Electric air filter at ventilation air inlet and used filter collection

The electric air filter system addresses the limitations of existing devices by enabling versatile filter extraction and collection across varying dimensions, reducing maintenance needs and allowing remote control, ensuring efficient and automated filter replacement and collection.

JP7812669B2Active Publication Date: 2026-02-10NITTY GRITTY
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Patent Information

Application Number
JP2022008128
Authority / Receiving Office
JP · JP
Patent Type
Patents
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2021-01-22
Filing Date
2022-01-21
Publication Date
2026-02-10
Estimated Expiration
2042-01-21

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing filter winding devices for ventilation air inlets are limited by the need for precise dimensions, lack of versatility in handling filters of varying widths and thicknesses, and require manual intervention for filter replacement and collection, leading to inefficiencies in maintenance and maintenance technician intervention.

Method used

An electric air filter system with a lever mechanism driven by an electric motor, synchronized on both sides, allows for the extraction and collection of filters regardless of width and thickness, featuring a lever mechanism with a movable lever press and a rotating pin for winding up used filters, controlled by a motor and adjustable clutch for precise extraction and collection.

Benefits of technology

Enables universal use of filters across different dimensions, reduces maintenance time, and allows remote monitoring and control, ensuring continuous operation and efficient filter replacement and collection without manual intervention.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

To provide an electric filter which can wind and recover a used filter without depending on a width and a thickness of the filter.SOLUTION: An electric filter having a filter feeding mechanism has filter pull-out mechanisms (5) driven by a motor, wherein the pull-out mechanisms are installed on both sides of a filter (2) and are coupled to each other by a lower fixing current (41) and a presser (9), the two pull-out mechanisms are synchronized with each other and are operated by rotation of a lateral axis (8) connecting lever mechanisms provided by each of the two pull-out mechanisms, and pull out the filter downward by a predetermined length in each pull-out cycle, and the pulled-out used filter (39) is wound by a rotation pin (38) whose rotation is controlled through a transmission device (51) interlocking with the lateral axis.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7
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Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a motorized air filter and used filter collection system for ventilation air inlets, specifically, to an air filter extraction system configuration for air filters, typically filter fabric filters, which function as the filter casing and support and are wound in a roll and dispensed for use in an air inlet located there to filter the air being drawn. This system configuration allows for easy access to the required roll filter size for use. This filter, which includes a dispenser casing for dispensing the roll, is known for use in the suction inlets of electrical panels, electronic equipment, and similar containers where atmospheric dust must be removed from the incoming cooling air. The system provides a timed mechanism for feeding new filter fabric and collecting used filters impregnated with filtered contaminants from the air, without manual intervention. [Background technology]

[0002] The technical field includes filters for ventilation air inlets in which a roll of filter fabric is housed in a rectangular parallelepiped casing sized to accommodate a wound roll of filter fabric. The filter fabric is unrolled over the air inlet itself by the casing located near the inlet to filter the cooling air drawn into the device to be filtered. Furthermore, these roll filters are used at a continuous cadence depending on the application of the equipment to which they are assembled, but it is necessary to provide a new fabric covering the air inlet to replace the filter fabric that becomes contaminated with dust from the drawn air during use.

[0003] Therefore, use of a roll of filter fabric involves continuous maintenance and management of the air filtering capacity of the portion of the filter fabric covering the suction inlet. This requires a maintenance technician to periodically check the filtering capacity of the filter fabric, place new filter fabric over the air inlet, and collect used filters. This maintenance can be very time-consuming when performed on a large number of filtration devices.

[0004] Therefore, the prior art has developed a device for winding up filter fabric from a dispenser of the filter fabric wound in roll form, and this is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 presents a filter device with an electrically controlled unwinding for retrieving the filter and various assembly possibilities. The device comprises a filter casing that rotatably receives the filter unwound from the roll. The winding device rotates a shaft to wind up the filter. The winding device further comprises a motor connected to the filter winding shaft, and a control unit includes a power supply unit that checks the operation of the motor and supplies power to the motor and the control unit. The control unit is configured to rotate the motor in intermittent or continuous winding mode.

