DE102011077293B4 - Spring-loaded suction nozzle - Google Patents

Abstract

Suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner (1) with a support part (2) which is connected on the one hand to a suction nozzle housing (3) and on the other hand to a connecting piece (10) for a push tube (5) of the vacuum cleaner (1), the suction nozzle housing (3 ) has a suction nozzle (4) with suction edges (4 ') to be guided over the surface to be cleaned and a connecting channel (11) to the carrier part (2); - the suction nozzle housing (3) as a whole, i.e. not just the suction nozzle (4), but also the connecting channel (11) to the support part (2), elastically resilient in the direction of the suction edges (4 '), when using the vacuum cleaner (1), i.e. on the surface to be cleaned; the connection piece (10); - the suction nozzle housing (3) is mounted on the carrier part (2) so as to be pivotable about a pivot axis (13 ') via an articulated lever (12); - wheels (15) located on each side of the carrier part (2) , 15 ') rotatably gela on a common wheel bearing beam (17) device, which in turn is pivotably received by the support part (2); - the displacement of the suction nozzle housing (3) relative to the connecting piece (10) is a pivoting about the pivot axis (13 '); - the articulated lever (12) with a spring means (19 ) is operatively connected; - the spring means (19) is supported with its two end regions (20, 20 ') on the articulated lever (12); - a tensioning device (21) is provided between the end regions (20, 20') of the spring means (19) - The tensioning device (21) has a cam (22) acting on the spring means (19); and- the cam (22) is molded onto the front area of the wheel bearing beam (17), or the cam (22) is molded onto a lever (23) which is rigidly attached to the support part (2) in the area of the pivot axis (13 ') is connected to press the suction edges (4 ') against the surface to be cleaned.

Description

Field of the invention

The invention relates to a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner, in particular a stick vacuum cleaner, with a support part which is connected on the one hand to a suction nozzle housing and on the other hand to a push tube, the suction nozzle housing having a suction nozzle with suction edges to be guided over the surface to be cleaned. It also relates to a vacuum cleaner with such a suction nozzle.

Background of the invention

Vacuum cleaners are used to pick up dirt on floor surfaces, furniture or the like by means of a suction air stream. For this purpose, the suction mouth of a suction nozzle is placed on the surface to be cleaned so that dust or other contaminants are sucked in by the suction air flow. The suction air flow is generated by a suction fan which is in flow connection with a dust separation device, for example a centrifugal separator or dust filter bag. The dirt particles picked up by the suction nozzle are collected in the dust separation device, while the cleaned air is released into the environment. The suction mouth of a suction nozzle suitable for floor cleaning usually has a rectangular shape and extends transversely to the sliding direction.

The suction fan and the dust separator can for example be attached to a push tube that is mechanically connected directly to the suction nozzle and usually also forms part of the flow channel between the suction nozzle and the suction fan (stick vacuum cleaner). According to another common design, the suction fan and the dust separation device are arranged in the housing of a separate subframe, which can be moved over the floor surface by means of a chassis and is fluidly connected to the push tube inserted into the suction nozzle through a flexible hose line (kansiter vacuum cleaner).

A vacuum cleaner is from the patent U.S. 2,130,513 A known. The vacuum cleaner comprises a support part in the form of a fan housing which accommodates a fan for generating the suction air flow and is supported on the floor surface to be cleaned via a chassis. The blower housing is flow-connected on the suction side with a suction mouthpiece acting on the floor and on the pressure side with a dust filter bag. The suction mouthpiece is molded onto a suction nozzle housing, which in turn is pivotably connected to the fan housing and, viewed in the feed direction, protrudes forward from it. The dust filter bag is suspended from a push tube which, when the vacuum cleaner is used, protrudes obliquely downwards in the direction of the fan housing and is rigidly connected to it. The free end of the push tube forms a handle by which the user grips this household appliance, which is designed as a stick vacuum cleaner, and guides it over the floor surface to be cleaned during the cleaning process.

