EP0630604A1 - Vacuum cleaner, more particularly nozzle or part of same - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner (floor-type vacuum cleaner, cylinder vacuum cleaner) (43), more particularly nozzle (attachment) or part of same (1), preferably a suction brush device (10) for the care of carpeted floors or hard floors, having a drivable rotating brush (11) and a suction space (15) bounded by skirt means (V), the skirt means (V) being liftable and lowerable relative to the vacuum cleaner (43). In order to improve a vacuum cleaner (43) of the generic type in a manner which is simple in terms of production, especially to the effect that optimal suction power is achieved both on carpets and on hard floors, it is proposed that a movement of the skirt means (V) can be executed independently of a floor clearance of the vacuum cleaner (43). <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a floor suction device, in particular attachment or part of an electric vacuum cleaner, preferably suction brush device for caring for carpets or hard floors, with a drivable, rotating brush and a suction space which is limited by curtain means, the curtain means being able to be raised relative to the floor vacuum device are lowerable.

Floor suction devices of this type are known, and these are arranged, for example, via a pipe coupling on an electric vacuum cleaner or the like. These floor suction devices have a separate electric drive for rotating a brush roller arranged in the device. Textile surfaces are usually cleaned by vacuuming the dirt, which is loosened by the brush roller located in a mouthpiece and reaching into the carpet. When cleaning hard floors there is a risk that the edges of the mouthpiece touching the hard floor will damage it. To avoid this, the suction mouth on hard floors is lifted off the floor to be maintained. This is done, for example, by bristle strips which are arranged around the suction mouth. This increase in the overall nozzle increases the air inlet opening of the suction mouthpiece. However, since an efficient suction is no longer possible from a certain size of this opening, said opening must be reduced by means of a seal in the form of curtain means. Here it is known, for example, to arrange the curtain means all on a plate which can be moved perpendicular to the floor surface to be worked, which plate is arranged around the suction mouthpiece. This carrier plate can by means of a Mechanics can be extended and retracted, whereby the suction mouth is lifted from the floor to be maintained. It proves to be particularly disadvantageous here that such a device requires a relatively large storage space in the mouthpiece and thus increases the overall height of the mouthpiece. However, this prevents the floor from being cleaned under furniture or the like.

The object of the present invention is to improve a generic floor suction device in a technically simple manner, above all in such a way that optimum suction power is given both on carpets and on hard floors.

This object is achieved by the invention specified in the main claim.

The subclaims represent advantageous developments of the subject matter of the invention.

As a result of such an embodiment, a floor suction device is created which has an optimal suction power both on carpets and on hard floors. For this purpose, it is provided that the curtain means can be moved independently of a floor clearance of the floor suction device. Accordingly, the variability of the suction space or an adjustability of the suction gap of the suction space resulting with respect to the floor is achieved by activatable curtain means which can be raised or lowered without changing the height of the floor suction device as a whole or the brush or brush roller. In contrast to the known prior art, it is not necessary to raise the floor suction device or the suction brush device to activate the curtain means. It is rather the case that the Distance between a base plate of the device and the floor to be maintained can remain the same both when caring for carpets and when caring for hard floors. This distance is given in a known manner in that the device is provided with wheels or the like. For the care of carpets, the curtain means remain in a raised position. Here, the dirt is sucked out, which is loosened by the brush located in a mouthpiece of the device and reaching into the carpet. The air inlet opening of the suction mouthpiece is limited here by the support of the edge edges of the suction mouthpiece on the carpet pile. When hard floors are suctioned off, however, this requirement is omitted, so that due to the ground clearance of the floor suction device there is an enlargement of the air inlet opening of the suction nozzle. Since above a certain size of this opening, however, efficient suction is no longer possible, due to the fact that the speed of the air sucked in through the excessively large air gap is too low to entrain the dirt, said opening must be reduced by means of curtain means. For this purpose, the latter are lowered in such a way that they rest on the hard floor to be maintained and thus limit the suction space. The activation or reactivation of the curtain means can be achieved, for example, by pivoting the curtain means from a lowered position to a raised position or vice versa. The curtain means can thus, for example, be attached to the bottom of the floor suction device so as to be movable. As already mentioned, the aforementioned curtain means serve as a seal for limiting the suction space when maintaining hard floors in the form of a lip or a row of brushes. In a preferred embodiment it is provided that the lowering of the curtain means by a in the course of essential horizontal shifting installation is feasible. Furthermore, the curtain means can be guided in a backdrop in such a way that the curtain means are lowered and pivoted by an essentially translatory movement of a frame edge of the curtain means. This configuration can require a certain rigidity of the curtain means. Furthermore, it is preferred that the lowering or raising of the curtain means can be operated by a switch, for example via a foot switch of the floor suction device. The lowering of the curtain means can be supported in that a spring preload acts in the lowered position. Here it is conceivable to hold the curtain means in the raised position via Bowden cables or the like, after which the Bowden cables are relaxed after actuation of a switch or the like and the curtain means are thus moved into the lowered position due to the spring preload. It is particularly important if, in the case of curtain means which are guided in a backdrop, the frame edge is at the same time an axis of rotation. If, for example, a lip is provided as a curtain means, it can also be accommodated in a guide, in particular an edge-side guide with respect to a longitudinal extension of the lip, so that its tip is still trapped in this guide even in the raised state. When the frame edge or the axis of rotation is moved substantially horizontally, the tip of the curtain means or the lip is automatically moved and pivoted by the guide into the desired downward position. For this purpose, the axis of rotation can be held on and moved with an essentially translationally movable carriage For example, the aforementioned embodiment can be designed in such a way that for sealing the suction space in the front area and possibly also laterally Bristle strips can be lowered as curtain means, with a very thin, flexible sealing lip being arranged in the rear area (with regard to a direction of travel of the floor suction device), which can simultaneously perform a translatory and rotary movement, as a result of which it assumes a position perpendicular to these when vacuuming hard surfaces . In the case of functions in which a sealing of the suction space is not necessary or appears appropriate, the sealing lip is positioned essentially in a position parallel to the surface to be extracted, free of mechanical stresses and protected against unnecessary contamination, this position at the same time avoiding wear-related malfunctions and the danger greatly reduced from incorrect operation. When hard floors are cared for, the rear edge of the suction space is sealed according to the invention by a thin and flexible sealing lip which is in a position perpendicular to the hard floor. If the sealing lip is sufficiently flexible, damage to the hard surface to be cleaned by dirt particles can be avoided. At the same time, such a sealing lip has a high self-cleaning effect, so that the risk of jamming of the sealing lip due to the accumulation of dirt can be avoided in connection with the translatory-rotational movement of the lip. The above-described embodiment of the invention allows a very small overall height of only a few millimeters by using small-sized components. Furthermore, a very low overall height can be achieved by using small wall thicknesses of the backdrop and integrating it directly into the floor of the floor suction device. It is also conceivable that in the hard floor cleaning operation the air intake opening, ie the gap of the suction space with respect to the floor, is reduced leaves that the suction mouthpiece is provided by means of a two-part seal on the bottom side of the mouthpiece. On the front, for example, a row of bristles, which as a rule cannot be adjusted in height, can be provided as a seal, while a height-adjustable seal in the form of a sealing lip, but possibly also in the form of a further row of bristles, is provided on the rear. The seal can be divided into two parts from a sealing mechanism that extends over a width and one or both side edges of the mouthpiece or across a width of the mouthpiece, or from a sealing mechanism or curtain means that extends over the motor or brush side of the mouthpiece. Here it has been assumed, for example, that the floor suction device has its own motor, which is arranged behind the mouthpiece in the direction of travel of the floor suction device. The one curtain means, which forms the height-adjustable seal in the form of a lip or a row of brushes, can further be designed as a sealing film which extends over a partial area of the bottom side of the mouthpiece and bulges over a width of the mouthpiece in the direction of the bottom, in particular the hard bottom. This can be realized in an advantageous manner in that the curtain means can be lowered or raised, in particular a height-adjustable seal in the form of a lip, by folding or unfolding a membrane part. Furthermore, it is proposed that the unfolded membrane part rests essentially on an underside of a bottom of the floor suction device. This also gives a low overall height of the curtain means formed in the form of a membrane part. In a preferred embodiment, the curtain means in the form of a membrane part can be raised or lowered by folding or unfolding transversely to an essentially horizontal displacement movement of a folding end region of the membrane part. When the membrane part is designed as a sealing film, a bulge can be carried out so far that it extends to the hard floor to be vacuumed. An outer apex line of the bump formed in this way can therefore lie on the floor or rub over it, when the floor suction device is moved. When using the floor suction device for carpet cleaning, an adjustment can be made in that the sealing film is stored or extends on the bottom side of the mouthpiece without bulging, ie in a stretched form. The sealing film itself can consist of an elastic, resettable material, in particular of plastic or a metal foil. Otherwise the desired function of the bulge to seal and the return to the bottom of the mouthpiece in the textile cleaning operation is not achieved. In particular, the sealing film can also be constructed in multiple layers, namely from one or more layers of an elastic, resilient material, in particular plastic material, and from one or more layers of an elastic and resilient metal film. In addition, the sealing film can also be covered on the outside with bristle hair. There is then a combined row of bristles and sealing film as a seal or curtain means. The sealing film can also have one or more interruptions across the width of the mouthpiece. In particular, it is then also possible to activate only individual sections of the sealing film in the sense of bulging. In addition, the sealing film can also have two bulges, in particular seen in a longitudinal cross section, so that two bulge apex lines are formed one behind the other in the direction of travel. The sealing film can also have two or more Have material thicknesses. The bulging and resetting of the sealing film can be achieved by a slide which compresses or tightens the sealing film and which can be moved mechanically. Furthermore, the slide can also be movable by means of an energy source located inside or on the suction mouthpiece. For example, by an electric motor. Overall, it is essential that the lowering of the lip can be carried out by means of an installation that takes place in the course of an essentially horizontal displacement. Thus, the longitudinal edges are pushed towards one another essentially horizontally by moving a longitudinal edge, and the lip is lowered by forming a downward fold. In combination, a total height adjustment known per se can also be provided in the case of a floor suction device of the above-described embodiments, which, however, is not essential for raising or lowering the curtain means. The latter can be raised or lowered independently of any height adjustability. In a combinative embodiment of this type, this means that the curtain means can be raised or lowered both in a low position and in a high position of a height-adjustable floor suction device. In addition, the height of the rotatable brush can also be provided, optionally further and in combination, whereby this design also ensures that the movement of the curtain means is independent.

