Abstract:
A cyclonic separator/collector device for a suction cleaner, comprising a housing and at least one cyclonic separator disposed within the housing, the or each cyclonic separator having a cyclone body with a circumferential wall of which at least a major part is spaced from the housing; the space between the housing and wall of the cyclone body(s) receiving separated dust from the cyclonic separator(s); wherein the space between the cyclone body and the housing includes a sound-insulating material. The arrangement provides sound insulation for the cyclonic separators.

Description:
This invention relates to a cyclonic separator/collector device for a suction cleaner (vacuum cleaner). 
   BRIEF SUMMARY 
   Cyclonic separator/collector devices are well known in suction cleaners. A flow of air having dirt, dust and other matter (all herein referred to as dust) entrained therein, drawn from whatever is being cleaned by a source of suction (a motor and impeller) in the cleaner, passes through the separator in which the air is caused to pass through a cyclone, body in a generally helical path so that the dust is separated from the air flow by centrifugal forces. The separated dust is collected and retained in a part of, or associated with, the cyclone body for emptying, and disposal, when it is convenient. 
   Cyclonic separator/collector devices are useable in suction cleaners of both the upright type and the cylinder type. In the former, the separator generally is provided in a body part of the cleaner extending upwardly from, and usually pivotably connected to, a cleaning head, the body having a handle at its upper end by which a user can maneuver the entire machine over a floor surface being cleaned. The latter type of machine has a body, containing the separator, which is moveable over a surface such as a floor surface, and from which a flexible suction hose extends to a wand and/or cleaning head or tool. The invention is, in principle, applicable to suction cleaners of both types. A number of cyclonic separation stages may be utilized, and/or post-separator (pre-motor) filters may be provided to ensure that as much dust as possible is removed form the flow of air and no, or substantially no, dust is contained in air discharged from the cleaner. Efficient operation of a cyclonic separator requires high-speed air flow through it, so that the centrifugal action by which the dust is separated from the air flow is maximised. However, high speed air flow in a cyclonic separator can be very noisy, and the noise can include high-frequency sounds which are at least irritating to a user of a cleaner. 
   It is broadly the object of the present invention to address the problem of noise created by the operation of a cyclonic separator. 
   According to the present invention, we provide a cyclonic separator/collector device for a suction cleaner, comprising a housing and at least one cyclonic separator disposed within the housing, the or each cyclonic separator having a cyclone body with an outer circumferential wall of which at least the major part is spaced from the housing; the space between the housing and wall of the cyclone body(s) receiving separated dust from the cyclonic separator(s). 
   In a separator/collector device in accordance with the invention, the spacing of the circumferential wall of the or each cyclone body from the housing of the separator/collector substantially reduces the transmission of noise, generated by the air flow within the cyclone body(s), to the exterior of the cleaner. For minimising noise transmission, all or substantially all of each cyclone wall may be thus spaced. 
   There may be two cyclonic separators disposed within the housing, connected in parallel with one another so that half the total air flow through the separator/collector device passes through each cyclonic separator. Such cyclonic separators will of course be smaller than a single one of the same capacity, which enables higher air speeds within the cyclonic separators to be achieved, and consequently more efficient separation of dust from the air flow. 
   A further advantage of the invention is that whilst the cyclone bodies themselves need to be of predominantly circular cross-sectional shape, either cylindrical or tapering, the shape of the housing does not have to conform to such a shape or shapes. If the housing forms part of the visible surface of a suction cleaner when the separator/collector assembly is in situ, there is considerable freedom to shape the housing to suit the overall styling of the cleaner. In other words, the styling of the cleaner is not constrained by the cylindrical or tapering shape of the cyclone body or bodies of the separator. 
   A lower part of the housing, relative to the disposition of the cyclonic separator(s) therein, may provide for collection and retention of dust separated from the suction air flow in use. When we refer to orientations, or to positions or directions such as a lower part, we do so with reference to the normal intended orientation of the suction cleaner for use. An operable door in the housing may provide for disposal of such collected dust. 
