DE102021203242B4 - Dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner comprises a cylindrical vessel with a longitudinal axis and a radial vessel wall; a filter element mounted in the vessel circumferentially spaced from the vessel wall; an inlet for introducing an air flow into an area radially between the filter element and the vessel wall; and a baffle mounted in the inlet for directing the air flow radially outward toward the vessel wall and increasing a velocity of the air flow; wherein the guiding element is movably arranged in such a way that the increase is variable depending on an air flow passing through the inlet.

Description

The invention relates to a dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner. In particular, the invention relates to a dirt separator that works on the principle of a cyclone.

A vacuum cleaner is set up for use in a household. The vacuum cleaner usually includes a suction mouth, a dirt separator and a blower. The suction mouth can be connected by means of a pipe and/or a flexible suction hose to a unit that houses the dirt separator and the fan. In a cordless variant, an energy store is accommodated in a portable device together with the blower and the dirt separator; the suction mouth can be connected directly or by means of a tube.

The dirt separator is set up to filter out and collect dirt particles from an air flow that is sucked in by the fan from the suction mouth. Many vacuum cleaners work with filter bags, into which the suctioned and contaminated air is directed. The air penetrates the material of the filter bag and the dirt remains in the bag. Another known embodiment includes a cyclone filter in which the dirt-laden air is guided on a circular path. Dirt particles in the air are transported radially outwards by centrifugal force, where a flow speed of the air is lower due to its friction on a vessel wall, so that the dirt sinks down where it can be collected.

Dirt separators that work with porous filter elements become clogged with increasing dirt particle loads, so that the filter performance decreases. This problem is usually less pronounced with cyclone-based dirt separators, but they tend to be less efficient on fine dirt particles.

EP 3 861 913 A1 and U.S. 2020/0 383 539 A1 each show a dirt separator for a vacuum cleaner. In each case, dust is removed from a dirt-laden air flow in a cylindrical container, while the air flow is sucked through the dirt separator, dust is removed. The dirt separator has a guide element at its inlet, which directs the air flow towards the container wall.

The object on which the present invention is based is to improve a dirt separator and a vacuum cleaner in such a way that they achieve an even better filter performance over a large load range.

The invention solves this problem by means of the subject matter of claims 1 and 12. The subclaims reflect some of the preferred embodiments.

• - ein zylindrisches Gefäß mit einer Längsachse und einer radialen Gefäßwand;
• - ein Filterelement, das mit umlaufendem Abstand zur Gefäßwand im Gefäß angebracht ist;
• - einen Einlass zur Einleitung eines Luftstroms in einen radial zwischen dem Filterelement und der Gefäßwand liegenden Bereich; und
• - ein im Einlass angebrachtes Leitelement, um den Luftstrom radial nach außen zur Gefäßwand zu richten und eine Geschwindigkeit des Luftstroms zu erhöhen.

The dirt separator according to the invention for a vacuum cleaner comprises:

• - a cylindrical vessel having a longitudinal axis and a radial vessel wall;
• - A filter element which is mounted in the vessel at a circumferential distance from the vessel wall;
• - an inlet for introducing an air flow into an area lying radially between the filter element and the vessel wall; and
• - a vane mounted in the inlet to direct the air flow radially outwards towards the vessel wall and to increase a velocity of the air flow.

The guide element is movably arranged in such a way that the increase is variable as a function of an air flow passing through the inlet.

According to the invention, the guide element is attached in such a way that the inlet is released as a function of the air flow and against the force of a restoring element. The air flowing through the inlet can control the extent to which the remaining cross section through the guiding element is reduced. The constriction can be stronger the slower the airflow.

The vessel may also be slightly conical such that it is essentially in the shape of a truncated cone. During operation, the cone preferably points in the direction of gravity. The filter element is preferably accommodated coaxially in the vessel and can also be referred to as a flow-through filter. It usually includes a fleece filter, a paper filter and/or a fabric filter. The movable guide element is preferably only controlled by the air flow passing through the inlet and does not require any other supply of energy for its adjustment. The control of the guide element is thereby preferably passive instead of an active embodiment, which requires, for example, an electric motor, an electromagnet or a similar device.

