Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS
FIELD
[0001] The specification relates to surface cleaning apparatus. In a
preferred
embodiment, the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a portable surface
cleaning
apparatus, such as a hand vacuum cleaner or a pod.
BACKGROUND
[0002] The following is not an admission that anything discussed
below is part of the
prior art or part of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the
art.
[0003] Various types of surface cleaning apparatus are known. Surface
cleaning
apparatus include vacuum cleaners. Currently, a vacuum cleaner typically uses
at least
one cyclonic cleaning stage. More recently, cyclonic hand vacuum cleaners have
been
developed. See for example, US 7,931,716 and US 2010/0229328. Each of these
discloses a hand vacuum cleaner which includes a cyclonic cleaning stage. US
7,931,716
discloses a cyclonic cleaning stage utilizing two cyclonic cleaning stages
wherein both
cyclonic stages have cyclone axis that extends vertically. US 2010/0229328
discloses a
cyclonic hand vacuum cleaner wherein the cyclone axis extends horizontally and
is co-axial
with the suction motor. In addition, hand carriable (e.g., pod style) cyclonic
vacuum
cleaners are also known (see US 8,146,201).
SUMMARY
[0004] This summary is intended to introduce the reader to the more
detailed
description that follows and not to limit or define any claimed or as yet
unclaimed invention.
One or more inventions may reside in any combination or sub-combination of the
elements
or process steps disclosed in any part of this document including its claims
and figures.
[0005] According to one broad aspect, a pod or other hand carriable surface
cleaning apparatus, such as a vacuum cleaner, is provided utilizing at least
one cyclone
stage wherein the cyclone chamber has two dirt outlets which are preferably
positioned
front and rear. An advantage of this design is that the dirt carrying capacity
of the vacuum
cleaner may be increased. For example, if the vacuum cleaner is being used and
is tilted
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upwardly, the dirt in the dirt collection chamber will tend to move
rearwardly. The amount
of dirt in the dirt collection chamber may be below the fill line. However,
when the vacuum
cleaner is tilted upwardly, movement of the dirt rearwardly may cause the dirt
in the dirt
collection chamber to extend above the fill line and could potentially block a
rearwardly
positioned dirt outlet. The provision of a second spaced apart (preferably
forwardly
positioned) dirt outlet may provide an alternate dirt outlet which may be used
in such a
situation. Similarly, the hand vacuum cleaner may be tilted forwardly. In such
a case, the
dirt in the dirt collection chamber may move forwardly blocking a forward dirt
outlet.
However, the provision of a second spaced apart (preferably rearwardly
positioned) dirt
outlet may provide an alternate dirt outlet which may be used in such a
situation.
Accordingly, provision of different dirt outlets may allow the vacuum cleaner
to continue to
function despite the vacuum cleaner being operated at an angle to the
horizontal. It will be
appreciated that such a design is usable in hand vacuum cleaners, pod vacuum
cleaners or
other vacuum cleaners or surface cleaning apparatus which are meant to be
carried by a
hand or shoulder strap or the like (which may be referred to as hand carriable
surface
cleaning apparatus).
[0006]
It will be appreciated that in a preferred embodiment, the dirt outlets
are
positioned adjacent the forward end and the rearward end of the cyclone
chamber or
cyclone chambers. However, it will be appreciated that displacing the dirt
outlets from
being exactly forward or rearward will still increase the dirt capacity of the
hand carriable
surface cleaning apparatus when operated at an angle to the horizontal.
[0007]
The cyclone chamber may be of any particular design. Preferably, the
cyclone chamber has the dirt outlet provided at a lower end. For example, the
vacuum
cleaner may have an upper air inlet and an upper air outlet. The dirt outlets
may be
provided in the sidewall at or close to the lower end wall of the cyclone
chamber.
Accordingly, the dirt outlets may be defined by cutouts or slots provided in
the sidewall of
the cyclone chamber. However, it will be appreciated that the dual dirt outlet
design may
be utilized with other cyclone constructions such as an inverted cyclone
(e.g., the air inlet
and air outlet are provided at a lower end and the dirt outlets are provided
at an upper end
of the cyclone chamber).
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[0008] Each of the dirt outlets may be the same size. However, in a
preferred
embodiment, one of the dirt outlets is larger than the other. In addition, the
positioning of
the dirt outlets with respect to the position of the cyclone air inlet may
vary. For example,
one or both of the dirt outlets may have a radial extent of 15-135 ,
preferably 30-105 and,
still more preferably, 60-75 . One of the dirt outlets may be positioned at
the same radial
position on the sidewall of the cyclone chamber as the cyclone air inlet. For
example, if the
dirt outlet is at the lower end of a cyclone chamber and the air inlet is at
the upper end, one
of the dirt outlets may be positioned directly below the air inlet such that
the radial
displacement around the sidewall of the cyclone chamber from the air inlet may
be less
than 10 degrees. In such an embodiment, it is preferred that the opposed dirt
outlet is
larger and may be twice as large (e.g., its angular extent may be twice that
of the slot which
is aligned with the air inlet).
[0009] It will also be appreciated that the hand carriable surface
cleaning apparatus
may be mountable on a base, such as a wheeled base or an upper portion of an
upright
surface cleaning apparatus. In such a case, the hand carriable surface
cleaning apparatus
may function as the air treatment member of an upright surface cleaning
apparatus or a
canister style surface cleaning apparatus.
[0010] In another embodiment, an improved air flow path fora hand
carriable surface
cleaning apparatus and, preferably, a hand vacuum cleaner or hand surface
cleaning
apparatus, is provided. In accordance with this embodiment, the suction motor
inlet is
positioned below the upper end of the cyclone chamber and preferably at a
position
between the upper and lower ends of the cyclone chamber or a cyclone bin
assembly (e.g.,
a cyclone bin assembly which includes a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection
chamber,
wherein the dirt collection chamber may be positioned below the cyclone
chamber).
According to such an embodiment, the air may enter the cyclone chamber, either
at the
upper end or the lower end of the cyclone chamber, and exit the cyclone
chamber via an air
outlet positioned in the upper end wall of the cyclone chamber. The air may
then travel
through a pre-motor filter. The pre-motor filter is preferably positioned
above the cyclone
chamber. The air exiting the cyclone chamber may either travel upwardly
through the pre-
motor filter and then travel downwardly via a conduit provided through the pre-
motor filter or
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at a position that is laterally spaced (e.g., rearwardly) from the pre-motor
filter. Alternately,
the air exiting the cyclone chamber may pass via a conduit through the pre-
motor filter and
then travel downwardly through the pre-motor filter before travelling
laterally (e.g.,
rearwardly). A conduit may then extend downwardly from the downstream side of
the pre-
motor filter (e.g., adjacent the cyclone chamber and/or an exterior dirt
collection chamber of
the cyclone chamber) to the suction motor inlet. This down flow conduit may be
spaced
from the cyclone chamber and dirt collection chamber or it may share a common
wall with
one or both thereof.
[0011] An advantage of this design is that the pre-motor filter may
be accessible for
cleaning or replacement by opening a panel on the upper portion of the hand
carriable
surface cleaning apparatus. Concurrently, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus
may be emptiable by opening a bottom door. The bottom door may open the
cyclone
chamber, the dirt collection chamber, and, preferably, both simultaneously.
Accordingly,
the surface cleaning apparatus is provided in a hand carriable configuration
wherein a
bottom opening door and an upper opening pre-motor filter chamber is provided.
[0012] It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that any
of the features of
the air flow passage discussed herein may not be utilized with the dual dirt
outlet design
disclosed herein, but may be used by itself or in combination with any other
feature
disclosed herein.
[0013] In another embodiment, a hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus
is
provided wherein the suction motor is positioned horizontally (e.g.,
transverse to the vertical
axis of the cyclone) and located between the upper and lower ends of the
cyclone chamber
or a cyclone bin assembly (preferably at or proximate a midpoint of the
cyclone or cyclone
bin assembly). A handle is provided which extends upwardly from the suction
motor
housing and is secured to an upper portion of the hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus. For example, a lower end of the handle may be provided on an upper
surface
of the suction motor housing. The upper end of the handle may extend to the
pre-motor
filter housing or a bridging portion which extends rearwardly from the pre-
motor filter
housing. The handle is preferably positioned so as to be rearward of the
centre of gravity
of the hand vacuum cleaner. Preferably, the centre of gravity is also located
below the
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lower end of the handle. The handle may also be angled forwardly such that a
vertical line
extending upwardly from the center of gravity may pass through an upper
portion of the
handle (preferably a bridging portion extending between the pre-motor filter
housing and
the upper portion of the handle). An advantage of this design is that the hand
carriable
surface cleaning apparatus has improved ergonomics. The hand vacuum cleaner
may
impart a downward force of less than two pounds, preferably less than one
pound, and
preferably essentially no downward force on the hand of the user when the user
holds the
hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus horizontally disposed.
[0014] It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that
any of the features of
the ergonomic design of the hand vacuum cleaner discussed herein may not be
utilized
with the dual dirt outlet design disclosed herein, but may be used by itself
or in combination
with any other feature disclosed herein.
[0015] In accordance with another embodiment, a hand carriable
surface cleaning
apparatus is provided wherein the dirt collection chamber is removable with
the handle of
the surface cleaning apparatus for emptying. An advantage of this design is
that a user
need not carry the entire hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus to a
garbage can or the
like for emptying the dirt collection chamber. Instead, the user may be able
to manipulate a
lighter portion while emptying the dirt collection chamber. In addition,
utilizing the handle of
the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus provides an easy way for a user
to transport
and hold the dirt collection chamber while it is being emptied. In addition,
as the dirt
collection chamber has been removed from the suction motor, the dirt
collection chamber
may be washed or otherwise cleaned once removed from the suction motor. It
will be
appreciated that the dirt collection chamber may be a lower portion of the
cyclone chamber
or a separate chamber in communication with a dirt outlet of the cyclone
chamber.
Preferably, if the dirt collection chamber is exterior to the cyclone chamber,
then the
cyclone chamber and dirt collection chamber may be removable with the handle
as a unit
(e.g., a cyclone bin assembly). It will be appreciated by a person skilled in
the art that any
of the features of the removable dirt collection chamber and handle assembly
discussed
herein may not be utilized with the dual dirt outlet design disclosed herein,
but may be used
by itself or in combination with any other feature disclosed herein.
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[0016] In accordance with another embodiment, a bleed valve is
provided
downstream of the cyclone chamber. For example, the air exiting the cyclone
chamber
may travel upwardly via a conduit (which may be an extension of the vortex
finder) through
the pre-motor filters so that the upper side of the pre-motor filter is the
upstream or dirty
side of the pre-motor filter. In such a construction, the bleed valve may be
positioned in the
up flow conduit and connect with an air flow passage on the downstream side of
the pre-
motor filter (e.g., a downstream header of the pre-motor filter). Accordingly,
the bleed valve
may be positioned so as to draw bleed air in through a port on the upper side
of the pre-
motor filter housing and convey the bleed air through the up flow conduit from
the cyclone
chamber to a position downstream of the pre-motor filter. An advantage of this
design is
that the bleed valve is positioned at a location which will not be blocked
during operation of
the hand vacuum cleaner and does not require another passage through the pre-
motor
filter (which would reduce the cross sectional area of the upstream surface
area of the pre-
motor filter). In an alternate embodiment, it will be appreciated that the
bleed valve could
be exterior to the up flow conduit and may pass through the pre-motor filter.
[0017] In another embodiment, the bleed valve could be provided on a
rearward
surface of the surface cleaning apparatus. For example, the bleed valve could
be position
coaxial with, and above, the suction motor housing. Accordingly, bleed air
could travel
essentially forwardly through the bleed valve into the down flow conduit
adjacent to the
cyclone chamber/dirt collection chamber and then rearwardly into the suction
motor. In an
alternate embodiment, the bleed valve could be radially spaced around the hand
vacuum
cleaner but still communicate with the down flow passage.
[0018] It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that
any of the features of
the bleed valve discussed herein may not be used with the dual dirt outlet
design disclosed
herein, but may be used by itself or in combination with any other feature
disclosed herein.