The invention further relates to a suction mouthpiece for a cleaning device, in particular for a floor suction device with a floor touching the floor to be sung in the carpet cleaning operation and preferably lifted off the floor to be vacuumed in the hard floor cleaning operation, with a rotatable, motor-operated brush roller or similar mouthpiece. When cleaning hard floors, it is provided here that the delimitation of the suction space can be achieved partly by stationary curtain means and partly by an activatable curtain means. Here, for example, the design can be chosen so that the stationary curtain means are arranged in a fixed position on the bottom of the floor suction device, preferably in front of (with regard to a direction of travel of the floor suction device) the suction space and to the side of the suction space. The activatable curtain means is accordingly preferably arranged to be raised or lowered on the rear side of the suction space, and here, too, the activatable curtain means can be raised or lowered independently of the respective height of the mouthpiece. All of the above-mentioned embodiments of raising or lowering curtain means can be used here. The said curtain means can be designed as a lip. It is also conceivable to form a row of bristles as curtain means. When realizing the suction mouthpiece, the suction space of which is partly delimited by stationary and partly by activatable curtain means, it is preferred that the stationary curtain means be designed as a row of bristles and the activatable curtain means as a lip. However, it is also conceivable to design both the stationary and the activatable curtain means as a row of bristles. Furthermore, the stationary and the activatable curtain means can be designed as a lip, in particular in the form of a sealing film which is covered with bristle hair.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a suction brush device for caring for carpets or hard floors, with a rotating brush which can be driven by an electric motor and with front brushes. Here is in a preferred one Design provided that the sweeping bristles can be moved vertically between a lowered position lying on the floor upon a switch actuation and a raised position and that the electric motor drive of the brush can be switched on or off at the same time, the sweeping bristles being curtain means in the sense of the above description. The electromotive drive of the rotating brush can be switched on or off in the course of the switch actuation of the bristles. Depending on the surface, ie depending on whether to be vacuumed on carpets or hard floors, the sweeping bristles can now be lowered or raised, with the electric motor drive of the brush also being able to be switched on or off here. For example, when vacuuming carpets, it is desirable to switch on the electric motor drive, with the brush bristles remaining in a raised position. When vacuuming carpet fringes or the like, it is expedient to switch off the electric motor drive, the brush bristles also being raised here. Hard floors, on the other hand, are optimally vacuumed when the bristles rest on the floor and the electric motor drive is switched off here. However, it is also conceivable to switch on this drive for improved maintenance. In order to achieve these different positions of the sweeping bristles or switching positions of the electromotive drive, the suction brush device has a switch which both lowers and raises the sweeping bristles and switches the drive on or off. In a preferred embodiment it is provided that the brush drive is switched off when the bristles are lowered. This means that in the course of lowering the bristles arranged in front of the rotating brush, the electric motor drive of the brush is also switched off.

In an advantageous manner it can further be provided that the brush drive can be switched on or off when the bristles are raised. When vacuuming carpets or the like, it is desirable that the bristles are raised and the electric motor drive of the rotating brush is switched on. Such a position of the switch can be defined as the basic position. From this basic position, the electric motor drive can be switched off via the switch, for example when carpet fringes or the like are to be extracted. Here, switching on the drive would cause the fringes to wind up on the rotating brush, which could lead to damage to the carpet or to a defect in the suction brush device. The device according to the invention is particularly optimized in terms of handling in that the switching operation can be carried out via a foot switch. This foot switch is expediently arranged in an easily accessible area of the suction brush device. It is also conceivable here to arrange two foot switches arranged in parallel on both sides of the tubular foot of the electric vacuum cleaner. In the case of foot switches which have a mechanism for lowering or lifting the bristles and switching the drive on or off, the foot switches are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner. Such a mechanism can preferably be designed such that the foot switch is connected to the bristles or to a bristle strip via a Bowden cable. A bristle strip which is preferably used in a suction brush device can thus be brought into a lowered or raised position depending on the actuation of the foot switch by means of the Bowden cable via deflection rollers. This design can be optimized in that the bristles or bristle strip are loaded in their lowered position by a compression spring.

