AU2014277698A1

AU2014277698A1 - A Portable Hard Surface Vacuum Apparatus

Info

Publication number: AU2014277698A1
Application number: AU2014277698A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Holger Krogsgaard
Original assignee: Nilfisk Advance AS
Current assignee: Nilfisk AS
Priority date: 2013-12-17
Filing date: 2014-12-16
Publication date: 2015-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2034-12-16
Also published as: NZ702512A; EP2886029B1; EP2886029A1; AU2014277698B2; DE102013021277A1; CN104433950A; CN104433950B

Abstract

Abstract A portable hard surface vacuum apparatus comprising a suction nozzle (6) and a suction unit (41, 42), which is in fluid connection with the suction nozzle (6), for vacuuming a liquid-air mixture from a hard surface, and comprising a separating device (45, 46) for separating a liquid (55) from the liquid-air mixture and comprising a waste liquid tank (4) for receiving the separated liquid (55), where in the flow path a separating chamber (15, 25) is arranged between the suction nozzle (6) and the suction unit (41, 42), said chamber housing the separating device (45, 46) and being in fluid connection via a suction line (9) with the suction nozzle (6) and with the suction unit (41,42) via a vacuum line (35), and said chamber being connected via a tank inlet (47) to the waste liquid tank (4), characterised in that the port region (49) of the suction line (9) from the suction nozzle (6) is in fluid connection in the direction of the separating device (45, 46) on a direct path via a flow channel (15) to the tank inlet (47) of the waste liquid tank (4). 6 v Fig. 1

