DUST COLLECTION UNIT FOR ROBOT VACUUM CLEANERS AND ROBOT VACUUM CLEANERS

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a dust collection unit for a robot vacuum cleaner, comprising a collection container for collecting dust, a container lid for covering an emptying opening of the collection container, and a filter element for separating dust from an airflow of the robot vacuum cleaner directed through the dust collection unit. The filter element is arranged in a filter frame. Furthermore, the invention relates to a robot vacuum cleaner with such a dust collection unit.

[0002] A corresponding vacuum robot with such a dust collection unit is known, for example, from EP 2 636 351 A1. The disadvantage of the solution described here is that a complex, expensive and vulnerable detection unit is required to detect whether the filter element with the filter frame is inserted into the dust collection unit. If this detection unit malfunctions, there is still a risk that the user of the vacuum robot will place the dust collection unit into the recess provided for the dust collection unit in the vacuum robot housing without the filter element inserted and start up the vacuum robot. In this case, a fan downstream of the dust collection unit in the air flow of the vacuum robot is at risk of damage from sucked-in dust. On the other hand, harmful dust particles could be blown unfiltered by the fan from the vacuum robot housing into the environment.

[0003] DE 10 2017 208 966 A1 discloses a dust collection unit for a robot vacuum cleaner, comprising a collection container for collecting dust, a container lid for covering an emptying opening of the collection container, and a filter element for separating dust. The filter element is arranged in a filter frame, the container lid being connectable to the collection container via the filter frame to cover the emptying opening. The collection container has an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening. The filter element can be arranged in the filter frame between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening in an air flow of the robot vacuum cleaner guided through the dust collection unit. Problematic with this dust collection unit are the numerous required air diversions and the poor airflow position of the filter element within the dust collection unit.

[0004] EP 3 741 279 A1 also discloses a dust collection unit for a robot vacuum cleaner with a filter element arranged between the collection container and the filter cover. The problem here is that the robot vacuum cleaner can operate with the dust collection unit even though no filter element is installed in the dust collection unit. Furthermore, the airflow in the dust collection unit requires numerous strong deflections of the suction air flow.

[0005] US 2017 / 332853 A1 discloses a dust collection unit for a robot vacuum cleaner with a filter element arranged on a container lid of the collection container. The invention therefore addresses the problem of providing an improved dust collection unit and an improved robot vacuum cleaner. In particular, the aim is to prevent a robot vacuum cleaner from being operated without a filter element installed in the dust collection unit.

[0006] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a dust collection unit having the features of patent claim 1 and a vacuum robot according to claim 8. Because the container lid can be connected to the collection container via the filter frame to cover the emptying opening, a simple unit can be created from parts to be connected, which can only be correctly arranged as a connected unit in the receptacle provided for the dust collection unit in the housing of the vacuum robot. Since the filter frame creates the connection between the container lid and the collection container, the emptying opening of the collection container can only be completely closed after inserting the filter frame with the container lid. Without closing the emptying opening, it is unlikely or even impossible.It is impossible for the user to operate the robot vacuum cleaner because in this case no air flow is built up through the robot vacuum cleaner housing to the nozzle that picks up dirt from the floor surface.

[0007] The floor surface can be formed by a textile floor covering such as a carpet or rug or by a hard floor such as wooden parquet, laminate or PVC flooring.

[0008] The robot vacuum cleaner has a blower for generating negative pressure, through which a suction mouth guided over the floor surface to be cleaned picks up dust and dirt from the floor surface using an air stream. The dust and dirt are then collected in the dust collection unit before the air stream is blown out of the robot vacuum cleaner via the blower. The suction mouth preferably has at least one brush roller that actively brushes the floor surface to be cleaned. To ensure that the floor covering can be cleaned and cared for as effectively as possible, the suction mouth is elongated and runs essentially perpendicular to the working direction. In this context, elongated means that the preferably essentially rectangular suction mouth has a greater length perpendicular to the working direction than its width in the working direction. The suction mouth is preferably between 20 and 30 cm long perpendicular to the working direction.

[0009] Since the bin lid can only be connected to the collection bin via the connection to the filter frame to cover the emptying opening, it is impossible to operate a robot vacuum cleaner with only the collection bin and bin lid without a filter frame, as the bin lid does not fit directly onto the collection bin and therefore cannot cover the emptying opening on its own. Therefore, the dust collection unit according to the invention prevents the user from forgetting the filter frame with the filter element when inserting the remaining dust collection unit. This can significantly increase operational reliability in a simple way.