[0019] In another embodiment, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus has a
cyclone chamber with a vertically extending axis and the pre-motor filter is
positioned
above the cyclone chamber and is preferably positioned so as to extend
perpendicular to
the axis of the cyclone. Accordingly, the air exiting the cyclone chamber may
travel
upwardly to the pre-motor filter. In such an embodiment, the lower side of the
pre-motor
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filter may be the upstream side or alternately, the upper side may be the
upstream side of
the pre-motor filter (if a conduit such as the vortex finder extends through
the pre-motor
filter). An advantage of this design is that a header may be provided and the
air will tend to
distribute itself radially outwardly over the entire upstream surface of the
pre-motor filter.
[0020] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that any of the
features of the
positioning of the pre-motor filter discussed herein may not be utilized with
the dual dirt
outlet design disclosed herein, but may be used by itself or in combination
with any other
feature disclosed herein.
[0021] In another embodiment, a pod or other hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus may be provided with a pre-motor filter that is positioned above the
cyclone
chamber and the vortex finder or an extension thereof may extend through the
pre-motor
filter to the upstream side of the pre-motor filter. The pre-motor filter may
be essentially
coaxial with the vortex finder (e.g., the pre-motor filter may overlie the
cyclone chamber and
be essentially centered above the cyclone chamber). It will be appreciated by
those skilled
in the art that any of the features of a pre-motor filter with a conduit
therethrough disclosed
herein may not be utilized with the dual dirt outlet discussed herein, but may
be used by
itself or in combination with any other feature disclosed herein.
[0022] In one embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus comprising:
(a) a body housing a suction motor;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection
chamber
exterior to the cyclone chamber, the cyclone chamber comprising two dirt
outlets
provided in a lower portion of the cyclone chamber; and,
(c) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet
and including the
suction motor and the cyclone chamber.
[0023] In some embodiments, the dirt outlets may be positioned on
opposed sides of
the cyclone chamber.
[0024] In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may have a
front end
and a rear end and one of the dirt outlets may be positioned on a front side
of the cyclone
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chamber and another of the dirt outlets may be positioned on a rear side of
the cyclone
chamber. Preferably, at least a portion of the dirt collection chamber may be
positioned
below the dirt outlets.
[0025] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the dirt collection
chamber may be
positioned below the dirt outlets.
[0026] In some embodiments, the air inlet may be positioned at an
upper end of the
cyclone chamber, the air outlet may be configured so that air exits the
cyclone chamber
through the upper end and the dirt outlets may be positioned at a lower end of
the cyclone
chamber.
[0027] In some embodiments, the air inlet and the dirt outlet may be
positioned at a
lower end of the cyclone chamber and the air outlet may be positioned at an
upper end of
the cyclone chamber.
[0028] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
comprise a hand vacuum cleaner.
[0029] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus
may be
removably mountable on a base and, when so mounted, the hand carriable surface
cleaning apparatus and the base together define a surface cleaning apparatus
in which the
hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus is an operating component of the
surface
cleaning apparatus when so mounted, and the at least one cyclone is oriented
in a
generally upright position when mounted on the base.
[0030] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may be
removably mountable on an upper portion of an upright vacuum cleaner wherein
the upper
portion is moveably mounted to a surface cleaning head between a storage
position and a
floor cleaning position. Preferably, the at least one cyclone is oriented in a
generally upright
position when mounted on the upright vacuum cleaner.
[0031] In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may have a
lower
openable door.
[0032] In another embodiment there is provided a surface cleaning
apparatus
comprising:
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(a) a body housing a suction motor;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection
chamber
exterior to the cyclone chamber, the cyclone chamber comprising two dirt
outlets
provided in the cyclone chamber wherein at least a portion of the dirt chamber
is
positioned below the dirt outlets; and,
(c) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet
and including the
suction motor and the air treatment member.
[0033] In some embodiments, the dirt outlets may be provided in a
lower end of the
cyclone chamber.
[0034] In some embodiments, the dirt outlets may be positioned on opposed
sides of
the cyclone chamber.
[0035] In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may have a
front end
and a rear end and one of the dirt outlets may be positioned on a front side
of the cyclone
chamber and another of the dirt outlets may be positioned an a rear side of
the cyclone
chamber.
[0036] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the dirt collection
chamber may be
positioned below the dirt outlets.
[0037] In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may have a
lower
openable door.
[0038] In another embodiment there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus
comprising:
a) a dirty fluid inlet;
b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber downstream of the dirty
fluid inlet, the cyclone chamber comprising a first end, a second end, a
cyclone
axis, an air inlet and an air outlet at the second end;
c) a pre-motor filter positioned downstream of the cyclone;
d) a suction motor positioned downstream of the pre-motor filter;
e) an air flow path extending from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor
wherein
the air flow path has a first portion that is exterior to the cyclone chamber
and
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extends to a position that is between and laterally spaced from the first and
second
ends of the cyclone chamber and a second portion that extends laterally to a
suction motor inlet; and,
f) a clean air outlet downstream of the suction motor.
[0039] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a suction motor
inlet and
the suction motor inlet may be positioned exterior to the cyclone chamber and
between the
first and second ends of the cyclone bin assembly.
[0040] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis
that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0041] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0042] In some embodiments, the air inlet may be provided at the
second end and
the dirt outlet may be provided at the first end.
[0043] In some embodiments, the first portion of the air flow path
may extend along
an exterior wall of the cyclone chamber.
[0044] In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may
further comprise
a dirt collection chamber positioned exterior to the cyclone chamber. The
first portion of the
air flow path may extend along an exterior wall of the dirt collection
chamber.
[0045] In some embodiments, the pre-motor filter may be spaced from
and may face
the second end of the cyclone chamber, the pre-motor filter may have an
upstream side
and a downstream side and the upstream side may be spaced further from the
cyclone
chamber than the downstream side.
[0046] In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may
further comprise
a conduit that is in flow communication with the air outlet of the cyclone
chamber and
extends through the pre-motor filter.
[0047] In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may
further comprise
a downstream header on the downstream side of the pre-motor filter. The air
flow path
may extend downstream from the downstream header.
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[0048]
In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may further comprise
an upstream header on the upstream side of the pre-motor filter. The upstream
header
may be openable.
[0049]
In some embodiments, at least a portion of the upstream header may be
transparent.
[0050]
In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may be a hand
carriable surface cleaning apparatus.
The surface cleaning apparatus may further
comprise a handle, a suction motor housing and a pre-motor filter housing. The
handle
may extend between the suction motor housing and the pre-motor filter housing.
[0051] In some embodiments, the pre-motor filter housing may be openable.
[0052]
In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0053]
In some embodiments, the handle may have a suction motor housing end
that may be spaced laterally from a pre-motor filter end of the handle. The
pre-motor filter
end of the handle may be spaced in the direction of the cyclone axis from the
suction motor
end of the handle.
[0054]
In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may further comprise
an opening having a perimeter. The perimeter may comprise portions of the
handle, the
pre-motor filer housing and the suction motor housing.
[0055]
In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus may be a hand
carriable surface cleaning apparatus.
The surface cleaning apparatus may further
comprise a handle. A portion of the handle may be placed rearward of a centre
of gravity
of the surface cleaning apparatus.
[0056]
In another embodiment, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus
comprising:
a) a dirty fluid inlet;
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b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber downstream of the dirty
fluid inlet, the cyclone chamber comprising a first end, a second end, a
cyclone
axis, an air inlet and an air outlet at the second end;
c) a pre-motor filter positioned downstream of the cyclone wherein air travels
in a
first direction from the cyclone chamber to an upstream side of the pre-motor
filter;
d) a suction motor positioned downstream of the pre-motor filter, the suction
motor
has a suction motor inlet positioned between the first and second ends of the
cyclone bin assembly and a motor axis that is generally perpendicular to the
cyclone axis;
e) an air flow path extending from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor
wherein
the air flow path includes a portion through which air travels in an opposite
direction
to the first direction; and,
f) a clean air outlet downstream of the suction motor.
[0057]
In some embodiments, the surface cleaning apparatus further comprises a
bleed valve having an inlet end in the air flow path and an axis that is
generally parallel to
an axis of the suction motor.
[0058]
In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus having a front end, a rear end and comprising:
(a) a dirty fluid inlet;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber downstream of the
dirty fluid
inlet, the cyclone chamber comprising a lower end, an upper end, a cyclone
axis, an
air inlet and an air outlet at the upper end;
(c) a pre-motor filter comprising an upstream side and a downstream side, the
motor
filter is positioned above the upper end and downstream of the cyclone
chamber;
(d) a suction motor positioned downstream of the pre-motor filter and rearward
of the
cyclone bin assembly;
(e) an air flow path extending from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor;
and,
(f) a clean air outlet downstream of the suction motor.
[0059]
In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a suction motor inlet
that
is positioned between the lower and upper ends of the cyclone bin assembly.
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[0060] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis
that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0061] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis
that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0062] In some embodiments, the air inlet may be provided at the upper end
and the
dirt outlet may be provided at the lower end and a dirt collection chamber may
be
positioned below the cyclone chamber.
[0063] In some embodiments, the air flow path may have a portion
that is exterior to
and extends part way along an exterior wall of the cyclone chamber to a
suction motor inlet.
[0064] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus
may
further comprise a dirt collection chamber positioned exterior to the cyclone
chamber. The
air flow path may have a portion that extends part way along an exterior wall
of the dirt
collection chamber to a suction motor inlet.
[0065] In some embodiments, the upstream side may be spaced further
from the
cyclone chamber than the downstream side.
[0066] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise a conduit that is in flow communication with the air outlet
of the cyclone
chamber and extends through the pre-motor filter.
[0067] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise a downstream header on the downstream side of the pre-motor
filter and
the air flow path may extend downstream from the downstream header.
[0068] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise an upstream header on the upstream side of the pre-motor
filter and the
upstream header may be openable.
[0069] In some embodiments, wherein at least a portion of the upstream
header is
transparent.
[0070] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise a handle, a suction motor housing and a pre-motor filter
housing
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positioned above the cyclone chamber. The handle may extend between the
suction motor
housing and the pre-motor filter housing.
[0071] In some embodiments, the pre-motor filter housing may be
openable.
[0072] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis
that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0073] In some embodiments, the handle may have a suction motor
housing end
that is spaced rearward of the cyclone bin assembly and below the pre-motor
filter housing
and a pre-motor filter end that is spaced above and forward of the suction
motor end of the
handle.
[0074] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus
may
further comprise an opening having a perimeter. The perimeter may comprise
portions of
the handle, the pre-motor filer housing and the suction motor housing.
[0075] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise a handle. A portion of the handle may be placed rearward of a
centre of
gravity of the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus.
[0076] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise a bleed valve having an inlet end in the air flow path.
[0077] In some embodiments, the bleed valve may have an axis that is
generally
parallel to an axis of the suction motor.
[0078] In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus having a front end, a rear end and comprising:
(a) a dirty fluid inlet;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber downstream of the
dirty fluid
inlet, the cyclone chamber comprising a lower end, an upper end, a cyclone
axis, an
air inlet and an air outlet at the upper end;
(c) a pre-motor filter comprising an upstream side and a downstream side,
(d) a conduit in communication with the cyclone air outlet, extending through
the pre-
motor filter and in communication with the upstream side of the pre-motor
filter;
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(e) a suction motor positioned downstream of the pre-motor filter and rearward
of the
cyclone bin assembly;
(f) an air flow path extending from the pre-motor filter to the suction motor;
and,
(g) a clean air outlet downstream of the suction motor.
[0079] In some embodiments, the pre-motor filter may be positioned above
the
cyclone chamber and the upstream side is spaced further from the cyclone
chamber than
the downstream side.
[0080] In some embodiments, the cyclone air outlet may comprise a
vortex finder
and the conduit comprises an extension of the vortex finder.
[0081] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus
may
further comprise a downstream header on the downstream side of the pre-motor
filter. The
air flow path may extend downstream from the downstream header.
[0082] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise an upstream header on the upstream side of the pre-motor
filter. The
upstream header may be openable.
[0083] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the upstream
header may be
transparent.
[0084] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a suction
motor inlet that
is positioned between the lower and upper ends of the cyclone bin assembly.
[0085] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0086] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis
that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0087] In some embodiments, the air inlet may be provided at the
upper end and the
dirt outlet is provided at the lower end and a dirt collection chamber is
positioned below the
cyclone chamber.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[0088] In some embodiments, the air flow path motor may have a
portion that is
exterior to and extends part way along an exterior wall of the cyclone chamber
to a suction
motor inlet.
