GB2136277A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A motor fan unit (3) of a vacuum cleaner is mounted in chamber (4) between partition (5) and slide plate (13) which is slidable at right angles to the longitudinal axis (A) of the motor fan unit (3). The slide plate may be provided with resilient tongues (17, 17') having hooked ends (18, 18') which engage openings (19, 19') in casing walls (28, 28'); and its upper portion may be provided with a holder (20) for a switch (21), and openings (22, 25) for holding other electrical components. Resilient parts (10, 11) may be located between the ends of the motor fan unit and partition and slide plate. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Vacuum cleaner The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having an electrical motor fan unit located in a vacuum cleaner housing, which unit is fixed between axially adjacent support parts of the casing.

In a known vacuum cleaner of this type, the motor fan unit is braced axially between rubber members, which bear against a partition wall and a cover of the casing. It is thus intended to reduce to a minimum operating noises as well as oscillations, which are transmitted to the appliance casing for example by screws. Bracing of the motor fan unit is achieved due to the fact that the cover, which is fastened to the vacuum cleaner casing by screws, is pressed against the rubber members. The use of the cover as a support part has the drawback that when being fitted on the casing, the cover prevents one from looking into the latter, since it covers the casing over a large surface area.Due to this, at the time of assembly, it is not possible to observe whether the motor fan unit and electrical connection cables connected to the latter or other electrical components are aligned correctly with respect to the casing, so that they are not able to tilt or become jammed. In the known vacuum cleaner, the cover also closes off a mounting chamber space for an independently rewinding cable drum, which is connected to the motor fan unit.

Consequently, the position of this cable drum also cannot be observed at the time of assembly.

Furthermore, in the case of damage to the cable drum or to a cable, the entire chamber receiving the motor fan unit must be uncovered.

Vacuum cleaners are also known in which the motor fan unit is secured in the appliance casing by wire straps constructed as springs, which are tensioned by a tensioning device above the motor fan unit. Even these constructions have the drawback that the motor fan unit is not freely accessible and easily inspected, so that assembly is made substantially more difficult, involves a great deal of work and takes a great deal of time.

It is the object of the invention to construct a vacuum cleaner of the aforementioned type so that as they are assembled in the casing, the motor fan unit and parts connected thereto are freely accessible and visible.

The invention provides a vacuum cleaner with an electrical motor fan unit located in a vaccum cleaner casing, which unit is fixed between axially adjacent support parts of the casing, wherein one of said support parts is a slide plate mounted in the casing so as to be movable therein substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the motor fan unit.

As a result of this construction when inserting the slide plate in the casing, the motor fan unit is fixed in its position between the latter and the opposed support part. Since the casing is then open, the position of the motor fan unit and other components connected thereto can be observed clearly, and controlled at the time of assembly, so that assembly is substantially facilitated and shortened. Also the motor fan or other components connected thereto are prevented satisfactorily from tilting or jamming in the casing, and thus from being damaged.

Furthermore, repairs to the motor fan unit and components can be facilitated substantially, since the parts are freely accessible, easily visible and consequently do not have to be uncovered previously in a difficult manner. Finally, the slide plate is suitable as a mounting plate for the other components, so that the latter can be preassembled on the slide plate. Consequently, after the insertion of the slider plate, the components can be connected to the motor fan unit in a simple manner.

The invention is described in detail hereafter with reference to one embodiment illustrated in the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sectional view through part of a vacuum cleaner according to the invention in the region of a motor fan unit, and Figure 2 is a section on line Il-Il of figure 1.

The vacuum cleaner according to figures 1 and 2 has a vacuum cleaner casing 1, which receives a dust filtering and collecting container 2 constructed as a bag, as well as a motor fan unit 3, which consists of a fan 8 and a motor 9. The motor fan unit produces a suction stream, which - flows from a cleaning tool (not shown) by way of a suction pipe (not shown) through the dust-filtering and collecting bag. The motor fan unit 3 and the dust-filtering and collecting bag 2 are located in mouting chambers 4 and 6 of the casing 1, which are separated from each other by a partition wall 5. The partition wall has openings 7 arranged one above the other, through which the suction stream flows into the fan 8 driven by the motor 9.

