SE542059C2

SE542059C2 - Vacuum cleaner for industrial use

Info

Publication number: SE542059C2
Application number: SE1850486A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Nils Erik Sjöberg
Original assignee: Sjoeberg Nils Erik
Priority date: 2018-04-24
Filing date: 2018-04-24
Publication date: 2020-02-18
Also published as: SE1850486A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner (2) for industrial use, comprising a vacuum tube (4) in one end (14) connected to a vacuum motor unit (12). The vacuum cleaner (2) further comprises a housing (16) attached to the vacuum tube (4) in the other end (20). The housing (16) has at least one vacuum suction inlet (30, 32). A conduit (34) is arranged to the housing (16) for providing compressed air (A1). The conduit (34) is connected to swivel means (40) rotatable about an axle (42) in the housing (16). The swivel means (40) has at least one nozzle (50) for providing compressed air (A1) into the housing (16), whereby dust and debris are removed through the vacuum tube (4) via the at least one suction inlet (30, 32).

Description

VACUUM CLEANER FOR INDUSTRIAL USE TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner for industrial use, comprising a vacuum tube in one end connected to a vacuum motor unit, a housing attached to the vacuum tube in the other end, and the housing having at least one vacuum suction inlet, according to the appended claims.

BACKGROUND ART Various vacuum cleaners for industrial or household use are well-known for the person skilled in the art. In common for most of the vacuum cleaners is that they have a vacuum motor unit contained in a casing. A dust collecting bag or a compartment for collecting the dust is arranged within the casing. Dust is removed during a vacuum created suction from a floor, a carpet or other surface via a nozzle connected in a free end of a tube which is attached to the casing. Vacuum cleaners for industrial use are often of generally the same kind as vacuum cleaners for household use, but may be provided with more power in order to also remove debris of various kind and heavier and larger particles/objects than dust.

Further, it is previously known in the art to use high pressure air in combination with a vacuum created suction by vacuum means in vacuum cleaners. A high pressure air conduit is provided to the vacuum cleaner nozzle in order to assist in loosen and removing particles/objects from the surface to be cleaned by directing a jet of pressured air at the surface whereby the particles/objects are brought towards the vacuum means. For such vacuum cleaners using high pressure air in addition to the vacuum means, it is essential that the direction of the jet of pressured air is provided effectively over the surface to be cleaned for achieving a sufficient cleaning result of the surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Despite prior art there is a need to develop a vacuum cleaner for industrial use, having high pressure air in addition to the vacuum means, which vacuum cleaner effectively can achieve an improved cleaning result of the surface to be treated compared to vacuum cleaners previously known in the art. There is also a need for such a vacuum cleaner that effectively can remove debris of various kind and particles/objects besides removing dust. Furthermore, there is a need for a vacuum cleaner for industrial use, having high pressure air in addition to the vacuum means, which vacuum cleaner have an uncomplicated designed and can be manufactured easily and cost efficient.

An object of the invention is thus to provide a vacuum cleaner for industrial use, having high pressure air in addition to the vacuum means, which vacuum cleaner effectively can achieve an improved cleaning result of the surface to be treated. Another object of the invention is to provide such a vacuum cleaner that effectively can remove debris of various kind and particles/objects besides removing dust. Yet a further object is to remove small and hazardous particles that may cause e.g. cancer, such as particles containing silicon and chromium that are usual in e.g. concreate. An even further object is to provide a vacuum cleaner for industrial use, having high pressure air in addition to the vacuum means, which vacuum cleaner have an uncomplicated design that can be manufactured easily and cost efficient.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a vacuum cleaner for industrial use is provided, comprising a vacuum tube in one end connected to a vacuum motor unit. The vacuum cleaner comprises a housing attached to the vacuum tube in the other end. The housing has at least one vacuum suction inlet, and a conduit arranged to the housing for providing compressed air. The conduit is connected to swivel means rotatable about an axle in the housing. The swivel means has at least one nozzle for providing compressed air into the housing, whereby dust and debris are removed through the vacuum tube via the at least one suction inlet.

This has the advantage that an effective vacuum cleaner is provided that achieves an improved cleaning result of the surface to be treated. Further, an effective vacuum cleaner is provided that remove debris of various kind and particles/objects besides removing dust. Yet further, an effective vacuum cleaner having few components, that is manufactured easily and cost efficient, is provided. Yet a further advantage is that particles and ingrained dust that are firmly adhered to the surface to be cleaned can be released thanks to the jet blow of the high pressure air directed to the surface, and removed through the vacuum tube.

