WO2019120344A1

WO2019120344A1 - Handling suction tube for vacuum cleaners and disinfection method by means thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2019120344A1
Application number: PCT/DE2017/101095
Authority: WO
Inventors: Bernd Höhne
Original assignee: Gravity Holding Ltd.
Priority date: 2017-12-20
Filing date: 2017-12-20
Publication date: 2019-06-27

Abstract

The invention relates to a handling suction tube (1) for vacuum cleaners, characterized in that a disinfection device (2) having means for UV irradiation (21) and having a stored electrical energy source (22) is arranged on the handling suction tube (1), the UV radiation emitted by the means for UV irradiation (21) being directed into the interior of the handling suction tube (1). The invention further relates to a disinfection method by means of the handling suction tube (1) for vacuum cleaners, characterized in that the suctioned air is exposed to the UV irradiation within the the handling suction tube (1).

Description

Handling suction pipe for vacuum cleaners and disinfection process with it

The invention relates to a handling suction for vacuum cleaners. Furthermore, the invention relates to a disinfection method with a handling suction for vacuum cleaner. Vacuum cleaners are known to clean rooms in mobile and stationary design. Such vacuum cleaners contain an air conveyor in the form of a fan, with a strong air flow along a

Air transport path is generated in an air duct. In

Direction of flow enters the suctioned air at an air inlet in the form of a suction nozzle in this air duct, which has a bottom suction and a handling pipe usually followed by flexible suction hose. On the further air transport path, the sucked air passes, for example via an intake into a housing of the vacuum cleaner, in which there is a collecting container for the dust particles entrained by the draft. In the collection container, in addition to easier disposal of

Dirt load a vacuum cleaner bag be used. In another type of vacuum cleaner, the dirt load of the airflow is separated from the airflow by centrifugal forces. Subsequently, the largely of the

Dirt freed air through the fan (air conveyor) led to an air outlet and spent there to the environment.

Since the dirt load, which is collected in the vacuum cleaner, in the

Dust collecting container accumulates, adhering to the dust particles germs and / or germs contained in the intake air within the

Increase the vacuum cleaner, so that the ejected through the air outlet exhaust air of the vacuum cleaner may possibly contain significant germ counts. Furthermore, the number of germs within the dust collection container and over the entire Lufttransportweg increase sharply, which is also undesirable for hygienic reasons. From US 2009/0119869 A1 a vacuum cleaner is known, the one

Dust collector equipped with means for UV irradiation. Accordingly, the content of the dust collecting container through the

UV irradiation to be disinfected.

DE 198 60 020 A1 likewise describes a UV disinfection in the region of a vacuum cleaner bag on a vacuum cleaner.

DE 10 2014 107 805 A1 shows an arrangement for filtering air and methods for air purification, as it is suitable for vacuum cleaners, in which a separate air duct is provided with a plasma cell and catalyst, over which a circulation of an air mass takes place when the vacuum cleaner is not operating in particular to clean the micro filter. As a supplement to this plasma cell and catalyst-based air purification, a UV-C lamp is provided in the air flow of the vacuum cleaner.

US 2007/0192986 A1 shows a brush arrangement for a

Floor cleaning machine in which the floor brushes are disinfected by UV irradiation.

EP 2 798 992 A1 shows a UV lamp arrangement on a vacuum cleaner, which also acts on a dust collecting container.

US 2007/0209143 A1 shows a suction robot with a special sensor system for microorganisms, which may also include UV light sterilization.

Furthermore, US 2011/0308034 A1 discloses a body cleansing system for the hair and skin with a suction function, in which a multiplicity of UV LEDs are arranged around the mammalian opening of the device.

There are therefore different versions of specifically with a

UV irradiation unit provided vacuum cleaner or vacuum robot or the like, which is a disinfection of the recorded dust or the allow sucked and discharged suction air. However, it requires separately adapted vacuum cleaner, so retrofitting a

UV disinfection on older vacuum cleaners or as needed supplement is not possible.

The object of the invention is therefore to enable a UV disinfection in the simplest possible way for conventional vacuum cleaners.

This problem is solved with a handling suction pipe for vacuum cleaners according to claim 1 and with a disinfection method therefor

Claim 9. The fact that the handling suction a

Disinfecting device is arranged with means for UV irradiation and an electrical energy storage, wherein the UV radiation emitted by the means for UV irradiation is directed into the interior of the handling suction, independent of the respective nachzurüstenden vacuum cleaner disinfection in a handling suction is self-sufficient from the other vacuum cleaner provided, wherein the conventional handling suction is replaced by the handling tube equipped with UV irradiation unit. The supply of the means for UV irradiation is provided by the electrical energy storage on the handling suction, wherein the means for UV irradiation are arranged on the handling suction that their UV radiation emitted irradiated in the handling suction air and thus the transported dust particles therein and thus disinfected.

