FR2847791A1 - Compact device for cleaning floors, uses tapered chamber with fan above to collect dust and waste by suction and uses taper of chamber to slow air as it moves upward before transfer to collection chamber - Google Patents

Abstract

The cleaner has a head (9) with an opening (91) at the bottom and a vortex chamber (1) on top. The vortex chamber comprises a conic chamber (1A), with the narrow end facing down, and a linked upper cavity (1B). A fan (2) in the upper cavity (1B) creates a vortex in the conic chamber. Waste is collected in a storage (5), arriving through a passage (4) tangential to the conic chamber.

Description

i

  The present invention relates to a compact floor cleaning device.

  Various types of floor cleaning apparatus are already known using an electric motor-fan associated with suction and discharge ducts allowing the projection of an air jet on the ground and if necessary recycling of this jet. air.

  In known devices of this type, the trapping of dust or particles is however generally ensured in general essentially by means of filters which quickly clog up.

  In other known devices of the collector type, materials to be collected are entrained towards a recovery container, but these devices are generally bulky and a large part of the sucked air is discharged into the atmosphere.

  Also known, in particular from document EP 0 1 068 827, is a floor cleaner using a completely recycled cleaning air flow without exchange with the outside of the system. The block diagram 20 of such a floor cleaner is shown in Figure 10.

  In a frustoconical cavity 101 open towards the bottom, a vortex effect 122 is created and maintained by a flow of air 121 tangentially injected by one or more nozzles 115 supplied by the conduits 132 connected to a fan motor 103 situated outside the cavity 101 and 25 itself connected by a conduit 131 to a suction orifice 116 situated at the upper part of the frustoconical cavity 101. The dust particles 123 aspirated by the opening 110 of the cavity 101 and entrained by the suction air 122 are ejected into a particle recovery receptacle 105 through a side window 104 of communication between the upper part of the frustoconical cavity 101 and the particle recovery receptacle 105.

  The fan 103 located outside the cavity 101 can be mounted on the cleaning head itself, for example above the frustoconical cavity 101. The fan 103 can also be offset in an external sled 130. In this case, illustrated in FIG. 11, the conduits 131, 132 are incorporated in a flexible tube 160 for connection between the fan motor 103 disposed in the sled 130 and the cleaning head 170 incorporating the frustoconical cavity 101 and the receptacle 105 for recovering particles. The flexible tube 160 can open into a rigid tube 161 constituting the handle of the cleaning device connected by hollow branches 140 to the cleaning head itself.

  An additional steam generator can be associated with the cleaning head and can be incorporated into it or to the handle 161 or even to the sled 130 in the case of the embodiment of FIG. 11, the flexible tube 160 then also containing a tube supplying the cleaning head with steam 10 from the steam generator located in the sled 130.

  Appliances with fully recycled air circuit without exchange with the outside of the system, such as those described with reference to Figures 10 and 11, have a high cleaning efficiency. However, these 15 devices remain relatively expensive to manufacture, in particular due to the presence of air injection nozzles 115 and a pneumatic circuit 131, 132 associated with the fan 103.

  The invention aims to remedy the aforementioned drawbacks and to allow the manufacture of a floor cleaning apparatus of simplified design which is compact, inexpensive, easy to manufacture and effective in its cleaning action while retaining a circulation of cleaning air essentially in a closed circuit to limit the release of particles or micro-organisms into the atmosphere.

  These aims are achieved by a compact floor cleaning device characterized in that it comprises a cleaning sole having a main opening, a vortex body surmounting the cleaning sole and defining a lower frustoconical cavity and an upper communicating cavity. with each other, the lower frustoconical cavity which opens into said main opening 30 having its small base oriented downwards, a turbine located in the upper cavity to directly create a vortex effect in the lower frustoconical cavity, a motor d the turbine drive and a waste storage receptacle, a tangential lateral communication opening being formed between the upper part of the lower frustoconical cavity and the waste storage receptacle.

  Insofar as the turbine directly creates a vortex effect inside the vortex body, it is not necessary to provide a connection pipe with an external fan, or to include air injection nozzles, which greatly simplifies the design and construction of the floor cleaning device.

