Vacuum cleaning equipment

Abstract

 The invention relates to vacuum cleaning equipment, comprising a casing formed by an upper body (1) and a lower body or tank (2). In the upper body (1) there is housed a vertical cylindrical filter (3) and therearound a rotating cage (7) bearing cleaning elements (11) for cleaning the outer surface of the filter. The upper body (1) further has assembled on the lower part a cone-shaped skirt (20) surrounding the lower part of the filter and cage and opening up inside a waste collection bag (24) housed in the lower body.

Description

Field of the Invention

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaning equipment, particularly applied to industrial vacuum cleaners.

[0002] More specifically, the equipment of the invention is of the type comprising a casing formed by an upper body, in which the vacuum motor and a filter are assembled, and a lower body or tank in which a collection bag for the vacuumed waste is housed.

Background of the Invention

[0003] Equipment of the type described are known in which the filter is cylindrically-shaped, closed at the top and is assembled in the vertical position inside the upper body. The vacuum of the motor takes place from inside the filter, whereas the vacuum duct of the equipment opens up between the wall of the upper body and the wall of the filter, in the upper part, and forms a cyclone causing the vacuumed air to circulate around the filter in a downward direction, progressively traversing the wall thereof, for its aspiration by the motor.

[0004] The vacuumed dirt particles are retained outside the filter and fall into the collection bag housed in the lower body or tank.

[0005] The problem with this equipment is that the dirt particles adhere on the outer surface of the filter causing its progressive obstruction, which causes an increase in the heating of the equipment, an increase of the noise level thereof, and a decrease in the vacuum capacity, all of which involves a reduction in the performance of the apparatus.

[0006] This circumstance makes it necessary to clean and/or replace the filter on a relatively frequent basis, with the drawbacks that these operations entail both due to the dirtiness of the filter and due to the risks of allergies and also due to assembly problems.

Description of the Invention

[0007] The object of the present invention is to eliminate the problems set forth by means of equipment having its own means for cleaning the filter, such that the need for the manual cleaning thereof is eliminated and, furthermore, in the case of replacing the filter or in equipment maintenance operations, cleaner components are used.

[0008] In addition, since the filter can constantly be kept clean, heating of the equipment is reduced and the vacuum capacity is maintained, all of which results in an improvement of performance of the apparatus.

[0009] The equipment of the invention is of the type explained in which the filter is assembled by means of a column running axially through the inside of the upper body, which column traverses the bottom of the filter, through a hole thereof, and is retained by means of a nut.

[0010] According to the invention the cleaning equipment has inside the upper body and around the filter, a rotating cage bearing cleaning elements for cleaning the outer surface of the filter. This cage is supported, with the possibility of free rotation, by the same column supporting the filter. To that end, the mentioned column traverses the bottom of the filter and projects therefrom in a portion in which a knob nut is screwed, on which the cage couples and is supported with the possibility of free rotation.

[0011] The mentioned cage is provided in its lower part with outer radial blades or vanes on which the air of the cyclone acts during the vacuum operation, causing the cage to rotate.

[0012] The mentioned cage can be formed by two hoops having a contour that is slightly larger than that of the filter, one of which hoops is located on top of the filter and the other hoop is located under it. The two hoops are joined by a series of axial rods running outside the filter. One or more axial brushes are further assembled between the two hoops, which one or more brushes are located outside the filter and are supported on the outer surface thereof. The lower hoop has a central hub that is joined to the hoop by means of radial arms. The cage is assembled through this central hub in the knob nut acting as a means for fixing the filter. The lower hoop is further provided with outer radial vanes or blades on which the air of the cyclone acts during the vacuum phase.

[0013] With this constitution, when the equipment is started up, the air acts on the blades or vanes of the lower hoop due to the action of the cyclone, causing the cage to rotate, in which movement in the brushes rub against the outer surface of the filter, removing the particles which may have adhered thereto and thus maintaining its cleaning and thereby the filtering capacity.

[0014] The cage could also be actuated by means of an auxiliary motor which will be connected at the start of the working or vacuum operation of the equipment.

[0015] For the purpose of aiding the operation for assembling the filter, the latter is provided on the bottom, in coincidence with the hole for the passage of the assembly column, with a cone that is located inside the filter and will be used as a guiding means for the end of the column, to lead it through the hole, from which it will project on the lower part by a portion in which the knob nut is fixed, which in turn is used as a means to couple the central hub of the lower hoop of the cage, with the possibility of rotation thereof.

