FILTER BAGS FOR A VACUUM CLEANER

Description

field of technology

[0001] The invention relates to a filter bag for a vacuum cleaner, with a holding plate and a filter material connected to the holding plate, which together with the holding plate surrounds a filter interior for receiving vacuumed material, wherein the holding plate has a holding plate opening with a closure element, which closure element can be displaced into the filter interior to release the holding plate opening, wherein the holding plate opening is assigned a collar element which can be displaced relative to the holding plate with respect to at least a partial section of a circumferential contour of the holding plate opening, which collar element can be displaced from an initial position on a side of the holding plate facing the filter interior into the filter interior until an end position is reached.

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner with a base unit and a filter bag of the aforementioned type. State of the art

[0003] Filter bags for vacuum cleaners as well as vacuum cleaners with filter bags for collecting vacuumed material are known in the state of the art.

[0004] The vacuum cleaners can be designed, for example, as standard household floor vacuum cleaners or handheld cordless vacuum cleaners. The vacuum cleaner has a fan for sucking up debris from a surface to be cleaned. After flowing into the filter's interior, the sucked-in air flows outward through the filter material to reach the vacuum cleaner's fan. The filter material retains the debris contained in the air, keeping it within the filter's interior and directing only clean air to the fan.

[0005] A filter bag of the type described above is known from DE 10 2010 060 175 A1. The filter bag has a retaining plate with two closure flaps for a retaining plate opening. A second closure flap facing the filter interior has a larger base area than a first closure flap.

[0006] The publication WO 2007 / 033979 A1 discloses a filter bag for a vacuum cleaner, wherein the filter bag has a holding plate and a filter material connected thereto, which together define the filter interior. An opening with an opening flap is formed in the holding plate. The opening flap opens or closes the opening depending on its pivoting position. Furthermore, a nozzle is assigned to the opening, which is formed at least partially along the opening contour of the opening. The nozzle serves as a flow guide element for the suction air flowing through the opening into the filter bag. The nozzle's contour is adapted to the pivoting range of the opening flap. This achieves an improved interaction between the nozzle and the opening flap.

[0007] DE 10 2008 046 200 A1 also discloses a filter bag with a retaining plate. The retaining plate has a flow collar that extends inside the retaining plate and surrounds a closure flap into the interior of the filter bag.

[0008] Although filter bags of the aforementioned type have proven effective in practice, the closing effect of the opening flap can still be impaired if filter material enters the pivoting area of ​​the opening flap and becomes trapped between the opening flap and the nozzle when the opening is closed. Even with filter bags that do not have a nozzle, filter material can become trapped between the edge of the opening and the opening flap. Summary of the invention

[0009] Based on the aforementioned prior art, it is the object of the invention to provide a filter bag for a vacuum cleaner which ensures that the opening of the holding plate can always be optimally closed.

[0010] To achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention proposes that a locking element is assigned to the displaceable collar element, which fixes the collar element in the end position.

[0011] According to the invention, the filter bag, specifically its holding plate, is equipped on the side facing the filter interior with the proposed displaceable collar element, which in the end position prevents the closure element from being obstructed by filter material protruding into the pivoting range of the closure element. Even with a relatively soft and deformable filter material, this effectively prevents the filter material from getting between the holding plate and the closure element. The displaceable collar element acts as an erectable collar of the holding plate, which keeps the filter material away from the pivoting range of the closure element in such a way that the closing or opening path of the closure element is kept clear. The collar element is preferably made of a rigid material suitable for keeping the filter material away from the holding plate opening.The displaceable collar element is assigned a locking element which fixes the collar element in the end position. For example, the holding plate or a flow guide element connected to it can have one or more locking elements, for example locking lugs. The locking elements can be arranged, for example, in the region of the collar element axis. The locking elements can in particular also be designed as ramps which allow the collar element to be moved into the end position, but not in the opposite direction. As a result, the displaced collar element remains permanently fixed in the end position, in which the collar element acts as a separating element between the closure element and the filter material. Alternatively, however, it can also be provided that a user can manually release the displaceable collar element from the locking element in order to move the collar element back to its original position.This may be desired, for example, to support the closing process of the closure element.