[0089] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise a dirt collection chamber positioned exterior to the cyclone
chamber. The
air flow path may have a portion that extends part way along an exterior wall
of the dirt
collection chamber to a suction motor inlet.
[0090] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise a handle, a suction motor housing and a pre-motor filter
housing
positioned above the cyclone chamber. The handle may extend between the
suction motor
housing and the pre-motor filter housing.
[0091] In some embodiments, the pre-motor filter housing may be
openable.
[0092] In some embodiments, the suction motor may have a motor axis
that is
generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis.
[0093] In some embodiments, the handle may have a suction motor housing end
that is spaced rearward of the cyclone bin assembly and below the pre-motor
filter housing
and a pre-motor filter end that is spaced above and forward of the suction
motor end of the
handle.
[0094] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise an opening having a perimeter. The perimeter may comprise
portions of
the handle, the pre-motor filer housing and the suction motor housing.
[0095] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus may
further comprise a handle. A portion of the handle may be placed rearward of a
centre of
gravity of the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus.
[0096] In some embodiments, the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus
may
further comprise a bleed valve having an inlet end in the air flow path.
[0097] In some embodiments, the bleed valve may have an axis that is
generally
parallel to an axis of the suction motor.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[0098]
In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus having a front end, a rear end, an upper end and a lower end and
comprising:
(a) a dirty fluid inlet;
(b) a body housing a suction motor and a cyclone bin assembly positioned
forward of
the suction motor, the cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a
dirt collection chamber;
(c) a handle, at least a portion of the handle disposed rearward of and above
a centre of
gravity of the hand carriable surface cleaning apparatus;
(d) a clean air outlet downstream of the suction motor; and,
(e) an airflow path extending from the dirty air inlet to the clean air outlet
and including
the suction motor and the cyclone bin assembly.
[0099]
The surface cleaning apparatus of this embodiment may further comprise
any
one or more of the forgoing features.
[00100]
In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus comprising:
(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet;
(b) a main body comprising a handle and housing a cyclone bin assembly and a
pre-
motor filter;
(c) a suction motor housing comprising a suction motor, the suction motor
housing
being removably coupled to the main body; and,
(d) a clean air outlet downstream of the suction motor.
[00101]
The surface cleaning apparatus of this embodiment may further comprise
any
one or more of the forgoing features.
[00102]
In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus comprising:
(a) a body housing a suction motor;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection
chamber,
the cyclone chamber extending along a cyclone axis and comprising an air
inlet, a
dirt outlet in communication with the dirt collection chamber and an air
outlet;
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
(c) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet
and including the
suction motor and the cyclone chamber; and,
(d) a bleed valve extending along a valve axis that is co-axial with the
cyclone axis,
having an inlet port to receive air from outside the air flow path and an
outlet port in
communication with the air flow path between the cyclone air outlet and the
suction
motor.
[00103]
The surface cleaning apparatus of this embodiment may further comprise
any
one or more of the forgoing features.
[00104]
In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus comprising:
(a) a body housing a suction motor;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection
chamber,
the cyclone chamber extending along a cyclone axis and comprising an air
inlet, a
dirt outlet in communication with the dirt collection chamber and an air
outlet;
(c) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet
and including the
suction motor and the cyclone chamber;
(d) a pre-motor filter disposed in the air flow path and having a, upstream
side and an
opposed downstream side; and
(e) a bleed valve having an inlet port that is generally co-planar with the
upstream side
and configured to receive air from outside the air flow path and an outlet
port in
communication with the air flow path between the cyclone air outlet and the
suction
motor.
[00105]
The surface cleaning apparatus of this embodiment may further comprise
any
one or more of the forgoing features.
[00106] In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus comprising:
(a) a body housing a suction motor;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection
chamber,
the cyclone chamber extending along a cyclone axis between a first end and a
second end having a second end wall and comprising an air inlet, a dirt outlet
in
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
communication with the dirt collection chamber and an air outlet in the second
end
wall;
(c) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet
and including the
suction motor and the cyclone chamber;
(d) a pre-motor filter disposed in the air flow path between the clean air
outlet and the
suction motor and overlying at least a portion of the second end wall of the
cyclone
chamber, the pre-motor filter having an upstream side and an opposed
downstream
side spaced apart from the upstream side and a filter aperture extending from
the
upstream side to the downstream side; and,
(e) a bleed valve having an inlet port configured to receive air from outside
the air flow
path and an outlet port in communication with the air flow path between the
cyclone
air outlet and the suction motor, the bleed valve being at least partially
nested within
the filter aperture.
[00107]
The surface cleaning apparatus of this embodiment may further comprise
any
one or more of the forgoing features.
[00108]
In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable surface
cleaning
apparatus comprising:
(a) a body housing a suction motor;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection
chamber,
the cyclone chamber comprising an air inlet, a dirt outlet in communication
with the
dirt collection chamber and a vortex finder;
(c) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet
and including the
suction motor and the cyclone chamber;
(d) a pre-motor filter disposed in the air flow path between the clean air
outlet and the
suction motor; and,
(e) a bleed valve having an inlet port configured to receive air from outside
the air flow
path and an outlet port in communication with the air flow path between the
cyclone
air outlet and the suction motor, the bleed valve being at least partially
nested within
the vortex finder.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00109] The surface cleaning apparatus of this embodiment may further
comprise any
one or more of the forgoing features.
[00110] In another embodiment there is provided a hand carriable
surface cleaning
apparatus comprising:
(a) a body housing a suction motor;
(b) a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection
chamber,
the cyclone chamber extending along a cyclone axis and comprising an air
inlet, a
dirt outlet in communication with the dirt collection chamber and an air
outlet;
(c) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet
and including the
suction motor and the cyclone chamber;
(d) a pre-motor filter disposed in the air flow path between the cyclone bin
assembly and
the suction motor and comprising an upstream side and a downstream side;
(e) a bleed valve having an inlet port to receive air from outside the air
flow path and an
outlet port positioned upstream of the downstream side of the pre-motor
filter; and,
(f) a conduit having an inlet end in communication with the outlet port of the
bleed valve
and an outlet end in communication with the air flow path between the pre-
motor
filter and the suction motor.
[00111] The surface cleaning apparatus of this embodiment may further
comprise any
one or more of the forgoing features.
[00112] It will be appreciated by a person skilled in the art that a
surface cleaning
apparatus may embody any one or more of the features contained herein and that
the
features may be used in any particular combination or sub-combination.
DRAWINGS
[00113] The drawings included herewith are for illustrating various
examples of
articles, methods, and apparatuses of the teaching of the present
specification and are not
intended to limit the scope of what is taught in any way.
[00114] In the drawings:
[00115] Figure 1 is a perspective view of an example of a hand held
surface cleaning
apparatus;
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00116] Figure 2 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning
apparatus of Figure 1
attached to a cleaning tool;
[00117] Figure 3 is a partially exploded perspective view of the
surface cleaning
apparatus of Figure 1;
[00118] Figure 4 is another partially exploded perspective view of the
surface cleaning
apparatus of Figure 1;
[00119] Figure 5 is bottom perspective view of the surface cleaning
apparatus of
Figure 1 with the bottom door in an open position;
[00120] Figure 6 is a cross sectional view of the surface cleaning
apparatus of Figure
1, taken along line 6-6 in Figure 1;
[00121] Figure 7 is the cross sectional view of Figure 6 with the
surface cleaning
apparatus tilted forward;
[00122] Figure 8 is the cross sectional view of Figure 6 with the
surface cleaning
apparatus tilted backward;
[00123] Figure 9 is a side view of the surface cleaning apparatus of Figure
1;
[00124] Figure 10 is a side view of another embodiment of a surface
cleaning
apparatus with the cyclone bin assembly and handle removed for emptying;
[00125] Figure 11 is a rear perspective view of the surface cleaning
apparatus of
Figure 10;
[00126] Figure 12 is a schematic top plan representation of an example of a
cyclone
bin assembly;
[00127] Figure 13 is a schematic top plan representation of another
example of a
cyclone bin assembly;
[00128] Figure 14 is a schematic top plan representation of another
example of a
cyclone bin assembly;
[00129] Figure 13 is a schematic top plan representation of another
example of a
cyclone bin assembly;
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00130] Figure 16 is a cross sectional view of another embodiment of a
surface
cleaning apparatus;
[00131] Figure 17 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
surface cleaning
apparatus;
[00132] Figure 18 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a surface
cleaning
apparatus;
[00133] Figure 19 is a perspective view from the front of another
embodiment of a
surface cleaning apparatus;
[00134] Figure 20 is another perspective view from the rear of the
surface cleaning
apparatus of Figure 19;
[00135] Figure 21 is a partially exploded perspective view of the
surface cleaning
apparatus of Figure 19;
[00136] Figure 22 is a perspective view of a portion of the surface
cleaning apparatus
of Figure 19;
[00137] Figure 23 is a cross sectional view of the Figure 22, taken along
line 23-23 in
Figure 22;
[00138] Figure 24 is the cross sectional view of Figure 23 with a
bottom door in an
open position;
[00139] Figure 25 is a bottom perspective view of the surface cleaning
apparatus of
Figure 19;
[00140] Figure 26 is a cross sectional view of the surface cleaning
apparatus of
Figure 19, taken along line 26-26 in Figure 19;
[00141] Figure 27 is a cross sectional view taken along line 27-27 in
Figure 19;
[00142] Figure 28 is a perspective view of the surface cleaning
apparatus of Figure 19
with a cover open;
[00143] Figure 29 is the perspective view of Figure 28 with a filter
cartridge removed;
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00144] Figure 30 is the perspective view of Figure 29 with a filter
removed from the
filter cartridge;
[00145] Figure 31 is a cross sectional view of a portion of another
embodiment of a
surface cleaning apparatus;
[00146] Figure 32 is a cross sectional view of a portion of another
embodiment of a
surface cleaning apparatus;
[00147] Figure 33 is the perspective view of Figure 29 with a
different embodiment of
a filter cartridge; and,
[00148] Figure 34 is a cross sectional view of the filter cartridge
taken along line 34-34
in Figure 33 with the filter cartridge in the surface cleaning apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[00149] Referring to Figure 1, an embodiment of a surface cleaning
apparatus 900 is
shown. In the embodiment illustrated, the surface cleaning apparatus 900 is a
hand
carriable or hand-held vacuum cleaner. It will be appreciated that surface
cleaning
apparatus 900 could be carried by a hand of a user, a shoulder strap or the
like and could
be in the form of a pod or other portable surface cleaning apparatus. Surface
cleaning
apparatus 900 could be a vacuum cleaner, an extractor or the like. All such
surface
cleaning apparatus are referred to herein as a hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus.
Optionally, surface cleaning apparatus 900 could be removably mounted on a
base so as
to form, for example, an upright vacuum cleaner, a canister vacuum cleaner, a
stick vac, a
wet-dry vacuum cleaner and the like. Power can be supplied to the surface
cleaning
apparatus 900 by an electrical cord (not shown) that can be connected to a
standard wall
electrical outlet. Alternatively, or in addition, the power source for the
surface cleaning
apparatus can be an onboard energy storage device, including, for example, one
or more
batteries.
[00150] The surface cleaning apparatus 900 comprises a main body 901
having a
handle 902, a dirty air inlet 903, a clean air outlet 904 (see for example
Figure 6) and an air
flow path extending therebetween. In the embodiment shown, the dirty air inlet
903 is the
inlet end 905 of connector 906. Optionally, the inlet end can be used to
directly clean a
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
surface. Alternatively, the inlet end 905 can be connected to the downstream
end of any
suitable hose, cleaning tool or accessory, including, for example a wand 907
that is
pivotally connected to a surface cleaning head 908 (Figure 2), a nozzle and a
flexible
suction hose. In the configuration illustrated in Figure 2, the surface
cleaning apparatus
900 can be used to clean a floor or other surface in a manner analogous to
conventional
upright-style vacuum cleaners.