   Other parts of the space between the cyclone body(s) and housing may fulfil other functions. For example, they may provide a path or paths for flow of air to and/or from the separators. Since such flows do not in general involve such high air speeds as the helical flow within the cyclone body(s), they are less likely to generate unacceptable noise levels than the flow in the or each cyclonic separator itself, which are of course sound-insulated by the space between it or them and the housing. 
   If not required for air flow purposes, a part or parts of the space between the or each cyclone body and the housing may contain a substance giving greater sound insulation that that if the space just contained air; for example such a substance may be a foamed plastics or rubber material, or a textile wadding. 
   According to another aspect of the invention, we provide a suction cleaner provided with a cyclonic separator/collector device according to any one of the preceding claims, the device being removeably mounted in relation to a body of the cleaner. 
   A part or parts of the housing of the separator/collector device preferably forms part of the visible exterior surface of the cleaner. Thus such part or parts may be shaped in accordance with the styling of the cleaner. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features of the invention will now be described by example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: 
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic side elevation of a suction cleaner in accordance with the invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the dust separator/collector assembly of the cleaner of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the dust separator/collector assembly; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view, with some parts in outline, showing the interior arrangement of the dust separator/collector assembly; 
       FIG. 5  is a view as  FIG. 4 , but from a different viewpoint. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring firstly to  FIG. 1  of the drawings, there is illustrated, in diagrammatic side elevation, a suction cleaner comprising a body part  10  and a dust separator/collector assembly indicated generally at  11 . The separator/collector assembly  11  fits in relation to the body  10  of the cleaner by occupying a recess at the end of the latter, being retained therein for use by fastening means not shown and being removable therefrom for emptying of collected dust. The separator/collector assembly  11  comprises an exterior housing  12  defining an interior space, the housing having a carrying handle  13  by which it can be held when fitting it in relation to or removing it from the body  10  of the cleaner, and when dust is being emptied from the housing. The housing  12  has a formation  14  for connection of a suction hose cuff  15 , the other end of the hose  16  having a fitting for connection to a cleaning tool or head by way, if required, of a wand. 
   The body  10  of the cleaner, which has a pair of wheels  20  for facilitating moving of the cleaner over a floor surface, contains a source of suction, namely an electric motor  21  and impeller  22 . A passage for the suction airflow created by the source of suction leads to the impeller  22  from a pre-motor filter  23 . Following the impeller  22 , exhaust air is released to the surrounding atmosphere as indicated at  24 , by way of a post-motor filter  25 . 
   The housing  12  contains at least one cyclonic separator  17  and, in the described embodiment, two thereof, disposed alongside one another and connected, in air flow terms, in parallel with one another as described in greater detail hereafter. A passage within the housing  12  provides for suction air flow to reach inlets of the cyclonic separators, while air from which dust has been removed by the cyclonic separators leaves them at an exit passage  31  which when the housing is in situ in the body of the cleaner, faces and has sealing engagement with an entry passage to the pre-motor filter  23 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2  of the drawings, this shows in a perspective view the separator/collector assembly  11 . Clearly visible, on the top of the housing  12  of the assembly  11 , is formation  14  for hose connection by cuff  15 . Also visible in  FIG. 2  are the handle  13  on the housing  12 , and an end wall  30  of the housing which faces the part of the body  10  of the cleaner containing the source of suction and the pre-filter  23 , the wall  30  having an exit passage  31  for air to flow from the cyclones within the housing  12  to the pre-filter  23 . A door  32 , openable to give access to the interior of the housing  12  for emptying collected dust therefrom, forms a lower part of the end wall  30 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3 ,  4  and  5  of the drawings, these show in more detail the components of the separator/collector assembly  11 . The door  32  is pivotably connected to the end wall  30 , the pivoting connections  34  providing for some movement of the door as a whole upwardly and downwardly relative to the end wall  30  in addition to the pivoting thereof, to enable the door  32  to be released from a catch  63  when it is to be opened, as described in greater detail hereafter. The pivoting connections  34  of the door incorporate springs which bias the door downwardly into engagement with its catch, and also bias it pivotably to open to a position (shown in  FIG. 4 ) in which it lies generally perpendicular to the wall  30 . A release button  33  is provided at the end of the handle  13 , for releasing the door  32  from the catch which holds it closed, enabling the door to pivot open under spring action when emptying is to be carried out. 