  Advantageously, the turbine comprises a rotor in the form of a disc with a vertical axis and provided with vertical radial blades oriented downwards. The turbine drive motor can be an electric motor mounted on the upper part of the vortex body.

  In order to improve safety without affecting the operation of the device, a protective grid with fixed blades can be placed inside the vortex body under the turbine, between the lower frustoconical cavity and the upper cavity.

  According to another embodiment, security is ensured by a central pamphlet attached to the vortex body or to the sole at the lower part of the lower frustoconical cavity, and providing a free space at the periphery of the main opening.

  According to a particular feature, the compact floor cleaning apparatus comprises pressure balancing holes formed in the wall of the waste storage receptacle.

  It may further comprise a filter disposed between the internal cavity of the waste storage receptacle and said pressure balancing holes. According to a particular embodiment, the waste storage receptacle comprises an opening closed by a cover in which the pressure balancing holes are formed.

  A valve can be associated with the pressure balancing holes.

  According to a particular aspect of the present invention, which improves the cleaning efficiency, grooves formed in the sole originate at the periphery of the sole, are open downwards and open tangentially into the lower frustoconical cavity.

  According to a particular embodiment, the cleaning sole has an essentially triangular shape and the waste storage receptacle is placed on one side of the triangular sole at the rear of the floor cleaning apparatus.

  In this case, preferably, the grooves formed in the sole end at the periphery of the sole in the vicinity of the vertices of the triangle. The grooves formed in the sole can be blind on the side of the periphery of the cleaning sole.

  According to another possible embodiment, the grooves formed in the sole open laterally at the periphery of the sole in a groove of smaller cross section which opens to the outside of the sole. The compact floor cleaning device according to the invention can be produced in the form of a stand-alone device comprising rechargeable batteries for supplying the turbine drive motor autonomously.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following description of particular embodiments, given by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic sectional view showing the principle of a compact floor cleaning device according to the invention, - Figure 2 is a perspective view of an example of a compact autonomous floor cleaning device according to the invention equipped with rechargeable batteries, - Figure 3 is a vertical section along line IIIIII of Figure 4 showing an embodiment of a compact floor cleaning device according to the invention, - Figure 4 is a top view with parts cut away of floor cleaning of Figure 3, - Figure 5 is a bottom view of an example of a turbine applicable to an apparatus according to the invention, - Figure 6 is a detail view from below showing an example of a groove formed in the sole of a floor cleaning device according to the invention, - Figure 7 is a plan view of an example of a fixed protective grid that can be mounted in front of the turbine of a device according to the invention, - the Figure 8 is a side view showing the fixed protective grid of Figure 7 associated with a rotary turbine of an apparatus according to the invention, - Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view of the lower part 5 of a head cleaning a device according to the invention, showing a central cover partially closing the main opening of this cleaning head, - Figure 10 is a block diagram of an example of a floor cleaner already known implementing a fan motor, and - Figure 11 is a perspective view of an example of known floor cleaning apparatus of the sled type.

  Figure 1 shows the general principle of a compact floor cleaning device according to the invention.

  A turbine 2, driven by an electric motor 3, is placed in an upper cavity 1B of a vortex body 1 defining a lower frustoconical cavity 1A. The vortex 82 is thus maintained directly by the air 81 agitated by the turbine 2 placed in the upper cavity Ib without the need to inject air from an external pneumatic circuit, nor to extract from the suction air from the cavities 20A, 1B defined in the vortex body 1. The air circuit creating the vortex 82 is thus essentially confined inside the vortex body 1.

  The upper cavity 1B preferably has a frustoconical shape with the large base facing downwards, that is to say inversely with respect to the lower cavity 1A.

  The dust or dirt sucked through the lower opening 91 of the vortex body 1 surmounting a sole 9 are sucked up in a vortex and escape laterally through a tangential opening 4 communicating with the internal cavity of a receptacle 5 of waste recovery.

  The receptacle 5 is itself preferably removable and comprises pressure balancing holes 71 formed in the wall of the receptacle 5. These pressure balancing holes 71 allow only a minute amount of air to escape to the atmosphere. air relative to the moving air inside the vortex body. A filter 6 is placed in front of these holes 71 35 in order to avoid any rejection of dust into the atmosphere, but this filter only clogs very slowly, taking into account the weak air flow escaping through the holes 71.

