Filter

Abstract

The present invention relates to a set (1) which comprises a sieve attachment (2) for a drain channel (7), which extends over a certain length in a longitudinal direction (L), and a suction nozzle (3) for connection to a suction device. The sieve attachment (2) has at least one filter element (4) which has a flat extent and is dimensioned and designed to filter dirty water entering the drain channel (7) through the sieve attachment (2) on the upper side and to thereby separate dirt particles (S) contained in the dirty water on the upper side of the sieve attachment (2). Respective longitudinal guide structures (F1, F2) matching one another are provided in the region of the sieve attachment (2) and on the suction nozzle (3), these longitudinal guide structures interacting with one another in such a way that the suction nozzle (3) can be guided over the sieve attachment (2) in a specified position in the longitudinal direction (L) in order to extract the dirt (S) remaining on the surface of the sieve attachment (2) by suction.

Description

[0001] filter

[0002] The present invention according to claim 1 relates to aids for the disposal of particulate dirt, in particular dirt particles containing plastic, which currently frequently enters the sewer system or environment as a component of wastewater with the aid of drainage channels.

[0003] The unwanted introduction of dirt, especially plastic-containing dirt particles, into the sewer system and / or environment is a major problem today. Plastic-containing dirt particles are frequently found in the vicinity of sports fields (e.g., on sports fields or running tracks made of plastic-containing materials and / or on artificial turf soccer fields, which often also contain plastic granules). Other sources of environmental pollution include plastic particles released through tire and sole abrasion, or other plastic particles released in industrial settings (e.g., in the plastics processing industry), which can also enter the environment via wastewater.

[0004] Due to rising energy costs, ice surfaces and rinks in public or private spaces, used for activities such as ice skating, ice hockey, and / or curling, are increasingly being replaced by plastic surfaces (e.g., made of polyethylene), so-called "artificial ice." When skaters use these plastic surfaces, which often consist of individual, interconnected panels and can be easily assembled and disassembled, large quantities of small plastic shavings are produced. These shavings are then washed into the sewer system and / or surface water, and thus into the environment, by cleaning and rainwater.

[0005] Furthermore, it can be assumed that when using textiles containing plastic fibers, fibers or fiber fragments are released from them, so that for this reason too, an extremely large number of plastic particles and fibers float in the ambient air, which settle on all kinds of surfaces, where, for example, they are typically washed away with surface water outdoors and may find their way into the sewer system or the environment via a drainage channel.

[0006] While wastewater treatment plants can retain a certain proportion of the plastic particles and fibers in wastewater, they still allow a large number of these particles and fibers to pass through, thus contributing significantly to the pollution of rivers and oceans, where they ultimately re-enter the food chain through ingestion by animals. Naturally, it is desirable that washing machines, wastewater treatment plants, etc., be equipped with suitable filters.

[0007] (Micro-)plastic filters can be provided, but this is not yet possible on a widespread basis. In this context, a laundry bag for use in the washing of textiles containing plastic fibers is already known from WO 2017 / 121862 Al. This bag serves as a retention device for plastic fibers or fiber fragments washed out of the textiles and can thus contribute to environmental protection. However, the filter fabrics mentioned therein (e.g., a plastic mesh fabric with a medium mesh size in the range of 10–100 g / m²) are so fine in terms of their filtering effect that they clog up quickly if they cannot be cleaned in a simple and reliable manner.

[0008] Typical surface water drainage channels in outdoor areas, which are often located adjacent to (or within) traffic areas or sports fields, do have a grating on top. However, this grating typically has a very coarse mesh, which is also difficult to clean.

[0009] Against this background, the present invention aims to provide a further aid for environmental protection that is as practical and universally applicable as possible, which can either be retrofitted to existing drainage channels in public or private spaces or which can contribute to improved environmental protection in a set with at least one drainage channel.

[0010] This problem is solved by a set according to claim 1, which comprises a sieve attachment for a drainage channel extending longitudinally over a certain length and a suction nozzle for connection to a suction device. The sieve attachment is provided to have at least one planar filter element and to be dimensioned and configured to filter wastewater entering the drainage channel through the sieve attachment from above, thereby separating dirt particles contained in the wastewater from the surface of the sieve attachment. Furthermore, longitudinal guide structures matching each other are provided in the area of ​​the sieve attachment and at the suction nozzle, which interact with each other in such a way that the suction nozzle can be guided longitudinally in a predetermined position over the sieve attachment to suction the dirt remaining on the surface.

