VACUUM-CLEANER FILTER BAG MADE FROM RECYCLED PLASTICS

Abstract

The invention relates to a vacuum cleaner filter bag comprising a wall which is made of an air-permeable material and surrounds an inner space, and an inlet opening introduced into the wall, wherein the air-permeable material comprises at least one layer made of a non-woven and/or a layer made of a fiber web, said non-woven and/or a fiber web comprising fibers or consisting thereof, which are made from a recycled plastic or a plurality of recycled plastics, wherein the recycled plastic or the plurality of recycled plastics comprise or are chemically recycled polypropylene.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner filter bag comprising: a wall made of an air-permeable material surrounding an inner space; and an inlet opening introduced into the wall, wherein the air-permeable material comprises at least one of a layer of a non-woven or a layer of a fiber web comprising fibers formed from one or more recycled plastics, and wherein the one or more recycled plastics comprise chemically recycled polypropylene.

2. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein the one or more recycled plastics is electrostatically charged.

3. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein the air-permeable material is a multi-layer structure, wherein at least two layers of the multi-layer structure comprise or are formed from at least one of a non-woven or a fiber web, wherein the non-woven or the fiber web includes fibers formed from one or more recycled plastics.

4. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein the air-permeable material comprises a capacity layer and a fine filter layer, wherein the capacity layer is a non-woven formed from staple fibers produced by an aerodynamic process, the staple fibers being formed from one or more recycled plastics, and wherein the fine filter layer is a meltblown non-woven made of electrostatically charged virgin PP, or is a meltblown non-woven made of bicomponent fibers with a recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) or a recycled polypropylene (rPP) core and a sheath made of virgin polypropylene (PP) or virgin polymethylpentene (PMP), or is a support layer made of recycled plastic fibers with a layer of nano-fibers applied thereto.

5. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein the air-permeable material comprises: at least one support layer and at least one fine filter layer, wherein one or more of the at least one support layer and/or one or more of the at least one fine filter layer includes one or more non-wovens formed from one or more recycled plastics; at least one support layer and at least one capacity layer, wherein one or more layers of the at least one support layer are non-wovens and/or one or more layers of the at least one capacity layer include at least one of non-wovens or fiber webs formed from one or more recycled plastics; or at least one support layer, at least one fine filter layer, and at least one capacity layer, wherein one or more layers of the at least one support layer, and/or one or more layers of the at least one fine filter layer include non-wovens formed from one or more recycled plastics and/or one or more layers of the at least one capacity layer include non-wovens or fiber webs formed from one or more recycled plastics.

6. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 5, wherein at least one of: each support layer is a spunbond or scrim, having a grammage of from 5 to 80 g/m.sup.2, and/or having a titer of the fibers forming the spunbond or scrim in a range of from 0.5 dtex to 15 dtex; the air-permeable material comprises 1 to 3 support layers, wherein when the air-permeable material comprises at least two support layers, a total grammage of a sum of all support layers is 10 to 240 g/m.sup.2; or all support layers are formed from a recycled plastic or a plurality of recycled plastics .

7. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 5, wherein at least one of: each fine filter layer includes an extrusion non-woven, with a grammage of 5 to 100 g/m.sup.2; the air-permeable material comprises 1 to 5 fine filter layers, wherein when the air-permeable material comprises at least two fine filter layers, a total grammage of a sum of all fine filter layers is 10 to 300 g/m.sup.2; at least one of the fine filter layers is formed from one recycled plastic or a plurality of recycled plastics; or at least one of the fine filter layers are electrostatically charged.

8. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 5, wherein at least one of: each capacity layer includes at least one of a staple fiber non-woven, a fiber web, or a non-woven comprising dusty and/or fibrous recycled material from production of textiles, wherein each capacity layer has a grammage from 5 to 200 g/m.sup.2; or the air-permeable material comprises 1 to 5 capacity layers, wherein when the air-permeable material comprises at least two capacity layers, a total grammage of a sum of all capacity layers is 10 to 300 g/m.sup.2 .

9. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein the air-permeable material is a multi-layer structure with a layer sequence as seen from an interior of the vacuum cleaner filter bag, the vacuum cleaner filter bag further comprising: a support layer, at least one fine filter layer, and a second support layer; or a support layer, at least one capacity layer, a second support layer, at least one fine filter layer, and a third support layer.

10. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum cleaner filter bag comprises: a retaining plate enclosing the inlet opening, the retaining plate being formed from or comprising one or more recycled plastics.

11. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein at least one of: at least one flow distributor or at least one diffuser is arranged in an interior of the vacuum cleaner filter bag, wherein the at least one flow distributor and/or the at least one diffuser is formed from one or more recycled plastics.

12. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein a proportion by weight of all recycled materials, relative to a total weight of the vacuum cleaner filter bag is at least 25%.

13. The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum cleaner filter bag is a flat bag, a block bottom bag, or a 3D bag.

14. (canceled)

15. A vacuum cleaner filter bag comprising: a wall formed from an air-permeable material surrounding an inner space; an inlet opening formed in the wall; a retaining plate enclosing the inlet opening; and at least one of at least one flow distributor or at least one diffuser arranged in an interior of the vacuum cleaner filter bag; wherein the air-permeable material includes at least one of a layer of non-woven or a layer of a fiber web comprising fibers formed from chemically recycled polypropylene.

16. The vacuum cleaner filter bag of claim 15, wherein the chemically recycled polypropylene is electrostatically charged.

17. The vacuum cleaner filter bag of claim 15, wherein the retaining plate and at least one of the at least one flow distributor or the at least one diffuser are formed from or comprise one or more recycled plastics.

18. The vacuum cleaner filter bag of claim 15, wherein a proportion by weight of all recycled materials relative to a total weight of the vacuum cleaner filter bag is at least 95%.

19. A vacuum cleaner filter bag comprising: a wall formed from an air-permeable material surrounding an inner space; and an inlet opening formed in the wall; wherein the air-permeable material is a multi-layer structure, wherein at least one layer of the multi-layer structure comprises a non-woven or a fiber web comprising fibers formed from one or more recycled plastics, and wherein the air-permeable material comprises a capacity layer and a fine filter layer.

20. The vacuum cleaner filter bag of claim 19, wherein the capacity layer includes a non-woven formed from one or more staple fibers produced by an aerodynamic process, the one or more staple fibers being formed from one or more recycled plastics, and wherein the fine filter layer is a melt-blown non-woven made of electrostatically charged virgin polypropylene (PP) or is a melt-blown non-woven made of bi-component fibers with a recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) or a recycled polypropylene (rPP) core, and a sheath made of virgin polypropylene (PP) or virgin polymethylpentene (PMP), or is a support layer made of recycled plastic fibers with a layer of nano-fibers applied thereto.

21. The vacuum cleaner filter bag of claim 19, wherein the capacity layer includes at least one of a staple fiber non-woven, a fiber web, or a non-woven comprising dusty and/or fibrous recycled material from production of textiles, wherein the capacity layer has a grammage from 5 to 200 g/m.sup.2.

Description

[0057] The present invention covers several particularly preferred options of forming the air-permeable material in multiple layers, which are presented below. The plurality of these layers may be joined together by means of welded joints, in particular as described in EP 1 795 427 A1. The layers may also be glued together or bonded as described in WO 01/003802.

[0058] In particular, the invention provides a vacuum cleaner filter bag having a wall of air-permeable material, wherein the material includes a capacity layer and a fine filter layer, [0059] wherein the capacity layer is a non-woven of staple fibers produced by an aerodynamic process, the staple fibers being formed from one or more recycled plastics, and [0060] wherein the fine filter layer is a meltblown non-woven made of virgin PP or rPP, which is in particular electrostatically charged, or is a meltblown non-woven made of bi-component fibers with an rPET or an rPP core and a sheath made of virgin PP, rPP or virgin PMP, or is a support layer made of recycled plastic fibers with a layer of nanofibers applied thereon.

