Vacuum cleaner utilizing electrostatic filtration and electrostatic precipitator for use therein

• US 6,740,144 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2002
• Issued: 05/25/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Polar Light Limited
• Original Assignee: Fantom Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest, Conrad, Helmut Gerhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Chiesa, Richard L.
• Application Number:
  US10/043,337
• Publication Number:
  US 20020066366A1
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 96/55, 96/57, 96/61, 96/63, 964/00, 95/78, 153/52, 553/21, 553/81, 553/37, 553/82, 553/45--49, 554/18, 554/29, 554/25, 554/27, 554/82, 554/67, 554/71, 554/72, 555/03, 55D/IG.3, 554/22, 553/43
• US Class Current: 96/57
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• 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: B01D 50/00 Combinations of methods or devices for separating particles from gases or vapours
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 2009/002 with external filters
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/24 Multiple arrangement thereof combination types according to other /00 groups, B04C7/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A device for filtering a dirty air stream in a vacuum cleaner to obtain a clean air stream includes subjecting the dirty air stream to a first cyclonic separation stage to obtain a partially cleaned air stream and subjecting the partially cleaned air stream to an electronic filtration stage and optionally a second cyclonic separation stage to obtain the clean air stream. The electronic filtration stage is optionally removable with a cyclonic cleaning stage from the vacuum cleaner. The electronic filtration stage is optionally an electrostatic precipitator which utilizes air flow through the vacuum cleaner to generate the voltage used by the electrostatic precipitator.

Claims

1. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a cleaning head;

(b) an upper body portion pivotally mounted on the cleaning head, the upper body portion comprising a cyclonic cleaning stage, the cyclonic cleaning stage including a cyclonic container, wherein the cyclone container is removable from the upper body portion; and

,

(c) a motor for producing air flow through the vacuum cleaner positioned above the cyclonic cleaning stage when the upper body portion is pivoted to be generally vertical.

2. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second cyclonic cleaning stage downstream from the cyclonic cleaning stage.

3. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2 wherein the first cyclonic cleaning stage comprises one cyclone and the second cyclonic cleaning stage comprises at least one cyclone.

4. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2 wherein the second cyclonic cleaning stage comprises a plurality of cyclones arranged to operate in parallel.

5. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a further cleaning member positioned between the cyclonic cleaning stage and the motor.

6. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 5 wherein the further cleaning member comprises an electrostatic precipitator.

7. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 6 wherein the electrostatic precipitator is removably mounted in the cyclone container.

8. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7 wherein the cyclone container has an air outlet and the electrostatic precipitator is positioned in the air outlet of the cyclone container.

9. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 7 wherein the cyclone container has an air outlet and the electrostatic precipitator is removably mounted in the air outlet of the cyclone container.

10. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cyclonic cleaning stage is the primary dirt separation member.