WO1994008502A1

WO1994008502A1 - Separator

Info

Publication number: WO1994008502A1
Application number: PCT/NZ1993/000096
Authority: WO
Inventors: Kipley Roydon Marks
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-10-13
Filing date: 1993-10-13
Publication date: 1994-04-28
Anticipated expiration: 1995-04-13
Also published as: AU5120693A

Abstract

An air/liquid separation device which is connected to the flexible conduit of a vacuum cleaning machine. The device allows a vacuum cleaning machine, which cleans by creating an airflow through the flexible conduit, to clean up liquid spills or clean surfaces to which a liquid cleaning agent, for example, has been applied. The separator separates the liquid from the airflow so that no liquid enters the conduit and damages the vacuum cleaning machine. The separator also has a valve to prevent separated liquid from entering the conduit.

Description

"SEPARATOR" TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to apparatus for removing liquid from a moving airflow and has been devised particularly though not solely for use in the vacuum conduit of a vacuum cleaner for removing any liquid present in the airflow in the vacuum cleaner conduit. BACKGROUND ART

Previously, vacuum cleaners which are capable of being used to remove liquids as well as solids such as dirt or dust particles from surfaces have had an air/liquid separation device incorporated within the vacuum cleaner. A separation device is necessary to prevent liquid damaging the vacuum cleaner by entering the electric motor or the dust filter of the machine. Hitherto, a device which is adapted to be located externally of a conventional vacuum cleaner, such as in the vacuum conduit, has not been available. Thus, if a user has needed to clean an object or surface on which liquid is present, it has been necessary to use a vacuum cleaning machine which is specifically designed for use with liquids. DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide apparatus for removing liquid from a moving airflow which will at least go some way to overcoming the above disadvantages, or which will at least provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly, in one aspect the invention may be said to consist in apparatus for removing liquid from an airflow, said apparatus comprising: a chamber having an inlet for an incoming airflow comprising a mixture of air and liquid to enter said chamber, said incoming airflow being produced by the vacuum of a vacuum cleaning machine, an outlet for an outgoing airflow comprising said incoming airflow with said liquid substantially removed therefrom to exit said chamber, said outlet being adapted to be connected to an end of a conduit so as to be in fluid communication therewith, said conduit being in fluid communication with said vacuum cleaning machine, and a liquid collection area for collection of said liquid. The invention consists in the foregoing and also envisages constructions of which the following gives examples. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

One preferred form of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which;

Figure 1 is an elevation in cross-section of apparatus in accordance with the present invention for removing liquid from an airflow;

Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of the apparatus of Figure 1 in use with a vacuum cleaner;

Figure 3 is an elevation in cross-section of an alternative apparatus for removing liquid from an airflow in accordance with the present invention; and

Figure 4 is an elevation in cross-section of another alternative, and preferred apparatus for removing liquid from an airflow in accordance with the present invention. BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Referring to Figure 1, apparatus for removing liquid from an airflow is shown generally referenced 1. The apparatus comprises a chamber 2 having an inlet 4 and an outlet 6. The chamber comprises two separate portions 8 and 10, the portions having corresponding threaded surfaces 12 so that they may be selectively fitted together to provide a substantially air tight and water tight engagement or be separated from each other by a user.

The inlet 4 is provided some distance above the base 14 of the chamber and the inlet 4 has a baffle 16 located adjacent thereto, the baffle 16 being dependent from the inlet 4 by support members 18. The support members 18 have substantial gaps therebetween to allow airflow into the chamber 2. The inlet 4 is part of a hose or conduit attachment tube 20 for attachment to a vacuum cleaner conduit such as a flexible conduit which has the nozzle or matter, such as dust or dirt, gathering portion at the other end thereof. The outlet 6 of the chamber is part of a conduit connection tube 22 for connecting to a flexible vacuum cleaner conduit the other end of which is connected to the vacuum cleaner machine so as to be in fluid communication therewith. The arrangement is shown diagrammatically in Figure 2 in which hose 23 connects the vacuum cleaner 25 to the outlet tube 22 and conduit 27 connects inlet 20 to nozzle 29. Alternatively, and preferably, conduit 27 need not be provided so that the water removal apparatus 1 is provided rigidly connected to or as part of nozzle 29. Thus in a house or building having a central vacuum cleaning system in which a single stationary vacuum machine is located in the building and vacuum conduits are provided to wall connection points at various locations in the house, the apparatus 1 could be adapted to be plugged directly into a wall connection so as to be held thereby and the conduit 27 could be used to flexibly connect the nozzle 29 to the apparatus 1. Alternatively, the apparatus 1 could be provided as part of nozzle 29 and the other end of conduit 27 adapted to connect to the wall connection socket.