According to another aspect of the invention, an outlet of the at least one nozzle is directed to flush compressed air tangentially to the rotation of the swivel means.

This has the advantage that a further improved cleaning effect and rotation of the swivel means is provided.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the at least one nozzle is arranged to flush compressed air in a direction inwards the housing and the rotational axle of the swivel means.

This has the advantage that removed debris and particles by the jet of high pressure air is directed inwards the housing and towards the at least one vacuum inlet, resulting in an improved cleaning effect.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the swivel means comprises at least two arms extending in two opposite directions from the axle, and the swivel means has two nozzles, one on each arm.

This has the advantage that a stable, vibration free and balanced rotation of the swivel means is provided.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the housing has two vacuum suction inlets, positioned on each side of the axle in the housing.

This has the advantage that dust debris of various kind and particles/objects besides removing dust is removed effectively during a vacuum created suction.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the conduit is at least partly arranged within the vacuum tube.

This has the advantage that the vacuum cleaner is provided with an uncomplicated design and the conduit does at least partly not extend on the outside surface tube such that it does not obstruct the handling of the tube by an operator of the vacuum cleaner during use.

According to yet a further aspect of the invention, a strip or a disc is attached to cover the swivel means and the at least one nozzle is attached to openings in the strip or the disc, such that the outlet of the at least one nozzle is flush with an outer surface of the strip, or the disc, or recessed in the outer surface.

This has the advantage that the swivel means and the at least one nozzle can be protected from being damaged from any debris or particles as well as any irregularities on the surface to be treated.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the conduit for providing compressed air comprises a pneumatic valve that is positioned on the tube at a distance from the housing.

This has the advantage that the pneumatic valve may be easily controllable by an operator for turning on or off the supply of compressed air.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Below is a description of, as examples, preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which: Figure 1 schematically illustrates a perspective side view of a vacuum cleaner according to the invention, Figure 2a schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view A-A of the vacuum cleaner tube and housing in Fig.l, according to the invention, Figure 2b schematically illustrates an enlarged (encircled C in Fig. 2a) crosssectional view B-B of the housing and at the end of the tube of the vacuum cleaner in Fig.l and 2, according to the invention, Figure 3 schematically illustrates a view from below of the housing at the end of the vacuum cleaner in Fig.l, according to the invention, Figure 4 schematically illustrates a view from front of the vacuum cleaner tube and housing in Fig.l, according to the invention, and Figure 5A and 5B schematically illustrates a view from below of the housing at the end of the vacuum cleaner in Fig.l, according to alternative embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Figure 1 schematically illustrates a vacuum cleaner 2 for industrial use. The vacuum cleaner can be used for cleaning concrete walls and floors in general, and especially for removing dust and particles from surfaces in a concrete production site. The vacuum cleaner may be used for cleaning surfaces from dust when carrying out car painting, and in other applications where it is a need to remove small particles from surface structures.

The vacuum cleaner 2 comprises a vacuum tube 4, which can be a conventional elongated flexible or rigid tube, or partly comprise of a flexible and partly of a rigid tube. The vacuum cleaner 2 may further comprise a casing 6 that may be provided with wheels or sliding feet and suited to be moved on floor. The casing 6 may comprise a conventional vacuum motor unit 8, dust filter 10 and further a filter bag 12 for collecting dust, particles and debris, or alternatively a filter bag-free container that collects dust, particles and debris. The vacuum tube 4 may be in one end 14 attached to the container 6 and in engagement with the vacuum motor unit 8. A housing 16 having an upper side 18 is attached to the vacuum tube 4 in another opposite end 20 of the tube. The upper side 18 may have a circular circumference. The housing 16 may have a continuous surrounding side wall 22 at the periphery of the upper side 18. The housing 16 may be provided with sliding feet or wheels 24, for instance three wheels 24 evenly distributed around the side wall 22 of the housing 16 for smooth movement of the housing over a surface to be cleaned.

The housing 16 may be provided with a gap 26 towards the surface to be cleaned as shown further in Figs. 2a-b below. The wheels 24 or the like supporting the housing 16 on the surface may be arranged to be in contact with the surface below at a lower position than the lower edge 28 of the side wall 22. Thus, the lower edge 28 of the side wall 22 may not be in contact adjacent the surface to be cleaned. The housing 16 has at least one vacuum suction inlet 30 attached to the upper side 18 of the housing. The housing 16 may have at least two vacuum suction inlets 30, 32, as further described more in detail with reference to Fig. 3 below. The tube 4 is divided in two tube portions 4', 4”, towards the end 20 close to the housing 16, whereby each tube portions 4', 4”, is attached to the housing and forms the at least two vacuum suction inlets 30, 32.

