EP2030550B1 - Upright vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a Upright-type vacuum cleaner with an upper body with dust collection container, and with a bottom unit, which is movable by a chassis on the surface to be cleaned, wherein between the upper body and bottom unit a tilting joint is arranged, through which the upper body in use relative to Ground unit is mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis from an at least approximately vertical parking position in an obliquely tilted working position and wherein between the upper body and bottom unit, a rotary joint is arranged, which allows a change in direction of the moving ground unit by rotating the upper body.

The following describes three types of vacuum cleaner that differ in their construction and operation. As common features all have a motor-driven blower, a dust collection room and one or more adapted to the particular purpose tillage equipment.

The vacuum cleaner has a housing which is movable on rollers and / or skids on the ground to be processed. In the housing, the engine fan and the dust collector are arranged. The soil treatment device - here called floor nozzle - is connected via a suction hose, possibly with an intermediate suction pipe with the dust collection chamber. The housing is brought into the desired position during the suction process by pulling on the suction tube.

In the hand vacuum cleaner, the motor fan and the dust collector are also arranged in a housing. From the housing extends on one side of a suction pipe, which connects a floor nozzle with the dust collector, and on the other hand, a handle with which the housing is maneuvered into the desired position.

Uprights do not have such a rigorous structure as the two types mentioned above. An essential feature of an upright is a movable floor unit, which carries a torso with a large dust collector. The two parts are pivotally mounted to each other and usually fixable in a parking position in which the upper body is approximately vertical, when the ground unit is in the use position on a horizontal ground, see for example the US Pat. No. 3,932,912 or the US 4 423 534 A , In this fixed with respect to the tilting position of the upright is then automatically. During the suction process, this lock is released and the upper body tilted at a certain angle in a working position. The swivel angle depends on the one hand on the size of the user and on the other hand from the respective use. A handle on the upper body is used to guide the entire device. Such an upright is for example from the WO 2007/008770 A2 A disadvantage of the Upright according to WO 2007/008770 A2 is that it is difficult to move from a straight direction in curved paths. From the EP 0 708 613 A1 It is known to provide a fulcrum between the upper body and the upper portion of the fan. This achieves improved maneuverability because the upright is now able to perform cornering. If the upper body is then rotated in the parking position, there is a risk that the center of gravity of the Uprights is shifted out of its footprint and the device consequently tilts.

From the GB 2 422 094 A It is known in an upright vacuum cleaner to allow the execution of curves through a spherical chassis.

The EP 1 647 219 A2 discloses a suction attachment, wherein in the region of the coupling piece to a suction pipe, a combined Drehkippgelenk is arranged. This joint can be manually locked in a certain standing position both with respect to the tilting movement as well as with respect to the rotational movement.

The invention thus raises the problem of increasing the stability in a vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned.

According to the invention this problem is solved by a vacuum cleaner with the features of claim 1. By a rotary locking device, with which the upper body in the parking position with respect to a rotation is independent of a latching of the tilting movement locked, the state of Uprights is secured.

In an advantageous embodiment, the rotary locking device comprises a first spring-mounted bolt, which engages in the parking position in a bore. As a result, an automatic lock without further action by the user is possible. Comfort is further enhanced by means which move the bolt out of the bore as the upper body pivots from the parked position to the working position. For this purpose, the means may expediently comprise a Auffahrschräge and a second, resiliently mounted on the first bolt bolts. It is also expedient if the first bolt is mounted on a fork-shaped component, which is a pivotable component of the tilting joint and fixed part of the rotary joint.

In a further embodiment, the rotary locking device comprises a locking pin, which cooperates with a substantially V-shaped guide, wherein the guide locks the bolt in a first pivot position and releases upon movement of the upper body of the pivoting position.

Figuren 1 bis 6

den erfindungsgemäßen Staubsauger in verschiedenen Gesamtansichten;

Figur 7

die Bodeneinheit des Staubsaugers in Explosionsdarstellung;

Figur 8

den Oberkörper des Staubsaugers in Explosionsdarstellung;

Figuren 9a bis c

eine Schemaskizze (Schnitt) einer ersten Drehverriegelungs-Einrichtung;

Figur 10

eine Schemaskizze einer zweiten Drehverriegelungs-Einrichtung.

Embodiments of the invention are shown purely schematically in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. It shows

FIGS. 1 to 6

the vacuum cleaner according to the invention in various overall views;

FIG. 7

the bottom unit of the vacuum cleaner in an exploded view;

FIG. 8

the upper body of the vacuum cleaner in an exploded view;

FIGS. 9a to c

a schematic (section) of a first rotation locking device;

FIG. 10

a schematic of a second twist-lock device.

