SEPARATION SYSTEM WITH AN ENLARGED FILTER SURFACE

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a separation system for a suction device, wherein the separation system comprises a filter unit for filtering the suction air flow of the suction device with the largest possible filter area.

[0002] A suction device typically has a suction nozzle through which contaminants, particularly dust particles, are sucked up from a surface to be cleaned by means of an air stream. The air stream can be generated by a fan. The contaminants can be removed from the air stream by means of a separator or a separation system and collected in a collection area.

[0003] A separation system typically has a tangential inlet to the inner wall of the collection area to form a vortex pre-separator. The filter unit (e.g., with a sieve and a lamella filter or with a microfilter-foam combination) forms a cylinder or cone inside the separator. The effective area of ​​the filter unit, in particular the sieve of the filter unit, is relatively small due to its location in the center of the collection area. As a result, the suction power of the suction device usually decreases relatively sharply with increasing operating time and with increasing contamination of the filter unit. DE 10 2019 103 014 A1 describes a suction container with bellows for emptying the suction container. EP 2 769 658 B1 describes a dust collection container with a coarse dirt separator. EP 2 679 132 A2 describes a vacuum cleaner having multiple frame structures for supporting an air filter.

[0004] This document addresses the technical task of providing a separation system that continues to provide a relatively high suction power even after a relatively long period of operation and yet shows no limitations with regard to the absorption of coarse dirt.

[0005] The object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent patent claim. Advantageous embodiments are defined in particular in the dependent patent claims, described in the following description, or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0006] According to one aspect of the invention, a separation system for a suction device (e.g., for a vacuum cleaner and / or for a robotic vacuum cleaner) is described. The separation system comprises a (circular) cylindrical housing with a housing wall. The housing wall can form the outer surface of the cylindrical housing. The housing wall can thus extend (optionally at a uniform distance) around a longitudinal or vertical axis of the housing. Furthermore, the housing can comprise one or more covers, in particular flaps, with which the housing wall can be covered at the respective end face or end surface in order to form a closed housing. Furthermore, a fan can be arranged on one end face of the housing and is designed to cause a suction air flow through the separation system. The suction air flow can, in particular, extend from a suction mouth of the suction device through the separation system to the fan.

[0007] The separation system comprises an air filter arranged around the central longitudinal axis of the housing. The air filter can comprise a louvre filter and / or a cartridge filter and / or a fine dust filter. Alternatively or additionally, the air filter can be designed as a HEPA (High-Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. The air filter can be (circularly) cylindrical.

[0008] The separation system further comprises a screen component arranged in the housing. The screen component can comprise a mesh frame supporting a flat screen material. The screen component can be designed to filter relatively coarse contaminants from the intake air stream upstream of the air filter. For this purpose, the screen material has a specific pore size and / or mesh width. By providing a screen component for pre-filtering the intake air stream, rapid clogging of the air filter can be reliably prevented.

[0009] The screen component has a screen cylinder arranged around the longitudinal axis, which encloses the air filter. The screen cylinder can be designed as a hollow cylinder in which the air filter is located. The screen component with the screen cylinder can be designed such that a suction air flow first passes through the screen component and only then through the air filter.

[0010] The separation system also includes a collection area for contaminants arranged between the screen cylinder and the housing wall. At least part of the boundary or border of the collection area is formed by the screen cylinder. In particular, the screen cylinder can form at least one wall of the collection area. Contaminants from the suction air stream that are too large to pass through the screen material can be collected in the collection area.

[0011] Furthermore, the separation system comprises an inlet channel designed to direct a (suction) air stream containing contaminants from outside the housing (in particular from the suction mouth of the suction device) into the collection area. For this purpose, the housing wall may have an opening through which the inlet channel extends. The inlet channel may be arranged tangentially to a wall of the collection area in such a way that a cyclone-like and / or helical air stream is formed in the collection area around the longitudinal axis, in particular around the sieve cylinder. This allows for particularly reliable separation of contaminants from the air stream.

[0012] The separation system can be configured to direct the air flow (which has entered the collection area via the inlet duct) from the collection area, first through the screen component, and then through the air filter. From the air filter, the (filtered) air flow can then be directed (along the longitudinal axis) to the fan of the suction device. This ensures reliable cleaning of the suction air flow.

[0013] The sieve component is preferably designed to cover at least 40% or at least 50% of the surface of the collection area. This allows for a sieve component with a particularly large effective area. This enables a consistently high suction power of a suction device (even after a prolonged period of operation).

[0014] Providing a sieve component that covers the largest possible portion of the collection area's surface area can be achieved by selecting the largest possible diameter of the sieve cylinder (while maintaining the same diameter of the housing wall). For example, the housing wall can have a specific housing diameter perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and the sieve cylinder can have a specific cylinder diameter perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The cylinder diameter can be selected to be so large that the cylinder diameter is ¾ or more of the housing diameter. This efficiently ensures that the sieve component covers the largest possible portion of the collection area's surface area.

