EP0516631A1

EP0516631A1 - Wet aspirator

Info

Publication number: EP0516631A1
Application number: EP19910902148
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gerhard Parusel
Original assignee: Alfred Kaercher SE and Co KG
Current assignee: Alfred Kaercher SE and Co KG
Priority date: 1990-02-24
Filing date: 1991-01-12
Publication date: 1992-12-09
Also published as: FI923773A0; WO1991012761A1; FI923773A; DE4005891C1

Abstract

Un aspirateur d'humidité possède une soufflerie d'aspiration et une pompe pour un liquide de nettoyage, un seau amovible présentant un compartiment de stockage et un compartiment collecteur ainsi qu'un couvercle fermant le compartiment collecteur et le compartiment de stockage. Afin de permettre la pénétration d'un liquide de nettoyage dans le canal d'aspiration aussi bien en position de travail horizontale qu'en position de transport orientée à 90°, l'invention propose que le compartiment collecteur soit contigu à la paroi frontale de l'aspirateur, que le couvercle comporte un segment de couvercle séparé par une paroi des deux segments de couvercle fermant les compartiments, lequel obture le canal d'aspiration passant entre le seau et la paroi frontale à sa partie supérieure, et qu'une ouverture de passage pour l'air d'aspiration sec débouchant dans le canal d'aspiration se trouve placée soit dans la paroi séparatrice située entre le segment de couvercle au-dessus du compartiment collecteur et l'autre segment de couvercle obturant le canal d'aspiration soit dans le bord supérieur du seau sur son côté associé à la paroi frontale.A humidity vacuum cleaner has a suction blower and a pump for a cleaning liquid, a removable bucket having a storage compartment and a collecting compartment as well as a lid closing the collecting compartment and the storage compartment. In order to allow the penetration of a cleaning liquid into the suction channel both in the horizontal working position and in the transport position oriented at 90 °, the invention proposes that the collecting compartment be contiguous to the front wall of the vacuum cleaner, that the cover comprises a cover segment separated by a wall from the two cover segments closing the compartments, which closes the suction channel passing between the bucket and the front wall at its upper part, and that an opening passage for dry suction air opening into the suction channel is placed either in the separating wall located between the cover segment above the collecting compartment and the other cover segment closing the suction channel either in the upper edge of the bucket on its side associated with the front wall.

Description

DESCRIPTION

WET SUCTION

The invention relates to a wet vacuum cleaner with a suction fan and a pump for a cleaning liquid, with a removable bucket which is divided into a storage chamber for the fresh cleaning liquid and a collecting chamber for the used cleaning liquid, with a trough which is open at the top in the working position Front part of the wet vacuum cleaner for receiving the bucket, with a lid covering the bucket, which is divided into two lid segments separated from one another by partitions, one of which closes the storage chamber and the other closes the collecting chamber, with one in the sam¬ Intake chamber opening into the suction chamber for the suction air loaded with used cleaning fluid and with a suction channel for transporting the suction air separated from the used cleaning fluid to the suction fan. A wet vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned is described, for example, in EP application 0 245 873. In the known wet vacuum cleaner, the container for the fresh cleaning liquid surrounds the container for the used cleaning liquid both from the side and from below, and the suction channel for the suction, which is accommodated in a separating hood designed as a cyclone separator The air freed from the liquid is guided downwards in the central axis of the bucket and then backwards. Transporting the known wet vacuum cleaner in a position in which it is turned out of the working position by 90 ° (with the front upward) is not possible if it contains significant amounts of used cleaning liquid because then - which must be avoided - used cleaning liquid would penetrate into the suction channel.

The US-PS 45 86 208 describes a wet vacuum cleaner, in which the collection chamber is arranged near the front wall of the wet vacuum cleaner and in which a dirty water bucket inserted into a trough is connected to the suction fan. A rotation of this device by 90 ° would lead to the dirty liquid collected in the dirt bucket flowing out into the device. This would be partially prevented by a float valve that limits the fill level, but this cannot work properly in a position in which the device is pivoted through 90 ° in order to be set up, so that installation of this known wet suction device is neither possible nor possible This patent specification is provided.

