Gas separation – Plural serial basically diverse separating media – Plural stages in unitary casing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-10-16
2004-12-21
Smith, Duane S. (Department: 1724)
Gas separation
Plural serial basically diverse separating media
Plural stages in unitary casing
C015S353000, C055S424000, C055S426000, C055SDIG003
Reexamination Certificate
active
06833015
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, it relates to a cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus for use in a vacuum cleaner capable of separating various contaminants (hereinafter collectively called ‘dust’) from an air drawn through a suction portion of the vacuum cleaner by using a centrifugal force of a whirling air current it causes from the drawn air.
2. Description of the Background Art
One example of a cyclone-type dust collecting apparatus for use in vacuum cleaner is disclosed by commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,195,835, the structure of which is schematically shown in the accompanying drawings
FIGS. 1 through 4
.
As shown in
FIGS. 1 through 4
, the cyclone-type dust collecting apparatus for use in a vacuum cleaner generally includes a cyclone body
20
, a dust-collecting chamber
30
and a grill assembly
40
.
The cyclone body
20
is divided into an upper body
21
and a lower body
22
, which are connected to each other by a plurality of screws
23
. The lower body
22
has an inflow pipe
24
connected to an extension pipe
1
a
itself connected to a suction port of the vacuum cleaner (not shown), and an inflow port
25
in fluid communication with the inflow air pipe
24
. The upper body
21
has an outflow pipe
26
connected to the extension pipe
1
b
extending toward a body of the cleaner, and an outflow port
27
in fluid communication with the outflow pipe
26
. Dust-laden air is drawn into the cleaner through the suction port in a diagonal direction with respect to the cyclone body
20
, thereby forming a cyclonic whirling air current inside of the cyclone body
20
. The centrifugal force of the whirling air current causes the dust to be separated from the air.
The dust collecting chamber
30
is removably connected to the cyclone body
20
, functioning to generate a whirling air current in cooperation with the cyclone body
20
, and also to collect the dust separated from the air by the whirling air current.
The grill assembly
40
is mounted at the outflow port
27
of the cyclone body
20
, preventing reverse flow of the dust that is collected in the dust-collecting chamber
30
, through the outflow port
27
. The grill assembly
40
has a grill body
41
, a grill portion
42
formed along the outer circumference of the grill body
41
to define a passage in fluid communication with the outflow port
27
, and a dust reverse flow preventing portion
43
, in the shape of a cone and formed at a lower end of the grill body
41
. An upper portion
41
a
of the grill body
41
is supported between the upper and lower bodies
21
,
22
of the cyclone body
20
so that the grill assembly
40
can be mounted at the outflow port
27
of the cyclone body
20
. The grill portion
42
is formed by penetrating a plurality of fine holes along the outer circumference of the grill body
41
.
In the cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus for use in the vacuum cleaner, the dust-laden air is drawn by the suction force generated at the suction port of the cleaner and directed into the cyclone body
20
through the inflow port
25
. The air flowing into the cyclone body
20
in a diagonal direction descends in the dust-collecting chamber
30
in a whirling current (curved arrow-headed solid line of FIG.
1
). During this process, dust is separated from the air by the centrifugal force of the whirling current, and is collected in the dust-collecting chamber
30
.
Upturning air from the bottom of the dust-collecting chamber
30
is discharged to the cleaner body via the grill portion
42
of the grill assembly
40
, the outflow port
27
and the outflow pipe
26
(—shown by phantom arrow of FIG.
1
). Some dust still remaining in the upturning air current of the dust-collecting chamber
30
is blocked by the dust reverse flow preventing portion
43
extending toward the whirling air current. Dust still remaining in the air, even after the dust reverse flow preventing portion
43
is discharged through the grill portion
42
of the grill assembly
40
, becomes entrained in the discharged air. Among such dust, some dust particles, which are larger than the fine holes of the grill portion
42
, are blocked by the grill portion
42
and are returned to the whirling current.
The dust-laden air drawn into the cyclone body
20
can contain very fine dust particles, and as these are very light, the fine dust particles are rarely separated by the centrifugal force of the whirling air. Accordingly, the fine dust particles still remain in the air, and eventually block the grill portion
42
as the air is discharged through the grill portion
42
. As the grill portion
42
is blocked, suction force is from the motor is reduced, and thus, the suction efficiency deteriorates.
Usually, such dust at the grill portion
42
remains even after the cleaning operation, causing the same or decreased suction efficiency in the next cleaning operation. Accordingly, such dust particles have to be dealt with on a regular basis, which means expending labor and time have for device cleaning or maintenance.
In the conventional cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus, as the grill assembly
40
is supported between the upper and lower bodies
21
,
22
of the cyclone body
20
, it is difficult for a user to remove the grill assembly
40
. Accordingly, cleaning or repairing of the grill assembly
40
is a complicated operation. Also, while wiping the grill assembly
40
after it has been removed, the user usually experiences discomfort since he/she has the dust on his/her hands. In addition, the dust normally falls in an area around the user, thereby polluting the surrounding area. Yet another problem is that the user usually requires many time and labor to clean the grill assembly
40
completely. All these problems will definitely result in a device that is undesirable to a purchaser.
Still another problem of a vacuum cleaner employing such a conventional cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus is that the vacuum cleaner is difficult to use and handle. More specifically, as shown in
FIG. 3
, the user cleans the required area with his/her hands holding a grip G provided adjacent the extension pipe
1
b
on the side toward the cleaner body. It is very hard for the user to dean the area while moving the suction port E, connected with the cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus, only with one hand. Automatically, the user usually holds the extension pipe with his/her other hand as shown in
FIG. 3
, which is inconvenient. Because there is no separate handle or part attached to the dust-collecting apparatus to hold it with, it is usually difficult for the user to perform the cleaning operation or to handle the cleaner. Reference character CB in
FIG. 3
denotes the cleaner body and a cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus S is mounted between the extension pipes
1
a
,
1
b.
In the cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus as described above, cleaning efficiency depends on the whirling air current generated inside of the cyclone body
20
. The whirling air current with stable directionality can contribute to superior cleaning efficiency. In the conventional cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus, however, airflow of directionalities may be different from those that are desired. The desired air current, indicated by an arrow A in
FIG. 4
, is the flow moving along an inner circumference
22
a
of the lower body
22
of the cyclone body
20
. Here, airflow of different and undesirable directionalities are indicated by the arrows B and C in FIG.
4
. Most of time, the air currents B and C would eventually follow the desired direction A. The problem is that during at least a portion of the operation, unstable currents moving in different directions arise that interfere with the desired air flow and thus cause a reduction in efficiency.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cyclone-type dust-collecting apparatus for use in a vacuum cleaner, thereby increasing the ease
Joo Sung-tae
Lee Hyun-ju
Oh Jang-keun
Ladas & Parry LLP
Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co. Ltd.
Smith Duane S.
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