GB2372468A

GB2372468A - Cyclonic separating apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2372468A
Application number: GB0109391A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Remco Douwinus Vuijk
Original assignee: Dyson Ltd
Current assignee: Dyson Ltd
Priority date: 2001-02-24
Filing date: 2001-04-12
Publication date: 2002-08-28
Also published as: JP2010063929A; MY131872A; GB0109403D0; GB2372469A; KR20030081443A; JP5319511B2; GB2372470A; JP4965477B2; GB0109391D0; GB2372435A; KR100866354B1; JP2008194686A; MY135102A; GB0109395D0; GB0109405D0; GB0104668D0

Abstract

The invention provides cyclonic separating apparatus comprising a plurality of cyclones arranged in parallel with one another, each cyclone having a tapering body and an inlet 146 constructed and arranged so as to create a helical flow within the tapering body, wherein the inlet 146 for each cyclone is manufactured integrally with the inlets 146 for the remaining cyclones. This arrangement is particularly suitable for use in vacuum cleaners.

Description

Cvclonic Separating Apparatus The invention relates to cyclonic separating

apparatus. Particularly, but not exclusively, the invention relates to cyclonic separating apparatus for use in vacuum cleaners.

Cyclonic separating apparatus is well known and has uses in a wide variety of applications. Over the last decade or so, the use of cyclonic separating apparatus to separate particles from an airflow in a vacuum cleaner has been developed and introduced to the market. Detailed descriptions of cyclonic separating apparatus for use

in vacuum cleaners are given in, inter alla, Us 3,425,192, US 4,373,228 and EP 0 042 723. From these and other prior art documents, it can be seen that it is known to

provide two cyclone units in series so that the airflow passes sequentially through two cyclones. This allows the larger dirt and debris to be extracted from the airflow in the first cyclone, leaving the second cyclone to operate under optimum conditions and so effectively to remove very fine particles in an efficient manner. This type of arrangement has been found to be effective when dealing with airflows in which is entrained a variety of matter having a wide particle size distribution. Such is the case in vacuum cleaners.

In some cases, for example US 3,425,192 mentioned above, the second cyclone unit consists of a plurality of cyclones arranged in parallel. The incoming air is divided between the cyclones and this is achieved by allowing the inlets of the cyclones to communicate with a plenum chamber into which air exiting the first cyclone is admitted. Such an arrangement then requires each cyclone to have an individual inlet associated with it in order to ensure that the incoming air follows a helical path within each cyclone. This type of arrangement adds to the overall cost of the components of the apparatus and also to the cost of assembly of the apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to provide cyclonic separating apparatus which is simple and economic to manufacture and/or to assemble in comparison to the prior art.

It is another object of the invention to provide cyclonic separating apparatus suitable for

use in vacuum cleaners and capable of being manufactured at reduced cost compared to the prior art. It is a further object of the invention to provide cyclonic separating

apparatus capable of mitigating the disadvantages of the prior art.

The invention provides cyclonic separating apparatus comprising a plurality of cyclones arranged in parallel with one another, each cyclone having a tapering body and an inlet constructed and arranged so as to create a helical flow within the tapering body, wherein the inlet for each cyclone is manufactured integrally with the inlets for the remaining cyclones. The integral manufacture of the inlets to the cyclones provides a simple and economic solution to the difficulties associated with the provision of individual inlets to each of a plurality of cyclones. The integral manufacture of the inlets for the cyclones also removes the risk of any one of several individual inlets being inaccurately positioned during manufacture. By providing a single part incorporating all inlets, the size of the part will allow any misalignment during assembly to be readily identified and corrected.

The resulting reduction in substandard or faulty apparatus is beneficial to the user.

Preferably, each inlet is substantially identical to the remaining inlets and, more preferably, each inlet comprises a helical channel which opens into the respective tapering body. This arrangement is convenient and reliable to manufacture.

