DE102008063053A1 - Cleaning attachment for vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A cleaning attachment, in particular for a vacuum cleaner, comprises a housing (3), a connection (18) for a suction pipe, an intake opening (6) for ambient air, a plasma generator (2) arranged in the housing (3, 63) for generating plasma , and at least one cleaning opening (10, 14) or a channel on which a mixture of plasma and air on a surface to be cleaned (11) occurs before the mixture sucked into the housing (3) and through the port (18) becomes. As a result, the cleaning attachment can also treat the air and contaminants in a sterilizing and odor-neutralizing manner.

Description

The The present invention relates to a cleaning attachment after Preamble of claim 1.

It are vacuum cleaner attachments and floor nozzles known by means of which a cleaning of textile surfaces, For example, mattresses and upholstery is possible. there the impurities are sucked in, but no odors are neutralized can be. In addition, also germs and spores can be suck only bad and therefore remain in the textile.

moreover There are UV lamps that are superficially effective and there Kill germs and spores. It is not possible to achieve an area within the textile so that the effectiveness is very limited. In addition, can it, especially in living areas with high humidity, fungal attack come on the walls. This mold has been mostly combated with aggressive chemical agents.

The EP 1 330 976 discloses a suction head for a vacuum cleaner in which by means of an ion generator negative and positive ions are generated, which electrically charge the bristles of a brush roller. As a result, due to increased electrostatic dirt particles are better attracted. Cleaning or disinfecting surfaces by killing organic germs and eliminating odors is not possible. In addition, the ion generators can pollute by sucked dirt particles, so that a subsequent cleaning of sucked air is not possible.

It is therefore an object of the present invention, a cleaning attachment for vacuum cleaners, which allows a deep cleaning and efficiently eliminates odors.

These Task is with a cleaning attachment with the features of the claim 1 solved.

According to the invention the cleaning attachment a housing, a connection for a suction pipe, a suction opening for ambient air, a plasma generator disposed in the housing for generating of plasma, and at least one cleaning port or a channel on or a mixture of plasma and air a surface to be cleaned impinges before the mixture is sucked into the housing and through the connection. This allows the cleaning attachment to remove the air and contaminants also treat germinating and odor neutralizing. By a Purification port or the channel becomes the air / plasma mixture passed along or in a surface to be cleaned. The Plasma is ozone-containing, so germs and spores are killed become. The surface cleaning is done by training a flow profile at the cleaning opening without liquid or chemical additives. A Such cleaning is therefore particularly compatible with materials and does not affect the use of the item.

Preferably the housing is through a gas-permeable partition divided into a pressure chamber and a vacuum chamber. This will ensure that there is a flow from the overpressure chamber into the vacuum chamber. It is of course also possible, the partition is not gas-permeable form, so no direct flow between the both chambers occurs, but only through the cleaning opening. The ambient air is through a fan, preferably a fan, sucked. This creates an overpressure out, for increased depth of penetration of the plasma into the surface to be cleaned. Preferably the flow resistance of the gas-permeable partition adjustable. This allows activated air into the vacuum chamber There, too, it neutralizes and neutralizes odors and germs.

In an embodiment of the invention, the at least one cleaning opening an outflow opening for the outflow of Mixture of plasma and air and an inflow opening for flowing the mixture into the housing. This is due to the pressure and flow conditions Ensures that the mixture of air and plasma for a predetermined flow section outside of the housing flows and there for the Cleaning is used. The distance between the discharge opening and inflow opening may be as a strip with a Width between 0.5 cm and 5 cm, preferably 1 cm to 2 cm formed be. This ensures that after killing of germs on the surface to be cleaned the dead organic remains in a negative pressure area of the essay be sucked in.

Preferably the cleaning attachment is designed so that a volume flow through the suction port is less than a volume flow through the connection for a suction tube, preferably by more than 20%. This will in addition to the mixture of plasma and air yet additional ambient air in the area of the cleaning opening sucked, which improves the cleaning performance.

For a self-sufficient energy supply is preferably a power storage for Provision of the plasma generator provided.