Here, the Bowden cable is released only by means of the foot switch, which causes the bristles or the bristle strip to be lowered via the compression spring. In order to optimize the vertical movement of the bristles or the bristle strip, two Bowden cables are preferred. It is now also conceivable to equip a suction brush device designed in this way with two bristle strips, one being arranged in front of and one behind the rotating brush. As a result, when vacuuming hard floors or the like, a vacuum space is formed, which leads to optimal suction of the floor. As previously mentioned, the brush drive is switched off in such a position, ie with the bristles lowered. In a preferred development of the subject matter of the invention it is provided that the bristles or the bristle strip are arranged in front of the brush roller and a sealing lip behind the brush roller, which sealing lip can likewise be moved vertically together with the bristles (in the same way). This sealing lip is a curtain means in the sense of the above description. Based on the previously discussed idea, an optimized vacuum space is hereby formed, which is particularly advantageous in particular when vacuuming tile floors or the like. The dirt particles lying in the tile joints are optimally suctioned off when the bristle strip and sealing lip are lowered due to the vacuum space formed. The sealing lip and the bristle strip are simultaneously lowered or raised when the switch is actuated. It is also conceivable to load the sealing lip into its lowered position via a compression spring in accordance with the bristle strip. In a further embodiment it can be provided that two switches are arranged one below the other, the lower switch being actuable by the upper one. The design can be selected here that the upper switch switches the electric motor of the brush roller on and the lower switch causes a curtain means to be raised or lowered. The curtain means can be designed as a brush strip or as a sealing lip. In a preferred embodiment it is provided that a slight actuation of the upper switch causes the electric motor of the brush roller to be switched on and off and a stronger actuation causes the lower switch to be switched over, as a result of which the curtain means are raised or lowered accordingly. As already mentioned, it is preferred that the electric drive of the brush roller is switched off when cleaning hard floors. This can also be taken into account in the above-mentioned design, in that when the upper switch is actuated more strongly and the associated lower switch is operated, on the one hand the curtain means are lowered and on the other hand the electric motor of the brush roller is switched off or vice versa. Furthermore, this design is optimized so that the lower switch is covered by the upper switch. In order to ensure that the upper switch always moves back into its basic position after actuation, it is provided that the upper switch is spring-supported on the lower switch. However, it is also conceivable to resiliently support the upper switch on the device housing side, ie on the chassis of the suction brush device. Likewise, the lower switch is also spring-supported on the suction device housing. In the case of a curtain means which, as described above, is guided in such a way that, when a frame edge of the curtain means is substantially translationally occupied, this curtain means is lowered and pivoted away, in a preferred embodiment of the subject matter of the invention it is provided that the lower switch is switched on Link the frame edge of the curtain means is moved substantially horizontally. When the frame edge or the axis of rotation thus formed is moved substantially horizontally, the curtain means, which is preferably designed as a sealing lip, is moved and pivoted into the desired downward position. For this purpose, as previously described, the curtain means lies in a backdrop in which the frame edge can be moved, the backdrop being formed on the one hand by a base plate and on the other hand by a cover on the housing side. Advantageously, the floor panel can be designed to be removable, which exposes the inclusion of the curtain means after the floor panel has been removed. The curtain means, for example the sealing lip, can thus be replaced. In order to switch the electric motor of the brush roller according to the requirements, it is further provided that both the upper switch and the lower switch act on one contact switch, both contact switches switching the brush operation on or off. In this case, an arrangement is preferred in which the upper switch acts on a contact switch which sends a pulse each time it is actuated to switch the brush mode on or off. An opener is preferably used as the contact switch of the lower switch, which generally switches off brush operation when the lower switch is actuated, regardless of the last pulse transmitted by the upper contact switch. This means a general standstill of the brush roller with lowered curtain means for cleaning hard floors. The actuation of the lower switch causes the curtain means to pivot into a lowered position. In order to provide the user with information for the current operating state of the suction brush device, it is proposed that a functional lamp for brush and suction operation, for only suction operation and are intended for suction operation with lowered curtain means. This means that during normal operation, ie when vacuuming carpets, a function lamp lights up and thus conveys to the user that both the electric motor of the brush roller is switched on and the curtain means are in a raised position. The brush drive is switched off from this normal position by gently actuating the upper switch, which is preferably designed as a foot switch. This operating status is indicated by another function lamp. When the upper switch (foot switch) is pressed hard, the action on the lower switch causes the curtain means to be lowered and, if not previously done, the electric motor drive of the brush roller to be switched off. This third operating state is also indicated by a separate function lamp. In an advantageous manner, the function lamps are also used in such a way that when the brush drive is blocked, all function lamps are flashing. If, for example, the brush drive is not switched off by means of the upper switch (foot switch) when vacuuming carpet fringes, this can lead to the brush drive being blocked. In order to avoid damage to the carpet fringes and also the suction brush device, the device has an automatic shutdown of the electric drive of the brush roller when the latter is blocked. This state is now indicated by the flashing of all the function lamps, which conveys to the user that the user must remove the blocking carpet fringes or the like from the brush roller.

In a further embodiment of the foot switch, the brush strip and / or sealing lip is used to implement the different switching positions with simultaneous switching on or off of the electric motor drive of the brush, it is further provided that the foot switch has a locking pin which interacts with a backdrop in which locking receptacles are formed in corresponding switching positions. It is possible to switch from a defined basic position of the foot switch to several switching levels, whereby both skipping over several levels and switching back from any level to the basic level is possible. In this case, a backdrop is preferred which has latching receptacles for three switching positions. The first switching position relates to the basic position, in which the rotating brush is preferably driven by an electric motor and the bristle strip and / or the sealing lip remain in a raised position via the Bowden cable. In a second switching position, the electromotive drive of the brush is switched off in the preferred embodiment, the bristle strip and / or the sealing lip remaining raised. From this switch position it is possible to switch back directly to the basic position, ie to the first switch position. Both the basic position and the second switching position can be switched to the third switching position, in which case the electromotive drive is switched off and the Bowden cable is relieved at the same time, which means that the brush strip and / or the sealing lip are lowered due to the compression springs. From this third stage you can switch back to the basic position. An embodiment is preferred in which the link is fastened in a rotatable manner, but can be controlled in the rotational movement by the locking pin. The arrangement of the Bowden cable on the foot switch is advantageously realized in that the control pin of the Bowden cable in an elongated hole Hard disk is guided and can be operated by a foot switch plate. Depending on the switch position, the control pin, which is guided in an elongated hole in the housing-side hard disk, is held or released in a pull position by means of the foot switch plate. For this purpose, the foot switch plate can be provided with a projection or the like, which holds the control pin in a basic position in order to achieve the raised position of the bristle strip and / or the sealing lip, the Bowden cable here being pulled against the spring force of the compression springs of the bristle strip and / or the sealing lip . When the foot switch is actuated, the projection of the foot switch plate now releases the control pin, which means that the latter can be moved freely within the elongated hole. Due to the spring force of the compression springs, the bristle strip and / or sealing lip are now lowered. Finally, it is provided in an advantageous development that a control cam is formed in the foot switch plate, through which the control pin can be displaced, which control cam is designed such that the control pin is only shifted when a third switching position is reached. As described above, the brush strip and / or the sealing lip should be raised in a first and in a second switching position. The arrangement of the elongated hole in the hard disk and the control cam in the foot switch plate are selected so that there is no release or displacement of the control pin in the first and second switching positions. The electromotive drive of the rotating brush can be switched on or off here via an electrical switch which, in the basic position, ie in the first switching position, closes the circuit for driving the brush. This can be realized, for example, in that a cam is arranged on the foot switch, which acts on the electrical switch. When the second switch position is reached The cam leaves the area of the electric switch, which opens it and interrupts the circuit for driving the brush. As already mentioned, the control pin of the Bowden cable is not yet shifted, so that the bristle strip and / or the sealing lip remain raised.