In a preferred embodiment, the tapering bodies are manufactured separately from the inlets, more preferably integrally with one another. Also, it is preferred that the apparatus comprises an inlet support member in which the inlet for each of the cyclones is formed. Such arrangements, again, lend themselves to economic manufacture and assembly procedures.

Further preferred and advantageous features are set out in the subsidiary claims.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figures la and lb are front and side views, respectively, of a vacuum cleaner incorporating cyclonic separating apparatus according to the invention; Figures 2a, 2b and 2c are front, side and plan views, respectively, of a first embodiment of cyclonic separating apparatus forming part of the vacuum cleaner of Figures la and lb; Figures 3a and 3b are front and sectional side views, respectively, of the cyclonic separating apparatus of Figures 2a, 2b and 2c, Figure 3b being taken along the line III-

III of Figure 3a; Figures 4a, 4b and 4c are perspective, plan and sectional side views, respectively, of a cyclone portion of the cyclonic separating apparatus of Figures 2a, 2b and 2c, Figure 4c being taken along line IV-IV of Figure 4b; Figures Sa and 5b are perspective views, taken from the top and bottom respectively, of an inlet support member forming part of the cyclonic separating apparatus of Figures 2a, 2b and 2c; Figures 6a and 6b are plan and perspective views, respectively, of a vortex finder member forming part of the cyclonic separating apparatus of Figures 2a, 2b and 2c; Figure 7 is a schematic sectional view taken along the length of an inlet forming part of the inlet support member of Figures 5a and 5b with the vortex finder member of Figures 6a and 6b located adjacent the inlet support member;

Figures 8a and 8b are plan and sectional views, respectively, of the inlet support member of Figures Sa and Sb and seven vortex finder members of the type shown in Figures 6a and fib, Figure 8b being taken along the line Vm-VIII of Figure 8a; and Figures 9a and 9b are views similar to those of Figures 8a and 8b but with the cyclone portion of Figures 4a, 4b and 4c positioned adjacent the inlet support member, Figure 9b being taken along the line IX-IX of Figure 9a.

Figures la and lb show a domestic vacuum cleaner 10 incorporating cyclonic separating apparatus according to the present invention. The vacuum cleaner 10 comprises an upstanding body 12 at a lower end of which is located a motor casing 14.

A cleaner head 16 is mounted in an articulated fashion on the motor casing 14. A suction inlet 18 is provided in the cleaner head 16 and wheels 20 are rotatably mounted on the motor casing 14 to allow the vacuum cleaner 10 to be manoeuvered over a surface to be cleaned.

Cyclonic separating apparatus 100 is mounted on the upstanding body 12 above the motor casing 14. The cyclonic separating apparatus 100 is seated on a generally horizontal surface formed by a filter cover 22. The filter cover 22 is located above the motor casing 14 and provides a cover for a post-motor filter (not shown). The cyclonic separating apparatus 100 is also secured to the upstanding body 12 by means of a clip 24 located at the top of the cyclonic separating apparatus 100. The upstanding body 12 incorporates upstream dueling (not shown) for carrying dirty air to an inlet of the cyclonic separating apparatus 100 and downstream ducting 26 for carrying cleaned air away from the cyclonic separating apparatus 100.

The upstanding body 12 further incorporates a hose and wand assembly 28 which may be retained in the configuration shown in the drawings so as to function as a handle for manoeuvering the vacuum cleaner 10 over a surface to be cleaned. Alternatively, the hose and wand assembly 28 may be released to allow the distal end 28a of the wand to be used in conjunction with a floor tool (not shown) to perform a cleaning function, eg

: on stairs, upholstery, etc. The structure and operation of the hose and wand assembly 28 is not material to the present invention and will not be described any further here.