[0012] The collar element of the filter bag is preferably still in its starting position when the filter bag is delivered from the manufacturer and is only moved to its end position later, for example at the customer's site. In the end position, the collar element is moved deeper into the filter interior than is the case in the starting position. This has the advantage that the filter bag can be folded up as small as possible with the collar element in its starting position and its packaging therefore does not take up too much space. This allows the user to store the filter bags or pack units with multiple filter bags in a space-saving manner in a storage cupboard. For example, the collar element can only be moved further into the filter interior and keep the pivoting area of ​​the locking element free once the filter bag has been inserted into the vacuum cleaner.The collar element is preferably adapted to the contour of the holding plate opening or the pivoting range of the closure element in order to provide protection exactly where the closure element closes the holding plate opening as flush as possible.

[0013] According to one embodiment, it is proposed that the displaceable collar element is pivotable relative to the holding plate, wherein the collar element is oriented parallel to the opening plane of the holding plate opening in the starting position, and wherein the collar element is preferably oriented orthogonally to the opening plane in the end position. According to this embodiment, the collar element is designed to be foldable and is pivoted from the starting position into the end position. In the starting position, the collar element is preferably parallel to the opening plane of the holding plate opening. From this starting position, the collar element is then pivoted into the filter interior. The pivot angle of the collar element can be up to 90 degrees. In a special case, the starting position and the end position of the collar element are oriented orthogonally to one another.However, it is also possible for the end position to have an angle of less than 90 degrees to the opening plane of the holding plate opening, for example 85 degrees, 80 degrees, 75 degrees, or even less. The end position of the collar element can be predetermined by a stop element, which is arranged, for example, on the holding plate or indirectly predetermined by an inner wall of the vacuum cleaner housing, against which the filter material of the filter bag rests. The collar element is preferably arranged on the holding plate via a hinge, wherein the hinge has a pivot axis about which the collar element can rotate from the starting position to the end position.The collar element can be pivoted either manually by a user, for example by reaching a finger through the holding plate opening into the filter interior, or by an actuating element of the vacuum cleaner, which comes into contact with the collar element when the filter bag is inserted into the vacuum cleaner housing. The closure element, which closes the holding plate opening of the filter bag, is oriented parallel to the collar element in the starting position of the collar element, for example, so that pivoting the closure element into an open position simultaneously actuates the movable collar element. The closure element thus pushes the collar element, which is arranged parallel in the starting position, towards its end position.

[0014] According to an alternative embodiment, it can be provided that the displaceable collar element is slidably movable relative to the holding plate, wherein the collar element is displaceable in particular in a direction orthogonal to the opening plane of the holding plate. According to this embodiment, the collar element can, for example, be pushed out of the holding plate or, in the starting position, for example, lie folded against the surface of the holding plate and then unfolded orthogonally to the surface of the holding plate, resulting in a corresponding sliding movement of the collar element. Furthermore, it is also possible to design the slidably movable collar element telescopically in order to allow a sufficient travel distance for the collar element to be moved from the starting position to the end position.

[0015] Furthermore, it can be provided that the closure element is a closure flap that can be pivoted relative to the holding plate, wherein the closure element and the pivotable collar element pivot in opposite rotational directions into the filter interior. According to this embodiment, both the closure element, which closes or opens the holding plate opening, and the collar element are designed to be pivotable, wherein their opening movements take place in mutually opposite rotational directions. In an embodiment in which a

[0016] If a closure element axis, around which the closure element pivots, and a collar element axis, around which the displaceable collar element pivots, are arranged parallel to one another, the rotational movements take place in opposite directions such that the closure flap rotates, for example, clockwise around the closure element axis, while the collar element rotates counterclockwise around the collar element axis. With this design, the collar element pivots relatively quickly as soon as the closure element is pivoted. This ensures that the filter material is kept away from the holding plate opening particularly early on, for example right at the start of a suction process, and in particular even when the closure element is moved back towards the opening plane of the holding plate opening after the suction process has ended.