Figur 1

eine Ansicht eines mit einem erfindungsgemäßen Saug-Bürstengerät versehenen Elektro-Staubsaugers, gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform,

Figur 2

das Saug-Bürstengerät in schematischer Darstellung in Draufsicht,

Figur 3

eine schematische Darstellung der Anordnung einer Fußschaltermechanik des Saug-Bürstengerätes,

Figur 4

eine perspektivische Darstellung eines Fußschalters in einer Grund- bzw. ersten Schaltstellung,

Figur 5

die Vorderansicht auf den Fußschalter in der Grund- bzw. ersten Schaltstellung, wobei zur verbesserten Darstellung eine Fußschalterplatte strichpunktiert dargestellt ist,

Figur 6

den Schnitt gemäß der Linie VI-VI in Figur 2, die Stellung einer Borstenleiste und einer Dichtlippe, welche beide als Vorhangmittel ausgebildet sind, in Abhängigkeit von der Stellung des Fußschalters gemäß Figur 5 betreffend, ebenfalls in schematischer Darstellung,

Figur 7

eine der Figur 5 entsprechende Darstellung, jedoch eine zweite Schaltstellung betreffend,

Figur 8

eine weitere Darstellung gemäß Figur 5, eine dritte Schaltstellung betreffend,

Figur 9

eine der Figur 6 entsprechende Darstellung, jedoch die Schaltstellung des Fußschalters gemäß Figur 8 betreffend,

Figur 10

ein Bodensauggerät einer zweiten Ausführungsform im Teppichbodenbetrieb, schematisch in einer Seitenansicht,

Figur 11

das Bodensauggerät gemäß Fig. 10 im Hartbodenbetrieb,

Figur 12

ein Bodensauggerät einer dritten Ausführungsform, in einer Darstellung gemäß Fig. 10, im Teppichbodenbetrieb,

Figur 13

ein Bodensauggerät gemäß Fig. 12 im Hartbodenbetrieb,

Figur 14

eine Einzeldarstellung der in dem Bodensauggerät gemäß Fig. 12 bzw. Fig. 13 verwirklichten Dichtlippe,

Figur 15

eine Abfolge des Ausfahrens der Dichtlippe gemäß Fig. 14,

Figur 16

das Bodensauggerät in schematischer Darstellung in Draufsicht,

Figur 17

eine schematische Ansicht zu Darstellung des Ein- bzw. Ausfahrens der Dichtlippe in Abhängigkeit von einer Betätigung einer Fußtaste, die ausgefahrende Stellung der Dichtlippe betreffend,

Figur 18

eine der Fig. 17 entsprechende Darstellung, jedoch bei Betätigung des Fußschalters und damit einhergehendem Einfahren der Dichtlippe,

Figur 19

eine weitere Ausführungsform des Bodensauggerätes in schematischer Darstellung in Draufsicht,

Figur 20

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung des Bodensauggerätes im Bereich einer Bürstenwalze, absenkbarer Vorhangmittel und eines Fußschalters, die angehobene Stellung der Vorhangmittel betreffend,

Figur 21

eine Darstellung gemäß der Fig. 20, jedoch bei leichter Betätigung des Fußschalters,

Figur 22

eine weitere Darstellung gemäß der Fig. 20, jedoch bei stärkerer Betätigung des Fußschalters,

Figur 23

die Schnittdarstellung gemäß Fig. 20, jedoch bei abgesenkten Vorhangmitteln und

Figur 24

eine schematische Darstellung der Mechanik zum Anheben bzw. Absenken der Vorhangmittel, in Perspektive.

The subject matter of the invention is explained in more detail below with the aid of four illustrative exemplary embodiments. It shows:

Figure 1

1 shows a view of an electric vacuum cleaner provided with a suction brush device according to the invention, according to a first embodiment,

Figure 2

the suction brush device in a schematic representation in plan view,

Figure 3

1 shows a schematic representation of the arrangement of a foot switch mechanism of the suction brush device,

Figure 4

1 shows a perspective illustration of a foot switch in a basic or first switching position,

Figure 5

the front view of the foot switch in the basic or first switching position, with a foot switch plate being shown in dash-dot lines for improved illustration,

Figure 6

the section along the line VI-VI in Figure 2, the position of a bristle strip and a sealing lip, both of which are designed as curtain means, depending on the Regarding the position of the foot switch according to FIG. 5, likewise in a schematic illustration,

Figure 7

5 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 5, but relating to a second switching position,

Figure 8

5 shows a further illustration according to FIG.

Figure 9

6 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 6, but relating to the switching position of the foot switch according to FIG. 8,

Figure 10

a floor suction device of a second embodiment in carpet operation, schematically in a side view,

Figure 11

10 in hard floor operation,

Figure 12

10 is a floor suction device of a third embodiment, shown in FIG. 10, in carpet operation,

Figure 13

12 in the hard floor mode,

Figure 14

12 shows an individual representation of the sealing lip realized in the floor suction device according to FIG. 12 or FIG. 13,

Figure 15

14 a sequence of the extension of the sealing lip according to FIG. 14,

Figure 16

the floor suction device in a schematic representation in plan view,

Figure 17

2 shows a schematic view to show the retraction or extension of the sealing lip as a function of an actuation of a foot switch relating to the extended position of the sealing lip,

Figure 18

17 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 17, but when the foot switch is actuated and the sealing lip is retracted,

Figure 19

another embodiment of the floor suction device in a schematic representation in plan view,

Figure 20

2 shows a schematic sectional illustration of the floor suction device in the area of a brush roller, lowerable curtain means and a foot switch, relating to the raised position of the curtain means,

Figure 21

20, but with a slight actuation of the foot switch,

Figure 22

20 shows a further illustration according to FIG. 20, but with greater actuation of the foot switch,

Figure 23

the sectional view of FIG. 20, but with lowered curtain means and

Figure 24

a schematic representation of the mechanics for raising or lowering the curtain means, in perspective.

The illustrated electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-9 is designed as a hand-held device. It has a housing 2, to which there is a handle 3 with a handle 4 at the end. In the transition area between handle 4 and handle 3 there is an on / off switch 5. The electrical cable connection is identified by the number 6.

The housing 2 is subdivided into a motor housing 7 and a chamber 8 extending above it for receiving a filter bag, not shown. The motor fan is also not shown in detail in the drawing.

The underside of the motor housing 7 merges into a pipe coupling 9 which establishes the air flow connection to a suction brush device 10.

This suction brush device 10 contains in the nozzle mouth 10 'a brush roller 11 which can be set in rotation via a separate drive 12.

The blower motor works from the bottom up and consequently presses the dust air into the filter bag, which is arranged above the motor housing 7.

The suction brush device 10, shown particularly schematically in FIG. 2, essentially consists of a housing 13, a pipe connection piece 14, the brush roller 11 arranged in a suction space 15 and the separate drive 12 arranged in the housing 13, which drives the brush roller 11 via a belt 16 can drive. The separate drive 12 is not shown Electrical connection connected to the electric vacuum cleaner 1.

As can also be seen from FIG. 2, the suction brush device 10 has two foot switches 17 arranged on both sides of the pipe connection pipe 14 at its area facing the pipe connection pipe 14. These foot switches 17 are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner by means of a coupling rod 18.

In the suction space 15, the brush roller 11 is preceded by a bristle strip 19 in the form of a curtain means V. This extends in the same way as the brush roller 11, correspondingly transversely to the direction of displacement of the suction brush device 10. In the same way, a sealing lip 20 also in the form of a curtain means V is arranged in the suction nozzle region 15 on the side of the brush roller 11 facing away from the bristle strip 19. The lengths of the brush roller 11, the bristle strip 19 and the sealing lip 20 correspond approximately to the length of the suction space 15.

Both the bristle strip 19 and the sealing lip 20 are vertically adjustable, wherein these are each preloaded into a lowered position via compression springs 21, 22 which are supported on the housing 13.

In order to move both the bristle strip 19 and the sealing lip 20 into a raised position, these are connected to the foot switches 17 via two Bowden cables 23.