In the container, dirt can be separated and collected from the air flow according to the cyclone principle, and the filter element can further clean the air flow. The guide element can shape or align the air flow entering the dirt separator in such a way that a separation performance of the cyclone-based part of the dirt separator is improved. Coarse dirt particles in particular can be better removed from the air flow by means of the cyclone-based part, so that the filter element can better retain fine dirt particles without clogging quickly. The two parts can work together in an improved way, so that an overall improved filter performance can be achieved.

The acceleration of the air flow can be the effect of a narrowing of the inlet, with a cross-section through which the flow passes being locally reduced in the manner of a nozzle. The resulting higher speed of the air flow leads to a higher centrifugal force and thus to better separation of dirt. This also reduces the risk of long hair or threads wrapping around the filter element. The vane is moveable to vary the free area depending on the air flow passing through the inlet. In particular, the guide element can be moved by the air flow and its position can depend on a flow rate or a volumetric flow of the air flow.

The volume flow passing through the inlet can be reduced only slightly as the load on the dirt separator increases. A vacuum cleaner with the dirt separator can also be used better if there is already a considerable load of dirt. In one embodiment, an increased portion of the vessel can be used to hold dirt without impairing the filter performance of the dirt separator. A user may have to empty the vessel less frequently, so that a suction process does not have to be interrupted by emptying as often. Dirt exposure of a household by emptying the dirt separator can be reduced.

The guide element is further preferably designed in such a way that it closes the vessel towards the inlet when no air flow passes through the dirt separator. In other words, the guiding element can work in the manner of an air damper and close the inlet when the vacuum cleaner is not in operation. As a result, dirt can be prevented in an improved manner from escaping into an area surrounding the dirt separator or the vacuum cleaner. The guide element can be designed in the manner of a non-return flap, so that it closes the inlet when it is loaded from the direction of the vessel, for example by an air flow or by an object. The dirt separator can be used on both a corded and a cordless vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner can be designed, for example, as a wheeled or portable device. In particular, the dirt separator can be used advantageously on a portable and wireless multi-function vacuum cleaner (multi-use handstick, MUH).

The filter element preferably has a porous filter mat, which is set up to allow air to flow through it in a radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis and thereby retain dirt. The filter element can include a flow-through filter that can hold back finer dirt particles in particular. In one embodiment, a sieve filter is arranged radially in front of the filter element in order to keep coarser dirt particles away.

The filter element preferably extends along the longitudinal axis and more preferably at least to the top level of the inlet. The filter element thus completely covers an inlet opening of the vessel, to which the inlet leads, in the vertical direction. In a further embodiment, an axial end of the filter element in the vertical direction can also be in the area of the opening. Dirt separated from the orbiting air may collect at a lower axial end of the vessel. A lower axial end of the filter element may overlie a lower axial end of the vessel so that debris can collect in the overhanging axial portion of the vessel. Air entering radially can be discharged at an upper axial end of the filter element and guided in the direction of a fan.

The guide element is further preferably shaped in such a way that the air flow enters the region between the filter element and the vessel wall in a circumferential direction radially outside of the filter element. An imaginary extension of the flow past the guide element preferably does not hit the filter element directly.

A delimitation of the inlet opposite the free end of the guide element preferably runs in a direction which is tangential to a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical vessel. The boundary preferably merges tangentially into the vessel wall, which lies on a circumference around the longitudinal axis. The air flow can flow unhindered and in a straight line into the area between the filter element and the vessel wall from a nozzle formed by the boundary and the guide element, so that the flow speed can be high there.

A circular flow of the air around a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical vessel can thus be induced in an improved manner. Centrifugal forces acting on the air flow can be used in an improved way to separate the dirt contained. Next, a direct flow of air onto the filter element reduced, so that the entire filter surface can be available during operation.

It is further preferred that a clear width of the inlet released by the guide element is not greater than a radial distance between the filter element and the vessel wall. The filter element can be essentially cylindrical in shape and is preferably accommodated coaxially in the vessel. Air is admitted into the filter element in the radial direction and discharged in the axial direction. The radial distance between an outer circumference of the filter element and the vessel wall of the cylindrical vessel is preferably greater than the clear width released by the guide element.