[0015] Alternatively or additionally, the sieve component can comprise an additional sieve part (e.g., a sieve extension and / or an additional sieve basket) that covers a further portion of the surface of the collection area in addition to the sieve cylinder. Thus, one or more extensions can be arranged on the sieve cylinder to increase the degree of coverage of the surface of the collection area. This allows the effective area of ​​the sieve component to be efficiently increased.

[0016] The sieve component can, in particular, comprise a conical sieve extension that adjoins the sieve cylinder along the longitudinal axis of the housing (and extends, for example, to the lower end face or to the bottom of the housing). The conical sieve extension can taper with increasing distance from the sieve cylinder (so that the collection area widens toward the bottom of the housing). By providing a sieve extension at at least one end of the sieve cylinder, the effective area of ​​the sieve component can be efficiently increased.

[0017] The sieve component can comprise a sieve basket arranged around the sieve cylinder, which covers at least a portion of the housing wall. The sieve component can then be shaped like a baking pan or a torus. In particular, the sieve component can comprise a lower sieve basket, which is arranged at the bottom during operation of the separation system and which covers a lower portion of the housing wall. Alternatively or additionally, the sieve component can comprise an upper sieve basket, which is arranged at the top during operation of the separation system and which covers an upper portion of the housing wall. In combination, the sieve component can thus comprise a complete sieve basket that covers the entire housing wall. By providing at least one sieve basket that runs annularly around the sieve cylinder, the effective area of ​​the sieve component can be further increased in a particularly efficient manner.

[0018] The one or more sieve baskets can be designed such that a gap (e.g. between 1 and 2 mm) is formed between the respective sieve basket and the housing wall, which gap is designed to guide the air flow passing through the sieve surface or through the sieve material of the sieve basket (and thus sieved) along the housing wall (i.e. along the inside of the housing wall) to the air filter. Furthermore, the separation system can in particular be designed such that the air flow passing through the sieve surface of the sieve basket is guided to the air filter without passing through (any) sieve surface of the sieve component again. In this way, a reliable air flow can be achieved through the additional effective surface of the sieve component. In particular, the effective surface of the sieve component can thus be increased in a particularly reliable manner.

[0019] At least one (particularly the upper) strainer basket may include an opening for the inlet duct. The inlet duct may then be routed through the housing wall and through the opening in the strainer basket to direct the suction airflow into the collection area.

[0020] The sieve basket can be made of a sieve material with a smaller pore size and / or mesh size than the sieve cylinder. This allows for reliable redistribution of the airflow, enabling high suction performance even after a relatively long period of operation (when the sieve cylinder is already clogged).

[0021] The sieve component (e.g., the sieve cylinder and one or more sieve baskets) can be constructed in multiple parts, allowing the sieve component to be separated into several parts at at least one separation point for emptying the collection area. If necessary, at least part of the sieve component can remain inside the housing of the separation system. This allows for convenient emptying of the collection area.

[0022] In a preferred example, the screen component is configured (e.g., by using a complete screen basket) such that the screen component essentially completely encloses the collection area (apart from the opening in the screen component for the inlet channel). This allows for a maximum effective area of ​​the screen component to be provided.

[0023] The sieve cylinder can be designed (conically) such that its cross-section tapers along its longitudinal axis toward the bottom of the housing, which is located at the bottom during operation of the separation system. This allows the volume of the collection area to be efficiently increased (without significantly reducing the effective area).

[0024] As already explained above, the housing can comprise a cover, in particular a flap, which covers the housing wall, in particular on the top or bottom of the housing. The separation system can be designed such that the air filter and / or at least part of the sieve component can be removed from the housing together with the cover. The air filter and / or at least part of the sieve component can be attached to the cover. This allows for particularly convenient emptying of the collection container and / or cleaning of the air filter and / or the sieve component.

[0025] The sieve component can comprise an inner sieve part that extends from a (lower) edge, in particular from a lower (annular) support frame, of the sieve cylinder along the longitudinal axis into the cavity enclosed by the sieve cylinder. The inner sieve part can be conical. In particular, the inner sieve part can taper from the edge of the sieve cylinder along the longitudinal axis with increasing distance from the edge (and thus have a tip at the uppermost point). The air filter can then be arranged in the cavity formed by the sieve surface of the sieve cylinder and the sieve surface of the inner sieve part.

[0026] The separation system can be configured to direct a first portion of the (contaminated) airflow from the collection area through the screen cylinder and a separate second portion of the (contaminated) airflow from the collection area through the inner screen part to the air filter. This allows the proportion of the screen area to be increased in an efficient and reliable manner.

[0027] The inner sieve part can be designed such that it can be pulled out of the cavity enclosed by the sieve cylinder, and in particular, turned inside out. This allows for convenient cleaning of the inner sieve part.

