EP3187086A1 - Filter bag for a vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a filter bag (1) for a vacuum cleaner (2), wherein the filter bag (1) comprises at least one hose-like expansion element (10) for improved unfolding of the filter bag having a first open end (11) which is eccentrically connected to an airbag. Inlet (13) of the filter bag (1) is adjacent and has a common with the air inlet (13) overlap cross section, which is less than the opening cross-section of the air inlet (13) of the filter bag (1). The invention further relates to a vacuum cleaner (2) with such a filter bag (1). By using an expansion element (10) for improved unfolding of the filter bag, the filter bag (1) can be optimally unfolded and used.

Description

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to a filter bag for a vacuum cleaner according to the preamble of claim 1 and a vacuum cleaner according to the preamble of claim 14, for operation with such a filter bag.

Background of the invention

Developers have been trying for a long time to design vacuum cleaners as energy-efficiently as possible. At the same time, another concern of the developers is to increase the suction power of the vacuum cleaner. For this reason, an attempt is made to create filter bags in which an air flow rate, or a volume flow in the partially filled or filled state drops only to a slight extent.

An example of this can be found in the publication DE 78 37 557 U1 in which a paper filter bag for vacuum cleaner is disclosed in which a surface of the filter bag is provided with a folding and / or creasing, wherein the volume of the filter bag in the inflated state is greater than the volume of a dust chamber in which the filter bag is housed. So that prefiltered filter bags already achieve their maximum development as an empty bag in a dust chamber of a vacuum cleaner, such as in the US 3 479 802 A1 illustrated, double-walled filter bags provided, the outer filter wall is inflated by suction air to create space for expansion of the further filter bag disposed therein.

Another, similar solution discloses the document DE 20 2011 000 339 U1 in which a hose-like structure is provided in the filter bag, which is connected to an inflow opening and thereby urges the air selectively in two directions of the filter bag in order to unfold it as far as possible. In order to enable effective filtering in the chambers, the tubular structure is arranged at a certain distance from the outer wall of the filter material. Accordingly, the loop-shaped structure acts as a suction air divider, wherein the air is conducted mainly in two directions of the filter bag.

From the DE 195 08 427 A1 a dust filter is known in which a dust filter has an inner shell in the filter bag, whose air permeability is lower than that of the outer shell. When you turn on a vacuum cleaner, a pressure difference occurs in the existing between the two bags interior space, which leads to entrainment of the filter bag in the dust chamber, wherein the filter bag inflates jerkily. Due to the lack of or very little air permeability acts on the inside of the inner shell immediately a force, so that a so-called opening shock occurs, which inflates the inner shell.

From the CN 104 888 542 A a dust filter bag is known, which is held by a framework of inflatable tubes. The hoses are arranged inside the filter bag and can be filled via a gas inlet from a separate gas source. An intermittent filling should be able to cause a cleaning of the filter bag.

Moreover, from the US 3,443,336 it is known to arrange a further filter within a filter and to direct a part of the inflowing air into the area between the filters. As a result, an improved filter life is to be achieved in relation to an arrangement with only one filter.

Conventional filter bags for vacuum cleaners have a folded state upon delivery as a result of a small sales package. The user then places the only partially unfolded filter bag in a dust chamber of the vacuum cleaner without completely unfold the filter bag in the dust chamber. The resulting creases and / or constricted areas in the filter bag produce a higher air resistance, which reduces a suction power of the vacuum cleaner, since the entire air suction flow must flow through a smaller filter surface. Since only a smaller usable filter volume can be used, the power of a motor-blower unit of the vacuum cleaner must be increased, so that the necessary volume flow and the desired suction power can be maintained. At the resulting adjusting flow velocity results in a correspondingly higher air resistance. In addition, sucked-in dust reduces and clogs the actual usable filter area the filter bag and thus shortens its change intervals, or the life of the filter bag.

The problem underlying the invention

An object of the present invention is to provide a filter bag and a vacuum cleaner with such a filter bag, which can be operated energy-efficiently over its entire service life.

Inventive solution

This object is achieved by means of a filter bag for a vacuum cleaner according to the feature of claim 1. In this case, the filter bag comprises at least one hose-like expansion element with a first open end, which adjoins eccentrically to an air inlet of the filter bag and has a common overlap cross-section with the air inlet, which is smaller than the opening cross-section of the air inlet of the filter bag. The expansion element ensures that when the vacuum cleaner is switched on, the filter bag essentially develops to its maximum volume, or reaches its maximum extent in a dust chamber, the expansion element stiffening the filter bag in its unfolded state. The maximum expansion of the filter bag makes it possible not only to maximize the filling of the filter bag, but also to increase the service life or service life of the filter bag. At the same time, a volume flow passing through the filter bag only decreases more slowly as the load increases, which ensures increased energy efficiency. In addition, can be dispensed with a manual unfolding of the filter bag. As a result, multiple prefolded filter bags can already occupy their maximum extent as empty bags in the dust chamber and thus provide their maximum dust receiving volume. In this case, the expansion element is designed as a hose-like element. In this case, a first end of the expansion element which is open towards the inlet connection makes it possible to inflate by means of the incoming, sucked-in air.