[00151]
Referring again to Figure 1, the connector 906 may be any suitable
connector
that is operable to connect to, and preferably detachably connect to, a hose,
cleaning tool
or other accessory. Optionally, in addition to providing an air flow
connection, the
connector 906 may also include an electrical connection. Providing an
electrical
connection may allow cleaning tools and accessories that are coupled to the
connector to
be powered by the surface cleaning apparatus 900. For example, the surface
cleaning unit
900 can be used to provide both power and suction to a surface cleaning head,
or other
suitable tool. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector 906 includes an
electrical
coupling in the form of a female socket member 909, and a corresponding male
prong
member may be provided on the hose, cleaning tool and/or accessory that is
connected to
inlet end 905. Providing the female socket 909 on the electrified side of the
electrical
coupling may help prevent a user from inadvertently contacting the electrical
contacts. In
other embodiments, socket member 909 may include male connectors. In such a
case, it is
preferred that the male connectors are de-energized when exposed (i.e., they
are not
plugged into a female connector).
[00152]
From the dirty air inlet 903, the air flow path extends through an air
treatment
member. The air treatment member may be any suitable member that can treat the
air in a
desired manner, including, for example, removing dirt particles and debris
from the air. In
the illustrated example, the air treatment member includes a cyclone bin
assembly 910.
Alternatively, the air treatment member can comprise a bag, a filter or other
air treating
means. In the illustrated embodiment, the cyclone bin assembly forms part of
the main
body 901 of the surface cleaning apparatus. A suction motor 911 (see Figure 6)
is
mounted within a motor housing 912 portion of the main body 901 and is in
fluid
communication with the cyclone bin assembly 910. In this configuration, the
suction motor
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
911 is downstream from the cyclone bin assembly 910 and the clean air outlet
904 is
downstream from the suction motor 911.
CYCLONE BIN ASSEMBLY
[00153] The following is a description of a cyclone and a cyclone bin
assembly that
may be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination
or sub-
combination with any other feature or features disclosed herein.
[00154] Referring to Figures 5 and 6, in the illustrated embodiment,
the cyclone bin
assembly 910 includes a cyclone chamber 913 and a dirt collection chamber 914.
The
cyclone chamber 913 and the dirt collection chamber 914 may be of any suitable
configuration.
[00155] In the illustrated embodiment the dirt collection chamber 914
is positioned
outside or exterior to and substantially below the cyclone chamber 913.
Preferably, a least
a portion, if not all, of the dirt collection chamber is below the cyclone
chamber. The dirt
collection chamber 914 comprises a sidewall 915, a first end wall 916 and an
opposed
second end wall 917. The dirt collection chamber 914 extends along a dirt
collection axis
918.
[00156] The dirt collection chamber 914 may be emptiable by any means
known in
the art and is preferably openable concurrently with the cyclone chamber 913.
Preferably,
the second dirt collection chamber end wall 917 is moveably (e.g., pivotally)
connected to
e.g., the dirt collection chamber sidewall 915, for example using hinge 919.
In this
configuration, the second dirt collection chamber end wall 917 functions as an
openable
door to empty the dirt collection chamber 914 and can be opened as shown in
Figure 5 to
empty dirt and debris from the interior of the dirt collection chamber 914.
The second dirt
collection chamber end wall 917 can be retained in the closed position by any
means
known in the art, such as by a releasable latch 919a. In the illustrated
example, the hinge
919 is provided on a back edge of the end wall 917 and the latch 919a is
provided at the
front of the end wall 917 so that the door swings backwardly when opened.
Alternatively,
the hinge and latch may be in different positions, and the door may open in a
different
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
direction or manner. Optionally, instead of being pivotal or openable, the end
wall may be
removable.
[00157] In the embodiment shown, the cyclone chamber 913 extends along
a cyclone
axis 920 and is bounded by a sidewall 921. The cyclone chamber 913 includes an
air inlet
922 and an air outlet 923 and two dirt outlets 924a and 924b in communication
with the dirt
collection chamber 914. The air inlet, air outlet and dirt outlets may be of
any design
known in the art. Preferably, the air inlet 922 is generally tangentially
oriented relative to the
sidewall 921, so that air entering the cyclone chamber 913 will tend to swirl
and circulate
within the cyclone chamber 913, thereby dis-entraining dirt and debris from
the air flow,
before leaving the chamber via the air outlet 923. The air inlet 922 extends
along an inlet
axis 925 that may be generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis 920, and in
the illustrated
example is generally parallel to and offset above a suction motor axis 926.
[00158] In the illustrated example, the cyclone air outlet 923
comprises a conduit
member or vortex finder 927. Optionally, a screen 928 can be positioned over
the vortex
finder 927 to help filter lint, fluff and other fine debris. Preferably, the
screen 928 can be
removable. Optionally, the screen 928 can be tapered such that the distal,
inner or free
end 930 of the screen 928 has a smaller diameter 931 than the diameter 932 at
the base
933 of the screen 928 and/or the air inlet 922.
[00159] Optionally, the screen 928 can be configured so that the
diameter 931 of the
free end 930 of the screen is between about 60% and about 100% of the diameter
932 of
the base 933 of the screen 928 and/or the air inlet 922, and may be between
about 60%-
90%, about 70-80% and preferably is between about 63-67% of the base diameter
932
and/or the air inlet 922.
[00160] The air inlet 922 has an inlet diameter 934, and a related
inlet flow cross-
sectional area (measure in a plane 935 perpendicular to the inlet axis 925).
Preferably, the
air outlet 923 is sized so that the diameter 936 of the air outlet 923, and
therefore the
corresponding flow area of the air outlet, is the same as the diameter 934 of
the air inlet
922. Alternatively, the air outlet diameter 936 may be between about 50% and
about
150%, and between about 85-115% of the air inlet diameter 934.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00161] In the example illustrated the cyclone bin assembly 910 and
the cyclone
chamber 913 are arranged in a generally vertical, inverted cyclone
configuration. In this
configuration, the air inlet 922 and the air outlet 923 are provided toward
the upper end of
the cyclone chamber 913. Alternatively, the cyclone bin assembly 910 and
cyclone
chamber 913 can be provided in another orientation, including, for example, as
a horizontal
cyclone or in other configurations, e.g., with the dirt collection chamber
beside the cyclone
chamber and/or with the inlet and outlets at differing positions.
[00162] Optionally, some or all of the sidewall 921 can coincide with
portions of the
external sidewalls of the cyclone bin assembly 910 and the dirt collection
chamber sidewall
915 (see Figures 5 and 6). This may help reduce the overall size of the
cyclone bin
assembly. Alternative, the sidewall 921 may be distinct from the sidewalls. In
alternative
embodiments, the cyclone chamber 915 may include only a single dirt outlet
924, or more
than two dirt outlets.
[00163] Referring to Figure 7, in the illustrated embodiment, the
cyclone chamber 913
includes a first or upper end wall 937. The end wall 937 is connected to the
upper end of
the sidewall 921 to enclose the upper end of the cyclone chamber 913. In the
illustrated
example, a juncture 938 between the end wall 937 and the side wall 921
includes a curved
surface 939. The radius 940 of the curved surface 939 may be selected to be
similar to the
radius (i.e. half of the diameter 934) of the air inlet 922, and optionally
may be selected so
that the juncture surface 939 has the same radius as the air inlet.
[00164] Optionally, the juncture 941 between the end wall 937 and the
vortex finder
927 may also be curved, and preferably is sized to have a radius 942 that is
similar to or is
the same as the radius 940 of the juncture between the end wall 937 and the
sidewall 921.
Providing curved surfaces at one or both of the junctures 938, 941 may help
reduce
backpressure and may help improve cyclone efficiency. Optionally, the upper
end wall 937
of the cyclone chamber 913 can be openable or removable to allow access to the
interior of
the cyclone chamber 913 from above.
[00165] Referring also to Figure 5, a deflector or arrestor plate 943
may be positioned
at the lower end of the cyclone chamber 913, at the interface between the
cyclone chamber
913 and the dirt collection chamber 917. The arrestor plate 943 is preferably
sized to cover
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
substantially all of the lower end of the cyclone chamber 913, and to abut the
lower end of
the cyclone sidewall 921 to form a lower end wall of the cyclone chamber. When
the
arrestor plate 943 abuts the lower ends of the sidewall 921 it helps define
the gaps or slots
that form the dirt outlets 924a, 924b. In this configuration, the dirt outlet
slots 924a, 924b
are bound on three sides by the cyclone chamber sidewall 921 and on a fourth
side by the
arrestor plate 943. Alternatively, the dirt outlet slots 924a, 924b may be
entirely bounded
by the sidewall 921 and may be spaced apart from the arrestor plate 943. In
the illustrated
example the dirt outlets 924a, 924b are vertically spaced apart from the air
inlet 922 and air
outlet 923 and are positioned at the opposite, lower end of the cyclone
chamber 913.
[00166] In the illustrated embodiment, the arrestor plate 943 forms the
bottom of the
cyclone chamber and may be of any suitable configuration. Optionally the
arrestor plate
943 may be fixed in its position adjacent the sidewall 921, or may be moveable
or
openable. Providing an openable arrestor plate 943 may help facilitate
emptying of the
cyclone chamber 913. Optionally, the arrestor plate 943 may be openable
concurrently
with another portion of the surface cleaning apparatus, including, for
example, the dirt
collection chamber 917.
[00167] In the illustrated embodiment, the arrestor plate 943 is
mounted to and
supported spaced from the openable wall 917 by a support member 944. The
support
member 944 may be of any suitable configuration and may be formed from any
suitable
material that is capable of supporting the arrestor plate 943 and resisting
stresses exerted
on the arrestor plate 943 by the air flow in the cyclone chamber or dirt
particles exiting the
cyclone chamber 913. In this configuration, the arrestor plate 943 is openable
concurrently
with the end wall 917, so that opening the end wall 917 simultaneously opens
the dirt
collection chamber 914 and the cyclone chamber 913. Alternatively, the
arrestor plate 943
may be mounted to the sidewall 921 (or other portion of the surface cleaning
apparatus)
and need not open in unison with the end wall 917.
[00168] Referring to Figure 8, each dirt outlet 924a and 924b is a
slot that includes an
upper edge 945 and a lower edge 946 spaced apart from each other by a slot
height 947,
measured axially. The slot height 947 may be any suitable distance, including
for example,
between lmm and 49mm or more, and preferably is between about 3mm and about
25mm.
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Each slot 924a, 924b also includes two side edges 948 (Figure 5) spaced apart
by a slot
width 949, measured along the perimeter of the cyclone chamber sidewall 921.
Each slot
width may be between about 5% and about 50% of the perimeter of the cyclone
chamber
sidewall 921, and preferably may be between about 10% and about 35% and may be
about
25%. In the illustrated embodiment the cyclone chamber sidewall 921 is
circular in axial
cross-sectional shape, and the angle 950 (Figure 5) subtended by the dirt
outlet 924b
may between about 200 and about 180 , and may be between about 35 and 125 ,
and
between about 45 and 90 . In the illustrated embodiment the angle 950 between
the dirt
outlets 924a and 924b, measured from the centre line of the slots (Figure 5)
is 180 .
Optionally, the dirt outlets 924a, 924b may be generally identical.
Alternatively, the dirt
outlets 924a and 924b may be of different configurations (i.e. may have
different heights
and/or widths). Optionally, slot 924a, which is at the same end as the cyclone
air inlet, is
smaller than the opposed dirt outlet 924b and may be about half the size.
[00169] Referring to Figure 12, a cross-sectional schematic
representation of an
alternate embodiment of a cyclone bin assembly 2910 is shown. The cyclone bin
assembly 2910 is generally similar to cyclone bin assembly 910 and analogous
features
are indicated using like reference characters indexed by 2000. This schematic
illustrates
a top view of an example of a circular cyclone chamber 2913 positioned within
a
generally square dirt collection chamber 2914. The cyclone chamber 2913
includes a
tangential air inlet 2922 and an air outlet 2923. Two dirt outlets 2924a and
2924b are
provided in the cyclone chamber sidewall 2921. The angle 2951 between the dirt
outlets
2924a, 2924b is about 180 . In this embodiment, the angle 2952a between the
air inlet
2922 (measured from the point of tangential intersection between the air inlet
and the
cyclone chamber sidewall 2921) and the first dirt slot 2924a, in the direction
of air
circulation (arrow 2953), is approximately 900, and the angle 2952b between
the air inlet
2922 and the second dirt slot 2924b is about 270 . Alternatively, angles 2952a
and
2952b may be different.
