EP2030545B1 - Upright vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a Upright-type vacuum cleaner with an upper body with dust collection container, with a bottom unit which is movable by a chassis on the surface to be cleaned, and which has electrical consumers in their front in the direction of travel, wherein between the upper body and the electric Consumers are guided in the front region of the ground unit cables, and wherein the upper body and bottom unit are formed by means of a tilting joint about a horizontal axis in use pivotally to each other.

The following describes three types of vacuum cleaner that differ in their construction and operation. As common features all have a motor-driven blower, a dust collection room and one or more adapted to the particular purpose tillage equipment.

The vacuum cleaner has a housing which is movable on rollers and / or skids on the ground to be processed. In the housing, the engine fan and the dust collector are arranged. The soil treatment device - here called floor nozzle - is connected via a suction hose, possibly with an intermediate suction pipe with the dust collection chamber. The housing is brought into the desired position during the suction process by pulling on the suction tube.

In the hand vacuum cleaner, the motor fan and the dust collector are also arranged in a housing. From the housing extends on one side of a suction pipe, which connects a floor nozzle with the dust collector, and on the other hand, a handle with which the housing is maneuvered into the desired position.

Uprights do not have such a rigorous structure as the two types mentioned above. An essential feature of an upright is a movable floor unit, which carries a torso with a large dust collector. The two parts are pivotally mounted to each other and usually fixable in a parking position in which the upper body is approximately vertical when the ground unit is in the use position on a horizontal ground. In this position, the upright is automatic. During the suction process, this locking is released and tilted the upper body by a certain angle in a working position. The swivel angle depends on the one hand on the size of the user and on the other hand from the respective use. A handle on the upper body is used to guide the entire device. The engine fan may be located at various locations. It is for example from the WO 2007/008770 A2 known, the blower directly on To support upper body. From the WO 2004/014209 A1 and from the EP 0 708 613 A1 It is known to form the blower as a separate unit. It is also known to house the engine fan in the ground unit.

The brush motor is how out of the WO 2004/014209 A1 known, arranged in the front area (in the direction of travel) of the ground unit. There may also be lamps for lighting the infrastructure and sensors. The switching of these electrical loads is done by switches that are located on the upper body or on the handle, and the power cord is usually out in the upper body. For this reason, cables must be laid from the upper body to the front of the floor unit. In the area of the tilting joint, these cables are subject to heavy mechanical stress.

From the FR 829 137 A It is known to lead electrical cables in the upper body of an upright vacuum cleaner via cable channels to the pivot joint that connects the upper body with the bottom unit of the vacuum cleaner. This reduces the mechanical stress on the cables due to the movements of the tilting joint along the cable runs routed through cable channels. In the area of the tilting joint, these cables continue to be subject to a heavy mechanical load, which causes damage to the electrical lines.

From the GB 2 424 361 A is a Upright vacuum cleaner known whose electrical consumers are connected in the ground unit via a flexible connector to the upper body of the vacuum cleaner. As a result, the upper body and bottom unit can be pivoted relative to each other about a horizontal axis in the use state by means of a tilting joint. The cables of the connector are arranged but partially exposed between the upper body and the bottom unit of the vacuum cleaner. The cables are therefore insufficiently protected in the exposed section against external mechanical effects.

The invention thus raises the problem in a vacuum cleaner of the type mentioned to protect the electrical cable from excessive stress.

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 will become apparent from the following subclaims.

The achievable with the invention advantages result from the fact that the cables are arranged around the axis of the tilting joint in cable channels. As a result, a rubbing of the cable at sharp edges and thus damage to the insulation or a cable break is prevented in the execution of the tilting movement. The risk of bruising is eliminated.

Figuren 1 bis 6

den erfindungsgemäßen Staubsauger in verschiedenen Gesamtansichten;

Figur 7

die Bodeneinheit des Staubsaugers in Explosionsdarstellung;

Figur 8

den Oberkörper des Staubsaugers in Explosionsdarstellung;

Figur 9

einen vergrößerten Ausschnitt aus der Bodeneinheit im Bereich des Kippgelenks bei entferntem Gehäuseeinsatz.

An embodiment of the invention is shown purely schematically in the drawings and will be described in more detail below. It shows

FIGS. 1 to 6

the vacuum cleaner according to the invention in various overall views;

FIG. 7

the bottom unit of the vacuum cleaner in an exploded view;

FIG. 8

the upper body of the vacuum cleaner in an exploded view;

FIG. 9

an enlarged section of the bottom unit in the area of the tilting joint with the housing insert removed.

The in the FIGS. 1 to 6 Upright vacuum cleaner shown in various views, hereinafter referred to as Upright 1, consists essentially of a bottom unit 2, an upper body 3 and a joint arranged therebetween, which will be described later.

