EP2233053B1 - Filter device for a vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

Background of the invention

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner with a filter device according to the preamble of claim 1.

State of the art

For example, from the prior art DE 10 2006 009 257 B3 known, which discloses a filter for a vacuum cleaner, which is characterized by a cassette-like base frame and a cover frame articulated thereon, which are connected to one another by a hinge device and molded onto at least one filter medium. A disadvantage of such a filter can be that the side walls of the base frame or of the cover frame when the filter cassette is folded up are on the one hand designed with air-impermeable walls on the side surfaces or on the other hand cover the filter medium in the hinge areas, whereby these surfaces cannot allow suction air filtering.

From the DE 43 17 715 C1 A filter cassette for a vacuum cleaner is known, which consists of a cassette-like base frame and a cover grille hinged therein and in which a plate-shaped filter element is inserted between the base frame and the cover grille, which separates the filter cartridge in front of an intermediate wall separating the dust and blower space of the vacuum cleaner provided passage opening is arranged sealed. One-piece filter cassettes are also known in which the flat filter material is molded into the base frame or into the cover grille. A disadvantage of such filter cassettes can be that the flexible filter medium of the dust bag on the commercially available dust bags The filter cassette is in contact and at least a flow through with suction air is made more difficult, or has an increased flow resistance as a result, or the entire filter surface closes the filter cassette with a particularly tightly filled dust bag.

Another publication US 2003/0 208 999 A1 shows a bagless vacuum cleaner with a filter device comprising a filter medium with a support structure which is clamped in a two-part flat base frame. The filter medium and the associated support structure span a two-dimensional flat surface. The filter device is connected diagonally within a dust separation device of the vacuum cleaner by means of the base frame.

In addition, the document discloses US 2002/0 073 663 A1 a vacuum cleaner system with a filter device having a filter medium and a support structure connected thereto which defines a frustoconical space. By means of a base frame of the support structure to which the filter medium is attached, the filter device can be connected to an air inlet / outlet opening via a holder connected in between. Due to its three-dimensional structure, the filter medium, which is connected to the support structure, has a filter surface that is larger than an outlet opening of the vacuum cleaner. The purpose of the filter device is to provide a cyclone module with which conventional vacuum cleaners with a dust bag can be switched to bagless operation, so that "disposable bags" can be saved.

document U.S. 5,690,713 discloses a vacuum cleaner with a filter device which has at least one filter medium and at least one support structure connected thereto, which define a space and a filter surface, the area of which is larger than an area of an opening of the vacuum cleaner, the filter device being attached to the opening by means of a base frame of the support structure of the vacuum cleaner can be connected, and the filter device can be connected upstream or downstream of a dust separation unit with a dust bag, which is arranged in a dust chamber of the vacuum cleaner.

The problem underlying the invention

The invention is based on the object of providing a filter device for a vacuum cleaner that is improved over the prior art. In particular, a largely unimpeded flow of suction air should be provided even with dust bags that are full to the brim. Furthermore, a filter device is to be provided which provides an enlarged filter surface with an unchanged connection geometry. Next should the filter device can accommodate additional filter material with alternative filter properties.

Solution according to the invention

The reference signs in the claims do not have a restrictive effect, but are only intended to improve their readability.

The problem posed is achieved by a filter device for a vacuum cleaner having the features of claim 1.

A vacuum cleaner is to be understood as meaning devices operated with electrical energy for picking up dust, both mains-operated and battery or accumulator devices being included. A dust separation unit is to be understood as a device in which the dirt-laden suction air can be cleaned from the dirt. For example, such a dust separation unit can have a filter bag with or without a basket, or a centrifugal separator. The dust separation unit can advantageously be located in a dust room.

In order to describe the geometry of the filter device according to the invention, use was made of the surface perpendicular and the set of parallel planes as a geometric aid. They are infinite under a surface perpendicular to the filter medium to understand many straight lines that are perpendicular to the filter surface of the filter medium through which the air flows. The set of parallel planes includes an infinite number of planes that are parallel to each other. It can fill the entire three-dimensional space. The prior art from document DE 10 2006 009 257 B3 known filter discloses a set of parallel planes which contain all of the surface perpendiculars of the filter medium. For example, if the levels of this set are chosen so that they are perpendicular to the linear kink of the filter medium, which in DE 10 2006 009 257 B3 in Fig. 5 is shown as a dashed line, then all surface perpendiculars of the filter medium are included in the set of parallel planes.