A foot switch 17 consists essentially of an actuating plate 24 projecting laterally beyond the housing 13 and a lateral foot switch plate arranged on the latter at right angles to the actuating plate 24 25. The arrangement is such that the foot switch plate 25 is integrally formed on the side of the actuating plate 24 facing the housing 13. Both foot switches 17 have the same components, but in a mirrored arrangement. As already mentioned, the foot switches 17 are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner via a coupling rod 18, the ends of the coupling rod 18 being fastened in the region of the foot switch plates 25. In the installed position, the foot switch plates 25 lie flat with their sides facing the housing 13 on hard disks 26 fixed to the housing, through which the coupling rod 18 passes at the end.

Each foot switch plate 25 has a kidney-shaped control cam 27, in which a control pin 29, which passes through the hard disk 26 in the region of an L-shaped elongated hole 28, lies (see FIG. 4). The control pins 29 entering the respective foot switches 17 are connected to one another in a rotationally fixed manner via levers 30 and a control rod 31.

The Bowden cables 23 are fastened to the free ends of the control pins 29 passing through the elongated holes 28 and the control cams 27.

Each hard disk 26 also has a recess 32 in the area facing away from the elongated hole 28 for receiving a link part 33. This link part 33 is pivotably mounted on a hard disk-side pin 34 on the side facing the foot switch plate 25.

The link part 33 has a link 35 on the side facing the foot switch plate 25, which through Milling of backdrop tracks 36 is formed while maintaining backdrop islands 37.

In this setting 35, i.e. a locking pin 38 on the foot switch plate side engages in the slide track 36.

The actuating plates 24 and the foot switch plates 25 formed thereon are always pretensioned into a basic position according to FIGS. 4 and 5 by means of a helical spring 39, the helical spring 39 engaging around the coupling rod 18 and being attached at one end to this and at the other end to a hard disk 26 on the housing side. Furthermore, the coupling rod 18 is provided with a switching cam 40 which interacts with a pushbutton switch 41 on the housing side.

The operation of a foot switch 17 is as follows: In a first switch position according to FIG. 5, which corresponds to the basic position, the actuating plate 24 of the foot switch 17 is in an almost horizontal position. Here, the locking pin 38 of the foot switch plate 25 engages in a first locking receptacle A of the link 35. The switching cam 40 of the coupling rod 18 acts on the pushbutton switch 41, which closes the circuit to the roller drive 12. The brush roller 11 is thus driven by an electric motor. The control pins 29 are caught in the elongated holes 28 by means of the control cam 27 of the foot switch plate 25 in a basic position. This is the position in which the Bowden cables 23 hold both the bristle strip 19 and the sealing lip 20 in a raised position according to FIG. 6 via deflection rollers 42.

The foot switch 17 can now be operated in such a way that the locking pin 38 via the sliding path x into one retracting second catch B. During this movement, the coupling rod 18 mounted in the hard disks 26 rotates in such a way that the switching cam 40 leaves the region of the pushbutton switch 41, as a result of which the power supply to the roller drive 12 is interrupted and the electric motor drive of the brush roller 11 is switched off. Due to the kidney-shaped configuration of the control cam 27, the control pin 29 is still caught in its basic position, so that the bristle strip 19 and the sealing lip 20 remain in the raised position (see FIG. 7).

Starting from the snap-in receptacle B, a third switching position can be assumed via the pen way z by moving the snap pin 38 over the slide way z into a snap-in receptacle C and being fixed there. The associated further turning of the foot switch plate 25 around the bearing points of the coupling rod 18 in the hard disk 26 causes the kidney-shaped control cam 27 arranged on this foot switch plate 25 to drag along the control pin 29 passing through there along the slot 28 of the hard disk 26. With the support of the spring force of the compression springs 21 and 22, the bristle strip 19 and the sealing lip 20 are thereby lowered into a position lying on the floor. The switching cam 40 of the coupling rod 18 remains outside the area of the pushbutton switch 41, the current supply to the roller drive 12 being interrupted here as well. The lowered position of the bristle strip 19 and sealing lip 20 shown in FIG. 9 illustrates that in this third switching position of the foot switch 17 in the area of the brush roller 11, the suction chamber 15 is spatially separated from the surroundings, thus achieving a vacuum zone in the area of the floor covering, which optimal when vacuuming tiles or the like affects. The foot switch 17 can also be used to switch directly from the first switching position, ie from the basic position, to the third switching position while overrunning the second switching position. This can be done via the scenery path y. Furthermore, it is possible to switch back from the second switching position via the sliding path x 'as well as from the third switching position via the sliding path y' to the first switching position, ie to the basic position.

When switching back from the third switching position to the basic position, the lifting of the bristle strip 19 and the sealing lip 20 is supported by the restoring force of the coil spring 39, the foot switch plate 25 rotating back into the basic position dragging the control pin 29 along the elongated hole 28 by means of the control cam 27. For this it is necessary that the spring force of the helical spring 39 is greater than that of the compression springs 21 and 22 of the bristle strip 19 and the sealing lip 20th

10 and 11, a suction brush device 10 in the form of a floor suction device 43 with an electric motor 12 is shown in a second embodiment. A brush roller 11 is driven in rotation by means of a transmission 44. A row of brushes 11 'located on the brush roller is indicated only schematically. A plurality of such rows of brushes 11 'are provided around the circumference of the brush roller 11. The floor suction device 43 also has a mouthpiece in the form of a nozzle mouth 10 'with a suction space 15. The suction space 15 is closed off by a front edge 45 or a front bristle strip 19 in the form of a curtain means V.

In the operating state shown in FIG. 10 on a carpet, the suction space 15 is further closed off by a rear edge 46. Due to the support on the pile of the carpet, there is a still air-permeable, but largely closed delimitation of the suction space 15, so that due to the high flow velocities obtained, dirt or the like is sucked out of the carpet.

A further activatable lip or row of bristles 47 in the form of a curtain means V is also provided on the back of the brush roller 11.

As can be seen from FIG. 11, the lip or row of bristles 47 can be made to unfold by a substantially horizontal displacement of a slide 48, whereby a downward fold 49 is created, which with its apex line 50 faces or even faces the hard floor this rests.

The lip or row of bristles 47, which is, for example, strip-shaped over its length, consists in the exemplary embodiment of an elastic material, such as plastic. In particular, it can be a sealing film or a membrane part. The sealing film can consist of one or more layers based on a plastic or metal. It is also possible to fill the sealing film with bristle hair on the outside. Over the width (in the drawing: depth) of the nozzle or the suction space 15, it can be provided that there are several interruptions in the sealing film in order to make the seal flexible with good sealing properties.

In addition, an advantageous embodiment consists in executing the sealing film with several sections of different material thicknesses, so that flexible and less flexible parts are created and the flexible parts can be bent. The sealing film can thus have, in particular, essentially linear weakening zones extending over its length (in the drawing: depth). To move the sealing film, the slide 48 can be actuated mechanically or by an energy source located on or in the nozzle mouth 10 ′, such as the electric motor 12, as required.

In detail, it can be seen that the lip or row of bristles 47 in the strip-shaped configuration rests on the one hand over a section a on the slide 48, which is designed in the form of a strip 51 with a shoulder 51 in cross section. An end face of the shoulder 51 serves as an abutment for a front edge of the section a of the lip or row of bristles 47 which rests on the slide 48. The support 52 has a comparable design to the slide 48, but this is preferably not movable. But it is also possible that the support 52 is movable and the slide (support 48) is then designed to be stationary. In addition, it is also possible for both the slider 48 and the support 52 to be designed to be movable, ie movable towards one another. When cleaning a textile floor, the nozzle mouth 10 'and its singing space 15 lie close to the textile floor, the brush roller 11 loosening the dirt by penetrating the textile floor. Due to the abutment of the nozzle mouth 10 'on the textile floor, the suction space 15 is limited in regards. The sealing film or the lip or row of bristles 47 lies on a bottom side 53 of the nozzle mouth 10 'or extends essentially parallel to it.

