Vacuum cleaner having dirt collection vessel with toroidal cyclone

• US 7,887,613 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2009
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation Of North America (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Ruben, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hopkins; Robert A
• Application Number:
  US12/368,524
• Publication Number:
  US 20100199617A1
• Time in Patent Office: 735 Days
• Field of Search: 553/43, 553/48, 554/29, 554/57, 554/591, 55D/IG.3, 153/50, 153/53
• US Class Current: 55/343
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• 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 1/00 Apparatus in which the main direction of flow follows a flat spiral ; so-called flat cyclones or vortex chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 7/00 Apparatus not provided for in group B04C1/00, B04C3/00, or B04C5/00; Multiple arrangements not provided for in one of the groups B04C1/00, B04C3/00, or B04C5/00; Combinations of apparatus covered by two or more of the groups B04C1/00, B04C3/00, or B04C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a body having a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet and a control assembly including a control stalk. A dirt collection vessel is carried on the body. The dirt collection vessel includes a toroidal cyclone. The toroidal cyclone has an inlet port, a clean air outlet port and a particle outlet provided in a wall of the toroidal cyclone between the inlet and outlet port. A cork screw baffle is received in the toroidal cyclone. The cork screw baffle defines a spiraling air path through the toroidal cyclone. A suction generator, carried on the body, draws the air stream through the dirt collection vessel.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a body including (a) a nozzle assembly having a suction inlet and (b) a control assembly including a control stalk;

a dirt collection vessel carried on said body, and

a suction generator carried on said body, said suction generator drawing an airstream through said suction inlet, and said dirt collection vessel;

said dirt collection vessel being characterized by;

a toroidal cyclone having an inlet port, a clean air outlet port and a particle outlet provided in said toroidal cyclone between said inlet port and said outlet port; and

a cork screw baffle received in said toroidal cyclone, said cork screw baffle defining a spiraling air path through said toroidal cyclone.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a dirt collection chamber in fluid communication with said particle outlet of said toroidal cyclone.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said spiraling air path in said toroidal cyclone has a cross sectional area of between about 1.6 cm² and about 2.2 cm².

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, including multiple toroidal cyclones where each of said multiple toroidal cyclones extends through an are of between about 50 and about 90 degrees.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said spiral air path of each of said toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area of between about 1.6 cm² and about 2.2 cm².

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein (a) said inlet port of each of said toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area of between about 2.7 cm² and about 3.3 cm²;

(b) said outlet port of each of said toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area of between about 2.7 cm² and about 3.3 cm²; and

(c) said particle outlet of each of said toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area of between about 1.0 cm² and about 2.0 cm².

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein a cross sectional area of said spiraling air path decreases from said inlet port to said outlet port.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said multiple toroidal cyclones are provided in parallel.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said toroidal cyclones are provided in series.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said multiple toroidal cyclones include a first group of toroidal cyclones provided in parallel with one another and a second group of toroidal cyclones provided in parallel with one another but in series with said first group of toroidal cyclones.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein each of said toroidal cyclones extends through an are of between about 50 and about 90 degrees.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein each of said toroidal cyclones extends through an arc of between about 50 and about 60 degrees.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, including four toroidal cyclones where each of said four toroidal cyclones extends through an arc of between about 80 and about 90 degrees.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, wherein said spiral air path of each of said toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area of between about 1.6 cm² and about 2.2 cm².

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein (a) said inlet port of each of said toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area of between about 2.7 cm² and about 3.3 cm²;

(b) said outlet port of each of said toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area of between about 2.7 cm² and about 3.3 cm²; and

(c) said particle outlet of each of said toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area of between about 1.0 cm² and about 2.0 cm².

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein said spiral air path of each of said first group of toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area A₁, and said spiral air path of each of said second group of toroidal cyclones has a cross sectional area A₂ where A₁ is greater than A₂.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said dirt collection vessel further includes a primary cyclone separator upstream from said toroidal cyclone so that air flows through said primary cyclone before entering said toroidal cyclone.