U.S. patent application number 12/015013 was filed with the patent office on 2009-07-16 for vacuum cleaner with spiral air guide.
Invention is credited to Donald E. Proffitt,, II, Michael S. Yacobi.
Application Number | 20090178237 12/015013 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40849386 |
Filed Date | 2009-07-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090178237 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Proffitt,, II; Donald E. ;
et al. |
July 16, 2009 |
VACUUM CLEANER WITH SPIRAL AIR GUIDE
Abstract
A vacuum cleaner includes a housing having a suction inlet, a
dirt collection vessel carried on the housing and a suction
generator carried on the housing. The dirt collection vessel
includes a dirt collection chamber and a spiral air guide providing
a spiral air path to improve cleaning efficiency. The spiral air
guide includes an inlet at a first end and a split outlet at a
second end. The split outlet includes a head wall at a particular
included angle with respect to the airflow path. The suction
generator is provided in fluid communication with the suction
inlet, the dirt collection vessel and the spiral air guide.
Inventors: |
Proffitt,, II; Donald E.;
(Richmond, KY) ; Yacobi; Michael S.; (Lexington,
KY) |
Correspondence
Address: |
KING & SCHICKLI, PLLC
247 NORTH BROADWAY
LEXINGTON
KY
40507
US
|
Family ID: |
40849386 |
Appl. No.: |
12/015013 |
Filed: |
January 16, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/353 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/1625 20130101;
B01D 2279/55 20130101; A47L 9/1683 20130101; B01D 50/002 20130101;
B01D 46/10 20130101; A47L 9/1608 20130101; B01D 45/16 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/353 |
International
Class: |
A47L 9/10 20060101
A47L009/10 |
Claims
1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising: a housing including a suction
inlet; a dirt collection vessel carried on said housing, said dirt
collection vessel including a dirt collection chamber; a spiral air
guide providing a spiral air path, said spiral air guide having an
inlet at a first end and a split outlet at a second end; and a
suction generator carried on said housing, said suction generator
being in fluid communication with said suction inlet, said dirt
collection vessel and said spiral air guide.
2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said dirt collection
vessel includes a first dirt collect ion chamber, a primary inlet
in communication with said first dirt collection chamber, a second
dirt collection chamber, a secondary inlet in communication with
said second dirt collection chamber and a chamber outlet.
3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein said split outlet
includes a first section in communication with a clean air manifold
and a second section in communication with said secondary
inlet.
4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said inlet is in
communication with said chamber outlet.
5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said spiral air guide
comprises a spiral, tubular conduit and said spiral air path has a
substantially constant cross sectional area from said first end to
said second end.
6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein said spiral air path has
a cross sectional area of between about 250 mm.sup.2 and about 1000
mm.sup.2.
7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said spiral air path has
a cross sectional area that decreases from said first end to said
second end.
8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said spiral air path has
a cross sectional area that increases from said first end to said
second end.
9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said spiral air path is
substantially flat.
10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, further including at least one
clean air discharge orifice along an inside portion of said spiral
air path said at least one clean air discharge orifice being in
fluid communication with said clean air manifold.
11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein said clean air manifold
includes a manifold outlet in fluid communication with said suction
generator.
12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said first dirt
collection chamber is substantially cylindrical in shape, said
primary inlet is tangentially directed with respect to said first
dirt collection chamber and said chamber outlet is axially directed
with respect to said first dirt collection chamber.
13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein said chamber outlet
includes a sieve having between about 1000 to about 1500 apertures
and each of said apertures has a cross sectional area of between
about 2.3 mm.sup.2 to about 6.4 mm.sup.2.
14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said split outlet
includes a head wall extending across said air path at an included
angle of between about 0 and about 30 degrees.
15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein said split outlet
includes a head wall extending across said air path at an included
angle of about 15 degrees.
16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a
first cavity and a second cavity.
17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein said dirt collection
vessel is received in said first cavity of said housing.
18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein said spiral air guide
is received in said second cavity of said housing and said dirt
collection vessel and said spiral air guide are independently
removable from said housing.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the floor care
equipment field and, more particularly, to a vacuum cleaner
equipped with a dirt collection vessel including a dirt collection
chamber and a spiral air guide providing a spiral air path.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Bagless vacuum cleaner technology has long been known in the
art. Japanese patent applications 56-136642 and 56-136650 both
published in 1981 disclose an upright vacuum cleaner with a dirt
collection chamber that removably connects to an opening of the
main unit to facilitate user convenience during the emptying of the
cleaner. A removable filter fills an opening at the bottom of the
dust chamber and serves to separate dirt and dust from air drawn
through the vacuum cleaner by the fan and motor assembly.