The motor 12 and the brush roller 11 together with the transmission 44 are located one above the other in the rear region of the nozzle mouth 10 '. When the nozzle mouth 10 'is switched over to the hard floor cleaning operation according to FIG. 11, the nozzle mouth 10' can be raised. However, this is not a condition for lowering the sealing film or the curtain means V. The latter can be raised or lowered regardless of the height of the nozzle mouth 10 '.

The slider 48 is actuated, as a result of which the sealing film in the rear region of the nozzle mouth 10 'is compressed over its entire width and the sealing film bulges. The resulting bulge extends to the hard floor and in this way seals the suction chamber 15. The suction space 15 is sealed on the remaining three sides of the nozzle mouth 10 'in a conventional manner (mechanics not shown here). The latter is small due to the combined sealing even in hard floor operation according to FIG. 11.

The third exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 12-18 has an almost identical construction of the floor suction device 43, only the design of the rear curtain means V (lip or row of bristles) is different.

In the area of the bottom side 53 of the device 43, a link 54 is provided, in which a sealing lip 47 serving as curtain means V is horizontally displaceably mounted.

The sealing lip 47 is fixed off-center to a cylindrical element 55 in the form of a socket edge 56 of a small radius. A carriage 57 lying further in the link 54 engages the sealing lip 47 in the region of the mounting edge 56 or cylindrical element 55. On the underside of the link 54, i. H. on the side facing the floor to be maintained, the link 54 has a guide groove 58 which has two guide edges 59, 60 arranged offset from one another. The sealing lip 47 projects into the guide groove 58 at least with its free end region.

The socket edge 56 also forms an axis of rotation b for pivoting the lip 47 from a raised to a lowered position or vice versa.

When the carriage 57 is displaced in translation, the cylindrical element 55 rolls on its circumference, supported by the torque generated by the interaction of the sealing lip 47 with the guide groove 58. The sealing lip 47 moves translationally and rotationally until it reaches a certain end position, in which it rests free of mechanical stresses in a position almost parallel to the surface to be cleaned. This position is shown for example in Fig. 12. It is now possible to clean such surfaces in this end position without the risk of malfunctions and unnecessary contamination of the sealing lip 47 which do not require a sealing of the suction space 15.

The embodiment of the invention shown here allows you to use small-sized components (in particular slide 57 and cylindrical element 55) a very small height of only a few millimeters. Furthermore, a very low overall height can be achieved Realize using small wall thicknesses of the backdrop 54 and its direct integration into the floor 53 of the floor suction device 43. The backdrop 54 has the task of protecting and guiding the carriage 57, the cylindrical element 55 and the sealing lip 47 in order to largely prevent malfunctions due to improper handling of the floor suction device 43 by the user.

15 shows a sequence of the extension of the sealing lip 47. It can be seen that the displacement of the slide 57 results in a translatory and rotary movement of the sealing lip 47. The sealing lip 47 always protrudes into the guide groove 58 of the link 54. During a translatory movement of the sealing lip 47 by means of the carriage 57, the guide edges 59, 60 cause the sealing lip 47 to rotate about the axis of rotation b, whereby the sealing lip 47 pivots from a raised position into a lowered position for the hard floor cleaning operation. In this position (cf. in particular FIG. 14), the sealing lip 47 is supported on both sides on the guide edges 59, 60, which ensures a certain stability during hard floor cleaning operation. The sealing lip 47 is now in a position perpendicular to the hard floor surface. With sufficiently high flexibility of the sealing lip 47, damage to the hard surface to be cleaned by dirt particles can be avoided. At the same time, such a sealing lip 47 has a high self-cleaning effect, so that the risk of jamming of the sealing lip 47 due to the accumulation of dirt or the like can be avoided in connection with the translatory-rotational movement of the lip 47.

The sealing lip 47 can be made of plastic, for example. It is conceivable here that sealing lip 47 To divide several times over its entire length (in the drawing: depth), which gives increased flexibility of the sealing lip 47.

It is also conceivable, instead of a sealing lip 47, to provide a flexible bristle strip which has at least sufficient inherent stability to ensure that this curtain means V is raised or lowered without problems.

13 shows the floor suction device 43 in hard floor operation. It can be seen that flexible bristle strips 19 touch the hard floor at the same time in order to lower the sealing lip 47 in the front area and in the side areas of the nozzle mouth 10 ', the airway being at least partially sealed. However, dirt particles can penetrate into the suction chamber 15, so that they can be gripped by the rotating brush 11 and transported with the sucked-in air. These front and side bristle strips 19 are activated in a conventional manner (mechanics not shown here).

It is also possible here, as is possible in the example described above, to lift the nozzle mouth 10 ′ for the hard floor cleaning operation according to FIG. 13. Here too, lifting the nozzle mouth 10 'is not a condition for the function of the sealing lip lowering. Rather, the curtain means V, in particular the sealing lip 47, can be moved independently of a floor clearance of the floor suction device 43.

16-18 show an exemplary arrangement of the previously described third embodiment in a floor suction device 43.

The brush suction device 43 shown schematically in FIG. 16 essentially consists of a housing 13, a pipe connection piece 14, the brush roller 11 arranged in a suction space 15 and the transmission 44 arranged in the housing 13 for driving the brush roller 11.

The floor suction device 43 has a foot switch 17 arranged on the side of the pipe connection pipe 14 at its area facing the pipe connection pipe 14.

This foot switch 17 is tiltably mounted on an axis of rotation 18.

It is also conceivable to provide two foot switches 17 arranged on both sides of the pipe connection stub 14, as in the first exemplary embodiment.

17 and 18 schematically show the mechanism for raising or lowering the curtain means V, in particular the lip 47, a further embodiment of the curtain means V and the carriage 57 moving it being shown here.

The foot switch 17 is tiltably mounted on the housing 13 of the suction device 43 via the already mentioned axis 18. A helical spring 39 arranged on the axis 18 and supported at one end on the housing 13 and at the other end on the foot switch 17 always returns the foot switch 17 to a basic position according to FIG. 17. One end of a Bowden cable 62 is arranged on the foot switch 17 via a pin 61 . The latter extends over a deflection roller 63 mounted on the device housing to a free end of the slide 57, which is finger-shaped in this exemplary embodiment. This free end of the slide 57 is via a compression spring 64 17 resiliently supported against a lug 65 on the housing side, the carriage 57 remaining in a position in which the compression spring 64 is compressed due to the orientation of the Bowden cable 62 in a basic position according to FIG. 17.

When the foot switch 17 is depressed according to FIG. 18, the compression spring 64 relaxes due to the slackening of the Bowden cable 62 in such a way that the compression spring 64 moves the carriage 57 away from the lug 65 in the direction of the backdrop 54. This changes the position of the curtain means V , here the lip 47. This is achieved in that the carriage 57 detects a mounting edge 56 of the lip 47 and, due to the displacement of the carriage 57, moves the lip 47 in the link 54 in such a way that the lip 47 is raised. This is made possible by a translatory-rotary movement of the curtain means V or the lip 47.

Here it is conceivable to lock the foot switch 17 in the depressed position according to FIG. 18.

After the pressure load on the foot switch 17 has ceased, the basic position according to FIG. 17 is reached again. The foot switch 17 pivots back due to the spring force of the helical spring 39, the Bowden cable 62 moving the slide 57 back against the spring force of the compression spring 64 via the deflection roller 63. The attack of the carriage 57 on the rim 56 of the lip 47 causes a translatory-rotational movement of the lip 47, which leads to a lowering of the lip 47.