It is an object of the invention to provide a wet vacuum cleaner which can be transported between individual cleaning cycles in a position perpendicular to the working position without the used cleaning liquid penetrating into the suction channel for extracting the air freed from the liquid.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a wet vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned at the outset in that the collecting chamber is adjacent to the front wall of the wet vacuum cleaner, in that the cover has a further cover segment which is separated from the two cover segments by a partition and which comprises the between the bucket and Front wall running suction channel closes tightly at the top, and that either in the partition between the cover segment above the collecting chamber and the further cover segment closing the suction channel or in the upper edge region of the bucket in its side facing the front wall, a passage opening for the suction channel dry suction air.

The wet vacuum cleaner can be turned 90 ° upwards, that is to say it can be placed vertically, not only ensuring that the fresh cleaning liquid does not run out of the container intended for this purpose, but also ensuring that the used one, that is to say with it Dirty particles of mixed and re-sucked cleaning liquid cannot get into the suction channel or through the suction nozzle back into the suction hose.

The suction channel for the suction air sucked out of the bucket can extend exclusively in the area between the bucket and the front wall, in a preferred embodiment However, it is provided, for example, that the trough is connected to the suction fan and that the suction channel for the dry suction air is delimited and tightly sealed by the trough, the bucket inserted in it and the lid. This results in an annular channel surrounding the entire bucket, which nevertheless has its connection to the interior of the bucket only on its side wall adjacent to the front wall, and is arranged as high as possible. The opening is thus either in the upper edge area of the bucket or even better above the bucket in the partition between the lid segments.

It is advantageous if the dry suction air enters the suction channel through a fluff filter. As a result, liquid droplets or dust particles still contained in the dry suction air are intercepted with certainty.

This also ensures that the jerky vertical position of the wet vacuum cleaner does not result in a used clean position

The front part of the housing 2 essentially fills, and thus the bucket 4 is covered with a cover 5. In the rear part of the wet vacuum there is a device part 6 which, among other things, a suction fan and

The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves in conjunction with the drawings for a more detailed explanation.

Show it:

FIG. 1: a longitudinal section through a preferred embodiment of a wet vacuum cleaner;

2 shows a cross section through the wet vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1 along the line 2-2 marked in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3: a detail of the wet vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1 in a longitudinal section along the line 3-3 marked in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4: a cross section through the detail shown in FIG. 3 along the line 4-4 and marked in FIG. 1

5 shows a longitudinal section of the wet vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1 along the line 5-5 marked in FIG. 1.

The wet vacuum cleaner 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a trough 3 in a housing 2 for receiving a removable egg 4. The trough 3, which - in the working position - essentially fills the front part of the housing 2, and thus the bucket 4 are covered with a cover 5. In the rear part of the wet vacuum there is a device part 6 which, among other things, a suction fan and The following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention serves in conjunction with the drawings to provide a more detailed explanation.

Show it:

The wet vacuum cleaner 1 shown in FIG. 1 has a trough 3 in a housing 2 for receiving a removable egg 4. The trough 3, which - in the working position - essentially fills the front part of the housing 2, and thus the bucket 4 are covered with a cover 5. In the rear part of the wet vacuum there is a device part 6 which, among other things, a suction fan and includes a pump for the cleaning liquid. The device part 6 is insignificant for the invention, which is why it will not be discussed in the following.