[0028] The sieve component may comprise a rod which is connected (and attached) to the inner sieve part, in particular to the tip of the inner sieve part, and which extends in the cavity enclosed by the sieve cylinder (on the side of the inner sieve part facing the collection area) along the longitudinal axis towards the edge of the sieve cylinder (and preferably extends beyond the edge of the sieve cylinder).

[0029] The sieve component can then be designed in such a way that by pulling on the rod the inner sieve part can be pulled out of the cavity enclosed by the sieve cylinder (in order to clean the inner sieve part).

[0030] The end of the rod facing away from the inner sieve part can be releasably attached to the housing of the separation system, in particular to the bottom of the housing, so that the inner sieve part is pulled out of the cavity enclosed by the sieve cylinder when the sieve component is removed from the housing of the separation system. Furthermore, the rod can be designed such that the rod forms a support for clamping the inner sieve part when the sieve component is located in the housing of the separation system. This enables particularly reliable and convenient operation of the separation system.

[0031] According to a further aspect, a separation system for a suction device is described. The features described in this document are also applicable to this separation system, either alone or in combination. The separation system comprises a cylindrical housing with a housing wall, and an air filter arranged around the central longitudinal axis of the housing. Furthermore, the separation system comprises a sieve component arranged in the housing, wherein the sieve component comprises a sieve cylinder arranged around the longitudinal axis, which encloses the air filter. The separation system also comprises a collection area for contaminants arranged between the sieve cylinder and the housing wall. The sieve component comprises at least one additional sieve part which, in addition to the sieve cylinder, covers another part of the surface of the collection area.

[0032] According to a further aspect, a suction device (e.g. a vacuum cleaner or a robot vacuum cleaner) is described which comprises the separation system described in this document.

[0033] According to another aspect, a screen component is described that is configured for use in a separation system (configured as described in this document). The screen component may include one or more of the features described in this document (alone or in combination).

[0034] The sieve component can, in particular, comprise a sieve cylinder arranged around the longitudinal axis of the sieve component, which is configured to enclose an air filter of the separation system. The sieve cylinder can be configured to cover a portion of the surface of the collection area for contaminants of the separation system. Furthermore, the sieve component can comprise an additional sieve part (e.g., a sieve extension, a sieve basket, and / or an inner sieve part) configured to cover a further portion of the surface of the collection area in addition to the sieve cylinder (and thus increase the proportion of the surface of the collection area covered by sieve area).

[0035] The sieve component can be designed to allow an air flow from the collection area through the sieve component to the air filter (in particular such that at least a part of the (contaminated) air flow flows through the sieve cylinder and at least another part of the (contaminated) air flow flows through the additional sieve part to the air filter).

[0036] It should be noted that any aspects of the system described in this document can be combined in a variety of ways. In particular, the features of the patent claims can be combined in a variety of ways.

[0037] The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0038] Showing: Figures 1a and 1b show different views of an exemplary separation system; Figures 2a and 2b show different views of a separation system with an enlarged filter unit; Figures 3a and 3b show different views of a separation system with a conical filter unit; Figures 4a and 4b show different views of a separation system with a beveled filter wall; Figures 5a to 5c show different views of a separation system with a screen component having an outer screen basket; Figures 5d and 5e show different views of the screen component of the separation system from the Figures 5a to 5c ; Figures 6a to 6c show different views of another separation system with a screen component having an outer basket; Figures 6d and 6e show different views of the screen component of the separation system from the Figures 6a to 6c; Figures 7a and 7b show different views of a separation system with a screen component having a closed outer basket; Figures 7c and 7d show different views of the screen component of the separation system from the Figures 7a and 7b ; and Figures 8a and 8d show different views of a sieve component with an internal sieve part.

[0039] As stated at the beginning, this document addresses the issue of enabling a high suction performance of a separation system even after a relatively long operating period. This can be achieved, in particular, by increasing the effective area of ​​the separation system's filter unit, particularly the filter unit's sieve.

[0040] Fig. 1ashows an exemplary separation system 100 with a housing wall 101 enclosing a collection area 105 for sucked-up contaminants 124. The housing wall 101 can be circular and / or cylindrical. An inlet channel 102 is arranged on the housing wall 101, through which an air stream 121 containing contaminants 124 can be directed into the collection area 105. The inlet channel 102 can run tangentially to the housing wall 101, so that a cyclone-like and / or helical air stream 121 is formed in the collection area 105 around the longitudinal axis 109 of the separation system 100.

[0041] Relatively heavy and / or large contaminants 124 in the air stream 121 remain in the collection area 105. The collection area 105 may have a separation rib 106, which divides the collection area 105 into a first (upper) part and a second (lower) part. The separation rib 106 may cause the separated contaminants 124 to remain in the second (lower) part of the collection area 105.