The motor fan unit 3 is supported in known manner between two resilient parts 10 and 1 1 adjacent each other axially with respect to the motor fan unit, which parts serve partly as a gasket for sealing off the motor fan unit with respect to the surrounding air space. The gasket 10 is an annular shaped part, which consists for example of rubber and bears against one end face 31 of the motor fan unit 3 and against the partition wall 5, whereas the second part 11 lies between a bearing bracket 23 of the motor 9 and a slide plate 13 extending parallel to the partition wall 5. The second part 11 is constructed as a block-like shaped part, which consists of rubber for example and has a mounting aperture 32 adapted to the motor bearing bracket 23 as well as a rear plug-in part 33 remote from the motor 9.

Repsectively associated with the two parts 10 and 11 is a matched support aperture, in which the parts are inserted in an inter-locking manner. For this purpose the slide plate comprises a pocket 25 open on the underneath in its insertion direction P, in which the second part 11 with the plug-in part 33 is inserted.

The slide plate 13 is an elongated rectangular profiled plate, whose longitudinal extent is at right angles to the direction P and which has a length which is equal to the distance between opposite side walls 28, 28' of the housing 1 (figure 2).

After inserting the motor fan unit 3 in the casing 1, the slide plate 13 is slid in the casing 1 at right angles to its longitudinal axis A. The slide plate 13 is supported by its rear side 24 remote from the motor 9 on the opposite rear end wall 15 of the casing 1.

Provided on the rear side 24 of the slide plate are several strengthening ribs 12 extending in the direction P and arranged at right angles to the associated outer face of the slide plate 13. The latter serve as sliding webs, which with longitudinal edges 14 projecting slightly beyond the rear side 24 of the slide plate form sliding surfaces by which the slide plate 13 slides on the end wall 15 when inserting it in or removing it from the casing 1. The sliding surfaces 14 may also be widened out in the shape of a wedge parallel to the rear side 24 of the slide plate or in the opposite direction to direction P. However, the end wall 15 of the casing 1 may also comprise sliding surfaces 16', which are formed by the longitudinal edges of web-like sliding members 16. At the time of sliding, the slide plate 13 bears against the latter by its rear side 24.Due to the sliding webs and sliding members 12 and 16, the slide plate can be inserted easily and quickly in the casing 1 or removed from the latter. Due to this, manufacturing tolerances and slight deformations of the slide plate 13 and of the end wall 1 5 have no effect, so that in this case also the slide plate can slide easily in the casing.

The rear longitudinal edge 30 of the slide plate 13 in the direction P is constructed as a retaining web of approximately L-shaped cross-section, which extends from the end wall 1 5 of the casing in the direction of the partition wall 5. The vertical web 34 of the longitudinal edge 30 comprises several holders 20, 22, 25 one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the slide plate 13. The holder 20 is formed by three clamping webs 35, 36, in which case the clamping web 35 lies between recesses 38 and 39 in the vertical web 34. The two other clamping webs 36 project in the plane of the rear side 24 beyond the transverse web 37 of the longitudinal edge 30 vertically upwards.The holder 22 is formed by two slots open in the opposite direction to that of the arrow P, whereas the holder 25 lies approximately half-way along the width of the slide plate 13 and is formed by two window-like openings arranged one above the other in the direction P. The holder 20 serves for holding a switch 21 for the motor fan unit, whereas the holders 22 and 25 serve for holding electrical components (not shown) such as a connecting terminal for a mains connection cable, electronic control and switching devices, indicators, which indicate the operating condition of the vacuum cleaner, or similar components; the holder 22 is provided for holding electrical cables.