[0011] According to the invention, it is a combination of a sieve attachment for drainage channels and a suction nozzle for a suction device, in particular a wet / dry vacuum cleaner, wherein longitudinally cooperating guide structures are provided both in the area of ​​the sieve attachment (advantageously on its upper side) and on the suction nozzle, which make it possible to guide the vacuum cleaner in a longitudinal direction over the drainage channel in a suction position that is always as optimal as possible.

[0012] This allows dirt particles that settle on the surface of the sieve attachment to be removed at regular intervals in a simple and reliable manner using a suction device connected to the suction nozzle and then disposed of properly, without having to remove the sieve attachment from the drain channel.

[0013] The sieve attachment can resemble a conventional cover grid for drainage channels. However, it is designed with a flat filter element (e.g., a sieve mesh made of stainless steel, plastic, or other suitable materials inserted into a holding or frame structure) so that the dirt (including small plastic particles) collects on the sieve surface (instead of being flushed into the drainage channel).

[0014] Thanks to the advantageous longitudinal guide structure arranged on the upper side of the sieve attachment, it is effortless and very effective to remove this "dirt" with the suction nozzle adapted to the longitudinal profile using a standard wet / dry vacuum cleaner, since this can then be guided conveniently, as if on rails, over the drainage channel equipped with the sieve attachment in a consistently optimal position, in order to achieve a reproducibly good cleaning result.

[0015] The at least one filter element can advantageously be formed by a slotted screen with a mean slot width of ≤ 500 pm, by a filter grid with a mean grid spacing of ≤ 500 pm, by a perforated grid with hole diameters of ≤ 500 pm, and / or by a filter fabric with a mean mesh size of ≤ 500 pm. Advantageously, the aforementioned dimensions of the filter element can also be smaller, for example, by using filter elements of the type described above with clear slot, grid, or mesh sizes of 200 pm or, if necessary, even smaller.

[0016] Advantageously, the filter element can even be designed, with appropriate dimensioning, to retain microplastic particles with particle sizes and / or diameters of 100 pm. When using a screen fabric, for example, a filter fabric with medium mesh sizes in the range of 10–100 pm can be used, which can be inserted into a stable frame structure of the screen attachment. Such a frame structure can then, if necessary, at least partially form the longitudinal guide structure in the area of ​​the screen attachment or be firmly connected to it.

[0017] Within the scope of the present invention, even the smallest plastic particles – and, if necessary, microplastic particles – can be reliably retained at their point of origin, which is particularly beneficial for water protection. Furthermore, for drainage channels equipped with a sieve attachment from a set according to the invention, which can be conveniently and reliably cleaned using the suction nozzle of a set connected to a suction device, the opening or removal of grates inserted into the drainage channel for cleaning, as required in the prior art, is not necessary (or not required as frequently). Moreover, the present invention enables compliance with legal requirements (WHG and AbwV) for the discharge of wastewater and contaminated surface water in a simple and reliable manner.

[0018] The sieve attachment used according to the invention can be designed to be just as stable as commercially available cover grids for drainage channels.

[0019] The longitudinal guidance structure provided in the area of ​​the sieve attachment can advantageously have at least one longitudinal rib extending in the longitudinal direction and suitable for guiding the suction nozzle in the longitudinal direction, wherein in a preferred embodiment of the invention it can additionally be provided that the longitudinal guidance structure provided on the suction nozzle has at least one recess corresponding to the at least one longitudinal rib in the underside of the suction nozzle which faces the ground during intended use.

[0020] Particularly preferably, it may be provided that the longitudinal guide structure provided in the area of ​​the sieve attachment has a plurality of longitudinal webs extending parallel in the longitudinal direction and that the longitudinal guide structure provided at the suction nozzle has a plurality of recesses corresponding to each of the longitudinal webs in the underside of the suction nozzle facing the floor.

[0021] The advantageous arrangement of multiple parallel longitudinal ribs on the top of the sieve attachment allows the suction nozzle, equipped with corresponding recesses, to be mounted on these ribs in a longitudinally slidable manner, making it possible to remove the filter cake that settles on the surface of the sieve attachment's filter element very quickly and effortlessly. Simpler pre-cleaning of the top of the sieve attachment with a broom is also possible.

