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US 12,441,537 B2Granted
Dust and allergen control for surface cleaning apparatus
AssigneeOmachron Intellectual Property Inc.
InventorWayne Ernest Conrad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A free standing apparatus for emptying a dirt collection chamber of a surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow passage from an inlet port to a clean air outlet wherein the dirt collection chamber of the surface cleaning apparatus is removably positionable in air flow communication with the inlet port. An air treatment member is positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the inlet port, the air treatment member comprising a cyclone and an additional cyclonic cleaning stage. A suction motor is positioned in the air flow passage upstream from the clean air outlet of the air flow passage.
Claims17
A system comprising a vacuum cleaner comprising a dirt collection region and an apparatus for receiving dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner, the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner has an openable door, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) an air flow passage from an inlet port to a clean air outlet, the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is removably positionable in air flow communication with the inlet port;
- (b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the inlet port, the air treatment member comprising an apparatus chamber having a chamber air outlet, the apparatus chamber comprising an openable portion moveable with respect to a stationary portion between a closed position in which the apparatus is operable to withdraw dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner and an open position in which the apparatus chamber is opened and emptiable other than through the inlet port;
- and
- (c) a motor and fan assembly permanently mounted as part of the apparatus and positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the chamber air outlet and upstream of the clean air outlet,
- wherein the apparatus is configured to be free standing on a floor, and when the apparatus is standing on the floor the apparatus has an upper end which has the inlet port, and
- wherein, when the openable portion is in the open position, the stationary portion has the chamber air outlet and a volume and, when the openable portion is in the closed position, the openable portion partially defines the volume, and
- wherein the airflow passage comprises an upstream portion and a downstream portion, the upstream portion extending from the inlet port downwardly through the volume of the stationary portion to an upstream side of the chamber air outlet, the downstream portion extending from the upstream side of the chamber air outlet to the clean air outlet, and
- wherein, when the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positioned to be in air flow communication with the apparatus and when the system is in an emptying mode of operation:
- (1) a dirt flow path extends from the inlet port to the apparatus chamber whereby heavier dirt travels due to gravity from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner to the apparatus chamber;
- and,
- (2) the motor and fan assembly generates a flow of air from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner and along the air flow passage that assists in conveying lighter dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner downward through the dirt flow path to the apparatus chamber, the flow of air travels along the upstream portion of the airflow passage in the absence of passing through a physical filtration member and the flow of air subsequently travelling along the downstream portion of the airflow passage passes through the chamber air outlet and a physical filtration member to the motor and fan assembly.
8 more elements
A system comprising a vacuum cleaner comprising a dirt collection region and an apparatus for receiving dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner, the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner has an openable door, the apparatus comprising:
- (a) an air flow passage from an apparatus inlet port to a clean air outlet, the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is removably positionable in air flow communication with the apparatus inlet port;
- (b) an air treatment member positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the apparatus inlet port, the air treatment member comprising an apparatus chamber, the apparatus chamber comprising an exterior housing, a chamber inlet port and a chamber outlet port that is provided in the exterior housing;
- and
- (c) a motor and fan assembly permanently mounted as part of the apparatus and positioned in the air flow passage downstream from the chamber outlet port and upstream of the clean air outlet,
- wherein the exterior housing has an openable portion that is moveable with respect to a stationary portion between a closed position in which the apparatus is operable to withdraw dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner and an open position in which the apparatus chamber is opened for emptying other than through the inlet port, and
- wherein, when the openable portion is in the open position, the stationary portion has the chamber air outlet and an interior volume and, when the openable portion is in the closed position, the openable portion partially defines the interior volume, and
- wherein the chamber outlet port is positioned below the chamber inlet port and,
- wherein, when the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner is positioned to be in air flow communication with the apparatus and when the system is in an emptying mode of operation:
- (1) a dirt flow path extends from the apparatus inlet port to the apparatus chamber;
- and,
- (2) the motor and fan assembly generates a flow of air from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner and along the air flow passage that assists in conveying dirt from the dirt collection region of the vacuum cleaner downward through the dirt flow path to the apparatus chamber, an upstream portion of the flow of air travels from the dirt collection region downwardly through the interior volume of the stationary portion to an upstream side of the chamber outlet port and a downstream portion of the flow of air subsequently passes through the chamber outlet port and a physical filtration member to the motor and fan assembly.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.