A conduit 34 is arranged to the housing for providing compressed air A1 to within the housing 16 during use of the vacuum cleaner 2. The conduit 34 may at least partly be arranged within the vacuum tube 4. As shown in Fig. 1 and further in Fig. 2a-b, the conduit 34 may extend partly inside the tube 4 along a major part of the tube 4 while the conduit 34 extends at the outside of the tube 4 towards the end 20 of the tube 4 close to connection to the housing 16. The conduit 34 may comprise a pneumatic valve 36 for controlling the supply of compressed air to the housing 16. The pneumatic valve 36 may be positioned on the tube 4 at a distance from the housing 16. The pneumatic valve 36 may be positioned on an upper portion 38 of the tube 4 that can be suitable for holding and handling the movement of the tube 4 during operation. Consequently, the pneumatic valve 36 may be easily controllable by an operator for turning on or off the supply of compressed air.

Figure 2a and 2b schematically illustrates a cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner tube 4 and the housing 16 at the end 20 of the tube of the vacuum cleaner 2. Further, Figure 3 schematically illustrates the housing 16 of the vacuum cleaner wherein the housing may have at least two vacuum suction inlets 30, 32, which may be positioned on each side of an axle 42 in the housing 16. As shown in Figs. 2a-b and 3, swivel means 40 is rotatable R arranged about the axle 42 within the housing 16 and surrounded by the side wall 22. The swivel means 40 may be rotatably R attached centrally in the housing 16 to the upper side 44 on the inside of the housing 16. The conduit 34 for providing compressed air A1 to within the housing 16 may be attached centrally at the upper surface 46 on the outside of the housing 16 and connected at the axle 42 to the rotatable swivel means 40 in the housing. The swivel means 40 may be provided with channels 48 for distributing the pressured air A1 in the housing 16. The pressured air A1 is provided from the conduit 34 via a through channel in the axle 42 to channels in the swivel means 40. The swivel means 40 may have at least one nozzle 50, for providing compressed air A1 into the housing 16, whereby dust and debris are blown from the surface to be cleaned and further removed by vacuum suction A2 through the vacuum tube 4 via the at least one suction inlet 30, 32. A nozzle 50 may be an air outlet at a channel. The at least one nozzle 50, may be arranged slightly to the side to create a rotation R motion of the swivel means 40. According to an aspect of the invention, at least one nozzle 50 may be arranged to be directed to flush compressed air tangentially T to the rotation R of the swivel means 40. Thus, the at least one nozzle 50 may be directed to flush compressed air A1 at the inner periphery P of the housing 16.

Alternatively according to another aspect of the invention, as illustrated in Figs. 2a and 2b, the at least one nozzle 50 may be arranged to flush compressed air Al in a direction D1 inwards the housing and the rotational axle of the swivel means. Further, as shown in Fig.3, the at least one nozzle 50 may be arranged to flush compressed air A1 in a direction D2 partly towards the centre of the housing, as well as backwards relative the rotational direction R of the swivel means 40. Dust, particles and debris are blown from the surface to be cleaned and surrounding air A3 from the outside of the housing 16 is pulled into the housing 16 via the gap 26 between the lower edge 28 of the side wall 22 of the housing 16 and the surface to be cleaned.

Figure 4 schematically illustrates the vacuum cleaner tube and the housing 16, and in addition that the at least one nozzle 50 may be arranged to flush compressed air A1 in a direction D3 partly downwards towards the surface to be cleaned. As shown in Figs. 2a, 2b, 3 and 4, the swivel means 40 may comprise at least two arms 40', 40”, extending in two opposite directions from the axle 42, and the swivel means has two nozzles 50, one on each arm 40', 40”.

