FIELD

The specification relates to surface cleaning apparatus. In a preferred embodiment, the surface cleaning apparatus comprises a portable surface cleaning apparatus, such as a hand vacuum cleaner.

INTRODUCTION

The following is not an admission that anything discussed below is part of the prior art or part of the common general knowledge of a person skilled in the art.

Various types of surface cleaning apparatus are known. Surface cleaning apparatus include vacuum cleaners. Currently, a vacuum cleaner typically uses at least one cyclonic cleaning stage. More recently, cyclonic hand vacuum cleaners have been developed. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 7,931,716 and US 2010/0229328. Each of these discloses a hand vacuum cleaner which includes a cyclonic cleaning stage. U.S. Pat. No. 7,931,716 discloses a cyclonic cleaning stage utilizing two cyclonic cleaning stages wherein both cyclonic stages have cyclone axis of rotation that extends vertically. US 2010/0229328 discloses a cyclonic hand vacuum cleaner wherein the cyclone axis of rotation extends horizontally and is co-axial with the suction motor. In addition, hand carriable cyclonic vacuum cleaners are also known (see U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,146,201 and 8,549,703).

SUMMARY

This summary is intended to introduce the reader to the more detailed description that follows and not to limit or define any claimed or as yet unclaimed invention. One or more inventions may reside in any combination or sub-combination of the elements or process steps disclosed in any part of this document including its claims and figures.

In accordance with one aspect of this disclosure, a surface cleaning apparatus has a cyclone chamber and a porous member through which air travels as it exits the cyclone chamber (i.e., the porous member is at the interface of the cyclone chamber and the cyclone chamber outlet conduit). The porous member may be a screen or shroud and may be referred to herein as a screen member. The cyclone chamber has an air inlet at the first end and an air outlet at the opposed second end. The screen member, which may be tapered, may extend from the second end (the air outlet end) to the first end (the air inlet end). If the cyclone air inlet is provided inside the cyclone chamber, then the screen member may extend to a position adjacent (e.g., within 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 or 0.125 inches) of the end of the tangential inlet closest to the outlet end of the cyclone chamber. If the cyclone air inlet is external to the cyclone chamber and terminates at an inlet port in the cyclone chamber sidewall located at the first end of the cyclone chamber, then the screen member may extend to a position adjacent (e.g., within 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 or 0.125 inches) of the first end of the cyclone chamber or, alternately, adjacent (e.g., within 0.01, 0.05, 0.1 or 0.125 inches) the end of the inlet port closest to the outlet end of the cyclone chamber. An advantage of this design is that the surface area of the screen member may be increased while providing a cyclone with good separation efficiency. A tapered screen member may reduce the volume of dirt that is collected on the portion of the screen member located at the inlet end of the cyclone chamber as there may be a larger gap between the screen member and the cyclone chamber sidewall near to the cyclone chamber inlet. This may encourage larger dirt and debris to be collected at the inlet end of the cyclone chamber.

In accordance with this embodiment, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus comprising an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with a cyclone and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the cyclone comprising:(a) a cyclone chamber having a longitudinally extending cyclone axis of rotation, a first end, an opposed end spaced apart in a longitudinal axial direction from the first end, a tangential air inlet located at the first end, a cyclone air outlet located at the opposed end, a dirt outlet and a tapered screen member; and,(b) a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber and in communication with the cyclone chamber via the dirt outlet, the dirt collection chamber extending around at least 50% of an outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber,wherein the tangential inlet has an inlet width extending in the longitudinal axial direction from a first side to a second side spaced apart in a longitudinal axial direction from the first side wherein the second side of the tangential inlet is axially inwardly closer (e.g., rearwardly) to the opposed end than the first side of the tangential inlet is to the opposed end, andwherein the screen member has an outlet end located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and extends to distal screen end located adjacent the second side of the tangential inlet, the screen member tapers from the outlet end of the screen member to the distal screen end.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least 75% of the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least 85% of the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may be annular.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may comprise first and second discrete dirt collection chambers, and the cyclone chamber dirt outlet may comprise first and second dirt outlets, each of the first and second discrete dirt collection chambers may extend part way around the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber, the first discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the first dirt outlet and the second discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the second dirt outlet.