[0061] Thus, the capacity layer may correspond to the layer of non-woven or fiber web already described above.

[0062] In particular, the staple fibers of the capacity layer may include or consist of rPET or rPP. The term “nanofiber” is used according to the terminology of DIN SPEC 1121:2010-02 (CEN ISO/TS 27687:2009).

[0063] The fine filter layer may be located downstream of the capacity layer in the air flow direction (from the dirty air side toward the clean air side).

[0064] Optionally, the vacuum cleaner filter bag may have an (additional) reinforcing layer or support layer in the form of a dry-laid non-woven layer or in the form of an extrusion non-woven layer. As described above, the dry-laid non-woven layer may include dusty or dust-like and/or fibrous or fiber-like recycled material from the manufacture of textiles, in particular cotton textiles, and/or from wool shearing and/or seed fibers; alternatively, the dry-laid non-woven layer may include staple fibers of recycled plastic, in particular rPET or rPP. The extrusion non-woven layer may include mono- or bi-component filaments of recycled plastic, in particular rPET or rPP.

[0065] The reinforcing layer may be located downstream of the fine filter layer in the air flow direction.

[0066] According to one embodiment, the air-permeable material includes at least one support layer and at least one fine filter layer, wherein at least one or all of the support layers and/or at least one or all of the fine filter layers are non-wovens formed from one or more recycled plastics.

[0067] According to an alternative embodiment, the air-permeable material includes at least one support layer and at least one capacity layer, wherein at least one or all of the support layers are non-wovens and/or at least one or all of the capacity layers are non-wovens or fiber webs formed from one or more recycled plastics.

[0068] In another embodiment the air-permeable material includes at least one support layer, at least one fine filter layer, and at least one capacity layer, wherein at least one or all of the support layers and/or at least one or all of the fine filter layers are non-wovens formed from one or more recycled plastics and/or at least one or all of the capacity layers are non-wovens or fiber webs formed from one or more recycled plastics.

[0069] In the above embodiments, it is equally possible that at least one, preferably all, of the capacity layers include or are formed from a non-woven including dusty and/or fibrous recycled material and/or seed fibers. As a result of the non-woven bonding that has taken place, the non-woven layer formed as the capacity layer has such a high mechanical strength that it may also function as a support layer.

[0070] It is also possible to form the outer layer on the clean air side from a relatively thin material based on cotton dust.

[0071] The individual layers are described in more detail according to their function.

[0072] A supporting layer (sometimes also called “reinforcing layer”) in the sense of the present invention is a layer that gives the necessary mechanical strength to the multilayer composite of the filter material. This refers to an open, porous non-woven or a non-woven with a light basis weight. A support layer serves, among other things, to support other layers or sheets and/or to protect them from abrasion. The support layer may also filter the largest particles. The support layer, as well as any other layer of the filter material, may also be electrostatically charged, if necessary, provided that the material has suitable dielectric properties.

[0073] A capacity layer provides high resistance to shock loading, filtering large dirt particles, filtering a significant proportion of small dust particles, storing or retaining large quantities of particles, while allowing the air to pass through easily, resulting in a low pressure drop at high particle loading. This has a particular effect on the service life of a vacuum cleaner filter bag.

[0074] A fine filter layer serves to increase the filtration performance of the multilayer filter material by trapping particles that pass through the support layer and/or the capacity layer, for example. To further increase the separation efficiency, the fine filter layer may preferably be electrostatically charged (e.g., by corona discharge or hydrocharging), in particular to increase the separation of fine dust particles.

[0075] An overview of the individual functional layers within multilayer filter materials for vacuum cleaner filter bags is provided in WO 01/003802. The air-permeable material of the wall of the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to the invention may be constructed with respect to its configuration, for example, as in this patent document, with the proviso that at least one of the layers of the multilayer filter material for the vacuum cleaner filter bag described therein is formed from a recycled plastic or several recycled plastics. The disclosure of WO 01/003802 is likewise included in the present application with respect to the structure of the air-permeable filter materials.

