ES2565309T3 - Vaccum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

Vacuum cleaner with at least one motor (4), with a suction connection (5) for an appliance (6) to be connected to the vacuum cleaner, such as a tool, with at least one filter (2) and a box (8) ) for electrical appliances, to which the device (6) can be electrically connected, the vacuum cleaner presenting at least one current / power sensor (10) that records the current / power consumption of the device (6) connected to the box (8) of electrical equipment plug and that is connected to a processor (12) which, taking into account the current / power consumption value supplied by the current / power sensor (10), supplies a signal for the start of the cleaning of the filter (2), characterized in that, in the case of an apparatus with a low current / power consumption, a filter cleaning is started at substantially greater intervals than in the case of an apparatus with a current consumption / high power

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Vaccum cleaner

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner according to the preamble of claim 1.

Vacuum cleaners of this type are used to instantly aspirate the product to be produced when working with the device connected to the vacuum cleaner. For this, the device is connected to the aspiration connection of the vacuum cleaner through a flexible suction tube. In addition, the appliance is connected via a cable to the electrical socket of the vacuum cleaner. The connected apparatus may be, for example, a drill or a grinder. The product to be vacuumed that is produced when working with such devices is immediately aspirated into the work area, and arrives through the suction connection to the vacuum cleaner container. The product to be aspirated remains suspended on the external side of the filter while air circulates through the filter and goes out again through the engine. Over time, the filter becomes clogged so that a filter cleaning is necessary. Often, filter cleaning is done at a time when the filter still has sufficient permeability.

In particular, the vacuum cleaner does not take into account the power consumption / power of the connected device. This leads to the vacuum cleaner working with a suction power that is too high even if the connected device itself only generates little product to aspirate.

It is known (EP 1 972 248 A2, EP 2 047 784 A2) in vacuum cleaners the use of a current sensor that records the current through the socket for electrical appliances. The current value is evaluated through a processor to detect if the connected tool is running or not.

The invention is based on the objective of configuring the generic type vacuum cleaner so that the filter cleaning can be adapted to the current / power consumption of the connected device.

This objective is solved according to the invention with a generic type vacuum cleaner with the characterizing features of claim 1.

In the vacuum cleaner according to the invention, the current / power consumption of the device connected to the socket for electrical appliances is measured with the aid of the current / power sensor. By means of the current / power consumption value, the processor emits the signal for the filter cleaning that takes into account the current / power consumption of the connected device. Thus, in the case of an apparatus with low current / power consumption, a filter cleaning is necessary at substantially greater intervals than in the case of an apparatus with a high current / power consumption. In this way, filter cleaning is started depending on the current / power consumption of the connected device only then when this cleaning is really necessary.

In addition, the signal supplied from the current / power sensor to the processor can also be used to control and / or regulate the engine speed according to the current / power consumption of the connected device. In the case of a low power apparatus, a smaller suction power is necessary than in the case of a high power apparatus in which a substantially greater quantity of product to be aspirated is produced, for example drilling dust, dust Grinder or similar. Therefore the user of the vacuum cleaner does not have to know the power of the connected device; rather, the vacuum cleaner according to the invention automatically adjusts to the current / power consumption of the connected device.

A table is advantageously stored in the processor in which different values of current / power consumption of devices to be connected are indicated, as well as the values of respective revolutions of the vacuum motor and / or the duration, when The signal for filter cleaning must be emitted. Advantageously, in addition to the current / power consumption of the connected device, the pressure in the direction of circulation behind the vacuum cleaner filter is also recorded with the aid of at least one pressure sensor. This supplies a pressure signal corresponding to the processor, which is used in conjunction with the current / power consumption value, so that the processor generates the signal for filter cleaning. With this, the filter cleaning time can be adapted even better to the actual degree of dirt in the filter, since not only the current / power consumption value is used, but also the pressure value for signal generation.

In the case of an especially advantageous embodiment, the vacuum cleaner according to the invention has two pressure sensors that record the pressure before and behind the filter, and transmit the corresponding pressure values to the processor. For the use of the two pressure sensors, the absolute pressure values can be recorded in these two closed spaces against each other in an air tight manner. Thanks to the knowledge of the absolute values of the two pressures the moment of the beginning of the filter cleaning can be adapted very precisely to the degree of dirt of the filter.

An advantageous filter cleaning is then possible if the filter is provided with a vibrating device. The signal supplied by the processor turns on the vibrating device, so the filter is set in motion vibrating so intensely that the product to be aspirated that adheres to the outer side of the filter falls.

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The sensors and the processor are advantageously seated on a common printed circuit board, which is also advantageously housed in a sealed container space in front of the suction current.