  Figure 2 shows an exemplary embodiment in which the vortex body 1 surmounted by the electric motor 3 and mounted on the sole 9 is incorporated inside a fairing 17 which also includes the receptacle 5 or is connected to it. this. The assembly of the cleaning head defined by this fairing 17 and the elements incorporated inside on the sole 9 is mounted at the rear on wheels 12 and is actuated by a handle 16 connected by arms 19 on the head of cleaning.

  Rechargeable batteries 15 used to power the electric motor 3 can be incorporated in the device, for example at the handle 16 or on the cleaning body, in order to make the cleaning device completely autonomous. It is however also possible to connect the electric motor 3 by means of a power cord 15 to an outlet of an electric power network.

  The receptacle 5 is preferably removable and can be associated with a lock 13 for fixing to the cleaning head, the base of which is constituted by the sole 9 intended to rest on the ground at least at the front of the appliance.

  A description will now be given with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 of an embodiment of a floor cleaning device according to the invention which implements the basic principles set out with reference to FIG. 1.

  In Figures 3 and 4 we see a sole 9 which rests on the ground.

  This sole 9 has an essentially triangular shape with a point 90 at the front which allows better cleaning in the corners and a rectilinear rear part which constitutes one of the sides of the triangle and against which a receptacle is removably positioned. 5 of waste. Two rear wheels 12 for supporting the ground are mounted laterally on either side of the receptacle 5 on arms 92 extending the sole 9 at the rear thereof.

  An operating handle of the device is itself connected to the cleaning head by arms oriented around axes 14 mounted on either side of the sole 9.

  A latch 13 removably secures the receptacle 5 on one of the arms extending the sole 9 behind the triangular part constituting the cleaning surface.

  A vortex body 1 is mounted on the sole 9. The body 1 5 comprises a first part liA which defines a frustoconical cavity lA having its small base oriented downwards and defines a main opening 91 at its lower part at a level opening in the sole 9 to allow suction of waste or dust.

  A tangential lateral opening in the form of a channel 4 is formed in the top of the wall of the part liA defining the lower frustoconical cavity lA to allow the evacuation of dust and waste 83 towards the interior of the receptacle 5 which has itself even an opening 50 in which is engaged the part of the vortex body 1 forming the communication channel 4. A seal 55 can be placed around the channel 4 between the vortex body 1 and the receptacle 5.

  The lower frustoconical cavity lA can have a half-opening angle ac of the order of 10. The diameter DI of the opening 91 can for example be of the order of 8 to 12 cm. The height H with respect to the ground of the lower frustoconical cavity lA can for example be of the order of 20 to 6 cm.

  The sole 9 preferably has, at ground level, in the different radial directions parallel to the ground, a dimension D2 which is greater than or equal to the diameter Dl of the opening 91. This allows correct operation of the vortex effect to be maintained. at ground level 25 without disadvantageous turbulence, even if the cleaning head is slightly raised relative to the ground, as may be the case on a hard floor such as a tile or parquet.

  An electric motor 3 is disposed at the top of the casing 11B defining the upper cavity 1B. It can have a rotational speed of, for example, between 20,000 rpm and 30,000 rpm. Such an electric motor may have a low power, for example of the order of 60 to 80 W, and be powered by rechargeable batteries for example of 12 V. The electric motor may also have a slightly higher power, for example of on the order of 400 to 500 W, and be supplied from the voltage of a supply network. This power remains in all cases much lower than that of traditional vacuum cleaners.

  The motor 3 drives a turbine 2 with a vertical axis which is disposed in the upper cavity 1B and directly creates vortices causing the formation of a vortex in the lower frustoconical cavity 1A. The upper cavity 1B preferably has a frustoconical shape with the large base facing downwards.

  The turbine 2 can have a very simple shape with vertical radial blades 21 oriented downwards. FIG. 5 shows an example of a turbine 2 with eight radial blades 21 regularly distributed over the disc forming the body of the turbine.

  A protective grid 18 with fixed guide vanes 181 may be disposed between the lower frustoconical cavity 1A and the upper cavity 1B inside the body 1, under the turbine 2 (Figures 7 and 8). The protective grid 18 can be fixed to the part 1A or the part 11B by fixing rods 182. As can be seen in FIG. 8, the fixed director blades 15 181 of the grid 18 are oriented so that they allow air to pass in the direction of rotation of the turbine 2, towards the lower cavity 1A.