The - in the working position - upwardly open trough 3 has a stepped extension 7 in its upper part. At the bottom of the trough 3 there is an opening 8 in the rear part. The bucket 4 stands in the trough 3, its upper edge lying in one plane with the upper edge of the trough 3. The bucket 4 is divided into a storage chamber 9 which is open at the top and a collecting chamber 10 which is also open at the top, by means of a flexible partition wall 11, which is clamped bulky in a frame 12 all around. The frame 12 is in turn fastened to the floor and to the walls of the bucket 4 and forms a bridge spanning the bucket 4 at the height of the upper edge of the bucket 4. The storage chamber 9 is intended for a fresh cleaning liquid and the collecting chamber 10 for the used cleaning liquid, that is to say containing cleaning particles and sucked in again. The flexible partition 11 takes into account the fact that at the beginning of a cleaning cycle there is only cleaning liquid in the storage chamber 9 and that in the course of a cleaning cycle the volume of the clean cleaning liquid decreases and the volume of the used cleaning liquid increases. The partition wall 11 enables a larger volume of the bucket 4 to be alternately filled with the clean and with the used cleaning liquid. At the bottom of the storage chamber 9 there is an extraction opening 13 which - when the bucket 4 is placed with the collecting chamber 10 forward in the trough 3 - fits to the opening 8 in the trough 3 according to its position and design. The removal opening 13 contains a valve 14. If the bucket 4 is outside the trough 3, the valve 14 is closed. If the bucket is placed in the trough 3, the openings 8 and 13 come into flow connection and the valve 14 opens.

The upper part of the bucket 4 is surrounded by a part 15 with an L-profile, which is fastened to the bucket 4 with the short leg and which protrudes into the extension 7 of the trough 3 and rests on it with the long leg directed downward . The extension 7 and the long leg of part 15 delimit the lower part of a suction channel 18 surrounding the bucket 4. Between the upper edge of the bucket 4 and the upper end of the L-shaped part 15 there is a rubber seal surrounding the bucket 4 in a ring 19, in which a vertical slot 20 is provided from above. A seal 19 is also mounted on top of the bridge-shaped part of the frame 12. In addition, the upper edge of the trough 3 is framed with a seal 19.

The removable cover 5 is fixed to the housing 2 by means of a lock 36. It covers the trough 3 and thus also the lower part 17 of the suction channel 18. A partition 21 of the cover 5 is directed vertically downwards towards the trough 3 and penetrates into it with its edge pointing downwards the slot 20 of the rubber seal 19 framing the upper edge of the trough 3. In the space which is open at the bottom and delimited laterally by the partition 21, an annular segment 24 is separated along the partition 21 by means of a partition 22 from an inner segment which in turn is divided into two by a partition 23. The partition walls 22 and 23 are positioned so that their lower edge penetrates into the slot 20 in the rubber seal 19 surrounding the upper edge of the bucket 4 or into the slot 20 in the rubber seal 19 on the bridge-shaped part of the frame 12. A cover segment 25 bounded laterally by the partition walls 22 and 23 thus hermetically closes the storage chamber 9, so that from the storage chamber 9 and to the suction channel 18, its segment 24 to the side of the partition wall 21 and the partition wall 22 and is limited by the ceiling of the cover 5, there is no connection. A further cover segment 26, which is delimited by the partition walls 22 and 23 and which covers the collecting chamber 10, includes a separating hood 27 which is open at the bottom and has a circular-cylindrical outline. While the upper part of the separating hood 27 forms a bulge in the cover 5, its lower part protrudes into the cover segment 25. The lower limit of the separating hood 27 runs obliquely downwards, the deepest point being at the very front of the separating hood 27. The beveled part protrudes into the collecting chamber 10.

Due to the edge area of the separating hood 27 located within the cover segment 26, a suction Passed pipe socket 28, the end of which is bent vertically upward to the ceiling of the separating cover within the separating cover 27. The other end of the suction pipe socket 28 is also bent vertically upwards and leads through the ceiling of the cover 5 to the outside. The partition 21 is brought tangentially to the foremost part of the upward end of the intake manifold 28 and coincides there with the tube wall.

The end of the intake pipe socket 28 is framed by the partition 22 from the side and from below. On both sides of the suction pipe socket 28, the partition wall 22 has a passage opening 30, in each of which a fluff filter 29 is inserted (see FIGS. 3 and 4).

