DE2339427A1 - HAND-OPERATED CLEANING DEVICE - Google Patents

Description

Patent attorneys

Dipi.-ing. Walter Meissner Dipi.-ing. Herbert Tischer BERLIN-GRUNEWALD MUNICH

8 Munich 2, August 1, 1973

TaI 71

Telephon. 221293

Ke / rö

Bricmar Manufacturing Corporation Brooklyn, New York
(V. St. A.)

Cleaning device that can be operated by hand

The invention relates to a hand-operated cleaning device with a vacuum, a Airflow and a broom-like sweeping effect work to remove dust and other particles from surfaces such as carpets, Remove clothes, tablecloths and the like. In particular, it relates to a hand-held, portable, battery-powered Device of the type mentioned, which is characterized by a high degree of efficiency and relatively low Causes costs.

Conventional, electrically operated, larger vacuum cleaning devices and electric brooms are used extensively for the purposes for which the application is made should serve. However, there are cases where the use of the conventional. Vacuum cleaning devices and

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Electric brooms that are plugged into an electrical outlet must, impractical, undesirable, or inconvenient. For example, the conventional vacuum cleaners and Electric brooms are often too monstrous and can only be removed with difficulty from the storage room assigned to them for smaller jobs such as brushing clothes, removing dust or particles from a tablecloth, cleaning automobile seat cushions, or cleaning a small area of carpet insert. Small, portable, battery powered devices have therefore been developed for these uses been. In this connection, see, for example, U.S. Patents 3,368,231 and 3,3008-498 which refer to clothing brushes show which ones are portable and battery powered. Another type of similar device is portable vacuum cleaners, as described in U.S. Patents 1,643,823 and 969 44-1. A device that is similar in structure but is used to treat fur is shown in U.S. Patent 2,491,007.

The object of the invention is now to reduce the size and weight of such a device so that the device can be used conveniently and can be used in a variety of ways to reduce energy consumption to restrict a minimum. As a result, the batteries of the device should remain operational for a longer time, the efficiency increase in the generation of a flow of air so that the device is effective in removing debris and other particles can pick up, the cost of the device should be kept to a minimum, but its service life Achieve a maximum, and it should finally according to the invention a simplified construction and mode of operation for this device can be created. Since some of these goals are of opposing nature, the apparatus to be created can contain only a compromise of the individual objectives,

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in which the combination of the desired goals leads to optimal results.

For this purpose, according to the invention, a device of the type mentioned is created which has a housing which is provided with a handle to be grasped by the user of the device and contains a hollow motor chamber, delimited by a pair of side walls separated at a distance in the transverse direction, furthermore a roof wall and a bottom wall is, the latter having a downwardly directed inlet opening. An electric motor with a rotatable shaft is mounted in the motor chamber so that its shaft extends between the chamber side walls. The engine and its shaft lie over the downward opening in the bottom wall of the motor chamber. The engine is powered by batteries driven, which are contained in the housing of the device and connected to the motor via an on-off switch are. A key-shaped, cylindrical hub cap is attached to the motor shaft, which extends together with the shaft rotates around a common axis of rotation. The hub cap covers the motor and extends in the transverse direction between the two Side walls of the motor chamber over the motor Mnweg, but has one of the motor and the inner walls of the motor chamber Distance so that it can rotate freely with the motor shaft within the motor chamber. The hub cap carries a Number of flexible vanes or blades that extend in the radial direction of the hub cap outwards and inwards run across the hub cover of the motor housing.

The arrangement of the have hood attached to the motor shaft

is attached and covers the engine in a box shape, brings

she the
the advantage that fe & S construction gives the desired compactness. In addition, this arrangement eliminates the need to use gears or other more complicated elements to transmit power from the motor to the rotating hub cap, thereby simplifying the apparatus

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is achieved, and a reduction in manufacturing cost is achieved becomes, and what about it? in addition to any loss of energy, as is usually the case with gears or other power transmission elements occurs, is avoided.

The roof wall of the motor chamber has a hinged one Protective flap that can be locked in its position to thereby close the motor chamber, with With the exception of their inlet opening and with the exception of a narrow, forward-facing slot in the roof wall immediately above the inlet port. However, this protective cap can open by pivoting, so that free access to the motor chamber for cleaning purposes or to carry out others Working enables wM.