[00170] In the illustrated configuration, each slot subtends an angle
2950a, 2950b that
is about 45 , the leading edge (in the direction of air circulation) of dirt
slot 2924a is aligned
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
with the leading edge of dirt slot 2924b, and the trailing edge (in the
direction of air
circulation) of dirt slot 2924a is aligned with the trailing edge of dirt slot
2924b.
[00171]
Referring to Figure 13, a cross-sectional schematic representation of
another
alternate embodiment of a cyclone bin assembly 3910 is shown. Cyclone bin
assembly
3910 is generally similar to cyclone bin assembly 910, and analogous features
are
identified using like reference characters indexed by 3000. This embodiment is
similar to
the embodiment of Figure 12, except that the position of the dirt outlets
3924a and 3924b
has been shifted by 900 relative to the air inlet 3922. In this configuration,
the angle 3951
between the dirt outlets 3924a, 3924b remains 180 , but the angle between the
dirt outlet
3924a and the air inlet is 0 and the angle 3952b between the dirt outlet
3924b and the air
inlet is 180 .
[00172]
Referring to Figure 14, a cross-sectional schematic representation of
another
alternate embodiment of a cyclone bin assembly is shown. Cyclone bin assembly
4910 is
generally similar to cyclone bin assembly 910, and analogous features are
identified using
like reference characters indexed by 4000. In this example, the individual
dirt slots 4924a
and 4924b have the same configuration as the slots illustrated in Figures 12
and 13, but
are positioned differently.
In this configuration, the first dirt slot 4924a is positioned
generally adjacent the air inlet 4922, and the angle 4952a between the air
inlet 4922 and
the first dirt slot 4924a is about 30 downstream from the air inlet, and the
angle 4952b
between the first dirt slot and the second dirt slot 4924b is about 900. In
this configuration,
both dirt slots 4924a and 4924b are positioned on the same side of the cyclone
chamber
4913 (i.e. within 180 of each other).
[00173]
Referring to Figure 15, a cross-sectional schematic representation of
another
alternate embodiment of a cyclone bin assembly is shown. Cyclone bin assembly
5910 is
generally similar to cyclone bin assembly 910, and analogous features are
identified using
like reference characters indexed by 5000. In this example, the dirt slots
5924a and 5924b
are opposite each other (i.e. the angle 5951 is about 180 ) but each dirt slot
5924a and
5924b is much wider than the other illustrated examples, such that the angles
5950a and
5950b subtended by each dirt slot is about 150 . In this configuration, the
dirt slots 5924a
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
and 5924b represent more than 50% of the total perimeter of the cyclone
chamber 5913.
Also in this embodiment, portions of the cyclone chamber sidewall 5921 are
coincident with
the dirt collection chamber sidewalls 5916. Optionally, if the cyclone chamber
walls 5921
extend the entire height of the dirt collection chamber 5914, in this
configuration the
cyclone chamber 5913 may sub-divide the dirt collection chamber 5914 into two
different
portions 5914a and 5914b, separated by the cyclone chamber 5913. Each dirt
collection
region 5914a and 5914b is in communication with a respective one of the dirt
slots 5924a
and 5924b. Also, in this illustrated embodiment, the air inlet axis 5925 is
not tangentially
oriented (i.e. is not parallel to a tangential plane 5954). Instead, the air
inlet 5922 is
arranged at an angle 5955, relative to the tangential plane 5954. This may
alter the
characteristics of the air flow entering the cyclone chamber.
[00174] Referring again to Figure 7, in the illustrated embodiment
the dirt outlets 924a
and 924b are arranged generally opposite each other, are arranged at
approximately 1800
from each other (measured as a centre-to-centre angle 951 in Figure 5). In
this
configuration, dirt outlet 924a is positioned at the front of the cyclone
chamber 913 (e.g. in
a portion of the sidewall that is located toward the connector and air inlet)
and the dirt outlet
924b is positioned at the back of the cyclone chamber 913. When the surface
cleaning
apparatus 900 is in use, dirt and debris may accumulate within the dirt
collection chamber
914 and when the surface cleaning apparatus is manipulated by a user, dirt
within the dirt
collection 914 chamber may tend to shift and may collect toward the lowest
portion of the
dirt collection 914 chamber due to gravity. For example, when the surface
cleaning
apparatus is tipper forward, so that the connector is angled downward and the
handle is
lifted (Figure 7), dirt 956 may tend to collect toward the front of the dirt
collection chamber
914. If the level of the dirt 956 is sufficiently high it may partially or
completely block the
front dirt outlet 924a as illustrated. In this configuration the first dirt
outlet 924a may be
blocked, but the rear dirt outlet 924b remains free. Similarly, if the surface
cleaning
apparatus is tipped rearward, the dirt may tend to collect in a rear portion
of the dirt
collection chamber (Figure 8) and may partially or completely block the rear
dirt outlet
924b. In this configuration the rear dirt outlet 924b is blocked, but the
front dirt outlet924a
is free. Providing two dirt outlets 924a and 924b on opposite sides of the
cyclone chamber
may help ensure that at least one outlet 924a and 924b remains free and
unblocked to
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
allow dirt to exit the cyclone chamber 913even if the surface cleaning
apparatus 900 is
tilted forward or backward. Alternatively, instead of being provided toward
the front and
back of the cyclone chamber, the dirt slots may be positioned in other
locations. For
example, the cyclone chamber may be configured to have a rear dirt outlet and
a side dirt
outlet, or two side outlets provided toward the left and right sides of the
cyclone chamber.
PRE-MOTOR FILTER
[00175] Optionally, one or more pre-motor filters may be placed in
the air flow path
between the cyclone bin assembly and the suction motor. Alternatively, or in
addition, one
or more post-motor filters may be provided downstream from the suction motor.
The
following is a description of a pre-motor filter housing construction that may
be used by
itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination or sub-
combination with any
other feature or features disclosed herein.
[00176] Referring to Figure 3, in the illustrated embodiment a pre-
motor filter chamber
or housing 956 is provided as a portion of the body 901 of the surface
cleaning apparatus
900, above the cyclone bin assembly 910. Referring also to Figure 8, the pre-
motor filter
chamber 956 is bounded by a bottom wall 957, a sidewall 958 and an upper wall
958a. In
the illustrated example the upper wall 958a is provided by an upper cover 959.
Preferably,
at least one of the bottom wall, sidewall and upper cover are openable to
allow access to
the interior of the pre-motor filter chamber. In the illustrated embodiment,
the upper cover
959 is removable (Figure 3) to provide access to the interior of the chamber
956.
Alternatively, instead of being removable the upper cover may be pivotally
openable or
otherwise moveably coupled to the main body.
[00177] One or more filters may be positioned within the pre-motor
filter chamber 956
to filter fine particles from the air stream exiting the air outlet, before it
flows into inlet of the
suction motor. The filters may be of any suitable configuration and formed
from any suitable
materials. In the illustrated embodiment, a foam filter 960 and a downstream
felt filter 961
are positioned within the pre-motor filter chamber 956.
[00178] In the illustrated example, the bottom wall 957 includes a
plurality of
upstanding support ribs 962 to support the filters 960, 961 positioned within
the chamber
- 32 -
CA 2977233 2017-08-24
956. The support ribs 962 may hold the filters 960, 961 above the surface 963
of the
bottom wall 957 to define a lower header or headspace 964, to allow for air to
flow laterally
between the bottom surface 965 of filter 961 and the bottom wall 957. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the lower or downstream headspace 964 is defined between the outer
surface 965 of the felt 961 and the surface 963 of the bottom wall 957.
[00179] To help reduce the overall size of the surface cleaning
apparatus, in the
illustrated embodiment the pre-motor filter chamber 956, and the filters
therein 960, 961, is
positioned above the cyclone chamber 913 and covers the upper end of the
cyclone
chamber 913. In this configuration, a plane 966 containing the foam filter 960
is generally
parallel and spaced above a plane 967 containing the air outlet 923 of the
cyclone chamber
913, and both planes 966, 967 are generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis
920.
Arranging the filters in this configuration results in the upstream side of
the pre-motor filter
(in this example the upper side 968 of the foam filter 960) being spaced
further apart from
the cyclone chamber 913 than the downstream side of the pre-motor filter (in
this example
the lower surface 965 of the felt filter 961). Alternatively, in other
embodiments, the pre-
motor filter chamber may cover only a portion of the upper end of the cyclone
chamber
and/or may be laterally spaced apart from the cyclone chamber and/or may be
inclined with
respect to plane 967.
[00180] In the illustrated embodiment, the pre-motor filter chamber or
downstream
header 956 is configured so that the upstream side 968 of the foam filter 960
is provided
toward the top of the chamber, and air flows generally downwardly through the
filters. In
this configuration, the upper cover 959 is shaped so that when it is closed
(Figure 8) an
upper or upstream headspace or header 970 is provided between the inner
surface of the
upper cover 959 and the upstream side 968 of the foam filter 960. To provide
air flow
communication between the cyclone air outlet 923 and the upstream headspace
970, it is
preferred that the vortex finder 927 or an extension thereof extends through
the pre-motor
filters and preferably extends into the interior of the pre-motor filter
chamber 956, through
the filters 960, 961 therein, and has an outlet end 971 that is located within
the upstream
head space 970 and above filters 960, 961. To accommodate the extension of the
vortex
finder 927, each filter includes a correspondingly shaped conduit aperture 972
(Figure 4). It
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
will be appreciated that other flow paths may be used to connect vortex finder
927 in air
communication with upstream headspace 970.
[00181]
When the surface cleaning apparatus is in use, air exiting the cyclone
chamber 913 may flow into the upstream head space 956 via the vortex finder
927. Within
the upstream headspace the air can flow laterally across the upstream surface
968 of the
foam filter 960, and down through the filters 960, 961 into the downstream
head space 964.
[00182]
In this configuration, the upper side 988 of the foam filter 960 is
exposed to
the dirty air exiting the cyclone air outlet 923, and may become dirty or
soiled during use.
Optionally, the upper cover 959 may include at least one transparent region
overlying the
upper side 968 of the filter 960. For example, some or all of the upper cover
may be
formed from a transparent material (such as plastic) or one or more windows
may be
provided within the upper cover member. Providing a transparent region allows
a user to
visually inspect the condition of the upstream side 698 of the filter 960
without having to
open the upper cover 959. Alternatively, the upper cover 959 need not include
any type of
transparent portion or inspection region, and a user may inspect the upstream
side 968 of
the filter 960 when the upper cover 959 is opened or removed.
[00183]
Alternatively, the pre-motor filter may be provided laterally from the
vortex
finder. For example, referring to Figure 16, a cross sectional view of another
embodiment of
a surface cleaning apparatus 6900 is shown. Apparatus 6900 is similar to
apparatus 900,
and analogous features are identified using like reference numerals indexed by
6000. In
this embodiment, the pre-motor filter 6960 is spaced laterally from the vortex
finder 6927.
An extension 6927a of the vortex finder extends above the top of filter 6960
to define a dirt
collection area, which may be emptied when the lid is opened and the surface
cleaning
apparatus is inverted.
DOWNFLOW CONDUIT
[00184]
Optionally, the inlet of the suction motor is positioned along the
length of one
side (preferably the rear side) of the cyclone bin assembly. The following is
a description of
a flow path that may be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in
any
combination or sub-combination with any other feature or features disclosed
herein.
- 34 -
CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00185] The suction motor preferably has an axis that is generally
perpendicular to the
cyclone axis and has an air inlet between the upper end and lower end of the
cyclone bin
assembly and preferably, between the upper end and the lower end of the
cyclone
chamber. Accordingly, from the downstream head space 964, the air may flow to
the inlet
973 of the suction motor 911 via an internal air conduit 974 formed within the
body 901. Air
may be drawn through the suction motor 911 and then be exhausted from a motor
outlet
975, and expelled via the clear air outlet 904 (see also Figure 6).
