1. A vacuum cleaner having an external surface and incorporating cyclonic separating apparatus comprising a plurality of cyclones arranged in parallel to one another, characterised in that each cyclone has a tapering body having an outside wall and in that at least a part of each outside wall forms part of the external surface of the vacuum cleaner.
2. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the cyclones are equi-angularly arranged about an axis of the cyclonic separating apparatus.
3. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein each cyclone has an axis which is inclined towards the axis of the cyclonic separating apparatus.
4. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cyclonic separating apparatus comprises at least one further cyclone arranged in parallel to the plurality of cyclones, the or each further cyclone having a tapering body with an outside wall which does not form part of the external surface of the vacuum cleaner.
5. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2 or 3 and claim 4, wherein the or each further cyclone is arranged closer to the axis of the cyclonic separating apparatus than those which are equi-angularly arranged about the axis.
6. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each tapering body is frusto-conical in shape.
7. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein all of the cyclones are substantially the same size and shape.
8. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each cyclone has a larger lower end and a smaller upper end.
9. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 8, wherein the smaller end of each cyclone opens into a common collection area.
10. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cyclonic separating apparatus comprises an upstream cyclone having an outer wall, at least a part of which forms part of the external surface of the vacuum cleaner.
11. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 10, wherein the outer wall of the upstream cyclone is substantially cylindrical in shape.
12. A vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of cyclones arranged in parallel to one another are located wholly outside the outer wall of the upstream cyclone.
13. A vacuum cleaner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A sealed battery cell comprising:
an anti-explosion mechanism disposed between an electrode group and a top cover, the electrode group including a positive electrode and a negative electrode that are laminated together; wherein
the anti-explosion mechanism comprises a diaphragm, a connection plate comprising a lower surface and an upper surface that is welded to the diaphragm, and a connection lead welded to the lower surface of the connection plate;
the connection plate includes a thinner portion having a flat upper surface across an entirety of the thinner portion, the flat upper surface being recessed below an upper surface of adjacent portions of the connection plate, the thinner portion being thinner than portions of the connection plate immediately adjacent thereto;
a lower surface of the thinner portion is coplanar with the lower surface of the portions of the connection plate immediately adjacent to the thinner portion, and comprises a welded portion where the connection lead is welded directly to the lower surface of the thinner portion; and
a thickness ratio between the thinner portion and a thickest portion of the connection plate is from 0.5 to 0.9.
2. A sealed battery cell according to claim 1, wherein
an area of the thinner portion is larger than a spot or a junction area at which the connection lead is welded.
3. A sealed battery cell according to claim 1, wherein
the thinner portion is formed to be 0.1 mm or more thinner than the thicker portion, and to be at least as thick as the connection lead.
4. A sealed battery cell according to claim 1, wherein
the anti-explosion mechanism further comprises an insulation plate; and
the top cover, the diaphragm, the connection plate, and the insulation plate are integrated together in a state in which a peripheral part of the connection plate is fitted into the insulation plate.
5. A sealed battery cell according to claim 4, wherein
the connection lead is laser welded to the connection plate while the top cover, the diaphragm, the connection plate, and the insulation plate are in an integrated state.
6. A sealed battery cell according to claim 1, wherein a central portion of the thinner portion bulges upward toward the diaphragm.
7. A sealed battery cell according to claim 1, wherein an area of the thinner portion is 2 mm\xd75 mm.