[0022] The present invention can be used on standard drainage channels, e.g., wastewater channels for surface water located on sports surfaces made of plastic, next to artificial turf pitches, in the yard of industrial plants with plastic processing (e.g., pellets), next to roads or roundabouts (tire abrasion), or in other locations.

[0023] The suction nozzle advantageously features a connection port for attaching to a wet / dry vacuum cleaner. For conventional wet / dry vacuum cleaners in Germany, connection ports with a diameter of 32 or 35 mm are particularly suitable.

[0024] The present invention further relates to a set comprising a drainage channel for wastewater and a set according to the invention with a sieve attachment for the drainage channel and a suction nozzle of the type already described above, wherein in this case it can obviously also be provided that such a set may have at least one drainage channel for wastewater and at least one sieve attachment for the at least one drainage channel of the type already described above.

[0025] Naturally, the sieve attachment must be dimensioned so that it can be stably mounted on or in the drain channel and that wastewater can only enter the drain channel after passing through the sieve attachment. All dirt particles contained in the wastewater that cannot penetrate the filter element of the sieve attachment thus settle as a filter cake on its surface and can then be reliably removed using the suction nozzle connected to a suction device and subsequently disposed of.

[0026] It proves particularly advantageous if the at least one drainage channel, the at least one screen attachment for the at least one drainage channel, and the longitudinal guide structure provided in the area of ​​the at least one screen attachment are each designed for flush or recessed installation in or onto a ground surface adjacent to the drainage channel. The drainage channel, the screen attachment for the drainage channel, and the longitudinal guide structure provided in the area of ​​the screen attachment can be designed to be accessible to trucks through appropriate construction.

[0027] Particular aspects of the present invention arise for its application to artificial “ice surfaces”, which typically consist of plastic sheets:

[0028] As mentioned in the introduction, when skating on such plastic surfaces with ordinary ice skates, small plastic shavings are produced which can enter the sewer system and / or the environment via cleaning and rainwater.

[0029] One way to collect the shavings appearing on the plastic surface, according to the present invention, is to provide a set consisting of at least one drainage channel, at least one sieve attachment for the at least one drainage channel and a suction nozzle, wherein the drainage channel has at least one fastening or plug-in element for laterally attaching the drainage channel to a base plate that can be laid on a substrate, or wherein the drainage channel is formed by a recess in a base plate that can be laid on a substrate.

[0030] This allows a drainage channel with a sieve attachment that can be easily vacuumed according to the invention to be provided, which is suitable for lateral attachment to the plastic floor panels forming an artificial ice surface or which is integrated into such a floor panel, particularly at the edge.

[0031] This design essentially extends or widens the existing plastic ("artificial ice") floor tiles by incorporating drainage channels for rainwater and cleaning water that can be attached to or integrated into the sides. The sieve attachment inserted into or mounted on the respective drainage channel retains at least the majority of the plastic particles. This allows for the creation of a drainage channel that at least partially encircles the sports surface. The plastic shavings contained in the rainwater or cleaning water are reliably retained by the sieve attachment, which is appropriately mounted on the drainage channel, and then properly disposed of after the top of the sieve attachment has been vacuumed.

[0032] Various embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings. This shows

[0033] Fig. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a set according to the invention consisting of a sieve attachment for a drainage channel and a suction nozzle.

[0034] Fig. 2a, 2b shows an exemplary embodiment of a set according to the invention consisting of a drainage channel, a sieve attachment for the drainage channel and a suction nozzle. Fig. 3 shows an exemplary embodiment of a drainage channel usable in a set according to the invention and equipped with a sieve attachment for lateral mounting on a plastic floor slab of a sports field.

[0035] Fig. 4a, 4b different views of a suction nozzle usable within the scope of the invention, and Fig. 5 a perspective view of a drainage channel with a sieve attachment, in which the filter element is designed as a slot filter.

[0036] Fig. 1 shows in perspective a first embodiment of a set 1 consisting of a sieve attachment 2 (which can be inserted into a drainage channel) and a suction nozzle 3 for connection to a suction device not shown, which may be, for example, a commercially available wet / dry vacuum cleaner.