[0010] Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention emerge from the following dependent claims. It should be noted that the features listed individually in the claims can also be combined with one another in any technologically expedient manner, thus revealing further embodiments of the invention.

[0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the filter frame can be arranged in a sandwich structure between the container lid and the collection container to cover the emptying opening. This sandwich structure ensures that the filter frame is always positioned between the container lid and the collection container when the dust collection unit is correctly installed. The sandwich structure prevents a direct connection between the container lid and the collection container, since the intermediate position of the filter frame is required for correct installation of the dust collection unit.

[0012] Particularly preferred is an embodiment in which the filter frame has a first connection interface for connecting to the container lid and a second connection interface for connecting to the collection container. These two separate connection interfaces on the filter frame preferably differ from one another in such a way as to prevent incorrect assembly of the dust collection unit according to the Poka-Yoke principle. The different shapes of the connection interfaces thus effectively prevent the components of the dust collection unit from being assembled in an unintended manner, for example, without a filter frame.

[0013] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention relates to the container lid having a, in particular first, corresponding interface for connecting to the first connection interface of the filter frame and / or the collection container having a, in particular second, corresponding interface for connecting to the second connection interface of the filter frame. Because the first corresponding interface of the container lid only matches the first connection interface of the filter frame, the container lid can only be correctly attached to the filter frame. Because the second corresponding interface of the collection container only matches the second connection interface of the filter frame, the collection container can only be correctly attached to the filter frame.In this way, the correspondence interfaces that match the connection interfaces can be used to ensure that the dust collection unit has been correctly assembled by the user before the robot vacuum cleaner with the dust collection unit can be put into operation.

[0014] A particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the container lid, together with the filter frame, can be removed from the emptying opening to empty the collection container. By being able to remove the filter frame, together with the container lid, from the emptying opening, the contents of the collection container are directly accessible via the open emptying opening for emptying the collection container. This allows the collection container to be quickly emptied either by tipping and shaking it out or, preferably, by vacuuming it out with another vacuum cleaner. Since the filter frame can be removed from the dust collection container directly at the container lid, the emptying opening of the collection container is exposed. This means that the collection container can be emptied via the emptying opening immediately after the container lid has been removed, together with the filter frame.

[0015] According to the invention, the collection container has an air inlet opening for an air flow of the vacuum robot guided through the dust collection unit and an air outlet opening for the air flow of the vacuum robot guided through the dust collection unit, wherein the filter element is arranged in the filter frame between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening in the air flow of the vacuum robot guided through the dust collection unit. The air flow generated by the fan of the vacuum robot, in whose receptacle the dust collection unit is inserted, can be guided through the dust collection unit via the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening. The filter element arranged in the air flow between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening can separate the dust, dirt and grime carried in the air flow, so that it collects in the collection container.This removes dust, dirt and grime from the air taken in by the robot vacuum before the air flow is sucked in by the robot vacuum's fan via the air outlet opening of the dust collection unit and then blown out of the robot vacuum's housing.

[0016] According to the invention, the air inlet opening is arranged in a first, vertical side wall of the collection container and the air outlet opening is arranged in a second, vertical side wall of the collection container, wherein the filter element forming a filter plane in the filter frame is arranged between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening, inclined to a horizontal plane and to a vertical direction. By inclining the filter plane, the filter element arranged in the frame can be optimally and space-savingly flowed through. The filter surface of the filter element can be enlarged by inclining the filter plane without increasing the overall height and / or depth of the dust collection unit.The flow through the filter element can be optimized by inclining the filter plane between the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening in the opposite vertical side walls of the collection container, so that the filter service life can be increased and cleaning and / or replacement intervals for the filter element can be extended.

[0017] An advantageous embodiment provides that the inclination of the filter plane formed by the filter element in the filter frame orients an upstream side of the filter element toward the air inlet opening. This allows the upstream side of the filter element to be optimally positioned relative to the air inlet opening, thus improving airflow through the filter element. By orienting the upstream side of the filter element toward the air inlet opening, additional airflow deflection in the dust collection unit between the air inlet opening and the upstream side of the filter element is avoided, reducing turbulence and noise and saving energy for generating the airflow using the vacuum robot's fan.

[0018] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the filter element has a flat inflow side which is arranged above a collection chamber of the collection container. This arrangement of the flat inflow side ensures that the dust, dirt and grime falls off the filter element due to gravity and collects in the collection chamber of the collection container as soon as the vacuum robot is switched off. This results in automatic and natural cleaning of the filter element as soon as the vacuum robot's fan is deactivated. If this stops the air flow of the vacuum robot, the dust, dirt and grime on the filter element simply falls due to gravity into the collection chamber of the collection container located below and advantageously remains there until the collection container is emptied. This allows cleaning and / or replacement intervals for the filter element to be extended.

