Openable Post-Motor Filter Housing for Upright Vacuum Airflow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Upright vacuum cleaners experience reduced cleaning efficiency over time due to clogging of post-motor filters, which increases back pressure and decreases air flow velocity at the dirty air inlet, often leading to neglect in filter maintenance by consumers.
Innovation Solution
An upright surface cleaning apparatus with a post-motor filter having an enhanced upstream surface area, positioned and configured to maintain maneuverability, featuring an axially openable filter housing that allows for easier cleaning and replacement of the filter, thereby reducing back pressure and maintaining cleaning efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the post motor filter upstream surface area is increased, then the back pressure is reduced and cleaning efficiency is maintained, but the foot print of the apparatus increases which limits maneuverability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a conventional planar filter arrangement to a three-dimensional cylindrical filter configuration. The filter is positioned axially below the suction motor with its upstream surface area expanded in the radial direction, allowing increased filtration area without increasing the vertical or horizontal footprint of the apparatus, thus maintaining maneuverability while reducing back pressure.
Solution Approach 2:
The cylindrical post motor filter is nested within the existing housing structure axially below the suction motor. The filter housing is positioned within the available vertical space, efficiently utilizing the internal volume of the apparatus to accommodate a larger filter surface area without external dimension increases.
2Ease of repair
If the post motor filter is made accessible for easy cleaning and replacement, then maintenance ease is improved, but the device complexity increases due to additional openable housing components
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is segmented into a stationary portion and an openable portion that can be separated to provide access to the post motor filter. This segmentation allows the filter to be easily removed for cleaning or replacement without disassembling the entire apparatus, improving maintenance ease while adding only minimal structural complexity through the division of the housing into functional sections.
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 maintains the cleaning efficiency of the vacuum cleaner over an extended period by reducing back pressure and allowing for easier filter maintenance, ensuring consistent performance without compromising the apparatus's maneuverability.
Implementation Method 1
a suction motor (26) positioned beneath the cyclonic cleaning stage... an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and including an air treatment member and the suction motor
Implementation Method 2
upright surface cleaning apparatus which has a cyclonic cleaning stage and a post motor HEPA filter positioned in a post motor filter housing axially below the suction motor
Implementation Method 3
A post motor HEPA filter is provided to filter carbon dust and other fine particular matter which is in the clean air stream after passing by the suction motor
Data Source
AI summary
An upright surface cleaning apparatus is provided wherein the upper section is provided with an openable post motor filter housing. The post motor filter may be axially removable and may be positioned below the suction motor.