[0076] In the aforementioned embodiments, it is advantageous that each support layer is a spunbond or scrim, preferably having a grammage from 5 to 80 g/m.sup.2, more preferably from 10 to 50 g/m.sup.2, more preferably from 15 to 30 g/m.sup.2, and/or preferably having a titer of the fibers forming the spunbond or scrim in the range of from 0.5 dtex to 15 dtex.

[0077] Preferably, the air-permeable material may include one to three support layers.

[0078] In the case of the presence of at least two support layers, the total grammage of the sum of all support layers is preferably 10 to 240 g/m.sup.2, more preferably 15 to 150 g/m.sup.2, more preferably 20 to 100 g/m.sup.2, more preferably 30 to 90 g/m.sup.2, in particular 40 to 70 g/m.sup.2.

[0079] In particular, it is preferred that all the support layers are formed from a recycled plastic or several recycled plastics, in particular from rPET or rPP.

[0080] According to a further advantageous embodiment, each fine filter layer is an extrusion non-woven, in particular a meltblown non-woven, preferably with a grammage of 5 to 100 g/m.sup.2, further preferably 10 to 50 g/m.sup.2, in particular 10 to 30 g/m.sup.2.

[0081] Here, it is possible for the air-permeable material to include 1 to 5 fine filter layers.

[0082] In the case of the presence of at least two fine filter layers, the total grammage of the sum of all fine filter layers is preferably 10 to 300 g/m.sup.2, more preferably 15 to 150 g/m.sup.2, in particular 20 to 50 g/m.sup.2.

[0083] In particular, it is preferred that at least one, preferably all, fine filter layers are formed from a recycled plastic or several recycled plastics, in particular from rPET or rPP.

[0084] To increase the dust collection performance, in particular with regard to fine dusts, it is particularly preferred if at least one, preferably all, fine filter layers are electrostatically charged.

[0085] It is further advantageous if each capacity layer is a staple fiber non-woven, a fiber web or a non-woven including dusty or dust-like and/or fibrous or fiber-like recycled material from the manufacture of textiles, in particular cotton textiles, and/or from wool shearing and/or seed fibers, each capacity layer preferably having a grammage of from 5 to 200 g/m.sup.2, more preferably from 10 to 150 g/m.sup.2, more preferably from 20 to 100 g/m.sup.2, in particular from 30 to 50 g/m.sup.2.

[0086] Here, it may convenient that the air-permeable material includes 1 to 5 capacity layers.

[0087] In the case of the presence of at least two capacity layers, the total grammage of the sum of all capacity layers is preferably from 10 to 300 g/m.sup.2, more preferably from 15 to 200 g/m.sup.2, more preferably from 20 to 100 g/m.sup.2, in particular from 50 to 90 g/m.sup.2.

[0088] A particularly preferred embodiment of the structure of the air-permeable material for the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to the invention provides for the multilayer structure described below with a sequence of layers extending from the interior of the vacuum cleaner filter bag (dirty air side) to the outside (clean air side):

[0089] a support layer, at least one, preferably at least two fine filter layers, and a further support layer.

[0090] In particular, in the case where the support layer is constructed as a spunbond non-woven and the fine filter layer as a meltblown non-woven, this structure corresponds to the SMS or SMMS structure for air-permeable filter materials for vacuum cleaner filter bags known from the prior art.

[0091] Alternatively and in particular, the following structure is preferred:

[0092] A support layer, at least one, preferably at least two, capacity layers, preferably a further support layer, at least one, preferably at least two, fine filter layers, and a further support layer. In the case that the capacity layer has a high mechanical strength as described above, the innermost support layer may also be dispensed with.

[0093] One or two capacity layers, one or two fine filter layers (meltblown layers), one support layer (spunbonded fabric).

[0094] One or two capacity layers, one or two fine filter layers (meltblown layers), one or two capacity layers.

