AU2003230008A1

AU2003230008A1 - Suction cleaners

Info

Publication number: AU2003230008A1
Application number: AU2003230008A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Andrew David Boddy; Christopher Thomas Elsworthy; Bengt Ivar Anders Ivarsson
Original assignee: Techtronic Industries Co Ltd
Current assignee: Techtronic Industries Co Ltd
Priority date: 2002-05-15
Filing date: 2003-05-13
Publication date: 2003-12-02
Also published as: WO2003096862A2; RU2004136596A; CN1662170A; GB0211075D0; WO2003096862A3; RU79402U1; EP1505898A2; GB2388527A

Description

WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 Title: Suction Cleaners Description of Invention This invention relates to a suction cleaner, having a suction hose for providing a connection between a suction unit and a wand and/or cleaning tool. The invention has been devised in relation to a suction cleaner of the so called "cylinder" type. This type of cleaner characteristically comprises a suction unit containing a source of suction (a motor and impeller) and a separator/collector arrangement, for separating entrained dirt from the flow of air created by the source of suction, and for collecting and retaining such separated dirt for appropriate disposal. The separator/collector arrangement may utilise one or more filters for removing entrained dirt from the airflow, and/or one or more "cyclonic" separators in which the separation is effected by centrifugal force. In use the suction unit is positioned in the vicinity of where a cleaning operation is being carried out, and a flexible suction hose connects the suction unit to a cleaning tool being wielded by a person carrying out the cleaning. For floor cleaning or for cleaning some other surfaces, the cleaning tool usually is connected at the end of an elongate rigid wand whose other end is connected to the suction hose. Usually the suction hose is detachable from the suction unit, and when the cleaner is not in use the suction hose may be stored wherever is convenient. It may be coiled when thus stored, and it is known that a suction unit can be provided with external formations on which the suction hose can be arranged for storage. Possibly the hose may even remain connected to the suction unit when thus stored. However such "external" storage of a hose is generally inconvenient: a hose of reasonable length is bulky and vulnerable to damage when stored. It has also been proposed that the suction unit of a suction cleaner WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 2 may be provided with internal storage, e.g. in the form of a drum on which the hose can be coiled for storage when not required to be used, but such arrangements as proposed hitherto have been bulky, and thus inconvenient, and have had other disadvantages including the necessity to provide complex mechanisms for controlling the coiling of the hose on the drum. It is broadly the object of the present invention to provide a suction cleaner, which may be of the cylinder type, with an improved means for storage of a suction hose. The other main type of suction cleaner apart from the cylinder type is the "upright" type, in which a cleaning head is provided as part of a generally upright (in use) suction unit, the whole cleaner being manoeuvrable over a floor surface by an operator grasping a handle on the suction unit. It is known that such a cleaner may have a suction hose either provided on the suction unit and able to be deployed for use with other cleaning tools or possibly as a separate component to be attached to the suction unit for use with cleaning tools other than the floor cleaning head. Although primarily intended for use with a cleaner of the cylinder type, the present invention may also be applicable for use with an upright type of cleaner, for on-board storage of its suction hose. According to one aspect of the present invention, we provide a suction cleaner comprising a suction unit including a source of suction and separator/collector means for separating and collecting dirt from flow of air induced by said source of suction, and a suction hose for attachment of a cleaning tool and/or wand, wherein said suction unit is provided with storage means for said flexible suction hose, said hose being able to be deployed from said storage means for use and retracted thereto for storage; energy storage means; and means powered by energy stored in said energy storage means, operable to cause said retraction of the hose to said storage means. Preferably retraction of the hose to the storage means is effected by an electric motor, and the energy storage means is an electrical energy storage WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 3 means. The electrical energy storage means may comprise at least one electrical battery which may be rechargeable. By virtue of providing the energy storage means, the hose storage means is able to be operated to cause the hose to be retracted thereto for storage when the cleaner is not connected