WO2012113821A1

WO2012113821A1 - Vacuum cleaner dust container and a vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: WO2012113821A1
Application number: PCT/EP2012/052994
Authority: WO
Inventors: Håkan MIEFALK
Original assignee: Aktiebolaget Electrolux
Priority date: 2011-02-22
Filing date: 2012-02-22
Publication date: 2012-08-30
Also published as: CA2825686A1; JP2014506515A; AU2012219643A1; CN103476312B; US20140053366A1; WO2012113814A1; CN103458753A; AU2012219519A1; KR20140004203A; KR20140009340A; JP2014506516A; AU2012219632A1; CA2825601A1; US20140026356A1; WO2012113414A1; CA2825685A1; KR20140017576A; CN103476313A; JP2014505565A; US20140020204A1

Abstract

Vacuum cleaner dust container and a vacuum cleaner The present application is directed to a vacuum cleaner dust container (1) and vacuum cleaner comprising such a dust container (1). The dust container (1) comprises a base body (2) accommodating a dust collecting chamber adapted to be coupled to a cyclonic dust separation unit, and comprising a lid (8) adapted to close a dust discharge opening (9) of the dust collecting chamber, and further comprising an actuating mechanism (12) coupled between the lid (8) and base body (2) and adapted for controlling opening and/or closing movements of the lid(8).

Description

Vacuum cleaner dust container and a vacuum cleaner

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present application is directed to a vacuum cleaner dust container and a vacuum cleaner having at least one cyclonic dust separation unit coupled to a respective vacuum cleaner dust con^¬ tainer intended for collecting dust separated in the dust sepa^¬ ration unit.

BACKGROUND

Cyclone type vacuum cleaners are widely known because of their benefit in bagless dust collection. Bagless or cyclone type vac^¬ uum cleaners or respective cyclone dust separating units are known for example from documents EP 1 042 981 Al, EP 1774887 Al, EP 1 688 078 A2 , EP 1 952 745 A2 and WO 2011/058365.

Cyclone type vacuum cleaners, in particular mentioned in the state of technology documents listed before, still have compara- tively complicated dust collecting units, requiring complicated cleaning and emptying of dust collected in respective dust col^¬ lecting chambers.

As may be realized there is a need for improvements in the area of bagless vacuum cleaners in particular with respect to the dust collecting units.

SUMMARY

It is one of the objects of the present invention to solve the problems observed with state of technology.

In particular, a cyclone type vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner dust container shall be provided, which enable convenient use and operability. In addition, an improved solution for emptying of dust from a bagless vacuum cleaner shall be provided, in particular allowing a user quick, easy and convenient removal of dust.

These and other objects are solved by the features of claims 1 and 9. Embodiments and variants in particular result from re^¬ spective dependent claims.

According to claim 1, a vacuum cleaner dust container is provided which comprises a base body accommodating a dust collecting chamber adapted to be coupled to a cyclonic dust separation unit of a vacuum cleaner.

Coupling the base body, in particular dust collecting chamber, and cyclonic dust separation unit to each other in particular shall mean, that dust separated in the cyclonic dust separation unit can be or will be collected in the dust collecting chamber. Here, a dust outlet opening of the cyclonic dust separation unit may be connected, in particular fluidly connected, with a dust inlet opening of the dust collecting chamber.

The vacuum cleaner dust container may be releasably mounted or coupled to the cyclonic dust separation unit. It is preferred, that the vacuum cleaner dust container as such is releasably mounted or coupled to the vacuum cleaner or cleaner body of the vacuum cleaner. Any suitable holding, fastening and/or locking mechanisms may be provided for releasably coupling or mounting at least the vacuum cleaner dust container to the vacuum cleaner .

The cyclonic dust separation unit may be a part of a first stage cyclonic separation step. Note that a respective vacuum cleaner may comprise further separation steps, in particular second stage cyclonic separation steps. The vacuum cleaner dust container further comprises a lid or cover adapted to close a dust discharge opening of the dust col^¬ lecting chamber. The lid or cover may be hingedly and/or

slidably connected to the base body of the vacuum cleaner dust container .

The vacuum cleaner dust container further comprises an actuating mechanism coupled between the lid and base body and adapted and designed for controlling opening and/or closing movements of the lid. In particular, the actuating mechanism is adapted to allow control of opening and/or closing movements of the lid by manual action of a user. In other words, the actuating mechanism may be implemented such that if a user operates the actuating mecha- nism, the lid is moved or shifted from the closed position, in which the discharge opening is tightly closed, to or towards the open position, in which the discharge opening is released for discharging dust from the dust collecting chamber. Operating the actuating mechanism the other way round will result in closing the dust discharge opening in that the lid is moved to the closed position.

