Cyclonic Garden Waste Collection to Maintain Suction Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional garden waste collection devices using 'dirty fan' operation suffer from inefficiencies such as unfiltered dust and moisture passing through porous bags, clogging, and reduced suction due to air flow turbulence and recycling, leading to ineffective collection and user discomfort.
Innovation Solution
A cyclonic separation arrangement with a hand-holdable unit, motor, and volute directs dirty air flow tangentially into a cyclone for efficient separation of garden waste from air, using a frustro-conical cyclone design to maintain air flow rate and prevent air recycling, with a detachable design for versatile operation between vacuuming and blowing modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If porous bags are used to collect garden waste, then garden waste can be collected, but dust and moisture pass through the bag causing user discomfort and ineffective collection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical filtration system (porous bag) with a cyclonic separation system that uses centrifugal force to separate particles from air. The cyclone separator creates a vortex that throws heavier particles outward against the walls while lighter air rises through the center, effectively separating dust and moisture without requiring a porous barrier that lets particles through.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful separation function from the collection bag and places it in a dedicated cyclone separator. Instead of relying on the bag to filter particles, the cyclone separator is positioned in the air outlet path to remove dust and moisture before air reaches the user, taking the harmful separation task out of the collection system.
2Duration of action of moving object
If air flow is recycled through the vacuum tube, then collection continues, but suction force is reduced due to turbulence and clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the air outlet function from the vacuum tube and redirects it through a separate cyclone separator. The cyclone separator handles the dirty air flow and separates particles before clean air is discharged, taking the turbulent air flow path out of the vacuum tube and preventing clogging and suction loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The cyclone separator acts as an intermediary between the vacuum tube and the final air discharge. It receives dirty air from the vacuum tube, performs separation, and outputs clean air, mediating the air flow to prevent turbulence and clogging in the vacuum tube while maintaining continuous collection capability.
3Quantity of substance
If dirty fan operation is used to mulch garden waste, then collection volume increases, but unmulched waste creates air pockets reducing efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by mulching garden waste before collection through the dirty fan operation. The impeller chops leaves and twigs into smaller pieces that pack more densely, creating fewer air pockets. This preliminary size reduction enables more efficient collection and better utilization of the collection bag volume.
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 cyclonic separation arrangement effectively collects garden waste without clogging, maintains suction force, and prevents user exposure to dust and moisture, offering a more efficient and user-friendly garden waste collection solution.
Implementation Method 1
a cyclone having a hollow generally cylindrical cyclone body with a longitudinal central axis; a tangential air inlet port through a side of the cyclone body to generate a vortex in the cyclone body
Implementation Method 2
separating garden waste from said dirty air flow by the cyclone
Data Source
Figure 1~6
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
An apparatus for collection of garden waste (W) wherein the apparatus has a vacuuming mode of operation and a dirty fan operation in the vacuuming mode of operation thereof, the apparatus comprising: a hand-holdable unit (10) comprising a motor with an output shaft coupled to an impeller for generation of air flow; a volute (30) enclosing the impeller for direction of air flow from an axial air inlet of the volute past the impeller to a tangential air outlet (34) of the volute; a vacuum tube (40) for conducting dirty air flow to the air inlet of the volute in the vacuuming mode of operation; and a cyclonic separation arrangement (50) for receiving dirty air flow from the air outlet of the volute and separating garden waste from said dirty air flow in the vacuuming mode of operation. A blowervac comprising the apparatus for collection of garden waste.