Cleaning appliance

• US 8,117,712 B2
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Issued: 02/21/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Original Assignee: Dyson Technology Limited (Beeswax Holdings UK Limited)
• Inventors: Dyson, James, White, William Robert James, Milne, William Frame
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US12/307,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20090282639A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 153/44, 153/50, 153/52, 153/53, 153/272, 153/277, 153/28, 153/29, 553/28, 553/29, 553/37, 55D/IG.3
• US Class Current: 15/344
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/34 Indicator and controllers

Abstract

A handheld cleaning appliance includes a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet and separating apparatus for separating dirt and dust from an airflow in an airflow path leading from the air inlet to the air outlet. The appliance also includes a body housing a fan and motor for drawing air into the appliance via the dirty air inlet. The separator includes at least one cyclone. The separator and the body are releasably connected together around a chamber in the airflow path which is formed partly by the body and partly by the separator, the chamber housing a filter which is located upstream of the fan and motor and downstream of the cyclone.

Claims

1. A handheld cleaning appliance comprising a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet and a separator for separating dirt and dust from an airflow located in an airflow path leading from the air inlet to the air outlet,

the appliance further comprising a body housing a fan and motor for drawing air into the appliance via the dirty air inlet,

wherein the separator comprises at least one cyclone and an outlet duct,

the separator and the body being releasably connected together about a chamber in the airflow path downstream of the outlet duct and which is formed partly by the body and partly by the separator, the chamber housing a filter which is located upstream of the fan and motor.

2. The handheld cleaning appliance of claim 1, wherein the dirty air inlet is mounted directly on the separator and is removable from the body with the separator.

3. The handheld cleaning appliance of claim 1 or 2, wherein the filter has an upstream surface having an area which is at least three times the cross-sectional area of the dirty air inlet.

4. The handheld cleaning appliance of claim 3, wherein the upstream surface of the filter has a cross-sectional area that is at least five times the cross-sectional area of the dirty air inlet.

5. The handheld cleaning appliance of claim 3, wherein the body and the separator are connected in a plane and the filter lies substantially in the said plane or adjacent the said plane and parallel thereto.

6. The handheld cleaning appliance of claim 3, wherein the clean air outlet is located in the body.

7. The handheld cleaning appliance of claim 1 or 2, wherein the body and the separator are connected in a plane and the filter lies substantially in the said plane or adjacent the said plane and parallel thereto.

8. The handheld cleaning appliance of claim 1 or 2, wherein the clean air outlet is located in the body.