duster

Abstract

Dust collector designed as a manually operable, mains-independent handheld device, comprising a continuously driven, endless dust collection element (1) mounted on a telescopic carrier (6) and running over a drive roller (4) and a circulation roller (5), the outer circumference of which can be extracted for the removal of the dust collected during dusting by means of an associated extraction device (2) containing a mains-independent motor (9), which has an extraction channel (10) associated with the dust collection element (1) and which can be acted upon by induced draft, characterized in that an air turbine wheel (14) which can be driven by the induced draft is arranged in the extraction channel (10) which the dust collection element (1) is driven by means of the induced draft, with which the dust collection element (1) is connected via a drive mechanism (18) having a reduction gear and formed at least predominantly by meshing gears (19).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a dust collection device designed as a manually handled handheld device and comprising a continuously driven, endless dust collection element designed as a dust collection belt mounted on a telescopic carrier and running over a drive roller and deflection roller, the outer circumference of which can be extracted for the removal of the dust collected during dust collection by means of an associated extraction device containing a mains-independent motor, which has an extraction channel associated with the dust collection element that can be acted upon by suction.

[0002] An arrangement of this type is known from DE 10 2016 008 346 A1. In this known arrangement, the belt-shaped dust collection element is driven by an electric motor provided in addition to the electric motor of the extraction device. This electric motor is designed as a geared motor with a slip clutch. A geared motor of this type is generally designed as a DC motor, which proves to be comparatively complex. Furthermore, such a motor is very susceptible to wear due to the brushes interacting with a commutator. Since such a motor also has a high starting torque and therefore should not be braked to zero, the slip clutch provided in the known arrangement, which is also complex and prone to wear, is absolutely necessary. Another disadvantage of the known arrangement is that a sufficient power supply must be provided for the geared motor driving the dust collection element.This can be achieved either by providing a power source parallel to the motor's power source for the dust collection device, which can increase the required complexity and weight, or by using a common power source for both motors, requiring appropriate cables and electrical connectors. If a standard handheld vacuum cleaner powered by a battery or rechargeable battery is used as the dust collection device, to which a dust collection unit can be attached as an accessory, problems can arise regarding the common power source because different devices have different electrical connectors, making universal use of the dust collection device difficult.Furthermore, rigid or flexible extensions of the extraction duct are often desirable to simplify handling, but this is also complicated by the required electrical cables and couplings in the known arrangement. The known arrangement therefore proves to be not simple, trouble-free, or universally applicable enough.

[0003] CN104605789A depicts a vacuum cleaner with a brush belt featuring an endless brush belt made of flexible material, running over a drive roller and a deflection roller. The brush belt is stretched over rollers spaced at fixed intervals and is driven by a turbine wheel located in the suction line. This turbine wheel is connected to the drive roller via a toothed belt and reduction gear. The brush belt consists of an elastic support belt with bristles or nubs and therefore cannot collect dust. Consequently, it is unsuitable for dusting dusty surfaces. Furthermore, the closely spaced rollers of the belt make it relatively short, further hindering the effectiveness of dusting dusty surfaces.

[0004] DE 10 2017 209 154 A1 also shows only a vacuum cleaner, here in the form of a handheld vacuum cleaner, which also does not contain a dust collection device for dusting dusty surfaces.

[0005] Based on this, the object of the present invention is therefore to improve the generic arrangement while avoiding its disadvantages in such a way as to achieve not only a simple and cost-effective design, but also a high degree of reliability and universal applicability.

[0006] This problem is solved according to the invention by arranging an air turbine wheel, which can be driven by the induced draft, in a dust collection device of the generic type, with which the dust collection element is connected via a drive mechanism having a reduction gear, at least predominantly formed by meshing gears.

[0007] These measures solve the problem according to the invention in a highly simple and cost-effective manner. To implement the measures according to the invention, only a relatively small number of simple components are required, which can be manufactured cost-effectively as plastic parts. The air turbine wheel forms an air motor that can be easily braked to a standstill and restarts automatically when the load is removed. A slip clutch can therefore be advantageously omitted. Furthermore, the aforementioned air motor does not require an electrical connection, thus eliminating the need for electrical couplings and cables, enabling combination with any cordless handheld vacuum cleaner and ensuring universal applicability.

[0008] An air turbine wheel arranged in an extraction duct and driven by the suction force is known in the vacuum cleaner industry, e.g., for driving a rotating, cylindrical brush, where a toothed belt is used as the drive connection. However, such an arrangement requires a comparatively high torque, which is achievable with normal, mains-powered electric motors, but not with motors powered by a battery or accumulator. The known arrangement is therefore unsuitable for driving the advantageously belt-shaped dust collection element of the arrangement according to the invention.

[0009] Advantageous designs and appropriate further developments of the overarching measures are specified in the subclaims.

[0010] The low-friction transmission of the combination according to the invention can thus advantageously have a higher reduction ratio than 1:25, preferably in the range of 1:25 to 1:50 and particularly preferably 1:38. With such a reduction ratio, the desired smooth operation is achieved, so that overloading of the air motor formed by the air turbine wheel is prevented.

