US 5,145,499 AGranted

Disposable bin for cyclonic vacuum

AssigneeNotetry Limited

InventorJames Dyson

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Abstract

A unitary liner (36) for use in a dual inner and outer cyclonic vacuum cleaning apparatus (10) is described. The liner has a rigid receiver member (38) that collects dirt separated from the airflow by the inner cyclone (12). The receiver is integrally bonded to a flexible container portion (37) that lays over the inner surface (11D) of the outer cyclone (11) to collect dirt separated from the airflow by the outer cyclone. The container portion (41) can also be a rigid member bonded to a rigid receiver (42). Also, the rigid container portion (45) can provide the outer cyclone and be bonded to a rigid receiver (46). The liner collects separated dirt from the inner and outer cyclones and is easy to remove and replace from the cleaning apparatus by removing the cover (13) which supports the inner cyclone, from the outer cyclone to expose the liner when the vacuum cleaner becomes full of dirt. A liner (130) for a tank type, dual inner and outer cyclonic vacuum cleaning apparatus (110 ) is also described. The tank type liner has a rigid receiver member (131), which collects dirt separated from the airflow by inner cyclone (112) and an integrally bonded flexible container portion (132) that lays over the inside of the outer cyclone (111) to collect dirt separated from the airflow by the outer cyclone. A liner cage (113) with projection finger (113A) extends between the inner cyclone (112) and the base (111A) of the outer cyclone. The projection fingers hold the flexible container portion on the base of the outer cyclone to prevent the liner from moving towards and blocking dirt separated from the airflow by the inner cyclone from being deposited in the receiver. The liner is easy to remove and replace in the tank type cleaning apparatus by separating a cover (115), which supports the inner cyclone, from the outer cyclone to expose the liner when the vacuum cleaner becomes full of dirt.

Claims57

Dependent claims

In a cleaning apparatus including a container comprising a bottom and a sidewall extending to and meeting the bottom, the sidewall having an interior surface, a dirty air inlet at an upper portion of the container spaced from the bottom which is oriented for supplying dirt laden air into the container tangentially to the interior surface of the container which has a circular cross-section and an air outlet from the container at the upper portion of the container;

a circular cross-sectioned cyclone having a longitudinal axis and mounted inside the container, the cyclone comprising a cyclone air inlet at an upper end having a first diameter of the cyclone in air communication with the air outlet of the container, an interior dirt rotational surface of frusto-conical shape for receiving an airflow from the air inlet and for maintaining its velocity to a cone opening smaller in diameter than the diameter of the upper end of the cyclone, the air inlet being oriented for supplying air tangentially to the surface and a cyclone air outlet communicating with the interior of the cyclone adjacent the upper end of the cyclone;
a dirt collecting receiver means extending from the cone opening;
and means for generating an airflow which passes through the dirty air inlet, the container, the cyclone air inlet, the cyclone, the receiver means and the cyclone air outlet, the airflow rotating around the frusto-conical interior surface of the cyclone and depositing the dirt in the receiver means, the improvement which comprises:
(a) a cover means providing a closure for an upper end of the container, wherein the cover means removeably supports the container for disposing of dirt separated from the airflow by the container;
and
(b) a liner means having a first, rigid portion providing the receiver and a second portion wherein the receiver portion has a first sidewall between opposed ends, one of which is open and sealed to the cyclone to provide for the dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone to accumulate in the receiver portion and wherein the second portion of the liner means has opposed ends defining a second sidewall between the ends, the second sidewall mounted along and around the longitudinal axis, inside of the interior surface of the container so that the second portion of the liner means collects dirt separated from the airflow by the container and extends to an open end of the second portion sealed at the upper end of the container, wherein the container holding the second portion is removeable from the cover means and the receiver portion is removeable from the sealed relationship with the cyclone for disposing of accumulated dirt separated from the airflow by the container and the cyclone.