As can be seen, the actuating mechanism is suitable for effecting, controlling and/or conducting opening and/or closing opera- tions, actions and/or movements of the lid. In particular the actuating mechanism allows a user, in particular by manual action, to fully control the time course and chronological se^¬ quence of opening and/or closing the lid. In particular, the actuating mechanism enables to control the speed of opening and/or closing the lid, the degree of opening, i.e. releasing, the dust discharge opening and others. As a consequence, removal and dis^¬ charge of dust from the dust collecting chamber can be greatly enhanced and simplified. In particular, swirling of dust, which generally occurs during opening and closing actions of the dust collecting chamber, can be greatly reduced. Further, the dust collecting chamber can be emptied without requiring a user to touch dusty parts of the lid. The dust load and pollution in connection with emptying vacuum cleaner dust containers therefore can be greatly reduced.

According to an embodiment, a dust inlet opening of the dust collecting chamber is provided at a top side and the discharge opening and lid are provided at the bottom side. Note that the terms "bottom" and "top" shall refer to the ordinary position of use of the vacuum cleaner dust container. With respective designs, it is of particular advantage to provide the proposed ac^¬ tuating mechanism, as lids positioned at the bottom side are comparatively difficult to access, but can be easily handled with an actuating mechanism as proposed herein.

As to the dimensions of the dust collecting chamber, it shall be noted that they may be selected according to respective needs. As an example, the dust collecting chamber may have a cylindrical shape. Here, in particular circular and rectangular axial cross sections may be used.

With the embodiment mentioned above, it is of particular ad^¬ vantage that the lid is hingedly, in particular rotatably, cou^¬ pled to a bottom edge of the dust collecting chamber, in partic- ular base body, via at least one hinge-joint. A lid connected via a hinge-joint may be advantageous for the overall process of discharging dust from the dust collecting chamber. It shall however be noted, that also sliding lids or covers may be provided, where opening and closing of the discharge opening require slid- ing movement of the lid. It shall further be noted, that the lid or cover may comprise multiple, in particular a pair of, lid sections. Respective lid sections may be hingedly attached to the base body and, with the aim of controlling opening/closing, coupled to the actuating mechanism. In a further embodiment, the actuating mechanism is hingedly and/or slidably connected or fixed to the lid and is movably, in particular slidably, and/or hingedly connected to the base body. In particular, the actuating mechanism may be rotatably connect- ed to the lid, and slidably and rotatably attached to or at an outer wall section of the dust collecting chamber or base body.

For sliding attachment, a section, in particular end section, of the actuating mechanism may be coupled to guide rails positioned and running along the base body, in particular an outer wall of the base body.

In particular, connecting the actuating mechanism to the base body is effective in avoiding loose parts that may disturb com- fortable handling of the vacuum cleaner dust container.

In a further embodiment it is provided that the actuating mecha^¬ nism comprises a lever mechanism having a lever which is coupled with a first end to the lid and with a remote second end to an outer wall of the base body, in particular an outer wall section of the dust collecting chamber. A section of the lever between the first and second end may be used by an operator as a hold or handle to move the lid between the closed and open configura^¬ tions. Levers are advantageous for providing uncomplicated me- chanical actuating while securing straightforward operation.

It shall however be mentioned, that the actuating mechanism may also comprise a knob or button moveably, in particular slidably, attached or fixed to the base body, and coupled to the lid via connectors or connector bars attached to the lid. Here, move^¬ ment, in particular linear movement, of the knob or button may be translated in a rotational movement of the lid, i.e. move^¬ ments for opening or closing the lid. In a variant of the lever-based embodiment, it is provided that the lever essentially is L-shaped, i.e. it comprises two angled wings or legs. The legs may be angled by about 90 degrees. Fur^¬ ther, the lever may be implemented and mounted such that in the closed position of the lid the lever passes around an edge of the vacuum cleaner dust container, in particular base body. The edge at which the angled lever passes around preferably is the one at which the lid is pivotably coupled to the dust collecting chamber, in particular base body.

The term "passing around" used in connection with the position and orientation of the angled lever in the closed configuration shall in particular be understood as follows. In the closed po^¬ sition of the lid, the first leg of the lever runs along the outer side of the lid and the second leg of the lever, angled from the first leg, runs along a lateral or outer side of the dust collecting chamber or base body.

