EP1619987B1 - Removable dust collecting receptacle - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a removable dust collecting container for insertion into a dust chamber of a vacuum cleaner according to the preamble of claim 1.

The patent US Pat. No. 6,428,589 B1 discloses a two-stage inertial particle separator for vacuum cleaners. The first stage is formed by a housing in which air is directed in an airflow path in a substantially circular path. The air flow path has an internal opening through which air, which has been cleaned by heavier dust particles, enters the second stage. The air flows through openings of the upper portion of the second separator. Any dirt or dust still present in the air is transported outwards by centrifugal forces and then falls into a dust-containing chamber.

The patent US 5,779,745 describes an adapter for a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner comprising a vacuum source and an inlet pipe communicating with a nozzle opening and terminating in a chamber. The adapter is a separate unit that can be attached to a vacuum cleaner. The adapter contains a first container, which serves as a coarse separator and a vortex separator.

A generic dust collector is from the DE 100 21 594 A1 known. The local dust collector has a centrifugal separator, a dip tube and a dust collection chamber. The dust collector is designed to be used in conventional vacuum cleaners. Furthermore, the dust collector on an air inlet opening, and a laterally releasably attached to the housing filter unit. On a side wall of the centrifugal separator is formed a partially extending over its circumference separating opening. Dust is deposited in the dust collection chamber via the separation opening. The air flow arrives at the center of the centrifugal separator according to the cyclone principle and is fed via the dip tube to the filter unit, where it passes through the filter to the outside. The filter is necessary because the dust retention capacity of the centrifugal separator is lower than that of a conventional dust filter bag, so that in the air flow residual dust has to be held back by the filter.

The disadvantage here is that the particulate matter retained by the filter adheres to the surface of the filter and that as a result, the filter is clogged with increasing operating time of the adhering fine dust. Thus, the suction power of the vacuum cleaner may deteriorate even if the user regularly empties the dust collector. Since the particulate matter retained by the filter is not eliminated when emptying the dust collection chamber, the airflow through the dust collection container remains low because the fine dust deposited by the filter clogs the filter surface and causes a high pressure drop.

The object of the invention is to improve a generic dust collector such that the suction power of the vacuum cleaner is maintained over a long period.

According to the invention this object is achieved by the removable dust collector according to claim 1.

By the dust collecting container having at least one further dust collecting space, in particular fine dust can be deposited separately from the coarse dust in a separate dust collecting space. The fine dust is separated by means of a separating device and accumulated in at least one second dust collecting space. The accumulated fine dust can no longer reach the filter and clogging of the filter surface by fine dust is prevented or largely avoided.

In this at least one additional dust collecting space, in particular significantly more fine dust can be accumulated than can be deposited on the filter surface. Since there are two separate dust collecting spaces for coarse dust and fine dust, a larger amount of dust can be accumulated. As a result, emptying the dust collection containers is only necessary at longer intervals. In addition, as less particulate matter is deposited on the filter surface, the service life of the dust collector is further extended. Cleaning the filter surface of the dust collection container is less often required than with conventional dust collection containers.

The dust collecting container has a second outlet for discharging the at least second dust fraction separated by the separating device into the at least second dust collecting space. By having the dust collection container having a second outlet, the second dust fraction may be directed into the second dust collection space separately from the first dust fraction. As a result, a safe separate collection of coarse dust and fine dust in two different dust collection rooms is possible. Preferably, the second outlet forms a fine dust outlet.

The separator is disposed between the dust collector and the second dust collection room. Due to this arrangement, there are short flow paths between the dust collector and the dust collecting spaces. This has the advantage that can be dispensed with complex flow channels and pipe parts.

The separating device is designed as a separator surface arranged in an opening in a side wall of the dust separator. Due to the design of the separation device as a sifter surface, a very flat construction of the separation device is achieved. This has the advantage that the respective dust collecting space can connect directly to the dust separator, wherein preferably dust collecting space and dust collector have a common side wall portion. This has the advantage that the flow path between dust collector and dust collecting space is reduced to a minimum and as

Sifter trained separator in a breakthrough of a wall between the dust and dust collection room finds place. As a result, a particularly compact construction of the dust collection container is achieved.

The dust collector may have a cylindrical side wall and the separator surface may be arranged in the side wall in the flow direction of the dust-laden air downstream of the inlet opening and arranged upstream of the first outlet. By the Sichterfläche, preferably for the separation of the fine dust between the inlet opening for dust-laden air and the first outlet, preferably arranged for the coarse dust, the second dust fraction, or the fine dust before reaching the first outlet for the first dust fraction, or Coarse dust deposited. Such pre-separation relieves the dust collector and improves the separation of the first dust fraction, or of the dust from the dust-laden air.

