Method and apparatus of particle transfer in multi-stage particle separators

• US 6,582,489 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2001
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bissell Homecare, Inc. (Bissell Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Polar Light Limited
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US10/022,534
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 553/37, 553/42, 553/43, 553/45, 553/46, 553/49, 554/29, 554/32, 554/33, 554/591, 554/72, 55D/IG.3, 153/50, 153/52
• US Class Current: 55/337
• 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 9/0009 Storing devices winding devices for electric cables A47L9/26; Supports, stands or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• 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: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 50/20 Combinations of devices covered by groups B01D45/00 and B01D46/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An improved two-stage separator uses reusable containers for collecting particles separated by each separation stage. The reusable containers are constructed such that a user empties both reusable containers by the actions required to empty just one of the reusable containers.

Claims

1. A separator for separating entrained particles from a fluid flow, the separator comprising:

(a) a first particle separation member;

(b) a reusable particle collector disposed beneath the particle separation member, the reusable particle collector having a moveable member movably mounted between a closed position and an open position;

(c) a second particle separation member, and,

(d) a second particle receiving chamber positioned for receiving particles separated from the fluid flow by the second particle separation member and disposed beneath the reusable particle collector,

wherein when the moveable member moves from its closed position to its open position, particles collected in the particle collector are substantially transferred to the second particle receiving chamber.

2. The separator of claim 1 wherein the first particle separation member has a wall and a portion of the wall forms a portion of the reusable particle collector.

3. A separator comprising:

(a) an inlet in fluid flow communication with a source of fluid having particles therein;

(b) a particle separation member;

(c) a first particle collector disposed below the particle separation member; and

,

(d) a particle transfer member positioned between the particle separation member and the particle collector, at least a portion of the particle transfer member is angled downwardly to the first particle collector

whereby particles separated by the particle separation member are conveyed to the particle collector.

4. The separator of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the particle transfer member is a ramp.

5. The separator of claim 3 wherein the first particle separation member is chosen from the group consisting of a cyclone, a Prandtl layer turbine and an electrostatic filter.

6. The separator of claim 3 wherein the separator comprises a second particle separation member upstream of the particle separation member and the first particle collector is positioned in the second particle separation member.

7. The separator of claim 6 wherein the second particle separation member has a second particle collector which is removably mounted in a casing and the first particle collector is constructed to empty into the second particle collector when the second particle collector is removed from the casing.

8. The separator of claim 3 wherein the first particle collector is disposed beside the second particle separation member.

9. The separator of claim 3 wherein the particle transfer member comprises a pivotally mounted disc.

10. A separator for separating entrained particles from a fluid flow, the separator comprising:

(a) a housing having a first separation stage and a first particle collector in communication with the first separation stage;

(b) a second separation stage;

(c) a second particle collector in communication with the second separation stage and positioned in the housing, the first and second particle collectors are configured such that the second particle collector is emptied when the first particle collector is emptied; and

,

(d) a cleaning head having a dirty air inlet and the separator is connectable in fluid flow communication with the dirty air inlet wherein the separator comprises a filtration stage of a vacuum cleaner.

11. The separator of claim 10 wherein the second separation stage is positioned downstream from the first separation stage.

12. The separator of claim 10 wherein the second particle collector has a collector housing including a bottom panel and the bottom panel is movably mounted between a closed position in which the second particle collector collects material separated by the second separation stage and an open position in which the second particle collector is emptied.

13. The separator of claim 10 wherein each of the first and second separation stage comprise at least one cyclone.

14. The separator of claim 10 wherein the first separation stage comprises a cyclone and the second separation stage comprises a plurality of cyclones.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the second particle collector is mounted beside the first particle collector.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein the second particle collector is mounted above the first particle collector.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16 wherein the first particle collector is positioned at the bottom of a cyclone container and the second particle collector is mounted inside the cyclone container.

18. A separator comprising:

(a) an inlet in fluid flow communication with a source of fluid having particles therein,

(b) a first particle separation member;

(c) a particle transfer member positioned to transfer material separated by the first particle separation member;

(d) a second particle separation member upstream of the first particle separation member; and

,

(e) a second particle collector positioned to receive material separated by the second particle separation member, the second particle collector is removably mounted in a casing.

19. The separator of claim 18 wherein the particle transfer member is a ramp.

20. The separator of claim 18 further comprising a first particle separation member positioned below the first particle separation member wherein the particle transfer member transfers material separated by the first particle separation member to the first particle separation member and the first particle collector is configured such that material collected in the first particle collector is emptied into the second particle collector.

21. The separator of claim 20 wherein the second particle separation member has a wall and a portion of the wall forms a portion of the first particle collector.

22. A separator comprising:

(a) an inlet in fluid flow communication with a source of fluid having particles therein;

(b) a first particle separation member having a wall;

(c) a first particle collector positioned to receive material separated by the first particle separation member;

(d) a second particle separation member downstream of the first particle separation member; and

,

(e) a second particle collector positioned to receive material separated by the second particle separation member, wherein a portion of the wall forms a portion of the second particle collector.