Dirt separator

Abstract

A dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner is disclosed, comprising: a filter assembly for separating dirt from an airflow flowing through the dirt separator; the container is used for collecting dirt separated from the airflow, and the container comprises an opening; and a valve movable between a closed position, in which the opening is blocked by the valve, and an open position, in which the opening is not blocked by the valve. The container is movable relative to the valve between a first position and a second position, and the container and the valve are arranged such that, in a first phase of the emptying sequence, the valve is moved to the open position, the container is moved from the first position to the second position, thereby causing dirt within the container to move past the valve; and in a second stage of the emptying sequence, the valve is moved to the closed position and the container is moved from the second position to the first position, so that the dirt is pushed out of the opening by the valve.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to a dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner comprising the dirt separator. Background Art

[0002] A vacuum cleaner relies on a suction generator to generate an airflow that is used to pick up dirt from the surface to be cleaned. The airflow passes through one or more filters to separate the dirt from the airflow and then is ejected from the vacuum cleaner. The separated dirt can accumulate in a collection chamber, which is then emptied by the user. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner, the dirt separator comprising a filter assembly for separating dirt from an airflow passing through the dirt separator, a container for collecting the dirt separated from the airflow, the container comprising an opening, a valve, the valve being movable between a closed position and an open position, the opening being blocked by the valve in the closed position, and the opening being not blocked by the valve in the open position. The container is movable between a first position and a second position relative to the valve, and the container and the valve are arranged such that, in a first stage of an emptying sequence, the valve is moved to the open position and the container is moved from the first position to the second position, thereby causing dirt in the container to move through the valve, and in a second stage of the emptying sequence, the valve is moved to the closed position and the container is moved from the second position to the first position, thereby causing dirt to be pushed out of the opening by the valve.

[0004] By synchronizing the movement of the valve between the closed and open positions with the movement of the container between the first and second positions, the dirt within the container can be emptied in an efficient and relatively intuitive manner. Before the first stage of the emptying sequence begins, the valve is in the closed position so that dirt cannot inadvertently escape the container through the opening. The movement of the container from the first position to the second position may draw dirt through the valve, for example due to friction between the dirt and the container. During the second stage of the emptying sequence, the valve is moved to the closed position. This not only prevents dirt from moving back through the valve, but also actively pushes the dirt out of the opening of the container.

[0005] The dirt separator provides a space-saving arrangement for discharging dirt from the dirt separator. The dirt separator also provides a simple and quick emptying sequence for emptying the container, which may cause minimal disruption to a user of a vacuum cleaner incorporating the dirt separator.

[0006] The container may include a generally tubular portion, and when the container is in a first position, a majority of the tubular portion may be located on a first side of the valve, and when the container is in a second position, a majority of the tubular portion may be located on a second, opposite side of the valve. This may increase the container storage capacity of the container in the first position, so that the dirt separator may be used for a longer period of time before the container needs to be emptied.

[0007] When the container is in the first position, the container, such as the tubular portion, can surround the filter assembly. This can provide a space-saving arrangement, ensuring that dirt separated from the air flow by the filter assembly is collected in the container.

[0008] The container is movable between the first and second positions in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dirt separator. This may provide a space saving and simple arrangement, resulting in a less complex dirt separator compared to separators comprising containers movable in different directions.

[0009] The movement of the container from the first position to the second position may cause the valve to move to an open position, for example from a closed position. This may help ensure that in the first stage of the emptying sequence, the valve moves to the open position at a suitable point so that dirt can move past the valve.

[0010] Movement of the container from the second position to the first position may cause the valve to move to the closed position, for example from the open position. This helps ensure that during the first stage of the emptying sequence, the valve moves to the closed position at an appropriate point so that the valve pushes waste out of the opening rather than allowing waste to return through the valve.

[0011] The container may be moved between the first and second positions when a user applies force to the outer wall. This may provide a simple, intuitive arrangement.

[0012] The container may include a dirt collection chamber, and when the container is in the first position, the airflow may enter the dirt collection chamber through the opening. That is, the opening may form an entrance to the dirt collection chamber. During the dirt separation process, the container is in the first position and the valve is in the open position. The airflow laden with dirt enters the dirt collection chamber through the opening. The dirt is then separated from the airflow by the filter assembly and collected in the dirt collection chamber. During the emptying sequence, the dirt is discharged through the same opening. This provides a space-saving and simple arrangement. This also allows the container to be emptied without removing the dirt collection chamber from the remainder of the dirt separator or from a vacuum cleaner comprising the dirt separator.

[0013] The filter assembly may be elongated and the container may be movable between first and second positions relative to the filter assembly in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the filter assembly. This may contribute to a small outer diameter of the dirt separator compared to a non-elongated filter assembly without unduly restricting the dirt storage capacity of the container or dirt collection chamber. The filter assembly may extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dirt separator, which may provide a space saving arrangement.

