EP1602307A1 - Closure and opening device for a vacuum cleaner dust bag - Google Patents

Abstract

The bag has a sleeve pack (1) with an upper sheet (2), an intermediate sheet and a lower sheet (30). The sheet (2) has an orifice (4), and the intermediate sheet is cut so that a flap (20) having an orifice slides between end positions where the pack is opened and closed. The contour of the orifice (4) coincides with the contour defining semi-perimeter of the latter orifice. The thickness of the latter orifice contour is 0.5 millimeter. An independent claim is also included for a device for connecting a dust bag in a frame of a vacuum cleaner.

Description

The present invention relates to dust bags of vacuum cleaners, and more particularly a device allowing the opening and closing of the bag to dust.

One category of vacuum cleaners is equipped with a dust bag for store, temporarily, the waste. The bag allows easy handling of this waste. The binding, or attachment of the bag inside the vacuum is in general assured thanks to a relatively rigid part, integral part of the bag, often made in the form of a cardboard sheet, which also makes it possible to keep the bag inlet opening in the desired position. In the continuation of the description, the term cardboard will be used to designate this part.

In general, the cardboard has a substantially central opening allowing the aeraulic connection between the suction duct connected to the nozzle, and the dust bag. A seal between the inside of the bag and the conduit on the one hand and the outside of the bag and the dust container in which one places the bag, on the other hand, is realized. The cardboard can be inserted into slides that hold it in place.

Many documents describe an opening and closing automatic cardboard when the suction pipe is removed from the bag vacuum cleaner, even the frame of the vacuum cleaner.

The document FR 1 554 220 describes a vacuum bag having a cardboard composed of three rigid sheets folded over each other and defining an opening through which a tubing is introduced suction in connection with a cleaning nozzle. The leaf in connection with the filter bag of the bag has several flaps cut out in said plate and folded so as to cover the opening. These components can move away when introducing the tubing against a restoring force of one elastic band tending to keep the flaps in their closed position of the opening. Thus, when the tubing is removed, the shutters resume their original shutter position of the opening, by the force of reminder of the tape elastic.

The dust bag can then be removed from the frame of the vacuum cleaner. However, although the opening of the dust bag is closed by the shutters, this shutter does not guarantee an effective seal so that dust, even the finest, remain trapped in the bag. Indeed, because of shutters, this filling is incomplete and can leave the fine dust escape when transporting the bag for its replacement.

In addition, it seems tedious to have to remove the suction tubing vacuum cleaner frame, in order to remove its connection with the bag and the cardboard, to remove said bag from the frame of the vacuum cleaner.

It is moreover known, from US 5,725,620, bags vacuum cleaner whose cardboard has a stack of several sheets assembled to each other by defining an opening, one of the sheets intermediates defining a sliding flap between the two other sheets, and having a means or actuating member, such that the user can close the bag before removing it from the vacuum cleaner frame.

However, the user may forget to close the bag before removing it, thus losing any benefit from this feature.

The present invention aims to remedy the disadvantages mentioned in offering a dust bag with automatic closure of the bag when it is removed from the vacuum without having to remove the tubing suction, and this, without increasing the cost of the bag nor reduce its strength.

The present invention is achieved with the aid of a dust bag for vacuum cleaner, comprising a filter casing connected to a cardboard made in a relatively rigid material, said cardboard being formed of a superposition of at least three leaves: a top sheet, a leaf intermediate and a lower sheet held together and presenting each at least one orifice defining an opening in the carton, the bottom sheet being in contact with the filtering envelope, the sheet intermediate being cut for a flap of substantially the same thickness and having an orifice slidable between the lower sheet and the sheet between two extreme positions, one of these positions achieving the opening in the cardboard while the other position closes said opening, characterized in that the outline of the orifice of the upper sheet corresponds substantially to the sliding area of the opening of the shutter and in that the thickness of the contour of the flap orifice is at least 0.5 millimeters.

Thus, the dust bag according to the invention comprises a flap presenting an opening and sliding between two sheets, said shutter allowing, in its slide, open or close the dust bag. The characteristic principle of the invention is related to the accessibility of the shutter to allow its sliding, which is achieved by opening the top sheet that covers the entire sliding area of the flap orifice.

In this way, given the thickness of the periphery of the flap, an organ outside bearing on the edge of the opening of the flap, substantially perpendicularly to the cardboard, can make it possible to slide the shutter, by appropriate relative movement of the cardboard relative to this organ. Yes the latter is fixed, the proper movement of the cardboard can allow a opening or automatic closure of the bag by this simple movement.

