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(11) | EP 1 649 796 A2 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | Suction cleaning apparatus |
| (57) The sucking apparatus (1) comprises a shell body (2), wherein first chamber means
(3) and which is provided with at least a first inlet sucking opening (4) obtained
in said shell body (2) and with a second outlet (5) for sucked air, both connected
to said first chamber means (3), sucking means (6) for sucking dirty air, housed upstream
of said second outlet (5) labyrinth means (7) being arranged for reducing the operating
noise of said sucking means (6).
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[0002] Known sucking apparatuses, for example vacuum cleaners, comprise a motor coupled with a fan that generates a sucking action and is fitted downstream of a collecting chamber into which a mixture of air and detritus is sucked, and a filter in the collecting chamber for purifying the sucked air.
[0003] The air sucked by the fan laps the motor cooling it, downstream of the filter and is subsequently returned to the environment.
[0004] In the collecting chamber a fitting is provided for a conveying pipe of the mixture of air and detritus that has an end facing the outside and an opposite end that leads into the collecting chamber.
[0005] The collecting chamber has an opening that connects it with a housing seat of the filter, that, in turn has an opening connecting with a motor location seat; lastly, the motor location seat has an opening towards the exterior to enable the exit of the purified air from the box-shaped body.
[0006] A first drawback of known sucking apparatuses is the noticeable noise that is generated by the sucking unit, i.e. by the motor and by the fan, during operation.
[0007] Another drawback is that the motor is cooled in an unsatisfactory manner because the air acts on the external surface of the motor for too short an interval of time and thus tends to overheat if used for a relatively long time. The technical aim of the present invention is to improve the prior art.
[0008] An object of the invention is to make a sucking apparatus that noticeably reduces operating noise.
[0009] A further object of the invention is to make a sucking apparatus that is provided with a large cooling capacity of the sucking unit, thus enabling the use of the sucking apparatus also for prolonged and uninterrupted periods of time.
[0010] According to the invention, a sucking apparatus is provided comprising a shell body, in which first chamber means is defined and which is provided with at least a first inlet opening for sucked air and dirt and is provided with a second outlet for air from which said dirt has been cleaned, both connected to said first chamber means, sucking means, arranged upstream of said second outlet, characterised in that between said sucking means and said second outlet labyrinth means is interposed that is arranged for reducing the operating noise of said sucking means.
[0012] Furthermore, the sucked air is substantially slowed by the labyrinth and the period of time thus increases during which it laps the motor, thereby improving the cooling thereof.
[0013] Further features and advantages of the invention will be clearer from the disclosure of a sucking apparatus, illustrated by way of non-limitative example in the attached sheets of drawings in which:
Figure 1 shows a sucking apparatus in longitudinal section taken along a vertical plane of symmetry;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the longitudinal section in Figure 1.
[0014] With particular reference to figure 1, 1 generally indicates a sucking apparatus, in the specific case a vacuum cleaner for domestic use, which comprises a shell body 2 provided with wheels 2' and inside which first chamber means 3 is defined.
[0015] The shell body 2 is provided with a first inlet opening 4 for air and dirt that is obtained in the shell body 2 and is provided with a second outlet 5 for air from which sucked dirt has been cleaned, which are both connected to the first chamber means 3.
[0016] Inside the first chamber means 3, sucking means 6 is housed, arranged to suck flows of air from the exterior.
[0017] The sucking means comprises a motor 106 the actuation of which generates inside the first chamber means 3 a vacuum that sucks flows of air full of dirt that the air drags with it.
[0018] Between the sucking means 6 and the second outlet 5 labyrinth means 7 is disposed , which is arranged to reduce the operating noise of the sucking means 6, i.e. of the motor 106.
[0019] According to a preferred embodiment of the sucking apparatus 1, the shell body 2 comprises a lower half-shell 102 and an upper half-shell 202 that is couplable by overlapping with said lower half-shell 102 with coupling means.
