WO2019102499A1

WO2019102499A1 - Vacuum cleaner with closed air loop

Info

Publication number: WO2019102499A1
Application number: PCT/IR2019/050003
Authority: WO
Inventors: Seyed Mehran ABGHARI; Alireza MEHRABANIAN
Original assignee: Abghari Seyed Mehran; Mehrabanian Alireza
Priority date: 2017-11-26
Filing date: 2019-01-26
Publication date: 2019-05-31
Also published as: WO2019102499A4

Abstract

In this plan, the output air of vacuum cleaner comes back again to the system and it comes to the surface from the brush. Blown and again sucked and it moves in the set pipes in a closed loop. Firstly dust and trash are separated from the surface by the blown air pressure and then it will be pulled inside by suction. Two tracks are provided for polluted air so that in one track, the air enters into bag directly and in another track, the polluted air firstly passes through a filter and then enters into the bag. Advantages: More power for cleaning the surface, by using of blow and suction pressure simultaneously. Having an air closed loop which prevents the motor output air from entering into the user's environment air, causes no entering any dust into the user's environment air. Because this system often uses the filter-less track so it saves the electrical power. For moving the machine an electrical motor with a wireless remote controller is used instead of human force

Description

Vacuum Cleaner with Closed Air Loop

Mechanical and Electronic

In common vacuum cleaners, suction power of electromotor is used for pulling the air into bag. So along with the sucked air, the dusts and trashes will be pulled into the bag and cleaned air enters into the motor from the bag then it goes into the user’s environment form the output of the electromotor, so along with this air, some dust go into the environment and this is perceived as a problem. For removing the problem, water-soil cleaners have been designed. It’s vital to mention that they are expensive and have a less power for cleaning.

The system of common vacuum cleaners are based on the air suction from the surface, it has been without any revision and only the pieces of cleaner has improved specially in the field of electricity engineering (like electromotor). But in this invention blowing along with the suction is done in a closed loop so it is a completely new design and for its disembarkation we need to solve special technical challenges for the first time in this way.

In the present invention the output air of electromotor comes back to the system again, it blows from the cleaner part on the carpet or surface and it will be sucked again so it moves through a closed loop in the machine and this system causes no entering of dusts into the user’s environment air. It has less electricity consumption and more cleaning power.

The function of this electric electromotor has two different cycles so each cycle is explained separately.

First cycle: The brush of the cleaner (piece no. 1 in the pictures no. 17, 35) is completely settled on the surface that should be cleaned.

Second cycle: Angle or one side or all of the brush (piece no. 1 in the pictures no. 17, 35), has been raised from the surface.

First cycle explanation: In this cycle, when electromotor of cleaner turns on, the air that is sucked from the electromotor input, exits from its output by pressure and will be entered into a pipe (fig. 15, the pipes that come out from above of electromotor), then the air enters into the brush (piece no. 1) through pipe (fig. 6, the top track that is shown by a line (Electromotor Output Air)). In the brush, the air enters into the body of brush and then gets to the bottom of brush (according to the figures 5 and the way shown in fig. 18 part H), then after contacting with the surface it removes the dust and trash from the surface, so the air goes along with dust and trash in a closed space under the brush and will be entered into the suction holes at the bottom of brush (fig. 13, oval holes). Afterwards the polluted air moves inside of the brush through a pipe (fig. 6, the bottom track that is shown by a line (Electromotor Input Air)), so it will be entered into a switch device (piece no. 3 of fig. 1) and from there it enters to the trash bag (piece no. 5 in the fig. no 1) so after removing trash and dust it enters into the cleaner motor. (Fig. 15, the pipe that connected to the bag). In the mentioned closed loop, all the dusts and trashes rise up with the blown air and will be sucked into the oval suction holes, and then goes into the trash bag through a pipe, afterwards the cleaned air, will enter the electromotor of cleaner and the cycle will be repeated again. In this cycle, not any air from the electromotor enters into the user’s environment air, so not any dusts that is common in vacuum cleaners, will be entered in to the user’s environment air. The trashes and big dusts are trapped in the bag and the less dusty air (with small dust particles) moves through the pipes in a closed cycle.