The chassis consists of bearing plates arranged on both sides of the girder, which are non-rotatably connected to the suction nozzle housing. The bearing plates accommodate two pairs of wheels, one of which is arranged in front of the pivot axis of the blower and suction nozzle housing, while the second pair of wheels is located behind this pivot axis. The narrow, disk-like wheels of each pair of wheels are arranged on a common axis running horizontally and transversely to the direction of displacement, which penetrates the bearing plate and rotatably accommodates the respective wheel with its outwardly protruding axis ends. Due to the chassis arrangement, which is provided with a double axle, the suction nozzle is guided over the floor surface at a predetermined distance. Although this reduces the resistance to displacement, it cannot be ruled out that the cleaning result is unsatisfactory in the case of uneven floors.

In the utility model DE 20 2005 020 767 U1 describes a stick vacuum cleaner with a suction nozzle, which is only supported by a few small, barrel-shaped rollers with rolling friction on the floor covering to be vacuumed. When cleaning flexible floors, these rollers sink in, so that the relatively high weight of the upright vacuum cleaner essentially has to be borne by the sliding surfaces of the suction nozzle, which is guided over the floor with sliding friction. This training can lead to increased displacement forces. In addition, the suction mouthpiece may not lie optimally on unevenness, for example structured floors or carpet edges.

Another suction nozzle for use on a vacuum cleaner is from the laid-open specification DE 196 08 188 A1 known. The vacuum cleaner nozzle disclosed there consists of a suction nozzle housing with a connection piece for the suction pipe that can be connected to the suction fan and with a suction mouth and a sliding base surrounding this, which is resiliently arranged in the suction nozzle housing. For this purpose, the sliding sole is mechanically mounted at at least two fixed points in the form of guide bolts in the suction nozzle housing in such a way that it can perform a vertical and horizontal tumbling movement in an angular range of 5 ° to 15 °. The fixed points lie opposite one another on the longitudinal axis of the Suction nozzle housing. Due to the displaceable arrangement, the sliding sole should always lie flat on the floor surface to be cleaned. The suction nozzle housing is also supported in the area of the connecting piece opening out of the suction nozzle housing via a uniaxial roller arrangement on the floor.

This training allows only a limited spring travel and thus only a limited adjustment of the position of the sliding block to the unevenness of the surface to be cleaned. In addition, the floor surface to be cleaned does not rest in a defined manner on the uniaxial roller arrangement, so that the available spring travel of the sliding sole is possibly already used up by an inclined position of the suction nozzle housing, i.e. by tilting the plane adjacent to the roller arrangement in an undefined manner, or to compensate for a The increasing distance between the sliding sole and the floor surface to be cleaned is no longer sufficient.

The German Offenlegungsschrift DE 36 18 803 A1 teaches a vacuum cleaner nozzle with a suction channel. The suction channel is suspended from the nozzle housing via a so-called parallel crank drive. From the subsequently published German Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2009 059 178 A1 a floor nozzle for a vacuum cleaner is known. With a fixed suction pipe connection and the floor nozzle resting on a flat floor surface, a torque D generates a force K via an intermediate piece as a lever arm, which is opposite to the weight acting on the suction head.

The German Offenlegungsschrift DE 10 2004 061 855 A1 shows a suction brush for a vacuum cleaner. A base plate fastening unit is arranged rotatably or pivotably between a cover and a base plate. The unit allows you to choose between pivoting or fixing the base plate depending on the type of cleaning surface.

The German Offenlegungsschrift DE 195 05 106 A1 discloses an apparatus for floor care appliances. A brush roller is mounted therein in the manner of a rocker so that it can pivot about an axis and is held so that it can be pressed onto the floor with a presettable pressure via an associated adjusting element.

From the US patent US 6 591 447 B2 a suction nozzle with a spring bearing is known. At a free end of a load spring arm, a compression spring is arranged between an underside of the load spring arm and a surface of a brush roller housing. The top of the load spring arm is supported on the underside of a carpet height selector in a track of a hood. Out US 7 267 704 B2 a filter device for a vacuum cleaner is known.

The problem underlying the invention

The invention is based on the object of providing an improved generic suction nozzle and an improved generic vacuum cleaner. In particular, an improved cleaning performance with the lowest possible displacement force should be made possible.

Solution according to the invention

The reference signs in all claims do not have a restrictive effect, but are only intended to improve their readability.