to a source of electrical power by which its source of suction is driven. In other words, the hose can be caused to be stored on or in the storage means of the suction unit after use of the cleaner has ceased and it has been disconnected from an electrical power supply. There have been previous proposals for suction cleaners incorporating electric motor driven hose storage means, but they have been powered from the mains electrical supply with which the cleaner is intended to be used, possibly by providing, when required, a driving connection from the electric motor of the source of suction. With such cleaners, storage of the hose can only be achieved when the cleaner remains connected to an electrical supply. Preferably the suction unit is provided with charging means which causes the electrical energy storage means to be charged whenever the cleaner is operating from, or at least connected to, a live electrical supply. While the use of arechargeable battery or batteries is preferred as the electrical energy storage means, which may provide sufficient storage capacity for several retractions of the hose, together with an indefinite service life, it is possible that non-rechargeable batteries may provide sufficient capacity to operate for a service life of e.g. 1-2 years or possibly longer under average domestic use of the cleaner before requiring replacement, and thus may be considered to be acceptable. Preferably the hose storage means includes a rotatable member, comprising a reel or drum able to accommodate the suction hose in the form of a coil. Preferably it accommodates the hose as a spiral, with the hose centre line lying substantially in a single plane, although alternatively it could accommodate the hose as a helix. Preferably the hose storage means is WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 4 disposed in a body of the suction unit, and the hose extends out of the body of the suction unit through an opening therein. Alternatively the hose storage means may be provided on the exterior of the body of the suction unit. Storage of the hose on the storage member in spiral configuration, as compared with helical winding of the suction hose on an elongated drum, is advantageous as there is less need for guides to control the winding of the hose on the drum and less likelihood of the hose becoming kinked or otherwise disrupted. Preferably the electric motor for rotating the hose storage member is rotationally connected to the latter by way of a reduction transmission, e.g. gears or a drive belt, of a transmission ratio selected so that a relatively low power motor can cause sufficient torque to be exerted on the storage member to rotate the latter and cause the hose to be wound thereon (bearing in mind that typical suction hoses for suction cleaners have some degree of stiffness because they have to resist collapse when the full suction created by the source of suction is applied to the interior thereof, and such stiffness means that the hose will have some resistance to being wound on a rotating storage reel). There may be coupling means, e.g. a clutch device, operable to establish a driving connection between the motor and the hose storage -member when the latter is to be rotated to cause the hose to be stored thereon, but which disconnects the driving connection at other times. The hose then may simply be pulled manually off the storage member when required to be deployed, with the storage member rotating freely. Operation of a "hose rewind" control may cause engagement of the clutch means and energisation of the motor simultaneously or in a predetermined sequence. Preferably there is means for detecting when the hose has been completely retracted to the storage means, operable to disconnect the electric motor from its power supply, and/or disconnect the coupling as aforesaid, upon detection of this condition. This detection may be effected by a detector responsive to rotation of the storage member (by detecting the amount of WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 5 rotation thereof from the position in which the hose is completely deployed t erefrom) or by detecting the amount of hose wound on the storage member. One end of the suction hose may be connected to the storage member at a central part thereof, defining an airflow passage leading to the separator/collector means. Such passage may include a duct extending axially (with respect to the axis about which the storage member is rotatable) at an end face of the storage member. A seal may be provided operative between a stationary member defining said duct and a complementary part of the hose storage member, such seal permitting the rotation of the latter. Whilst the present invention is aimed primarily at providing for powered retraction of the hose to its storage means, it would be possible also to provide for powered deployment of the hose from its storage means, instead of requiring the hose to be pulled manually therefrom. Whilst it is