[00186] In the illustrated embodiment, the internal air conduit 974 is
formed within the
main body 901 and is external the cyclone chamber 913 and the dirt collection
chamber
914 and is partially bounded by an exterior surface of the cyclone chamber
sidewall 921
and an exterior surface of the dirt collection chamber sidewall 915. The air
conduit 974
extends generally vertically between the pre-motor filter chamber 956 and the
suction
motor 911, and is positioned laterally intermediate the suction motor 911 and
the cyclone
chamber 913. The suction motor 911 is positioned at an elevation where its air
inlet 973 is
vertically between the upper and lower ends of the cyclone chamber 913, and
the motor
axis 926 passes through the cyclone chamber 913 (above the dirt collection
chamber ¨ see
Figure 6). In the illustrated embodiment the inlet axis 925 intersects the air
conduit 974 and
is positioned below and does not intersect the pre-motor filter chamber 956.
[00187] The internal air conduit 974 may extend downwardly at an angle
to the
vertical. It may or may not be bounded on one side by the sidewall of the
cyclone chamber
and/or the dirt collection chamber.
BLEED VALVE
[00188] Optionally, a bleed valve 976 may be provided to supply bleed
air to the
suction motor inlet 973 in case of a clog in the air flow path upstream from
the suction
motor 911. When the surface cleaning apparatus is in use, the air flow path
may become
clogged or otherwise blocked in a number of different ways, including, for
example if a
cleaning wand and/or suction hose becomes blocked with debris, if the cyclone
chamber
becomes fouled with debris and/or if the pre-motor filters are soiled to an
extent that it
significantly impedes airflow through the filters. Preferably the bleed valve
976 can be
positioned and configured to supply bleed air into the airflow path at a
location that is
- 35 -
CA 2977233 2017-08-24
upstream from the suction motor inlet 973 and downstream from the likely clog
or blockage
locations.
[00189] The following is a description of the positioning and
orientation of a bleed
valve that may be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any
combination or
sub-combination with any other feature or features disclosed herein.
[00190] For example, the bleed valve 976 may be positioned to supply
bleed air to the
air flow path 974 between the pre-motor filter chamber 956 and the suction
motor inlet 973.
The bleed valve 976 may be any suitable valve, including a pressure sensitive
valve that is
opened automatically when there is a blockage in the air flow path upstream
from the
suction motor 911.
[00191] In the illustrated embodiment, the bleed valve 976 extends
along a valve axis
977 that is generally parallel to the suction motor axis 926, and is generally
orthogonal to
the cyclone axis 920. To provide outside air, a port 978 is provided in the
main body 901,
in air flow communication with the inlet end of the bleed valve 976. The
outlet end of the
bleed valve is in communication with the air conduit 974.
[00192] In the illustrated embodiment, the bleed valve 976 is located
at an elevation
between the pre-motor filter chamber 956 and the suction motor 911, partially
laterally
underlies the pre-motor filter chamber 956 (and the filters 960, 961 therein)
and partially
laterally overlies the suction motor 911 and its housing 912. Alternatively,
the bleed valve
976 may be located at a different elevation (for example below the suction
motor and/or in
line with or above the pre-motor filter chamber) and need not laterally
overlap the suction
motor, pre-motor filter chambers or the filters therein.
[00193] Alternatively, instead of extending laterally through the main
body of the
surface cleaning apparatus, the bleed valve may be provided in a different
location.
Referring to Figure 16, a cross sectional view of another embodiment of a
surface cleaning
apparatus 6900 is shown. Apparatus 6900 is similar to apparatus 900, and
analogous
features are identified using like reference numerals indexed by 6000. In this
embodiment,
the bleed valve 6976 is positioned within the pre-motor filter chamber 6956
and is generally
vertically oriented, along axis 6977. In the illustrated example, the bleed
valve 6976 is
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
generally co-axial with the cyclone chamber. To supply outside air to the
bleed valve, a
port 6978 is provided in the upper cover 6959 of the pre-motor filter housing
6956 and is in
air flow communication with the inlet end of the bleed valve 6976. The outlet
end of the
bleed valve 6976 is in air flow communication with the air conduit 6974 via a
conduit 6979
or optionally via the downstream headspace 6964, to supply the outside air to
the suction
motor in the event that the pre-motor filters are blocked. The conduit 6979
can be any
suitable conduit and can be sized to supply a desired quantity of air to the
suction motor
6911.
[00194] As exemplified in Figure 16, the pre-motor filter or filters
6960 in the pre-motor
filter chamber 6956 may partially overlie the upper end wall of the cyclone
chamber 6913
and each filter may include an axially extending aperture that may be spaced
from and
aligned with, or may be generally laterally registered with the vortex finder
6927 and air
outlet 6923 (i.e. in a direction generally orthogonal to the cyclone axis
6920). In the
illustrated configuration, the apertures have a larger diameter than the bleed
valve 6976. In
this configuration, the bleed valve 6976 is recessed/nested within the filter
apertures and
the inlet port on the bleed valve 6976 may be generally flush with/co-planar
with the
upstream side of the filter 6960. At least partially axially nesting the bleed
valve 6976
within the pre-motor filters may help reduce the overall size of the housing
required to
accommodate the pre-motor filter of filters and the bleed valve. It will be
appreciated that
the bleed valve may be nested within a pre-motor filter regardless of the
position or
orientation of the pre-motor filter.
HANDLE
[00195] Optionally, the surface cleaning apparatus may be provided
with one or more
handles to allow a user to grasp and manipulate the surface cleaning
apparatus. Each
handle may have one or more grip portions and may be configured to allow the
user to
grasp the handle in one or more configurations and/or orientations. Providing
a generally
upright or pistol-grip style handle may allow a user to grasp the surface
cleaning apparatus
while keeping his/her wrist in a comfortable, ergonomic position.
- 37 -
CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00196] The following is a description of the positioning and
orientation of a handle
that may be used by itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any
combination or sub-
combination with any other feature or features disclosed herein.
[00197] Referring to Figure 9, in the illustrated embodiment, handle
902 is configured
as a generally upright handle and includes a grip portion 980 that is
configured as a pistol-
grip style handle. The handle 902 has a first or bottom end 981 that is
adjacent the suction
motor housing 912 (e.g., the upper surface thereof) and a second or upper end
982 that is
spaced above from the lower end 981. The upper end 982 of the handle may be
adjacent
the rear side wall of the housing of the pre-motor filter chamber 956 or may
be attached to
bridge portion that extends rearwardly from the pre-motor filter housing.
[00198] The hand grip portion 980 may extend along a handle axis 983.
In the
illustrated embodiment, the handle axis 983 is inclined slightly forwardly,
and forms an
angle 983a, relative to a vertical axis. The angle 983a can be any suitable
angle, and
preferably is between about 0-45 , and may be between about 20-35 . The handle
axis
983 intersects the cyclone axis, the suction motor axis 926 and suction motor
housing 912
and a bridge portion 901a of the main body that is an extension of the pre-
motor filter
housing 956.
[00199] When grasping the hand grip portion 980, a user's fingers may
pass through
an opening 984 in front of the hand grip portion 980. In the illustrated
embodiment, the
perimeter of the opening 984 is formed by an upper portion 912a (Figure 7) of
the suction
motor housing 912, the front surface 980a of the hand grip portion 980, a rear
portion of the
pre-motor filter chamber sidewall 958 and connecting portions of the main
body. Optionally,
the air inlet port for the bleed valve 976 may be formed in one of the
surfaces forming the
perimeter of the handle opening 984.
[00200] Preferably, the primary on/off power switch for the surface
cleaning apparatus
is positioned proximate the handle 902, so that a user may turn the vacuum
cleaner on or
off while holding it by the handle 902. Referring to Figures 4 and 7, in the
illustrated
embodiment, the primary power switch 985 is provided on the upper end of the
handle 902
and is configured so that it can be pressed by the thumb of a user while
holding the hand
grip portion 980. The hand grip portion 980 can include an internal passage
for routing
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
electrical wires or mechanical linkages to provide communication between the
primary
power switch and the electrical circuit powering the suction motor 911.
Optionally, the
primary power switch 985 can be positioned so that it is intersected by the
handle axis
9083. Alternatively, the primary power switch 985 may be provided at another
suitable
location.
[00201] Optionally, the handle 902 can be positioned so that the hand
weight of the
surface cleaning apparatus when held in a horizontally disposed position
(e.g., axis 988 is
horizontal) is less than 2 lbs, preferably less than 1 lbs and more preferably
about 0 lbs,
thereby reducing the stress on a user's wrist. Accordingly, the user may
experience only a
slight down force even though the motor is below the handle. The handle 902
may
accordingly be positioned so that it is behind the centre of gravity of the
surface cleaning
apparatus. Preferably, the handle may also be configured so that all or a
portion of it (e.g.,
the portion gripped by a user) is located at a higher elevation than the
centre of gravity.
[00202] Positioning the handle behind and optionally above the centre
of gravity may
result in the surface cleaning apparatus tending to tip forwardly when being
held
horizontally by a user. This may tend to rotate the front of the surface
cleaning apparatus
downwardly when the surface cleaning apparatus is in use and may allow at
least a portion
of the weight of the surface cleaning apparatus to be carried by a surface
cleaning head (or
other tool) that rollingly contacts the floor.
[00203] For example, referring to Figure 9, in the embodiment illustrated,
the centre of
gravity 986 is located in a vertical plane 987 that is forward of the handle
and horizontal
plane 988 that lies below the lower end 981 of the handle 902. In the
illustrated
embodiment the handle axis 983 does not intersect the centre of gravity of the
surface
cleaning apparatus.
DETACHABLE MOTOR HOUSING
[00204] The following is a description of detachable motor housing may
be used by
itself in any surface cleaning apparatus or in any combination or sub-
combination with any
other feature or features disclosed herein.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00205] Optionally, the suction motor and at least a portion of its
surrounding motor
housing may be detachable from the main body of the surface cleaning
apparatus.
Referring to Figures 10 and 11, an alternate embodiment of a surface cleaning
apparatus
7900 is shown. Apparatus 7900 is generally similar to apparatus 900 and
analogous
features are identified using like reference characters indexed by 7000. In
this embodiment
the suction motor housing 7912 can be detachably connected to the main body
7901, so
that the suction motor housing 7912, and the suction motor therein, can be
separated from
the cyclone bin assembly 7910, handle 7902 and, preferably, pre-motor filter
housing 7956.
The suction motor and related electrical components may form a significant
portion of the
weight of the surface cleaning apparatus 7900. Separating the suction motor
housing 7912
from the main body 7901 may allow a user to manipulate the main body 7901 and
empty
the dirt collection chamber 7914 and cyclone 7913 using the handle 7902
without having to
carry around the extra weight of the suction motor.
[00206] The detachable suction motor housing module 7912 may removably
coupled
to the main body 7901 using any suitable attachment mechanisms. In the
illustrated
embodiment the attachment mechanism is a latch 7990 that can be triggered by a
user. In
this embodiment, the suction motor module 7912 includes an air inlet port 7991
that is
configured to be coupled to a reciprocal air outlet port 7992 on the main body
7901. The
ports 7991, 7992 may be of any compatible configurations, and one or more
seals or
gasket members may be provided at their interface to help provide an air-tight
connection.
[00207] If the primary on/off switch 7985 is provided on the main body
portion (as
described above) in addition to the air flow connection, the suction motor
module 7912 also
includes at least one control/ electrical connection that is configured to
mate with a
corresponding control port on the main body 7901. In the illustrated example,
the on/off
switch 7985 on the main body 7901 is an electrical switch, and the control
connection
between the suction motor module 7912 and the main body includes mating
electrical
connectors (e.g., male prongs 7993 and a female electrical socket 7994) to
supply
electricity to the switch 7985. Alternatively, primary on/off switch 7985 may
be a
mechanical switch that is connected to the suction motor module via a
mechanical linkage.
In such a configuration, the control connection can include a mechanical
linkage to
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
translate movements of the on/off switch to open and close an electrical
circuit in the
suction motor housing. Alternatively, control signals may be transmitted
wireless (e.g. via
radio signal) or in any other suitable manner between the on/off switch and
the suction
motor housing. In such configurations, the suction motor module and the main
body need
not include a physical control connection.
[00208]
Optionally, the surface cleaning apparatus 7900 can be configured so
that
most or all of the electrical components are located within the suction motor
housing 7912.
In such a configuration, when the motor housing 7912 is separated from the
main body
7901, substantially all of the components remaining in the main body 7901 may
be washed
without exposing the suction motor and other electrical components to water or
other
cleaning materials.
This may help prevent inadvertent damage to the electrical
components when washing the surface cleaning apparatus 7900.
