Patent ID: 7547336

Claim:
A vacuum cleaner comprising: a cyclonic separator comprising: a first cyclone having a side wall defining a first cyclonic chamber for separating contaminants from an air stream as the air stream travels about the first cyclonic chamber from an air inlet to an air outlet; and a plurality of secondary cyclones downstream from the first cyclone, each of the secondary cyclone having a side wall defining a second cyclonic chamber for further separating contaminants from the air stream as the air stream travels about the second cyclonic chamber from an air inlet to an air outlet, and the secondary cyclones are arranged around the first cyclone side wall and form at least one gap between adjacent secondary cyclones to expose the first cyclone side wall to the outside of the cyclonic separator at the at least one gap; a nozzle housing including a suction opening coupled with the air inlet of the first cyclonic chamber; and a suction source coupled to the suction opening and to the first and second cyclonic chambers and adapted to establish and maintain the air stream from the suction opening, through the first cyclonic airflow chamber, and through the second cyclonic airflow chambers.