TWI615122B - Household appliances - Google Patents

Description

Household appliances

The invention relates to a household appliance, in particular a cleaning device, having a housing which surrounds the inner chamber of the housing and has a bottom surface of the housing.

A household appliance in the form of a cleaning device is for example an accessory to a vacuum cleaner. This attachment can be constructed, for example, as a motor-driven floor brush. Such an attachment has a housing in which a brush chamber for accommodating the brush body, a motor chamber for accommodating an electric motor for driving the brush body, and a transmission member are additionally provided. The bottom plate of the housing (ie the housing part that rests on the surface to be cleaned during normal operation) has a housing opening that communicates the brush chamber with the surrounding environment (environment of the household appliance) and as a brush body When the surface to be cleaned should be contacted during the cleaning process, the brush protrudes slightly beyond the bottom plate through the opening of the housing during normal operation. For the sake of completeness, various applications are also conceivable, in which the brush should not specifically touch the surface to be cleaned and therefore also do not necessarily protrude from the housing opening.

Wet floor cleaning devices are also known from the prior art, which devices can likewise have attachments in the form of cleaning devices. Such a household appliance has a housing having a bottom plate, the bottom plate being provided with a housing opening, and the housing opening Connect the inner chamber of the housing to the surrounding environment.

An attachment as an example of a home appliance is described in the foregoing. Such an attachment is connected, for example, to a vacuum cleaner, in particular to a household vacuum cleaner, which generates an inspiratory flow by means of its own electric motor, which causes an air suction passage through the attachment and, in particular, through the suction passage extending therefrom. The surface sucks out the dirt. In the sense of the invention, the household appliance is not limited only to the application of the accessories described above, but can be understood to be in any form of a household appliance in particular. The invention includes, for example, devices that are capable of autonomous operation, particularly floor cleaning robots, as well as hand-held vacuum cleaners or window glass cleaning devices.

In the prior art, in the bottom plate of the attachment, in particular the bottom plate of the vacuum cleaner nozzle, as few openings as possible are provided which communicate the interior of the housing with the surrounding environment. The reason for this is that it should ensure the highest possible sealing and less leakage. As a result, each housing opening presents a risk of incompatibilities in the attachment and thus a risk of undesired power reduction. There is also the risk that a lubricant or the like will pass from the housing through the opening to the surrounding environment. However, there is still a need to expand the power range and application diversity in the further development of home appliances. It should also improve ease of use.

Starting from this, it is an object of the invention to provide a household appliance of the type mentioned above, by means of which the maximum versatility of use can be met with the greatest possible energy efficiency.

The object cited and proposed in the preceding paragraph is achieved in accordance with the invention in a household appliance, in particular in the case of a cleaning device having a housing which surrounds the interior of the housing and has a housing bottom surface, ie the housing is a bottom plate having a bottom plate, the bottom plate having at least four housing openings, the housing openings respectively communicating the inner chamber of the housing with the external environment (the outer portion of the housing) and the cross-sectional area of the opening of the housing is at least 80 mm ² , preferably At least 100mm ² . Here, the cross-sectional area is relative to the outer edge of the respective housing opening (ie pointing towards the bottom surface). In particular, the section is parallel to the bottom surface of the housing and/or along a plane that intersects each of the at least four housing openings.

Preferably, at the bottom surface of the housing, which in the conventional application of the household appliance, is turned to the bottom surface or the surface to be cleaned, except for a blind hole such as a bolt hole and/or a housing pin to be filled in. At least four openings (cracks or gaps) are provided in addition to the gaps of the fixtures, which, due to their cross-sectional area, allow for the provision of means for increasing the diversity of use of the household appliance.

The housing opening in the base plate thus additionally allows the provision of different components which interact with the base plate or the surface to be cleaned. Examples of corresponding components are briefly explained below: According to an embodiment, such a member is a rotatable brush body (first member) which is in contact with the surface to be cleaned by a first housing opening in the bottom plate.

According to another embodiment, the second housing opening can be closed by an inspection flap (second member) for maintenance or cleaning work. Preferably, the flap is inspected as an inlet for providing an inspiratory passage in the inner chamber of the housing, which will preferably pass The air sucked through the suction nozzle is guided to the connecting pipe head through the suction passage. At the connection pipe head, for example, an air suction pipe of a vacuum cleaner or a vacuum cleaner can be connected.

According to a further embodiment, such a component cooperating with the base is a support wheel (third member) which projects outwardly through the third housing opening or can at least be arranged in an outwardly projecting position.