Second cycle explanation: This cycle starts when the brush (piece no. 1) is raised a bit (nearly 1 mm or more) from the surface. In this condition, one or some of 4 pressure micro switches (piece no. 1.12 in fig. 3). They are compact in the 1st cycle. They go out from compact mode and causes to send an electrical signal to the switch devices (piece no. 3 in fig. 1 and piece no. 6 in fig. 1, 2, 3). Meanwhile the switch devices change their position in a fraction of second and will be converted into the position as shown in the figure no. 4. Moreover the air track in the body (piece no. 2 in fig. 1), instead of entering to the trash bag (piece no. 5), enters into the dust filter (piece no. 4) and then enters into the trash bag, and from there it enters into the electromotor of cleaner (see fig. 15). The result of this position shifting is that the air of the first cycle that is full of dusts and goes through a closed cycle, will be purified perfectly by the powerful filter in 4 seconds. If after raising the brush and starting of the 2nd cycle, during 5 seconds, the brush settles on the surface again. Because of compacting the micro switches (pieces no. 1.12), the switch devices (piece no. 3 and 6) will come back to the previous position (1st cycle position) automatically and the 1st cycle will be started with the clean air in the pipes. But if the 2nd cycle lasts for more than 5 seconds the main electromotor of cleaner will be turned off by the electronic circuits in the circuit box (specified in fig. 1 and fig. 14), until it avoids the extra electricity consumption. Moreover an optical sensor is inserted for recognizing the density of the dusts in the air that moves from the cleaner motor so if in the 1st cycle, the dusts inside the pipe increases and go up a certain amount (it could be dangerous for electromotor and its power), The system enters into the 2nd cycle automatically and it purifies the air in 5 seconds.

Switching from 1st cycle to 2nd cycle and vice versa has two reasons:

Firstly that by raising the brush, the exit of the blown air from the bottom of brush will be stopped and it prevents the spreading the dust of pipes and surface to the environment.

Secondly because of removing the powerful filter from the main electromotor track, so low pressure is done on the motor and it uses less electricity power in 1st cycle; and the dusts will be purified during a short time of seconds by the high pressure of motor with a powerful filter in 2nd cycle.

The pressure micro switch sensors on the bottom of brush and optical sensor and the switch devices (piece no 3.1 in fig. 7) are all connected to the electronic circuit box (specified in fig. 1 and fig. 14) and all the signals and commands are synchronized through this circuit box. Furthermore this box supplies the electricity of switch devices inside the body, and electricity of the switch device of the brush provides by batteries inside the handle (piece no. 7.1 in fig. 6).

Some notes should be considered:

For non-overlapping of cleaner suction system function and the blowing function after blowing the air, in the brush designing for cleaner of this invention, the gap of air blowing centered at the bottom of brush and suction gaps have been provided the blowing gap at the corners of brush. So that the suction gaps have enough distant from blowing gaps. Moreover the distance of all gaps from the surface (that we want to clean) is considered very small (5 mm). Considering said two simple techniques causes non-overlapping of blown and sucked air. It means that because of the near distance between blowing gap to the ground surface and enough distance of this gap from suction gaps, the blown air will contact with surface and will be sucked after dispersion trash and dust.

The amount of circulating air in the pipes are in balance. Because the air accumulation is the result of imbalance between blow pressure and suction pressure; But in this system, the blowing and suction pressure will be supplied by one unit electromotor so that the pressure imbalance won’t occur so we have no air accumulation. Moreover, in spite of common vacuum cleaners that the pressure under the brush is negative, the total pressure under the brush of this system is zero, and it has no tendency for blowing or sucking extra air from outside or blow air into outside. So it won’t appear any imbalance of pressure.

Analyzing the function of this cleaner on the rough surface:

There is a factor which causes this cleaner shifts from 1st cycle to the 2nd cycle and the surface cleaning will stop instantly. This is because of function one of 4 micro switches that provided at the bottom of the brush corners. The height of these micro switches are so adjusted to be inactive in the common rough situations. But it may last the cleaning function in non-elastic and very rough surfaces. So user should pull for and back to clean the surface.

For correcting this matter we need to use micro switches with multi-phase contacts in which the necessary height for activating the micro switch is adjustable. With a proper designing of electronic board, we can provide a key for determining the extent of roughness while the sweeping is in progress. So for any kind of surface there is a special height for activating the micro switch and the kind of surface is chosen through a key by the user.

For example, for sweeping the very rough surfaces and non-elastics, when 4 micro switches are removed completely from the ground surface, it works and causes the cycle to be changed. Also in designing the brush of this cleaner, the around walls of brush has been designed widely, until the brush movement on the rough surfaces won’t simply connects the internal and external space of the brush.

Finally this cleaner is not designed for very-very rough surfaces and very-very non-elastic surfaces.

In common vacuum cleaners, suction power of electromotor is used for pulling the air into bag. So along with the sucked air, the dusts and trashes will be pulled into the bag and cleaned air enters into the motor from the bag then it goes into the user’s environment form the output of the electromotor, so along with this air, some dust go into the environment and this is perceived as a problem. For removing the problem, water-soil cleaners have been designed. So designing a new device with closed loop was the technical problem of this invention.

In the present invention the output air of electromotor comes back to the system again, it blows from the cleaner part on the carpet or surface and it will be sucked again so it moves through a closed loop in the machine and this system causes no entering of dusts into the user’s environment air. It has less electricity consumption and more cleaning power. Because we used input and output of one unit electromotor, so we can solve the technical problem.