The general structure and operation of the hose and wand assembly 28 illustrated in Figures la and lb is similar to that described in US patent number Re 32,257 which is incorporated herein by reference. Also, several tools and accessories 30a, 30b, 30c, are releasably mounted on the upstanding body 12 for storage purposes between periods of use. The precise details of the features of the vacuum cleaner 10 described above are not material to the present invention. The invention is concerned with the details of the cyclonic separation apparatus 100 forming part of the vacuum cleaner 10. In order for the cyclonic separation apparatus 100 to be brought into operation, the motor located in the motor casing 14 is activated so that air is drawn into the vacuum cleaner via either the suction inlet 18 or the distal end 28a of the hose and wand assembly 28. This dirty air (being air having dirt and dust entrained therein) is passed to the cyclonic separation apparatus 100 via the upstream ducting. After the air has passed through the cyclonic separation apparatus 100, it is ducted out of the cyclonic separating apparatus 100 and down the upstanding body 12 to the motor casing 14 via the downstream ducting 26.

The cleaned air is used to cool the motor located in the motor casing 14 before being exhausted from the vacuum cleaner 10 via the filter cover 22.

This principle of operation of the vacuum cleaner 10 is known from the prior art. This

invention is concerned with the cyclonic separation apparatus 100 which is illustrated in Figures 2a, 2b and 2c in isolation from the vacuum cleaner 10.

The cyclonic separation apparatus 100 illustrated in Figure 2 comprises an upstream cyclone unit 101 consisting of a single upstream cyclone 102 and a downstream cyclone unit 103 consisting of a plurality of downstream cyclones 104. The upstream cyclone 102 consists essentially of a cylindrical bin 106 having a closed base 108. The open upper end 110 of the cylindrical bin abuts against an inlet support member 112 which defines an upper end of the upstream cyclone 102 and will be described in more detail

below. An inlet port 114 is provided in the cylindrical bin 106 in order to allow dirty air to be introduced to the interior of the upstream cyclone 102. The inlet port 114 is shaped, positioned and configured to communicate with the upstream ducting which carries dirt-laden air from the cleaner head 16 to the cyclonic separating apparatus 100.

A handle 116 and a catch 118 are provided on the cylindrical bin 106 and the inlet support member 112 respectively in order to provide means for releasing the cylindrical bin 106 from the inlet support member 112 when the cylindrical bin 106 requires to be emptied. A seal (not shown) can be provided between the cylindrical bin 106 and the inlet support member 112 if required.

The base 108 of the cylindrical bin can be hingedly connected to the remainder of the cylindrical bin in order to provide further access to the interior of the cylindrical bin 106 for emptying purposes if required. The embodiment illustrated herein will include a mechanism for allowing the base 108 to be hingedly opened in order to allow emptying, but the details of such a mechanism form the subject of a copending application and will not be described any further here.

Seven identical downstream cyclones 104 are provided in the downstream cyclone unit 103. The downstream cyclones 104 are equi-angularly spaced about the central longitudinal axis 150 of the downstream cyclone unit 103, which is coincident with the longitudinal axis of the upstream cyclone unit 101. The arrangement is illustrated in Figure 2c. Each downstream cyclone 104 is frusto-conical in shape with the larger end thereof located lowermost and the smaller end uppermost. Each downstream cyclone 104 has a longitudinal axis 148 (see Figure 3b) which is inclined slightly towards the longitudinal axis lSO of the downstream cyclone unit 103. This feature will be described in more detail below. A1SO7 the outermost point of the lowermost end of each downstream cyclone 104 extends radially further from the longitudinal axis lSO of the downstream cyclone unit 103 than the wall of the cylindrical bin 106. The uppermost ends of the downstream cyclones 104 project inside an upper portion 120 which extends upwardly from the surfaces of the downstream cyclones 104. The upper portion 120 supports a handle 122 by means of which the entire cyclonic separation apparatus 100

can be transported. A catch 124 is provided on the handle 122 for the purposes of securing the cyclonic separation apparatus 100 to the upstanding body 12 at the upper end thereof. An outlet port 126 is provided in the inlet support member 112 for conducting cleaned air out of the cyclonic separating apparatus 100. The outlet port 126 is arranged and configured to co-operate with the downstream ducting 26 for carrying the cleaned air to the motor casing 14.