preferred, as described above, that the energy storage means for powering the hose storage means for retraction of the hose, stores electrical energy for an electric motor, it would be within the broadest scope of the invention for some other formnn of energy storage means to be provided. Thus, for examplea spring may be arranged in rotary driving connection with the storage member, the spring being loaded when the vacuum cleaner is operating, e.g. by utilising a device powered by the suction exerted by the cleaner or possibly even having a mechanical connection with the motor for the suction source thereof, the spring being released to cause the hose to be stored when required. The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view illustrating some of the principal components of a suction cleaner in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 and Figure 3 are'respectively a perspective view and partial section showing detail of a hose storage member of the cleaner; WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 6 Figures 3a and 3b show the storage of hose on one embodiment of hose storage member; Figures 4a and 4b show the storage of hose on another embodiment of hose storage member; Figures 5a and 5b show, in a perspective and plan view, an example of a means for detecting the rotational position of a hose storage member; Figure 6 is a. diagrammatic perspective view showing part of a mechanism for driving a hose storage member, in a first operative condition; Figure 7 is an elevation of part of Figure 6; Figures 8 and 9 are views corresponding to Figures 6 and 7, but in a further operative condition; Figures 10a and 10b illustrate the principle of a further embodiment of the invention; Figures 11, 12a and 12b illustrate the principle of yet a further embodiment of the invention; Figure 13 illustrates the principle of yet a further embodiment of the invention. Referring firstly to Figure 1 of the drawings, this -shows in a diagranumatic perspective view one possible arrangement of the suction unit of a cylinder type of suction cleaner in accordance with the invention. It comprises a body 10 at one end of which there are wheels one of which is shown at 11. At the end of the body between the wheels there are accommodated a source of suction including an impeller and an electric motor indicated diagrammatically at 12 and a storage/rewind drum 13 for electrical cable for connection of the cleaner to a mains electrical socket outlet. The electrical cable may be pulled from the drum 13 as required and, after use, rewound thereon: such cable storage/rewind drum arrangements are well known for use in suction cleaners. The suction unit further comprises separating/collecting means for dirt which it sucks up, this may be of any type WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 7 but as illustrated it comprises two separator stages 14, 15 though which dirt laden air flows successively, with a duct 16 therebetween. A duct 17 leads from the second separator stage 15 to a filter 18 adjacent the fan of the suction source. Suitable means not shown is provided for collecting and retaining, for later disposal, dirt separated from the air by the separator stages. One or both of the separator stages 14, 15 may be of the so-called "cyclonic" type, in which separation of dirt from the airflow is achieved by the action of centrifugal force with the air flowing in a circular or vortex pattern in the separator. Supported in the body 10, for rotation about an axis 20 which is generally vertical when the suction unit of the cleaner is in the illustrated orientation, is a storage member 21 for a suction hose 22. The hose 22 can be stored in the form of a spiral on the storage member 21, and extends generally tangentially therefrom and out of the body 10 of the suction unit to an opening 23 therein. A member 24 contacting the centre of the hose storage member 21 provides for flow of air from the suction hose to the first separator stage 14. Referring now to Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings, these show further details of the hose storage member 21. As most clearly seen in Figure 2, it is in the form of a reel having two substantially parallel walls 28, 29 spaced from another by a distance slightly greater than the outside diameter of the hose 22. Thus, the hose is constrained to be supported on the member 21 in spiral form with its centre line lying substantially in a single plane. One end of the hose is connected to the storage member 21 as described hereafter, with the interior of the hose communicating with a chamber 30 defined in the centre of the member. The chamber 30 is open-topped and faces the member 24 which defines a duct for airflow to the first separator stage 14. The member 24 is supported in the body of the suction unit to face the chamber 30 and is provided with a peripheral seal 32 engaging the facing surface of the wall 28 of the member 21 to provide an acceptable airflow seal therewith.

WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 8 The member 21 is supported in the body 10, for rotation about the axis 20, by any suitable means, e.g. a number of circumferentially spaced bearing assemblies as indicated at 33, engaging the wall 29 of the member. Figures 3a and 3b show one arrangement by which the suction hose 22 is connected to the member 21. In these figures, the central chamber 30 of the member 21 is defined by a spiral wall 35 so that a tangentially-facing part 36 is provided, to which the hose is connected. To ensure that the hose is not kinked or bent too sharply, when deployed by being pulled out to its maximum extent from the suction unit, there should be means for stopping rotation of the storage member at the position illustrated so that the hose lies more or less in a straight line between its exit from the suction unit and its connection at 36. In an alternative embodiment, shown in Figures 4a and 4b, a swivel connection 40, e.g. one having co-operating part-cylindrical or part-spherical surfaces, may be provided where the hose is connected to the storage member. In this case, there is no need for there to be any means for stopping rotation of the hose storage member when the hose is fully deployed, as the hose is able to extend radially of the storage member directly to its exit from the suction unit. Referring now to Figures 5 to 9 of the drawings, these illustrate an arrangement of the hose storage member 21 and associated components, enabling the storage member to be rotated by an electric motor when the hose is required to be stored thereon. Figures 6 to 9 show the hose storage member 21 which is supported in the body 10 of the cleaner for rotation about its axis 20, e.g. by the bearing assemblies 33 (not shown in these later figures) The wall 28 of the storage member 21 is provided with peripheral gear teeth 50, and these mesh with complementary teeth on a gear 51 rotatably supported on a shaft 52 whose rotational axis is parallel to the rotational axis of the hose storage member 21. The gear 51 has drive dogs 53 which are cooperable with complementary dogs 54 on a drive member 55 which is rotationally fast with the shaft 52 and axially movable thereon. Axial movement of the drive member WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 9 55 towards the gear 51 so that the dogs 53, 54 cooperate with one another thus has the effect of clutching the gear 51 to the shaft 52. A spring 56 biases the drive member 55 away from the gear 51, so that the gear 51 is not normally clutched to the shaft 52; the drive member 55 has to be pressed towards the gear 51 against the force of the spring 56 in order drivingly to connect the gear 51 to the shaft 52. The shaft 52 is connected by way of a multi-stage reduction gearing arrangement 57 to an electric motor 58 which is a low voltage DC motor whose power supply is a battery pack 59 comprising an electrical battery or batteries. Although non-rechargeable batteries may have capacity sufficient for hose retraction over a reasonable period of domestic use, preferably there are a number of rechargeable electrical storage batteries, e.g. of the nickel-cadmium or any other appropriate type. These batteries are arranged to be charged by way of an appropriate charging circuit (e.g. a continuous trickle-charging circuit or one providing more rapid charging which is discontinued when charging is complete) from the main electrical supply which powers the motor of the suction source of the cleaner: charging of the batteries may take place whenever the cleaner-is connected to a live mains electrical supply or possibly only when the suction source of the cleaner is -actually in operation. In any event, the aim is that the battery pack 59 should store sufficient energy to operate the motor 58 for re-winding and storage of the hose as described hereafter. The cleaner is provided with a hose rewind/storage control, such control being manually operable and disposed in any appropriate position on the body 10 of the cleaner. By way of example, Figure 1 illustrates such a control at 60, adjacent where the hose 22 emerges from the body of the. cleaner. As shown in Figure 9, operation of the control 60 causes a member 61 to be moved (for example pivotally as illustrated) to cause the drive member 55 to be moved axially of the shaft 52 so that the drive dogs 53, 54 engage with one another, WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 10 clutching the gear 51 to the shaft 52. An electrical switch 62 (e.g. a micro switch) is also operated, to cause electrical power to be supplied to the motor 58 which rotatingly drives the hose storage member 21 by way of the reduction gears 57 and the gear 51. It rotates the member 21 in the sense to cause the hose to be wound onto the member for storage. Release of the control 60 causes such driving of the member 21 to cease, and when the gear 5.1 is no longer clutched to the shaft 52 the member 21 is able to rotate freely, enabling the hose to be deployed by being pulled off the member 21 and out of the body 10 of the cleaner by way of the opening 23. When the hose storage member is being driven by the motor 28 to wind the hose 22 thereon to be stored in the cleaner, it.is necessary there should be provided some means of detecting when the hose has been wound to its fullest extent, whereupon supply of electrical power to the motor 58 is interrupted. Figures 5A and 5B show, diagrammatically, one means by which this may be achieved. In this arrangement, a member 70 of the "Geneva gear" type is supported in the vicinity of one of the walls 28 or 29 of the member 21. The member 70 has three radial slots 72 engageable successively by a peg 73 on the member 21, and a cam surface 74 operable on a micro-switch 75 disposed adjacent the member 70. The micro-switch is connected between the battery pack 59 and the motor 58. The arrangement of member 70 and its associated components is such that the micro-switch is operated to interrupt the supply of electrical power to the motor 58 when the hose is fully wound onto the member 21, e.g. as shown in Figure 3B. Full deployment of the entire length of the hose from the member 21 may be of the order of 2.5 