[0011] A further advantage is that the smooth-running transmission can be designed as a multi-stage gear drive, allowing for particularly smooth operation at the desired gear ratio. In addition, it is possible to manufacture the gear drive components from self-lubricating plastic parts, which are therefore less prone to wear.

[0012] To regulate the airflow driving the air turbine wheel, and thus the resulting rotational speed, a bypass leading past the air turbine wheel can be advantageously provided in the area of ​​the extraction duct upstream of the air turbine wheel. This allows for easy adjustment of the rotational speed of the dust collection device to the conditions encountered during extraction.

[0013] Another advantageous measure is to provide the low-speed transmission with a gearbox that laterally flanks and connects the end section of the extraction duct associated with the air turbine wheel and the end section of a support that accommodates the dust collection element, which is advantageously designed as a dust collection belt running over a drive roller and a deflection roller. This support is enclosed by the dust collection element. This advantageously results in a single unit containing the dust collection element and its associated drive mechanism. Since the gearbox is only located on one side, a simple changeover to the other side is possible. This results in a clear and logical design.This unit can be permanently attached to a battery-powered handheld vacuum cleaner or detachably connected, whereby in the attachable design the attachable unit can simply form an accessory for an existing handheld vacuum cleaner.

[0014] In the attachable design, the handheld vacuum cleaner, which, as mentioned above, can also be an existing handheld vacuum cleaner, can be conveniently connected to the unit containing the air turbine wheel by means of intermediate, flexible or rigid extensions. This allows for particularly easy handling, as the operator can grasp the vacuum cleaner with one hand and the unit containing the dust collection element with the other. For this purpose, the housing associated with the air turbine wheel can conveniently have a handle, preferably integrated into the attachment point.

[0015] Further advantageous designs and appropriate developments of the overarching measures will result from the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawing.

[0016] The drawing described below shows: Fig. 1 a schematic side view of a dusting device according to the invention, partially in section and Fig. 2 a cut along line II / II) in Fig. 1.

[0017] The dusting device shown in the drawing is a manually operated, cordless handheld unit. It therefore does not have a mains connection but is designed as a battery-powered, battery-operated device. This makes it particularly suitable for dusting larger surfaces, especially in the home, such as bookshelves, cabinets, etc.

[0018] The dust collection device shown includes a dust collection element 1 that can be brought into contact with the surface to be dusted. This element can collect the dust like a feather duster and is provided with suitable fibers, indicated in the drawing. The dust collection device also includes a suction device 2 associated with the dust collection element 1, which extracts and collects the dust stored on the dust collection element 1. The dust collection element 1 has a continuously rotating working surface and is movable in the circumferential direction by a motor. Dust collection and release can be supported by electrostatic charging and discharging, for example, simply by having the rotating dust collection belt forming the dust collection element 1 act like a belt generator. By selecting suitable friction materials, the belt is charged upon exiting the outlet slot 11 and discharged upon entering the outlet slot by means of the opposite polarity.

[0019] The dust collection device 1 can, as in the illustrated example, include an endlessly circulating belt 3, which is designed as a textile belt with organic and / or inorganic fibers for dust collection and runs over two spaced-apart rollers 4, 5, preferably made of rubber, which are rotatably mounted on an elongated support 6. One of the rollers, here the rear roller 4, is designed as a drive roller, to which a drive device is assigned in order to move the belt 3 in the direction of arrow v for the extraction of the collected dust. The other roller 5 merely functions as a deflection roller. The two rollers 4, 5 can be provided with a circumferential groove for guiding the belt 3, into which a rib provided on the inside of the belt 3 can engage. The support 6, which accommodates the two rollers 4, 5, can be designed to be telescopically extendable to achieve the desired tension of the belt 3 and can be provided with a suitable tension spring 7.

[0020] The extraction device 2, which is associated with the dust collection element 1 and functions as a dust removal device, expediently includes a handheld vacuum cleaner 8 with a mains-independent, battery-powered motor 9. The extraction device 2 also includes an extraction channel 10 connected to the handheld vacuum cleaner 8 on the suction side. This channel is subjected to suction by the handheld vacuum cleaner 8, and the rotating dust collection element 1, with its end section deflected by the rear roller 4, passes through the expediently slotted inlet 11 of the extraction channel to extract the accumulated dust. The extracted dust is expediently collected in a dust container 12 of the handheld vacuum cleaner 8 and emptied periodically.

[0021] According to the invention, the suction force generated by the handheld vacuum cleaner 8 in the suction channel 10 is used to drive the ribbon-shaped dust collection element 1. For this purpose, the suction channel 10 is advantageously provided in the area next to its inlet slot 11 with a housing-like extension 13 in which an air turbine wheel 14, driven by the suction force, is rotatably mounted. Downstream of the extension 13 associated with the air turbine wheel 14, the suction channel 10 can be designed as a handle 15 and connected to the handheld vacuum cleaner 8, which may be equipped with a further handle 16. The handheld vacuum cleaner 8 can be permanently attached to the area of ​​the suction channel 10 containing the extension 13. However, a detachable design would also be conceivable, in which intermediate, flexible or rigid components are advantageously provided. Fig. 1. Extension pieces 17, indicated by broken lines, could be provided.

