DK2644073T3 - Sucks - Google Patents

Description

Description

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner according to the preamble of claim 1. Such vacuum cleaners serve - when working with equipment connected to the vacuum cleaner - to be able to suck up any existing suction material immediately. To be able to handle this, the equipment is connected via a suction hose to the suction connection of the suction. In addition, the equipment is connected via a cable to the equipment's equipment socket. The connected equipment can be, for example, a drill or a grinding equipment. The suction material present during work with such equipment will then be immediately sucked off from the work table, and will then reach the suction container of the suction via the suction connection. The suction material hangs on the outside of a filter while air flows through the filter and via the engine again enters the open air. As time goes on, the filter will be stopped so that a filter cleaning is necessary. Frequently the filter cleaning takes place at a time when the filter still has sufficient permeability.

In particular, the piston does not take into account the power / power consumption of the connected equipment. This causes the vacuum cleaner to work with great suction power, even though the connected equipment only produces a little suction material. In connection with the piston, it is known (cf. EP 1 972 248 A2, EP 2 047 784 A2) to use a current sensor which can detect the current through an equipment socket. The size of the current can be utilized by means of a processor, as one can ascertain whether the connected tool is in operation or not.

It is the object of the invention to provide a vacuum cleaner of the above-mentioned kind, which enables the filter cleaning to be adapted to the flow of the connected equipment.

This object is achieved by means of a piston of the said type when the piston has the characteristic features stated in claim 1. In the piston according to the invention the current / power consumption of the equipment connected to the equipment socket is measured by means of a current / power sensor . Using the size of the power / power consumption, the processor can provide the filter cleaning signal that the power / power consumption of the connected equipment needs. In the case of equipment with a small current / power consumption, it is therefore necessary to carry out a filter cleaning with significantly larger time intervals than in the case of an apparatus with a large current / power consumption. In this case, filter cleaning, depending on the current / power consumption of the connected equipment, will only be started when this cleaning is actually necessary.

In addition, the signal supplied by the current / power sensor to the processor can also be used to control and / or regulate the engine speed corresponding to the current / power consumption of the connected equipment. In connection with a low-power equipment, a lower suction power is necessary than in the case of a power-intensive equipment where a significantly larger amount of suction material is present, for example drilling dust, grinding dust and the like. The user of the vacuum cleaner thus does not need to know the effect of the connected equipment; it is rather the case that the piston according to the invention automatically adjusts to the power / power consumption of the connected equipment. In the processor, a table is appropriately included, in which the various power / power consumption for the appliances that must be able to be connected as well as the associated speeds for the suction motor and / or the time that must elapse before the filter cleaning signal is to be entered. given. It is also an advantage if, in addition to the current / power consumption at the connected device, a measurement is also made of the pressure in the flow direction after the suction filter - and this by means of at least one pressure sensor. This supplies a corresponding pressure signal to the processor, which in connection with the current / power consumption value is then separated, so that the processor produces the signal for the filter cleaning. In this way, the time of the filter cleaning can be adapted even better to the actual degree of contamination of the filter, taking into account not only the magnitude of the current / power consumption, but also the pressure magnitude required for signal output.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment, the piston according to the invention can have two pressure sensors which can measure the pressure both in front of and behind the filter and transmit the corresponding pressure values to the processor. For the purpose of using the two pressure sensors, it should be mentioned that the two absolute pressure values measured by these two pressure sensors are measured in two, airtight in relation to each other arranged spaces. Due to the knowledge of the absolute value of the two pressures, the time of the beginning of the filter cleaning can be very carefully adjusted to the degree of contamination of the filter.

An advantageous filter cleaning is now possible if the filter is equipped with a shaker. The signal emitted by the processor will engage the shaking device, whereby the filter is set in such strong shaking movements that suction material which adheres to the outside of the filter falls off. The sensors and the processor are preferably located on a common platinum, which is moreover advantageously arranged in a container space sealed against the suction flow.

Further features of the invention appear from the further claims and from the description and the drawing.

The invention is explained below with reference to an exemplary embodiment shown diagrammatically in the drawing. The drawing also schematically shows a suction according to the invention.