The filter device according to the invention can advantageously be used in a vacuum cleaner for filtering an air stream, in particular since the filter can in particular be air-permeable and can have a retaining effect on particles. A filter device according to the invention can advantageously be used in a vacuum cleaner since, for example, despite a dust separation unit, particles can still be found in the suction air. This filter device can be used particularly advantageously as a motor protection or exhaust air filter. A motor protection filter can be understood as a filter that can be located in a suction opening of a vacuum cleaner motor. This motor protection filter can protect the motor from particles in the sucked in air in the absence of a dust separation device, for example caused by incorrect operation. Another advantage of a motor protection filter can be that the motor is protected from particles that have not been picked up by the dust separation device. An exhaust air filter can advantageously clean the air emerging from a vacuum cleaner from particles which can arise, for example, from the abrasion of the carbon brushes of the vacuum cleaner motor, or which can pose a health hazard to the user. A base frame of the carrier structure of a filter device can be understood to mean that part of the carrier structure which can be located on the inlet or outlet surface of a suction air flow and which can seal it off.

A connection between the filter medium and the support structure can advantageously prevent the formation of bypass channels. A bypass channel on a filter can can also be referred to as leakage of the filter. Such bypass channels, through which dust-laden air can flow, can reduce the effectiveness of a filter and can advantageously be avoided by using a filter device according to the invention, for example in the case of a motor protection filter. In addition, the connection of the filter medium to the support structure enables the use of different filter media in an advantageous manner. Another advantage can be that the filter medium does not have to be stiffened since it can be held by the support structure.

Due to the three-dimensional geometry of the filter medium, the filter device can provide an enlarged surface to be flown through than the inlet or outlet surface of the suction air flow itself when there is an inlet or outlet surface of a suction air flow. In this way, the filter surface through which the air flows can advantageously be enlarged with the connection geometry unchanged. In addition, it is advantageously made possible that the air flow flows through the filter medium in different spatial directions. In the following, the filter surface through which the air flow flows in the main direction is referred to as the main filter surface. All other filter surfaces through which air flows are referred to as secondary filter surfaces. This advantageously results in the surprising effect that, by attaching secondary filter surfaces, pressure losses on the filter device can be reduced, and there is a larger amount of air to flow through the filter. The constant suction power can advantageously also be increased in that, for example, the surfaces of a vacuum cleaner bag cannot come into contact with the secondary filter surfaces.

Preferred embodiment of the invention

Advantageous training and further developments, which can be used individually or in combination with one another, are the subject of the dependent claims.

In a preferred embodiment, the filter medium is made of a flat material. A plate-like filter medium is particularly preferably used. A flat or plate-like filter medium is to be understood as a filter medium which extends in two spatial directions and only one in a third spatial direction has little expansion. A tape-like, windable or rollable filter medium is particularly preferably used. In this way, commercially available, flat filter medium can advantageously be used. In addition, it is advantageously made possible to easily switch to a different filter medium without changing the filter production.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the filter medium has a rectangular blank. In this way, abutting edges can advantageously be reduced. Since there is no cutting waste, a material-saving production can advantageously be made possible. Furthermore, it can advantageously be prevented that bypass channels arise at the abutting edges, binding or transition points. The filter medium is particularly preferably attached to at least one base frame of the support structure. Of course, other preferred embodiments are also conceivable in which the filter medium has a round or elliptical cut, or the cut of the filter medium corresponds to a development of a truncated cone.

The filter medium preferably has at least one incision. An incision is to be understood as any linear interruption in the filter medium in which advantageously no waste is produced. All one-dimensional curves, including arcs, for example, are to be classified as linear. An incision can also be understood, for example, as a slot that has two ends that are both located in the filter medium. An incision, which cannot be called a slot, leads, for example, from the side of the material into the material, and thus has only one end that is located in the filter medium. Advantageously, incisions can be made at the locations of the filter medium with the greatest deformation, in order to contribute to a reduction in the formation of wrinkles, for example when connecting the filter medium to the support structure.

