SOUND DAMPENING PASSAGE AND SURFACE CLEANING APPARATUS WITH SAME
A surface cleaning apparatus is disclosed. The surface cleaning apparatus comprises a fluid flow path extending from a dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet and including a suction motor. At least one cleaning stage is positioned in the fluid flow path. The suction motor is positioned in a housing of the surface cleaning apparatus and upstream of the clean air outlet. A sound dampening passage is provided downstream from the suction motor and in fluid flow communication with the clean air outlet. At least a portion of the sound dampening passage comprises a first layer of a sound reflecting material and an inner layer of sound absorbing material. Such a passage is useable in other household apparatus that have an air exit.
1 . A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
(a) a fluid flow path extending from a dirty fluid inlet to a clean air outlet of including a suction motor;
(b) at least one cleaning stage positioned in the fluid flow path;
(c) the suction motor positioned in a housing of the surface cleaning apparatus and upstream of the clean air outlet; and,
(d) a sound dampening passage downstream from the suction motor and in fluid flow communication with the clean air outlet wherein at least a portion of the sound dampening passage comprises a first layer of a sound reflecting material and an inner layer of sound absorbing material.
2 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the passage comprises at least a pair of opposed walls wherein each wall comprises a first layer of a sound reflecting material and an inner layer of sound absorbing material.
3 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound reflecting material is selected from plastic and metal.
4 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound absorbing material is selected from foam, rubber, silicone, a member having pockets filled will one of air or fluid and combinations thereof.
5 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound dampening passage comprises a longitudinally extending conduit interior of the housing, the longitudinally extending conduit having continuous sidewalls.
6 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound dampening passage is positioned exterior to the housing downstream of the clean air outlet.
7 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the sound dampening passage comprises an outer wall of the surface cleaning apparatus and a sound dampening panel mounted to the surface cleaning apparatus and the sound dampening panel comprises the first layer of the sound reflecting material and the inner layer of sound absorbing material.
8 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 6 wherein the sound dampening panel is removably mounted to the surface cleaning apparatus.
9 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound dampening passage extends at an angle to a direction of airflow entering the sound dampening passage.
10 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the angle is greater than 15°.
11 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the angle is about 90°.
12 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound dampening passage extends linearly.
13 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound dampening passage has at least a curved section.
14 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound dampening passage has a cross sectional area transverse to its longitudinal extent that decreases in a downstream direction.
15 . The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sound dampening passage has a cross sectional area transverse to its longitudinal extent that increases in a downstream direction.
16 . A sound dampening passage positionable downstream from a fluid flow motor comprising at least a pair of opposed walls wherein each wall comprises a first layer of a sound reflecting material and at least one wall has an inner layer of sound absorbing material.
17 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound reflecting material is selected from plastic and metal.
18 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound absorbing material is selected from foam, rubber, silicone, a member having pockets filled will one of air or fluid and combinations thereof.
19 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound dampening passage comprises a longitudinally extending conduit interior of a housing of the fluid flow motor having continuous sidewalls.
20 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound dampening passage is positioned exterior to a housing of the fluid flow motor and downstream of an air outlet of the housing.
21 . The sound dampening passage of claim 20 wherein the sound dampening passage comprises an outer wall of the housing and a sound dampening panel spaced from the housing and the sound dampening panel comprises the first layer of a sound reflecting material and the inner layer of sound absorbing material.
22 . The sound dampening passage of claim 21 wherein the sound dampening panel is removably mounted.
23 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound dampening passage extends at an angle to a direction of airflow entering the sound dampening passage.
24 . The sound dampening passage of claim 23 wherein the angle is greater than 15°.
25 . The sound dampening passage of claim 23 wherein the angle is about 90°.
26 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound dampening passage extends linearly.
27 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound dampening passage has at least a curved section.
28 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound dampening passage has a cross sectional area transverse to its longitudinal extent that decreases in a downstream direction.
29 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein the sound dampening passage has a cross sectional area transverse to its longitudinal extent that increases in a downstream direction.
30 . The sound dampening passage of claim 16 wherein each opposed wall is provided with the inner layer of sound absorbing material.