In a further embodiment, pressure, flow, vibration and / or

Noise sensors are provided, which act via a control electronics on the means for UV irradiation and the control electronics activates the means for UV irradiation only during suction operation of the vacuum cleaner. Thus, the means for UV irradiation only upon detection of a negative pressure or through the

Air flow in the handling suction, so when operating the

Vacuum cleaner, activated. A non-effective UV irradiation at standstill of the vacuum cleaner and thus unnecessary energy consumption will thus avoided. Optionally, it may be useful that after switching off the vacuum cleaner, the UV irradiation remains switched on for a predetermined period of time. However, it is provided for safety reasons that the UV irradiation is switched off when dismantling the suction nozzle or suction hose from the handling suction. Thus, the germ count in the area of the handling suction pipe is significantly reduced, so that when the vacuum cleaner is switched on, it is possible to suck in already largely sterilized air / dust particles.

If a seed sensor is provided, with the seed sensor being located downstream of the UV irradiation means with respect to the air suction flow carried in the handling suction tube, the UV irradiation can be switched on and / or off on the basis of the measured actual germ count, so that only if necessary disinfection the system is activated.

In order to avoid contamination of the electronics and the UV light source, the means for UV irradiation are arranged on the handling suction behind a UV light-permeable partition. In a further embodiment, slots are arranged in the longitudinal direction or in the helix in the handling suction tube in the wall. This ensures that an effective

UV irradiation of the interior of the handling suction while largely given stability of the tube is made possible.

In order to operate the handling suction independently, the electrical energy storage is a rechargeable battery or a battery.

Characterized in that the handling suction pipe is assigned a wall mount, in which the handling suction is used when not in use, being provided for charging the electrical energy storage electrical contacts or an induction coil in the wall bracket, the

rechargeable accumulator in the handling suction when not in use recharged and thus always ready for next use.

If the means for UV irradiation UVC emitting LED semiconductors, is a particularly energetically favorable and yet effective

UV irradiation provided. Due to the light spectrum emitted, UVC-emitting LED semiconductors have a particularly effective germicidal effect with simultaneously low power consumption.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the invention with reference to the

enclosed drawings described in detail.

It shows:

Fig. 1 is a handling suction in a sectional side view.

In Fig. 1, a handling suction 1 is shown in a sectional side view with an associated wall bracket 3. The handling suction pipe 1 consists of a suction pipe, as is customary for vacuum cleaners. However, the suction tube 1 has arranged in the longitudinal direction of the tube slots 11 in its cylindrical wall 10. The slots 11, here four equal in circumference

spaced slots are centered between a bottom nozzle port 12, to which a bottom nozzle, not shown, is connectable for the vacuum cleaner, and a suction hose 13, at which a suction hose, not shown, leads to a conventional vacuum cleaner housing. In Fig. 1, the flow direction of the suction air X is shown with arrows.

Furthermore, the handling suction pipe 1 includes a disinfection device 2, which is seated on the suction pipe in a housing 20 over the region of the slots 11 in the wall 10 of the suction pipe 1. In the housing 20 of the

Disinfecting device 2 are outside of the slots 11 associated means for UV irradiation, namely UVC emitting semiconductor LED 21 is arranged. In the embodiment shown here are each slot 11 in Longitudinal five UVC LED 21, a total of 20 UVC LED arranged. Of course, other arrangements and constellations can be realized, wherein it must be ensured that a sufficient effective distance for the passing, dust-laden suction air for

Disinfection is provided. The slots 11 in the suction tube 1 are flush with the interior side flush with a UV-transparent partition 27, so that no additional flow resistance in the intake manifold 1 arise.

Further, in the housing 20 of the disinfection device 2 is an electrical energy storage, arranged here in the form of a battery 22. The

UVC LED 21 and the accumulator 22 are operatively connected via a control electronics 23 in the form of a board equipped with electronic components. Further, upstream of the slots 11 in the intake manifold 1, a pressure sensor 24 and downstream of the slots 11 in the intake manifold 1, a germ sensor 25 is provided within the disinfecting device 2, which are also operatively connected to the control electronics 23. Furthermore, a charging current contact 26 is operatively connected to the control electronics 23, wherein this charging current contact 26 is arranged in the housing 20 of the disinfecting device 2 so that it is connected to a correspondingly matching contact of a power supply 32 at the

Wall bracket 3 is connectable.