[0020] The first chamber means 3 and the first inlet opening 4 are obtained in the lower half-shell 102 whereas the second outlet 5 opening is obtained in the upper half-shell 202.
[0021] In detail, the first chamber means 3 comprises a first collecting chamber 8, in which the sucked dirt is deposited; support means 9 of the motor 106, which is placed inside the first collecting chamber 8 and passage means 10 of the air sucked from the first collecting chamber 8 to the second outlet 5 through the support means 9.
[0022] The latter comprises a container body 11 that consists of a shaped shutter 12 that closes the lower half-shell 102 at the top and extends inside the first collecting chamber 8.
[0023] In the lower zone of the container body 11 a series of opening 13 is obtained that is comprised in the passage means 10 of the sucked air.
[0024] The labyrinth means 7 comprises further chamber means, disclosed more fully below, that is interposed between the first collecting chamber 8 and the second outlet 5 and which is connected with the latter and between them with connecting openings in such a way as to form a labyrinth through which the sucked air is forced to pass after it has cooled the motor 106.
[0025] The further chamber means comprises a second chamber 14 that is obtained in the support means 9, more exactly in the container body 11, perimeterally to the motor 106, a third chamber 15 that is obtained in the upper half-shell 202, aligned above the second chamber 14, a fourth chamber 16 that is obtained in the upper half-shell 202 above the third chamber 15, a fifth chamber 17 that is obtained in the upper half-shell 202 and which surrounds the fourth chamber 16.
[0026] The second chamber 14 surrounds almost the entire motor 106 and has a first inlet 18 for sucked air, which is obtained on the bottom of the latter and communicates with the first collecting chamber 8 through the openings 13, and a first outlet 19 that is obtained in the roof of the second chamber 14, communicating with the third chamber 15.
[0027] The third chamber 15 has on a bottom a second inlet of sucked air that is aligned vertically in such a way as to coincide with the first outlet 19; the third chamber 15 also has a third outlet 20 that is placed in the roof of the latter and which communicates with the fourth chamber 16.
[0028] The fourth chamber 16 has a third inlet of sucked air that is substantially aligned vertically, in such a way as to coincide with the third outlet 20; the fourth chamber 16 is also provided with a fourth outlet 21 that is obtained perimeterally in the perimeter walls 116 that delimit it and place it in communication with the fifth chamber 17.
[0029] The latter has a fourth inlet of sucked air that coincides with the fourth outlet 21 and a fifth outlet 22 leading into a further sixth chamber 23 that is provided with a sixth opening 24 for connecting with the exterior and which is protected by a grille 25.
[0030] Inside the sixth chamber 23 second filtering means 28 is housed that has microscopic porosity and, if requested, an active-carbon structure.
[0031] The fourth chamber 16 is shaped to accommodate, as a housing seat, first filtering means 26 that, in the preferred embodiment, comprises a porous body 27 packaged in sponge-like material.
[0032] Operation of the sucking apparatus is as follows: the air and dirt sucked by the action of the motor 106 enter inside the first collecting chamber 8 through the first inlet opening 4, possibly provided with a flexible extension pipe. The sucking action of the motor 106 causes the formation in the first collection camera 8 of a circular flow that envelops the container body 11 and which, through the openings 13, rises inside the second chamber 14, after releasing, through gravity and centrifugal force, the collected dirt, which has a noticeable weight, inside the first collecting chamber 8.
[0033] Inside the second chamber 14, as visible in Figure 1, the air flows indicated by the arrows F envelop the motor 106 completely, cooling it consistently.
[0034] Subsequently, through the first outlet 19 of the second chamber 14, which coincides with the second third chamber 15, the flows enter the latter, expanding until they exit through the third outlet 20, which coincides with the third inlet of the fourth chamber 16.
