DE20300991U1 - vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

The central vacuum cleaner (1) with a blower (3) to produce an airflow. The housing has a dirt discharge chamber (7). The air enters the housing and is subjected to a swirling action which increases its speed so that dirt particles are ejected by centrifugal force and drop into the floor of the chamber. The dirt discharge chamber has a soil bag (9) to receive the particles.

Description

.":Ptf2N Λ » ■ * S BITTERICH ······ ·· " " MINOR Dipl.-Ing. FW MÖLL
Patent Attorney
European Patent Attorney
European Trademark Attorney Dipl.-Ing. H. CH. BIHERICH
Patent Attorney
European Patent Attorney
European Trademark Attorney PATENT ATTORNEYS MOLL + BITTERICH · Westring 17 ■ 76829 Landau ■ GERMANY Dipl.-Ing. A. KURZ
Patent Attorney
European Trademark Attorney in co-operation with
Attorney M. ZILIOX

22.01.2003 K/Mr.

ZSA Vertriebs GmbH Central Vacuum Cleaner Systems, 76877 Offenbach/Queich

Vacuum cleaner

CORRESPONDENCE PO Box 20 80 · 76810 Landau · GERMANY

J(ANZlEI Waslring JZ -76^29 Landau -.GERMANY

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Tax number 24 221 01066 · VAT ID DE 148 899 146

BANK DETAILS

Deutsche Bank Frankfurt

0 215 400 (BU 546 700 95)

Postbank Ludwigshafen

275 62-676 (bank code 545 100 67)

Description:

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner with a blower unit for generating an air flow and with a separation chamber into which the contaminated air is introduced and subjected to a circular movement at high speed, the dirt particles sinking to the bottom of the separation chamber as a result of the prevailing gravitational and centrifugal forces.

Vacuum cleaners for cleaning rooms are well known in both the private and commercial sectors. They usually consist of a fan to generate an air flow and a container for collecting dirt. By generating a negative pressure in the area of the cleaning nozzle, dirt lying on the floor is sucked in with the supply air and transported via a hose into the dirt container, where it is separated from the air flow via a filter.

With conventional handheld vacuum cleaners, both the blower unit and the dirt container are carried inside a mobile housing for the cleaning process. However, this has the disadvantage that the supply air, despite being cleaned by the air filter, still contains dirt particles that are blown into the room with the exhaust air and spread finely there. This causes problems, especially for allergy sufferers.

To overcome these disadvantages, central vacuum cleaners are already known. These are stationary in a specific place in the building and are connected to the various rooms in the building via an air duct system for the supply air. Another line for the exhaust air leads from the central vacuum cleaner directly outside. For the vacuuming process, only the cleaning nozzle with its flexible hose is connected to the air duct system in the respective room and the central vacuum cleaner generates the negative pressure required for cleaning. The dirt is transported to the central vacuum cleaner with the help of the supply air flow through the air duct system.

where the separation of dirt and air takes place. By directly discharging the exhaust air containing residual dust to the outside, the surfaces that have just been cleaned are prevented from becoming dirty again, even if only to a small extent.

In addition to the widely used dust filters, cyclone separators have also been used to separate the dirt carried in the air stream. Central vacuum cleaners in particular rely on their cleaning principle, in which the different phases are separated according to their mass. The supply air loaded with dirt is fed into the vacuum cleaner and subjected to a circular movement at high speed. The centrifugal forces that act in this process cause heavier particles such as dirt and dust particles to be carried outwards to the container wall, where they sink downwards due to gravity after reaching a lower peripheral speed and are collected in a separation chamber. The separation chamber essentially consists of a container that is detachably connected to the housing of the central vacuum cleaner. This makes it possible to remove the separation chamber from the central vacuum cleaner once it has reached a certain level of filling in order to empty it.

Since the separation chamber is usually taken outside through the rooms of a building to be emptied, there is a risk that fine dust will be stirred up by drafts and then find its way back into the living or work rooms to a small extent. In commercial premises in particular, there is also a risk that the dirt accumulated in the separation chamber may also contain contaminated substances, which poses a threat to the people working in the premises and especially to the people responsible for maintaining the vacuum cleaners.

Against this background, the invention sets itself the task of further developing the vacuum cleaners mentioned at the beginning in such a way that an easier and safe disposal of the accumulated dirt is possible.

This object is achieved by a vacuum cleaner having the features of claim 1.

Advantageous further developments arise from the subclaims.

The advantage of the invention is essentially that when the dirt and dust collected in the separation chamber is disposed of, it is no longer possible for it to escape into the ambient air. This ensures that the dirt is completely disposed of. This is achieved by hermetically packing the dirt in the separation chamber using a dirt bag before the collection container is removed from the rest of the vacuum cleaner housing. The dirt bag is sealed from the outside so that even the person responsible for disposal never comes into contact with the dirt or dust. This advantage is particularly important for allergy sufferers, as even the smallest amounts of dust can trigger an allergic reaction. The invention therefore represents an optimal solution from both a hygienic and health perspective.