[0042] The collection area 105 encloses a (cylindrical) filter unit 103, 104. In particular, the collection area 105 can have the shape of a hollow cylinder, wherein the collection area 105 is formed by the outer surface of the hollow cylinder. The filter unit 103, 104 is then arranged in the cavity of the hollow cylinder.

[0043] The air flow through the separation system 100 can be such that the air flow 121 containing the contaminants 124 enters the collection area 105 via the inlet channel 102. The air flow 121, 122 then passes through the filter unit 103, 104 and exits again as a filtered air flow 123 in the center of the filter unit 103, 104 or in the center of the separation system 100. The filtered air flow 123 can run along the longitudinal axis 109 to a fan (not shown) of the suction device, with the suction air flow 121, 122, 123 being generated by the fan.

[0044] The filter unit 103, 104 may comprise a sieve, in particular a sieve cylinder, 103, which directly adjoins the collection area 105 and thus forms an inner wall of the collection area 105. The sieve 103 is designed to retain relatively large contaminants 124 in the collection area 105. The sieve 103 may enclose an air filter 104 (e.g., a lamella or cartridge filter), wherein the air filter 104 may be configured to filter relatively small particles, in particular (fine) dust, from the (already sieved) air stream 122. Due to the lamella structure, the air filter 104 typically has a relatively large effective area compared to the effective area of ​​the sieve 103 (e.g., larger by a factor of 10). As a result, the suction power of a suction device can be impaired, in particular due to relatively rapid contamination of the relatively small effective surface of the sieve 103.

[0045] The effective area of ​​the sieve 103 can be increased in particular by increasing the diameter of the filter unit 103, 104, in particular of the sieve 103, perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 109. This is exemplified in the Figures 2a and 2b The Figures 2a and 2b The filter unit 103, 104 shown has a diameter of ¾ or more of the diameter of the housing wall 101 or the collecting area 105.

[0046] Alternatively or additionally, the size of the separation rib 106 can be reduced, or the separation rib 106 can be omitted entirely, resulting in a reduced or no separation of the second (lower) part of the collection area 105 from the first (upper) part of the collection area 105. The sieve 103 can then be extended along the longitudinal axis 109 to the second part of the collection area 105, so that the air flow 121, 122 can also enter the filter unit 103, 104 through the sieve 103 in the second part of the collection area 105. This further increases the effective area of ​​the sieve 103. Furthermore, this simplifies the emptying of the collection area 105, since separate emptying zones are no longer formed by the separation rib 106 (above and below the separation rib 106). Furthermore, the enlarged screen area has a positive effect on the dust loading curve of the separation system 100.

[0047] Figures 3a and 3bshow an exemplary separation system 100 that has a collection area 105 without a separation rib 106, in order to be able to extend the sieve 103 into the lower part of the collection area 105 (which is also possible in principle with a (reduced) separation rib 106). Furthermore, the sieve 103 can have a conical shape, with the diameter of the sieve 103 decreasing from top to bottom. This allows the volume of the collection area 105 to be further increased.

[0048] The Figures 4a and 4b The sieve 103 shown has a conical sieve extension 403 in the lower part of the collection area 105 in order to increase the effective area of ​​the sieve 103. Furthermore, the collection volume of the collection area 105 can be increased by the inclined shape of the sieve surface.

[0049] The filter unit 103, 104 can thus have a sieve, in particular a sieve cylinder, 103, which is arranged in the center of the collection area 105 and which encloses an air filter 104. The collection area 105 is thus delimited by the sieve 103 arranged in the center and by the housing wall 101. A further enlargement of the effective surface area of ​​the sieve 103 can be achieved by increasing the proportion of the sieve surface area that serves to delimit the collection area 105. Conversely, the proportion of the housing wall 101 by which the collection area 105 is delimited can be reduced.

[0050] Figures 5a to 5eshow an exemplary sieve component 500 which, in addition to an internal sieve 103, has a sieve basket 503 which runs along the housing wall 101 in the lower part of the collection area 105, so that the collection area 105 is no longer delimited in this area by the housing wall 101, but rather by the sieve basket 503. The sieve component 500 then has approximately the shape of a Bundt cake pan. The sieve component 500 is adapted to the shape of the housing wall 101 in such a way that the upper edge 505 of the sieve basket 503 rests against the housing wall 101 and prevents air and / or contaminants from flowing past the sieve component 500 to the air filter 104. Preferably, the seal between the upper edge 505 of the sieve basket 503 and the housing wall 101 has a permeability that corresponds at most to the hole width of the sieve 103.Furthermore, the sieve component 500 is shaped such that between the outer side of the sieve basket 503 facing the housing wall 101 and the housing wall 101 there is a gap 504 through which the air flow 122, after passing through the sieve surface of the sieve basket 503, flows along the housing wall 101 (see arrows in . Fig. 5b ) reaches the air filter 104.

