DE102007060847A1 - Vacuum cleaner i.e. floor vacuum cleaner, has exhaust air filter upstream, interconnected or downstream to dust separating unit arranged in dust chamber, where air filter comprises humidity absorbing material composed of saltless granulates - Google Patents

Abstract

The cleaner (1) has an exhaust air filter device comprising an exhaust air filter (10) that is upstream, interconnected or downstream to a dust separating unit (6) arranged in a dust chamber (5). The exhaust air filter comprises a humidity absorbing material composed of saltless granulates. The exhaust air filter has odor-binding and/or odor-covering material such as activated charcoal, and smell-covering material such as lavender, lemon and/or melissa. A filter surface of the exhaust air filter is divided into four chambers of equal or different size. The saltless granulates are selected from a group comprising free flowing betonite, silica-gel, sepiolite, clay and/or kaolinite.

Description

The Invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, in particular a vacuum cleaner, with an exhaust air filter device comprising at least one exhaust air filter, which is a Staubabscheideinheit arranged in a dust chamber of the vacuum cleaner upstream, intermediate or downstream, wherein the exhaust filter contains moisture absorbing (hygroscopic) material.

State of the art

For example, from the DE 42 04 553 A1 known vacuum cleaner is a separate interchangeable filter in the air flow of the suction fan known, the filter is designed as a replaceable filter cartridge. The filter cartridge may be associated with an odor-binding and / or odor-masking material. The filter material itself is plate, granular or powdered. Preferably, an activated carbon is used, which is upstream, intermediate or downstream as a fine dust and / or hygiene filter arranged in a dust chamber of the vacuum cleaner Staubabscheideinheit. As a result, the exhaust air is freed of the finest dust and / or odor particles.

From the EP 0 459 783 B1 Further, a dry suction cleaning device is known, which has a filter device for filtering moisture from the air, without specifying this filter device in more detail.

The EP 0 734 679 B1 discloses a vacuum cleaner with a dust bag and a downstream exhaust filter, which prevents the ingress of absorbed moisture into the fan through moisture-absorbing material. The exhaust filter has the penetration of moisture in the fan room preventing special fibers such as those used in baby diapers or sanitary napkins, among others. These are known to consist of a absorbent core of pulp fibers, which may be enriched with a salt-containing superabsorber and are usually covered by a non-woven polyester.

In the from the DE 195 35 741 A1 Known vacuum cleaner is in a wet-separating and / or dry-separating technology, the terminal, rear, downstream high-performance dust separating filter able to absorb the moisture from the surrounding space and / or by the migratory moisture from the wet or dust filter bag by a highly hygroscopic acting filter, the Filter from highly alkaline acting, so strongly salted substances in pourable form of sodium carbonate and / or Kaliumcarbonatarmierungen exist. In this case also the penetration of moisture into the blower chamber with the means defined here is prevented by high alkaline substances such as sodium carbonate and / or potassium carbonate. A disadvantage of this invention is on the one hand, that these materials mentioned by their salt base corrosive attack the subsequent metallic surfaces and on the other hand are costly. Further, these substances with a high alkaline effect can cause unpleasant irritation to the skin during a filter change when changing the filter.

Of the Invention is based on the object, a vacuum cleaner of the beginning described in more detail way so that in particular eliminates the disadvantages of said hygroscopic filter materials become. In addition, preferably a cost-effective Dry material are provided, in which the user only with largely physiological harmless material in contact comes.

The Solution of the problem is achieved by the features of claim 1. Advantageous training and further education, which individually or in combination with each other are Subject of the dependent claims.

Of the Vacuum cleaner according to the invention builds on generic Vacuum cleaners characterized in that the moisture-absorbing material the exhaust filter is composed of salt-free granules, below granular granules, easily pourable Be understood solids.

Becomes With such a trained vacuum moisture or liquid soaked up, this is the moisture-absorbing material can not be added to the electrical or metallic Get components. Such a trained filter is an effective protection the downstream in the air flow electrical and / or metallic Components against moisture and corrosion. Continue to be through the Inventive preferred selection of the filter materials used largely pH-neutral materials, so that at one Filter change and a possible skin contact advantageous No unpleasant irritations or allergic reactions can occur.

Prefers it is, the exhaust filter or the filter liner with hygroscopic inorganic non-salt compounds to provide. Such materials are known as components of cat litter, such. B. concrete, Silica gel, sepiolite, kaolinite and / or clay.

A Further preferred training we achieved by the exhaust filter additionally odor-binding and / or odor-masking Contains substances, for example, as odor-binding substances Activated carbon and / or odor-masking substances, for example Perfumes such as lavender, lemon and / or melissa use Find.

In Another embodiment is the filter surface the exhaust filter in several, preferably at least four, segments or chambers of the same or different size divided. These segments or chambers can each be filled with the same or only one type of material. This embodiment has the advantage that such hygroscopic Filter materials that are provided with color indicators, a significant make optical color change and thus the reference to a give upcoming filter change.

alternative or cumulatively, the exhaust air filter preferably has a plurality, preferably at least three, layers of equal or different thickness which is preferably perpendicular to the Durchströmlichtung of the exhaust filter are arranged. This allows the construction of a Exhaust filter and / or its chambers with different layers from the same or different materials and / or grain sizes. A larger one is preferred in the direction of flow Grain size upstream and a smaller particle sizes arranged below. The individual filter layers can hereby executed in different layer thicknesses so that a pressure drop is kept to a minimum is. Preferably, the grain size a layer upstream in the flow direction typically between 4 mm and 2 mm, in a middle position between 3 mm and 1 mm, as well as the directly upstream of the fan layer between 2 mm and 0.5 mm.