[0014] The container may include a protrusion, and in the first stage of the emptying sequence, the protrusion may move toward the valve and push the dirt toward the valve. The protrusion may push the dirt past the valve. This helps ensure that the dirt is pushed in the desired direction without relying on friction between the container and the dirt. This, in turn, may ensure that substantially all of the dirt in the container or dirt collection chamber is emptied during the emptying sequence.

[0015] The dirt separator may be configured such that, in a first stage of an emptying sequence, when the container is between the first and second positions, the valve moves from a closed position to an open position such that when the valve is in the closed position, the protrusion or pressing member compacts dirt in the container against the valve and when the valve moves to the open position, the compacted dirt is pushed through the valve. This may provide a cleaner emptying sequence such that the dirt is less dispersed during the emptying sequence than uncompacted dirt discharged from the container.

[0016] The container may include a scraper on the periphery of the protrusion, and the scraper may wipe the surface of the filter assembly during the first stage of the emptying sequence. The scraper may remove dirt from the filter assembly, which may increase the amount of dirt discharged from the container during the emptying sequence. This in turn may increase the time between necessary replacement or cleaning of the filter assembly.

[0017] When the container is in the first position, the protrusion may be further from the valve than the filter assembly. This helps ensure that the protrusion is not in a position that blocks airflow through the dirt separator and / or affects the filtering performance of the filter assembly.

[0018] The container may be biased to the first position, for example by a biasing assembly. This helps ensure that the container is correctly positioned when the dirt separator is used to separate dirt from the airflow. This may ensure, for example, that the container is sealed around the filter assembly to prevent dirt from escaping from the container. This may also allow a user to apply force to the container in only one direction to move the container towards the second position, thereby simplifying the actions performed by the user during the emptying sequence.

[0019] The dirt separator may include a locking assembly to hold the container in the first position. This helps ensure that the container is correctly positioned relative to the valve and filter assembly during use of the dirt separator to separate dirt from the air flow.

[0020] The valve may be biased to a closed position, such as by a biasing member or due to the properties of the material forming the valve. This may ensure that the valve returns to the closed position after the emptying sequence is completed and prevent the valve from accidentally opening.

[0021] The valve may be formed of a resiliently deformable material biased to a closed position. This may eliminate the need for an additional biasing assembly, which may reduce cost and / or simplify assembly.

[0022] The valve can be moved to another open position in which the opening is not blocked by the valve, the other open position being different from the open position. The valve can be moved to another open position to allow airflow through the opening and can be moved to the open position during the first stage of the emptying sequence. In the open position, the valve can extend away from the filter assembly so that when dirt moves through the valve during the first stage of the emptying sequence, dirt does not get stuck on the valve.

[0023] The valve may be moved to another open position in response to suction in the dirt separator. The suction in the dirt separator, more specifically the suction in the container when the container is in the first position, causes the valve to move to another open position to generate airflow through the dirt separator. This ensures that the valve opens when required to allow airflow through the opening into the dirt separator.

[0024] The valve may be moved to a closed position in response to removal of suction within the dirt separator. This may help prevent dirt collected in the container from escaping the container through the opening when the suction is removed, for example under the force of gravity.

[0025] The container may include a lip against which the valve abuts when in the closed position. This may help to keep the valve in the closed position, for example when the dirt separator is not in use and dirt in the container rests on the valve under the force of gravity.

[0026] The container and valve may be arranged so that when the valve is in the closed position, the periphery of the valve forms a seal with the opening. This helps to ensure that dirt does not inadvertently pass through the valve. This may also help to prevent inadvertent airflow through the dirt separator, which may, for example, help to capture unpleasant odors emitted by the dirt in the container.

[0027] The container may include one or more actuator elements disposed on the inner surface of the container, and in the first stage of the emptying sequence, the actuator element may move the valve to the open position. The actuator element may directly contact the valve to move the valve to the open position. This may allow the valve to be moved to the open position without requiring additional components, such as a motor or a connecting rod, to move the valve to the open position.

[0028] The actuator element may include an inwardly projecting ridge that acts on the valve. This may provide a reliable way of moving the valve from a closed position to an open position during the first stage of the emptying sequence without unduly impeding opening. During the first stage, the ridge may exert a substantially constant force on the valve, which may ensure that the valve remains in the open position.

[0029] The ridge may be interrupted along its length, or have a length shorter than the length of travel of the container between the first and second positions. This may allow any pressure exerted on the valve by the ridge to be relieved when the container is in the first or second position.

[0030] In the second stage of the emptying sequence, one or more actuator elements may move the valve to a closed position. This ensures that dirt cannot move back through the valve.

[0031] The dirt separator may include a frame having one or more guide elements for guiding the movement of the container between the first and second positions. For example, the guide element may engage with a tubular portion of the dirt separator. The guide element may ensure that the container moves in a reliable, repeatable manner, which may improve the safety and / or life of the dirt separator.

[0032] The filter assembly may be removably attached to the frame. This allows the container to be moved relative to the filter assembly and, when the container is in the second position, allows the filter assembly to be removed and replaced.