The separating hood 27 does not cover the entire collecting chamber 10. In particular above the front part of the collecting chamber 10 there is a passage between the wall of the separating hood 27 and the inner wall of the bucket 4 into the cover segment 26. The direct line of sight from the collecting chamber 10 to the fluff filters 29 is, however, through baffles 31 Prevents which protrude below the fluff filters 29 and the back of them diagonally upwards and bent downward from the partition 22 in the further course. The two baffle surfaces 31 are somewhat wider than the fluff filters 29. The spaces between the baffle surfaces 31 and the fluff filters 29 are laterally through the horizontal part of the suction pipe socket 28 and through perpendicular walls which are fastened to the baffle surfaces 31 and the partition 22 , limited. In the L-shaped parts 15 there are also handles 37 for lifting the bucket 4 out.

The wet vacuum cleaner 1 is operated in the following manner. First, cleaning liquid is poured into the storage chamber 9 in the bucket 4. Then the bucket 4 is inserted into the trough 3 and the cover 5 is placed and locked. The wet vacuum cleaner is thus ready for operation.

Cleaning liquid from the storage chamber 9 emerges from the storage chamber 9 through the opened valve 14 and is sprayed onto the surface to be cleaned by means of a pump in the device part 6 and is then taken up by means of a suction nozzle, not shown, from which the dirt particles containing the suctioned-off particles are removed Cleaning liquid mixed with suction air is sucked through a hose, not shown, attached to the suction pipe socket 28 and through the suction pipe socket 28 into the separating hood 27. There the used cleaning liquid is separated from the suction air. While the used cleaning liquid flows into the collecting chamber 10, the air flows upwards between the inner wall of the container 10 and the separating hood 27, around the baffle surface 31 and through the fluff filter 29 into the suction channel 18. In the suction channel 18, the suction air is guided to the rear on both sides of the bucket 4 and along the cover segments and from there it is transported downwards through a chimney 33 and an inlet opening 34 into the suction fan in the device part 6. A small part of the suction air entering the suction channel 18 through the fluff filter 29 can also flow to the chimney 33 through the gap-shaped free space 35 between the bucket 4 and the trough 3, which is not airtightly separated from the suction channel 18.

If the wet vacuum is to be transported, it is rotated from the horizontal working position into a vertical transport position in which the part in the working position at the front with the trough 3 becomes the upper part. This has the consequence that the liquids, which were previously only in the lower part of the bucket 4, now flow partially into the lid, so that the liquid level runs approximately parallel to the axis of the two ends of the suction pipe socket 28.

No problem occurs in the storage chamber 9 and in the cover segment 25, which together - if one disregards the removal opening 13 - form a chamber which is closed on all sides. It is different if the used cleaning liquid is rotated through 90 ° in the collecting chamber 10. The collecting chamber 10 communicates with the suction channel 18, and it must be prevented that liquid gets into the suction channel 18. This is also ensured by the design of the wet vacuum cleaner. If the wet vacuum cleaner is brought from the horizontal into the vertical position, the used cleaning fluid flows into the separating hood 27 and from there into the suction pipe socket 28. However, thanks to the design of the wet vacuum cleaner, the liquid cannot reach the top lying fluff filters 29 - and also not to the outwardly directed end of the suction pipe socket 28 - rise. Even if the reversal occurs suddenly, the liquid is prevented from spilling into the fluff filters 29 by the baffles.

It is essential for the construction of the wet vacuum that a total of three mutually sealed chambers are created, namely firstly the storage chamber 9 with the segment 25 for fresh cleaning liquid, furthermore the collecting chamber 10 with the lid segment 26 for dirty cleaning liquid and finally the suction channel 18 the cover segment 24 for sucking off the suction air. These three chambers are sealed against each other in that the lid is placed on the device. Due to the engagement of the partitions 21, 22 and 23, the sealing takes place without additional structural modifications being necessary. If the lid is opened, all three chambers are also opened, the bucket with the chambers 9 and 10 can then be removed from the trough 3 in a simple manner.

