Vacuum cleaner with dirt collection vessel having a stepped sidewall
A vacuum cleaner is provided including a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet and a canister assembly. A suction generator and dirt collection vessel ate carried on one of the nozzle assembly and canister assembly. The dirt collection vessel includes a base wall, a stepped sidewall and a dirt collection chamber. The stepped sidewall has a first cylindrical section with a circumference C1, and a second cylindrical section with a circumference C2 where C1, C1>C2. In addition the stepped sidewall includes a step connecting the first and second cylindrical sections where the step and first cylindrical section define an included angle A1≦90°.
Latest Patents:
- METHODS AND COMPOSITIONS FOR RNA-GUIDED TREATMENT OF HIV INFECTION
- IRRIGATION TUBING WITH REGULATED FLUID EMISSION
- RESISTIVE MEMORY ELEMENTS ACCESSED BY BIPOLAR JUNCTION TRANSISTORS
- SIDELINK COMMUNICATION METHOD AND APPARATUS, AND DEVICE AND STORAGE MEDIUM
- SEMICONDUCTOR STRUCTURE HAVING MEMORY DEVICE AND METHOD OF FORMING THE SAME
The present invention relates generally to the floor care equipment field and, more particularly, to a vacuum cleaner equipped with a dirt collection vessel having a stepped sidewall providing enhanced cleaning efficiency.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONA vacuum cleaner is an electromechanical appliance utilized to effect the dry removal of dust, dirt and other small debris from carpets, rugs, fabrics or other surfaces in domestic, commercial and industrial environments. In order to achieve the desired dirt and dust removal, most vacuum cleaners incorporate a rotary agitator. The rotary agitator is provided to beat dirt and debris from the nap of the carpet or rug while a pressure drop or vacuum is used to force air entrained with this dirt and debris into the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner. The particulate laden air is then drawn into a dirt collection vessel. The air is then drawn through a filter before being directed through the motor of the suction generator to provide cooling. Finally, the air is filtered to remove any fine particles of carbon from the brushes of that motor or other dirt that might remain in the airstream before being exhausted back into the environment.
Often the dirt collection vessel is designed to produce cyclonic airflow by providing that vessel with a dirt chamber having a cylindrical sidewall and a tangentially directed air inlet. This arrangement forces the air to swirl around the dirt collection chamber in the manner of a cyclone. The centrifugal force that is produced causes dirt and debris to move toward and against the cylindrical sidewall of the chamber while relatively clean air may be drawn off from the center of the chamber through a prefilter toward the main filter and the suction generator.
Under most operating conditions most or all of the dirt and debris is removed from the airstream by the cyclonic airflow. At times, however, some dirt and debris remains entrapped within the airstream. Typically, that dirt and debris is relatively fine dirt particles of light weight which are not as susceptible to the centrifugal separation force produced by the cyclonic airflow.
However, larger debris is sometimes drawn toward and closes some of the airstream apertures provided in the prefilter. In such a circumstance, the cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner becomes impaired.
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner equipped with a dirt collection vessel having a stepped sidewall. The stepped sidewall functions to better separate dirt and debris from the airstream by preventing it from being drawn back upwardly in the dirt collection chamber after it settles toward the bottom. As a consequence, any potential for that dirt and debris to be drawn on or into the intake or airstream apertures of the prefilter is greatly reduced or eliminated. The vacuum cleaner therefore operates at peak cleaning efficiency at all times.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with the purposes of the present invention as described herein, an improved vacuum cleaner is provided. That vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle assembly with a suction inlet and a canister assembly. A suction generator is carried on one of the canister assembly and nozzle assembly. Similarly, a dirt collection vessel is carried on one of the canister assembly and the nozzle assembly. The dirt collection vessel includes a base wall, a sidewall and a dirt collection chamber. Further, the dirt collection vessel is characterized by the sidewall having a first cylindrical section with a circumference C1 and a second cylindrical section with a circumference C2 where C1>C2. Further the dirt collection vessel is characterized by a step connecting the first cylindrical section with the second cylindrical section.
More specifically, describing the invention the circumference C1, is between about 18.8 in. and about 25.1 in. The circumference C2 is between about 15.7 in. and about 22.0 in. Further the first cylindrical section has a height H2 of between about 6 in. and about 7 in. The second cylindrical section has a height H2 of between about 5 in. and about 6 in. Together the circumference C1 and the height H1 define a volume V1 of between about 169.6 in.3 and about 351.9 in.3 while the circumference C2 and the height H2 define a volume V2 of between about 98.2 in.3 and about 230.9 in3. Further the step has a width between the first cylindrical section and the second cylindrical section of between about 0.1 in. and about 2.5 in.
