Upright vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The vacuum cleaner comprises a cleaner body, a cyclonic chamber comprising a primary cyclone and at least one secondary cyclone disposed around the primary cyclone, a flow passage guide for guiding the airflow discharged from the primary cyclone to a secondary airflow inlet of the secondary cyclone, a first conduit for fludically connecting a nozzle section defining a suction opening to a primary airflow inlet of the primary cyclone, a suction source having an suction source inlet and an suction source outlet, and a second conduit for fludically connecting a secondary airflow outlet to the suction source inlet of the suction source. Accordingly, it is possible to achieve a low flow resistance by virtue of the flow passage guide and an enhanced dust collecting performance by virtue of a sealing effect of the sealing member.

1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a cleaner body;    a cyclonic chamber comprising; 
 a primary cyclone for separating contaminants from an airflow, the primary cyclone being in fluid communication with the cleaner body; and  
 at least one secondary cyclone integrated with the primary cyclone and disposed around the primary cyclone for separating contaminants entrained in the airflow discharged from the primary cyclone;  
   a flow passage guide for guiding the airflow discharged from the primary cyclone to a secondary airflow inlet of the secondary cyclone;    a first conduit for fludically connecting a nozzle section defining a suction opening to a primary airflow inlet of the primary cyclone;    a suction source having an suction source inlet and an suction source outlet, the suction source operative to generate and maintain an airflow flowing from the suction source inlet, to the suction source outlet; and    a second conduit for fludically connecting a secondary airflow outlet to the suction source inlet of the suction source.    
   
   
       2 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the flow passage guide is formed at an underside of a chamber cover mounted to the upper end of the cyclonic chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the flow passage guide has a conical shape and one end of the flow passage guide extends to the secondary airflow inlet.  
   
   
       4 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a third conduit for fludically connecting the suction source outlet to the atmosphere.  
   
   
       5 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 4 , whereby upon activation of the suction source, contaminants from a surface being cleaned are entrained in the airflow, the airflow travels: 
 (a) from the cleaner body into the primary cyclone through the primary airflow inlet;    (b) downwardly from the primary airflow inlet and in a cyclonic fashion within the primary cyclone so that the entrained contaminants are separated from the suction airflow;    (c) from the primary cyclone into the secondary cyclone with passing through the flow passage guide;    (d) downwardly from the secondary airflow inlet and in a cyclonic fashion within the secondary cyclone so that contaminants are separated from the airflow flowing into the secondary cyclone; and    (e) from the secondary cyclone into the suction source with passing through the second conduit.    
   
   
       6 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a main filter assembly for filtering contaminants from the airflow discharged form the secondary cyclone.  
   
   
       7 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 6 , the main filter assembly comprising a selectively permeable material, and the main filter assembly is located on an upper portion of the secondary cyclone.  
   
   
       8 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 a final filter assembly connected in fluid communication with the suction source outlet and adapted for filtering the airflow exhausted by the suction source prior to the airflow being dispersed into the atmosphere, wherein the final filter assembly comprises a high efficiency particulate arrest (HEPA) filter medium.    
   
   
       9 . A vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a dust collector comprising, 
 a primary cyclone for separating contaminants from an airflow; and  
 at least one secondary cyclone for separating contaminants entrained in the airflow discharged from the primary cyclone;  
   a cleaner body comprising a socket for holding selectively the dust collector;    a suction source located in the cleaner body for generating a cyclonic flow of the airflow in the dust collector; and    a selectively removable main filter assembly located in the dust collector for filtering contaminant from the airflow prior to the airflow flowing into the suction source.    
   
   
       10 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the primary cyclone is integrated with the secondary cyclone.  
   
   
       11 . The vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 10 , wherein the dust collector is at least partially transparent.  
   
   
       12 . An upright vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a dust collector comprising a primary cyclone and at least one secondary cyclone for separating contaminants from an airflow;    a cleaner body including a socket for holding selectively the dust collector;    a nozzle section pivotably connected the cleaner body and including a suction opening;    an agitator positioned in the nozzle section for contacting and scrubbing the surface being cleaned;    a suction source located below the dust collector for generating a cyclonic flow of the airflow in the dust collector, the suction source include an suction source inlet and an suction source outlet;    a belt for transferring the rotational force of the suction source to the agitator;    a first conduit for fludically connecting the suction opening to a primary airflow inlet of the primary cyclone; and    a second conduit for fludically connecting a secondary airflow outlet to the suction source inlet.    
   
   
       13 . The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 12  further comprising a flow passage guide for guiding the airflow discharged from the primary cyclone to a secondary airflow inlet of the secondary cyclone.  
   
   
       14 . The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 13 , whereby upon activation of the suction source, contaminants from a surface being cleaned are entrained in the airflow, the airflow travels: 
 (a) from the cleaner body into the primary cyclone through the primary airflow inlet;    (b) downwardly from the primary airflow inlet and in a cyclonic fashion within the primary cyclone so that the entrained contaminants are separated from the suction airflow;    (c) from the primary cyclone into the secondary cyclone with passing through the flow passage guide;    (d) downwardly from the secondary airflow inlet and in a cyclonic fashion within the secondary cyclone so that contaminants are separated from the airflow flowing into the secondary cyclone; and    (e) from the secondary cyclone into the suction source with passing through the second conduit.    
   
   
       15 . The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the secondary cyclone is disposed around the primary cyclone.  
   
   
       16 . The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 14 , wherein the primary airflow inlet is horizontally oriented and arranged so that the airflow entering the primary cyclone through the primary airflow inlet moves cyclonically within the primary cyclone.  
   
   
       17 . The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 12  further comprising an agitator brush provided at an outer circumference of the agitator.  
   
   
       18 . An upright vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a nozzle section;    a rotating brush assembly disposed in the nozzle section;    a primary cyclone for separating contaminants from an airflow, the primary cyclone being in fluid communication with the nozzle section;    at least one secondary cyclone for separating contaminants entrained in the airflow discharged from the primary cyclone;    a dust collecting container comprising: 
 a primary dust storing part for storing contaminants separated in the primary cyclone; and  
 a secondary dust storing part for storing contaminants separated in the secondary cyclone  
   a sealing member for sealing airtightly the primary dust storing part and the secondary dust storing part    a suction source for generating the airflow; and    a selectively removable main filter assembly located on upper portion of the secondary cyclone for filtering contaminants from the airflow prior to the airflow flowing into the suction source.    
   
   
       19 . The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 18  further comprising a conduit interconnecting the secondary cyclone with the suction source.  
   
   
       20 . The upright vacuum cleaner as set forth in  claim 18  further comprising a final filter assembly connected in fluid communication with the suction source and adapted for filtering the airflow exhausted by the suction source prior to the airflow being dispersed into the atmosphere, wherein the final filter assembly comprises a high efficiency particulate arrest (HEPA) filter medium.