Cyclonic separating apparatus

• US 7,628,831 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Gomiciaga-Pereda, Ricardo, Dyson, James, Ormerod, Edward Charles, Gruenig, John Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Hill, Jr.; Robert J
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, DUNG H
• Application Number:
  US12/146,140
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007369A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 553/37, 55D/IG.3, 554/10, 554/591, 554/29, 554/14, 153/53
• US Class Current: 55/337
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1633 Concentric cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/10 with perforated walls
• 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 5/26 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A cyclonic separating apparatus includes a chamber for separating dirt and dust from an airflow, an inlet to the chamber and a shroud. The shroud includes a wall having a multiplicity of through-holes forming an outlet from the chamber, each of the through-holes having substantially rectangular cross-sections with width to height ratios in the range of 1.5:1 to 1:1.5. The rectangular cross section of the through-holes maximizes the available through-hole area in the shroud, produces a low pressure drop across the shroud and reduces the amount of material required for manufacture. Further, this ratio allows the cross-sectional area of the through-holes to be dimensioned to prevent larger particles of dirt and dust from passing through the through-holes in the shroud, while still providing the required structural integrity.

Claims

1. A cyclonic separating apparatus comprising a chamber for separating dirt and dust from an airflow, an inlet to the chamber and a shroud comprising a wall having a multiplicity of through-holes forming an outlet from the chamber, each through-hole having a width and a height, wherein the through-holes have substantially rectangular cross-sections with width to height ratios in the range of 1.5:

1 to 1;

1.5, wherein the wall has a curved outer surface and each through-hole has an axis which is arranged at an obtuse angle to the tangent of the curved outer surface of the wall at an upstream side of the through-hole.

2. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the through-holes have width to height ratios in the range of 1.2:

1 to 1;

1.2.

3. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein the through-holes have substantially square cross-sections.

4. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the shroud has a longitudinal axis and at least some of the through-holes are arranged in a plurality of axially-extending columns.

5. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axes of the through-holes are arranged at angles in the range of 130°

to 150°

to the tangent of the curved outer surface of the wall at the upstream side of the through-hole.

6. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the axes of each of the though-holes in a column lie substantially parallel to one another.

7. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axes of each of the through-holes in a column lie substantially parallel to one another.

8. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the axes of the through-holes in at least two adjacent columns are parallel to one another.

9. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the axes of the through-holes in at least four adjacent columns are parallel to one another.

10. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least some of the through-holes are arranged in a plurality of rows around the circumference of the wall.

11. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least some of the through-holes are spaced from one another at the inner surface of the wall by less than 1 mm.

12. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least some of the through-holes are spaced from one another at the inner surface of the wall by 0.6 mm or less.

13. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein at least some of the through-holes are spaced from one another at the inner surface of the wall by 0.4 mm or less.

14. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein at least some of the through-holes are spaced from one another at the inner surface of the wall by a distance which is 45% or less of the width or height of a through-hole.

15. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 14, wherein at least some of the through-holes are spaced from one another at the inner surface of the wall by a distance which is 30% or less of the width or height of a through-hole.

16. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 15, wherein at least some of the though-holes are spaced from one another at the inner surface of the wall by a distance which is 18% or less of the width or height of a though-hole.

17. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall is cylindrical.

18. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the wall is tapered.

19. A cleaning appliance comprising the cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2.

20. The cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 19, wherein the cleaning appliance is a vacuum cleaner.