Patent Publication Number: US-2004040270-A1

Title: Cyclonic vacuum cleaner

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001] a) Field of the Invention  
       [0002] The present invention relates to a cyclonic vacuum cleaner, particularly to the one including double cyclones for collecting dusts.  
       [0003] b) Prior Art  
       [0004] Conventional cyclonic cleaners, of this type, are disclosed for example in Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No. 7-22186 and in Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 6-85753. The former conventional cyclonic vacuum cleaner comprises: an outer cyclone (outer cylinder); an inner cyclone (inner cylinder) provided inside the outer cyclone; a dust-laden air suction opening; a first connection hose for connecting the dust-laden air suction opening to a top of the outer cyclone; a second connection hose for connecting the top of the outer cyclone with the inner cyclone; and an inhaling fan (fan device) which is connected to the inner cyclone via a third connection hose. The latter conventional cyclonic vacuum cleaner comprises: an inner cyclone (inner cylinder) attached to a head; an outer cyclone (outer cylinder) attached to the head in a manner that covers the inner cyclone; a through-type inlet passage (outer vortex flow generating means) provided on a side of the head; and an inlet scroll (inner vortex flow generating means) provided on a top of the inner cyclone.  
       [0005] However, the former cyclonic vacuum cleaner has a drawback that the number of components is too many as the dust-laden air suction opening, the outer and inner cyclones and the inhaling fan thereof are connected to one another by as many as three connection hoses. The latter cyclonic vacuum cleaner also has drawbacks that the maintenance works for both cyclones (e.g., cleaning of the inside thereof) are difficult as both the inlet scroll and the inner cyclone are fixed to the head, and that many parts of the cleaner need packing as the through-type inlet passage, an opening of the outer cyclone and a cleaned air exhausting passage are distant from one another. Further, if the cyclonic vacuum cleaners are so structured that they are able to be disassembled in order to improve the convenience in cleaning the same, yet more parts thereof would then need packing, thus leading to the likelihood of the number of components inclusive of such packing being increased.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] To eliminate the above problems, it is a main object of the invention to provide a cyclonic vacuum cleaner of which the number of components is small enough to perform maintenance works easily.  
       [0007] It is another object of the invention to provide a cyclonic vacuum cleaner which has fewer parts that need packing so that the leak of airflow can be prevented as much as possible.  
       [0008] To attain the above objects, there is provided from a first aspect of the invention, a cyclonic vacuum cleaner which comprises: a cleaner body, including an attachment portion; a fan unit provided in the cleaner body; an outer cylinder attached to the cleaner body; an inner cylinder provided inside the outer cylinder; and a vortex flow generating means for generating a vortex flow in said outer and inner cylinders, wherein said inner cylinder and vortex flow generating means are provided detachably from said outer cylinder, while these outer cylinder, inner cylinder and vortex flow generating means are provided detachably from said attachment portion, and wherein said vortex flow generating means is formed integrally with an outer vortex flow generating portion for introducing air from above to generate a vortex flow and then guiding the vortex flow into said outer cylinder and an inner vortex flow generating portion for introducing air from below to generate a vortex flow and then guiding the vortex flow into said inner cylinder.  
       [0009] According to the first aspect of the invention, when the fan unit is actuated after attaching the inner cylinder and the vortex flow generating means that is formed integrally with the inner and outer vortex flow generating portions to the inside of the outer cylinder, and attaching these outer cylinder, inner cylinder and vortex flow generating means to the cleaner body, a vortex flow is generated by the outer vortex flow generating portion. The vortex flow thus generated is allowed to fall helically along the peripheral inner surface of the outer cylinder, thereby removing dusts therefrom, due to a centrifugal force. Thereafter, the vortex flow is turned upwardly, rising helically along the peripheral outer surface of the inner cylinder to reach the vortex flow generating means. Then, a vortex flow is generated by the aforesaid inner vortex flow generating portion, falling down helically along the peripheral inner surface of the inner cylinder, and thus the remaining dusts are removed due to a centrifugal force. On the other and, after the cleaner is used, the outer cylinder is removed from the cleaner body, and then the vortex flow generating means and the inner cylinder are removed from the outer cylinder, thus enabling the maintenance of these components.  
