Vacuum cleaner utilizing electrostatic filtration and electrostatic precipitator for use therein
AssigneeFantom Technologies Inc.
InventorsWayne Ernest Conrad, Helmut Gerhard Conrad
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method for filtering a dirty air stream in a vacuum cleaner to obtain a clean air stream comprises subjecting the dirty air stream to a first cyclonic separation stage to obtain a partially cleaned air stream and subjecting the partially cleaned air stream to an electronic filtration stage and optionally a second cyclonic separation stage to obtain the clean air stream. The electronic filtration stage is optionally removable with a cyclonic cleaning stage from the vacuum cleaner. The electronic filtration stage is optionally an electrostatic precipitator which utilizes air flow through the vacuum cleaner to generate the voltage used by the electrostatic precipitator.
Claims22
A vacuum cleaner comprising:
- (a) a dirty air inlet for receiving air containing dirt;
- (b) a dean air outlet spaced for the dirty air inlet;
- (c) an air flow path extending downstream from the dirty air inlet to the clean air outlet;
- and,
- (d) a filtration assembly positioned in the air flow path, the filtration assembly comprising:
- (i) at least one cyclonic cleaning stage in flow communication with the dirty air inlet and having a partially cleaned air outlet;
- and,
- (ii) at least one electrostatic precipitator positioned in the air flow path downstream from the at least one cyclonic cleaning stage and upstream of the clean air outlet;
- and,
- (e) an on board power source comprising at least one battery for operating the vacuum cleaner.
A vacuum cleaner for receiving and cleaning a dirty air stream to obtain clean air comprising:
- (a) first means for cyclonically treating the dirty air stream to obtain a partially cleaned air stream;
- (b) electrostatic precipitation means positioned downstream from the first means for cyclonically treating a dirty air stream;
- and,
- (c) an on board power supply means comprising battery means for operating the vacuum cleaner.
An electrostatic precipitator for separating chargeable particulate matter from a fluid stream comprising:
- (a) a housing having at least one fluid inlet and at least one fluid outlet;
- (b) at least one member movably positioned in the housing for generating a high voltage potential in response to the movement of the at least one member in the housing;
- and,
- (c) a conductive member for transmitting the high voltage potential to particulate matter entrained in the fluid whereby particulate matter is oppositely charged to the at least one member prior to encountering the at least one member and is attracted to the at least one member during passage of the charged particulate matter through the housing.
An electrostatic precipitator for separating chargeable particulate matter from a fluid stream comprising:
- (a) housing means having fluid inlet means and fluid outlet means;
- (b) individual chargeable means movably positioned in the housing means for generating a high voltage potential in response to the movement of the individual chargeable means in the housing means;
- and,
- (c) conductive means for transmitting the high voltage potential to particulate matter entrained in the fluid whereby particulate matter is oppositely charged to the individual chargeable means prior to encountering the individual chargeable means and is attracted to the individual chargeable means during passage of the charged particulate matter through the housing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.