The vane may reside in a portion of the inlet that has a substantially rectangular internal cross-section. The guide element can have a kind of hinge with which it is attached to one of the four sides of the rectangle at the inlet. The clear width can then be measured between a remote edge of the guide element and a corresponding boundary of the inlet. This condition can ensure that the narrowing of the cross section of the inlet caused by the guide element takes place as close as possible to the transition of the inlet into the cylindrical vessel in order to direct the incoming air flow in an aerodynamically favorable manner. The speed of the incoming air flow can be high and the free cross section small due to the reduction in cross section caused by the guide element.

It is further preferred that the guide element is curved along the air flow. The bend allows the cross-sectional reduction of the inlet required to increase the speed to be effected without creating unnecessary vortices in the air flow, which could reduce a flow speed or promote dumping of dirt at an undesired point. A two-dimensional surface of the guide element, along which the air flow flows, is preferably curved in only one direction. The bend can, in particular, run essentially in the shape of a parabola in order to interact optimally with the air flow. In one embodiment, the deflection of the vane is predetermined and the vane is substantially rigid. It is preferred that the guide element can be produced from a relatively thin, plate-shaped material.

According to a first variant with regard to the guide element fitted according to the invention, this is formed from a rigid material and is movably fitted in the inlet, for example by means of a hinge.

According to a second variant, the guide element itself is elastically deformable and is thus designed to be integrated with the restoring element. At the same time, the guide element can serve as a restoring element in that it relaxes when the air flow decreases, reduces its bending and thereby further closes the inlet. If the air flow decreases to zero, the deflection of the guide element can also be close to zero.

In order to achieve the desired strong increase in the flow velocity when the dirt-laden air enters the cylindrical vessel, the reduction in the cross section of the inlet must be large enough. It is preferred that a free cross-section on the guide element is at most approx. 40%, more preferably at most approx. 30% of the free cross-section upstream of the guide element. The determined free area may relate to operation of the vacuum cleaner under predetermined conditions upstream of the inlet. For example, a predetermined accessory such as a suction hose or an upholstery nozzle can be used to determine which leads in a predetermined manner from an object to be cleaned to the dirt separator. A predetermined suction effect can be required from a downstream blower. The free cross-section can be viewed as a statistical mean value in an expected operation of the vacuum cleaner.

The guide element can be set up to release the inlet in response to an object being transported in the air flow. This can prevent the object from wedging or blocking the inlet in the area of the guide element. The object can push open the vane in the airflow and enter the cylindrical vessel where it can be retained along with separated debris.

The debris separator may further include a filler on a downstream side of the baffle to reduce a volume between the baffle and a boundary of the inlet. The filling element can lie on one side of the guide element on which it is clamped or mounted. The filling element can reduce the formation of vortices in the area of a free end of the guide element. The air flow entering the vessel can be laminar to a greater extent, so that a higher mean entry velocity can be achieved. In addition, the air flow can be better directed into the area between the filter element and the vessel wall. The filling element can act as a stop for a movement of the guide element. Alternatively, a stop can also be provided which points to a point or acts on the vane along a narrow region and does not appreciably act as a filler.

The guide element can be set up to close the inlet when the speed of the air flow falls below a predetermined value. In particular, this value can be approximately zero. In the position closing the inlet, the guide element can be completely relaxed or have a certain residual tension with which it is pressed against an inner wall of the inlet, so that it seals better at this point.

It is also preferred that a portion of the vessel between the inlet and an axial end of the vessel is adapted to receive charge separated from the air stream. The cylindrical vessel can also serve as a dirt container. The other axial end of the vessel can also be closed. At one of the ends there can be a passage for the outlet of air which has passed through the filter element in the radial direction. In this way, the filter element can essentially be installed downstream of the cyclone-based separator. It is generally preferred that the inlet and a dirt collection area are located on opposite axial sides of the cylindrical vessel.

According to yet another aspect of the present invention, a vacuum cleaner includes a dirt separator as described herein. Advantages or features of embodiments or variants described or shown herein may be transferred to each other.

