Hand vacuum cleaner with removable dirt chamber

• US 9,591,952 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2010
• Issued: 03/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Waggle, Jr., Larry E
• Assistant Examiner(s): HONG, HENRY Y
• Application Number:
  US13/255,858
• Publication Number:
  US 20110314630A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,562 Days
• Field of Search: 153/44, 153/53, 153/29
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles

Abstract

A hand surface cleaning apparatus comprises at least one cyclone and at least one dirt collection chamber The dirt collection chamber may be removable from the surface cleaning apparatus as a sealed unit for emptying and/or the dirt collection chamber may be removable with the nozzle.

Claims

1. A hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

b) a cleaner body comprising a suction motor housing having a suction motor that is positioned in the air flow passage and a pre-motor filter chamber positioned upstream from the suction motor housing, the suction motor having an air inlet and an axis of rotation, the pre-motor filter chamber having an axially extending sidewall;

c) a cyclone unit positioned in the air flow passage and comprising at least one cyclone having a cyclone air inlet and a cyclone air outlet, and at least one dirt collection chamber wherein the cyclone unit is removable from the cleaner body, wherein the cyclone unit is sealed when removed from the hand vacuum cleaner other than the cyclone air inlet and the cyclone air outlet;

d) a pre-motor filter positioned in the pre-motor filter chamber, the pre-motor filter comprising a porous filter media having an upstream face, a downstream face and a perimeter face extending between the upstream and downstream faces, the pre-motor filter being upstream of the suction motor and overlying the suction motor air inlet, wherein a projection of the axis of rotation extends through the upstream and downstream faces of the pre-motor filter from a downstream side thereof to an upstream side thereof,

wherein the pre-motor filter is recessed into the pre-motor filter chamber with the perimeter face facing the axially extending sidewall of the pre-motor filter chamber so that engagement with the axially extending sidewall of the pre-motor filter chamber retains the pre-motor filter in position when the cyclone unit is removed from the cleaner body, and

wherein the pre-motor filter is removable from the cleaner body without reconfiguring the hand vacuum cleaner once the cyclone unit is removed from the cleaner body; and

,

e) a handle having first and second ends each of which is secured to the cleaner body.

2. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the second end of the handle is provided on the cleaner body adjacent a downstream side of the suction motor.

3. A hand vacuum cleaner comprising:

a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

b) a cleaner body comprising a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage;

c) a cyclone unit positioned in the air flow passage and comprising at least one cyclone having a cyclone air inlet and a cyclone air outlet, and at least one dirt collection chamber wherein the cyclone unit is removable from the cleaner body and wherein the cyclone unit is sealed when removed from the hand vacuum cleaner other than the cyclone air inlet and the cyclone air outlet;

d) a handle having frontward and rearward ends, the rearward end being provided on the cleaner body adjacent a downstream side of the suction motor; and

,

e) a pre-motor filter positioned in the air flow passage upstream of the suction motor,

wherein the pre-motor filter is recessed into a compartment formed only by the cleaner body whereby the pre-motor filter remains in position when the cyclone unit is removed from the cleaner body, and

wherein the pre-motor filter is removable from the cleaner body without reconfiguring the hand vacuum cleaner once the cyclone unit is removed from the cleaner body.

4. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein the compartment is provided in the cleaner body.

5. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 4 wherein an upstream side of the pre-motor filter is visible when the cyclone unit is removed from the cleaner body.

6. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein the pre-motor filter overlies a suction motor air inlet.

7. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein the suction motor has an axis of rotation and a projection of the axis of rotation extends through the pre-motor filter from a downstream side thereof to an upstream side thereof.

8. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein the at least one dirt collection chamber is openable when mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

9. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein the hand vacuum cleaner has a front end and a rear end, the cyclone unit is positioned forward of the suction motor and the at least one dirt collection chamber has an openable door positioned at the front end.

10. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein the frontward end of the handle is secured to an upper portion of the cleaner body.

11. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein each of the frontward and rearward ends is secured to the cleaner body.

12. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 3 wherein air exiting the cyclone unit travels in a first direction and air entering the suction motor travels in the first direction.

13. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 12 wherein air exiting the cyclone air outlet travels in the first direction.

14. A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end and a rear end and comprising:

a) an air flow passage extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet;

b) a cleaner body comprising a suction motor positioned in the air flow passage and having an axis of rotation;

c) a cyclone unit positioned in the air flow passage and comprising at least one cyclone and at least one dirt collection chamber, the cyclone having a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet, and a cyclone axis about which air circulates within the cyclone and a projection of the cyclone axis intersects the cleaner body, wherein the cyclone unit includes a first end and a second end, the second end is spaced forwardly from the first end and remains exposed when the hand vacuum cleaner is in use, the cyclone unit is removable from the cleaner body by moving the cyclone unit away from the cleaner body in the absence of reconfiguring other portions of the cleaner body adjacent the second end of the cyclone unit, and wherein the cyclone unit is sealed when removed from the cleaner body other than the cyclone air inlet and the cyclone air outlet; and

,

d) the hand vacuum cleaner having an axially extending wall that overlies and removably holds a pre-motor filter in position whereby the pre-motor filter remains in position when the cyclone unit is removed from the cleaner body, in all orientations of the cyclone unit, and

wherein the pre-motor filter is removable from the cleaner body without reconfiguring the hand vacuum cleaner once the cyclone unit is removed from the cleaner body.

15. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the axially extending wall is provided on the cleaner body.

16. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the axially extending wall comprises an outer surface of the hand vacuum cleaner and has an inner surface that abuts the pre-motor filter.

17. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein an upstream side of the pre-motor filter is visible when the cyclone unit is removed from the cleaner body.

18. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the axially extending wall extends forwardly to a position proximate an upstream face of the pre-motor filter.

19. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the axially extending wall extends forwardly to a position in front of an upstream face of the pre-motor filter.

20. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the pre-motor filter overlies a suction motor air inlet.

21. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein a projection of the axis of rotation extends through the pre-motor filter from a downstream side thereof to an upstream side thereof.

22. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein the at least one dirt collection chamber is openable when mounted to the hand vacuum cleaner.

23. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 further comprising a handle having first and second ends and the first end is secured to an upper portion of the cleaner body.

24. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 further comprising a handle having first and second ends each of which is secured to the cleaner body.

25. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 14 wherein air exiting the cyclone unit travels in a first direction and air entering the suction motor travels in the first direction.

26. The hand vacuum cleaner of claim 25 wherein air exiting the cyclone air outlet travels in the first direction.