EP2030552B1 - Upright vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a Upright-type vacuum cleaner with an upper body with dust collecting container, with a bottom unit, which is movable by a chassis on the surface to be cleaned, the upper body is at least pivotally mounted relative to the ground unit and can be locked in a parking position, in the the vacuum cleaner standing on the surface to be cleaned is in a substantially vertical position, with a motor blower for generating a negative pressure acting on the surface to be cleaned, and with an air line leading from the floor unit into the dust collector, which has an interface and fluidly behind the interface comprises a formed as a hose or hose-tube combination component that allows independent of the ground unit suction operation, and which is at least partially laid outside of the upper body, wherein the transition from the hose to the upper body of a pipe piece summarizes.

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. In this position, the upright is automatic. During the suction process, this locking is released and tilted the upper body by 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. In order to provide the user in addition to the suction with the ground unit additional handling options in which he can aspirate, for example, higher-altitude objects, the air line has an interface and fluid behind the interface designed as a hose or hose-tube combination component. In this case, a piece of pipe is held in a plug-in receptacle in most cases. After removing the tube piece from the plug-in receptacle different suction attachments can be placed on the suction end and the resulting arrangement can be used as in a conventional vacuum cleaner. In order for the user with the above arrangement has a sufficient range, a relatively long hose is used, see recordable WO 2007/008770 A1 , It is also known to use stretchable flexible tubes in length. If the length of the hose is still insufficient, the user tends to pull on the hose so that the upright in the parked position starts to move and follow it. Is the transition from the hose to the upper body and thus the point of application of the tensile force as in the WO 2007/008770 A1 shown relatively high up, so a moment around the tipping point, the two rear wheels generated. The upright falls over and can be damaged. In the vacuum cleaner according to EP 0 708 613 B1 This problem is avoided by the hose is very far down on a direct path in the associated housing part. On the one hand, this can lead to a kinking of the hose when pulled sideways; on the other hand, the hose is easily damaged in contact with ground-level obstacles.

A vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned is from the US 5,331,715 A known. There, the coupling of a tube in the upper region of the upper body by a pipe section which rotatably receives the hose.

The US 2006/0042043 A1 shows an upright vacuum cleaner, in which the hose is guided over a rigid pipe section in the upper body.

In the WO 2005/110178 A1 Among other things, a Upright type vacuum cleaner is disclosed. This also has a suction device, which is designed as a hose-tube combination. There, the hose coupling can be pivoted by about 60 ° from a vertical position to an obliquely upward position.

The invention thus raises the problem of ensuring the stability of a Upright vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned with the greatest possible protection of the hose.

According to the invention this problem is solved by a vacuum cleaner with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention will become apparent from the following subclaims.

The achievable with the invention advantages are the further description of removable.

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;

Figur 9

den Oberkörper in der Rückansicht mit Teilen der Luftführung in Explosionsdarstellung;

Figur 10

einen Schnitt durch den Oberkörper im Übergangsbereich des Schlauchs in den Oberkörper;

Figuren 11 a, b

den Schwenkbogen in verschiedenen Drehstellungen;

Figur 12

die Kräfte- und Momentenverhältnisse bei einem Zug am Schlauch gegen die Fahrtrichtung

Figur 13

die Kräfte- und Momentenverhältnisse bei einem Zug am Schlauch in einem Winkel zur Fahrtrichtung.

An embodiment of the invention is 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;

FIG. 9

the upper body in the rear view with parts of the air duct in an exploded view;

FIG. 10

a section through the upper body in the transition region of the tube in the upper body;

FIGS. 11 a, b

the pivoting arc in different rotational positions;

FIG. 12

the forces and moments in a train on the hose against the direction of travel

FIG. 13

the forces and moments in a train on the hose at an angle to the direction of travel.

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 to stabilize 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 ), 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 locked position will 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 component of the upper body 3 is a rear wall 67. It forms the rear portion of a dust chamber 68, which in turn receives a filter bag, not shown in the drawing as a dust collector. 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 83 (see FIG. 10 ), which extends over the entire length of the rear wall 67. The channel 83 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 there, it passes through a motor protection filter - in the FIG. 1 shows only the frame 97 for holding the filter - into the outer ring of the second section 87 of the coaxial line and from there through the first section 66 via the left fork end 44 to the motor fan 11.

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 the 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.

The part of the air duct, which enables a suction operation independent of the floor unit 2, is in FIG. 9 shown in an exploded view. The manifold 89 forms the interface at which this part can be separated. In the manifold 89, the telescopic tube 90 is inserted and can be removed from there. The telescopic tube 90 is in turn releasably supported on the tube handle 91. On the rear wall 67 of the upper body a plurality of suction attachments, a furniture brush 102, a cushion nozzle 103 and a crevice nozzle 104 are attached externally, which can be selectively placed on the telescopic tube 90 or the tube handle 91. The pipe handle 91 is connected to the flexible suction hose 92, wherein the transition region from the handle 91 to the hose 92 is surrounded by an upper bend protection 105. The flexible hose 92 is then connected to the pivoting bow 94, this second transition region from the hose 92 to the pivoting bow 94 is enveloped by a lower bend protection 106.

