Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

The invention relates to a dust sweeper with a handpiece (1) having a light source (2) and a light guide (3) and at least one additional piece (4, 4a) which can be connected to the handpiece (1) and has an additional light guide (5, 5a), where the light guide (3) has a lens-shaped surface so that it functions as a light output element during operation when the handpiece (1) and at least one additional piece (4, 4a) are separated and as a light connection point for the additional light guide (5, 5a) when the handpiece (1) and at least one additional piece (4, 4a) are connected.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner. In particular, the invention relates to a vacuum cleaner with a handheld unit and an accessory.

[0002] Vacuuming in a poorly lit area is significantly easier with illumination of the area being cleaned. Therefore, vacuum cleaners can have a light source located in the handle. However, vacuum cleaners with a light source in the handle illuminate the area being cleaned significantly less effectively when an accessory is attached, as the distance to the area being cleaned increases.

[0003] JP-A-2007267779 discloses a vacuum cleaner with a handheld unit that has a light source and an accessory that can be coupled to the handheld unit and has a light guide.

[0004] The invention thus addresses the problem of providing a vacuum cleaner designed to achieve a consistent quality of illumination, regardless of whether, how many, and which accessories are connected to the handheld unit or to each other. Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner should be cost-effective.

[0005] According to the invention, this problem is solved by a vacuum cleaner with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention are described in the following dependent claims.

[0006] The advantages achievable with the invention include not only consistent illumination quality regardless of whether one or more accessories are used with the handheld unit, but also cost advantages. Since additional light sources are not required in the accessories, manufacturing costs are reduced.

[0007] The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner with a handheld unit comprising a light source and a light guide, and at least one accessory that can be coupled to the handheld unit and has a further light guide, wherein the light guide has a lens-shaped surface, so that it functions as a light emitter when the handheld unit and the at least one accessory are decoupled, and as a light coupling point for the further light guide when the handheld unit and the at least one accessory are coupled.

[0008] The vacuum cleaner is preferably designed as a handheld device, more preferably as a handheld vacuum cleaner or stick vacuum cleaner. Preferably, the vacuum cleaner is designed as a cordless vacuum cleaner, i.e., it has a rechargeable battery. The handheld unit is designed to be gripped by the user during operation and preferably has a handle. The at least one accessory is preferably designed as a nozzle, such as a suction nozzle, or a tube, such as an extension tube. The handheld unit and the at least one accessory are designed such that they can be connected to each other when the user wants to use the accessory. Preferably, the handheld unit and the at least one accessory are designed to be detachably connected via a plug connection. However, the handheld unit is designed such that it can be used independently as a vacuum cleaner, so that it can also be disconnected from the at least one accessory.with which at least one accessory can be used independently or uncoupled. Preferably, the handheld unit contains all vacuum cleaner components necessary for vacuuming. Alternatively, preferably, the handheld unit can be coupled to the vacuum cleaner components essential for functioning as a vacuum cleaner.

[0009] The vacuum cleaner has a light guide system that allows light generated in the vacuum cleaner's handpiece to be extracted from the handpiece when used without an accessory, and to be guided through and extracted from one or more coupled accessories when the handpiece is coupled to the at least one accessory. Preferably, the ends of the handpiece's light guide each have a lens-shaped surface, so that the light guide transmits light as effectively as possible to the other light guide of the accessory coupled to the handpiece when the accessory is coupled to the handpiece, and so that the light guide can extract light in such a way as to illuminate the suction area for the user when no accessory is coupled to the handpiece.

[0010] The lighting unit, which is located in the vacuum cleaner's handheld unit, comprises, or more preferably consists of, essentially two components: the light source and the light guide. The light guide's function is to capture and focus the light from the light source and then output it at the exit surface towards the suction area. In a preferred embodiment, the light guide has an input optic and an output optic, each designed as a lens. These lenses constitute the lens-shaped surface of the light guide. Preferably, two lenses are formed at the ends of the light guide for focusing and outputting the light. When the handheld unit is coupled to the at least one accessory, the lighting unit comprises the light source integrated into the handheld unit and the light guide system consisting of the light guide and the additional light guide. A separate light source in the accessory is not required.

[0011] Preferably, the lenses of the optical fiber in the handpiece are convex. That is, each of the lenses of the input and output coupling optics is convex.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, the lens of the output optics is inclined at its light-exit surface to an optical axis of the light guide by a predetermined angle. The predetermined angle is preferably in the range of 10 to 14°. The reason for this is that the light should not exit symmetrically to the light guide, but rather at an angle to the optical axis of the light guide that ensures optimal illumination of the suction area.

[0013] Preferably, the optical fiber has a circular or substantially circular cross-section. Preferably, the optical fiber has a diameter and the lens of the output coupler optics has a radius that corresponds to or substantially corresponds to the diameter. Preferably, the diameter and the radius are each in the range of 2 to 6 mm, more preferably 3 to 5 mm.