OTHER SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS
[00209]
Optionally, instead of a hand-held or carriable surface cleaning
apparatus, the
surface cleaning apparatus may be an upright-style surface cleaning apparatus
or a
canister-style cleaning apparatus that includes a cyclone bin assembly having
some or all
of the features described herein. Referring to Figure 17, an alternate
embodiment of a
surface cleaning apparatus 8900 is shown. Apparatus 8900 includes a dirty air
inlet 8903,
a clean air outlet 8904 and a cyclone bin assembly 8910 mounted to a suction
motor
housing 8912. A pre-motor filter chamber 8956 is defined between the cyclone
bin
assembly 8910 and the motor housing 8912. The cyclone bin assembly 8910,
suction
motor housing 8912 and pre-motor filter chamber 8956 may include some or all
of the
features described herein, alone or in combination with each other.
[00210]
Referring to Figure 18, an alternate embodiment of a surface cleaning
apparatus 9900 is shown. Apparatus 9900 includes a dirty air inlet 9903, a
clean air outlet
9904 and a cyclone bin assembly 9910 mounted to a suction motor housing 9912.
A pre-
motor filter chamber 9956 is defined between the cyclone bin assembly 9910 and
the motor
housing 9912. The cyclone bin assembly 9910, suction motor housing 9912 and
pre-motor
filter chamber 9956 may include some or all of the features described herein,
alone or in
combination with each other.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
ALTERNATE HAND CARRIABLE SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS
[00211] The following description exemplifies a number of the features
disclosed
herein in an alternate construction for a hand carriable surface cleaning
apparatus.
Referring to Figure 19, another embodiment of a hand carriable surface
cleaning apparatus
10900 is shown. The surface cleaning apparatus 10900 is similar to surface
cleaning
apparatus 900, and like features are indicated using analogous reference
numbers indexed
by 10,000.
[00212] The surface cleaning apparatus 10900 includes a main body
10901 having a
handle 10902, a dirty air inlet 10903, a clean air outlet 10904 (see for
example Figure 26)
and an air flow path extending therebetween. In the embodiment shown, the
dirty air inlet
10903 is the inlet end of connector 10906. Optionally, the inlet end can be
used to directly
clean a surface. Alternatively, the inlet end can be connected to the
downstream end of
any suitable cleaning tool or accessory, including, for example a wand, a
nozzle and a
flexible suction hose.
[00213] The connector 10906 may be any suitable connector that is operable
to
connect to, and preferably detachably connect to, a cleaning tool or other
accessory.
Optionally, in addition to provide an air flow connection, the connector may
also include an
electrical connection 10909 (Figure 20). Providing an electrical connection
10909 may
allow cleaning tools and accessories that are coupled to the connector 10906
to be
powered by the surface cleaning apparatus 10900. For example, the surface
cleaning unit
10900 can be used to provide both power and suction to a surface cleaning
head, or other
suitable tool. In the illustrated embodiment, the connector 10906 includes an
electrical
coupling in the form of a female socket member, and a corresponding male prong
member
may be provided on the cleaning tools and/or accessories. Providing the female
socket on
the electrified side of the electrical coupling may help prevent a user from
inadvertently
contacting the electrical contacts.
[00214] Referring to Figure 21, a construction technique that may be
used by itself or
with any other feature disclosed herein is exemplified. In this embodiment,
the main body
portion 10901 of the surface cleaning apparatus includes a core cleaning unit
11000 and an
outer shell 11001. In the illustrated example, the core cleaning unit 11000 is
a generally,
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
self-contained functional unit that includes the dirty air inlet 10903, air
treatment member
10910, pre-motor filter chamber 10956, suction motor 10911 and clean air
outlet 10904.
The outer shell includes mating side panels 11002, the handle portion 11003 of
the surface
cleaning apparatus (including the primary power switch 10985) and an openable
pre-motor
filter chamber cover 10959. When the outer shell 11001 is assembled around the
core
cleaning unit 11000 the exposed outer surfaces of the surface cleaning
apparatus 10900
are formed from a combination of portions of the core cleaning unit 11000 and
the outer
shell 11001. For example, the external suction motor housing 10912 and handle
10902 are
provided by the outer shell 11001, whereas the shell is shaped so that
portions of the
cyclone bin assembly 10910 sidewalls remain visible in the assembled
configuration. If
these portions are at least partially transparent, they can allow a user to
see into the dirt
collection chamber 10914 to determine if the dirt collection chamber 10914 is
getting full.
[00215] From the dirty air inlet 10903, the air flow path extends
through the cyclone
bin assembly 10910 which forms part of the main body of the surface cleaning
apparatus.
A suction motor 10911 (see Figure 26) is mounted within a motor housing frame
11004
(Figure 21) of the core cleaning unit 11000 and is in fluid communication with
the cyclone
bin assembly 10910. In this configuration, the suction motor 10911 is
downstream from the
cyclone bin assembly 10910 and the clean air outlet 10904 is downstream from
the suction
motor 10911.
[00216] Referring to Figures 23 and 26, a uniflow cyclone and/or a cyclone
with
rounded junctures, and/or a cyclone with an insert member any of which may be
used by
itself or with any other feature disclosed herein is exemplified. In the
illustrated
embodiment, the cyclone bin assembly 10901 includes a cyclone chamber 10913
and a dirt
collection chamber 10914. The dirt collection chamber 10914 comprises a
sidewall 10915,
a first end wall 10916 and an opposing second end wall 10917. The dirt
collection chamber
10914 may be emptiable by any means known in the art and is preferably
openable
concurrently with the cyclone chamber 10913. Preferably, the second dirt
collection
chamber end wall 10917 is pivotally connected to the dirt collection chamber
sidewall by
hinge 10919. The second dirt collection chamber end wall 10913 functions as an
openable
door to empty the dirt collection chamber 10914 and can be opened (Figures 24
and 25) to
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
empty dirt and debris from the interior of the dirt collection chamber 10914.
The second dirt
collection chamber end wall 10917 can be retained in the closed position by
any means
known in the art, such as by a releasable latch 10919a. In the illustrated
example, the
hinge 10919 is provided on a back edge of the end wall 10917 and the latch
10919a is
provided at the front of the end wall 10917 so that the door swings backwardly
when
opened. Alternatively, the hinge 10919 and latch 10919a may be in different
positions, and
the door 10917 may open in a different direction or manner. Optionally,
instead of being
openable, the end wall 10917 may be removable.
[00217] In the embodiment shown, the cyclone chamber 10913 extends
along a
cyclone axis 10920 and is bounded by a sidewall 10921. The cyclone chamber
10913
includes an air inlet 10922 and an air outlet 10923 that is in fluid
connection downstream
from the air inlet 10922 and one dirt outlet 10924 in communication with the
dirt collection
chamber 10914. In this embodiment, the dirt collection chamber 10914 is
positioned
adjacent the cyclone chamber 10913 and at least partially surrounds the
cyclone chamber
10913 in a side-by-side configuration.
[00218] Preferably, the air inlet 10922 is generally tangentially
oriented relative to the
sidewall 10921, so that air entering the cyclone chamber will tend to swirl
and circulate
within the cyclone chamber 10913, thereby dis-entraining dirt and debris from
the air flow,
before leaving the chamber via the air outlet 10923. The air inlet 10922
extends along an
inlet axis 10925 that is generally perpendicular to the cyclone axis 10920,
and in the
illustrated example is generally parallel to and offset above the suction
motor axis 10926.
[00219] In the illustrated example, the cyclone air outlet 10923
includes a vortex finder
10927. Optionally, a screen 10928 can be positioned over the vortex finder
10927 to help
filter lint, fluff and other fine debris. Preferably, the screen 10928 can be
removable.
[00220] The air inlet 10922 has an inlet diameter 10934, and a related
inlet flow cross-
sectional area (measure in a plane perpendicular to the inlet axis).
Preferably, the air outlet
10923 is sized so that the diameter 10932 of the air outlet 10923, and
therefore the
corresponding flow area of the air outlet 10923, is the same as the diameter
of the air inlet.
Alternatively, the air outlet diameter 10932 may be between about 50% and
about 150%,
and between about 85-115% of the air inlet diameter 10925.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00221] In the example illustrated the cyclone bin assembly 10910, and
the cyclone
chamber 10913 are arranged in a generally vertical, uniflow cyclone
configuration. In a
uniflow cyclone, the air inlet is located toward one end of the cyclone
chamber and the air
outlet is provided toward the other end of the cyclone chamber. In this
configuration, air
enters one end of the cyclone chamber and generally exits via the other end of
the cyclone
chamber, as opposed to the cyclone chamber illustrated in the embodiment of
Figures 1 to
18, in which air enters and exits the cyclone chamber via the same end. In the
illustrated
example, the air inlet 10922 is provided toward the lower end of the cyclone
chamber
10913 and the air outlet 10923 is provided toward the upper end of the cyclone
chamber
10913, such that air flows into the bottom of the cyclone chamber 10913 and
exits at the
top of the cyclone chamber 10913. Alternatively, the locations of the air
inlet and outlet can
be reversed.
[00222] Optionally, instead of a vertical configuration, the cyclone
bin assembly 10910
and cyclone chamber 10913 can be provided in another orientation, including,
for example,
as a horizontal cyclone.
[00223] Optionally, some or all of the cyclone sidewall 10921 can
coincide with
portions of the external sidewalls of the cyclone bin assembly 10910 and the
dirt collection
chamber sidewall 10915. Referring to Figure 23, in the illustrated embodiment
the front
portion of the cyclone chamber sidewall 10921 is coincident with the outer
sidewall of the
cyclone bin assembly 10910, and the rear portion of the cyclone sidewall 10921
helps
separate the cyclone chamber 10913 from the dirt collection chamber 10914.
This may
help reduce the overall size of the cyclone bin assembly 10910. Alternative,
the sidewall
10921 may be distinct from the sidewalls 10915. In alternative embodiments,
the cyclone
chamber 10913 may include only two dirt outlets 10924, or more than two dirt
outlets.
[00224] In the illustrated embodiment, the cyclone chamber 10913 includes a
first or
upper end wall 10937 (Figure 23) and a second or lower end wall 10943. The
upper end
wall 10937 is connected to the upper end of the sidewall 10921. In the
illustrated example,
a juncture 10938 between the end wall 10937 and the side wall 10921 is a
relatively sharp
corner that does not include any type of angled or radiused surface. In
contrast, the lower
end wall 10943 meets the lower end of the cyclone sidewall 10921 at a juncture
11005 that
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
includes a curved juncture surface 11006 (see also Figure 27). The radius
11007 of the
curved surface 11006 may be selected based on the radius of the air inlet
(e.g. half of the
diameter 10934), and optionally may be the selected so that the juncture
surface 11006
has the same radius as the air inlet 10922.
[00225] The curved juncture surface can be provided as a portion of the
sidewall or as
a portion of the endwall. In the illustrated embodiment, the curved juncture
surface 11006
is provided as part of an insert member 11008 that is provided on the bottom
end wall and
extends upward into the interior of the cyclone chamber 10913. The insert
member also
includes an upwardly extending projection member 11009 that extends into the
interior of
the cyclone chamber and engages the distal end 10930 of the screen (Figure
23).
Together, the vortex finder 10927, screen 10928 and projection member 11009
form a
generally continuous internal column member that extends between the first and
second
end walls 10937 and 10943 of the cyclone chamber 10910. Providing the
projection
member 11009 may help direct air flow within the cyclone chamber, and may help
support
and/or stabilize the distal end 10930 of the screen 10928.
[00226] Optionally, the juncture 11010 between the end wall 10943 and
the projection
member 11009 may include a curved surface 11011 (see Figures 23 and 26), and
preferably is sized so that the surface 11011 has a radius 11012 that is the
same as radius
11007. Providing curved surfaces 11006 and 11011 at the junctures between the
end wall
10943 and the sidewall 10921, may help reduce backpressure and may help
improve
cyclone efficiency. Preferably, the two curved juncture surfaces 11006 and
11011 are
separated by a generally flat, planar transition surface 11013, having a width
11014.
Providing a flat transition surface 11013 may help improve air flow, and/or
reduce back
pressure to help improve cyclone efficiency.