Advantageously, the extreme positions are determined by cooperation between stops made by a specific cutting of the sheet intermediate, and protruding lugs in the flap, which avoids to use other elements external to the bag to limit the movements of the shutter, the thickness of the shutter and leaves allowing a net shutdown without degradation of the sliding of the flap.

According to an economical embodiment of the invention, the component is the cutting of the intermediate sheet.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shutter slides in one direction substantially parallel to one of the edges of the cardboard, which simplifies, of a the realization of the cardboard, and on the other hand the relative movement between the cardboard and the outer member actuating the shutter.

Advantageously, the openings of the lower sheet and the shutter are circular and substantially of the same diameter, thus defining the opening of the linerboard. The circular shape is particularly well suited for a waterproof connection and without indexing between the cardboard and the outer member actuating.

The realization of the cardboard can take different forms, the leaves that can be independent and glued to each other, or come from a folding and gluing of a single plate.

According to a preferred embodiment, the sheets are made of cardboard and have a thickness of at least 0.7 mm, the carton allowing a low cost price but requiring a minimum thickness to ensure the interactions expected between the cardboard and the external organ.

According to an alternative embodiment, the sheets are made of plastic, which confers in particular a better sliding of the shutter between the two leaves.

The present invention also relates to a device for connecting a bag in a vacuum cleaner frame, which according to a first embodiment of embodiment, is characterized in that the bag conforms to one of the characteristics mentioned above, in that the frame comprises sliding slides of the cardboard of said bag, and in that a mouthpiece aeration connection is connected to the vacuum cleaner frame, the end of this nozzle being of substantially circular section and disposed on the trajectory of sliding of the cardboard.

Thus, the connection device according to the invention comprises, arranged on the frame, slides allowing the introduction and withdrawal of the bag by sliding of the cardboard in said slides, as well as a mouthpiece Aeraulic connection for connecting the vacuum nozzle to the bag dust, said nozzle being fixed on the frame in such a way that the end of this tip is located on the path of sliding of the cardboard, so as to have to bend said cardboard to realize its total introduction into the vacuum cleaner, bending providing the necessary interaction between the end of the tip and in particular the edge of the orifice of the flap for perform the movement of said flap.

According to a second embodiment of the connection device in a vacuum cleaner according to the invention, the bag conforms to one of the characteristics mentioned above, the cardboard bag being arranged in a receptacle in place of one of the walls of said receptacle, and in that the frame comprises a housing of the receptacle, of shape complementary to said receptacle, and in that a connector end aeraulic is connected to the vacuum cleaner frame, the end of this nozzle being substantially circular section and arranged on the sliding path of the receptacle, the cardboard being arranged vis-à-vis the tip.

This mode of implementation allows the same functionalities as previously, while avoiding to manipulate directly the bag that is in a receptacle. It is the setting up and the withdrawal of the receptacle which respectively allow the opening and closing of the bag, reducing the risk of getting dirty when changing the dust bag.

In order to achieve a strong interaction between the end of the tip and in particular the flap orifice, advantageously the diameter of the end of the tip is very slightly smaller than the diameter of the orifices of the sheet lower and flap.

• la figure 1 est une vue éclatée de la cartonnette du sac d'aspirateur selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue de face de la cartonnette assemblée, dans sa position d'ouverture,
• la figure 3 est une vue de face de la cartonnette assemblée, dans sa position de fermeture,
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective simplifiée d'un sac à poussières selon la présente invention,
• la figure 5 est une vue de dessus montrant la coopération d'un sac selon l'invention disposé dans le bâti d'un aspirateur, avec un embout d'aspiration, selon un premier mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 6 est une vue schématique agrandie montrant le principe de fermeture du sac,
• les figures 7 et 8 sont des vues en perspective d'un second mode de réalisation de l'invention,
• la figure 9 et 10 sont des vues en perspective montrant, selon le second mode de réalisation de l'invention, sa mise en oeuvre dans un aspirateur.

