Cyclonic vacuum cleaner ribbed cyclone shroud
First Claim
1. A cyclone separator for a vacuum cleaner, the cyclone separator comprising:
- a cyclone chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet, the cyclone chamber being adapted to direct an airflow into a cyclonic pattern to remove a first amount of debris from the airflow;
a filter shroud located within the cyclone chamber and separating the air inlet from the air outlet, the filter shroud comprising an air-pervious filter surface adapted to allow the airflow to pass from the air inlet to the air outlet and remove a second amount of debris from the airflow; and
one or more protrusions associated with the filter surface, the one or more protrusions being configured and dimensioned to direct at least a portion of the airflow passing generally parallel to the filter surface away from the filter surface before passing through the filter surface;
wherein the filter surface is generally cylindrical or frustoconical, and the one or more protrusions comprise a plurality of ribs extending in a generally helical pattern around the filter surface, the ribs being oriented generally perpendicular to the portion of the airflow passing generally parallel to the filter surface.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner cyclone separator having a cyclone chamber with an air inlet and an air outlet. The cyclone chamber directs an airflow into a cyclonic pattern to remove a first amount of debris from the airflow. A filter shroud is located within the cyclone chamber and separates the air inlet from the air outlet. The filter shroud includes an air-pervious filter surface adapted to allow the airflow to pass from the air inlet to the air outlet and remove a second amount of debris from the airflow. One or more protrusions are associated with the filter surface, and configured and dimensioned to direct at least a portion of the airflow passing generally parallel to the filter surface away from the filter surface before passing through the filter surface. A dirt collection assembly having a cyclone separator and a method for using a cyclone separator are also disclosed.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A cyclone separator for a vacuum cleaner, the cyclone separator comprising:
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a cyclone chamber having an air inlet and an air outlet, the cyclone chamber being adapted to direct an airflow into a cyclonic pattern to remove a first amount of debris from the airflow; a filter shroud located within the cyclone chamber and separating the air inlet from the air outlet, the filter shroud comprising an air-pervious filter surface adapted to allow the airflow to pass from the air inlet to the air outlet and remove a second amount of debris from the airflow; and one or more protrusions associated with the filter surface, the one or more protrusions being configured and dimensioned to direct at least a portion of the airflow passing generally parallel to the filter surface away from the filter surface before passing through the filter surface; wherein the filter surface is generally cylindrical or frustoconical, and the one or more protrusions comprise a plurality of ribs extending in a generally helical pattern around the filter surface, the ribs being oriented generally perpendicular to the portion of the airflow passing generally parallel to the filter surface. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A dirt collection assembly for a vacuum cleaner, the dirt collection assembly comprising:
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a cyclone chamber having a generally cylindrical sidewall, an air inlet and an air outlet, the cyclone chamber being adapted to direct an airflow into a cyclonic pattern to remove a first amount of debris from the airflow; a filter shroud located within the cyclone chamber and separating the air inlet from the air outlet, the filter shroud comprising an air-pervious filter surface adapted to allow the airflow to pass from the air inlet to the air outlet and remove a second portion of debris from the airflow; one or more protrusions associated with the filter surface, the one or more protrusions being configured and dimensioned to direct at least a portion of the airflow passing generally parallel to the filter surface away from the filter surface before passing through the filter surface; and a dirt collection chamber adapted to receive the first amount of debris and the second amount of debris; wherein the filter surface is generally cylindrical or frustoconical, and the one or more protrusions comprise a plurality of ribs extending in a generally helical pattern around the filter surface, the ribs being oriented generally perpendicular to the portion of the airflow passing generally parallel to the filter surface. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method for removing debris from an airflow, the method comprising:
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introducing an airflow through an inlet into a cyclone chamber; causing the airflow to spiral downward through the cyclone chamber, thus forming an outer cyclone column located adjacent an outer wall of the cyclone chamber; causing the airflow to move radially inward towards a center axis of the cyclone chamber; causing the airflow to spiral upward through the cyclone chamber, thus forming an inner cyclone column located radially inward of the outer cyclone column; passing at least a first portion of the airflow forming the inner cyclone column across a filter surface; and passing the first portion of the airflow over a series of obstructions extending from the filter surface before passing the first portion of the airflow through the filter surface; wherein the first portion of the airflow is traveling in a first helical direction with respect to the center axis, and the series of obstructions comprises a plurality of ribs extending in a second helical direction with respect to the center axis, and the first helical direction and the second helical direction have a crossing angle of at least about 15 degrees. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
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Specification