[0051] In a complementary way, the Figures 6a to 6e a strainer component 500 with an upper strainer basket 603, which extends in the upper part of the collection area 105 along the housing wall 101 and thus increases the portion of the collection area 105 that is delimited by the strainer component 500. The upper strainer basket 603 has a seal on the edge 505, which presses against the housing wall 101. Furthermore, a gap 504 is formed between the strainer basket 603 and the housing wall 101, through which the air flow 122 reaches the air filter 104. The upper strainer basket 603 can, as in Fig. 6eshown, have an opening or aperture 602 through which the inlet channel 102 for the air flow 121 can be guided.

[0052] Figures 7a to 7d show an exemplary sieve component 500 with a lower sieve basket 503 and an upper sieve basket 603. The upper edge 505 of the lower sieve basket 503 and the lower edge 505 of the upper sieve basket 603 can be detachably connected to one another at a connection or separation point 701. The sieve component 500 can be designed such that the upper sieve basket 603 can be separated from the lower sieve basket 503 for cleaning or emptying the collection area 105. By means of the Figures 7a to 7d The sieve component 500 shown can be used to delimit the entire collection area 105 by the sieve surface. This allows for a particularly large effective area of ​​the sieve component 500.

[0053] As already explained above, the cartridge filter surfaces are usually approximately 10 times larger than the open screen surface of the screen component 500 of a separation system 100. In particular, an increase in the screen surface can improve the dust loading of the separation system 100. This document describes measures for increasing the filter surface, in particular the screen surface, of a filter unit 103, 104 without changing the filling volume and / or the geometry and / or the connection dimensions of the separation system 100. This makes it possible to install the separation system 100 into existing suction devices.

[0054] This document describes different variants of a sieve component 500 attached to the inner surfaces of the collection area 105. The sieve component 500 has a grid frame on which a sieve with a defined mesh size is attached. The distance between the sieve component 500 and the housing wall 101 is as small as possible to maintain the volume of the collection area 105. On the other hand, the gap 504 between the sieve component 500 and the housing wall 100 is sufficiently large to allow an air flow 122 with relatively small (dust) particles. For example, the free distance between the sieve component 500 and the housing wall 100 can be between 1 and 2 mm.

[0055] The side of the grid frame of the screen component 500 facing the filtrate or the collection area 105 is designed to be as flow-smooth as possible. This can be achieved, for example, by having stiffening ribs of the grid frame on the side facing the housing wall 101 and / or by arranging the screen material on the side facing the filtrate or the collection area 105, so that the grid ribs and the screen material form a smooth surface.

[0056] The additional screening surface on the one or more screen baskets 503, 603, together with the central screen 103, is arranged upstream of the air filter 104. The air flow 122 screened by a screen basket 503, 603 passes through the gap 504 to the air filter 104.

[0057] Preferably, the screen surface of the one or more screen baskets 503, 603 has a finer mesh material than the inner and / or central screen 103 (i.e., than the screen cylinder 103). This makes it possible to avoid the need for additional cleaning of the screen baskets 503, 603 and / or the blockage of the gap 503 between a screen basket 503, 603 and the housing wall 101. Furthermore, accelerated clogging of the air filter 103 due to the additional effective surface of the screen component 500 can be avoided.

[0058] At least one sieve basket 503, 603 can optionally be firmly connected to the housing wall 101, so that the sieve basket 503, 603 remains on the housing wall 101 when the collection area 105 is emptied. This avoids an increase in cleaning effort due to the additional effective surface. The sieve component 500 can therefore be designed such that the sieve cylinder 103 can be separated from at least one sieve basket 503, 603 to enable emptying of the collection area 105. The separation point can, for example, comprise a rib guided in a U-profile. In particular, the separation point can comprise a seal that corresponds at least to the mesh size of the sieve material.

[0059] As in connection with the Figures 2a and 2b As explained, a screen extension can be made towards the separation area 105 in order to increase the effective area of ​​the screen component 500. A straight screen cylinder 103 with or without a separation rib 106 can be used.

[0060] Alternatively or additionally, a lower sieve extension 403 of the sieve cylinder 103 can be provided. The sieve extension 403 can have a conical shape extending from the sieve cylinder 103, e.g., so that the sieve extension 403, together with the sieve cylinder 103, has the shape of a pencil. The sieve extension 403 can be firmly connected to the sieve cylinder 103 (e.g., as a single piece) and can thus be pulled out of the collection area 105, together with the sieve cylinder 103, for cleaning if necessary. Alternatively, the sieve extension 403 can be connected to the housing wall 101, so that the sieve extension 403 remains in the collection area 105 when the collection area 105 is emptied. The sieve cylinder 103 and the sieve extension 403 can thus be formed in two parts.

[0061] The dirt filling volume of the collection area 105 can be increased by means of a conical, lower sieve extension 403.

