatus includes at least a first cyclonic cleaning stage and an elongate filter arranged fluidly downstream from the first cyclonic cleaning stage, the elongate filter being housed in a duct at least partially surrounded by the first cleaning stage, and wherein the filter comprises an inlet portion and a filter portion defining a generally tubular filter chamber, the inlet portion including one or more radially facing inlets to permit air to flow into the inlet portion in a radial direction from where the air flows from the inlet portion to the filter chamber in an axial direction.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, including a plurality of inlet apertures spaced angularly about the inlet portion.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter portion defines a filter wall having a longitudinal axis generally parallel with a longitudinal axis of the cyclonic separating apparatus such that air can flow through the wall from the filter chamber in a radial direction.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the inlet portion defines a filter cap that is engageable within a complementary shaped aperture in the separating apparatus, and wherein the filter cap defines an outer surface of the cyclonic separating apparatus.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter portion is an elongate sock filter.

6. The vacuum cleaner claim 1, wherein the inlet portion includes a plurality of radially facing inlets, and wherein each of the inlets is aligned with a respective one or more air channels defined by a cyclone outlet manifold of the separating apparatus.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the inlet portion includes a first sealing member above the one or more radially facing inlets and a second sealing member below the one or more radially facing inlets.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a second cyclonic cleaning stage arranged fluidly downstream from the first cyclonic cleaning stage.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein the first cyclonic cleaning stage, the second cyclonic cleaning stage and the filter are concentric about a common axis.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter extends along the duct to a point below the first cyclonic cleaning stage and near to the base of the separating apparatus.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the vacuum cleaner is a handheld vacuum cleaner and includes a handle by which a user can carry the vacuum cleaner, in use.

12. A vacuum cleaner comprising a cyclonic separating apparatus including a dirty air inlet, a main body connected to the cyclonic separating apparatus and a motor and fan unit for generating an airflow through the cyclonic separating apparatus from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, wherein the cyclonic separating apparatus includes at least a first cyclonic cleaning stage and an elongate filter arranged fluidly downstream from the first cyclonic cleaning stage, the elongate filter being housed in a duct at least partially surrounded by the first cleaning stage, and wherein the filter comprises an inlet portion and a filter portion, the inlet portion including one or more inlets to permit air to flow into the inlet portion, wherein the inlet portion includes a cover portion that is receivable in the separating apparatus such that the cover portion defines at least a part of an outer surface of the separating apparatus.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the one or more inlets are arranged to permit air to flow into the inlet portion in a radial direction.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, including a plurality of radially facing inlets arranged about the circumference of the inlet portion.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein each of the inlets is aligned with a respective air channel defined by a cyclone outlet manifold of the separating apparatus.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein the inlet portion includes a first sealing member above the one or more inlets and a second sealing member below the one or more inlets.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein the first sealing member is provided about the periphery of the cover portion and seals against a complementary shaped aperture in an exhaust manifold of the separating apparatus.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, including a second cyclonic cleaning stage located downstream of the first cyclonic cleaning stage, the second cyclonic cleaning stage comprising a plurality of cyclones arranged fluidly in parallel about an axis, and wherein the duct is in communication with an outlet passage which extends between two of the cyclones in the second cyclonic cleaning stage and defines an outlet port.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein the outlet port is centred on an axis that is substantially orthogonal with the axis of the second cyclonic cleaning stage.

20. A filter for a vacuum cleaner comprising a generally tubular inlet portion carrying a generally tubular filter media portion defining an interior chamber having an axis, the inlet portion including one or more radially facing inlets such that a radial air path is defined for air to flow into the inlet portion and an axial air flow path is defined for air to flow from the inlet portion to the interior chamber.

21. The filter of claim 20, wherein the filter media portion includes a filter wall and an end cap such that air flows through the wall from the interior chamber in a radial direction.

22. The filter of claim 20, wherein the inlet portion includes a cover portion.

23. The filter of claim 22, wherein the cover portion has a peripheral edge provided with a sealing member.

24. The filter of claim 23, wherein the inlet portion has a further sealing member extending about the circumference of the inlet portion below the one or more radially facing inlets.

25. The filter of claim 20, including a plurality of inlets spaced angularly about the inlet portion.