Vacuum Cleaner Cyclone Divider for Dirt Transfer and Motor Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cyclonic vacuum cleaners often fail to completely remove particulate matter from the air, leading to potential damage to downstream suction motors due to residual particles, necessitating the use of filters to protect these motors.

Innovation Solution

A cyclone chamber design with a plate positioned intermediate its ends to separate the cyclone and dirt collection chambers, creating a passage for dirt to be conveyed from the cyclone chamber to the dirt collection chamber, enhancing particle removal and reducing the load on the suction motor by ensuring that air exiting the cyclone stage is cleaner.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a filter is positioned downstream from the second cyclonic cleaning stage to protect the suction motor, then the motor is protected from particulate matter damage, but the device complexity increases and the filtration system requires additional maintenance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemotor protectionVSAvoidfiltration system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The harmful function of the filter (capturing particles) is extracted and transferred to the cyclone chambers, which are designed to remove particulate matter before air enters the motor. This eliminates the need for a separate filter component while maintaining motor protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The cyclone chambers perform the protective function themselves by using centrifugal force to separate and collect particles. The system serves its own protection needs through the cyclonic separation process, making additional filters redundant.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If multiple cyclonic cleaning stages with multiple cyclones in parallel are used, then particle removal efficiency is improved, but the volume and weight of the apparatus increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveparticle removal efficiencyVSAvoidapparatus volume

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple cyclone chambers are combined into a single integrated housing structure, allowing parallel cyclonic cleaning stages to operate within a compact volume. The merged design achieves high particle removal efficiency without proportionally increasing overall apparatus size.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The cyclone chambers are arranged and nested within the housing in a space-efficient configuration, with smaller cyclones positioned to utilize available space optimally. This nesting approach allows multiple cyclones to coexist in a compact arrangement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

3Productivity

If the plate is positioned inward from the outer wall of the casing to define an annular gap, then the passage for dirt conveyance is optimized, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirt conveyance efficiencyVSAvoidplate positioning precision

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The plate is positioned at specific locations within the cyclone chamber to create localized passages with optimized geometries for dirt conveyance. By concentrating precision requirements at specific critical locations rather than throughout the entire structure, manufacturing complexity is reduced while maintaining conveyance efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 effectively separates and collects particulate matter, reducing the risk of motor damage and improving the overall efficiency of the vacuum cleaner by ensuring that air entering the suction motor is cleaner, thus prolonging its lifespan and maintaining performance.

Implementation Method 1

a cyclone separator (20) having a plate (32) positioned intermediate opposed ends of a casing (22) of the cyclone separator so as to divide an interior of the cyclone casing into a cyclone chamber (53) and a dirt collection chamber (52)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCyclone separation: Cyclone Separation

Implementation Method 2

cyclonic circulation causes at least a portion of the particles to be removed from the fluid stream and trapped within the lower region of the cyclone separator

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCentrifugal force: Centrifugal Force

Data Source

PatentEP1996336B1Vacuum cleaner with a divider

Publication Date: 2011.09.07 G B D

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Figure 2a

AI summary

An indoor vacuum cleaner comprises a dirty air inlet, a handle, a cyclone separator having an outer wall, a fluid inlet downstream from the dirty air inlet and a fluid outlet, a plate having a cyclone chamber surface and positioned to substantially divide the cyclone separator into a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber, each of the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber having an outer wall, the outer wall of each of the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber having an outer perimeter, the dirt collection chamber having a cyclone chamber end spaced from a dirt collection floor, a passage extending between the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber, the passage configured such that separated dirt travels at least outwardly as the dirt travels through the passage and, an air flow motor.