Source: http://www.google.com/patents/US20060278081?dq=5,664,133
Timestamp: 2014-12-22 12:14:18
Document Index: 98617379

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Patent US20060278081 - Cyclone dust collecting device for vacuum cleaner - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inAdvanced Patent SearchPatentsA cyclone dust collecting device using a corona discharge is provided. The cyclone dust collecting device includes a cyclone chamber rotating air drawn in from the outside to separate contaminants from the air, a discharge pipe guiding the air separated from the contaminants to the outside of the cyclone...http://www.google.com/patents/US20060278081?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US20060278081 - Cyclone dust collecting device for vacuum cleanerAdvanced Patent SearchPublication numberUS20060278081 A1Publication typeApplicationApplication numberUS 11/356,704Publication dateDec 14, 2006Filing dateFeb 17, 2006Priority dateJun 14, 2005Also published asCN1879542A, EP1733795A2, EP1733795A3, EP1733795B1, US7381247Publication number11356704, 356704, US 2006/0278081 A1, US 2006/278081 A1, US 20060278081 A1, US 20060278081A1, US 2006278081 A1, US 2006278081A1, US-A1-20060278081, US-A1-2006278081, US2006/0278081A1, US2006/278081A1, US20060278081 A1, US20060278081A1, US2006278081 A1, US2006278081A1InventorsJung-gyun Han, Jang-Keun Oh, Min-Ha KimOriginal AssigneeSamsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManReferenced by (19), Classifications (17), Legal Events (2) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetCyclone dust collecting device for vacuum cleanerUS 20060278081 A1Abstract A cyclone dust collecting device using a corona discharge is provided. The cyclone dust collecting device includes a cyclone chamber rotating air drawn in from the outside to separate contaminants from the air, a discharge pipe guiding the air separated from the contaminants to the outside of the cyclone chamber and including a discharge electrode part with at least a part made of a conductive material and a power supply unit supplying a power to the discharge electrode part for the discharge electrode part to perform a corona discharge. Images(6) Claims(16)
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the annexed drawings. In the drawings, the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout. In the following description, detailed descriptions of known functions and configurations incorporated herein have been omitted for conciseness and clarity. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a dust collecting device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention is mounted into a cleaner body 100 to connect with an air suction duct 106 and an air discharge duct 107. As air is drawn in via a suction assembly 105, the air flows first through the air suction duct 106 and then through an air inlet pipe 211, and into the cyclone dust collecting device 200. The cyclone dust collecting device 200 separates contaminants from the air and discharges the air from an air outlet 231 to the air discharge duct 107 and to the outside of the cleaner body 100. The cyclone dust collecting device 200 comprises a cyclone body 210, a contaminant receptacle 220, a cover part 230, and an intermediate cover 240. A gasket 250 is disposed between the intermediate cover 240 and the cyclone body 210 to prevent a leakage of air. Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cyclone body 210 according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a first cyclone chamber 310 and a plurality of second cyclone chambers 350. The first cyclone chamber 310 is formed in a central portion of the cyclone body 210 with opened top and bottom portions. The first cyclone chamber 310 is connected with the air inlet pipe 211 and a central air discharge opening 315. The air inlet pipe 211 penetrates a side of the cyclone body 210. The air flows in via the air inlet pipe 211 into the first cyclone chamber 310, where the air is rotated so that contaminants are separated by inertia. The air removed of contaminants flows via a grille member 320, the central discharge opening 315 and connection paths 380 into the second cyclone chambers 350. The plurality of the second cyclone chambers 350 are penetratingly formed in the cyclone body 210 to enclose the outside of the first cyclone chamber 310. Top portions of the second cyclone chambers 350 are connected with discharge pipes 360 and the connection paths 380 formed at the intermediate cover 240. Therefore, the air flowing via the connection paths 380 into the second cyclone chambers 350 is rotated in the second cyclone chambers 350. While rotating, the air is separated from fine contaminants and then discharged via the discharge pipes 360, a discharge path 390 and the air outlet 231 to the outside of the cyclone dust collecting device 200. The cyclone dust collecting device 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a discharge needle 410, a discharge electrode part 420, a first, second, third, and fourth fine contaminant collection part 510, 520, 530, and 540, respectively, and a power supply unit 650 to increase the separation efficiency of fine contaminants by using a corona discharge. The power supply unit 650 comprise a voltage generator 600 generating a high voltage and a first and a second conductive wire 610, 620 connecting the voltage generator 600 with the discharge needle 410 and the discharge electrode part 420, respectively. The voltage generator 600 is installed in the cleaner body 100 (refer to FIG. 1) to generate power to be supplied to both the discharge needle 410 and the discharge electrode part 420 by using the power applied to the cleaner body 100. The discharge needle 410 and the discharge electrode part 420 generate a corona discharge in the first and the second cyclone chambers 310, 350 so that fine contaminants included in the air of the first and the second cyclone chambers 310, 350 are ionized to have a negative (−) electric charge. The discharge needle 410 is provided in the first cyclone chamber 310 such that the top end thereof penetrates a penetrating opening 241 (refer to FIG. 2) of the intermediate cover 240 to be exposed to the discharge path 390 and the bottom end thereof penetrates the central air discharge opening 315 to be disposed in the grille member 320. The top end of the discharge needle 410 exposed to the discharge path 390 is connected via the first conductive wire 610 with the voltage generator 600 so as to receive the power for the corona discharge. The discharge electrode part 420 is provided in the second cyclone chambers 350. