EP2016881A1

EP2016881A1 - Suction device, in particular for ash removal

Info

Publication number: EP2016881A1
Application number: EP08425149A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Guzzonato; Simone Franzan
Original assignee: Ribimex Italia Srl
Current assignee: Ribimex Italia Srl
Priority date: 2007-07-16
Filing date: 2008-03-12
Publication date: 2009-01-21

Abstract

A suction device, in particular for the removal of residual ash and soot in general, comprising at least one tank (10), which contains the residual ash and to which at least one cover (11) is connected, wherein said cover (11) has at least two openings (22, 23) for the insertion of at least one flexible hose, which is connected to at least one sucking nozzle. The openings (22, 23) are of the same shape and of the same size, thus it is possible to use a single flexible hose, which can be inserted alternately inside the ducts (24, 26) of one and the other opening (22, 23), both for the sucking operations and for the cleaning operations of the filter or of other parts of the suction device.

Description

The present invention relates in general to a suction device, which is able to the removal of dust, soot and ash and which is usable, in particular, to keep clean fireplaces and stoves from residual of ash and soot accumulated in the brazier and/or at the surfaces that are in contact with the smoke trail of the above-mentioned heating devices.
The vacuum cleaners which are currently on the market cannot be used for cleaning and removal of ash, because the particles of dust and ash rapidly obstruct the protection of the motor, making unusable the vacuum cleaner after a few minutes of operation.
Indeed, using the vacuum cleaner for removing ash or embers, the motor is forced to work always under strain and consequently the average life time of the cleaner is notably reduced.
In order to avoid this drawback, it is possible to use containers, usually made of sheet metal and including a containment tank and a cover, which is usually connected on the outside walls of the tank through a metal ring closure.
Two ducts, located at the relative holes, are normally placed on the cover, for the connection of respective flexible hoses, one of which is connected to a suction nozzle of ash and/or other waste materials in general, while the other flexible hose is connected to a suction unit.
The flexible hose which is connected to the suction nozzle can be made of fire-resistant plastic material or plastic material internally coated by a reinforced metal sheath, in order to avoid overheating due to the passage of ash and/or embers at high temperature, while the flexible hose connecting the suction unit to the metal container is usually made of plastic material and the suction nozzle is normally made of metallic material, such as aluminum.
Under the duct, to which the flexible hose of the suction unit is connected, and inside the metal container a filter is also installed; the filter is fixed, usually through welding, to the inner surface of the cover of the container.
Therefore, starting the suction unit, ash which is sucked from the nozzle remains inside the metal container and, thanks to the filter, only a fraction of residual material can come to the suction unit, without thereby jeopardizing the operation.
The above suction unit, while ensuring reliable operation, however has many drawbacks which it would be desirable to eliminate.
Firstly, it is necessary to use a separated suction unit with an independent motor for the operation of the device, and it is also necessary to use at least two ducts on the container, in order to insert and connect the ends of at least two flexible hoses, with obvious costs which affect the total cost of the device.
Moreover, due to the fixed connection of the filter to the inner wall of the container, it is necessary to replace the entire container and it is not possible to use a new filter, in case said filter is obstructed; furthermore, the welding processing causes edges on the exterior surface of the cover, with consequent risks of injury to the user in case neither strips nor protection panel and covers in general are applied.
An aim of the present invention is therefore to obviate to the above mentioned drawbacks and, in particular, to manufacture a suction device, in particular for the removal of ash, with a compact structure, at low costs and with additional functionality with respect to the prior art.
Another aim of the present invention is to make a suction device, in particular for the removal of ash, with a highly reliable operation, without having need of frequent and/or periodic maintenance.
A further aim of the invention is to manufacture a suction device, in particular for the removal of ash, which has a high average life time and which ensures high reliability, according to the operating and the electrical safety rules.
The above and other aims are achieved by a suction device, in particular for the removal of ash, according to the appended claim 1; moreover, additional technical features of the device can be found in the dependent claims.
Additional aims and advantages of the invention will be clear from the following description, which refers to a preferred embodiment of the suction device, in particular for the removal of ash, that is the object of the present invention, and from the enclosed figures, where:

Figure 1 is a general perspective view of a first embodiment of the suction device, in particular for the removal of ash, according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a detailed perspective view of the suction device shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a first bottom perspective view of the cover used in the suction device shown in Figure 1, according to the invention;
Figure 4 is a second bottom perspective view of the cover shown in Figure 3, with a changeable filter, according to the invention;
Figure 4A is a bottom perspective view of the cover, with a changeable filter, according to a second embodiment of the invention, with respect to the embodiment shown in figure 4;
Figure 5 is a top perspective view of the cover shown in Figure 3, according to the invention;
Figure 6 is an exploded top perspective view of a further embodiment of the cover, with respect to the cover shown in figures 3 and 5, according to the present invention;
Figure 6A is an enlarged view of the detail A of figure 6;
Figure 6B is a top perspective view of the cover shown in figure 6, according to the invention;
Figures 6C and 6D show partial cross sections of the cover shown in figures 6 and 6B, in which two alternative embodiments of a system for shaking the filter are illustrated;
Figure 7 is an exploded top perspective view of a further embodiment of the cover shown in figures 3, 5 and 6, according to the present invention;
Figure 7A is an enlarged view of the detail B of figure 7;
Figure 7B is a top perspective view of the cover shown in figure 7, according to the invention;
Figures 7C and 7D show partial cross sections of the cover shown in figures 7 and 7B, in which two alternative embodiments of a system for shaking the filter are illustrated;
Figure 8 is an exploded top perspective view showing a way to plug the filter in the cover shown in figures 7 and 7B, according to the invention;
Figure 8A is an enlarged view of the detail C of figure 8;
Figure 8B is a top perspective view of the cover shown in figure 8, according to the invention;
Figures 9 and 10 show further embodiments of the cover shown in figures 6 and 8, respectively.