Another aspect of the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner with the feature of claim 14, which is provided with a filter bag according to claim 1. In this case, the vacuum cleaner comprises: a dust chamber in which the filter bag can be arranged; a motor-blower unit for generating a negative pressure in the upstream dust chamber; an inlet nozzle upstream of the dust space and adjacent or projecting with a first end piece, the second end piece of the inlet nozzle being coupled to a suction hose and / or a suction nozzle. The filter bag has at least one expansion element with a first end that is open toward an inlet of the filter bag that is connectable to the inlet port, the first end of the expansion element being eccentrically adjacent to an air inlet of the filter bag and one in communication with the air Inlet joint overlap cross-section which is less than the opening cross-section of the air inlet of the filter bag. In this case, the benefits of the filter bag described in advance with the said expansion element can be transferred to the vacuum cleaner provided in full extent.

Preferred embodiments of the invention

Advantageous embodiments and developments, which can be used individually or in combination with each other, are the subject of the dependent claims.

In this case, expediently the expansion element has a higher rigidity than the filter bag in the case of an applied air flow. This can ensure that the filter bag provided with the expansion element spreads or expands only in certain directions.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the expansion element is made of a metamorphic material or material mixture. In the context of the invention, a metamorphic material or material mixture is understood as meaning a material which can effect a change of state. This is preferably a one-time change of shape or change in shape. Thus, materials can be used which have a shape memory or a one-time memory effect, and after a completed change in shape in the assumed state linger. In addition, such materials can be "programmed" to take a particular shape. Thus, adapted and optimized filter bags can be manufactured for specific types of vacuum cleaners.

Preferably, the expansion element is at least partially made of an air-permeable material. This can ensure that a bloated hose-like expansion element itself can fulfill a filter function.

In an advantageous embodiment of the filter bag, the expansion element has a second open end remote from the inlet or from the first open end. This allows an already inflated expansion element serve to guide the sucked into the filter bag air in a particular direction, so as to obtain the most efficient dust separation in the filter bag.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the opening of the second end of the expansion element has a smaller opening cross-section than the opening of the first end of the expansion element. Because of the smaller opening cross-section, air sucked through the opening with the relatively larger opening cross-section can be stowed in the hose-like expansion element. Due to the dynamic pressure that occurs, there is a stiffening of the expansion element. If a maximum stiffening is to be obtained, the opening of the second end of the expansion element is completely closed. As a result, a maximum dynamic pressure builds up in the hose-like expansion element, which at the same time causes an increase in the rigidity of the expansion element.

The expansion element for the filter bag may expediently be attached to an inside and / or outside of a wall of the filter bag. As a result, it is also possible to construct intersecting arrangements of hose-like expansion elements which enable an improved clamping behavior of the filter bag.

Preferably, the expansion element may be attached to an inside and / or outside of the wall of the filter bag by an adhesive or weld. Such compounds are particularly easy to produce and inexpensive.

In order to obtain particularly space-saving and at the same time particularly stable filter bags, the expansion elements are incorporated in the wall of the filter bag.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the wall of the filter bag is at least partially double-layered, so that forms a gap between the individual layers. It is particularly easy to incorporate sections that act like an expansion element.

For particularly large filter bags expansion elements are provided, which are adapted to be inflated by an activating agent. Especially in such dust compartments, which have a large volume, or dust spaces in which the negative pressure is not sufficiently large to optimally unfold at a first use of the filter bag, activating means are suitable for compensating for the low negative pressure in the relevant dust chamber.

In particular propellant gas is suitable as an activating agent because it volatilizes after use and thus does not limit the effectiveness of the filter bag. In particular, propellant is suitable as an activating agent for unfolding the filter bag in comparison with elastic objects, for. B. springs, which remain after a deployment of the filter bag in this and must be given special consideration in the disposal.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, the activating agent is an elevated temperature relative to the working environment of the filter bag. Finally, when first using the filter bag in the vacuum cleaner due to the increased air resistance occurs for a short time an increased operating / air temperature, through which the metamorphic material can be activated once. This solution is particularly cost-effective and space-saving.

By means of the described filter bag or vacuum cleaner with such a filter bag, it is possible to increase the service life of the filter bag and at the same time to improve the energy efficiency of the vacuum cleaner provided with it.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig.1

eine skizzenhafte Darstellung eines herkömmlichen Staubsaugers mit einem Filterbeutel gemäß einer vorteilhaften Ausführungsform; und

Fig. 2

eine skizzenhafte Darstellung einer Draufsicht eines Filters gemäß einer vorteilhaften Ausführungsform.