In a further development of the invention, it is preferably provided that the filter medium has at least one recess. A recess is to be understood as a material removal, for example at the corners of a rectangular blank of the filter medium. In this way, the formation of wrinkles can advantageously be further reduced. A box-shaped support structure of the filter device with reduced or without wrinkling at the edges can thus advantageously be made possible. the The amount of cut waste produced can advantageously be minimized by choosing a suitable geometry for the support structure.

The filter medium preferably has at least one kink. In this way, the size of the areas through which air flows can advantageously be increased. Furthermore, complete covering of the filter surfaces by the filter bag can advantageously be avoided, as a result of which pressure losses on the vacuum cleaner filter can be reduced and an improvement in the constant suction power can be achieved.

According to the invention, the filter surfaces formed by the filter medium preferably define a truncated pyramid-shaped or cuboid-shaped space. With a fixed size of an opening, for example a suction opening of the vacuum cleaner motor or an outlet opening of the vacuum cleaner, the filter surface through which the air flows can advantageously be further enlarged with a small amount of material used for the filter medium. Carrying out a test on a preferred embodiment with a cuboid room showed that the introduction of secondary filter areas with a share of approx. 30% of the total area, the increase in the maximum amount of air can amount to approx. 2.5%, and that an improvement in the suction power constancy of approx. 11% can be possible. The filter device takes up a small volume with a truncated pyramid-like or cuboid space and can thus be installed in the vacuum cleaner in a space-saving manner without, for example, significantly reducing the volume of the dust separation unit in the dust chamber.

In a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the carrier structure has at least one edge to which the filter medium can be attached. A filter medium is particularly preferably used which has a rectangular cross section and which can be fixed to the edges of the support structure. The filter medium is particularly preferably attached to at least one base frame of the support structure. Since wrinkles can form in the filter medium, especially at the edges of the support structure, the edges of the support structure are designed to be wide enough to accommodate the folds of the filter medium and to be able to reliably attach the filter medium to the support structure. The width of the edge is particularly preferably three to five times the minimum width for a specific fastening method. Particularly preferably, the filter medium is first applied to a tool, which can have the negative shape of the carrier structure, in order then to be inserted into the carrier structure by the tool and connected to the carrier structure. The application of the filter medium to the tool can take place particularly preferably by means of a slide or by blowing it on by means of a nozzle. Alternatively, due to the accuracy of fit of the tool with the support structure, the filter medium can randomly assume the shape of the support structure during insertion into the support structure. With a suitable choice of the geometry of the edges or the fastening method, bypass channels can advantageously be avoided in the event of kinks or overlaps of the filter medium at the edges.

The support structure preferably has bars and windows. The carrier structure particularly preferably has a lattice structure. The support structure is particularly preferably an injection molded part. The rungs can advantageously be used to stabilize the support structure and to secure the filter medium. The windows are advantageously used to allow air to flow through.

According to the invention, the filter medium is preferably injected onto the support structure using an injection molding tool. The filter medium and the support structure thereby advantageously form a unit and are connected to one another in a captive, reliable or mechanically resilient manner. Particularly preferably, the kinks or folds that arise when the filter medium is inserted can be fused with the carrier structure in such a way that the filter medium can form a unit with the carrier structure without kinks or creases. In the case of a carrier structure, this can be the at least one Show edge as a particular advantage, as there can be more creases on edges. In this way, bypass channels can advantageously be avoided. Particularly preferably, the connection between the filter medium and the support structure is made point-wise or linearly. Particularly preferably, when the filter medium is sprayed on, it is at least partially attached to the support structure. The filter medium is particularly preferably attached to at least one base frame of the support structure. Of course, alternative preferred embodiments are also conceivable in which the filter medium and support structure are connected to one another by welding, for example by ultrasonic welding, or by gluing. In a further preferred embodiment, a hem-like fastening can connect the filter medium to the support structure.

