GB2198930A

GB2198930A - Suction cleaner

Info

Publication number: GB2198930A
Application number: GB08630087A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Edward J Roberts
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-12-17
Filing date: 1986-12-17
Publication date: 1988-06-29
Anticipated expiration: 2006-12-17
Also published as: GB2198930B; GB8630087D0

Abstract

A suction cleaner comprising suction fan 22 driven by motor 24, suction inlet duct 18, and exhaust duct 28 exhausts dust-laden air into a settling chamber 32, which has a dust bag 36 located below it for reception of dust and is also provided with a filter 34 for filtering the exhaust air prior to discharge to atmosphere. The dust bag may be a plastics bin lining bag. The cleaner may be provided with a rotary powered brush at suction intake 20. The motor may be driven by batteries 26. The exhaust duct may be closed by damper 30 to provide an air flow through a connector (42) which may be used for cleaning the filler by reverse air flow. Wheels 14 may be driven by a motor. A hose connector 19 may be provided on suction inlet duct 18, which may have a damper 43 located therein, so that suction airflow may be effected via the connector 19. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SUCTION CLEANERS This invention relates to cleaners which are known as vacuum or suction cleaners. Such cleaners commonly comprise a mains powered suction fan arranged to draw in dirt laden air and to blow this air into a dust receiving bag. The dust bag usually has an outer covering, both of which are porous in nature to allow the air to escape to atmosphere, the dust being retained in the dust bag.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner in which the air is exhausted to atmosphere through a filter independently of the dust receiving bag.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cleaner having an independent source of power and a means of conserving that power when the cleaner is not operational whilst it is being moved from one cleaning location to another.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a cleaner which is self-propelled.

Accordingly the present invention provides a suction cleaner having a suction fan, means for driving the fan, an inlet arranged to receive dust laden air, an outlet from the fan for the throughflow of dust laden air, a settling chamber into which the dust laden air is discharged, dust retaining means opening into the settling chamber and arranged to receive the dust from the dust laden air, the settling chamber also having a filter through which the exhaust air is discharged to atmosphere.

The exhaust duct can be provided with a damping means, upon closure of which, the pressure in the fan outlet will rise, a hose connection being provided in the fan outlet to enable the connection of a hose so that a relatively high pressure, high velocity flow of air can be provided through the hose to clean the machine and the settling chamber filter.

The cleaner can also be provided with a motor-powered damper on the suction inlet which functions to close the damper when the cleaner operator ceases to use the cleaner so as to reduce the power requirement of the fan driving means. A timer can be provided so as to switch off the power means of the suction fan when the power required to continue running equals the start-up power.

The present invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 shows a front view of one form of suction cleaner according to the present invention, Fig. 2 shows a part sectional elevation on line 2-2 in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3 shows a rear elevation of the cleaner shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings a suction cleaner 10 having an housing 12 is mounted on two side wheels 14 and a smaller diameter centrally arranged front wheel 16. The cleaner has an inlet 18 having an oblong intake 20 arranged to be closely spaced from the surface to be cleaned.

A suction fan 22 is mounted within the housing 12 and is driven by an electric motor 24 powered by batteries 26. The inlet 18 is connected to the intake of the fan 24 which has an exhaust duct 28 connected to its outlet, the exhaust duct having a damper 30. The exhaust duct 28 extends into a settling chamber 32 having an outlet low pressure filter 34 and opening into a dust bag 36 which is replaceable. A handle 38 is attached to the rear of the cleaner so that the cleaner can be easily moved around and a control 40 is attached to the handle for the operation of the cleaner as will be described below.

A hose connection 42 is connected to the fan outlet and a damper 43 driven by a motor 44 is mounted in the inlet 18, the operation of which is also described below.

In operation the motor 22 is operated by means of a switch in the control 40 and dust laden air is drawn through the intake 20 into the inlet 18 by the suction created by the fan 22. The dust laden air passes into the exhaust 28 and into the settling chamber 32, the exhaust damper 30 being open. The sudden decrease of velocity of the air in the settling chamber causes the dust to fall into the dust bag 36 and the virtually dust free air passes into atmosphere through the filter 34. The dust bag can comprise a plastic bag of the type used for lining waste bins.

Operation continues normally until the cleaning has been completed. The filter 34 and the cleaner can be cleaned by means of a hose (not shown) which can be connected to the connector 42.

The exhaust damper is closed either manually or by means of a motor (not shown) operated from the control 40. Closure of the damper 30 causes a pressure rise in the fan outlet so that a relatively high pressure, high velocity flow of air passes out through the connector 42. This flow of air can be used to clean out the machine and to clean the filter by reverse air flow.

The battery power can be saved by closing the inlet damper 43 by operation of the motor 44. The motor 44 is arranged to operate as soon as the operator removes his or her hands from the control 40.

The power requirement for the motor 22 is thereby reduced when the machine is not required to draw up dust laden air. After a set period of time when the power required to continue running equals the start-up power, a timer (not shown) in the control 40 switches off the motor 22.

The intake 20 can be provided in a variety of widths and the cleaner can be provided with magnets in the intake so as to prevent metal objects from passing through the fan. The cleaner can also be provided with rotary powered brushes at the intake driven by the motor 22 or by independent motors. Also the wheels 14 can be driven by a motor, for example, another motor driven by the batteries 26 or by an internal combustion engine.

A large diameter hose connection 19 is provided mounted on suction intake 20. This is blanked off by a cap (not shown) when the cleaner is used as described above. The connection 19 allows a flexible hose vacuum hose (not shown) to be connected to it, to which special purpose light weight tools (not shown) can be connected for cleaning in areas in accessible to the fixed intake 20.

When the hose connection 19 is in use the motorised damper 43 is in the down position closing off the intake 20, causing a high velocity, low pressure flow of air to flow down through the hose connected to connection 19. This feature is in contradistinction to conventional vacuum cleaners which use low volume, high pressure air, the internal resistance of the hose limiting effectiveness to a few metres of hose length.

Claims

1. A suction cleaner having a suction fan means for driving the fan, an inlet arranged to receive dust laden air, an outlet from the fan for the through flow of dust laden air, a settling chamber into which the dust laden air is discharged, dust retaining means opening into the settling chamber and arranged to receive the dust laden air, the settling chamber also having a filter through which the exhaust air is discharged to atmosphere.

2. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 1 in which the exhaust duck includes damping means, and a fan outlet includes a hose connection through which the outlet of the fan can discharge upon closure of the exhaust damping means.

3. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 1 having a damper on the inlet to the fan, the damper being closable upon operation of a contol for the fan driving means.

4. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 3 in which the damper on the inlet is motor driven.

5. A suction cleaner as claimed in claim 3 and claim 4 including a timer arranged to switch off the power means suction fan when the power required to continue driving the fan, equals the power required to start up the fan.

6. A suction cleaner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the means for driving the fan comprises a battery powered motor.

7. A suction cleaner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims including a least one magnet arranged adjacent the inlet.

8. A suction cleaner as claimed In any one of the preceding claims including at least one rotary powered brush, mounted adjacent the intake.

9. A suction cleaner as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, mounted on two side wheels and a centrally arranged front wheel.

10. A suction cleaner a claimed in claim 9 in which a least one of said wheels is motor driven.

11. A suction cleaner constructed and arranged for use and operations, substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying drawing.