  The presence of a turbine 2 with paddles for driving the air in rotation in the body of the vortex 1 simply allows the direct creation of a vortex effect, without the need for a external fan and associated pneumatic circuit.

  In normal operation, the sole 9 rests on the ground and all the air flow circulates in a closed circuit inside the vortex body 1, only solid or liquid waste, particles and dust being ejected by centrifugation through the channel 4 to receptacle 5.

  The receptacle 5 however has at its upper part an opening 51. A removable cover 7 comes to cap and close this opening 51. A filter 6 is incorporated in the cover 7. Air outlet holes 71 making it possible to balance the pressure between the inside of the receptacle 5 and the outside are provided in the cover 7, for example in its upper planar face. Optionally, a valve 8 can be placed on the cover 7 so as to selectively close holes 71.

  As can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, suction grooves 10 are formed in the underside of the sole 9. In the example considered, three grooves 10 arise at the periphery of the essentially shaped sole triangular 9, in the vicinity of the vertices of the triangle and open tangentially into the lower frustoconical cavity 1A.

  The grooves 10 may be blind on the side of the periphery of the cleaning soleplate, as shown in FIG. 4. Alternatively, the grooves 10 formed in the soleplate 9 may open laterally at the periphery of the soleplate 9 in a groove 10a of smaller cross section which itself opens laterally outside the sole (Figure 5).

  The three grooves 10 are substantially arranged at 1200 so as to sweep the entire width of the sole when the latter is moved over the ground.

  The sole is generally triangular with a point 90 at the front, for better access in the corners of the rooms. In normal operation on carpets and rugs, the soleplate is applied against the surface to be cleaned. In this case, the flow of outside air sucked in by the vortex and then discharged into the room where it is cleaned, through the filter 6 and the holes 71 of the cover 7 of the receptacle 5 is very minimal. The system then operates essentially in a closed loop and the releases of allergens into the atmosphere are limited. This is all the more the case when the grooves 10 are not open at the ends.

  When the grooves 10 open out through grooves 10a of reduced section, the efficiency of these grooves 10 is increased at the cost of a slightly greater air rejection into the atmosphere, but the presence of the grooves 10a limits these air releases and the system operates essentially in a closed loop, the vortex 82 being stationary.

  The vortex 82 is created in a simple and powerful way from the centrifugal effect of the turbine 2, the air driven in rotation by the blades 21 of the turbine 2 in the upper cavity 1B creating a flow of air 30 toroid which descends downwards in the vicinity of the wall of the lower frustoconical cavity 1A to go back up to the center by entraining the dust particles being on the ground.

  The grooves 10, which open tangentially into the lower frustoconical cavity 1A and are thus in the direction of rotation of the air 35 which licks the inner end of the grooves, are supplied more significantly if the sole is slightly raised from the ground and creates a stronger depression in the body of the vortex 1, which makes it possible to attract and suck up objects of considerable size, such as butts, without these being liable to be driven outwards by the air flow. The weak air flow introduced punctually when the device is lifted can escape through the filter 6 through the holes 71, but when the device is rested on the ground, everything works again in closed circuit and the mass rotating air in the vortex continues to rub the surface to be cleaned.

  As soon as the motor 3 is itself out of the cavities 1A, 1B of the vortex body 1, the device can safely suck up water and can therefore be combined with a steam generator to constitute an integral cleaner, without the need to add piping to circulate the water. FIG. 9 shows an alternative embodiment according to which a cover 28 is disposed in the center of the main opening 91 15 of the vortex body 1, in the vicinity of the ground. This cover 28 is attached by connecting elements 282, for example three connecting rods offset by 1200 relative to each other, to the sole 9 or to the piece lA defining the lower frustoconical cavity lA of the vortex body 1. A free space is provided at the periphery of the main opening 91 between the cover 28 and the internal wall of the part liA. The central cover 28 can be constituted for example by a thin disc of diameter d representing 60 to 70% of the diameter Dl of the main opening 91.