In a further preferred embodiment, the filter surfaces formed by the filter medium define a space which contains an additional material. The additional installation space can advantageously contain filter media with alternative properties, such as a HEPA filter for filtering small particles, an activated carbon filter for odor binding, moisture-absorbing material such as silica gel or odor-emitting substances such as coffee, lemon or the scent of fir trees.

The carrier structure preferably has spacers. Advantageously, this prevents a dust bag from being able to rest over the entire surface of the relevant filter surface through which the air flows. An advantageous flow behind the dust bag can be achieved even when the dust bag is bulging, as a result of which a largely unhindered flow of suction air and thus a high constant suction power can be achieved.

The filter device is preferably exchangeable. Particularly preferably, a filter device used as a motor protection filter, which can be located between the dust separation device and the suction opening of the vacuum cleaner motor, or a filter device used as an exhaust air filter, which can be located behind the fan and motor on the vacuum cleaner housing, is exchangeable. Advantageously, the clogged filter can easily be replaced by a new filter by the user.

In a further development of the invention, it is preferably provided that the filter device has means for fixing to the vacuum cleaner. Particularly preferably, the filter element can have resilient retaining ribs, snap hooks or rails with play-compensating spring elements for a sealing contact. In this way, unintentional detachment can advantageously be avoided, or a higher degree of sealing can be achieved. Particularly preferably, the filter device can have an additional sealing element, such as a rubber seal.

The present invention facilitates the provision of a filter device with simple constructive and cost-effective means which, when an inlet or outlet surface of a suction air flow is present, provides an enlarged filter surface to be flown through than the inlet or outlet surface of the suction air flow itself. Furthermore, flat or plate-like filter medium can be used while largely avoiding cutting waste. Additional installation space is also provided for further filter media with alternative properties. The filter device according to the invention is suitable as a pre-filter, intermediate filter or post-filter.

Brief description of the drawings

Further advantageous configurations are described in more detail below with reference to three exemplary embodiments shown in the drawing, to which the invention is, however, not restricted.

Fig. 1

einen Staubsauger mit Filtereinrichtung in einer perspektivischen Ansicht;

Fig. 2

eine Trägerstruktur für eine Filtereinrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 in einer perspektivischen Ansicht;

Fig. 3

eine Trägerstruktur gemäß Fig. 2 in einer Ansicht von unten;

Fig. 4

eine Filtereinrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 mit einer Trägerstruktur und einem Filtermedium in einer Ansicht von unten;

Fig. 5

eine Filtereinrichtung mit einer Trägerstruktur und einem Filtermedium in einer Schnittdarstellung entlang der Linie A-A' aus Fig. 4;

Fig. 6

eine Detail der Filtereinrichtung nach Detail B aus Fig. 5;

Fig. 7

eine Filtereinrichtung gemäß Fig. 1 mit einer Trägerstruktur, einem Filtermedium und einem Zusatzmaterial in Schnittdarstellung entlang der Linie A-A' aus Fig. 3;

Fig. 8

ein nicht mit einer Trägerstruktur verbundenes Filtermedium mit einem Einschnitt und einer Ausnehmung in einer perspektivischen Ansicht;

und schließlich

Fig. 9

eine Filtereinrichtung in einer perspektivischen Ansicht in einer keilförmigen Ausführung.

They show schematically:

Fig. 1

a vacuum cleaner with filter device in a perspective view;

Fig. 2

a support structure for a filter device according to Fig. 1 in a perspective view;

Fig. 3

a support structure according to Fig. 2 in a view from below;

Fig. 4

a filter device according to Fig. 1 with a support structure and a filter medium in a view from below;

Fig. 5

a filter device with a support structure and a filter medium in a sectional view along the line AA ' Fig. 4 ;

Fig. 6

a detail of the filter device according to detail B. Fig. 5 ;

Fig. 7

a filter device according to Fig. 1 with a support structure, a filter medium and an additional material in a sectional view along the line AA ' Fig. 3 ;

Fig. 8

a filter medium that is not connected to a support structure and has an incision and a recess in a perspective view;

and finally

Fig. 9

a filter device in a perspective view in a wedge-shaped embodiment.