3 more elements

a circular cross-sectioned cyclone having a longitudinal axis and mounted inside the container, the cyclone comprising a cyclone air inlet at an upper end having a first diameter of the cyclone in air communication with the air outlet of the container, an interior dirt rotational surface of frusto-conical shape for receiving an airflow from the air inlet and for maintaining its velocity to a cone opening smaller in diameter than the diameter of the upper end of the cyclone, the air inlet being oriented for supplying air tangentially to the surface and a cyclone air outlet communicating with the interior of the cyclone adjacent the upper end of the cyclone;
a dirt collecting receiver means extending from the cone opening;
and means for generating an airflow which passes through the dirty air inlet, the container, the cyclone air inlet, the cyclone, the receiver means and the cyclone air outlet, the airflow rotating around the frusto-conical interior surface of the cyclone and depositing the dirt in the receiver means, the improvement which comprises:
(a) a cover means providing a closure for an upper end of the container, wherein the cover means removeably supports the container for disposing of dirt separated from the airflow by the container;
and
(b) a rigid, collection means comprising a first portion providing the receiver and a second portion providing the container, wherein the receiver portion has a first sidewall between opposed ends, one of which is open and sealed to the cyclone to provide for the dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone to accumulate in the receiver portion of the collection means and wherein the second portion has opposed ends defining a second sidewall between the ends, the second sidewall mounted along and around the longitudinal axis, so that the container portion extends to an upper end removeably mounted to the cover means which forms a closure for the upper end of the container portion so that the container portion is removeable from the cover means to open the upper end of the container portion and the open end of the receiver portion is removeable from the sealed relationship with the cyclone for disposing of accumulated dirt separated from the airflow by the container and the cyclone.

3 more elements

a circular cross-sectioned cyclone having a longitudinal axis and mounted inside the container, the cyclone comprising a cyclone air inlet at an upper end having a first diameter of the cyclone in air communication with the air outlet of the container, an interior dirt rotational surface of frusto-conical shape for receiving an airflow from the air inlet and for maintaining its velocity to a cone opening smaller in diameter than the diameter of the upper end of the cyclone, the air inlet being oriented for supplying air tangentially to the surface and a cyclone air outlet communicating with the interior of the cyclone adjacent the upper end of the cyclone;
a dirt collecting receiver means extending from the cone opening;
and means for generating an airflow which passes through the dirty air inlet, the container, the cyclone air inlet, the cyclone, the receiver means and the cyclone air outlet, the airflow rotating around the frusto-conical interior surface of the cyclone and depositing the dirt in the receiver means, the improvement which comprises:
(a) a base means for the cleaning apparatus;
(b) a support means extending from the base means and supporting a cover means which supports the cyclone inside of the container;
and
(c) a collection means comprising a first portion providing the receiver and a second portion providing the container, wherein the receiver portion has a first sidewall between opposed ends, one of which is open and sealed to the cyclone to provide for the dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone to accumulate in the receiver portion of the collection means and wherein the container portion has opposed ends defining a second sidewall between the ends, the second sidewall mounted along and around the longitudinal axis, so that the container portion extends to an upper end removeably mounted to the cover means as a closure for the upper end of the container portion and wherein the bottom of the container portion is moveable relative to the base means so that the container portion is removeable from the cover means to open the upper end of the container portion and so that the receiver portion is removeable from the sealed relationship with the cyclone for disposing of accumulated dirt separated from the airflow by the container and the cyclone.