From the additional claims, the description and drawing are additional features of the invention.

The invention is explained in more detail by an embodiment shown schematically in the drawing. The drawing schematically shows a vacuum cleaner according to the invention.

The vacuum cleaner has a container 1 in which at least one filter 2 is housed. The suction current is generated by a motor 4. With the suction current, the product to be aspirated generated by an apparatus 6 connected to a suction connection 5 it is sucked into the container 1. The air flow with the product to be aspirated circulates through the filter 2 in which the product to be aspirated is retained. The air stream circulates through the filter 2 and exits through the motor 4 in a known way outward.

As soon as filter 2 becomes clogged with product to be aspirated, it must be cleaned. For this, the vacuum cleaner, in the exemplary embodiment, is provided with a vibrating device 7 with which the filter 2 is vibrated to shake the product to be aspirated that adheres to it. It then falls down to a collecting space within the container 1. The vibrating device 7 is known in such vacuum cleaners and therefore is not explained in detail.

Instead of the vibrating device 7, the filter cleaning can also be achieved because by switching the corresponding valves (not shown) an air current opposite to the suction current is generated. This air flow circulates through the filter 2 from the inside out, so that the product to be aspirated that adheres to the outer side of the filter 2 is eliminated by blowing and falling down into the collecting space.

The apparatus 6, which for example is a tool such as a drill or a grinder, is connected to a socket 8 of the vacuum cleaner. A flexible suction tube (not shown) joins the apparatus 6 with the suction connection 5, through which, the product to be aspirated that is produced when working with the apparatus is aspirated to the container 1 of the aspirator. A printed circuit board 9 is housed on the vacuum cleaner on which a current / power sensor 10, two pressure sensors 11, 14 and a processor 12 are seated.

A table 13 with different parameters is deposited in the processor 12 with which a filter cleaning is started in a manner that will be described later, depending on the current / power consumption of the apparatus

6.

With the current / power sensor 10 the decrease in current / power of the device 6 connected to the socket 8 is recorded as an X value. A high power / current consumption of the device 6 leads to a correspondingly high production of product to be aspirated per unit of time. This in turn leads to the filter 2 becoming stuck relatively quickly, because the product to be aspirated accumulates as it passes through the filter 2 in its

outer side

If a device 6 with a low power / current consumption is connected to the socket 8, then less product to be produced is produced when working with the device 6. Therefore, in the time unit less product to be aspirated is also aspirated, so that a dusting of filter 2 is necessary only in Intervals

greater.

The current / power consumption values recorded by the current / power sensor 10 are fed to the processor 12, which compares these values with the values deposited in table 13. For example, in this table it is deposited that with a current consumption / power of for example up to 500 watts, a filter cleaning must be carried out after ten minutes, in the case of a current / power consumption of, for example, up to 1000 watts after five minutes, and in the case of a current consumption / power of, for example, more than 2000 watt after one minute. The microprocessor 12 sends a shutdown signal to the motor 4 after the corresponding time, as well as an ignition signal to the vibrating device 7. It puts the filter 2 in vibrating motion, whereby the product to be sucked hooked on the outer side of the filter is shaken, and falls down to a collecting space of the container. Filter dusting ends automatically after a set time. Through the processor 12 the motor 4 can be started again.

It is also conceivable a combination with filter cleaning devices that allow cleaning during suction operation. The fundamental procedure remains as described above, it is not only necessary to shut down the engine 4.

In this way the filter cleaning can be performed optimally depending on the current / power consumption of the apparatus 6. The filter cleaning is only performed then when it is really necessary.

In addition, the engine speed 4 can be adapted to the connected device 6. If the current / power consumption of the device 6 is low, then when working with the device 6, less product to be aspirated is produced. Then a smaller power of the vacuum cleaner is sufficient to aspirate the product to be aspirated from the area of

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operation of the device 6. Table 13 also indicates as a parameter the number of revolutions of the motor 4 to be adjusted, depending on the current / power consumption of the connected device 6. The processor 12 adjusts the engine speed using the control according to the value supplied by the current / power sensor 10.