[0019] The invention further relates to a vacuum robot for cleaning and maintaining floor surfaces, comprising a housing, a fan for generating a vacuum to collect dirt by means of an air stream, and a separation system for cleaning the collected air of dirt. The housing has a receptacle for a dust collection unit of the separation system, which is already described and is described in more detail below. The receptacle in the housing of the vacuum robot advantageously has air duct openings corresponding to the air inlet opening and the air outlet opening of the collection container. An air duct adjoining the air duct opening corresponding to the air inlet opening leads to the suction mouth of the vacuum robot, while an air duct adjoining the air duct opening corresponding to the air outlet opening leads to the fan of the vacuum robot that sucks in the air stream.

[0020] Further features, details, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and the drawings. An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the following drawings and is described in more detail below. Corresponding objects or elements are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures. Figure 1 Dust collection unit according to the invention, Figure 2 Dust collection unit in exploded view, Figure 3 Side view of dust collection unit, Figure 4 Sectional view through dust collection unit, Figure 5 Sectional view along locking mechanism, Figure 6 View into container lid, Figure 7 View of unlocked locking mechanism, and Figure 8 View of locked locking mechanism.

[0021] In the figures, designated with reference number 1, a dust collection unit for a vacuum robot is shown purely schematically. The illustration according to Figure 1shows a dust collection unit 1 for a vacuum robot, with a collection container 2 for collecting dust, a container lid 3 for covering an emptying opening 4 of the collection container 2 and a filter element 5 for separating dust, wherein the filter element 5 is arranged in a filter frame 6. This dust collection unit 1 is suitable for use in a vacuum robot for cleaning and maintaining floor surfaces. This vacuum robot usually has a housing, a fan for generating a negative pressure for absorbing dirt by means of an air stream and a separation system for cleaning the absorbed air of dirt. The dust collection unit 1 is part of this separation system and is inserted into a receptacle in the housing of the vacuum robot.The dust collection unit 1 shown here is characterized in that the container lid 3 can be connected to the collection container 2 via the filter frame 6 to cover the emptying opening 4, as shown for example in . Figure 1 is shown. This makes it possible to create a simple unit consisting of parts 7, 8, 9 that are to be connected, which can only be correctly arranged as a connected unit in the receptacle provided for the dust collection unit 1 in the housing of the vacuum robot. The filter frame 6 here establishes the connection between the container lid 3 and the collection container 2, so that it is unlikely or impossible for the user to put the vacuum robot into operation without the filter element 5 being correctly inserted. The filter frame 6 is arranged in a sandwich structure 7, 8, 9 between the container lid 3 and the collection container 2 to cover the emptying opening 4.