A pick-up plate is provided on the bottom wall of the motor chamber, which works like a dust bowl Makes it easier to pick up dust and other particles when driving over irregular surfaces that are being cleaned. The pick-up plate has a transversely extending, relatively sharp front end that fits into the downward-facing opening of the motor chamber fits into it. The rear end of the pick-up plate is on the housing of the device rotatably hinged, and the pick-up plate is pressed down so that its sharp end is to be cleaned Surface follows as soon as the device is pressed onto this surface. The rear end of the pick-up plate is used as a baffle that swirls out the dust and other particles that have been collected in the dust bowl are prevented when the device is tilted forward.

In the operating state, the motor is driven by the batteries so that the hub cap rotates, thereby reducing its flexible belt one backwards onto the one at the rear end The device located in the dust bowl creates a directed stream of air and any particles that get in the way of the wings

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233942? -5-

steep, wiping away to the rear. The dust bowl owns a perforated back wall with a dust filter. Dust and other particles carried away by the air flow are, according to the sweeping effect of a broom, thrown back into the dust bowl and collected in it. It should be noted that the hubcap wings are not the inner walls of the motor chamber touch and do not extend out of the inlet opening located in it. So they don't touch them either surface to be cleaned. So the main purpose of this brush is to create a stream of air and move it into the Veg to flush the brush-making particles backwards, creating no frictional energy between the brush and the motor chamber or wasted between the brush and the surface to be cleaned will.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing. In . the drawing show:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the cleaning device,

2 shows a partially sectioned side view of the cleaning device,

Fig. 3 is a detail side view of the front part the cleaning device,

Fig. 4- is a perspective view of the hub cap with the wings attached to it and

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail side view of the engine with the overlying, on the Motor axle attached hub cover. Inside the motor housing chamber.

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• ■■ Ο ™ "

The cleaning device shown in Fig. 1 has a hollow housing 1o, which consists for example of a molded thermoplastic. The case is with a handle 12 is provided which a user of the device can grasp. It also contains a battery karamer 14 with batteries, a dust bowl or cup 16 for collecting dust and other particles, and a Motor chamber 18. As can be seen from FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 5, the motor chamber 18 is bounded by a pair of side walls 2o and 22, which are arranged in the transverse direction at a distance from one another are, further from a curved roof wall 24 and one Bottom wall 26, in which there is an inlet opening 26a, through which dust and other particles into the housing 1o can enter to be collected in the dust cup 16 will. The inlet opening 26a is rectangular in shape; their reverse sides are formed by the lower edges of the side walls 2o and 22, their front side is formed by the front Edge of the roof wall 24 is limited, and its rear side is formed by a sharp edge 26d of the bottom wall 26.

To aid in the collection of dust and other particles, the rear part contains the inlet opening 26a, a rotatable downward printed pickup plate 28, the function of which is similar to that of a dust bowl. The pick-up plate 28 runs almost parallel to the bottom wall 26 and extends in the transverse direction between the side walls 2o and 22. The rear end of the pick-up plate 28 is on the side walls 2o and 22 with the aid of two pivot pins 28a and 28b rotatably mounted, which form an integral whole with the pick-up plate 28, and extend in the transverse direction from the rear ends of the transverse side of the pickup plate 28 extend outward. The pins 28a and 28b are rotatable in matching, inward-facing openings 2oc and 22c in the side walls 2o and 22, respectively. These pivotable or rotatable Arrangement allows the pick-up plate 28 to move between a lower one shown in solid lines in FIG location and one also in this drawing figure, however

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The upper layer shown in dashed lines to "move. The pick-up plate 28 has a sharp transversely extending leading edge 28c, a flat bottom 28d, and a pair of short ones Side walls 28e and 28f which give the plate a trough-shaped cross-section.

To prevent the contents of the dust cup 16 from falling out as soon as the device is tilted forward, is the pick-up plate 28 with an impact body-like, rear end, which is formed by a rear wall 28g, which is in front of the rear ends of the side walls 28e and 28f and the bottom wall 28d is formed by a recess and is a unitary whole with the latter walls forms. The rear end of the pick-up plate 28 thus forms a rearward-facing cup 28h which holds the contents of the Dust cup 16, which when Nachvornekippen the device can fall forward, pick up and hold on.

To cause the sharp leading edge of the pickup plate to follow an irregular surface, as the cleaning device moves across this surface, the pickup plate 28 becomes a leaf spring 3o downwards, the front end of which is on the pick-up plate 28 is fastened by a friction fit in a matching opening 28e at the rear end of the pick-up plate, and the rear end of which rests on the top, the bottom wall 26, as best shown in FIG.

