1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner having a removable contaminant receptacle.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a cyclone dust collecting apparatus replaces a disposable dust collecting bag for collecting contaminants, such as dust in a vacuum cleaner. The cyclone dust collecting apparatus uses centrifugal force to separate the contaminants from the air that is drawn into the cleaner body, and collects the separated contaminants.
FIG. 1 shows a vacuum cleaner having a conventional cyclone dust collecting apparatus.
Referring to FIG. 1, the conventional cyclone dust collecting apparatus of the vacuum cleaner includes a cyclone body 11 for separating contaminants from the air by centrifugal force, and a contaminant receptacle 13 integrally formed with a lower portion of the cyclone body 11. The contaminant receptacle 13 collects the contaminants that have been separated from the air. A base plate 15 is disposed on a lower end of the contaminant receptacle 13. One edge of the base plate 15 is connected to the lower end of the contaminant receptacle 13 by a hinge, while the other edge opposite to the hinged edge is supported by a base plate opening/closing means 16 formed on a side of the contaminant receptacle 13. Accordingly, when the base plate opening/closing means 16 is opened, the base plate 15 can pivot about the hinge, exposing the interior of the contaminant receptacle 13.
The operation of the vacuum cleaner having the conventional cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 will be described below.
A fan motor portion 9 (FIG. 2) of the vacuum cleaner generates a suction force to draw in air and contaminants, such as dust, through a suction brush 5. The air and the contaminants are then directed through an extension pipe 2 and a hose 3 and into the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10. As the air is drawn into the cyclone body 11 of the dust collecting apparatus 10, the air is induced into a vortex. The centrifugal force of the vortex separates the contaminants from the air. The fan motor portion 9 then discharges the contaminant-free air from the cleaner body 1 through a grille.
The contaminants that have been separated from the vortex of air in the cyclone body 11 are discharged into the contaminant receptacle 13 through a contaminant outlet 11a formed on the cyclone body 11. Accordingly, the contaminants that have been separated from the air by centrifugal force are collected in the contaminant receptacle 13.
When the contaminant receptacle 13 is full, the contaminant receptacle 13 is emptied as follows. First, a user opens a cleaner body cover 8 and removes the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 from a dust collecting chamber 1a in the cleaner body 1. Then the user carries the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 to a dustbin and unlatches the base plate opening/closing means 16. When the base plate opening/closing means 16 is unlatched, the base plate 15 pivots about the hinge, exposing the interior of the contaminant receptacle 13. The contaminants in the contaminant receptacle 13 are then free to fall from the contaminant receptacle 13 and into the dustbin. When the contaminant receptacle 13 has been emptied, the user returns the base plate 15 to its initial state and locks the base plate opening/closing means 16. Finally, the user mounts the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10 back in the dust collecting chamber 1a of the cleaner body 1 and closes the cleaner body cover 8.
The conventional cyclone dust collecting apparatus 10, however, is relatively large, heavy, and inconvenient to use, since the user has to remove it from the dust collecting chamber 1a and transport it to a dustbin in order to empty the contaminant receptacle 13. Further, since the contaminants are free fall from the contaminant receptacle 13 when the base plate opening/closing means 16 is unlatched, the possibility is high that the contaminants could fall onto undesirable places, such as the floor, etc., instead of falling into the dustbin. In addition, since the user has no way to observe the contaminants in the contaminant receptacle 13, the user cannot control easily control disposal of the contaminants.
The present invention has been made to overcome the above-described problems of the related art. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner having a contaminant receptacle that is separately removable from the cyclone dust collecting apparatus by a user. This separately removable contaminant receptacle is more convenient for a user to handle, because it is both smaller and lighter than the overall dust collecting apparatus.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner that enables the user to control contaminant receptacle disposal process, so as to prevent the contaminants from falling onto the floor or other undesirable places.
In order to accomplish the above objects, a cyclone dust collecting apparatus for a vacuum cleaner is interconnected with a fan motor portion of a cleaner body. The cyclone dust collecting apparatus, which separates contaminants from the air that is drawn in through a suction brush, includes a cyclone body fixed in the cleaner body and a contaminant receptacle. The cyclone body separates contaminants from the air drawn in through the suction brush. The cyclone body has a contaminant outlet, through which the contaminants are discharged. The contaminant receptacle is removably coupled to a lower side of the cyclone body. The contaminant receptacle has a contaminant inlet that corresponds to the contaminant outlet of the cyclone body, through which contaminants can pass into the contaminant receptacle.
The cyclone body includes a housing having a substantially cylindrical shape, a closed upper end, and a closed lower end. The contaminant outlet is formed in the cylindrical wall of the housing adjacent to the lower end. An air intake pipe is connected to the suction brush. The air intake pipe directs the air from the suction brush into the housing in a diagonal direction. A grille, which has a plurality of fine holes formed therein, extends from an upper end of the housing to the lower end. An air discharge pipe, one end of which is connected to the grille and the other end of which is connected to the fan motor portion, enables clean air to be discharged from the cyclone dust collecting apparatus.
The contaminant receptacle has a contaminant disposal opening formed in a top surface thereof and includes a contaminant receptacle cover that removably covers the contaminant disposal opening. The contaminant receptacle cover contacts the lower end of the cyclone body, the contaminant receptacle is coupled to the cyclone body. The contaminant receptacle further includes a handle attached to an outer surface thereof.