Upright vacuum cleaner with cyclonic airflow

• US 7,146,681 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Issued: 12/12/2006
• 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., Wright, Michael F., Cipolla, Mark E., Latimer, Brett, Barbeck, Craig J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US10/998,370
• Publication Number:
  US 20050091786A1
• Time in Patent Office: 743 Days
• Field of Search: 153/271, 153/272, 153/276, 153/277, 153/47, 15350-353, 553/37, 554/591, 554/82, 55D/IG.3
• 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 the main suction opening, passes through the cyclonic chamber, and passes to an outlet of the suction source. 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 is located in the cyclonic chamber so that a suction airstream moving from the main suction opening to the inlet of the suction source by way of the cyclonic airflow chamber passes through the filter medium thereof after the 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.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing including a cyclonic airflow chamber adapted for separating dust and dirt from an airstream, wherein a suction opening is in fluid communication with an inlet of said cyclonic airflow chamber;

a handle for manipulating said housing over a surface to be cleaned;

an airflow source located in said housing and having an airflow inlet in fluid communication with an outlet of said cyclonic airflow chamber and an airflow outlet;

a main filter interposed between a downstream end of said cyclonic airflow chamber and a conduit leading to said airflow source for filtering dust and dirt from the airstream that passes through said cyclonic airflow chamber, wherein said main filter comprises a thermoplastic material, said main filter being selectively removeable from said housing; and

,

a dust cup mounted to said housing and defining at least a portion of said cyclonic airflow chamber for receiving and retaining dirt and dust separated from the airstream, said dust cup being selectively detachable from said housing for emptying.

2. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

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

3. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 wherein said suction opening communicates with said cyclonic airflow chamber whereby, upon activation of said airflow source, dust and dirt from a surface being cleaned are entrained in the airstream, the airstream traveling:

(a) from said suction opening into said cyclonic airflow chamber through said inlet;

(b) in a cyclonic fashion within said cyclonic airflow chamber so that at least a portion of the entrained dust and dirt is separated from the suction airstream and deposited in said dust cup;

(c) through said main filter assembly; and

,

(d) to said airflow source.

4. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 wherein said main filter element comprises a filter medium for blocking at least 99% of particles having a size of at least 0.3 μ

.m.

5. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 wherein said dust cup is detachable from said housing to allow emptying of said dust cup.

6. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 wherein said main filter extends along a longitudinal axis of said dust cup.

7. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1, wherein said main filter is approximately cylindrical in shape.

8. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

an auxiliary filter element positioned between said main filter and said airflow source and adapted to filter the airstream before the airstream passes to said airflow source.

9. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing comprising a cyclonic airflow chamber adapted for separating entrained dirt and dust from a circulating airstream;

an airstream source located in said housing and having an airstream inlet and an airstream outlet, said air stream source generating and maintaining an airstream flowing from said airstream inlet to said airstream outlet;

a handle mounted to said housing to allow manipulation of said housing over a surface meant to be cleaned;

a filter including a filter medium, said filter being located at an outlet end of said cyclonic airflow chamber so that the airstream passes through said filter medium after the airstream moves in a cyclonic fashion within said cyclonic airflow chamber, said filter being detachably mounted in said housing and being removable therefrom for cleaning; and

,

a dust cup mounted to said housing and defining at least a portion of said cyclonic airflow chamber for receiving and retaining dirt and dust separated from the air stream, said dust cup being selectively detachable from said housing for emptying, said dust cup communicating with a main suction opening of the vacuum cleaner.

10. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 9 wherein said filter is approximately cylindrical in shape.

11. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 9 wherein said filter medium of said filter comprises a thermoplastic pleated planar material.

12. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 9 wherein said filter medium of said filter is supported on a support structure.

13. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 9 wherein said filter is arranged to be approximately coaxial with a central longitudinal axis of said cyclonic airflow chamber.

14. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 9 wherein said inlet of said cyclonic airflow chamber is arranged so that the airstream entering said cyclonic airflow chamber through said inlet of said cyclonic chamber moves cyclonically about said filter.

15. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 9, wherein said filter medium of said filter blocks passage of at least 99% of particulates that have a size of at least 0.3 μ

.m.

16. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 9 further comprising:

an auxiliary filter for filtering particulates from the airstream exiting said cyclonic airflow chamber.

17. A vacuum cleaner comprising;

a housing comprising a socket 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 and a main suction opening defined in nozzle base fluidically connected with said chamber inlet, wherein said housing is mounted on said nozzle base;

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

,

a main filter element positioned in said housing to cover said outlet of said dirt separation chamber, said main filter element comprising a pleated planar material for filtering residual contaminants from said airstream prior to said airstream exiting said chamber.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17 further comprising a support element for releasably connecting said main filter element to said dirt cup.

19. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 17 further comprising:

a final filter element in fluid communication with said airstream source and positioned adjacent an outlet from which said airstream is exhausted from said housing into the atmosphere.

20. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 17 wherein said main filter element includes a cleanable filter material.

21. A vacuum cleaner apparatus comprising:

a housing including a suction source in fluid communication with a suction opening and an airflow chamber in fluid communication with said suction source for imparting a cyclonic flow pattern to an airstream that flows from said suction opening through said airflow chamber, whereby a portion of particulates entrained in the airstream is separated from the airstream leaving residual particulates entrained in the airstream;

a handle mounted to said housing to enable manipulation of said housing over a surface meant to be cleaned;

a filter assembly located in said airflow chamber and including a filter member placed in covering relation with an outlet of said airflow chamber whereby at least some of the residual particulates entrained in the airstream are blocked from exiting said airflow chamber, said filter member being selectively removable from said housing; and

,

a dirt cup selectively mounted to said housing, wherein said dirt cup collects the portion of particulates separated from the airstream, and is removable from said housing for emptying, wherein said filter member is removed together with said dirt cup and wherein said suction source is located beneath said dirt cup.

22. The vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said filter member comprises a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) material.

23. The vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said filter member comprises a porous thermoplastic material.

24. The vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said filter assembly further comprises:

a filter support located in said airflow chamber and adapted to releasably support said filter member in covering relation with said outlet of said airflow chamber.

25. The vacuum cleaner apparatus as set forth in claim 21, wherein said filter member is approximately cylindrical in shape.

26. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing in fluid communication with a nozzle;

a handle mounted to said housing to enable manipulation of said housing over a surface meant to be cleaned;

a dirt cup removably mounted to said housing, said dirt cup comprising a cyclonic dirt separation chamber for separating dirt and dust from an airstream that flows therethrough;

a suction source for the airstream, said suction source being located in said housing;

a filter construction located in said dirt separation chamber and comprising;

(i) a filter holder; and

, (ii) a filter element held by said filter holder adjacent an outlet of said dirt separation chamber for filtering the airstream before it exits said dirt separation chamber, said filter element comprising a pleated planar material and being selectively detachable from said filter holder for cleaning.

27. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 26, wherein said filter construction is located in said dirt cup.

28. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 27, further comprising a latch for selectively fixedly securing said dirt cup to said housing.

29. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 26, wherein said filter holder comprises an open frame structure.

30. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 26, wherein said filter construction 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.

31. A 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 cyclonic flow pattern to said airstream, and said dirt cup receiving and retaining dirt separated from said airstream in said dirt separation chamber;

a handle mounted to said housing to enable manipulation of said housing over a surface to be cleaned;

a suction source, held by said housing and located downstream from said dirt separation chamber, for establishing and maintaining the airstream that flows from a nozzle into said dirt separation chamber, and out of said dirt separation chamber;

a filter support located in said dirt separation chamber;

a filter element releasably secured to said filter support and positioned to filter the airstream as the airstream exits said dirt separation chamber, said filter element comprising a pleated planar material.

32. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 31, wherein said housing defines a region for receiving and supporting said removable dirt cup and a latch for selectively fixedly securing said dirt cup to said housing.

33. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 31, wherein said filter element has a longitudinal axis which is parallel to a longitudinal axis of said dirt cup.

34. The vacuum cleaner of claim 31 wherein said filter element is approximately cylindrical in shape.

35. The vacuum cleaner of claim 31 wherein said filter element is selectively removable from said housing.

36. The vacuum cleaner of claim 31 wherein said filter support comprises an open frame structure.

37. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a housing including a handle, a suction source, a cyclonic dirt separation chamber and a nozzle communicating with said cyclonic dirt separation chamber;

a dirt cup removably mounted to said housing, said dirt cup defining at least a portion of said cyclonic dirt separation chamber; and

a filter mounted to said housing, and interposed between a downstream end of said cyclonic dirt separation chamber and a conduit leading to an airflow source, for filtering an associated airstream passing through said cyclonic dirt separation chamber, said filter comprising a thermoplastic material and being selectively removable from said housing for cleaning.

38. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 37, 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 housing.

39. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 37 wherein said filter is approximately cylindrical in shape.

40. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 37 wherein said filter includes a longitudinal axis which is parallel to a longitudinal axis of said housing.

41. The vacuum cleaner as set forth in claim 37 further comprising a support on which said filter is mounted to said housing.