Upright vacuum cleaner with cyclonic air path

Abstract

An upright vacuum cleaner with a cyclonic airflow path includes a floor-engaging base unit, a body unit pivotally mounted to the base unit and a motor/fan assembly mounted on one of the base unit or body units. A dirt collecting enclosure is also mounted on the body unit and includes a first large chamber and a second smaller chamber. A filter unit is disposed in the first large chamber. Dirt laden air is introduced into the first large chamber in a tangential manner so as to impart a cyclonic action to the airflow. The filter in the first large chamber is effective for removing larger particles of debris from the airflow. The remaining airflow is communicated to the second chamber where smaller particles of debris are removed. Airflow from the second smaller chamber is then communicated through a cyclonic chamber disposed above and transverse to the dirt collecting enclosure, to a third chamber where a second filter is disposed. The smallest particles of debris are removed from the airflow by the second filter disposed in this third chamber. The upright vacuum cleaner can include an arrangement for sensing pressure differences across one or more of the filters thereby providing an indication that the filter is dirty or clogged. The upright vacuum cleaner can also include an elevator mechanism for raising and lowering the dirt collecting enclosure thereby facilitating the task of emptying and then reinstalling the dirt collecting enclosure.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An upright suction cleaner comprising: 
 a floor engaging base unit;    a body unit pivotally mounted on the base unit;    a suction generating device disposed on one of said base unit and body unit;    a dirt collecting enclosure disposed on said body unit, said dirt collecting enclosure having at least two chambers associated therewith;    an airflow path disposed between said floor engaging base unit and said dirt collecting enclosure;    at least one filter member disposed in said airflow path;    means for sensing air pressure in said airflow path before and after said filter member; and,    an indicator member activated upon detection by said sensing means of a pressure differential across said filter member that exceeds a predetermined threshold.    
     
     
         2 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising an indicator panel disposed on said body unit, said indicator panel having disposed thereon, said indicator member, said indicator member being one of a visual or an audio indicator.  
     
     
         3 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 2  further comprising a dirt sensing circuit disposed along said airflow path, said dirt sensing circuit being effective for determining the presence of dirt or other debris in said airflow path and providing an indication thereof, said dirt sensing indication being communicated to said indicator panel.  
     
     
         4 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 3  further comprising a cyclonic chamber for imparting a cyclonic action on airflow through said airflow path and further, wherein said at least one filter includes a cyclone filter unit and a HEPA filter downstream from said cyclone filter unit and such pressure differential is sensed across one or both of said cyclone filter unit and said HEPA filter.  
     
     
         5 . An upright suction cleaner comprising: 
 a floor engaging base unit;    a body unit pivotally mounted on the base unit;    a suction generating device disposed on one of said base unit and body unit;    a dirt collecting enclosure disposed on said body unit, said dirt collecting enclosure having at least two chambers associated therewith, said dirt collecting enclosure being removable from said upright suction cleaner so as to enable manual emptying of said dirt collecting enclosure;    an airflow path disposed between said floor engaging base unit and said dirt collecting enclosure and effective for conveying dirt laden air from said floor engaging base unit to said dirt collecting enclosure; and,    enclosure removing means connected to said dirt collecting enclosure and effective for facilitating removal and reinsertion of said dirt collecting enclosure, said enclosure removing means further including means for aligning said dirt enclosure means with said airflow path upon reinsertion of said dirt collecting enclosure.    
     
     
         6 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said enclosure removing means includes a handle formed on said dirt collecting enclosure and an elevator device for raising and lowering said dirt collecting device.  
     
     
         7 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 5  wherein said elevator device includes an elevator platform on which said dirt collecting enclosure is mounted, a cam lifter plate disposed beneath said elevator platform and a lever for actuating said cam lifter plate to raise and lower said elevator platform.  
     
     
         8 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 7  wherein a sealed filter tube is formed on said elevator platform, said sealed filter tube being in sealed communication between one of said at least two chambers associated with said dirt collecting enclosure and an air duct connected to the exhaust of said upright suction cleaner.  
     
     
         9 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 8  further comprising at least one upper seal member associated with another of said at least two chambers associated with said dirt collecting enclosure, said sealed filter tube and said upper seal member being effective for aligning and sealing said dirt collecting enclosure when said elevator device has raised said dirt collecting enclosure into a position for operation of said upright suction cleaner.  
     
     
         10 . An upright suction cleaner comprising: 
 a floor engaging base unit;    a body unit pivotally mounted on the base unit;    a suction generating device disposed on one of said base unit and body unit; a dirt collecting enclosure disposed on said body unit, said dirt collecting enclosure having a first and a second chamber formed therein;    an inlet port cooperatively engaging a portion of said first chamber, said inlet port allowing communication of airflow into said first chamber;    a first filter member disposed in said first chamber and operating in conjunction with said inlet port for imparting to such airflow communicated thereto, a vortex action;    wherein said first filter member is effective so as to remove from such airflow, particles of debris of a larger size and deposit such larger sized debris into said first chamber, said first filter is further effective for communicating therethrough into said second chamber, the remaining airflow from said first chamber;    wherein such remaining airflow from said first chamber, while still having associated therewith, a cyclonic action, deposits into said second chamber, debris of a size smaller than that which was deposited in said first chamber;    a cyclone chamber disposed above said dirt collecting enclosure, said cyclone chamber effective for communicating airflow remaining from said second chamber, into a third chamber, said cyclone chamber further effective for imparting additional cyclonic action to said remaining airflow; and,    a second filter member disposed in said third chamber, said second filter being effective for removing from said remaining airflow, debris of a size smaller than that removed by said second chamber.    
     
     
         11 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said second chamber is a tube disposed at one side of said first chamber and further wherein said second chamber is of a diameter substantially smaller than the diameter of said first chamber so that, when gripped, said second chamber acts as a handle for transport of said dirt collecting enclosure.  
     
     
         12 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said first filter has an upper ridge portion that, when seated over an upper opening associated with said first chamber, substantially encloses said upper opening of said first chamber.  
     
     
         13 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said first filter has a center portion which is perforated and is frusto-conical in shape, said first filter further having a lower ledge portion connected to the bottom of said center portion of said first filter member.  
     
     
         14 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 12  wherein said first filter member further includes a handle portion disposed on the inside thereof.  
     
     
         15 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said first, second and third chambers are constructed of clear plastic material.  
     
     
         16 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said cyclone chamber is disposed transversely and above said dirt collecting chamber and extends from said second chamber to said third chamber.  
     
     
         17 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said cyclone chamber includes a main body portion and an end cap portion having formed at one end thereof, an outlet tube effective for allowing communication of said remaining airflow from said second chamber into said third chamber.  
     
     
         18 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 16  wherein said cyclone chamber is disposed in an angled, downwardly extending manner relative to vertical.  
     
     
         19 . An upright suction cleaner as set forth in  claim 10  wherein said suction generating device is a motor/fan assembly disposed within a plenum chamber formed at the bottom portion of said body unit by a bottom housing portion of said body unit, a motor cover seal and an air duct member.