WO2013044921A2

WO2013044921A2 - Method of sucking off powder from a bucket and sucking unit for carrying out the method

Info

Publication number: WO2013044921A2
Application number: PCT/DK2012/050358
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kristian Lægdsgaard MADSEN
Original assignee: Ardex Skandinavia A/S
Priority date: 2011-09-26
Filing date: 2012-09-26
Publication date: 2013-04-04
Also published as: WO2013044921A3; DK201100729A

Abstract

In a method for sucking off a powder flung out from a bucket (1) while the bucket is being filled with powder, a sucking unit (2) is positioned along a portion of the rim of the bucket so that a powder trap is established between the sucking unit and the inner side of the bucket, the powder being poured down into the bucket in the direction towards the inner side of the bucket being opposite in relation to the sucking unit. A sucking unit (2) for carrying out the method is designed so as to correspond to a portion of the upper rim of the bucket, the bucket having a skirt (6), which, when the sucking unit is positioned in the use position, extends somewhat downwards towards the bottom of the bucket at a distance from the inner side of the bucket so that a powder trap is defined between the skirt and the inner side of the bucket. The sucking unit has at least one suction opening in the vicinity of the powder trap, but preferably there is a suction opening (8) in the powder trap and a suction opening (10) outside the powder trap so that powder can be collected efficiently both when the bucket is being filled with powder and when the powder rotates during mixing by mean of a whisk.

Description

Method of sucking off powder from a bucket and sucking unit for carrying out the method

This invention relates to a method of sucking off powder from a bucket while it is being filled with powder, a sucking unit being positioned in the vicinity of the rim of the bucket.

Such a method is used in connection with e.g. stirring up powder with water. Normally, water is first poured into a mixing bucket whereafter the powder is poured in from e.g. a bag. Irrespective of the preferred mixing method, the powder will splash up from the bucket when being poured in and contaminate the air, which is harmful to the people staying in the room.

It has been tried to mount a simple hopper in the vicinity of the rim of the bucket and connect the hopper to a vacuum cleaner. This is expedient because today there must be a vacuum cleaner at every building site; but the known hoppers have not functioned satisfactorily.

Alternatively, it has been tried to add oil to the powder in order to dampen its tendency to spread in the room; but although the oil dampens the spreading of the powder, a person standing close to the bucket will now breathe in oil mixed powder. Also, it makes the powder more expensive and harms the environment. It is the object of the invention to devise a method of reducing spreading of powder in the room as compared to what has been achievable by the mentioned prior art.

The object is achieved in that the sucking unit is positioned in such a way that the sucking unit is positioned along a portion of the rim of the bucket so that a powder trap is established between the sucking unit and the inner side of the bucket and that the powder is poured down into the bucket in the direction towards the inner side of the bucket being opposite in relation to the sucking unit. The invention is based on the discovery that if the powder is poured down into the bucket in the direction towards a portion of the inner side of the bucket, then the powder will reverse direction in the bucket and splash up along the diametrally opposite area of the bucket. By positioning the sucking unit along the rim of precisely this opposite area of the bucket, and thus providing a powder trap at this location, the powder splashing up will be caught efficiently in the powder trap. It is remarked that it could be seen as a close alternative to let the sucking unit extend along the entire periphery of the bucket. However, this would entail the disadvantage that the sucking unit would try to suck in also the powder which is on its way down into the bucket, which would mean that too much powder is wasted and that the sucking unit more rapidly gets coated with powder to be cleaned off. Furthermore, there would be less space for a whisk, in particular of the type which can be mounted relatively to the bucket. This would be impeded if the sucking unit extends along the entire periphery of the bucket.

Precisely by letting the sucking unit stretch along only a portion of the periphery of the bucket and establishing a powder trap, an optimal combination is obtained of simple construction, efficient sucking off - predominantly of the part of the powder splashing up, and also that the sucking unit is easy and expedient to work with in practice.

The rim of the bucket may have any shape; but it is, however, typically circular. Preferably, the sucking unit is positioned along essentially half the periphery of the bucket. Perhaps a little less than half the periphery so as to not collide with a pair of opposite handle regions, or in such manner that the sucking unit is a little bigger if the handle regions are below the rim. Suction is provided in a manner known per se by means of a vacuum cleaner which is preferably coupled to the sucking unit, but which could also be integral with the sucking unit. Suction will be performed at least in the vicinity of the powder trap, which will significantly reduce the velocity of the powder so that it can be trapped even if suction is not performed directly from the powder trap. In the preferred embodiment, sucking will be performed from the powder trap per se, whereby the vacuum arising in the powder trap is utilized; but in a preferred embodiment, sucking is also performed outside the powder trap in order to collect the powder perhaps having splashed up outside the powder trap.