[0005] Furthermore, Patent Document 2 in the art discloses an air treatment device, which includes an air flow passage and a support structure with the passage, a filter in the form of a continuous strip wound in a roll on a cylindrical core and housed in a chamber applied to the device, the chamber housing the roll filter being attached to the support structure, an outlet slot from the chamber having the same width as the passage, and means for mounting a roll of filter fabric, which allows the strip to be fed into the passage. The means for mounting the roll of filter fabric in the chamber include a pair of articulated (pivotable) shafts, which, when in position at both ends of the chamber, are fixedly mounted in alignment with respect to rotation and axial displacement within the chamber and are spaced apart by a length shorter than the core inserted into the hollow end of the core. The core material and the coupling shaft are provided with friction surfaces which create frictional resistance that allows controllable rotation of the roll as the strip is manually withdrawn from the slot and wound progressively onto a collection roll of used filter material, removing it from a fresh roll of filter fabric. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-213898 [Patent Document 2] U.S. Patent No. 4,627,863 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] These devices have limitations in controlling the winding of filters because the diameter of the motorized winding roller increases as the filter is wound. Even if rotation control is performed via an encoder that verifies the rotation angle, the thickness of the wound filter increases as the diameter of the roller itself increases, as the length of the wound filter changes at the same measured rotation angle. Therefore, simply verifying the rotation angle of the filter winding roller does not ensure accurate, continuous, and partial advancement of a new filter presented in front of the suction air inlet. The materials used for this type of fiber filter are known to vary in thickness. In addition, if the filter dispenser or winding device is not assembled correctly, the rotation of the winding roller affects the entire width of the filter, which can lead to unbalanced unwinding. Furthermore, after assembly, the device is forced to operate with a fixed width of the filter being wound due to the presence of rollers with precise axial dimensions. In fact, a filter winding device cannot be used to wind filters of different widths; each winding device must be used with a filter and a casing of a corresponding precise width.

[0008] In fact, the main limitation of the solutions disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 is the winding of the filter onto the roller, and the fact that, upon completion of the winding, the roller must be removed from the casing of the motorized winding device, requiring the intervention of a maintenance technician for a considerable period of time. A new filter dispenser can be installed to replace the empty one, but the roller, now full of dusty wound filters, must be removed from the device. Furthermore, in addition to the filter length limitation imposed by the new filter dispenser, the device also has a filter load limitation imposed by the winding roller, which cannot exceed the dimensions of the winding roller container, further limiting the versatility of the filter winding device. That is, each winding device can be used with a filter of a predetermined thickness in a corresponding casing of a length that can be accommodated in the winding casing.

[0009] There is considerable room for improvement in the art regarding the possibility of creating powered air filters in ventilation air inlets and the recovery of used filters, which would overcome the above-mentioned limitations of the prior art and allow for a versatility of application not previously achievable, by including the recovery of soiled filter strips recovered from the purified air.

[0010] The technical problem underlying the present invention is therefore to obtain an electric air filter for ventilation air inlets and to recover used filters, similar to those known in the prior art, but which can be universally used in all dimensions of filter width and thickness of the material that makes up the filter, and which allows the recovery of used filters soiled with dirt.

[0011] The objective underlying the above technical problem is to provide a filter feeding mechanism that collects used and dirty filters independently of the width of the filter itself and the thickness of the material used in the filter.

[0012] A further object of the present invention is to obtain the above-mentioned mechanism, which provides a withdrawal device that is versatile and reusable even after maintenance and / or relocation to another ventilation air inlet and used filter collection that requires different width and thickness dimensions from the filter fabric used, without major intervention in the above-mentioned mechanism, simply by changing the roll filter dispenser and adjusting the filter withdrawal device to the new dimensional parameters.

[0013] Yet another aspect of the technical problem to be addressed relates to the remote control of the filter withdrawal device, allowing a maintenance technician to have continuous visibility even at a remote location and automatically controlling the filter withdrawal device within the global control of the mechanical system in which it is installed, i.e., informing the maintenance technician when new filters are to be dispensed and dirty filters are to be collected. [Means for solving the problem]

[0014] According to the present invention, this object can be achieved by an electric air filter and used filter recovery device for ventilation air inlets in the casing of a machine or electrical device requiring filtered air, the electric air filter and used filter recovery device comprising a dispenser with a roll filter and a filter extraction mechanism driven by an electric motor for extracting the roll filter from the dispenser, the extracting mechanism comprising a lever mechanism in which a movable lever press is pressed against the filter by an extracting device at its front end and which extracts the filter downwards by a predetermined length in each extraction cycle, the extracting mechanisms being provided on both sides of the filter to be extracted by the dispenser, and the extracting mechanism comprises ... lever mechanism being provided on both sides of the filter to be extracted by the dispenser, and the extracting mechanism comprises a lever mechanism in which a movable lever press is pressed against the filter by an extracting device at its front end and which extracts the filter downwards by a predetermined length in each extraction cycle, the lever mechanism being provided on both sides of the filter to be extracted by the dispenser, and the extracting mechanism comprises a lever mechanism in which a movable lever press is pressed against the filter by an extracting device at its front end and which extracts the filter downwards by a Each side is provided with a lever mechanism, one of which is motor-driven and the other is motor-driven, and the two lever mechanisms of the same pulling mechanism have the same pulling length, are driven synchronously, and perform a full cycle with each pulling operation, the lever mechanisms are connected to an electric motor on the motor-driving side of the pulling mechanism, the drive synchronization of the two lever mechanisms is obtained by a lateral connecting shaft of the lever mechanisms, and a lower fixed current exists together with a presser foot to connect the two sides, and further, the used filter pulled downward is wound up on a rotating pin that is arranged to rotate controlled and driven by rotation of the lateral shaft or the rotating shaft of the lever mechanism with a motion transmission device connected to the shaft / shaft.