In addition, the cleaning attachment can additionally a device for mechanical cleaning, in particular a rotating brush roller. The brush roller can be arranged between the outflow opening for the outflow of the mixture of plasma and air and the inflow opening for the inflow of the mixture into the housing.

Of the Plasma generator can be for a compact design or have a plurality of moldings, the brush roller at least partially enclose.

To an advantageous embodiment of the power supply a generator is provided, which to a drive or the brush roller connected with a Riemenan drive while the kinetic energy the brush roller or the impeller into electrical energy transforms.

In In a preferred embodiment, the plasma generators arranged parallel to the brush roller, whereby a high Plasma density taking advantage of the full case width generated directly in the vicinity of the brush roller becomes.

A Another preferred embodiment provides an arrangement of plasma generators perpendicular to the brush roller. there the plasma generator is shaped such that it partially the brush roller encloses and thus likewise a high plasma density in generated near the brush roller.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention is a housing provided on the along the outer edges of the Support surface of the housing on the to be cleaned Surface is provided on all sides a rubber seal. Thus, an optimization of the flow profile of the air / plasma mixture be achieved on or in the surface to be cleaned. In addition, can also be a stronger suction of polluted air due to a higher vacuum cleaner performance be achieved, with an increased negative pressure is built.

The Invention will be described below with reference to several embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings explained. They show:

1a , b is a side view and a sectional plan view of a cleaning attachment according to the invention;

2a , b is a side view and a sectional plan view of another embodiment of a cleaning attachment according to the invention;

3a , b is a sectional side view of a variant with replaceable plasma generator and blower;

4 a side view of a variant with an external power supply; and

5a , b is a sectional side view of an embodiment variant with an internal power generator

In 1a and 1b is a cleaning attachment 1 shown the multiple plasma generator 2 in a housing 3 having. This ambient air is using a fan 5 , preferably a fan, through a suction port 6 in a hyperbaric chamber 7 of the housing 3 sucked in, like this with the arrows 4 is shown. At the plasma generators 2 At least partially ozone-containing plasma is produced from the ambient air. The overpressure chamber 7 is through a gas-permeable partition walls 9 of negative pressure areas in the housing 3 demarcated.

The mixture of plasma and air becomes a discharge opening 10 on a bearing surface of the housing 3 to the surface to be cleaned 11 headed, like this with the arrows 8th is shown. At the housing 3 is a rotatable brush roller 12 with bristles 13 or rubber lips arranged on the outside, partially of a section 17 the partition 9 is surrounded. The brush roller 12 serves for mechanical cleaning of the surface 11 and forms part of the separation between the overpressure chamber 7 and a vacuum chamber.

Through the discharge opening 10 is the mixture of plasma and air on the surface to be cleaned 11 applied, and flows there on a channel or on the outside of the housing 3 on the surface to be cleaned 11 past. Then the mixture and, if necessary, dirt from the surface 11 through a suction opening 14 in the cleaning attachment 1 sucked.

Through the gas-permeable partition 9 occurs partially formed plasma / air mixture from the pressure chamber 7 into the vacuum chamber, where it enters a vortex chamber 15 for mixing with the sucked polluted air from the surface 11 comes, like these with the arrows 20 is shown. The plasma / air mixture then passes through a vacuum cleaner connection 18 in a vacuum cleaner. The flow resistance of the gas-permeable partition 9 can be adjustable, for example, by a screen structure with passages whose passage cross-sections are variable, by a higher flow resistance reduces the amount of sucked mixture of ambient air and plasma.

To power the plasma generator 2 and the blower 5 is one, in the case 3 integrated power storage 19 intended. The plasma generator 2 has several rods or tubes, which are parallel to the axis of rotation of the brush roller 12 extend and partially surround this. On the rods or tubes discharge electrodes in the form of plates, strips and / or windings are provided, which are used for the production of plasma.

In 2a and 2 B shows a modified embodiment of the cleaning attachment 1 of the 1 shown, wherein the same components are designated by the same reference numerals. The cleaning attachment points in the housing 3 several plasma generators 22 on, which are formed strip-shaped and transversely to a rotational axis of a brush roller 32 extend. The plasma generator 22 are bent and enclose de brush roller 32 partially.