The invention is extremely easy to use by pulling on the pulling element, which activates the locking mechanism on the dirt bag. The dirt bag can then be removed from the vacuum cleaner housing after the separation chamber has been detached and disposed of. Since the inner walls of the separation chamber no longer come into contact with the dirt because they are covered by the dirt bag, there is no need for subsequent cleaning of the separation chamber.

Due to the simplicity of the inventive solution, the invention does not involve any significant costs. It may also be possible to equip existing vacuum cleaner systems.

In its simplest form, the closing mechanism consists of a tension member, for example in the form of a cord, wire or band, which is guided around the dirt bag and which closes the dirt bag when pulled. An advantageous embodiment provides for the tension element to be provided with a locking mechanism which, similar to a cable tie, allows the band to be tightened but does not allow it to be loosened.

The tension members advantageously run within guides on the dirt bag, so that both the closure itself and the place where the bag is closed are clearly defined. The guides can be formed by holes in the dirt bag or by a tubular holder around the dirt bag. For both embodiments, it is possible to arrange the guides on the edge that forms the opening of the dirt bag or below it in the casing area. In order to allow the closing mechanism to be operated from the outside, the tension elements must protrude at least part of their length from the separation chamber or the housing of the vacuum cleaner.

In the simplest case, the dirt bag is attached by clamping the upper edge of the dirt bag between the upper edge of the separation chamber and the lower edge of the vacuum cleaner housing. If the tension elements are arranged on the edge of the dirt bag, the tension elements lie with their entire length outside the separation chamber, so that in this case the clamp must be released before the locking mechanism is activated. One advantage of this solution is that it can be easily retrofitted to existing vacuum cleaner systems. Another advantage is that the dirt is completely fed into the dirt bag, as the penetration of dirt

between the dirt bag and the separation chamber is not possible. An alternative possibility is to arrange suspension points in the upper edge area of the separation chamber, for example in the form of clips, hooks, adhesive areas or the like.

The arrangement of two parallel pulling elements that exit the separation chamber at diametrically opposite points has proven particularly advantageous. By pulling on both pulling elements at the same time, the closing of the dirt bag is optimized.

A further embodiment of the invention provides for the arrangement of stiffening elements that hold the dirt bag in the separation chamber in an expanded state. The stiffening elements can be formed, for example, by reinforced areas of the dirt bag.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment shown in the drawings.

Fig. 1 is a view of a central vacuum cleaner according to the invention,

Fig. 2 is a vertical partial section through the central vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 1 in the area of the separation chamber,

Fig. 3 is a vertical partial section through an alternative embodiment of the invention in the region of the deposition chamber and

Fig. 4 is an oblique view of a dirt bag according to the invention.

In Fig. 1 you can see a central vacuum cleaner 1, the housing 2 of which is broken through in several places to show the essential components inside. In the head area of the central vacuum cleaner 1, one or more blower units 3 are arranged to generate a negative pressure. During operation,

Air is sucked through the filter 6 and the air inlet nozzle attached to the housing 2. The air 5 loaded with dirt particles reaches the air inlet nozzle 19 through a pipe system not shown in detail.

The air is sucked through the filter element 6 and cleaned. The cleaned exhaust air 27 is then conveyed through the blower unit(s) 3 and led directly outside through an air outlet nozzle 4 via a line not shown.

Further down, a barrel-shaped separation chamber 7 is connected to the housing 2. The separation chamber 7 is connected to the housing 2 in an airtight and detachable manner via the tension fasteners 8 attached to the side. The separation chamber 7 is lined on the inside with a loose dirt bag 9, the upper edge of which extends beyond the upper edge 13 of the separation chamber 7 and is clamped between the housing 2 and the separation chamber 7. The upper edge of the dirt bag 9 is enclosed in a hose-like manner for the passage of a cord-shaped pulling element 10, which can be seen in particular in Figures 2 and 4.

In Fig. 2, the area of the separation chamber 7 and the housing 2 adjoining it at the top is clearly shown in a vertical section. First, one can see the lower edge 12 of the housing 2, in which the filter unit 6 is housed. Below the housing 2, the separation chamber 7 hangs on the housing 2 via two open clamps 8. Since the clamps 8 are open, a small clear gap 11 is created between the housing 2 and the separation chamber 7.

The separation chamber 7 is loosely lined with the dirt bag 9, as shown in more detail in Figure 4. There you can see the dirt bag 9, which consists of a plastic film or a cellulose-containing material that is either airtight or at least impermeable to fine dust particles. The bag 9 is tightly closed at the bottom, while at the top it is completely

The edge of the bag forming the opening 17 is hemmed to form a tubular guide and receptacle 14 in which the tension elements 10 and 15 run parallel to each other. At diametrically opposite points, the tubular receptacle

14 passages 18 through which the tension elements 10 and 15 are each guided over part of their length. The tension elements 10 and 15 each form a closed loop. By simultaneously pulling on the tension elements 10 and 15 in opposite directions, the opening 17 is constricted, which ultimately leads to the opening 17 being completely closed.

