Cyclone such as for use in a surface cleaning apparatus

• US 9,227,201 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2013
• Issued: 01/05/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Original Assignee: Omachron Intellectual Property Inc.
• Inventors: Conrad, Wayne Ernest
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui, Dung H
• Application Number:
  US13/780,213
• Publication Number:
  US 20140237955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 554/47, 554/591, 553/37, 55D/IG.3, 554/58, 153/47
• 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 5/26 with driven dust-loosening tools
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 7/0095 Suction cleaners or attachments adapted to collect dust or waste from power tools
• 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 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/244 for telescopic or extensible hoses or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/32 Handles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/16 generated by the winding course of the gas stream , the centrifugal forces being generated solely or partly by mechanical means, e.g. fixed swirl vanes
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 50/20 Combinations of devices covered by groups B01D45/00 and B01D46/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 2009/004 with internal filters, in the cyclone chamber or in the vortex finder
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 3/00 Apparatus in which the axial direction of the vortex flow following a screw-thread type line remains unchanged ; Devices in which one of the two discharge ducts returns centrally through the vortex chamber, a reverse-flow vortex being prevented by bulkheads in the central discharge duct combined with other devices B04C9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 3/06 Construction of inlets or outlets to the vortex chamber
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/13 formed as a vortex finder and extending into the vortex chamber exits with bulkheads preventing reverse flow vortex B04C3/00; Discharge from vortex finder otherwise than at the top of the cyclone; Devices for controlling the overflow
• CPC Class Codes: B04C 5/14 Construction of the underflow ducting; Apex constructions; Discharge arrangements ; discharge through sidewall provided with a few slits or perforations provided with a great number of slits or perforations B04C5/10

Abstract

A cyclone comprises a cyclone chamber having an air inlet, an air outlet, a first end wall, a second end wall and a sidewall, the air inlet has an inlet end having a shape and a cross sectional area in a plane transverse to a direction of airflow through the air inlet, and the air inlet is provided at a first juncture of the sidewall and the first end wall, the first end wall has a vortex finder having a wall that meets the first end wall at a second juncture, wherein the inlet is spaced from the vortex finder.

Claims

1. A cyclone comprising a cyclone chamber having an air inlet, a vortex finder, a first end wall, a second end wall and a sidewall, the air inlet has an inlet end having a shape and a cross sectional area in a plane transverse to a direction of airflow through the air inlet, and the air inlet is provided at a first juncture of the sidewall and the first end wall and is located on the first end wall, the vortex finder is provided on the first end wall and has a wall that meets the first end wall at a second juncture, wherein the air inlet comprises an enclosed, curved passage provided inside the cyclone chamber, the passage comprising an outlet of the air inlet, the passage has a radial inner side and the radially inner side of the passage is spaced from the vortex finder by a radial offset distance whereby a portion of the cyclone chamber is located in the offset distance and the portion of the cyclone chamber has an absence of an air inlet introducing air directly into the portion, the sidewall having a diameter at an outlet end of the passage and the passage is located within the diameter.

2. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein the cyclone chamber has a diameter and the air inlet is spaced from the vortex finder by a distance that is up to 10% of the diameter.

3. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein a portion of the first end wall extends between the air inlet and the vortex finder and the portion is rounded.

4. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein a portion of the first end wall extends between the air inlet and the vortex finder and the portion is flat.

5. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein the vortex finder extends into the cyclone chamber a first distance and the air inlet has an inner end that extends into the cyclone chamber a distance less than the first distance.

6. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second junctures extends at an angle to the walls between which it is positioned.

7. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first and second junctures is rounded.

8. The cyclone of claim 7 wherein at least one of the first and second junctures has a radius that is proximate a radius of the air inlet.

9. The cyclone of claim 6 wherein the first end wall is openable and at least a portion of one of the first and second junctures is part of the openable first end wall.

10. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein the first juncture downstream of the air inlet has the same shape as a portion of the inlet end that is adjacent the first juncture.

11. The cyclone of claim 6 wherein the first juncture extends at an angle to both the sidewall and the first end wall.

12. The cyclone of claim 11 wherein the first juncture is rounded.

13. The cyclone of claim 6 wherein the second juncture is rounded.

14. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein the first juncture has a radius that is proximate a radius of the air inlet and the second juncture has a radius that is proximate the radius of the first juncture.

15. The cyclone of claim 1 further comprising a central insert member extending away from a center of the second end wall into the cyclone chamber and the central insert member comprises a central member wall extending away from the second end wall and the central member wall and the second end wall meet at a third juncture that extends at an angle to both the central member wall and the second end wall.

16. The cyclone of claim 15 wherein the third juncture is rounded.

17. The cyclone of claim 15 further comprising a dirt collection chamber external to the cyclone chamber and in communication with the cyclone chamber via a dirt outlet.

18. The cyclone of claim 17 wherein the sidewall extends to the second end wall and the dirt outlet is provided in the sidewall adjacent the second end wall.

19. The cyclone of claim 15 wherein each of the vortex finder and the central insert member has an inner end and a screen extends between the inner ends.

20. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein the vortex finder comprises a screen, wherein the screen has an inner end, the inner end has a cross sectional area in a plane transverse to a direction of airflow through the vortex finder and the cross sectional area of the inner end is less than the cross sectional area of the air inlet.

21. The cyclone of claim 1 wherein the passage is spaced from the vortex finder such that a portion of the first end wall on which the vortex finder is provided extends around all of the vortex finder such that the portion of the first end wall is also positioned between the passage and the vortex finder.