On its narrow sides, the slide plate 13 comprises narrow edges 27, 27' extending at right angles to the plane of the slide plate, whereof the upper halves are constructed as resilient tongues 17, 17'. The free ends 18, 18' of the tongues 17, 17' are constructed as drop-in hooks, which when the slide plate 13 is mounted, engage in associated openings 19 in the side walls 28, 28' of the casing (figure 2). By way of the drop-in hooks, the slide plate is immovably fixed in the casing 1 for mounting the motor fan unit 3. The outer faces of the drop-in hooks 1 8 are inclined obliquely outwards in the direction P and when inserting the slide plate in the casing 1 therefore form sliding surfaces, which in the locked position project into the mounting openings 1 9, 1 9' in the side walls 28, 28' of the casing.The oblique outer surfaces also facilitate the engagement of the drop-in hooks 1 8, 1 8' in the openings 1 9, 19', so that no tool is necessary for this. On the other hand, the drop-in hooks can only be released from their locked position in the casing walls 28, 28' by means of a tool, so that the slide plate cannot slide accidentally in the casing or be removed from the latter.

Due to the afore-described construction, before its assembly the slide plate 13 can be equipped with the finished electrical components, so that after installation of the motor fan unit 3 and of the slide plate 13, solely the electrical connections have to be made, which are preferably constructed as plug-in connections. With this mounting of the motor fan unit, the assembly of the motor fan unit and the fitting of the electrical components is possible quickly and simply and in a manner which can be seen clearly, without any danger of the motor fan unit and the electrical components being damaged and thus leading to breakdowns.

After the afore-described assembly operation, it is solely necessary to place the cover (not shown) from above on the casing 1, without special care being necessary for this in order to prevent damage to the components located in the casing.

The vacuum cleaner according to figures 1 and 2 may also be constructed so that in place of the partition wall 5, the slide plate 13 is provided and engages by its drop-in hooks in associated openings in the side walls of the casing. In this case, the second part, which is placed on the motor bearing bracket, may bear against the end wall 1 5 of the casing 1.

Claims (18)

1. A vacuum cleaner with an electrical motor fan unit located in a vacuum cleaner casing, which unit is fixed between axially adjacent support parts of the casing, wherein one of said support parts is a slide plate mounted in the casing so as to be movable therein, substantially at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the motor fan unit.

2. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the slide plate is supported on a casing wall.

3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said side plate is supported on an end wall remote from the motor fan unit.

4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the casing wall includes a partition wall adjoining a dust filtering and collecting container.

5. A vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the slide plate has at least one sliding surface extending in the insertion direction of the slide plate.

6. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the or each sliding surface is formed by the longitudinal edge of sliding web.

7. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the or each sliding surface projects beyond a rear side of the slide plate.

8. A vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 2 to 7, wherein the casing wall comprises at least one sliding surface extending over at least part of the casing wall.

9. A vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the slide plate comprises at least one mounting support.

10. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the or each mounting support comprises a pocket open on the underside thereof in the insertion direction for receiving a resilient intermediate member connected to a motor of the motor fan unit.

11. A vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the slide plate comprises at least one drop-in part for attachment to the casing.

12. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 11, wherein the or each drop-in part is formed by a hook-shaped end of a resilient tongue.

13. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the or each resilient tongue is formed by the edge of the slide plate extending in the insertion direction thereof and substantially at right angles to the longitudinal central plane of the slide plate.

14. A vacuum claner according to any one of claims 11 to 13, wherein associated with the or each drop-in part is an opening in an adjacent side wall of the casing.

1 5. A vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 11 to 14, wherein the or each drop-in part is constructed in the form of a hook and comprises an oblique sliding surface extending outwards in the opposite direction to said insertion direction.

16. A vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the slide plate comprises 'at least one holder for components connected to the motor fan unit.

17. A vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the or each holder is provided on a rear holding web of the slide plate in the insertion direction and is of substantially Lshaped cross-section.

18. A vacuum cleaner substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.