EP1362543A1 - Cleaning apparatus comprising a liquid filtering element - Google Patents

Cleaning apparatus comprising a liquid filtering element Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1362543A1
EP1362543A1 EP03010580A EP03010580A EP1362543A1 EP 1362543 A1 EP1362543 A1 EP 1362543A1 EP 03010580 A EP03010580 A EP 03010580A EP 03010580 A EP03010580 A EP 03010580A EP 1362543 A1 EP1362543 A1 EP 1362543A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
fluid
outlet
liquid
filtering element
tank
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03010580A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Luigi Vecchiarino
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.)
S I EL Srl
Original Assignee
S I EL Srl
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by S I EL Srl filed Critical S I EL Srl
Publication of EP1362543A1 publication Critical patent/EP1362543A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current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
    • A47L9/18—Liquid filters
    • A47L9/182—Separating by passing the air over a liquid bath
    • 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
    • A47L9/18—Liquid filters
    • A47L9/185—Means for the mechanical control of flow of air, e.g. deflectors, baffles or labyrinths

Definitions

  • This invention concerns a cleaning apparatus of the type comprising means for generating a suction (aspirated) flow and usually composed of a fan, an external fitting - such as a hose - for the suction of solids and/or liquids, and a filtering element located between the fan and the suction hose.
  • the methods to drop down solid particles or liquid droplets in the suction air flow, or to separate them from the conveying fluid include the humidification of the aspirated fluid and the reduction of the fluid velocity, in order to reduce the kinetic energy of the conveyed particles and favour their precipitation into the tank.
  • liquid filtering elements incorporating a tank that has been previously and partially filled with water or another liquid.
  • the suction fluid passes through the tank via an inflow and outflow opening which are respectively connected with the external suction hose and to the fan and inside which the solid particles of the aspirated flow are dropped down and the liquid droplets, if any, escape.
  • the filtering element is designed so that the inflow opening of the sucked dirty fluid inside the tank is located below the free surface of the water held in the tank itself, with the purpose of obtaining the separation of the particles or the liquid droplets from the suction air flow by bubbling the fluid within the water.
  • this implies the use of a fan which is able to generate a high suction power considering the significant pressure loss due to the water resistance when the air flow passes through the water.
  • the efficiency of cleaning apparatuses with bubble type filtering elements is very limited and consequently energy consumption is very high.
  • the resistance to suction, peculiar to these filtering elements may cause dangerous overheating of the fan rotor drive motor.
  • water filtering elements in which the dirty fluid flow is first humidified by means of a water jet (taken from the tank), and then expanded inside the tank, may be used. Said expansion shall be large enough to favour the precipitation of any liquid droplets and the drop-off of humidified solid particles.
  • said filtering element is more effective if compared to the bubble type filtering element above, but it is definitely less effective than this one and its structure is even more complex.
  • the present invention aims at supplying a suction cleaning apparatus comprising a new filtering element which has not the disadvantages of the previous known technique, and thus it effectively holds the sucked solid particles and liquid droplets, while it assures high energy efficiency.
  • the present invention aims at supplying a cleaning apparatus with a filtering element having an easy structure and which is thus easy to be constructed.
  • the cleaning apparatus comprises means for generating a suction fluid flow and at least an external suction fitting and a filtering element located between the means for generating a suction fluid flow and the external fitting.
  • the filtering element includes a tank for the liquid, preferably water, which houses an inflow conduit which is fluid-connected with the external fitting, and at least one outflow opening for the sucked fluid which is in fluid communication with said means for generating the fluid flow.
  • the inflow conduit outlet is located above the free surface of the liquid held in the tank and the filtering element comprises an impact surface located above the inflow conduit outlet, said surface being partially bounded by at least one deflection wall.
  • the deflection wall follows, in plan, a curved line with at least one concave section and its concavity can be directed towards the outflow opening.
  • Said configuration of the downflow wall defines a path for the sucked fluid which slows down the velocity of the sucked fluid, thus favouring the separation of solid particles or liquid droplets from the fluid and causing their fall into the tank liquid without excessive loss of pressure.
