CN109893028B

CN109893028B - Bagless hand-held vacuum cleaner equipped with removable bowl

Info

Publication number: CN109893028B
Application number: CN201811414688.2A
Authority: CN
Inventors: 多纳西安·弗罗; 达达诺·托克
Original assignee: SEB SA
Current assignee: SEB SA
Priority date: 2017-11-24
Filing date: 2018-11-26
Publication date: 2022-02-18
Anticipated expiration: 2038-11-26
Also published as: EP3488750B1; EP3488750A1; FR3074027B1; CN109893028A; CN209750916U; FR3074027A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a hand-held vacuum cleaner (1) comprising: a main body (2), said main body (2) being equipped with a first grip handle (4) and a dust suction device, said first grip handle (4) being arranged at the rear of the cleaner; a dust suction pipe (6), the dust suction pipe (6) being disposed at a front portion of the cleaner; and a suction chamber (18), said suction chamber (18) being equipped with a bowl (17) and a filter element (25), said bowl (17) being in communication with said suction pipe, said filter element (25) being inserted in said bowl and said filter element (25) being in communication with said suction device, characterized in that said cleaner (1) comprises: a second grip handle (22), the second grip handle (22) being located at the front of the cleaner, the longitudinal axes of the first grip handle (4) and the second grip handle (22) being substantially parallel.

Description

Bagless hand-held vacuum cleaner equipped with removable bowl

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the field of cleaning devices, and more particularly to a bagless hand-held cleaner, also known as a cyclonic hand-held cleaner.

Such cleaners are intended to be compact and carried by hand to clean low surfaces such as work levels or stair steps, or elevated surfaces such as ceilings or walls, or even high-lying furniture.

Background

Bagless hand-held cleaners are known to those skilled in the art. Such a cleaner comprises a main body equipped at the rear with a gripping handle and which integrates a suction device. The cleaner further includes a suction pipe through a front end portion of which dirt is sucked, and a filter chamber disposed between the suction pipe and the suction device on the main body to temporarily receive and store the sucked dirt. The filter chamber includes a bowl communicating with the dust suction pipe, and a filter element accommodated in the bowl and communicating with the dust suction device.

When the dust suction apparatus is activated, the air flow generates a suction force which allows dirt to be sucked in through the front end portion of the suction pipe; the dirt-laden air flow circulates in the duct and then enters the bowl, where it is largely captured by the centrifugal forces generated in the bowl, while the filtering element arranged downstream (considering the direction of circulation of the air flow) allows the fine particles of dirt to be retained, the filtered air flow then continuing its circulation inside the main body under the action of the suction device, and finally being discharged from the main body, for example at the rear of the main body.

Patent applications FR3030215a1, WO2014080179a1 and WO2014080180a1 disclosing these features are cited in particular.

In patent application FR3030215a1, the suction tube is integrated in the bowl, the assembly being assembled with the main body. The bowl comprises a shutter at the lower part, the opening of which is performed by means of a deviating control, the opening of which allows emptying the bowl. The control of this deviation is configured to concomitantly remove the filter element from above the bowl to ensure periodic cleaning of the filter element each time the bowl is emptied. The assembly of tube, bowl and filter element is removable from the body to allow complete cleaning of the bowl, extraction of the assembly being achieved with offset control.

In patent applications WO2014080179a1 and WO2014080180a1 which describe a hand-held cleaner of similar design, the suction tube is integrated into the bowl and the assembly is removable from the main body. To this end, assembly means are implemented between the rear surface of the bowl and the front surface of the body. The rear and front portions are defined with reference to the positions of a gripping handle and a suction tube on the cleaner, respectively. The bowl includes a valve in the lower portion. The body includes a control member that allows unlocking the assembly device to remove the bowl and allows cleaning of the filter element. The control member also allows opening of a shutter to empty the bowl.

Disclosure of Invention

A first object of the invention is to facilitate the handling of the cleaner in all use situations, that is, when it concerns cleaning of elevated surfaces as well as cleaning of floor surfaces.

Another object is that these assembly means for assembling the bowl to the main body ensure a proper fixation between these two elements, so that detachment of the bowl does not occur in case of impact to the bowl caused during handling of the cleaner.

Another object is to optimize the dirt intake by ensuring a very good seal when the bowl is assembled on the body.

Another object is to facilitate handling of the bowl when emptying or cleaning the bowl and handling of a filter element inserted in the bowl.

To this end, the invention relates to a cleaning appliance of the handheld cleaner type, referred to as "cleaner" in the following description.