[0015] In another configuration, the lever mechanism includes a crank button that swings the movable lever retainer, and a tracking wheel at the rear end of the lever that contacts a contrast cam.

[0016] In a further improved configuration, the movable lever presser and the extraction device are associated with elastic means which press the extraction device against the unwound filter, and which retract the movable lever presser so as to return it to its starting point upon completion of the lever mechanism extraction cycle.

[0017] In yet another further constructional variant, the crank button is associated with a circular cam which, during its rotation, contacts a microswitch which stops the rotation cycle.

[0018] Furthermore, in a particular perfect embodiment, the pulling mechanism has a motion transmission device on the driven side between the rotating shaft of the lever mechanism connected to the lateral connecting shaft connecting the lever mechanisms to each other, and the rotating pin for winding up the used filter.

[0019] Furthermore, in a further advantageous configuration, the motion transmission device is a belt-type transmission device comprising a drive pulley rotatably connected to the rotating shaft and a driven pulley connected to a slide shaft for supporting and rotating the rotating winding pin of the used filter.

[0020] Furthermore, in a particular configuration, the slide shaft rotatably supports and engages, at one end of the rotation pin, an engagement seat at the end of the pin by means of a front engagement portion.

[0021] In a further constructional variant, the movement transmission is coupled to rotate the rotary winding pin of the used filter by means of an adjustable clutch.

[0022] In a further constructive variant, the adjustable clutch comprises adjustable elastic means for generating an axial elastic load for controlling the sliding movement of the adjustable clutch.

[0023] Finally, instead of the previous structural variant, which is a practical and economical embodiment, the sliding of the rotary motion transmission from the rotating shaft to the rotating pin occurs by loosening the tension on the belt, allowing sliding based on the diameter reached by winding the used filter onto the rotating pin.

