Cyclone assembly for surface cleaning apparatus and a surface cleaning apparatus having same
A cyclone assembly for a surface cleaning apparatus has a first cyclonic cleaning stage having a first end moveable between a closed position in which a first stage cyclone chamber and a first stage dirt collection chamber are closed and an open position in which the first stage cyclone chamber and the first stage dirt collection chamber are open, and a second cyclonic cleaning stage having a second end moveable between a closed position in which a plurality of second stage cyclone chambers and at least one second stage dirt collection chamber are closed and an open position in which the second stage cyclone chambers and the second stage dirt collection chamber are open.
1. A vacuum cleaner having a cyclone assembly, the cyclone assembly having first and second axially spaced apart ends, the cyclone assembly comprising:
(a) an openable first end moveable between a closed position and an open position;
(b) an openable second end moveable between a closed position and an open position;
(c) a first cyclonic cleaning stage comprising at least one first stage cyclone and at least one first stage dirt collection region that is external to the at least one first stage cyclone chamber, each first stage cyclone having a first stage cyclone chamber;
(d) a second cyclonic cleaning stage downstream from the first cyclonic cleaning stage and comprising a plurality of second stage cyclones in parallel and at least one second stage dirt collection region, each of the plurality of second stage cyclones having a second stage cyclone chamber, wherein the at least one second stage dirt collection region is external to the second stage cyclone chambers; and,
(e) an air flow passage from the first cyclonic cleaning stage to the second cyclonic cleaning stage,
wherein, when the first end is in the open position, the at least one first stage cyclone chamber and the at least one first stage dirt collection region is opened whereby dirt is emptyable from the at least one first stage cyclone chamber and the at least one first stage dirt collection region, and,
wherein, when the second end is in the open position, an end of the second stage cyclone chambers that is located at the second end and an end of the at least one second stage second stage dirt collection region that is located at the second end are opened whereby separated dirt is emptyable from the second stage cyclone chambers and the at least one second stage dirt collection region.
2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the first end comprises a single pivotally openable wall.
3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2 wherein the second end comprises a single pivotally openable wall.
4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the second end comprises a single pivotally openable wall.
5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein each of the first end and the second lower end has a pivotally openable end wall.
6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the at least one second stage dirt collection region comprises a plurality of second stage dirt collection regions and the plurality of second stage dirt collection regions are opened when the second end is opened.
7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the second stage cyclone is a uniflow cyclone.
8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein each second stage cyclone has a cyclone air outlet provided on the openable second end whereby the second stage cyclone air outlets are removed from second stage cyclone chambers when the second end wall is opened.
9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1 wherein the first stage cyclone is a uniflow cyclone.
10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9 wherein the first stage cyclone has a cyclone air inlet located at the openable first end and a cyclone air outlet axially spaced from the openable first end.
11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10 wherein each second stage cyclone has a cyclone air inlet located axially adjacent the cyclone air outlet of the first stage cyclone and a cyclone air outlet located at the openable second end.
12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the second cyclonic cleaning stage has a manifold positioned between the first stage cyclone air outlet and the second stage cyclone air inlets, and the first stage cyclone air outlet is laterally offset from a centre of the manifold.
13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the first stage cyclone has a central cyclone axis of rotation that extends through the first stage cyclone air outlet, the second cyclonic cleaning stage has a central axis extending in a direction of the central cyclone axis of rotation, the central axis extends through the manifold, and the central cyclone axis of rotation is offset laterally from the central axis.
14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11 wherein the first stage cyclone has a central cyclone axis of rotation, the second cyclonic cleaning stage has a central axis extending in a direction of the central cyclone axis of rotation and the central cyclone axis of rotation is offset laterally from the central axis.
15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9 wherein each second stage cyclone has a cyclone air outlet located at the openable second end and a cyclone air inlet axially spaced from the openable second end cyclone.