[0003] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner that
incorporates a dirt collection vessel including a dirt collection
chamber and a spiral air guide that provides a spiral air path for
improved cleaning efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] In accordance with the purposes of the present invention as
described herein, an improved vacuum cleaner is provided. That
vacuum cleaner comprises a housing including a suction inlet and
both a dirt collection vessel and a suction generator carried on
the housing. The dirt collection vessel includes a dirt collection
chamber. The vacuum cleaner includes a spiral air guide providing a
spiral air path that enhances cleaning efficiency. The spiral air
guide includes an inlet at a first end and a split outlet at a
second end. The suction generator is provided in fluid
communication with the suction inlet, the dirt collection vessel
and the spiral air guide.
[0005] The dirt collection vessel includes a first dirt collection
chamber, a primary inlet in communication with that first chamber,
a second dirt collection chamber, a secondary inlet in
communication with that second chamber and a chamber outlet. The
split outlet includes a first section provided in communication
with a clean air manifold and a second section provided in
communication with the secondary inlet. More specifically, the
split outlet includes a head wall extending across the air path at
an included angle of between about 0 and about 30 degrees and most
typically about 15 degrees. The spiral air guide also includes an
inlet in fluid communication with the first chamber outlet, and at
least one clean air discharge orifice along an inside portion of
the spiral air path. The spiral air guide comprises a spiral,
tubular conduit.
[0006] In one possible embodiment the spiral air path has a
substantially constant cross sectional area from the first end to
the second end. That cross sectional area is between about 250
mm.sup.2 and about 1000 mm.sup.2. In another possible embodiment
the spiral air path has a cross sectional area that decreases from
the first end to the second end. In yet another possible
embodiment, the spiral air path has a cross sectional area that
increases from the first end to the second end. The spiral air path
may also be substantially flat.
[0007] In one possible embodiment of the invention the first dirt
collection chamber is substantially cylindrical in shape and the
primary inlet is tangentially directed with respect to the first
dirt collection chamber. The chamber outlet is axially directed
with respect to the dirt collection chamber. Further the chamber
outlet includes a sieve having about 1000 to about 1500 apertures
and each of the apertures has a cross sectional area of between
about 2.3 mm.sup.2 to about 6.4 mm.sup.2.
[0008] In accordance with one possible embodiment of the present
invention, the housing includes a first cavity and a second cavity.
The dirt collection vessel is received and held in the first cavity
while the spiral air guide is received and held in the second
cavity. In this way, the dirt collection vessel and the spiral air
guide are made independently removable from the housing.
[0009] In the following description there are shown multiple
preferred embodiments of the invention simply by way of
illustration of some of the modes best suited to carry out the
invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of
other different embodiments and its several details are capable of
modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from
the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be
regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
[0010] The accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part
of the specification, illustrates several aspects of the present
invention, and together with the description serves to explain
certain principles of the invention. In the drawing:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner of the
present invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a detailed cross sectional view of the dirt
collection vessel of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematical air flow diagram for the vacuum
cleaner of the present invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view of an alternative
embodiment of the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of the alternative
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4; and
[0016] FIG. 6 is a detailed top plan view of the spiral air guide
of the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5.
[0017] Reference will now be made in detail to the present
preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are
illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Reference is now made to FIGS. 1-3 illustrating one possible
embodiment of the vacuum cleaner 10 of the present invention. The
illustrated embodiment is an upright vacuum cleaner 10. It should
be appreciated, however, that the present invention also includes
and this patent covers canister and handheld bagless vacuum
cleaners.
[0019] The illustrated vacuum cleaner 10 includes a housing,
generally designated by reference numeral 12. That housing 12
includes a nozzle assembly or section 14 and a canister assembly or
section 16. As is known in the art, the canister assembly 16 is
pivotally connected to the nozzle assembly 14 to aid the operator
in manipulating the vacuum cleaner to and fro across the floor.
Wheels (not shown) carried on the housing 12 allow the vacuum
cleaner 10 to be moved smoothly across the floor.
