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:
 an airflow path including a suction inlet and a clean air outlet;   a suction source in fluid communication with the dirty air inlet for generating an airflow through the airflow path; and   a separator assembly for removing and collecting debris from the airflow, the separator assembly including a central separator axis, the separator assembly including,
 a container having an air inlet in fluid communication with the suction inlet and the clean air outlet that discharges the airflow from the separator assembly, 
 a shroud located in the container and including, 
 a plurality of vanes comprising a generally cylindrical body, the plurality of vanes extending longitudinally relative to the central separator axis between upper and lower ends of the cylindrical body and forming air flow openings between the plurality of vanes, 
 a mesh screen positioned radially outward about a radial perimeter of the plurality of vanes, and 
 a filter mounted radially interior within the plurality of vanes, fluidly downstream of the air flow openings between the plurality of vanes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of vanes are elongated longitudinally and oriented parallel to the central separator axis. 
     
     
         3 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the filter is cylindrical and is elongated longitudinally relative to the central separator axis. 
     
     
         4 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the filter includes a foam media. 
     
     
         5 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the filter includes a pleated media. 
     
     
         6 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the filter includes a natural fiber media. 
     
     
         7 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 4 , wherein the filter includes a synthetic media. 
     
     
         8 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the filter includes a media selected from the group consisting of pleated media, open cell foam media, natural fiber media, synthetic media, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of tines extending below the shroud. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of tines protrude from the lower end of the cylindrical body of the plurality of vanes. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the mesh screen is supported on the generally cylindrical body of the plurality of vanes. 
     
     
         12 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the container defines a cyclonic separator about the central separator axis, the container having the air inlet positioned to receive the airflow and debris to rotate around the separator axis in a first direction within the container. 
     
     
         13 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the cyclonic separator is fluidly upstream of the shroud. 
     
     
         14 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the openings between adjacent vanes are positioned to direct the airflow and debris in a second direction at least partially opposed to the first direction redirecting airflow into the shroud. 
     
     
         15 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 12 , wherein the filter at least partially within the shroud extending around the central separator axis and positioned in the airflow path between the plurality of vanes and the clean air outlet. 
     
     
         16 . 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. 
     
     
         17 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the container includes a debris collection chamber below the shroud. 
     
     
         18 . 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. 
     
     
         19 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 18 , wherein the shroud is between the upper end and the lower end of the container, and wherein the shroud includes an upper end and a lower end, the shroud upper end being releasably connected to the container upper end. 
     
     
         20 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the shroud includes an upper end and a lower end having a lower opening. 
     
     
         21 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , 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. 
     
     
         22 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 20 , where the filter is removable from the shroud through the shroud upper end. 
     
     
         23 . 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. 
     
     
         24 . The vacuum cleaner of  claim 23 , wherein the shroud is coupled to the lid and removable with the lid from the container. 
     
     
         25 . 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. 
     
     
         26 . 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. 
     
     
         27 . 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.