Vacuum Cleaner Filter Support to Prevent Unfiltered Air Bypass

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Solution Overview

Problem

Suction cleaning devices face the risk of unfiltered suction air reaching the suction unit due to vibrations in the filter material, which can lead to a compromised separation effect and potential damage, especially when using flat pleated filters.

Innovation Solution

The filter unit is supported on its clean side by a support part fixed to the filter carrier, reducing the risk of vibrations and ensuring that suction air does not bypass the filter, while allowing for easy assembly and maintenance by providing a separate support for the filter unit on the clean side.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the filter unit is supported only on the dirty side by the filter carrier, then the assembly is simple, but vibrations during operation can cause the filter material to move back and forth, creating flow paths for unfiltered suction air and potentially damaging the filter material

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefilter separation effectVSAvoidfilter unit support structure
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A support part is introduced as an intermediary element between the filter carrier and the clean side of the filter unit. This support part provides additional stabilization to the filter material during operation, preventing vibrations from creating flow paths for unfiltered air, while maintaining a simple overall structure that is easy to assemble and maintain.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If the suction head is positioned directly on the filter device, then the assembly is compact, but the weight of the suction head can cause misalignment and affect the tight contact of the filter unit on the filter carrier

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly and alignmentVSAvoidfilter contact tightness
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The support part is pre-installed on the filter carrier before the suction head is positioned. This preliminary action ensures that the filter unit is already stabilized and properly aligned, so that when the suction head is placed on the filter device, its weight does not cause misalignment or affect the tight contact of the filter unit on the filter carrier.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration effectively reduces the risk of unfiltered suction air and filter damage, maintaining a strong separation effect and simplifying assembly and maintenance by supporting the filter unit independently of the suction head's position.

Implementation Method 1

a suction unit (110) which is in flow connection via a filter device (32) to a dirt collection container (18) and can be subjected to negative pressure by the suction unit to form a suction flow

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectNegative pressure: Pressure Gradient

Implementation Method 2

The filter unit includes a filter material, for example a filter paper, on which the solids carried along with the suction flow can be deposited

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFiltration: Filter (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2428152B1Suction cleaning device
Publication Date: 2014.10.29 ALFRED KARCHER SE & CO KG
  • EP2428152B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2428152B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2428152B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The invention relates to a suction cleaning device with a suction unit that is in flow connection via a filter device with a dirt collection container, which can be pressurized by the suction unit to create a suction flow. Under the effect of this flow, material to be vacuumed can be drawn into the dirt collection container via a suction inlet. The filter device has a filter carrier on which at least one filter unit is held for separating solids from the suction flow. To further develop the suction cleaning device in such a way as to reduce the risk of unfiltered suction air passing from the dirt collection container to the suction unit, the invention proposes that the filter device has at least one support element fixed to the filter carrier, which rests against the clean side of at least one filter unit.