[0017] It can be provided that the holding plate has, on the side facing into the filter interior, a flow guide element which is immovably connected to the holding plate and which at least partially surrounds the holding plate opening in the circumferential direction. The flow guide element can, for example, be designed in the manner of a flow collar which, if appropriate, also almost completely surrounds the holding plate opening and merely has a recess into which the closure element can pivot. In the open position of the closure element, pivoted into the filter interior, the holding plate opening is thus preferably completely surrounded in the circumferential direction, so that suction air reaching the filter interior or suction material conveyed thereby can reach the filter interior optimally and as far as possible without turbulence.This also prevents suction material from accumulating in the opening area of ​​the retaining plate, which could then lead to blockage or at least contamination of the opening area of ​​the retaining plate and prevent optimal vacuum cleaning. The flow guide element also increases the flow velocity of the suction air in the filter bag. This clears any remaining gap between the closure element and the flow guide element. Jamming or leakage of suction material from the filter interior is also prevented by optimally closing the retaining plate opening.

[0018] According to a particular embodiment, it is proposed that the displaceable collar element be arranged on the flow guide element. In particular, the collar element can be arranged on a front region of the flow guide element facing away from the retaining plate, so that the displaceable collar element, in its end position, forms an extension of the flow guide element orthogonal to the opening plane of the retaining plate opening. The displaceable collar element thus forms an extension of the flow guide element, in particular substantially orthogonal to the opening plane of the retaining plate opening. For this purpose, an end-side edge region of the flow guide element has, for example, a collar element axis about which the displaceable collar element can pivot.In a design that includes a sliding collar element, it can be provided that the linearly movable collar element can be pushed out of a portion of the flow guide element. Overall, the combination of flow guide element and collar element ensures that, on the one hand, the suction air is optimally guided into the filter interior of the filter bag, and, on the other hand, it effectively prevents filter material from becoming trapped between the closure element and the retaining plate or between the closure element and the flow guide element.In the initial position, the displaceable collar element is preferably located in a region which is at least partially surrounded by the flow guide element, in particular such that the collar element does not protrude beyond the holding plate including the flow guide element in a direction orthogonal to the holding plate plane and is thereby preferably protected, for example during transport or storage of the filter bag.

[0019] The movable collar element can also be assigned a spring element, the restoring force of which tends to move the collar element from its starting position to its end position. The spring element is thus pretensioned such that when the spring element is released, the movable collar element is moved from its starting position to its end position. The spring element can be either a tension spring or a compression spring, and can also be designed, for example, as a spiral spring, helical spring, leaf spring, or other type. The restoring force of the spring element can, for example, support a force that a user manually applies to the movable collar element when inserting the filter bag into the vacuum cleaner or when moving the collar element from its starting position to its end position using a finger.When using the proposed spring element, a relatively small amount of force is sufficient to trigger the spring element. Furthermore, the interaction of the movable collar element and the spring element can also be such that an automatic displacement of the collar element from the starting position to the end position is effected when a user unfolds the filter bag and / or removes it from packaging. As long as the filter bag is folded up in the packaging, for example, the restoring force of the spring element initially remains ineffective. Only when the filter bag is removed from the packaging and, if necessary, a normal unfolding of the filter bag before inserting it into the vacuum cleaner or by the suction air flow of the vacuum cleaner, is the collar element pivoted into the end position with the aid of the spring element. Furthermore, the displacement movement of the collar element, i.e.A pivoting or shifting movement can be assisted by the magnetic force of a magnet, which is located, for example, outside the filter bag on a housing part of the vacuum cleaner and attracts a magnetic element located on the displaceable collar element. According to this embodiment, the collar element is preferably already displaced over a certain portion of the displacement path from the starting position toward the end position so that the magnetic element can be attracted by the magnet.