The inlet opening for dust-laden air may be formed in a first end-side end portion of the cylindrical side wall and the separator surface may be arranged in a, the first end-side end portion opposite the second end-side end portion of the cylindrical side wall. By the Sichterfläche the dust collector is located as far away from the inlet opening for dust-laden air, a long distance within the dust collector for the separation of the dust from the air is used. If the dust-laden air is subjected to a separation process over as long a distance as possible, a maximum degree of separation can be achieved. This has the advantage that the efficiency of the dust collector is very high.

Preferably, the sifter face and the first outlet are disposed substantially opposite one another in the side wall. Due to the substantially opposite arrangement of sifter surface and first outlet as far as possible separation of fine dust outlet and coarse dust outlet is achieved. This prevents unwanted mixing of fine dust and coarse dust. Such a spatial separation for fine dust and coarse dust outlet improves the separation result.

In one embodiment, the classifier surface may be formed as a sieve. By selecting the mesh size of the sieve, the cut size is determined. Only dust particles which have a smaller particle diameter than the size of the separation grain can pass through the sieve and enter the dust collecting space. Dust particles having a larger diameter than the cut-off grain size are retained by the wire and remain in the dust-laden air inside the dust collector. By forming the Sichterfläche as a sieve, the separation grain size can be specified by selecting the mesh size of the sieve exactly. This has the advantage that it reliably prevents too coarse particles in the dust collecting space for fine dust can pass.

Alternatively, the classifier surface may be formed as a gap. When forming the Sichterfläche as a gap, the gap width determines the separation grain size. Dust particles that have a smaller diameter than the gap width, can emerge from the dust collector and spent in the dust collection room for fine dust. Dust particles with a larger diameter than the gap width of the gap are rejected into the dust collector. The advantage of a sifter surface as a gap is that the sifter surface can be produced more cost-effectively as a gap and used more flexibly.

Preferably, the gap is arranged to extend substantially perpendicular to the axial extent in the side wall of the dust collector. This has the advantage that the separation of the fine dust is concentrated on a section narrowly defined in the axial direction of the dust collector. If the gap is arranged in the vicinity of the upper front end section of the dust collector, a maximum possible volume can be used as dust collecting space for the fine dust.

In an advantageous embodiment, the gap extends radially over 60 ° to 120 °, preferably over about 90 ° of the circumference in a cylindrical side wall portion of the dust collector. In order to obtain a sufficient separation of fine dust, it is necessary to form the gap extending at least over 60 ° of the circumference. If the gap extends more than 120 ° over the circumference of the cylindrical side wall, there is no further, significant improvement of the fine dust separation.

Effective separation of particulate matter is achieved when the gap extends about 90 degrees of circumference in a sidewall portion of the cylindrical sidewall.

The gap may have a gap width of 0.1 and 1 mm, preferably about 0.3 mm. With regard to the usual house dust results in this preferred separation grain size of about 0.3 mm, a particularly favorable distribution of dust in fine dust and grit. Due to the favorable choice of the ratio of fine dust and coarse dust, the dust-collecting capacity of the dust collection container can be optimally utilized. Thus, emptying of the dust collecting container is preferably only necessary when both the dust collecting space for particulate matter and the dust collecting space for coarse dust are approximately filled.

It is advantageous to form the gap as edge-open cutout in the side wall of the dust collector. By training as edge-open cutout, the gap can be made with simple tools. This has the advantage that the production of the dust collection container can be done inexpensively.

The open-edge cutout can be limited by a container lid of the dust collector. As a result, by opening the container lid of the dust collector, the gap can be opened. As a result, possibly trapped in the gap particles can solve after opening the container lid and be easily eliminated.

The first dust collecting space can be separated from the second dust collecting space by a partition wall, which forms a channel wall of an inlet channel arranged upstream of the inlet opening in the direction of flow of the sucked-in air. By this design, a dust collector is created, which has the simplest possible structural design. In particular, when the dust collection container is made of plastic, only a small number of side walls for the dust collecting spaces and the dust separator are needed. This has the advantage that the dust collection container can be produced using as small a quantity of plastic material as possible.