  • the wall can be spaced out above the inflow conduit outlet, so that a quite relevant expansion of the sucked fluid occurs inside the tank in correspondence with the inflow conduit outlet, in order to get a further reduction of the fluid velocity.
  • the deflection wall is, in plan, substantially spiral-shaped, so that the sucked flow is forced to follow a path that allows to slow down its velocity for favouring the separation of conveyed solid particles.
  • the outflow opening is located, into the tank, inside a cup-shaped body which is placed above the free surface of the liquid.
  • Said cup-shaped body has the function of defining a non-rectilinear path for the sucked fluid flow and protecting the outflow opening against any liquid droplets that raise inside the tank, when the sucked fluid passes through this latter.
  • the cleaning apparatus 1 comprises a casing 5, advantageously assembled on wheels 18a, 18b, from which an external cleaning fitting branches off, such as a hose comprising a suction head connected with means 3 for generating a suction fluid flow, comprising, for instance, an electrically-driven fan.
  • the casing 5 houses the means 3, a filtering element 6 incorporating a tank 11 for a liquid 14, preferably water, located between and in fluid communication with the means 3 and the external fitting 2.
  • the filtering element 6 includes inside an inflow conduit 9 which is in fluid communication with the external fitting 2 and an outflow opening 16 (see figure 2) fluid-connected with the fan 3.
  • the conduit 9 and the opening 16 allow the sucked fluid to pass through the tank 11.
  • the inflow conduit 9 has, in correspondence of its end positioned inside the tank 11, an outlet 15, located above the free surface of the liquid 14, which directs the sucked fluid upwards to an impact surface 19 bounded by a flow deflection wall 12.
  • the profile, in plan, of the deflection wall 12 is one of the critical factors affecting the efficiency and efficacy of the filtering element 6, as verified by the Applicant.
  • the suction flow coming from the hose 2 passes through a transfer tube 7 and flows into the conduit 9 placed inside the tank 11 which contains the liquid 14, usually water.
  • the fluid flow free of solid particles or liquid droplets, passes through the outflow opening 16, flows into a conduit 10 and then it comes to the fan 3 where it is ejected into the environment via an outlet funnel 4.
  • the fluid flow coming from the hose 2 passes-following the direction marked with arrow i - through the conduit 9 which extends inside the tank 11 so that its fluid outlet 15 is above the free surface of the liquid 14.
  • a level gauge for the liquid 14, for instance a float gauge, that, connected with some means controlling the apparatus operation, can stop the suction exerted by the means 3.
  • the sucked fluid is thus directed to impinge on the impact surface 19 that, in the illustrated embodiment, is a part of the inner surface of the tank ceiling 11.
  • the distance between the impact surface 19 and the outlet 15 of the conduit 9 is suitably calibrated to favour the expansion of the sucked fluid inside the tank 11 and consequently to reduce its velocity.
  • the impact surface 19 is at least partially limited by a deflection wall 12 that, in plan, develops forming a plane curve comprising at least a concave section.
  • said impact surface 19 that is advantageously (because it's easy to realise) plane and perpendicular to the flow coming from the outlet 15 of the conduit 9, serves for separating solid particles and/or any liquid droplets conveyed by the sucked fluid thanks to the kinetic energy loss that said particles or droplets suffer during the impingement.
  • the loss of kinetic energy favours the gravity precipitation of said particles or droplets inside the liquid 14.
  • the deflection wall 12 for instance concave or spiral-shaped, has also the function to break the laminar flow of the sucked fluid and generate turbulence, although not excessive, into the suction fluid in order to interfere with said fluid and favour the further separation and precipitation of solid particles or liquid droplets still present inside the sucked fluid.
  • the wall 12 extends towards the inflow conduit 9 in a very limited manner and so it is properly spaced out from the outlet 15 of said conduit 9. Said distance between the wall 12 and the outlet 15 prevents the formation of excessive turbulence into the liquid 14 and thus avoids significant pressure losses which are due to this last effect as well as the undesired humidification of the sucked flow.
  • the wall 12 does not completely bound the impact surface 19, that is, it only extends for a limited angle around it, and the curve formed by said wall 12 presents (in plan) a concavity directed towards the outflow opening 16.
  • This conformation revealed to be very effective for separating dusts or liquid droplets from the sucked fluid flow, without any significant pressure losses and without requiring a high suction power.
  • the wall 12 can develop along curves which are different from the illustrated curve; for instance it can be a spiral curve (as shown hereinafter by figure 4 and 5) or it can extend on the impact surface following joined or separated segments. Several deflection walls are likely to be present as well in proximity of the surface 19.