Detailed description based on three exemplary embodiments

In the following description of three preferred embodiments of the present invention, the same reference symbols designate the same or comparable components.

The features disclosed in the above description, the claims and the drawings can be important both individually and in any combination for the implementation of the invention in its various configurations.

The first exemplary embodiment is described below with reference to FIG Figures 1 to 7 explained. In Fig. 1 A vacuum cleaner 2 is shown with a filter device 1 which has a filter medium 4 and a support structure 5, the filter medium 4 being connected to the support structure 5. The filter device 1 is used as a motor protection filter and is fitted in front of the suction opening 19 of the vacuum cleaner motor, not shown, in an exchangeable manner. The filter device 1 is a dust separation unit, not shown, which is shown in FIG the dust chamber 3 can be arranged downstream, and can protect the motor from particles in the sucked in air in the absence of a dust separator. The filter device 1 completely seals the suction opening 19, whereby all the air sucked in by the vacuum cleaner motor has to pass through the filter medium 4 and is thereby freed from particles. The filter device 1 is exchangeable, so that if the filter medium 4 is dirty, the user can remove the entire filter device 1 and replace it with a new one.

Fig. 2 shows the support structure 5 of the filter device 1 Fig. 1 . The support structure 5 has four edges 13 to which the filter medium 4 can be attached. In addition, the support structure 5 has rungs 14, which represent a further possibility of attachment for the filter medium 4, and which form a grid-like structure. The windows 15 of the support structure 5, which are formed by bars 14, edges 13 and the base frame 20 of the support structure 5, are used for air flow. The spacers 17 are intended to prevent a dust bag from being able to rest over the entire surface of the filter surfaces 10, 11, 12 through which the air flows. In addition, the spacers 17 can have the effect that, even when the dust bag is full, a backflow of the dust bag can be achieved. In addition, there are means for fixing 18 on the carrier structure 5, which are intended to prevent unintentional detachment of the filter device 1.

Fig. 3 shows the support structure 5 after Fig. 2 from a view from below. The edges 13 of the support structure to which the filter medium 4 can be attached are shown particularly clearly in this view. Due to the rectangular cut of the filter medium 4, wrinkles of the filter medium 4 occur particularly at the edges 13 of the support structure 5. The edges 13 are designed so that they can accommodate wrinkles of the filter medium 4 and that the filter medium 4 are reliably attached to them can.

Fig. 4 shows the support structure 5 after Fig. 3 which is connected to a filter medium 4. A section along the line AA 'is shown in FIG Fig. 5 shown. Fig. 6 shows detail B. Fig. 5 . The filter medium 4 made of a flat material was injected onto the support structure 5 with an injection molding tool and has a rectangular cut. The kinks or folds that arise when the filter medium 4 is inserted into the carrier structure 5 are fused with the carrier structure in such a way that a uniform material is formed represents. This is particularly important at the edges 13, since the edges can increasingly lead to the formation of wrinkles. This avoids bypass ducts through which dust-laden air can get into the engine compartment. When the filter medium 4 is injected onto the support structure 5, a captive, reliable and mechanically resilient connection is created. The filter medium 4 connected to the support structure 5 forms five filter surfaces 10, 11, 12, a main filter surface 10, two long secondary filter surfaces 11 and two short secondary filter surfaces 12 through which suction air can flow. The filter surfaces 10, 11, 12 formed by the filter medium define a truncated pyramid-like space. By attaching the filter medium 4 made of a flat material to the support structure 5, the filter medium 4 has kinks 9, for example at transition points between the filter surfaces 10, 11, 12. The five filter surfaces 10, 11, 12 are each identified by a surface perpendicular 6. For reasons of illustration, the surface perpendiculars 6, which are infinitely long straight lines, have been replaced by short stretches. When all surface perpendiculars 6 of the filter medium 4 are taken into account, a few of them in Figures 4 to 6 have been drawn in, it becomes clear that there is no set of parallel planes that encompasses all of the surface perpendiculars 6 of the filter medium 4. For example, the set includes parallel planes whose planes are parallel to the viewing plane in Fig. 5 are, although all surface perpendiculars 6 on the main filter surface 10 and on the short secondary filter surfaces 12, but not the surface perpendiculars on the long secondary filter surfaces 11 Fig. 4 .