The suction has a container 1, in which at least one filter 2 is arranged. A suction current is provided by means of a motor 4. By means of the suction current, the suction material which comes from an apparatus 6 connected at a suction connection 5 is led into the container. 1. The air flow with the suction material flows through the filter 2, where the suction material is then retained. The air flow flows through the filter 2 and then flows out via the motor 4 - the latter in a manner known per se. As soon as the filter 2 has been filled with suction, it must be cleaned. To this end, the vacuum cleaner is provided in the exemplary embodiment with a shaking device 7, by means of which the filter 2 can be shaken, so that the suction material adhering to the filter can be shaken off. The suction material then falls into a collecting space inside the container 1. The shaking device 7 is known in connection with such suckers and should therefore not be mentioned here. Instead of using the shaking device 7, the filter cleaning can also be achieved by producing an air flow which is opposite to the suction flow by switching some corresponding valves (not shown). This air flow flows through the filter 2 from the inside and outwards, whereby the suction material adhering to the outside of the filter 2 is blown away and falls into the collection space.

The apparatus 6, which is, for example, a tool, such as a drilling apparatus or a grinding equipment, may be connected to a socket 8 on the piston. A suction hose (not shown) connects the apparatus 6 to the suction connection 5, by means of which the suction material present during the work with the apparatus can be sucked into the container 1 of the suction device. A platinum 9 is arranged in the suction device, on which a current / power sensor is located. 10, two pressure sensors 11, 14 and a processor 12. In the processor 12 there is inserted a table 13 with different parameters, by means of which in a manner known per se and depending on the current / power consumption in the apparatus 6 can be initiated a filter cleaner.

By means of the current / power sensor 10, the current / power consumption at the device 6 connected to the socket 8 will be determined as having the value X. A large power / current consumption via the device 6 results in a correspondingly large amount of suction per unit of time. This in turn leads to the filter 2 becoming clogged relatively quickly, because the suction material, once it has passed the filter 2, will settle on the outside of the filter. If an appliance 6 with low power / power consumption is connected to the socket 8, when using the appliance 6 per unit of time occur less dust. Correspondingly, per. unit of time can also be sucked smaller suction material, so that a cleaning of the filter 2 is only necessary with larger time intervals.

The current / power consumption values measured by the current / power sensor 10 are applied to the processor 12, which then compares these values with the values given in Table 13. For example, it can be stated in this table that with a current / power consumption of, for example, up to 500 watts, a filter cleaning will take place after ten minutes, while the same with a current / power consumption of, for example, up to 1000 watts will take place after five minutes, and at a current / power consumption of, for example, more than 2000 watts after one minute. After the expiration of the time period in question, the microprocessor 12 sends a switch-off signal to the motor 4 and a switch-on signal to the shaking device 7. The latter sets the filter 2 in shaking motion, whereby the suction material hanging on the outside of the filter is shaken off and falls into a collection space in the container. The filter cleaning ends automatically after a pre-specified time has elapsed. Using the processor 12, the motor 4 can be switched on again.

It is also conceivable that one may have a combination of filter cleaning devices which make it possible to carry out the cleaning during the suction procedure. The essence of the procedure remains as described above; simply a disconnection of the motor 4 is not necessary. In this way, the filter cleaning can be carried out optimally depending on the current / power consumption of the device 6. The filter cleaning now only takes place when it is actually needed.

In addition, the speed of the motor 4 can be adapted to the connected appliance 6. If the current / power consumption of the appliance 6 is small, there will be less suction when the appliance 6 is working. It is then sufficient that the suction has a rather small suction effect when you want to suck out suction material from the working area of the appliance 6. Table 13 therefore also specifies as parameters the speeds to be set for the motor 4 depending on the current / power consumption of the connected device 6. The processor 12 sets the motor speed by means of a control corresponding to that of the current / power sensor 10 delivered value. In a further embodiment, the filter cleaning is provided taking into account the current / power consumption of the apparatus 6 as well as of the pressure value conveyed by the pressure sensor 11. The pressure sensor 11 is arranged in the piston so that it can measure the pressure behind the filter - seen in the direction of flow. The pressure value is supplied to the processor 12. By means of the values supplied by the current / power sensor 10 and the pressure sensor 11, the processor controls the filter cleaning. Once the pressure value has been determined, the time for filter cleaning can be determined more accurately. Thus, not only the current / power consumption as far as the apparatus 6 can be ascertained, but also the pressure behind the filter 2. The pressure behind the filter 2 is a measure of how strongly the filter 2 is in operation. As soon as the pressure reaches a pre-given value, - by means of the processor 12 - the motor 4 will be disconnected and the shaker 7 engaged. In the table 13 entered in the processor 12, the pressure value has also been entered as a parameter in dependence on the current / power value, so that a filter cleaning can only be started when it is mainly required. For an equipment (apparatus) with, for example, a current / power consumption of approx. up to 500 watts, the filter cleaning will only be started when the value measured by the pressure sensor 11 exceeds a limit value of approx. 180 mbar. In an equipment (apparatus) 6 with, for example, a current / power consumption of up to 1000 watts, the filter cleaning will be started by achieving, for example, a pressure of 130 mbar. Thus, the cleaning of the filter 2 will only be started when the corresponding pressure value is measured at the current pressure / power consumption of the pressure sensor 11.