The object on which the invention is based is achieved by a suction nozzle, preferably a floor nozzle, with the features of claim 1. Accordingly, the suction nozzle housing as a whole, i.e. not only the suction mouthpiece but also the connecting channel to the support part, is stretched elastically in the direction of the suction edges, i.e. on the floor surface to be cleaned when the vacuum cleaner is used. It is an achievable advantage of this design that the suction edges of the suction nozzle rest on the surface to be cleaned with a reproducible force, whereby on the one hand a uniform cleaning result and on the other hand uniform or even reduced displacement forces can be achieved. The seal is therefore already made without a negative pressure build-up in the suction channel. Overall, the use of the invention in the backward movement can lead to a better seal against the ground, so that the differences in dust absorption between the forward and backward movement are less pronounced. Since the weight of the suction nozzle housing does not have to contribute to the sealing, this can be carried out very easily to improve manageability.

In addition, the object of the invention is achieved by a vacuum cleaner having the features of claim 4. The vacuum cleaner is advantageously an upright vacuum cleaner.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

Advantageous training or further developments which can be used individually or in combination with one another are the subject of the dependent claims.

The suction nozzle housing is mounted on the carrier part via an articulated lever. This training is structurally simple, but mechanically robust and low-friction.

The suction nozzle housing can be displaced relative to the connecting piece, the displacement being pivoting. This design can be achieved in a particularly simple, mechanically robust and reliable manner by connecting the suction nozzle housing by means of articulated levers pivotably arranged on the carrier part. The pivot axis advantageously runs essentially horizontally, ie when the vacuum cleaner is to be used, parallel to the floor to be cleaned. In addition, the pivot axis preferably runs perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connecting piece.

The carrier part is connected to a chassis arrangement. The chassis arrangement typically bears significant weight forces, for example from the suction fan and / or dust separation device, so that these do not have to be diverted into the floor surface to be cleaned via the suction nozzle housing and the suction edges. At least two wheels are provided on each side of the support part. The wheels located on one side of the carrier part are rotatably mounted on a common wheel bearing beam, which in turn is pivotably received by the carrier part.

The preferred wheel diameter is greater than 20 mm, preferably greater than 40 mm, particularly preferably greater than 50 mm. The preferred wheel diameter is smaller than 90 mm, preferably smaller than 80 mm, particularly preferably smaller than 70 mm, e.g. B. approx. 60 mm. This advantageously achieves the fact that the wheels sink into a flexible one as little as possible, on the other hand the wheels are not so large that they prevent furniture from being driven under. The running surfaces of adjacent wheels spaced apart in the direction of displacement are preferably less than 40 mm apart, particularly preferably less than 20 mm, particularly preferably less than 10 mm. They are preferably more than 1 mm apart, preferably more than 3 mm, e.g. B. 5 mm. On the one hand, this allows a compact design, on the other hand, it prevents larger dirt particles from becoming wedged between the wheels and thereby blocking the wheels.

The wheel bearing bars are preferably mounted on the carrier part so that they can pivot independently of one another, so that the pivoting of one wheel bearing bar does not necessarily affect the position of the other wheel bearing bar. As a result of this design, the chassis is able to overcome unevenness in the floor, for example a carpet edge approached at an angle, particularly comfortably. In addition, different angular positions of the device relative to the suction nozzle are compensated.

The connection piece is advantageously connected to the carrier part in such a way that the longitudinal axis of the connection piece at least approximately intersects the pivot axis of the wheel bearing bars. This results in a particularly even load distribution on the wheels, so that no wheel tends to sink into flexible floor coverings as a result of an unfavorable load.

Furthermore, the articulated lever is operatively connected to a spring means and the suction nozzle housing only tensions indirectly in the direction of the suction edges. In this way, the suction edges can tilt to adapt to unevenness without additionally deforming the spring means. It is also advantageously provided that the spring means is designed like a leaf spring. Such a spring means, which can have a rectangular or round cross-section, for example, can be produced in the simplest case from a spring wire with little effort. In practice, a spring wire with a diameter of 1.5 mm can produce a sufficiently large contact pressure.

The spring means is supported with its end areas on the articulated lever. This is particularly advantageous if a tensioning device is provided between the end regions of the spring means, by means of which the contact force of the suction edges on the substrate can be influenced.

