Liquid Filter Vacuum Cleaner With Gravity Water Return

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing vacuum cleaners with liquid filters face challenges in efficiently separating dust particles from the suction air flow, leading to complex sorption chambers that reduce performance and increase operator exposure to dirty water during cleaning.

Innovation Solution

A canister vacuum cleaner design with a liquid filter housing that uses risers to guide water from a filter container to an ejector, where the suction air flow is wetted and dirt particles are precipitated in a diffuser, allowing cleaned air to escape through outflow openings, with separated water residues being gravity-driven back into the filter container, eliminating the need for a droplet separator bulkhead.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a complex sorption chamber is used to separate dust particles, then separation effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases and performance is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust particle separation effectivenessVSAvoidsorption chamber complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the dust separation function from a complex sorption chamber and implements it through a simple water trap mechanism. The water trap uses a water seal to separate dust particles from the air stream, eliminating the need for complex sorption chambers while maintaining effective separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs hydraulic principles by using water in the water trap to separate dust particles. The water creates a seal that prevents dust from passing through while allowing cleaned air to escape, replacing mechanical complexity with fluid-based separation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #29Pneumatics and hydraulics

2Manufacturing precision

If a droplet separator bulkhead is used to remove water residues, then air flow cleanliness is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to difficult cleaning and operator exposure to dirty water

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveair flow cleanlinessVSAvoidcleaning accessibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent removes the droplet separator bulkhead component entirely and extracts the water removal function into the water trap mechanism. The water trap's design allows water to be separated and collected in a single accessible location, eliminating the need for operators to clean difficult-to-reach bulkhead surfaces.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The water trap is designed to automatically separate and collect water residues through gravity and water seal mechanisms, reducing the need for manual intervention. When cleaning is required, the entire water trap assembly can be easily removed and cleaned as a single unit, making maintenance simpler.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Manufacturing precision

If water is sprayed early in the suction air flow, then dust particle binding effectiveness is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional components

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedust particle binding effectivenessVSAvoidwater delivery system complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the water delivery function with the existing water trap mechanism. The same water reservoir that collects dust-laden water also supplies water for spraying the suction air flow, eliminating the need for separate water delivery systems and reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The water trap serves multiple functions: it acts as a water reservoir for spraying, a separation chamber for dust particles, and a collection point for water residues. This multi-functionality reduces the number of components needed while maintaining effective dust particle binding.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 design simplifies the cleaning process by reducing operator contact with dirty water and enhances performance by ensuring early and prolonged contact of dust particles with water, facilitating easier filter maintenance and improved air flow cleanliness.

Implementation Method 1

a liquid filter arranged in the vacuum cleaner housing, which takes water from a container provided in the vacuum cleaner housing and thus wets the suction air flow via risers in an ejector

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectVenturi effect: Venturi Effect

Implementation Method 2

The suction air flow wetted in this way is supplied to a water load, the dirt particles bound to water particles being precipitated in a diffuser by reducing the speed

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectKinetic energy reduction and precipitation: Precipitation

Implementation Method 3

residues of the water being removed from the wetted suction air flow by at least one separating device arranged in the area of the outflow openings of the liquid filter, with the separated water being gravity-driven

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity separation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2676593B1Floor vacuum cleaner with a liquid filter container in a vacuum cleaner housing
Publication Date: 2015.07.29 ROBERT THOMAS METALL UND ELEKTROWERKE
  • EP2676593B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2676593B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2676593B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The cleaner has a fluid filter comprising filter containers (3) filled with a water load and arranged in vacuum cleaner housing. Suction airflow is discharged from the fluid filter over outflow openings (9). Residues of water from moistened suction airflow are separated from the suction airflow by a separating device (14) arranged in a region of the outflow openings of the fluid filter. The separated water is supplied to the water load of the filter containers through upstream ribs (15) positioned at the separating device in a gravity-driven manner.