[0024] Further features and advantages of the present invention in obtaining an electrically powered air filter and used filter collection in a ventilation air inlet can be seen from the following description of structural forms and embodiments, given as illustrative and non-limiting examples, with reference to the nine attached drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective schematic view showing an electric air filter in a ventilation air inlet according to the present invention, where the used filter is not collected, and here applied to the casing wall to cover the air suction inlet from the outside, and a fiber filter roll dispenser, filter extraction device are shown. [Figure 2] A schematic view similar to that of Figure 1 is shown, showing the withdrawal mechanism opened for the introduction of a new fiber filter roll and replacing the upper dispenser. [Figure 3] 1A-1C are schematic cross-sectional views of a filter extraction mechanism in various positions, showing the start of gripping the filter with the movable presser. [Figure 4] 1A-1C are schematic cross-sectional views of a filter extraction mechanism in various positions, showing the filter extraction state where the presser pulls the filter. [Figure 5] 5A-5C are schematic cross-sectional views of the filter pulling mechanism in various positions, showing the end of the pulling process at the moment of release of the movable presser; [Figure 6] 10A-10C are schematic cross-sectional views of the filter withdrawal mechanism in various positions, showing the movable presser returning to the starting position. [Figure 7]1 is a schematic side view of the extraction mechanism that provides for the recovery of the used filter onto the roller, and in which the view is missing the associated casing wall and the suction inlet for the air to be filtered, already shown in Figures 1 and 2 above. [Figure 8] 8 is a schematic perspective view of the extraction mechanism of FIG. 7, shown from the side of the casing wall to show the magnetic gripping device provided on the wall itself. [Figure 9] FIG. 8 is a partially transparent schematic perspective view of the draw-out mechanism of FIG. 7 so that the internal configurations of the motor driving side and the power-transmitted side can be understood. [Figure 10] 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a withdrawal mechanism and a rotation and recovery mechanism for a used filter roller. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a schematic view showing the front view of the pull-out and rotation mechanism and the used filter collection situation with the complete roller of the used roll filter removed. [Figure 12] 10 is a schematic perspective view showing the state in which a used filter is collected onto a roller by assembling a rotation mechanism and an empty pin for winding up the used filter. FIG. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a semi-transparent enlarged perspective view showing the withdrawal mechanism from the driven side, the transmission to the pin of the rotation mechanism, and the recovery state of the used filter. [Figure 14] 10 is a diagram showing a schematic view of the pins of the support mechanism, rotation, and collection of the used filter in a vertical axial cross section. FIG. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view showing the mechanism for extracting, supporting, rotating and retrieving the used filter, where a tray is placed underneath to collect any liquid that leaks from the waste collected from the air filtered by the used filter. [Figure 16] A schematic perspective view similar to that of Figure 2 of the mechanism for extracting and supporting, rotating and retrieving used filters, seen from the driven side in the open position, to enable and facilitate the installation of a new roll filter from a dispenser not shown here. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] 1 to 6 show a first embodiment of an electric filter according to the invention, which is provided with a filter withdrawal mechanism having a dispenser 1 for a filter 2 in the form of a roll of filter fabric of a known type, which is arranged to cover a suction air inlet 3 in a part of the machine casing 4, which must be cooled by the flow of air drawn through the suction inlet. The withdrawal mechanism 5 includes a motor-driven side 6, i.e., an electric mechanism for withdrawing the filter 2 downwards, and a driven side 7, i.e., a mechanism that is mechanically driven and synchronized with the mechanism on the motor-driven side, registered in its setting, and withdraws the filter 2 by a distance identical in construction to that of the motor-driven side. A transverse shaft 8 is rotatably keyed to both sides, i.e., the motor-driven side 6 and the driven side 7, to ensure mechanical synchronization between the two withdrawal mechanisms. A lateral hold-down 9 is located at the filter 2 inlet point of the extraction mechanism 5 and keeps the filter 2 in contact with the wall of the casing 4 while the filter 2 is being extracted, thereby covering the suction air inlet 3 and preventing air from re-entering between the suction inlet 3 and the wall of the casing 4 and the filter 2 itself. A filter 2 collection tray 10 is located below the extraction mechanism 5 and is used to prevent the filter 2 from falling to the floor or flat surface below the casing 4 when the tray is not present. The motor-driven side 6 of the extraction mechanism 5 has a control panel 11 for appropriate switching on command and controlling the various functions described below, as well as the mode and value of the extraction distance of the filter 2.

[0027] The cross-sectional views of FIGS. 3 to 6 also show the shape of the lever mechanism 12, which is made identical on both the motor-driven side 6 and the driven side 7 of the pull-out mechanism 5.

[0028] The lever mechanism 12 comprises a crank button 13 about which a movable lever presser 14 swings, the crank button 13 having at its front end 16 an extracting device 15 toward the surface from which the filter 2 is extracted, and a wheel 17 at the rear end 19 of the lever opposite a contrast guide cam 18 for positioning the movable presser 14 when it is released during the return phase, as shown in FIG. 6 . A resilient traction means 20, i.e., a normal helical spring, keeps the wheel 17 in contact with the contrast cam 18 during the return phase of the lever mechanism 12, thereby separating the extracting device 15 from the filter 2. The crank button 13 is keyed to a rotating shaft 21, the ends of which protrude outside a sleeve 22 of the extracting mechanism 5 on both the driven side 7 and the motor-driven side 6, and the transverse shaft 8 for mechanical synchronization is keyed to the opposite end of the shaft 21. A circular cam 32 is associated with the rotating shaft 21, only on the motor-driven side 6 of the pull-out mechanism 5, to rotate together with the crank button 13 in synchronism with itself, and this circular cam is associated with a microswitch 33 that detects a complete rotation of the shaft 21 so as to interrupt the rotation in the event of a single, non-repeating cycle.

[0029] The connection between the two sides of the pull-out mechanism 5 is achieved by a connecting bracket 23 fixed to both the driven side 7 and the motor-driven side 6, on which the filter 2 is pulled out by contact made by the pull-out device 15 with the action of the lever mechanism 12 on both sides of the pull-out mechanism 5. The connecting bracket also serves as the pull-out surface for the filter 2. The connecting bracket fixes the relative position between the motor-driven side 6 and the driven side 7, and in addition, the bracket has a housing 24 for a permanent magnet 25 for fixing to the ferromagnetic material of the casing 4, on the surface intended to come into contact with the surface of the casing 4, as shown in FIG. 8, for use in dispenser 1 with a roll of filter 2.

