Cyclonic separating apparatus

• US 7,763,090 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Issued: 07/27/2010
• 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: Ormerod, Edward Charles, Gruenig, John Lee, Gomiciaga-Pereda, Ricardo, Dyson, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Greene; Jason M
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUI, DUNG H
• Application Number:
  US12/146,062
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007370A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 553/37, 554/591, 554/10, 554/29, 554/14, 554/47, 55D/IG.3, 153/53, 153/52
• US Class Current: 55/459.1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1633 Concentric cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2279/55 for cleaning appliances, e.g. suction cleaners suction cleaners comprising filters A47L9/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/06 by reversal of direction of flow
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/12 by centrifugal forces centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C
• 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 inner and outer surfaces and a multiplicity of through-holes forming an outlet from the chamber. Each through-hole has an axis. The inner surface of the wall has a serrated profile having a plurality of serrations arranged around at least a part of the circumference of the wall, each serration having a first face and a second face. At least one through-hole passes through the first face of at least one serration. By providing a plurality of serrations around the inner circumference of the wall, the airflow is forced to follow a longer path through each through-hole for when compared to conventional arrangements. This reduces the amount of dirt and dust which is able to pass through the shroud.

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 substantially circular cross-section, the wall comprising an inner surface, an outer surface upstream from the inner surface, and a multiplicity of through-holes forming an outlet from the chamber, each through-hole having an axis,

wherein the inner surface of the wall has a serrated profile comprising a plurality of serrations arranged around at least a part of a circumference of the wall, each serration having a first face and a second face, and at least one through-hole passes through the first face of at least one serration.

2. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axis of the at least one through-hole lies substantially parallel to the second face of the at least one serration.

3. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the axis of the at least one through-hole lies at an angle to the first face of the at least one serration in the range of 60°

to 120°

.

4. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the axis of the at least one through-hole lies substantially perpendicular to the first face of the at least one serration.

5. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the first face of the at least one serration lies at an angle to the second face of the at least one serration in the range of 60°

to 120°

.

6. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the first face lies substantially perpendicular to the second face.

7. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer surface of the wall is curved and the axis of the at least one through-hole 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.

8. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the axis of the at least one through-hole is arranged at an angle 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.

9. 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, each column corresponding to a single serration on the inner surface of the wall.

10. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 9, wherein the axes of each of the through-holes in a column lie substantially parallel to one another.

11. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 10, wherein the axes of each of the through-holes in a column lie substantially perpendicular to the first face and substantially parallel to the second face of the respective serration.

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

13. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 12, wherein the axes of the through-holes in at least four adjacent columns are parallel to one another.

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 less than 1 mm.

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 0.6 mm or less.

16. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 15, 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.

17. 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.

18. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 17, 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.

19. The cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 18, 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 18% or less of the width or height of a through-hole.

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

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

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

23. The cleaning appliance as claimed in claim 22, wherein the cleaning appliance is a vacuum cleaner.