The upright 1 can from an upright position (see FIGS. 1 to 3 ), in which he is latched and then stands free, after releasing the locking (see FIG. 7 ) into a tilted ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ) and even in a fully extended position ( FIG. 6 ) to be brought. These are Ground unit 2 and upper body 3 about a horizontal axis X in use state (see FIG. 5 ) mounted to each other pivotally. The joint, which allows the pivoting movement, is referred to below as a tilting joint. In addition, the upright in the tilted position, as well as in FIG. 5 shown rotated about an axis Y. By rotating the upper body 3 by means of the appliance handle 4 about this axis and simultaneously pushing or pulling the upright, the user can control the floor unit 2 around curves. The corresponding joint is referred to in the text as a hinge.

The ground unit 2, in FIG. 7 shown in exploded view, comprises a housing, which is formed by a housing insert 5, a rear housing lower part 6, a front housing lower part 7, a bumper strip 8 and a cover part 9. The housing insert 5 acts as a carrier for a number of electrical and mechanical components, and the aforementioned housing parts are attached to it. It forms with the rear housing lower part 6 with the interposition of an engine compartment seal 10, a space for receiving an engine blower 11, which generates the vacuum necessary for suction operation. On the suction side, a sealing ring 13 is arranged around the fan inlet 12, which is also supported on the two aforementioned housing parts 5 and 6. On the opposite side rubber buffer 14 are inserted. For deep cleaning of carpets protrudes into the suction port 15, an opening in the front housing lower part 7 and the base plate 16 attached thereto, a brush roller 17 which is resiliently mounted on two lateral rockers 18 and 19 and driven by a brush motor 20 via a belt 21. The parts 22 and 23 represent a two-piece belt cover. The brush motor 20 is also secured to the housing insert 5, the rockers 18 and 19 are pivotally mounted there. The two housing bases 6 and 7 carry the chassis of the upright, which is formed of front wheels 24 and 25 and rear wheels 26 and 27. The rear wheels 26 and 27 are connected to stabilize by means of an axle 28 and adjustable via a respective wheel mechanism 29 and 30 in their position. To illuminate the driveway on the housing insert 5, a board 31 is attached to LED's 32, which is covered to the front by a lens 33. The viewing window 33 is held in a recess 34 in the bumper 8.

The air generated by the engine fan 11 is blown through an opening 35 in the housing insert 5 and a corresponding opening 36 in the cover part 9 in the environment. In the opening 36, a filter frame 37 is used, which receives an exhaust filter, not shown, for cleaning the air blown out of ultrafine particles. The filter frame 37 is covered by a grid receptacle 38 and a grid 39 in the cover part 9 and is interchangeable from there.

Both the tilting joint and the pivot joint between the base unit 2 and the upper body 3 described later are formed by a rigid, fork-shaped channel component. This component also includes parts of the air duct from the suction mouth 15 to the upper body 3 and the air guide from the upper body 3 to the exhaust opening (openings 35 and 36). The component is referred to below as fork 40. It consists of two plastic parts, an upper shell 41 and a lower shell 42, which are interconnected by welding. To realize the tilting joint, the two ends 43 (right) and 44 (left) of the fork 40 are pivotally mounted in recesses 45 and 46 provided for this purpose, to avoid abrasion they are each surrounded by metallic bushings 47 and 48. The left in the direction of travel fork 44 is designed as hollow and coupled via a seal 49 with the blower inlet 12. At the right in the direction of travel fork 43 a bearing pin 50 is formed. It also has an opening 51 which is connected via an elastic tube 52 to the suction port 15. In order to prevent the inside of the bottom unit 2 when tilting the upper body 3, the connecting region of the two fork ends 43 and 44, hereinafter referred to as fork web 53, surrounded by a front cover 54 and a rear cover 55 on the bottom unit 2, which perform the pivoting movement of the fork 40 with. The space between the front and rear cover and the housing insert 5 is bridged by aperture 56 and 57. At the left fork end 44, the first 58 of two cable channels 58 and 59 is arranged. Furthermore, the fork ends 43 and 44 carry toothed segments 60 and 61 which cooperate with the wheel mechanisms 29 and 30. At the fork web 53, a trim cover 62 is attached to a connection cable, not shown. To keep the upright in the upright position ( FIGS. 1 to 3 ), a step lever 63 is mounted on the housing insert 5, which engages in this position in the left fork end 44 and thus prevents the pivoting movement of the fork 40. By depressing the lever 63, the locking position can be released. In the latched position is also prevented by two spring-loaded bolts 64 and 65 a rotational movement. The air ducts, which are formed by the fork ends 43 and 44, are combined in the region of the fork web 53 to a first portion 66 of a coaxial line.

