WO2006088434A1

WO2006088434A1 - Vehicle vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: WO2006088434A1
Application number: PCT/SI2005/000005
Authority: WO
Inventors: Janez Otonicar
Original assignee: Liv Plastika, Predelava Plastike, D.O.O., Postojna
Priority date: 2005-02-18
Filing date: 2005-02-18
Publication date: 2006-08-24

Abstract

A vehicle vacuum cleaner allows vacuuming any time even during a ride, whereas it is stored during non-use in a place, where it does not occupy too much space of the passenger’s compartment. A vehicle vacuum cleeaner consists of a vacuuming unit (1), a spread of rigid pipes (6) a hose (7) and a cleaning nozzle (8), whereby on the pipe (6) there is a switch element (10) preferably at its free end for the control of the vacumming hose (7) for dust vacuuming in one position and for retracing the hose (7) in axial movement into the pipe (6) in aother by means of underpressure produced by the vacuuming unit (1).

Description

VEHICLE VACUUM CLEANER

Subject of Invention

The subject of the present invention is a vehicle vacuum cleaner, either for a passenger vehicle or a larger vehicle like a bus, truck. It is also adequate for other transport means.

Technical Problem

The technical problem solved by the present invention is how to conceive a vehicle vacuum device to be handy and ready-to-use any time even during a ride and to allow vacuuming in all parts of a vehicle, while it will be stored during non-use in a place, where it will not occupy too much passenger space in the vehicle and the vacuuming hose with a nozzle will be simple to store and of such embodiment to be adaptable to any vehicle either as original or subsequent installation.

Prior Art

There exists a variety of vacuum cleaners intended for use in vehicles. Their structure is substantially the same as in household vacuum cleaners, only that the vacuum cleaners of the invention operate by the principle of suctioning dust by airflow. They can be only somewhat smaller and adapted to the voltage 12 V or 24 V. The assembly for producing air underpressure with a separator and filter is placed anywhere in the engine part or boot compartment and a vacuuming hose is led to the passenger's compartment.

Various embodiments of a device of this type depend on the area where the vacuuming hose from the assembly for producing air underpressure and the cleaning nozzle enter the passenger's compartment. Another distinctive characteristic of all these devices is the manner of storing the hose with the cleaning nozzle. The simplest embodiment is to store it separately in the boot. Another embodiment requires the hose to be wound somewhere in the passenger's compartment.

A disadvantage of the mentioned embodiments is the time-consuming preparation of the vacuuming device.

Solution to the Technical Problem

The described technical problem is solved by a device of the invention, the vacuuming assembly of which - consisting of a compressor with a drive and a separating unit with a filter - is stored in a vehicle on a specific place, selected with respect to the shape and size of the vehicle, and from this assembly pipes of suctioning air are spread in the passenger's compartment, whereby this spread of pipes is provided by an axially movable and extendable flexible hose with a vacuuming nozzle at its free end.

The essential characteristic of the invention is the underpressure produced by the vacuuming unit, which is needed to retract the hose into the rigid pipe. At the free end of the pipe there is a switch element sealing the hose in the spread of rigid pipes in one position and at the opposite position the switch element interrupts sealing between the spread of pipes and the hose contained within the pipe, thus allowing for airflow within the pipe, said air flow retracting the pipe into the storing position. Airflow and the retraction of the hose are more efficient when a user positions a nozzle on the sealing pad thus increasing the underpressure.

The essence of the invention will now be described in more detail by a description of an embodiment and the enclosed drawing, in which Fig. 1 shows a schematic view of the device of the invention placed in the engine part of a vehicle, whereas a rigid pipe and a hose are led to the deposit place of a nozzle, whereby the position A shows the vacuuming hose in stored position and the position B in operative, i.e. vacuuming mode;

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of the device of the invention placed in a vehicle's boot, whereas a rigid pipe and a hose are led to the deposit place of the nozzle,

Fig. 3 perspective view of the deposit place of the nozzle and a switch element according to the first embodiment;

Fig. 4 longitudinal cross-section of the spread of rigid pipes with a hose with a cleaning nozzle and switch element according to the first embodiment in position D and in the mode of sealing of the spread and hose;

Fig. 5 longitudinal cross-section of the spread of rigid pipes with a hose with a sealed input and switch element according to the first embodiment in position D and in the mode, when the airflow in the spread of pipes retracts the hose into the storing mode;

Fig. 6 perspective view of the storing place of the nozzle and switch element according to the second embodiment;

Fig. 7 longitudinal cross-section of the spread of rigid pipes with a hose in the vacuuming position;

Fig. 8 longitudinal cross-section of the spread of rigid pipes with a hose in the position of storing the hose.

A vehicle vacuum cleaner consists of a vacuuming unit 1 consisting of a compressor 2 with a drive 3, a separator 4 with a filter 5, a spread of rigid pipes 6, a hose 7 with a cleaning nozzle 8, storing place 9 for the storing of the cleaning nozzle 8 in storing mode and a switch element 10 to switch between vacuuming and retracting the hose 7 into the pipe 6. The vacuuming unit 1 is preferably conceived as an assembly consisting of a compressor 2 of an optional known variant, of a drive 3, a separator 4 and a filter 5, said unit being positioned at an optional place in a vehicle in a way not to occupy too much space of the passenger's compartment or boot. In a new vehicle this place should preferably be foreseen in the engine part 11 of the vehicle 12 or in the area behind a dashboard 13. Another convenient place is the boot 12 of the vehicle 12.