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the discharge pipes 360 guiding the air discharged from the second cyclone chambers 350, are made of conductive material so that terminal ends of the discharge pipes 360 disposed in the second cyclone chambers 350 perform functions of the discharge electrode part 420. Accordingly, the top ends of the discharge pipes 360 are connected via the second conductive wire 620 with the voltage generator 600 to transmit power to the discharge electrode part 420. Accordingly, the average amount of electric charge is regularly distributed so that the dust collection efficiency increases and stable operation can be guaranteed under a fast flow speed. The first and the second fine contaminant collection parts 510, 520 are formed in a grounded condition on inner surfaces of the first and the second cyclone chambers 310, 350. The third and the fourth fine contaminant collection parts 530, 540 are formed in a grounded condition on inner surfaces of the connection paths 380 and the cover part 230. Accordingly, after being ionized by the discharge needle 410, fine contaminants D are collected by the first and the third fine contaminant collection parts 510, 530 while flowing toward the second cyclone chambers 350. The fine contamiants D that are not collected by the first and the third fine contaminant collection parts 510, 530 flow into the second cyclone chambers 350, are re-ionized by the discharge electrode part 420 and then collected by the second and the fourth fine contaminant collection parts 520, 540. The fine contaminant collection parts 510, 520, 530, 540 can collect the fine contaminants D by using the electromagnetic force only if the fine contaminant collection parts are made of conductive material and rightly grounded. The fine contaminant collection parts 510, 520, 530, 540 according to the present embodiment are formed by spraying a conductive paint over the first cyclone chamber 310, the second cyclone chambers 350, the intermediate cover 240 forming the connection paths 380, and the cover part 230 forming the discharge path 390. Therefore, the fine contaminant collection parts 510, 520, 530, 540 do not require the cyclone dust collecting device 200 to have a complicated structure. However, a member of conductive material may be separately formed. The method for separating fine contaminants by using the discharge needle 410, the discharge electrode part 420 and the fine contaminant collection parts 510 through 540 will be explained with reference to FIG. 4. As the air flows via the connection paths 380 into the second cyclone chambers 350, the air is rotated in the second cyclone chambers 350 to separate the contaminants by centrifugal force. Around the discharge electrode part 420, a corona discharge C is generated by the power applied from the voltage generator 600 to the discharge electrode part 420. Due to the corona discharge C, the fine contaminants D included in the air are negatively (−) ionized. As the fine dusts D are negatively ionized as described above, the grounded second fine contaminant collection part 520 formed on the inner surface of the second cyclone chambers 350 performs the same effect as being positively (+) charged so as to attract negatively ionized fine contaminants D. Therefore, the negatively ionized fine contaminants D are not discharged via the discharge pipes 360 to the outside of the second cyclone chambers 350 but collected on the second fine contaminant collection part 520 sprayed on the inner surface of the second cyclone chambers 350. Ionized fine contaminants D that are discharged via the discharge pipes 360 to the outside of the second cyclone chambers 350 without being collected on the inner surface of the second cyclone chambers 350, are collected on the fourth fine contaminant collection part 540 of the inner surface of the cover part 230 as shown in FIG. 3 so as to be prevented from being discharged to the outside of the cyclone dust collecting device 200. Therefore, the cyclone dust collecting device 200 has an increased separation efficiency of fine contaminants. The discharge electrode part 420 can be implemented by various configurations. In case of the discharge needle 410, the needled-shaped configuration may be most preferable as shown in FIG. 3 because a part of the discharge needle 410 is disposed in the grille member 320. However, there is no limit to the configuration of the discharge electrode part 420 if the discharge electrode part 420 can be firmly supported by the discharge pipes 360. For example, the discharge electrode part 420 may be integrally formed with the discharge pipes 360. FIG. 5 is a view of a discharge electrode part 420′ according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The discharge electrode part 420′ is the same as the discharge electrode part 420 according to the first embodiment of the present invention in that an entire discharge pipe 360′ is made of a conductive material. However, the discharge electrode part 420′ can be distinguished from the discharge electrode part 420 according to the first embodiment of the present invention in that the