[0095] At least one of the layers includes at least one recycled plastic material, in particular rPET or rPP. Particularly preferably, at least all of the support layers are formed from recycled plastics.

[0096] Each of the aforementioned layers (support layer, capacity layer, fine filter layer) may thereby also be formed from a non-woven material including dusty and/or fibrous recycled material from the production of textiles, in particular cotton textiles, and/or from wool shearing and/or seed fibers.

[0097] In a particularly preferred embodiment, this non-woven material forms the at least one capacity layer, while the other layers do not include dusty and/or fibrous recycled material from the manufacture of textiles, in particular cotton textiles and/or seed fibers.

[0098] It is also possible for all of the layers in the aforementioned embodiments to be joined together by means of welded joints, in particular as described in EP 1 795 427 A1. However, welded joints are not absolutely necessary.

[0099] According to a further preferred embodiment, the vacuum cleaner filter bag has a retaining plate that encloses the inlet opening and is formed from one or more recycled plastics or includes one or more recycled plastics. In particular, the retaining plate is thereby formed of rPET or rPP or includes rPET or rPP in a very high proportion, for example at least 90% by weight. According to this preferred embodiment, it is thus possible to further increase the proportion of recycled plastics in the vacuum cleaner filter bag.

[0100] Furthermore, it is possible that at least one flow distributor and/or at least one diffuser are arranged in the interior, wherein preferably the at least one flow distributor and/or the at least one diffuser is formed from one recycled plastic or several recycled plastics. Such flow distributors and/or diffusers are known, for example, from patent applications EP 2 263 508, EP 2 442 703, DE 20 2006 020 047, DE 20 2008 003 248, DE 20 2008 005 050. The vacuum cleaner filter bags according to the invention, including flow distributors, may also be designed accordingly.

[0101] Flow distributors and diffusers are preferably also made of non-wovens or laminates of non-wovens. Preferably, the same materials are considered for these elements as for the capacity and reinforcement layers.

[0102] In a further particularly preferred embodiment the proportion by weight of all recycled materials, based on the total weight of the vacuum cleaner filter bag, is at least 25%, preferably at least 30%, further preferably at least 40%, further preferably at least 50%, further preferably at least 60%, further preferably at least 70%, further preferably at least 80%, further preferably at least 90%, in particular at least 95%. Thus, the requirements of the Global Recycled Standard (GRS), v3 (August 2014) of Textile Exchange may be achieved.

[0103] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to the present invention may, for example, be in the form of a flat bag, a side gusset bag, a block bottom bag or a 3D bag, such as a vacuum cleaner filter bag for an upright vacuum cleaner. In this case, a flat bag has no side walls and is formed from two layers of material, the two layers of material being directly joined to one another along their circumference, for example welded or glued. Side gusset bags represent a modified form of a flat bag and include fixed or expandable side gussets. Block bottom bags include a so-called block or block bottom, which mostly forms the narrow side of the vacuum cleaner filter bag; a retaining plate is usually arranged on this side.

[0104] In addition, the present invention relates to the use of recycled plastics, in particular the recycled plastics described above, for example in the form of non-wovens and/or fiber webs for vacuum cleaner filter bags. With regard to the recycled plastics that may be used for this purpose or the possible design of the non-wovens or fiber webs, reference is made in this respect to the preceding explanations.

[0105] The present invention will be elucidated in more detail with reference to the following exemplary embodiments, without limiting the invention to the specific embodiments shown.

[0106] Filter bags are designed that include one or more layers of rPET or rPP filaments or rPET or rPP staple fibers. In addition, the filter bags according to the invention described below may have one or more layers of an aerodynamically formed non-woven, for example an airlaid or an airlay non-woven formed from cotton dust, seed fibers or wool fibers from shearing waste and bi-component fibers. The different non-wovens are only suitable for certain material layers. In order to further increase the proportion of recycled raw materials, it is also possible to use a retaining plate that is made of rPET or rPP or at least has rPET or rPP.

