Cyclonic surface cleaning apparatus

• US 8,844,093 B2
• Filed: 03/04/2013
• Issued: 09/30/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: GBD Corporation (G.B.D.)
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US13/784,590
• Publication Number:
  US 20130185893A1
• Time in Patent Office: 575 Days
• Field of Search: 153/47, 153/52, 153/53, 553/37, 554/29
• US Class Current: 15/353
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1658 Construction of outlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/20 Means for cleaning filters
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/342 comprising at least a single wire, e.g. in the form of a winding
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3432 comprising several wires, e.g. in the form of several independent windings B29C65/3436, B29C65/344 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 65/3476 being metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1122 Single lap to lap joints, i.e. overlap joints B29C66/45, B29C66/472, B29C66/52272 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/12441 being a single wall
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/1312 Single flange to flange joints, the parts to be joined being rigid the parts to be joined being flexible B29C66/133
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/244 said joint lines being non-straight, e.g. forming non-closed contours
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/54 Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-shells, to form hollow articles, e.g. for making balls, containers; Joining several hollow-preforms, e.g. half-cylinders, to form tubular articles
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/71 characterised by the composition of the plastics material of the parts to be joined welding bar compositions B29C65/125
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/73921 characterised by the materials of both parts being thermoplastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 66/949 characterised by specific time values or ranges
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/06 : PE, i.e. polyethylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2023/12 : PP, i.e. polypropylene
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2055/02 : ABS polymers, i.e. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene polymers
• CPC Class Codes: B29K 2069/00 : Use of PC, i.e. polycarbonates or derivatives thereof, as moulding material
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/3481 : Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7406 : Sponges; Cleaning equipment
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/749 : Motors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1158 : Electromagnetic radiation applied to work for delamination [e.g., microwave, uv, ir, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/17 : Three or more coplanar interfitted sections with securing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/19 : Sheets or webs edge spliced or joined
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24488 : Differential nonuniformity at margin

Abstract

A surface cleaning apparatus comprises cyclone downstream from the dirty air inlet and an openable pre-motor filter chamber. The pre-motor filter chamber is openable with the cyclone chamber and/or the dirt collection chamber associated with the cyclone chamber.

Claims

1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a dirty air inlet;

(b) a filtration apparatus comprising a cyclone downstream from the dirty air inlet, the cyclone having a cyclone air outlet;

(c) a cyclone dirt collection chamber;

(d) a pre-motor filter chamber comprising a pre-motor filter defined by a pre-motor filter housing, wherein the pre-motor filter housing defines a volume that is distinct from the dirt collection chamber;

(e) a suction motor; and

,

(f) a clean air outlet downstream from the suction motor,

wherein the cyclone dirt collection chamber and the pre-motor filter chamber are concurrently openable.

2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclone is openable.

3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclone, the dirt collection chamber and the pre-motor filter chamber are concurrently openable.

4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection chamber is positioned around at least a portion of the cyclone.

5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection chamber has a dirt collection surface that is moveable, the cyclone has a cyclone wall that is moveable and is connected to the moveable dirt collection surface, whereby both the cyclone wall and the dirt collection surface are moveable concurrently such that the cyclone, the dirt collection chamber and the pre-motor filter chamber are concurrently emptyable.

6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein the dirt collection surface and the cyclone wall comprise a pivoting wall.

7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 5 wherein the cyclone wall includes a vortex finder mounted thereto.

8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the pivoting wall is a lower surface of the cyclone and the dirt collection chamber.

9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclone is inverted.

10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pre-motor filter chamber is positioned laterally from the cyclone.

11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pre-motor filter comprises a headspace positioned below the pre-motor filter.

12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 11 wherein the suction motor is positioned adjacent the cyclone and the pre-motor filter.

13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand held vacuum cleaner.

14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a headspace is provided between the pre-motor filter and an openable door.

15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the suction motor is positioned axially aligned with the pre-motor filter.

16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 14 wherein the pre-motor filter chamber is positioned laterally from the cyclone.

17. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:

(a) a dirty air inlet;

(b) a filtration apparatus comprising a cyclone downstream from the dirty air inlet, the cyclone having a cyclone air outlet;

(c) a cyclone dirt collection chamber;

(d) a pre-motor filter chamber comprising a pre-motor filter defined by a pre-motor filter housing, wherein the pre-motor filter housing defines a volume that is distinct from the dirt collection chamber;

(e) a suction motor; and

,

(f) a clean air outlet downstream from the suction motor,

wherein the cyclone and the pre-motor filter chamber are concurrently openable exposing a dirt collection surface.

18. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 17 wherein the pre-motor filter chamber is positioned laterally from the cyclone.

19. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 17 wherein the suction motor is positioned adjacent the cyclone and the pre-motor filter.

20. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 19 wherein surface cleaning apparatus comprises a hand held vacuum cleaner.