According to the invention, the hand-held cleaner comprises: a main body equipped with a first grip handle disposed at a rear portion of the cleaner and a dust suction device; a dust suction pipe disposed at a front of the dust collector; and a dust chamber equipped with a bowl communicating with the dust suction pipe and a filter element inserted into the bowl and communicating with the dust suction device, characterized in that the dust collector comprises a second grip handle located at the front of the dust collector, the longitudinal axes of the first grip handle and the second grip handle being substantially parallel.

According to another embodiment, the second grip handle is integral with an outer surface of the bowl.

According to another embodiment, the second grip handle is mounted on the suction tube. However, it may be provided that both end portions of the second grip handle are integrally connected to the bowl.

Always in order to improve the ergonomics of the cleaner, the length and diameter of the first and second gripping handles are substantially the same. Thus, the cleaner can be handled in the same way by a left-handed or right-handed user, and use will not be different for the user.

According to another embodiment, a guide and retention system is arranged between the rear surface of the bowl and the front surface of the body to engage the bowl on the body until reaching the formation position of the dust chamber, or vice versa to disengage the bowl from the body until reaching the disengagement position. The guide and retention system is configured to accompany movement of the bowl on the body during engagement thereof or disengagement thereof. In addition, a locking system is disposed between a front upper portion of the bowl and a front portion of the main body to lock the bowl on the main body in a formation position of the dust suction chamber or to unlock the bowl from the main body to disengage it.

According to another embodiment, the guide and retention system is configured to engage the bowl on the body by pushing the bowl back on the body or, conversely, to pull the bowl forward on the body when the bowl is disengaged from the body.

According to another embodiment, the locking system comprises at least one latch arranged on the second grip handle and at least one locking hook arranged on the main body.

According to another embodiment, the locking system comprises a control member arranged on the second grip handle and a transmission arranged between the control member and the at least one latch to disengage the latch from the latch hook upon actuation of the control member.

According to another embodiment, the tube is integrated on the body in front of the body.

According to another embodiment, the bowl comprises a main opening through which the filter element is inserted and a secondary opening communicating with the duct.

Drawings

The features and advantages of the invention will appear upon reading the following description, based on the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows an overall view of the cleaner with the bowl assembled with the main body;

FIG. 2 shows a side cross-sectional view of the cleaner with the bowl assembled with the main body;

FIG. 3 shows a side cross-sectional view of the cleaner with the bowl initially engaged on the main body to assemble the bowl with the main body;

figures 4 and 5 show two enlarged views of a portion of the cleaner, these views being extracted from figures 3 and 2, respectively, and highlighting the guide and retaining system in two positions;

FIG. 6 shows a side cross-sectional view of the cleaner with the bowl end engaged on the main body just prior to automatic placement of the locking system;

FIG. 7 shows the locking system just prior to automatic placement on the body;

FIG. 8 shows the locking system positioned on the body;

figures 9 to 11 show a bowl and a filter element according to two general figures and according to a cross-sectional view;

figure 12 shows in part the body and the tube and highlights the presence of the sealing joint;

FIG. 13 shows an overall view of the body and tube;

figures 14 and 15 show two partial views of the cleaner highlighting a variant of the locking system which is seated and just prior to seating.

Detailed Description

In the following description, the bagless hand-held cleaner of the present invention is referred to as a cleaner. In addition, the same reference numerals are used to designate the same features according to various modifications unless otherwise specified.

As shown in particular in fig. 1 to 3, the vacuum cleaner 1 comprises a main body 2, the main body 2 comprising a rear portion 2a and a front portion 2 b. The rear portion 2a includes a first grip handle 4 which a user can grip with his hand to manoeuvre the cleaner 1. A first grip handle 4 is provided in the lower portion 1a of the cleaner 1. Preferably, the cleaner 1 is powered by means of a rechargeable battery (not shown) provided in a base 5, which base 5 is assembled with the main body 2 below the first grip handle 4. The cleaner 1 comprises a duct 6, at the front end 6a of which duct 6 dirt is sucked in. This dust suction is ensured by the air flow that generates the suction force at the front end portion 6a of the tube 6. The rear part 2a of the main body comprises an area 7 in which area 7a ventilator (not shown) powered by batteries is housed, which allows said air flow to be generated, which circulates from the front to the rear of the cleaner 1. The ventilator is provided in the upper part 1b of the cleaner 1, just as the front part 2b of the main body 2, which front part 2b is provided in the extension of the ventilator.