In use, when vacuum cleaner conduits are connected as above described and when 5 the vacuum cleaner is operational, the airflow from the nozzle portion of the conduit enters the chamber 2 through tube 20 and inlet 4 as indicated by arrows 24. The airflow is then deflected off baffle 16 in a downward direction indicated by arrows 26 after which it proceeds relatively slowly upwardly as shown by arrows 28 and exits the chamber in direction shown by arrows 30. If liquid such as water for example is present in the 10 incoming air stream then as the air stream is directed through the indirect or tortuous path formed by the baffle 16, the velocity of the flow will decrease. The baffle is designed to decrease the airflow velocity as shown by arrows 28 to a velocity below the carrying velocity, or minimum velocity required for carrying liquid, of the airflow. When this low velocity is reached, gravity will cause the water to collect in the base of the 15 chamber as indicated by the body of liquid 32. Thus the liquid is effectively removed from the airflow so that air only exits the chamber through exit 6. Also, a large proportion of the water separates from the airflow by impinging directly on the undersurface 17 of the baffle 16. It then flows along the undersurface 17 and down the vertical walls, eventually dripping off the baffle into the base. The finer droplets of water 20 are collected by precipitation when the air velocity falls. When the water 32 reaches a sufficiently high level, the user may unscrew the two portions 8 and 10 of the container and pour out the water. Thus the present invention may be used in the hose or conduit of a vacuum cleaner to clean up liquid spills or to use liquid to clean surfaces or objects and remove the cleaning liquid and dirt from the surface or object. In order to prevent 25 the liquid level in the container from rising up to the level of the inlet, a float 34 may be provided. The float 34 is provided in the form of an annulus having a wall 36 dependent therefrom. The float 34 is located about the outer surface of tube 20 on the inside of chamber 2 and is able to slide up and down the outer surface of tube 20 in response to the water level within the chamber. Thus as the water level rises, the cylindrical surface 30 36 of the float 34 makes contact with the upper surface 38 of baffle 16 so as to impede the airflow entering the chamber and thus prevent the water level from rising any further. Alternatively, the body 34 of the float could be used to block airflow between the baffle 16 and the outer surface of the portion of tube 20 within the chamber 2. The supports 18 are designed so as not to interfere with walls 36 of the float. The float could also be designed to block airflow through the outer instead, or both the inlet and outlet.

It will be seen that a "cyclone" form of separation device could also be used, that is, a separator which uses a spiral airflow through the chamber to separate the liquid from the airflow. Many other forms of separator could be used, but they must be adapted to be connected to a conduit of a vacuum cleaning machine for supply of substantially dry air to the conduit of the vacuum cleaning machine.

Referring to Figure 3 a further form of separation device is shown. The operation of the device of Figure 3 is substantially similar to the device described with reference to Figure 1 and the same reference numerals have been used to designate similar features of the two devices. The device of Figure 3 differs to that of Figure 1 in that a different valve means is provided to ensure that liquid does not pass through the outlet 6 and into the vacuum cleaner itself.

Referring to Figure 3 the baffle means 16 is connected to the annular float 34 by webs 40 which have spaces therebetween in order to allow the airflow to pass between the baffle 16 and float 34 as shown by arrow 28. The upper surface 17 of the baffle 16, is in contact with a spring loaded, or otherwise biased, seal 42 which is maintained in sealing contact with surface 17 by a spring 44 for example. The sealing surface of seal 42 has an aperture 46 therein the upper end of which is open to ball housing 48 which supports a ball 50.

In use, the operation of the device described with reference to Figure 3 is as follows. When the device is connected to a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the arrangement shown in Figure 2 for example, then air or a mixture of air and liquids and/or particles of dust or dirt enters the device as shown by arrows 24 through the central tubular portion and the flow is deflected by the upper surface 17 of baffle 16 so that it enters chamber 2 at inlet 4 and substantially reverses direction as shown by arrow 26. As previously described, the indirect, or torturous flow path created by the baffle means 16, substantially removes the liquid from the airflow. The liquid pools and collects in the base of the chamber as indicated by area 32 and the airflow turns and moves upward as shown by arrow 28, flowing about the outer surface of the baffle, then over the baffle and then out the outlet 6 after flowing through gaps 52 in the ball housing 48.