In a further embodiment, the filter cleaning is started taking into account the current / power consumption of the apparatus 6, as well as the pressure value determined by the pressure sensor 11. The pressure sensor 11 is provided in the vacuum cleaner so that it measures the pressure in the direction of movement behind the filter 2. The pressure value is fed to the processor 12 By means of the values supplied by the current / power sensor 10 and the sensor This pressure 11 controls the filter cleaning. In the pressure value register, the timing of the filter cleaning can be determined more precisely. Thus, not only the current / power consumption of the apparatus 6 is recorded, but also the pressure behind the filter 2 as well. The pressure behind the filter 2 is a measure for the Intensity of the binding of the filter 2. As soon as the value of pressure reaches a set value, motor 4 is turned off through processor 12, and vibrating device 7 is turned on. In table 13 deposited in processor 12, the pressure value is also deposited as a parameter depending on the current / power value, so that a filter cleaning is started only when it is really necessary. Thus, by way of example, in the case of an apparatus with a current / power consumption of, for example 500 watt, the filter cleaning is then started when the value measured by the pressure sensor 11 exceeds a limit value of for example 180 mbar. In the case of an apparatus 6, with a current / power consumption of up to 1000 watts, the filter cleaning is started upon reaching, for example, a pressure of 130 mbar. Therefore, the dusting of the filter 2 begins only then when, in the case of the respective current / power consumption, the corresponding pressure value is measured by the pressure sensor 11.

The drawing shows a further embodiment of how the pressure sensor 11 can be used. In this exemplary embodiment, the pressure sensor 11 is connected with two measuring places 15 and 16 that are located in the direction of circulation of the air stream in front of and behind the filter 2, and are formed through openings in the walls of these spaces. In this case, the pressure sensor 11 is a differential pressure sensor which, through the two measuring places 15, 16, records the pressure difference between the spaces in front of and behind the filter 2. The space in front of the filter 2 is the collecting space that is in the container 1, and in which the product to be sucked falls that adheres to the filter 2 in the cleaning process. The pressure difference is a measure for the degree of dirt of the filter 1. If it is poorly soiled, that is, if only a few particles remain to be separated on the outer side of the filter, the pressure difference is comparatively small. However, the more the filter 2 becomes clogged, the greater the pressure difference. As soon as a set limit value of the differential pressure is reached, the processor 12, to which the pressure difference value is fed, in conjunction with the current / power value supplied by the sensor 10 begins the start of the cleaning of filter, taking into account the parameters deposited in table 13.

In a further embodiment the two pressure sensors 11 and 14 are used, of which the pressure sensor 11 is connected to the measuring location 16 in the direction of current behind the filter 2, and the pressure sensor 14 at a measuring location 17 in the direction of the suction air flow in front of the filter 2. With the two pressure sensors 11, 14 it is possible to find out in the two spaces, in front of and behind the filter 2, the absolute pressure value in each case . Therefore, the intensity of the clogging of the filter 2 can be checked very precisely. The pressure values of the two pressure sensors 11, 14 are fed to the processor 12, which in turn, together with the current / power value supplied Sensor 10 starts the start of the filter cleaning, taking into account the parameters deposited in table 13.

The described embodiments of the vacuum cleaner are characterized in that a filter cleaning can be carried out very quickly with respect to the degree of clogging of the filter.

Claims (10)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 1. Vacuum cleaner with at least one motor (4), with a suction connection (5) for an appliance (6) to be connected to the vacuum cleaner, such as a tool, with at least one filter (2) and a box (8) plug for electrical appliances, to which the device (6) can be electrically connected, the vacuum cleaner presenting at least one current / power sensor (10) that records the current / power consumption of the device (6) connected to the electrical device plug box (8) and which is connected to a processor (12) which, taking into account the current / power consumption value supplied by the current / power sensor (10), supplies a signal for the beginning of the filter cleaning (2), characterized in that, in the case of an apparatus with a low current / power consumption, a filter cleaning is started at substantially greater intervals than in the case of an apparatus with a consumption of high current / power. 2. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the processor (12), by means of a table (13) stored with different parameters, generates the signal for the filter cleaning. 3. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the signal is used to adjust the motor power. 4. Vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least one pressure sensor (11) is connected to the processor (12) that records the pressure in the direction of movement behind the filter (2) and supplies to the processor (12) a corresponding pressure signal. 5. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, characterized in that the processor (12), taking into account the current / power consumption and the pressure value, generates the signal for the filter cleaning, when the pressure value in the current / power value reaches or exceeds a limit value. 6. Vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the vacuum cleaner is provided with two pressure sensors (11, 14), of which one pressure sensor (14) measures the pressure in front, and the other Pressure sensor (11) measures the pressure behind the filter (2). 7. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, characterized in that the two pressure sensors (11, 14) supply to the processor (12) the pressure values which, taking into account the current / power value, supplies the signal for the filter cleaning 8. Vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the filter (2) is connected to a device (7) for cleaning the filter (2). 9. Vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the sensors (10, 11, 14) and the processor (12) are seated on a printed circuit board (9). 10. Vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, characterized in that the printed circuit board (9) is housed in a sealed housing space (1) in front of the suction current.