       [0010] According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a cyclonic vacuum cleaner of the first aspect, further comprising: a suction opening formed in said attachment portion for allowing the airflow generated by the fan unit to flow therethrough; a first packing provided around the suction opening; a connecting portion provided in said vortex flow generating means, said connecting portion communicating with said suction opening; a second packing provided in an outer periphery of an upper portion of said vortex flow generating means, wherein said vortex flow generating means is attached to the neighborhood of an opening of said outer cylinder, and wherein said first packing is abutted against the connecting portion, while the second packing is abutted against both an inner surface of an opening of said outer cylinder and said attachment portion simultaneously.  
       [0011] Accordingly, a gap between the surrounding of the suction opening and the connecting portion is sealed by the first packing, while a gap between the vortex flow generating means and the outer cylinder as well as a gap between the attachment portion and the outer cylinder are sealed by the second packing simultaneously.  
       [0012] According to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a cyclonic vacuum cleaner of the first aspect, in which said inner cylinder is integrally formed with said vortex flow generating means.  
       [0013] Accordingly, the vortex flow generated in the outer vortex flow generating portion is prevented from entering the inner cylinder, while the vortex flow generated in the inner vortex flow generating portion is prevented from entering the outer cylinder. Further, the inner cylinder and the vortex flow generating means can be detached from the outer cylinder simultaneously. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014] Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings, of which:  
     [0015]FIG. 1 is a section of a cleaner body of a cyclonic vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the invention.  
     [0016]FIG. 2 is a section taken along A-A line of FIG. 1.  
     [0017]FIG. 3 is a front view showing the cleaner body of FIG. 1.  
     [0018]FIG. 4 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing a dust collecting container of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.  
     [0019]FIG. 5 is another partially cutaway perspective view showing the dust collecting container of FIG. 1, as viewed from the opposite direction.  
     [0020]FIG. 6 is a plan section of a holder portion of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.  
     [0021]FIG. 7 is a section taken along B-B line of FIG. 6.  
     [0022]FIG. 8 is a section of a filter case of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1.  
     [0023]FIG. 9 is a section illustrating how the dust collecting container is attached. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
     [0024] Hereinafter are described preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to FIGS. 1 through 9, in which front or back, top or bottom of the apparatus is defined, based on the posture illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3. In FIGS. 1 through 9, reference numeral  1  designates a cleaner body which comprises an electric motor  2  and a fan  3  mounted to the rotational shaft of the electric motor  2  provided in a bottom portion of the inside of the cleaner body  1 , thereby constructing a fan unit  4 .  
     [0025] The rear side of the cleaner body  1  is integrally formed with a projecting portion  6  which includes a suction tube  5  thereinside. A suction unit  8  with a dust-laden air suction opening  7  is removably provided at the lower end of the suction tube  5 . A holder  9 , serving as an attachment portion, is provided in a lower opening  1 A of the cleaner body  1 . The holder  9  comprises a bottom plate  10 , outside and inside guide walls  11  and  12  which are protruded therefrom, and a guiding duct  13  which extends tangentially with respect to each of the guide walls  11  and  12 . The guiding duct  13  is connected to the suction tube  5  so as to guide the air sucked from the suction tube  5  to a hereinafter described vortex flow generating means. The guiding duct  13  is formed with an inclined guiding plate  14  and a top guiding plate  15  communicating therewith, thereby forming an air path  16  for guiding the air from the suction tube  5  into the inside of the cleaner. The outer peripheral surface of the outside guide wall  11  is formed with a collar  11 A, said collar  11 A being fitted into a groove  17  formed on the inside peripheral surface of the lower opening  1 A, thereby attaching the holder  9  to the cleaner body  1 .  
