Centrifugal dirt separation configurations for household-type and shop-type vacuum cleaners

Abstract

A cyclonic separation device in accordance with an embodiment of the present application preferably includes a first cyclone chamber having a cylindrical shape with a predetermined diameter, the first cyclone chamber including, a tangential inlet positioned on a first longitudinal end of the first cyclone chamber, a baffle plate positioned in the first cyclone chamber a predetermined distance from the tangential inlet, a tangential dirt outlet positioned on a second end of the cyclone chamber, opposite the inlet and on an opposite side of the baffle plate from the tangential inlet and a center exit duct mounted in the center of the cyclone chamber having an inlet opening positioned upstream from the baffle plate such the centrifuged fluid without particles flows into the center exit duct and out of the cyclone chamber.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
 a handle; and 
 a floor housing to which the handle is pivotally connected, wherein 
 the floor housing further comprises:
 a suction fan motor; 
 a suction fan driven by the suction fan motor and including a plurality of fan blades driven at a high velocity by the suction fan motor to suck a fluid from a first side of the fan to a second side of the fan; 
 
 a pick up head positioned adjacent to a floor and in fluid communication with the suction fan; and
 a cyclonic separator device comprising:
 a cyclone chamber having a cylindrical shape with a predetermined diameter, the cyclone chamber further comprising: 
 a tangential inlet duct positioned on a first longitudinal end of the cyclone chamber; 
 an opening formed in an outer wall of the cyclone chamber at a second end of the cyclone chamber, opposite the inlet through which particles exit the cyclone chamber; and 
 a center exit duct mounted substantially in the center of the cyclone chamber having an inlet opening positioned such the centrifuged fluid without particles flows into the center exit duct and out of the cyclone chamber, wherein 
 
 
 the pick up head and suction fan are connected in fluid communication with the cyclone chamber such that fluid flows from the pick up head through the tangential inlet into the cyclone chamber and rotates therein at high velocity such that particles in the fluid are forced out to the inner surface of the outer wall of the cyclone chamber and are discharged through the opening. 
 
     
     
       2. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the center exit duct includes a sleeve including a plurality of perforations formed therein, such that the perforations prevent particles from entering the inlet. 
     
     
       3. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 1 , further comprising a jet assist duct connected between the center exit duct and the pick up head and a jet assist nozzle positioned on the pick up head and connected to the jet assist duct to provide a stream of high velocity air in a direction parallel to the floor to be cleaned to aid in sucking particles off the floor and into the pick up head. 
     
     
       4. The vacuum cleaner of  claim 3  further comprising a collection chamber in fluid communication with the opening and structured to store separated particles from the fluid. 
     
     
       5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the handle is pivotally connected to the floor housing. 
     
     
       6. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a handle:   a floor housing to which the handle is connected;   the floor housing further comprises:
 a suction fan including a plurality of fan blades driven at a high velocity to suck a fluid from a first side of the fan to a second side of the fan; 
 a pick up head positioned adjacent to a floor and in fluid communication with the suction fan; and 
 a cyclonic separator device positioned upstream of the suction fan and in fluid communication therewith, 
   the pick up head and suction fan are connected in fluid communication with the cyclonic separator device such that fluid flows from the pick up head into the cyclonic separator device where it rotates therein at high velocity such that particles in the fluid are forced outwardly to an inner surface of the cyclonic separator device and out a particle exit duct formed therein.   
     
     
       7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein the cyclonic separator device further comprises:
 an outer cylindrical wall including a tangential inlet duct positioned on a first longitudinal end thereof and in fluid communication with the pick up head and a tangential particle exit duct positioned on a second longitudinal end thereof, opposite the first longitudinal end;   an inner cylindrical wall positioned inside of and coaxially with the outer cylindrical wall, the inner cylindrical wall including:   an annular baffle element extending outward from the outer surface thereof and positioned on a second end thereof between the tangential inlet duct and tangential particle outlet duct; and   at least one opening formed in the inner cylindrical wall proximate to the annular baffle and between the tangential inlet duct and annular baffle through which fluid passes to exit the cyclonic separator device.   
     
     
       8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the tangential particle exit duct is positioned between the annular baffle and an end wall of the cyclonic separator device. 
     
     
       9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, further comprising a particle collection element in fluid communication with the tangential particle exit duct to collect particles. 
     
     
       10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the particle collection element is a nonporous bag. 
     
     
       11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7 wherein the inner cylindrical wall defines a central exit tube in fluid communication with the suction fan through which fluid exits the cyclonic separator device. 
     
     
       12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the annular baffle is axially spaced from the tangential inlet duct such that the annular baffle directs fluid into the at least one opening formed in the inner cylindrical wall. 
     
     
       13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, further comprising a second cyclonic separation device in fluid communication with the suction fan and positioned downstream thereof. 
     
     
       14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, wherein a lower portion of the handle is hollow and provides fluid communication between the suction fan and the second cyclonic separation device. 
     
     
       15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, wherein the second cyclonic separation device comprises a plurality of small diameter conical chambers positioned around the handle and extending substantially perpendicular to a direction of fluid flow, each small diameter conical chamber further comprising a small tangential inlet structured to allow a portion of the fluid to enter each of the small cyclonic chambers, such that the fluid rotates within the small diameter conical chambers to separate out any addition fine particles in the fluid. 
     
     
       16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein each of the small diameter conical chambers further comprises an outlet port structured to disperse the fine particles separated from the liquid. 
     
     
       17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, further comprising a second particle collection chamber in fluid communication with the outlet port of each of the small diameter conical chambers and structured to collect dispersed fine particles from the fluid that is discharged from the outlet port. 
     
     
       18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein each of the small diameter conical chambers includes a duct structured to allow fluid to exit out of the second cyclonic separation device. 
     
     
       19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18 further comprising a filter positioned between the exits of the second cyclonic separator device and operable to provide additional filtering to remove any additional particles from the fluid leaving the second cyclonic separating device. 
     
     
       20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, further comprising a jet assist duct connected between the cyclonic separation device and the pick up head and a jet assist nozzle positioned on the pick up head and connected to the jet assist duct to provide a stream of high velocity air in a direction parallel to the floor to be cleaned to aid in sucking particles off the floor and add momentum to help carry dirt particles into the pick up head. 
     
     
       21. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
 a hollow handle;   a floor housing to which the handle is attached, the floor housing further comprising:
 a suction fan motor; 
 a suction fan, driven by the suction fan motor; 
 a first cyclone separator connected to an inlet of the suction fan; wherein 
   the first cyclone separator including:
 a cyclone chamber having a cylindrical shape with a predetermined diameter, the cyclone chamber further comprising:
 a tangential inlet positioned on a first longitudinal end of the cyclone chamber; 
 a baffle plate positioned in the cyclone chamber a predetermined distance from the tangential inlet; 
 a tangential dirt outlet duct positioned on a second end of the cyclone chamber, opposite the inlet and downstream of the baffle plate, through which dirt particles exit the cyclone chamber; and 
 a center exit duct mounted substantially in a center of the cyclone chamber having an inlet opening positioned downstream from the baffle and in fluid communication with the suction fan inlet such that rotation of the suction fan draws fluid into the cyclone chamber to rotate at high velocity forcing dirt particles in the fluid past the baffle plate and out of the tangential dirt outlet duct; 
 
   a removable dirt collector in fluid communication with the tangential dirt outlet duct and structured to store the particles discharged from the tangential dirt outlet duct; and   a secondary cyclone separator mounted on the hollow handle in fluid communication with the center exit duct and operable to separate any remaining dirt particles from the fluid provided from the center exit duct.