[0030] 1 and 2 also show an adjustable support 34, which projects toward the center of the suction air inlet 3 but is spaced from it. It is inserted between the filter 2 and the suction air inlet and is located on the motor-driven side 6 of the drawer mechanism, at its end a sensor 35 is located. This sensor detects the light reflected from the surface of the filter 2 or the air movement when the filter becomes contaminated with dust collected by the filter itself. The reflective brightness of the filter surface or the air velocity passing through the filter varies depending on the level of contamination caused by dust filtered from the drawn air. That is, a new filter has a maximum brightness or air velocity, while a dirty filter has a lower value. This determination, transmitted by an electronic signal to an electronic control and command circuit board 27 on the motor-driven side, allows the cycle of the drawer mechanism 5 to be automatically controlled by an electric motor 26, powered by a battery (not shown), housed in one or both casings on the motor-driven and / or driven drawer mechanism sides. This control is initiated when a minimum control threshold is reached.

[0031] 1-2, 7-11, 12, and 14 show an electric filter pull-out mechanism, in which the components, the motor-driven side 6 and the driven sides 7 and 36, are tilted on a fixed support structure 40 of a tilting pull-out mechanism 5. Identical components and parts with identical functions are referred to by the same reference numerals. The two sides 6 and 36 of the tilting pull-out mechanism are connected by a lateral retainer 9 and a lower retainer 41, which rigidly supports the tilting movement relative to the fixed structure 40. The tilting movement is caused by tilting pins 42, which are located on the lower right side 43 and the lower left side 44 of the fixed structure 40, and the fixed structure 40 is connected to corresponding rotation seats 45, which are located on the sleeves of the tilting motor-driven side 6 and the tilting driven side 36 of the pull-out mechanism. 2 and 16, the opening, i.e., unlocking from the closed position to the open position of FIGS. 2 and 16, occurs by means of a hook lever 46 from a retention notch 47 present in the upper right 48 and upper left 49 portions of the fixed structure 40. This opening is facilitated by the presence of a gripping surface 50 associated with the hook lever and fixed to a sleeve on each side of the extraction mechanism. The driven side 36, as shown in FIGS. 1-6, differs from the driven side 7 by the presence of a transmission to a lower rotating pin 38 for winding up used filters 39 that fall into the collection tray 10 below. The used filters 39 are also shown in the remaining figures wound in a roll on the rotating pin 38.

[0032] 9 and 13, a rotary motion transmission 51 is arranged on the driven side 36 of the withdrawal mechanism 5 of the used filter 39 and rotates the winding pin 38 of said used filter 39. The motion transmission 51 is driven by a belt 52 by counter-rotating the rotating shaft 21, advantageously together with a driving pulley 53 on the shaft 21, a driven pulley 54 and a hollow hub 55 for supporting and effectively controlling the withdrawal of the pin 38 during winding of the used filter 39. A sliding shaft 56 is inserted axially inside said hollow hub so as to rotate freely and is freely coupled for rotation with said driven pulley 54 by an adjustable clutch 57.

[0033] 14 also shows the coupling between the adjustable clutch 57 and the sliding shaft 56 by means of a rotating tube 58 to which the sliding shaft 56 is keyed, and an axial elastic loading means 59 which tightens the driven pulley 54 against an annular reaction wall 60 provided on the rotating tube 58 with the interposition of at least one clutch disc 61. The clutch tightening is adjusted by pressing a spring 62 housed on the outside of the tube 58, which is tightened on said tube by means of a tightening nut 63 of the hollow hub 55 which slides axially on said tube against the annular wall 60 of said tube. Furthermore, the loading of the spring 62 by the clutch 57 acts on said hollow hub by means of an annular cover 64 which closes the rotary support 65 and withdraws the pin 38. The slide shaft 56 is therefore urged axially by elastic means 66, typically a spring, for the axial insertion of a front insert 67, which is coupled to a seat 68 of the front coupling at one end 69 of the pin 38 for winding up the used filter 39. An annular poppet 70 can grip the slide shaft to allow the disengagement and insertion of the front engagement part 67 of the pin 38. By this operation, the pin 38 can first be introduced empty and then removed with the used filter 39 wound up in a roll, as shown in Figures 11 and 12.

[0034] As shown, before being wound onto the pins 38, the used filter 39 is held close together in the vertical sliding direction on the bracket 23 by lower pressers 71 supported by downwardly projecting shelves 72 at the lower right-hand side 43 and lower left-hand side 44 of the fixed structure 40. Finally, in Figure 15, the mechanism for extracting the filter 2 and winding up the used filter 39 is combined with a basin 73 for collecting any seepage of liquid that may be impregnated in the used filter and that becomes caught up in the rotating pins 38. This basin is supported at an appropriate distance below the mechanism for extracting and winding up the used filter 39 by anchors 74 at both lower ends of the fixed structure 40.

