Vacuum cleaner having cyclonic separator

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner including a debris separator that includes a housing, a cyclonic separator including a cylindrical wall having a first end and a second end. The cylindrical wall is located in within the housing and the cyclonic separator further includes a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, a debris outlet adjacent the second end, and a longitudinal axis surrounded by the cylindrical wall and the longitudinal axis of the cyclonic separator extends in generally a horizontal orientation. The debris separator further includes a lid coupled to the housing and the cyclonic separator is coupled to the lid such that the cyclonic separator is removable from the housing with the lid. A debris collection chamber is located within the housing and in fluid communication with the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator.

Description

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to vacuum cleaners, particularly cyclonic vacuum cleaners.

SUMMARY

In one embodiment, the invention provides a vacuum cleaner including a suction nozzle and a suction source operable to generate an airflow through the vacuum cleaner from the suction nozzle through a debris separator to a clean air exhaust. The debris separator operable to separate debris from the airflow. The debris separator including a housing, a cyclonic separator including a cylindrical wall having a first end and a second end. The cylindrical wall is located in within the housing and the cyclonic separator further includes a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, a debris outlet adjacent the second end, and a longitudinal axis surrounded by the cylindrical wall and the longitudinal axis of the cyclonic separator extends in generally a horizontal orientation. The debris separator further includes a lid coupled to the housing and the cyclonic separator is coupled to the lid such that the cyclonic separator is removable from the housing with the lid. A debris collection chamber is located within the housing and in fluid communication with the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a vacuum cleaner including a suction nozzle and a suction source operable to generate an airflow through the vacuum cleaner from the suction nozzle through a debris separator to a clean air exhaust. The debris separator is operable to separate debris from the airflow. The debris separator includes a housing and a cyclonic separator including a cylindrical wall having a first end and a second end. The cylindrical wall is located in within the housing and the cyclonic separator further includes a first end wall located at the first end of the cylindrical wall, an dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet that extends through the first end wall, a debris outlet adjacent the second end, a longitudinal axis surrounded by the cylindrical wall and the longitudinal axis of the cyclonic separator extends in generally a horizontal orientation. A debris collection chamber is located within the housing and in fluid communication with the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator. The housing forms a second end wall of the cyclonic separator located at the second end of the cylindrical wall.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a vacuum cleaner including a suction nozzle and a suction source operable to generate an airflow through the vacuum cleaner from the suction nozzle through a debris separator to a clean air exhaust. The debris separator is operable to separate debris from the airflow. The debris separator includes a housing having a sidewall, a cyclonic separator including a cylindrical wall having a first end and a second end, the cylindrical wall located in within the housing. The cyclonic separator further includes a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, a debris outlet adjacent the second end, and a longitudinal axis surrounded by the cylindrical wall and the longitudinal axis of the cyclonic separator extends in generally a horizontal orientation. The debris separator further includes a lid coupled to the housing and the cyclonic separator is coupled to the lid. A debris collection chamber is located within the housing and in fluid communication with the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator. A divider wall extends from the cylindrical wall of the cyclonic separator to the sidewall of the housing such that the sidewall of the housing and the divider wall define the debris collection chamber.

Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with a debris separator removed.

FIG. 4 is an alternative perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with the debris separator removed.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a portion of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 taken along lines 5-5 shown in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the debris separator of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 taken along lines 6-6 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the debris separator of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 taken along lines 6-6 shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a lid and a cyclonic separator of the debris separator removed from the housing of the debris separator of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the debris separator of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the debris separator of FIG. 9 taken along lines 10-10 shown in FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is an alternative perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 with the debris separator removed.

Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a vacuum cleaner 10 accordingly to one embodiment. The illustrated vacuum cleaner 10 includes a handle 12, a base 14, a suction source 16, and a debris separator 18. The handle 12 is pivotally coupled to the base 14 and the handle 12 extends in generally a vertical orientation or upwardly from the base 14. The base 14 includes a suction nozzle 22 and wheels 24 that facilitate movement of the base 14 along a surface being cleaned. Although the illustrated embodiment is an upright vacuum cleaner, alternative embodiments may include canister vacuum cleaners, stick vacuum cleaners, handheld vacuum cleaners, etc.