When the water level 32 reaches a undesirably high level, for example when the water level starts to approach the level of the inlet or any other undesirably high level, then float 34 will either lift or pivot slightly, which will move the baffle means 16 slightly, overcoming the force exerted by spring 44 on seal 42. This will break the seal between the upper surface 17 and the seal 42 so that air in the chamber 2, which has had liquid removed therefrom, will enter the aperture 46 in the seal member 42 and the airflow through the aperture 46 will tend to force the ball 50 upwardly slightly relative to the housing 48. The slight upward movement of the ball 50 is sufficient to push the ball into the rapidly moving airstream through the ball housing indicated by arrow 54. This airstream will carry the ball 50 rapidly upwardly until it makes a sealing engagement with outlet 6 of the chamber, this preventing any further airflow through the chamber so that the undesirably high water level is not exceeded. It will be seen that when the ball 50 is in contact with the outlet 6, water in the chamber 2 will also not be able to pass through the outlet 6 even when the apparatus is tilted on its side or inverted.

Also, when the vacuum cleaner is not in operation, that is there is no airflow through the device, it will be seen that if the apparatus is tipped past the point where its longitudinal axis is horizontal, the ball 50 will roll down to seal against the edges of outlet

6 so as to prevent any water which may be in the chamber from passing through the outlet and into the vacuum cleaner machine.

Referring to Figure 4 a further, and most preferred, form of separation device is shown. The device shown in Figure 4 is similar to the device described with reference to Figure 3, and the same reference numerals have been used to designate similar features of the separation devices shown in both Figures 3 and 4.

Referring to Figure 4 the baffle or separator 16 is shown together with two other baffles or separators 60 and 62. The baffle 16 comprises a first baffle, baffle 60 a second baffle and baffle 62 a third baffle. The first baffle 16 is located adjacent to inlet 4 and spaced therefrom by support members 18 which have gaps therebetween in order to allow air to enter the device. The second baffle member 60 is located immediately below first baffle member 16 and is also located adjacent to inlet 4 and dependent therefrom. The float 34 is fixedly connected to valve actuating member 64 at point 66. Valve actuating member 64 rests on a ledge 68 in the walls of the chamber. The valve 70 (comprising a further valve member) is pivotally mounted on the valve actuating member 64 at pivot 71. When the valve 70 is in the position shown in Figure 4 it makes a substantially air tight seal with aperture 72 in third baffle member 62 which also contains the valve body or housing 48 for the ball valve member 50 of the valve means. The third baffle member 62 has vertically disposed support members 74 which allow air to travel through the baffle member and into gaps 52 in the ball housing to travel out the outlet 6.

In use, the device is connected to the vacuum cleaner as shown in Figure 2 for example, and then the vacuum of the vacuum cleaning machine air or a mixture of air and liquids and/or particles of dust or dirt enters the device as shown by arrows 24 through the central tubular portion. The flow is deflected by the first baffle member 16 past support members 18 and in a downward direction as shown by arrows 26. The second baffle member 60 then causes the flow of air and liquids to travel horizontally toward the outer walls 8 of the chamber as shown by arrows 28. The rapidly moving airflow 28 impinges upon walls 8 and in so doing causes the liquids to separate from the airflow by accumulating on walls 8 and running downwardly together as liquid 32 in the base of the chamber. Furthermore, a venturi effect occurs between the first deflector or baffle member 16 and float 34. This venturi effect creates a reduction in air pressure adjacent to the outer edge of baffle 16 and thus causes a flow of air to be drawn up from the base of the chamber in the direction indicated by arrow 76 which assists in causing the liquid which has impinged upon walls 8 of the chamber to travel to the base of the chamber along with any air and liquid which is not separated out as indicated by arrow 78. Furthermore, an annular ring 77 is provided dependent from valve actuating member 64. Airflow about the annular ring 77 creates a positive air pressure on an upper surface of float 34. This stabiHses the float, reducing the possibility of unnecessary actuation of ball valve 50. Air from the base of the chamber, and air from which liquid has separated by impinging upon walls 8 of the chamber travels upwardly as indicated by arrows 80. Any liquid which is still present in the airflow 80 is removed from the airflow by impinging upon the third baffle or deflector 62 and passes through this baffle member as shown by arrows 82 after which the resultant dry air enters the valve member housing 48 at entrances 52 and flows through outlet 6 as shown by arrows 84.