Description

A Portable Hard Surface Vacuum Apparatus The invention relates to a portable hard surface vacuum apparatus comprising a suction nozzle and a suction unit in accordance with the preamble of Claim 1. 5 A hard surface vacuum apparatus is known from the subject of DE 10 2008 004 965 B3. The Figure 2 of the above invention is explained in greater detail in relation to the enclosed Figure A as representing the state of the art. 0 It is characteristic for this portable hard surface vacuum apparatus that in a working position of the apparatus for vacuuming dirt and water from a horizontal surface it has a disadvantage in that it cannot be ensured that the liquid suctioned up can be fully introduced into the liquid tank. 5 Since, in the operating position where the apparatus is pointing downwards at an angle, the suction nozzle must suction the liquid-air mixture into the apparatus against gravity, problems arise in conveying the drawn-in liquid directly into the liquid tank. DE 10 2008 004 965 B 3 therefore proposes that in the port region of the suction and !0 vacuum line which is connected at the front of the suction nozzle opening, intermediate storage regions be provided where, initially, during the lowered operating position of the apparatus, the liquid components are temporarily stored, and only upon turning of the apparatus - following completion of the vacuuming of a horizontal surface - to allow the liquid components previously held in the intermediate storage regions to flow 25 into the tank. It has been found that such an operating method is inconvenient since, when the hard surface vacuum apparatus remains in the lowered position, also the drawn-in liquid components remain in the intermediate storage regions. As long as the 30 apparatus is not turned into an upright position, there is a constant accumulation of dirty water in the intermediate storage regions which can decompose therefore resulting in a build-up of odour. 1 When vacuuming up large amounts of liquid, a further problem arises in that the intermediate storage regions fill up so much that there is a risk of the separating unit in the apparatus to be flooded and then in an undesirable way liquid to be sucked in by the suction unit. For this reason the vacuum apparatus must be frequently placed 5 upright from its downward directed operating position in order to empty the port region of the intermediate storage regions arranged in the suction line in the direction of the liquid tank to ensure that the waste water stored in the intermediate storage regions can flow into the tank. Such a method of operation is awkward and time-consuming. 0 It is therefore the object of the present invention to further develop a portable hard surface vacuum apparatus based on DE 10 2008 004 965 B 3 to ensure that even where the apparatus is used in a downward directed operating position for vacuuming more or less horizontal surfaces, the waste water taken up is always immediately conveyed into the liquid tank. 5 The solution to the task set for the present invention is characterised by the teaching of Claim 1. It is a feature of the present invention that intermediate storage regions which surround !0 the port region of the suction and vacuum line are totally dispensed with and that instead a direct, fluid connection is produced between the port region of the suction and vacuum line and the tank inlet of the liquid tank. By dispensing with the intermediate storage regions and avoiding areas around the 25 port region of the suction channel it is ensured that the water taken up by the suction nozzle and fed into the suction channel is immediately by fluid connection conveyed into the tank inlet of the waste liquid tank. This allows for the intermediate storage of waste water in the housing in the area of the intermediate storage regions to be dispensed with and - even in the lowered, downward directed operating position of the 30 hard surface vacuum apparatus - it is ensured that the suctioned up dirty water is conveyed immediately from the port region of the suction channel of the suction nozzle in the direction of the separating device on a direct path into the tank inlet of the waste liquid tank. 2 In a preferred embodiment of this technical teaching, it is proposed in accordance with the subject of Claim 2 that the port region of the suction channel immediately merge into the flow channel, which flow channel embodies the one side of the separating 5 device, wherein the one side of the flow channel is formed by a wall surface directly adjacent to the port region, and the opposite side of the flow channel is formed by the wall sections of the first separating wall. In this way a channel-like calibrated fluid connection channel is formed which prevents 0 the creation of intermediate storage regions in order to ensure that liquid having reached the port region of the suction channel is directly conveyed to the tank inlet of the waste liquid tank via this flow channel. Bulges, undercuts or liquid reservoirs shall be avoided in this area. 5 In order to ensure this, it is preferred, according to the subject of Claim 3, when in the operating position of the apparatus directed downward at an angle, the lower edge of the tank inlet (in the operating position of the apparatus) is more or less flush with the lower wall surface of the flow channel. !0 This means that the tank with its tank inlet is aligned in a certain manner with the flow channel upstream of the first separating device. There shall not be any space allowed to be created in this flow channel enabling the retention of waste water. According to the subject of Claim 4 it is preferred for the port region of the suction 25 channel to be embodied as an inclined plane, which is slanted towards an opposite angled wall section of the first separating wall, where the wall section is impinged upon by a stream of liquid and diverts it sideways beside the port region into the flow channel. 