Dirt separator

Abstract

A dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner includes a dirt separation chamber extending along a longitudinal axis from an opening to an outlet, and a filter assembly extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and dividing the dirt separation chamber into a dirt collection chamber upstream of the filter assembly and an outlet chamber downstream of the filter assembly. The outlet chamber has a substantially constant cross-sectional area along the length of the filter assembly.

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 separation stages to separate the dirt from the airflow and is then ejected from the vacuum cleaner. Pressure losses occur as the airflow passes through the separation stages, which can reduce the performance of the vacuum cleaner and / or increase the power consumption of the suction generator. Summary of the invention

[0003] According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner, comprising a dirt separation chamber extending from an opening to an outlet along a longitudinal axis, and a filter assembly extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and dividing the dirt separation chamber into a dirt collection chamber upstream of the filter assembly and an outlet chamber downstream of the filter assembly. The outlet chamber has a substantially constant cross-sectional area along the length of the filter assembly.

[0004] The dirt collection chamber may have a substantially constant cross-sectional area along the length of the filter assembly.The cross-sectional areas of the outlet chamber and the dirt collection chamber lie in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.

[0005] During use of the dirt separator, suction is generated at the outlet of the dirt separation chamber so that the airflow flows from the opening to the outlet along the airflow path. Since the cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet chamber is substantially constant along its length, the suction is unbalanced along the length of the filter assembly. In particular, the suction is greatest at the end of the filter assembly near the outlet and weakest at the end of the filter assembly near the opening. The advantage of this is that the dirt is urged to fill the dirt collection chamber in the direction from the outlet (where the suction is greatest) to the opening (where the suction is weakest). As a result, the dirt separator is able to store more dirt in the dirt collection chamber before it needs to be emptied. This arrangement is by no means intuitive. People usually ensure that the suction along the filter assembly is balanced to ensure that the filter assembly is evenly loaded with dirt. This will be achieved by ensuring that the cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet chamber gradually decreases in the direction from the outlet to the opening. Therefore, the cross-sectional area of ​​the outlet chamber is the largest at the end adjacent to the outlet and the smallest at the end adjacent to the opening. Having a balanced suction along the length of the filter assembly will ensure that the dirt is collected more evenly on the filter assembly. However, the end result of this is that the dirt collection chamber is filled with dirt in a less efficient manner. For example, dirt may accumulate more quickly at the end of the dirt collection chamber near the opening, thereby preventing more dirt from being drawn into the dirt separator. Thus, dirt may clog the open end of the dirt collection chamber even if the remainder of the dirt collection chamber is relatively empty.

[0006] Due to the location of the opening and the outlet, the airflow moves longitudinally over the surface of the filter assembly. The unbalanced suction forces cause more airflow to pass through the filter assembly at the end near the outlet. As a result, the airflow can scrub the surface of the filter assembly, i.e., dirt accumulated at the open end of the filter assembly can be agitated and pushed toward the outlet end by the moving airflow. This helps keep more of the filter assembly free of dirt, which improves the performance of the vacuum cleaner and allows the vacuum cleaner to be used longer before the dirt collection chamber needs to be emptied.

[0007] The dirt collection chamber and the outlet chamber may be free of features, restrictions or obstructions that increase or decrease the cross-sectional area of ​​the airflow path along the length of the filter assembly. This may better facilitate the above behavior, i.e., dirt is collected in the dirt collection chamber from the end adjacent to the outlet to the end adjacent to the opening.

[0008] Along the length of the filter assembly, the ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the dirt collection chamber to the outlet chamber may be between 0.9 and 1.1. As a result, a relatively compact arrangement of the dirt separator may be achieved without adversely affecting performance.

[0009] The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening to the outlet may be between 0.9 and 1.1. As a result, a relatively compact arrangement may be achieved without adversely affecting performance. In other vacuum cleaners, the outlet is typically much larger than the opening. However, by ensuring that the ratio of the opening to the outlet is between 0.9 and 1.1, a relatively small outlet may be used which does not adversely restrict the airflow moving through the dirt separator.