From the Figures 3 and 9 It can be seen that the receptacle 93, in which the telescopic tube 90, the tube handle 91 and the tube 92 is held, formed u-shaped and extending over almost the entire length of the two side surfaces 107 and 108 and the top 109 of the upper body 3 , On the left in the direction of travel side surface 108, in FIG. 9 Also shown on the left, only the second transition region with the pivotal bow 94 and the lower bend protection 106 is recessed. Both the Figures 3 and 9 as well as the sectional drawing FIG. 10 show that the receptacle 93 in the side surfaces 107 and 108 and in the top 109 is recessed. From the sectional drawing FIG. 10 It is also clear that the receptacle 93 in the second transition region on the left side 108 only has a quarter-circular cross-section. The arrangement of the receptacle 93 in the side surfaces 107 and 108 and on the top 109 of the Uprights 1 is achieved that the open side of the receptacle 93 in the parking position ( FIGS. 1 to 3 ) to the top and to the left and right side of the upright 1. After completion of the suction process in the bottom of the unit. 2 independent suction operation, the user can then simply insert the telescopic tube 90 in the manifold 89. As a further placement aid is a hook 110 on the pipe handle 91, which is pushed into an opening 111 in the receptacle 93. Telescope tube 90 and tube handle 91 are then received by the receptacle 93 of the right side wall 107. The flexible tube 92 thereby lays down independently in the part of the receptacle 93 facing the upper side 109. Subsequently, a slight lateral pressure is sufficient to stow the remainder of the tube 92 into the receptacle 93 on the left-hand side wall 108. The upper anti-kink 105 behind the tube handle 91 is made of a relatively soft plastic, such as TPE or PVC with 60 to 70 Shore A, and therefore can be easily pressed into the receptacle 93.

The pivoting bow 94 is rotatably mounted at the entrance of the channel 83 from the rear wall 67 and attached air duct piece 95. The projection 941, which projects into the channel, is surrounded by a seal 112 and a torsion spring 113, one end 114 of which is fastened to the pivoting bow 94 itself. The other end 115 is located in a guide, not shown, in the channel 83. The rotation of the pivoting bow 94 from the in FIG. 11a shown position in the FIG. 11b shown position thus takes place against the force of the torsion spring 113. A rotation of 110 ° is possible. In this position, integrally formed on the pivoting arc 94 rib 116 engages the locking lug 117 of the rear wall 67 and the bow 94 is held in this position until the tube 92 is pulled up and the locking connection is released. The force of the torsion spring 113 is designed such that tube 92 and pivoting arch 94 between the 12 o'clock position ( FIG. 11a ) and the 3 o'clock position can swing relatively freely while still providing assistance in returning to the 12 o'clock position. For this purpose, the lower anti-buckling 106 must be made of a relatively hard, inflexible material such as polypropylene. Only in this way can the labile flex hose 92 be supported and guided. The anti-buckling 106 should have a length of at least 14 cm for this purpose.

FIG. 12 shows the balance of power in a rotated by 110 ° and latched swing arch when the user pulls the Upright 1 on the hose 92 behind. In this position, the pivoting bow 94 and the lower bend protection 106 act as a lever arm with the length X. When horizontal train in the direction F1, the tensile force acts far below the center of gravity S very close to the tipping point defined by the rear wheels (line of force c). As a result, the tilting moment, which is caused by this force F1, smaller than a train in the 12 o'clock position with non-pivoting arc (line of force a) or a pivoting arc in the 3 o'clock position (line of force b). In a train in the direction of F2, a moment M2 is generated by the lever arm X, which even counteracts the tilting moment M 1. As a result, the pivotal arch 94 and its latch 116 and 117 contribute to the stability of the upright 1.

If the user pulls the hose 92 at a locked pivoting arc 94 at an angle to the direction of travel, as in FIG. 13 shown, engages the torque generated by the lever arm X3 horizontally and rotates the upright about its vertical axis a until the landing gear is again in the pulling direction and the horizontal moment M3 disappears. As a result, a lateral tilting is avoided.

Claims (6)

1. Vacuum cleaner (1) of the upright type comprising an upper body (3) having a dust collection container, comprising a base unit (2) which is movable, by a carriage, on the surface to be cleaned, the upper body (3) being at least pivotally mounted with respect to the base unit (2) and being fixable in a park position in which the vacuum cleaner (1) adopts a substantially vertical position when standing on the surface to be cleaned, comprising a motorised fan (11) for producing a partial vacuum acting on the surface to be cleaned, and comprising an air conduit which leads from the base unit (2) into the dust collection container, has an interface (89) and comprises, downstream of the interface, a component which is formed as a hose or a hose-tube combination, makes possible a suction operation independent of the base unit (2) and is installed, at least in part, outside the upper body (3), the transition point from the hose into the upper body (3) comprising a tube piece (94), characterised in that the tube piece is pivotally mounted on the upper body (3) in such a way as to make possible, in the park position of the vacuum cleaner (1), a pivoting movement from an upright position into a position pointing backwards and in a horizontal or downward direction.
2. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the tube piece is lockable in the position pointing backwards and in a horizontal or downward direction.
3. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, in the park position, the tube piece is formed such that it is pivotable from the vertical through an angle of between 100° and 120° at most.
4. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised by a spring element (113) which counteracts the pivoting movement into the position pointing backwards and in a horizontal or downward direction.
5. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the tube piece is arranged laterally as a pivot elbow (94) on the lower region of the upper body (3).
6. Upright vacuum cleaner (1) according at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that, in the region of the transition to the tube piece, the hose (92) is enveloped in an anti-kink member (106).

Images