The drawing shows a further exemplary embodiment of how the pressure sensor 11 can be used. In this exemplary embodiment, the pressure sensor 11 is connected to two measuring points 15 and 16, which, seen in the direction of flow of the air flow, lie in front of and behind the filter 2 and are formed by means of openings in the walls of the space in question. The pressure sensor 11 is in this case a differential pressure sensor which, via the two measuring points 15,16, can measure the pressure difference between the spaces in front and behind the filter 2. The space arranged in front of the filter 2 is a collecting space which is located in the container 1 and in which by the filter 2 adhesive suction may fall off during the cleaning procedure. The pressure difference is a measure of the degree of soiling of the filter 2. If the filter is only slightly soiled - that is, there are only a few small parts that have become stuck on the outside of the filter and need to be serviced - the pressure difference is relatively small. However, the more the filter 2 is clogged, the greater the pressure difference. As soon as a predetermined limit value for the differential pressure has been reached, the processor 12 - where the pressure difference value is applied, in connection with the current / power value supplied by the sensor 10, and taking into account the mentioned parameter value in table 12 - will start filter cleaning. In a further embodiment, both pressure sensors 11 and 14 are used, the pressure sensor 11 being connected at a measuring point 16, which in the flow direction is located behind the filter 2, while the pressure sensor 14 is connected at a measuring point 17, which in the flow direction of the suction air is located in front the filter 2. By means of the two pressure sensors 11, 14 it is possible to measure the absolute pressure value in the two compartments before and after the filter 2. Hereby it can be determined very quickly how strongly the filter 2 is clogged. The pressure values from the two pressure sensors 11, 14 are supplied to the processor 12, which can then, in connection with the current / power value supplied by the sensor 10 - taking into account the mentioned parameter in table 13 - start the filter cleaning.

The described embodiments of the suction are distinguished by the fact that a filter cleaning can be carried out in a very accurate time, when the degree of clogging of the filter is known.

Claims (10)

A vacuum cleaner with at least one motor (4), which has a suction connection (5) to a device (6) connectable to the vacuum cleaner, such as a tool with at least one filter (2), and a device socket (8), with which the device ( 6) can be connected electrically, and where the piston has at least one current / power sensor (10), which can sense the power / power consumption of the appliance (6) when the appliance (6) is connected to the appliance socket (8), and which is connected to a processor (12) which, on the basis of the magnitude of the current / power consumption supplied by the current / power sensor (10), can supply a signal for starting a cleaning of the filter (2), characterized in that for an apparatus with low power / power consumption, the filter cleaning can be started with clearly larger time intervals than applies to a device with high power / power consumption. Suction according to Claim 1, characterized in that the processor (12) - by means of a stored table (13) with different parameters - can generate the signal for the filter cleaning. Suction according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the signal is used for setting the motor power. Suction according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one pressure sensor (11) is connected to the processor (12), which can sense the pressure in the direction of flow and behind the filter (2) and supply a corresponding pressure signal to the processor. (12). Suction according to claim 4, characterized in that the processor (12) can generate a signal for filter cleaning on the basis of the magnitude of the current / power consumption and the pressure level when the pressure value in connection with the current / power value reaches or exceeds a limit value. Suction according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the suction has two pressure sensors (11, 14), one pressure sensor (14) measuring the pressure in front of the filter (2) and the other pressure sensor (11) measuring the pressure behind at the filter (2). Suction according to Claim 6, characterized in that the two pressure sensors (11, 14) can supply the pressure values to the processor (12), which then supplies the signal to the filter cleaning, taking into account the current / power value. Suction according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the filter (2) is connected to a device (7) for cleaning the filter (2). Suction according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sensors (10, 11, 14) and the processor (12) are arranged on a board (9). Suction according to Claim 9, characterized in that the platinum (9) is contained in a chamber sealed against a suction flow in a housing (1).