The tensioning device has a cam acting on the spring means. By moving the cam, the deflection of the leaf-shaped spring means and thus the bias of the suction edges on the floor surface can be changed.

The cam is molded onto the front area of the wheel bearing beam so that if the wheel bearing beam is tilted by lifting the rear wheel in relation to the front wheel, for example when driving over a carpet edge, the spring means is more strongly deflected and the suction edges already acting on the lower floor level continues to press reliably. Alternatively, it can be provided that the cam is molded onto the carrier part, so that the contact pressure of the suction edges can be deliberately influenced by manually pivoting the push tube connected to the carrier part, and thus the connecting piece.

It is also preferred that the tensioning device is provided so that it is adjustable, so that a basic setting for the contact pressure can be made in advance as a function of the expected properties of the floor surfaces to be cleaned. In principle, it cannot be ruled out that this is completely canceled during certain cleaning projects, so that the suction edges only rest on the floor surface under the effect of the weight of the suction nozzle housing. This procedure is particularly important when cleaning of smooth, hard surfaces is advantageous and can, if necessary, be coupled with the extension of a brush surrounding the suction nozzle.

The present invention provides a suction nozzle and a vacuum cleaner which allow the suction nozzle to be placed on the floor in an advantageously favorable manner and thus an improved cleaning performance with a low displacement force.

Figure list

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to schematic drawings of two exemplary embodiments with further details.

• 1: eine seitliche Ansicht eines erfindungsgemäß ausgebildeten Staubsaugers;
• 2: Fahrwerk und Saugdüse des Staubsaugers nach 1 in perspektivischer Ansicht;
• 3: Fahrwerk und Saugdüse bei einem Staubsauger nach einer ersten bevorzugten Ausbildung der Erfindung in einer Ansicht von oben;
• 4: seitliche zueinander versetzte Schnitte im Bereich von Saugdüsengehäuse, Trägerteil und Fahrwerksanordnung bei dem Staubsauger nach 3;
• 5: Fahrwerk und Saugdüse bei einem Staubsauger nach einer zweiten bevorzugten Ausbildung der Erfindung in einer Ansicht von oben;
• 6: seitliche zueinander versetzte Schnitte im Bereich von Saugdüsengehäuse, Trägerteil und Fahrwerksanordnung bei dem Staubsauger nach 5.

Show it:

• 1 : a side view of a vacuum cleaner designed according to the invention;
• 2 : Undercarriage and suction nozzle of the vacuum cleaner after 1 in perspective view;
• 3 : Chassis and suction nozzle in a vacuum cleaner according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention in a view from above;
• 4th : laterally offset cuts in the area of the suction nozzle housing, support part and chassis arrangement in the vacuum cleaner 3 ;
• 5 : Chassis and suction nozzle in a vacuum cleaner according to a second preferred embodiment of the invention in a view from above;
• 6th : laterally offset cuts in the area of the suction nozzle housing, support part and chassis arrangement in the vacuum cleaner 5 .

Detailed description of the invention on the basis of two exemplary embodiments

All directions and locations relate to a suction nozzle, which rests on a horizontal surface and is moved in the forward direction, that is, in the horizontal direction against the longitudinal extension of a suction tube connected to the suction nozzle.

The in 1 vacuum cleaner exemplified as a stick vacuum cleaner 1 consists of a carrier part 2 , a suction nozzle housing connected to this 3 with a suction mouthpiece that absorbs the dust 4th with the suction edges surrounding the suction opening 4 ' as well as a push tube 5 . The thrust tube 5 on the one hand carries the suction fan as a load-bearing component 6th as well as the pressure side with this flow-connected dust collection bag 7th and is at the end with a handle 8th fitted. It's about its long axis 9 rotatable with the carrier part 2 connected. On the other hand, forms the lower part of the push tube 5 also the suction-side flow channel between the carrier part 2 and the suction fan 6th out.

As in 2 shown is the carrier part 2 ring-shaped and designed with a horizontal longitudinal axis running in the direction of displacement. Downstream it forms an articulated connection piece 10 for inserting the push tube 5 out. Upstream is the flow channel as flexible bellows 11 formed in the suction nozzle housing 3 joins. The suction nozzle housing 3 is via articulated lever 12th pivotable with the carrier part 2 connected. The front pivot axes 13th and the rear pivot axes 13 ' the articulated lever 12th run horizontally and parallel to one another, but spaced apart in the direction of displacement, as shown in FIG 3 evident.