[0033] The valve may be attached to the frame. This may ensure that the valve remains in the correct position to allow or prevent dirt from moving past the valve during an emptying sequence. This may also ensure that the valve remains in the correct position relative to the container and filter assembly.

[0034] According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner comprising a dirt separator according to the first aspect of the present invention.

[0035] The vacuum cleaner may include a tool or wand that is removably connected to the dirt separator and is configured to prevent movement of the container between the first and second positions when the tool or wand is connected to the dirt separator and to allow movement of the container between the first and second positions when the tool or wand is removed from the dirt separator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0036] Examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0037] FIG1 is a front view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment;

[0038] FIG2 is a cross-sectional side view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG1 ;

[0039] FIG3 is an exploded view of the vacuum cleaner of FIG1 ;

[0040] Fig. 4a is a cross-sectional view of the dirt separator of the vacuum cleaner in the plane A--A shown in Fig. 2;

[0041] FIG4b is a cross-sectional view of a dirt separator according to another example;

[0042] FIG5 is a cross-sectional side view through the center of the dirt separator with the valve of the dirt separator in a closed position;

[0043] FIG6 is the same cross-sectional view as FIG5 , with the valve in an open position;

[0044] FIG7 is the same cross-sectional view as FIG5 , with the valve in an open position and dirt in the dirt separator;

[0045] FIG8 is the same cross-sectional view as FIG5 with the valve in the closed position and dirt in the dirt separator;

[0046] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the dirt separator in an empty configuration;

[0047] FIG10 is the same cross-sectional view as FIG5 , with the valve in the closed position and the dirt outside the dirt separator;

[0048] 11 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a dirt separator according to another example, wherein a valve of the dirt separator is in a closed position;

[0049] FIG12 is a cross-sectional side view of the same structure as FIG11 with the valve in an open position;

[0050] 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a dirt separator according to yet another example;

[0051] FIG14 is a perspective cross-sectional view of a portion of the dirt separator of FIG13;

[0052] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of a portion of the dirt separator of FIG. 13 with the valve of the dirt separator in a closed position; and

[0053] 16 is the same perspective view as FIG. 15 , with the valve in an open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0054] The example vacuum cleaner 1 in Figures 1 to 3 includes a main body 10, an attachment 20 and a cleaner head 30. The cleaner head has an inlet hole 32 arranged to face the surface to be cleaned by the vacuum cleaner 1 and an outlet 34 fluidly connected to the inlet hole 32. In this example, the attachment 20 is a tool, but in other examples it can be a rod or other suitable attachment type. In any case, the attachment 20 includes a duct 21 located between a first end 22 and an opposite second end 24 of the attachment 20. When assembled, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the cleaner head 30 is removably attached to the first end 22 of the attachment 20, and the second end 24 of the attachment 20 is removably attached to the main body 10, so that an airflow channel is formed from the cleaner head 30 through the attachment 20 to the main body 10.

[0055] When attached to the main body 10, the accessory 20 is arranged coaxially with the central longitudinal axis 2 of the main body 10. In this example, the main body 10 and the accessory 20 are generally cylindrical and each has a housing 12, 23 with a substantially constant outer diameter. The housing 12 of the main body 10 surrounds a suction generator 14 for generating an airflow along the airflow path and a battery assembly 16 for supplying power to the suction generator 14. It should be understood that in other examples, the main body 10 can be provided with a power supply unit to replace or supplement the battery assembly 16 for connection to a mains power socket.

[0056] The body 10 comprises a dirt separator 100 located upstream of the suction generator 14. Figures 4 to 10 show further details and various configurations of the dirt separator 100. Like the housing 12, the dirt separator 100 is also cylindrical and has a substantially constant outer diameter.

[0057] The dirt separator 100 includes an opening 102 at the interface between the main body 10 and the attachment 20. The opening 102 serves as both an air inlet and a dirt outlet for the dirt separator 100. When used as an air inlet, the opening 102 allows the airflow generated by the suction generator 14 to enter the dirt separator 100 from the duct 21 in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 2 of the main body 10 (which is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the dirt separator 100). The dirt separator 100 also includes an air outlet 106, which is fluidly connected to the suction generator 14 to allow the airflow to leave the dirt separator 100. In this example, when assembled, the ratio of the cross-sectional areas of the opening 102 and the outlet 106 is substantially 1.

[0058] In this example, the dirt separator 100 comprises a frame 104 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis 2 of the body 10. The frame 104 is fixed to the housing 12 of the body 10 at a first end. An opposite second end 105 of the frame 104 partially defines the opening 102 of the dirt separator 100.

[0059] The frame 104 supports an electrical terminal 17 and an electrical wire 18. The electrical terminal 17 is located at a second end 105 of the frame 104, and the electrical wire 18 extends along the length of the frame 104 from the main body 10 to the electrical terminal 17. The electrical terminal 17 cooperates with a corresponding terminal (not shown) of the accessory 20 to transmit electrical power from the main body 10 to the cleaner head 30.