The present invention will be better understood from the description which follows, with reference to the appended figures, among which:

• FIG. 1 is an exploded view of the carton of the vacuum cleaner bag according to the invention,
• FIG. 2 is a front view of the assembled cardboard, in its open position,
• FIG. 3 is a front view of the assembled cardboard, in its closed position,
• FIG. 4 is a simplified perspective view of a dust bag according to the present invention,
• FIG. 5 is a view from above showing the cooperation of a bag according to the invention arranged in the frame of a vacuum cleaner, with a suction nozzle, according to a first embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 6 is an enlarged schematic view showing the principle of closing the bag,
• FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of a second embodiment of the invention,
• Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views showing, according to the second embodiment of the invention, its implementation in a vacuum cleaner.

As shown in FIG. 1, the cardboard 1 of a dust bag (no shown), according to an exemplary embodiment, is composed of three sheets of same dimension: an upper sheet 2, an intermediate sheet 10 and a bottom sheet 30.

The upper sheet 2 has an oblong hole 4 as will be explained later.

The intermediate sheet 10 has a recess 18 leaving a zone symmetrical indentation, the contours of this zone forming in particular two opening stop edges 12, and four closing stop edges 14, 16. The recess 18 is partially occupied by a thick shutter 20 substantially equal to that of the sheet 10, and having a circular orifice 26. Furthermore, this flap is cut to present pins 22 capable of cooperating with the stop edges 12, 14 of the sheet intermediate 10, and two shoulders 24 likely to cooperate with the stop edges 16 of the sheet 10 forming a stop.

Finally the bottom sheet 30, in connection with the envelope of the bag dust, has a circular orifice 34, the dimensions of which are substantially identical to those of the orifice 26. An elastic membrane 32 is preferentially arranged, for example by gluing, under the sheet 30, in order to partially close the orifice in order to make a collar sealing.

The assembly of the different leaves as well as the intermediate flap is shown in Figures 2 and 3. In all cases, the leaves 2, 10 and 30 are integral, for example by gluing or stapling, so that the recess 18 and the holes 34 and 4, are superimposed.

Figure 2 shows the cardboard where the sliding shutter occupies one of two extreme positions called the open position, the pins 22 being in abutment against the stop edges 12 of the intermediate sheet. In this position, the orifice 26 of the flap 20 coincides with the orifices 4 and 34, so that the cardboard has an opening between the inside and the outside of the bag dust.

Moreover, in this position, the contours substantially defining the half of the upper perimeter of the orifice 26, coincide with the upper contour of the orifice 4.

Figure 3 shows the sliding shutter in its other extreme position, called closing position, where the lugs 22 and the shoulder 24 are respectively on the flanges 14 and 16 of the intermediate sheet.

The opening 26 having moved with the flap 20, said flap then masks the opening 34 formed by the juxtaposition of the sheets 2 and 30. Similarly, the bottom sheet 30 obscures the opening 26 of the flap 20. There is therefore more Aeraulic connection between the inside and the outside of the dust bag.

In this position, the contours substantially defining the half lower perimeter of the orifice 26, coincide with the lower contour of the orifice 4.

The shape of the orifice 4 corresponds to the displacement of the orifice 26 between the two extreme positions of the flap 20, and is thus established by the size said orifice 26 and the distance separating the two stop edges 12, 14.

Figures 4 to 6 show the principle of cooperation between the bag with 40, and in particular its cardboard, constitutive 1, and a mouthpiece 50. The dust bag comprises a filter envelope 42, connected to the lower sheet 30.

The end 56 of the suction duct, in interaction with the cardboard, is preferably of circular section, its diameter being very slightly less than the diameter of the orifices 26 and 34.

As shown in FIG. 5, the cardboard 1 is held in the frame 54 of the vacuum cleaner, by slides 52 in which it can slide freely.

The installation and the removal of the bag from the frame of the vacuum cleaner are realized as follows.

The suction duct 50 is connected to the frame of the vacuum cleaner, being disposed on one of the walls defining the frame of the vacuum cleaner. His disposition is as its end, inside the frame of the vacuum cleaner, is located between slides, on the path of the cardboard, substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by stacking the sheets.

The bag 40 for the recovery and storage of waste is then introduced between the slides 52. The provision of the suction duct 50 obliges to bend the cardboard to slide it completely into the slides. The cardboard then interacts, of friction type, with the end 56 of the tip 50.

Thus, as the cardboard slides in the slides 52, toward the bottom of the bag housing, the tip 56 of the conduit 50 is firstly resting against the sheet 2, then the orifice 4 comes into interaction with said tip, this interaction being immediate if the flap is in the closed position. The hole 26 of the shutter 20 allows the cardboard to dechilify slightly, this orifice then coming, by part of its contour, in interaction with the tip 56.