[0020] Finally, the invention further proposes a vacuum cleaner with a base unit and a filter bag according to one of the previously described embodiments, wherein the base unit has an actuating element which is configured to displace the collar element of the filter bag from the starting position to the end position when the filter bag is inserted into the base unit. According to this embodiment, the base unit of the vacuum cleaner has an actuating element which causes the collar element of the filter bag to be displaced. This actuating element can, for example, be a pin which initially presses from the outside onto the closure element of the holding plate. The closure element, in turn, presses against the collar element in the opening direction, so that the collar element is also displaced.Alternatively, the actuating element can act directly on the collar element, for example, in the form of a pin that acts through a designated, as small as possible, opening in the retaining plate. As previously explained, the opening movement can be assisted, if necessary, by the restoring force of a spring element or by the magnetic force of a magnet. Short description of the drawings

[0021] The invention is explained in more detail below using exemplary embodiments. They show: Fig. 1 shows a vacuum cleaner according to the invention with a filter bag, Fig. 2 shows a filter bag according to the prior art, Fig. 3 shows a holding plate of a filter bag according to the invention with a displaceable collar element in a starting position, Fig. 4 shows the holding plate according to Fig. 3 with the collar element in an end position, Fig. 5 a filter bag according to the invention with a fully open holding plate opening. Description of the embodiments

[0022] Figure 1 shows a possible embodiment of a vacuum cleaner 2 according to the invention, which here has, for example, a base unit 16 and an attachment 18 detachably connected to the base unit 16.

[0023] In addition to the attachment 18 shown here only as an example, the base unit 16 of the vacuum cleaner 2 can alternatively be connected to other attachments 18 which, for example, enable other cleaning activities, for example wet wiping cleaning in addition to vacuum cleaning.

[0024] The vacuum cleaner 2 has a filter bag 1, which can be removed from the base unit 16 via a movable housing cover 25. The vacuum cleaner 2 also has a fan 21, which is in flow connection with the filter bag 1 via a flow channel 22. The flow channel 22 also opens into the attachment 18, where it can be connected to a corresponding air flow channel of the attachment 18. The base unit 16 of the vacuum cleaner 2 also has a shaft 19 with a handle 20. The shaft 19 is preferably telescopic so that a user of the vacuum cleaner 2 can advantageously adjust the length of the shaft 19 to their body size. The handle 20 serves the user to guide the vacuum cleaner 2 over a surface to be cleaned, whereby the user typically performs a back-and-forth movement of the vacuum cleaner 2 over the surface during a cleaning operation.Furthermore, the handle 19 features, for example, a user interface with a plurality of selectable elements, via which a user can, for example, specify a power level of the fan 21 for a cleaning task. The attachment 18 further comprises a cleaning element 24, which in this case is, for example, a cleaning roller rotating about a substantially horizontal axis of rotation. To ensure the lowest possible friction movement of the vacuum cleaner 2 or the attachment 18 over the surface to be cleaned, the attachment 18 has wheels 26.

[0025] Figure 2 shows a filter bag 1 according to the prior art. Figures 3 to 5show a possible embodiment of a filter bag 1 according to the invention. The filter bags 1 each have a holding plate 3 with a filter material 4 connected thereto. The holding plate 3 and the filter material 4 together surround a filter interior 5 of the filter bag 1, in which suction material can be received. The holding plate 3 has a holding plate opening 6, which can be closed and opened by means of a closure element 7. The closure element 7 has a shape and size such that it forms a peripheral contour 8 (see, for example, Figure 3) of the holding plate opening 6. At least partially along the circumferential contour 8 there is a flow guide element 12 which is designed in the manner of a collar which guides air flowing through the holding plate opening 6 into the filter interior 5, preferably in such a way that the smallest possible flow eddies are created and it is also prevented that suction particles can escape in the opposite direction from the filter interior 5 into the environment. The closure element 7 is rotatably mounted on a closure element axis 10. The closure element axis 10 is further assigned a spring element 23, the restoring force of which is converted into a Figure 5 The restoring force of the spring element 23 facilitates the displacement of the closure element 7 into the open position, which is also achieved via a suction air flow generated by the fan 21 in the filter interior 5.

[0026] Figure 2First, it shows a filter bag 1 according to the prior art. Such a conventional filter bag 1 has the disadvantage that filter material 4 can enter the pivoting area between the closure element 7 and the holding plate 3 or the closure element 7 and the flow guide element 12.