When the level of the liquid 32 in the base of the chamber reaches a level sufficient to cause float 34 to lift valve actuating member 64, the movement of member 64 will move valve 70 relative to opening 72, which will allow a small volume of fast moving air to enter aperture 72 rather than go through the third baffle member 62. The air moving through aperture 72 will cause the valve member comprising ball 50 to rise sufficiently to enter the rapidly moving airstream through the ball housing indicated by arrows 84, blocking off the flow of air through the outlet 6, making the device inoperable until the source of the vacuum is removed and the device emptied of Uquid. It will be seen that the float 34 will effectively prevent operation of the device to prevent liquid being forced through outlet 6 and into the vacuum cleaner or similar device which is causing the necessary vacuum for operation. The float 34 will also prevent operation of the device if the water level is sufficiently high so that when the apparatus is tilted on its side the float is caused to move. If there is very little liquid in the chamber and the unit lies on its side, then the float pivots about the ledge 68 to operate the air diversion member 64 and therefore cause operation of the apparatus to cease. Furthermore, if the apparatus is to pass the point where its longitudinal axis is substantially horizontal, the ball 50 will roll downwardly to seal against the outlet 6 so as to prevent any water which may be in the chamber from passing through the outlet and into the vacuum cleaner machine.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a device is provided which is easily adaptable for location in the hose of conventional vacuum cleaner so as to allow liquids to be vacuumed using a conventional vacuum cleaner, the liquid being removed from the airflow by the device so as to prevent any liquid entering the pump, motor or dust receptacle of the vacuum cleaner.

Claims

1. Apparatus for removing Hquid from an airflow, said apparatus comprising: a chamber having an inlet for an incoming airflow comprising a mixture of air and Hquid to enter said chamber, said incoming airflow being produced by the vacuum of a vacuum cleaning machine, an outlet for an outgoing airflow comprising said incoming airflow with said Hquid substantiaUy removed therefrom to exit said chamber, said outlet being adapted to be connected to an end of a conduit so as to be in fluid communication therewith, said conduit being in fluid communication with said vacuum cleaning machine, and a Hquid coUection area for coUection of said Hquid.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein at least one baffle is provided dependent from said chamber and located in the flow path between said inlet and said outlet to allow said incoming airflow to enter said chamber and impinge on said baffle to separate the Hquid from the incoming airflow for coUection in said Hquid coUection area.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 wherein a valve means is provided in said chamber, said valve means comprising a moveable valve member, said valve member being operable responsive to the volume Hquid in said Hquid coUection area so that when an undesirably large volume of Hquid is reached, said valve member substantiaUy prevents airflow or Hquid flow into, or out of, said chamber.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein a valve actuating means is provided, said valve actuating means being displaceable between an inoperable position so as to aUow said airflow to flow around said valve member and out said outlet, and an operable position so as to direct at least a part of said airflow at said valve member to move said valve member into the airflow between said inlet and said outlet so that said valve member substantiaUy prevents air or Hquid flow into, or out of, said chamber.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein said valve actuating means is moveable between said inoperable and operable positions dependent upon said volume of Hquid.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 5 wherein said valve member is also operable to substantiaUy prevent airflow or Hquid flow into, or out of, said chamber responsive to movement of said chamber to a position in which Hquid in said Hquid coUection area approaches said inlet or said outlet.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said chamber is separable into two parts so that Hquid in said Hquid coUection area can be drained therefrom.

8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 4 to 7 wherein a valve body is provided for housing said moveable valve member and said valve actuating means comprises a further valve member disposed in an aperture of said valve body, said further valve

5 member having a float dependent therefrom, movement of said further valve member aUowing at least a part of said airflow to enter said valve body through said aperture.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein said float is substantiaUy annular and is disposed adjacent to said baffle to create a venturi effect which assists in coUecting said Hquid in said Hquid coUecting area.

10 10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9 wherein a substantiaUy annular ring is provided adjacent to an upper surface of said float so that said incoming airflow creates an increase in pressure on said upper surface which assists in stabiHsing said float.

11. Apparatus for removing Hquid from an airflow substantiaUy as herein described with reference to and as iUustrated by the accompanying drawings.