WO1992017106A1

WO1992017106A1 - Improved domestic centralized vacuum cleaner systems

Info

Publication number: WO1992017106A1
Application number: PCT/FR1992/000226
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jean-Claude Blandin
Original assignee: S.A. Raccords Et Plastiques Nicoll
Priority date: 1991-03-28
Filing date: 1992-03-12
Publication date: 1992-10-15
Also published as: AU1555492A; FR2674425B1; FR2674425A1

Abstract

The invention is characterized in that the cleaning water is supplied from a reservoir (26) provided in the upper part of the closed chamber, said reservoir including a discharge opening (38), fitted with the two outlets, one (44) located immediately under the lower wall of said cleaning water reservoir and the other (46') located in the lower part of a duct (46) opening into the filtering water reservoir (12), said discharge opening of the cleaning water reservoir being provided with a hydraulic valve (40) designed to hermetically close off said discharge opening when the system is in operation and to allow the passage of a slight escape flow when the system is inoperative, beyond a predefined time beyond which the upper water reservoir (26) is discharged in order to flush out the system and discharge the filtering water.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS TO SUCTION FACILITIES

DOMESTICATED

The present invention relates to improvements made to domestic cleaning installations by central aspiration, of the wet filtration type.

This type of installation, known in principle, comprises a central vacuum unit which is mounted at a fixed post, generally in the basement of a dwelling and a system of pipes installed in a fixed manner in the various rooms of the dwelling, these pipes being connected to the central vacuum unit and leading to suction outlets provided in each of the rooms in the room to be cleaned. On each of these suction outlets, a mobile suction system can be connected, generally consisting of nozzles, a cane and a flexible pipe, one end of which is engaged in a suction mouth .

In wet filtration vacuum cleaners, dedusting is carried out using a suction cyclone, which draws in the dust-laden air and which brings it into a closed enclosure, the lower part of which contains a reserve water, generally called washing or bubbling water, which is crossed by the dust-laden air, so as to ensure the dedusting of this air. The installation must also include means allowing the periodic evacuation of the water polluted by the dust as well as the rinsing of said enclosure. To this end, a device is generally provided which delivers water under pressure into said closed enclosure, above the reserve of bubbling water, at the end of a well-defined period of the cleaning operation. Of course, such a system must also include a set of valves and a command and control system for these valves to ensure automatic operation,

REPLACEMENT SHEET in particular the rinsing phase of the closed enclosure and evacuation of the bubbling water contained in the lower part of this enclosure.

The present invention proposes to make improvements to installations of the type mentioned above, with a view in particular to simplifying the constituent parts thereof, improving their operation, in particular in terms of reliability and definitively solving the problems. of air pollution control.

Consequently, the ^" present invention relates to a central vacuum cleaning installation with wet filtration, which comprises a central vacuum unit, connected by pipes to suction outlets provided in the premises to be cleaned, this central vacuum unit being constituted by a closed enclosure, at the upper part of which is disposed a suction group creating the vacuum necessary for the suction of the air charged with dust, brought by said pipes, this enclosure containing, at its lower part, a so-called washing or bubbling water reserve, onto which the pipe leading to the dust-laden air opens, which is freed from said dust by bubbling into the water of said reserve and, at its upper part, rinsing means of the closed and discharge enclosure, of the flush type, of the bubbled water loaded with dust, this installation being characterized e in that, the cleaning water is supplied from a reserve provided at the upper part of the closed enclosure and which comprises an evacuation orifice, provided with two outlets, one located immediately under the wall lower of said cleaning water supply and the other located at the lower part of a pipe opening into the bubbling water supply below the level of the latter, said supply discharge orifice of cleaning water being provided with a hydraulic valve, designed so as to hermetically seal said discharge orifice, when the installation is in operation, and to allow a low leakage rate to pass, when the installation is at rest , for a predetermined time, beyond which the evacuation of the upper water reserve takes place in order to carry out the rinsing of the installation and the evacuation of the bubbling water.

According to a feature of the present invention, the enclosure of the central vacuum unit is in the form of a cylindrical barrel having an upper socket, on which is stitched pants, in which is housed the suction group creating the depression in the barrel enclosure and ensuring the rejection towards the outside of the air freed of its dust by passage through the bubbling water, a system of baffles in said pants being provided to prevent any introduction of water in the suction group and the control module of the suction group, as well as the water supply solenoid valve of the cleaning reserve being mounted on the upper part of said pants.

According to the invention, the pipe, bringing the air charged with dust, opens into the bubbling water reserve via an orifice which is disposed below the level of this water reserve, the latter comprising a drain outlet, fitted with a non-return valve.