According to another embodiment, such a member cooperating with the base is a sensor (fourth member) for identifying the floor, the sensor preferably corresponding to the fourth housing opening.

According to a further embodiment, a fifth housing opening is provided for the switch (fifth member) for adjusting the components of the domestic appliance, in particular for adjusting the support wheel.

According to a further embodiment, such a component cooperating with the base is a receiving and/or adjusting device provided for the sealing lip (sixth component), which device can be arranged projectingly at the bottom surface of the housing (ie the bottom plate) so that The adjustment is made to match the height difference inside the surface to be cleaned due to the unevenness during the cleaning process. Suitably, a receiving and/or adjusting device is provided in the sixth housing opening.

It is clear that when referring to, for example, the fifth housing opening or the fifth component, it is not necessary to have four additional housing openings or components, but also fewer housing openings or components, named The "first", "second", "third" and the like in the middle do not necessarily define a mandatory or preferred order.

These individual housing openings and the components provided therein are also exemplarily described below. In the case of the housing opening, it is important that the recesses of the fastening device are not involved here, which, if present, are significantly smaller than the defined housing opening having a cross-sectional area of at least 80 mm ² , preferably at least 100 mm ² .

Different design variants of the household appliance according to the invention are described below.

According to one embodiment, the base plate has at least five housing openings, preferably at least six housing openings, particularly preferably at least seven housing openings, which respectively connect the housing interior to the surrounding environment and have a cross-sectional area thereof ( the cross-section with respect to the terms as hereinbefore defined) of at least 80mm ^2, preferably at least 100mm ^2. Each of these housing openings is thus adapted to accommodate one of the components exemplarily mentioned above or one of the components exemplarily described above is capable of at least segmentally closing and/or filling the opening.

According to a further embodiment, it is provided that at least four housing openings, preferably at least five of the housing openings, particularly preferably at least six of the housing openings, each have at least 120 mm ² , preferably at least 150 mm ² , particularly preferably at least Cross-sectional area of 200 mm ² (relative to the cross-section according to the definition above). One or more of the housing openings can even have a cross-sectional area of more than 300 mm ² , even with a cross-sectional area greater than 1000 mm ² in the case where a housing opening of the rotatable brush body is provided.

A further embodiment of the household appliance according to the invention provides that a plurality of recesses for the fastening device are provided in the base plate, the recesses having a cross-sectional area which is greater than the second largest cross-sectional area of the at least four housing openings ( With respect to the cross section as defined above, it is at least 1.4 times smaller, preferably at least 1.6 times smaller, particularly preferably at least 1.8 times smaller and/or at most 90 mm ² , preferably at most 80 mm ² , particularly preferably at most 70 mm ² . The recess for the fastening device and the housing opening as defined above are not only clearly distinguished from their much smaller cross section, but are also distinguished by (in the conventional assembly state of the household appliance) the fastening device, in particular the bolt or the housing. The pins extend through these openings and thereby fix the other housing part or the component in the interior of the housing to the base plate, which is not the case in the case of the housing opening.

According to a further embodiment, it is provided that at least four housing openings, preferably at least five of the housing openings, particularly preferably at least six of the housing openings, are each fixed to the base plate or fixed. The components at the components provided in the interior of the housing are at least partially, in particular completely closed, or filled by the respective components. In this case, the housing opening that is at least partially closed or filled by the respective component is preferably not traversed by the fastening device. A fastening means means a component such as a bolt or a housing pin that secures the component of the housing part or the interior of the housing to the base plate, in particular by a force-fitting and/or form-fitting connection.

In particular, the housing opening, preferably the first housing opening, which is closed at least in sections by the respective component or which is filled by the component, cannot be at least partially closed or filled by the component by the respective component. The housing opening (preferably in addition to the second housing opening, the second housing opening being in fluid communication with the first housing opening) is in fluid communication. The housing opening, which is not in fluid communication with the remaining housing opening (preferably except for the second housing opening), in the case of the first housing opening, in particular the largest one of the housing openings, has been described as being rotatable The brush body is preferably arranged in the housing opening or through which the brush body can project outwardly relative to the base plate. (preferably except The housing opening other than the second housing opening that is not in fluid communication with the other housing opening is here preferably in fluid communication with the suction passage extending through the housing interior chamber via the suction nozzle. According to an embodiment, the first housing opening is the only housing opening in fluid communication with the suction passage through the suction nozzle other than the second housing opening. Some or all of the other housing openings (particularly the third, fourth, fifth and/or sixth housing openings) are in fluid communication with a section (volume) of the inner chamber of the housing, the section being inhaled Outside the channel and not in fluid communication with the inspiratory channel. Preferably, the interior of the suction passage is hermetically sealed relative to the other housing interior, which means that in normal operation the intake air only enters the suction passage through the suction nozzle and there is no air from the housing interior to the suction passage. in. The first housing opening and/or the second housing opening in fluid communication with the suction channel are thus completely out of fluid connection with the remaining housing openings.