In addition a support is concentrically received in the first cylindrical section. The support projects from the base wall. A prefilter is carried on the support. The prefilter includes a third cylindrical section that carries an angled flange. The flange and the third cylindrical section meet at a vertex V defining an included angle A2 of between about 135 to about 165 degrees. The vertex V is received concentrically within the second cylindrical section. Further the flange includes a straight, continuous face. An annular gap is provided between the flange and the end of the second cylindrical section. The gap has a width of between about 0.5 in. and about 2.5 in.
Still further, a filter is provided in the dirt collection chamber. The filter is carried on the prefilter. A lid including a top wall closes an end of the dirt collection vessel opposite the base wall. The lid includes an inlet in communication with the dirt collection chamber and an outlet in communication with an upstream side of the filter.
In one possible embodiment the nozzle assembly is pivotally connected to the canister assembly. Further, a rotary agitator may be carried on the nozzle assembly adjacent the suction inlet. In addition the canister assembly may include a control handle.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, the step between the first cylindrical section and second cylindrical section may include a channel opening toward the base wall. In such an embodiment that channel could be defined by the first cylindrical section, the second cylindrical section and the step. The channel may include an arcuate bottom wall.
In the following description there is shown and described several preferred embodiments of this invention, simply by way of illustration of some of the modes best suited to carry out the invention. As it will be realized, the invention is capable of other different embodiments and its several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions will be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGThe accompanying drawing incorporated in and forming a part of this specification, illustrates several aspects of the present invention, and together with the description serves to explain certain principles of the invention. In the drawing:
Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Reference is now made to
As illustrated, the apparatus 10 includes a housing 12 including both a nozzle assembly 14 and a canister assembly 16. The nozzle assembly 14 includes a suction inlet 18 through which air entrained with dirt and debris is drawn into the vacuum cleaner. A rotary agitator 20 is mounted to the nozzle assembly 14 and extends across the suction inlet 18.
The canister assembly 16 includes a handle 22 having a handgrip 24. An actuator switch 26 for turning the vacuum cleaner on and off is provided adjacent the handgrip. In addition the canister assembly 16 includes a cavity or receiver 28 for receiving and holding a dirt collection vessel 30. A suction generator 32 is mounted in a compartment in the canister assembly 16. During operation, the rotary agitator 20 beats dirt and debris from the nap of the rug or carpet being cleaned. The suction generator 32 draws air entrained with that dirt and debris through the suction inlet 18 into the dirt collection vessel 30. The dirt and debris is trapped in the dirt collection vessel 30 and the now relatively clean air passes through and over the motor of the suction generator 32 to provide cooling before being exhausted through an exhaust port (not shown) back into the environment.
As best illustrated in
A filter, generally designated by reference numeral 52, is received in the filter cavity 46 of the first element 40. The filter 52 includes a sidewall 54, a hub 56 and multiple partitions 58 extending between the hub and the sidewall (see also
An inner support 64 extends upwardly in the dirt cup section 36 from the bottom wall 37. A prefilter 66 rests on the inner support 64. The prefilter 66 includes a series of intake apertures 68 that allow airflow in a manner that will be described in greater detail below.
In the illustrated embodiment, the dirt collection vessel 30 is designed to produce cyclonic airflow and thereby use centrifugal force to improve the efficiency with which dirt and debris are removed from the airstream. More specifically, as clearly illustrated in
Simultaneously, the relatively clean air is drawn through the intake apertures 68 provided in the prefilter 66 along the inner wall of the annular space S where it is then directed upwardly through the filter 52. Specifically, the air passes through the filter media 62 where any fine dirt and debris remaining in the airstream is stopped while clean air passes through the media on through the clean air outlet 48 to the suction generator 32. The direction of airflow during normal vacuum cleaner operation is shown by action arrows in
The flow control valve assembly of the present invention is generally designated by reference numeral 70. As best illustrated in
Each first flow valve 72 includes a first cam follower 76. Each cam follower 76 engages a first cam 78 mounted to or integrally formed on the underside of a first drive gear 80. The drive gear 80 is driven by an actuator. In the illustrated embodiment the actuator comprises a meshing second drive gear 82 and a cooperating stepper motor 84. In alternative embodiments the actuator may comprise, for example, a manual twist knob/finger wheel or an electrical solenoid and activation switch. The operation of the stepper motor 84 and the first flow valve 72 will be described in greater detail below.