[0010] The sum of the cross-sectional areas of the dirt collection chamber and the outlet chamber can be minimized along the length of the filter assembly. This increases the velocity of the airflow through the filter assembly from the dirt collection chamber to the outlet chamber, which can improve the filtering performance of the filter assembly. This can also increase the velocity of the airflow moving parallel to the filter assembly to better scrub the filter assembly and encourage dirt to move toward the outlet end of the dirt collection chamber.

[0011] The ratio of the length of the dirt separation chamber to the width of the dirt separation chamber may be at least 5. This allows the length of the filter assembly to be substantially greater than its width, which helps to increase the area of ​​the filtering surface of the filter assembly without increasing the overall diameter of the dirt separator. Having a larger filtering surface area can result in a smaller pressure drop, thereby improving the suction at the opening, and can also increase the time between necessary replacement or cleaning of the filter assembly.

[0012] The dirt separation chamber may have a length of not less than 150 mm. Thus, relatively good dirt capacity may be obtained in a dirt separation chamber having a relatively small width or diameter. Furthermore, relatively long filter assemblies having good surface area may be employed, which in turn may improve performance and increase the time between replacement or cleaning.

[0013] The dirt separation chamber may have a width or diameter of no more than 60 mm. That is, the maximum dimension of the dirt separation chamber in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis may be no more than 60 mm. More specifically, the dirt separation chamber may have a width in the range of 35-40 mm. This may help to reduce the overall diameter of a vacuum cleaner employing the dirt separator. This is particularly advantageous in handheld vacuum cleaners where size and weight are important considerations. This may be particularly ergonomic, allowing the outer periphery of the dirt separator to form a handle for a user to hold the vacuum cleaner during use.

[0014] The dirt separation chamber may be substantially cylindrical. This may help to provide smooth, curved walls of the dirt collection chamber and outlet chamber that are substantially free of sudden changes in direction. This may help to make the airflow through the dirt separation chamber smoother.

[0015] The filter assembly may include a mesh screen to separate larger dirt and debris entrained in the airflow passing through the opening into the dirt collection chamber and a removable filter medium located downstream of the mesh screen, wherein the mesh screen separates larger dirt and debris entrained in the airflow passing through the opening into the dirt collection chamber and the filter medium filters smaller dirt particles from the airflow.

[0016] The filter media may be contained in a removable filter cartridge having a frame supporting at least one filter medium. This may facilitate removal, cleaning and / or replacement of the filter media when the filter media becomes clogged with dirt and dust, thereby reducing the performance of the dirt separator.

[0017] The removable filter cartridge may include more than one type of filter media. For example wool upstream of electrostatic media. This helps to improve the filtration performance of the filter assembly.

[0018] The mesh screen may be formed of a metal or metal alloy. This may provide a strong surface to protect the filter medium from larger dirt and debris and be easy to clean. The mesh screen may have a substantially smooth surface facing the dirt collection chamber, which may help prevent dirt from adhering to the surface.

[0019] The cross-section of the filter assembly can be substantially v-shaped or u-shaped. The cross-section lies in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The lowest portion of the v-shape or u-shape can extend into the outlet chamber. Both shapes provide a larger surface area for a filter assembly of the same length compared to a substantially flat filter assembly. This can improve performance and / or increase the time between replacement or cleaning of the filter assembly. The v-shaped cross-section provides a slightly larger cross-sectional area than the u-shaped cross-section. The u-shaped cross-section provides a smoother shape than the v-shaped cross-section, which can help prevent dirt from being trapped in the sharp angles of the v-shape.