Through this interaction, the extra movement of the cardboard causes the automatic sliding of the flap 20 to the open position of the flap where the orifice 26 coincides with the orifice 34. The cardboard then resumes a rectilinear position, the tip then penetrating slightly inside the bag. The interaction between the end piece 56 and the cardboard is then performed only by the flange 32, which guarantees a good seal between the inside and the outside of the bag, during aspiration.

This cooperation is only possible if the leaves forming the cardboard, and in particular those constituting the shutter, have a thickness sufficient support for the interaction with the tip 56. Thus, according to the proposed example, the sheets are made of cardboard and have a thickness of 0.8 mm.

The bending and elasticity of the cardboard also make it possible to ensure this cooperation. However, the cardboard must have some rigidity to keep a good mechanical resistance.

Other devices can however be used to ensure that the tip and the cardboard are pressed against each other. Thus, the slides can be mounted against the force of two springs so as to stretch said springs to be able to slide the cardboard in the slides.

In the same way, when the bag is removed, the user hanger slightly the cardboard and fate gradually from the frame of the device in the sliding in the slides. The mouthpiece thus interacts with the orifice 26, thus moving the flap to close the bag. Arrived in position closing, the interaction with the orifice 26 and the orifice 4 stops, the cardboard is bending further, until removed from the frame of the vacuum cleaner.

The end of the tip is advantageously conical, to facilitate the attachment or the detachment of the cardboard by the mouthpiece during insertion or removal of the cardboard in the frame. he is also possible to arrange different slopes at the cone so in particular to promote the suppression of the interaction between the cardboard and the tip when removing the bag.

Thus, by the present invention, the user has an opening and automatic closing of the vacuum bag, respectively when introduced and when removing his bag from the vacuum cleaner frame.

Alternative embodiments can be envisaged without departing from the scope of the present invention. Thus, the interaction between the end of the mouthpiece and the orifice of the flap being linked only to their respective shape, the delimitation of the orifice of the upper sheet must actually resume at least the form corresponding to the sliding area of the flap orifice, but can be more extensive than the latter. It is even possible to consider that the leaf is reduced to thin reduced areas with the function of maintain the veneered veneer against the lower leaf, and limit its sliding.

According to an alternative embodiment, the endpiece serves only to close the cardboard when removing the bag. The opening of the cardboard, by the sliding of the flap in its open position, can be carried out by pressing end 21 of the flap, which protrudes from the cardboard when the flap is in closing position, against the bottom of the bag housing, thereby allowing push the flap and thus position it in the open position of the linerboard.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, presented figures 7 to 10, the cardboard 60 is positioned in a receptacle 70, said receptacle being slidably guided in a housing provided in the frame of the vacuum cleaner. The role of slides previously presented is then ensured by the walls of the receptacle during its sliding in the frame of the vacuum cleaner. The bag linked to the cardboard has been omitted in order to make the representation and explanations more clear.

As shown in FIG. 7, the receptacle 70 is substantially shaped parallelepipedic having a wall-free face. This face, which is the upper face shown in FIG. 7, corresponding to the front part of the receptacle in use, is intended to receive the cardboard 60, of so that the latter occupies substantially all the surface of this face free of wall, so as to close the receptacle. To do this, the cardboard 60 is positioned on a multitude of lugs 72 coming from the receptacle, according to the embodiment example, ribs 74 produced during the molding of the receptacle.

These ribs 74 are distributed over the inner periphery of the receptacle, in order to keep the principle of bending the cardboard for its cooperation with the connection tip. Thus, the cardboard is flush with the upper part of the side walls of the receptacle.

On the face opposite the wall-free face is provided an outlet air through a multitude of openings 82, visible Figure 9.

Moreover, as represented in FIG. 8, the receptacle 70 comprises a wide handle 80 formed outside one of the faces of said receptacle, this face corresponding to the upper face of the receptacle in use.

FIG. 8 also makes it possible to display small holding studs 76 of the cardboard, these studs being located above certain lugs 72 of cardboard support.

Figures 9 and 10 show the receptacle equipped with the cardboard according to the invention during its use.

Thus, the vacuum cleaner 84 has a frame 86 on which are mounted including two big wheels 88 at the rear and a small wheel at the front. In front part of the vacuum cleaner, is provided a large housing 90. This housing resumes, with the game, the outer dimensions of the receptacle 70, except the handle, so that the receptacle is guided, when introduced into the vacuum cleaner, by the walls delimiting said housing.