In some embodiments, the tangential air inlet may comprise a conduit located interior the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.01-0.75 inches axially inwardly from the second side of the tangential inlet.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.05-0.375 inches axially inwardly from the second side of the tangential inlet.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member terminates axially outwardly (e.g., forwardly) from the second side of the tangential inlet and a portion of the screen axially outwardly of the second side of the tangential inlet is solid.

In some embodiments, the screen member may have a non-porous portion at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the dirt outlet may be located radially outwardly of the non-porous portion.

In some embodiments, the second side of the tangential inlet may comprise a wall that is generally located in a plane that is transverse to the longitudinal axis.

In some embodiments, the second side of the tangential inlet may be a wall that is located in a plane that is generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.

In some embodiments, the cyclone chamber may have a cyclone chamber sidewall extending from the first end of the cyclone chamber to the dirt outlet and the cyclone chamber sidewall may have a radial width and the radial width narrows at a location between the second side of the tangential inlet and the opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

In accordance with this aspect, there is also provided a surface cleaning apparatus comprising an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with a cyclone and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the cyclone comprising:(a) a cyclone chamber having a longitudinally extending cyclone axis of rotation, a first end, an opposed end spaced apart in a longitudinal axial direction from the first end, a tangential air inlet located at the first end, a cyclone air outlet located at the opposed end, a dirt outlet and a tapered screen member, the tangential air inlet terminating at an inlet port provided on a longitudinally extending sidewall of the cyclone chamber; and,(b) a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber and in communication with the cyclone chamber via the dirt outlet, the dirt collection chamber extending around at least 50% of an outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber,wherein the screen member has an outlet end located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and extends to distal screen end located adjacent the first end of the cyclone chamber, the screen member tapers from the outlet end of the screen member to the distal screen end.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least 75% of the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least 85% of the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may be annular.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may comprise first and second discrete dirt collection chambers, and the cyclone chamber dirt outlet may comprise first and second dirt outlets, each of the first and second discrete dirt collection chambers may extend part way around the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber, the first discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the first dirt outlet and the second discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the second dirt outlet.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.01-0.75 inches from the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.05-0.375 inches from the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the screen member may have a non-porous portion at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the dirt outlet is located radially outwardly of the non-porous portion.

In another aspect of this disclosure, a surface cleaning apparatus is provided with a cyclone chamber which has a dirt outlet provided by a port or opening in the cyclone chamber sidewall at a location between the first and second ends of the cyclone chamber sidewall. The port may extend part way or all the way around the cyclone chamber sidewall. This may encourage finer dirt to in the dirt collection chamber regardless of the orientation of the surface cleaning apparatus, while coarser dirt collects in the cyclone chamber.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus comprising an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with a cyclone and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the cyclone comprising:(c) a cyclone chamber having a longitudinally extending cyclone axis of rotation, a first end, an opposed end spaced apart in a longitudinal axial direction from the first end, a cyclone chamber sidewall, a cyclone air inlet located at the first end, a cyclone air outlet located at the opposed end, a dirt outlet and a screen member; and,(d) a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber and in communication with the cyclone chamber via the dirt outlet,wherein the cyclone chamber sidewall has a first end and a second end spaced apart in a longitudinal axial direction from the first end of the sidewall, wherein the dirt outlet is provided between the first and second ends of the sidewall.

In some embodiments, the second end of the sidewall may be located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the screen member may have a porous portion and the dirt outlet is located radially outwardly of the porous portion.

In some embodiments, the cyclone chamber sidewall may have a radial width and the radial width may narrow at a location between the first end and the opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the cyclone air inlet may be a tangential inlet having an inlet width extending in the longitudinal axial direction from a first side to a second side spaced apart in the longitudinal axial direction from the first side wherein the second side of the tangential inlet maybe closer to the opposed end of the cyclone chamber than the first side of the tangential inlet is to the opposed end, and the radial width may narrow at a location between the second side of the tangential inlet and the opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, at least one of the first end of the cyclone chamber and the opposed end of the cyclone chamber maybe an openable end of the cyclone chamber that is moveable between a closed position and an open position and a portion of the sidewall is moveable with the openable end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the first end may be the openable end, a first portion of the sidewall may extend from the first end to the dirt outlet and the first portion may be moveable with the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, a second portion of the sidewall may extend from the opposed end to the dirt outlet and the second portion may be secured to a radial outer wall of the dirt collection chamber.