As shown in fig. 1 to 3, 6, 12 and 13, the body 2 and the tube 6 form an integral assembly. The tube 6 is arranged in a front extension of the front portion 2b of the body 2. The front portion 2b of the body 2 comprises a duct 8, the rear end 8a of which duct 8 communicates with a region 7 housing a ventilator (not shown), and the front end 8b of which duct 8 opens onto the lower surface 2c of the body 2. The tube 6 includes a conduit 9, the conduit 9 being different from the conduit 8 on the body 2, although the two elements (body 2 and tube 6) form a unitary assembly. The duct 9 of the tube 6 leads to a rear opening 10 at the rear end 6b of the tube 6, and the duct 9 of the tube 6 leads to a front opening 11 at the front end 6a of the tube 6. The brush 12 is removably mounted on the front end 6a of the tube 6 by means of blocking/unblocking means 13, these blocking/unblocking means 13 being arranged between said brush 12 and the tube 6 on both lateral sides of the cleaner 1. These means 13 are preferably constituted by pins 14 on the wiper 12, these pins 14 engaging in lugs 15 on the tube 6. It is conceivable to add an extension tube (not shown) between the front end 6a of the tube 6 and the brush 12, which extension tube comprises, on each of its lateral sides, at its rear end a pin similar to the pin 14 to engage it on the front end 6a of the tube 6 and at its front end a lug similar to the lug 15 to receive the brush 12.

As shown with reference to fig. 1 to 6, the cleaner 1 comprises a bowl 17, which bowl 17 can be engaged on the main body 2 to form a dust chamber 18, or conversely, can be disengaged from the main body 2 for emptying thereof and cleaning thereof. The movement of the bowl 17 with respect to the body 2, both in its positioning and in its extraction, is defined by the presence of a guide and retaining system 19, which guide and retaining system 19 is arranged between the rear surface 17a of the bowl 17 and the front surface 2d of the body 2. As shown in more detail in fig. 4, 5, 10 and 13, the guide and retention system 19 comprises a cam 20 and a cam path 21, the cam 20 being arranged in a lower portion of the rear surface 17a of the bowl 17, the cam path 21 being arranged in a lower portion of the front surface 2d of the body 2.

As shown, for example, in fig. 1 and 11, the bowl 17 includes a second grip handle 22 on its front surface 17b, the second grip handle 22 facilitating manipulation of the bowl 17 when positioning and removing the bowl 17 relative to the main body 2. The second grip handle 22 also facilitates manipulation of the bowl 17 during emptying of the bowl 17. In addition, when the bowl 17 is assembled on the main body 2, the user can grip the second grip handle 22 at the front of the cleaner 1 with one hand and the first grip handle 4 at the rear of the main body 2 with the other hand, which greatly facilitates the handling of the cleaner 1 when cleaning elevated surfaces requiring the lifting of the arms.

According to the invention, the longitudinal axes of the first grip handle 4 and the second grip handle 22 are substantially parallel. This configuration improves the grip and ergonomics of the cleaner.

A first end of the second grip handle 22 is for example integral with the bowl 17, and a second end of the second grip handle 22 is mounted on the suction tube 6.

As shown with reference to fig. 2 and 9-12, the bowl 17 includes a primary opening 23 on its rear upper portion 17c and a secondary opening 24 on its front upper portion 17 d. The main opening 23 allows the insertion of a filter element 25, which filter element 25 is composed of two parts, namely a separator 26 and a filter 27. The separator 26 allows only small-diameter dirt to pass through, and the filter 27 allows such small-diameter dirt to be blocked to pass only purified air. The separator 26 is housed in the bowl 17 and comprises an outer edge 26a, which outer edge 26a bears on an upper edge 28 delimiting the main opening 23, and a first sealing joint 29, which first sealing joint 29 is positioned below the outer edge 26a, ensuring a seal between the separator 26 and the bowl 17. The filter 27 is housed in the separator 26. The filter 27 comprises a cover 30, which cover 30 is supported on the inner edge 26b of the separator 26. A second sealing joint 31 is arranged below the cover 30 and in contact with said inner edge 26b, which ensures sealing between the separator 26 and the filter 27. A third sealing joint 32 is arranged on the lower surface 2c of the body 2 and bears on the cover 30 of the filter 27 when the bowl 17 is locked on the body 2, which ensures the seal between the body 2 and the filter 27. Thus, when the bowl 17 is seated on the body 2, the seal between these two elements is ensured by the three sealing