[0035] 9 also shows the internal configuration of the pull-out mechanism 5. An electric motor 26 drives the rotating shaft 21. Reference numeral 27 denotes an electronic control and drive circuit board for the electric filter pull-out mechanism 5, which also includes a battery (not shown) for powering the electric motor 26 and the electronic circuit board 27. The power supply can be dual, but as an alternative to the battery, a normal external power source can be used to power the electronic board 27 and the electric motor 26 for their operation.

[0036] The use of an electric air filter in a ventilation air inlet and the collection of used filters according to the invention are carried out as disclosed below, with the electric filter being positioned in the wall of a casing 4, with a dispenser 1 for a rolled up filter 2 being positioned above the suction air inlet 3. While in manual use said positioning may be imprecise, in the electric filter disclosed here said positioning must be approximately horizontal to allow correct withdrawal of the fabric filter 2 of known type.

[0037] Proper positioning of the dispenser 1, and therefore the extraction mechanism 5, is achieved by using a positioning template (not shown) having a body and tines positioned at the expected width for the particular filter 2 to be installed. The positioning template may have tines shaped to receive the ends 48 and 49 of the extraction mechanism fixing structure 40, and the tines themselves positioned at the expected width of the dispenser 1. The template is provided with horizontal positioning bubbles.

[0038] Furthermore, the configuration of the pull-out mechanism allows the number of parts to be reduced in the configuration, i.e., simplifies the materials to be kept in stock, but by assembling the retainers 9 of different widths on the connecting bracket 23 of the horizontal shaft 8 to the lower current 41 and lower retainer 71 of the winding pin of the filter 38, the purchaser can quickly, easily and simply obtain the electric filter 2 of the width he desires.

[0039] After assembling the electric filter, the user selects the extraction operation mode. The operation of the extraction mechanism is always the same in each extraction mode. In fact, when switched on, the lever mechanism 12 always starts rotating in the same direction by moving the circular cam 32 and depressing the microswitch 33, which in turn rotates the crank button 13, causing the lever mechanism 12 to perform all the steps shown in Figures 3, 4, 5, and 6. During the step of pressing the extraction device 15 against the filter 2, the filter itself is extracted by a predetermined length with each cycle, i.e., by rotating the crank button. While pressing the extraction device 15 against the filter, the wheel 17 moves away from the contrast cam 18, and the elastic means 20 maintains a constant pressure of the extraction device 15 against the filter 2, ensuring the extraction. By continuing to rotate, the crank button 13 moves the movable lever presser 14 away from the filter 2, and the contact between the wheel 17 and the contrast cam 18 returns the movable lever presser to its starting position. This position is reached when the circular cam 32 triggers the microswitch 33 to block the rotation, completing the rotation angle. The rotational motion from the motor-driven side 6 is mechanically transmitted synchronously to the lever mechanism 12 present on the driven side 7. The lever mechanism on the driven side does not include either the circular cam 32 or the microswitch 33. Furthermore, the driven side includes a rotational motion transmission device 51 from the shaft 21 to the rotation / withdrawal support 65 of the winding pin 38, as well as a collection section for the used filter 39. Therefore, during assembly, the dispenser 1 is correctly positioned at the suction air inlet 3, and the filter 2 withdrawal mechanism is positioned below and aligned with the dispenser. The filter 2 can then be removed from the dispenser and guided into the withdrawal mechanism. As shown in Figure 16, the mechanism is open, and the filter 2 is placed in front of the suction air inlet, as shown in Figures 1-2 and 7. The used filter 39 rests on the front surface of the bracket 23 (see FIG. 10) and is pulled out by deflecting it on the lower retainer 71.The filter is then reassembled, but upon use, the filter becomes a used filter 39 and is wound around the rotating pin 38 (see Figures 7 and 9-16) and collected by being wound around the pin, preventing the filter from falling onto the floor on which the machine is located (see Figures 1-2) or onto the tray 10 (see Figures 3-6) relative to the wall 4 and suction air inlet 3. Once the filter is fully loaded onto the rotating pin 38, the extraction mechanism 5 is closed by pressing the two motor-driven and driven sides against the fixed structure 40 so that both hook levers 46 on each side are gripped in their respective retaining notches 47. The extraction mechanism for the filter 2 then begins to operate in a cadence-like manner by collecting the used filter 39 as it is wound around the rotating pin 38. Note that the rotating pin 38 is attached to the rotation mechanism in an empty state and is disposable, i.e., disposed of as waste together with the used filter 39 wound around it.