[0060] Attached to the frame 104 is a filter assembly 120. The filter assembly 120 is configured to separate dirt D from a dirt-laden airflow received via the opening 102 and includes two filter layers 122, 124 to perform this operation, as best shown in Figure 4a. It should be appreciated that in other examples, the filter assembly 120 may include a different number of filter layers.

[0061] The filter assembly 120 includes a mesh or screen 122 fixedly attached to the frame 104 and a filter cartridge removably attached to the frame 104. In this example, the mesh or screen 122 is the uppermost filter layer 122 shown in Figure 4a and is formed of metal.

[0062] The filter cartridge is located downstream of the grid 122 and includes a filter frame and a filter medium 124 held by the frame. The grid 122 protects the filter medium 124 from the impact of debris in the dirt separator 100. The filter medium 124 is the lowermost layer 124 shown in Figure 4a. Removability allows replacement and / or cleaning of the filter medium 124 to restore the filtering performance of the filter assembly 120. Although not shown in Figure 4a, in some examples, the filter medium 124 has multiple filter layers with different filtering characteristics. For example, the filter medium 124 can include a layer formed by wool and a layer formed by an electrostatic medium.

[0063] Viewed from a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2 ( FIG. 4 a ), the mesh 122 is substantially curved, while the filter media 124 is substantially planar. It should be understood that in other examples, the mesh 122 may be, for example, V-shaped or planar.

[0064] Fig. 4b shows an example of an alternative filter assembly 120b in a dirt separator 100. The alternative filter assembly 120b is very similar to the filter assembly 120, except that the filter medium 124b is substantially curved in this example. Providing a substantially planar filter medium 124 as shown in Fig. 4a allows a thicker lower filter layer 124 to be used within the total diameter of the same dirt separator 100 compared to the curved filter medium 124b as shown in Fig. 4b, which can improve the filtering performance of the filter assembly 100. Conversely, providing a curved filter medium 124b increases the surface area of ​​the filter medium 124b compared to the surface area of ​​the filter medium 124, which can also provide filtering benefits, such as increasing the time between the required replacement or cleaning of the filter medium 124b. References to the filter assembly 120 herein can also apply to the alternative filter assembly 120b.

[0065] The filter assembly 120 is elongated in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 2. Therefore, the airflow enters the dirt separator 100 in a direction parallel to the filter assembly 120, so that the airflow scrubs the mesh 122 of the filter assembly 120 to help reduce the accumulation of dirt D on the filter assembly 120.

[0066] The filter assembly 120 forms a wall of the dirt collection chamber 108. The dirt collection chamber 108 receives the dirt-laden airflow through the opening 102 during vacuum cleaning and is filled with dirt D separated from the dirt-laden airflow by the filter assembly 120. The dirt collection chamber 108 is elongated in shape and extends between the opening 102 at one end and the housing 12 of the body 10 at the opposite end. The dirt collection chamber 108 extends alongside the filter assembly 120 and has a substantially constant cross-sectional profile along the length of the filter assembly 120, as seen in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2. For a given diameter of the dirt separator 100, the elongated shape of the dirt collection chamber 108 allows it to have a larger volume.

[0067] The filter assembly 120 separates the dirt collection chamber 308 from the outlet chamber 103 downstream of the filter assembly 120. The outlet chamber fluidly connects the filter assembly 120 to the air outlet 106. Thus, the dirt separator comprises an upper longitudinal portion comprising the dirt collection chamber 108 and a lower longitudinal portion comprising the outlet chamber 103.

[0068] The outlet chamber 103 also has a constant cross-sectional area along the length of the filter assembly 120. In this example, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the dirt collection chamber 108 to the outlet chamber 103 is substantially 1. Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet chamber 103 is substantially constant along its length, the suction force along the length of the filter assembly 120 is unbalanced. Specifically, the suction force is greatest at the end of the filter assembly 120 near the outlet 106, and the suction force is weakest at the end of the filter assembly 120 near the opening 102. Therefore, the dirt D will fill the dirt collection chamber 108 in the direction from the outlet 106 (where the suction force is greatest) to the opening 102 (where the suction force is weakest). Therefore, the dirt collection chamber 108 is able to store a larger amount of dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 108 before it needs to be emptied.

[0069] The dirt separator 100 includes a tubular outer wall or container 130 that extends along the length of the dirt separator 100 and surrounds the frame 104, the filter assembly 106 and the valve 110. The outer wall 130 defines a cylindrical dirt separation chamber 101 of the dirt separator 100, which includes a dirt collection chamber 108 and an outlet chamber 103. In this example, the length of the dirt separation chamber 101 is approximately 8 times the width. Therefore, the dirt collection chamber 108 is defined along one side by the outer wall 114 and along the other side by the frame 104 and the filter assembly 106.