In order to have easy access to the motor chamber 18, so that cleaning or the like is carried out there The curved roof wall 24 includes a hinged protective flap 24 a which forms the front part of the roof wall 24. The protective flap 24a is rotatably attached to the roof wall 24 by hinge pins 24c and 24d which are connected to the protective flap 24a are inextricably linked and extend transversely outward from their rear part. The hinge pins 24c and 24d are rotatably received in matching, inwardly facing openings 22d and 2od in side walls 22 and 2o.

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With this hinge arrangement, the protective cap 24a can be moved between a closed position, as shown in the extended position Lines shown in Fig. 2 and move to an open position. In its closed position, the protective flap is by a snap fit between a pin 2o6, which forms a unitary whole with the side wall 2o, and a The groove 24b in the protective flap 24a, which receives the pin 2ob, is releasably locked. A similar pen and a similar one Not shown groove are used at the other lower transverse end of the protective flap 24a to put it in its closed Lockable position releasably. From this closed position, the protective flap 24a can be moved upwards into its open position Pivot position, which is shown in Fig. 2 in dashed lines, so that convenient access to the interior the motor chamber 18 is made possible.

The lower edge 24e of the protective flap 24a does not extend downwards over the entire distance to the level of the inlet opening 26a, but has one from this level small distance, so that a forward facing slot 24f is formed, which it the lower hand 24e of the protective flap 24a makes it possible to walk over larger parts, such as cigarette butts and larger breadcrumbs, so that these particles are pushed back towards the dust cup 16 and not simply by the protective flap 24a are pushed forward as soon as the device moves forward over the surface to be cleaned.

The sweeping or broom action and the flow of air sweeping the dust and other particles through the inlet opening 26a and into the dust cup 16 collect, are generated by a motor 32, which sets a hub cap 36 in rotation, with resilient, flexible Wings or leaves 4o is provided. The motor 32 and the The hub cap 36 with its wings 4o are located in the Motor chamber 18 above the inlet opening 26a. The engine 32 is with the help of a cylindrical motor housing 34 on the

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Side wall 2o attached. This motor housing sits above the motor 32 by frictional engagement and has an integral annular flange 32 which is fastened to the side wall 2o by screws 34a, as can best be seen from FIG. The motor 32 has a shaft 32a that extends from the motor towards the side wall 22 and supports the hub cap 36. The hub cap 36 has a cylindrical part which surrounds the motor 32 and its housing 34 in the shape of a hood, and an end part which is parallel to the side wall 22 and has an opening 36a which is inserted over the shaft 32a and by frictional engagement on the shaft adheres. The hub cap 36 11 & φ is coaxial with the shaft 32a of the motor 32 and rotates with this shaft. She got from the engine 32 and his. Housing 34 is spaced apart and is also spaced apart from the walls of the motor chamber 18 so that it can rotate freely in the motor chamber.

The side wall 2o 'can be provided with a number of openings 2oe which restrict the passage of air allow the di4Kühlung of the motor 32 promotes.

To generate the air flow and the broom-like wiping effect, the hub cap 36 is equipped with wings 4o, which have a T-shaped cross section and run parallel to the side walls 2o and 22, and their base parts seated in keyways 36b which extend between the side walls 2o and 22, creating the blades on the periphery of the hub cap 36 are attached. These wings can be made of an elastic rubber material or a rubber-like material exist.

To ensure that the air flow generated by the wings 6o is directed against the dust cup 16, and that dust "" other? Particles are sucked into the forward-facing slot 24 and into the inlet openings 26a, the protective flap 24a has an inner wall 24g, the lower end of which is increasingly curved inward.

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The motor 32 is powered by the batteries 42 which are contained in the battery case 14 and connected to the motor 32 via an off-on switch 46 which is pushed to its open position but closes to complete the circuit between the batteries to close on the motor 32. This is done by pressing down of button 46a conveniently located on handle 12. The motor chamber 18 stands directly with the dust cup 16 in connection, but has no connection with any other cavity within the housing 1o.