[0014] In a preferred embodiment, the lens of the coupling optics is parabolic or spherical. The coupling optics in the form of the lens is preferably designed as a convex surface, which is either parabolic or spherical. The light source is preferably designed to be adapted to it.

[0015] Preferably, the lens of the output coupler is spherical. The output coupler lens is preferably designed as a convex, spherical surface. More preferably, the output coupler is a convex, spherical lens with a radius of 2 to 6 mm, more preferably 3 to 5 mm, inclined at a predetermined angle of 10 to 14° to the optical axis of the light guide. For example, if the lens of the output coupler is inclined at a predetermined angle of 12° to the optical axis of the light guide, the optical axis of the light cone is inclined by approximately 18°.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment, the additional light guide has further coupling optics and further output optics, each configured as a lens. This provides a light interface between the light guide and the additional light guide, enabling light to be transferred from the light guide to the additional light guide with minimal loss. Thus, at the end of the light path, for example in the accessory coupled to the handpiece into which the additional light guide is integrated, light can be coupled out without shadowing, illuminating the suction area homogeneously. The lens of the additional coupling optic is preferably configured as a negative form of the lens of the output optic, and the lens of the additional output optic is preferably identical or substantially identical to the lens of the output optic of the light guide in the handpiece.When the handpiece and the at least one accessory are coupled, the ends of the optical fiber and the additional optical fiber are preferably brought very close together. Preferably, the distance between the lens of the output coupling optics and the lens of the additional coupling optics is less than 0.5 mm when the handpiece is coupled to the at least one accessory. Preferably, the diameter and radius of the lens of the additional optical fiber are identical or substantially identical to the diameter and radius of the lens of the optical fiber.

[0017] Preferably, the vacuum cleaner has several accessories that can be connected to one another. This allows the accessories to be connected not only to the handheld unit but also to each other. Each of the several accessories preferably has its own additional light guide. The several accessories are preferably identical or substantially identical with respect to the additional light guide, so that when one of the several accessories is connected to the handheld unit and another of the accessories, the light guide forms a light guidance system with the other light guides.

[0018] In a preferred embodiment, the light source is designed as an LED (light-emitting diode). An LED has low energy consumption and a long lifespan.

[0019] An embodiment of the invention is shown schematically in the drawings and is described in more detail below. It is shown schematically and not to scale. Fig. 1 a side view of a vacuum cleaner according to the invention; Fig. 2 an enlarged partial side view of the in Fig. 1 vacuum cleaner shown; Fig. 3 an enlarged partial side view of the in Fig. 2 shown light guide; Fig. 4 a partial side view of the in Fig. 3 shown light guide; Fig: 5 another enlarged partial side view of the in Fig. 1 vacuum cleaner shown; Fig. 6 an enlarged side view of the vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 6 Fig. 5 shown optical fiber and further optical fiber; and Fig. 7 a side view of a variant of the in Fig. 1 vacuum cleaner shown.

[0020] Fig. 1 Figure 1 shows a side view of a vacuum cleaner according to the invention. The vacuum cleaner according to the invention has a handpiece 1, which can be grasped and held by the user of the vacuum cleaner during operation. The handpiece has a light source 2 and a light guide 3. The handpiece 1 combines all vacuum cleaner components necessary for vacuuming and can be used independently for vacuuming. The vacuum cleaner further has at least one accessory 4, which can be coupled to the handpiece 1 and is Fig. 1 The handpiece 1 is shown coupled. The handpiece 1 is coupled to the accessory 4 via a connecting section 6 and a plug connection. Preferably, the connecting section 6 is designed such that the handpiece 1 and the accessory 4 can only be positioned relative to each other in one way. The accessory 4 has an additional light guide (not shown) and is, for example, designed as a nozzle. The light guide 3 has a lens-shaped surface, so that during operation it functions as a light-emitting element when the handpiece 1 and the accessory 4 are decoupled, and as a light coupling point for the additional light guide when the handpiece 1 and the accessory 4 are coupled.

[0021] Fig. 2 shows an enlarged partial side view of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum cleaner shown. Shown are the optical fiber 3 and an associated light source 2. The optical fiber 3 has a circular cross-section. It has an input optic 31 and an output optic 32. The input optic 31 and the output optic 32 are each designed as lenses. Each of the two lenses is convex. The lens of the output optic 32 is inclined to an optical axis (not shown) of the optical fiber 3. Furthermore, a light cone 7 is shown, which couples out from the output optic 32. The light beam does not exit the optical fiber 3 symmetrically, i.e., asymmetrically.

[0022] Fig. 3 shows an enlarged partial side view of the in Fig. 2 The optical fiber 3 shown, with a central portion omitted for clarity, as indicated by the break lines. The lens of the output coupling optic 32 is inclined at its light exit surface to the optical axis 33 of the optical fiber 3 by a predetermined angle α. The predetermined angle α is, for example, 12°. The optical fiber 3 has a diameter d, which is, for example, 4 mm. The lens of the output coupling optic 32 has a radius r1, which is, for example, 4 mm.

