7 th February 2008
Inventors & Inventions
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Dyson has a background in product design following his studying at the Royal College of Art – his successes started with a seagoing ‘Truck’ and were followed by the familiar ‘Ballbarrow’ - A product in which Dyson literally re-invented the wheel. The ‘Wheelboat’ - A boat with wheels followed those inventions ! But the product most synonymous with the
name Dyson has to be the ‘Cyclone’ cleaner. Most people will have noticed how clogged and inefficient a vacuum cleaner becomes as the dust-bag gets filled but the innovative step – or rather the devising of an alternative product concept, took over five years and 5127 prototypes ! - Through his knowledge and observations of Industrial air cleaning he transferred the vortex principle – in which particles are removed by their centrifugal force to the domestic cleaner. As might have been expected from the experience of so many other inventors and innovators, no manufacturer would take on the production of such a revolutionary idea and so, using his own funds, the first ‘Dyson’ product was made and marketed in Japan.
Not being content with reinventing the vacuum cleaner Dyson’s company has turned its attention to other products and now offers the Dyson washing machine – applying the same
analytical thinking to the rotating drum within washing machines – the ’Contrarotator’ has two drums that contra-rotate – a principle that ensures more effective washing action. The market previously classed as ’white goods’ clearly won’t be remaining ’white’ for long – if the colourful Cyclone-cleaner ranges are anything to go by !