[0037] The sieve attachment 2 has a surface-extending and advantageously very fine-mesh filter element 4, as already described, which is suitable for the surface retention of small dirt particles S from the wastewater flowing through the sieve attachment 2 into an underlying drainage channel (not shown in Fig. 1). In the example shown, it can be, for instance, a grid-like filter element made of stainless steel with average grid spacing of 500 pm or less (e.g., 200 pm). The sieve attachment 2 also has on its upper surface a plurality (in this case, four) of parallel longitudinal ribs LI, L2, L3, L4 extending in a longitudinal direction (see double arrow L), which form a first longitudinal guide structure Fl in the area of ​​the sieve attachment 2. Appropriately, on the side facing the bottom (i.e.,On the underside of the suction nozzle 3 (facing the sieve attachment), recesses Al, A2, A3, and A4 are provided, which form a second longitudinal guide structure F2 on the suction nozzle 3. The first and second guide structures Fl and F2 interact in such a way that the suction nozzle 3 can be guided longitudinally (in a predetermined position) over the sieve attachment 2 to extract the dirt S remaining on the surface.

[0038] The two central recesses A2, A3 of the suction nozzle 3, together with the two associated longitudinal ribs L2, L3, each form a guide stop effective on both sides for the longitudinal guidance of the suction nozzle 3 on the sieve attachment 2, while the two outer recesses Al, A4, together with the associated longitudinal ribs LI, L4, each provide a guide stop effective only on one side (but on different sides).

[0039] It goes without saying that the planar filter element 4 may be designed in multiple parts, for example, by covering the space between each pair of adjacent longitudinal ribs LI, L2, L3, L4 with a separate filter element 4. However, it is equally possible that the filter element 4 extends, for example, within an outer frame over the entire width and length of the sieve attachment, and that, for example, the middle longitudinal ribs L2, L3 or all longitudinal ribs LI, L2, L3, L4 rest on the planar filter element 4.

[0040] A connection port 5 is provided at the suction nozzle 3, to which the suction pipe 6 of a suction device, which is not otherwise shown, is connected.

[0041] Figures 2a and 2b show a second embodiment of a comparable set consisting of a sieve attachment 2 for a drainage channel 7 installed or installable at ground level in a floor surface B and a matching suction nozzle 3 for connection to a (again not shown) suction device.

[0042] The drainage channel 7, which can be made of concrete or another suitable material in the conventional manner, has, in the illustrated embodiment, an inwardly projecting step on both sides at the top, into which the screen attachment 2, reinforced by longitudinal and transverse struts on the underside, can be stably inserted. In this example, the filter element is formed by a fine-mesh plastic screen fabric with a mean mesh size of 100 µm or smaller.

[0043] In this exemplary embodiment, the longitudinal guide structure Fl formed in the area of ​​the sieve attachment 2 is formed by a total of three parallel longitudinal webs LI , L2 , L3, which interact with the corresponding recesses Al , A2 , and A3 of the longitudinal guide structure F2 formed thereby at the suction nozzle 3.

[0044] A frame structure formed from further longitudinal and transverse struts supports the planar filter element 4 and the longitudinal struts located on it.

[0045] Fig. 3 shows a section through a plastic base plate 8 for an artificial ice surface, which can typically be mounted at the edge of the sports field to form a drainage channel 7 at least partially surrounding the sports field for the drainage of surface and cleaning water using a plurality of such base plates 8.

[0046] In the base plate 8 a drainage channel 7 is formed, which in accordance with the invention is provided with a sieve attachment 2 (having at least one planar filter element 4) and which together with the suction nozzle 3 shown in Figs. 4a and 4b forms an embodiment of a set according to the present invention.

[0047] In the area of ​​the sieve attachment 2, three upper longitudinal ribs LI, L2, L3 are provided, forming a longitudinal guide structure Fl, which interacts in the manner already described with a longitudinal guide structure F2 formed by the recesses Al, A2, A3 on a corresponding suction nozzle 3 (see Figs. 4a and 4b). Furthermore, a plug-in element 9 in the form of a laterally projecting slot is formed on the base plate 8, which can engage with a corresponding projection on an adjacent base plate of the sports field, forming a tongue-and-groove connection.

[0048] The suction nozzle 3 shown in Figs. 4a and 4b is a suction nozzle 3 for use with a sieve attachment having three longitudinal ribs LI, L2, L3, as shown in Figs. 2a, 2b and / or Fig. 3.

