US 6,746,500 · Granted 2004-06-08
The Two-Stage Cyclone That Sucks Cleaner Than Ever
Imagine a vacuum cleaner that works twice as hard to get dust out of the air. This patent describes a dust collector with two spinning chambers stacked on top of each other—the first one catches the big stuff, and the second one catches the tiny particles that the first one missed. It's like having two quality-control workers instead of one.
The plain-English version
What it protects
The claim covers a multi-stage cyclone dust collection system featuring a primary cyclone body that draws in air and foreign matter through a first inlet, separates dust primarily, and discharges cleaned air through a first outlet. Stacked above it is a secondary cyclone body that receives this partially cleaned air tangentially (at an angle to the circular wall), spins it again to catch finer particles, and routes the further-cleaned air toward a fan chamber. Both stages have separate dust collection boxes. What's protected here is specifically this two-stage arrangement and the geometry of how air flows between the stages.
Why it matters
Multi-stage cyclone technology matters because it dramatically improves air quality and dust capture efficiency in vacuum cleaners and air filtration systems. By separating coarse and fine particles in sequence rather than trying to catch everything in one stage, manufacturers can achieve higher suction power with less clogging and longer filter life. This patent, filed by LG Electronics in 2000, represents industrial investment in making home cleaning appliances more effective—a category that drives repeat consumer purchases and brand loyalty.
Real-world use
Every time you use a modern upright or canister vacuum with a cyclone motor, you're benefiting from multi-stage separation technology like this—especially when cleaning carpets and hardwood floors where dust varies wildly in particle size.
Original USPTO abstract
Multi-cyclone dust collector including a primary cyclone body and dust collecting box for causing circulation of air and collecting various foreign matters, the primary cyclone body and dust collecting box having a first air inlet for drawing air together with various foreign matters and a first air outlet for discharging air from which the various foreign matters are removed primarily, a secondary cyclone body over the primary cyclone body and dust collecting box for causing circulation of the air to flow in a direction at a right angle to the direction of air flow in the primary cyclone body and dust collecting box, the secondary cyclone body having a second air inlet in communication with the first air outlet for drawing the air from the primary cyclone body and dust collecting box to the secondary cyclone body in a direction tangential to an inside circumference of the secondary cyclone body, and a second air outlet in a center of one side of the second air cyclone body in the vicinity of the first air outlet having an extension piece to inside of the secondary cyclone body in communication with a space where the fan is located, and a second dust collecting box having an opening to the other side of the second air inlet.
Patent details
- Publication number
- US 6,746,500
- Filing date
- 2000-03-15
- Grant date
- 2004-06-08
- Assignee
- Lg Electronics Inc.
- Inventor(s)
- PARK DEOG BAE, YANG BYUNG SUN
- CPC class
- B04C5/26
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