Vacuum cleaner with vortex stabilizer

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a cleaning head assembly having a suction nozzle;

a suction source; and

a cyclone module assembly in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the suction source, and comprising:

a cyclone separation chamber for separating dust and debris from air with the generation of a cyclonic airflow vortex forming a vortex tail, the cyclone separation chamber having an inlet opening in fluid communication with the suction nozzle through the working air path, an outlet opening for discharging cleaned air and a particle discharge outlet for discharging dust and debris separated from air;

a dirt cup removably mounted to the cyclone separation chamber and in fluid communication with the particle discharge outlet for collecting dust and debris that is separated from the air in the cyclone separation chamber; and

a vortex stabilizer selectively mounted with respect to the cyclone separation chamber for movement between a closed position at a predetermined location with respect to the cyclone separation chamber and an open position away from the closed position for access to the cyclone separation chamber to remove any accumulated dust and debris that remains on the vortex stabilizer after a cleaning operation.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the vortex stabilizer closed position is transverse to a longitudinal axis of the cyclone separation chamber.

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 wherein a bottom portion of the cyclone separation chamber and the vortex stabilizer together form the particle discharge outlet, when the vortex stabilizer is in the closed position.

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 and further comprising a detent for releasably retaining the vortex stabilizer in the closed position.

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 and further comprising a grill on the outlet opening of the cyclone separation chamber for preventing dust and debris from entering the outlet opening.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 wherein the outlet opening is defined by a tubular conduit that has an open end and the grill is mounted on the open end of the tubular conduit.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the vortex stabilizer is offset with respect to a vertical centerline of the dirt cup.

8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 7 wherein a vertical centerline of the cyclone separation chamber is offset with respect to the vertical centerline of the dirt cup.

9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the vortex stabilizer is suspended from at least one wall affixed to the cyclone separation chamber.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein a portion of the vortex stabilizer is stationary regardless of whether the vortex stabilizer is in the closed or open position.

11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the vortex stabilizer is adjacent the particle discharge outlet.

12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 11 wherein the particle discharge outlet is formed by a gap in a lower portion of the side wall of the cyclone separation chamber.

13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein the vortex stabilizer comprises a flat surface.

14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein one and only one particle discharge outlet is present in the cyclone separation chamber.

15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein at least of a portion of the vortex stabilizer is pivotally mounted to the cyclone separation chamber.

16. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a cleaning head assembly having a suction nozzle;

a suction source; and

a cyclone module assembly in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the suction source, and comprising:

a cyclone separation chamber for separating dust and debris from air with the generation of a cyclonic airflow vortex forming a vortex tail, the cyclone separation chamber having an inlet opening in fluid communication with the suction nozzle through the working air path, an outlet opening for discharging cleaned air and a particle discharge outlet for discharging dust and debris separated from air;

a dirt cup in fluid communication with the particle discharge outlet for collecting dust and debris that is separated from the air in the cyclone separation chamber; and

a vortex stabilizer mounted on a support member that extends upwardly from a bottom surface of the dirt cup to retain the vortex tail at a predetermined location with respect to the cyclone separation chamber, the vortex stabilizer comprising:

a generally flat plate mounted on top of the support member and having a diameter less than a diameter of the dirt cup; and

a downwardly angled rim at an outer edge of the plate.

17. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a cleaning head assembly having a suction nozzle;

a suction source; and

a cyclone module assembly in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the suction source, and comprising:

a cyclone separation chamber for separating dust and debris from air with the generation of a cyclonic airflow vortex forming a vortex tail, the cyclone separation chamber having an inlet opening in fluid communication with the suction nozzle through the working air path, an outlet opening for discharging cleaned air and a particle discharge outlet for discharging dust and debris separated from air;

a dirt cup in fluid communication with the particle discharge outlet for collecting dust and debris that is separated from the air in the cyclone separation chamber; and

a vortex stabilizer to retain the vortex tail at a predetermined location with respect to the cyclone separation chamber;

wherein at least one of the size and orientation of the vortex stabilizer is adjustable with respect to the particle discharge outlet.

18. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a cleaning head assembly having a suction nozzle;

a suction source; and

a cyclone module assembly in fluid communication with the suction nozzle and the suction source, and comprising:

a cyclone separation chamber for separating dust and debris from air with the generation of a cyclonic airflow vortex forming a vortex tail, the cyclone separation chamber having an inlet opening in fluid communication with the suction nozzle through the working air path, an outlet opening for discharging cleaned air and a particle discharge outlet for discharging dust and debris separated from air;

a dirt cup in fluid communication with the particle discharge outlet for collecting dust and debris that is separated from the air in the cyclone separation chamber; and

a flexible vortex stabilizer to retain the vortex tail at a predetermined location with respect to the cyclone separation chamber.

19. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 18 wherein the flexible material is an elastomeric material.