The upper portion 120 also carries an actuating lever 128 designed to activate a mechanism for opening the base 108 of the cylindrical bin 106 for emptying purposes as mentioned above.

The internal features of the cyclonic separating apparatus 100 will now be described with reference to Figure 3b. Figure 3a corresponds to Figure 2a and indicates the line III-III on which the section of Figure 3b is taken.

The internal features of the upstream cyclone 102 include an internal wall 132 extending the entire length thereof. The internal space defined by the internal wall 132 communicates with the interior of the upper portion 120 as will be described below. The purpose of the internal wall 132 is to define a collection space 134 for fine dust.

Located inside the internal wall 132 and in the collection space 134 are components for allowing the base 108 to open when the actuating lever 128 is actuated. The precise details and operation of these components is immaterial to the present invention and will not be described any further here.

Mounted externally of the internal wall 132 are four equi-spaced baffles or fins 136 which project radially outwardly from the internal wall 132 towards the cylindrical bin 106. These baffles 136 assist with the deposition of large dirt and dust particles in the collection space 138 defined between the internal wall 132 and the cylindrical bin 106 adjacent the base 108. The particular features of the baffles 136 are described in more detail in WO 00/04816.

Located outwardly of the internal wall 132 in an upper portion of the upstream cyclone 102 is a shroud 140. The shroud extends upwardly from the baffles 136 and, together with the internal wall 132, defines an air passageway 142. The shroud 140 has a perforated portion 144 allowing air to pass from the interior of the upstream cyclone 102 to the air passageway 142. The air passageway 142 communicates with the inlet 146 of each of the downstream cyclones 104. Each inlet 146 is located in the inlet support member 112 and is arranged in the manner of a scroll so that air entering each downstream cyclone 104 is forced to follow a helical path within the respective downstream cyclone 104. The detail of the inlets 146 will be described in more detail below. As previously mentioned, the longitudinal axis 148 of each downstream cyclone 104 is inclined towards the longitudinal axis lSO of the downstream cyclone unit 103. The upper end of each downstream cyclone 104 is closer to the longitudinal axis 150 than the lower end thereof. In this embodiment, the angle of inclination of the relevant axes 148 is substantially 7.5 .

The upper ends of the downstream cyclones 104 project inside the upper portion 120, as previously mentioned. The interior of the upper portion 120 defines a chamber 152 with which the upper ends of the downstream cyclones 104 communicate. The upper portion 120 and the surfaces of the downstream cyclones 104 together define an axially extending passageway or dust channel 154, located between the downstream cyclones 104, which communicates with the collection space 134 defined by the internal wall 132. It is thus possible for dirt and dust which exits the smaller ends of the downstream cyclones 104 to pass from the chamber 152 to the collection space 134 via the dust channel 154.

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c illustrate the arrangement of the downstream cyclones 104 in greater detail. In particular, this helps to illustrate the configuration of the dust channel 154. Figure 4b also helps to illustrate the fact that the side of each of the downstream cyclones 104 closest to the longitudinal axis of the downstream cyclone unit 103 lies

substantially parallel thereto. The downstream cyclones 104 have tapering bodies 104a which are arranged in a ring centered on the axis 150 of the downstream cyclone unit 103. A generally cylindrical wall 120a forming part of the upper portion 120 extends downwardly so as to meet the tapering bodies 104a. The downstream cyclones 104 and the cylindrical wall 120a are moulded integrally as a single piece 160, together with a collar 162 located adjacent the lower ends of the tapering bodies 104a and appropriate shapings 164 allowing the fixing of the single piece 160 to other parts of the cyclonic separating apparatus 100.