[0020] As illustrated, the nozzle assembly 14 is equipped with a
nozzle or suction inlet 18. In the illustrated embodiment, the
suction inlet 18 also includes a rotary agitator 20. The rotary
agitator 20 is equipped with projecting cleaning structures 21 such
as bristle tufts, brushes, wipers, beater bars or the like to aid
in stripping dirt and debris from a nap of an underlying carpet
being cleaned.
[0021] The canister assembly 16 houses a suction generator 22 (i.e.
a fan and motor assembly) and a dirt collection vessel 24 including
a spiral air guide 25 and a dirt collection chamber 26 (see FIG.
2). The details of the dirt collection vessel 24 will be described
in greater detail below. The canister assembly 16 also includes a
control handle 28 and an actuator switch 30 for turning the vacuum
cleaner 10 on and off and thereby driving the rotary agitator 20
and the suction generator 22.
[0022] As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the dirt collection vessel 24
includes a main body comprising a bottom wall 32 and a curved
sidewall 34. In the illustrated embodiment, the bottom wall 32
comprises a door that is pivotally mounted to the sidewall 34 and
secured in a closed position by a latch (not shown). The latch may
be actuated to open the door 32 and empty dirt and debris from the
dirt collection chamber 26 when desired, in a manner well known in
the art. The dirt collection vessel 24 also includes a tangentially
directed inlet 35 and an axially directed chamber outlet 37. A
shoulder 36 formed in the curved sidewall 34 supports the spiral
air guide 25. A lid 38 seats on the upper edge of the side wall 34
and seals the open end 40 of the main body.
[0023] As should be appreciated, the spiral air guide 25 functions
to partition the dirt collection vessel 24 into the dirt collection
chamber 26 and the clean air manifold 42. A manifold outlet 44 in
the lid 38 provides fluid communication between the clean air
manifold 42 and the suction generator 22 through a conduit 45.
[0024] As further illustrated in FIG. 2, the shoulder 36 also
receives and holds a sieve 46. The sieve 46 is substantially
cylindrical in shape and is concentrically received within the
curved sidewall 34 of the main body of the dirt collection vessel
24. As illustrated the sieve 46 includes an outer wall 48
incorporating a series of apertures 50. More specifically, the
sieve 46 includes between about 1000 to about 1500 apertures 50 and
each aperture has a cross sectional area of between about 2.3
mm.sup.2 to about 6.4 mm.sup.2. The apertures 50 may be round,
oval, multisided or substantially any shape.
[0025] The sieve 46 includes an inner wall 52 that engages a
tubular element 53. The tubular element 53 is concentrically
received within the sidewall 34 of the dirt collection vessel 24.
The bottom of the tubular element 53 is closed by a convexity 55 in
the bottom wall or door 32. A second dirt collection chamber 54 is
defined inside the inner wall 52 and tubular element 53 above the
convexity 55. Thus, it should be appreciated that the chamber
outlet 37 is annular in shape and extends around the second dirt
collection chamber 54.
[0026] The spiral air guide 25 comprises a substantially flat,
spiral, tubular conduit 56. The spiral tubular conduit 56 has an
inlet 58 at a first end and a split outlet 60 at a second end. The
inlet 58 is provided in fluid communication with the first chamber
outlet 37 and the sieve 46 while the outlet 60 is provided with a
first section in fluid communication with the clean air manifold 42
and a second section in communication with the secondary inlet 51
of the second dirt collection chamber 54.
[0027] The split outlet 60 also includes a head wall 67. The head
wall 67 extends across the air path at an included angle .theta. of
between about 0 and about 30 degrees and most typically about 15
degrees. The function of the head wall 67 will be discussed in
detail below.
[0028] The spiral tubular conduit 56 may have a substantially
constant cross sectional area from the first end to the second end
of from about 250 mm.sup.2 to about 1000 mm.sup.2. In one possible
alternative embodiment the spiral tubular conduit may define a
spiral air path having a cross sectional area that decreases from
the first end to the second end. In yet another alternative
embodiment the spiral tubular conduit 56 may define a spiral air
path that has a cross sectional area that increases from the first
end to the second end. In any of these embodiments, the spiral air
guide 25 includes at least one clean air discharge orifice 62 along
an inside portion of the spiral air path defined by the spiral
tubular conduit 56. The discharge orifice 62 is provided in
communication with the clean air manifold 42.
[0029] During operation the rotary agitator 20 beats dirt and
debris from the nap of an underlying carpet being cleaned (see FIG.
