US5950274A — Separation device for a vacuum cleaner

Claim 1

Independent Claim 139 words

A vacuum cleaner comprising a vacuum source (11) communicating with a tube handle (14), said tube handle being connected to a nozzle (16) by means of a tube shaft (15, 33), a cyclone separator being disposed between the tube handle (14) and the nozzle (16), said cyclone separator including a whirl chamber (24, 37) which is at least partially defined by a truncated cone (18b, 41), said cyclone separator comprising: an inlet opening (23, 38), said inlet opening being located at an upper part of the whirl chamber (24, 37); a central first outlet opening (31, 39) for partially-cleaned air, said first outlet opening communicating with the vacuum source; a second outlet opening (22, 42) for separated particles disposed at a lower part of the whirl chamber, said second outlet opening communicating with a dust collecting container (26, 43).

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 139 words

A vacuum cleaner comprising a vacuum source (11) communicating with a tube handle (14), said tube handle being connected to a nozzle (16) by means of a tube shaft (15, 33), a cyclone separator being disposed between the tube handle (14) and the nozzle (16), said cyclone separator including a whirl chamber (24, 37) which is at least partially defined by a truncated cone (18b, 41), said cyclone separator comprising: an inlet opening (23, 38), said inlet opening being located at an upper part of the whirl chamber (24, 37); a central first outlet opening (31, 39) for partially-cleaned air, said first outlet opening communicating with the vacuum source; a second outlet opening (22, 42) for separated particles disposed at a lower part of the whirl chamber, said second outlet opening communicating with a dust collecting container (26, 43).

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 143 words

Vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cyclone separator is enclosed in a shell (34) comprising an upper part (34a) with a first tube coupling (35) and a second tube coupling (40), said first tube coupling being connected to the tube shaft (33) and said second tube coupling (40) being connected to the tube handle (14), said upper part (34a) having a channel (36) connecting said first tube coupling (35) with the whirl chamber (37) and a mainly cylindrical wall part which is provided with the inlet opening (38), said inlet opening being arranged such that the air flows mainly tangentially into the whirl chamber, said first outlet opening (39) being provided by a sleeve, said sleeve having an axis which is generally parallel to the axis of the cylindrical wall part, said sleeve being connected to the second tube coupling (40).

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 115 words

Vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the tube shaft (15) comprises the whirl chamber (24), said whirl chamber having a mainly cylindrical wall part (17) provided with said inlet opening (23) through which air flows mainly tangentially into the whirl chamber, the inlet opening (23) communicating with a connecting tube disposed at the lower part of the tube shaft via a channel (19, 28), said first outlet opening (31) being defined by a sleeve, said sleeve having an axis which is generally parallel to an axis of the cylindrical wall part, said sleeve communicating with a tube connection (32) for the tube handle (14), and the tube shaft (15) enclosing said truncated cone (18b).

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 21 words

Vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the tube handle (14) is connected to the vacuum source via a hose (13).

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 17 words

Vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum source is integrated into the tube handle (14).

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 80 words

A cyclone separator attachment for a vacuum cleaner, said separator attachment being removably mounted between a tube shaft and a tube handle, comprising: a whirl chamber at least partially defined by a truncated cone, said whirl chamber having an inlet opening for particle-laden air, a first, centrally-located outlet opening for partially cleaned air, and a second outlet opening for separated particles, said second outlet opening being disposed at a bottom of said whirl chamber and communicating with a collecting container.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 80 words

A cyclone separator attachment for a vacuum cleaner, said separator attachment being removably mounted between a tube shaft and a tube handle, comprising: a whirl chamber at least partially defined by a truncated cone, said whirl chamber having an inlet opening for particle-laden air, a first, centrally-located outlet opening for partially cleaned air, and a second outlet opening for separated particles, said second outlet opening being disposed at a bottom of said whirl chamber and communicating with a collecting container.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 53 words

A separator attachment according to claim 6, further comprising a shell surrounding said whirl chamber, said shell having first and second tube couplings, a channel fluidly connects said first tube coupling with said whirl chamber via said inlet opening, said inlet opening being arranged such that air flows tangentially into said whirl chamber.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 42 words

A separator attachment according to claim 7, wherein the first outlet opening is defined by a sleeve, said sleeve having an axis which is generally parallel to an axis of the whirl chamber, said sleeve being connected to said second tube coupling.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 132 words

A vacuum cleaner comprising a vacuum source (11) communicating with a tube handle (14), said tube handle being connected to a nozzle (16) via a tube shaft (15), said tube shaft including a cyclone separator, said cyclone separator comprising a truncated cone which at least partially defines a whirl chamber, said cyclone separator comprising: a cylindrical wall part; an inlet opening in said cylindrical wall part and located at an upper part of said whirl chamber and through which dirt-laden air enters said whirl chamber; a central first outlet opening for partially-cleaned air, said first outlet opening communicating with said vacuum source via said tube handle; a second outlet opening for separated particles disposed at a lower part of the whirl chamber, said second outlet opening communicating with a dust collecting container.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 132 words

A vacuum cleaner comprising a vacuum source (11) communicating with a tube handle (14), said tube handle being connected to a nozzle (16) via a tube shaft (15), said tube shaft including a cyclone separator, said cyclone separator comprising a truncated cone which at least partially defines a whirl chamber, said cyclone separator comprising: a cylindrical wall part; an inlet opening in said cylindrical wall part and located at an upper part of said whirl chamber and through which dirt-laden air enters said whirl chamber; a central first outlet opening for partially-cleaned air, said first outlet opening communicating with said vacuum source via said tube handle; a second outlet opening for separated particles disposed at a lower part of the whirl chamber, said second outlet opening communicating with a dust collecting container.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 28 words

A vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the inlet opening communicates with a connecting tube disposed at the lower part of the tube shaft via a channel.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 34 words

A vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the first outlet opening is defined by a sleeve, said sleeve having an axis which is generally parallel to an axis of the cylindrical wall part.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 19 words

A vacuum cleaner according to claim 11, wherein the sleeve communicates with a tube connection for the tube handle.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-09-13	2003-03-15	2003-09-14	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-09-13	2007-03-15	2007-09-14	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-09-13	2011-03-15	2011-09-14	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Separation device for a vacuum cleaner

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