WO2004078018A2

WO2004078018A2 - Multi-pump suctioning device

Info

Publication number: WO2004078018A2
Application number: PCT/FR2004/000432
Authority: WO
Inventors: Patrice Dessuise
Original assignee: Anum Sa
Priority date: 2003-02-27
Filing date: 2004-02-26
Publication date: 2004-09-16
Also published as: FR2851797B1; EP2112899B8; EP2112899A2; WO2004078018A3; EP2112899B1; FR2851797A1

Abstract

A suctioning device (1) comprising at least two suctioning pumps (10, 20) mounted on the same vacuum collector (30), in addition to automatic management means (40) enabling said pumps (10, 20) to be operated in parallel or in a series, characterized in that the automatic management means (40) comprise first monitoring means (50) for controlling the air flow at the exit of a first pump (10); second monitoring means (60) for controlling air pressure inside the vacuum collector (30); distribution means (70) for interrupting the admission of air from the vacuum collector (30) in a second pump (20), and for enabling the admission of air from the first pump (10) in the second pump (20), said distribution means (70) being used when the air flow at the exit of the first pump (10) and the air pressure inside the vacuum collector (30) respectively attain predetermined minimum values.

Description

MULTI-PUMP SUCTION DEVICE

The present invention relates to a suction device comprising at least two suction pumps which are in particular capable of operating simultaneously in parallel or in series.

Domestic, urban or industrial cleaning can be carried out using more or less complex suction devices. But whatever the configuration chosen, there are essentially two parameters to control, namely, the flow and the vacuum. These functional characteristics must be adapted according to the intended application, and in particular, the product to be vacuumed.

However, traditional devices have the disadvantage of having fixed functional characteristics, which are only a compromise, not necessarily well suited to the intended application. Thus, in practice, we often end up with a suction device with under-capacity in depression and over-capacity in flow, or vice versa.

To remedy this difficulty, devices have been developed which allow the essential parameters of the suction to be modulated. These devices are equipped with several suction pumps, in particular two, which are mounted on the same vacuum manifold and which it is possible to operate either in parallel mode or in serial mode. The transition from one mode to another is managed automatically by specific means taking into account the internal pressure in particular. The parallel mode is characterized by a strong flow and a low depression, while the serial mode is distinguished by a low flow but a significant depression. It should be noted that these suction devices are, moreover, generally equipped with a individual mode of operation, that is to say involving the implementation of only one pump, for applications requiring only a vacuum and a relatively small flow.

However, this type of suction device has the drawback that the automatic management means, used to manage the operating mode of the pumps, are excessively complex. The cost implications are then significant. In addition, this complexity, both structural and functional, affects the reliability of the entire suction device.

Also, the technical problem to be solved, by the object of the present invention, is to propose a suction device comprising at least two suction pumps mounted on the same vacuum manifold, as well as automatic management means making it possible to operate said pumps in parallel or in series, a suction device which would avoid the problems of the state of the art by being significantly cheaper, while offering significantly improved reliability.

The solution to the technical problem posed consists, according to the present invention, in that the automatic management means comprise:

first monitoring means capable of controlling the flow rate of the air discharged at the outlet of a first pump,

second monitoring means capable of controlling the air pressure inside the vacuum manifold,

distribution means capable, on the one hand, of interrupting the admission into a second pump of air coming from the manifold of vacuum, and secondly, to allow admission into said second pump of air from the first pump, said distribution means being adapted to be implemented when the air flow at the outlet of the first pump and the air pressure inside the vacuum manifold have respectively reached predetermined minimum values.

As the suction pumps are mounted on the same vacuum manifold, the suction device according to the invention operates by default in parallel mode. On the other hand, as soon as a drop in air flow is detected at the "discharge" outlet of the first pump and a drop in air pressure is detected inside the vacuum manifold, the device switches to serial mode automatically.

The invention as thus defined has the advantage of offering automatic management means which are structurally, but also functionally, much simpler. This means that their cost is significantly lower than that of their prior art counterparts. The reliability of the system is also advantageously improved.

The present invention also relates to the characteristics which will emerge during the description which follows, and which should be considered in isolation or according to all their possible technical combinations.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings which are given only by way of nonlimiting examples. Figure 1 is a schematic view of a suction device according to the invention, said device comprising two suction pumps operating in parallel.

Figure 2 is a view similar to that of Figure 1, but in which the two suction pumps operate in series.

For reasons of clarity, the same elements have been designated by identical references. Similarly, only the essential elements for understanding the invention have been shown, and this, without respecting the scale and schematically.

Figures 1 and 2 schematically illustrate a suction device (1) which comprises two suction pumps (10, 20) mounted on the same vacuum manifold (30), via, respectively, a first intake duct (11 ) for the first pump (10), and a second intake duct (21) with regard to the second pump (20), the vacuum collector (30) is, for its part, provided with a conventional filter ( 31). The suction device (1) is moreover provided with automatic management means (40) which are intended to operate the two suction pumps (10, 20) as required, either in parallel mode (FIG. 1 ), or in serial mode (Figure 2); parallel operation constituting the default mode.