[0062] Alternatively or additionally, the sieve component 500 can have, in addition to the sieve cylinder 103 (and optionally the sieve extension 403), a lower outer sieve basket 503 and / or an upper outer sieve basket 603. The sieve component 500 can be configured to remain in the housing of the separation system 100 (so that only the air filter 104 is removed, optionally together with the housing cover). Alternatively, it can be possible to remove the sieve cylinder 103 together with the housing cover. Optionally, the upper sieve basket 603 can be firmly connected to the housing cover.

[0063] In a sieve component 500 with a complete sieve basket 503, 603, the inner sieve section 103 and the upper sieve basket 603 can be pulled out together with the lid and the air filter 104 during emptying. The lower sieve basket 503 can then remain in the housing. Alternatively, only the upper sieve section 603 can be pulled out together with the lid and the air filter 104, and the lower basket section 503 and the inner sieve cylinder 503 can remain in the housing.

[0064] If necessary, the housing of the separation system 100 may have a flap or lid on the underside that can be opened to empty the collection area 105. The sieve component 500 may then be designed in several parts such that the lower sieve basket 503 opens together with the flap or lid.

[0065] As already explained above, a separation rib 106 in the collection area 105 can be shortened or omitted entirely. This improves the filling behavior of the collection area 105 and facilitates the emptying of the collection area 105. The shortening of the separation rib 106 is made possible by the increased air flow 121 resulting from the enlarged effective area of ​​the filter unit 103, 104.

[0066] In the Figures 8a to 8d a separation system 100 with a sieve component 500 is described, which has an inner sieve part 803 enclosed by the sieve cylinder 103. Figures 8a to 8c show the separation system 100 and the sieve component 500 in a side view. Fig. 8d shows a section through the sieve component 500 transverse to the longitudinal axis 109.

[0067] The inner sieve part 803 can extend from the lower support frame 811 into the cavity enclosed by the sieve cylinder 103. The inner sieve part 803 can, for example, have a conical shape. The air filter 104 can then be arranged in the remaining cavity between the sieve surface of the inner sieve part 803 and the sieve surface of the sieve cylinder 103. The collection area 105 can be delimited by the housing wall 101 and by the sieve surface of the sieve component 500, i.e., the sieve cylinder 103 and the inner sieve part 803.

[0068] In Fig. 8aThe course of the air flow 121, 122, 123 through the separation system 100 is shown as an example. The contaminated air flow 121 enters the collection area 105 via the inlet channel 102 and passes through the sieve cylinder 103 and through the inner sieve part 803 to the air filter 104. The air flow 121, 122 passing through the inner sieve part 803 can be guided along a channel (not shown) between the inner sieve part 803 and the air filter 104 into the space between the sieve cylinder 103 and the air filter 104 (as indicated by the arrows in the left part of the separation system 100 in Fig. 8a shown). In addition to the screen surface of the screen cylinder 103, the air stream 121, 122 thus has access to the screen surface of the inner screen part 803. This enables a high suction power even after a relatively long operating time.

[0069] The inner sieve part 803 can be designed such that it can be pulled out, in particular turned inside out, from the interior of the sieve cylinder 103 for cleaning. For this purpose, the tip or zenith 804 of the conical, inner sieve part 803 can be connected to a rod 801, which extends along the longitudinal axis 109 from the tip 804 of the inner sieve part 803 downwards towards the lower support frame 811 of the sieve cylinder 103. In the Fig. 8a In the example shown, the rod 801 extends to the bottom of the collection area 105, where a lid for opening the collection area 105 may be arranged if necessary. By providing a rod 801 connected to the tip 804 of the inner sieve part 804, the inner sieve part 804 can be conveniently pulled out of the cavity of the sieve cylinder 103 in order to clean the inner sieve part 803. Figures 8b and 8cshow the sieve component 500 with the inner sieve part 803 pulled out.

[0070] The rod 801 can, as in Fig. 8a As shown, the inner sieve part 803 can be detachably and / or snap-connected to the bottom of the collection area 105, in particular to the housing and / or to the housing wall 101 of the separation system 100, at a fastening point 802. For example, the housing wall 101 can have the shape of a container with a bottom, wherein the container is placed over the sieve component 500. Due to its attachment to the bottom of the container, the inner sieve part 803 is then automatically pulled out of the cavity of the sieve cylinder 103 when the sieve component 500 is pulled out of the container. This enables particularly convenient cleaning of the collection area 105 and the sieve component 500.

[0071] The screen component 500 can, as in Fig. 8bshown by way of example, comprise a spacer 805 which is configured to space the inner screen part 803 from the air filter 105. The spacer 805 can be conical and can be designed to support the screen surface of the inner screen part 803. The inner screen part 803 can then optionally have no further supporting structure. In particular, the inner screen part 803 can consist only of screen material. The spacer 805 can form a gap 806 between the screen surface of the inner screen part 803 and the air filter 105 in order to improve the air flow through the inner screen part 803.