[0107] Regarding the individual filter layers:

[0108] Spunbonded layers made of rPET or rPP with a basis weight of 5 to 50 g/m.sup.2 and a titer of 1 dtex to 15 dtex are particularly suitable as support layers. For example, PET waste (e.g. punching waste) and so-called bottle flakes, i.e. pieces of ground beverage bottles, are used as raw materials. To cover the different coloration of the waste, it is possible to dye the recyclate. The HELIXⓇ (Comerio Ercole) process is particularly advantageous as a thermal bonding process for consolidating the spunbond.

[0109] One or more layers of meltblown from rPET or rPP with a basis weight of 5 to 30 g/m.sup.2 each are used as fine filter layers. In addition, one or more meltblown non-woven layers of virgin PP may be present. At least this (these) layer(s) is (are) electrostatically charged by a corona discharge. The layers made of rPET or rPP may also be electrostatically charged. The only thing to keep in mind is that no metallized PET waste is then used for production. Alternatively, the meltblown filaments may also consist of bi-component fibers, in which the core is formed from rPET or rPP and the sheath from a plastic that efficiently allows to be electrostatically charged (e.g. virgin PP, PC, PET, or rPP).

[0110] One or more capacity layers include rPET or rPP staple fibers or rPET or rPP filaments, or are based on cotton dust (or seed fibers) and bi-component fibers. Different processes are suitable for the production of capacity layers. Carding processes, airlay processes or airlaid processes are commonly used, in which staple fibers are first laid down, which are then usually bonded in a non-woven bonding step (e.g. by needling, hydroentanglement, ultrasonic calendering, by means of thermal bonding in a flow-through oven also by means of bi-component fibers or bonding fibers, or by chemical bonding, for example with latex, hotmelt, foam binder, ...) to form a non-woven. For calendering, the HELIX@ (Comerio Ercole) process is particularly advantageous. In an airlay process, a Rando-Webber system may be used in particular.

[0111] Also used is a process, in which the primarily formed fiber web is not consolidated, but is bonded to a non-woven with as few weld points as possible. In both processes, it is possible to use staple fibers made from rPET or rPP. Capacity layers may also be manufactured as extrusion non-wovens or extrusion fiber webs. For these non-wovens, the use of rPET or rPP is also feasible without any problems.

[0112] The filaments or staple fibers may also be made from bi-component materials, in which the core is formed from rPET or rPP and the sheath from a plastic that is particularly well suited to electrostatic charging (e.g. virgin PP, PC, PET, or rPP).

[0113] Alternatively or supplementally, there may be one or more layers of an aerodynamically formed non-woven formed from bi-component fibers and cotton dust or seed fibers.

[0114] The basis weight of the individual capacity layers is preferably between 10 and 100 g/m.sup.2.

[0115] The differently produced capacity layers may, of course, also be combined with each other.

[0116] To further increase the proportion of recyclates, a retaining plate made of rPET may be used. If the seal to the vacuum cleaner nozzle is provided by the bagging material, the retaining plate may be made exclusively of rPET or rPP. If the retaining plate has to take over the sealing function, a TPE seal may be molded or glued on.

[0117] If all options are utilized, a recyclate or waste material content of up to 96% may be achieved in this way. The following tables give some specific design examples with a recyclate content of 41 % to 96 %.

[0118] The vacuum cleaner filter bags shown below were designed from the various recyclate-containing non-wovens or fiber webs using the specified materials, whose exact composition or structure is shown in the following tables. The vacuum cleaner filter bags are flat bags with a rectangular geometry and dimensions of 300 mm × 280 mm.