The wall mount 3 has a receptacle 31 for securely holding the handling suction pipe 1 with the disinfection device 2. The

Hanging the handling suction pipe 1 takes place in the direction of movement Y, wherein when mounting the handling suction pipe 1 in the wall mount 3 on the receptacle 31 via the power supply 32 and the charging current contact 26 of the accumulator 22 of the disinfecting device 2 is loaded.

The following is the use and operation of the

Handling suction tube 1 described. The handling intake pipe 1 according to the invention is used as a substitute for

conventional suction pipes used for vacuum cleaners. Here are the

Bottom nozzle port 12 and the Saugschlauchanschluss 13 equipped so that they match with the components of the respective vacuum cleaner. In that regard, the handling suction pipe 1 according to the invention is a replacement part for conventional vacuum cleaners with an additional function, namely the aufreitenden on the suction pipe disinfection device 2. Die

Disinfection device 2 is self-sufficient energy and is activated by appropriate sensors automatically when you start the vacuum cleaner.

Namely, the handling suction pipe 1 with the thereon

Disinfecting device 2 operated on a vacuum cleaner and this

Vacuum cleaner turned on, forms a suction air flow accordingly

Flow direction X through the suction pipe 1. The resulting negative pressure registers the pressure sensor 24, which is detected by the control electronics 23 that the vacuum cleaner works. Now turn the

Control electronics 23, the means for UV irradiation or UVC-emitting semiconductor LED 21, which irradiate the interior of the suction tube 1 with UVC light. Thus, the absorbed, dust-laden air is disinfected.

Furthermore, the quality of the disinfection is measured via the germ sensor 25, and the duration of the illumination and / or the intensity of the intensity of the means for UV irradiation 21 are regulated by the control electronics 23. If, for example, a sufficiently low germ count (below a threshold value) is measured, the disinfection and thus the UV irradiation can be reduced or even eliminated. When the vacuum cleaner is switched off, moreover, the pressure sensor 24 registers the pressure change (normal pressure) so that the UV irradiation is terminated at the latest.

When not in use, the handling suction is 1 with his

Disinfection device 2 on the wall bracket 3 accordingly

Movement Y is placed on the receptacle 31, with an automatic Contacting the power supply 32 with the charging current contact 26 of the disinfecting device 2 is provided for recharging the accumulator 22. The next use of handling suction 1 this is thus fully loaded again.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

I suction pipe, handling suction pipe

10 wall

I I slot

12 floor nozzle connection

13 suction hose connection

2 disinfection device

20 housing

21 means for UV-irradiation, UVC-LED

22 electrical energy storage, accumulator

23 control electronics

24 pressure sensor

25 germ sensor

26 charging current contact

27 UV light permeable wall

3 wall bracket

31 recording

32 power supply

X flow direction

Y direction of movement

Claims

PATENT APPLICATIONS

1. handling suction pipe (1) for vacuum cleaners, characterized in that the handling suction pipe (1) a disinfection device (2) with means for UV irradiation (21) and an electrical

Energy storage (22) is arranged, wherein the means for

UV irradiation (21) emitted UV radiation in the interior of the handling suction (1) is directed.

2. handling suction pipe (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that pressure (24), flow, vibration and / or noise sensors are provided which act via a control electronics (23) on the means for UV irradiation (21) and the control electronics (23) activates the means for UV irradiation (21) only during suction operation of the vacuum cleaner.

3. handling suction pipe (1) according to claim 2, characterized in that a seed sensor (25) is provided, wherein the seed sensor (25) in

Reference is made to the air suction flow guided in the handling suction pipe (1) downstream of the means for UV irradiation (21).

4. handling suction pipe (1) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized

in that the means for UV irradiation (21) at the

Handling suction tube (1) behind a UV light-permeable

Partition (27) are arranged.

5. handling suction pipe (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that in the handling suction pipe (1) in the wall (10) slots (11) are arranged in the longitudinal direction or in helix.

6. handling suction pipe (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the electrical energy store (22) is a rechargeable battery (22) or a battery.

7. handling suction pipe (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the handling suction pipe (1) has a

Wall bracket (3) is assigned, in which the handling suction pipe (1) is replaceable when not in use, wherein for charging the electrical energy storage (22) electrical contacts or an induction coil in the wall bracket (3) are provided.

8. handling suction tube (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means for UV irradiation (21) UVC emitting LED semiconductors.

9. Disinfection method with a handling suction pipe (1) for

Vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sucked air within the

Handling suction tube (1) is exposed to UV irradiation.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the

UV irradiation is switched on with the switching on of the vacuum cleaner and remains switched on after switching off the vacuum cleaner for a predetermined duration.

11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the intensity of the UV irradiation in dependence of the negative pressure and / or the air flow rate is regulated.

12. The method according to claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in that the UV irradiation is activated when a predetermined germ count is exceeded.