The vacuum cleaner 1 also has a landing gear assembly 14th with two front wheels 15th and two rear wheels 15 ' on. All wheels 15th , 15 ' are axes of rotation that run parallel to each other at right angles to the direction of movement 16 , 16 ' rotatable, each with one of the wheels 15th or the wheels 15 ' on the left side and the other on the right side of the carrier part 2 is arranged.

The wheels assigned to each side 15th , 15 ' are on a wheel bearing beam 17th arranged and run in a common lane. How out 4th visible are the wheels 15th , 15 ' rounded. The axially inner and the axially outer diameter of each wheel is thus smaller than the axially central diameter. On the axially outside are elastically deformable, thin-walled protective caps 21st on the wheels 15th , 15 ' put on, which should prevent damage to furniture when it bumps into it. Overall, a wheel diameter of not less than 20-25 mm is preferred. The preferred upper limit of the wheel diameter is determined by the height of the suction nozzle housing 3 and support part 2 determines over which the wheels 15th , 15 ' should not protrude so as not to impede the movement of furniture. A diameter of 60 mm has already proven to be favorable in practice. The radial distance between the treads of the wheels 15th , 15 ' can be chosen to be relatively narrow, with a minimum distance to avoid trapping of dirt particles. In the exemplary embodiment, the wheels are formed 15th , 15 ' with the assigned protective caps 21st an almost spherical shape.

The wheel bearing bars 17th are also independent of one another about a common pivot axis 18th axially fixed and rotatable on the carrier part 2 stored. The pivot axis 18th runs between the axes of rotation 16 , 16 ' and is in the exemplary embodiment in the direction of the front axis of rotation 16 offset that it is the longitudinal axis 9 of the push tube 5 approximately intersects. The rear pivot axis 13 ' the articulated lever 12th runs close to the pivot axis 18th in the direction of the front axis of rotation 16 of the wheels 15th offset while the front pivot axis 13th the articulated lever 12th runs far in front of it.

Beyond the articulated lever 12th is in the exemplary embodiment according to 3 and 4th each a leaf-shaped spring means 19th arranged, which is with its end regions 20th , 20 ' on the articulated lever 12th supports. Between the end areas 20th , 20 ' is a jig 21st provided, which consists of one on the spring means 19th acting cam 22nd consists. The cam 22nd tensions the arched spring means 19th in the radial direction, the spring force being generated by a deflection of the cam 22nd and a curvature and tension of the spring means that can be changed as a result 19th can be influenced. Depending on the position of the cam 22nd relative to the end areas 20th , 20 ' of the spring means changes the pressure on the suction edges 4 ' on the surface to be cleaned.

The cam 22nd is when running after 3 and 4th as a projection on the front area of each wheel bearing beam 17th molded. Will the rear wheel 15 ' of the relevant wheel bearing beam 17th raised, it tilts around the swivel axis 18th so that the front part of the wheel bearing beam is 17th with the cam 22nd lowers. This is the associated spring means 19th reinforced arched. The pressure of the suction edges 4 ' takes place independently of the degree of filling of the dust separation bag 7th , the negative pressure in the suction channel or that of the user on the push tube 5 exerted force. Also the angular position of the thrust tube 5 does not affect the seal, rather the suction edges are located 4 ' always evenly sealed to the floor surface to be cleaned. When training after 5 is the cam 22nd to a lever 23 integrally formed in the area of the pivot axis 18th rigid on the carrier part 2 is connected. The cam 22nd is through a substantially vertically extending slot 24 in the articulated lever 12th outwards from the lever 23 Cantilevered through and can thus be independent of the position of the articulated lever 12th move up or down. Beyond the articulated lever 12th is again the spring means 19th arranged on which the cam 22nd between the end areas 20th , 20 ' acts. The cam 22nd tensions the arched spring means 19th again in the radial direction, the spring force being caused by a deflection of the cam 22nd and a curvature and tension of the spring means that can be changed as a result 19th can be influenced.