The hydraulic valve which, according to the invention, is provided at the lower part of the cleaning water reserve, is preferably of the type described in the patent application filed by the present owner, on the same day as the present application, and entitled "Hydraulic valve improved". According to the present invention, this hydraulic valve can therefore be constituted by a float made, preferably, with the idea of two balls welded to each other and guided by a tube, these two balls being able to be kept pressed against the seat of the rinsing water discharge orifice, this seat being constituted by a seal which is supported on a bearing surface having radial grooves making it possible to create a leakage flow through the evacuation orifice, the absence of a vacuum in the internal enclosure of the device.

According to the invention, the leakage rate of the hydraulic valve is determined as a function of the time that the level of the water in the cleaning reserve takes to go from a high level to a low level, constituting the triggering threshold of the opening of said hydraulic valve by ejection of its float.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the appended drawings, which illustrate various embodiments thereof which are in no way limiting in nature. In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is an elevational view in axial and vertical section of a first embodiment of the central vacuum cleaner, according to the invention;

- Figure 2 is a partial view on a larger scale of a variant of the present invention;

- Figure 3 is a detail view on an enlarged scale showing the hydraulic valve used in the installation, according to the present invention;

- Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 3 and; FIG. 5 is a schematic view making it possible to understand the operation of the hydraulic valve illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the device according to the invention is in the form of a cylindrical barrel 10, the lower part of which contains the reserve 12 for bubbling water and on the upper part from which is mounted a panty 14 comprising a nozzle 16. In the reserve 12 for the bubbling water opens a pipe 18 bringing the dust-laden air into the installation, the level of this pipe 18 being provided below the level of the water contained in the reserve 12, as can be seen in FIG. 1. At the lower part of the barrel 10, there is provided a drainage orifice 20, flush with the level of the bubbling water of the reserve 12 and leading to an inclined pipe 22 for evacuation to the sewer, on which a non-return valve 24 is mounted.

In the upper pants 14 on the barrel 10 is housed a reservoir 26 intended to receive the water for rinsing and evacuating the installation. This rinse water reserve 26 is provided, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, with a water inlet 28, controlled by a one-way solenoid valve 30, actuating a shut-off valve 32, with control by float 34. This is a completely conventional system and is used in a generalized manner in all drainage and flushing systems with a flushing effect. The reservoir 26 has at its lower part an evacuation orifice 38 which can be closed by a hydraulic valve designated as a whole by the reference 40 and which will be described in detail below. Under the seat of the discharge orifice 38 is provided a chamber 42 at the lower end of which is mounted a jet breaker 44, arranged along the axis of the barrel 10 and opening into this barrel, above the reserve 12 of bubbling water, an evacuation pipe 46 being moreover mounted laterally on this chamber 42, the lower end 46 ′ of this pipe opening into the water reserve bubbling 12, in the lower part of the latter, to promote, as will be seen below, the evacuation of heavy dust particles during the rinsing operation of the installation.

Inside the nozzle 16 of the pants 14 is housed the suction group, designated as a whole by the reference 48 and which is conventionally constituted by a motor assembly plus turbine, so as to ensure the vacuum in the 'enclosure of the barrel 10 and the rejection of the dusted air by bubbling into the enclosure 12, this air being evacuated towards the outside via the evacuation orifice 50. In order to avoid any introduction of water in the suction group 48, a baffle system 52 is provided in the stitching of the pants 16. In the pants 16 is also provided the module 54 for controlling the motor of the suction group 48.

The contactor of the motor of the suction unit 48 and of the solenoid valve 30 ensuring the supply of water to the reserve 26 is common and its control is ensured, for example, by opening a suction socket on the suction line circuit (not shown) and transmitted to the contactor by the conductors 55 of the suction line 18. This command is in series with a safety microswitch 56 which, as will be described below , keeps the system out of service during the emptying of the bubbling water.

The hydraulic valve system 40 is of the type described in the patent application mentioned above and entitled "Improved hydraulic valve". This hydraulic valve comprises a float which consists of two balls 58 and 58 ', for example made of polypropylene, which are welded to one another, and which are held on the seat of the discharge orifice 38 while being guided in a tube 60. This tube has lights 61, in order to allow the circulation of water in the tank 26. The seat 38 of this hydraulic valve, shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4, consists of an elastomer seal 62 resting on a bearing surface 64 having radial grooves 66. A contact and safety rod 68 is provided, the end 68 'of which presses on the ball 58' when the hydraulic valve 40 is applied to its seat 38. In this position, the safety rod 68 actuates the mini-switch 56, so that the contact is maintained, the apparatus being in service. During the emptying of the reservoir 26, the balls 58, 58 'rise, releasing the seat 38 and releasing the rod 58, which cuts the contact by the mini¬ switch 56.

The operation of the device according to the present invention will now be described, with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 to 5.