     [0026] By attaching the holder  9  to the cleaner body  1  this way, the lower opening  1 A of the cleaner body  1  is closed by the bottom plate  10  of the holder  9 . However, the cleaner body  1  is allowed to communicate the outside thereof with the inside thereof through a suction opening  20  defined by the inside guide wall  12 . Then, into the inside of the inside guide wall  12  that defines the said suction hole  20  is inserted a guide member  19 A protruding from the peripheral edge of an air suction hole  19  of the cleaner body  1 , so that the airflow by the fan unit  4  is allowed to flow through the inside of the inside guide wall  12 . Also, the peripheral inner surface of the inside guide wall  12  is formed with a partition plate  12 A, said partition plate  12 A being horizontal, located below a lower end of the guide member  19 A, including a suction hole  20 A with a first packing  40  of a U-shaped cross section being fitted therein. The first packing  40  has such a U-shaped cross section that it closely contacts the peripheral outer surface of a small cylindrical portion  19 B which is integrally fixed to the distal end of the aforesaid guide member  19 A, while the rear side thereof is integrally formed with a fin-shaped packing  40 A for close contact with a hereinafter described a filter case.  
     [0027] Reference numeral  23  designates a dust collecting container attached to a lower surface of the cleaner body  1 , comprising a double cyclone structure consisting of an outer cyclonic cylinder  21  and an inner cyclonic cylinder  22 . The outside surface of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  is integrally formed with a handle  21 A, said handle  21 A having a hook  24  integrally formed on a distal end thereof, while an outside peripheral portion of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  is integrally formed at its lower portion with a frame-shaped locker protrusion  25 . Also, the cleaner body  1  includes a locking portion  27  for locking the locker protrusion  25 , said locker portion  27  being formed in a recess  26  of said projecting portion  6 , while a hook stop  28  for hooking the hook  24  thereon is formed at a lower portion of the cleaner body  1 .  
     [0028] The said inner cyclonic cylinder  22  has substantially short frustoconical shape that tapers toward the distal end thereof, having a vortex flow generating member  30  formed integrally with a bottom portion thereof. The vortex flow generating member  30  comprises a skirt  31  of which the diameter is the same as that of the outside guide wall  11  of said holder  9 . The skirt  31  is integrally formed with an outer vortex flow generating portion  32  for introducing air from above, i.e., from the said holder  9  side to generate a vortex flow and then guiding the vortex flow thus generated into the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 ; and an inner vortex flow generating portion  33  for introducing air from below, i.e., from the bottom of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  to generate a vortex flow and then guiding the vortex flow thus generated into the inside of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 .  
     [0029] As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  includes a pair of air guides  35 ,  36  which are inclined so as to communicate with the air path  16  of the said guiding duct  13 . On the other hand, the inner vortex flow generating portion  33  comprises an airflow guiding wall  38  which is gently curved from the skirt  31  toward the center thereof so as to guide the air introduced from an air vent  37  formed in a bottom  31 A of the skirt  31  to a hereinafter described filter case, as illustrated in FIG. 8. Further, the peripheral outer surface of the skirt  31  is formed with vertically paired flanges  42  for attaching a second packing  41  and a positioning lug  44  which is anchored by a step  43  formed on the inner surface of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 . The upper surface of the second packing  41  is integrally formed with a fin-shaped packing  41 A for closely contacting the peripheral surface of the lower end of the cleaner body  1 .  
     [0030] Reference numeral  46  designates a filter case for attaching a mesh filter  45  thereto, said filter case  46  being detachably attached to the inside of the skirt  31 . The filter case  46  is shaped like an inverted cup which is provided by integrally extending a cylindrical portion  48  from the perimeter of a bottom plate  47  provided for attaching the mesh filter  45 , in a manner surrounding the mesh filter  45 . The peripheral outer surface of the lower end of the cylindrical portion  48  is formed with a male thread  49 A which is screwed into a female thread  49  which is formed on a peripheral inner surface of the upper end of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 .  