As further illustrated in
Referring back to the filter 52, each section 60 also has an arc of A°. In the illustrated embodiment, the filter 52 includes eight partitions 58 dividing the filter 52 into eight equal sections 60, each spanning a 45° arc. Thus, the outlet 90 of the air guide 86 also spans a 45° arc, matching the arc of each individual section 60 of the filter 52. Of course, sections of other sizes could be provided (e.g. 12 sections each having an arc of 30°, 10 sections each having an arc of 36°, 9 sections each having an arc of 40°, 6 sections each having an arc of 60 ).
The flow control valve assembly 70 also includes a second flow valve 92. The second flow valve 92 includes an outer sidewall 94 and a mounting hub 96 concentrically received in that outer sidewall. A second cam 98 is provided on the air guide 86. A cooperating second cam follower 100 engages the second cam 98. The second cam follower 100 includes a mounting shaft 102 having a pointed end 104 and a channel 106. The pointed end 104 is extended into the mounting hub 96 of the second flow valve 92 and that hub engages in the channel 106 so as to secure the second flow valve to the mounting shaft 102.
As further illustrated in
The operation of the flow control valve assembly 70 will now be described in detail. During normal vacuum cleaner operation, the suction generator 32 draws air from the suction inlet 18 through the dirt collection vessel 30 where dirt and debris is trapped and then exhausts clean air from the exhaust port. In order to do this, the flow control valve assembly 70 is positioned as illustrated in
As the vacuum cleaner continues to operate, fine dirt particles not removed from the airstream by the cyclonic action in the annular space S is stripped from the airstream and trapped by the filter media 62 of the filter 52. Over time, these fine dirt particles begin to close off the pores in the filter media 62 thereby restricting airflow. This not only causes the motor of the suction generator 32 to run hotter and at a lower efficiency, it also reduces airflow thereby adversely affecting the cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner. Consequently, the airflow may become so restricted as to prevent the vacuum cleaner from cleaning properly. It is then necessary to either clean or replace the filter 52.
The present invention allows the filter 52 to be cleaned in situ in a very convenient and efficient manner. Specifically, the stepper motor 84 may be activated to rotate the air guide 86 through an arc of 45° by means of the meshing drive gears 80, 82. This functions to rotate the air guide 86 so that the outlet 90 thereof is exactly aligned over or in registration with one of the sections 60 of the filter 52. The rotation of the first drive gear 80 simultaneously causes the first cam 78 to rotate from the position shown in
As the stepper motor 84 rotates the drive gear 80, first cam 78 and air guide 86, the second cam 98 is also rotated. The second cam follower 100 rides upward on the cam 98 raising the second flow valve 92 so that the upper edge thereof engages the prefilter 66 above the intake apertures 68 around its full circumference. Thus, it should be appreciated that as the ports 73 open through movement of the first flow valve 72, the second flow valve 92 closes the air passage from the prefilter 66 to the outlet 48. Accordingly, the suction generator 32 draws clean air through the ports 73 and the clean air inlet 50. That air is then drawn through the inlet 88 of the air guide 86 and then directed by the outlet 90 thereof through the single individual section 60 of the filter 52 with which the outlet is aligned. Since the clean air is moving through the selected section 60 of the filter 52 in a direction opposite that of normal operation, dirt (and particularly fine dirt from the pores of the filter), is forced from the filter media 62. The dirt expelled from the section 60 of the filter 52 being cleaned has a tendency to be trapped in the lumen or particle trap 120 of the inner support 64. This is due in large degree to the shape of the support which includes a frustoconical upper end 122 connected to a substantially cylindrically shaped lower end 124 by an intermediate bottleneck section 126 of smaller circumferential opening than the lower end. The relatively clean air is then drawn back through the other sections 60 of the filter 52 not aligned with the outlet 90 of the air guide 86 before passing through the outlet 48 and moving on to the suction generator 32.