When the installation is at rest, that is to say off, the suction unit 48 is inactive, the reservoir 26 containing the rinsing and cleaning water is empty, the non-return valve 24, mounted on the drain pipe 22 is open, the water level in the bubbling water reserve 12 is flush with the drain hole 20, the two balls 58, 58 ′ of the hydraulic valve 40 rest on the seat 38, and the mini-switch 56 is closed.

When the suction mouth is opened by the user, (this operation being carried out in a known manner by connecting a suction hose to one of the suction mouths, as has been mentioned in the preamble to this description), there is a closing of the control circuit of the suction group 48 and of the solenoid valve 30. The commissioning of the suction group 48 produces a vacuum in the barrel enclosure 10 under the hydraulic valve 40 and the closing of the solenoid valve causes the arrival of water in the reservoir 26, by means of the tap 32 which is in the open position, since the float 38 is in the low position, the water being introduced via the line 28.

10 At the same time, the vacuum which prevails in the barrel 10, when the group 48 is put into operation, causes the non-return valve 24 to close and applies the two balls 58, 58 'of the hydraulic valve 40 to the seat 38. The level of cleaning water supplied to the

15 reserve 26 can then go up. The air loaded with dust is sucked through the pipe 18, and it crosses the water reserve 12 by bubbling through the latter so as to abandon the dust particles there. The purified air from the dust particles passes through the upper part of

2.0 the enclosure of the barrel 10 to be evacuated to the outside through the orifice 50, after passage between the baffles 52.

When the cleaning water in the reserve 26 reaches a predetermined level, the float valve system 32-34 cuts off the water intake by acting on the stop valve 32. In FIG. 5, there is shown in H1 the level reached by the cleaning water in the tank 26.

0 It will be noted that the bubbling of the air loaded with dust, sucked through the pipe 18, under the level of the water in the reserve 12 and under the discharge 20 of the polluted water, makes it possible to avoid any possible obstruction during emptying. The position of the discharge orifice 20 for the bubbling water 5 flush with the level of the reserve 12 promotes rapid evacuation of the floating particles. When the user disconnects the suction hose from the suction mouth he was using, the control module 54 is switched off, which causes the suction group 48 to stop and the the depression prevailing in the enclosure of the barrel 10, below the valve 38 of the hydraulic valve 40. The elimination of this depression causes a relaxation of the bearing pressure of the balls 58 and 58 'on the joint 62 of the seat 38 , which creates a water leakage flow rate through the grooves 66. The duration of this leakage flow rate is determined as a function of the time it takes for the water level in the cleaning reserve 26 to pass from the level H1 at level H2 (figure 5). This hydraulic duration or delay allows the user to pass from one suction mouth to another, without there being an evacuation of the water contained in the tank 26, since during this delay the balls 58 and 58 'close the seat 38 to the nearest leak rate.

When, at the end of the above-mentioned time delay, there is no reclosing of the electric supply circuit of the suction group, by opening, by the user, of another suction mouth, the level of the reservoir 26 drops below the level H2, which defines the balance between the water column C, applying the balls 58, 58 'on their seat 38 and the Archimedes P push, acting on the said balls ( see figure 5). As a result, the float formed by the two balls 58, 58 ', welded to each other, ejects from their seat 38 and rises in the reservoir 26, being guided by the tube 60. The water rinse contained in the tank 26 is then released and it causes rinsing and evacuation by flushing effect of the bubbling water reserve 12 polluted by dust. Thanks to the presence of the diffusion nozzle 48 and the evacuation pipe 46, opening at the bottom of the reserve 12 of bubbling water, the entire inner enclosure of the barrel 10 is rinsed and cleaned simultaneously and the cleaning and evacuation of the lower enclosure containing the bubbling water. This bubbling water, loaded with dust, is evacuated by siphoning in the pipe 22. It will be noted that during the emptying of the cleaning reserve 26, the balls 58 and 58 'have released the contact and safety rod 68, cutting thus the contact of the mini-switch 56 and putting the device out of service. This mini-interrupter prevents restarting of the suction unit, as well as the arrival of water in the tank 26, as long as the balls 58 and 58 ′ of the hydraulic valve 40 are not in place on their seats.

In the embodiment described above, the filling of the tank 26 with rinsing and cleaning water is carried out using a conventional float valve system 32—34. One can of course use any other system to ensure, in a controlled manner, such filling.

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 2, to which we now refer, a flexible reed switch system is used which is actuated by a magnetic float. In this Figure 2, there is shown at 70, the flexible reed switch which is mounted on the electric circuit for controlling the solenoid valve 30. Opposite this switch

70, a magnetic float 74 is positioned in a guide tube 72 which, in this embodiment, consists of a ball. In the low position, as shown in the drawing, in solid lines, the switch blades

70 ensure contact and this switch controls the supply of water to the reserve 26, this supply being effected by the solenoid valve a channel 30 delivering the water to the line 38 'which opens at 76 into the tank

26. When the water level in this tank reaches the H1 dimension (Figure 5), the float 74 occupies the position shown in phantom in Figure 2, for which the blades of the switch 70 no longer provide contact. As a result, the electrical supply to the solenoid valve is cut off, which interrupts the water supply.