As can be seen from Figure 2, the dirt bag 9 completely lines the separation chamber 7 and hangs down with its upper edge over the upper edge 13 of the separation chamber 7. In the exemplary embodiment, the dirt bag 9 is already filled with dirt particles 16 up to the intended filling level.

To remove the dirt bag 9, the two clamping fasteners 8 are opened so that the edge of the dirt bag 9, which is still clamped between the housing 2 and the separating chamber 7 in the operating state, is released. By simultaneously pulling on the opposite ends of the ends of the pulling elements 10 and 12 protruding from the tubular holder 14,

15, the dirt bag 9 is tied up as already described. The separation chamber 6 can then be completely uncoupled from the housing 2 and the dirt bag 9 can be removed and disposed of.

An alternative to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 2 is shown in Figure 3. The same reference numerals are used for identical components as in Figures 1, 2 and 4. The lower area of the housing 2 is again shown, to which a slightly modified separation chamber 20 is connected at the bottom. The separation chamber 20 has openings 23 in its upper half at two diametrically opposite locations and is connected to the lower area by means of two

The vacuum cleaner 1 is firmly connected to the vacuum cleaner 1 by means of clamping screws 21 acting between the housing 2 and the separation chamber 20. By loosening the wing nuts 22 sitting on the clamping screws 21, the connection between the separation chamber 9 and the housing 2 is also released.

The interior of the separation chamber 20 is lined with the dirt bag 24, which is filled approximately halfway with dirt particles 16. To attach the dirt bag 24 to the separation chamber 20, adhesive strips 28 are attached to the upper edge of the dirt bag 24, which adhere to the inside of the separation chamber 20. Approximately in the upper third of the dirt bag 24, there is a tubular holder 25 that extends over the entire circumference and has openings 26 at two diametrically opposite points. The tension elements 10 and 15 run in the tubular holder 25, part of their length being guided first through the openings 26 in the holder 25 and then through the openings 23 in the separation chamber 20.

To dispose of the dirt 16 collected in the dirt bag 24, the ends of the tension members 10 and 15 hanging from the separation chamber 20 are pulled in opposite directions. As already described above, the dirt bag 24 is completely closed without the separation chamber 20 having to be detached from the housing 2 of the vacuum cleaner 1. Only after the dirt bag 24 has been closed are the tension screws 21 loosened and the separation chamber 20 removed from the vacuum cleaner 1. The closed dirt bag 24 can now be removed for disposal. The tension elements 10 and 15 still hanging from the openings 23 slide through the openings 23.

Claims (11)

1. Vacuum cleaner, in particular a central vacuum cleaner ( 1 ), with a blower unit ( 3 ) arranged inside a housing ( 2 ) for generating an air flow and with a separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ), wherein the contaminated air ( 5 ) is guided into the vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) and subjected to a circular movement at high speed, wherein dirt particles ( 16 ) sink to the bottom of the separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ) as a result of the prevailing gravitational and centrifugal forces, characterized in that a dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ) for receiving the dirt particles ( 16 ) is arranged in the separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ), which can be closed from outside the separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ) via a closing mechanism. 2. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the closing mechanism comprises at least one pulling element ( 10 , 15 ) which is displaceable relative to the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ), wherein the pulling element ( 10 , 15 ) is guided outwards through the housing ( 2 ) and/or the separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ) and, when actuated, causes the opening ( 17 ) of the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ) to be tied up. 3. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, characterized in that the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ) has guides ( 14 ; 25 ) on its outer or inner surface, in which the pulling element ( 10 , 15 ) slides. 4. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, characterized in that the guides ( 14 ; 25 ) are arranged in the region of the opening ( 17 ) of the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ). 5. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, characterized in that the guides are formed by openings in the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ) or by a circumferential, tubular receptacle ( 14 ; 25 ). 6. Vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the shooting mechanism additionally comprises a second pulling element ( 15 ) which is arranged parallel to the first pulling member ( 10 ) and is guided out of the tubular receptacle ( 14 ; 25 ) and/or separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ) at the diametrically opposite point ( 23 ) with respect to the first pulling element ( 10 ). 7. Vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the pulling element ( 10 , 15 ) consists of a cord, a wire or a band. 8. Vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ) is detachably connected to the housing ( 2 ) of the vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) and the edge forming the opening ( 17 ) of the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ) is clamped between the separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ) and the housing ( 2 ). 9. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, characterized in that fastening means ( 8 ; 21 , 22 ) are arranged between the housing ( 2 ) and the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ), which enable a gradual release of the separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ) from the housing ( 2 ). 10. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, characterized in that the fastening means comprise a clamping lock ( 8 ) or a clamping screw ( 21 , 22 ). 11. Vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the separation chamber ( 7 ; 20 ) or the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ) has stiffening elements which keep the dirt bag ( 9 ; 24 ) expanded in the operating state.