• 1 einen Staubsauger mit einem Schmutzabscheider;
• 2 einen Schmutzabscheider in einer ersten Ausführungsform;
• 3 einen Schmutzabscheider in einer zweiten Ausführungsform;
• 4 einen weiteren Schmutzabscheider;
• 5 eine weitere Ansicht eines Schmutzabscheiders;
• 6 einen Längsschnitt durch einen Schmutzabscheider;
• 7 einen Längsschnitt durch einen Staubsauger mit einem Schmutzabscheider; und
• 8 Abfälle von Volumenströmen in verschiedenen Schmutzabscheidern

darstellt.The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:

• 1 a vacuum cleaner with a dirt separator;
• 2 a dirt separator in a first embodiment;
• 3 a dirt separator in a second embodiment;
• 4 another dirt separator;
• 5 another view of a dirt separator;
• 6 a longitudinal section through a dirt separator;
• 7 a longitudinal section through a vacuum cleaner with a dirt separator; and
• 8th Waste from volume flows in various dirt separators

represents.

1 shows an exemplary vacuum cleaner 100, which is designed here as a cordless, portable, hand-held device. However, other embodiments are also possible. The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a blower 105, which includes a motor that can be operated by means of electrical energy from an energy store 110. In addition, the vacuum cleaner 100 comprises a suction connection 115, which can be connected to an accessory such as a suction pipe, a suction hose or a suction nozzle, and a dirt separator 120. The blower 105 is designed to cause an air flow through the suction connection 115 into the Dirt separator 120 occurs, freed from dirt there and then released through an outlet 125 into an environment.

2 shows a dirt separator 120 in a first embodiment. A cylindrical vessel 210 which is connected to an inlet 215 extends with respect to a longitudinal axis 205 . Inlet 215 is fluidly connectable to suction port 115 and, in the present embodiment, is integral therewith. While an internal cross section of the suction port 115 is preferably oval or round, the inlet 215 preferably has a substantially rectangular cross section. The corners of the rectangle are preferably rounded.

A filter element 220 is accommodated in the interior of the vessel 210 and is preferably likewise cylindrical with respect to the longitudinal axis 205 . In the illustrated embodiment, the filter element 220 comprises a porous filter mat 225, which is designed to allow air to flow through it and thereby retain dirt carried along in the air. The filter mat 225 is folded in a star shape to increase an effective surface, so that its outer outline in the top view shown in FIG 2 is circular.

The vessel 210 includes a radial vessel wall 230 which extends along the longitudinal axis 205 substantially in the form of a hollow cylinder. A region 235 located radially between the vessel wall 230 and the filter element 220 preferably also has a hollow-cylindrical shape. The vessel wall 230 has an opening leading to the inlet 215 which is preferably at an upper axial end of the vessel 210 .

Caused by the blower 105 , an air flow 240 can pass through the dirt separator 120 . The air flows through the suction connection 115 into the inlet 215 and from there through the radial opening in the vessel wall 230 into the area 235 between the vessel wall 230 and the filter element 220. The air flow 240 is directed in the direction of a circle around the longitudinal axis 205 in the Vessel 210 is introduced so that it is forced into a circular path in region 235. Dirt contained in the air flow 240 is driven radially outwards in the direction of the vessel wall 230 by centrifugal forces acting on the circular path. There, due to the air friction, the flow speed of the air is reduced, so that the dirt can be detached from the air flow 240 and sink in the axial direction in the region 235 due to gravity. The roughly cleaned air can pass radially through the filter element 220 and flow out of the filter element 220 in the axial direction. In the illustrated embodiment, the air flow 240 can be carried out axially out of the dirt separator 120 in particular at an upper end in order to flow outside of the dirt separator 120 to the blower 105 (cf. 1 ).

In order to promote the separation of dirt from the air flow 240, it is proposed to provide a guiding element 245 in the inlet 215, which is set up to accelerate the air flow 240 in an improved manner and to introduce it into the vessel 210. In particular, the guide element 245 is preferably set up to locally reduce a free or effective cross section of the inlet 215 in the manner of a nozzle, so that a flow speed of the air flow 240 is increased at this point. Furthermore, guide element 245 is preferably set up to direct airflow 240 in a circumferential direction about longitudinal axis 205 when it enters vessel 210, specifically as far radially outward as possible, but if possible without airflow 240 at an acute angle onto vessel wall 230 to direct. A tangential guidance of the airflow 240 to the vessel wall 230 curved about the longitudinal axis 205 is preferred. The airflow 240 should also not be conducted directly to the filter element 220 when it enters the vessel 210, but should be conducted on the largest possible circular path in the area 235.

in the in 2 In the embodiment shown, a slight kink of approximately 5-10° is provided at the point marked a at the transition between the inlet 215 and the vessel 210 . The kink is preferably a wall opposite the free end of the vane 245 when it is in an operative position and the air flow 240 flows between the vane 245 and the wall. The wall may be part of the inlet 215 and/or the vessel 210.