Further advantageous embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to a drawing. Showing:

Fig.1

a sketch of a conventional vacuum cleaner with a filter bag according to an advantageous embodiment; and

Fig. 2

a sketchy representation of a plan view of a filter according to an advantageous embodiment.

Detailed description of the figures

On the basis of the sketchy representation of a vacuum cleaner 2 with a filter bag 1, the principle of operation of an embodiment of a filter bag 1 will be explained, which is provided with expansion elements 10. In the case of existing filter bags 1 for vacuum cleaners 2, there is the problem that the filter bags 1 do not unfold optimally in the dust chamber 3. As a result, the full bag volume remains unused and the suction power of the vacuum cleaner 2 is lower. By the in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 shown filter bag 1, a maximum volume of the filter bag 1 is achieved in the dust chamber 3 and thus can be better utilized. The filter bag 1 can absorb more dirt before it has to be changed. The suction power of the vacuum cleaner 2 thus remains longer.

The in FIG. 1 shown vacuum cleaner 2 corresponds to a conventional vacuum cleaner 2, which comprises a motor-blower unit 4 for generating a negative pressure in a dust chamber 3, 9 via a suction nozzle dust or larger particles are sucked up and directly or via a suction hose 8 in the dust chamber. 3 of the vacuum cleaner 2 are passed. The vacuum cleaner 2 has an inlet nozzle 5, the first end piece 6 borders on the dust chamber 3 or leads into this and the second end piece 7 is coupled to the suction hose 8 or the suction nozzle 9.

In order to make optimum use of a filter capacity of the filter bag 1, it is necessary for the filter bag 2 to be able to spread completely in the dust space 3. As a result, its maximum absorption volume is made available while optimizing a suction power of the motor-blower unit 4 of the vacuum cleaner 2. Another advantage is that over the service life of the filter bag 1 away with increasing filling level of the filter bag 1, a decrease in the flow rate is lower. The in Fig. 1 illustrated filter bag 1 corresponds to an advantageous embodiment of the filter bag 1, which is provided with expansion elements 10. A filter bag provided with expansion elements 10 enables improved unfolding of the filter bag 1 in the dust space 3 of the vacuum cleaner 2. In the present example, the inlet nozzle 5 extends into the filter bag 1. The filter bag 1 is attached to the inlet port 5 by means of an air inlet 13. On the description of the attachment of the filter bag 1 in the dust chamber 3 is not discussed here, since it is not necessary in the context of this description. Here, reference is made in full to the known state of the art. A first open end 11 of the respective expansion element 10 of the filter bag 1 is opened to the inlet nozzle 5 and thereby enables the intake of sucked air. The first open end 11 adjoins the air inlet 13 of the filter bag 1 eccentrically and has an overlap cross-section which is smaller than the opening cross-section of the air inlet 13 of the filter bag 1. Preferably, the common cross-section is smaller as half of the opening cross-section of the air inlet 13th

The penetrating into the expansion element 10 via the first end 11 air leads to a stiffening of the expansion element 10, whereby a unfolding of the filter bag 1 in the dust chamber 3 is effected. In the present example, the expansion element 10 is a hose-like structure in which air is accumulated to stiffen the expansion element 10. In this case, the tube-like element is inflated in an adjacent air flow through the inlet port 5 into the dust chamber 3 into it, which then unfolds the inflated expansion element 10 and stiffened at the same time.

In Fig. 2 a filter bag 1 according to a preferred embodiment is shown. In the sectional view illustrated therein, an air inlet 13 can be seen, around which in each case a first end 11 of an expansion element 10 is arranged. At the Using the filter bag 1, it is arranged in the dust space 3 of the vacuum cleaner 2 in such a way that the inlet nozzle 5 reaches into it so far that it strikes the first end 11 of the respective expansion element 10. Due to a build-up in the dust chamber 3 negative pressure, which is generated by an engine-fan unit 4, air passes through the inlet port 5 into the dust chamber 3. The each with the first end 6 of the inlet nozzle 5 in contact first end 11 decreases thereby air and leads them through a hose-like structure to a second end 12 of the respective expansion element 10. In the in Fig. 2 illustrated embodiment of the filter bag 1, the second end 12 of the expansion element 10 is closed. This can build up a dynamic pressure in the expansion element 10, which leads to stiffening of the expansion element 10 and thereby causes unfolding of the filter bag 1 in the dust chamber 3. In a further embodiment, not shown here, the second end 12 of the expansion element 10 is open. However, in such a case, the second end 12, which acts as an outlet for sucked air into the hose-like expansion element 10, must have a cross section which is smaller than the cross section of the inlet opening or the first end 11. This can ensure that the required back pressure can build up in the expansion element 10. Furthermore, in the case that the second end 12 is designed to be open, this is located inside the filter bag 1. Thus, no dust particles can get into the dust chamber 3, which could otherwise damage the motor-fan unit 4.

