Vacuum cleaner having a cyclone type dust collecting apparatus

• US 6,406,505 B1
• Filed: 01/10/2001
• Issued: 06/18/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Park, Kyu-chang, Ko, Jang-youn, Oh, Jang-keun
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US09/758,904
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 553/37, 554/28, 554/32, 554/33, 554/591, 55D/IG.3, 153/50, 153/53
• US Class Current: 55/337
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• 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: B01D 45/12 by centrifugal forces centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C
• 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 5/185 Dust collectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body, a suction brush, through which air and contaminants are drawn in, and a cyclone type dust collecting device. The cleaner body has a motor driving chamber and a dust collecting chamber in communication with the motor driving chamber. The cyclone type dust collecting device is mounted in the dust collecting chamber and separates by centrifugal force the contaminants from the air. The cyclone type dust collecting device includes a hollow cylindrical cyclone body having an open top, a closed bottom, and a contaminant outlet. The open top allows air and contaminants into the cyclone body, where the contaminants are separated from the air by centrifugation. The contaminants are then discharged from the cyclone body through the contaminant outlet. The cyclone type dust collecting device further includes a contaminant receptacle for collecting the contaminants discharged through the contaminant outlet, a base member hingedly connected to the contaminant receptacle, and a cover for covering the top of the cyclone body. The cover has an air inlet passage, through which air and contaminants drawn in through the suction brush enter into the cyclone body, an air outlet passage, through which the air is discharged from the cyclone body, and a contaminant separating grill. The grill extends downward from the air outlet passage into the cyclone body and has a plurality of fine holes.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a cleaner body having a motor driving chamber and a dust collecting chamber in communication with the motor driving chamber;

a suction brush through which contaminants and air are drawn in; and

cyclone type dust collecting means mounted in the dust collecting chamber for separating the contaminants from the air by a centrifugation, the cyclone type dust collecting means comprising;

a hollow cylindrical cyclone body having an open top, a closed bottom, and a contaminant outlet, the open top allowing air and contaminants into the cyclone body, the cyclone body separating contaminants from the air by centrifugation, the contaminant outlet allowing the contaminants that have been separated from the air by centrifugation to pass through;

a contaminant receptacle covering the bottom and a portion of an outer surface of the cyclone body, the contaminant receptacle collecting the contaminants discharged through the contaminant outlet;

a base member pivotally coupled to the bottom of the contaminant receptacle; and

a cover for covering the top of the cyclone body, the cover having an air inlet passage through which air and contaminants drawn in through the suction brush enter into the cyclone body, an air outlet passage through which the air is discharged from the cyclone body, and a contaminant separating grill,

the grill extending downward from the air outlet passage and having a plurality of fine holes.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising filtering means for filtering the air which is discharged through the air outlet.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the filtering means comprises:

an air filter;

a filter case housing the air filter, the filter case having an air inlet and an air outlet, the air outlet communicating with the motor driving chamber, the filter case being mounted in the dust collecting chamber; and

an air duct for connecting the air outlet passage to the air inlet of the filter case.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the air duct is formed in a door of the vacuum cleaner, the door being hingedly connected to the cleaner body to open or close the dust collecting chamber, wherein the air duct is disconnected from or connected to the air outlet passage and air inlet when the door is opened or closed, respectively.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein one end of the base member is hingedly connected on a lower end of the contaminant receptacle, while the other end of the base member connected to the contaminant receptacle by a locking means, whereby the bottom of the contaminant receptacle is closed or opened by respectively locking or unlocking the base member.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the locking means comprises:

a pivot member pivotally formed on an outer side of the contaminant receptacle, the pivot member having a hook formed on one end for preventing a free fall of the end of the base member; and

a spring for biasing the pivot member in a manner such that the hook supports the base member.