Among the advantages provided by the device which is the subject of the invention, the following may be mentioned in particular:

- Simplification of the control means, in particular thanks to the use of a simple one-way solenoid valve 30 to control the supply of rinsing and cleaning water;

- removal of any possible obstruction during emptying thanks to a bubbling which is carried out under the evacuation;

- Realization of a very effective cleaning and rinsing of the bubbling water tank thanks to the double system: diffusion nozzle 44 and supply line 46 which, being located at the lower part of the water reserve of bubbling, promotes the evacuation of the heaviest dust particles, during the flushing effect following the emptying of the tank 26;

- efficient evacuation of dust particles floating on the surface of the bubbling water, thanks to the presence of a discharge orifice 20 which is positioned at the level of the bubbling water;

- maximum safety of use, avoiding any unexpected emptying of the rinsing and cleaning tank 26, thanks to the obtaining of the time delay produced by the hydraulic valve system 40, making it possible to obtain a leak rate of strictly predetermined duration during which emptying cannot take place.

It remains to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the various embodiments described and mentioned above, but that it encompasses all variants thereof.

Claims

1. Centralized vacuum cleaning installation with wet filtration, which comprises a central vacuum unit connected by pipes to suction outlets provided in the premises to be cleaned, this central vacuum unit being constituted by an enclosure closed to the part upper of which is arranged a suction group creating the vacuum necessary for the suction of the air charged with dust brought by said pipes, this enclosure containing, at its lower part, a reserve of water called washing or bubbling , into which the pipe leading to the dust-laden air opens, which is freed from said dust by bubbling into the water of said reserve and, at its upper part, means for rinsing the closed enclosure and for discharging, flush type, water. bubbling charged with dust, this installation being characterized in that, the cleaning water is supplied from a reserve (26) provided at the upper part of the closed enclosure and which comprises a discharge orifice (38 ), provided with two outlets, one (44) located immediately below the bottom wall of said cleaning water supply and the other (46 ') located at the bottom of a pipe (46) opening into the bubbling water reserve (12), said discharge opening of the cleaning water reserve being provided with a hydraulic valve (460 designed so as to hermetically seal said discharge opening, when the installation is in operation and to allow a low leakage rate to pass, when the installation is at rest, for a predetermined time beyond which the evacuation of the upper water reserve (26) occurs to rinse the installation and the evacuation of barbo water floor.

2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the enclosure of the central vacuum unit is in the form of a cylindrical barrel (10) comprising an upper panty (14) comprising a nozzle (16) and in which is housed the suction group (48) creating the vacuum in the barrel enclosure and ensuring the rejection towards the outside of the air freed of its dust by passage through the bubbling water, a system of baffles (52) in said socket being provided to prevent any introduction of water into the suction group and the control module (54) of the suction group as well as the supply water solenoid valve (30) cleaning (26) being mounted at the top of said socket.

3. Installation according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the pipe (18) supplying the air laden with dust opens into the reserve of bubbling water (12) via an orifice which is disposed below the level of said water reserve, the latter comprising an orifice (20) on which is mounted an inclined pipe (22) ensuring the evacuation to the sewer of the water laden with dust and which is provided with a non-return valve (24), said orifice (20) flush with the level of the bubbling water of said reserve (12).

4. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the water supply to the rinse water reserve (26) is controlled by said solenoid valve (30) actuating a stop valve (32) at float control (34).

5. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the water supply to the rinse water reserve (26) is controlled by said solenoid valve (30) which is actuated by a system flexible reed switch (70) controlled by a magnetic float (74).

6. Installation according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said hydraulic valve (40) is constituted by a float which can be produced using two balls (58, 58 ') welded one on the other, guided by a tube 60 and which can be kept pressed against the seat of the evacuation orifice (38), said seat consisting of a seal 62 bearing on a bearing surface (64) having radial grooves (66 ) allowing a leakage rate to be created through the orifice (38) in the absence of a vacuum in the lower enclosure (10) of the installation.

7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the duration of said leak rate is determined as a function of the time taken by the level of water in the reserve, cleaning (26) to go from a high level (H1 ) at a low level (H2), forming the s ^* euil trigger the opening of said hydraulic valve by ejecting said float (58, 58 ').

8. Installation according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that there is provided a safety rod (68) whose end (68 ') bears on the lower part of said float (58, 58') when the latter is pressed onto its seat, said safety rod actuating a micro-switch (56) in series with the control of the supply of the suction group.