Nested Multistage Cyclone Layout for Maneuverable Hand Vacuums
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional hand vacuum cleaners with cyclonic cleaning stages are bulky and difficult to maneuver, limiting their ability to clean tight spaces and corners effectively.
Innovation Solution
A hand vacuum cleaner design featuring a multistage cyclone assembly with a first stage cyclone and a second stage cyclone nested within the first, where the second stage has multiple air inlets and a shorter axial length, allowing for a compact and more maneuverable device that can clean closer to corners and has improved weight distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional cyclonic cleaning stage is used in a hand vacuum cleaner, then the cleaning function is provided, but the device becomes bulky and difficult to maneuver
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies nesting by placing the second stage cyclone assembly inside the first stage cyclone assembly. The second stage cyclone is positioned within the housing of the first stage, allowing both cyclonic cleaning stages to occupy a compact volume. This nested configuration reduces the overall device size while maintaining dual-stage cleaning functionality, directly resolving the contradiction between maneuverability and cleaning performance.
2Ease of operation
If the cyclone assembly is made compact for better maneuverability, then ease of operation improves, but cleaning effectiveness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cyclonic cleaning function into two distinct stages: a first stage cyclone for primary separation and a second stage cyclone for secondary separation. Each stage has its own air inlet, cyclone chamber, and air outlet, allowing independent optimization of each stage's performance. This segmentation enables effective cleaning within a compact form factor by distributing the cleaning function across multiple smaller units rather than requiring one large cyclone.
Solution Approach 2:
The nested configuration of the second stage cyclone within the first stage housing allows both cleaning stages to operate simultaneously in a compact arrangement. The first stage handles bulk particle separation while the second stage provides finer separation, ensuring comprehensive cleaning effectiveness despite the reduced overall size of the assembly.
3Volume of moving object
If a smaller cyclone assembly is provided, then the hand vacuum cleaner size is reduced, but the cyclone chamber length is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a single long axial cyclone chamber to a nested three-dimensional arrangement of two shorter cyclone chambers. By stacking the second stage cyclone within the first stage housing, the design utilizes vertical and radial space more efficiently. This dimensional reorganization allows the cyclone assembly to achieve effective cleaning volume in a more compact footprint, reducing the overall length and volume while maintaining functional performance.
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 compact design enhances maneuverability and cleaning efficiency, enabling better access to tight spaces and reducing user fatigue due to improved weight distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a first stage cyclone having a first stage cyclone chamber, a first stage cyclone air inlet, a first stage cyclone air outlet and a first stage longitudinal cyclone axis about which the air rotates in the first stage cyclone chamber
Implementation Method 2
about which the air rotates in the first stage cyclone chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A hand vacuum cleaner may have a first stage cyclone having a first stage cyclone chamber, a first stage cyclone air inlet, a first stage cyclone air outlet and a first stage longitudinal cyclone axis about which the air rotates in the first stage cyclone chamber. A second stage cyclone may be downstream from the first stage cyclone and may be at least substantially nested in the first stage cyclone. The second stage cyclone may have a second stage cyclone chamber, a plurality of second stage cyclone air inlets, a second stage cyclone air outlet and a second stage longitudinal cyclone axis about which the air rotates in the second stage cyclone chamber. A length of the second stage cyclone chamber may be shorter than a length of the first stage cyclone chamber.