Air flow passage for a vacuum cleaner

• US 6,736,873 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Issued: 05/18/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest, Szylowiec, Ted, Conrad, Helmut Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins, Robert A.
• Application Number:
  US10/322,451
• Publication Number:
  US 20030084537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 516 Days
• Field of Search: 554/591, 554/592, 55D/IG.3, 153/50, 153/53
• US Class Current: 55/459.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0009 Storing devices winding devices for electric cables A47L9/26; Supports, stands or holders
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• 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: B04C 5/02 Construction of inlets by which the vortex flow is generated , e.g. tangential admission, the fluid flow being forced to follow a downward path by spirally wound bulkheads, or with slightly downwardly-directed tangential admissionfluid dynamics in general F15D
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/103 Bodies or members, e.g. bulkheads, guides, in the vortex chamber cores B04C5/107
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is provided having improved pressure loss characteristics. A fluid supply conduit in flow communication with an inlet to a cyclone is integrally formed as part of a cyclone bin. The present invention may be adapted for use with cyclonic separation devices of all types, including single- and multi-stage cyclonic separators.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a cleaning head;

(b) at least one cyclone container having a wall having an inner surface, a bottom and a longitudinally extending axis;

(c) a fluid inlet to the at least one cyclone container; and

,

(d) a fluid conduit integrally formed as part of the cyclone container, extending through the at least one cyclone container to an opening in the bottom of the at least one cyclone container and comprising an air exit for the at least one cyclone container.

2. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit extends through a central portion of the cyclone container.

3. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid inlet is positioned adjacent the inner wall of the cyclone container.

4. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid inlet is configured to redirect air traveling there through in a first direction towards the wall and in a second direction to introduce the fluid tangentially to the cyclone container.

5. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein in the fluid conduit extends linearly.

6. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit extends to the bottom of the cyclone container and comprises an air exit for the cyclone container.

7. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cyclone container has a top and the fluid conduit extends from the top to the bottom of the cyclone container.

8. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7 the fluid conduit comprises an air exit for the cyclone container.

9. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7 the fluid conduit direct air to the fluid inlet.

10. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the at least one cyclone container is removably mounted on the vacuum cleaner.

11. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vacuum cleaner has a single cyclone container.

12. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a cleaning head;

(b) at least one cyclone container having a wall having an inner surface and a longitudinally extending axis;

(c) a fluid inlet to the at least one cyclone container; and

,

(d) a fluid conduit integrally formed as part of the at least one cyclone container and positioned exterior to the at least one cyclone container.

13. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12 wherein the fluid conduit extends linearly.

14. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12 wherein the at least one cyclone container is removably mounted on the vacuum cleaner.

15. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12 wherein the vacuum cleaner has a single cyclone container.

16. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a cleaning head;

(b) a cyclone container having a wall having an inner surface and a longitudinally extending axis;

(c) a fluid inlet to the at least one cyclone container; and

,

(d) a fluid conduit extending through the cyclone container to an opening in the bottom of the cyclone container and comprises an air exit for the cyclone container.

17. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16 wherein the fluid conduit extends through a central portion of the cyclone container.

18. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16 wherein the fluid inlet is positioned adjacent the inner wall of the cyclone container.

19. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16 wherein in the fluid conduit extends linearly.

20. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 17 wherein in the fluid conduit extends linearly.

21. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16 wherein the cyclone container is removably mounted on the vacuum cleaner.

22. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16 wherein the vacuum cleaner has a single cyclone container.