30 By this type of design, where the separating wall comprises an angled wall section, it is ensured that when waste water from the port region of the suction channel is drawn into the apparatus, this waste water stream, which is interspersed with air particles, impinges on an obliquely angled wall section of the first separating wall and is diverted 3 by this angled wall section in such a manner that it is no longer redirected to the port region of the suction channel, but is diverted sideways beside the port region into the flow channel leading outwards, thus achieving a discharge of the drawn-in waste liquid into the flow channel upstream of the first separating device. 5 According to the subject of claim 5 it is moreover preferred that a first wall section arranged in the port region of the suction channel is followed by a second wall section aligned at an angle to the first wall section, which diverts the stream of liquid impinging thereon back into the port region of the suction channel. 0 By virtue of this second wall section aligned at an angle to the first wall section it is achieved that a stream of liquid impinging thereon cannot settle in the port region of the suction channel but is deflected at the separating wall and re-diverted into the port region of the suction channel, where it is then in fluid connection via the flow channel 5 to the tank inlet of the liquid tank. It is particularly advantageous when the liquid tank consists of two parts arranged at an angle to each other, wherein a first, front part - where the entire apparatus has a horizontal orientation (operating position) - is substantially vertically inclined upwards, !0 whereas the adjoining further inclined part is more or less horizontally oriented. In the transition region between these two tank regions of the liquid tank disposed at an angle to each other, the tank inlet is arranged. The subject of the invention here present does not derive from the subjects of the 25 individual claims alone, but also from the combination of the individual claims. All data and features disclosed in the documents including the abstract, in particular the spatial design illustrated in the drawings, are essential to the invention insofar as they individually or in combination are novel relative to the prior art . 30 In the following, the invention will be explained more specifically with reference to drawings representing merely one mode of realization. Additional features essential to 4 the invention and advantages of the invention are evident from the drawings and their description. The following are shown: 5 Figure A: A hard surface vacuum apparatus in accordance with the state of the art Figure 1: A hard surface vacuum apparatus according to the invention in its operating position when vacuuming a horizontal surface. 0 Figure 2: an enlarged view of the front part of the hard surface vacuum apparatus according to Figure 1 with illustration of further details Figure 3: the hard surface vacuum apparatus according to Figures 1 and 2 with 5 illustration of the liquid and air streams in the operating position Figure 4: a section of the hard surface vacuum apparatus in a horizontal upright position. !0 Figure 5: the hard surface vacuum apparatus according to Figure 4 during vacuuming of a vertical work surface Figure A shows the state of the art hard surface vacuum apparatus according to the subject of DE 10 2008 004 965 B3 when vacuuming a more or less horizontally 25 oriented surface 61 which is covered with waste liquid 8. A wiping strip 7 is arranged in front of the suction nozzle 6 which by movement of the cleaning apparatus 1 is moved from left to right over the horizontal surface 61. Thus the suction nozzle 6 by the action of the suction unit 40 takes up the liquid waste 8 into 30 the internal space of the container by means of a suction channel 9 following the suction nozzle 6. 5 The suction unit 40 consists substantially of a suction wing 41 which is driven by a motor 42. The intake air is fed via a suction space 25 to a separating device which, according to prior art consists of a separating wall 45 onto which the drawn up liquid waste 8 is emitted from the port region 49 of the suction channel 9 along the arrow 5 directions shown on the drawing and is deflected by the separating wall 45 so that the liquid portion separated there flows into storage regions 59, 60 arranged beside the port region 49. These intermediate storage regions 59, 60 surround the port region 49 of the suction 0 channel 9 and are intended for the intermediate storage of vacuumed liquid waste. The intake air is led to both sides via the suction space 25 to the separating wall 46 so that a first flow channel 15a on the left side of the separating wall 45 is formed and a second flow channel 15 on the right side of the separating wall and intake air impinges 5 on both sides of the separating wall 45. It is only when the cleaning apparatus 1 is shifted from its lowered operating position as per Figure A into an at least horizontal position that the liquid waste flows from the storage regions 59, 60 via the flow channel 15 in the illustrated arrow direction into a !0 tank inlet 47 of a liquid tank 4. It is therefore necessary for the cleaning apparatus 1 - shown in the operating position as per Figure A - to be placed in a horizontal position to ensure that the liquid waste portions stored in the storage regions 59, 60 flow into the liquid tank in the illustrated 25 arrow direction. To achieve a controlled guidance of the waste liquid exiting from suction channel 9, which waste is interspersed with air, the port region is designed as an inclined surface 50. 30 This is where the present invention commences which proposes a totally different approach to vacuuming the waste liquid 8. 