revolutions of the member 21 from the former position. It will, of course, be appreciated that other means may be provided for detecting when the entire length of the hose is stored on the member 21. Such means may involve a mechanically-operated switch or switches which might, WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 11 for example, be engaged by the hose when fully stored on the member 21, an optical sensor for such condition, or any other appropriate device. There may be provided a manually operable means, for example a rotatable winding handle, for rotating the member 21 in case there is some failure of the powered rewinding mechanism above described. It will be appreciated that the details of the mechanism described are given by way of example only, and many variations may be effected in the detailed design as a whole and in respect of its components, without departing from the broadest scope of the present invention. Accommodation of the hose by the hose storage means in the form of a coil, preferably a spiral, is convenient as in general this enables the maximum length of hose to be accommodated in a minimum volume. However, other configurations of hose storage means would be possible. One such configuration is shown in Figures 10a and 10b. In this embodiment, part of the body of a cleaner is shown at 70 and the hose storage means includes a storage volume indicated by broken line 71 within the body. Hose 73 has one end 74 fixed within the body and connected to a passage leading to the dirt collecting/separating means of the cleaner, whilst the other end of the hose extends out of the body of the cleaner at an opening 72. Within the hose storage volume there are two hose retraction members in the form of rollers 75, 76 movable along respective tracks indicated by chain-dotted lines 77, 78 between positions in which they are shown in Figure 10a and those shown in Figure 10b, respectively in which the hose is fully deployed from the cleaner and fully retracted thereto. Motor means is provided for causing the rollers 75, 76 to be driven from their former positions to their latter positions when retraction of the hose is required to be performed. Referring now to Figures 11 and 12 of the drawings, these show an embodiment wherein a hose is able to be stored in a serpentine configuration in the body of a cleaner. Diagrammatically only Figure 11 shows a hose 80 WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 12 having at one end a fitting 81 slidable within and along a somewhat S-shaped track of trough-like form 82, within the cleaner body. The fitting 81 is connected to a tension element, e.g. a flexible cord or wire 83 extending lengthwise of the track to reach a winding member 84 which is able to be operated by an electric motor to draw in the element 83 and thus draw the fitting 81 along the track 82 and thus retract the hose 80 into the track, to reach the position in which it is shown in Figure 12b. The hose can be deployed by pulling it out from the track 82, to reach the position shown in Figure 12a, the element 83 being pulled out from the winding 84 in this operation. When the fitting 81 reaches the position shown in Figures 11 and 12a it cooperates with a passage leading to the dirt separator/collector of the cleaner. Referring finally now to Figure 13, this shows a part 90 of the body of a cleaner, define a hose storage volume 91 within which one end 92 of a hose 93 is fixed and is connected to a passage leading to the dirt separator/collector of the cleaner. The other end of the hose extends out of the cleaner body at an opening 94, adjacent which there is arranged a pair of rollers 95, 96 which engage the hose 93 on opposite sides thereof. The rollers are configured on their periphery so as to grip the hose, e.g. by cooperating with the corrugated surface thereof, so that rotation of the rollers causes the hose to be moved lengthwise between them (and vice-versa). When the hose is to be retracted to the position in which it is shown in full lines in Figure 13, rotation of the rollers 95, 96 in the appropriate sense draws the hose in through the opening 94 and causes it to be stored in volume 91 in an uncontrolled configuration. When the hose is to be deployed, it may be pulled between the rollers provided they are free to rotate or possibly the rollers could be powered to cause or assist such deployment. Preferably the motor means in each of the embodiments last above described is an electric motor or motors, powered by energy stored in (preferably rechargeable) batteries. Suitable transmission means should be WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 13 provided between the motor means and the hose storage means and a disconnectable coupling would be provided in the transmission means as required. Other details such as a charging circuit, appropriate switch(es) and controls would be provided analogously to those described in Figures 1 to 9 or otherwise. Although as described above it is only the retraction of the hose to the storage means of the cleaner which is powered, with deployment of the hose being effected manually by pulling the hose from the cleaner, it would be possible for the deployment of the hose additionally to be power operated, e.g. by operating the motor means of the hose storage means in the reverse sense to that which causes retraction of the hose. In the present specification "comprises" means "includes or consists of' and "comprising" means "including or consisting of'. The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features-be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A suction cleaner comprising a suction unit including a source of suction and separator/collector means for separating and collecting dirt from flow of air induced by said source of suction, and a suction hose for attachment of a cleaning tool and/or wand, wherein said suction unit is provided with storage means for said suction hose, said hose being able to be deployed from said storage means for use and retracted thereto for storage; energy storage means; and means powered by energy stored in said energy storage means, operable to cause said retraction of the hose to said storage means.