In the above, the explanation of the invention has been concentrated on catching the powder splashing up in the room when the powder is poured down into the bucket from a certain height. However, there is no avoiding that there is also a risk that powder is flung up from the bucket when powder and liquid are mixed, typically by a motorized whisk temporarily mounted on the bucket in a manner known per se. A suction pipe is therefore typically provided which opens outside the powder trap so that the suction pipe sucks in the same direction in which the powder rotates during the mixing. The outer end of the suction pipe, which determines the direction of suction, is advantageously turned somewhat obliquely downwards in order to prevent false air from being sucked in. Correspondingly, the rotating movement of air and powder can be affected in downwards direction by means of a guide plate which is typically mounted at the end of the sucking aggregate being opposite the opening of the last-mentioned suction pipe.

When sucking is performed from the powder trap, this advantageously takes place by means of a suction pipe that also sucks in the same direction in which the powder rotates during the mixing. The inner cross sectional area of the said suction pipes is adjusted in dependence on the length of the suction pipes and the desired distribution of the suction force. The invention also relates to a sucking unit for carrying out the method according to the invention. The sucking unit is characterized by being designed so as to correspond to a portion of the upper rim of the bucket onto which it is adapted for being releasably attached and in that the sucking unit has a skirt which, when the sucking unit is positioned in the use position, extends somewhat downwards towards the bottom of the bucket at a distance from the inner side of the bucket so that a powder trap is defined between the skirt and the inner side of the bucket and that the sucking unit has at least one suction opening in the vicinity of the powder trap.

A decisive feature of the invention is the provision of at least one powder trap which catches the powder and also reduces its velocity. Hence, many possibilities of efficiently catching the powder in, around, or entirely outside a powder trap are obtainable.

By providing several skirts, several powder traps may also be defined, e.g. in connection with large buckets; but in a preferred and very simple

embodiment the powder trap is defined between a single skirt and the inner side of the bucket. A more expensive, but also more versatile sucking unit is obtainable by means of several skirts having dissimilar radius so that the sucking unit can be used for different sizes of buckets.

Another possibility of being able to adapt the sucking unit to several sizes of buckets is to make it deformable; but although there are many possibilities of variation, the invention is particularly advantageously usable in connection with products where the price should be low. Precisely for this use, the invention in its most simple embodiment would be a significant step forward in a standard size where the powder is supplied in a mixing bucket along with the sucking unit. In a preferred embodiment, the sucking unit comprises a first and a second suction pipes being interconnected to form a connecting piece dimensioned for being coupled to a vacuum cleaner hose. The first suction pipe opens into the powder trap in the vicinity of one end of the sucking unit, while the second suction pipe opens outside the powder trap in the vicinity of the opposite end of the ends of the suction pipe. This positioning entails optimal sucking off of powder in connection with the powder being mixed and rotated in a preferred direction determined by a hand tool or a temporarily positioned whisk.

In one embodiment a guide plate may be positioned in the vicinity of the end of the sucking unit where the first suction opening ends, which plate, in the use position, is cross-mounted in relation to an adjacent side of the bucket in such manner that a rotating air/powder movement is affected in the obliquely downwards direction towards the bottom of the bucket. This air movement will reverse to an obliquely upwards movement, and in the preferred embodiment the second suction pipe, which is preferably positioned diametrally relative to a possible guide plate, is directed obliquely downwards in order to better collect the powder rising obliquely upwards. At this direction of the second suction pipe it is thus facing obliquely downwards towards the bottom of the bucket whereby it is counteracted that false, i.e. low-powder, air is sucked in.

The invention will now be explained in more detail by means of the following description of an embodiment, reference being made to the drawing in which

Fig. 1 shows a bucket with an embodiment of the sucking unit according to the invention; Figs. 2 A and B show a section ll-ll through what is shown in Fig. 1 , while Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sucking unit of Fig. 1 , seen from be!ow.

Fig. 1 shows a bucket 1 on which there is mounted an embodiment of the sucking unit 2 according to the invention. The bucket may typically have served as packaging for a powder on e.g. cement basis, which is to be mixed with water prior to use, the bucket then being used as mixing bucket. As water must first be poured into the bucket, use is made of an empty bucket and subsequently the powder is poured in whereby, as mentioned earlier, powder is flung out into the room, which is harmful to the people standing close by. The invention solves this problem by means of e.g. the embodiment 2 shown in figure 1.

In the use position, the sucking unit 2 extends preferably along about half the periphery of the bucket in such manner that it can be pressed releasably against the rim of the bucket without colliding with any handle protrusions 3, 4. As shown in the figure, the sucking unit extends a bit radially over the opening of the bucket, and comprises a top side 5 and an annular, obliquely downwards extending skirt 6. Fig. 1 also shows a suction opening 10 and a connecting piece 7 adapted for coupling together with a vacuum cleaner hose.

