Dirt collection chamber for a surface cleaning apparatus
View Patent ↗A surface cleaning apparatus comprises an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and a suction motor. The surface cleaning apparatus may also comprise a cyclone chamber provided in the air flow path. The cyclone chamber may comprise a cyclone air inlet, a cyclone air outlet and a dirt outlet. The surface cleaning apparatus may comprise a dirt collection chamber having a dirt inlet, a dirt collection chamber first end, an opposed dirt collection chamber second end and a longitudinally extending sidewall. The sidewall may comprise a portion that has a longitudinal length and extends away from the dirt inlet towards the opposed dirt collection chamber second end. A transverse cross sectional area of the dirt collection chamber may varies at least once along the length of the portion of the sidewall.
1. A surface cleaning apparatus comprising:
(a) an air flow path extending from a dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet and including a suction motor;
(b) a cyclone chamber provided in the air flow path and comprising a length in a longitudinal direction, a first end having a dirt outlet, a second end longitudinally spaced from the first end, a cyclone air inlet and a cyclone air outlet; and,
(c) a dirt collection chamber exterior to the cyclone chamber and having a dirt collection chamber first end, an opposed dirt collection chamber second end and a longitudinally extending sidewall comprising a first portion and a second portion, the first portion at least partially laterally surrounding the cyclone chamber, facing the dirt outlet and defining a passage extending away from and past the dirt outlet towards the opposed dirt collection chamber second end, the second portion extending to the opposed dirt collection chamber second end and a discontinuity is provided between the first and second portions.
2. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt outlet is positioned adjacent the dirt collection chamber first end.
3. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 2 wherein a dirt collection area is provided at the opposed dirt collection chamber second end.
4. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection chamber first end is an upper end, the dirt outlet is provided at the upper end, and a dirt collection area is provided in a lower portion of the dirt collection chamber.
5. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the cyclone chamber and the dirt collection chamber are provided in a cyclone bin assembly and the cyclone bin assembly is removably mounted to the surface cleaning apparatus.
6. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the dirt collection chamber surrounds the cyclone chamber.
7. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sidewall extends inwardly at a transition from the first portion to the second portion whereby a portion of the dirt collection chamber defined by the second portion of the sidewall has a transverse cross sectional area is smaller than a transverse cross sectional area of a portion of the dirt collection chamber defined by the first portion of the sidewall.
8. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 wherein the sidewall extends outwardly at a transition from the first portion to the second portion whereby a portion of the dirt collection chamber defined by the second portion of the sidewall has a transverse cross sectional area is larger than a transverse cross sectional area of a portion of the dirt collection chamber defined by the first portion of the sidewall.
9. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 1 , the dirt collection chamber having an inner side adjacent the cyclone chamber and an outer side spaced from the cyclone chamber and the first portion of the sidewall is provided at the outer side.
10. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein a transition from the first portion to the second portion includes a third portion of the sidewall that extends at an angle to the first and second portions.
11. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 the sidewall extends inwardly at a transition from the first portion to the second portion whereby a portion of the dirt collection chamber defined by the second portion of the sidewall has a transverse cross sectional area is smaller than a transverse cross sectional area of a portion of the dirt collection chamber defined by the first portion of the sidewall.
12. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 10 wherein the sidewall extends outwardly at a transition from the first portion to the second portion whereby a portion of the dirt collection chamber defined by the second portion of the sidewall has a transverse cross sectional area is larger than a transverse cross sectional area of a portion of the dirt collection chamber defined by the first portion of the sidewall.
13. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 wherein the cyclone air inlet is the second opposed end of the cyclone chamber.
14. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 13 wherein the dirt outlet is at an upper end of the cyclone chamber.
15. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 9 further comprising a rib extending between the inner side and the outer side and provided along the first portion of the sidewall.
16. The surface cleaning apparatus of claim 15 wherein the rib extends only part way along the first portion of the sidewall.