6 The waste liquid 8 is taken up by the suction nozzle 6 and is conveyed via the suction channel 9 into the port region 49 of the suction channel 9, where a flow channel 15 is provided having about the same diameter across its length, which flow channel is formed by a lower housing wall of the housing and the upper separating wall 45. Thus 5 a fluid connection is created from the port region 49 via the flow channel 15 directly to the tank inlet 47 of the liquid tank 4, without intermediate storage regions being present for the depositing of waste liquid in the lowered operating position as illustrated. Since the flow channel 15 is guided directly to the tank inlet 47, this offers the 0 advantage that the liquid components 55 of the waste liquid 8 flow immediately into the tank 4 when the apparatus is in the lowered operating position and (as liquid 19) fill up the front tank section of the waste liquid tank 4. The flow path 51 of the waste liquid 8 which is interspersed with air is therefore merely shown schematically by arrow, and it is also schematically illustrated that the liquid components 55 in this air-water mixture 5 are separated at the separating wall 45 and merely the gaseous components are then passed through in the form of an air flow path 54. The air flow path overcomes a second separating device comprising a separating wall 46 where any liquid components which may still be contained in the gaseous portion !0 are again separated and also due to gravity flow downward via the separating wall 45 of the first separating device into the tank inlet 47 of the waste liquid tank 4. It is only following the diversion via the second separating wall 46 that the main air flow path 54 is drawn in by an air filter which is arranged upstream of the suction unit 40 25 and the suction wing 41. It is thereby prevented that, even when the apparatus must take up waste liquid 8 from the horizontal surface 61 in the direction 56 under gravity, the dirt settles in intermediate storage regions of the port regions 49. Rather, the waste liquid is 30 separated at the separating wall 45 into a gaseous portion and a liquid portion and the liquid components 55 are immediately conveyed to the tank inlet 47. 7 Figure 2 shows further details regarding the illustration in Figure 1, with Figure 2 being merely an enlarged version of Figure 1. It can be seen that the port region 49 is defined by an inclined surface 50 on the front 5 side and that therefore the waste liquid exiting from this inclined surface of the port region 49 in the direction of arrow 10 enters a flow space 14 which follows on to a flow channel 15. The air and water particles entering the flow space 14 are deflected at an inclined 0 deflection surface 45a of the separating wall 45 and are conveyed diagonally downwards adjacent to the port region 49 into the lower part and the inlet of flow channel 15. This ensures that no water can settle and remain on these parts. The port region 49 is further defined by a lateral deflection surface 37 to ensure that no 5 waste liquid can settle at the empty chamber 36 on the left adjacent to the port region 49. This chamber is designed to be calibrated particularly small and is bounded by an arcuate deflection element 38, which projects into the interior of the empty chamber 36, and further by another inclined deflection surface 45b which forms part of the separating wall 45. !0 The deflection surface 45b is angled in such a way that a liquid stream impinging on this surface is deflected back into the port region 49 and from there is conveyed to the flow channel 15. Thus it is ensured that the empty chamber 36 cannot fill up with waste liquid. 25 Thus the flow channel 15 is formed by a lower wall surface 16 of the housing or an associated further surface arranged in the housing, and the upper side of the flow channel 15 is formed by the separating wall 45. 30 The long straight portion of the separating wall 45 is formed as a deflection surface 45c and this is directed as a straight line 20 directly to about the middle of the tank inlet 47. The front face of the deflection surface 45c defines a deflection end 24 for the air flow path 54 (see figure 1). 8 In as far as any liquid components are still carried along around the deflection end 24, these will be separated by a second separating device. The second separating device consists of a second separating wall 46, which is located in the region of the suction 5 space 25 upstream of the first separating wall 45. The suction space consists of channel cross sections which cross sections frequently change, wherein in each channel cross section there occurs initially an expansion and then a compression of the air flow passing through that may still carry liquid 0 components. At its right side the suction room 25 is defined by an inclined wall 26 which facilitates the liquid particles impinging thereon to be conveyed back to the tank inlet 47 in arrow direction 27. 5 In addition, a further deflection surface 58 is disposed at an angle to the inclined wall 26 as a delimitation of the suction space 25 and the front end of the deflection surface 58 is defined by an arcuate section 29 which reduces the volume of the suction space 25 in the direction of the second separating device with separating wall 46. Thus, !0 initially, there is an expansion of the air flow path 54 in the suction space 25 and the arcuate section 29 defines a following narrow passage 28 where the gas stream is compressed and is then in turn under expansion passed into an expansion space 30 further upstream. 25 This expansion space 30 is upwardly defined by the separating wall 46, wherein the separating wall consists of a straight wall section and an adjacent inclined wall section 46 a. In this way the gas stream, which is possibly still holding liquid particles, flows into the 30 expansion space 30 and is again compressed by the inclined wall section 46a to be thus conveyed to the deflection space 33 where it immediately provides the suction channel for the suction unit 40 with the suction wing 41. The cross section of the channel undergoes several changes and therefore provides a better separating effect 9 on the one hand and on the other a more effective sound suppression of the suction sound. The air flow is therefore diverted in arrow direction 63 around the inclined end of the 5 wall section 46a and then via the vacuum line 35 immediately reaches the suction filter 34 where the gas stream is drawn in by the suction unit 40. On the left the deflection space 33 is bounded by a housing wall 62 of the housing of the cleaning apparatus 1. 