As described, the first member is a rotatable brush body, wherein the first member particularly partially encloses the first housing opening or the member at least partially fills the housing opening, the housing opening and suction The gas passage is in fluid communication. At least in the first working position, the brush body projects out of the housing interior or the brush chamber (which is defined here as part of the housing interior) beyond the base plate into the surrounding environment. In the second working position, the brush body can also be arranged completely inside the housing or in the brush holder and does not protrude from the opening.

The second component can be an inspection flap, wherein the second component in particular completely closes the second housing opening. Such an inspection flap can be flush with the bottom surface of the housing or the bottom surface of the bottom plate in a conventional assembled state when the respective housing is closed by the inspection flap. Check the flap so it does not go beyond the bottom plate And protruding outward.

The third component can be a support wheel, wherein the third component particularly encloses the third housing opening or at least sectionally fills the third housing opening. Additionally or alternatively, it is conceivable that the third component can be adjusted in the direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the housing in the form of a support wheel such that the support wheel is in the first position relative to the base plate compared to the second position Further protruding outward. Preferably, the support wheel or the third member is completely disposed in the interior of the housing in the second position and does not protrude outwardly relative to the bottom plate.

The fourth component can be a sensor, wherein the fourth component in particular completely encloses or fills the fourth housing opening. Sensors (especially floor recognition sensors) are particularly concerned with ultrasonic sensors.

The fifth component can be a switch, in particular a push switch, wherein the fifth component particularly completely encloses or fills the fifth housing opening. The switch is in particular a switch that causes the support wheel to adjust or a switch that limits the adjustment or limits the adjustment path. The switch in particular causes an adjustment of the support wheel in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the housing.

The sixth component can be a receiving and/or adjusting device of the sealing lip, wherein the sixth component particularly encloses, or completely completely closes, or fills the sixth housing opening. The receiving and/or adjusting device is in particular connected to the front or rear sealing lip. Preferably, a receiving and/or adjusting device is provided for the front sealing lip and a separate receiving and/or adjusting device is provided for the rear sealing lip. It is conceivable for each receiving and adjusting device to be arranged in a plurality of (in particular two) housing openings or to project outward beyond the base plate at least in the first operating position. In the second working position, The individual receiving and/or adjusting means can project outwardly to a lesser extent relative to the base plate or not at all with respect to the base plate.

Finally, according to one embodiment of the household appliance of the invention, at least four of the housing openings, preferably at least five of the housing openings, particularly preferably at least six of the housing openings, are situated on a common plane, The plane extends in particular parallel to the plane of the bottom surface of the housing. By "plane of the bottom surface of the housing" is meant a plane that is in contact (not intersecting) with the plane of the most prominent section of the base plate. When no member protrudes from the bottom plate (the housing opening), the contact surface of the bottom plate extends in the plane.

1‧‧‧Cleaning equipment

2‧‧‧Shell

2a‧‧‧Bottom of the casing

3‧‧‧Indoor housing

4‧‧‧floor

5‧‧‧ first housing opening

6‧‧‧Second housing opening

7‧‧‧ third housing opening

8‧‧‧Fourth housing opening

9‧‧‧ fifth housing opening

10,10’,11‧‧‧ sixth housing opening

12‧‧‧Voids for fixtures

13‧‧‧First member, brush body

14‧‧‧Second component, inspection flap

15‧‧‧ third member, support wheel

16‧‧‧Fourth component, sensor

17‧‧‧ fifth component, switch

18‧‧‧ Sixth member, accommodation and / or adjustment device

19‧‧ ‧ nozzle

20‧‧‧ Inhalation channel

21‧‧‧ front sealing lip

22‧‧‧ Rear sealing lip

23‧‧‧Household vacuum cleaner

24‧‧‧Annex

25‧‧‧Basic housing

26‧‧‧Filter device

27‧‧‧Equipment handle

28‧‧‧Wire

29‧‧‧Hands

There are a large number of possibilities for designing or expanding a home appliance according to the invention. To this end, reference is made to the attached request item of claim 1 on the one hand, and the description of the embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings on the other hand. 1 is a perspective view schematically showing a household vacuum cleaner having a household appliance in the form of an accessory according to the present invention; FIG. 2a) shows from the bottom surface angle the attachment of FIG. 1 before assembling other components of the attachment. A perspective view of the housing portion; Figure 2b) shows a perspective view of the housing portion of the attachment of Figure 1 after assembly of all other components of the attachment from the bottom surface; Figure 3 shows the housing of Figure 2a) A side view of a portion; and Figures 4a)-4c) show cross-sectional views of different embodiments of the bottom plate of the accessory of Figure 1.