[0016] According to another feature of the invention, the upper body, in which the filter is housed, has a cone-shaped skirt with a downwardly decreasing section assembled therein, which skirt surrounds the lower part of the filter and cage, opening up at the lower part on the bag assembled in the lower body or tank. Intermediate axial pivots externally project downwardly from the mentioned skirt, which pivots have fixed thereto a ring having an angular outer profile on which the mouth of the waste collection bag is coupled and fixed by means of an elastic ring. Axial external pins also externally project from the skirt from the outer edge of said skirt, which pins are used as means for fixing the lower body or tank to the upper body.

[0017] An intermediate ring-shaped space is defined between the previously mentioned skirt and angular ring through which the air can freely move upwards from outside the collection bag contained in the lower body, without the risk that a deformation of said bag may occur due to the effect of the vacuum.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0018] All the features set forth as well as other features of the invention are explained below in greater detail with the aid of the attached drawings, which show an embodiment given by way of non-limiting example.

[0019] In the drawings:

Figure 1 shows a diametrical section view of the lower body or tank of the casing of the equipment of the invention, coupled to the lower part of the upper body.

Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the lower part of the body of the casing, which the lower body or tank is coupled to.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the cage which is assembled in the upper body of the casing.

Figure 4 is a sectional perspective view of the filter and cage assembled in the upper body of the casing.

Figure 5 is a sectioned perspective view of the cone assembled in the hole of the bottom of the filter.

Figure 6 is an upper plan view of the cage coupled around the filter.

Detailed Description of an Embodiment

[0020] As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the cleaning equipment of the invention comprises a casing which is formed by an upper body 1, Figure 2, and a lower body or tank 2, Figure 1.

[0021] The upper body 1 has assembled therein, in a known manner, a vacuum motor in its upper part and a cylindrical filter 3 which is closed at its lower base 4 and which is supported, as can be seen in Figure 4, by a coaxial column 5 traversing a hole at the bottom 4 and projects in the lower part in a portion on which a knob nut 6 is fixed.

[0022] As is known, the motor assembled in the upper body 1 produces the vacuum from inside the filter 3. For its part, the vacuum duct for cleaning opens up inside the body 1, between the wall thereof and the wall of the filter 1, all this in a known manner.

[0023] According to the present invention, a cage shown in perspective in Figure 3 and generally having reference number 7 is assembled inside the body 1, between the wall thereof and the wall of the filter 3. This cage is formed by two hoops, an upper hoop 8 and another lower hoop 9, both having a slightly larger diameter than the outer diameter of the filter 3, and the first of which is located above the filter and the second of which, with reference number 9, below the filter, as shown in Figure 4. These two hoops are joined together by means of a series of columns 10 which run along the outside of the filter 1. Two brushes 11 are further assembled between the hoops 8 and 9, which brushes, as can be best seen in Figure 6, are supported on the outer surface of the filter 3.

[0024] As can be seen in Figure 3, the lower hoop 9 has a central hub 12 joined to said hoop by means of radial arms 13. The cage 7 is assembled on the knob nut 6 through the hub 12 with freedom of rotation about the hub, as can be seen in Figure 4. The knob nut 6 can be screwed onto the lower section of the column 5, the hub 12 of the lower hoop 9 being freely rotating about the same.

[0025] The cage 7 could also be suspended from the upper body with the possibility of free rotation, in which case the lower hoop 9 could lack the hub 12.

[0026] The lower hoop 9 also bears outer blades or vanes 15 against which the air of the cyclone internally forming the body 1 acts after the entrance of the vacuum duct. Due to the action of this cyclone the air which enters, due to the effect of the vacuum motor, circulates around the filter 1, progressively moving down, until it acts on the vanes or blades 15, causing the cage to rotate 7 and thereby causing the brushes 11 to rub against the outer surface of the filter 1, releasing the particles which may be adhered to said filter during the vacuum operation.

[0027] For the purpose of aiding in the assembly of the filter 3, an operation in which the column 5 must be introduced through the hole of the bottom, the filter has a cone 16 coupled on this hole, which cone will be used as a means for guiding and leading the end of the column 5 through the mentioned hole. As can be seen in Figure 5, this cone has clipping pins 17 on which the bottom 4 of the filter will be supported, which is retained at the upper part by the flaps or pins 18. The neck 19 of the cone 16 can extend under the clipping pins 17 for being fixed to the column 5. The knob nut 6 can be fixed to the column 5 by means of screwing on or by any other system.