[0035] When the flows of sucked air pass into the fourth chamber 16 they are subjected to a first filtering action, passing through the porous body 27 inserted inside the fourth chamber 16, between the perimeter walls 116 that delimit it. Through the fourth outlet 21 the flows of purified air reach the fifth chamber 17 and from the latter, through the fifth outlet 22, reach the sixth chamber 23 from which, after further microscopic filtration carried out by the second filtering means 28, are expelled outside, passing through the sixth opening 24, protected by the grille 25.
[0036] The first collecting chamber 8, the second chamber 14, the third chamber 15, the fourth chamber 16 the fifth chamber 17 and also the sixth chamber 23 form a labyrinth inside which the flows of sucked air flow, forced to follow a preset path.
[0037] Along this path, the noise of the motor 106 conveyed by the flows of sucked air is progressively diminished by the stationary air in the third chamber 15, in the fourth chamber 16, in the fifth chamber 17 and also, although in lesser quantity, into the sixth chamber 23, from which the flows of air exit purified and substantially silent.
1. Sucking apparatus (1) comprising:
- a shell body (2), wherein first chamber means (3) is defined and which is provided with at least a first inlet opening (4) for sucked air and dirt and with a second outlet (5) for air from which said dirt has been cleaned, both connected to said first chamber means (3),
- sucking means (6), arranged upstream of said second outlet (5), characterised in that between said sucking means (6) and said second outlet (5) labyrinth means (7) is interposed arranged for reducing the operating noise of said sucking means (6)
2. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 1 wherein said shell body (2) comprises a
lower half-shell (102) and an upper half-shell (202) that is couplable with said lower
half-shell (102) with coupling means.
3. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said first chamber means (3)
and said first inlet opening (4) is obtained in said lower half-shell (102).
4. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said first chamber means (3)
comprises:
- a first collecting chamber (8) of sucked dirt,
- support means (9) of said sucking means (6), placed inside said first collecting chamber (8),
- passage means (10) of sucked air from said first collecting chamber (8), through said support means (9), to said second outlet (5).
5. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 1 wherein said silencing means (7) comprises
further chamber means that is connected together in succession with connecting openings
to form said labyrinth.
6. Sucking apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 1, 2, 4, 5 wherein said further
chamber means comprises:
- a second chamber (14) obtained in said support means (9) perimeterally a said sucking means (6),
- a third chamber (15) obtained in said upper half-shell (202) above said second chamber (14),
- a fourth chamber (16) obtained in said upper half-shell (202) above said third chamber (15),
- a fifth chamber (17) obtained in said upper half-shell (202) between said fourth chamber (16) and said at least a second outlet (5).
7. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 6 wherein said second chamber (14) has on
a bottom a first inlet (18) of sucked air, communicating with said first chamber means
(3) and a first outlet (19) obtained in a roof of said second chamber (14) and communicating
with said third chamber (15).
8. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 6 or 7 wherein said third chamber (15) has
on a bottom a second inlet of sucked air coinciding with said first outlet (19) and
a third outlet (20) placed in the roof of said third chamber (15), communicating with
said fourth chamber (16).
9. Sucking apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 6, 7, 8 wherein said fourth chamber
(16) has a third inlet of sucked air coinciding with said third outlet (20) and a
fourth outlet (21) obtained perimeterally in perimeter walls (116) delimiting said
fourth chamber (16).
10. Sucking apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 6, 7, 8, 9 wherein said fifth
chamber (17) has a fourth inlet for flows of sucked air coinciding with said fourth
outlet (21) and a fifth outlet (22) leading into a further sixth chamber (23) provided
with said second outlet (5) towards the exterior.
11. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 10 wherein said sixth chamber (23) is provided
with second filtering means (28).
12. Sucking apparatus (1) according to any one of claims 6, 8, 9 wherein said fourth chamber
(16) is shaped as a movable housing seat of first filtering means (26).
13. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 12 wherein said first filtering means (26)
comprises at least a porous body (27) packaged in sponge-like material.
14. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 11 wherein said second filtering means has
a microporous structure.
15. Sucking apparatus (1) according to claim 11 wherein said second filtering means is
of the active-carbon type.