Using a two-legged lever will result in a configuration in which the free end of the first leg is attached, in particular

hingedly attached, to the lid. The free end of the second leg can be movably, in particular slidably, attached to the base body, in particular a lateral or outer wall of the dust collect^¬ ing chamber.

Using an L-shaped lever passing around an edge has the ad^¬ vantage, that the lever may be positioned and aligned close to the base body in the closed configuration. This in turn is fa^¬ vorable for space saving designs.

In a further embodiment, the actuating mechanism, in particular the lever mechanism, in particular lever, comprises a locking unit. The locking unit may for example be positioned and provid^¬ ed on or at the lever. The proposed locking unit is intended and adapted to lock the actuating mechanism, in particular lever, in at least one of an open position and closed position of the lid. Providing respective locking mechanisms has the advantage that unintended opening or closing of the lid can be greatly avoided in the course of utilizing and emptying the dust collecting chamber.

The locking unit may for example comprise a snap element or snap fit, in particular hook-type snap fit. It may be provided, that the snap fit can be activated, i.e. lock the lid, in selected opening and closing configurations, such as in fully closed and fully opened configuration. It is also conceivable that the snap fit may be activated at any stage during opening and closing the lid, which would mean that the position of the lid can be fixed at any stage during opening/closing.

In a yet further embodiment, the actuating mechanism, in particular lever mechanism, is adapted and designed to exert in the closed position of the lid a pressing force on the lid to tight^¬ ly close the dust collecting chamber, i.e. a dust discharge opening of the dust collecting chamber. Exerting the proposed pressing force means that the lid can be urged into and towards the fully closed position such that unintended escape of dust at the dust discharge opening essentially can be prevented. A pressing force may for example be generated by spring elements or clamping elements or other devices acting on the lever. In particular, it may be provided that the locking unit is adapted to act on the lever such that in addition to a locking force, pressing force acting on the lid in and towards the closed posi- tion is generated.

According to claim 9, a vacuum cleaner is provided which comprises at least one cyclonic dust separation unit and a vacuum cleaner dust container according to one of the embodiments and variants described above and further below. With the proposed vacuum cleaner, the dust outlet of the cyclon^¬ ic dust separation unit is coupled to a dust inlet of the vacuum cleaner dust container. Using the proposed vacuum cleaner dust container in a vacuum cleaner greatly enhances and simplifies operation. In particular discharging dust from the dust collecting chamber, i.e. emptying the vacuum cleaner dust container, can be performed in a comparatively easy way. As to further ad^¬ vantages and advantageous effects, reference is made to the de- scription above and further below.

In one embodiment of the vacuum cleaner, it is provided that the vacuum cleaner dust container is arranged and mounted at the front side of the vacuum cleaner. Such an arrangement is advan- tageous for providing easy access to the vacuum cleaner dust container, which simplifies emptying of the dust colleting chamber .

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described in connection with the annexed figures, in which.

Fig. 1 shows a perspective top view of a vacuum cleaner dust container;

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the vacuum cleaner dust container;

Fig. 3 shows bottom view of the vacuum cleaner dust container; Fig. 4 shows a cross sectional view along line IV- IV in Fig.

3;

Fig. 5 shows a perspective side view of the vacuum cleaner dust container; Fig. 6 shows vacuum cleaner comprising the vacuum cleaner dust container and

Fig. 7 shows a cross sectional view of the vacuum cleaner.

The figures show different views of a vacuum cleaner dust con^¬ tainer 1. The vacuum cleaner dust container 1 comprises a base body 2 accommodating a dust collecting chamber 3 (see Fig. 4) .

The dust collecting chamber 3 is adapted to be coupled to cy^¬ clonic dust separation unit 21 of a vacuum cleaner (see Fig. 7) . Coupling of the dust collecting chamber 3 to the cyclonic dust separation unit 21 is such that a dust outlet opening 4 (see

Fig. 4) of the cyclonic dust separation unit is fluidly connect^¬ ed to a dust inlet opening 5 of the dust collection chamber 3.

Note that the vacuum cleaner dust container 1 shown in the fig- ures comprises a section, in particular end section, of the cyclonic dust separation unit 21. The respective end section is shown in the figures, except Fig. 3, and denoted by reference sign 6. Note that accommodating a section 6 of the cyclonic dust separation unit 21 within the vacuum cleaner dust container 1 or base body 2 is not mandatory. The vacuum cleaner dust container 1 may also be realized without any components of the respective cyclonic dust separation unit 21.

