FILTER AND CLEANING METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to a filter (10) for a suction device, in particular a vacuum cleaner, a wet vacuum cleaner or the like, to a suction device, and to a cleaning method, the filter comprising a filter housing (11) within which a suction air duct (12) for conveying a suction air flow is formed, the filter housing having a centrifugal separator (13) for separating particles from the suction air flow and a container (14) for collecting the separated particles. The filter has a metering device (15) disposed upstream of the centrifugal separator in a flow direction of the suction air flow, the metering device being configured to spray liquid into the suction air flow.

Claims

1. A filter (10) for a suction device, the filter comprising a filter housing (11) within which a suction air duct (12) for conveying a suction air flow is formed, the filter housing having a centrifugal separator (13) for separating particles from the suction air flow and a container (14) for collecting the separated particles, wherein the filter has a metering device (15) disposed upstream of the centrifugal separator in a flow direction of the suction air flow, the metering device being configured to spray liquid into the suction air flow.

2. The filter according to claim 1, wherein the metering device (15) and the centrifugal separator (13) form the suction air duct (12), and the container (14) is adjacent to the centrifugal separator.

3. The filter according to claim 1, wherein the centrifugal separator (13) is formed by a cyclone (16) having an immersion tube (17).

4. The filter according to claim 1, wherein the metering device (15) is configured to draw liquid from the container (14) or from a liquid reservoir of the suction device.

5. The filter according to claim 4, wherein the metering device (15) is formed by at least on jet pump (23) which is connected to the container (14) or the liquid reservoir via at least one liquid line (24).

6. The filter according to claim 5, wherein a shut-off valve (34) is disposed on the liquid line (24).

7. The filter according to claim 5, wherein a liquid filter is disposed at a bottom (31) of the container (14), the liquid filter being formed by a dam (37) formed on the bottom and closed off from an interior of the container by a screen (38), the liquid line (24) being connected to the liquid filter and ending inside the dam.

8. The filter according to claim 1, wherein a bottom wall (19) having at least one opening (20) for conveying separated particles from the centrifugal separator (13) into the container is formed between the centrifugal separator (13) and the container (14).

9. The filter according to claim 8, wherein the bottom wall (19) forms an essentially plane bottom (25) of the centrifugal separator (13), an annular web (26) interrupted in an area of the opening (20) being formed on parts of the bottom.

10. The filter according to claim 8, wherein the opening (20) is formed on a radial outer edge (27) of the bottom wall (19) ≤ 90° relative to an inlet opening (28) of the suction air flow into the centrifugal separator (13).

11. The filter according to claim 8, wherein the bottom wall (19) forms an edge (29) at the opening (20), at least part of the edge being formed by a rounded portion, preferably a rounded protrusion (30) extending into the container (14), with respect to a cross section of the wall.

12. The filter according to claim 8, wherein the bottom wall (19) is connected to a hinge (35) allowing the container to be opened and closed by pivoting the bottom wall relative to the container (14).

13. The filter according to claim 1, wherein a handle (32) for handling the container is disposed on the container (14).

14. The filter according to claim 1, wherein a separator plate (39) for separating particulate matter is disposed above a bottom (31) of the container (14), the separator plate dividing an interior (40) of the container into an upper receiving space (41) and a lower receiving space (42), an outer contour of the separator plate being in contact with an inner wall (43) of the container, and a gap (44) being formed in places between the contour and the inner wall.

15. The filter according to claim 14, wherein the gap (44) is disposed on a side of the separator plate (39) facing toward or away from a handle (32).

16. The filter according to claim 1, wherein the filter (10) has a filling level sensor configured to detect a filling level of a liquid bath in the container (14).

17. The filter according to claim 16, wherein the filling level sensor is formed by a float (45) in the container (14) and a reed contact outside of the container.

18. The filter according to claim 1, wherein an intermediate filter (21) or a filter for suspended particles is disposed in the suction air duct (12), the intermediate filter or the filter for suspended particles being disposed downstream of the centrifugal separator (13) in the flow direction of the suction air flow.

19. The filter according to claim 1, wherein inner surfaces of the centrifugal separator (13) or of the container (14) are self-cleaning nanostructured surfaces (46).