Preferably, the dust collecting space for receiving the coarse dust fraction has a larger volume than the second dust collecting space for receiving the fine dust fraction. Taking into account the composition of conventional house dust, the dust collecting space for receiving the coarse dust fraction should be made significantly larger than the dust collecting space for receiving the fine dust fraction. Usually, the house dust contains a significantly larger proportion of coarse dust particles than fine dust particles.

Figur 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Staubraums eines Staubsaugers mit einem Staubraumdeckel und einem eingesetzten erfindungsgemäßen Staubsammelbehälter;

Figur 2

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Staubsammelbehälters gemäß Figur 1;

Figur 3

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Staubsammelbehälters gemäß Figur 2 ohne Behälterdeckel, mit einer als Sieb ausgebildeten Trennvorrichtung;

Figur 4

eine perspektivische Ansicht des Staubsammelbehälters gemäß Figur 3 wobei die Trennvorrichtung als Spalt ausgebildet ist.

Show it:

FIG. 1

a perspective view of a dust chamber of a vacuum cleaner with a dust chamber lid and a dust collector according to the invention used;

FIG. 2

a perspective view of the dust collection container according to FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3

a perspective view of the dust collection container according to FIG. 2 without container lid, with a separator designed as a sieve;

FIG. 4

a perspective view of the dust collection container according to FIG. 3 wherein the separating device is formed as a gap.

The FIG. 1 shows a section of a vacuum cleaner housing 1. A side wall 2 of the vacuum cleaner housing 1 defines a dust chamber 3. The dust chamber 3 is formed open at the top and closed by a dust chamber cover 4. In the closed state, the underside of the dust chamber cover 4 bears against an upper edge 5 of the side wall 2.

In the area of a front portion of the side wall 2, a carrier 6 for receiving a dust collecting container 7 is arranged. The carrier 6 has two opposing locking members 8 and 9, which engage over the upper edge 5 of the side wall 2 when the dust collecting container 7 is not inserted and thereby prevent the dust compartment cover 4 from properly closing the dust space 3. In the in FIG. 1 shown position, the locking members 8 and 9 are in a position in the one Closing the lid 4 is prevented. When the dust collecting container 7 is operationally inserted into the dust chamber 3, the locking members 8 and 9 are swung back inside in the dust chamber 3 and the upper edge 5 of the side wall 2 is released. The pivoting back of the locking members 8 and 9 is effected by an attached to the dust collector 7 actuator 10th

The dust collecting container 7 has a hollow, box-like housing part 11, which is preferably made of transparent plastic. The housing part 11 is formed open both upwards and downwards. In a side wall of the housing part 11 is a dust inlet 12, enters through the dust-laden air into the interior of the dust collection container 7. At the edge of the dust inlet 12, a seal 13 is arranged. In an operating position of the dust collecting container 7, the dust chamber 3 of the vacuum cleaner is closed by the dust chamber cover 4. The dust chamber cover 4 is broken at one point and there has an inlet connection 14, to which a suction hose, not shown, can be connected. In this closed position of the dust chamber cover 4 of the inlet nozzle 14 is sealingly against the seal 13 of the dust inlet 12 of the dust collector 7 at.

The housing part 11 is closed at the bottom by a container bottom 15 and at the top by a container lid 16. The container bottom 15 has the actuating member 10. The container bottom 15 is preferably made of plastic and has an outer Rahmenzug on which the actuator 10 is formed. The actuator is designed as a hook-shaped tab. The fixed leg of the hook-shaped tab is integrally formed on the frame pull of the container bottom 15 and extends from the container bottom 15 in the direction of the container lid 16. The free leg of the hook-shaped tab is bent in the direction of the container bottom downwards.

The container lid 16 is detachably attached to the housing part 11. For attachment engage the container lid 16 molded latching hooks 17 in tabs 18 of the housing part 11 a. Each tab 18 has a tongue 19. If the tongue 19 is moved away perpendicularly from the abutment surface of the tab 18 on the container lid 16, the associated latching hook 17 can detach from the tab 18 and the container lid 16 can be separated from the housing part 11. At the top of the container lid 16 is a Handle 20 attached. The handle 20 is space-saving housed in a recess 21 in the container lid 16. The handle 20 is pivotable about an axis of rotation 22 from its horizontal storage position to a vertical position in which the dust collector 7 can be carried. In order to easily pivot the handle 20 out of the storage position, a recessed grip 23 is formed in the container lid 16 at the edge of the recess 21. The handle 20 may be biased by means of a spring, not shown, acting about the axis of rotation 22 spring either in the storage position or in the position for carrying.