[0072] Thus, a sieve component 500 with an inner lint filter 803 is described, which optionally has a connection to the filtrate side of the air filter 104 via a spacer 805, e.g., a double-walled base. The upper end 804 of the inner sieve part 803 can be attached to a rod 801. The opposite end of the rod 801 can be connected to the collection container 105 of the separation system 100 (or to a downwardly opening lid) by means of a force-locking connection. When the sieve component 500 is pulled out of the collection container, the force-locking connection initially remains. The deformable inner sieve part 803 (e.g., consisting of a fleece) is thereby turned inside out, and adhering dirt is automatically removed. The connection can be designed in such a way that when the rod 801 is pulled further, the locking mechanism is unlocked so that the collecting container can be emptied.The inner sieve part 803 can then be pushed back into the cavity of the sieve cylinder 103. When inserting the sieve component 500 back into the collection container, the rod can automatically engage the locking element 802.

[0073] Thus, a separation system 100 with a screen component 500 is described, which encloses a particularly large portion of the bounding surface of the collection area 105. In a simplified example, the collection area 105 can be considered a hollow cylinder. Without an increase in the effective surface of the screen component 500, the screen cylinder 103 forms the inner surface of the collection area 105, and the housing wall 101 forms the outer surface of the collection area 105. Furthermore, the end surfaces of the hollow cylindrical collection area 105 are typically formed by a cover or a base of the housing of the separation system 100 (and are therefore not available as the effective surface of the screen component 500).

[0074] In a mathematical example, it is assumed that the housing wall 101 has a radius rg and the sieve cylinder 103 has a radius rz. The height of the housing wall 101 and the sieve cylinder 103 along the longitudinal axis 109 is h. The surface area A s of the hollow cylindrical collecting area 105 is then given as A s = 2 π r g + r z r g − r z + h ∼ 2 π h r g + r z

[0075] The surface A z of the sieve cylinder 103 is given by A z = 2 π hrz .

[0076] The proportion of the surface area A z of the sieve cylinder 103 to the surface area A s of the hollow cylindrical collection area 105 is thus approximately A z / A s = rz / (rg + rz ), and is typically less than 40%. By the measures described in this document, the proportion can be increased to over 40% up to 100%. Thus, a sieve component 500 is described that is designed to cover 40% or more of the surface area of ​​the collection area 105 of the separation system 100.

[0077] The measures described in this document allow the suction power of a suction device to be increased, even after a relatively long period of operation. The described separation system 100 can be used in existing suction devices. Furthermore, the capacity of a collection area 105 can be increased, and the number of cleaning processes can be reduced.

[0078] The present invention is not limited to the embodiments shown. In particular, it should be noted that the description and figures are intended only to illustrate the principle of the proposed system. List of reference symbols

[0079] 100Separation system 101Housing wall 102Inlet duct 103Screen / screen cylinder 104Air filter 105Collection area 106Separation rib 109Longitudinal axis 121Air flow (with impurities) 122Air flow (screened) 123Air flow (filtered) 124Impurities 403Screen extension 500Screen component 503(lower) screen basket 504Gap 505Edge (screen basket) 602Breakthrough (screen basket) 603(upper) screen basket 701Separation or connection point (screen basket) 801Rod 802Attachment point (rod) 803Internal screen part 804Tip / Zenit 805Spacer 806Gap 811Support frame / edge

Claims

1. Separation system (100) for a suction device; wherein the separation system (100) comprises - a cylindrical housing with a housing wall (101); - an air filter (104) which is arranged around a central longitudinal axis (109) of the housing; - a screen component (500) which is arranged in the housing; wherein the screen component (500) comprises a screen cylinder (103) which is arranged around the longitudinal axis (109) and with a screen surface which encloses the air filter (104); - a collection region (105) for impurities (124), which is arranged between the screen cylinder (103) and the housing wall (101); wherein the collection region (105) is defined by a boundary which has a surface; wherein the screen component (500) comprises an additional screen part (403, 503, 603, 803) with an additional screen surface which covers a further part of the surface of the collection region (105) in addition to the screen cylinder (103), so that at least 40% of the surface of the collection region (105) is covered by the screen surface of the screen component (500); and - an inlet channel (102) which is configured to conduct an air flow (121) with impurities (124) from outside the housing into the collection region (105); wherein the separation system (100) is configured to conduct the air flow (121), starting from the collection region (105), initially through the screen component (500) and then through the air filter (104).

2. Separation system (100) according to claim 1, wherein - the screen component (500) comprises a conical screen extension (403) which adjoins the screen cylinder (103) along the longitudinal axis (109); and - the conical screen extension (403) tapers as the spacing from the screen cylinder (103) increases.

3. Separation system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the screen component (500) comprises a screen basket (503, 603) which is arranged around the screen cylinder (103) and which covers at least a partial region of the housing wall (101); and - a gap (504) is formed between the screen basket (503, 603) and the housing wall (101), which gap is configured to conduct the air flow (122) passing through a screen surface of the screen basket (503, 603) along the housing wall (101) to the air filter (104).