[0020] The dirt separator may include a valve at the opening, and the valve may be movable between a closed position, in which airflow is blocked from entering the dirt collection chamber through the opening, and a first open position, in which airflow is permitted from entering the dirt collection chamber through the opening. The valve may be movable to the first open position in response to suction within the dirt separation chamber, and may be movable to the closed position in response to removal of suction within the dirt separation chamber. Thus, when suction is removed, the valve prevents dirt collected in the dirt collection chamber from escaping through the opening.

[0021] The valve may be moved from the closed position to a second open position in response to a user input to discharge dirt collected in the dirt collection chamber. Thus, the dirt collection chamber may be emptied through the opening, which eliminates the need for an additional opening in the dirt separator. This provides a space-saving arrangement in which dirt is discharged along an air passage into the dirt collection chamber. The substantially constant cross-section of the dirt collection chamber helps to ensure that there are no obstacles that prevent dirt from being discharged from the dirt collection chamber. The first and second open positions may be the same position.

[0022] The valve may be biased to a closed position, for example by a biasing assembly or due to the properties of the material forming the valve. This may ensure that when the suction within the dirt separation chamber is removed, the valve returns to the closed position so that dirt does not inadvertently escape the dirt separation chamber via the opening.

[0023] 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.

[0024] The dirt collection chamber may be located on one side of the dirt separator, and the outlet chamber may be located on the opposite side of the dirt separator. The dirt separation chamber may be defined by an outer wall. For example, the outer wall may be substantially cylindrical. The dirt collection chamber may extend between an upstream surface of the filter assembly and a first side of the outer wall, and the outlet chamber may extend between a downstream side of the filter assembly and a second opposite side of the outer wall. This may provide a space-saving arrangement, so that the outer equivalent diameter of the dirt separator is relatively small.

[0025] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner comprising a main body, the main body comprising a dirt separator according to the first aspect and a suction generator for generating an airflow. The suction generator is located downstream of the dirt separator and has a rotation axis coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the dirt separator. This provides a space-saving and ergonomic arrangement and can give the vacuum cleaner a substantially constant external cross-sectional profile.

[0026] The body may have a substantially constant cross-section along the longitudinal axis, for example the body may be substantially cylindrical. This provides a space-saving and ergonomic arrangement. The body may have an outer diameter of no more than 60 mm, for example in the range of 35-40 mm. This may be an ergonomic dimension to allow the body to form a handle for a user to grip during use of the vacuum cleaner.

[0027] The body may include a battery assembly which enables the vacuum cleaner to function as a cordless device. The battery assembly may be coaxial with the dirt separator and the suction generator. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] Examples will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0029] FIG1 is a front view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment;

[0030] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional side view of a vacuum cleaner;

[0031] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 An exploded view of a vacuum cleaner;

[0032] Figure 4a The dirt separator of the vacuum cleaner Figure 2 A cross-sectional view in plane A--A shown in FIG.

[0033] Figure 4b is a cross-sectional view of a dirt separator according to another example;

[0034] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional side view through the center of a dirt separator with a valve of the dirt separator in a closed position;

[0035] Figure 6 For Figure 5 the same cross-sectional view with the valve in the open position;

[0036] Figure 7 is with Figure 5 the same cross-sectional view with the valve in the open position and dirt in the dirt separator;

[0037] Figure 8 is with Figure 5 the same cross-sectional view with the valve in the closed position and dirt in the dirt separator;

[0038] Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the dirt separator in an empty configuration;

[0039] Fig.10 is with Figure 5 The same cross-sectional view with the valve in the closed position and the dirt outside the dirt separator;

[0040] Fig.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;

[0041] Fig.12 is with Fig.11 the same in cross-sectional side view with the valve in the open position;

[0042] Fig.13 is a cross-sectional side view of a portion of a dirt separator according to yet another example;

[0043] Fig.14 yes Fig.13 A perspective cutaway view of a portion of a dirt separator;

[0044] Fig.15 yes Fig.13 a perspective view of a portion of a dirt separator of FIG. 1 , wherein a valve of the dirt separator is in a closed position; and