The in the FIGS. 1 to 6 Upright vacuum cleaner shown in various views, hereinafter referred to as Upright 1, consists essentially of a bottom unit 2, an upper body 3 and a joint arranged therebetween, which will be described later.

The upright 1 can from an upright position (see FIGS. 1 to 3 ), in which he is latched and then stands free, after releasing the locking (see FIG. 7 ) into a tilted ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) and even in a fully extended position ( FIG. 6 ) to be brought. For this purpose, ground unit 2 and upper body 3 are a horizontal axis X in use (see FIG FIG. 5 ) mounted to each other pivotally. The joint, which allows the pivoting movement, is referred to below as a tilting joint. In addition, the upright in the tilted position, as well as in FIG. 5 shown rotated about an axis Y. By rotating the upper body 3 by means of the appliance handle 4 about this axis and simultaneously pushing or pulling the upright, the user can control the floor unit 2 around curves. The corresponding joint is referred to in the text as a hinge.

The ground unit 2, in FIG. 7 shown in exploded view, comprises a housing, which is formed by a housing insert 5, a rear housing lower part 6, a front housing lower part 7, a bumper strip 8 and a cover part 9. The housing insert 5 acts as a carrier for a number of electrical and mechanical components, and the aforementioned housing parts are attached to it. It forms with the rear housing lower part 6 with the interposition of an engine compartment seal 10, a space for receiving an engine blower 11, which generates the vacuum necessary for suction operation. On the suction side, a sealing ring 13 is arranged around the fan inlet 12, which is also supported on the two aforementioned housing parts 5 and 6. On the opposite side rubber buffer 14 are inserted. For deep cleaning of carpets protrudes into the suction port 15, an opening in the front housing lower part 7 and the base plate 16 attached thereto, a brushing roller 17 which is resiliently mounted on two lateral wings 18 and 19 and driven by a brush motor 20 via a belt 21. The parts 22 and 23 represent a two-piece belt cover. The brush motor 20 is also secured to the housing insert 5, the rockers 18 and 19 are pivotally mounted there. The two housing bases 6 and 7 carry the chassis of the upright, which is formed of front wheels 24 and 25 and rear wheels 26 and 27. The rear wheels 26 and 27 are connected for stabilization by means of an axle 28 and adjustable via a respective wheel mechanism 29 and 30 in their position. To illuminate the driveway on the housing insert 5, a board 31 is attached to LED's 32, which is covered to the front by a lens 33. The viewing window 33 is held in a recess 34 in the bumper 8.

The air generated by the engine fan 11 is blown through an opening 35 in the housing insert 5 and a corresponding opening 36 in the cover part 9 in the environment. In the opening 36, a filter frame 37 is used, which receives a not shown exhaust filter for cleaning the air blown out of fines. The filter frame 37 is covered by a grid receptacle 38 and a grid 39 in the lid part 9 and is interchangeable from there.

Both the tilting joint and the pivot joint between the base unit 2 and the upper body 3 described later are formed by a rigid, fork-shaped channel component. This component also includes parts of the air duct from the suction port 15 to the upper body 3 and the air guide from the upper body 3 to the exhaust opening (openings 35 and 36). The component is referred to below as fork 40. It consists of two plastic parts, an upper shell 41 and a lower shell 42, which are interconnected by welding. To realize the tilting joint, the two ends 43 (right) and 44 (left) of the fork 40 are pivotally mounted in recesses 45 and 46 provided for this purpose, to avoid abrasion, they are respectively surrounded by metallic bushings 47 and 48. The left in the direction of travel fork 44 is designed as hollow and coupled via a seal 49 with the blower inlet 12. At the right in the direction of travel fork 43 a bearing pin 50 is formed. It also has an opening 51 which is connected via an elastic tube 52 to the suction port 15. In order to prevent the inside of the bottom unit 2 when tilting the upper body 3, the connecting region of the two fork ends 43 and 44, hereinafter referred to as fork web 53, surrounded by a front cover 54 and a rear cover 55 on the bottom unit 2, which perform the pivoting movement of the fork 40 with. The space between the front and rear cover and the housing insert 5 is bridged by aperture 56 and 57. At the left fork end 44, the first 58 of two cable channels 58 and 59 is attached. Furthermore, the fork ends 43 and 44 carry toothed segments 60 and 61 which cooperate with the wheel mechanisms 29 and 30. At the fork web 53, a trim cover 62 is attached to a connection cable, not shown. To keep the upright in the upright position ( FIGS. 1 to 3 ) to latch with respect to the tilting movement, a stepping lever 63 is mounted on the housing insert 5, which engages in this position in the left fork end 44 and thus prevents the pivoting movement of the fork 40. By depressing the lever 63, the locking position can be released. In the latched position is also prevented by two spring-loaded bolts 64 and 65 a rotational movement. The air ducts, which are formed by the fork ends 43 and 44, are combined in the region of the fork web 53 to a first portion 66 of a coaxial line.