2. A suction cleaner according to Claim 1 wherein retraction of the hose to the hose storage means is effected by an electric motor, and the energy storage means is an electrical energy storage means.

3. A suction cleaner according to Claim 2 wherein said electrical energy storage means comprises at least one electrical battery.

4. A suction cleaner according to Claim 3 wherein said at least one battery is rechargeable.

5. A suction cleaner according to Claim 3 wherein said at least one battery is non-rechargeable.

6. A suction cleaner according to Claim 2, 3 or 4 further comprising charging means causing said electrical energy storage means to be charged at least when the cleaner is connected to a live electrical supply. WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 15

7. A suction cleaner according to any preceding claim, wherein the hose storage means comprises a rotatable member, adapted to accommodate the hose as a coil.

8. A suction cleaner according to Claim 7 wherein the hose storage member comprises a reel adapted to accommodate the suction hose in the form of a spiral, with the hose centre line lying substantially in a single plane.

9. A suction cleaner according to any one of Claims 1 to 6 wherein the hose is accommodated by the hose storage means in a non-controlled configuration.

10. A suction cleaner according to any one of Claim 1 to 6 wherein the hose is accommodated by the hose storage means in serpentine configuration.

11. A suction cleaner according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the hose storage means is disposed in a body of the suction unit, and the hose extends out of the body of the suction unit through an opening therein.

12. A suction cleaner according to Claim 7, as appendant directly or indirectly to Claim 2, or any claim appendant thereto wherein said electric motor is rotationally connected to the hose storage member by way of a reduction transmission.

13. A suction cleaner according to Claim 12 further comprising coupling means operable to establish a driving connection between the motor and the hose storage member when the latter is to be rotated to cause the hose to be stored thereon, but which disconnects said driving connection at other times. WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 16

14. A suction cleaner according to Claim 13 further comprising a control for causing engagement of said coupling means and energisation of said motor simultaneously or sequentially.

15. A suction cleaner according to Claim 2 or any claim appendant thereto further comprising means for detecting when the hose has been completely retracted to the storage means, and operable electrically and/or mechanically to disconnect said electric motor upon said detection.

16. A suction cleaner according to Claim 15 as appendant directly or indirectly to Claim 7 wherein said detection is effected in response to a predetermined amount of rotation of the storage member from a starting position thereof.

17. A suction cleaner according to Claim 15 wherein said detection is effected by a detector responsive to the amount of hose stored by the storage means.

18. A suction cleaner according to Claim 7 or any claim appendant thereto wherein one end of the suction hose is connected to the storage member at a central region thereof defining an airflow passage leading to the separator/collector means.

19. A suction cleaner according to Claim 18 wherein said passage includes a duct part extending axially with respect to an axis about which the storage member is rotatable, at an end face of the storage member. WO 03/096862 PCT/GB03/02026 17

20. A suction cleaner according to Claim 13 further comprising a seal operative between a stationary member defining said duct part and a complementary part of the hose storage member, permitting rotation of the latter.

21. A suction cleaner according to any of the preceding claims wherein said means operable to cause retraction of the hose to the storage means is also operable as required to cause deployment of the hose therefrom.

22. A suction cleaner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

23. Any novel feature or novel combination of features described herein and/or in the accompanying drawings.