Depending on the position of the cam 22nd relative to the end areas 20th , 20 ' of the spring mechanism 19th This also changes the pressure on the suction edges 4 ' on the surface to be cleaned. In this version, the pressure can be achieved by tilting the push tube 5 and the associated carrier part 2 be made because the position of the support part 2 over the lever 23 directly on the position of the cam 22nd acts. The user can adjust the contact pressure of the suction edges 4 ' actively change to the ground, with a steeper position of the thrust tube 5 To loosen adhering dirt, the contact pressure is increased and the push tube is in a flatter position 5 leads to a reduction in the contact pressure and thus to a reduction in the displacement force. The tilting of the push tube 5 is limited by end stops to avoid overloading the spring means 19th to prevent.

According to the invention, the suction edges 4 ' of the suction mouthpiece 4th rest on the surface to be cleaned with a reproducible force, whereby on the one hand a uniform cleaning result and on the other hand uniform or even reduced displacement forces can advantageously be achieved. The seal is therefore already made without a negative pressure build-up in the suction channel. Overall, the use of the invention in the backward movement can lead to a better seal against the ground, so that the differences in dust absorption between the forward and backward movement are less pronounced. Since the weight of the suction nozzle housing 3 does not have to contribute to the sealing, this can be carried out very easily to improve the handling.

The features disclosed in the above description, the claims and the drawings can be important both individually and in any combination for the implementation of the invention in its various configurations.

List of reference symbols

1

vacuum cleaner

2

Carrier part

3

Suction nozzle housing

4th

Suction mouthpiece

4 '

Suction edges

5

Thrust tube

6th

Suction fan

7th

Dust collection bag

8th

Handle

9

Longitudinal axis (of the thrust tube)

10

Connection piece

11

Bellows

12th

Articulated lever

13th

Swivel axis (front)

13 '

Swivel axis (rear)

14th

Landing gear arrangement

15th

Wheel (front)

15 '

Wheel (rear)

16

Rotation axis (front)

16 '

Axis of rotation (rear)

17th

Wheel bearing beam

18th

Swivel axis

19th

Spring means

20th

End area

20th

End area

21

Jig

22nd

cam

23

lever

24

slot

Claims (4)

Suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner (1) with a support part (2) which is connected on the one hand to a suction nozzle housing (3) and on the other hand to a connecting piece (10) for a push tube (5) of the vacuum cleaner (1), wherein - The suction nozzle housing (3) has a suction mouthpiece (4) with suction edges (4 ') to be guided over the surface to be cleaned and a connecting channel (11) to the carrier part (2); - the suction nozzle housing (3) as a whole, i.e. not only the suction nozzle (4) but also the connecting channel (11) to the carrier part (2), elastically resilient in the direction of the suction edges (4 '), i.e. when using the vacuum cleaner (1) is stretched on the surface to be cleaned; - The suction nozzle housing (3) can be displaced relative to the connecting piece (10); - The suction nozzle housing (3) is mounted on the carrier part (2) so that it can be pivoted about a pivot axis (13 ') via an articulated lever (12); - Wheels (15, 15 ') located on each side of the carrier part (2) are rotatably mounted on a common wheel bearing beam (17) which in turn is pivotably received by the carrier part (2); - The displacement of the suction nozzle housing (3) relative to the connecting piece (10) is a pivoting about the pivot axis (13 '); - The articulated lever (12) is operatively connected to a spring means (19); - The spring means (19) is supported with its two end regions (20, 20 ') on the articulated lever (12); - A tensioning device (21) is provided between the end regions (20, 20 ') of the spring means (19); - The tensioning device (21) has a cam (22) acting on the spring means (19); and - The cam (22) is molded onto the front area of the wheel bearing beam (17), or the cam (22) is molded onto a lever (23) which is rigidly connected to the support part (2) in the area of the pivot axis (13 ') is to press the suction edges (4 ') against the surface to be cleaned. Suction nozzle after Claim 1 , characterized in that the wheel bearing bars (17) are pivotably mounted on the carrier part (2) independently of one another. Suction nozzle according to one of the Claims 1 to 2 , characterized in that the clamping device (21) is provided to be adjustable. Vacuum cleaner (1) with a suction nozzle according to one of the preceding claims.

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