[0027] The exemplary according to the Figures 3 to 5 The filter bag 1 according to the invention, designed in this way, eliminates this disadvantage. For this purpose, the holding plate 3 has a displaceable collar element 9 on its side facing the filter interior 5, which can pivot about a collar element axis 11 from an initial position to an end position. If necessary, a return displacement of the collar element 9 from the end position to the initial position is also conceivable. Figure 3shows the collar element 9 in the initial position, in which the collar element 9 is arranged, for example, and substantially parallel to an opening plane of the holding plate opening 6 and here, for example, also parallel to the closure element 7, which closes the holding plate opening 6. In the Figures 4 and 5 the collar element 9 is pivoted into the end position, whereby in Figure 4 the closure element 7 still closes the holding plate opening 6 and in Figure 5 the closure element 7 is also displaced into an open position, so that the holding plate opening 6 is available for the flow of air and / or suction material.

[0028] The Figures 3 to 5The illustrated embodiment of the holding plate 3 of the filter bag 1 further includes a flow guide element 12, on which the collar element axis 11 is arranged, about which the displaceable collar element 9 can pivot. Furthermore, the collar element 9 is assigned locking elements 15 in the area of ​​the collar element axis 11, which lock the collar element 9 in the displaced end position (see Figures 4 and 5 ). For this purpose, the locking elements 15 have a ramp-like surface which can slide over an edge region of the flow guide element 12 when the collar element 9 is transferred from the starting position to the end position. In the end position, the collar element 9 forms a frontal extension of the flow guide element 12, with the displaceable collar element 9 adjoining the free front region 13 of the flow guide element 12.

[0029] As in Figure 3As further shown, a spring element 14 can also be assigned to the collar element axis 11, which supports the displacement of the collar element 9 from the starting position to the end position.

[0030] The Figure 5 The embodiment shown further includes an actuating element 17, which is associated with the base unit 16 of the vacuum cleaner 2 and against which (according to Figure 3 still in the initial position) closure element 7 or thus also indirectly against the collar element 9 in order to displace both the collar element 9 and the closure element 7 into the open end position, so that the holding plate opening 6 is completely open.

[0031] The collar element 9, which is shifted to the end position, prevents, as in Figure 5It is shown that the filter material 4 of the filter bag 1 can reach the pivoting area of ​​the closure element 7 or the area of ​​the opening plane of the holding plate opening 6 or the front area 13 of the flow guide element 12. This prevents the filter material 4 from becoming trapped when the holding plate opening 6 is closed.

[0032] In a manufacturer's delivery condition of the filter bag 1, which then also advantageously allows a space-saving storage of the filter bag 1, both the closure element 7 and the collar element 9 are as in Figure 3 shown in an initial position oriented substantially parallel to the opening plane of the holding plate opening 6.

[0033] When the user later inserts the filter bag 1 into his vacuum cleaner 2, the actuating element 17 of the base unit 16 of the vacuum cleaner 2 strikes the closure element 7 of the filter bag 1, which in turn acts against the displaceable collar element 9 and moves it into the Figure 4 (or Figure 5) shown end position. The displacement of the closure element 7 or the collar element 9 is supported by the spring element 23 or 14 respectively. Thus, a slight force is sufficient to pivot the collar element 9 or the closure element 7 far enough from the starting position that the restoring force of the respective spring element 14, 23 can act in the desired direction. With respect to the collar element 9, the restoring force of the spring element 14 acts in the opening direction, while the restoring force of the spring element 23 of the closure element 7 acts in the closing direction. When the fan 21 is in operation, a suction force also acts on the closure element 7 and the collar element 9 from the inside. As soon as the collar element 9 has reached the end position, the locking elements 15 snap over a corresponding partial area of ​​the flow guide element 12, whereby the collar element 9 is locked in the end position.Thus, the collar element 9 remains permanently in this end position. The closure element 7 of the filter bag 1, however, remains pivotable, so that it can close the retaining plate opening 6 again, for example, when the suction power of the fan 21 is lost or the user removes the filter bag 1 from the vacuum cleaner 2. During this repositioning of the closure element 7, the closure element 7 is not obstructed by any filter material 4 that protrudes into the pivoting range of the closure element 7.