The inlet support member 112 is shown in detail in Figures Sa and Sb. The inlet support member 112 is moulded from a plastics material in a single piece and has a generally cylindrical wall 170 having a lower lip 172. The outlet port 126 is moulded into the cylindrical wall 170. Radially inwardly of the cylindrical wall 170 are second and third cylindrical walls 174, 176 between which are located baffle members 178. The baffle members 178, together with the second and third cylindrical walls 174, 176, define seven passageways 180 for carrying dirt- and dust-laden air to the inlets 146 of the downstream cyclones 104. These passageways 180 communicate with the air passageway 142 delimited by the shroud 140 and the internal wall 132. Between each pair of adjacent passageways 180 are blind recesses 182.

Extending between the upper portion of the cylindrical wall 170 and the upper portions of the baffle members 178 defining the passageways 180 is an upper portion of the inlet support member 112 incorporating seven identical mouldings 184 defining the inlets 146 of the downstream cyclones 104. Each moulding 184 is generally trough-shaped and follows a helical path about an aperture 186 extending through the upper portion of the inlet support member 112. Seven identical apertures 186 are provided and each aperture communicates with a chamber 188 defined by the first and second cylindrical walls 170, 174 and the mouldings 184. When the chamber 188 is closed by another part of the cyclonic separating apparatus, the apertures 186 are in communication with the outlet port 126. A locating peg 190 is provided adjacent each moulding 182. The purpose of the locating pegs 190 will be described below.

Figures 6a and 6b show a vortex finder member 192. The vortex finder member 192 comprises a vortex finder 156 which consists of an upstanding tubular collar of the same internal diameter as the aperture 186. The vortex finder functions as the outlet for air exiting the respective downstream cyclone 104. Mounted inside the vortex finder 156 is a centrebody 158 which helps to stabilize and straighten the airflow passing along the vortex finder 156. A plate 194 is provided at the base of the vortex finder 156. The shape of the plate 194 is such that, when the vortex finder member 192 is located adjacent one of the inlets 146, the plate 194 covers the inlet 146 from the point furthest downstream to an upstream point. A recess or aperture 196 is provided in the plate 194.

The recess or aperture 198 is located and dimensioned so as to be able to receive the peg 190 located adjacent the respective inlet 146 so as to assist with the accurate location of the vortex finder member 192. The vortex finder member 192 is fixed in position by welding around the base of the vortex finder 156. No fixing need be provided between the outer edge of the plate 194 and the inlet 146.

The shape of the inlets 146 is described in more detail with reference to Figure 7 which is a schematic view along the length of one of the inlets 146 assuming that the inlet followed a straight path instead of a helical one. As can be seen, the passageway 180 terminates in a right-angled bend 200 whose walls are moulded integrally with the inlet support member 112. The inlet 146, formed by a trough moulded into the inlet support member 112, has a first portion 146a which extends substantially perpendicularly to the axis 148 of the downstream cyclone to which the inlet 146 relates (see Figure 9b). The inlet 146 has a second portion 146b which is inclined to the first portion 146a at a slight angle a. The size of the angle a can vary from as little as 5 to as much as 20 , an angle of approximately 16 being preferred. When the vortex finder member 192 is placed in position adjacent the inlet 146, the plate 194 covers the first portion 146a of the inlet 146 but not the second portion 146b. Hence the portion 146a of the inlet 146 which lies substantially parallel to the axis 148 of the respective cyclone 104. The second portion 146b, which directs the incoming air along the axis 148, is open on one side, specifically the side facing the cyclone 104. This arrangement controls the incoming air

it as it begins to establish a helical flow pattern and then allows the airflow to follow a free vortex path as it passes along the axis. The channel or trough which forms the inlet 146 is contoured on the lower side thereof to provide a smooth surface across which the incoming air can pass so as to reduce friction losses.

Figures 8a and 8b show the inlet support member 112 with seven vortex finder members 192 placed in position adjacent the respective inlets 146. The section shown in Figure 8b is taken along the line VIII-VIII. As can be seen from Figure 8a, the axes of the vortex finders 156 are inclined slightly towards the central longitudinal axis of the inlet support member 112 so as to coincide with the axes of the downstream cyclones 104.

