Hand Vacuum Cyclone Orientation for Concurrent Dirt Chamber Emptying
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing hand vacuum cleaners face challenges in efficiently separating dirt and improving user accessibility for maintenance, particularly in the design of the air treatment and dirt collection systems, which can lead to reduced performance and increased complexity in cleaning and maintenance processes.
Innovation Solution
The hand vacuum cleaner incorporates a cyclone air treatment member with a tangential air inlet, a concurrently openable air treatment and dirt collection chamber configuration, and a removable air treatment assembly with a support recess, allowing for improved dirt separation efficiency and simplified maintenance by facilitating easy access and cleaning of components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the air treatment member and dirt collection chamber are separated into different access points, then the dirt separation efficiency is improved, but the maintenance complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the air treatment member and dirt collection chamber into a single integrated assembly that can be accessed and emptied through one common access point. This merging allows both components to be maintained concurrently without requiring separate access procedures, thereby reducing maintenance complexity while preserving the functional separation needed for effective dirt separation.
Solution Approach 2:
The air treatment assembly is designed with multi-functionality, serving both air treatment and dirt collection purposes within a single accessible unit. This universal design enables users to perform both air treatment maintenance and dirt collection emptying through the same access point, eliminating the need for separate maintenance procedures and reducing overall maintenance complexity.
2Ease of repair
If the air treatment member is made removable with support recess, then the ease of maintenance is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The air treatment member is segmented as a removable component with its own support recess, separated from the main housing. This segmentation allows the air treatment member to be easily detached and maintained independently, significantly improving ease of repair. The support recess provides a dedicated mounting location that simplifies the reattachment process, offsetting the added complexity of the removable design.
3Reliability
If the inlet conduit is made linear and rearwardly extending, then the dirt separation efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inlet conduit is designed with a curved or angled configuration rather than a straight linear path, allowing it to extend rearwardly while maintaining optimal airflow dynamics for dirt separation. This curved design improves dirt separation efficiency by creating better airflow patterns, while the systematic curvature (rather than random complexity) keeps the device design manageable and manufacturable.
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 design enhances dirt separation efficiency and simplifies maintenance by allowing concurrent emptying of the air treatment and dirt collection chambers, improving user experience and operational efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
a cyclone air treatment member with a tangential air inlet
Implementation Method 2
The air treatment member may comprise the front portion of the surface cleaning apparatus other than the inlet conduit which is located at the lower end of the surface cleaning apparatus
Data Source
AI summary
A hand vacuum cleaner has a cyclone provided in the air flow path and a dirt collection chamber external to the cyclone. The cyclone air inlet and the cyclone air outlet are located at the cyclone chamber rear end and the dirt outlet is located at the cyclone chamber front end. When the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the central longitudinally extending axis of the cyclone is oriented generally horizontally, the cyclone air inlet is located at a lower end of the cyclone and the dirt outlet is located at an upper end of the cyclone.