In the operating state, the cleaning device is arranged on or directly above a surface to be cleaned, the inlet opening 26a from the pool to be cleaned is substantially closed and the slot 24f faces forward. The cleaning device will then move forward emotional. In this position, the pickup plate 28 would normally be pushed upward from the surface to be cleaned so that its sharp leading edge 28a is in or near its-uppermost position, which is shown in phantom in FIG is shown. However, the sharp front edge 28c of the pick-up plate 28 follows irregularities present in the surface, when the cleaning device is moved forward across the surface, as this edge is through the Leaf spring 3o is pressed downwards. The button 46a of the Switch 46 is depressed to complete the circuit between batteries 42 and motor 32 and the motor 32 then rotates the hub cap 36 clockwise (based on FIG. 2), so that that wing 4o, which is directly over of the inlet opening 26a is moved from front to rear with respect to this inlet opening. The rotary motion the hub cap 36 and the wing 4o generate an air flow directed into the inlet opening 26a to the dust cup 16 and also transports all particles that are in the path of the wings 4o to the rear. The rear wall 16a of the dust cup 16 is perforated so that the air stream can pass through it, while the dust and other particles that

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be conveyed by the air flow or by the action of the broom the wing 4o are turned backwards, are retained by a filter 16b in the dust cup 16. This filter 16b is located on the inside of the rear wall 16a of the dust cup 16. The wings 4o thus practice one double function in that they generate an air flow in the direction of the dust cup 16 and also particles, that stand in their way, sweep directly in the direction of the dust cup 16. When the dust cup 16 is emptied or its filter 16b is to be cleaned or replaced, it is withdrawn so that it slips off the housing 1o. The filter 16 is then replaced by being fitted onto the housing 1o in a sliding fit. the Batteries 42 can be exchanged by opening a latch 44-, creating a removable rear wall 14a of the battery chamber 14 is solved.

The special shape of the motor 32 and the hub cap 36, as described above, minimizes the space required by the motor and hub cap and, in addition, simplifies the construction of the device described and also makes it cheaper because gears or other more complicated power transmission elements can be completely avoided and no energy loss during power transmission occurs between the motor and the hub cap. The hinged protective flap 24a allows easy access to Motor chamber for cleaning purposes and the like. And also promotes the correct control of the air flow. Leave the wings 4o simply remove and replace by sliding them out or into the grooves 36d. The spring-loaded pick-up plate 28 makes it easier the driving of an irregular surface to be cleaned and serves as a dust bowl and also as a baffle, their Leakage of the contents of the dust cup 16 prevented as soon as the device is tilted forward. The one described here The cleaning device is compact and effectively vacuums and sweeps dust and particles such as crumbs, ash, buttons, hairpins,

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Elemma, sand, thread, glass splinters, sawdust and the like in the dew cup 16 into it.

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Claims (12)

