Air flow passage for a vacuum cleaner

• US 6,902,596 B2
• Filed: 04/05/2004
• Issued: 06/07/2005
• 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:
  US10/816,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20040182053A1
• Time in Patent Office: 428 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 for cleaning a surface;

(b) a cyclone container having a longitudinally extending wall having an inner surface, an outer 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 and forming part of an air flow path through the vacuum cleaner.

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 conduit includes an exit portion which extends within the cyclone container from the central portion outwardly to the fluid inlet.

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

5. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit has an outlet portion, and the outlet portion and the fluid inlet are configured to redirect air traveling there through in a first direction towards the longitudinally extending wall and in a second direction to introduce the fluid tangentially to the cyclone container.

6. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit is positioned exterior to the cyclone container.

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

8. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the fluid conduit is positioned exterior to the cyclone container and the fluid conduit extends linearly.

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

10. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 9 wherein the fluid conduit extends linearly.

11. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 6 wherein the fluid conduit is positioned adjacent the outer surface of the longitudinally extending wall.

12. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 11 wherein the fluid conduit is an air feed conduit to the cyclone container.

13. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 11 wherein the fluid conduit is an air exit conduit to the cyclone container.

14. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8 wherein the fluid conduit is positioned adjacent the outer surface of the longitudinally extending wall.

15. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises a housing and the cyclone container further comprises a moveable portion moveable between a first closed position and a second position in which access is permitted to the cyclone container and the cyclone container is removable from the housing with the moveable portion in the closed position.

16. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 15 wherein the bottom of the cyclone container is fixed to the longitudinally exending wall and the movable portion is a lid of the cyclone container.

17. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1 wherein the cyclone container has an opening in the bottom of the cyclone container that comprises an air exit for the cyclone container and the integrally formed fluid conduit is in airflow communication with the opening.