Fig. 2A schematically illustrates how the powder splashes up from the bucket when poured down into the mixture of water and powder. The arrow P1 illustrates the path of the powder down into the bucket, while P2 illustrates how a predominant portion of the powder which would otherwise spread in the room is captured by a powder trap according to the invention being defined between the inner side of the bucket, the top side 5 of the sucking unit, and the skirt 6. Fig. 2B is a more detailed view of the section, showing a first suction pipe 8 and, in section, a second suction pipe 9. In the embodiment shown the powder trap is closed at the top predominantly by the suction pipe 9 extending over most of the peripheral length of the sucking unit, but is also partly closed by the top side 5. The essential feature of the invention is the establishment of the powder trap, which in the embodiment shown is defined by the skirt 6. The suction pipe 8 opens in the vicinity of the sucking unit where the connecting piece 7 with which it is connected is located. This means that the powder trapped in the powder trap is sucked off in the vicinity of the said first end of the unit, which has relation to the mixing process per se.

Typically, the powder is mixed by means of an electrically powered whisk to the effect that relatively strong rotation occurs of air/powder mixture which will also seek to get up and out of the bucket. Suction is therefore performed from the end of the powder trap where the powder has being staying for the longest time. The powder trap reduces the velocity of the air/powder mixture, and the suction pipe 8 causes a vacuum in the powder trap.

According to the invention it is neither necessary nor expedient for the sucking unit to extend along the entire periphery of the bucket with the disadvantages mentioned by way of introduction. On the other hand it is expedient for the sucking unit to also have a suction opening 10 outside the powder trap. This will be seen in more detail from the following explanation of Fig. 3 below.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view from below of the preferred embodiment. There is shown an annular flange 11 (see also Fig. 2B) adapted for abutment against the outermost rim of the bucket, the sucking unit being retained releasably between a distance flange 12 and resilient protrusions 13-16 extending under the rim of the bucket. Fig. 3 also shows the suction pipe 9, which at one end is connected to the suction pipe 8 and the connecting piece 7, which is hidden in Fig. 3. It is remarked that the suction pipe 9 bends (at 17) whereby the direction of suction gets to be oblique from below. This entails that less false air is sucked in at the rim of the bucket. In this way a large part of the powder which would otherwise rotate outside the powder trap can also be caught by the sucking unit according to the invention.

Claims

CI aims:

1. A method of sucking off powder from a bucket while it is being filled with powder, a sucking unit being positioned in the vicinity of the rim of the bucket, characterized in that the sucking unit is positioned along a portion of the rim of the bucket so that a powder trap is established between the sucking unit and the inner side of the bucket and that the powder is poured down into the bucket in the direction towards the inner side of the bucket being opposite in relation to the sucking unit.

2. A method according to claim ^characterized in that the sucking unit is positioned so as to extend essentially along half the periphery of the bucket.

3. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that sucking is performed from the powder trap and also at least from a location outside the powder trap.

4. A method according to claim 3, characterized in that both suctions are provided with essentially the same peripheral directions.

5. A method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the suctions are provided by means of a suction pipe which is connected to a vacuum cleaner, and the opening of which is adjusted in dependence on the lengths of the suction pipes and a predetermined balance between the suction effect of the pipes.

6. A method according to any of the preceding claims, c arac- t e r i z e d in that use is made of a vacuum cleaner, the suction side of which is connected to the sucking unit.

7. A sucking unit for carrying out the method according to claim 1 , characterized in that it is designed so as to correspond to a portion of the top rim of the bucket onto which it is adapted for being releasably positioned and that the sucking unit has a skirt which, when the sucking unit is positioned in the use position, extends somewhat down towards the bottom of the bucket at a distance from the inner side of the bucket so that a powder trap is defined between the skirt and the inner side of the bucket, and that the sucking unit has at least one suction opening in the vicinity of the powder trap.

8. A sucking unit according to any of the claims 7, characterize d in that a first suction opening opens into the powder trap.

9. A sucking unit according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that there are several suction openings.

10. A sucking unit according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that there is a second suction opening outside the powder trap.

11. A sucking unit according to any of the claims 7-10, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the suction openings are connected, via respective suction pipes, to a connecting piece adapted for being coupled to a vacuum cleaner.

12. A sucking unit according to claims 9-11, characterized in that a first suction opening is positioned in the vicinity of one end of the sucking unit, and that a second suction opening is positioned at the other, opposite, end of the sucking unit, and that the suction openings are facing in the same peripheral direction.

13. A sucking unit according to claims 9-12, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that in the vicinity of the end of the sucking unit where the first suction opening opens there is a guide plate which in the use position is cross- mounted in relation to an adjacent side of the bucket so that a rotating air/powder movement is affected in the direction towards the bottom of the bucket.

14. A sucking unit according to claims 10-13, characterized in that the suction opening opening outside the powder trap is directed somewhat downwards in the use position.

15. A sucking unit according to any of the claims 7-14, c h a r a c- t e r i z e d in that the sucking unit is deformable so as to be adaptable to buckets with several types of top rim.