The baffle 245 in the inlet 215 is preferably flat in that its length and/or width exceeds its thickness by an order of magnitude or more. In addition, the guide element 245 preferably has a flat surface and/or a constant thickness. For example, it can be produced from a flat, plate-shaped starting material. The guide element 245 is preferably curved in the flow direction of the air flow 240 so that the free cross-section in the inlet 215 is reduced successively along the flow direction of the air flow 240 in a manner favorable to flow. For attachment, the guide element 245 can have a recess into which a support element 250, which is attached to the housing, engages in a form-fitting manner. In an alternative embodiment, the support element 250 can also be formed or attached to the inlet 215 . Additionally, a portion of the flat baffle 245 may be pinched between the inlet 215 and the vessel 210 . A connection between the inlet 215 and the vessel 210 can be established, for example, by means of a screw which can be screwed into the support element 250 through a recess at the inlet 215 .

The guide element 245 is more preferably movably arranged in the inlet 215 so that it can bring about reductions in the free cross section in the inlet 215 of different magnitudes depending on a flow speed of the air flow 240 . In the illustrated embodiment, the vane 245 is made of a resilient material so that it can be flexed by the airflow 240 . A relaxed shape of vane 245 may be substantially planar. The stronger the air flow 240 acts on the guide element 245, the more it can bend and the more open a free cross section of the inlet 215 can be. The guide element 245 can be clamped on one side, in which case a clear width can be determined between the end opposite the clamp and a boundary of the inlet 215, which in 2 is denoted by a. The faster the airflow 240 flows, the greater the deflection of the vane 245 can be and the larger a can be. If the air flow 240 stops, in particular because the blower 105 is switched off, the guide element 245 can relax, as a result of which the clear width a can be reduced to zero.

The guide element 245 is preferably fastened in the inlet 215 in such a way that the clear width a lies on a side of the inlet 215 which lies on a radial outside of the area 235 with respect to the air flow 240 . The air flow 240 can be guided in a straight line between the loose end of the guiding element 245 and the entry into the area 235 be. In the area of entry into the vessel 210, the vessel wall 230 has an opening or a recess or is as in FIG 2 shown provided with a socket which merges into the cylindrical part of the vessel wall 230 in the tangential direction.

A radial width of the area 235 corresponding to a distance b is measured between a radially outer boundary of the filter element 220 and the inner boundary of the vessel wall 230. It is preferred that along the flow 240 between the free end of the guide element 245 and the entry into the cylindrical Vessel 210 is as short as possible. At the same time, it is preferred that the guide element 245 cannot be deflected so far by the air flow 240 that it protrudes into the cylindrical part of the vessel 210 . These requirements can be met, for example, by selecting the clear width a to be less than or equal to the radial width corresponding to the distance b. In particular, a can be up to about 10% smaller than b. In order to determine the clear width a, flow conditions that exist when the vacuum cleaner 100 is expected to be operated can be used as a basis.

3 shows a dirt separator 120 in a second embodiment. The dirt separator 120 shown differs from that in 2 illustrated embodiment essentially by the design of the guide element 245, which is rigid here and can be rotated about an axis of rotation 305 in the inlet 215 to gradually close or release the inlet 215. By way of example, the rigid guide element 245 is of essentially planar design, but it can also be similar to the embodiment of FIG 2 be bent. An elastic element 310, which can comprise a leaf spring or a spiral spring, for example, is set up to exert a force on the guide element 245 in order to urge it into a closed position against the force of the air flow 240.

