Upright vacuum cleaner with cyclonic airflow
First Claim
1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- a housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a suction airstream, said housing further comprising a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic airflow chamber;
a nozzle base including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidically connected with said cyclonic airflow chamber inlet;
an airstream suction source having an inlet fluidically connected to said cyclonic airflow chamber outlet and a suction source exhaust outlet, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining a suction airstream from said nozzle main suction opening to said suction source exhaust outlet;
a main filter assembly positioned centrally within said cyclonic airflow chamber for filtering residual contaminants from said suction airstream prior to exit of said suction airstream from said cyclonic airflow chamber, said main filter assembly comprising a washable, rigid filter element including high-density polyethylene open-celled foam porous filter media.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An upright vacuum cleaner (A) includes an upright housing section (B) and a nozzle section (C). A cyclonic airflow dirt and dust separating chamber (54) is defined in said upright housing section. A suction source (E) pulls air and entrained dirt, dust, and other contaminants through a main suction opening (26) formed in the underside (24) of the nozzle and into the cyclonic airflow chamber (54). The cyclonic airflow chamber causes the suction airstream to travel in a cyclonic path such that the entrained contaminants are separated therefrom and deposited into a dirt container (52) that defines the lower portion of the chamber (54). A main filter assembly (50) includes a main filter element (H) for filtering residual contaminants from the suction airstream between the chamber and the suction source. The main filter element is preferably made from high-density polyethylene porous filter media. A final filter assembly (F) filters the suction airstream discharged by the suction source to ensure that the air discharged into the atmosphere is contaminant free, including those contaminants introduced into the airstream by the suction source itself.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a suction airstream, said housing further comprising a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic airflow chamber; a nozzle base including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidically connected with said cyclonic airflow chamber inlet; an airstream suction source having an inlet fluidically connected to said cyclonic airflow chamber outlet and a suction source exhaust outlet, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining a suction airstream from said nozzle main suction opening to said suction source exhaust outlet; a main filter assembly positioned centrally within said cyclonic airflow chamber for filtering residual contaminants from said suction airstream prior to exit of said suction airstream from said cyclonic airflow chamber, said main filter assembly comprising a washable, rigid filter element including high-density polyethylene open-celled foam porous filter media.
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2. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a suction airstream, said housing further comprising a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic airflow chamber; a nozzle base including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidically connected with said cyclonic airflow chamber inlet; an airstream suction source having an inlet fluidically connected to said cyclonic airflow chamber outlet and a suction source exhaust outlet, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining a suction airstream from said nozzle main suction opening to said suction source exhaust outlet; a main filter assembly positioned in fluid communication between said cyclonic airflow chamber and said suction source for filtering residual contaminants from said suction airstream downstream relative to said cyclonic airflow chamber, said main filter assembly comprising a filter element including high-density polyethylene porous filter media with pores having an average pore size of approximately 45 μ
m to approximately 90 μ
m. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a suction airstream, said housing further comprising a suction airstream inlet and a suction airstream outlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic airflow chamber, wherein a lower portion of said cyclonic airflow chamber is defined by a dirt container for receiving and retaining dirt and dust separated from said suction airstream, said container being pivotable between an operative position and an open position, and including an open upper end defined by an inclined edge such that when said dirt container is pivoted fully into the open position, the inclined edge is located in a substantially horizontal plane to inhibit spillage of the separated dirt and dust; a nozzle base including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidically connected with said cyclonic airflow chamber inlet; an airstream suction source having an inlet fluidically connected to said cyclonic airflow chamber outlet and a suction source exhaust outlet, said suction source selectively establishing and maintaining a suction airstream from said nozzle main suction opening to said suction source exhaust outlet; a main filter assembly positioned in fluid communication between said cyclonic airflow chamber and said suction source for filtering residual contaminants from said suction airstream downstream relative to said cyclonic airflow chamber, said main filter assembly comprising a filter element including high-density polyethylene porous filter media.
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9. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:
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an upright housing section including a handle; a nozzle base section hingedly interconnected with the upright housing section, said nozzle base section including a main suction opening formed in an underside thereof; a cyclonic airflow chamber defined in said upright housing section for separating dust and dirt from a suction airstream; a suction source located in one of said upright housing section and said nozzle base section and having a suction airflow inlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic chamber and a suction airflow outlet; a main filter assembly located in said cyclonic chamber and including a rigid filter element for filtering residual dust and dirt from a suction airstream as said suction airstream exits said cyclonic airflow dust and dirt separating chamber, said filter element comprising rigid, porous high-density polyethylene filter media; and a final filter assembly located on one of said housing and said nozzle base, said final filter assembly being connected in fluid communication with said suction airflow outlet of said suction source for filtering said suction airstream exhausted by said suction source prior to said suction airstream being dispersed into the atmosphere. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:
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an upright housing section including a handle; a nozzle base section hingedly interconnected with the upright housing section, said nozzle base section including a main suction opening formed in an underside thereof; a cyclonic airflow chamber defined in said upright housing section for separating dust and dirt from a suction airstream; a suction source located in one of said upright housing section and said nozzle base section and having a suction airflow inlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic chamber and a suction airflow outlet; a main filter assembly located between said cyclonic chamber and said suction source for filtering residual dust and dirt from a suction airstream after said suction airstream passes through said cyclonic airflow dust and dirt separating chamber, said main filter assembly including a porous high-density polyethylene foam main filter element having a convoluted outer surface that defines at least a first elongated inner filter section and a second elongated filter section, wherein said first and second filter sections are separated by a deep airflow passage; and
,a final filter assembly located on one of said housing and said nozzle base, said final filter assembly being connected in fluid communication with said suction airflow outlet of said suction source for filtering said suction airstream exhausted by said suction source prior to said suction airstream being dispersed into the atmosphere. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a nozzle section; a housing section connected to said nozzle section and in fluid communication with said nozzle section; a cyclonic airflow chamber located in said housing section for separating dirt and dust from a suction airstream flowing into said housing section between an inlet located at a periphery of said housing section and an outlet located at an apex of said housing section; a filter chamber located in said housing section between said cyclonic airflow chamber and said outlet of said housing section, said filter chamber comprising; a first filter housing, and a first filter element mounted in said first filter housing, wherein said first filter element and said first filter housing cooperate to define a tortuous flow path for air flowing from said cyclonic airflow chamber to said outlet of said housing section, said first filter element defining at least a first elongated inner filter section and a second elongated filter section, wherein said first and second filter sections are separated by an annular airflow passage. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
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a nozzle section; a housing section connected to said nozzle section and in fluid communication with said nozzle section, said housing section further comprising a dirt container for receiving and retaining dirt and dust separated from said suction airstream, said container being pivotable between an operative position and an open position and including an open upper end defined by an inclined edge such that when said dirt container is pivoted fully into the open position, the inclined edge is located in a substantially horizontal plane to inhibit spillage of the separated dirt and dust; a cyclonic airflow chamber located in said housing section for separating dirt and dust from a suction airstream flowing into said housing section between an inlet located at a periphery of said housing section and an outlet located at an apex of said housing section; a filter chamber located in said housing section between said cyclonic airflow chamber and said outlet of said housing section, said filter chamber comprising; a first filter housing, and a first filter element mounted in said first filter housing, wherein said first filter element and said first filter housing cooperate to define a tortuous flow path for air flowing from said cyclonic airflow chamber to said outlet of said housing section. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification