EP0908121B1 - Aspirateur de poussières à effet électrostatique généré directement - Google Patents

Aspirateur de poussières à effet électrostatique généré directement Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0908121B1
EP0908121B1 EP19970830396 EP97830396A EP0908121B1 EP 0908121 B1 EP0908121 B1 EP 0908121B1 EP 19970830396 EP19970830396 EP 19970830396 EP 97830396 A EP97830396 A EP 97830396A EP 0908121 B1 EP0908121 B1 EP 0908121B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
container
suction
plate
vacuum cleaner
plates
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19970830396
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German (de)
English (en)
Other versions
EP0908121A1 (fr
Inventor
Silvano Fumagalli
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Candy SpA
Original Assignee
Candy SpA
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Candy SpA filed Critical Candy SpA
Priority to DE1997616427 priority Critical patent/DE69716427T2/de
Priority to EP19970830396 priority patent/EP0908121B1/fr
Publication of EP0908121A1 publication Critical patent/EP0908121A1/fr
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0908121B1 publication Critical patent/EP0908121B1/fr
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/10—Filters; Dust separators; Dust removal; Automatic exchange of filters
    • A47L9/14—Bags or the like; Rigid filtering receptacles; Attachment of, or closures for, bags or receptacles
    • A47L9/1409—Rigid filtering receptacles
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A47—FURNITURE; DOMESTIC ARTICLES OR APPLIANCES; COFFEE MILLS; SPICE MILLS; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L—DOMESTIC WASHING OR CLEANING; SUCTION CLEANERS IN GENERAL
    • A47L9/00—Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
    • A47L9/28—Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
    • A47L9/2889—Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a dust-collection chamber with an electrostatic effect (see US-A-5 400 465).
  • vacuum cleaners For household cleaning, it is known to use vacuum cleaners in which a flow of dust-laden air induced by a suction motor unit is filtered by suitable filter bags which have to be cleaned or replaced manually, creating considerable inconvenience for the user.
  • the bags have to be replaced periodically to ensure the efficiency of the suction system which would otherwise become clogged, and the effectiveness of the filter which, in any case, does not constitute a barrier capable of retaining the finest dust particles.
  • vacuum cleaners with single cyclones or with multiple cyclones in cascade, in which the dust is captured by a centrifugal effect, have been proposed.
  • vacuum cleaners are more efficient, require a lower and relatively constant suction power in operation (and do not include filters which may become clogged) but they do not solve the problem of capturing the finest particles of low density which, to a certain extent, are dispersed again.
  • electrostatic filters for electrical household appliances has also recently been proposed; these filters are intrinsically able to capture even the finest particles and, owing to the intense electrical fields generated, effectively neutralize mites and bacteria so that, even if only some of them are captured, they are in any case neutralized.
  • the present invention solves this problem and provides a household vacuum cleaner with an electrostatic effect which is safe in operation, efficient, easy to clean, particularly effective in capturing the finest particles and in neutralizing the bacterial flora and mites, in which the field charge is generated by a tribo-electric effect by means of a rotary disk keyed to the motor shaft of the suction motor unit, and in which the electrical charges of opposite sign generated are applied to a container for collecting the particles and to a field plate housed in the container, respectively.
  • the electrostatic generator is a voltage generator with a very high internal impedance, the electrical power output is extremely low and such as not to involve any danger to the user, even in running conditions.
  • the capacitor Since the electrical capacitance of the capacitor structure thus formed is extremely low, the capacitor can be charged with a high voltage in a very short time, of the order of one second, even though the impedance of the generator is high.
  • the capacitor is discharged extremely quickly both owing to the ionization of the air brought about by the electric field, and by a high-impedance discharger, if one is provided.
  • this is a schematic section showing a domestic vacuum cleaner comprising an outer shell 1 of plastics material, closed by a removable lid 2, also of plastics material.
  • the upper portion of the shell 1 houses a generally beaker-shaped dust-collection container 4 with a rectangular or even rounded cross-section, according to the shape of the shell 1 and of the lid 2.
  • the container 4 is preferably but not necessarily constituted by an outer beaker-shaped element 5 of insulating plastics material coupled to an inner beaker-shaped element 6 of a conductive material.
  • the inner beaker-shaped element 6 may consist of metallization on the internal surface of the container, produced by one of the various usual metallization techniques (spraying, electrical deposition, or the like).
  • a further alternative may be constituted by the elimination of the outer plastics beaker-shaped element and by the treatment of the outer surface of the beaker-shaped element of conductive material by painting or plastics-coating, essentially for aesthetic purposes.
  • the container 4 is closed at the top by a removable lid 7 with gratings for the passage of an air-flow.
  • a suction elbow 8 which is connected to the union 3 and is oriented towards the container 4.
  • the lid 7 and the suction elbow are advantageously produced by moulding or blowing of plastics material.
  • the container 4 houses a metal plate 9 advantageously spaced from the container 4 by suitable insulating support spacers 10, 11.
  • the shell 1 houses a suction motor unit 13 which draws the air from the space 12 and conveys it out of the shell.
  • Some of the solid particles transported by the air-flow entering through the union 3 are deposited in the container 4 by gravity and also owing to the reduction in the speed of the air-flow in the container because the cross-section of the container is larger than outlet cross-section of the suction hose.
  • the finer and lighter particles are captured owing to the electric field generated inside the container 4 by the application of a high voltage of the order of 10 kV or even more between the plate 9 and the inner beaker-shaped element 6 of the container 4.
  • the voltage generator used is an electrostatic generator constituted by a rotary disk 15 keyed to the shaft 16 of the suction motor unit.
  • the disk of conductive material carries, on a circular surface 17, a suitable material, for example, a woollen felt or brush, disposed beside a fixed circular surface 18 of another suitable material different from that of the surface 17, for example, of Teflon or another synthetic fibre.
  • a suitable material for example, a woollen felt or brush
  • the fixed surface 18 is supported by a conductive plate 19 which in turn is housed in an insulating support 20 formed by the shell 1 or fixed thereto.
  • Figure 2 is a cross-sectional detail, on an enlarged scale, showing these components more clearly.
  • the two surfaces 17 and 18 may be spaced apart slightly or may even be in contact with one another.
  • the distance D between the rotary disk 15 and the fixed plate 19 advantageously depends on the two tribo-electric materials of the two facing surfaces and, by way of indication, may be of the order of 10 mm or even more.
  • the disk 15 may be rigid or flexible and may even be constituted by an array of radially projecting blades.
  • the motor shaft 16 may extend outside the box 21 to form a kinematic coupling (for example, by means of a belt 22) with the rotary brushes.
  • the motor shaft 16 and the plate 19 are in electrical connection, respectively, with one and with the other of the two metal elements constituted by the plate 9 and by the beaker-shaped element 6.
  • the shaft 16 and the disk 15 keyed thereto rotate at high speed (20,000 revolutions/minute and in some vacuum cleaners even up to 40,000 revolutions/minute).
  • This electric field has the effect of polarizing the finest dust particles by dielectric induction if they are not already charged electrically owing to a tribo-electric effect in the turbulent air-flow.
  • the particles thus polarized are therefore drawn either to the plate 9 or to the inside wall of the beaker-shaped element 6, where they are deposited.
  • the power which is developed by the electrostatic generator and which is necessary to charge the metal plates and keep them charged is extremely low, of the order of a few mW and the system is therefore intrinsically safe.
  • the resulting electric arc can cause only a certain nuisance which, in any case, is much less than that caused by the electrostatic charge which forms, for example, on dry days, on insulating bodies such as motor-cars, the capacitance of which is much greater than that of the structure described.
  • Devices such as very simple and inexpensive field gradient dischargers operated by the opening of the lid 2 may be provided for short-circuiting the beaker-shaped element 6 and the plate 9 to ensure that the voltage applied does not exceed a predetermined value.
  • the structure of the container with a central plate for generating the electric field may clearly be replaced by other structures.
  • Figure 3 shows, by way of example, a variant of the vacuum cleaner of Figure 1 in which the plate 9 has been replaced by a beaker-shaped element 122 having a plurality of through-holes, or even made of a metallic mesh.
  • the beaker-shaped element 122 is housed in the container 4 at a suitable distance from the internal wall thereof and has an upper inlet opening connected to the output of the elbow 8.
  • the dusty air enters the beaker-shaped element 122 where the coarser particles accumulate and then passes through the holes in the beaker-shaped element 122 into the container 4 in order to flow out through its lid 7 as in the embodiment of Figure 1.
  • the dust is deposited on the outer surface of the beaker-shaped element 122 and on the inner surface of the container 4.
  • a further increase in efficiency can be achieved by the use of multiple beaker-shaped elements housed inside one another, alternate elements being connected to the positive and negative poles of the voltage generator; this measure increases the surface on which the dust can be deposited but makes the cleaning of the container 4 and of the various beaker-shaped elements more laborious.
  • the electrostatic generator of Figure 1 may be replaced by a battery of electrostatic generators.
  • a rotary disk 23 in this case made of insulating material with a single peripheral conductive ring, keyed to the motor shaft, has on the two faces of the conductive ring, two surfaces 24, 25 of different electrostatic material such as wool and synthetic fibre.
  • the two surfaces 24, 25 are juxtaposed in contact with or close to two fixed surfaces 16, 17 of electrostatic materials different from those of the juxtaposed surfaces.
  • the two fixed surfaces 26, 27 are coupled to two metallic collector plates 28, 29 electrically connected, respectively, to the beaker-shaped element 122 and to the container 4, which is formed, for example, of metal painted externally for purely aesthetic purposes.
  • the vacuum cleaner is of the upright type for use in a substantially vertical position.
  • the electrostatic capture system described can, however, also be used in vacuum cleaners with horizontal structures.
  • Figure 4 shows, by way of example, in a partially-sectioned side view, a compact vacuum cleaner 30 mounted on a pair of rear wheels 31 and on a swivelling front wheel 32.
  • the front portion of the vacuum cleaner houses a cylindrical or even prismatic container 33 with a slightly inclined axis.
  • the container houses a perforated beaker-shaped element 34, the mouth of which is connected to an inlet union 35 for air drawn in.
  • the shell of the vacuum cleaner with a lid which can be opened in order to remove the container 33, forms a space which conveys the air drawn in towards a suction motor unit 36 which drives an electrostatic generator 37 of the type already described.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Nozzles For Electric Vacuum Cleaners (AREA)
  • Filters For Electric Vacuum Cleaners (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Appareil électroménager électrique tel qu'un aspirateur, un balai électrique, ou analogue avec un effet électrostatique, comprenant un bloc-moteur d'aspiration (13) pour produire un flux d'air qui est aspiré via un raccord d'aspiration (3), et un réceptacle de recueil de particules (4) en communication avec le raccord d'aspiration (3), caractérisé en ce que l'aspirateur comprend également un générateur électrostatique à friction (15, 17, 18, 19) entraíné par le bloc-moteur d'aspiration (13) et comportant deux plaques conductrices (15, 19) pour recueillir des charges électrostatiques de signes opposés produites par le générateur électrostatique, en ce que le réceptacle (4) est constitué d'un matériau conducteur et est relié électriquement à l'une des deux plaques (15, 19) et en ce que le réceptacle (4) loge une troisième plaque à champ conducteur (9, 122) isolée électriquement du réceptacle (4) et reliée électriquement à l'autre des deux plaques (15, 19).
  2. Appareil électroménager électrique selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la troisième plaque est une plaque de métal (9).
  3. Appareil électroménager électrique selon la revendication 1, dans lequel la troisième plaque est constituée d'un élément en forme de gobelet (122) avec des ouvertures pour le passage d'air et une ouverture d'entrée reliée au raccord d'aspiration (3).
  4. Appareil électroménager électrique selon les revendications précédentes, comprenant un couvercle de réceptacle amovible (7) avec des ouvertures pour le passage d'air, logeant un coude d'aspiration (8) relié au raccord d'aspiration (3), et une coque externe (1, 2) de matériau d'isolation pour loger le réceptacle (4) et le couvercle de réceptacle (7) formant un espace entre le réceptacle (4) et la coque (1, 2) pour transporter l'air sortant par le couvercle (7) dans l'espace vers le bloc-moteur d'aspiration (13).
  5. Appareil électroménager électrique selon les revendications précédentes, dans lequel le générateur électrostatique comprend un disque conducteur (15) claveté sur l'arbre du bloc-moteur d'aspiration (13) et formant l'une des deux plaques, le disque (15) étant couplé à un premier anneau circulaire de soies ou de feutre (17) d'un premier matériau pouvant être chargé électrostatiquement, qui est juxtaposé à un deuxième anneau circulaire de soies ou de feutre (18) d'un deuxième matériau pouvant être chargé électrostatiquement, différent du premier matériau, couplé à l'autre des deux plaques, l'autre plaque (19) étant fixe dans l'appareil électroménager.
EP19970830396 1997-07-28 1997-07-28 Aspirateur de poussières à effet électrostatique généré directement Expired - Lifetime EP0908121B1 (fr)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE1997616427 DE69716427T2 (de) 1997-07-28 1997-07-28 Staubsauger mit direkt erzeugtem elektrostatischen Effekt
EP19970830396 EP0908121B1 (fr) 1997-07-28 1997-07-28 Aspirateur de poussières à effet électrostatique généré directement

