Cyclonic Filter Assembly for Vacuum Motor Dust Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vacuum cleaners face inefficiencies in separating dust particles from airflow, leading to potential damage and reduced performance of motor-driven fan units due to dust and dirt passing through, despite the use of pre- and post-motor filters.

Innovation Solution

A separating apparatus comprising a first cyclonic cleaning stage, a second cyclonic cleaning stage with multiple secondary cyclones, and an elongate filter partially surrounded by the first cyclonic cleaning stage, which acts as a barrier filter to capture remaining dust particles before they reach the motor unit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If pre-motor and post-motor filters are used to protect the motor unit, then the motor unit is protected from dust damage, but the overall dust separation efficiency is reduced and filter lifetime is shortened

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemotor unit protectionVSAvoiddust separation efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The dust separation process is divided into three distinct stages: a first cyclonic cleaning stage for coarse particles, a second cyclonic cleaning stage with multiple secondary cyclones for fine particles, and a post-motor filter for residual particles. This segmentation allows each stage to specialize in different particle sizes, improving overall separation efficiency while protecting the motor unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The first and second cyclonic cleaning stages perform preliminary dust removal before the air reaches the post-motor filter. By pre-separating the majority of particles (both coarse and fine) in the cyclonic stages, the post-motor filter only needs to handle residual particles, which extends filter lifetime and maintains high separation efficiency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Productivity

If multiple filters are used to ensure high dust separation efficiency, then dust particles are captured effectively, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust separation efficiencyVSAvoidfilter assembly structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The first cyclonic cleaning stage, second cyclonic cleaning stage with multiple secondary cyclones, and post-motor filter are merged into a single integrated filter assembly that can be removed as one unit from the vacuum cleaner body. This merging reduces device complexity by consolidating multiple filtration functions into one removable assembly, while maintaining high dust separation efficiency through the multi-stage approach.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This configuration enhances dust separation efficiency while maintaining filter longevity, ensuring the motor unit remains clean and operates efficiently by capturing fine particles effectively.

Implementation Method 1

a first cyclonic cleaning stage, a second cyclonic cleaning stage arranged downstream of the first cyclonic cleaning stage

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCyclone separation: Cyclone Separation

Implementation Method 2

cyclonic separating apparatus for separating particles from a fluid flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Implementation Method 3

the filter may be a barrier filter. As used herein the term 'barrier filter' shall be taken to mean a filter which captures and holds dirt and dust particles within the body of the filter

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPhysical filtration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2413769B1Cyclonic separating apparatus
Publication Date: 2014.12.31 DYSON TECH LTD
  • EP2413769B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2413769B1 patent drawingFigure 3a
  • EP2413769B1 patent drawingFigure 3b

AI summary

The present invention relates to a separating apparatus (6) for separating particles from a fluid flow. Particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner (1) having such a separating apparatus for removing dust particles from a dust laden ting apparatus comprises a first cyclonic cleaning stage (20), a second cyclonic cleaning stage (22) arranged downstream from the first cyclonic cleaning stage, and an elongate filter arranged downstream from the second cyclonic cleaning stage, wherein the filter is at least partially surrounded by the first cyclonic cleaning stage.