4. Separation system (100) according to claim 3, wherein the separation system (100) is configured such that the air flow (122) passing through the screen surface of the screen basket (503, 603) is conducted as far as the air filter (104) without passing again through the screen surface of the screen component (500).

5. Separation system (100) according to one of claims 3 to 4, wherein - the screen component (500) comprises a lower screen basket (503) which is arranged at the bottom during the operation of the separation system (100) and which covers a lower region of the housing wall (101); and / or - the screen component (500) comprises an upper screen basket (603) which is arranged at the top during the operation of the separation system (100) and which covers an upper partial region of the housing wall (101); and / or - the screen component (500) comprises a complete screen basket (503, 603) which covers the entire housing wall (101).

6. Separation system (100) according to one of claims 3 to 5, wherein the screen basket (503, 603) comprises a through-passage (602) for the inlet channel (102).

7. Separation system (100) according to one of claims 3 to 6, wherein the screen basket (503, 603) has a screen material with a smaller pore size and / or mesh size than the screen material of the screen cylinder (103).

8. Separation system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the screen component (500) is configured in multiple parts so that the screen component (500) can be divided into a plurality of parts at at least one separating point (701), for emptying the collection region (105).

9. Separation system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the screen component (500) is configured such that the screen component (500) substantially fully encloses the collection region (105), in particular apart from a through-passage (602) in the screen component (500) for the inlet channel (102).

10. Separation system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the housing wall (101) has a housing diameter perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (109); - the screen cylinder (103) has a cylinder diameter perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (109); and - the cylinder diameter is ¾ or more of the housing diameter.

11. Separation system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the screen cylinder (103) is configured such that a cross section of the screen cylinder (103) tapers along the longitudinal axis (109) towards a lower face of the housing which is arranged at the bottom during the operation of the separation system (100); and / or - the screen cylinder (103) is configured conically.

12. Separation system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the housing comprises a cover, in particular a flap, which covers the housing wall (101), in particular on an upper face or on a lower face; and - the separation system (100) is configured, in particular, such that the air filter (104) and / or at least one part of the screen component (500) can be removed together with the cover from the housing.

13. Separation system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the screen component (500) comprises a lattice frame which bears a screen material.

14. Separation system (100) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein - the screen component (500) comprises an inner screen part (803) which, starting from an edge (811) of the screen cylinder (103), extends along the longitudinal axis (109) into a cavity enclosed by the screen cylinder (103); and - the separation system (100) is configured to conduct a first part of the air flow (121), starting from the collection region (105), through the screen cylinder (103) and a separate second part of the air flow (121), starting from the collection region (105), through the inner screen part (803) to the air filter (104).

15. Separation system (100) according to claim 14, wherein - starting from the edge (811) of the screen cylinder (103), the inner screen part (803) tapers along the longitudinal axis (109) as the spacing from the edge (811) increases; and / or - the inner screen part (803) is conical.

16. Separation system (100) according to one of claims 14 to 15, wherein the inner screen part (803) is configured such that the inner screen part (803) can be pulled out of the cavity enclosed by the screen cylinder (103) and, in particular, turned inside out.

17. Separation system (100) according to claim 16, wherein - the screen component (500) comprises a rod (801) which is connected to the inner screen part (803), in particular to a tip (804) of the inner screen part (803), and which extends in the cavity enclosed by the screen cylinder (103) along the longitudinal axis (109) towards the edge (811) of the screen cylinder (103); and - the screen component (500) is configured such that, by pulling on the rod (801), the inner screen part (803) can be pulled out of the cavity enclosed by the screen cylinder (103).

18. Separation system (100) according to claim 16, wherein an end of the rod (801) remote from the inner screen part (803) is releasably fastened to the housing of the separation system (100), so that the inner screen part (803) is pulled out of the cavity enclosed by the screen cylinder (103) when the screen component (500) is removed from the housing of the separation system (100).

19. Separation system (100) according to one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the air filter (104) is arranged in the cavity enclosed by the screen surface of the screen cylinder (103) and a screen surface of the inner screen part (803).

20. Screen component (500) for a separation system (100); wherein the screen component (500) comprises - a screen cylinder (103) which is arranged around a longitudinal axis (109) of the screen component (500), having a screen surface which is configured to enclose an air filter (104); wherein the screen cylinder (103) is configured to cover a part of a surface of a collection region (105) for impurities (124) of the separation system (100); and - an additional screen part (403, 503, 603, 803) having an additional screen surface which is configured to cover a further part of the surface of the collection region (105) in addition to the screen cylinder (103), so that the proportion of the surface of the collection region (105) which is covered by the screen surface is increased by the additional screen part (403, 503, 603, 803); wherein the screen component (500) is configured to permit an air flow (121), starting from the collection region (105), through the screen component (500) to the air filter (104).