  • deflection wall 12 is, for instance, a wall developing, in plan, along a plane curve with a concave section extending towards the outflow opening 16, but the concavity of which is not precisely directed towards the direction defined in plan by the outflow opening 16 and by the outlet 15 of the conduit 9.
  • shaping the wall 12 according to a spiral curve with its concavity section directed towards the outflow opening 16 revealed to be effective (as it will be fully described below).
  • the impact surface 19 is substantially orthogonal to the flow coming from the outlet 15 and that the deflection wall 12, or possibly the walls, extend perpendicularly to said impact surface 19.
  • the fluid flow going out of the conduit 9 flows towards the outflow opening 16 of the conduit 10 and from there, following the direction of arrow o , towards the fan 3.
  • the sucked fluid may get in touch with liquid suspended particles, which are present above the free surface of the liquid 14 due to the turbulence inside the tank 11.
  • a cylindrical grid filter (or filtering net) 17 may be superposed on the outflow opening 16, which is obtained at an end portion of the conduit 10. Said filter can possibly be co-stamped with said conduit 10. The filter 17 has the function to hold back any fine dusts or liquid droplets not yet separated from the suction fluid.
  • the outflow opening 16 is inserted in a cup-shaped body 13 that is located above the free surface of the liquid 14.
  • Said cup-shaped body defines a non-rectilinear path for the sucked fluid flow. Therefore the body 13 represents a further area in which the fluid slows down and it protects the outflow opening 16 from those liquid droplets that, due to the turbulence generated inside the tank 11, are raised by the liquid 14.
  • the side wall of the cup-shaped body 13 directed towards the outlet 15 of the conduit 9 can coincide with the deflection wall 12, that is said wall of the cup-shaped body 13 located in the proximity of the conduit 9 can be considered as a deflection wall for the flow coming out from the conduit itself and as a protection means for the outflow opening 16.
  • FIG. 4 an embodiment of a filtering element 106 is described, in which the deflection wall of the sucked air flow i , flowing into the filtering element 106, becomes spiral-shaped.
  • the elements corresponding to those described and regarding figures from 1 to 3 have the same reference numbers.
  • said filtering element 106 comprises a tank 11 for a liquid 14 (preferably water), inside which there is an inflow conduit 9, in fluid communication with an external cleaning fitting, and an outflow conduit 10, fluid-connected with the means for generating a suction flow.
  • a liquid 14 preferably water
  • the inflow conduit 9 has an outlet 15, located inside the tank 11 above the free surface of the liquid 14, which is capable of directing the incoming fluid flow i , flowing from external and conveying solid particles and/or liquid droplets possibly sucked, towards an upper impact surface 119, bounded by a side deflection wall 112 for the flow.
  • Said deflection wall 112 is advantageously spiral-shaped and its concavity is directed towards the outlet 15 of the conduit 9, so that the sucked air flow i is forced - at least in part - to follow said path before continuing towards the outflow conduit 10.
  • the sucked fluid, entered into the filtering element 6 via the conduit 9, flows from the outlet 15 of said conduit 9 and impinges on the upper impact surface 119 and on the deflection wall 112, then it follows (at least partly) the spiral path defined by the same deflection wall 112.
  • the spiral deflection wall 112 extends advantageously beyond the output section which includes outlet 15 of the inflow conduit 9, thus reducing and substantially preventing the dispersion and expansion of the sucked fluid flow i within the tank 11, before this fluid flow i covers the spiral defined by said wall 112.
  • the impact wall 119 can have a concave shape directed towards the outlet 15 of the inflow conduit 9 and preferably located just above said outlet 15.
  • the filtering element 106 also comprises, inside the tank 11, a cup-shaped body 13 located above the free surface of the liquid 14 and surrounding the inlet section of the outflow conduit 10, in order to further slow down the sucked fluid, as well as a grid filter 17 located in the same outflow conduit 10 so that the sucked fluid flow is forced to penetrate it.
  • the simple implementation of the invention combined with its efficiency and efficacy, allows the use of rather low suction powers and makes its use particularly profitable in multi-function cleaning apparatuses which use means to supply steam and/or heated water and/or other detergent liquids.
  • the small size of the filtering element 6 according to this invention allows to reduce the total size of the apparatus, even if this is fitted, for instance, with a boiler and with means for the supply of steam.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Filtration Of Liquid (AREA)
  • Filtering Of Dispersed Particles In Gases (AREA)
  • Separating Particles In Gases By Inertia (AREA)
EP03010580A 2002-05-13 2003-05-12 Cleaning apparatus comprising a liquid filtering element Withdrawn EP1362543A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI20020252U 2002-05-13
ITMI20020252 ITMI20020252U1 (it) 2002-05-13 2002-05-13 Apparecchiatura per la pulizia dotata di un elemento filtrante a liquido