[0040] In fact, the driven side 36 with the winding transmission has a transmission 51, which, even if realized as a simple belt-type transmission, is able to roll the used filter 39 onto the pin 38 and retrieve it. If the belt-type transmission 52 is adjusted with an appropriate slack, it will not retract the used filter 39 even during the short recovery step of the lever mechanism 12 from the extraction position, which is carried out by the presser foot 14 in front of the bracket 23, when the extracting mechanism 15 is pulled away from the extraction surface. After extraction carried out by the lever mechanism 12, the used filter 39 is fed into the path from the lower presser foot 71 to the rotating pin 38 and wound around the rotating pin 38.

[0041] 11 and 12 show the removal of the rotating pin 38 with the used filter 39, which drives the annular poppet 70 axially, by extracting the slide shaft 56 and its associated front end 67 from the engagement seat 68 present at the end 69 of the rotating pin 38. A resilient means 66, typically a helical spring, maintains said inserted engagement for proper extraction.

[0042] 9, 13, and 14, the illustrated configuration also includes a transmission device that uses a clutch mechanism 57 to control the tension of the used filter 39 as it is wound around the rotating pin 38. The driven pulley 54 has a hollow hub 55 that is axially slidable and rotatable on a keyed tube 58, and slides axially and rotationally relative to a slide shaft 56 that pulls out the rotating pin 38, as described above. An axially elastic loading means 59, i.e., a clutch load spring 62, is provided between the tube 58 and the hollow hub 55 of the driven pulley 54, and this spring is controlled by the axial positioning of a clamping nut 63 of the axially elastic loading means 59 on the tube 58. The thrust force of the axially elastic loading means presses the pulley 54 against an annular reaction wall 60 provided on the tube 58, and a clutch action is applied by a clutch disc 61 interposed between the driven pulley 54 and the annular wall.

[0043] Tests performed have shown that adjustable clutch 57 may also be necessary if belt 52 is not properly adjusted or if a filter 2 having a significant thickness is present.

[0044] Finally, the disclosed motorized filter has an Ether connection to an electronic circuit board 27 that coordinates the overall control and command of the motorized filter. A connection via an activated data connection of known type with a smartphone, for example a Wi-Fi connection, exchanges data regarding the status of the motorized filter it controls, providing a maintenance technician who checks the proper operation of the motorized filter with updates regarding its operating conditions, the expected lifespan of the filter 2, i.e., the need to replace the dispenser 1 in the future, as well as any blockages or failures that may have occurred in the motorized filter.

[0045] The advantages of using a powered air filter for ventilation air inlets and used filter collection can be summarized as follows:

[0046] The motorized filter of the invention disclosed herein is easy to assemble and also to select the withdrawal mode, whether timed at precise preset times or lengths, whether in continuous or successively executed steps, or by verification of the parameters of the filter effectiveness (optical sensor or air flow sensor) or the functions required by the machine, since these options are programmable from the control panel 11 where the withdrawal mechanism is located. Thus, with the presence of a data connection via ether to a maintenance technician, it is easy to verify the specific parameters set for the intervention timing, i.e. start-stop timing, or even switching on as a function of the clogging of the filter itself, determined by the user or detected by the sensor 35 and transmitted to the electronic circuit board 27 and controlled externally by setting commands for the specific installation of the motorized filter to be carried out.

[0047] Furthermore, the withdrawal by the lever 12 is practical and uniform, i.e. the used and dirty filter 39 is wound up while being collected, so that it is not affected by fluctuations in the delivery parameters, and operation is always guaranteed by the battery, if necessary, without interruption to the withdrawal mechanism 5, even if power from an external source is stopped.

[0048] Further advantages are obtained in the manufacture of the electric filter according to the invention. In fact, this type of filter manufacture requires obtaining widths of filters 2 ranging from several tens of centimeters to considerable lengths, even lengths of one meter or more. The withdrawal mechanism allows for a reduction in inventory, i.e., the number of parts that make up the disclosed components, and furthermore, since the withdrawal mechanism can be adapted to dispensers of specific widths, electric filters of non-standard widths can be obtained in a short time. This means that changing the width dimensions of electric filters is practical and economical.

[0049] Obviously, those skilled in the art can make numerous modifications to the motorized air filter and used filter recovery in the ventilation air inlet as described above to meet specific and unexpected requirements, all of which fall within the scope of the present invention as defined by the claims. In fact, although less convenient, tilting of the fixed structure 40 and the pull-out mechanism 5 can be avoided, i.e., the pull-out mechanism can be combined with the motion transmission 51 only in the case of fixed mounting, advantageously magnetically directly by means of permanent magnets 25 connected to the sleeves 22 of the motor-driven side 6 and the driven side 7, as is known from dispenser 1, in the wall of the casing 4 in which the suction inlet 3 for the air to be filtered is located.