[0022] The air turbine wheel 14, driven by the suction fan, is connected to the dust collection element 1 via a reduction gear 18. This reduction gear can advantageously be formed, at least predominantly, by meshing gears 19. The reduction gear 18 is so smooth-running, i.e., has so little internal resistance, that the torque generated at the air turbine wheel 14 by the battery-powered handheld vacuum cleaner 8 is sufficient to drive the dust collection element 1 at the desired speed. This speed can be relatively low, advantageously less than 1 m / sec, preferably 0.5 m / sec. To regulate the speed, the suction duct 8 can have an advantageously adjustable bypass that bypasses the air turbine wheel 14.

[0023] To form the smooth-running transmission 18, as already mentioned, it is predominantly composed of interlocking gears and is designed as a reduction gear. In the illustrated example, the smooth-running transmission 18 is advantageously designed as a multi-stage gear transmission. It would also be conceivable for one stage of the multi-stage smooth-running transmission to have a different smooth-running gear type, e.g., a worm drive or belt drive. The reduction ratio of the smooth-running transmission 18 is expediently greater than 1:25 and can advantageously be in the range of 1:25 to 1:50. A particularly preferred, empirically determined value is 1:38. The meshing parts of the smooth-running transmission, here the gears 19, are expediently designed as plastic parts, so that self-lubrication and thus a high degree of maintenance-free operation are advantageously achieved.

[0024] The support 6, which accommodates the dust collection element 1, and at least the area of ​​the extension 13 of the extraction duct 10 associated with the air turbine wheel 14 are rigidly connected to one another. In the illustrated example, a gearbox 20 associated with the smooth-running transmission 18 is provided for this purpose. This gearbox is laterally attached to the rear area of ​​the support 6, which contains the bearing for the rear roller 4, and to the area of ​​the extraction duct 10 containing the extension 13, thus forming a rigid connection between these components. In a version with a detachably attachable vacuum cleaner 8, this results in a unit containing the dust collection element 1, the air turbine wheel 14, and the intermediate smooth-running transmission 18, which can be detachably connected to the handheld vacuum cleaner 8 and is uniformly manipulated.In a version with a flexible connection of the handheld vacuum cleaner 8 to the extension 13 of the suction duct 10 associated with the air turbine wheel 14, an operator can manipulate the entire assembly formed by the section of the suction duct 10 containing the extension 13 and the dust collection element 1 connected thereto with one hand using the handle 15, and carry the flexibly connected handheld vacuum cleaner 8 with the other hand using the handle 16. In a version with a fixed connection of the handheld vacuum cleaner 8, two-handed operation is possible using the handles 15 and 16.

Claims

[1] Dusting device which is designed as a manually operable, mains-independent hand-held device and has a rotating, endless dust collecting element (1) designed as a dust collecting belt (3) mounted on a telescopic support (6) and running over a drive roller (4) and a revolving roller (5), the outer circumference of which can be sucked away to remove the dust collected during dusting by means of an associated suction device (2) containing a mains-independent motor (9), which has a suction channel (10) associated with the dust collecting element (1) and which can be subjected to suction, characterized by that in the suction duct (10) which can be acted upon by suction, there is arranged an air turbine wheel (14) which can be driven by means of the suction, and to which the dust collecting member (1) is drivingly connected via a smooth gearing (18) which has a reduction and is formed at least predominantly by intermeshing gear wheels (19). [2] Dusting device according to claim 1, characterized by that the smooth-running gear (18) has a reduction ratio greater than 1:

25. [3] Dusting device according to claim 2, characterized by that the smooth-running transmission (18) has a reduction ratio in the range of 1:25 to 1:50, preferably 1:

38. [4] Dusting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the smooth-running transmission (18) is designed as a multi-stage gear transmission. [5] Dusting device according to claim 4, characterized by that the parts of the gear transmission forming the smooth-running transmission (18) are designed as plastic parts. [6] Dusting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by that the suction channel (10) has an adjustable bypass leading past the air turbine wheel (14). [7] Dusting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized bythat the smooth-running transmission (18) is assigned a transmission box (20) which laterally flanks and connects the end region of the suction duct (10) assigned to the air turbine wheel (14) and the end region of a support (6) facing the latter and receiving the dust collecting member (1). [8] Dusting device according to claim 7, characterized by that the suction channel (10) is attached or attachable downstream of the air turbine wheel (14) to a hand-held vacuum cleaner (8) provided with a rechargeable or battery-operated motor (9). [9] Dusting device according to claim 8, characterized by that the end region of the suction channel (10) associated with the air turbine wheel (14) and the hand-held vacuum cleaner (8) attachable thereto can be connected to one another by means of intermediate, flexible and / or rigid extensions (17). [10] Dusting device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized bythat the suction channel (10) downstream of the air turbine wheel (14) is designed as a handle (15).

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