[0022] The Figure 2shows an exploded view of the dust collection unit 1 in such a way that the upper sandwich structure part 7, i.e. the container lid 3, and the lower sandwich structure part 9, i.e. the collecting container 3, are removed from the middle sandwich structure part 8, i.e. the filter frame 6. It can be seen that the filter frame 6 with the filter element 5 establishes the connection between the container lid 3 and the collecting container 2. For this purpose, the filter frame 6 has a first connection interface 10, which in the exemplary embodiment is formed by four locking hooks. This first connection interface 10 serves to connect the filter frame 6 to the container lid 3. For this purpose, the container lid 3 has a first correspondence interface 12 for connection to the first connection interface 10 of the filter frame 6, which in Figure 4can be seen in more detail and will be explained in more detail below. A second connection interface 11 on the filter frame 6, which in the exemplary embodiment is formed by four further locking hooks, serves to connect the filter frame 6 to the collecting container 2. For this purpose, the collecting container 2 has a second corresponding interface 13, which serves to connect to the second connection interface 11 of the filter frame 6. In the exemplary embodiment, the second corresponding interface 13 is realized by four projections or undercuts formed at the corners of the collecting container 2, around which the locking hooks of the second connection interface 11 snap as soon as the filter frame 6 is pressed onto the collecting container 2 by the user. This provides a repeatable, releasable locking connection between the filter frame 6 and the collecting container 2 through the second connection interface 11 and the second corresponding interface 13.By detaching the second connection interface 11 from the second correspondence interface 13, the container lid 3 can also be removed together with the filter frame 6 from the emptying opening 4 for emptying the collection container 2, as will be explained in more detail below. In . Figure 2It can also be clearly seen that the collection container 2 has an air inlet opening 14 and an air outlet opening 15. The filter element 5 in the filter frame 6 is arranged between the air inlet opening 14 and the air outlet opening 15 after the filter frame 6 has been placed on the collection container 2. As a result, the filter element 6 is positioned in an air flow of the vacuum robot that is guided through the dust collection unit 1 in order to separate dust, dirt, and grime picked up via the suction mouth of the vacuum robot and collect it in the collection container 2 of the dust collection unit 1. The filter element 5 in the filter frame 6 is preferably designed as a replaceable pleated filter. The pleated filter preferably has a rectangular base area. The pleat depth is preferably 10 mm and the pleat spacing is preferably 3.5 mm. The pleats of the filter element 5 are preferably oriented in the direction of travel of the vacuum robot into which the dust collection unit 1 is inserted.The folds of the filter element 5 can also be oriented in the direction of the air inlet opening 14. The basic dimensions of the filter element 5 are smaller than the discharge opening 4 of the collecting container 2. The basic dimensions of the filter element are preferably 136 mm x 44 mm. The air inlet opening 14 is arranged in a first, substantially vertical side wall 16 of the collecting container 2. While the air outlet opening 15 is arranged in a second, substantially vertical side wall 17 of the collecting container 2. The filter element 5 in the filter frame 6 forms a flat, straight filter plane 18, which is arranged inclined to a horizontal plane 19, which in the exemplary embodiment corresponds to the bottom of the collecting container 2, and to a vertical direction 20 orthogonal thereto.Due to the inclination of the filter plane 18 formed by the filter element 5 in the filter frame 6, the inflow side 21 of the filter element 5 is oriented in the direction of the air inlet opening 14, so that the filter element 5 is optimally flowed through by the air flow of the vacuum robot guided through the dust collection unit 1. As a result, the edge of the filter element 5 oriented towards the air inlet opening 14 is higher than the edge of the filter element 5 oriented towards the air outlet opening 15. As a result, the front area of ​​the filter element 5 is positioned above the air inlet opening 14 in the collection container 2. In the rear area of ​​the filter frame 6, above the filter element 5, is the air outlet opening 15 in the collection container 2. The filter plane 18 of the filter element 5 is preferably rotated between 10° and 45°, more preferably by 20°, to the horizontal plane.The rotated position of the filter element 5 in the filter frame 6 promotes the air flow from the air inlet opening 14 through the collection container 2, the filter element 5 and towards the air outlet opening 15. The filter element 5 is advantageously positioned in the filter frame 6 such that, after being inserted onto the collection container 2, it is at least partially immersed in the collection container 2 from above. When the filter frame 6 is arranged on the collection container 2, the flat inflow side 21 of the filter element 5 is arranged above a collecting chamber 22 of the collection container 2. This allows dust, dirt, and grime to fall off the filter element 5 due to gravity and collect in the collecting chamber 22 of the collection container 2 as soon as the fan of the vacuum robot is switched off. An additional frame is attached to the underside of the filter frame 6. This frame stretches a gauze over the entire area of ​​the filter element 5 and covers it.

[0023] In Figure 3A side view of the assembled dust collection unit 1 is shown. Here, it can be seen how the filter frame 6 forms the middle layer 8 of the sandwich structure. While the container lid 3 forms the upper layer 7 of the sandwich structure, the collection container 2 forms a lower layer 9 of the sandwich structure. This view also shows how the locking hooks of the second connection interface 11 of the filter frame 6 engage the projections 13 of the second correspondence interface 13 of the collection container 2.

[0024] The Figure 4 shows a sectional view through the dust collection unit 1 in the area of ​​the locking hooks of the first connection interface 10 of the filter frame 6 and the first correspondence interface 12 of the container lid 3. As in Figure 4As can be seen, the first correspondence interface 12 of the container lid 3 is formed by undercuts behind which the locking hooks of the first connection interface 10 of the filter frame 6 can engage. This provides a repeatably releasable locking connection between the filter frame 6 and the container lid 3. In the exemplary embodiment, the locking hooks of the first connection interface 10 are arranged on hooks 23 of the filter frame 6, the function of which will be explained in more detail later. The repeatably releasable locking connections between the filter frame 6 and the container lid 3 or the collecting container 2 are designed so differently that the filter frame 6 is necessary to connect the container lid 3 to the collecting container 2. Direct locking of the container lid 3 to the collecting container 2 is not possible because both components 2, 3 do not have correspondingly matching geometric connecting elements.The filter frame 6 is the connecting element between the container lid 3 and the collection container 2. Without the filter frame 6, it is not possible to assemble the dust collection unit 1. Therefore, the user cannot forget to insert the filter frame 6.