In Fig. 7 is a section according to Fig. 5 shown. The space defined by the filter surfaces 10, 11, 12 contains an additional material 16, which in the previous Figures 4 to 6 was not shown for reasons of presentation. This additional material 16 consists of a moisture-absorbing material in order to be able to protect the motor from moisture when vacuuming a damp floor.

In a second exemplary embodiment, which otherwise does not differ from the first exemplary embodiment, the filter medium 4 has a recess 8 and an incision 7. The recess 8 or the incision 7 can reduce the formation of wrinkles or even avoid them entirely, and are made at points of the filter medium 4 with the greatest deformation. In the case of a truncated pyramid-like geometry, this applies in particular to the corners of the Filter medium 4. The in Fig. 8 The filter medium 4 shown has a recess 8 and an incision 7 and is not yet connected to the support structure 5.

Fig. 9 shows a third exemplary embodiment of the filter device 1, which otherwise does not differ from the first and second exemplary embodiments. The support structure 5 is wedge-shaped and provided with bars 14 and windows 15. The flat filter medium 4 is connected in one piece to the carrier structure 5. To avoid double layers at the edges 13 of the wedge, the filter medium 4 is provided with recesses 8 (not shown). The cavity in the wedge-shaped filter device 1 can be filled with an additional material 16 (not shown).

The present invention facilitates the provision of a filter device with simple constructive and inexpensive means which, when there is an inlet or outlet surface of a suction air flow, provides an enlarged filter surface to be flown through than the inlet or outlet surface of the suction air flow itself. Furthermore, flat or plate-like filter medium can be used while largely avoiding cutting waste. Additional installation space is also provided for further filter media with alternative properties. The filter device according to the invention is suitable as a pre-filter, intermediate filter or post-filter.

List of reference symbols

1

Filter device

2

vacuum cleaner

3rd

Dust room

4th

Filter medium

5

Support structure

6th

Surface perpendicular

7th

incision

8th

Recess

9

Kink

10

Main filter area

11

long secondary filter surface

12th

short secondary filter area

13th

Edge

14th

rung

15th

window

16

Additional material

17th

Spacers

18th

Fixation

19th

Suction opening

20th

Base frame

Claims (10)

1. Vacuum cleaner (2) with a filter facility (1), which has at least one filter medium (4) and at least one support structure (5) connected thereto, which define a space and a filter area (10, 11, 12), the area of which is greater than an area of an opening (19) of the vacuum cleaner (2),

   wherein the filter facility (1) can be connected to the opening (19) of the vacuum cleaner (2) by means of a base frame (20) of the support structure (5), and

   the filter facility (1) can be connected upstream or downstream of a dust collector unit with a dust bag arranged in a dust compartment (3) of the vacuum cleaner (2), wherein the support structure (5) has at least one edge (13), to which the filter medium (4) can be fastened, by

   the filter medium (4) being injection-moulded on the support structure (5) using an injection moulding tool or the filter medium (4) and the support structure (5) being connected to one another by welding or by adhesive bonding in such a way that the filter medium (4) forms a unit with the support structure (5) without kinks or folds, characterised in that

   the filter medium (4) and the at least one support structure (5) connected thereto define a space in the manner of a truncated pyramid, which contains a moisture-absorbing additional material (16).
2. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to claim 1, characterised in that the filter medium (4) is manufactured from a planar material.
3. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the filter medium (4) has a rectangular blank.
4. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter medium (4) has at least one incision (7).
5. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter medium (4) has at least one cutout (8).
6. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter medium (4) has at least one kink (9).
7. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support structure (5) has rungs (14) and windows (15).
8. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the support structure (5) has spacers (17).
9. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter facility (1) can be replaced.
10. Vacuum cleaner (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter facility (1) has means for fixing (18) to the vacuum cleaner (2).

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