Claim "l.yVon hand" operated cleaning device with a housing which is provided with a handle which can be grasped by the user of the device, and having means forming a hollow motor chamber, characterized in that that the device has a roof wall (24), a pair of side walls (2o, 22), * which are separated from each other at a distance, and a bottom wall (26) having a downwardly directed opening (26a) forming device (28) that the Device is provided with a motor (32) having a rotatable shaft (32a) and 'a support (34-a) for fastening of the motor (32) on the housing (io), wherein the motor and its shaft are in the motor chamber (18) and extend in this between the side walls (2o, 22) of the motor chamber and above the downward one Opening (26a) are arranged in the bottom wall (26) of the motor chamber, that on the motor shaft (32a) a hub cap (36) is attached and rotates with this about a common axis, the motor (32) surrounds like a hood and itself between the side walls (2o, 22) of the motor chamber (18) extends over the motor, but at a distance from it is separated, the motor support and the walls (2o, 22) delimiting the motor chamber (18) so that the hub cover (36) can rotate freely with the motor shaft (32a) in the motor chamber, and that several blades (4o) by one Device (36b) are attached to the hub cap (36), which extends from the hub cap in the radial direction outward extend and run between the side walls (2o, 22) of the motor chamber (18). 409833/0256 2. cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized. marked that ςΐΐβ Shovels (4o) on the walls (2o, 22) of the motor chamber (18) pass at a distance and constantly within the motor chamber lie as well as on the inside of the opening (26a) present in the bottom wall (26) of this chamber. 3. cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized marked that the roof wall (24) of the motor chamber (18) contains an opening and a protective flap (24a) and a device (24b) for rotatably attaching the protective flap to the housing (io) so that the protective flap between a closed position, in which it closes the opening in the roof wall (24) of the motor chamber, less open Position in which it is removed from this opening in the roof wall of the motor chamber, so that access is made possible into the interior of the motor chamber, - with a locking device (2ob) is present, with which the protective flap (24a) can optionally be locked in its closed position is. 4. Cleaning device according to claim 1, g e k e η η-records by a pick-up plate (28) having a bottom wall (28d) and a pair spaced apart in the transverse direction separate side walls (28e, 28f) extending upwardly from the bottom wall, at least a portion of which Pick-up plate (28) has a U-shaped cross-section and the pick-up plate is provided with a front part which so is dimensioned so that it slidably sits in the opening (26a) of the bottom wall (26) of the motor chamber (18), furthermore by means of a device for the rotatable attachment of the pick-up plate (28) on the housing (io), so that the front end (28c) of this plate between a lower position in which it is below the opening (26a) located in the bottom wall of the motor chamber extends, and an upper position in which the front end the receiving plate is essentially flush with the bottom wall of the motor chamber, is movable, and by a 409833/0256 Device (3o) with which on the pick-up plate (28) in A pressure can be exerted in the direction of its lower position. 5 · Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized it indicates that the motor (32) is cylindrical, and that the support device for fastening the motor has a hollow cylinder (34-) on the housing (io), which receives the motor in a press fit and has a first side wall in which there is an opening which the Motor shaft (32a) loosely receives so that it can rotate freely, and a second side wall with a flange part (32a) and elements (34-a) for fastening the flange part on a side wall (2o) of the motor chamber (18). 6. Cleaning device according to claim 1, since d u r c h characterized in that the motor (32) is an electric motor is, and that the housing (io) has a battery chamber (14) to accommodate electrical batteries and elements through which the batteries located in the battery chamber form the electric motor Current can be supplied, and has a switch (46) with which the electrical connection between the Batteries and the motor can be locked and interrupted. 7. Cleaning device according to claim 1, d a d u r ch gekennz eichnet that the housing (io) contains a dust cup (16) which can be removed behind the motor chamber (18) is attached and is in communication with the motor chamber, and that the dust cup (16) has a rear wall (i6a), in which are several breakthroughs, with a dust filter on the inside of the rear wall (16a) of the dust cup (16) (16b) is located, which allows air to escape, but the pumped into the dust cup from the motor chamber (18) Holds back particles. 8. Cleaning device according to claim 1, as through characterized in that the device for fastening the wings (4-o) to the hub cap (36) has several in the outer Circumferential wall of the hub cap located in the longitudinal direction 409833/0256 extending partial grooves (36b), and that each wing (4o) is provided with a wedge part which is dimensioned so that it fits into a partial groove located in the hub cap. 9. Cleaning device according to claim 1, since d u r c h characterized in that the roof wall (24) of the motor chamber (18) has a lower leading edge (24e) which is above the level of the downwardly facing opening (26a) in the bottom wall (26) ends to thereby form a forward opening (24f) in the roof wall which extends immediately above the after untearn directed opening (26a) is located in the bottom wall and forms a continuation of this opening. 10. Cleaning device according to claim 9 »d a d u rc h gekennz eichnet that the roof wall (24) of the motor chamber (18) is provided with means which form an upper opening which is located directly above the forward-facing opening Opening (24f) is located in the roof wall and forms a continuation of this opening, to which a protective flap (24a) and a device (24b) for rotatably attaching the protective flap to the housing (io), so that the protective flap between a closed position in which it closes the upper opening in the roof wall of the motor chamber (18) and an open position in which it is removed from the top opening to provide access to the interior of the motor chamber enable is movable. 11. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized by a pick-up plate (28) with a front part (28c) which is dimensioned so that it is in the rear part of the opening (26a) in the bottom wall (26) of the motor chamber (18) slidably fits into it, means for rotatable attachment of the pickup plate to the housing (io), so that the front end of this plate between a lower Position in which it is below the in the bottom wall (26) 409833/0256 the opening (26a) located in the motor chamber extends, and an upper position in which it is essentially flush with the bottom wall of the motor chamber is, wherein a device (Jo) is present, by means of which the pick-up plate (28) can be pressed into its lower position is. 12. Cleaning device according to claim 11, characterized by a dust cup (16) and by means (26) for supporting the dust cup behind the motor chamber (18) and in direct communication with this motor chamber, the pick-up plate (28) having a rear wall (28g) extending upwards and partially blocked this direct connection between the motor chamber and the dust cup. 13 «cleaning device according to claim 1, thereby characterized in that the roof wall (24) has a front Part (24a) which extends down to below the axis of rotation of the hub cap (36) and that this front part is provided with an inside facing in the direction of the motor chamber (18) inward at the downward extension of the front Part of the roof wall is curved more and more in order to direct the airflow downwards and backwards that is created, when the wings (4o) move down the front part of the roof wall (24). 409833/0256 Blank page