[0045] Fig.16 is with Fig.15 Same perspective view with the valve in the open position. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] Figures 1 to 3 The example vacuum cleaner 1 in FIG. 1 comprises a main body 10, an attachment 20 and a cleaner head 30. The cleaner head has an inlet opening 32 arranged to face the surface to be cleaned by the vacuum cleaner 1 and an outlet 34 fluidly connected to the inlet opening 32. In this example, the attachment 20 is a tool, but in other examples it may be a wand or other suitable attachment type. In any case, the attachment 20 comprises a conduit 21 located between a first end 22 and an opposite second end 24 of the attachment 20. When assembled, as Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the cleaner head 30 is detachably attached to the first end 22 of the attachment 20 , and the second end 24 of the attachment 20 is detachably attached to the main body 10 , so that an air flow passage is formed from the cleaner head 30 through the attachment 20 to the main body 10 .

[0047] 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.

[0048] The body 10 comprises a dirt separator 100 located upstream of the suction generator 14. Fig.10 More details and various configurations of the dirt separator 100 are shown.Like the housing 12, the dirt separator 100 is also cylindrical and has a substantially constant outer diameter.

[0049] 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.

[0050] 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.

[0051] The frame 104 supports the electrical terminal 17 and the wire 18. The electrical terminal 17 is located at the second end 105 of the frame 104, and the wire 18 extends from the main body 10 to the electrical terminal 17 along the length of the frame 104. 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.

[0052] A filter assembly 120 is attached to the frame 104. The filter assembly 120 is configured to separate dirt D from a dirt-laden air stream received via the opening 102 and includes two filter layers 122, 124 to perform this operation. Figure 4a It should be appreciated that in other examples, the filter assembly 120 may include a different number of filter layers.

[0053] 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 Figure 4a The uppermost filter layer 122 is shown in FIG. 1 and is formed of metal.

[0054] The filter cartridge is located downstream of the mesh 122 and includes a filter frame and a filter media 124 held by the frame. The mesh 122 protects the filter media 124 from impact with debris in the dirt separator 100. The filter media 124 is Figure 4a The lowermost layer 124 is shown in FIG. Removability allows replacement and / or cleaning of the filter media 124 to restore the filtration performance of the filter assembly 120. Although Figure 4a Although not shown in the figure, in some examples, the filter medium 124 has a plurality of filter layers with different filter characteristics. For example, the filter medium 124 may include a layer formed of wool and a layer formed of an electrostatic medium.

[0055] Viewed from a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 2 ( Figure 4a ), the mesh 122 is substantially curved, while the filter medium 124 is substantially planar. It should be understood that in other examples, the mesh 122 can be, for example, V-shaped or planar.

[0056] Figure 4b An example of an alternative filter assembly 120b in the dirt separator 100 is shown. The alternative filter assembly 120b is very similar to the filter assembly 120, except that the filter media 124b is substantially curved in this example. Figure 4a The substantially planar filter media 124 shown is similar to the Figure 4b The curved filter media 124b shown allows for a thicker lowermost filter layer 124 to be employed within the same overall diameter of the dirt separator 100, which can improve the filtration performance of the filter assembly 100. Conversely, providing a curved filter media 124b increases the surface area of ​​the filter media 124b compared to the surface area of ​​the filter media 124, which can also provide filtration benefits, such as increasing the time between required replacement or cleaning of the filter media 124b. References herein to the filter assembly 120 may equally apply to the alternative filter assembly 120b.

[0057] 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.

[0058] 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.

[0059] 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.

[0060] 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.

[0061] 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.

[0062] 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 can be in a closed position (eg, Figure 5 , 8 and 10), a first open position (as shown Figure 6 and 7 as shown) and a second open position (as shown Fig. 9 100) between the first open position and the second open position, 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.