[00227] In the illustrated embodiment, the second end wall 10943 of the
cyclone
chamber 10913, and the insert member 11008 provided thereon, is integral with
the
openable bottom door 10917 that provides the bottom wall of the dirt
collection chamber
10914. In this configuration, opening the door simultaneously opens the
cyclone chamber
10913 and the dirt collection chamber 10914 (see for example Figures 24 and
25) for
emptying.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00228] In the illustrated embodiment, the dirt outlet 10924 is in the
form of a slot
having bottom and side edges provided by the cyclone chamber sidewall 10921,
and a top
edge provided by the upper end wall 10937. Alternatively, all four edges of
the slot 10924
may be provided by the cyclone chamber sidewall 10921. The dirt slot 10924 is
positioned
at the back of the cyclone chamber 10921 and is generally opposite the air
inlet 10922. In
the illustrated embodiment, the upper wall 10937 of the cyclone chamber is
integral with the
upper wall 10916 (Figures 23 and 26) of the dirt collection chamber 10914.
[00229] Optionally, one or more pre-motor filters may be placed in the
air flow path
between the cyclone bin assembly 10910 and the suction motor 10911.
Alternatively, or in
addition, one or more post-motor filters may be provided downstream from the
suction
motor.
[00230] Referring to Figures 27, a filter housing construction that
may be used by
itself or with any other feature disclosed herein is exemplified. In the
illustrated embodiment
a pre-motor filter chamber or housing 10956 is provided between the upper
walls 10937,
10916 of the cyclone 10913 and dirt collection chambers 10914 and the openable
cover
10959. In this configuration, the bottom wall 10957 of the pre-motor filter
chamber 10956 is
integral with the upper walls 10937, 10916 of the cyclone 10913 and dirt
collection
chambers 10914, and the upper wall 10958a and sidewall 10958 of the pre-motor
filter
chamber 10956 are provided via a filter cartridge housing 11015 (see also
Figure 28). The
filter cartridge housing 11015 is separate from the openable cover 10959. One
or more
filters may be positioned within the pre-motor filter chamber to filter fine
particles from the
air stream exiting the air outlet, before it flows into inlet of the suction
motor. The filters may
be of any suitable configuration and formed from any suitable materials. In
the illustrated
embodiment, a foam filter 10960 and a felt filter 10961 (Figure 30) are
positioned within the
pre-motor filter chamber 10956.
[00231] Referring to Figures 27-30, the filter cartridge is a
generally dome shaped
member that includes a upper wall 10958a and a sidewall 10958 extending
downwardly
from the upper wall to surround the pre-motor filters 10960, 10961. The pre-
motor filters
10960, 10961 are shaped to fit within the cartridge member 11015, and when
inserted
within the cartridge member (Figure 29) the downstream side 10965 of the felt
filter 10961
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
forms the bottom surface of the filter cartridge 11015. When the filter
cartridge 11015 is
inserted in its use position (Figure 28) the downstream side 10965 of the pre-
motor filter
rests on the support ribs 10962 (see Figure 29) on the bottom wall 10957, and
the
downstream headspace 10964 (Figure 27) is defined between the downstream side
10965
of the filter 10961and the bottom wall 10957.
[00232] In this embodiment, the upstream headspace 10970 (Figure 27)
is provided
between the upstream side 10968 of the pre-motor filter 10960 and the upper
wall 10958a
of the cartridge housing 11015 (instead of being formed by the cover 10959).
To provide
air into the upstream headspace 10970, the vortex finder 10927 projects
upwardly from the
bottom wall 10957 and the filters 10960 and 10961 are provided with a
corresponding
aperture 10972 to receive the vortex finder 10927. Preferably, a plurality of
spacing ribs
11016 (Figure 30) are provided on the inner surface of the upper wall 10958a
to keep the
upstream surface 10968 of the filter 10960 spaced apart from the inner surface
of the upper
wall 10958a to maintain the upstream headspace 10970.
[00233] The lower rim 11017 of the filter cartridge 11015 housing is
configured to seal
against the bottom wall 10957 (for example via snap fit or by using any type
of suitable
gasket or sealing member) to provide a generally air tight pre-motor filter
chamber 10956.
The sealed chamber 10956 is then covered by openable chamber cover 10959. As
the
filter cartridge housing 11015 provides a sufficiently air tight connection to
the bottom wall,
the chamber cover 10959 need not be air tight. Preferably, at least a portion
of both the
chamber cover 10959 and the filter cartridge 11015 housing is transparent so
that a user
can inspect the upstream side 10968 of the pre-motor filter 10960 without
having to remove
it from the chamber 10956. Optionally, both the chamber cover 10959 and filter
cartridge
housing 11015 may be formed from transparent plastic.
[00234] When a user wishes to remove, clean, change or otherwise access the
pre-
motor filter 10960, 10961 he/she may open the chamber cover 10959 (Figure 30)
to expose
the filter cartridge housing 11015. The user may then detach the filter
cartridge housing
11015 and separate it from the bottom wall 10957. Preferably, the pre-motor
filters 10960,
10961 are snugly received within the filter cartridge housing 11015 (or
otherwise retained
therein) so that the filters 10960, 10961 are removed with the filter
cartridge housing 11015
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
and remain inside the filter cartridge housing 11015 until removed by a user.
In this
embodiment, the dirty, upstream side 10968 of the filter 10960 remains
enclosed by the
filter cartridge housing 11015 when separated from the core cleaning unit
11000, and only
the relatively clearer downstream side 10965 of the filter 10961 is exposed.
This may help
prevent dirt on the upstream side 10968 of the filter 10960 from spilling or
from otherwise
contacting the user. When at a desired location, for example at a trash
receptacle or a
sink, a user can grasp the clean, downstream side 10965 of the filter and
remove it from
the filter cartridge housing 11015. The upstream side 10968 of the filter can
then be
cleaned and inspected as desired.
[00235] To assist a user, the upper side 1958a of the filter cartridge
housing 11015
may be provided with a grip member, for example the flange 11018 in the
illustrated
embodiment (Figure 28), which may allow a user to firmly grasp and manipulate
the filter
cartridge housing 11015. The grip member 11018 may be of any suitable
configuration and
optionally may be provided on other portions of the filter cartridge housing
(for example as
a ridge or groove in the sidewall). Alternatively, the filter cartridge
housing 11015 need not
include a separate grip member.
[00236] To help reduce the overall size of the surface cleaning
apparatus, in the
illustrated embodiment the pre-motor filter chamber 10956, and the filters
therein, is
positioned above the cyclone chamber 10913 and covers the upper end of the
cyclone
chamber 10913. In this configuration, a plane 10966 (Figure 26) containing the
foam filter
10960 is generally parallel and spaced above a plane 10977 containing the air
outlet 10923
of the cyclone chamber 10913, and both planes 10966, 10967 are generally
perpendicular
to the cyclone axis 10920. Arranging the filters 10960, 10961 in this
configuration results in
the upstream side of the pre-motor filter (in this example the upper side
10968 of the foam
filter 10960) being spaced further apart from the cyclone chamber 10913 than
the
downstream side of the pre-motor filter (in this example the lower surface
10965 of the felt
filter 10961). Alternatively, in other embodiments, the pre-motor filter
chamber 10956 may
cover only a portion of the upper end of the cyclone chamber and/or may be
laterally
spaced apart from the cyclone chamber.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00237] When the surface cleaning apparatus is in use, air exiting the
cyclone
chamber 10913 can flow into the upstream head space 10970 via the vortex
finder 10927.
Within the upstream headspace 10970 the air can flow laterally across the
upstream
surface 10968 of the foam filter 10960, and down through the filters into the
downstream
head space 10964. From the downstream head space 10964, the air can flow to
the inlet
10973 of the suction motor via an internal air conduit 10974 (Figure 26)
formed within the
body 10901. In the illustrated embodiment, the internal air conduit 10974 is
formed within
the main body 10901 and is external the cyclone chamber 10913 and the dirt
collection
chamber 10914 and is partially bounded by an exterior surface exterior surface
of the dirt
collection chamber sidewall '10915. The air conduit 10974 extends generally
vertically
between the pre-motor filter chamber 10956 and the suction motor 10911, and is
positioned
laterally intermediate the suction motor 10911 and the cyclone chamber 10913.
The
suction motor 10911 is positioned at an elevation where its air inlet 10973 is
vertically
between the upper and lower ends of the cyclone chamber 10913, and the motor
axis
passes 10926 through the cyclone chamber 10913 and the dirt collection chamber
10914.
[00238] Optionally, the cartridge member 11015 can be provided with a
bottom cover
11030 to encase the filters 10960 and 10961 and to provide a self-contained
pre-motor
filter chamber 10956. Referring to Figures 33 and 34, in such a configuration,
the bottom
cover 11030 may provide the bottom wall 10957 of the pre-motor filter chamber
10956, and
may be provided with internal ribs 10962 to support the filters 10960, 10961
and to provide
the downstream headspace 10964. An outlet port 11031 provided in the bottom
cover
11030 allows air to exit the cartridge enclosure 11015 and flow into conduit
10974.
Providing a sealed cartridge may help further contain dirt within the
cartridge prior to
emptying, and may help keep the filters 10960 and 10961 in position.
[00239] Referring to Figure 20, in the illustrated embodiment, handle 10902
has a first
or bottom end 10981 that is adjacent the suction motor housing 10912, a second
or upper
end 10982 that is spaced above from the lower end 1981 and a grip portion
10980
extending therebetween. When grasping the hand grip portion 10980, a user's
fingers may
pass through an opening 10984.
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CA 2977233 2017-08-24
[00240] Referring to Figure 31, a sectional view of an alternate
embodiment cyclone
bin assembly portion 12910 of a core cleaning unit 13000 that may be used by
itself or with
any other feature disclosed herein is exemplified. The cyclone bin assembly
12910 is
similar to bin assembly 10910, and like features are identified using like
reference numerals
indexed by 2000. The cyclone bin assembly 12910 is illustrated in isolation
with the outer
shell, filter cartridge member and the suction motor removed. In this
embodiment the
cyclone chamber 12913 is flared such that the cross-sectional area taken in a
plane 13020
that passes through the air inlet 12922 (toward the bottom of the cyclone
chamber 12913)
is smaller than the cross-sectional area taken in a plane 13021 that passes
through the dirt
outlet 12924, and is smaller than the cross-section area of the upper end wall
12937 of the
cyclone chamber 12913 (which includes the air outlet 12923). In this
configuration, the
cyclone chamber sidewall 12921 includes a vertical portion 13022 and a
generally frusto-
conical portion 13023 positioned above the vertical portion 13022. In this
embodiment the
volume of the cyclone chamber 12913 increases toward the top to the cyclone
chamber,
which may help improve cyclone efficiency and/or may help dis-entrained dirt
exit via the
dirt outlet.
[00241] Referring to Figure 32, a sectional view of an alternate
embodiment cyclone
bin assembly 14910 portion of the core cleaning unit 15000 that may be used by
itself or
with any other feature disclosed herein is exemplified. The cyclone bin
assembly 14910 is
similar to cyclone bin assembly 10910, and like elements are represented using
analogous
reference numbers indexed by 4000. The cyclone bin assembly 14910 is
illustrated in
isolation with the outer shell, filter cartridge member and the suction motor
removed. In this
embodiment the cyclone chamber 14913 is tapered such that the cross-sectional
area
taken in a plane 15020 that passes through the air inlet 14922 (toward the
bottom of the
cyclone chamber 14913) is larger than the cross-sectional area taken in a
plane 15021 that
passes through the dirt outlet 14924, and is larger than the cross-section
area of the upper
end wall 14937 of the cyclone chamber 14913 (which includes the air outlet
14923). In this
configuration, the cyclone chamber sidewall 14921 includes a vertical portion
15022 and a
generally inwardly-tapering frusto-conical portion 15023 positioned above the
vertical
portion. In this embodiment the volume of the cyclone chamber 14913 decreases
toward
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the top to the cyclone chamber, which may help improve cyclone efficiency
and/or may
help dis-entrained dirt exit via the dirt outlet.
[00242] What has been described above has been intended to be
illustrative of the
invention and non-limiting and it will be understood by persons skilled in the
art that other
variants and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the
invention
as defined in the claims appended hereto. The scope of the claims should not
be limited by
the preferred embodiments and examples, but should be given the broadest
interpretation
consistent with the description as a whole.
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