FILTER ASSEMBLY FOR A SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS

• US 20130232722A1
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Granted Patent: US 9,492,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/347
• 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 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• 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 9/1608 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 9/20 Means for cleaning filters

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, a cyclone positioned in the air flow passage and having a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and having a cyclone axis, a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage and having a motor axis, and a filter assembly downstream of the cyclone air outlet and upstream of the suction motor, the filter assembly comprising a longitudinally extending filter axis that may be generally parallel to the cyclone axis, spaced apart longitudinally extending upstream and downstream air flow passages and a longitudinally extending filter media therebetween some. In some embodiments, at least a portion of one of the upstream and downstream air flow passages is positioned interior the filter media.

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 cyclone positioned in the air flow passage and having a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and having a cyclone axis;

c) a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage and having a motor axis; and

,

d) a filter assembly downstream of the cyclone air outlet and upstream of the suction motor, the filter assembly comprising a longitudinally extending filter axis that is generally parallel to the cyclone axis, spaced apart longitudinally extending upstream and downstream air flow passages and a longitudinally extending filter media therebetween.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the longitudinally extending filter axis is generally parallel to the motor axis.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter assembly has a downstream end having a dirt collection recess.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter media comprises a hollow body having at least one longitudinally extending peripheral wall.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 4 wherein the filter media is annular.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter assembly has an upstream end and a downstream end and the filter assembly further comprises a longitudinally extending filter support wall having a central portion with a plurality of openings and a solid portion adjacent the downstream end.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the filter assembly further comprises a spaced apart outer wall facing the filter support wall, and the filter media is positioned adjacent the filter support wall and overlies the central portion and at least part of the downstream solid portion.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the filter media is positioned on an outer side of the filter support wall, the longitudinally extending upstream air flow passage is positioned between the outer wall and the filter media and the longitudinally extending downstream air flow passage is positioned on an inner side of the filter support wall.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 8 wherein the filter media is annular and the longitudinally extending downstream airflow passage is positioned inside the filter media.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the longitudinally extending upstream airflow passage has a dirt collection recess at the downstream end.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the filter media is positioned on an inner side of the filter support wall, the longitudinally extending downstream air flow passage is positioned between the outer wall and the filter media and the longitudinally extending upstream air flow passage is positioned on an inner side of the filter support wall.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the filter media is annular and the longitudinally extending upstream airflow passage is positioned inside the filter media.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the longitudinally extending upstream airflow passage has a dirt collection recess at the downstream end.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the longitudinally extending downstream air flow passage has an end open adjacent the upstream end and the filter media also overlies the open end.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the longitudinally extending filter support wall further comprises a solid portion adjacent the upstream end and the filter media also overlies at least part of the upstream solid portion.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 7 wherein the longitudinally extending downstream air flow passage has an end open adjacent the upstream end and the filter media also overlies the open end.

17. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter media comprises a foam filter.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the filter media comprises a longitudinally extending foam filter and a downstream longitudinally extending felt filter.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the filter media is compressed between the upstream and downstream ends.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the filter media is compressed against the filter support wall.

21. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

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

b) a cyclone positioned in the air flow passage and having a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and having a cyclone axis;

c) a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage and having a motor axis; and

,

d) a filter assembly downstream of the cyclone air outlet and upstream of the suction motor, the filter assembly comprising a longitudinally extending filter axis, spaced apart longitudinally extending upstream and downstream air flow passages and a longitudinally extending filter member therebetween wherein at least a portion of one of the upstream and downstream air flow passages is positioned interior the filter media.

22. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein the filter member comprises a hollow body.

23. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 22 wherein the filter member comprises an annular body.

24. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein the filter assembly has an upstream end and a downstream end and the filter assembly further comprises a longitudinally extending filter support wall having a plurality of openings and the filter member is positioned adjacent the filter support wall.

25. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 22 wherein the filter member is positioned on an outer side of a filter support wall, the longitudinally extending upstream air flow passage is positioned between an outer wall and the filter member and the longitudinally extending downstream air flow passage is positioned inside the filter member.

26. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 25 wherein the filter assembly has an upstream end and a downstream end and the longitudinally extending upstream airflow passage has a dirt collection recess at the downstream end.

27. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 22 wherein the filter member is positioned on an inner side of the filter support wall, the longitudinally extending downstream air flow passage is positioned between an outer wall and the filter member and the longitudinally extending upstream air flow passage is positioned inside the filter member.

28. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 27 wherein the filter assembly has an upstream end and a downstream end and the longitudinally extending upstream airflow passage has a dirt collection recess at the downstream end.

29. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein the filter assembly has an upstream end and a downstream end, the longitudinally extending filter support wall has a central portion with a plurality of openings and solid portions adjacent the upstream and downstream ends and the filter member overlies the central portion and at least part of the upstream and downstream solid portions.

30. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein the filter assembly has an upstream end and a downstream end, the longitudinally extending filter support wall has a central portion with a plurality of openings and a solid portion adjacent the downstream end, the filter member overlies the central portion and at least part of the downstream solid portion, the longitudinally extending downstream air flow passage has an end open adjacent the upstream end and the filter member also overlies the open end.

31. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein the longitudinally extending filter axis is generally parallel to the motor axis.

32. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 21 wherein the longitudinally extending filter axis is generally parallel to the cyclone axis.