Surface cleaning apparatus

• US 9,433,332 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/27/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Hail, Joseph J
• Assistant Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JON S
• Application Number:
  US13/779,405
• Publication Number:
  US 20140237759A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,287 Days
• Field of Search: 153/44, 153/51, 153/53
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/16 Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets
• 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 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/322 for hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle

Abstract

A hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus, such as a cyclonic hand vacuum cleaner, is provided wherein a conduit is in communication with the cyclone air outlet. The conduit extends through the pre-motor filter and is in communication with the upstream side of the pre-motor filter.

Claims

1. A hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus having a front end, a rear end and comprising:

(a) a dirty fluid inlet;

(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber downstream of the dirty fluid inlet, the cyclone chamber comprising a lower end, an upper end, a cyclone axis, an air inlet and an air outlet comprising a vortex finder at the upper end;

(c) a pre-motor filter comprising at least one porous physical filter media having an upstream side through which air enters the pre-motor filter and a downstream side through which air exits the pre-motor filter wherein at least a portion of the upstream side is positioned above the upper end of the cyclone chamber,

(d) a conduit that extends along the cyclone axis and comprises an extension of the vortex finder, the conduit extending through the at least one porous physical filter media and in communication with the upstream side of the pre-motor filter;

(e) a suction motor positioned downstream of the pre-motor filter and rearward of the cyclone chamber wherein;

(f) an air flow path extending from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor; and

,

(g) a clean air outlet downstream of the suction motor.

2. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein upstream side is spaced further from the cyclone chamber than the downstream side.

3. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 further comprising a upstream header on the upstream side of the pre-motor filter and the upstream header is openable.

4. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 3 wherein at least a portion of the upstream header is transparent.

5. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a downstream header on the downstream side of the pre-motor filter and the air flow path extends downstream from the downstream header.

6. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor has a suction motor inlet that is positioned between the lower and upper ends of the cyclone bin assembly.

7. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the suction motor has a suction motor axis that is generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.

8. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the suction motor has a suction motor axis that is generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.

9. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air inlet is provided at the upper end and a dirt outlet is provided at the tower end and a dirt collection chamber is positioned below the cyclone chamber.

10. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the air flow path has a portion that is exterior to and extends part way along an exterior wall of the cyclone chamber to a suction motor inlet.

11. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a dirt collection chamber positioned exterior to the cyclone chamber, the air flow path has a portion that extends part way along an exterior wall of the dirt collection chamber to a section motor inlet.

12. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a handle, a suction motor housing and a pre-motor filter housing positioned above the cyclone chamber, the handle extending between the suction motor housing and the pre-motor filter housing.

13. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the pre-motor filter housing is openable.

14. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the suction motor has a suction motor axis that is generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.

15. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 wherein the handle has a suction motor housing end that is spaced rearward of the cyclone bin assembly and below the pre-motor filter housing and a pre-motor filter end that is spaced above and forward of the suction motor end of the handle.

16. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 12 further comprising an opening having a perimeter and the perimeter comprises portions of the handle, the pre-motor filter housing and the suction motor housing.

17. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a handle, wherein a portion of the handle is placed rearward of a center of gravity of the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus.

18. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a bleed valve having an inlet end in the air flow path.

19. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 18 wherein the bleed valve has an axis that is generally parallel to an axis of the suction motor.

20. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pre-motor filter surrounds the conduit.

21. The hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein a suction motor inlet is vertically positioned between the upper and lower ends of the cyclone chamber.