Upright vacuum cleaner with cyclonic airflow

• US 6,260,234 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1999
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Stephens, Paul D., Thur, Charles J., Wright, Michael F., Cipolla, Mark E., Latimer, Brett, Barbeck, Craig J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Warden, Sr., Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Snider, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US09/415,363
• Time in Patent Office: 648 Days
• Field of Search: 153/47, 153/50, 153/52, 153/53, 553/37, 554/29
• US Class Current: 15/353
• 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 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1692 Other shaped material, e.g. perforated or porous sheets
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 50/20 Combinations of devices covered by groups B01D45/00 and B01D46/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 2009/004 with internal filters, in the cyclone chamber or in the vortex finder
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/13 formed as a vortex finder and extending into the vortex chamber exits with bulkheads preventing reverse flow vortex B04C3/00; Discharge from vortex finder otherwise than at the top of the cyclone; Devices for controlling the overflow
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 9/00 Combinations with other devices, e.g. fans, expansion chambers, diffusors, water lockswith filters B01D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a first housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber and a second housing defining a main suction opening that is in communication with an inlet of the cyclonic chamber. A suction source has a suction airstream inlet in communication with an outlet of the cyclonic chamber, and establishes a suction airstream that enters said main suction opening, passes through said cyclonic chamber, and passes to an outlet of said suction source. A substantial portion of particulates entrained in the suction airstream are separated therefrom when said suction airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion through the cyclonic chamber. A main filter assembly, preferably including filter medium comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is located in the cyclonic chamber so that a suction airstream moving from the main suction opening to the inlet of said suction source by way of the cyclonic airflow chamber passes through the filter medium thereof after said airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion within the cyclonic airflow chamber to remove residual particulates from the suction airstream before it leaves the cyclonic chamber. A HEPA filter can be provided to filter the suction airstream exhausted through the outlet of the suction source prior to the airstream being discharged from the vacuum.

Claims

1. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

an upright housing;

a nozzle base hingedly interconnected with the upright housing, said nozzle base including a main suction opening in an underside thereof;

a cyclonic airflow chamber defined in said upright housing and adapted for separating dust and dirt from an airstream, said main suction opening being in fluid communication with said cyclonic airflow chamber;

an airflow source located in one of said upright housing and nozzle base and having an airflow inlet in fluid communication with said cyclonic airflow chamber and an airflow outlet;

a main filter assembly located in said cyclonic airflow chamber for filtering dust and dirt from the airstream that passes through said cyclonic airflow chamber, said main filter assembly extending upwardly within said cyclonic airflow chamber from a floor of a dirt container portion of said housing that defines a lower portion of said cyclonic airflow chamber and that is adapted for receiving and retaining dirt and dust separated from said airstream;

a conduit depending into said cyclonic airflow chamber from an upper wall of said housing, said conduit axially aligned and mating with an upper end of said main filter assembly whereby said main filter assembly and said conduit together define a hollow column structure in said cyclonic airflow chamber.

2. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

a final filter assembly connected in fluid communication with said airflow outlet of said airflow source and adapted for filtering said airstream exhausted by said airflow source prior to said airstream being dispersed into the atmosphere, wherein said final filter assembly comprises a high efficiency particulate arrest (HEPA) filter medium.

3. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 wherein said airflow source is housed in said nozzle base and communicates with said cyclonic airflow chamber through said depending conduit, and wherein said main suction opening in said nozzle base communicates with said cyclonic airflow chamber through an airstream inlet located at an upper portion of said cyclonic airflow chamber, whereby, upon activation of said airflow source, dust and dirt from a surface being cleaned are entrained in the airstream, said airstream traveling:

(a) from said main suction opening in said nozzle base upwardly and into said cyclonic airflow chamber through said airstream inlet;

(b) downwardly from said airstream inlet and in a cyclonic fashion within said cyclonic airflow chamber so that said entrained dust and dirt are separated from said suction airstream and deposited in said dirt container portion;

(c) through said main filter assembly and upwardly through said depending conduit; and

,

(d) downwardly to said airflow source housed in said nozzle base.

4. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 3 wherein said main filter assembly includes a main filter element that comprises an expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane.

5. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 4 wherein said main filter element comprises a filter medium for blocking at least 99% of particles having a size of at least 0.3 μ

m.

6. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dirt container portion, including said main filter assembly, is adapted for pivoting movement between an open position, providing access to an interior region of said dirt container portion, and a closed position wherein said dirt container portion, together with an upper portion of said housing, defines said cyclonic airflow chamber.

7. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 6 wherein said main filter assembly projects upwardly from said floor of said dirt container portion to an upper end of said filter assembly located at a height that corresponds to a height of an upper edge of said dirt container portion, and wherein said depending conduit projects downwardly from said upper housing wall to a lower edge located at a height that corresponds to a height of a lower edge of said upper housing portion, said upright vacuum cleaner further comprising:

a gasket connected to one of said lower edge of said depending conduit and upper end of said main filter assembly, said gasket effecting a fluid-tight seal between said depending conduit and said main filter assembly when said dirt container portion is in its closed position.

8. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 7, wherein said lower edge of said upper housing member, said upper edge of said dirt container portion, and said upper end of said main filter assembly are arranged parallel to each other and are each inclined relative to a horizontal plane when said dirt container is in its closed position.

9. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

an auxiliary filter element positioned in said depending conduit and adapted to filter said airstream before said airstream passes to said airflow source.

10. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a first housing member comprising a cyclonic airflow chamber adapted for separating entrained dirt and dust from a circulating airstream;

a second housing member defining a main suction opening;

a first conduit for fluidically connecting said main suction opening to an inlet of said cyclonic airflow chamber;

an airstream source having an airstream inlet and a an airstream outlet and adapted for generating and maintaining an airstream flowing from said inlet to said outlet; and

,

a main filter assembly including a filter medium and located in said first housing member so that the airstream moving from said main suction opening passes through said filter medium after said airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion within said cyclonic airflow chamber.

11. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 10 wherein said main filter assembly is cylindrical in shape.

12. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 11 wherein said filter medium of said main filter assembly comprises a pleated planar material.

13. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 11 wherein said filter medium of said main filter assembly is supported on an internal open framework cylindrical support structure.

14. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 11 wherein said main filter assembly is arranged coaxial with a central longitudinal axis of said cyclonic airflow chamber.

15. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 14 wherein said inlet of said cyclonic airflow chamber is horizontally oriented and arranged so that the airstream entering said cyclonic airflow chamber through said inlet of said cyclonic chamber moves cyclonically about said main filter assembly.

16. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 10, wherein said filter medium of said main filter assembly blocks passage of at least 99% of particulates that have a size of at least 0.3 μ

m.

17. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 10 further comprising:

an auxiliary filter for filtering particulates from the airstream exiting said cyclonic airflow chamber.

18. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising;

an upright housing comprising a socket for holding a selectively removable dirt cup that at least partially defines a dirt separation chamber for separating contaminants from an airstream, said housing further defining an airstream inlet to said dirt separation chamber and an airstream outlet from said dirt separation chamber;

a nozzle base pivotably connected to said upright housing and including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidically connected with said chamber inlet; and

,

an airstream source, located in one of said upright housing and said nozzle base, for selectively establishing and maintaining a flow of the airstream;

a main filter assembly comprising a main filter element positioned in the dirt separation chamber to cover said chamber outlet, said main filter element filtering residual contaminants from said airstream prior to said airstream exiting said chamber.

19. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

an upright housing defining an airflow chamber for separating dirt from an airstream, said chamber at least partially defined by a dirt cup that collects dirt separated from said airstream in said chamber, said dirt cup selectively removable from a remainder of said upright housing for emptying;

a nozzle base hingedly interconnected with the upright housing, said nozzle base including a main suction opening;

a suction source located in one of said upright housing and nozzle base and being in fluid communication with both said main suction opening and said airflow chamber;

a main filter element operably positioned in said airflow chamber for filtering dirt from said airstream before said airstream exits said airflow chamber; and

,

a support element for releasably connecting said main filter element to said dirt cup.

20. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 19 further comprising:

a final filter element connected in fluid communication with said airflow chamber and positioned adjacent an outlet from which said airstream is exhausted from said upright housing into the atmosphere, said final filter element adapted for filtering an airstream exhausted from said airflow chamber prior to said airstream being dispersed into the atmosphere.

21. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 19 wherein said main filter element includes a cleanable filter material.

22. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 21, wherein said cleanable filter material is pleated and comprises a plastic material.

23. An upright vacuum cleaner apparatus comprising:

a nozzle defining a main suction opening in a base portion;

a suction source in fluid communication with said main suction opening, the suction source being disposed in the base portion;

a housing including a handle and being hingedly connected to the base portion, the housing including a dirt cup comprising an airflow chamber in fluid communication with said suction source for imparting a flow pattern to an airstream that flows from said nozzle through said airflow chamber, whereby a portion of particulates entrained in said airstream is separated from said airstream leaving residual particulates entrained in said airstream;

a filter assembly located in said dirt cup and including a filter member placed in covering relation with an outlet of said airflow chamber whereby said residual particulates entrained in said airstream are blocked from exiting said airflow chamber, said filter assembly being selectively removable from said housing; and

,

wherein the dirt cup collects said portion of particulates separated from said airstream, and is selectively removable from a socket defined in said housing.

24. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said filter member comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material.

25. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said filter member comprises a porous thermoplastic material.

26. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said filter assembly further comprises:

a filter support located in said airflow chamber and adapted to releasably support said filter member in covering relation with said outlet of said airflow chamber.

27. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 23, wherein said portion of particulates collected in said dirt cup defines a supplemental filter medium for filtering a portion of said airstream that passes through said supplemental filter medium.

28. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a nozzle section;

a housing section pivotably connected to said nozzle section and in fluid communication with said nozzle section;

a dirt cup removably located in said housing section, said dirt cup comprising a dirt separation chamber for separating dirt and dust from an airstream that flows therethrough;

a suction source for the airstream;

a filter construction located in said dirt separation chamber and comprising;

(i) a filter holder; and

, (ii) a filter element held by said filter holder adjacent an outlet of said dirt separation chamber for filtering the airstream before it exits said dirt separation chamber.

29. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 28, wherein said filter construction is located in and connected to said dirt cup.

30. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 29, further comprising a latch for selectively fixedly securing an upper portion of said dirt cup to said housing section.

31. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 28, wherein said filter holder comprises an airflow screen.

32. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 28, wherein the filter construction is disposed relative to the dirt separation chamber such that the airstream is partially filtered by the dirt separation chamber before said airstream contacts said filter element.

33. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing comprising a dirt separation chamber at least partially defined by a removable dirt cup, said dirt separation chamber separating dirt from an airstream flowing through said chamber by imparting a flow pattern to said airstream, and said dirt cup receiving and retaining dirt separated from said airstream in said dirt separation chamber;

a nozzle having a suction opening, said suction opening fluidically connected to said dirt separation chamber;

a suction source for establishing and maintaining the airstream that flows at least into said suction opening, into said dirt separation chamber, and out of said dirt separation chamber;

a filter support secured to said dirt cup;

a filter element releasably secured to said filter support and positioned to filter said airstream before said airstream exits said dirt separation chamber.

34. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 33, wherein said housing defines a region for receiving and supporting a lower portion of said removable dirt cup and a latch for selectively fixedly securing an upper portion of said dirt cup to said housing.

35. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 33, wherein said filter element is disposed to be covered by at least a portion of said separated dirt retained in said dirt cup.

36. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a base portion including a suction source;

an upright housing section hingedly connected to the base portion;

a dirt cup removably positioned in said upright housing section; and

a filter located in and removable with said dirt cup for filtering an associated airstream passing through said dirt cup.

37. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 36, wherein said filter is releasably secured to said dirt cup and wherein said dirt cup and filter are movable as a unit relative to said upright housing section.