The individual filter layers are in an appropriate manner separated by air-permeable filter materials. By this arrangement, the exhaust air is particularly efficient from moisture particles cleaned air and an exhaust filter with a high air permeability reached.

The present invention provides an equally inexpensive and pH-neutral filter medium, in particular for floor care appliances ready.

Further advantageous embodiments are described below with reference to an in the drawing illustrated embodiment, on which the invention is not limited, in more detail described.

It show schematically:

1 a vacuum cleaner in the form of a vacuum cleaner with a designed as a so-called motor protection filter device with exhaust filter;

2 a first embodiment of an exhaust filter with divided chambers for different filter media; and

3 a second embodiment of an exhaust filter with layered arrangement for different filter media.

at the following description of the preferred embodiments In the present invention, like reference characters designate like or comparable components.

1 shows a vacuum cleaner in the form of a vacuum cleaner with a designed as a so-called motor protection filter device comprising an exhaust filter 10 , The vacuum cleaner 1 has a fan room 2 in which a blower unit 3 is installed. Further, on the housing of the vacuum cleaner 1 a pivotable or detachable dust chamber lid 4 arranged. The dust chamber lid 4 closes in the closed position a dust chamber 5 , In the dust room 5 is in a known manner a Staubabscheideeinheit 6 arranged. The fan room 2 and the dust room 5 are over a partition 7 divided against each other. In this partition 7 there is an entrance opening 8th , via which a suction opening of the blower unit 3 with the dust room 5 in Saugverbindung stands.

With respect to the flow direction (see arrows in 2 and 3 ) of the blower unit 3 sucked air flow L is in front of the passage opening a holding device 9 for an exhaust filter 10 intended. The exhaust filter 10 is interchangeable in the fixture 9 used. The exhaust filter 10 is with inorganic moisture-absorbing materials 12 provided by the liquid or moisture contained in the suction air is retained. As a result, a reliable protection of existing in the fan room electrical, electronic and metallic components is achieved. During the downtime of the vacuum cleaner, the exhaust filter 10 Dry again, so that the filter can absorb a certain amount of liquid or humidity during subsequent sucking operations again.

The 2 schematically shows an exhaust filter 10 which is divided into different chambers. The separation between the individual chambers 11 takes place via air-impermeable walls. The chamber 11 can be divided into areas of the same size or of different sizes. The individual chambers 11 are with moisture-absorbing material of the same kind or with unterschiedli filled kind of books.

The 3 shows an exhaust filter wherein the chamber 11 in individual layers 13 is arranged. The separation between the individual layers takes place via air-permeable material. The individual chambers 11 are filled with moisture-absorbing material of the same kind or with different types.

A combination of in 2 and 3 two described embodiments, wherein the individual layers are additionally divided into different chambers, represents a further embodiment (not shown in a figure).

The the present invention thus provides an equally inexpensive one and pH-neutral filter medium, in particular for floor care appliances ready.

1

vacuum cleaner

2

blower room

3

blower unit

4

Dust chamber cover

5

dust chamber

6

Staubabscheideeinheit

7

partition wall

8th

inlet opening

9

holder

10

exhaust filter

11

chamber

12

humidity-absorbent material

13

layer

14

filter area

L

airflow

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list The documents listed by the applicant have been automated generated and is solely for better information recorded by the reader. The list is not part of the German Patent or utility model application. The DPMA takes over no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• - DE 4204553 A1 [0002]
• EP 0459783 B1 [0003]
• EP 0734679 B1 [0004]
• - DE 19535741 A1 [0005]

Claims (10)

Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ), in particular a floor vacuum cleaner, having an exhaust air filter device comprising at least one exhaust air filter ( 10 ), which one in a dust room ( 5 ) of the vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) arranged Staubabscheideinheit ( 6 ) upstream, intermediate or downstream, wherein the exhaust air filter ( 10 ) contains moisture-absorbing material, characterized in that the moisture-absorbing material consists of salt-free granules ( 12 ) is composed. Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to claim 1, characterized in that as saltless granules ( 12 ) pourable concrete, silica gel, sepiolite, clay and / or kaolinite is used. Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the exhaust air filter ( 10 ) additionally contains odor-binding and / or odor-masking substances. Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to claim 3, characterized in that is used as the odor-binding substances activated carbon. Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that as odor-masking substances perfumes such as lavender, lemon and / or melissa find use. Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter surface ( 14 ) the exhaust filter ( 10 ) in a plurality, preferably at least four, chambers ( 11 ) is divided into the same or different size. Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the exhaust air filter ( 10 ) several, preferably at least three, layers ( 13 ) has the same or different thickness, which preferably perpendicular to the Durchströmlichtung the exhaust filter ( 10 ) are arranged. Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the individual chambers ( 11 ) and / or layers ( 13 ) are filled with salt-free components of different materials and / or particle sizes. Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the grain size of a layer upstream in the flow direction between 4 mm and 2 mm, in an intermediate layer between 3 mm and 1 mm and a fan upstream layer is between 2 mm and 0.5 mm , Vacuum cleaner ( 1 ) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the moisture-absorbing material ( 12 ) is at least partially provided with an indicator which shows a clear color change when the moisture-absorbing material ( 12 ) is loaded with water.