Cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus for vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner may include a cyclone unit disposed at a cleaner body so that a longitudinal center axis thereof is parallel to a first sidewall of the cleaner body, the cyclone unit having a contaminant-discharging opening formed at an upper portion of a side surface thereof; and a contaminant receptacle disposed at a side of the cyclone unit to be attached to or detached from the cleaner body, the contaminant receptacle having a top wall at which a contaminant-entering opening is formed corresponding to the contaminant-discharging opening of the cyclone unit.

1 . A cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus for disposal in a cleaner body having a first sidewall that becomes a bottom surface when the cleaner body is stood up in a longitudinal direction thereof and a second sidewall that becomes the bottom surface when the cleaner body is laid down in the longitudinal direction thereof, the cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus comprising:
 a cyclone unit disposed at the cleaner body so that a longitudinal center axis of the cyclone unit is parallel to the first sidewall of the cleaner body, the cyclone unit having a contaminant-discharging opening formed at an upper portion of a side surface thereof, and   a contaminant receptacle disposed at the side surface of the cyclone unit, the contaminant receptacle being configured to be attached to or detached from the cleaner body, the contaminant receptacle having a top wall at which a contaminant-entering opening is formed corresponding to the contaminant-discharging opening of the cyclone unit.   
   
   
       2 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cyclone unit comprises:
 a cyclone body formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, the cyclone body having a center axis parallel to the first sidewall of the cleaner body;   an air-discharging pipe formed at a bottom surface of the cyclone body; and   an air-entering pipe disposed at the side surface of the cyclone body nearby the second sidewall of the cleaner body.   
   
   
       3 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the cyclone unit further comprises:
 a contaminant-discharging pipe extending from the side surface of the cyclone body at the contaminant-discharging opening, the contaminant-discharging pipe comprising a rectangular pipe.   
   
   
       4 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the contaminant receptacle further comprises
 an outer projection projecting from around the contaminant-entering opening of the contaminant receptacle.   
   
   
       5 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the cyclone unit further comprises:
 a supporting wall formed around the contaminant-discharging pipe, the supporting wall corresponding to the top wall of the contaminant receptacle; and   a sealing projection formed at the supporting wall to wrap the outer projection of the contaminant receptacle.   
   
   
       6 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a gasket disposed between the sealing projection and the outer projection. 
   
   
       7 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the contaminant receptacle further comprises:
 an inner projection formed at an inner surface of the top wall of the contaminant receptacle to project inside the contaminant receptacle from around the contaminant-entering opening.   
   
   
       8 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a discharging duct connecting the air-discharging pipe of the cyclone unit and a vacuum generator, the discharging duct being disposed at the second sidewall of the cleaner body.   
   
   
       9 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the contaminant receptacle comprises:
 a contaminant receptacle body having the top wall at which the contaminant-entering opening is formed;   a handle disposed at a side surface of the contaminant receptacle body;   a bottom cover disposed at a bottom end of the contaminant receptacle body so that it is able to be opened and closed; and   a bottom cover opening unit selectively opening and closing the bottom cover.   
   
   
       10 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the bottom cover is disposed at the side surface of the contaminant receptacle body by a hinge. 
   
   
       11 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the bottom cover opening unit comprises:
 a fixing hook disposed at a side of the bottom cover, the fixing hook formed to be caught on a fixing projection disposed at the contaminant receptacle body; and   a release lever causing the fixing hook to be released from the fixing projection.   
   
   
       12 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the release lever is formed to move along the handle. 
   
   
       13 . The cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an elastic member disposed on a top end of the release lever to bias the release lever upward. 
   
   
       14 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a cleaner body having a first sidewall that becomes a bottom surface when the cleaner body is stood up in a longitudinal direction thereof and a second sidewall that becomes the bottom surface when the cleaner body is laid down in the longitudinal direction thereof; and   a cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus disposed in the cleaner body, the cyclone contaminant collecting apparatus having a cyclone unit and a contaminant receptacle,   wherein the cyclone unit is disposed at the cleaner body so that a longitudinal center axis of the cyclone unit is parallel to the first sidewall of the cleaner body and wherein the contaminant receptacle is disposed at a side of the cyclone unit to be attached to or detached from the cleaner body.   
   
   
       15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein the cyclone unit has a contaminant-discharging opening formed at an upper portion of a side surface thereof. 
   
   
       16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 15 , wherein the contaminant receptacle has a top wall at which a contaminant-entering opening is formed corresponding to the contaminant-discharging opening of the cyclone unit. 
   
   
       17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 16 , wherein the cyclone unit comprises:
 a cyclone body formed in a hollow cylindrical shape, the cyclone body having a center axis parallel to the first sidewall of the cleaner body;   an air-discharging pipe formed at a bottom surface of the cyclone body; and   an air-entering pipe disposed at a side surface of the cyclone body nearby the second sidewall of the cleaner body.   
   
   
       18 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 17 , wherein the cyclone unit further comprises:
 a contaminant-discharging pipe extending from the side surface of the cyclone body at the contaminant-discharging opening, the contaminant-discharging pipe formed in a rectangular pipe.