Considering the present cases above, there are some positive advantages that we explained below:

Creating more power in cleaning surfaces by using simultaneous blowing and sucking air pressure. So at first it exerts a positive blown air pressure, and it removes dusts and trashes out of surface (like a Leaf Blower function) then by creating the negative pressure, all the dusts and trashes will be pulled into the machine forcefully.

Having a closed air loop, and non-entering of motor output air into user’s environment, this causes no entering of any dusts into the user’s environment and this is very important for specific industrial spaces and vital for asthma people and it prevents the dispersion of dusts in to the user’s environment air.

Using smaller motor with less electricity consumption. The complete purification of air from dusts is secluded from common cycle and we can use the bags with larger holes, also there is lower pressure on electromotor and finally it saves the electricity consumption.

Using high temperature of output air. This air on the surface has antiseptic effect and it kills bacteria and small insects on the surface, in all of its holes, also bags, and pipes. Especially we can use the motors with high IP thermal index (motors with high IP index available in the market up to 100 centigrade degrees), so the air could germicide the surface.

Filtering small particles of dust in a separate track, and filtering trashes and big articles in another track. This is a good approach for long life and efficiency of used bags that are normally costly. Because of not filling the holes of the bag and while changing and discharging the bag, the user is not subject to inhale the fine dusts and he can replace a smaller and cheaper filter (more powerful dust taking filter) so it prevents to disperse and inhale the dusts.

This cleaner uses electric force for moving the machine back and forth that is an advantage for users who are weak, ill, disables or the people who should sweep repeatedly in some places.

Fig.1

The brush in 2nd cycle

Fig.1

The brush in 1st cycle

Pieces:

Piece no. 1: Brush. This part is drawn on the surface by the user and it takes in all particles and trashes and dusts and cleans the surface. It made by Aluminum and have air passing tracks inside. And wheels and sensors and the piece no. 6 is mounted on it.

Piece no. 2: Body and accessories. The box which contains the main parts such as electromotor, dust filter, trash bag, switch device, pipes and electronic circuit box, also it contains 4 wheels, one motor and a gear box for moving these wheels.

Piece no. 3: Three way air switch (Switch Device). A drum piece with a dimension like a conserve tin, it has an open air input and two air outputs, so it has an inside blade and this blade rotates 90 degree to change the output, the air exits in only one of the outputs, the rotation of the inside blade will be done by small electromotor mounted on switch body so that the head of motor connected to a pulley by a belt and motor rotation will be transferred to the pulley. The command and direction of the motor motion has been provided and sent by circuits in the electronic box.

Piece no. 4: Powerful dust taker filter. A very fine filter which takes all the inlet air dusts and purifies the air completely.

Piece no. 5: Trash collector bag. A paper or cloth bag that takes all big trashes and big dusty articles in the inlet air and stores them in itself.

Piece no. 6: Four way air switch. It’s a drum form piece similar to the Piece no. 3 but the difference is that this piece has two air inlets instead of one air inlet also it has two air outlets. The function of this switch has two states. First there are two separate tracks, so in one track the air exerts from a hole at the top of piece and it exits from a hole under the piece also the other track air enters from another hole and exits from another hole that is available above the piece. In the 2nd function state, with 90 degree rotation of blade, the air enters from the hole of above piece and it exits from other hole at top and the connection between holes at top and under will be disconnected.

Piece no. 7: Cleaner handle. This handle is connected to the brush (Piece no. 1), it moves the brush on the surface also in the handle a place of battery has been provided to supply the electricity of the electromotor of the switch device on the top of brush (Piece no. 6). Also 4 keys have been provided on the handle by a wireless board, so that this board is located inside the handle, by this it can send the commands to the motors of the wheels (Pieces no. 8) in a wireless form. Therefore moving back and forth motion to the sides are easily done and the user should not draw and move it.

Piece no. 8: The motor box for moving the wheels. The box in which motor and gear-wheels connected to the front wheels are located on both sides of the body (Piece no. 2) and the body motion will be done by this piece.

Piece no. 9: Flexible pipes. The pipes that transfer the dusty and trash air from the brush to the body. For a better display, the pipes are not drawn in the figures and just some arrows for displaying the air direction are shown.

Sub-Pieces:

Piece no. 1.1: Cleaner body. It’s made from aluminum used for cooling the cycling air and it makes a light weight for user.

Piece no. 1.2: Cleaner wheel axle. It contains 4 axles and wheels.

Piece no. 1.3: The place of air exit from the brush towards electromotor. It is connected to one of the holes under the 4 way switch (Piece no. 6).

Piece no. 1.4: The place of entering air to the brush from electromotor. It is connected to one of the holes under the 4 way switch (Piece no. 6).

Piece no. 1.5: The input of air along with trash and dust to the brush from the surface.