As is clearly visible in FIG. 9, a connector end 92 makes protruding inside the housing 90. Thus, the cardboard, by its positioning restoring in some way the missing wall of the receptacle, is located in vis-à-vis the mouthpiece when the receptacle is introduced into the housing according to the provision presented in figure 9. This provision is based on the basic of FIG. 5, the slides then being constituted by the side walls of the housing 90, to slide the receptacle and therefore the cardboard equipped with his bag, not shown, towards the bottom of the housing.

Furthermore, a recess 78 is formed in the receptacle 70, such that it allows the passage of the mouthpiece 92 when the receptacle is introduced into the housing 90, so that the tip only interacts with the carton 60, as previously explained.

According to the proposed example, the maximum deflection due to bending does not exceed not 2 mm. Moreover, the movement of the shutter between its two positions extremes is of the order of 40 mm. The height of the recess 78 is 8 mm.

The handle 80 has, in addition, a wide edge in order to take support on around 90. In this way, the introduction and extraction of the receptacle is simple and easy, the handle being arranged close to control buttons 94, 96 of the operation of the apparatus. In addition, this introduction and extraction of the receptacle allows, respectively to open and automatically close the flap of the cardboard.

Claims (13)

Dust bag (40) for vacuum cleaner, comprising a filter bag (42) connected to a cardboard (1, 60) made of a relatively rigid material, said cardboard (1, 60) being formed of a superposition of at least three sheets: an upper sheet (2), an intermediate sheet (10) and a lower sheet (30) held together and each having at least one orifice (4, 18, 34) defining an opening in the carton (1, 60) , the lower sheet (30) being in contact with the filter casing (42), the intermediate sheet (10) being cut so that a flap (20) of substantially the same thickness and having an orifice (26) can slide between the lower sheet (30) and the upper sheet (2) between two extreme positions, one of its positions opening in the carton (1, 60) while the other position closes said opening, characterized in that that the contour of the orifice (4) of the film the upper (2) substantially corresponds to the sliding area of the orifice (26) of the flap (20) and in that the thickness of the contour of the orifice (26) of the flap (20) is at least 0 , 5 millimeters. Dust bag (40) according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the end positions are determined by cooperation between abutments (12, 14, 16) made by a specific cut of the intermediate sheet (10), and lugs (22). 24) in the flap (20). Dust bag (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flap (20) is derived from the cutting of the intermediate sheet (10). Dust bag (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the flap (20) slides in a direction substantially parallel to one of the edges of the cardboard (1, 60). Dust bag (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the orifices (34, 26) of the lower sheet (30) and the flap (20) are circular and of substantially the same diameter. Dust bag (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheets (2, 10, 30) are independent and glued to each other. Dust bag (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheets (2, 10, 30) come from folding and gluing of a single plate. Dust bag (40) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sheets (2, 10, 30) are made of cardboard and have a thickness of at least 0.7 mm. Dust bag (40) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the sheets (2, 10, 30) are made of plastic. Device for connecting a dust bag (40) in a vacuum cleaner frame (54), characterized in that the bag (40) is according to one of claims 1 to 9 and that the frame (54) ) comprises slides (52) for sliding the cardboard (1) of said bag (40), and in that a nozzle (50) for aeration connection is connected to the frame (54) of the vacuum cleaner, the end (56) this tip (50) being of substantially circular section and disposed on the sliding path of the cardboard (1). Device for connecting a dust bag in a vacuum cleaner frame (86), characterized in that the bag is according to one of Claims 1 to 9, the cardboard (60) of the bag being arranged in a receptacle ( 70) in place of one of the walls of said receptacle (70), and in that the frame (86) comprises a receptacle (90) of the receptacle (70) of complementary shape to said receptacle, and in that a nozzle (92) of aeraulic connection is connected to the frame (86) of vacuum cleaner, the end of this nozzle (92) being of substantially circular section and disposed on the sliding path of the receptacle (70), the cardboard (60) being arranged vis-à-vis the end piece (92). Device for connecting a dust bag (40) in a vacuum cleaner frame (54, 86) according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the diameter of the end (56) of the nozzle (50 , 92) is very slightly smaller than the diameter of the orifices (34, 26) of the lower sheet (30) and the flap (20). Device for connecting a dust bag (40) in a vacuum cleaner frame (54, 86) according to Claim 12, characterized in that the end (56) of the nozzle (50, 92) is of a shape conical.

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