Referring to the mentioned drawings, the suction device, which is used particularly for the removal of ash, according to the present invention, includes a container or tank 10, which contains the aspirated ash and/or dust or soot and which is closed at the top by a removable cover 11, usually made of plastic material.
According to a first embodiment of the suction device, illustrated in Figures 1-4, 4A, 5-6 and 6A-6D, which provides for the use of a motor drive unit directly mounted on the device, a shaped protruding insert 12 is made on the cover 11, so that said motor drive unit of the suction device is contained inside the insert 12 (the motor drive unit is therefore severally associated to the suction device) and has appropriate seats for the passage of the power cable 13 and for the insertion of one or more shaped buttons of activation and/or shutdown of the device; alternatively, the motor drive unit is not incorporated in the suction device according to the invention and the device uses an external suction unit as a drive unit (fig. 7, 7A-7D, 8, 8A-8B).
In particular, according to the present invention, a single-stage dry motor is preferably used as a drive motor unit of the suction device and said motor, as shown in the above-mentioned figures, is firmly connected to the cover 11 of the suction device.
The inner surface 15 of the cover 11 is slightly convex and has an annular protruding edge 16, which falls within the lateral surface of the tank 10 and which corresponds to the throat ring 17 of the outer surface 18, slightly concave, of the cover 11.
The outer surface 18 of the cover 11 also has an annular edge 19, corresponding to a throat ring 20 of the inner surface 15 of the cover 11, in which the upper perimeter edge of the containment tank 10 is inserted, in order to obtain a stable coupling between the cover 11 and the tank 10, said tank 10 being made of sheet metal material or of plastic material.
Moreover, one or more shaped fins 21 are provided along the annular edge 19, in order to allow the removal of the cover 11 and consequently the opening of the tank 10 containing the sucked waste, through a simple action of lifting of said fins.
The cover 11 is usually manufactured by molding and has two openings or holes 22, 23; the hole 22 is suitable for the insertion of a flexible hose (usually made of fire-resistant plastic material and/or reinforced by a internal metal sheath) which is connected to a suction nozzle (normally made of metallic material, such as aluminum) of ash, soot and dust in general.
In particular, the flexible hose, which is connected to the suction nozzle, is inserted through the hole 22, at the shaped duct 24 placed on the outer surface 18 of the cover 11, so that the end of said hose counterbores the inner annular edge 25, while the hole 23, which is normally open, is surrounded by a circular duct 26, placed laterally with respect to the shaped protruding insert 12 and also provided with an inner counterbored annular edge 27.
According to preferred embodiments of the present invention, the shaped duct 26, which is provided at the opening 23, is made of one single piece, usually by molding and together with the shaped protruding insert 12, thus constituting a lateral portion of said insert 12 (as shown in detail in Figure 5), while the duct 24 of the opening 22 is made directly on the cover 11.
In other embodiments of the invention, as shown in Figures 6, 6A and 6B which relates to a cover 11 of a suction device provided with an internal motor drive unit (even if the present invention is also related to suction devices connected to respective external motor drive units), a ring element 30A is inserted inside the opening 22; the ring element 30A has a screw or bayonet joint 31, which is able to engage within a conjugate profile 32 of the lateral wall 33 of the opening 22, so that the ring element 30A is hooked to the opening 22 of the surface 18 of the cover 11.
In this case, it is possible to insert the joint 31 into the opening 22 from the above, towards the versus of the arrow F, and to turn said joint 31 towards the versus of the arrow G inside the opening 22, so that the geometrical shape 34 of the joint 31 is coupled with the geometrical shape 32 of the opening 22.
Moreover, a filter, whose external structure is indicated with 29 in Figure 4, is placed at the shaped protruding insert 12, on the inner surface 15 of the cover 11.
In particular, according to a first embodiment of the invention, the structure 29 of the filter can be bayonet-engaged on the base 28 of the drive motor of the suction device (as shown in Figure 4).
Alternatively, the structure 29 can be screwed on a threaded insert that is positioned beyond said base 28, in the vicinity of the inner surface 15 of the cover 11, or, according to other embodiments of the invention, the structure 29 of the filter is snap-jointed on a lid 30, which is in turn placed to cover the base 28 of the drive motor of the suction device (as shown in detail in Figure 4A).
In further embodiments, such as those shown in Figures 7, 7A, 7B, 8, 8A and 8B, referring to a cover of a suction device that does not incorporate the motor drive unit (even if the invention can be extended to suction devices with integrated motor drive units), the structure 29 of the filter can be hooked to the cover 11, in the vicinity of the opening 23, through a screw or bayonet joint 38, which is inserted for rotation (arrow K of Figure 8B), after being approached to the cover 11 (arrow J of Figure 8), into a conjugate shape provided inside the opening 23.
In any case, thanks to the arrangements provided, the support structure 29 of the filter is quickly, safely and simply removable and interchangeable, in order to carry out operations of cleaning or replacement by the user once the filter same is obstructed and/or unusable.
Moreover, the structure of the filter can be advantageously made of epytropic and antistatic polyester fabric with medium calendering, and/or antistatic polyester felt with metal fibers and medium calendering; a protective metal mesh 40 can also be fixed, through sewing, to the filter fabric, in case of hot ash residuals fall in the filter (as schematically shown in the attached Figures 9-10).
Finally, the cover 11 can also be equipped with a knob 35, connected to a pin (made with a filet 36 or associated with a spring 37) extending inside the tank 10, which can be used as a filter-shaking system, by means of pulling the knob 35 according to the versus indicated by the arrow H of Figures 6C-6D and 7C-7D.
Additionally, according to the present invention, whether the suction device has an integrated motor drive unit or an external motor drive unit is used, it is possible to use the same flexible hose which is normally inserted (directly or through the screw and/or bayonet joint) in the hole 22 for aspirating waste ash from the filter and/or from other parts of the device, simply disengaging the hose from the hole 22 of the duct 24 and inserting said hose into the hole 23 (directly or through a screw and/or bayonet joint) of the duct 26, which is placed at the base 28 and at the structure 29 of the filter.
Obviously, in this case it is necessary to make the openings 22 and 23 or the bayonet joints of the same shape and of the same size, so that it is possible to insert inside the openings 22, 23 the same flexible hose.
Thus, when the device is on, an air flow is blown from the hole 23 and from the flexible hose connected to said hole 23, which allows to carry out cleaning operations simply exploiting the air flow blown from the duct 26, by means of the same flexible hose which is used for the suction.
It is clear from the above that the suction device according to the invention allows a substantial reduction in the total costs, increasing the functionality, as the same suction device can be equally used for cleaning the filter and for cleaning other parts of the device.
Finally, the simple system of insertion and removal of the fittings and of the filter allows to make disengageable said fittings and said filter, with the consequent advantages relating to the possibility of simply clean, remove and/or replace the fittings and said filter, without having to replace the whole device or the whole containment tank once the filter is obstructed and/or unusable.
From the above description the technical features of the suction device, in particular for the removal of ash, which is the subject of this invention, are clear, as well as the advantages are also clear.
Finally, it is also clear that many other variations can be made to the suction device of the invention, without departing from the novelty principles of the inventive idea, as it is clear that, in the practical implementation of the invention, materials, shapes and sizes of the illustrated details can be anyone depending on the needs of the user and the same can be replaced by equivalents.