[0070] The valve 110 is connected to the second end 105 of the frame 104 so that the valve 110 is located at the opening 102. The valve 110 is movable between a closed position (as shown in Figures 5, 8 and 10), a first open position (as shown in Figures 6 and 7), and a second open position (as shown in Figure 9), wherein the first open position is responsive to the suction within the dirt separator 100 generated by the suction generator 14. The valve 110 is movable between different positions about a pivot axis 112 perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2. In this example, the valve is formed of an elastically deformable material such as rubber and is configured to pivot about a hinge at the base of the valve 110.

[0071] In the closed position, the valve 110 blocks the opening 102, thereby preventing waste D from escaping the waste collection chamber 108 through the opening 102. As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, when in the closed position, the valve 110 abuts a lip 134 of the outer wall 130. The role of the lip 134 is to help maintain the valve 110 in the closed position, especially when waste D in the waste collection chamber 108 rests on the valve, as shown in FIG. 8. In the closed position, the outer periphery of the valve 110 forms a seal with the frame 104 and the outer wall 130 at the opening 102. This seal prevents waste D from inadvertently escaping the waste collection chamber 108.

[0072] In response to the suction force within the dirt collection chamber 108, the valve 110 moves from the closed position to the first open position. In the first open position, the opening 102 is unobstructed by the valve 110, thereby enabling the dirt-laden airflow to be drawn from the inlet hole 32 of the attachment, through the duct 21 and into the dirt separator 100 via the opening 102. When moving to the first open position, the valve 110 pivots about the pivot axis 112 in a first direction toward the interior of the dirt collection chamber 108. The valve 110 then presents a smooth surface to the airflow, which helps prevent dirt in the airflow from being caught on the valve 110 when entering the dirt collection chamber 108.

[0073] As described in more detail below, during emptying of the dirt separator 100, the valve 110 moves from the closed position to the second open position. In the second open position, the opening 102 is unobstructed by the valve 110, thereby allowing dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 108 to leave the dirt separator 100 via the opening 102, for example, under the action of gravity. When moving to the second position, the valve 110 pivots about the pivot axis 112 in a second direction opposite to the first open position. The valve 110 then provides a smooth surface to help prevent the dirt D from being caught on the valve 110 when being discharged from the dirt collection chamber 108.

[0074] The valve 110 is biased to the closed position such that when no force is acting on the valve 110 , the valve 110 remains or returns to the closed position.

[0075] The dirt separator 100 includes a well 109 located downstream of the opening 102 and between the valve 100 and the dirt collection chamber 108. The well 109 has a larger cross-sectional area than the dirt collection chamber 108. When the dirt separator 100 is not in use, the dirt D collected in the dirt collection chamber 108 can fall under the action of gravity and lean against the valve 110, as shown in FIG8. In the example of a dirt separator without the well 109, the accumulation of dirt D on one side of the valve 100 can hinder the valve 110 from moving to the first open position. Therefore, a relatively large force may be required to move the valve 110 to the first open position overcoming the weight of the dirt D. If there is too much dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 108, the dirt D may cause the valve 110 to get stuck in the closed position, or at least prevent the valve 110 from fully moving to the first open position under the suction generated by the suction generator 14. The well 109 provides a larger space behind the valve 110 to accommodate the dirt D that falls under the action of gravity. This may reduce the force required to move the valve 110 to the first open position, thereby helping to prevent the valve 110 from becoming stuck in the closed position.

[0076] The accumulation of dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 108 may negatively affect the pickup performance of the vacuum cleaner 1. The performance may be at least partially restored by emptying the dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 108. Therefore, the dirt separator 100 is arranged to allow a user to perform a simple dirt emptying sequence to empty the dirt D from the dirt collection chamber 108, as described below.

[0077] The dirt emptying sequence is performed with the attachment 20 detached from the main body 10 and the suction generator 14 de-energized.

[0078] The outer wall 130 is movable relative to the valve 110 and the frame 104 between a first position (as shown in FIGS. 5-8 ) and a second position (as shown in FIG. 9 ). The movement of the outer wall 130 between the first position and the second position is in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis 2 of the body 10. In the first position, the outer wall 130 surrounds the entire frame of the body 10. Thus, when the outer wall 130 is in the first position, a large portion of the outer wall 130 is located downstream of the valve 100. When the outer wall 130 is in the first position, a small portion or cuff of the outer wall 130 extends upstream of the valve 110 and serves to protect the electrical terminal 17 and to receive and attach the end 24 of the accessory 20. In the second position, a large portion of the outer wall 130 is located upstream of the valve 100, so that the opening 132 is farther from the body 10 than in the first position.