The vacuum cleaner dust container 1 further comprises a handle 7 easing handling and operation of the vacuum cleaner dust container 1. In particular, removal and reinstallation of the vacuum cleaner dust container 1 in the course of emptying the dust collecting chamber 3 may be greatly simplified by providing such a handle 7. The vacuum cleaner dust container 1 further comprises a lid 8. The lid 8 is provided and adapted to close a dust discharge opening 9 of the dust collecting chamber 3, which can be best seen in Fig. 3 and 4. The lid 8 may comprise a gasket and the like, such that a tight, in particular fluid tight and dust tight seal between lid 8 and lower edge of the dust discharge opening 9 can be obtained.

The lid 8 is hingedly attached, i.e. coupled to the base body 2 via hinge-joints 11. The hinge-joints 11 are provided at a bot^¬ tom side of the base body 2, and protrude from an outer face of the base body 2.

Note that with respect to the ordinary use position of the vacu- um cleaner dust container 1, the lid 8 and dust discharge opening 9 are positioned at the bottom, and the end section 6 of the cyclonic dust separation unit and the handle 7 are positioned at the top. This in particular means that the dust inlet opening 5 of the dust collecting chamber 3 is provided towards or at the top side and the dust discharge opening 9 and lid 8 are provided at the bottom side.

The vacuum cleaner dust container 1 further comprises an actuating mechanism 12. As will be described in further detail below, the actuating mechanism 12 is coupled between the lid 8 and the base body 2, and is adapted and designed for controlling opening and/or closing movement of the lid 8.

The actuating mechanism 12 comprises an L-shaped, i.e. angled, lever 13. The lever 13 in turn comprises a first leg 14 and a second leg 15. An angle between the first leg 14 and second leg 15 amounts about 90 degrees.

The first leg 14 is hingedly connected to the lid 8, so that ro- tational movement between the lid 8 and first leg 14 is possi- ble. A rotational axis at the interface between lid 8 and first leg 14 is essentially parallel to a rotational axis of the hinge-joint 11. Note that it is not necessary that the first leg 14 is fixedly attached to the lid 8. However, fixing the first leg to the lid 8 may enhance operability of opening and closing actions .

The second leg 15 is connected to an outer side of the base body 2. In more detail, the second leg 15 is hingedly and slidably connected to the base body 2. Here, at the outer side of the base body 2 there may be provided sliding rails 16, to which an end section of the second leg 15, distant from the first leg 14, is hingedly and slidably connected to. End stops 17 may be pro^¬ vided at the upper ends of the sliding rails 16 restricting the opening movement of the second leg 15 and therefore the lid 8.

In the figures, the lid 8 and actuating mechanism 12 are shown in an open configuration of the lid 8. As can easily be derived from the figures, the L-shaped lever 13 will pass around a lower edge 18 of the vacuum cleaner dust container 1 or base body 2 in the closed configuration of the lid 8. Note that the lower edge 18 corresponds to the edge at which the lid 8 is hingedly cou^¬ pled to the base body 2 via the hinge-joint 11.

Passing around the lower edge 18 in particular means, that the first leg 14 will run essentially parallel to and along a part of the lid 8. Further, the second leg 15 in the closed configu^¬ ration will run essentially parallel to and along a respective section of the outer side wall of the base body 2. Note that the lid 8 and/or side wall may comprise recesses adapted to at least partially accommodate therein, in the closed configuration, the first 14 and second leg 15.

As can be readily seen from the figures, the actuating mechanism 12 provides the possibility for a user to actively control the opening and closing movement of the lid 8. This has the ad^¬ vantage, that discharging dust from the dust collecting chamber 3 can be conducted with minimal or reduced whirling or dispers^¬ ing of dust. Further, the user advantageously can avoid contact- ing or touching dusty parts or faces, which greatly enhances op^¬ erational comfort.

With respect to Fig. 2, 4 and 5, it can be seen that the actuat^¬ ing mechanism 12 comprises a locking unit 19. The locking unit 19 in the present case is implemented as a kind of hook. The hook is provided and adapted to lock the lid 8 in its fully opened position. The fully opened position corresponds to the situation in which the second leg 15 abuts the end stops 17. In the alternative, or in addition, the locking unit 19 may be pro- vided and adapted to lock the lid 8 in the closed position. In all, unintentional closing of the lid 8 during emptying the dust collecting chamber 3 and unintentional opening of the dust col^¬ lecting chamber 3 in ordinary use can be prevented. The actuating mechanism 12, but in particular also the locking unit 19, may be adapted and designed such that in the closed po^¬ sition of the lid 8, a pressing force urging the lid 8 towards the closed position is generated. This may help to avoid the es^¬ cape of dust at the lid 8 and dust discharge opening 9 inter- face.