Claims

Suction device, in particular for the removal of residual ash and soot in general, comprising at least one tank (10) containing the ash, which is associated with at least one cover (11), wherein said cover (11) has at least two openings (22, 23) for the insertion of at least one flexible hose, which is connected to at least one suction nozzle, characterized in that one single flexible hose can be fitted inside said openings (22, 23), said flexible hose being insertable either in one or in the other opening (22, 23), so that said flexible hose is equally used for suction and cleaning operations by using an air flow blowing out from one (22) of said openings (22, 23).
Suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of said openings (22, 23) is located at at least one base (28) of a motor drive unit of the suction device, said motor drive unit being fixed and firmly connected to said cover (11).
Suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that a removable support structure (29) of at least one interchangeable filter is connected to said base (28) of the motor drive unit of the suction device.
Suction device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said support structure (29) of said filter is mounted on at least one shaped bottom (30), which covers said base (28) of the motor drive unit of the suction device.
Suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said motor drive unit of the suction device is a dry single-stage motor.
Suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said openings (22, 23) have a same shape and a same size.
Suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said cover (11) include at least one shaped protruding insert (12), which is able to contain said motor drive unit of the suction device and which has suitable seats for inserting the power cable (13) and at least one button (14) of on/off.
Suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that shaped ducts (24, 26) are provided at said openings (22, 23), said ducts (24, 26) being made on the outer surface (18) of the cover (11) for the insertion of said flexible hose inside said shaped ducts (24, 26) up to a respective annular edge (25, 27) of counterboring.
Suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that said flexible hose is housed within at least one connecting element (30A), which has at least a shaped portion (31) that is insertable through a screw and/or bayonet joint inside at least one (22) of said openings (22, 23) of the cover (11).
Suction device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said filter has a support structure (29), which is insertable on said base (28) of the motor drive unit of the suction device, said support structure (29) can also be screwed on at least one threaded insert attached to said base (28), in the vicinity of the inner surface (15) of the cover (11), or mounted on at least one bottom (30) covering said base (28) of said motor drive unit.
Suction device as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that said filter has a support structure (29) with a portion (38) which is insertable through a screw and/or bayonet joint inside one (23) of said these openings (22, 23) of the cover (11).
Suction device as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one knob (35) is mounted on said cover (11), said knob (35) being connected with a threaded pin or with an elastic element, which extends inside the containment tank (10), said knob (35) being operated for cleaning operations within said tank (10).
Suction device as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that said filter is made of epytropic and antistatic polyester fabric and/or of antistatic polyester felt with metallic fibers.
Suction device as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that at least one protective metal mesh (40) is fixed to said fabric.