TABLE-US-00001 Example 1 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Supporting layer inside 17 2.9 100 Retaining plate 5.0 0 Total filter bag 17.1 41.3

[0119] The air-permeable material of the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 1 has a four-layer structure, the outermost layer (on the clean air side) having a supporting layer with a grammage of 25 g/m.sup.2. The innermost layer is also a support layer with a grammage of 17 g/m.sup.2. Two layers of a fine filter layer (meltblown virgin polypropylene, each electrostatically charged by corona discharge) with a grammage of 15 g/m.sup.2 are arranged between the two support layers. The supporting layers are each made from 100% recycled PET. The third column indicates the absolute weight of each layer in the vacuum cleaner filter bag. The vacuum cleaner filter bag has a retaining plate that weighs 5.0 g and is welded to the vacuum cleaner filter bag.

[0120] With such a structure, a percentage of a recycled material in the entire vacuum cleaner filter bag of 41.3% may be achieved.

TABLE-US-00002 Example 2 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Supporting layer inside 17 2.9 100 Retaining plate 5.0 100 Total filter bag 17.1 70.5

[0121] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 2 is constructed identically to the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 1, with the difference that the support plate is formed from 100% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET). This measure allows the proportion of recyclate in the entire vacuum cleaner filter bag to be increased to 70.5%.

TABLE-US-00003 Example 3 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 100 Supporting layer inside 17 2.9 100 Retaining plate 5.0 100 Total filter bag 17.1 85.3

[0122] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 3 has an identical structure to Example 2. In contrast to the embodiment according to Example 2 or Example 1, a fine filter layer (inner meltblown layer) is now also formed from 100% recycled PET. The rPET used may be metallized or unmetallized. In the case that unmetallized rPET is used, it is also possible to charge this meltblown electrostatically, for example by means of corona discharge.

TABLE-US-00004 Example 4 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 85 Meltblown 15 2.5 85 Supporting layer inside 17 2.9 100 Retaining plate 5.0 100 Total filter bag 17.1 95.6

[0123] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 4 has an identical structure to the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 2, except for the fact that the two fine filter layers (meltblown) are formed from BiKo filaments. The core of these meltblown filaments is made of recycled PET, the cover of virgin polypropylene. The core accounts for 85% of the weight.

[0124] With such measures, a recyclate content of 95.6% by weight, based on the entire vacuum cleaner filter bag, is achieved.

TABLE-US-00005 Example 5 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Center support layer 17 2.9 100 Capacity layer A 35 5.9 50 Capacity layer B 35 5.9 50 Supporting layer inside 15 2.5 100 Retaining plate 5.0 0 Total filter bag 31.4 49.3

[0125] The wall material of the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 5 has a 7-layer structure. An outer support layer arranged on the clean air side is followed by two fine filter layers (in each case meltblown layers, as in Example 1). A centrally arranged support layer separates these fine filter layers from two capacity layers A and B, each of which is a carded non-woven made of bi-component staple fibers. These staple fibers consist of, for example, 50% recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET), which forms the core of these fibers. The core is surrounded by a sheath of “virgin” PP. This is followed by a support layer arranged on the dirty air side.

[0126] In the structure according to Example 5, all support layers of the air-permeable material are formed from recycled PET (rPET). The capacity layers are formed from 50% recycled PET. With such a construction, a recyclate content of 49.3% by weight, based on the total vacuum cleaner filter bag, is achieved.

TABLE-US-00006 Example 6 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Center support layer 17 2.9 100 Capacity layer A 35 5.9 100 Capacity layer B 35 5.9 100 Supporting layer inside 15 2.5 100 Retaining plate 5.0 0 Total filter bag 31.4 68.0

[0127] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 6 has an identical structure to Example 5. In contrast to the embodiment according to Example 5, the capacity layers A and B are now also formed 100% from a carded staple fiber non-woven made of rPET staple fibers.

[0128] With such an embodiment, a recyclate content of 68.0% by weight, based on the entire vacuum cleaner filter bag, is achieved.

TABLE-US-00007 Example 7 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Center support layer 17 2.9 100 Capacity layer A 35 5.9 50 Capacity layer B 35 5.9 50 Supporting layer inside 15 2.5 100 Retaining plate 5.0 100 Total filter bag 31.4 83.9

[0129] In the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 7, the retaining plate is now also made of 100% recycled PET. In all other respects, the vacuum cleaner filter bag has an identical structure to Example 6.