First, a household vacuum cleaner 23 is shown and described with reference to FIG. A household appliance according to the invention in the form of a cleaning device 1 is provided for the attachment 24 . Here, the exemplary handle-guided vacuum cleaner 23 has, in a conventional form, a base housing 25 in which an intake/blast unit, not shown, is arranged. The intake air flow can be achieved by the intake/blast unit.

The filter device 26 is located in a base housing 25 having a filter bag not shown here. Filtration of the suction air carrying the dirt can be achieved by the filter bag.

In order to guide the vacuum cleaner 23, the vacuum cleaner is provided with a device handle 27 fixed to the base housing 25. The device handle has a handle 29 on the end side. Current supply is performed by the electric wires 28 introduced in the handle.

The cleaning device 1 constructed here in the form of a floor nozzle is connected to the vacuum cleaner 23 in a rotatable and inclined manner by means of a connecting tube head, not shown. The attachment 24 is guided in a conventional manner on a surface to be cleaned (not shown here), wherein the housing bottom surface 2a of the housing 2 shown in FIGS. 2a) and b) points to the surface to be cleaned.

In Figures 2a) and 2b) and in Figures 4a) to 4c) it can be seen that the cleaning device has a housing 2 which encloses the housing inner chamber 3 and has a bottom plate 4 at the bottom surface 2a of the housing, the bottom plate 4 having a plurality Housing openings 5-11. Each of these housing openings 5-11 communicates the housing interior 3 with the surrounding environment of the housing 2, wherein the area of each of the housing openings 5-11 along the outer opening edge is At least 100mm ² .

Regardless of the housing opening 5-11, a plurality of recesses 12 are additionally provided for the fixing means in the bottom plate 4, the cross-section of these recesses along the outer opening edge being larger than the remaining housing openings 5-11. Sectional area At least 1.4 times smaller.

As can be seen with reference to Figures 2a) and 2b), in the operation of the attachment 24 (or a possible one of the plurality of working positions of the individual components of the attachment 24 relative to each other) the housing opening 5-11 is downward (in the direction of the surface to be cleaned) is at least sectionally closed (filled) by the component. These components and corresponding housing openings are described separately below:

The first component 13 is embodied here as a rotatable brush body 13 , wherein the brush body 13 partially encloses the first housing opening 5 . The housing opening 5 is in fluid communication with the suction passage 20 through the suction nozzle 19 as shown in Fig. 2a), wherein the suction passage 20 extends through the housing inner chamber 3.

The second component 14 is embodied as an inspection flap 14 for maintenance or cleaning work in the housing interior 3 and completely encloses the second housing opening 6 .

The third component 15 is embodied as a support wheel 15 , wherein the support wheel 15 at least partially encloses or fills the third housing opening 7 in the removed state. The support wheel 15 is shown in Fig. 2b) in a retracted position in which the support wheel 15 does not protrude outwardly through the housing opening 7.

The fourth component 16 is here constructed in the form of an ultrasonic sensor 16 in which the sensor 16 completely encloses the fourth housing opening 8.

As a fifth component 17, a push switch 17 is provided here, which pushes the support wheel 15 in such a way that the support wheel 15 can be moved from the position shown in Fig. 2b) to another position, in this position The fifth housing opening 7 of the upper support wheel 15 is closed in sections by the support wheel 15 , wherein the support wheel 15 thus projects beyond the base plate 4 downwards through the fifth housing opening 7 .

The sixth member 18 is here provided for the rear sealing lip 22 Nano and/or adjustment device 18, wherein the receiving and/or adjusting device 18 is here arranged in the sixth housing opening 10 and 10' and the two housing openings 10 and 10' (here together with the turned back) The rear sealing lip 22 in the state together) is completely closed. In FIG. 2 b ) a front sealing lip 21 is shown, which can have a corresponding, self-contained receiving and/or adjusting device (not shown) which can be arranged in a corresponding opening. In 11 or the section is closed sectionally.