The arrangement of the connection opening between the collecting chamber 10 and the segment 26 (dirty water chamber) on the one hand and the suction channel 18 on the other hand is also essential. In any case, this connection lies on the side facing the front wall of the device and is arranged as high as possible. This ensures, both in the horizontal working position and in the set-up position pivoted through 90 °, that these through-opening maximum distance from the respective liquid level. This also applies to the pivoting movement itself, which normally takes place around the edge of the device which is diagonally diametrically opposite the through opening. Here, too, the liquid level in the storage chamber 9 always moves at the maximum distance from the passage opening 30 into the suction channel. This effect is reinforced by the fact that a flexible partition 11 is provided between the storage chamber 9 and the collecting chamber 10. In the horizontal working position, the filling quantity of the bucket 4 is always distributed in the region of the bucket near the bottom and thus at the maximum distance from the passage opening into the suction channel. Even when set up, there is a maximum distance of the liquid level from the passage opening, since the liquid first completely fills the storage chamber 9 and only then does the filling of the collecting chamber 10 begin. This results from the positioning of the collecting chamber 10 in the immediate vicinity of the front wall of the device.

Despite this complete tightness both in the working position and in the set-up or carrying position pivoted through 90 °, no complicated seals have to be produced in order to prevent the liquid from entering the suction channel in any case. When the device is in a horizontal position, it is sufficient to insert the bucket into the trough and to close the lid, which then automatically takes over the necessary seals.

Claims

P A T E N T A N S P R Ü C H E

Wet vacuum cleaner with a suction fan and a pump for a cleaning liquid, with a removable bucket, which is divided into a storage chamber for the fresh cleaning liquid and a collecting chamber for the used cleaning liquid, with a trough open in the working position in the front part of the wet vacuum cleaner for receiving of the bucket, with a cover covering the bucket, which is divided into two cover segments separated from one another by partitions, one of which closes the storage chamber and the other closes the collection chamber, with an intake connection opening into the collection chamber for those with Used cleaning liquid loaded suction air and with a suction channel for transporting the suction air separated from the used cleaning liquid to the suction fan, characterized in that the collecting chamber (10) is adjacent to the front wall of the wet vacuum cleaner (1), that the cover (5) is one of the two lids egmen (25, 26) separated by a partition (22) has another cover segment (24) which the between the bucket (4) and the front wall, the suction channel (18) closes tightly on the upper side thereof, and that either in the partition wall (22) between the cover segment (26) above the collecting chamber (10) and the other, the cover segment (24) closing the suction channel (18) or in the upper edge area of the bucket (4) in the side facing the front wall there is a passage opening (30) for the dry suction air opening into the suction channel (18).

2. Wet vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the trough (3) is connected to the suction fan and the suction channel (18) for the dry Sauglu t through the trough (3), the egg used in this egg (4) and the lid (5) is limited and tightly closed.

3. Wet vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized gekenn¬ characterized in that a fluff filter (29) is provided through which the dry suction air in the Saugka¬ channel (18) enters.

Wet vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that an impact surface (31) is arranged in front of the passage opening (30).

5. Wet vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction nozzle (28) is completely integrated in the cover (5).

Wet vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a separating hood (27) which is open to the collecting chamber (10) and into which the suction nozzle (28) opens is arranged in the cover (5).

Wet vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a frame (12) is provided between the chambers (9 or 10), in which a flexible partition (11) is clamped in bulk.

Wet vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the upper edge of the bucket (4) placed in the trough (3) is flush with the upper edge of the trough (3).

9. Wet vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a removal opening

(13) is provided on the bottom of the storage chamber (9), which, according to the position and configuration - with the correct position of the bucket (4) in the trough (3) - fits to an opening (8) in the trough (3), and that a with the valve (4) placed in the trough (3) open valve

(14) is fitted in the opening (13).

10. Wet vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the lower part (17) of the suction channel (18) of a step-shaped expansion (7) at the upper edge of the trough (3) and the wall of a lateral extension of the bucket (4th ), which protrudes into the extension (7) and rests on it, is formed.

11. Wet vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, characterized in that the bucket (4) is not in its lower part on the trough (3) and that the gap-shaped space (35) between the bucket (4) and trough (3) with the lower part (17th ) of the suction channel (18) is connected.