In operation, according to an aspect of the invention, with reference to Figs. 1, 2a, 2b, 3 and 4, the vacuum motor unit 12 is started and vacuum suction A2 is created. The pneumatic valve 36 may then be turned on by an operator for the supply of compressed air A1. The pressured air is provided from the conduit 34 via the axle 42, and the compressed air A1 may further enter into channels 48 in the swivel means 40. The compressed air A1 leaves the swivel means 40 via at least one nozzle 50 for providing compressed air A1 into the housing 16. As shown according to an aspect of the invention as mentioned above, the swivel means 40 may comprise at least two nozzles 50 on at least two arms 40', 40”, having one nozzle 50 on each arm. Consequently, compressed air A1 may be distributed in to the housing 16 via the at least two nozzles 50 for providing compressed air A1 into the housing 16. The at least two nozzles 50 may be arranged to flush compressed air A1 in a direction D2 slightly to the side and slightly towards the centre of the housing 16. Further, the two nozzles 50 may be arranged to flush compressed air A1 in a direction D3 partly downwards towards the surface to be cleaned. Thus, the nozzles may then flush compressed air A1 in a direction partly backwards relative the rotational direction R of the swivel means 40, which make the swivel means 40 to rotate in an opposite direction (counter-clockwise as shown in Figs 3 and 4). Dust, particles and debris are blown from the surface to be cleaned and surrounding air A3 from the outside of the housing is pulled into the housing 16 via the gap 26 between the lower edge 28 of the side wall 22 of the housing 16 and the surface to be cleaned. Thanks to the incoming air A3 from the outside, the direction of the high pressure air and the vacuum suction in the housing 16, no dust escapes out from the housing. The compressed air provided may vary widely depending on the use, the size of the machine, the field of application and may be adapted to various circumstances. One example is compressed air provided with a pressure of about 7 bar and about 500 L/min. An area A1 in square meter of the gap 26, when in position towards the surface to be cleaned, may not exceed an area Al<2>of the suction channel in the vacuum tube 4.

Figure 5A and 5B illustrates the housing at the end of the vacuum cleaner in Fig.l. As shown in Fig. 5A, a strip 52 such a sheet of durable material is attached to cover the swivel means 40 and the two nozzles 50, one on each arm 40', 40”. The outlet of the at least one nozzle is flush with an outer surface of the strip or recessed in the outer surface. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 5B, a disc 54 is attached to the swivel means 40. The at least one nozzle 50 is attached to openings in the disc, such that the outlet of the at least one nozzle 50 is flush with an outer surface of the disc or recessed in the outer surface. Thanks to the provided strip 52 or disc 54, the swivel means 40 and the at least one nozzle 50 can be protected from being damaged from any debris or particles as well as any irregularities on the surface to be treated.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner (2) for industrial use, comprising a vacuum tube (4) in one end (14) connected to a vacuum motor unit (12), a housing (16) attached to the vacuum tube (4) in the other end (20), the housing (16) having at least one vacuum suction inlet (30, 32), and a conduit (34) arranged to the housing (16) for providing compressed air (A1), characterized in that the conduit (34) is connected to swivel means (40) rotatable about an axle (42) in the housing (16), the swivel means (40) has at least one nozzle (50) for providing compressed air (A1) into the housing (16), whereby dust and debris are removed through the vacuum tube (4) via the at least one suction inlet (30, 32).

2. The vacuum cleaner (2) according to claim 1, wherein an outlet of the at least one nozzle (50) is directed to flush compressed air (A1) tangentially (T) to the rotation (R) of the swivel means (40).

3. The vacuum cleaner (2) according to claim 1, wherein the at least one nozzle (50) is arranged to flush compressed air (A1) in a direction inwards the housing (16) and the rotational axle (42) of the swivel means (40).

4. The vacuum cleaner (2) according to any of claims 1-3, wherein the swivel means (40) comprises at least two arms (40', 40”) extending in two opposite directions from the axle (42), and the swivel means (40) has at least two nozzles (50), one on each arm.

5. The vacuum cleaner (2) according to any of claims 1-4, wherein the housing (16) has two vacuum suction inlets (30, 32), positioned on each side of the axle (42) in the housing (16).

6. The vacuum cleaner (2) according to any of claims 1-5, wherein the conduit (34) is at least partly arranged within the vacuum tube (4).

7. The vacuum cleaner (2) according to any of claims 1-6, wherein a strip (52) or a disc (54) is attached to cover the swivel means (40) and the at least one nozzle (50) is attached to openings in the strip (52) or the disc (54), such that the outlet of the at least one nozzle (50) is flush with an outer surface of the strip (52) or the disc (54), or recessed in the outer surface.

8. The vacuum cleaner (2) according to any of claims 1-7, wherein the conduit (34) for providing compressed air (A1) comprises a pneumatic valve (36) that is positioned on the tube (4) at a distance from the housing (16).