In the FIG. 2 the dust collector 7 is shown. The downwardly open housing part 11 is closed by the container bottom 15. The container bottom 15 has a filter housing 24 which carries a filter fleece 25 which completely covers at least one air outlet opening 26. The air outlet opening 26 may be extended like a tube to form a dip tube. The filter fleece 25 keeps the dust in the dust collector 7 back. The container bottom 15 is pivotally mounted by means of a hinge, not shown, on the housing part 11. Locking lugs 27 which are integrally formed on the housing part 11 engage in web portions 28 which have recesses 28. The locking lugs 26 and the web portions 28 with the recesses 29 form closing elements 30 for unlocking and locking the container bottom 15 on the housing part 11.

In dust collecting 7 a working according to the centrifugal force dust collector 31 is included. The dust collector 31 extends in the housing part 11 from a bottom end, which carries the container bottom 15 up to a ceiling-side end, which carries the container lid 16. The dust separator 31 has a hollow-cylindrical side wall 32. At a bottom end portion of the dust collector 31, an inlet opening 33 is provided in the hollow cylindrical side wall 32. The Entrittsöffnung 33 is fluidly connected via an inlet channel 34 with the dust inlet 12.

Via the inlet channel 34 and the inlet opening 33 dust-laden air flows tangentially into the cylindrical dust collector 31 (see also FIG. 3 ). The dust-laden air flows in a spiral upward toward the container lid 16. By centrifugal force, the dust is concentrated near the wall and transported upwards due to the flow of air. Via a first outlet 35 in the upper Arranged end portion of the dust collector 31 and formed as a cutout in the side wall 32, the dust is deposited in a first dust collecting space 36. The freed from dust air is deflected at the upper end side of the dust collector 31 by means of a coaxial with the cylindrical side wall of the dust collector 31 in the container lid 16 arranged deflecting element 37 down in the direction of the container bottom 15 out. The dust-free air exits through an air outlet opening 26 from the dust separator 31 and into the filter housing 24. At the filter fleece 25 may still be retained fine dust, which could not be deposited. At the bottom of the container bottom 15, the purified air exits from the dust collector 7.

FIG. 3 shows the dust collector 7 with removed container lid 16. The housing part 11 has a circumferentially closed outer wall 38 and is open both in the direction of the container lid 16 and down in the direction of the container bottom 15. In the horizontal cross section of the dust collecting container 7, the outer wall 38 is formed substantially rectangular with four rounded corner regions. The side walls of the outer wall 38 are substantially planar. In the corner regions, the outer wall 38 is curved. At least in that corner which is assigned to the dust separator 31, the outer wall 38 has a radius of curvature which corresponds to the radius of the cylindrical side wall 32 of the dust separator 31. The side wall 32 is formed in part by the outer wall 38. A cylindrical side wall portion 39, which forms a side wall of the second dust collecting space 42, constitutes another part of the side wall 32. A partition wall 40, which extends from the container bottom 15 to the container lid 16, is arranged in the dust collecting container 7. The partition wall 40 serves essentially as a channel wall of the inlet channel 34. The partition wall 40 is partially formed by a part of the side wall 32 of the dust collector 31, the side wall 41 of the first dust collecting chamber 36 for coarse dust and the side wall of a second dust collecting chamber 42 for fines.

The second dust collecting space 42 extends from the upper edge of the housing part 11 to an approximately medium height. A bottom surface 43 bounds the second dust collecting space 42 downwards. The bottom surface 43 forms an upper boundary wall for the inlet channel 34 in the dust separator 31. In the Outside wall 38 of the dust inlet 12 is formed as a circular cutout. At the dust inlet 12, the inlet channel 34 connects. In the inlet channel 34 incoming dust-laden air is passed under the second dust collection chamber 42 and from there tangentially through the inlet opening 33 (see also Fig. 2 ) passed into the dust collector 31. In the dust separator 31, a vortex flow directed upward in the direction of the first outlet 35 is formed. The dust-free air flows in the center of the vortex flow down toward the air outlet opening 26. From the air outlet opening 26 from the air passes out of the dust collector 7 also.

About the outlet 35 of the coarse dust is ejected into the first dust collecting space 36 and accumulates in this. Slightly below the outlet 35 and opposite it, a second outlet 44 is arranged in the cylindrical side wall section 39 of the dust separator 31. The outlet 44 has a separating device 45 designed as a separator surface. The Sichterfläche 45 is shown in the embodiment as a simple sieve. Depending on the mesh size of the screen 45 only particulate matter with a grain diameter of less than the mesh size of the screen 45 is ejected into the second dust collecting space 42 and accumulated in this. Dust with a larger grain diameter than the mesh size of the screen 45 is rejected into the dust collector 31 and is ejected via the outlet 35 as a grit into the first dust collecting space 36.