Figures 4a) to 4c) show cross-sectional views along section IV-IV, respectively, shown in a side view as shown in Figure 3, in a downward viewing angle. Here, FIG. 4 a ) shows a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the household appliance 1 , wherein the bottom plate has four housing openings 5 - 8 and a plurality of recesses 12 provided for the fastening device, the housing openings having at least 80 mm ² or, if necessary, even a cross section of 100 mm ² , respectively, and the cross section of the gap is less than 70 mm ² respectively. FIG. 4 b ) shows an alternative embodiment having a further housing opening 9 with respect to 4 a) which likewise has a cross section of at least 80 mm ² or, if necessary, even at least 100 mm ² . Figure 4c) shows a further alternative embodiment in which more openings 10, 10' and 11 are provided with respect to 4b), these openings having a minimum of 80 mm ² or, if necessary, even a minimum of 100 mm ² section.

1‧‧‧Cleaning equipment

23‧‧‧Household vacuum cleaner

24‧‧‧Annex

25‧‧‧Basic housing

26‧‧‧Filter device

27‧‧‧Equipment handle

28‧‧‧Wire

29‧‧‧Hands

Claims (15)

A household appliance, in particular a cleaning device, having a housing surrounding a housing inner chamber and having a housing bottom surface, wherein the housing has a bottom plate at the bottom surface of the housing The bottom plate has at least four housing openings, the housing openings respectively communicating the inner chamber of the housing with the surrounding environment and the housing opening has a cross-sectional area of at least 80 mm ² , wherein at least four of the housing openings Each has a cross-sectional area of at least 120 mm ² . A household appliance according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate has at least five housing openings, preferably at least six housing openings, particularly preferably at least seven housing openings, respectively The housing interior is in communication with the surrounding environment and the housing opening has a cross-sectional area of at least 80 mm ² . A household appliance according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least four of said housing openings each have a cross-sectional area of at least 150 mm ² , preferably 200 mm ² , and/or preferably at least five of them Said housing openings, particularly preferably at least six of said housing openings each have a cross-sectional area of at least 120 mm ² , preferably at least 150 mm ² , particularly preferably at least 200 mm ² . A household appliance according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of voids are provided in the bottom plate for fixing the device, the gap having a cross-sectional area larger than a second largest of the at least four of the housing openings The cross-sectional area is at least 1.4 times smaller, preferably at least 1.6 times smaller, particularly preferably at least 1.8 times smaller, and/or the cross-sectional area of the voids is at most 90 mm ² , preferably at most 80 mm ² , particularly preferably at most 70 mm ² . A household appliance according to claim 1, wherein at least four of said housing openings, preferably at least five of said housing openings, particularly preferably at least six of said housing openings are respectively passed through members Partially closed, the member is fixed at the bottom plate or at a component provided in the inner chamber of the housing. A household appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that no fixing means traverses said housing opening which is at least sectionally closed by means of said respective members. The household appliance according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that one of the housing openings, which is at least sectionally closed by a respective one of the components, is open and preferably only two of the housings The opening is not in fluid communication with the remaining housing opening that is at least sectionally closed by the respective member. The household appliance of claim 7, wherein the housing opening that is not in fluid communication with the remaining of the housing openings is in fluid communication with the suction passage through the suction nozzle, the suction passage Extending through the inner chamber of the housing. The household appliance of claim 5, wherein the first member is a rotatable brush body, wherein the first member particularly partially encloses the first housing opening, the first housing opening and The inspiratory channel is in fluid communication. A household appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that the second member is an inspection flap, wherein the second member particularly completely closes the second housing opening. A household appliance according to claim 5, wherein the third member is a support wheel, wherein the third member particularly encloses the third housing opening and/or inside the housing opening Adjustment can be made in a direction perpendicular to the bottom surface of the housing. A household appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that the fourth component is a sensor, in particular an ultrasonic sensor, wherein the fourth component particularly completely encloses the fourth housing opening. A household appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that the fifth member is a switch, in particular a switch that causes the support wheel to be adjusted, wherein the fifth member particularly completely closes the fifth housing opening. The household appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that the sixth member is a receiving and/or adjusting device for the sealing lip, in particular for a front or rear sealing lip, wherein the sixth member is particularly segmental The sixth housing opening is closed. A household appliance according to claim 5, characterized in that at least four of said housing openings, preferably at least five of said housing openings, particularly preferably at least six of said housing openings are located in a common plane The plane extends in particular parallel to the plane of the bottom surface of the housing.