Upright vacuum cleaner with cyclonic airflow

• US 7,131,165 B2
• Filed: 09/10/2004
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Royal Appliance Manufacturing Company (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Stephens, Paul D., Thur, Charles J., Latimer, Brett, Barbeck, Craig J., Wright, Michael F., Cipolla, Mark E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Snider, Theresa T.
• Application Number:
  US10/939,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20050055796A1
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 153/50, 153/51, 153/52, 153/53, 55D/IG.3, 553/37, 554/29
• US Class Current: 15/353
• 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 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• 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 2279/55 for cleaning appliances, e.g. suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 39/1692 Other shaped material, e.g. perforated or porous sheets
• 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 46/10 Particle separators, e.g. dust precipitators, using filter plates, sheets or pads having plane surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/2411 Filter cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/521 using folded, pleated material
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 50/20 Combinations of devices covered by groups B01D45/00 and B01D46/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 2009/004 with internal filters, in the cyclone chamber or in the vortex finder
• 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 9/00 Combinations with other devices, e.g. fans, expansion chambers, diffusors, water lockswith filters B01D50/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a first housing defining a cyclonic airflow chamber and a second housing defining a main suction opening that is in communication with an inlet of the cyclonic chamber. A suction source has a suction airstream inlet in communication with an outlet of the cyclonic chamber, and establishes a suction airstream that enters said main suction opening, passes through said cyclonic chamber, and passes to an outlet of said suction source. A substantial portion of particulates entrained in the suction airstream are separated therefrom when said suction airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion through the cyclonic chamber. A main filter assembly, preferably including filter medium comprising polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), is located in the cyclonic chamber so that a suction airstream moving from the main suction opening to the inlet of said suction source by way of the cyclonic airflow chamber passes through the filter medium thereof after said airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion within the cyclonic airflow chamber to remove residual particulates from the suction airstream before it leaves the cyclonic chamber. A HEPA filter can be provided to filter the suction airstream exhausted through the outlet of the suction source prior to the airstream being discharged from the vacuum.

Claims

1. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a first housing member comprising a dirt separation chamber adapted for separating entrained dirt and dust from an airstream;

a second housing member defining a main suction opening, said second housing member being pivotally mounted to said first housing member;

a first conduit for fluidically connecting said main suction opening to an inlet of said dirt separation chamber;

an airstream suction source, mounted to one of said first and second housing members, positioned downstream from said separation chamber and in communication therewith, said airstream suction source being located beneath said dirt separation chamber;

a dust cup removably mounted to said first housing member, said dust cup being impervious to-airflow and comprising at least a part of said dirt separation chamber; and

,

a first filter located adjacent an outlet end of said dirt separation chamber, said first filter being mounted to said dust cup and removable with said dust cup from said first housing member when said dust cup is emptied.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein said first filter is approximately cylindrical in shape.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein a filter medium of said first filter comprises a pleated planar material.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a support structure for supporting said first filter.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein said first filter is oriented to be approximately coaxial with a longitudinal axis of said dirt separation chamber.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein said first filter is oriented to be approximately coaxial with a longitudinal axis of said dust cup.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein said first filter is detachable from said dust cup.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 further comprising a second filter, mounted to one of said first and second housing members.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8 wherein said second filter is positioned downstream from said first filter.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9 wherein at least one of said first and second filters comprises a high efficiency particulate arrest (HEPA) material.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein said first filter comprises a porous thermoplastic material.

12. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

an upright housing defining an airflow chamber for separating dirt from an airstream, said airflow chamber including a tangential inlet and an outlet and being at least partially defined by a dust cup that collects dirt separated from an the airstream flowing through said chamber, said dust cup being selectively removable from a remainder of said upright housing for emptying;

a nozzle base hingedly interconnected with said upright housing, said nozzle base including a suction opening, said suction opening being in fluid communication with said inlet of said airflow chamber;

a suction source mounted to one of said upright housing and said nozzle base, said suction source being located beneath said dust cup and being in fluid communication with said outlet of said airflow chamber; and

,

a filter detachably mounted to said dust cup, wherein said filter is removed together with said dust cup from said upright housing and spaced away from said nozzle base when said dust cup is emptied.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein said dust cup comprises a handle.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein said dust cup is at least partially transparent.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 further comprising a latch assembly for selectively securing said dust cup to said upright housing.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 further comprising a support on which said filter is mounted.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein said nozzle base comprises a rotating brush.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein said upright housing comprises a socket in which said dust cup is selectively mounted.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein said filter is approximately cylindrical in shape.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19 wherein said approximately cylindrical filter includes a hollow radially inner central portion.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein said filter comprises a pleated planar material.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein said filter comprises a porous thermoplastic material.

23. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a first housing comprising a dirt separation chamber at least partially defined by a removable dust cup, said dirt separation chamber separating dirt and dust from an airstream flowing through said chamber, said dust cup receiving and retaining dirt and dust separated from said airstream in said dirt separation chamber;

a second housing having a suction opening, said suction opening being fluidically connected to said dirt separation chamber, said second housing being hingedly connected to said first housing;

a suction source for establishing and maintaining the airstream that flows into said suction opening, then into said dirt separation chamber and next out of said dirt separation chamber, said suction source being located beneath said dirt separation chamber; and

,

a filter mounted to a wall of said dust cup, such that said filter is removed with said dust cup from said first housing, wherein said filter is detachable from said dust cup.

24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23 wherein said dust cup comprises a handle.

25. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23 wherein said dust cup is at least partially transparent.

26. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23 further comprising a latch assembly for selectively securing said dust cup to said first housing.

27. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23 further comprising support on which said filter is mounted.

28. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23 wherein said second housing comprises a rotating brush.

29. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23 wherein said first housing comprises a socket in which said dirt cup is selectively mounted.

30. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23 wherein said filter comprises an approximately cylindrical member.

31. The vacuum cleaner of claim 30 wherein said approximately cylindrical filter includes a hollow radially inner central portion.

32. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23 wherein said filter comprises a pleated planar material.

33. The vacuum cleaner claim 23 wherein said filter comprises a porous thermoplastic material.

34. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing;

a nozzle base hingedly interconnected with said housing, said nozzle base including a main suction opening in an underside thereof;

an air separation chamber defined in said housing and adapted for separating dust and dirt from an airstream, said main suction opening being in fluid communication with said air separation chamber;

an airflow source located in one of said upright housing and said nozzle base and having an airflow inlet in fluid communication with said air separation chamber and an airflow outlet;

a first filter located in said housing for filtering dust and dirt from the airstream that passes through said air separation chamber, said filter including a pleated filter material and being located adjacent an outlet end of said air separation chamber and being located upstream from said airflow source;

a dirt container selectively mounted to said housing, said dirt container comprising at least a portion of said air separation chamber;

a tangential inlet for delivering dust laden air to said dirt container; and

,

an axial outlet from said dirt container.

35. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 34 further comprising:

a second filter in fluid communication with said airflow outlet of said airflow source and adapted for filtering said airstream exhausted by said airflow source prior to said airstream being dispersed into the atmosphere.

36. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 35 wherein one of said first and second filters comprises a high efficiency particulate arrest (HEPA) filter medium.

37. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 34 wherein said airflow source communicates with said air separation chamber through a conduit extending between them.

38. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 34 wherein said first filter comprises a thermoplastic material.

39. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 38 wherein said first filter comprises a filter medium for blocking at least 99% of particles having a size of at least 0.3 μ

m.

40. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 34 wherein said dirt container is adapted for pivoting movement between an angled position, in which it can be detached from said housing and an upright position in which said dirt container functions as said at least a portion of said dirt air separation chamber.

41. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 34, wherein said first filter is approximately cylindrical in shape.

42. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 35 further comprising:

a third filter element positioned between said first filter and said airflow source.

43. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising;

an upright housing comprising an opening for holding a selectively removable dirt cup that at least partially defines a cyclonic dirt separation chamber for separating contaminants from an airstream, said housing further defining an airstream inlet to said dirt separation chamber and an airstream outlet from said dirt separation chamber;

a nozzle base pivotably connected to said upright housing and including a main suction opening, said main suction opening being fluidically connected with said chamber airstream inlet;

an airstream source, located in one of said upright housing and said nozzle base, for selectively establishing and maintaining a flow of the airstream; and

,

an approximately cylindrical first filter positioned in the upright housing adjacent said airstream outlet of said dirt separation chamber and upstream from said suction airstream source, said first filter filtering residual contaminants from the airstream prior to the airstream flowing to said suction airstream source.

44. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 43 wherein said first filter comprises a thermoplastic material.

45. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 44 wherein a filter medium of said first filter comprises a pleated planar material.

46. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 44 wherein a filter medium of said first filter is supported by a support structure.

47. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 44 wherein said first filter is arranged to be approximately coaxial with a central longitudinal axis of said dirt separation chamber.

48. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 47 wherein said inlet of said dirt separation chamber is horizontally oriented and arranged so that the airstream entering said dirt separation chamber through said airstream inlet moves cyclonically about an approximately vertical axis extending in said dirt separation chamber.

49. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 43, wherein said a filter medium of said first filter blocks passage of at least 99% of particulates that have a size of at least 0.3 μ

m.

50. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 43 further comprising:

a second filter for filtering particulates from the airstream exiting said dirt separation chamber.

51. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

an upright housing defining an airflow chamber for separating dirt from an airstream flowing through said chamber, said chamber being at least partially defined by a dirt cup, said dirt cup being selectively removable from said upright housing for emptying;

a nozzle base hingedly interconnected with the upright housing, said nozzle base including a main suction opening;

a suction source located in one of said upright housing and said nozzle base and being in fluid communication with said main suction opening via said airflow chamber;

a main filter element mounted to said dirt cup and operably positioned in said upright housing for filtering dirt from said airstream before said airstream flows to said suction source, said main filter element being removed with said dirt cup from said upright housing when said dirt cup is emptied, wherein said main filter element is detachable from said dirt cup; and

,

wherein said main filter element is positioned above said suction source.

52. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 51 further comprising:

a final filter element connected in fluid communication with said suction source and positioned adjacent an outlet from which said airstream is exhausted from said upright housing into the atmosphere, said final filter element adapted for filtering an said airstream exhausted from said suction source prior to said airstream being dispersed into the atmosphere.

53. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 51 wherein said main filter element includes a cleanable filter material.

54. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 53, wherein said cleanable filter material is pleated and comprises a plastic material.

55. An upright vacuum cleaner apparatus comprising:

a base portion including a nozzle defining a main suction opening;

a housing including a handle, said housing being hingedly connected to said base portion;

a suction source in fluid communication with said main suction opening, the suction source being disposed in one of the base portion and the housing;

a dirt cup mounted to said housing and comprising an airflow chamber in fluid communication with said suction source for imparting a cyclonic flow pattern to an airstream that flows through said airflow chamber, whereby a portion of particulates entrained in said airstream is separated from said airstream leaving residual particulates entrained in said airstream, wherein said dirt cup collects said portion of particulates separated from said airstream, and is selectively removable from said housing; and

,

a pleated filter member located adjacent an outlet of said airflow chamber for filtering at least some of the residual particulates, said filter member being selectively removable from said housing.

56. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 55 wherein said filter member comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material.

57. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 55, wherein said filter member comprises a porous thermoplastic material.

58. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 55, wherein said filter member is approximately cylindrical in shape.

59. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 55, further comprising a filter support located in said housing and adapted to releasably support said filter member.

60. The upright vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 55, wherein said filter member comprises a cleanable filter member.

61. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a nozzle section;

a housing section pivotably connected to said nozzle section;

a dirt cup removably mounted to said housing section, said dirt cup comprising a dirt separation chamber for separating dirt and dust from an airstream that flows therethrough, said dirt separation chamber being in fluid communication with said nozzle section, wherein said dirt cup is removed from said housing section for emptying;

a suction source for the airstream, said suction source being mounted to one of said nozzle section and said housing section;

a filter located in said housing section adjacent an outlet of said dirt separation chamber for filtering the airstream before it flows to said suction source, said suction source being located beneath said filter, said filter comprising a porous thermoplastic material.

62. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 61, wherein said filter is connected to said dirt cup.

63. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 62, further comprising a latch for selectively fixedly securing an upper portion of said dirt cup to said housing section.

64. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 61, wherein said filter comprises a pleated material.

65. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 61, wherein the filter is disposed relative to the dirt separation chamber such that the airstream is partially filtered by the dirt separation chamber before said airstream contacts said filter element.

66. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing comprising a dirt separation chamber at least partially defined by a removable dirt cup, said dirt separation chamber separating dirt from an airstream flowing through said chamber by imparting a flow pattern to said airstream, said dirt cup receiving and retaining dirt separated from said airstream in said dirt separation chamber;

a nozzle having a suction opening, said suction opening being fluidically connected to said dirt separation chamber;

a suction source, connected to said dirt separation chamber, for establishing and maintaining the airstream that flows into said suction opening, next into said dirt separation chamber, and then toward said suction source, said suction source being mounted to one of said housing and said nozzle and being located beneath said dirt separation chamber; and

,

a filter element releasably mounted in said housing and positioned to filter said airstream after said airstream has moved through said dirt separation chamber, wherein said filter element is mounted to said dirt cup so as to be removable with said dirt cup.

67. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 66, wherein said housing defines a region for receiving and supporting a portion of said removable dirt cup and a latch for selectively fixedly securing said dirt cup to said housing.

68. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 66, wherein said filter element comprises a thermoplastic material.

69. An upright vacuum cleaner comprising:

a base portion;

an upright housing section hingedly connected to the base portion;

a suction source mounted to one of said base portion and said upright housing section;

a dirt cup removably mounted to said upright housing section, wherein said dirt cup is impervious to airflow and wherein said dirt cup is removed from said upright housing section for emptying;

an approximately cylindrical filter located in and removable from said upright housing section for filtering an associated airstream passing through said dirt cup; and

,

wherein said filter is located above said suction source.

70. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 69, wherein said filter is releasably secured to said dirt cup and wherein said dirt cup and filter are movable as a unit relative to said upright housing section.

71. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 69 wherein said filter comprises a porous thermoplastic material.

72. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 71 wherein said filter is pleated.

73. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 69 wherein said filter includes a cleanable filter material.

74. The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 69 wherein said filter includes a hollow radially inner central portion.