The FIG. 4 shows the dust collector 7 with substantially the same features as in FIG. 3 shown. In contrast to FIG. 3 the separator 45 is not designed as a sieve, but as a gap. The gap 45 is formed by the second outlet 44, which is reduced in height to a gap (s). The gap 45 extends perpendicular to the axial extension in the side wall 32 of the dust separator 31, ie in the horizontal position shown and extends radially over approx .90 ° of the circumference in the cylindrical side wall portion 39. The gap 45 is for illustrative purposes in FIG FIG. 4 disproportionately enlarged in its gap. In fact, the gap width s is only between 0.1 and 1 mm, depending on the separation grain size chosen for the particulate matter to be separated off. The gap 45 is formed in the embodiment shown as edge-open cutout at the upper edge of the cylindrical side wall portion 39. In operation of the Dust collecting container 7, the gap 45 at its open side edge through the container lid 16 (FIG. FIG. 2 ) limited. The upper edges of the outer wall 38 of the housing part 11, the side wall 32 of the dust separator 31, the partition 40, and the side wall 41 carry a seal, not shown, which rests against the container lid 16 when it closes the dust collector 7. The seal separates the individual rooms to the outside and against each other airtight.

Claims (14)

1. Removable dust collecting receptacle (7), for use in a dust chamber (3) of a vacuum cleaner with a dust separator (31) operating in accordance with the centrifugal principle, having an inlet opening (12) for dust-laden air and a first outlet (35) for extraction of a first dust fraction separated from the air by the dust separator (31) into a first dust separation space (36) and the dust collecting receptacle (7) having at least one second dust collection chamber (42), for collecting at least one second dust fraction separated by a separation device (45), wherein the dust collecting receptacle (7) has a second outlet (44) for extraction of the second dust fraction separated by the separation device (45) into the at least second dust collection chamber (42) and wherein the separation device (45) is embodied as a sifter surface which is disposed between the dust separator (31) and the second dust collection chamber (42), characterised in that, the sifter surface is disposed in a breakthrough of a side wall (32) of the dust separator (31).
2. Dust collecting receptacle according to claim 1, characterised in that the second outlet (44) is a fine dust outlet.
3. Dust collecting receptacle according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the dust separator (31) has a cylindrical side wall (32) and the sifter surface (45) is disposed downstream in the cylindrical side wall (32) in the flow direction of the dust-laden air of the inlet opening (12) and upstream of the first outlet (35).
4. Dust collecting receptacle according to claim 3, characterised in that the inlet opening (12) for dust-laden air is embodied in a first end-face-side end section of the cylindrical side wall (32) and the sifter surface (45) is disposed in a second end-face-side end section of the cylindrical side wall (32) lying opposite the first end-face-side end section.
5. Dust collecting receptacle according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sifter surface (45) and the first outlet (35) are essentially disposed opposite one another in the side wall (32).
6. Dust collecting receptacle according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sifter surface (45) is embodied as a sieve.
7. Dust collecting receptacle according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the sifter surface (45) is embodied as a gap.
8. Dust collecting receptacle according to claim 7, characterised in that the gap (45) is disposed running essentially at right angles to the axial extent in the side wall (32).
9. Dust collecting receptacle according to claim 7 or 8, characterised in that the gap (45) extends radially over 60° to 120°, preferably over around 90° of the circumference in a side wall section (39) of the cylindrical side wall (32).
10. Dust collecting receptacle according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterised in that the gap (45) has a gap width (s) of between 0.1 and 1 mm, preferably of around 0.3 mm.
11. Dust collecting receptacle according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterised in that the gap (45) is embodied as a cutout open at the edge in the side wall (32).
12. The dust collecting receptacle according to claim 11, characterised in that the cutout open at the edge is delimited by a container cover (16) of the dust separator (31).
13. Dust collecting receptacle according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first dust collection chamber (36) is separated from the second dust collection chamber (42) by a partition wall (40), which forms a duct wall of an inlet channel (34) in the flow direction of the sucked-in air before the inlet opening (33).
14. Dust collecting receptacle according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the first dust collection chamber (36), for accepting the coarse dust fraction, has a larger volume than the second dust collection chamber (42) for accepting the fine dust fraction.

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