In addition, the cross-section in the area of the inlet 215 can be reduced by a ramp 315, which can be attached in the inlet 215, in the suction connection 115 or, as shown, in a transition area between the two elements. Ramp 315 preferably has a smooth surface facing airflow 240 and may be one- or two-dimensionally curved. If possible, the ramp 315 connects to the guide element 245 in such a way that the air flow 240 is kept away from a region of the axis of rotation 305 . Contamination of the movable mechanism of the guide element 245 can be reduced as a result. The ramp 315 can be arranged in an area where the air flow 240 is guided through a kink. This kink may exist between the suction port 115 and the inlet 215 as shown.

A filling element 320 may be provided in the inlet 215 downstream of the guide element 245 in order to fill a volume which lies between the opened guide element 245 and the side of the inlet 215 to which the guide element 245 is movably attached. The fill member 320 may be shaped to fill the area between the vane 245 and a wall of the inlet 215 when the vane 245 is fully open.

In the vertical direction, the filling element 320 preferably extends over the entire height of the inlet 215. In the illustrated embodiment, the filling element 320 is essentially ramp-shaped or wedge-shaped. The filling element 320 preferably does not protrude into the region 235 in the vessel 210 and can be delimited along the lateral surface of a cylinder which determines the shape of the vessel 210. In particular, the filling element 320 can be curved in a direction on a side lying in the direction of the vessel 210 in order to continue a curvature of the vessel wall 230 in the region 235 .

4 shows a dirt separator 120 in a further embodiment, which is particularly related to that of 2 leans against In the representation, the air flow 240 has dried up and the guide element 245 is moved by the acting elastic force in such a way that it essentially closes the inlet 215 . In this case, the clear width a is approximately zero.

In the illustrated case of an elastic guide element 245, a clamped section can extend in a different direction than a section lying inside the inlet 215, even without an air flow 240. As a result, a remaining elastic force of the guide element 245 can be used to press the free end against the wall of the inlet 215 and thus seal the inlet 215 better. A force with which the guide element 245 is pressed against the wall of the section can be predetermined by appropriately selecting an angle between the two sections.

The embodiment of 3 may be similar after air flow 240 has ceased and inlet 215 may be closed by rigid baffle 245 in a similar manner as in FIG 4 is shown. The elastic element 310 can be set up to press the guide element 245 against the wall of the inlet 215 with a predetermined remaining elastic force.

5 shows a side view of a dirt separator 120 for a vacuum cleaner 100. The embodiment shown corresponds essentially to that of FIG 2 . The view shows a radial perspective such that the longitudinal axis 205 is vertical. The vessel 210 is closed on a lower side and open on an upper side.

The inlet 215 is not shown, but a transition from the vessel 210 to the inlet 215 can be seen. The guide element 245 is attached to the vessel 210 by being pushed onto the support elements 250 . The support elements 250 are arranged asymmetrically on the vessel 210 with respect to the recess leading to the inlet 215, so that incorrect orientation of the guide element 245 during assembly is immediately noticeable and incorrect assembly is ruled out as far as possible. Radial struts can be attached to the support elements 250, which can improve load-bearing capacity. Recesses of the vane 245 may be shaped to receive a portion of a strut. The struts are oriented differently on the support elements 250, so that further protection against incorrect assembly can be implemented.

The guide element 245 is made of a flexible, planar material, which in particular can comprise an elastomer such as rubber. A first section 505 is located on the mounted dirt filter in the inlet 215, a second section 510 outside. The first section 505 is shaped in such a way that it can close the inlet 215 in a substantially airtight manner. The guide element 245 lies essentially relaxed in the inlet 215 and can be pressed against a boundary of the inlet 215 by a slight elastic force that can result from a remaining deflection of the guide element 245 .

Contrary to its elastic force, the guide element 245 can be deformed by the air flow 240 so that it is increasingly bent. The free, in 5 The right-hand end of the guide element 245, which is opposite the second section 510 on the first section 505, can be deflected in the direction of the vessel 210 or the longitudinal axis 205. The stronger the air flow 240, the further the guiding element 245 can be deflected or bent against the elastic force, so that the released cross section of the inlet 215 is enlarged. The guide element 245 is preferably frameless and has the same thickness in an edge area as in a central area of the first section 505 . As a result, the guiding element 245 can rest better against a wall of the inlet 215 and nestle against it.