In accordance with the object of the present invention, the automatic management means (40) firstly comprise first monitoring means (50) which are capable of controlling the flow of air at the outlet of the first pump ( 10). The automatic management means (40) are, moreover, provided with second monitoring means (60) which are, in turn, able to control the air pressure inside the manifold. empty (30). The automatic management means (40) are furthermore provided with distribution means (70) which are able, on the one hand, to interrupt the admission into the second pump (20) of air coming from the manifold. vacuum (30), and secondly, to allow admission into said second pump (20) of air from the first pump (10). The assembly is arranged so that the distribution means (70) can be implemented when the air flow rate at the outlet of the first pump (10) as well as the air pressure at the interior of the vacuum manifold (30) have respectively reached predetermined minimum values.

According to a feature of the invention, the first monitoring means (50) comprise a discharge manifold (51) which is provided with an exhaust orifice (52) leading to the outside and on which a shutter is mounted. mobile discharge (53), forming a valve. The discharge manifold (51) communicates with the discharge port (12) of the first pump (10). The discharge shutter (53) is kept closed by a spring tension corresponding to a predetermined air flow value.

Thus, in accordance with FIG. 1, when the air flow rate is greater than this predetermined value, the discharge shutter (53) remains open. The air which is discharged by the first pump (10) therefore escapes from the discharge manifold (51) through the exhaust port (52). On the other hand, when the flow rate drops sufficiently, the mobile discharge concealer (53) closes again (FIG. 2). This means that the flow has reached the predetermined minimum value. The air discharged by the first pump (10) is no longer able to force the passage through the exhaust orifice (52), the spring tension then being too strong. According to another feature of the invention, the second monitoring means (60) comprise a chamber (61), called a motor, which communicates with the vacuum collector (30) via a conduit (62) and whose internal volume is variable . The driving chamber (61) also comprises an air vent (63), the orifice (64) of which is capable of being hermetically sealed by the discharge shutter (53) of the first monitoring means (50 ), when said discharge shutter (53) is closed.

Thus, as soon as there is a significant vacuum inside the vacuum manifold (30), but also as soon as the discharge shutter (53) is closed due to insufficient flow, the interior volume of the chamber drive (61) decreases, thus materializing advantageously the fact that the internal pressure has reached a predetermined minimum level.

In this exemplary embodiment, the mobile delivery shutter

(53) is constituted by a valve which is able, in the closed position, to cover the orifice (64) of the venting (63) of the second monitoring means

(60).

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, the distribution means (70) comprise an intake manifold (80), which is interposed between the vacuum manifold (30) and the intake orifice (22) of the second pump (20), as well as a valve (90), which is interposed between the delivery port (12) of the first pump (10) and the inlet port (22) of said second pump (20 ). The intake manifold (80) is provided with a movable intake shutter (81), forming a valve, which is capable of interrupting the admission into the second pump (20) of air coming from the vacuum manifold. (30). This intake shutter (81) is kept closed by a spring tension corresponding to a determined minimum pressure value. The valve (90) is able to allow the admission into the second pump (20) of air from the first pump (10).

In this particular embodiment, chosen only by way of example, the valve (90) has an inlet port (91) which communicates with the discharge port (12) of the first pump (10). The valve (90) also has an exhaust port (92) which communicates with the intake port (22) of the second pump (20). The valve (90) is, moreover, provided with a passage shutter (93) which is mounted movable in displacement between a closed position, in which it closes the exhaust orifice (92), and an open position, in which it releases said exhaust port (92).

In this exemplary embodiment, the inlet port (91) of the valve (90) communicates with the discharge port (12) of the first pump (10), via the discharge manifold (51) to which it is connected, by a first conduit (101). Furthermore, the exhaust port (92) of the valve (90) communicates with the intake port (22) of the second pump (20), via the suction manifold (80) which is itself -same, connected to said intake port (22) by a second conduit (102). Finally, the passage shutter (93) is here integral with a drawer (94) which is mounted movable in axial translation inside the valve (90) and whose mobility is controlled by the displacement of a membrane deformable (65) forming an integral part of the driving chamber (61) of the second monitoring means (60); the deformable membrane (65) being, of course, integral with the drawer (94). But, according to an alternative embodiment, the passage shutter could, however, be integral with a drawer which would be mounted movable in axial translation inside of a valve and whose mobility would be controlled by the movement of a conventional piston in the driving chamber of the second monitoring means; the piston would then, of course, be integral with the drawer. In the parallel operating mode illustrated in FIG. 1, the air which is admitted into the first pump (10) and that which is sucked in by the second pump (20) comes from the same place, namely, from the vacuum manifold ( 30). The communication between the two pumps (10, 20) is cut by the valve (90), thanks to the action of the passage shutter (93) which hermetically closes the exhaust orifice (92). The two pumps (10, 20) therefore operate independently of each other. The air expelled by the first pump (10) escapes through the discharge shutter (53), while the air drawn by the second pump (20) evacuates directly towards the outside at its orifice. discharge (23). This type of operation remains operational as long as the air flow rate remains above a predetermined minimum threshold; threshold with respect to which the respective spring tensions of the discharge shutter (53) and the intake shutter (81) are calibrated.