     [0031] When the filter case  46  is attached to the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  through the screw fastening between the male and female threads  49  and  49 A, the opening of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is occupied by the filter case  46 , while the cylindrical portion  48  of the filter case  46  is surrounded by the skirt  31  of the vortex flow generating member  30 . Thus, an air intake opening  50  formed in the cylindrical portion  48  is substantially aligned with the airflow guiding wall  38  of the aforesaid inner vortex flow generating portion  33 .  
     [0032] The cylindrical portion  48  of the filter case  46  defines substantially the same diameter as that of the aforesaid inner guide wall  12  of the holder  9 , so that the cylindrical portion  48  of the filter case  46  is substantially aligned with the inner guide wall  12  of the holder  9  with the filter case  46  being fixed to the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 , while the bottom plate  47  of the filter case  46  is allowed to abut to the periphery of the opening of the lower end of the suction opening  20  defined by the inner guide wall  12 . In the center of the bottom plate  47  (of the filter case  46 ) is formed an attachment hole  52  for fixing the mesh filter  45 . The inside of the filter case  46  and the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is allowed to communicate with the air suction hole  19  of the cleaner body  1 , through this attachment hole  52  and the aforesaid suction opening  20 . A cylindrical portion  55 , serving as a connecting portion, is provided so as to integrally extend upwardly from the perimeter of the attachment hole  52 , said cylindrical portion  55  including a collar  55 A protruding in the radial direction at a distal end thereof. The collar  55 A is closely contacted by the fin-shaped pacing  40 A of the first packing  40  attached to the suction hole  20 A of the aforesaid partition plate  12 A.  
     [0033] Reference numeral  65  designates an extension cylindrical body connected in series with the distal end of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 . The extension cylindrical body  65  is first expanded moderately from the distal end of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 , and then extends vertically downwardly until it almost reaches a bottom of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 . The bottom of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  is formed integrally with an annular peripheral wall  66  in a manner that surrounds the distal end of the extension cylindrical body  65 , while a flange  67  contacted by a peripheral inner surface of the annular peripheral wall  66  is formed on a peripheral outer surface of the distal end of the extension cylindrical body  65 . In the meantime, reference numeral  68  designates a stick-like handle, which is pivotably connected with the cleaner body  1 , while reference numeral  69  designates a charging stand, supporting the cleaner body  1 .  
     [0034] Next, the action of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner of the embodiment will be described. The holder  9  is fixedly fitted in the opening  1 A of the cleaner body  1 , while the first packing  40  fitted in the suction hole  20 A of the holder  9  is brought into close contact with the small cylindrical portion  19 B of the guide member  19 A which protrudes from the air suction hole  19  of the cleaner body  1 , thereby sealing the peripheral edge of the suction hole  20 A provided for allowing the airflow generated by the fan unit  4  to flow therethrough. The guiding duct  13  of the holder  9  is connected to the suction tube  5 .  
     [0035] Initially when using the cyclonic vacuum cleaner of the embodiment, the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is attached to the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 . In other words, the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is inserted from the opening of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  so that the positioning lug  44  of the skirt  31  formed in a proximal portion of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is abutted against the step  43  formed on the peripheral inner surface of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 , thereby properly positioning the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  relative to the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 . Further, the second packing  41  attached to the skirt  31  of the vortex flow generating member  30  integral with the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is closely contacted by the peripheral inner surface of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 , thereby sealing the gap between the vortex flow generating member  30  and the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 .  
     [0036] Thus way, the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  is coupled with the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  so that the extension cylindrical body  65  connected with the distal end of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is accommodated into the inside of the annular peripheral wall  66  formed on the bottom of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 . Then, the male thread  49 A formed in the filter case  46  is screwed into the female thread  49  formed on the vortex flow generating member  30 , thereby attaching the filter case  46  to the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 . At this moment, the filter case  46  is attached to the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  in such a manner that the air intake opening  50  formed in the cylindrical portion  48  of the filter case  46  substantially aligns with the airflow guiding wall  38  of the inner vortex flow generating portion  33  formed in the vortex flow generating member  30 . By attaching the filter case  46  to the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  thus way, the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 , the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 , the vortex flow generating member  30  of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  and the filter case  46  are assembled into a one-piece structure, and then they are attached to the cleaner body  1 .  