In some embodiments, the opposed end may be the openable end, a second portion of the sidewall may extend from the opposed end to the dirt outlet and the second portion and the screen member may be moveable with the opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, a first portion of the sidewall may extend from the first end to the dirt outlet and the first portion may be secured to a radial outer wall of the dirt collection chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber and the cyclone chamber may be eccentrically positioned with respect to the dirt collection chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least 85% of the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may be annular.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may comprise first and second discrete dirt collection chambers, and the cyclone chamber dirt outlet may comprise first and second dirt outlets, each of the first and second discrete dirt collection chambers may extend part way around the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber, the first discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the first dirt outlet and the second discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the second dirt outlet.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may have a radial outer wall and the radial outer wall is non-circular.

In some embodiments, the cyclone air inlet may be a tangential inlet having a conduit portion interior the cyclone chamber and the screen member may have an outlet end located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the screen member may extend to distal screen end located adjacent an axially inner side of the inlet conduit.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.01-0.75 inches axially inwardly from the second side of the tangential inlet.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member terminates axially outwardly (e.g., forwardly) from the second side of the tangential inlet and a portion of the screen axially outwardly of the second side of the tangential inlet is solid.

In some embodiments, the cyclone air inlet may be a tangential air inlet terminating at an inlet port provided on the cyclone chamber sidewall and the screen member may have an outlet end located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the screen member may extend to distal screen end located adjacent the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.01-0.75 inches from the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In another aspect of this disclosure, a surface cleaning apparatus is provided with a cyclone chamber and a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber. The cyclone chamber has an inlet end and an axially spaced apart (opposed) outlet end. The dirt collection chamber has a downstream end spaced axially inward from the outlet end of the cyclone chamber. The cyclone chamber has a dirt outlet provided by a port or opening in the cyclone chamber sidewall. The port may extend part way or all the way around the cyclone chamber sidewall. This may encourage finer dirt to in the dirt collection chamber regardless of the orientation of the surface cleaning apparatus, while coarser dirt collects in the cyclone chamber.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus comprising an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with a cyclone and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the cyclone comprising:(e) a cyclone chamber having a longitudinally extending cyclone axis of rotation, a first end, an opposed end spaced apart in a longitudinal axial direction from the first end, a cyclone chamber sidewall, a cyclone air inlet located at the first end, a cyclone air outlet located at the opposed end, a dirt outlet and a screen member; and,(f) a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber and in communication with the cyclone chamber via the dirt outlet,wherein the dirt collection chamber has first and second axially opposed ends, the second end of the dirt collection chamber is located closer to the opposed end of the cyclone chamber than the first end of the dirt collection chamber is to the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the second end of the dirt collection chamber has a second end wall that is spaced axially inwardly from the opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the first end of the dirt collection chamber may be located at the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the screen member may have a porous portion and the dirt outlet is located radially outwardly of the porous portion.

In some embodiments, the cyclone chamber sidewall may have a radial width and the radial width widens at the second end of the dirt collection chamber.

In some embodiments, the cyclone air inlet may be a tangential inlet having an inlet width extending in the longitudinal axial direction from a first side to a second side spaced apart in the longitudinal axial direction from the first side wherein the second side of the tangential inlet may be closer to the opposed end of the cyclone chamber than the first side of the tangential inlet is to the opposed end, and the radial width may widen at a location between the second side of the tangential inlet and the opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the first end of the cyclone chamber may be an openable end of the cyclone chamber that is moveable between a closed position and an open position and a portion of the sidewall may be moveable with the openable end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, a first portion of the sidewall may extend from the first end to the dirt outlet and the first portion may be moveable with the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the second end wall may be secured to the cyclone chamber sidewall.

In some embodiments, the second end wall may extend in a plane that is generally transverse to the longitudinal axis.

