Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner including a separator assembly having a container that defines a cyclonic separator about a separator axis. The container having a dirty air inlet that receives the airflow and debris to rotate around the separator axis in a first direction. A clean air outlet discharges the airflow from the separator assembly. A shroud forming an airflow passageway is between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet. The airflow passageway is formed by a plurality of vanes defining openings between adjacent vanes positioned to direct the airflow and debris in a second direction at least partially opposed to the first direction redirecting airflow into the shroud. A mesh screen is positioned on the shroud covering the airflow passageway and a filter at least partially within the shroud extends around the separator axis positioned in an airflow path between the plurality of vanes and the clean air outlet.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a suction inlet;   a suction source configured to generate an airflow through the suction inlet to draw debris with the airflow through the suction inlet; and   a separator assembly downstream from the suction inlet and a debris collection chamber, the separator assembly including
 a container that defines a cyclonic separator about a separator axis, the container having a dirty air inlet positioned to receive the airflow and debris to rotate around the separator axis in a first direction within the container, 
 a clean air outlet that discharges the airflow from the separator assembly, 
 a shroud located in the container forming an airflow passageway between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet, the airflow passageway formed by a plurality of vanes defining openings between adjacent vanes positioned to direct the airflow and debris in a second direction at least partially opposed to the first direction redirecting airflow into the shroud, 
 a mesh screen positioned on the shroud covering the airflow passageway, and 
 a filter at least partially within the shroud extending around the separator axis positioned in an airflow path between the plurality of vanes and the clean air outlet. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh screen includes a plurality of pores each having a pore size in a range from 450 micrometers to 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the debris collection chamber is below the shroud. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes an upper end and a lower end and the separator axis extends centrally through the upper end and the lower end. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the shroud is between the upper end and the lower end of the container. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud includes an upper end and a lower end, the shroud upper end being releasably connected to the container upper end. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud includes an upper end and a lower end having a lower opening. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , wherein a closed end of the filter contacts the shroud adjacent the lower end closing the lower opening defining a filter dirt collection chamber within the shroud between the plurality of vanes and the filter. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 7 , where the filter is removable from the shroud through the shroud upper end. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the separator assembly further includes a lid removably coupled to the container, the filter being coupled to the lid and removable with the lid from the container. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 10 , wherein the shroud is coupled to the lid and removable with the lid from the container. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the separator assembly further includes a lid removably coupled to the container, wherein the clean air outlet includes an aperture through the lid. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , where the filter is a cylindrical filter forming a central portion in fluid communication with the clean air outlet. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , where the filter includes a media selected from the group consisting of pleated media, open cell foam media, natural fiber media, and synthetic media. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the shroud includes an upper end having an upper opening removably coupled to the container and a lower end having a lower opening, wherein the filter is removably attached to the lid in fluid communication with the clean air outlet, wherein a closed end of the filter contacts the shroud adjacent the lower end closing the lower opening to define a dirt collection chamber within the shroud between the plurality of vanes and the filter, and wherein the filter is removable through the upper opening to empty the dirt collection chamber when the lid is uncoupled from the container. 
     
     
         16 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein sidewalls of adjacent vanes converge defining the openings between adjacent vanes having a decreasing area in the direction of airflow into the shroud. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vanes defining openings between adjacent vanes are positioned to direct the airflow and debris to rotate between the shroud and filter in the second direction being opposite of the first direction. 
     
     
         18 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a suction inlet;   a suction source configured to generate an airflow through the suction inlet to draw debris with the airflow through the suction inlet; and   a separator assembly downstream from the suction inlet including
 a container that defines a cyclonic separator about a separator axis, the container having a dirty air inlet positioned to receive the airflow and debris to rotate around the separator axis in a first direction within the container, 
 a clean air outlet that discharges the airflow from the separator assembly, 
 a shroud located in the container having apertures forming an airflow passageway between the dirty air inlet and the clean air outlet, the shroud having an upper end and a lower end having a lower opening, 
 a filter at least partially within the shroud extending around the separator axis positioned in an airflow path between the shroud and the clean air outlet, 
 wherein a closed end of the filter contacts the shroud adjacent the lower end closing the lower opening defining a filter dirt collection chamber within the shroud between the apertures and the filter. 
   
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , where the filter is removable from the shroud through the shroud upper end. 
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , where the shroud airflow passageway is formed by a plurality of vanes defining openings between adjacent vanes positioned to direct the airflow and debris in a second direction at least partially opposed to the first direction redirecting airflow into the shroud. 
     
     
         21 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein sidewalls of adjacent vanes converge defining the openings between adjacent vanes having a decreasing area in the direction of airflow into the shroud. 
     
     
         22 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , wherein the plurality of vanes defining openings between adjacent vanes are positioned to direct the airflow and debris to rotate between the shroud and filter in the second direction being opposite of the first direction. 
     
     
         23 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , further comprising a mesh screen positioned on the shroud covering the airflow passageway, wherein the mesh screen includes a plurality of pores each having a pore size in a range from 450 micrometers to 100 micrometers. 
     
     
         24 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the container includes an upper end and a lower end, the shroud upper end being releasably connected to the container upper end. 
     
     
         25 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the separator assembly further includes a lid removably coupled to the container, the filter is coupled to the lid and removable with the lid from the container. 
     
     
         26 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 25 , wherein the shroud is coupled to the lid and removable with the lid from the container. 
     
     
         27 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 25 , where the filter is removable from the shroud through the shroud upper end to empty the filter dirt collection chamber when the lid is uncoupled from the container.