[0023] Fig. 4 shows a partial side view of the in Fig. 3 The optical fiber 3 shown is depicted with its output coupling optics 32 and a light cone 7 coupled out of the output coupling optics 32. As already described, the output coupling optics 32 has a convex lens with a radius (not shown) of 4 mm, which is inclined by 12° to the optical axis of the optical fiber 3. This results in an inclination b of the light cone 7 to the optical axis 33 of the optical fiber 3 of approximately 18°.

[0024] Fig: 5 shows another enlarged partial side view of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum cleaner shown is depicted. A portion of the hand unit 1 is shown, which is coupled to the accessory 4 via the connecting section 6. The accessory 4 has the additional light guide 5. The additional light guide 5 does not require its own light source. Rather, the vacuum cleaner has a lighting unit consisting of the light-generating light source (not shown) and the light guide system, which includes the light guide 3 and the additional light guide 5. The light guide 3 and the additional light guide 5 are designed and arranged such that light coupled out from the light guide 3 couples into the additional light guide 5.

[0025] Fig. 6 shows an enlarged side view of the in Fig. 5 The light guide shown and the additional light guide are shown, with parts of the light guide and the additional light guide omitted for clarity, as indicated by the break lines. The additional light guide 5 has a further input optic 51 and a further output optic 52, the input optic being a concave lens and the output optic being a convex lens. The additional light guide 5 has the same diameter as the light guide 3. The lens of the additional input optic 51 is designed as a negative form of the lens of the output optic 32, and the lens of the additional output optic 52 is identical to the lens of the output optic 32. A distance s between the lens of the output optic 32 and the lens of the additional input optic 51 is less than 0.5 mm. A cone-shaped light cone 7 is coupled out of the additional output optic 52.

[0026] Fig. 7 shows a side view of a variant of the in Fig. 1 The vacuum cleaner shown. The vacuum cleaner has several accessories 4, 4a. In Fig. 7 is the vacuum cleaner according to Fig. 1 The figure shows an accessory 4a in the form of an extension tube arranged between the handpiece 1 and the accessory 4. The handpiece 1 is coupled to the accessory 4a via the connecting section 6, which in turn is coupled to the accessory 4 via a plug connection using a connecting section 6a. The accessory 4a also has a further light guide 5a, which is designed according to the further light guide 5, so that together with the light source 2, the light guide 3 and the light guide 5 it forms the light guide system. Reference symbol list

[0027] a Angle b Inclination d Diameter r1 Radius s Distance 1 Handheld 2 Light source 3 Optical fiber 31 Coupling optics 32 Coupling optics 33 Optical axis 4, 4a Accessory 5, 5a Additional optical fiber 51 Additional coupling optics 52 Additional Coupling optics 6, 6a Connecting section 7 Light cone 8 Light interface

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner with a hand-held part (1), which has a light source (2) and a light guide (3), and at least one accessory (4, 4a) which is able to be coupled to the hand-held part (1) and has a further light guide (5, 5a), wherein the light guide (3) has a lens-shaped surface such that, during operation, it functions as a light output body when the hand-held part (1) and the at least one accessory (4, 4a) are uncoupled, and functions as a light coupling site for the further light guide (5, 5a) when the hand-held part (1) and the at least one accessory (4, 4a) are coupled.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the light guide (3) has an incoupling optic (31) and an outcoupling optic (32), which are each designed as lenses.

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, characterized in that the lenses are convex.

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the lens of the outcoupling optic (32) is inclined at its light output surface relative to an optical axis of the light guide (3) at the predetermined angle (a), wherein the predetermined angle (a) is preferably in the range of 10 to 14°.

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, characterized in that the light guide (3) has a diameter (d) and the lens of the outcoupling optic (3) has a radius (r1) that corresponds to or substantially corresponds to the diameter (d), wherein the diameter (d) and the radius (r1) are each preferably in the range of 2 to 6 mm.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to any of the preceding claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the lens of the incoupling optic (31) is parabolic or spherical and / or that the lens of the outcoupling optic (32) is spherical.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the further light guide (5) has a further incoupling optic (51) and a further outcoupling optic (52), which are each designed as lenses, wherein the lens of the further incoupling optic (51) is designed as a negative form of the lens of the outcoupling optic (32) and the lens of the further outcoupling optic (52) is designed to be the same or substantially the same as the lens of the outcoupling optic (32).

8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, characterized in that a distance between the lens of the outcoupling optic (32) and the lens of the further incoupling optic (51) is less than 0.5 mm when the hand-held part (1) is coupled to the at least one accessory (4, 4a).

9. The vacuum cleaner according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that it has a plurality of accessories (4, 4a) which can be coupled to one another.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the light source (2) is designed as an LED.