In order to prevent the lip 47 extending over the entire width of the suction space 15 from tipping over, two grip areas of the lip 47 can be provided. This is shown schematically in FIG. 16. Here it is the case that two carriages 57 engage approximately in the region of the end regions of the lip 47 on the mounting edge 56 of the lip 47 and can be displaced via Bowden cables 62 and 62 '. If a slide 57 is arranged within the housing 13 such that it lies in a different vertical plane than the foot switch 17 (see left slide 57 in FIG. 16), it is necessary to provide at least one further deflection roller 63 '.

In this exemplary embodiment it is also conceivable to design curtain means V as a brush strip, the bristles of such a brush strip having to have sufficient rigidity in order to ensure a conflict-free sequence when the foot switch 17 is actuated.

Furthermore, in addition to the activatable curtain means V in the form of a lip 47, as described, it is also possible to provide one or more further stationary curtain means V. These could be brush strips, for example, which are arranged in the direction of travel of the floor suction device 43 in front of the suction chamber 15 and laterally of the suction chamber 15.

Another embodiment is shown in Figs. 19-24.

In the floor suction device 43 shown in FIG. 19, as in the exemplary embodiments described above, a separate drive 12 in the form of an electric motor is provided, which drives a brush roller 11 via a transmission 44. The latter is provided with rows of brushes 11 '.

Essentially, the device 43 consists of a housing 13, a pipe connection piece 14, which, as already mentioned, the brush roller 11 arranged in the suction chamber 15 and the electric drive 12.

The floor suction device 43 has in its area facing the pipe connection piece 14 a foot switch 17 arranged on the side of the pipe connection piece 14.

On the side of the foot switch 17, three function lamps 66-68 are provided in the device housing 13, each function lamp 66-68 signaling an operating mode of the device 43 which can be set via the foot switch 17.

The different operating modes of the floor suction device 43 are essentially achieved via two switches arranged one below the other, the foot switch 17 representing an upper switch. The upper switch or foot switch 17 is pivotably mounted on an axis 18 on the device housing side. The lower, plate-shaped switch 69 is arranged inside the device housing 13 and fastened there in a rotationally fixed manner with a rod 70 which is also rotatably mounted on the device housing side. The arrangement of the lower switch 69 in the device housing 13 is designed such that it is covered by the upper switch, here the foot switch 17.

The lower switch 69 is supported by a compression spring 71 against the device housing 13 or against the bottom 53. The foot switch 17 or the upper switch is spring-supported via a further compression spring 72 against the lower switch 69. However, it is also conceivable to resiliently support the upper switch or the foot switch 17 against the housing 13 by means of a compression spring 63.

The foot switch 17 or the upper switch has one on its underside, i.e. H. on the side facing the inside of the device housing an actuating pin 73. The lower switch 69 can be actuated by means of the upper switch 17.

Furthermore, two contact switches 74 and 75 are provided in the device housing 13, both of which switch 74 and 75 switch the brush operation on or off.

A contact switch 74 is arranged so that it is in a basic position, i.e. H. when the foot switch 17 is not actuated, it is always acted upon by the underside of the upper switch or the foot switch 17. If the upper switch or foot switch 17 becomes light, i. H. Operated without greater resistance, the underside of the upper switch or foot switch 17 leaves the contact switch 74, which sends a signal to electronics, not shown, for switching the brush operation on or off. For example, a slight actuation of the foot switch 17 causes the brush drive to be switched off. The next time the foot switch 17 is actuated, the brush operation is accordingly switched on again.

The above-mentioned rod 70, on which the lower switch 69 is arranged, extends almost over the entire width of the suction space 15 and has a central, U-shaped cranked area 76 in order to allow the transmission 44 to pass through. Furthermore, the rod 70 has downward end portions 77 in its end regions, ie L-shaped end regions 77 bent toward the bottom side 53 of the device housing 13.

A Bowden cable 62 is fixed to the central, U-shaped cranked area 76 of the rod 70, and its other free end is connected to a bristle strip 19 via a deflection roller 78 mounted on the device housing side. This bristle strip 19 is designed as a curtain means V and is spring-supported against the device housing 13 by means of compression springs 21 and 22. Here, the compression springs 21 and 22 cause a constant load on the bristle strip 19 in the direction of the floor to be maintained. In a basic position according to FIG. 20, the bristle strip 19 or the curtain means V remains in a raised position or in a hidden position within the device housing 13 due to the tensile stress of the Bowden cable 62 acting against the spring loading of the compression springs 21 and 22.

A gripping arm 79 in the form of a carriage 57 is rotatably arranged on the L-shaped cranked end regions 77 of the rod 70. The arrangement of the gripping arms 79 on the end regions 77 can be realized in the form of a clip connection.

The free ends of the gripping arms 79 enter a link 54 arranged on the bottom side 53 of the device 13. The latter is formed on the one hand by a cover 80 on the housing side and by a removable base plate 81 of the device housing 13.

The free end of each gripper arm 79 is provided with a receptacle 82 in the form of a circular section, in which a cylindrical element 55 of a curtain means in the form of a socket edge 56 is rotatably mounted. A sealing lip 47 is attached to the cylindrical element 55 off-center with respect to the axis of rotation b. The free end of the lip 47, which is designed as a curtain means V. protrudes into a guide groove 58 which is formed by two guide edges 59 and 60 which are arranged offset to one another. Here, the leading edge 59 is formed by a recess in the bottom plate 81 and the leading edge 60 by a corresponding recess in the bottom side 53 of the device 13.

The curtain means V consisting of lip 47 and the cylindrical element 55 is arranged to be translationally and rotatably movable in the backdrop 54.

The lower switch 69 has a laterally arranged latching pin 83 which, in a basic position according to FIG. 20, engages in a guide groove 84 of a latching element 85 pivotably mounted and sprung on the device housing side.

On the underside, the lower switch 69 has a laterally protruding spring plate 86 which, in a basic position according to FIG. 20, acts on the contact switch 75 already mentioned.

If the foot switch 17 is depressed further than shown in FIG. 21, that is to say actuated more vigorously, the lower switch 69 is acted upon by means of the actuating pin 73 arranged on the upper switch or on the foot switch 17 such that the lower switch 69 is caused by the interaction of locking pin 83 and guide groove 84 of the locking element 85 leaves the latter and pivoted into a pivoted-up position according to FIG. 23. Here, the spring plate 86 of the lower switch 69 leaves the contact switch 75, which thus switches off the brush drive. This switching off of the brush drive takes place regardless of which signal the upper contact switch 74 last sent.

The lower contact switch 75 can, for example, interrupt the power supply to the electric drive 12 of the brush roller 11. The upper contact switch 74, on the other hand, can, for example, send a signal to an electronic flip-flop for switching the electric motor 12 on and off each time it is actuated.

In addition to switching off the brush drive, the pivoting of the lower switch 69 also causes the U-shaped cranked area 76 and also the L-shaped cranked end area 77 of the rod 70 to pivot. On the one hand, this causes the Bowden cable 62 to yield so that the compression springs 21 and 22 move the bristle strip 19 into a lowered position. On the other hand, the L-shaped cranked end regions 77 are displaced such that the gripping arms 79 arranged thereon move the curtain means V, here in the form of a lip 47, translationally and rotationally within the link 54, thus lowering the lip 47 in a direction perpendicular to the position to be maintained hard floor is effected.