   The housing  12  has a box-like main component indicated at  35  in  FIG. 3 ; which has a top wall  36  having a handle part  37 , and a hollow boss  38  which affords the formation  14  to which the hose cuff  15  is fittable with the intermediary of a seal  39 . The housing further comprises side walls  40 ,  42  and a bottom wall  44 , from which a central rib  45  extends upwardly to just under half the height of the housing. The front of the housing component  35  adjacent the boss  38 , is closed by an upwardly extending front wall  46 . 
   Within the housing component  35  a cyclone body member  50  is fitted. This body member comprises a plate part  51  which rests on the rib  45  and on supporting formations facing one another inside the side walls  40 ,  42  and on the front wall. The plate  51  seals against the side walls and front wall. The plate  51  carries two parallel cyclone bodies  52 ,  54  whose circumferential walls are cylindrical and between them a tubular part  56  which ends in a right angle bend  57  facing upwardly to align with the hollow boss  38 . The parts  56 ,  57  define a passage for flow of air from the boss  38  to inlet openings of the respective cyclone bodies  54 ,  52 . 
   With the cyclone body member  50  in situ within the housing component  35 , end wall  30  closes the open end of the housing. The end wall  30  has a somewhat L-shaped part extending therefrom, comprising an upwardly extending limb  59  and laterally extending limb  60  which fit to respective portions of the handle part  37  to close the front and top parts thereof, retaining the release button  33  therein. An operating rod  61  extends downwardly within the part  59  to engage the door  32 , so that the door is able, when the button  33  is operated, to be pulled upwardly at its pivotal connections to the end wall  30 . This releases the door  32  from catch  63  at the centre of the bottom wall  44 , adjacent the rib  45 , so that the door pivots open under the action of its springs. When the door  32  is closed, a seal  32   a  carried thereby seals against end faces of the plate part  51 , rib  45 , side walls  40 ,  42  and bottom wall  44 . 
   The end wall  30  closes the open ends of the cyclone bodies  52 ,  52  and the tubular part  56  between them. Openings between the cyclone bodies  52 ,  54  and the end of the tubular part  56  provided inlet openings leading into the interior of the cyclone bodies; these inlet openings are indicated at  64 ,  66  respectively. At the opposite ends, the cyclone bodies having openings  68 ,  70  respectively for allowing dust separated in the cyclone bodies to fall (as indicated by arrow  19  in  FIG. 1 ) into the lower parts of the housing  12 , beneath the plate  51  and separated from one another by the rib  45 . 
   The end wall  30  further carries cyclone exit members which are in the form of conical parts having lengthways slots, extending into the interior of the two cyclone bodies from their open ends. The disposition of the exit members indicated at  18  if  FIG. 1 . Part of one of the exit members is seen in  FIG. 3  at  72  and part of the other is seen in  FIG. 4  at  74 . These connect with the air exit passage  31 . 
   Thus, the air flow through the entire separator/collector assembly is through the hose cuff  15  and boss  14 , and a tubular part  56  into the two cyclone bodies by way of the inlet openings  64 ,  66  through which the air flows air flows are caused to enter the cyclone bodies tangentially to follow a helical path therein causing entrained dust to be separated under centrifugal forces. Air from which such dust has been removed leaves the cyclonic separators by way of the two exit members and the passage  31 , to flow to the pre-filter  23  and hence to the source of suction of the cleaner and to be exhausted to the external atmosphere. 
   It will be noted that the cyclone bodies  52 ,  54  and the tubular part  56  between them are all spaced from the external walls of the housing  35 . Hence, a substantial degree of sound insulation is achieved, so that the noise created by air flow to, within, and from the cyclones is less noticeable and annoying to a user of the cleaner. Where the space between the circumferential walls of the cyclone bodies and the housing is not required for reception of dust, sound insulation material may be provided. 
   When the separator/collector assembly  11  is fitted to the body  10  of the cleaner, the housing  12  of the former is visible and part thereof forms part of the exterior surface of the cleaner, being shaped to conform to the overall styling of the cleaner. 
   When used in this specification and claims, the terms “comprises” and “comprising” and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components. 
   The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilized for realizing the invention in diverse forms thereof.