Vacuum cleaner

#This application claims priority of EP Patent Application No. EP 11 184 803.2 filed Oct. 12, 2011, the contents thereof to be incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

#The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner.

#Vacuum cleaners are well known for collecting dust and dirt, although wet-and-dry variants which can also collect liquids are known as well. Typically, vacuum cleaners are intended for use in a domestic environment, although they also find uses in other environments, such as worksites or in the garden. Generally, they are electrically powered and therefore comprise an electric motor and a fan connected to an output shaft of the motor, an inlet for dirty air, an outlet for clean air and a collection chamber for dust, dirt and possibly also liquids. Electrical power for the motor may be provided by a source of mains electricity, in which case the vacuum cleaner will further comprise an electrical power cable, by a removable and replaceable battery pack, or by one or more in-built rechargeable cells, in which case the vacuum cleaner will further comprise some means, such as a jack plug or electrical contacts, for connecting the vacuum cleaner to a recharging unit. When the vacuum cleaner is provided with electrical power from one of these sources, the electric motor drives the fan to draw dirty air along an air flow pathway in through the dirty air inlet, via the collection chamber to the clean air outlet. The fan is often a centrifugal fan, although it can be an impeller or a propeller.

#Further features and advantages of the present invention will be better understood by reference to the following description, which is given by way of example and in association with the accompanying drawings, in which:

#FIG. 1 shows perspective view of a first embodiment of a hand-held vacuum cleaner with a motor, fan and cyclonic separation apparatus arrangement;

#FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal cross-section of the motor, fan and cyclonic separation apparatus arrangement of FIG. 1;

#Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown first embodiment of a hand-held vacuum cleaner 2 comprising a main body 4, a handle 6 connected to the main body, a cyclonic separation apparatus 8 mounted transverse across the main body, and a dirty air duct 10 with a dirty air inlet 12 at one end. The vacuum cleaner comprises a motor coupled to a fan for generating air flow through the vacuum cleaner and rechargeable cells (not shown) to energise the motor when electrically coupled by an on/off switch 14.

#Referring to FIGS. 2 to 8, there is shown an arrangement comprising the motor 16, the fan 18 and the cyclonic separation apparatus 8. The motor has a drive shaft 20 with a central axis 21. The fan is a centrifugal fan 18 with an axial input 22 facing the motor and a tangential output 24. The fan has a diameter of 68 mm. The fan is mounted upon the drive shaft at the top of the motor. In use, the motor drives the fan to generate air flow through the cyclonic separation apparatus, as will be described in more detail below. A small portion of the drive shaft 20 protrudes from the bottom of the motor 16. A second fan, comprising a paddle wheel 26, is mounted upon the drive shaft 20 at the bottom of the motor. The motor and the paddle wheel are clad in a cylindrical outer body of the motor, which is often referred to as a “motor can”. In use, the motor turns the paddle wheel to circulate and augment air flow inside the motor can and about the bottom of the motor.

#The motor 16 and the fan 18 are housed in a motor fan housing 27 comprising a generally cylindrical body portion 28 enclosing the motor and a generally circular head portion 29 enclosing the fan. The head portion 29 has a larger diameter than the body portion 28. The motor fan housing 27 comprises a perforated end cap 30 mounted upon the head portion on the opposite side to the body portion. The end cap 30 protects the fan. The end cap has a circular array of perforations 36 near where air flow is expelled from the fan. The head portion acts as a baffle to direct air flow from the fan and out the perforations. The body portion has an array of bottom slots 32 around the bottom of the motor and an array of top slots 34 about where the drive shaft 20 protrudes from the top of the motor.