Side outlet tube

A side outlet cyclone separator tube through which contaminant-laden air flows, comprising:

• (a) a first conduit member having a continuous side wall and an inner surface defining a generally axial passageway between inlet and outlet ends thereof, said continuous side wall having an aperture disposed intermediate said inlet and said outlet, said first conduit member further comprising:
• (i) a first tubular portion at said inlet end thereof;
• (ii) a frustum of a hollow oblique cone portion, said frustum portion having a continuous side wall which converges along said axis of said tubular member from said first tubular portion to said outlet end, said aperture disposed in said converging side wall, said frustum portion defining an axial flow passageway of decreasing cross-sectional area from said tubular portion to said outlet end;
• (b) a second conduit member having a continuous side wall and inner and outer surfaces defining a passageway between an inlet end disposed within said axial passageway proximate said inlet end of said first conduit member and an outlet end terminating at said aperture, second conduit member having a curved central axis with the inside diameter thereof measured along planes normal to said central axis gradually increasing from said inlet end of said second conduit member to said outlet aperture;
• (c) vortex generating means affixed to said first conduit member within said axial passageway at said inlet end thereof whereby a circular flow component is imparted to the axial flow of said contaminant-laden air such that contaminants are centrifugally thrown toward said inner surface of said first conduit member to exit through said outlet end thereof, while clear air is channeled through said second conduit member to discharge through said aperture in said side wall of said first conduit member;
• and
• (d) baffle means affixed to said outer surface of said second conduit member proximate said inlet end thereof to prevent the reverse flow of contaminants into said inlet end of said second conduit member.

An air cleaner comprising:

• (a) a housing having a longitudinal axis, a contaminant laden air inlet and a clean air outlet;
• (b) baffle means affixed within said housing and dividing said housing into an inlet chamber, an outlet chamber, and a contaminant trap chamber;
• (c) a plurality of side outlet separator tubes secured to said baffle means, each of said separator tubes having a continuous side wall defining an axial passageway between an inlet end opening into said inlet chamber and an outlet end opening into said trap chamber, said side wall having a side outlet aperture opening into said outlet chamber, said separator tubes disposed within said housing in parallel rows, said axes of said tubes parallel to said longitudinal axis of said housing, the axis of tubes in a row lying in a common plane, said tubes in at least two adjacent rows disposed so that said side outlet apertures of said tubes in each row face generally toward said side outlet apertures of said tubes in said adjacent row, said side outlet apertures in said tubes in one row offset with respect to said side outlet apertures in said tubes in said adjacent row, said side outlet apertures in said side wall in said adjacent rows defining a clean air channel between said tubes, said channel having an axis orthogonally oriented with respect to said longitudinal axis of said housing;
• (d) means within each of said separator tubes at said inlet ends thereof for generating a vortex in the axial flow of contaminant laden air whereby said contaminants are directed toward said side walls and deposited within said trap chamber;
• and
• (e) means disposed within said separator tube for collecting clean air and channeling said clean air through said side outlet aperture.

A side outlet cyclone separator tube through which contaminant laden air flows, comprising:

• (a) a first conduit member having a continuous side wall and an inner surface defining a generally axial passageway between inlet and outlet ends thereof, said continuous side wall having an aperture disposed intermediate said inlet and outlet;
• (b) a second conduit member having a continuous side wall and inner and outer surfaces defining a passageway between an inlet end disposed within said axial passageway proximate said inlet end of said first conduit member and an outlet end terminating at said aperture;
• (c) vortex generating means affixed to said first conduit member within said axial passageway at said inlet end thereof whereby a circular flow component is imparted to the axial flow of said contaminent laden air such that contaminants are centrifugally thrown toward said inner surface of said first conduit member to exit through said outlet end thereof, while clean air is channeled through said second conduit member to discharge through said aperture in said side wall of said first conduit member;
• (d) a first annular lip affixed to said outer surface of said second conduit member proximate said inlet end thereof;
• and
• (e) a second annular lip affixed to said outer surface of said second conduit member spaced apart from said first annular lip along said axial passageway.