Cyclonic dirt separation module

Abstract

The invention relates to dirt separator module comprising a dirt-separation housing having an inlet and an outlet opening and defining a cyclonic airflow separator, and a suction source fluidly connected with the dirt-separation housing. A separator plate and a cylindrical wall of the dirt-separation housing form a toroidal cyclonic airflow chamber in the dirt-separator for aiding in the separation of dirt from a suction airstream developed by the suction source. The separator plate has an outer diameter smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall of the dirt-separation housing, creating a gap between the outer edge of the separator plate and the inner wall of the dirt tank. A further embodiment includes dual cyclonic separators fluidly connected through a filter assembly. A further embodiment includes a cyclonic separator in the form of a tangential helical ramp.

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a housing defining a first cyclonic airflow chamber for separating contaminants from a dirt-containing airstream, said housing further comprising an airstream inlet and an airstream outlet in fluid communication with said first cyclonic airflow chamber;    a nozzle base including a suction opening, said suction opening being fluidly connected with said airstream inlet of the first cyclonic airflow chamber;    the housing further including a second cyclonic airflow chamber having an airstream inlet in fluid communication with the outlet of the first cyclonic airflow chamber and an airstream outlet;    the second cyclonic airflow chamber is at least in part defined by a frustroconical wall that decreases in diameter from a lower end to an upper end,    a fluid passage between the airstream outlet of the first cyclonic airflow chamber and the airflow inlet of the second cyclonic airflow chamber;    a first dirt-collecting bin beneath said first cyclonic airflow chamber for collecting dirt separated from the airstream in the first cyclonic airflow chamber; and    an airstream suction source fluidly connected to the suction opening and to the first and second cyclonic airflow chambers for transporting a dirt-containing airstream from the suction opening through the first and second cyclonic airflow chambers, wherein the suction source is adapted to selectively establish and maintain the flow of the dirt-containing airstream from the suction opening through said first and second cyclonic airflow chambers.    
     
     
         2 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  wherein the airstream suction source is downstream of the outlet of the second cyclonic airflow chamber.  
     
     
         3 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  wherein the outlet of the first cyclonic airflow chamber if formed by a perforated wall.  
     
     
         4 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 2  wherein the first cyclonic airflow chamber is formed at least in part from a substantially cylindrical housing wall and the perforated wall is spaced radially inwardly of the substantially cylindrical housing wall.  
     
     
         5 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 4  wherein the perforated wall is substantially cylindrically shaped.  
     
     
         6 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  wherein the second cyclonic airflow chamber has an opening at an upper portion thereof for passage of dirt separated from the airstream.  
     
     
         7 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  and further comprising a second dirt-collecting bin in communication with an upper end of the second cyclonic air flow chamber for collection of dirt from the airstream in the second cyclonic airflow chamber.  
     
     
         8 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 7  wherein the frusto-conical wall also defines a wall of the second dirt-collecting bin.  
     
     
         9 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 8  wherein the second dirt-collecting bin is axially spaced from the first dirt-collecting bin.  
     
     
         10 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 7  wherein the second dirt-collecting bin is positioned axially above the first dirt-collecting bin.  
     
     
         11 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  wherein the airstream suction source is connected to the airstream outlet of the second cyclonic airflow chamber through a shaft that passes through the first dirt-collecting bin.  
     
     
         12 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 11  wherein the airstream outlet is positioned concentrically with respect to the first cyclonic airflow chamber.  
     
     
         13 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  and further comprising a separator plate between the first cyclonic airflow chamber and the first dirt-collecting bin.  
     
     
         14 . A vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1  and further comprising at least one vane positioned between the fluid passage between the airstream outlet of the first cyclonic airflow chamber and the airflow inlet of the second cyclonic airflow chamber for imparting a tangential velocity component to the airflow in the fluid passage.  
     
     
         15 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a suction nozzle opening adapted to draw dirt from a surface to be cleaned; a cyclonic separator having an inlet opening communicating with the suction nozzle and an outlet opening for exhausitng cleaned air; an airstream suction source fluidly connected to cyclonic separator outlet opening for selectively establishing and maintaining a dirt-containing airstream from the suction nozzle opening through the cyclonic separator; wherein the cyclonic separator comprises an upstream cyclone and a downstream cyclone;    the upstream cyclone including a first end and a second end, and the downstream cyclone having a first end and a second end,    wherein the upstream cyclone is substantially cylindrical in shape between the first and second ends thereof,    wherein the upstream and downstream cyclones are arranged relative to one another so that the orientation of the downstream cyclone is substantially inverted with respect to the orientation of the upstream cyclone, and wherein the downstream cyclone is frusto-conical in shape between the first and second ends thereof.    
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 15  and further comprising a perforated plate in a flow path between the upstream and downstream cyclones.  
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 15  and further comprising a filter in a flow path between the upstream and downstream cyclones.  
     
     
         18 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 15  wherein the upstream and downstream cyclones are axially spaced from each other.