joints

29, 31, 32. The cover 30 comprises an opening 33 at its centre, which opening 33 communicates with a conical filter wall 34 extending below the cover 30, the porosity of the filter wall 34 allowing the blocking of fine dirt and the passage of only purified air. When the bowl 17 is in the assembled position, the opening 33 communicates with the front end 8b of the conduit 8 on the body 2. The separator 26 comprises a cylindrical or conical perforated wall 35, the perforated wall 35 passing only fine dirt, the filtering wall 34 being housed in the perforated wall 35. When the bowl 17 is assembled with the body 2, its secondary opening 24 communicates with the rear opening 10 on the tube 6. A fourth sealing joint 36 is arranged around the rear opening 10 on the tube 6 and bears on the contour 37 of the secondary opening 24 when the bowl 17 is locked on the body 2.

As shown with particular reference to fig. 2 to 6, the cam 20 and the cam path 21 are complementary and have a substantially elbow shape. The elbow shape is configured to engage the bowl 17 on the body 2 by first tilting the bowl 17 forwardly and downwardly relative to the body 2 at an angle of about forty degrees (40 °) to fifty degrees (50 °), preferably forty-five degrees (45 °), then slightly translating the bowl 17 rearwardly relative to the body 2 to engage the rear end 20a of the cam 20 in the front end 21a of the cam path 21 (see fig. 3 and 4), and then pivoting the bowl 17 rearwardly and upwardly relative to the body 2 until the rear surface 17a of the bowl 17 abuts against the front surface 2d of the body 2 (see fig. 2 and 5). In this position of fig. 2, the third sealing joint 32 on the lower surface 2c of the main body 2 bears on the cover 30 of the filter 27 and the fourth sealing joint 36 bears on the contour 37 of the secondary opening 24, thus forming the dust suction chamber 18. In addition, the cam 20 is fully engaged in the cam path 21, which not only prevents lateral movement of the rear surface 17a of the bowl 17 relative to the front surface 2d of the main body 2, but also prevents vertical and horizontal movement of the bowl 17 relative to the main body 2, thus ensuring that the rear of the bowl 17 is properly retained on the main body 2. The pivoting of the bowl 17 on the body 2 occurs naturally, guided by the shape of the cam 20 and the cam path 21.

In order to also prevent lateral movement of the front portion of the bowl 17 relative to the main body 2 and ensure that the bowl 17 is retained with the cam 20 fully engaged in the cam path 21, thus forming the suction chamber 18, the cleaner 1 further comprises a locking system 38, the locking system 38 being implemented between the upper front portion 17d of the bowl 17 and the front portion 2b of the main body 2, generally in an engagement region 39 between said main body 2 and the tube 6, the main body 2 and the tube 6 forming a unitary assembly. Preferably, as shown in fig. 1 to 3 and 6 to 8, the assembly system 38 is offset below the tube 6 in this joining area 39, which is made possible by the body 2 and the tube forming an integral assembly, the front portion 2b of the body 2 coinciding with the rear portion of the tube 6.

A first embodiment of the locking system 38 is described with reference to fig. 6-8 and 11 and 12. The locking system 38 includes a control member 40, the control member 40 being disposed on the bowl 17 forward of the upper end 22a of the second grip handle 22. The control member 40 integrates in its upper part a transmission lug 41, which transmission lug 41 comprises two

openings

42, 43, which

openings

42, 43 allow transmission of the movement to two

latches

44, 45, so that when the control member 40 is pressed, the two

latches

44, 45 are displaced in translation according to

arrows

46, 47. This movement allows the

latches

44, 45 to be disengaged from the

hooks

48, 49 by means of two

lugs

48a, 49a, the

hooks

48, 49 being formed on the front portion 2b of the body 2, the two

lugs

48a, 49a being each equipped with a

hole

48b, 49b for receiving the

latches

44, 45. A first spring 50 arranged between the control member 40 and the second grip handle 22 and a second spring 51 arranged between the two

latches

44, 45 allow to automatically bring back said control member 40 to the normal position and the two

latches

44, 45 to the engaged position in the locking hooks 48, 49. The

latches

44, 45 each comprise, on their rear side, an inclined surface 44a (only the inclined surface of the latch 44 is shown), which inclined surface 44a bears on the

front edges

52, 53 of the

lugs

48a, 49a when the bowl 17 is finished engaging on the body (see fig. 6 and 7), which allows the automatic retraction of the