The second section 510 carries the recesses for the support elements 250 and can be clamped between the vessel 210 and the inlet 215 . An elasticity of the guide element 245 can contribute to the fact that the transition between the vessel 210 and the inlet 215 can be closed in an airtight manner. A hinge 515 can be formed between the first section 505 and the second section 510 in order to facilitate bending of the first section 505 in relation to the clamped second section 510 . The hinge 515 can in particular be designed as a folding or film hinge, in that the elastic guide element 245 has a reduced thickness along a straight border between the sections 505 and 510 .

The hinge 515 can be adjusted in terms of its own clamping force or in terms of the force of a separate restoring element so that it is not actuated, or is not actuated to any significant extent, during normal operation of the vacuum cleaner 100 . A free cross section of the inlet 215 can essentially depend on the air flow 240 and the clamping force of the guide element 245 . However, should an object be sucked through inlet 215 , hinge 515 can further open guide member 245 to admit the object into vessel 210 .

The film hinge can have a predetermined width of, for example, approximately 1.5 mm. To reduce the thickness, an indentation can be made in the material of the guide element 245 on one or both sides. The depression is preferably within the inlet 215 and as close as possible to a point at which the guide element 245 is clamped to the vessel 210 . In an exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the guide element is approximately 1 mm outside the depression and approximately 0.7 mm in the area of a one-sided depression, which is preferably introduced on a downstream side. A height of the inlet 215 is approximately 58 mm here, for example.

In the illustrated embodiment, a one-dimensional curvature of the guide element 245 in the horizontal direction is assumed in order to accelerate and direct the airflow 240 passing through the inlet 215, a curvature in a direction other than that illustrated or a two-dimensional curvature may also be possible. The guide element 245 can be formable from an L-profile.

6 shows a longitudinal section through a dirt separator 120 in a further embodiment. The guide element 245 is partially open and lets the air flow 240 close to the vessel wall 230 through a cross section with a clear width of a. It can be seen that the clear width a is smaller than the radial distance b between the vessel wall 230 and the filter element 220 . The filter element 220 covers the entire height of the free cross section in the vertical direction, along the longitudinal axis 205. The filter element 220 does not extend downwards to the lower axial end of the vessel 210, but ends at a predetermined distance above it, so that a dirt container 605 is formed axially between the lower end of the filter element 220 and a bottom of the vessel 210, in which from the Air flow 240 precipitated dirt can be collected.

The filter element 220 comprises a filter mat 225 folded in a star shape, through which air of the air stream 240 can flow in the radial direction. The filter mat 225 is designed to hold back fine dirt particles in particular. The filter element 220 is closed at a lower end, for example by means of a cover or another deep-bed filter. To protect the filter mat 225 from coarse dirt, a fine screen 610 can be provided radially on the outside, which can consist of a plastic fabric, for example. The fine screen 610 can be essentially cylindrical in shape and is more preferably coaxial to the longitudinal axis 205 . The filter element 220 can be attached to the flange 615 so that it can be removed from the vessel 210 together with the flange 615 . The flange 615 can, for example, be inserted into the vessel 210 or held on the vessel 210 by means of a screw or bayonet lock. When the flange 615 is attached to the vessel 210, the filter element 220 preferably extends in the vertical direction over the entire height of the recess of the vessel 210 leading to the inlet 215. A lower axial end of the filter element 220 is preferably a predetermined distance above the closed lower one axial end of the vessel 210 so that the intermediate portion of the vessel 210 can be used to receive dirt separated from the air stream 240. After removing the flange 615 from the vessel 210, the filter element 220 can be separated from the flange 615 for cleaning.

7 shows a longitudinal section through a vacuum cleaner 100 with a dirt separator 120 in a further embodiment. In the left pane, airflow 240 may enter through suction port 115 and continue through inlet 215 into vessel 210 . The guide element 245 is attached in the area of the inlet 215 in order to accelerate and direct the air flow 240 . The air flow 240 then enters the region 235 between the vessel wall 230 and the filter element 220 in a direction that is as tangential as possible with respect to the longitudinal axis 205 and is forced onto a circular or spiral path which runs around the longitudinal axis 205 . Dirt carried along on the housing wall 230 can be released from the air and fall down into the dirt container 605 which is formed between the housing wall 230 and the filter element 220 .