4 more elements

a circular cross-sectioned cyclone having a longitudinal axis and mounted inside the container, the cyclone comprising a cyclone air inlet at an upper end having a first diameter of the cyclone in air communication with the air outlet of the container, an interior dirt rotational surface of frusto-conical shape for receiving an airflow from the air inlet and for maintaining its velocity to a cone opening smaller in diameter than the diameter of the upper end of the cyclone, the air inlet being oriented for supplying air tangentially to the surface and a cyclone air outlet communicating with the interior of the cyclone adjacent the upper end of the cyclone;
a dirt collecting receiver means extending from the cone opening;
and means for generating an airflow which passes through the dirty air inlet, the container, the cyclone air inlet, the cyclone, the receiver means and the cyclone air outlet, the airflow rotating around the frusto-conical interior surface of the cyclone and depositing the dirt in the receiver means, the improvement which comprises:
(a) a base means for the cleaning apparatus;
(b) a support means extending from the base means and supporting a cover means which supports the cyclone inside of the container and provides a closure for an upper end of the container;
and
(c) a liner means having a first, rigid portion providing the receiver and a second portion wherein the receiver portion has a first sidewall between opposed ends, one of which is open and sealed to the cyclone to provide for the dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone to accumulate in the receiver portion and wherein the second portion of the liner means has opposed ends defining a second sidewall between the ends, the second sidewall mounted along and around the longitudinal axis, inside of the interior surface of the container so that the second portion of the liner means collects dirt separated from the airflow by the container and extends to an open end of the second portion sealed at the upper end of the container, wherein the container holding the second portion, is removeable from the cover means and the receiver portion is removeable from the sealed relationship with the cyclone for disposing of accumulated dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone and the container.

4 more elements

A liner means for use in a cleaning apparatus including a container comprising a bottom and a sidewall extending to and meeting the bottom, the sidewall having an interior surface, a dirty air inlet at an upper portion of the container spaced from the bottom which is oriented for supplying dirt laden air into the container tangentially to the interior surface of the container which has a circular cross-section and an air outlet from the container at the upper portion of the container;

a circular cross-sectioned cyclone having a longitudinal axis and mounted inside the container, the cyclone comprising a cyclone air inlet at an upper end having a first diameter of the cyclone in air communication with the air outlet of the container, an interior dirt rotational surface of frusto-conical shape for receiving an airflow from the air inlet and for maintaining its velocity to a cone opening smaller in diameter than the diameter of the upper end of the cyclone, the air inlet being oriented for supplying air tangentially to the surface and a cyclone air outlet communicating with the interior of the cyclone adjacent the upper end of the cyclone;
a dirt collecting receiver means extending from the cone opening;
and means for generating an airflow which passes through the dirty air inlet, the container, the cyclone air inlet, the cyclone, the receiver means and the cyclone air outlet, the airflow rotating around the frusto-conical interior surface of the cyclone and depositing the dirt in the receiver means, the improvement which comprises:
the liner means to be mounted in the container and having a first, rigid portion providing the receiver and a second portion wherein the receiver portion has a first sidewall between opposed ends, one of which is open and in a sealed relationship with the cyclone to provide for the dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone to accumulate in the receiver portion and wherein the second portion of the liner means has opposed ends defining a second sidewall mounted along and around the longitudinal axis, inside of the interior surface of the container, with an end of the second portion adjacent to the bottom of the container forming a bottom for the receiver portion, and wherein the second portion of the liner means collects dirt separated from the airflow by the container and extends to an open end of the second portion sealed at the upper end of the container, wherein the container holding the second portion, is removeable from the cover means and the receiver portion is removeable from the sealed relationship with the cyclone for disposing of accumulated dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone and the container.

1 more element

A collection means for use in a cleaning apparatus including a container comprising a bottom and a sidewall extending to and meeting the bottom, the sidewall having an interior surface, a dirty air inlet at an upper portion of the container spaced form the bottom which is oriented for supplying dirt laden air into the container tangentially to the interior surface of the container which has a circular cross-section and an air outlet from the container at the upper portion of the container;