latches

44, 45 once the

latches

44, 45 correspond to the

holes

48b, 49b until they resume their normal position in the locking hooks 48, 49 under the action of the second spring 51 (see fig. 8). It will thus be appreciated that the locking is performed automatically at the end of engagement when the compression chamber 18 is formed, and that the unlocking caused by the actuation of the control member 40 permits the disengagement of the bowl 17 for its emptying and its cleaning, as well as the cleaning of the separator 26 and the filter 27. When the control member 40 is actuated, the bowl 17 is naturally positioned in the position of fig. 6 due to the presence of the third sealing joint 32 on the lower surface 2c of the body 2, this third sealing joint 32 exerting a thrust on the cover 30 of the filter 27.

A second variant of the locking system 38 is shown in fig. 14 and 15. This variant includes a control member 40, which control member 40 may be similar to the previously described control member. However, the control member 40 is fastened to the hook 54, the curved end 55 of the hook 54 engaging in an edge 56, the edge 56 being arranged in the engagement area 39, as shown in fig. 14, which ensures that the bowl 17 is locked on the main body 2 when the dust chamber 18 is formed. The locking of the curved end 55 in the rim 56 is automatically carried out at the end of the engagement of the bowl 17 on the body 2. To this end, the curved end 55 comprises an inclined surface 57, which inclined surface 57 bears on an inclined surface 58, which inclined surface 58 extends forward under the edge 56. A spring (not shown), similar to the first spring 50, allows the return of the control member 40, as previously described. It will be appreciated that according to this variant, the transmission of the movement to the hook 54 is ensured directly by the control member 40. However, additional transmission elements may be provided between the control member 40 and the hook 54.

Of course, variations of the cleaner 1 can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention. By modifying the shape of the cam 20 and the cam path 21, variants of the guide and retention system 19 can be envisaged in particular, which will significantly modify the trajectory of the bowl 17 with respect to the body 2 when it is engaged or disengaged.

Variations of the locking system 38 may also be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A hand-held cleaner (1), comprising: a main body (2), said main body (2) being equipped with a first grip handle (4) and a dust suction device, said first grip handle (4) being arranged at the rear of the cleaner; a dust suction pipe (6), the dust suction pipe (6) being disposed at a front portion of the cleaner; and a suction chamber (18), said suction chamber (18) being equipped with a bowl (17) and a filter element (25), said bowl (17) being in communication with said suction pipe, said filter element (25) being inserted in said bowl and said filter element (25) being in communication with said suction device, characterized in that said cleaner (1) comprises:

-a second grip handle (22), the second grip handle (22) being located at the front of the cleaner, the longitudinal axes of the first grip handle (4) and the second grip handle (22) being substantially parallel.

2. A vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1, wherein the second grip handle (22) is integral with an outer surface of the bowl (17).

3. A vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the second grip handle (22) is mounted on the suction tube (6).

4. A vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a guiding and retaining system (19) is arranged between a rear surface (17a) of the bowl and a front surface (2d) of the main body to engage the bowl on the main body until reaching a forming position of the suction chamber (18) or vice versa to disengage the bowl from the main body until reaching a disengaging position, the guiding and retaining system (19) being configured to accompany the movement of the bowl on the main body during its engagement or its disengagement,

a locking system (38) is arranged between a front upper portion (17d) of the bowl and a front portion (2b) of the main body to lock the bowl on the main body in a formation position of the dust chamber or to unlock the bowl from the main body for disengagement thereof.

5. A vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the guiding and retaining system (19) is configured to engage the bowl (17) on the main body (2) by pushing the bowl (17) back on the main body or, conversely, to pull the bowl (17) forward on the main body when the bowl (17) is disengaged from the main body.

6. Vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that said locking system (38) comprises at least one latch (44, 45) and at least one catch (48, 49), said at least one latch (44, 45) being arranged on said second grip handle (22) and said at least one catch (48, 49) being arranged on said main body (2).

7. A vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that said locking system (38) comprises a control member (40) and a transmission (41, 42, 43), said control member (40) being arranged on said second grip handle (22), said transmission (41, 42, 43) being arranged between said control member and said at least one latch (44, 45) to disengage said latch from said latch hook (48, 49) upon actuation of said control member.

8. A vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the suction tube (6) is integrated on the main body (2) at the front of the main body (2).

9. A vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the bowl comprises a main opening (23) through which the filter element (25) is inserted and a secondary opening (24), the secondary opening (24) communicating with the suction pipe (6).