discharge electrode part 420′ includes one or more discharge protrusions 425′, which are integrally formed with the discharge electrode part 420′ to protrude toward the inside of the second cyclone chambers 350 (refer to FIG. 4). The discharge protrusions 425′ are formed because the corona discharge can be more easily performed at a sharp portion. The discharge protrusions 425′ may be formed in various configurations. However, to easily perform the corona discharge, it is preferable to form the discharge protrusions 425′ with a sharp end and sides tapering to a point. FIG. 6 is a view of an example of a discharge electrode part 420″ according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 6, the discharge electrode part 420″ in the present embodiment comprises a connection part 423″ inserted in discharge pipes 360″ and a discharge part 421″ exposed to a bottom end of the discharge pipes 360″. The connection part 423″ is configured as a pipe to enclose the inner surface of the discharge pipes 360″. Therefore, although the intermediate cover 240 is made of synthetic resin material, the discharge electrode part 420″ can be easily formed. In the present embodiment as the aforementioned second embodiment, a plurality of discharge protrusions 425′ (refer to FIG. 5) may be protrusively formed integrally with the discharge electrode part 420″. In this case, the corona discharge can be more effectively performed. FIG. 7 is a view of a discharge electrode part 420′″ according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 7, the discharge electrode part 420′″ is made of a conductive material and configured as a beam. Opposite ends of the discharge electrode part 420′″ are connected with the inner surface of the discharge pipes 360′″ so as to go across the inside of the discharge pipes 360′″. The discharge electrode part 420′″ and the discharge pipes 360′″ may be made of the same material and integrally formed with each other. The discharge electrode part 420′″ according to the present embodiment has a conical discharge protrusion 425′″ protruding from the central portion. The operation of the discharge protrusion 425′″ is the same as that of the discharge protrusions 425 of the second embodiment, and therefore, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. The embodiments of the present invention has been explained by using an example in which a cyclone dust collecting device employing a plurality of cyclone chambers has a discharge electrode part. However, this should not be considered as limiting. The embodiments of the present invention may be applied to a cyclone dust collecting device employing a single cyclone chamber. If the embodiments of the present invention are applied, the discharge electrode part can be easily formed, and more stably formed onto the discharge pipe. Therefore, even though air and/or contaminants are flowing in the cyclone chamber, damage to the discharge electrode part can be prevented. The average amount of electric charge around the discharge electrode part is regularly distributed so that the collection efficiency of fine contaminants is increased. Additional advantages, objects, and features of the embodiments of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the embodiments of the invention may be realized and attained as particularly pointed out in the appended claims. Referenced byCiting PatentFiling datePublication dateApplicantTitleUS7465340 *Nov 29, 2006Dec 16, 2008Smc CorporationIonizer with parts-extension unitUS7497898 *Oct 23, 2007Mar 3, 2009Smc CorporationIonizerUS7695552 *Jan 16, 2008Apr 13, 2010Smc CorporationIonizerUS7776120 *Mar 8, 2007Aug 17, 2010G.B.D. Corp.Vacuum cleaner with a moveable divider plateUS7785383 *Jun 13, 2008Aug 31, 2010Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd.Multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus and cleaner having the sameUS7803207 *Mar 8, 2007Sep 28, 2010G.B.D. Corp.Vacuum cleaner with a dividerUS7811345 *Mar 8, 2007Oct 12, 2010G.B.D. Corp.Vacuum cleaner with a removable cyclone arrayUS7815703 *May 10, 2007Oct 19, 2010Lg Electronics Inc.Dust collecting unit of vacuum cleanerUS7955405 *Dec 19, 2007Jun 7, 2011Hoover LimitedCyclonic separation apparatusUS8012230 *Jul 30, 2007Sep 6, 2011Ging-Chung ChenStructure of an impurities collecting bucket for an air separator and purifierUS8048183Aug 25, 2010Nov 1, 2011G.B.D. Corp.Vacuum cleaner with a dividerUS8252096 *Jun 7, 2007Aug 28, 2012Dyson Technology LimitedCleaning and/or filtering apparatusUS8257457Mar 7, 2012Sep 4, 2012Dyson Technology LimitedSeparating apparatusUS8409335Jul 14, 2010Apr 2, 2013Dyson Technology LimitedSeparating apparatusUS8465574Jul 15, 2010Jun 18, 2013Dyson Technology LimitedFilterUS8551227Jul 15, 2010Oct 8, 2013Dyson Technology LimitedFilterUS8572789Jul 14, 2010Nov 5, 2013Dyson Technology LimitedSeparating apparatusUS8776309Jul 26, 2012Jul 15, 2014G.B.D. Corp.Cyclone construction for a surface cleaning apparatusUS20100236012 *Jun 7, 2007Sep 23, 2010Dyson Technology LimitedCleaning and/or filtering apparatus* Cited by examinerClassifications U.S. Classification96/61, 96/97, 55/DIG.3, 15/352International ClassificationB03C3/36Cooperative ClassificationB04C5/13, A47L9/1625, Y10S55/03, A47L9/1641, A47L9/1658, B04C9/00, B04C2009/001European ClassificationB04C5/13, A47L9/16C2, A47L9/16E, A47L9/16C4, B04C9/00Legal EventsDateCodeEventDescriptionSep 22, 2011FPAYFee paymentYear of fee payment: 4Feb 17, 2006ASAssignmentOwner name: SAMSUNG GWANGJU ELECTRONICS CO., LTD., KOREA, REPUFree format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:HAN, JUNG-GYUN;OH, JANG-KEUN;KIM, MIN-HA;REEL/FRAME:017607/0302Effective date: 20060213RotateOriginal ImageGoogle Home - Sitemap - USPTO Bulk Downloads - Privacy Policy - Terms of Service - About Google Patents - Send FeedbackData provided by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services©2012 Google