Preferably, the material of which the expansion element 10 is formed, permeable to air, thereby satisfying itself to some extent a filter effect of the filter bag 1. In a further preferred embodiment, the expansion element 10 is made of a metamorphic material, which causes the first use of the filter bag 1 due to a one-time memory effect unfolding and then maintains the desired shape of the filter bag 1 in the dust chamber 3 of the vacuum cleaner 2. Shape memory include, for example: spring elements as well as tubes that shrink unidirectionally or bidirectionally, as well as materials such as: polyolefins, polyvinylidene fluoride PVDF, polyvinyl chloride PVC, polytetrafluoroethylene PTFE / Teflon, and the like.

In order to increase the rigidity of the unfolded filter bag 1, can Expansion elements 10 are disposed both within the filter bag 1 and outside of the filter bag 1. As a result, the tube-like expansion elements 10 can also be arranged crosswise, whereby a type of stiffened grid or grid housing for the filter bag 1 is created. Depending on the embodiment, the expansion elements 10 may be adhered to the filter bag 1 or welded thereto. In another embodiment, not shown here, the expansion elements 10 are incorporated in a wall of the filter bag 1. As a result, particularly space-saving embodiments of the filter bag 1 can be produced. One way to incorporate the expansion elements 10 in the filter bag 1 would be to perform the walls of the filter bag at least partially double-layered, so that between the individual layers, a gap is formed, which can be stiffened with air.

In a particularly preferred embodiment, in particular for filter bag 1 with a large dust-receiving volume, an activating agent can be provided, by means of which the respective expansion elements 10 are inflated or filled via their first end 11. This can be done in preferred embodiments by means of a propellant - not shown -, for example, a CO ₂ cartridge, explosives or blow-out air from the vacuum cleaner - not shown in the figures. Alternatively, it is also possible to use chemical substances such as construction foam, which spread after activation in the tubular element and this inflates or unfolds. In a further embodiment of the activated expansion element 10, an elevated temperature can also be used as a trigger for expansion of the expansion element 10. This is particularly advantageous because when first using the filter bag 1 in the vacuum cleaner 2 - due to the increased air resistance of the still present in folded form filter bag 1 - the air sucked more heated.

The filter bag 1 described above allows due to its improved Auffaltungs-properties an increase in the suction power and advantageous use of the entire receiving volume of the filter bag 1. In addition, can be dispensed with a manual unfolding of the filter bag 1 in the dust chamber 3 of the vacuum cleaner 2.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

filter bag

2

vacuum cleaner

3

dust chamber

4

Motor-fan unit

5

inlet port

6

first tail

7

second tail

8th

suction

9

suction nozzle

10

expansion element

11

first end

12

second end

13

inlet

Claims (14)

Filter bag (1), characterized in that the filter bag (1) comprises at least one hose-like expansion element (10) for improved unfolding of the filter bag having a first open end (11) eccentrically to an air inlet (13) of the filter bag (1 ) and having a common with the air inlet (13) overlap cross section, which is smaller than the opening cross section of the air inlet (13) of the filter bag (1). Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion element (10) has a higher rigidity than the filter bag (1). Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion element (10) is made of a metamorphic material or material mixture. Filter bag (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion element (10) is at least partially made of an air permeable material. Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion element (10) has a second open end (12) facing away from the first open end (11). Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the opening of the second end (12) of the expansion element (10) has a smaller opening cross-section than the opening of the first end (11) of the expansion element (10). Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion element (10) on an inner side and / or Outside a wall of the filter bag (1) is attachable. Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion element (10) by means of an adhesive or weld seam is attachable. Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion element (10) in the wall of the filter bag (1) is incorporated. Filter bag (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the wall of the filter bag (1) is at least partially double-layered, so that forms a gap between individual layers. Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the expansion element (10) is adapted to be deployed by an activating agent. Filter bag (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the activating agent is a propellant gas Filter bag (1) according to claim 11, characterized in that the activating agent is / has a predetermined temperature. Vacuum cleaner (2) with a filter bag (1), the vacuum cleaner (2) comprising: a dust chamber (3) in which the filter bag (1) can be arranged; a motor-blower unit (4) for generating a negative pressure in the upstream dust chamber (3); an inlet nozzle (5) upstream of the dust chamber (3) and adjacent to or projecting into a first end piece (6), a second end piece (7) of the inlet nozzle (5) being in contact with a suction hose (8) and / or a suction nozzle (9) is coupled, characterized in that
the filter bag (1) of the vacuum cleaner (2) a filter bag (1) according to one of preceding claims.

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