0 Figure 2 further shows that a central longitudinal axis through the tank inlet 47, which in the drawing is shown as port line 22, is directed at an angle 23 to the straight line 20 through the separating wall 45. It follows that the flow channel 15, in the operating position of the cleaning apparatus 1 as shown in Figure 2, is directed downwards at an 5 angle in order to facilitate the waste liquid 8 to be conveyed under gravity directly into the tank inlet 47 of tank 4. The fluid tank 4 preferably consists of two mutually inclined sections. The lower section 4b, when in the operating position shown in Figure 2, is filled continuously with the !0 separated liquid 19 of the waste liquid 8, while the further inclined section 4a of the waste liquid tank 4 is filled in the other operating positions of the cleaning apparatus, in particular in the horizontal position as per Figures 4 and 5. The two mutually inclined sections 4a, 4b are preferably mutually inclined at an angle 25 of 60 to 110 degrees - particularly preferred at an angle between 70 and 90 degrees wherein, in the transition region between the two sections 4a, 4b, the tank inlet 47 is arranged. To achieve a good separating effect whilst avoiding intermediate storage regions it is 30 also essential that the inclined surface 50 of the port region forms a straight line 11 which has an angle 13 in relation to the horizontal 12. In this way it is ensured that the air and gas particles emitted in arrow direction to the port region 49 reach the opposite deflection surface 45a of the separating wall 45 and there are deflected into 10 the flow channel 15 where then - by virtue of the incline of the flow channel 15 - they immediately flow into the tank inlet. The lower edge of the flow channel 15 which is formed by the wall surface 16 in this 5 configuration ought to merge as smoothly as possible into the lower edge of the tank inlet 47 to facilitate an easy flow of the liquid components 55 into the tank. Since the outlet 17 of the flow channel 15 is arranged at a distance upstream of the tank inlet 47 it is ensured that the gas stream is diverted at the deflection end 24 of the 0 separating wall 45 and reaches the adjacent suction space 25. Since the long portion or longitudinal extension of the deflection surface 45c with the straight line 20 is in close vicinity of the tank inlet 47, a separation of liquid particles does not only occur at the separating wall 45 and the deflection end 24, but in addition 5 also at the upper side of the tank inlet 47 and the inclined wall 26 adjacent thereto and at the deflection surface 58 adjacently arranged at an angle thereto. By virtue of the way in which the tank inlet 47 is arranged in relation to the separating wall 45, a superior separating effect is achieved. !0 Figure 3 shows that the cleaning apparatus 1 in the operating position according to Figures 1 and 2 is guided in the cleaning direction 53 across the horizontal surface 61 to be cleaned. Figures 4 and 5 show the other operating position of the cleaning apparatus 1 for cleaning a vertical surface 57 (see Figure 5) on to which again adheres 25 a liquid 52 mixed with dirt particles. Both Figures 4 and 5 illustrate further details of the housing configuration of the cleaning apparatus 1. 30 The cleaning apparatus 1 has a handle 2 wherein a battery 43 is arranged. This battery is charged by a power cable at a charging socket 3. The battery drives the motor 42, which in turn drives the suction wing 41. The suction unit 40 is formed by the suction wing 41 and the motor 42. A suction filter 44 is arranged in the housing 48 11 of the suction unit 40. The electrical functional components are arranged on a board 44. The tank 4 is closed by a tank lid 32 arranged at the front in tank section 4b. At the bottom surface of the tank section 4a a maximum display 31 is arranged. As soon as the cleaning apparatus, when in the vertically raised position as per Figure 4, is turned 5 by a further 90 degrees clockwise, the liquid level in section 4a of the tank 4 can be read. When the level reaches to the maximum display 31, the tank must be emptied. Figure 5 shows the suction flow path (flow path 51) during a horizontal operating position of the cleaning apparatus 1 as per Figure 4. 0 It is evident here that the flow path 51 is steeply inclined beyond the port region 49 and therefore, due to gravity, the separated liquid components 55 automatically flow downwards through the flow channel 15 into the tank inlet 47. To achieve this it is assumed that the cleaning apparatus 1 is moved downwards in the vertical direction 5 (cleaning direction 53) on the vertical surface 57, The direction of gravity is here referred to by the reference arrow 56. 12 References 1 Cleaning apparatus 5 2 handle 3 charging socket 4 waste liquid tank section 4a section 4b 5 on/off switch 0 6 suction nozzle 7 wiping strip 8 waste liquid 9 suction line 10 direction of arrow 5 11 straight line (of 50) 12 horizontal 13 angle 14 flow space 15 flow channel 15a !0 16 wall surface (of 15) 17 outlet (of 15) 18 direction of arrow 19 liquid 20 straight line (of 45) 25 21 switch button 22 port line (of 47) 23 angle 24 deflection end (of 45) 25 suction space 30 26 inclined wall 27 direction of arrow 28 narrow passage 29 arcuate section 13 30 expansion space 31 maximum display 32 tank lid 33 deflection space 5 34 suction filter 35 vacuum line 36 empty chamber 37 deflection surface 38 deflection surface 0 39 bend 40 suction unit 41 suction wing 42 motor 43 battery 5 44 board 45 separating wall 45a, b, c deflection surface 46 separating wall 46a wall section !0 47 tank inlet 48 housing (of 41) 49 port region 50 inclined surface 51 flow path 25 52 liquid 53 cleaning direction 54 air flow path 55 liquid components 56 direction of gravity 30 57 vertical surface 58 deflection surface 59 storage region 60 storage region 14 61 horizontal surface 62 housing wall 63 direction of arrow 15

