Patent ID: 8973215
Filing Date: 2015-03-10
Classification: A47L

Abstract:
1. A vacuum cleaner operable to separate debris from an air stream, the vacuum cleaner comprising: a first housing having an upper end, a lower end, a first longitudinal axis, and an inner wall that surrounds the first longitudinal axis, and the inner wall at least partially defines a first cyclonic separator having an inlet configured to receive the air stream; a second housing located at least partially within the first housing, the second housing including a second longitudinal axis and an inner wall that surrounds the second longitudinal axis, and the inner wall of the second housing at least partially defines a second cyclonic separator having an inlet configured to receive the air stream from the first cyclonic separator, the inlet of the second cyclonic separator having opposed upper and lower ends along the second longitudinal axis; a dirt cup in fluid communication with the first and second cyclonic separators, the dirt cup configured to receive the debris separated from the air stream by the first and second cyclonic separators; and a vane that extends around the second longitudinal axis located within the inlet of the second cyclonic separator, wherein the inlet of the second cyclonic separator directs the air steam in an inlet flow direction from the upper end of the first housing toward the lower end of the first housing and along the second longitudinal axis into the second cyclonic separator, wherein the inlet of the second cyclonic separator has an inlet cross-sectional area for flow of the air stream measured normal to the second longitudinal axis that gradually decreases in a direction from the upper end of the inlet to the lower end of the inlet, wherein the inlet of the second cyclonic separator includes an inner wall that direct the air stream in the inlet flow direction and surrounds the second longitudinal axis and an outer wall that directs the air steam in the inlet flow direction and surrounds the inner wall of the inlet for the second cyclonic separator, wherein the inlet cross-sectional area extends from the inner wall of the inlet to the outer wall of the inlet such that the inlet cross-sectional area is an annular area, and wherein the vane is a first vane, the vacuum cleaner further comprising a second vane that extends around the second longitudinal axis and in the inlet flow direction located within the inlet of the second cyclonic separator adjacent the first vane, and wherein a thickness of the first vane is measured around the second longitudinal axis and normal to the second longitudinal axis, and wherein the thickness of the first vane increases in the inlet flow direction to decrease the inlet cross-sectional area for the flow of the air stream in the inlet flow direction.