     [0037] In other words, the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  is rotated by hanging the hook  24  of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  from the hook stop  28  of the cleaner body  1 , so that the locker protrusion  25  of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  is locked by the locking portion  27  of the cleaner body  1 , thereby fixing the dust collecting container  23  consisting of the inner and outer cyclonic cylinders  22  and  21 , as shown in FIG. 9. Accordingly, the fin-shaped packing  40 A integral with the first packing  40  attached to the holder  9  is allowed to closely contact the collar  55 A formed on the cylindrical portion  55  of the filter case  46 , while the other fin-shaped packing  41 A integral with the second packing  41  provided between the inner and the outer cyclonic cylinders  22 ,  21  is also allowed to closely contact the peripheral surface of the lower end of the cleaner body  1 . Thus, the gap between the peripheral edge of the suction opening  20  and the cylindrical portion  55  of the filter case  46  is sealed by the first packing  40  attached to the partition plate  12 A of the holder  9 . At the same time, the gap between the vortex flow generating member  30  and the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  as well as the respective gaps between the cleaner body  1 , the vortex flow generating member  30  and the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  are sealed simultaneously by the second packing  41  to be attached to the skirt  31  of the vortex flow generating member  30 . As a result, the prevention of the leakage of airflow can be ensured, using such a small number of packing members  40  and  41 .  
     [0038] When the fan unit  4  is actuated with the dust collecting container  23  being attached to the cleaner body  1 , dust-laden air is sucked from the dust-laden air suction opening  7 , passing through the suction tube  5 , the guiding duct  13  and the vortex flow generating member  30  to reach the inside of the dust collecting container  23 . At this moment, as the guiding duct  13  extends tangentially relative to the holder  9  while the air path  16  of the guiding duct  13  communicates with between the air guides  35  and  36  of the outer vortex flow generating portion  32 , the air flowing in from the guiding duct  13  is guided by the air path  16  of the guiding duct  13  and the air guides  35 ,  36  of the outer vortex flow generating portion  32 , thus being converted into a vortex flow, falling helically along the peripheral inner surface of the outer cyclonic cylinders  21 , thereby removing comparatively heavy dusts contained in the vortex flow therefrom, due to a centrifugal force. When the vortex flow falls down to the bottom of the outer cyclonic cylinders  21 , it is then turned upwardly, rising helically along the peripheral outer surface of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  to reach the vortex flow generating member  30  again. At that moment, the vortex flow rising along the peripheral outer surface of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is allowed to flow through the air vent  37  into the inner vortex flow generating means  33 , and then it is guided through the air intake opening  50  of the filter case  46  into the inside thereof, flowing along the air guiding wall  38  of the inner vortex flow generating member  33 , which is again turned into the vortex flow falling down helically along the peripheral inner surface of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 . When the airflow reaches the bottom of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 , the vortex flow is then turned upwardly in the vicinity of the center thereof. At this moment, comparatively light or fine dusts such as lint-like dusts mixed in the vortex flow are separated from the vortex flow, and accumulated inside the annular peripheral wall  66  formed on the bottom of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 . The vortex flow rising within the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is allowed to pass through the mesh filter  45  attached to the filter case  46 , and it is eventually sucked through the suction opening  20  into the air suction holel 9  of the cleaner body  1 . It should be noted that the remaining extremely fine dusts are captured by the mesh filter  45  when they are passing therethrough.  