[0079] The outer wall 130 includes a pair of ridges 136 (best shown in Figures 4a and 4b) protruding inwardly from the inner surface 131 of the outer wall 130. The ridges 136 extend longitudinally along opposite sides of the outer wall 130. When the outer wall 130 moves from the first position to the second position, the pair of ridges 136 act on the valve 110 to move the valve 110 from the closed position to the second open position (as shown in Figure 9). In the second open position, the opening 102 is not blocked by the valve 110. Therefore, the movement of the outer wall 130 from the first position to the second position opens the opening 102, so that the dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 108 can be discharged through the opening 102 under the action of gravity. It should be understood that in other examples, alternative actuator elements can be used to move the valve 110 to the second open position.

[0080] The dirt separator 100 includes a plunger 116 attached to an outer wall 130 and located in the dirt collection chamber 108. In this example, the plunger 116 protrudes from an inner surface 131 of the outer wall 130 into the dirt collection chamber 108 along a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2 of the body 10. The plunger 116 and the outer wall 130 are movable as a single body between a first position and a second position.

[0081] When the outer wall 130 is in the first position, the plunger 116 is adjacent to the body 10. When the outer wall 130 moves toward the second position, the plunger 116 pushes the waste D in the waste collection chamber toward and / or through the valve 110.

[0082] To help push as much dirt D as possible out of the dirt collection chamber 108, the plunger 116 includes an elastic scraper 118 (best shown in FIG. 3 ) around the plunger 116. The scraper 118 is configured to scrape the surface of the mesh 122 of the filter assembly 120 when the outer wall 130 moves between the first position and the second position. The scraper 118 removes the dirt D from the mesh 122 to better restore the filtering performance of the filter assembly 120.

[0083] In the first stage of the emptying sequence, the user applies a force to the outer wall 130 to move the outer wall 130 and the plunger 116 from the first position to the second position, as shown in Figure 9. As a result, the dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 108 is pushed toward the valve 110. The movement of the outer wall 130 from the first position toward the second position causes the pair of ridges 136 to push the valve 110 to the second open position, allowing the dirt D to be pushed and / or fall through the valve 110 under the action of gravity.

[0084] In the second stage of the emptying sequence, the user applies a force to the outer wall 130 to move the outer wall 130 and the plunger 116 from the second position to the first position, as shown in Figure 10. Due to the nature of the dirt D that is typically collected when using a vacuum cleaner, the dirt D tends to aggregate into a single mass, for example due to entangled hair or fibers. This can result in the dirt mass D remaining within the outer wall 130 even after passing through the valve 110 in the first stage of the emptying sequence.

[0085] Therefore, the dirt separator 100 is arranged so that during the second stage of the emptying sequence, the valve 110 moves from the second open position to the closed position, so that the dirt mass D is pushed out of the opening 132 by the valve 110. In this example, the length of the pair of ridges 136 is shorter than the travel length of the outer wall 130 between the first and second positions. Therefore, when the outer wall 130 approaches the second position, the ridges 136 pass the valve 110 and thus stop acting on the valve 110. Therefore, the valve 110 returns to the closed position under the action of the biasing force. When the outer wall 130 then moves from the second position to the first position, the ridges 136 act on the valve 110 again. However, the force applied by the ridges 136 is insufficient to move the valve 110 to the first open position, so that the valve 110 remains in the closed position during the second stage of the emptying sequence.

[0086] The frame 104 includes a groove 111 adjacent to the outer wall 130, as best shown in Figures 4a and 4b. The groove 111 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis 2 of the body 10 and engages with a ridge 136 on the inner surface 131 of the outer wall 130. The ridge 136 is able to slide in the groove 111 to limit the rotational movement of the outer wall 130 relative to the frame 104.

[0087] Although not shown in this example, the dirt separator 100 can include a biasing assembly to bias the outer wall 130 to the first position, thereby biasing the plunger 116 to the first position. The biasing assembly can include a spring disposed in each groove 111 and attached to a corresponding ridge 136. While biasing the outer wall 130 and the plunger 116 toward the first position, the biasing assembly assists in ensuring that the outer wall 130 fully returns to the first position.

[0088] In this example, the user grasps the outer surface of the outer wall 130 to perform the emptying sequence. It should be understood that in other examples, the dirt separator 100 may include a handle, knob, sleeve or other suitable element directly or indirectly connected to the outer wall 130 so that the user grasps and causes the outer wall 130 to slide relative to the frame 104 parallel to the longitudinal axis 2.

[0089] Figures 11 and 12 show a portion of a dirt separator 200 according to another example. In this further example, the dirt separator 200 is used in a vacuum cleaner having the same features as the vacuum cleaner 1 shown in Figure 1. The portion is the distal end of the dirt separator 200 relative to the main body 10. The dirt separator 200 differs from the dirt separator 100 described with reference to Figures 1-10 in the arrangement 210 of the valve. The other features of the dirt separator 200 are substantially the same as those of the dirt separator 100 and have the same reference numbers, but are increased by 100. In this further example, the first and second open positions of the valve 210 are the same position and are referred to as the open position herein.

[0090] The valve 210 is made of a rigid material and is biased to a closed position (as shown in FIG. 11 ) by a spring 214. The spring 214 is attached to the frame 204 and is located in the well 209. To prevent the dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 208 from entering the well 209 and potentially damaging the spring 214, the valve 210 is V-shaped with a first arm 217 and a second arm 219.