FIG. 8 shows the upper body 3, also in exploded view. Carrying member of the upper body 3 is a rear wall 67. It forms the rear portion of the dust chamber 68, the again receives a filter bag, not shown in the drawing. The edge of the dust chamber 68 is surrounded by a seal 69, the side of a cover strip 70 is fixed for cables, not shown. In the lower area a hinge bearing 71 is attached to the rear wall 67. The dust chamber 68 is closed at the front by an upper housing part 72, which is articulated via hinges 73 and torsion springs 74 pivotally mounted on the hinge bearing 71. The upper part 72 carries a closure 75, a dust bag receptacle 76 and a filter change indicator 77. It also disguises the hinge bearing 71. In the upper part, the rear wall 67 carries the electronics 78 of Uprights, which is completely arranged on a receptacle 79 and as pre-tested component component is mounted. On the recording, a lever 81 for switching off the brush motor 20 is arranged via a torsion spring 80. In addition, it provides the holder for the handle tube 82 with the device handle 4. The electronics 78 is covered by a cap 84, which also serves for attachment to various controls and display elements and their accessories (lens 85, knob 86).

An elaborate air duct ensures that dirt-laden air can either be sucked in via the suction mouth in the floor unit or via a telescopic tube with possibly connected suction attachments such as crevice nozzle, furniture brush, upholstery nozzle, etc. For this purpose, the suction air from the suction port 15 via the elastic tube 52 and the right fork end 43 through the inner tube of the first portion 66 of the coaxial line in the fork web 53 into the inner tube of a second section 87 of the coaxial line. This section 87 is continued in the rear wall 67 and there again separated into two separate lines. The further air path leads through a Saugkanalstück 88 in a manifold 89. In the manifold 89 is loosely - and therefore removable - a telescopic tube 90 inserted, which passes via a pipe handle 91 in a flexible suction hose 92. The suction hose 92 is held in a receptacle 93 provided therefor, as well as in FIG. 3 is recognizable. Via a pivoting arc 94, the air enters a channel which extends over the entire length of the rear wall 67. The channel is formed from the rear wall 67 itself and an attached air duct piece 95. Subsequently, an arcuate neck 96, which consists of the rear wall 67 and partly of the electronic receptacle 79, the dirt-laden suction air in the area of the dust bag receptacle 76 and there in a dust bag, not shown. After the suction air has flowed through the dust bag in the dust chamber and has been cleaned of dust, it passes through a motor protection filter - in the figure, only the frame 97 is shown for holding the filter - in the outer ring of the second portion 87 of the coaxial line and from there the first section 66 via the left fork 44 to the engine fan 11th

In the FIG. 8 are also shown in the lower part of the components that serve for attachment and rotatable mounting of the upper body 3 to the fork 40. The first section 66 of Coaxial line is surrounded by an injected metal ring 98, which projects beyond the outer diameter of this section 66 and which is enclosed in two bearing shells 99 and 100, respectively. The bearing shells 99 and 100 are connected to the upper body 3. Thus, metal ring 98 and bearing shells 99 and 100 form the pivot of Uprights 1. In the connection of the upper body 3 and fork 40, the two sections 66 and 87 of the coaxial line with the interposition of a seal 101 are assembled.

As already described above, the upper body 3 can be locked in the parking position on the one hand with respect to a pivoting or tilting movement, on the other hand, in this position, a rotation is no longer possible. For this purpose, a rotation locking device is provided.