     [0039] After carrying out a cleaning work this way, the lever  21 A formed on the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  is pulled to release the engagement of the locker protrusion  25  of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  with the locking portion  27  of the cleaner body  1 , and then the lower part of the dust collecting container  23  is pulled out sidewise, so that the dust collecting container  23  is detached from the cleaner body  1 . Thereafter, the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is detached from the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  so that the dusts collected in the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  are thrown into a dustbin, while the filter case  46  is detached from the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  so that the dusts adherent to the mesh filter  45  are removed.  
     [0040] According to the present embodiment, as the vortex flow generating member  30  is formed with the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  and the inner vortex flow generating portion  33 , the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  allows the dust-laden air sucked from the dust-laden air suction opening  7  to turn into a downward vortex flow when the fan unit  4  is actuated, so that the comparatively heavy dusts can be removed, while the vortex flow turned upward on the bottom of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  is allowed to rise along the peripheral outer surface of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 . Then, the inner vortex flow generating portion  33  allows the airflow from below to turn again into a downward vortex flow along the peripheral inner surface of the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 , so that the fine dusts that cannot be fully removed by the vortex flow generated in the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  can be separated within the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 . By removing dusts in such a multistage manner, the amount of dusts to be captured by the mesh filter  45  at a final stage can be reduced. Accordingly, the dusts can be collected efficiently and reliably without sacrificing suction efficiency.  
     [0041] Further, the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is integrally formed at its proximal portion with the vortex flow generating member  30 , while said vortex flow generating member  30  is formed integrally with the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  for introducing air from above to generate a vortex flow and then guiding the vortex flow into said outer cyclonic cylinder  21 ; and the inner vortex flow generating portion  33  for introducing air from below to generate a vortex flow and then guiding the vortex flow into the inside of said inner cyclonic cylinder  22 , whereby it is possible to form the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 , the vortex flow generating member  30 , the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  and the inner vortex flow generating portion  33  into such a compact one-piece structure, so that the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  and the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  are unitized by incorporating the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  thus integrated into the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 . As a result, the dust collecting container  23  consisting of the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  and the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  can be easily attached to or detached from the cleaner body  1 .  
     [0042] This is particularly advantageous in that the maintenance works are simplified, as the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  and the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  can be easily detached from the cleaner body  1  when removing dusts collected in the dust collecting container  23  or fine dusts adherent to the mesh filter  45 . Further, as the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 , the vortex flow generating member  30 , the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  and the inner vortex flow generating portion  33  are formed compactly to a one-piece structure, it is possible to diminish portions that need sealing. According to the present embodiment, therefore, the gap between the peripheral edge of the suction hole  20 A and the cylindrical portion  55  integrally extending from the peripheral edge of the attachment hole  52  for the filter case  46  is sealed by the first packing  40  attached to the partition plate  12 A of the holder  9 , while the gap between the vortex flow generating member  30  and the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  as well as the respective gaps between the cleaner body  1 , the vortex flow generating member  30  and the outer cyclonic cylinder  21  are sealed at the same time, whereby it is possible to ensure the preventing of the airflow from leaking, using such a small number of the packing members  40  and  41  only.  
     [0043] Moreover, as the inner cyclonic cylinder  22  is integrally formed with the vortex flow generating member  30  which includes the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  and the inner vortex flow generating portion  33 , the vortex flow generated in the outer vortex flow generating portion  32  is not allowed to enter the inner cyclonic cylinder  22 , and the vortex generated in the inner vortex flow generating portion  33  is not allowed to enter the outer cyclonic cylinder  21 , either, whereby the leakage of airflow can be prevented more reliably.  
     [0044] Incidentally, the present invention should not be limited to the foregoing embodiments, but may be modified within a scope of the invention. For example, the attachment structure of the dust collection container, the configuration or attachment structure of the vortex flow generating member, the holder, filter case and etc., each relating to the fundamental structure of a vacuum cleaner, may be modified suitably. Whilst a stick-type vacuum cleaner is shown in the foregoing embodiment, the present invention may be applied to any other type of a cyclonic vacuum cleaner.