3). That dirt and debris is drawn in an air stream into the vacuum
cleaner 10 through the suction inlet 18 by means of the suction
generator 22. After passing through a conduit 65, the air stream
entrained with dirt and debris is delivered through the
tangentially directed inlet 35 into the dirt collection chamber 26
of the dirt collection vessel 24 (see also FIG. 2). The resulting
cyclonic air flow (note action arrows A) tends to force the dirt
and debris toward the side wall 34 of the dirt collection vessel 24
while the relatively clean air is drawn through the apertures 50 of
the sieve 46 past the chamber outlet 37 (note action arrow B). The
air stream then passes through the inlet 58 into the spiral tubular
conduit 56 of the spiral air guide 25 (note action arrow C).
[0030] As the air stream travels through the conduit 56 it is drawn
into a tighter and tighter circle and is thereby accelerated. Any
fine dirt particles that were capable of passing through the
apertures 50 are forced against the outside portion of the spiral
air path while relatively clean air along the inside portion of the
spiral air path is drawn through the discharge orifices 62 into the
clean air manifold 42 (note action arrow D). The remaining fine
dirt particles are forced to travel along the outer portion of the
spiral air path of the conduit 56 and exit at the split outlet 60.
More specifically, the fine particles P are forced into the head
wall 67. The angle .theta. of the head wall 67 functions to deflect
the particles P downwardly through the second section of the outlet
60 directly into the second or fine particle dirt collection
chamber 54 through the secondary inlet 51 (note action arrow E).
Consequently, it should be appreciated that the spiral air guide 25
functions to insure that even the finest dirt particles are
captured in the dirt collection vessel 24. Simultaneously, the
remaining clean air stream is drawn off through the first section
of the split outlet 60 into the clean air manifold 42 (note action
arrow F).
[0031] The now clean air delivered to the clean air manifold 42
passes through the manifold outlet 44 (note action arrow G) and
then moves along a conduit 45 through a secondary filter 64 before
being delivered to the suction generator 22. As the clean air
passes through the suction generator 22 it functions to coos the
motor of the suction generator. The clean air is then exhausted
through a final filter 66, such as a HEPA filter to remove any
remaining particles such as carbon particles from the motor
brushes, before being discharged back into the environment through
the exhaust port 68.
[0032] As should be appreciated, the spiral air guide 25 functions
to return relatively fine dirt particles to the second chamber 54
of the dirt collection vessel 24 for capture and disposal thereby
stripping those particles from the clean air subsequently delivered
through the secondary filter 64 to the suction generator 22. As
such, the air guide functions to enhance the cleaning efficiency of
the vacuum cleaner 10.
[0033] In the alternative embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, the
dirt collection vessel 24 and spiral air guide 25 are separate
structures. The dirt collection vessel 24 is received in a first
cavity 76 in the canister assembly 16. The spiral air guide 25 is
received in a second cavity 78 in the canister assembly 16. A
conduit 85 held in the canister assembly 16 provides fluid
communication between the second section of the outlet 60 with the
secondary inlet 51 of the second fine particle dirt collection
chamber 54. More specifically, the spiral air guide 25 may be
integrally formed with a drawer 80 that slides into and out of the
second cavity 78 (see particularly FIG. 6). As illustrated, the
drawer 80 may include an integral handle 82 that is grasped with
the fingers in order to be removed from the housing 12. Similarly,
the dirt collection vessel 24 also includes a handle 83 that is
grasped with the fingers in order to be removed from the housing.
In this embodiment, the dirt collection vessel 24 and the spiral
air guide 25 are independently removable from the housing 12 so
that the operator may clean either as necessary or desired.
[0034] The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration
and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit
the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications
or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For
example, while the illustrated embodiment incorporates a
cylindrically shaped dirt collection chamber 26, a tangentially
directed inlet 35 and an axially directed outlet 37 in order to
provide for cyclonic airflow, the invention is not limited to such
an arrangement. The dirt collection chamber 26 may assume another
shape. The inlet 35 need not be tangentially directed and the
outlet 37 need not be axially oriented. Thus, the invention
incorporates both cyclonic and noncyclonic designs.
[0035] The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best
illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical
application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to
utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various
modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All
such modifications and variations are within the scope of the
invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in
accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and
equitably entitled. The drawings and preferred embodiments do not
and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims
and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.
* * * * *