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1362543A1 true EP1362543A1 (en) 2003-11-19

Family

ID=11449174

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP03010580A Withdrawn EP1362543A1 (en) 2002-05-13 2003-05-12 Cleaning apparatus comprising a liquid filtering element

Country Status (2)

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EP (1) EP1362543A1 (it)
IT (1) ITMI20020252U1 (it)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1674016A3 (en) * 2004-12-22 2007-07-11 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Dust-collecting apparatus and method for a vacuum cleaner
US7744667B2 (en) 2007-02-05 2010-06-29 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Cyclone separating apparatus for a vacuum cleaner
US7771499B2 (en) 2006-12-28 2010-08-10 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus of a vacuum cleaner
US7794515B2 (en) 2007-02-14 2010-09-14 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Cyclone separating apparatus for vacuum cleaner
US7803205B2 (en) 2007-02-05 2010-09-28 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus having a filter assembly

Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0459783A1 (en) * 1990-05-31 1991-12-04 Goldstar Co. Ltd. Vacuum cleaner
EP0500420A1 (fr) * 1991-02-13 1992-08-26 BACOT, Dominique Cartouche filtrante
DE19720101C1 (de) * 1997-05-14 1998-09-24 Bahman Dr Solouki Vorrichtung zum Umrüsten von Naß-/Trockenstaubsaugern zum Filtern durch ein Flüssigkeitsbad
EP1034733A1 (en) * 1999-03-05 2000-09-13 S.I.EL S.r.l. Cleaning apparatus
JP2000296080A (ja) * 1999-04-16 2000-10-24 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd エアークリーナユニット
JP2002325705A (ja) * 2001-05-07 2002-11-12 Plante:Kk 湿式清浄装置

Patent Citations (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0459783A1 (en) * 1990-05-31 1991-12-04 Goldstar Co. Ltd. Vacuum cleaner
EP0500420A1 (fr) * 1991-02-13 1992-08-26 BACOT, Dominique Cartouche filtrante
DE19720101C1 (de) * 1997-05-14 1998-09-24 Bahman Dr Solouki Vorrichtung zum Umrüsten von Naß-/Trockenstaubsaugern zum Filtern durch ein Flüssigkeitsbad
EP1034733A1 (en) * 1999-03-05 2000-09-13 S.I.EL S.r.l. Cleaning apparatus
JP2000296080A (ja) * 1999-04-16 2000-10-24 Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd エアークリーナユニット
JP2002325705A (ja) * 2001-05-07 2002-11-12 Plante:Kk 湿式清浄装置

Non-Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2000, no. 13 5 February 2001 (2001-02-05) *
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 2003, no. 03 5 May 2003 (2003-05-05) *

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1674016A3 (en) * 2004-12-22 2007-07-11 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Dust-collecting apparatus and method for a vacuum cleaner
US7771499B2 (en) 2006-12-28 2010-08-10 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus of a vacuum cleaner
US7744667B2 (en) 2007-02-05 2010-06-29 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Cyclone separating apparatus for a vacuum cleaner
US7803205B2 (en) 2007-02-05 2010-09-28 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Multi-cyclone dust separating apparatus having a filter assembly
US7794515B2 (en) 2007-02-14 2010-09-14 Samsung Gwangju Electronics Co., Ltd. Cyclone separating apparatus for vacuum cleaner

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Publication number Publication date
ITMI20020252U1 (it) 2003-11-13
ITMI20020252V0 (it) 2002-05-13

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