[0130] With such a structure, a total recyclate content, based on the entire vacuum cleaner filter bag, of 83.9% by weight is achieved.

TABLE-US-00008 Example 8 Volumetric non-woven 70 300 mm × 280 mm Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 80 Meltblown 15 2.5 80 Center support layer 17 2.9 100 Capacity layer A 35 5.9 100 Capacity layer B 35 5.9 100 Supporting layer inside 15 2.5 100 Retaining plate 5.0 100 Total filter bag 31.4 96.8

[0131] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 8 has an identical structure to that of Example 7, except for the fact that the two fine filter layers (meltblown layers) are also formed to a high degree from recycled PET. The meltblown is formed from a bi-component meltblown with a core of rPET, coated with virgin polypropylene. The proportion of rPET here is 80% by weight, based on the total mass of the meltblown that forms the respective fine filter layer.

[0132] With such a structure, a total content of recycled materials, based on the entire filter bag of 96.8 wt.% may be achieved.

TABLE-US-00009 Example 9 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] r Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Center support layer 17 2.9 100 Capacity layer C 35 5.9 80 Capacity layer D 35 5.9 80 Supporting layer inside 15 2.5 100 Retaining plate 5.0 0 Total filter bag 31.4 60.5

[0133] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 9 is also made of a 7-layer air-permeable material. The vacuum cleaner filter bag has a similar structure to the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 5. The support layers and the fine filter layers (meltblown layers) are identical to those in Example 5. In this case, the capacity layers C and D are formed from a non-woven material that is formed from 80% by weight of cotton dust or seed fibers and 20% of BiCo bonding fiber. This non-woven material is described in detail in WO 2011/057641 A1. The proportion of cotton dust or seed fibers in the capacity layers is thereby added to the total proportion of recyclate.

[0134] With such an embodiment, a proportion of recycled material, i.e. the sum of recycled plastics, and cotton dust or seed fibers of 60.5% by weight, based on the total vacuum cleaner filter bag, is achieved.

TABLE-US-00010 Example 10 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Center support layer 17 2.9 100 Capacity layer A 35 5.9 100 Capacity layer D 35 5.9 80 Supporting layer inside 15 2.5 100 Retaining plate 5.0 100 Total filter bag 31.4 64.3

[0135] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 10 is constructed analogously to the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 9. Here, the outer capacity layer corresponds to a capacity layer according to Examples 6 to 8, i.e. a carded staple fiber non-woven formed from 100% recycled PET fibers. The recyclate content of a finished vacuum cleaner filter bag corresponds to 64.3% by weight.

TABLE-US-00011 Example 11 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Meltblown 15 2.5 0 Center support layer 17 2.9 100 Capacity layer C 35 5.9 80 Capacity layer D 35 5.9 80 Supporting layer inside 15 2.5 100 Retaining plate 5.0 100 Total filter bag 31.4 76.4

[0136] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 11 corresponds to a vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 9, with the difference that the retaining plate is formed from 100% rPET. The total percentage of recycled materials in this vacuum cleaner filter bag is 76.4 wt%.

TABLE-US-00012 Example 12 Grammage [g/m.sup.2] Weight per bag [g] Percentage Recyclate [%] Supporting layers outside 25 4.2 100 Meltblown 15 2.5 80 Meltblown 15 2.5 80 Center support layer 17 2.9 100 Capacity layer C 35 5.9 80 Capacity layer D 35 5.9 80 Supporting layer inside 15 2.5 100 Retaining plate 5.0 100 Total filter bag 31.4 89.3

[0137] The vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 12 corresponds to the vacuum cleaner filter bag according to Example 11, with the difference that the two fine filter layers are designed according to the fine filter layers according to Example 8 and are thus formed from a bi-component meltblown with a core of rPET and a sheath of polypropylene. The total recyclate content of such a vacuum cleaner filter bag is 89.3% by weight.