[0049] In the illustration in Fig. 4b, the underside of the suction nozzle 3 points upwards. This clearly shows that the suction nozzle 3 has exactly two recesses Al, Al; A2, A2; A3, A3 in opposite edge regions for each longitudinal web LI, L2, L3 on the sieve attachment 2, on which the suction nozzle 4 is guided longitudinally, so that the desired linear guidance of the suction nozzle 3 on the sieve attachment 2 is enabled.

[0050] Finally, Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment of a sieve attachment 2 usable within the scope of the invention on a drainage channel 7. There, the filter element 4 is designed as a stable slotted screen with a plurality of slots extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the drainage channel. The (average) slot width can be, for example, 500 or 200 µm. In this example, a total of five parallel longitudinal ribs LI, L2, L3, L4, L5 are arranged above the slotted screen which covers the entire surface of the sieve attachment, so that a corresponding suction nozzle (not shown) of a set according to the invention must have a total of five adjacent recesses.

Claims

Patent claims 1. Set (1) comprising a sieve attachment (2) for a drainage channel (7) extending in a longitudinal direction (L) over a certain length and a suction nozzle (3) for connection to a suction device, wherein the sieve attachment (2) has at least one planar extending filter element (4) and is dimensioned and configured to filter wastewater entering the drainage channel (7) through the sieve attachment (2) from above and to separate dirt particles (S) contained in the wastewater from the top of the sieve attachment (2), and wherein longitudinal guide structures (Fl, F2) matching each other are provided in the area of ​​the sieve attachment (2) and on the suction nozzle (3), which interact with each other in such a way that the suction nozzle (3) can be guided in a predetermined position over the sieve attachment (2) in a longitudinal direction (L) to suction the dirt (S) remaining on the surface of the sieve attachment (2).

2. Set (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one filter element (4) is divided by a slotted screen with a mean slot width of less than or equal to 500 pm, a filter grid with a mean grid spacing of less than or equal to 500 pm, a perforated grid with hole diameters of less than or equal to 500 pm and / or is formed by a filter fabric with a mean mesh size of less than or equal to 500 pm.

3. Set (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter element (4) is designed by suitable dimensioning to retain microplastic particles with particle sizes and / or diameters of 100 pm.

4. Set (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the longitudinal guide structure (Fl) provided in the area of ​​the sieve attachment (2) has at least one longitudinal web (LI, L2, L3, L4) extending in the longitudinal direction (L) and suitable for guiding the suction nozzle (3) in the longitudinal direction (L).

5. Set (1) according to claim 4, characterized in that the longitudinal guide structure (F2) provided on the suction nozzle (3) has at least one recess (Al, A2, A3, A4) corresponding to the at least one longitudinal web (LI, L2, L3, L4) in the underside of the suction nozzle (3) facing the floor.

6. Set (1) according to claim 4 or claim 5, characterized in that the longitudinal guide structure (Fl) provided in the area of ​​the sieve attachment (2) comprises a plurality of itself The suction nozzle (3) has longitudinal webs (LI, L2, L3, L4) extending parallel in the longitudinal direction (L) and the longitudinal guide structure (F2) provided on the suction nozzle (3) has a plurality of recesses (Al, A2, A3, A4) corresponding to each of the longitudinal webs (LI, L2, L3, L4) in the underside of the suction nozzle (3) facing the floor.

7. Set (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the suction nozzle (3) has a connection port (5) for connection to a wet / dry vacuum cleaner.

8. Set comprising a drainage channel (7) for wastewater and a set (1) according to one of claims 1 - 7 with a sieve attachment (2) for the drainage channel (7) and a suction nozzle (3) .

9. Set according to claim 8, in which at least one drainage channel (7) and at least one sieve attachment (3) are provided for the at least one drainage channel (7).

10. Set according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the at least one drainage channel (7), the at least one sieve attachment (2) for the at least one drainage channel (7) and the longitudinal guide structure (Fl) provided in the area of ​​the at least one sieve attachment are each provided for installation at ground level or recessed in or on a floor surface (B) adjacent to the drainage channel (7).

11. Set according to one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the drainage channel (7), the sieve attachment (2) for the drainage channel (7) and the sieve attachment in the area of ​​the sieve attachment (2) the longitudinal guidance structure (Fl) provided is designed to be suitable for truck traffic.

12. Set according to one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the drainage channel (7) has at least one fastening or plug-in element (9) for laterally attaching the drainage channel (7) to a base plate (8) that can be laid on a substrate, or wherein the drainage channel (7) is formed by a recess in a base plate (8) that can be laid on a substrate.

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