[0091] The first arm 217 of the valve 210 is pivotally attached to the frame 204 by the pivot pin 211. Therefore, the valve 210 pivots about the pivot axis 212 between the open position and the closed position. The second arm 219 of the valve extends from the opposite end of the first arm 217 to the opposite end of the pivot pin 211. When the valve 210 is in the open position, the first arm 217 defines a portion of the airflow path for the airflow to enter the dirt separator 200, while the second arm 219 is located in the well 209 and is therefore located outside the airflow path. When the valve 210 is in the closed position, the first arm 217 contacts the lip 234 of the outer wall 230 and forms a seal with the outer wall 230, and the second arm extends between the outer wall 230 and the frame 204 to prevent the dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 208 from entering the well 209 (as shown in Figure 11).

[0092] The valve 210 is capable of moving from a closed position to an open position (as shown in FIG. 12 ) in response to the suction force generated by the suction generator 14 within the dirt separator 200. The suction force in the dirt collection chamber 208 causes a pressure drop in the dirt collection chamber 208, causing the ambient air outside the dirt separator 200 to exert a force on the valve 210 to overcome the biasing force of the spring 214, thereby moving the valve 210 to the open position.

[0093] The valve 210 can also be moved to an open position to allow the dirt D to be emptied from the dirt collection chamber 208 (as shown in FIG. 12 ). When the outer wall 230 moves toward the second position, the ridges on the inner surface of the outer wall 230 (as described above with reference to FIGS. 1-10 ) cooperate with the valve 210. The ridges push the valve 210 downward to the open position. The removal of the force exerted by the ridges on the valve 210 allows the spring 214 to move the valve 210 back to the closed position.

[0094] During movement from the closed position to the open position, the v-shaped nature of the valve 210 means that the second arm 219 slides relative to the dirt D resting on the arm 219 rather than pushing against the dirt D. This can reduce the chance of the valve 210 becoming stuck in the closed position and reduce the torque about the pivot axis 212 required to open the valve 210 .

[0095] Figures 13 to 16 show a portion of a dirt separator 300 according to yet another example. In yet another example, the dirt separator 300 is used in a vacuum cleaner having the same features as the vacuum cleaner 1 shown in Figure 1. The portion is the distal end of the dirt separator 300 relative to the body 10. The dirt separator 300 differs from the dirt separator 100 described with reference to Figures 1-10 and the dirt separator 200 described with reference to Figures 11 and 12 in the arrangement of the valve 310. The other features of the dirt separator 300 are substantially the same as those of the dirt separator 100 and have the same reference numbers, but with an increase of 200.

[0096] The dirt separator 300 comprises a valve 310 which can be rotated between a closed position and an open position about a pivot axis or valve axis 312 by a motor 315. The pivot axis 312 is coaxial with the longitudinal axis 2 of the body 10 and is therefore parallel to the flow direction entering the dirt separator 300 via the opening 302. It will be appreciated that in other examples, the pivot axis 312 may not be coaxial with the longitudinal axis 2.

[0097] In the closed position (as shown in FIGS. 13-15 ), the valve 310 is configured to block the opening 302 , thereby blocking the air flow passage. Therefore, when the valve 310 is in the closed position, the valve 310 can prevent the dirt D from escaping the dirt collection chamber 308 through the opening 302 .

[0098] In the open position (as shown in FIG. 16 ), the opening 302 is not blocked by the valve 310. When the suction generator is powered on, the valve 310 can be moved to the open position to allow the airflow carrying dirt to be sucked into the dirt separator 300 through the opening 302. Alternatively, when the suction generator is powered off, the valve 310 can be moved to the open position to allow the dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 308 to be emptied through the opening 302.

[0099] In this example, the valve 310 is in the form of a radial disk having a diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of the outer wall 330. The valve 310 has an aperture 340 cut therein, in this example a sector of almost 180 degrees. In the open position, the aperture 340 is aligned with the opening 302 so that the valve 310 does not block the opening 302. In the closed position, the aperture 340 is not aligned with the opening 302 so that the valve 310 blocks the opening 302. As with the valve 210 described with reference to FIGS. 11 and 12, during movement from the closed position to the open position, the valve 310 slides relative to the dirt D resting on the valve 310, rather than pushing against the dirt D. This can reduce the chances of the valve 310 getting stuck in the closed position and reduce the torque required by the motor 315 to open the valve 310.

[0100] In this example, the valve 310 is driven by a motor 315 via a pair of gears 344, 346. This allows the position of the motor 315 to be offset from the pivot axis 312 (ie, the axis of rotation of the motor 315 can be offset from the pivot axis 312).