Claims

1. A portable hard surface vacuum apparatus comprising a suction nozzle (6) and a suction unit (41, 42), which is in fluid connection with the suction nozzle (6), for 5 vacuuming a liquid-air mixture from a hard surface, and comprising a separating device (45, 46) for separating a liquid (55) from the liquid-air mixture and comprising a waste liquid tank (4) for receiving the separated liquid (19, 55), where in the flow path a separating chamber (15, 25) is arranged between the suction nozzle (6) and the suction unit (41, 42), said chamber housing the separating device (45, 46) and being in 0 fluid connection via a suction line (9) with the suction nozzle (6) and with the suction unit (41,42) via a vacuum line (35), and said chamber being connected via a tank inlet (47) to the waste liquid tank (4), characterised in that the port region (49) of the suction line (9) from the suction nozzle (6) is in fluid connection in the direction of the separating device (45, 46) on a direct path via a flow channel (15) to the tank inlet (47) 5 of the waste liquid tank (4).

2. The hard surface vacuum apparatus in accordance with Claim 1, characterised in that the port region (49) of the suction line (9) immediately merges into the flow channel (15), where the one side of the flow channel (15) is formed by a wall surface !0 (16) directly adjoining the port region (49) and the opposite side of the flow channel (15) is formed by wall sections (45 a, 45b, 45c) of a first separating wall (45).

3. The hard surface vacuum apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the lower edge of the tank inlet (47), when the apparatus is in the operating 25 position, is more or less flush with the lower wall surface (16) of the flow channel (15).

4. The hard surface vacuum apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the port region (49) of the suction line (9) is embodied as an inclined plane (50), which is slanted towards an opposite angled wall section (45a) of 30 the first separating wall (45), and that the wall section (45a) diverts a stream of liquid impinging upon it sideways beside the port region (49) into the flow channel (15). 16

5. The hard surface vacuum apparatus according to Claim 4, characterised in that a first wall section (45a) arranged in the port region (49) of the suction line (9) is followed by a second wall section, (45b) aligned at an angle to the first wall section, which diverts the stream of liquid impinging thereon back into the port region (49) of 5 the suction channel (9).

6. The hard surface vacuum apparatus according to claim 5, characterised in that the second wall section (45b), together with an arcuate deflection section (38) arranged opposite thereof, forms a small-calibrated empty chamber (36) which is kept 0 free of liquid.

7. The hard surface vacuum apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the first separating wall (45) is followed by a second separating wall (46) downstream via a suction space (25) having multiple changing cross sections 5 (28, 20, 30).

8. The hard surface vacuum apparatus according to Claim 7, characterised in that the second separating wall (46) consists of a longitudinally extended element which, at its free end, is defined by an angled wall section (46a). !0

9. The hard surface suction apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the first separating device (45) consists of a longitudinally extended, multiple-angled wall element (45a, 45b, 45c) which with one of its ends abuts a housing wall (62) of the apparatus and thus limits and seals the flow channel 25 (15) at the one end.

10. The hard surface vacuum apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 9, characterised in that the waste liquid tank (4) consists of two sections (4a, 4b) arranged at an angle to each other and that the tank inlet (47) is arranged in the 30 section (4a) representing the upper section when the apparatus is in the operating position, so that in the operating position of the apparatus the lower section (4b) of the waste liquid tank (4) can be filled with liquid (19). 17