Cyclone Chamber Split Sidewall for Airtight Dirt Emptying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current surface cleaning apparatuses, such as vacuum cleaners, face challenges in efficiently emptying and retaining dirt and debris within the cyclone chamber, leading to potential retention of dirt and reduced collection efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A surface cleaning apparatus with a cyclone bin assembly featuring a split sidewall configuration, where the cyclone chamber floor is openable and integral with the dirt collection chamber floor, allowing for easy emptying and reducing retention of dirt, along with a vortex finder and screen that are movable with the cyclone chamber floor, enhancing airflow and debris collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cyclone chamber floor is sealed to prevent air leakage, then air-tightness is improved, but dirt and debris cannot be emptied efficiently
Solution Approach 1:
The cyclone chamber floor is segmented into a fixed portion and a movable portion that can be opened independently. This allows the floor to remain sealed during operation for air-tightness, while enabling efficient emptying when the movable portion is opened without compromising the overall structure's integrity
2Reliability
If the cyclone chamber sidewall is made continuous and air-impermeable, then air-tightness is improved, but dirt retention increases when emptying
Solution Approach 1:
The sidewall is divided into fixed and movable portions that can be opened independently. The fixed portion maintains air-tightness during operation, while the movable portion can be opened to allow dirt and debris to fall out, preventing retention issues
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire sidewall movable for emptying, the invention keeps most of the sidewall fixed and air-tight, and only makes the necessary portion movable for emptying. This inverts the conventional approach by minimizing rather than maximizing movable parts
3Ease of operation
If the cyclone chamber floor is made openable for easy emptying, then ease of operation is improved, but air leakage may occur during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The floor is segmented into fixed and movable portions that can be opened independently. During operation, the fixed portion remains sealed to maintain air-tightness, while the movable portion can be opened for emptying without affecting the overall seal integrity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design facilitates efficient emptying of dirt and debris from the cyclone chamber, reduces the likelihood of retention, and improves the overall dirt collection efficiency by ensuring a continuous and air-impermeable inner surface during operation.
Implementation Method 1
Air is drawn into the vacuum cleaners through a dirty air inlet and conveyed to a cyclone inlet. The rotation of the air in the cyclone results in some of the particulate matter in the airflow stream being disentrained from the airflow stream.
Implementation Method 2
The rotation of the air in the cyclone results in some of the particulate matter in the airflow stream being disentrained from the airflow stream.
Data Source
AI summary
A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet. The surface cleaning apparatus may comprise a cyclone bin assembly comprising a cyclone chamber positioned in the air flow path. The surface cleaning apparatus may comprise a dirt collection chamber and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path. The cyclone chamber may have first and second opposed ends and a sidewall extending between the first and second opposed ends. The sidewall may have a first portion extending from the first opposed end towards the second opposed end and a second portion extending from the second opposed end towards the first opposed end. The first and second portions may meet at a juncture. The first opposed end and the first portion may be openable.