[0050] Furthermore, the motion transmission 51 described above can be realized using gears or clutch wheels. Finally, the motion transmission can be realized either on the motor driving side 6 or on the driven side 36. The adjustable clutch 57 can also be realized directly on the rotating shaft 21, i.e., on the input side of the motion transmission, or on the output side of the motion transmission, i.e., in its connection with the rotating pin 38, as shown.

Claims

1. An electric air filter for a ventilation air inlet (3) in a casing (4) of a machine or electrical equipment requiring filtering of the drawn air, the electric air filter comprising: a dispenser (1) having a roll filter (2); and a filter drawing mechanism driven by an electric motor for drawing out the roll filter from the dispenser. The filter drawing mechanism (5) has a lever mechanism (12) in which a movable lever presser (14) is pressed against the roll filter (2) by a drawing device (15) at its front end (16) and which draws out the roll filter downward by a predetermined length in each drawing cycle. The filter drawing mechanism is provided on two sides of the roll filter (2) drawn out by the dispenser (1), and each side of the filter drawing mechanism is provided with a lever mechanism (12), one of which is a motor-driven side (6) and the other of which is a powered side (7), and the same front 1. An electric air filter comprising: two lever mechanisms in the filter-pulling mechanism having the same pulling length, driven synchronously and performing a full cycle with each pulling operation; the lever mechanisms (12) are connected to an electric motor (26) on the motor-driving side of the filter-pulling mechanism; the synchronization of the driving of the two lever mechanisms is achieved by a horizontal shaft (8) connecting the lever mechanisms; a lower fixed current (41) for connecting the two sides is present together with a presser foot (9); the mechanisms are fixed to the casing (4) by permanent magnets (25) integral with the sleeves (22) of the motor-driving side (6) and the driven side (7), respectively; and the used filter (39) pulled downward is wound up on a rotating pin (38) arranged for controlled rotation and driven by rotation of the horizontal shaft (8) or the rotating shaft (21) of the lever mechanism (12) by a motion transmission device (51) connected to the horizontal shaft (8).

2. 2. The electric air filter of claim 1, wherein the lever mechanism (12) includes a crank button (13) by which the movable lever retainer (14) swings, and a tracking wheel (17) at the rear end (19) of the movable lever retainer that contacts a contrast cam (18).

3. 3. The electric air filter according to claim 2, wherein a resilient means (20) for pressing the extracting device (5) against the unwound used filter (39) is present at the rear end (19) of the movable lever presser (14), and the resilient means is a helical spring in a traction state that retracts the movable lever presser (14) so ​​as to return it to its starting point upon completion of the lever mechanism extraction cycle.

4. 4. An electric air filter according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the crank button (13) is associated with a circular cam (32) that contacts a rotation cycle stop microswitch (33) during rotation of the circular cam.

5. 5. The electric air filter according to claim 1, wherein the filter pulling mechanism has a motion transmission device (51) between the rotating shaft (21) of the lever mechanism (12) connected to the lateral connecting shaft (8) that connects the lever mechanisms (12) to each other on the driven side (7, 36) and the rotating pin (38) for winding up the used filter (39).

6. 6. The electric air filter according to claim 5, wherein the motion transmission device is a belt-type transmission device (52) having a drive pulley (53) rotatably connected to the rotating shaft (21) and a driven pulley (54) connected to a slide shaft (56) for supporting and rotating the rotating pin (38) of the used filter (39).

7. 7. The electric air filter according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the slide shaft rotatably supports and engages with an engagement seat portion (68) at one end (69) of the rotating pin (38) by a front engagement portion (67) at the end of the rotating pin.

8. 2. The electric air filter according to claim 1, wherein the motion transmission (51) is rotatably connected to the rotation pin (38) of the used filter (39) by a clutch (57) whose tightening is adjustable.

9. 9. The electric air filter of claim 8, wherein the clutch includes a clutch load spring (62) that provides a thrust force to control the sliding movement of the clutch.

10. 8. The electric air filter according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the sliding of the motion transmission device (51) from the rotating shaft (21) to the rotating pin (38) is caused by loosening the tension of the belt (52) to allow sliding based on the diameter reached by winding the used filter (39) onto the rotating pin.

11. 11. The electric air filter according to claim 1, 5, 8 or 10, wherein the filter pull-out mechanism (5) is tilted on a fixing structure (40) by means of a pin (42) and a rotation seat (45) of the pin in a sleeve on both the motor driving side and the driven side, and the fixing structure is provided with a connecting bracket (23) with a magnetic grip on a casing (4) in which an air suction inlet (3) is present, in order to fix the entire filter pull-out mechanism (5) on the casing.

Citation Information

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