[0063] In the closed position, the valve 110 blocks the opening 102, thereby preventing the dirt D from escaping the dirt collection chamber 108 through the opening 102. Figure 5 and Figure 8 As best shown in FIG. 1 , when in the closed position, the valve 110 abuts against the lip 134 of the outer wall 130. The lip 134 serves to help maintain the valve 110 in the closed position, particularly when dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 108 rests against the valve, such as Figure 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. The seal prevents the dirt D from escaping the dirt collection chamber 108 unintentionally.

[0064] 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.

[0065] 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.

[0066] 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.

[0067] 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 rest against the valve 110, as shown in FIG. Figure 8 As shown. In the example of a dirt separator without the well 109, the accumulation of dirt D on one side of the valve 100 may 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 against 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 can reduce the force required to move the valve 110 to the first open position, thereby helping to prevent the valve 110 from getting stuck in the closed position.

[0068] 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.

[0069] The dirt emptying sequence is performed with the attachment 20 detached from the main body 10 and the suction generator 14 de-energized.

[0070] The outer wall 130 can be in a first position (eg, Figure 5-8 as shown) and a second position (as 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. Therefore, when the outer wall 130 is in the first position, most 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 is used to protect the electrical terminals 17 and receive the end 24 of the accessory 20 and form an attachment thereto. In the second position, most 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.

[0071] The outer wall 130 includes a pair of ridges 136 (eg, Figure 4a and 4bThe 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 FIG. Fig. 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.

[0072] 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.

[0073] 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.

[0074] In order to help push as much dirt D as possible in the dirt collection chamber 108, the plunger 116 includes an elastic scraper 118 (e.g., Figure 3 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 dirt D from the mesh 122 to better restore the filtering performance of the filter assembly 120.

[0075] 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. Fig. 9 As shown. Therefore, 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, so that the dirt D can be pushed and / or fall through the valve 110 under the action of gravity.

[0076] 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, such as Fig.10Due 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.

[0077] 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.

[0078] The frame 104 includes a slot 111 adjacent to the outer wall 130, such as Figure 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.

[0079] 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.

[0080] 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.

[0081] Fig.11 and Fig.12 FIG. 2 shows a portion of a dirt separator 200 according to another example. In this further example, the dirt separator 200 is used in a Figure 1The vacuum cleaner 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a vacuum cleaner having the same features as the vacuum cleaner 1 shown in FIG. 1 . This portion is the distal end of the dirt separator 200 relative to the main body 10. The dirt separator 200 is similar to the reference Figure 1-10 The dirt separator 100 described differs in the valve arrangement 210. The other features of the dirt separator 200 are substantially the same as the dirt separator 100 and have the same reference numerals, but 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 herein as the open position.

[0082] The valve 210 is made of a rigid material and is biased to a closed position (eg, Fig.11 ). 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.

[0083] The first arm 217 of the valve 210 is pivotally attached to the frame 204 by a pivot pin 211. Thus, the valve 210 pivots about the pivot axis 212 between an open position and a closed position. The second arm 219 of the valve extends from an opposite end of the first arm 217 to an opposite end of the pivot pin 211. When the valve 210 is in the open position, the first arm 217 defines a portion of an airflow path for airflow entering 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 dirt D in the dirt collection chamber 208 from entering the well 209 (e.g., Fig.11 shown).

[0084] In response to the suction generated by the suction generator 14 within the dirt separator 200, the valve 210 can move from a closed position to an open position (eg, Fig.12 The suction force in the dirt collection chamber 208 causes the pressure in the dirt collection chamber 208 to drop, 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.

[0085] 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 (eg, Fig.12 As the outer wall 230 moves toward the second position, the ridges on the inner surface of the outer wall 230 (as shown above with reference to Figure 1-10 The ridges (described) cooperate with the valve 210. The ridges push the valve 210 downward to the open position. The removal of the force applied by the ridges to the valve 210 allows the spring 214 to move the valve 210 back to the closed position.

[0086] 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 .