[0034] Although this is not shown in detail in the figures, an actuating element 17 can alternatively be provided which only acts on the displaceable collar element 9, but not on the closure element 7. For this purpose, a recess can be provided in the holding plate 3 which guides the actuating element 17.

[0035] According to a further embodiment not shown here, the collar element 9 can also be arranged on the holding plate 3 in a slidingly movable manner. For example, the collar element 9 can be accommodated in a partial region of the flow guide element 12 and, for example, can be pushed out of the flow guide element 12 in the end region 13, wherein it then also forms an extension of the flow guide element 12. In this case, the collar element 9 is oriented essentially orthogonally to the opening plane of the holding plate opening 6, both in the initial position and in the end position. List of reference symbols

[0036] 1 filter bag 26 wheel 2 Vacuum cleaner 3 retaining plate 4 Filter material 5 Filter interior 6 Holding plate opening 7 locking element 8 circumferential contour 9 collar element 10 Closure element axis 11 Collar element axis 12 Flow guide element 13 forehead area 14 spring element 15 locking element 16 Base unit 17 Actuating element 18 Attachment 19 stalk 20 Handle 21 fan 22 flow channel 23 spring element 24 Cleaning element 25 Housing cover

Claims

1. Filter bag (1) for a vacuum cleaner (2), having a holding plate (3) and a filter material (4) which is connected to the holding plate (3) and which, together with the holding plate (3), surrounds a filter interior (5) for receiving suction material, the holding plate (3) having a holding plate opening (6) with a closure element (7), which closure element (7) can be displaced into the filter interior (5) to unblock the holding plate opening (6), wherein a collar element (9), which is displaceable relative to the holding plate (3), is associated with the holding plate opening (6) in relation to at least a partial section of a circumferential contour (8) of the holding plate opening (6), which, on a side of the holding plate (3) facing the filter interior (5), can be displaced further into the filter interior (5), starting from an initial position, until an end position is reached, characterised in that the displaceable collar element (9) is assigned a latching element (15) which fixes the collar element (9) in the end position.

2. Filter bag (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the collar element (9), which can be displaced, can be pivoted relative to the holding plate (3), the collar element (9) being oriented parallel to the opening plane of the holding plate opening (6) in the starting position, and the collar element (9) being oriented preferably orthogonally to the opening plane in the end position.

3. Filter bag (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the displaceable collar element (9) is displaceable relative to the holding plate (3), the collar element (9) being displaceable in particular in a direction orthogonal to the opening plane of the holding plate (3).

4. Filter bag (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the closure element (7) is a closure flap which can be pivoted relative to the holding plate (3), the closure element (7) and the pivotable collar element (9) pivoting in opposite directions of rotation into the filter interior (5).

5. Filter bag (1) according to claim 4, characterised in that a closure element axis (10), about which the closure element (7) pivots, and a collar element axis (11), about which the displaceable collar element (9) pivots, are arranged parallel to one another.

6. Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the holding plate (3) has, on the side facing into the filter interior (5), a flow guide element (12) which is immovably connected to the holding plate (3) and at least partially surrounds the holding plate opening (6) in the circumferential direction.

7. Filter bag (1) according to claim 6, characterised in that the displaceable collar element (9) is arranged on the flow guiding element (12), wherein the collar element (9) is arranged in particular on an end region (13) of the flow guiding element (12) facing away from the holding plate (3), so that the displaceable collar element (9) in its end position forms an extension of the flow guiding element (12) orthogonally to the opening plane of the holding plate opening (6).

8. Filter bag (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterised in that the displaceable collar element (9) is assigned a spring element (14), the restoring force of which tends to displace the collar element (9) from the starting position into the end position.

9. Vacuum cleaner (2) with a base unit (16) and a filter bag (1) constructed according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the base unit (16) has an actuating element (17) which is arranged to displace the collar element (9) of the filter bag (1) from the starting position into the end position when the filter bag (1) is inserted into the base unit (16).