[0025] The Figure 5 shows a sectional view along a sliding element 24 of a locking device 25, which will be explained in more detail below.

[0026] From the Figure 6 shows a view into the container lid 2, in which the entire locking mechanism 25 can be seen. The locking mechanism 25 is formed from two sliding elements 24 that can be displaced against a spring force. The spring force is preferably exerted here by two separate springs 26, which are each mounted on the sliding element 24. The spring force moves the sliding elements 24 into the positions shown in Figure 4 , Figure 5 , Figure 6 and Figure 7shown starting position automatically shifted. In the starting position, both sliding elements 24 are positioned closer to the outer wall 27 of the container lid 3. Both sliding elements 24 can move linearly on an axis with a limited stroke. The axis is oriented parallel to the container lid 3. A finger rest 28 is formed on each of the sliding elements 24. If the user exerts a force on the finger rests 28 of the sliding elements 24, which is oriented inwards, the sliding elements 24 move into an intermediate position and then into a final position, which is Figure 8for a sliding element 24 is shown in a detailed view. The user can move the sliding elements 24 using the finger rests 28 with one hand by placing a thumb and an index or middle finger of one hand on the finger rests 28 to operate the sliding elements 24. If the user brings the fingers together in a gripping movement, the sliding elements 24 are moved via the intermediate position into the end position. In the end position, the sliding elements 24 are at the maximum distance from the outer wall 27 of the container lid 3. If the user no longer exerts any force on the sliding elements 24, they automatically move back to their starting position due to the spring force of the springs 26.

[0027] As from Figure 6As can be seen, there are two legs 29 on each of the sliding elements 24. On the collecting container 2 there are also webs 30 which penetrate through the filter frame 6 and into the container lid 3. This is shown in Figure 5clearly visible where at least one web 30 can be seen in the container lid 3. In the illustrated embodiment, a total of four webs 30 are provided on the collecting container 2, which protrude from the collecting container 2 in the direction of the container lid 3. The four webs 30 are positioned relative to the two legs 29 of the sliding elements 24 when the container lid 3 with the filter frame 6 is placed on the collecting container 2. At the upper end, the webs 30 have a slope in the direction of movement of the sliding elements 24 into the end position. Due to this slope, the webs 30 are deeper towards the outer edge of the dust collecting container 2 and increase in height towards the inside. The webs 30 of the collecting container 2 and the legs 29 of the sliding elements 24 are positioned relative to one another in such a way that the legs 29 of the sliding elements 24 and the webs 30 do not touch in the starting position, as shown in Figure 5can be clearly seen. If the sliding elements 24 are moved inwards by the user by hand, the legs 29 of the sliding elements 24 and the webs of the collecting container 2 on the inclined surfaces of the slopes only touch after the intermediate position has been exceeded. The contact between the legs 29 of the sliding elements 24 in the container lid 3 and the webs 30 of the collecting container 2 on the path of the sliding elements 24 from the intermediate position to the end position creates a force between the webs 30 on the collecting container 2 and the legs 29 of the sliding elements 24. This force becomes increasingly larger as the sliding path increases. A force component is oriented in the vertical direction via the slopes of the webs 30 on the collecting container 2. The legs 29 of the sliding elements 24 transfer this force to the container lid 3.If the force in the vertical direction is sufficiently large, the locking connection 11, 13 between the collection container 2 and the filter frame 6 can be released. The movement of the sliding elements 24 towards each other thus releases the connection between the collection container 2 and the filter frame 6. The locking hooks of the second connection interface 11 slide off the projections or undercuts of the second corresponding interface 13. This allows the dust collection unit 1 to be opened with one hand and the accumulated dirt to be vacuumed out, for example, with another hand-held vacuum cleaner. To prevent the filter frame 6 from becoming detached from the container lid 3 during this handling, the previously mentioned locking mechanism 25 locks the filter frame 6 to the container lid 3. For this purpose, the filter frame 6 has several hooks 23 that dip into the container lid 3 and project over the legs 29 of the sliding elements 24.In the embodiment shown, a total of four pairs of hooks 23 are provided on the filter frame 6, which are also shown in . Figure 2can be seen. On the legs 29 of the sliding elements 24 there are recesses 31 which, in the starting position of the sliding elements 24, are positioned such that the hooks 23 are free in the vertical direction. As a result, the filter frame 6 can be detached from the container lid 3 in the starting position of the sliding elements 24 by manually releasing the connection between the first connection interface 10 and the first correspondence interface 12. In the range of movement of the sliding elements 24 between the intermediate and end position, the recesses 31 are moved so that a positive connection in the vertical direction is created between the legs 29 of the sliding elements 24 and the hooks 23 between the filter frame 6 and the container lid 3. As a result of this positive connection, the filter frame 6 can no longer detach from the container lid 3.