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19970830396 EP0908121B1 (fr) 1997-07-28 1997-07-28 Aspirateur de poussières à effet électrostatique généré directement

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0908121A1 EP0908121A1 (fr) 1999-04-14
EP0908121B1 true EP0908121B1 (fr) 2002-10-16

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19970830396 Expired - Lifetime EP0908121B1 (fr) 1997-07-28 1997-07-28 Aspirateur de poussières à effet électrostatique généré directement

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EP (1) EP0908121B1 (fr)
DE (1) DE69716427T2 (fr)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102007015145A1 (de) 2007-03-29 2008-10-02 Fakir Hausgeräte GmbH Reinigungsgerät zur Aufnahme von partikulärem Schmutz

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6238451B1 (en) 1999-01-08 2001-05-29 Fantom Technologies Inc. Vacuum cleaner
US6344064B1 (en) 1999-01-29 2002-02-05 Fantom Technologies Inc. Method and apparatus of particle transfer in multi-stage particle separators
DE102009006766A1 (de) * 2008-10-17 2010-05-20 Aebi-Schmidt-Holding Ag Aufnehmende Kehrmaschine
GB201311451D0 (en) * 2013-06-27 2013-08-14 Deregallera Holdings Ltd Vacuum Cleaner

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4186030A (en) * 1976-11-04 1980-01-29 Armstrong John L Carpet cleaning
DE3143489A1 (de) * 1981-11-03 1983-05-11 Wolfgang Dr.-Ing. 8740 Bad Neustadt Volkrodt Bodenstaubsauger mit elektrofilter
US5376168A (en) * 1990-02-20 1994-12-27 The L. D. Kichler Co. Electrostatic particle filtration
US5400465A (en) * 1994-03-30 1995-03-28 Home Care Industries, Inc. Vacuum cleaner with charge generator and bag therefor

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE102007015145A1 (de) 2007-03-29 2008-10-02 Fakir Hausgeräte GmbH Reinigungsgerät zur Aufnahme von partikulärem Schmutz

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE69716427D1 (de) 2002-11-21
DE69716427T2 (de) 2003-03-06
EP0908121A1 (fr) 1999-04-14

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