The sealing lip 47 has a sufficiently high degree of flexibility, as a result of which damage to the hard surface to be cleaned by dirt particles is avoided. At the same time, such a sealing lip 47 has a high self-cleaning effect, so that the risk of jamming of the sealing lip 47 due to the accumulation of dirt can be avoided in connection with the translatory-rotational movement of the lip 47.

Due to the fact that the lower region of the link 54 is formed by the base plate 81, the curtain means V, in particular the sealing lip 47, can also be replaced. Here is the easiest way Bottom plate 81 removed from the device housing 13, for example unscrewed, whereby the backdrop 54 and the receptacles 82 of the gripping arms 79 are exposed. Due to this configuration, the setting 54 can also be cleaned.

As in the exemplary embodiments described above, in this embodiment as well, the curtain means V, on the one hand the bristle strip 19 and on the other hand the sealing lip 47, can be moved independently of a floor clearance of the floor suction device 43. The ground clearance of the floor suction device 43 is always given by wheels, not shown.

The respective operating state of the floor suction device can be indicated by means of the function lamps 66-68. It can be provided by an electronic circuit that the function lamp 66 indicates a brush and suction operation. This is equivalent to the position of the switches 17 and 69 according to FIG. 20, in which the lower switch 69 remains in a lowered position in that the locking pin 83 is caught by the locking element 85 and by means of the upper switch 17 via the contact switch 74 a signal for Switching on the brush drive was sent. After lightly pressing the foot switch 17 according to FIG. 21, the electric drive 12 of the brush roller 11 is switched off via the contact switch 74. The function lamp 66 goes out. The new operating state for suction-only operation is now indicated by the function lamp 67. If, as described, the curtain means V are lowered by depressing the foot switch 17 more strongly and the electric motor 12 of the brush roller 11 is switched off, this operating state is indicated by the function lamp 68. whereby either the function lamp 66 or the function lamp 67, depending on the previous operating state, goes out.

As can be seen from Fig. 23, with the curtain means V lowered, due to the swung-up position of the lower switch 69, easy actuation of the upper switch or foot switch 17 is prevented, since the upper switch or foot switch 17 is actuated by its actuating pin 73 on the upper one Supported side of the lower switch 69. Only a more powerful actuation of the foot switch 17 is possible, the lower switch 69 being displaced via the actuating pin 73 in such a way that the locking pin 83 is pivoted along a control slope 87 of the locking element 85 in such a way that engagement of the locking pin 83 and guide groove 84 is achieved .

The function lamps 66-68 can also indicate a malfunction. For example, if the brush drive is blocked, for example when threading carpet fringes or the like into the brush roller 11, a flashing operation of all the function lamps 66-68 can be switched on.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, the drawing and the claims can be of importance both individually and in any combination for the implementation of the invention. All the features disclosed are essential to the invention. The disclosure content of the associated / attached priority documents (copy of the prior application) is hereby also included in full in the disclosure of the application.

Claims (35)

Suction device (43), in particular attachment or part of an electric vacuum cleaner (1), preferably suction brush device (10) for the care of carpets or hard floors, with a drivable, rotating brush (11) and a suction chamber (15), which is provided by curtain means (V) is limited, the curtain means (V) being able to be raised or lowered relative to the floor suction device (43), characterized in that movement of the curtain means (V) can be carried out independently of a floor clearance of the floor suction device (43). Floor suction device according to claim 1 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the curtain means (V) can be pivoted from a lowered position into a raised position or vice versa. Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the lowering of the curtain means (V) can be carried out by means of an installation which takes place in the course of an essentially horizontal displacement. Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the curtain means (V) are guided in a link (54) such that the curtain means (V) is lowered by an essentially translatory movement of a frame edge (56) and pivoting the curtain means (V). Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that that the lowering or raising is switch-operated. Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that a spring preload acts in the lowered position. Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the mounting edge (56) is also an axis of rotation (b). Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the axis of rotation (b) can be moved by means of a carriage (57) which is essentially translationally movable. Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the curtain means (V) can be lowered or raised by folding or unfolding a membrane part. Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the unfolded membrane part lies essentially against an underside of a floor (53) of the floor suction device (43). Floor suction device according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the folding or unfolding transversely to an essentially horizontal displacement movement of a folding end region of the membrane part takes place. Suction mouthpiece (10 ') for a cleaning device, in particular for a floor suction device (43), which has one or more of the features of the preceding claims, with a floor touching the floor to be vacuumed in the carpet cleaning operation and preferably lifted off the floor to be vacuumed up in the hard floor cleaning operation, with a rotatable, motor-driven one Brush roller or similar Provided mouthpiece (nozzle mouth 10 '), characterized in that the delimitation of the suction space (15) can be achieved partly by stationary curtain means (V) and partly by an activatable curtain means (V). Suction nozzle according to claim 12 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the curtain means (V) are designed as a lip (47). Suction nozzle according to one or more of claims 12 and 13 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the curtain means (V) are designed as a row of bristles (19). Suction brush device (10) for the care of carpets or hard floors, with a rotating brush (11) which can be driven by an electric motor (12) and with front sweeping bristles (bristle strip 19) according to one or more of the preceding claims or in particular according thereto, characterized in that that the sweeping bristles (bristle strip 19) can be moved vertically between a lowered position on the floor upon a switch actuation and a raised position, and that the Electromotive drive (12) of the brush (11) can be switched on or off at the same time. Suction brush device according to claim 15 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that when the bristles (bristle strip 19) are lowered, the brush drive (12) is switched off. Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15 - 16 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that when the bristles (bristle strip 19) are raised, the brush drive (12) can be switched on or off. Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-17 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the switching operation can be carried out via a foot switch (17). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-18 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the foot switch (17) is connected to the bristles or to a bristle strip (19) via a Bowden cable (23). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-19 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the bristles or bristle strip (19) are loaded in their lowered position via a compression spring (21). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15 - 20 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the bristles or bristle strip (19) are arranged in front of the brush roller (11) and a sealing lip (20) behind the brush roller (11), which Sealing lip (20) can also be moved vertically together with the bristles (19) in the same way. Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-21 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that two switches (17, 69) are arranged one below the other, the lower switch (69) being operable by the upper switch (17). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-22 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the lower switch (69) is covered by the upper switch (17). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-23 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the upper switch (17) is spring-supported on the lower switch (69). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-24 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the lower switch (69) is resiliently supported on the suction device housing (13). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-25 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the lower switch (69) moves the frame edge (56) of the curtain means (V) essentially horizontally via a linkage (70). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-26 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that a link (54) in which the socket edge (56) can be moved on the one hand by a base plate (81) and a housing-side ceiling (80) is formed on the other hand. Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-27 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that both the upper switch (17) and the lower switch (69) act on a respective contact switch (74, 75), both contact switches ( 74.75) switch the brush mode on or off. Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-28 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the curtain means (V) can be moved into a lowered position by actuating the lower switch (69). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-29 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that a functional lamp (66-68) is provided for brush and suction operation, for suction only operation and for suction operation with lowered curtain means (V). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-30 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that when the brush drive is blocked, all functional lamps (66-68) are flashing. Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15 to 31 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the foot switch (17) has a locking pin (38) which interacts with a link (35) in which locking receptacles (A, B, C) are formed. Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15-32 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the link (35) is fastened in a rotatable manner, but can be controlled in the rotational movement by the latching pin (38). Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15 - 33 or in particular according thereto, characterized in that the control pin (29) of the Bowden cable (23) is guided in an elongated hole (28) of a hard disk (26) and through a foot switch plate (25) can be actuated. Suction brush device according to one or more of claims 15 to 34, in particular according thereto, characterized in that a control cam (27) is formed in the foot switch plate (25) through which the control pin (29) can be displaced, which control cam (27) is such is designed so that the control pin (29) is only shifted when a third switching position is reached.

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