Hence, the directions of the first portions 146a of the inlets 146 do not lie precisely horizontally, but are inclined downwardly towards the lower lip 172 of the cyclindrical wall 170.

Figures 9a and 9b are views similar to those shown in Figures 8a and 8b but with the integral piece 160 incorporating the downstream cyclones 104 attached to the inlet support member 112 as well. As can be seen, one of the tapering bodies 104a is fitted over each of the inlets 146 so that the inlet 146 opens into the respective tapering body 104a. The inlet support member 112 includes a circular lip 202 around each of the mouldings 184 which define the inlets 146. The lower edge of each tapering body 104a locates inside one of the lips 202 and is fixed therein by any suitable means such as adhesive, welding, interference fit, screws, etc. If adhesives are used, the outer edge of the plate 194 can be fixed in position simultaneously with the fixing of the cyclones 104. The vortex finder 156 then projects into the tapering body 104a and communicates therewith so as to allow air to exit from the cyclone 104 into the chamber 188. The inner edge of the collar 162 abuts against the top of the third cylindrical walll76 when the cyclone portion 160 is located adjacent the inlet support member 112. A seal is formed between these two members. The third cylindrical wall 176 forms a further dust channel 204 which forms an extension of the dust channel 154.

As will be understood from the preceding description, the inlet support member 112 is

located on top of the upstream cyclone 102. When the inlet support member 112 is placed in position, the lower lip 172 of the first cylindrical wall 170 comes into sealing contact with an annular plate 206 which is located on top of the upstream cyclone 102 and closes the top thereof radially outwardly of the shroud 140. Simultaneously, the second cylindrical wall 174 is brought into sealing engagement with an upper portion of the shroud 140 and the third cylindrical wall is brought into sealing engagement with the upper end of the internal wall 132. Thus the further dust channel 204 is brought into sealed communication with the dust collector 134 and the inlets 146 are brought into sealed communication with the air passageway 142.

The mode of operation of the apparatus described above is as follows. Dirty air (being air in which dirt and dust is entrained) enters the cyclonic separating apparatus 100 via the inlet port 114. The arrangement of the inlet port 114 is essentially tangential to the wall of the cylindrical bin 106 which causes the incoming air to follow a helical path around the inside of the cylindrical bin 106. Larger dirt and dust particles, along with fluff and other large debris, are deposited in the collection space 138 adjacent the base 108 by virtue of the effect of centrifugal forces acting on the particles, as is well known.

Partially cleaned air travels inwardly and upwardly away from the base 108, exiting the upstream cyclone 102 via the perforated portion 144 of the shroud 140. The partially-

cleaned air then moves along the air passageway 142 in which it is divided into seven portions. Each portion enters one of the downstream cyclones 104 via the respective inlet 146. As has been mentioned above, each inlet 146 is a scroll inlet which forces the incoming air to follow a helical path inside the downstream cyclone 104. The tapering shape of the downstream cyclone 104 causes further, intense cyclonic separation to take place inside the downstream cyclone 104 so that very fine dirt and dust particles are separated from the main airflow. The dirt and dust particles exit the uppermost end of the downstream cyclone 104 whilst the cleaned air returns to the lower end of the downstream cyclone 104 along the axis 148 thereof and exits via the vortex finder 156.

The cleaned air passes from the vortex finder 156 into the annular chamber 188 and from there to the outlet port 126. Meanwhile, the dirt and dust which has been

separated from the airflow in the downstream cyclone 104 falls from the chamber 152 through the dust channel 154 to the collection space 134. It is prevented from passing to the open uppermost end of the adjacent cyclones 104 by the fins 153.