The drive 3 of the compressor 2 is preferably electric. The separator 4 with its filter 5 is preferably positioned near the compressor 2, but not necessarily. In order to adapt the separator 4 and/or only the filter 5 to a possible place and the intended drive unit, they can be positioned separately on different locations with respect to the compressor 2 and the drive 3. However, the servicing access to the filter 5 should be taken into account, for the filter needs sporadic cleaning.

A two-wall pipe 6 leads from the filter 5 to the storing place 9 of the cleaning nozzle 8. The pipe 6 is adapted to the constructions of the car body and other elements of the vehicle.

On the pipe 6 there is a switch element 10 for the control of the vacuuming hose for dust vacuuming with the device in one position and for retracting the hose 7 into the pipe 6 during non-use in another by means of underpressure produced by the vacuuming unit 1.

The switch 10 in the first embodiment is conceived as a gate closing and opening at least one opening 15 linking a clearance 61 of the pipe 6 and a space 62 between both walls of the pipe 6, whereby the space 62 is connected to outer atmosphere. For the control of the hose 7 according to the second embodiment once for vacuuming in partly extracted position from the pipe 6 and another time for the storing of the hose 7 in the pipe 6, the diameter of the clearing 61 of the pipe 6 is different, i.e. smaller in the section 63, preferably close to the opening of the pipe 6, whereas the remaining section 64 is of a larger diameter. At the end, which is always within the pipe 6, the hose 7 is provided with a sealing element 71, which is in the area of the section 63 when the pipe 6 is totally extracted and the air reaches close contact. With the hose 7 at least partly inserted into the pipe 6, the sealing element 71 is within the area of the section 64, where air flow can be established between the pipe and the hose 7 due to a larger diameter of the section 64, whereby underpressure is produced in the pipe 6 retracting the hose 7 into the pipe 6.

At the free end of the hose 7 there is a cleaning nozzle 8 optionally conceived in a known way to be convenient for vacuuming in a vehicle with respect to its internal shapes and materials. There may also be several various cleaning nozzles of different shapes as known in household vacuum cleaners. In the extension of the pipe 6 on its free end there is a deposit place 9 of a shape to tightly receive the cleaning nozzle 8 when the device is not used. The deposit place 9 can also have a switch 91 automatically switching off the compressor 1 drive when the cleaning nozzle 8 is in its seat, or automatically switching on the compressor 2 when the cleaning element 8 is extracted from the place 9 and activates the hose 7, thus making the device ready for operation. Near the deposit place 9 there is a sealing area 92 for a tight fitting of the opening of the cleaning nozzle 8 and for the increase of the underpressure in the hose 6 and the pipe 7.

On the pipe 6 there may be additional outputs 65 for the connection of the hose 7 or any other vacuuming hose. Additional outputs 65 are foreseen in the boot for instance, because the hose 7 positioned within the pipe 6 could not reach them. Additional outputs may be needed in large vehicles, for instance buses. If additional outputs for the hose are foreseen, there are also means 66 to provide sealing of all outputs, e.g. plugs or self-closing flaps.

It is understandable that on the basis of the described invention and the embodiment it is possible to conceive other variants, without circumventing the essence of the invention described in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A vehicle vacuum cleaner consisting of a vacuuming unit (1) consisting of a compressor (2) with a drive (3), a separator (4) with a filter (5), a spread of rigid pipes (6), a hose (7) with a cleaning nozzle (8) whereby the vacuuming unit (1) is being positioned as an entity or separately at an optional place in the engine part (9) of a vehicle or behind a dashboard or in a boot (11), whereby the separator (4) with its filter (5) is preferably positioned near the compressor (2) to allow servicing access to the filter (5) and from the filter (5) there is the spread of rigid tubes (6) led to the passenger's compartment and/or the boot (11) of a vehicle, characterized in that on the pipe (6) there is a switch element (10) for the control of the vacuuming hose (7) for dust vacuuming in one position and for retracting the hose (7) in axial movement into the pipe (6) in another by means of underpressure produced by the vacuuming unit (1).

2. Cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the switch (10) is conceived as a gate closing and opening at least one opening (15) linking a clearance (61) of the pipe (6) and a space (62) between both walls of the pipe (6), whereby the space (62) is connected to outer atmosphere.

3. Cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that for the control of the hose (7) once for vacuuming in partly extracted position from the pipe (6) and another time for the storing of the hose (7) in the pipe (6), the diameter of the clearing (61) of the pipe (6) is different, i.e. smaller in the section (63), preferably close to the opening of the pipe (6), whereas the remaining section (64) is of a larger diameter, whereby the hose (7) may be provided with a sealing element (71) always present in the pipe (6), said sealing element being in the area of the section (63) and reaching tight contact, whereas with the hose (7) at least partly inserted into the pipe (6), the sealing element (71) is within the area of the section (64).

4. Cleaner according to claims 1 to 3, characterized in that in the extension of the pipe (6) on its free end there is a deposit place (9) of a shape to tightly receive the cleaning nozzle (8) when the device is not used.

5. Cleaner according to claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the deposit place (9) can also have a switch (91) automatically switching off the compressor (1) drive when the cleaning nozzle (8) is in the deposit place (9), or automatically switching on the compressor (2) when the cleaning element (8) is extracted from the place (9) and the hose (7) is extracted, too.

6. Cleaner according to claims 1 to 5, characterized in that near the deposit place (9) there is a sealing area (92) for a tight fitting of the opening of the cleaning nozzle (8) for the increase of the underpressure in the spread of pipes (6) and the hose (7) when the hose (7) is retracted into the spread of pipes (6).

7. Cleaner according to claims 1 to 6, characterized in that on the pipe (6) there may be additional outputs (65) for the connection of the hose (7) or any other vacuuming hose whereby the outputs (65) are foreseen with means (66) to provide sealing of all outputs, e.g. plugs or self-closing flaps.