[0101] In this example, the dirt separator 300 includes a channel 348 extending from the opening 302 to the dirt collection chamber 308, and the motor is located beside the channel 348. The channel is included in the upper longitudinal portion of the dirt separator 300. The cross-sectional area of ​​the channel 348 is equal to the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening 302 and the dirt collection chamber 308, thereby providing a smooth air passage for the dirt collection chamber 308.

[0102] The motor 315 is contained in a motor chamber 350 to prevent the dirt D from affecting the performance of the motor 315. The motor chamber 350 is located in a lower longitudinal portion of the dirt separator 300 adjacent to the channel 348 in the longitudinal direction.

[0103] In this example, electrical wires (not shown) are mounted to the frame 304 and extend along the length of the frame 304. The electrical wires deliver electrical power from the battery assembly 16 to the motor 315.

[0104] In this example, the vacuum cleaner 1 includes a control system (not shown) arranged to receive a signal indicating that the user wishes to empty the dirt collection chamber 308, and in response to receiving the signal, cause the motor 315 to move the valve 310 to an open position. The control system includes a switch located on the housing 12 of the main body 10, which can be activated by the user to indicate that the dirt collection chamber 308 needs to be emptied. Activation of the switch causes the control system to generate a signal. As a result, the valve 310 can be moved to a closed position to discharge dirt D from the dirt collection chamber 308.

[0105] The control system is further arranged to cause the motor 315 to move the valve 310 between the open and closed positions in response to a signal indicating that the user wishes to power on and off the vacuum cleaner 1. In response to a signal indicating that the user wishes to power on the vacuum cleaner 1, the control system is arranged to cause the motor 315 to move the valve 310 to the open position after the suction generator 14 is powered on. In response to a signal indicating that the user wishes to power off the vacuum cleaner 1, the control system is arranged to cause the motor 315 to move the valve 310 to the closed position before the suction generator 14 is powered off. This ensures that the suction generator 14 is always powered when the valve 310 is in the open position, so that dirt D does not inadvertently escape the dirt collection chamber 308 during vacuum cleaning.

[0106] The above embodiments are to be understood as illustrative examples of the present invention. Further embodiments are contemplated by the present invention. For example, the dirt separators 200, 300 may include any of the features of the dirt separator 100 described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 10. It should be understood that any feature described for any one embodiment may be used alone or in combination with other features described, and may also be used in combination with one or more features of any other embodiment, or in any combination of any other embodiment. In addition, equivalents and modifications not described above may also be employed without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a filter assembly for separating dirt from an airflow passing through the dirt separator; a container for collecting dirt separated from the airflow, the container comprising an opening; and a valve movable between a closed position, in which the opening is blocked by the valve, and an open position, in which the opening is not blocked by the valve, wherein the container is movable relative to the valve between a first position and a second position, and the container and the valve are arranged such that: In a first stage of the emptying sequence, the valve is moved to an open position and the container is moved from a first position to a second position, thereby causing waste within the container to move past the valve; and In the second stage of the emptying sequence, the valve is moved to the closed position and the container is moved from the second position to the first position, thereby causing the waste to be pushed out of the opening by the valve.

2. The dirt separator according to claim 1, wherein: The container includes a generally tubular portion, a majority of which is located on a first side of the valve when the container is in a first position and a majority of which is located on a second, opposing side of the valve when the container is in a second position.

3. The dirt separator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The container is movable parallel to the longitudinal axis of the dirt separator between a first position and a second position.

4. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: Movement of the container from the first position to the second position causes the valve to move to the open position.

5. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: Movement of the container from the second position to the first position causes the valve to move to the closed position.

6. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The container is movable between the first position and the second position when a user applies a force to an outer surface of the container.

7. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The container includes a dirt collection chamber, and when the container is in the first position, airflow enters the dirt collection chamber through the opening.

8. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The filter assembly is elongated and the container is movable relative to the filter assembly between the first position and the second position in a direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of the filter assembly.

9. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: When the container is in the first position, the container surrounds the filter assembly.

10. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The container comprises a protrusion and in a first stage of an emptying sequence the protrusion moves towards the valve and pushes dirt towards the valve.

11. The dirt separator according to claim 10, wherein: The container includes a scraper located at the periphery of the protrusion, and in a first stage of the emptying sequence, the scraper wipes the surface of the filter assembly.

12. The dirt separator according to claim 10 or 11, wherein: When the container is in the first position, the protrusion is further from the valve than the filter assembly.

13. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The container is biased toward the first position.

14. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The valve is biased toward a closed position.

15. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: the valve being movable to another open position in which the opening is not blocked by the valve, the other open position being different from the open position; The valve is movable to another open position to allow air flow through the opening; and In the first stage of the emptying sequence, the valve can be moved to an open position.

16. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The container includes one or more actuator elements disposed on an inner surface of the container, and in a first stage of the emptying sequence, the actuator elements move the valve to an open position.

17. A dirt separator according to any preceding claim, comprising a frame having one or more guide elements for guiding movement of the container between the first and second positions.

18. A vacuum cleaner comprising a dirt separator according to any preceding claim.

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