a circular cross-sectioned cyclone having a longitudinal axis and mounted inside the container, the cyclone comprising a cyclone air inlet at an upper end having a first diameter of the cyclone in air communication with the air outlet of the container, an interior dirt rotational surface of frusto-conical shape for receiving an airflow from the air inlet and for maintaining its velocity to a cone opening smaller in diameter than the diameter of the upper end of the cyclone, the air inlet being oriented for supplying air tangentially to the surface and a cyclone air outlet communicating with the interior of the cyclone adjacent the upper end of the cyclone;
a dirt collecting receiver means extending from the cone opening;
and means for generating an airflow which passes through the dirty air inlet, the container, the cyclone air inlet, the cyclone, the receiver means and the cyclone air outlet, the airflow rotating around the frusto-conical interior surface of the cyclone and depositing the dirt in the receiver means, the improvement which comprises:
the collection means comprising a first portion providing the receiver and a second portion providing the container, wherein the receiver portion has a first sidewall between opposed ends, one of which is open and sealed to the cyclone to provide for the dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone to accumulate in the receiver portion of the collection means and wherein the container portion has opposed ends defining a second sidewall between the ends, the second sidewall mounted along and around the longitudinal axis, with an end of the container portion forming a bottom for the receiver portion at an end opposite the open end of the receiver portion wherein the container portion extends to an upper end which is removeably mounted to the cover means to form a closure for the container portion so that the container portion is removeable from the cover means to open the upper end of the container portion and the open end of the receiver portion is removeable from the sealed relationship with the cyclone for disposing of accumulated dirt separated from the airflow by the container and the cyclone.

1 more element

a circular cross-sectioned cyclone having a longitudinal axis and mounted inside the container, the cyclone comprising a cyclone air inlet at an upper end having a first diameter of the cyclone in air communication with the air outlet of the container, an interior dirt rotational surface of frusto-conical shape for receiving an airflow from the air inlet and for maintaining its velocity to a cone opening smaller in diameter than the diameter of the upper end of the cyclone, the air inlet being oriented for supplying air tangentially to the surface and a cyclone air outlet communicating with the interior of the cyclone adjacent the upper end of the cyclone;
a dirt collecting receiver means extending from the cone opening;
and means for generating an airflow which passes through the dirty air inlet, the container, the cyclone air inlet, the cyclone, the receiver means and the cyclone air outlet, the airflow rotating around the frusto-conical interior surface of the cyclone and depositing the dirt in the receiver means, the improvement which comprises:
(a) a cover means supporting the cyclone and providing a closure for an upper end of the container, and with the receiver positioned between the container and the cyclone;
and
(b) a liner means having a first, rigid portion providing the receiver and a second portion mounted in the container wherein the receiver portion has a first sidewall between opposed ends, one of which is open and sealed to the cyclone to provide for the dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone to accumulate in the receiver portion and wherein the container portion of the liner means has opposed ends defining a second sidewall between the ends, the second sidewall mounted along and around the longitudinal axis, inside of the interior surface of the container with a first end of the container portion providing a closure for an opposed end of the receiver portion adjacent to the bottom of the container, and wherein a second, open end of the container portion lays over the upper end of the container so that when the cyclone is positioned inside of the container, the section of the container portion of the liner means laying over the upper end of the container is provided between the container and the cover means to seal the upper end of the container, wherein the cover means and the cyclone secure the receiver portion and the container portion inside the container with the receiver portion collecting dirt separated from the airflow by the cyclone and with the container portion collecting dirt separated from the airflow by the container, wherein the cover means and the cyclone are removeable from the container so that the liner means can be moved out of the container for removing the collected dirt from the vacuum cleaning apparatus.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/838,860Filed 21 Feb 1992 · continuation in part
Priority: 21 Sep 1990
Granted: 8 Sep 1992
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

A47L 9/1633
For series flow: concentric cyclones
A47L 9/1418
Bags or the like; Rigid filtering receptacles; Attachment of, or closures for, bags or receptacles: impermeable dust collecting bags
A47L 9/165
Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action: construction of inlets
Y10S 55/02
Gas separation: vacuum cleaner bags