Another embodiment of a cleaning attachment is in 3a and 3b shown. Here is a plasma generator 42 with a fan 45 on a removable module 46 arranged. This allows the plasma generator 42 and the fan 45 be cleaned at regular intervals or replaced with a new module. Other components correspond in their operation to the previous embodiments.

In 4 a cleaning attachment with a modified power supply is shown. This is on a housing 3 the cleaning tower a power storage 78 appropriate. This is through a plug connection 79 in connection with the power supply of a vacuum cleaner 80 brought. This allows the power storage 78 be fed and as needed to a plasma generator 62 or a fan 65 delivered the required electrical energy. Other components correspond in their operation to the previous embodiments.

In 5a ) and b) is cleaning attachment with a generator 98 represented by a belt drive 99 with a brush roller 92 connected is. During the movement of the cleaning attachment over a surface, the generator converts kinetic energy into electrical energy through the air sucked in, with which it then shunts the plasma generator 82 and the fan 85 operates, if necessary, also on the electricity storage 19 ,

Further Possibilities of power supply, for example in shape an accumulator, capacitors, etc. are also possible.

1

cleaning attachment

2, 22, 42, 62, 82

A generator

3

casing

4

Streamline ambient air

5, 45, 65, 85

fan

6

suction

7

Hyperbaric chamber

8th

flow arrow

9 17

partition wall

10

outflow

11

surface

12 32, 92

brush roll

13

bristles

14

suction opening

15

swirl chamber

16

flow arrow

18

vacuum cleaner connection

19 78

power storage

46

module

79

plug-in connection

80

vacuum cleaner

98

generator

99

belt drive

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

• - EP 1330976 [0004]

Claims (12)

Cleaning attachment, in particular for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a) a housing ( 3 ), b) a connection ( 18 ) for a suction pipe, c) at least one suction opening ( 6 ) for ambient air, d) at least one in the housing ( 3 ) arranged plasma generator ( 2 . 22 . 42 . 62 . 82 ) for generating plasma, and e) at least one cleaning opening ( 10 . 14 ) or a channel on which or a mixture of plasma and air on a surface to be cleaned ( 11 ). Cleaning attachment according to claim 1, characterized in that in the housing ( 3 ) a blower ( 5 ) adjacent to the suction port ( 6 ) is arranged. Cleaning attachment according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the plasma generator ( 2 . 22 . 42 . 62 . 82 ) in a hyperbaric chamber ( 7 ) is arranged. Cleaning attachment according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing ( 3 . 63 ) through a gas-permeable partition wall ( 9 ) in a hyperbaric chamber ( 7 ) and a vacuum chamber is divided. Cleaning attachment according to claim 4, characterized in that the flow resistance of the gas-permeable partition ( 9 ) is adjustable. Cleaning attachment according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the at least one cleaning opening an outflow opening ( 10 ) for the outflow of the mixture of plasma and air and an inflow opening ( 14 ) for flowing the mixture into the housing ( 3 . 63 ) having. Cleaning attachment according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the cleaning attachment is designed so that a volume flow through the suction port ( 6 ) is less than a volume flow through the port ( 18 ) for a suction tube, preferably by more than 20%. Cleaning attachment according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a current memory ( 19 . 79 ) for supplying the plasma generator ( 2 . 22 . 42 . 62 . 82 ) is provided. Cleaning attachment according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a device for mechanical cleaning on a support surface on a surface to be cleaned ( 11 ) on the housing ( 3 . 63 ) is attached. Cleaning attachment according to claim 9, characterized in that a rotatable brush roller ( 12 ) is provided for mechanical cleaning between the outflow ( 10 ) for the outflow of the mixture of plasma and air and the inflow opening ( 14 ) for flowing the mixture into the housing ( 3 . 63 ) is arranged. Cleaning attachment according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the plasma generator ( 22 ) has one or more moldings which enclose the brush roller at least partially. Cleaning attachment according to one of the preceding Claims, characterized in that a generator is provided which is coupled to an impeller or the brush roller is while keeping the kinetic energy of the brush roll or of the impeller converts into electrical energy.