Referring to FIG. 5, the suction source 16 includes a fan 28 and a motor 30 that rotates the fan 28 to generate an airflow through the vacuum cleaner 10 that is drawn from the suction nozzle 22 through the debris separator 18 to a clean air exhaust 90. A suction source inlet chamber 32 is located between a clean air outlet of a cyclonic separator of the debris separator 18 and the suction source 16. A premotor filter can be located in the chamber 32 to filter the airflow from the debris separator 18 before traveling through the suction source 16.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, the debris separator 18 includes a housing 36 and a cyclonic separator 38 located within the housing 36. The housing 36 includes an upper end 40, a lower end 42 (FIG. 1), and a sidewall 44 that extends between the upper and lower ends 40, 42. In the illustrated embodiment, the sidewall 44 is generally cylindrical.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2, 6, and 7, the cyclonic separator 38 includes a cylindrical wall 46, a first end wall 48, a second end wall 50, a dirty air inlet 52, a dirty air inlet duct 54, a clean air outlet 56, and a debris outlet 58. The cylindrical wall 46 includes a first end 60 and a second end 62. The dirty air inlet 52 is adjacent the first end 60 of the wall 46 and the debris outlet 58 is adjacent the second end 62 of the cylindrical wall 46. The first end wall 48 is located at the first end 60 of the cylindrical wall 46 and the dirty air inlet 52 extends through the first end wall 48. The second end wall 50 is located at the second end 62 of the cylindrical wall 46. As shown in the illustrated embodiment, the second end wall 50 is formed by a portion 64 of the sidewall 44 of the housing 36. The debris outlet 58 is adjacent the second end 62 of the wall 46 and between the wall 46 and the second end wall 50 that is formed by the portion 64 of the housing 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the wall 46 includes a notch 66 that partially defines the outlet 58. The cyclonic separator 38 further includes a longitudinal axis 68 (FIGS. 6 and 7) that is along or surrounded by the cylindrical wall 46 and the axis 68 is centrally located within the wall 46. The cyclonic separator 38 is orientated such that the axis 68 extends in a generally horizontal orientation. As used in the present description and claims, a generally horizontal orientation means an orientation that is tilted over such that it is not vertical or upright. The generally horizontal orientation includes in various embodiments that are approximately parallel to the ground or floor, as well as orientations that are not parallel to the ground or floor but being generally more laying over than upright, i.e. being tilted more than about 45 degrees.

The debris separator 18 further includes a perforated tube 70, a divider wall 72, a lid 74, a debris collection chamber 76, and a door 78. The perforated tube 70 extends from the first end wall 48 of the cyclonic separator 38 and covers the clean air outlet 56. The perforated tube 70 may be perforated using holes, slots, screen, mesh, or other perforation. The divider wall 72 extends from the cylindrical wall 46 to the sidewall 44 of the housing 36 around the inner periphery of the sidewall 44 such that the sidewall 44 of the housing 36 and the divider wall 72 define the debris collection chamber 76. The debris collection chamber 76 is bounded by and generally located below the divider wall 72 such that air does not circulate around the outside diameter of the cyclone. The divider wall may include a portion extending along the inner periphery toward the lid encircling at least a portion of the cylindrical wall. In the illustrated embodiment, the divider wall 72 is integrally formed with the cylindrical wall 46 as a single component. Also, with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7, the illustrated divider wall 72 partially forms the dirty air inlet duct 54.