[0028] The cage 7 could also be actuated by means of an auxiliary motor installed inside the upper body 1.

[0029] As can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, the upper body 1 has a cone-shaped skirt 20 with a downwardly decreasing section assembled on the lower part, which skirt surrounds the lower part of the filter 3 and cage 7, such that it will be used as a collection hopper to collect the particles vacuumed and retained by the filter. Intermediate axial pivots 21 project from the outer surface of the wall 20, which pivots have fixed thereto a ring 22 having an angular outer profile on which a waste collection bag 24 will be coupled and fixed by means of an elastic ring 23. The cone-shaped skirt 20 will open up inside the collection bag 24. A ring-shaped space is defined between the cone-shaped skirt 20 and the ring 22 through which air will pass during the vacuum operation from outside the bag, thus quickly allowing the balancing of the external pressure P_e and internal pressure P_i of the bag, thereby preventing absorptions that may block the vacuum or cause the bag 24 to deform.

[0030] Pins 26 finished with an end flare 27 in a half-arrow head shape also project downwardly from the outer edge of the cone-shaped skirt or wall 20, which pins are also used as a means for anchoring the lower body or tank 2 to the upper body 1. A seal 28 is arranged between the cone-shaped skirt 20 and the edge of the wall of the lower body 2.

[0031] The system for fixing the collection bag 24 allows using any type of bag, for example traditional garbage bags with our without handles. The replacement and assembly of the bag 24 is carried out in a very easy manner by means of the elastic ring or rubber 23, after separating the lower body 2, slightly bending the pins 26 to allow the release of the anchoring end 27. Fixing the lower body 2 to the upper body 1 simply requires making the pins 26 face the corresponding openings of the lower body 2, bending this lower body 2 upwards until the head 27 of the pins 26 surpasses the corresponding openings by elastic deformation and take their normal retention position.

[0032] Due to the effect of the cyclone or of the mentioned auxiliary motor during the vacuum operation the cage 7 rotates, and therefore the brushes 11 rub against the outer surface of the filter 1, constantly eliminating the particles that may be deposited thereon. The outer surface of the filter is always kept clean with the advantages that this entails.

Claims

1. Vacuum cleaning equipment comprising a casing formed by an upper body housing a vertical cylindrical filter and having vacuum means forming a cyclone around said filter, and a lower body or tank in which a bag for collecting and storing waste is housed, characterized in that a rotating cage bearing cleaning elements for cleaning the outer surface of the filter is arranged around the filter, the cage of which is supported, with the possibility of free rotation, by means of a knob nut which is fixed to a column coaxially traversing the filter and useful as a support of said filter; the cage of which is formed by two hoops having a contour that is slightly larger than that of the filter, one of which hoops is located under the filter and the other hoop is located under it, by a series of axial rods joining the two hoops running outside the filter, and by one or more axial cleaning brushes assembled between the two hoops, running outside the filter and supported on the outer surface thereof, the lower hoop having a central hub through which the cage is assembled in the knob nut with the possibility of free rotation.

2. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the lower hoop of the cage has outer radial vanes or blades, in which the air of the cyclone acts during the vacuum phase, causing the cage to rotate during the vacuum operation.

3. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the filter is provided on the bottom with a hole on which a cone located inside the filter is axially coupled, which cone is useful as a guiding means for the column traversing said hole; the column of which projects on the lower part from the bottom of the filter by a portion in which the knob nut is fixed, on which knob nut the central hub of the lower hoop of the mentioned cage is coupled with the possibility of free rotation.

4. Equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper body has a cone-shaped skirt with a downwardly decreasing section assembled on the lower part, which skirt surrounds the lower part of the filter and cage and opens up inside the waste collection bag housed in the lower body, from which skirt intermediate axial pivots externally project downwardly, which pivots have fixed thereto a ring having an angular outer profile, and axial external pins finished in an end head in a half-arrow shape; on which ring having an angular profile the mouth of a collection bag is coupled and fixed by means of an elastic ring, and to which external pins the lower body or tank is fixed, which body or tank will house the collection bag, the skirt and angular ring delimiting an intermediate ring-shaped space, through which the air can freely move upwards from outside the collection bag.

Drawing