In some embodiments, the second end wall may extend from the cyclone chamber sidewall inwardly and longitudinally towards the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least a portion of an outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber and the cyclone chamber may be eccentrically positioned with respect to the dirt collection chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least 85% of the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may be annular.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may comprise first and second discrete dirt collection chambers, and the cyclone chamber dirt outlet may comprise first and second dirt outlets, each of the first and second discrete dirt collection chambers may extend part way around the outer perimeter of the cyclone chamber, the first discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the first dirt outlet and the second discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the second dirt outlet.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may have a radial outer wall and the radial outer wall is non-circular.

In some embodiments, the cyclone air inlet may be a tangential inlet having a conduit portion interior the cyclone chamber and the screen member may have an outlet end located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the screen member may extend to distal screen end located adjacent an axially inner side of the inlet conduit.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.01-0.75 inches from the second side of the tangential inlet.

In some embodiments, the cyclone air inlet may be a tangential air inlet terminating at an inlet port provided on the cyclone chamber sidewall and the screen member may have an outlet end located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the screen member may extend to distal screen end located adjacent the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.01-0.75 inches from the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In an aspect of this disclosure, a surface cleaning apparatus may be provided with a cyclone chamber having a screen member and a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber with a dirt outlet of the cyclone chamber positioned in an upstream end wall of the dirt collection chamber. This may help prevent separated dirt from becoming re-entrained in the air swirling in the cyclone chamber.

In accordance with this aspect, there is provided a surface cleaning apparatus comprising an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet with a cyclone and a suction motor positioned in the air flow path, the cyclone comprising:(g) a cyclone chamber having a longitudinally extending cyclone axis of rotation, a first end, an opposed end spaced apart in a longitudinal axial direction from the first end, a cyclone chamber sidewall, a cyclone air inlet located at the first end, a cyclone air outlet located at the opposed end, a dirt outlet and a screen member; and,(h) a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber and in communication with the cyclone chamber via the dirt outlet,wherein the dirt collection chamber has first and second axially opposed ends, the second end of the dirt collection chamber is located closer to the opposed end of the cyclone chamber than the first end of the dirt collection chamber is to the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the first end of the dirt collection chamber has a first end wall that is spaced axially inwardly from the opposed end of the cyclone chamber, and the dirt outlet is provided in the first end wall.

In some embodiments, the dirt outlet may be provided between a radial outer end of the first end wall and the cyclone chamber sidewall.

In some embodiments, the screen member may have a non-porous portion at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber may be located radially outwardly of the non-porous portion.

In some embodiments, the screen member may have a non-porous portion at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the dirt outlet may be located radially outwardly of the non-porous portion.

In some embodiments, the opposed end of the cyclone chamber may be an openable end of the cyclone chamber that is moveable between a closed position and an open position and the first end wall may be moveable with the openable end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the screen member may be moveable with the opposed end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the screen member may have a porous portion and the porous portion is secured to the cyclone chamber sidewall.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least a portion of the screen member and the dirt outlet may be provided at an axially inward end of all portions of the dirt collection chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least 85% of the screen member.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may extend around at least a portion of the screen member and the dirt outlet may be provided at an axially inward end of all portions of the dirt collection chamber.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may be annular.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may comprise first and second discrete dirt collection chambers, and the cyclone chamber dirt outlet may comprise first and second dirt outlets, each of the first and second discrete dirt collection chambers may extend part way around the outer perimeter of the screen member, the first discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the first dirt outlet and the second discrete dirt collection chamber is in communication with the cyclone chamber via the second dirt outlet.

In some embodiments, the dirt collection chamber may have a radial outer wall and the radial outer wall is non-circular.

In some embodiments, the cyclone air inlet may be a tangential inlet having a conduit portion interior the cyclone chamber and the screen member may have an outlet end located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the screen member may extend to distal screen end located adjacent an axially inner side of the inlet conduit.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.01-0.75 inches from the second side of the tangential inlet.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.05-0.375 inches from the second side of the tangential inlet.

In some embodiments, the cyclone air inlet may be a tangential air inlet terminating at an inlet port provided on the cyclone chamber sidewall and the screen member may have an outlet end located at the opposed end of the cyclone chamber and the screen member may extend to distal screen end located adjacent the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.01-0.75 inches from the first end of the cyclone chamber.

In some embodiments, the distal end of the screen member may terminate 0.05-0.375 inches from the second side of the tangential inlet.

It will be appreciated that the aspects and embodiments may be used in any combination or sub-combination.