Air can flow radially into the filter element 220 from the circular path around the longitudinal axis 205 and thereby pass through the fine sieve 610 and the filter mat 225 , which can hold back further dirt particles from the air flow 240 . From a radial inner area of the filter element 220 the air flow can flow at an axially upper end through the flange 615 into the air duct 620 . After passing through fan 105, airflow 240 may eventually be released from outlet 125 to an environment.

8th shows courses of volume flow drops in different dirt separators 120. The representation can be based on a standardized measurement, for example according to DIN EN 60312-1 November 2017. The mass of a load of dirt on the dirt separator 120 is shown in the horizontal direction and a volume flow of the air flow 240 is shown in the vertical direction narrowing is accelerated. A second history 810 relates to the in 3 illustrated embodiment, and a third course 815 on the in 2 illustrated embodiment of a dirt separator 120.

It can be seen that all curves 805 to 815 begin with essentially the same volume flows, but drop at different rates and distances over the course of loading. While the first course 805 already reaches a volume flow of approx. 5 l/s, which is regarded as critical, with a load of approx. 100 g, this mark is only reached by the second course 810 at approx. 140 g. However, a significant deterioration in the volume flow is already noticeable here from a load of approx. 75 g. The volume flow of the third course 815 drops slowly and evenly over the load and is more than 5 l/s even with a load of approx. 100 g. This embodiment of a dirt separator can therefore be used practically twice as long as that of the first Course 805 before the achieved volume flow is too low for the operation of a vacuum cleaner 100.

Reference List

100

vacuum cleaner

105

fan

110

electrical energy storage

115

suction port

120

dirt separator

125

outlet

205

longitudinal axis

210

vessel

215

inlet

220

filter element

225

filter mat

230

vessel wall

235

area

240

airflow

245

guiding element

250

support element

a

clear expanse

b

Distance

305

axis of rotation

310

elastic element

315

ramp

320

filling element

505

first section

510

second part

605

dirt container

610

fine screen

615

flange

620

air duct

805

first course

810

second course

815

third course

Claims (12)

Dirt separator (120) for a vacuum cleaner (100), the dirt separator (120) comprising: - a cylindrical vessel (210) having a longitudinal axis (205) and a radial vessel wall (230); - A filter element (220), which is mounted at a circumferential distance (b) from the vessel wall (230) in the vessel (210); - An inlet (215) for introducing an air flow (240) into a region (235) lying radially between the filter element (220) and the vessel wall (230); and - a baffle (245) mounted in the inlet (215) to direct the airflow (240) radially outward toward the vessel wall (230) and to increase a velocity of the airflow (240); - wherein the guide element (245) is arranged movably in such a way that an increase in the speed of the air flow (240) is variable depending on an air flow (240) passing through the inlet (215), characterized in that - the guide element (245) such is attached that the inlet (215) is released in response to the air flow (240) and against a force of an elastic restoring element. Dirt separator (120) after claim 1 , wherein the filter element (220) comprises a porous filter mat (225) which is designed to be flown through by air in the radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis (205) and to hold back dirt. Dirt separator (120) after claim 1 or 2 , wherein the guide element (245) is shaped such that the air flow (240) in a circumferential direction with respect to the longitudinal axis (205) radially outside of the filter element (220) in the region (235) occurs. Dirt separator (120) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a clear width (a) released by the guide element (245) is not greater than a radial distance (b) between the filter element (220) and the vessel wall (230). Dirt separator (120) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the guide element (245) is curved along the air flow (240). Dirt separator (120) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide element (245) is elastically deformable. Dirt separator (120) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a free cross section on the guide element (245) amounts to a maximum of approx. 30 - 40% of a free cross section upstream of the guide element (245). Dirt separator (120) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide element (245) is set up to open the inlet (215) in response to an object transported in the air flow (240). A dirt separator (120) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a filler element (320) on a downstream side of the baffle (245) to reduce a volume lying between the baffle (245) and a boundary of the inlet (215). Dirt separator (120) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide element (245) is set up to close the inlet (215) when a speed of the air flow (240) falls below a predetermined value. A dirt separator (120) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a portion of the vessel (210) between the inlet (215) and an axial end of the vessel (210) is adapted to receive charge separated from the airflow (240). A vacuum cleaner (100) comprising a dirt separator (120) according to any one of the preceding claims.

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