As should be remembered, the outlet 90 of the air guide defines an arc only as wide as one section 60 of the filter 52. In the presently illustrated embodiment that section has an arc of 45°. This means the remaining sections of the filter 52 not aligned with the air guide 86 define an arc of 315°. This is a much larger cross-sectional area than the 45° arc through which the air initially passes. The resulting pressure drop helps to insure that dirt and debris cleaned from the section 60 of the filter aligned with the air guide 86 falls out of the airstream downwardly into the particle trap 120 of the support 64 where it is retained. Accordingly, the fine dust and dirt particles cleaned from the selected section 60 of the filter 52 are not thereby deposited on the other sections of the filter during the cleaning cycle.
The cleaning cycle may last, for example, from about 1 to about 30 seconds and more typically from about 3 to about 15 seconds. The stepper motor 84 may then be activated again to rotate the first and second drive gears 80, 82, the first cam 78 and the second cam 98 to thereby move the first flow valves 72 from the open position to the closed position and the second flow valve 92 from the closed position to the open position (i.e. move the flow valves 72, 92 from the positions illustrated in
Reference is now made to
In an alternative arrangement also illustrated in
Reference is now made to
In the embodiment illustrated in
In any of the embodiments illustrated in
As further illustrated in
In any of the embodiments illustrated in
The foregoing description of a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. For example, the air guide 86 of the illustrated and described embodiment extends through an arc of A° matching each section 60 of the filter 52. The air guide 86 may in fact have an arc that is a multiple of A° so as to allow the cleaning of more than one section of the filter at one time. Further, the filter cleaning function may be automatic. It may be automatically initiated after a certain time period of operation or upon some event occurring such as the movement of the control handle 22 into the upright or storage position. Further, it should be appreciated that clean air from the suction generator exhaust can be recycled to clean the filter.
The embodiment was chosen and described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. The drawings and preferred embodiments do not and are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims and their fair and broad interpretation in any way.
Claims
1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
- a nozzle assembly including a suction inlet;
- a canister assembly;
- a suction generator carried on one of said canister assembly and said nozzle assembly;
- a dirt collection vessel carried on one of said canister assembly and said nozzle assembly, said dirt collection vessel including a base wall, a stepped sidewall and a dirt collection chamber;
- said dirt collection vessel being characterized by (1) said stepped sidewall having a first cylindrical section with a circumference C1 and a second cylindrical section with a circumference C2 where C1>C2 and (2) a step connecting said first cylindrical section with said second cylindrical section where said step and said first cylindrical section define an included angle A1≦90°.
2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein said step includes a channel opening toward said base wall.
3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said first cylindrical section, said second cylindrical section and said step define a channel opening toward said base wall.
4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said circumference C1 is between about 18.8 in. and about 25.1 in.
5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said circumference C2 is between about 15.7 in. and about 22.0 in.
6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein said first cylindrical section has a height H1 of between about 6 in. and about 7 in. and said second cylindrical section has a height H2 of between about 5 in. and about 6 in.
7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein said circumference C1, and said height H1, define a volume V1, of between about 169.6 in.3 and about 351.9 in.3 and said circumference C2 and said height H2 define a volume V2 of between about 98.2 in.3 and about 230.9 in.3.
8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said step has a width between said first cylindrical section and said second cylindrical section of between about 0.1 in. and about 2.5 in.
9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a support concentrically received in said first cylindrical section and projecting from said base wall.
10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, including a prefilter carried on said support.
11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein said prefilter includes a third cylindrical section that carries an angled flange.
12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein said flange and said third cylindrical section meet at a vertex V defining an included angle A2 of between about 135 to about 165 degrees.
13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein said vertex V is received concentrically within said second cylindrical section.
14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, wherein said flange includes a straight, continuous face.
15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein an annular gap is provided between said flange and an end of said second cylindrical section, said gap having a width of between about 0.5 in. and about 2.5 in.
16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, further including a filter provided in said dirt collection chamber.
17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein said filter is carried on said prefilter.
18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein a lid including a top wall closes an end of said dirt collection vessel opposite said base wall.
19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein said lid includes an inlet and an outlet.
20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein said inlet is in communication with said dirt collection chamber and said outlet is in communication with an upstream side of said filter.
21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said nozzle assembly is pivotally connected to said canister assembly.
22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further including a rotary agitator carried on said nozzle assembly adjacent said suction inlet.
23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said canister assembly includes a control handle.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 28, 2005
Publication Date: Mar 29, 2007
Applicant:
Inventors: Hidenori Kitamura (Gamou-Gun), Donald Proffitt (Richmond, KY)
Application Number: 11/236,902
International Classification: A47L 9/16 (20060101);