[0028] From the Figure 8A detailed view of the locked lock 25 is shown. With the locked lock 25, the container lid 3 can be lifted off the collection container 2 together with the filter frame 6, and the collection container 2 of the dust collection unit 1 can be vacuumed out, if necessary, with another handheld vacuum cleaner in the holder of a vacuum robot, for example. For this purpose, the collection container 2 would not even have to be removed from the holder of the vacuum robot, because with the lock 25, the container lid 3 can be easily removed together with the filter frame 6 with one hand to empty the collection container 2.

[0029] Of course, the invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments. Further embodiments are possible without departing from the basic idea. List of reference symbols:

[0030] 1 Dust collection unit 2 Collection bin 3 Bin lid 4 Drain opening 5 Filter element 6 Filter frame 7 Upper sandwich structure part (bin lid) 8 Middle sandwich structure part (filter frame) 9 Lower sandwich structure part (collection bin) 10 First connection interface 11 Second connection interface 12 First correspondence interface 13 Second correspondence interface 14 Air inlet opening 15 Air outlet opening 16 First vertical side wall 17 Second vertical side wall 18 Filter plane 19 Horizontal plane 20 Vertical direction 21 Upstream side 22 Collection chamber 23 Hook 24 Sliding element 25 Lock 26 Spring 27 Outer wall 28 Finger rest 29 Leg 30 Web 31 Recess

Claims

1. Dust collection unit (1) for a robotic vacuum cleaner, comprising a collection container (2) for collecting dust, a container lid (3) for covering an emptying opening (4) of the collection container (2) and a filter element (5) for separating dust, the filter element (5) being arranged in a filter frame (6), the container lid (3) being connected to the collection container (2) via the filter frame (6) in order to cover the emptying opening (4), the collection container (2) comprising an air inlet opening (14) and an air outlet opening (15), the filter element (5) being arranged in the filter frame (6) between the air inlet opening (14) and the air outlet opening (15) in an air flow of the robotic vacuum cleaner conveyed through the dust collection unit (1), characterised in that the air inlet opening (14) is arranged in a first vertical side wall (16) of the collection container (2) and the air outlet opening (15) is arranged in a second vertical side wall (17) of the collection container (2), the filter element (5) that forms a filter plane (18) in the filter frame (6) being arranged between the air inlet opening (14) and the air outlet opening (15) so as to be inclined to a horizontal plane (19) and to a vertical direction (20).

2. Dust collection unit (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that the filter frame (6) can be arranged in a sandwich structure (7, 8, 9) between the container lid (3) and the collection container (2) in order to cover the emptying opening (4).

3. Dust collection unit (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the filter frame (6) has a first connection interface (10) for a connection to the container lid (3) and a second connection interface (11) for a connection to the collection container (2).

4. Dust collection unit (1) according to claim 3, characterised in that the container lid (3) has an in particular first correspondence interface (12) for connection to the first connection interface (10) of the filter frame (6) and / or in that the collection container (2) has an in particular second correspondence interface (13) for connection to the second connection interface (11) of the filter frame (6).

5. Dust collection unit (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the container lid (3) together with the filter frame (6) can be removed from the emptying opening (4) in order to empty the collection container (2).

6. Dust collection unit (1) according to claim 1, characterised in that, due to the inclination of the filter plane (18) formed by the filter element (5) in the filter frame (6), an inflow side (21) of the filter element (5) is oriented in the direction of the air inlet opening (14).

7. Dust collection unit (1) according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that the filter element (5) has a flat inflow side (21) which is arranged above a collecting space (22) of the collection container (2).

8. Robotic vacuum cleaner for cleaning and maintaining floor surfaces, comprising a housing, a fan for generating negative pressure for collecting dirt by means of an air flow and a separation system for cleaning dirt from the collected air, the housing comprising a receptacle for a dust collection unit of the separation system, characterised in that the dust collection unit (1) corresponds to any of the preceding claims.