When it is desired to empty the cyclonic separating apparatus 100, the base 108 can be hingedly released from the sidewall of the cylindrical bin 106 so that the dirt and debris collected in collection spaces 134 and 138 can be allowed to drop into an appropriate receptacle. As previously explained, the detailed operation of the emptying mechanism does not form part of the present invention and will not be described any further here.

The invention is not limited to the precise details of the embodiments described above.

It must be stressed that the features of the vacuum cleaner in which the cyclonic cleaning apparatus is to be used are immaterial to the invention. Indeed, it is envisaged that cyclonic separating apparatus of the type described above can be put to use in other areas where good separation efficiencies combined with low pressure drops are required. It will be appreciated that, if desired, either or both of the upstream and downstream cyclone units can be made up of either a single cyclone or a plurality of cyclones arranged in parallel. Furthermore, there is no particular need for the apparatus to be arranged so that the axes of the cyclone units are vertical and the axes may indeed be inclined to the vertical or even horizontal if desired. The fact that centrifugal separation is not greatly affected by gravity makes this possible as long as the collecting areas of the cyclone units are arranged to collect the debris without interference to the airflow paths necessary to effect separation. In a further variation to the embodiment described in detail above, the downstream cyclones illustrated above may be arranged so that their respective axes are arranged parallel to one another instead of being inclined towards the axis of the downstream cyclone unit as shown in the drawings.

Other variations and modifications will be apparent to a skilled reader.

Claims

Claims:

1. Cyclonic separating apparatus comprising a plurality of cyclones arranged in parallel with one another, each cyclone having a tapering body and an inlet constructed and arranged so as to create a helical flow within the tapering body, wherein the inlet for each cyclone is manufactured integrally with the inlets for the remaining cyclones.

2. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each inlet is substantially identical to the remaining inlets.

3. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein each inlet comprises a helical channel which opens into the respective tapering body.

4. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the tapering bodies of the cyclones are manufactured separately from the inlets.

5. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the tapering bodies of the cyclones are manufactured integrally with one another.

6. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the tapering bodies of the cyclones are arranged in a ring and delimit a dust channel for conveying separated dirt and dust to a collection area.

7. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the apparatus comprises an inlet support member in which the inlet for each cyclone is formed.

8. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the inlet support member is moulded from a plastics material.

9. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein the inlet support member comprises locating means for locating a vortex finder adjacent the inlet for each cyclone.

10. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 6 and any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the inlet support member comprises locating means for locating the tapering bodies of the cyclones adjacent the inlet for each cyclone.

11. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claims 6 and 10, wherein the inlet support member comprises a further dust channel for conveying separated dirt and dust from the dust channel delimited by the tapering bodies of the cyclones to a collection area.

12. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 11, wherein the further dust channel lies coaxial with an axis of the inlet support member.

13. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 11 or 12, wherein, during manufacture, location of the tapering bodies adjacent the inlets causes sealing communication of the dust channel with the further dust channel.

14. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 13, wherein the tapering bodies are fixed in position adjacent the inlets by means of an adhesive.

15. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein the inlet support member comprises a plurality of inlet channels for conveying dirt-

laden air to the inlets of the cyclones.

16. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 15 and any one of claims 11 to 14, further comprising an upstream cyclone unit including an upstream cyclone, a dust collector and a dirt-laden air passageway, the arrangement being such that, during manufacture, when the inlet support member is located adjacent the upstream cyclone

i unit, the further dust channel comes into sealed communication with the dust collector and the dirt-laden air passageway comes into sealed communication with the plurality of inlet channels.

17. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the inlet support member is fixed in position adjacent the upstream cyclone unit by means of an adhesive.

18. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 17, wherein the inlet support member comprises an outlet channel for receiving cleaned air from the cyclones and conveying the cleaned air to an outlet.

19. Cyclonic separating apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein seven cyclones are provided.

20. Cyclonic separating apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

21. A vacuum cleaner incorporating Cyclonic separating apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims.

22. A vacuum cleaner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.