As best seen in FIGS. 9-11, the housing 36 includes an inlet aperture 81 through the housing wall 44 and the dirty air inlet 52 includes the passageway or duct 54 between the inlet aperture 81 and the cylindrical wall 46. The cyclonic separator 38 has a seal 83 positioned between the passageway 54 and the housing wall 44 around the inlet aperture 81 on an inside surface of the housing wall 44. The seal 83 may be attached to the cyclonic separator 38 removable from the housing 36 with the cyclonic separator 38, or the seal 83 may be attached to the housing wall 44. Additionally, the vacuum cleaner 10 includes a conduit 84 directing airflow from the suction nozzle 22 to the dirty air inlet 52, and the vacuum cleaner 10 has a seal 85 between the conduit 84 and the housing 36 around the inlet aperture 81 on an outside surface of the housing wall 44. In one embodiment, the seal 83 on the inside of the housing 36 to the cyclonic separator 38 and the seal 85 on the outside of the housing 36 to the conduit 84 is combined in one part attached to the housing 36.

The lid 74 is removably coupled to the upper end 40 of the housing 36 to enclose the upper end 40 of the housing 36. As illustrated in FIG. 8, the cyclonic separator 38 is coupled to the lid 74 so that the cyclonic separator 38 is removed from the housing 36 with the lid 74. Therefore, the user can easily clean the separator 38, if needed, by removing the lid 74 from the housing 36. As best seen in FIG. 1, the debris separator includes a latch 80, for example on the lid 74, that couples the debris separator 18 to the vacuum cleaner.

The door 78 (FIG. 1) is pivotally coupled to the lower end 42 of the housing 36. The door 78 can be opened to empty the debris collection chamber 76. As best shown in FIG. 5, the door 78 defines at least a portion of the suction source inlet chamber 32. As discussed above, a premotor filter can be located in the chamber 32. The user can access the filter for inspection, cleaning, and replacement by removing the debris separator 18 from the handle 12 to expose the filter.

In operation, referring to FIG. 1, the suction source 16 generates an airflow that draws debris and the airflow through the suction nozzle 22. The airflow and entrained debris travel through a conduit 84 (FIG. 3) to the dirty air inlet duct 54 (FIGS. 6-8) of the cyclonic separator 38. The airflow and debris then travel through the dirty air inlet 52 and into to the cylindrical wall 46. The airflow and debris are rotated about the longitudinal axis 68 of the separator 38, which causes the debris to separate from the airflow. The debris is discharged over the cylindrical wall 46 through the debris outlet 58 and into the debris collection chamber 76. The clean airflow then travels through the perforated tube 70 and exist the cyclonic separator 38 through the clean air outlet 56. The clean airflow then travels through conduit 86 (FIG. 3) and out aperture 88 into the suction source inlet chamber 32. The premotor filter then further filters the clean airflow and the clean airflow travels through the suction source 16 before being discharged from the vacuum cleaner 10 through the clean air exhaust 90.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a suction nozzle;a suction source operable to generate an airflow through the vacuum cleaner from the suction nozzle through a debris separator to a clean air exhaust;the debris separator operable to separate debris from the airflow, the debris separator including, a housing including an first end, a second end, and a sidewall that is generally cylindrical, the generally cylindrical sidewall extends from the second end to the first end, the first end of the housing defining an open top surface,a cyclonic separator positioned within the housing, the cyclonic separator including a cylindrical wall having a first end and a second end, the cylindrical wall located in within the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing, the cyclonic separator further including a first end wall located at the first end of the cylindrical wall, an dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet that extends through the first end wall, a debris outlet adjacent the second end, a longitudinal axis surrounded by the cylindrical wall and the longitudinal axis of the cyclonic separator extends in generally a horizontal orientation and through the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing,a debris collection chamber located within the housing and in fluid communication with the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator, the debris collection chamber including an outer perimeter that is defined by the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing, anda lid coupled to the open top surface, the cyclonic separator coupled to the lid;wherein the lid couples to the open top surface such that the cylindrical wall of the cyclonic separator is between the open top surface and the second end of the housing,wherein the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing forms a second end wall of the cyclonic separator located at the second end of the cylindrical wall of the cyclonic separator between the open top surface and the second end of the housing.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing defines a portion of the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the dirty air inlet is adjacent the first end of the cylindrical wall and extends through the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing between the first end and the second end.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a divider wall that extends from the cylindrical wall of the cyclonic separator to the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing such that the sidewall of the housing and the divider wall define the debris collection chamber.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein the divider wall and the cylindrical wall are integrally formed as a single unitary component.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein the cyclonic separator further includes a dirty air inlet duct, wherein the divider wall at least partially defines the dirty air inlet duct.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein the sidewall of the housing includes an inner periphery, and wherein the divider wall extends around the inner periphery of the sidewall.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the cyclonic separator is positioned entirely below the first end of the housing.

9. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a suction nozzle;a suction source operable to generate an airflow through the vacuum cleaner from the suction nozzle through a debris separator to a clean air exhaust;the debris separator operable to separate debris from the airflow, the debris separator including, a housing including an upper end, a lower end, and a sidewall that is generally cylindrical, the generally cylindrical sidewall extends from the lower end to the upper end, the upper end of the housing defining an open top surface,a cyclonic separator positioned within the housing, the cyclonic separator including a cylindrical wall having a first end and a second end, the cylindrical wall located in within the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing, the cyclonic separator further including a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, a debris outlet adjacent the second end, and a longitudinal axis surrounded by the cylindrical wall and the longitudinal axis of the cyclonic separator extends in a generally horizontal orientation,a lid coupled to the housing, the cyclonic separator coupled to the lid such that the cyclonic separator is removable from the open top surface of the housing with the lid and the cylindrical wall of the cyclonic separator is between the upper end and the lower end of the housing when the lid is attached to the housing adjacent the upper end of the housing, anda debris collection chamber located within the housing and in fluid communication with the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator, the debris collection chamber including an outer perimeter that is defined by the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further comprising a divider wall that extends from the cylindrical wall of the cyclonic separator to the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing such that the sidewall of the housing and the divider wall define the debris collection chamber.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the debris separator includes a latch that removable couples the debris separator to the vacuum cleaner.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the debris separator further includes a door pivotally coupled to the housing adjacent the lower end to facilitate emptying debris from the debris collection chamber.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, further comprising a suction source inlet chamber between the clean air outlet of the cyclonic separator and the suction source and a filter located in the suction source inlet chamber, wherein the suction source inlet chamber is at least partially defined by the door of the debris separator.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the cyclonic separator further includes a first end wall located at the first end of the cylindrical wall, and wherein the clean air outlet extends through the first end wall of the cyclonic separator.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing forms a second end wall of the cyclonic separator located at the second end of the cylindrical wall.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the housing defines a portion of the debris outlet of the cyclonic separator.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, further comprising a divider wall that extends from the cylindrical wall of the cyclonic separator to the sidewall of the housing such that the sidewall of the housing and the divider wall define the debris collection chamber.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the sidewall of the housing is generally cylindrical having an inner periphery, and wherein the divider wall extends around the inner periphery of the sidewall.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, where the divider wall further comprises a portion extending along the inner periphery toward the lid encircling at least a portion of the cylindrical wall.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the divider wall and the cylindrical wall are integrally formed as a single unitary component.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the cyclonic separator further includes a dirty air inlet duct, wherein a divider wall at least partially defines the dirty air inlet duct.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the dirty air inlet is adjacent the first end of the cylindrical wall.

23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 22, wherein the housing includes an inlet aperture through the generally cylindrical sidewall of the housing and the dirty air inlet includes a passageway between the inlet aperture and the cylindrical wall, the cyclonic separator including a first seal between the passageway and the housing around the inlet aperture on an inside surface of the housing.

24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 23, wherein the vacuum cleaner includes a conduit directing airflow from the suction nozzle to the dirty air inlet, the vacuum cleaner including a second seal between the conduit and the housing around the inlet aperture on an outside surface of the housing.

25. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further comprising a perforated tube located within the cylindrical wall forming the clean air outlet, and wherein the perforated tube is removable from the housing with the lid.

26. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the cyclonic separator is positioned entirely below an upper end of the housing.