Multi-cyclone dust collection device and vacuum cleaner comprising same

Abstract

A multi-cyclone dust collector and a vacuum cleaner having the same are provided. The multi-cyclone dust collector includes a primary cyclone separator provided to separate waste primarily from introduced waste-containing air, and a secondary cyclone separator installed inside the primary cyclone separator to separate dust from air discharged from the primary cyclone separator. The secondary cyclone separator includes a secondary cyclone provided with two inlet holes through which air is introduced and an outlet hole through which the introduced air is discharged, and an upper cover provided to cover an upper end of the secondary cyclone and including an outlet pipe inserted into the outlet hole to discharge the air. The upper cover further includes a plurality of flow guides disposed between adjacent inlet holes to minimize airflow interference between the adjacent inlet holes and provided on an outer surface of the outlet pipe to correspond to the at least two inlet holes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multi-cyclone dust collector comprising:
 a primary cyclone separator configured to separate waste primarily from introduced waste-containing air; and   a secondary cyclone separator installed inside the primary cyclone separator, the secondary cyclone separator configured to separate dust from air discharged from the primary cyclone separator,   wherein the secondary cyclone separator comprises:
 a secondary cyclone provided with at least two inlet holes through which air is introduced and an outlet hole through which the introduced air is discharged, and 
 an upper cover provided to cover an upper end of the secondary cyclone and comprising an outlet pipe inserted into the outlet hole to discharge the air, and 
   wherein the upper cover further comprises a plurality of flow guides disposed between adjacent inlet holes to minimize airflow interference between the adjacent inlet holes and provided on an outer surface of the outlet pipe to correspond to the at least two inlet holes.   
     
     
         2 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least two inlet holes are provided at an upper end of an outer circumferential surface of a body of the secondary cyclone to protrude outward from the body, and   wherein the plurality of flow guides is provided at positions higher than a lower end of the outlet pipe to correspond to the at least two inlet holes.   
     
     
         3 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 2 , wherein each of the plurality of flow guides comprises a guide surface extending toward the lower end of the outlet pipe to guide air introduced into each of the at least two inlet holes to be moved to the lower end of the outlet pipe. 
     
     
         4 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least two inlet holes are formed in a tangential direction with respect to an outer circumferential surface of each of a plurality of secondary cyclones, and   wherein one of the plurality of flow guides comprises a guide surface provided to guide air introduced into one of the at least two inlet holes.   
     
     
         5 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 4 ,
 wherein each of the at least two inlet holes comprises:
 an opening formed on each of bodies of the plurality of secondary cyclones, and 
 an inlet duct formed to surround the opening to allow air to flow in a tangential direction with respect to an outer circumferential surface of a body, and 
   wherein the guide surface is provided to face the opening of the corresponding inlet hole.   
     
     
         6 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 5 ,
 wherein the guide surface extends downward from one end thereof to the other end, and   wherein the guide surface is formed to be away from the corresponding inlet hole from the one end toward the other end.   
     
     
         7 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide surface has a spiral shape along a circumference of the outlet pipe. 
     
     
         8 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 6 , wherein the guide surface is provided to be inclined with respect to the tangential direction. 
     
     
         9 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 6 , wherein the one of the plurality of flow guides comprises a blocking surface provided on a side opposite to the guide surface facing one inlet hole to block air introduced from an inlet hole adjacent to the one inlet hole from being moved toward the one inlet hole. 
     
     
         10 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 9 , wherein the blocking surface extends from one end thereof to the other end in a direction parallel to an extending direction of the outlet pipe. 
     
     
         11 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 10 , wherein the other end of the guide surface and the other end of the blocking surface are in contact with each other. 
     
     
         12 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the one of the plurality of flow guides further comprises a cover surface provided to cover a space between the guide surface and the blocking surface, and   wherein the guide surface, the blocking surface and the cover surface are integrally formed.   
     
     
         13 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein a plurality of secondary cyclones is provided, and   wherein the upper cover is provided to cover upper portions of the plurality of secondary cyclones and comprising a plurality of outlet pipes corresponding to the plurality of secondary cyclones.   
     
     
         14 . The multi-cyclone dust collector according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the plurality of secondary cyclones comprises a central cyclone provided to correspond to a center of the upper cover and eight peripheral cyclones provided to correspond to a circumference of the upper cover, and   wherein a first cyclone has four inlet holes and each of the plurality of secondary cyclones has three inlet holes.   
     
     
         15 . A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a suction nozzle;   a multi-cyclone dust collector connected to the suction nozzle; and   a suction motor connected to the multi-cyclone dust collector, the suction motor configured to generate a suction force,   wherein the multi-cyclone dust collector comprises:
 a primary cyclone separator provided to separate waste primarily from introduced waste-containing air, and 
 a secondary cyclone separator installed inside the primary cyclone separator to separate dust from air discharged from the primary cyclone separator, 
   wherein the secondary cyclone separator comprises:
 a secondary cyclone provided with at least two inlet holes through which air is introduced and an outlet hole through which the introduced air is discharged, and 
 an upper cover provided to cover an upper end of the secondary cyclone and comprising an outlet pipe inserted into the outlet hole to discharge the air, and 
   wherein the upper cover further comprises a plurality of flow guides disposed between adjacent inlet holes to minimize airflow interference between the adjacent inlet holes and provided on an outer surface of the outlet pipe to correspond to the at least two inlet holes.