Piece no. 1.6: The output of air from the brush to the surface.

Piece no. 1.7: The hole for locating the pressure micro switch sensors on the bottom of brush. It contains a micro switch that feels the connecting of the bottom of brush to the surface by pressing and as the cleaner raises from the surface it sends a signal to the electronic box.

Piece no. 1.8: A rectangular hole. They are two and they transfer the suction air from 4 oval form holes from the small room under itself toward up. The air entered into the 4 oval inlets will be gathered symmetrically in two rectangular ducts until in another process it will be collected and entered into one duct.

Piece no. 1.9. A cut from blown air pipe. It locates in the brush.

Piece no. 1.10: collector room. This room collects the input air of 4 oval form holes (in the bottom of brush).

Piece no. 1.11: collector room. This room collects the input air of 2 rectangular inlets in the cleaner body.

Piece no. 1.12: Pressure micro switches. Provided on the bottom of cleaner with a round head.

Piece no. 3.1: 6V Electromotor, 30W Gear Box with 60RPM output rotation with suitable dimensions that are available in the market.

Piece no. 3.1.1: Connects electromotor to switch which has 3 feet.

Piece no. 3.1.2: Connected pulley to the electromotor axle so it is a place for belt.

Piece no. 3.1.2: The pulley and accessories that connected to the switch blade axle for exact adjusting of blade rotation angle.

Piece no. 3.1.2.1: Magnetic micro switch or Hall-Effect sensor. It is used for recognizing switch blade position so two sensors are installed near pulley in 90 degree angle.

Piece no. 3.2.2: Metal appendix. It prevents over rotation of pulley caused by electromotor motion inertia.

Piece no. 3.1.2.3: Small magnet for monitoring the magnetic sensor or the Hall-Effect sensor in a suitable angle so two magnets are installed in 90 degree angle on the pulley.

Piece no. 3.2.4: Switch blade axle. Fixed with pulley so it moves by the pulley axle rotation and finally the blade moves on.

Piece no. 3.3: Outlet air pipe from switch to filter (piece no. 4).

Piece no. 3.4: Body of switch made from aluminum.

Piece no. 3.5: Floor hole. It has been designed for exiting air from switch toward the trash bag.

Piece no. 3.6: Floor hole. For entering air to switch from the brush.

Piece no. 3.7: Metal blade. Among the switch so it changes the air track by rotating itself.

Piece no. 3.8: Blade rotation axle. Located on the switch body floor.

Piece no. 6.1: The hole above the switch body for entering blown air from motor to switch.

Piece no. 6.2: The hole above switch body for exiting suction air from switch towards trash bag.

Piece no. 6.3: Metal blade inside switch body. It isolates two top holes of switch body from two holes at down of switch body and it connects two top holes (pieces no. 6.1 and 6.2).

Piece no. 6.4: Switch blade axle. Fixed with pulley, so it moves by the effect of pulley rotation, and finally the blade moves.

Piece no. 7.1: The cleaner handle that is used by the user’s hands in which there are 4 batteries (1.5V) for supplying the electricity for piece no. 6 and the electricity of the electronic wireless board. Also the wireless electronic board is located in this handle for sending the commands to piece no. 8.

Piece no. 7.2: Four button keys connected to the board and wireless for sending motion command to the wheels of the body by the user.

Piece no. 7.3: A part of the handle so its length is 1 meter. Furthermore the electricity wire of piece no. 6 is passed through it.

This invention has industrial applications and household applications.

Industrial Application: For collecting the toxic and dangerous particles that their entrance to the open air could be perilous for human, animals or machines.

Household applications: It’s useful for families who have asthma, ill men and whom that are sensitive to the dust dispersion. Also for reducing the electricity use in the houses, because cleaners is often used for cleaning large particles of food not fine dusts so this device could help.

Claims

A vacuum cleaner wherein the air circulates in its pipes in a closed loop;
So that this closed loop starts from the brush and opens to the motor input by the pipes and from the motor output to the brush.
A vacuum cleaner based on the claim No. 1, wherein the air closed loop is separated into two ways by a crossing device so one passes through trash barrel and the other passes through a powerful filter.
A vacuum cleaner based on the claim No. 2, wherein an air control switch device functions the diversion between the trash barrel track and the filter track;
So that this switch device contains an input and two outputs by which the electrical commands connects the input to the intended output.
A vacuum cleaner based on the claim No. 1, wherein some micro switches have been provided on the bottom of the brush, as because of raising from the surface, it commands to the switch device that installed on the brush and through the brush pipes, until the air won’t enter into the brush and moves in a closed track.
A vacuum cleaner based on the claim No. 1, wherein it has been provided an electronic sensor in the motor output pipe for controlling the dust density and it commands to the switch device for changing the air current to the track that has filter.