Separator for vacuum cleaner
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing liquid bath vacuum cleaners face inefficiencies and structural deformation due to particle accumulation, leading to reduced separation efficiency and safety concerns during maintenance, as they require frequent cleaning and can imbalance the separator.
Innovation Solution
A cylindrical separator with radially flat segments and equidistantly positioned blades, designed to minimize gap width and maximize surface area, featuring a profile similar to an aircraft wing with a sharply truncated front and decreasing thickness, and a sharp edge at the tail to deflect particles and liquids, preventing accumulation and deformation under centrifugal force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the separator is configured as a conical basket with vertical slots formed in a side wall, then particles and liquid can be separated from air, but the ribs and side wall deform under centrifugal force, causing the separator to become inefficient and generate vibrations
Solution Approach 1:
The separator is divided into multiple segments that can be assembled together, allowing the structure to maintain integrity under centrifugal force while enabling easier cleaning and maintenance without compromising separation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The separator transitions from a conical basket design to a cylindrical shape with radially extending blades, eliminating the deformation issues of vertical ribs under centrifugal force while maintaining effective particle-liquid separation from air
2Productivity
If the separator rotates at high speed to force particles back to the liquid container, then separation efficiency improves, but particles accumulate inside the separator, reducing slot effectiveness and causing imbalance
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing particles to accumulate inside the separator, the design inverts the approach by using radially extending blades that prevent accumulation at the center, allowing continuous operation without performance degradation
Solution Approach 2:
The separator design extracts the problem of particle accumulation by using a blade configuration that prevents particles from settling inside, effectively removing the need for periodic cleaning and maintenance
3Reliability
If the separator needs to be periodically cleaned to remove accumulated particles, then separation efficiency can be restored, but the vacuum cleaner motor must be stopped, creating safety dangers for the user
Solution Approach 1:
The separator design is self-maintaining through its blade configuration that prevents particle accumulation, eliminating the need for user intervention and periodic cleaning operations that would require stopping the motor
Solution Approach 2:
The design extracts the maintenance requirement entirely by using a blade structure that prevents particle accumulation, removing the harmful factor of user safety risk associated with cleaning operations
4Stability of the object's composition
If the ribs of the side wall are reinforced to avoid deformation, then structural stability improves, but the slots become smaller, reducing separator efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The design replaces the conical basket with vertical ribs and slots with a cylindrical separator featuring radially extending blades, eliminating the deformation problem entirely while maintaining optimal flow characteristics and separation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The separator is segmented into multiple sections with radially extending blades, allowing the structure to maintain structural integrity without requiring thick reinforcing ribs that would reduce slot effectiveness
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 solution enhances particle and liquid separation efficiency, reduces the need for frequent cleaning, and maintains structural integrity by preventing dust and impurities from accumulating on the separator blades, thus improving overall vacuum cleaner performance and user safety.
Implementation Method 1
due to the high speed of rotation of the separator (from 20,000 to 25,000 rpm), are forced back to the liquid container
Implementation Method 2
the smallest particles, along with micro droplets of liquid, are trapped inside the separator where, due to the huge centrifugal acceleration of up to 12,000 g, they stick to the inner wall of the separator
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a separator for vacuum cleaners operating on the basis of a liquid bath, the liquid bath serving as pre-separation and as a dumping area for the aspirated particles. It consists of segments (7), each of the segments (7) being formed as a radially flat ring (13) that is centrally secured to a hub (11) via radial supports (12) and having blades (8) extending equidistantly and substantially perpendicularly to the surface of the ring (13). The blades (8) are positioned on each individual segment (7) in a way that a gap (9) is formed between each two adjacent blades (8) of each segment (7). When individual segments (7) are stacked one over another, the blades (8) of one segment (7) extend into the gaps (9) between the blades (8) of the next segment (7), such that a newly formed gap (91) is formed between the two adjacent blades (8) of the assembled separator (1). In a preferred embodiment, the separator (1) consists of two end segments (71, 72) and at least one intermediate segment (73), the first end segment (71) preferably having the radially flat ring (13) provided with an integrated sealing ring (30), and the second end segment (72) having the radially flat ring (13) provided with an integrated bottom (20).