[0087] Figures 13 to 16 FIG. 2 shows a portion of a dirt separator 300 according to yet another example. In yet another example, the dirt separator 300 is used to have a Figure 1 The vacuum cleaner 1 shown in FIG. 1 is a vacuum cleaner having the same features as the vacuum cleaner 1 shown in FIG. 1 . This portion is the distal end of the dirt separator 300 relative to the main body 10. The dirt separator 300 is similar to the reference Figure 1-10 The dirt separator 100 described and referenced Fig.11 and 12 The depicted dirt separator 200 differs 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 numerals, but with 200 added.

[0088] 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.

[0089] In the closed position (such as Figure 13-15 As shown in FIG. 3 , 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 via the opening 302 .

[0090] In the open position (such as 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.

[0091] 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 being 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. Fig.11 and 12 Like the valve 210 described above, during movement from the closed position to the open position, the valve 310 slides relative to the dirt D resting against the valve 310 rather than pushing against the dirt D. This can reduce the chance of the valve 310 getting stuck in the closed position and reduce the torque required by the motor 315 to open the valve 310.

[0092] 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).

[0093] 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.

[0094] 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.

[0095] 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.

[0096] 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.

[0097] 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.

[0098] The above embodiments should be understood as illustrative examples of the present invention. Further embodiments are also contemplated by the present invention. For example, the dirt separator 200, 300 may include reference Figures 1 to 10 Any feature of the dirt separator 100 described herein. 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 invention as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a dirt separation chamber extending along a longitudinal axis from the opening to the outlet, and a filter assembly extending parallel to the longitudinal axis and dividing the dirt separation chamber into a dirt collection chamber upstream of the filter assembly and an outlet chamber downstream of the filter assembly, Wherein the outlet chamber has a substantially constant cross-sectional area along the length of the filter assembly.

2. The dirt separator according to claim 1, wherein: The dirt collection chamber has a substantially constant cross-sectional area along the length of the filter assembly.

3. The dirt separator according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the dirt collection chamber to the outlet chamber is between 0.9 and 1.

1.

4. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The ratio of the cross-sectional area of ​​the opening to the outlet is between 0.9 and 1.

1.

5. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The ratio of the length of the dirt separation chamber to the width of the dirt separation chamber is at least 5.

6. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The length of the dirt separation chamber shall not be less than 150 mm and the width shall not be greater than 60 mm.

7. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The dirt separation chamber is substantially cylindrical.

8. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The filter assembly includes a mesh screen and a removable filter media located downstream of the mesh screen.

9. The dirt separator according to claim 8, wherein: The mesh is formed of metal or a metal alloy.

10. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The cross section of the filter assembly is substantially V-shaped or U-shaped.

11. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a valve at the opening, the valve being movable between a closed position, in which airflow is prevented from entering the dirt collection chamber through the opening, a first open position and a second open position, in which airflow is allowed to enter the dirt collection chamber through the opening, The valve is movable to a first open position in response to suction within the dirt separation chamber, the valve is movable to a closed position in response to removal of suction within the dirt separation chamber, and the valve is movable from the closed position to a second open position in response to user input to discharge dirt collected in the dirt collection chamber.

12. A dirt separator according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The dirt collection chamber is located on one side of the dirt separator and the outlet chamber is located on the opposite side of the dirt separator.

13. The dirt separator according to claim 12, wherein: A dirt separation chamber is defined by the outer wall, a dirt collection chamber extends between an upstream surface of the filter assembly and a first side of the outer wall, and an outlet chamber extends between a downstream side of the filter assembly and a second opposing side of the outer wall.

14. A vacuum cleaner comprising: A main body comprising a dirt separator according to any one of claims 1 to 13 and a suction generator for generating an airflow, wherein the suction generator is located downstream of the dirt separator, The rotation axis of the suction generator is coaxial with the longitudinal axis.

15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 14, wherein The body has a substantially constant cross-section along the longitudinal axis.

16. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 14 or 15, wherein: The outer diameter of the body is not greater than 60 mm.

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