If the inlet orifice (32) of the vacuum manifold (30) becomes, for example, at least partially engorged, the air flow will then drop within the suction device (1). The air discharged by the first pump (10) will no longer be able to compensate for the spring tension of the discharge valve (53). The latter will therefore close, preventing the evacuation of air through the exhaust port (52) of the discharge manifold (51). In a substantially simultaneous manner, and for the same reason, the intake shutter (81) will also close, thereby cutting off the intake into the second pump (20) of air from the vacuum manifold (30). . However, following the closing of the discharge shutter (53), the orifice (64) of the venting (62) is closed. The driving chamber (61) is, therefore, only in connection with the vacuum collector (30) which is in high vacuum at this time. The internal pressure of the motor chamber (61) will therefore drop proportionally, so that the membrane deformable (65) will move inward, thus causing the translation of the drawer (94) and consequently the opening of the exhaust orifice (92). The second pump (20) is then able to draw in air from the first pump (10). The two pumps (10, 20) then operate in series, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of examples, but it also includes all the technical equivalents and their combinations.

Claims

1. Suction device (1) comprising at least two suction pumps (10, 20) mounted on the same vacuum collector (30), as well as automatic management means (40) making it possible to operate said pumps ( 10, 20) in parallel or in series, characterized in that the automatic management means (40) comprise:

- first monitoring means (50) capable of controlling the flow of air at the outlet of a first pump (10), - second monitoring means (60) capable of controlling the air pressure at l '' inside the vacuum collector (30),

- Distribution means (70) capable, on the one hand, of interrupting the admission into a second pump (20) of the air coming from the vacuum collector (30), and on the other hand, allowing the admission into said second pump (20) of air from the first pump (10), said distribution means (70) being able to be implemented when the air flow rate at the outlet of the first pump (10) and the air pressure inside the vacuum manifold (30) have respectively reached predetermined minimum values.

2. Suction device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first monitoring means (50) comprise a discharge manifold (51) which is provided with an exhaust orifice (52) on which is mounted a movable discharge valve (53) forming a valve, the discharge manifold (51) communicating with the discharge port (12) of the first pump (10) and the discharge valve (53) being kept closed by a spring tension corresponding to a predetermined air flow value.

3. Suction device (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the second monitoring means (60) comprise a chamber (61), said motor, which communicates with the vacuum manifold (30 ) and whose internal volume is variable, said motor chamber (61) comprising an air vent (63) whose orifice (64) is capable of being hermetically sealed by the discharge shutter (53) of the first monitoring means (50), when said discharge shutter (53) is closed.

4. Suction device (1) according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the movable delivery shutter (53) is constituted by a valve which is able to cover the orifice (64) of the venting (63) of the second monitoring means (60), when said valve is in the closed position.

5. Suction device (1) according to any one of claims

1 to 4, characterized in that the distribution means (70) comprise an intake manifold (80) which is interposed between the vacuum manifold (30) and the intake port (22) of the second pump ( 20), as well as a valve (90) which is interposed between the delivery orifice (12) of the first pump (10) and the inlet orifice (22) of said second pump (20), the manifold intake (80) comprising a movable intake shutter (81), forming a valve, which is capable of interrupting the intake into the second pump (20) of air from the vacuum manifold (30), said intake shutter (81) being kept closed by a spring tension corresponding to a determined minimum pressure value, said valve (90) being adapted to allow the admission into the second pump (20) of air from the first pump (10).

6. Suction device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the valve (90) comprises an intake orifice (91) communicating with the discharge port (12) of the first pump (10), an exhaust port (92) communicating with the inlet port (22) of the second pump (20), as well as a flow shutter (93) mounted movable in displacement between a closed position in which it closes the exhaust port (92), and an open position in which and it releases said exhaust port (92).

7. Suction device (1) according to claim 6, characterized in that the inlet orifice (91) of the valve (90) communicates with the discharge orifice (12) of the first pump (10) via the discharge manifold (51) of the first monitoring means (50).

8. Suction device (1) according to one of claims 6 or 7, characterized in that the exhaust orifice (92) of the valve (90) communicates with the intake orifice (22) of the second pump (20) via the suction manifold (80) of the distribution means (70).

9. Suction device (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the passage shutter (93) is integral with a drawer (94) which is mounted movable in axial translation at l 'interior of the valve (90) and whose mobility is controlled by the movement of a deformable membrane (65) forming an integral part of the driving chamber (61) of the second monitoring means (60).

10. Suction device (1) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the passage shutter is integral with a drawer which is mounted movable in axial translation inside the valve and whose mobility is controlled by the movement of a piston in the driving chamber of the second monitoring means.