The following describes the operation of a first embodiment, which is described in connection with the description of FIG FIG. 7 has already been briefly mentioned. The FIGS. 9a to c schematically shows a section through the necessary for the function of such a device device housing insert 5, fork 40 and rear wall 67. Essentially, the illustrated variant of the rotary locking works by two nested bolts, of which an outer bolt 102 into a hole 103 in the bottom of Rear wall 67 engages and an inner pin 104 cooperates with a Auffahrschräge 105 on the housing insert 5. The outer bolt 102 is mounted in a sleeve 106 on the fork web 53 and movable against the force of an outer spring 107 out of this. The inner pin 104 can be inserted against the force of an inner spring 108 in the hollow outer pin 102. In this case, the spring constant of the inner spring 108 is greater than the spring constant of the outer spring 107, so that a pressure on the inner bolt 104 initially causes an extension of the outer bolt 102 from the sleeve 106.

FIG. 9a shows the twist-lock device when the upper body 3, as in FIG. 4 in a tilted working position. It can be seen from the position of the bore 103 directly above the outer bolt 102 that the upper body 3 does not act like in FIG FIG. 5 is shown rotated. The inner pin 104 is located in an area in front of the loading ramp 105, so that both inner spring 108 and outer spring 107 have their maximum possible elongation.

Is the upper body 3 from this position by a pivoting movement into the parking position ( FIGS. 1 to 3 ), so the loading ramp 105 pushes the inner pin 104 upwards, see FIG. 9b , This presses on the greater force of the inner spring 108, the outer spring 107 together and pushes the outer pin 102 into the bore 103. The upper body 3 is locked with respect to a rotational movement.

When the upper body 3 of a in FIG. 5 tilted position shown is tilted into the park position, although in the upright position latching of the tilting movement is possible, but no locking of the rotary motion. As a result, the user is signaled that the upper body 3 is still in a position in which the upright 1 is not safe. It is, as in FIG. 9c shown, the inner pin 104 while driven onto the Auffahrschräge 105 and pushed upwards, the outer pin 102 has not found the hole 103 yet. As a result, only the inner spring 104 is compressed. Only a rotation of the upper body 3 in a position in which the outer bolt 102 is aligned with the bore 103, allows the in FIG. 9b shown twist lock.

FIG. 10 schematically shows another embodiment of a rotation locking device. In this variant, a locking pin 201 is arranged on the underside of the rear wall 67, not shown here. In the course of a pivoting movement of the upper body 3 in the direction of the parking position, the locking pin 201 moves into the effective range of a V-shaped guide 202, which is arranged on the housing insert. By further pivoting in the parking position of the locking pin 201 gets into the top 203 of the guide 202 and is locked there. A rotational movement of the upper body 3 is then no longer possible. By tilting the upper body 3 in the working position of the pin 201 moves from the top 203 in the widened portion 204 of the guide 203, where the lock is released and rotation is possible again. This variant of the rotary lock has the advantage that the pin 201 centered in the guide 202 itself. A state in which the upper body 3 is rotated rotated in the parking position (see FIG. 9c ), is not possible here. However, there is the disadvantage that the entire pivoting range between pin 201 and guide 202 may not lie in the pivoting path of the fork 40. For this reason, a modified fork would be required, which requires much more space.

Claims (6)

1. Vacuum cleaner (1) of the upright type, comprising an upper body (3) having a dust collection chamber, and comprising a base unit (2) which can be moved, by means of a chassis, on the surface to be cleaned, a tilting joint being arranged between the upper body (3) and the base unit (2), by means of which joint the upper body (3) is mounted so as to be able to pivot relative to the base unit (2) about a horizontal axis (X) from an at least approximately vertical parked position into an obliquely tilted corking position when in use, and comprising a device for locking the tilting movement, characterised in that a rotary joint is arranged between the upper body (3) and the base unit (2), which joint allows the direction of travel of the base unit (2) to be changed by rotating the upper body (3), and characterised by a rotation-locking means, by means of which the upper body (3) can be locked in the parked position with respect to a degree of rotation, it being possible to lock the tilting movement without locking the rotational movement.
2. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the rotation-locking means comprises a first resiliently mounted pin (102), which engages in a hole (103) in the parked position.
3. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 2, characterised by means which move the pin (102) out of the hole (103) when the upper body (3) is pivoted out of the parked position into the corking position.
4. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the means comprise a slope (105) and a second pin (104) which is resiliently mounted on the first pin (102).
5. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that the first pin (102) is mounted on a fork-shaped component (40, 53) which is a pivotable component of the tilting joint and a fixed component of the rotary joint.
6. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the rotation-locking means comprises a locking lug (201) which cooperates with a substantially V-shaped guide (202), the guide (202) locking the lug (201) in a first pivoted position and releasing the lug when the upper body (3) is moved out of the pivoted position.

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