FIG. 8 shows the upper body 3, also in exploded view. Carrying component of the upper body 3 is a rear wall 67. It forms the rear portion of a dust chamber 68, which in turn receives a filter bag, not shown in the drawing as a dust collector. The edge of the dust chamber 68 is surrounded by a seal 69, the side of a cover strip 70 is fixed for cables, not shown. In the lower area a hinge bearing 71 is attached to the rear wall 67. The dust chamber 68 is closed at the front by an upper housing part 72, which is articulated via hinges 73 and torsion springs 74 pivotally mounted on the hinge bearing 71. The upper part 72 carries a closure 75, a dust bag receptacle 76 and a filter change indicator 77. It also disguises the hinge bearing 71. In the upper part, the rear wall 67 carries the electronics 78 of Uprights, which is completely arranged on a receptacle 79 and as pre-tested component component is mounted. At the recording is via a torsion spring 80, a lever 81 for switching off the Brush motor 20 is arranged. It also provides the holder for the handle tube 82 with the device handle 4. The electronics 78 is covered by a cap 84, which also serves for attachment to various controls and display elements and their accessories (lens 85, knob 86).

An elaborate air duct ensures that dirt-laden air can either be sucked in via the suction mouth in the floor unit or via a telescopic tube with possibly connected suction attachments such as crevice nozzle, furniture brush, upholstery nozzle, etc. For this purpose, the suction air from the suction port 15 via the elastic tube 52 and the right fork end 43 through the inner tube of the first portion 66 of the coaxial line in the fork web 53 into the inner tube of a second section 87 of the coaxial line. This section 87 is continued in the rear wall 67 and there again separated into two separate lines. The further air path leads through a Saugkanalstück 88 in a manifold 89. In the manifold 89 is loosely - and therefore removable - a telescopic tube 90 inserted, which passes via a pipe handle 91 in a flexible suction hose 92. The suction hose 92 is held in a receptacle 93 provided therefor, as well as in FIG. 3 is recognizable. Via a pivoting arc 94, the air enters a channel (not shown) which extends over the entire length of the rear wall 67. The channel is formed from the rear wall 67 itself and an attached air duct piece 95. Subsequently, an arcuate neck 96, which consists of the rear wall 67 and partly of the electronic receptacle 79, the dirt-laden suction air in the area of the dust bag receptacle 76 and there in a dust bag, not shown. After the suction air has flowed through the dust bag in the dust chamber and has been cleaned of dust, it passes through a motor protection filter - in the figure, only the frame 97 is shown for holding the filter - in the outer ring of the second portion 87 of the coaxial line and from there the first section 66 via the left fork 44 to the engine fan 11th

In the FIG. 8 are also shown in the lower part of the components that serve for attachment and rotatable mounting of the upper body 3 to the fork 40. The first section 66 of the coaxial line is surrounded by an injected metal ring 98, which projects beyond the outer diameter of this section 66 and which is enclosed in two bearing shells 99 and 100, respectively. The bearing shells 99 and 100 are connected to the upper body 3. Thus, metal ring 98 and bearing shells 99 and 100 form the pivot of Uprights 1. In the connection of upper body 3 and fork 40, the two sections 66 and 87 of the coaxial line with the interposition of a seal 101 are joined together.

In FIG. 9 is shown enlarged the laying of the cable 102, which lead from the upper body to the brush motor 20 and to the board with the LED's. The further laying of the cables is not essential to the invention and therefore not shown in detail. The cables 102 are initially guided over the left fork end 44 and fixed there by means of the first cable cover 581 latched thereto. As a result, a first closed cable channel 58 is formed. After a short free distance 102.1 in the axis X (see FIG. 5 ) of the tilting joint, the cables 102 continue to run in a separate second cable channel 59, which is also formed closed. Only outside the sphere of influence of the tilting joint, the cables exit the channel 59 and extend freely to the brush motor 20 and to the board 31.

Claims (8)

1. Vacuum cleaner (1) of the upright type comprising an upper body (3) having a dust collection container, comprising a base unit (2) that can be moved across the surface to be cleaned by means of a running gear and has electrical loads (20, 32) in the front region thereof with respect to the direction of travel, cables (102) being guided between the upper body (3) and the electrical loads (11, 20, 32) located in the front region of the base unit (2), and the upper body (3) and base unit (2) being pivotable relative to each other about an axis (X), which is horizontal when in the use position, by means of a tilting joint,
   characterised in that
   the cables (102) are arranged in cable ducts (58, 59) around the axis (X) of the tilting joint.
2. Upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 1,
   characterised in that
   the tilting joint comprises a substantially fork-shaped duct component (40), and
   in that a first cable duct (58) is arranged on one end (44) of the duct component (40).
3. Upright vacuum cleaner according to claim 2,
   characterised in that
   a second cable duct (59) extends in the region between the axis (X) of the tilting joint and the electrical loads (20, 32) located in the front region of the base unit (2).
4. Upright vacuum cleaner according to claims 2 and 3,
   characterised in that
   the cable ducts (58, 59) are closed.
5. Upright vacuum cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that
   the electrical loads comprise a motor fan (11).
6. Upright vacuum cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that
   the electrical loads comprise a brush motor (20) for driving a brush roller (17).
7. Upright vacuum cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that
   the electrical loads comprise an illumination device.
8. Upright vacuum cleaner according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterised in that
   the electrical loads comprise at least one sensor.

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