Reference is now made to Fig. 6 and Fig. 7 respectively showing a perspective view of vacuum cleaner 20 and a cross sectional view of the vacuum cleaner 20. The vacuum cleaner 20 comprises a cyclonic dust separation unit 21 and the vacuum cleaner dust container 1 described in connection with Fig. 1 to 5.

The cyclonic dust separation unit 21 in the present case is a horizontal type cyclone separator, which means that during ordi- nary operation, a main airflow through the cyclone separator is directed horizontally, i.e. parallel to the ground underneath.

The vacuum cleaner dust container 1 is arranged and positioned at the front side of the vacuum cleaner 1. In particular, the vacuum cleaner dust container 1 is removably attached to the vacuum cleaner 20 and cyclonic dust separation unit 21 such that the dust collecting chamber 3 can easily be emptied if required. For emptying the dust collecting chamber 3, the vacuum cleaner dust container 1 may be released from the vacuum cleaner 1 and taken away via the handle 7. Then, the vacuum cleaner dust container 1 may be brought to and into suitable position and loca^¬ tion for discharging dust contained in the dust collecting cham- ber 3.

Operating the actuating mechanism 12, in particular the lever 13, and the locking unit 19, if required, will open the lid 8. Opening of the lid 8, in particular the speed of opening and the degree of opening can be user controlled via the lever 13.

Therefore, dust can be discharged from the dust collecting cham^¬ ber 3 in a comparatively simple way, without generating too much dust swirls. In addition, the user can discharge dust without being urged to touch dusty surfaces and elements.

List of reference numerals

1 vacuum cleaner dust container

2 base body

3 dust collecting chamber

4 dust outlet opening

5 dust inlet opening

6 end section

7 handle

8 lid

9 dust discharge opening

10 gasket

11 hinge-joint

12 actuating mechanism

13 lever

14 first leg

15 second leg

16 sliding rail

17 end stop

18 lower edge

19 locking unit

20 vacuum cleaner

21 cyclonic dust separation unit

Claims

1. Vacuum cleaner dust container (1) comprising a base body (2) accommodating a dust collecting chamber (3) adapted to be coupled to a cyclonic dust separation unit (21) of a vacuum cleaner (20), and comprising a lid (8) adapted to close a discharge opening (9) of the dust collecting chamber (3), and further comprising an actuating mechanism (12) coupled between the lid (8) and base body (2) and adapted for con^¬ trolling opening and/or closing movements of the lid (8) .

2. Vacuum cleaner dust container (1) according to claim 1,

wherein a dust inlet opening (5) of the dust collecting chamber (3) is provided at a top side and the discharge opening (9) and lid (8) are provided at the bottom side.

3. Vacuum cleaner dust container (1) according to claim 2,

wherein the lid (8) is hingedly coupled to a bottom edge (18) of the dust collecting chamber (3) via at least one hinge-joint (11) .

4. Vacuum cleaner dust container (1) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the actuating mechanism (12) is hingedly and/or slidably connected to the lid (8) and is movably and/or hingedly connected to the base body (2) .

5. Vacuum cleaner dust container (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating mechanism (12) comprises a lever mechanism having a lever (13) which is coupled at a first end to the lid (8) and at a remote se^¬ cond end to an outer section (16) of the base body (2) .

6. Vacuum cleaner dust container (1) according to claim 5,

wherein the lever (13) is L-shaped, and in the closed posi^¬ tion of the lid (8) the lever (13) passes around an edge (18) of the vacuum cleaner dust container (1), at which edge (18) the lid (8) is pivotably coupled to.

7. Vacuum cleaner dust container (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating mechanism (12) comprises a locking unit (19) adapted to lock the actu^¬ ating mechanism (12) in at least one of an open position and closed position of the lid (8) .

8. Vacuum cleaner dust container (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims, wherein the actuating mechanism (12) is adapted to exert in the closed position of the lid (8) a pressing force on the lid (8) to tightly close the dust collecting chamber (3) .

9. Vacuum cleaner (20) comprising at least one cyclonic dust separation unit (21) and a vacuum cleaner dust container (1) according to at least one of claims 1 to 8, wherein a dust outlet (4) of the cyclonic dust separation unit (21) is cou^¬ pled to a dust inlet (5) of the vacuum cleaner dust contain^¬ er (1) .

10. Vacuum cleaner (20) according to claim 9, wherein the vacuum cleaner dust container (1) is arranged and mounted at the front side of the vacuum cleaner (20) .