Vacuum cleaner having dirt collection vessel with a labyrinthine air flow path

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a body having a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet and a control assembly including a control stalk. A suction generator and dirt collection vessel are both carried on the body. A dirt collection vessel includes a housing, having a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, a labyrinthine air flow path connecting the dirty air inlet with the clean air outlet, and a dirt collection chamber opening to the labyrinthine air flow path.

1 . A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a body including (a) a nozzle assembly having a suction inlet and (b) a control assembly including a control stalk;   a suction generator carried on said body; and   a dirt collection vessel carried on said body;   said dirt collection vessel being characterized by a housing having a dirty air inlet, a clean air outlet, a labyrinthine air flow path connecting said dirty air inlet with said clean air outlet and a dirt collection chamber opening to said labyrinthine air flow path.   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said dirt collection vessel includes a series of spaced baffles forming a series of interconnected passageways. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 2 , wherein said series of spaced baffles comprises a first ring shaped baffle, a second ring shaped baffle and a third ring shaped baffle. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3 , wherein said first, second and third ring shaped baffles are concentrically disposed with respect to one another. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein a first air flow passageway is defined between said dirty air inlet and said first ring shaped baffle, a second air flow passageway is defined between said first and second ring shaped baffles and a third air flow passageway is defined between said second and third ring shaped baffles. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 5 , wherein said dirt collection chamber includes a first divider, a second divider and a cylindrical outer wall. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 6 , wherein said first and second dividers are ring shaped and concentrically received within said cylindrical outer wall. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein said first divider projects between said first and second ring shaped baffles so that said second airflow passageway is u-shaped. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 8 , wherein said second divider projects between said second and third ring shaped baffles so that said third air flow passageway is u-shaped. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein a first blind channel is formed in said first divider and a second blind channel is formed in said second divider. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein a third blind channel is formed adjacent said cylindrical outer wall. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 11 , wherein said clean air outlet is formed between said third ring shaped baffle and said third blind channel. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein said dirt collection chamber includes a first dirt compartment formed between said dirty air inlet and said first divider, a second dirt compartment formed between said first and second dividers and a third dirt compartment formed between said second divider and said cylindrical outer wall. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 13 , including a ring shaped air deflector positioned in said second dirt compartment and aligned with said second ring shaped baffle. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 14 , wherein said dirt collection vessel further includes a primary cyclone separator upstream from said labyrinthine air flow path so that air flows through said dirty air inlet into said primary cyclone separator and from said labyrinthine air flow path to said clean air outlet. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein said labyrinthine air flow path is shaped like a sign wave.