  The cover 28 allows protection of the users with respect to the turbine 2, in the event of lifting of the device and thus constitutes an alternative solution compared to the implementation of a protective grid 18. The cover 28 has the advantage of not in any way slowing down the air flow entrained by the turbine 2 and furthermore avoiding a possible redeposition on the ground of fine dust sucked and being in the center of the vortex in a quieter zone, as soon as when this fine dust 30 can be deposited on the upper face of the cover 28 before being subsequently sucked up.

  As can be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the communication channel 4 can open out inside the receptacle 5 into a chute 56 having a bottom face 58 inclined upwards, for example at 450 and opening at a certain distance from the opposite vertical wall and from the upper wall of the receptacle 5. Vertical lateral walls 57 delimit the chute leaving a large space relative to the lateral walls of receptacle 50.

  The chute 56 prevents the dust or water sucked into the receptacle 5 from coming out of the communication channel 4 when the device stops. The chute 56 may naturally have other shapes than that shown in the drawings.

Claims (19)

  1. Compact floor cleaning device, characterized in that it comprises a cleaning sole (9) having a main opening (91), a vortex body (1) surmounting the cleaning sole (9) and defining a lower frustoconical cavity (1A) and an upper cavity (1B) communicating with each other, the lower frustoconical cavity (1A) which opens into said main opening (91) 10 having its small base oriented downwards, a turbine (2) located in the upper cavity (1B) to directly create a vortex effect in the lower frustoconical cavity (lA), a motor (3) for driving the turbine (2) and a receptacle (5) for storing waste , a tangential lateral opening (4) for communication being formed between the upper part of the lower frustoconical cavity (1A) and the receptacle (5) for storing waste.   2. Compact floor cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the turbine (2) comprises a disc-shaped rotor with a vertical axis and provided with vertical radial blades (21) oriented downwards.   3. Compact floor cleaning device according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the motor (3) for driving the turbine (2) is an electric motor mounted on the upper part of the vortex body (1 ).   4. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a protective grid (18) with fixed blades (181) arranged inside the vortex body (1 ) between the lower frustoconical cavity (1A) and the upper cavity (1B) under the turbine (2).   5. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a central cover (28) attached to the vortex body or to the sole at the lower part of the lower frustoconical cavity (1A) and providing a free space at the periphery of the main opening (91).   6. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises pressure balancing holes (71) formed in the wall of the receptacle (5) for storing waste.   7. Compact floor cleaning device according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a filter (6) disposed between the internal cavity of the receptacle (5) for storing waste and said balancing holes (71). pressure.   8. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 6 and 7, characterized in that the receptacle (5) for storing waste comprises an opening (51) closed by a cover (7) in which are formed the pressure balancing holes (71). 9. Compact floor cleaning device according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a filter (6) incorporated in the cover (7). 10. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that it comprises a valve (8) associated with the holes (71) for pressure balancing.   11. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the receptacle (5) for storing waste is removable.   12. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that it comprises grooves (10) formed in the sole (9) which originate at the periphery of the sole, are open down and open tangentially into the lower frustoconical cavity (1A).   13. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the cleaning sole (9) has an essentially triangular shape and in that the receptacle (5) for storing waste is placed on one side of the triangular sole 30 at the rear of the compact floor cleaning device.   14. Compact floor cleaning device according to claim 12 and claim 13, characterized in that the grooves (10) formed in the sole (9) terminate at the periphery of the sole in the vicinity of the vertices of the triangle.   15. Compact floor cleaning device according to claim 12 or claim 14, characterized in that the grooves (10) formed in the sole (9) are blind on the side of the periphery of the sole (9) cleaning.   16. Compact floor cleaning device according to claim 12 or claim 14, characterized in that the grooves (10) formed in the sole (9) open laterally at the periphery of the sole (9) in a further groove small section (10a) which opens to the outside of the sole.   17. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the tangential lateral opening (4) for communication opens into the receptacle (5) for storing waste, in a chute ( 56) facing upwards.   18. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that it comprises a fairing (17) for protecting the functional organs and a handle (16) articulated with respect to this fairing ( 17).   19. Compact floor cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 18, characterized in that it comprises rechargeable batteries (15) for independently supplying the motor (3) driving the turbine (2 ).