20. A suction device, having a housing, a suction air duct (12) being formed in the housing, the suction air duct connecting a suction air inletfor connecting a suction tube to the housing, and a suction air outlet, the suction device comprising a turbine for establishing a suction air flow in the suction air duct and a filter (10) according to claim 1.

21. A cleaning method for cleaning surfaces, implemented using a suction device, comprising a filter (10), a suction air flow being conveyed through a suction air duct (12) formed in a filter housing (11) of the filter within the filter housing, particles being separated from the suction air flow in a centrifugal separator (13) of the filter housing and collected in a container (14) of the filter housing, wherein a metering device (15) of the filter disposed upstream of the centrifugal separator in a flow direction of the suction air flow sprays liquid into the suction air flow.

Description

[0028] Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the invention will be discussed in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a filter;

[0030] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section view of the filter;

[0031] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view of a metering device.

[0032] A combination of FIGS. 1 to 3 shows a filter 10 for a suction device (not shown), filter 10 being formed by a filter housing 11, within which a suction air duct 12 for conveying a suction air flow (not shown) is formed. Filter housing 11 comprises a centrifugal separator 13 for separating particles from the suction air flow and a container 14 for collecting the separated particles. Filter 10 further has a metering device 15, which is disposed upstream of centrifugal separator 13 in a flow direction of the suction air flow, metering device 15 being configured to aspirate liquid (not shown) located in container 14 from container 14 and to spray it into the suction air flow.

[0033] Centrifugal separator 13 is formed by a cyclone 16, which has an immersion tube 17, a circumferential annular outer wall 18, and an essentially plane bottom wall 19. An opening 20 for conveying separated particles into container 14 is formed in bottom wall 19. A prefilter 21 made of foam is disposed upstream of the cyclone 16 or the immersion tube 17, prefilter 21 being followed by an air guide 22. Air guide 22 leads to a turbine (not shown) of the suction device, upstream of which a filter for suspended particles can be disposed.

[0034] Metering device 15 is composed of an annular Venturi nozzle 23 and a liquid line 24 connected thereto. When a suction air flow is established by the turbine, liquid located in container 14 is aspirated via liquid line 24 and transported or sprayed into the suction air flow via Venturi nozzle 23. The suction air flow enters cyclone 16 tangentially, which causes swirling, i.e., an eddy to be formed, between immersion tube 17 and wall 18 within cyclone 16. A web 26, which is interrupted in an area of opening 20, is formed at a bottom 25 of bottom wall 19. Opening 20 is disposed on a radial outer edge 27 of bottom wall 19 relative to an inlet opening 28 of the suction air flow in centrifugal separator 13. An edge 29 is formed on opening 20, a rounded protrusion 30, which extends into container 14, being molded on bottom wall 19.

[0035] Container 14 is round and has a plane bottom 31, in which liquid line 24 ends. Liquid or water located in container 14 can thus be aspirated by Venturi nozzle 23 via liquid line 24. Liquid line 24 runs via a handle 32, which is molded on container 14. Liquid line 24 is partially formed by a flexible tube 33, which can be blocked by means of a slide 34 on handle 32. Furthermore, a hinge 35 is formed with bottom wall 19 on handle 32, a lever 36 being molded on bottom wall 19. Lever 36 allows bottom wall 19 to be lifted from container 14 in such a manner that container 14 can be emptied or filled.

[0036] Furthermore, container 14 has a dam 37 on bottom 31, dam 37 being closed by a screen 38. A separator plate 39, which divides an interior 40 of container 14 into an upper receiving space 41 and a lower receiving space 42, is molded on dam 37. Separator plate 39 is in sealing contact with an inner wall 43 of container 14 and forms a gap 44, which connects upper receiving space 41 to lower receiving space 42.

[0037] A float 45 is disposed below bottom wall 19, float 45 being mounted on bottom wall 19 in such a manner that it can pivot from a vertical position into the horizontal position shown here. When a liquid level in container 14 rises, float 45 can actuate a reed contact on the suction device, which initiates a shut-off of the suction device.

[0038] When filter 10 is operated in dry mode, a liquid, such as water, is filled in container 14. The suction air flow flowing in is moistened by the water in metering device 15, the water being aspirated from container 14 into Venturi nozzle 23 via liquid line 24, which runs through handle 32. The suction air or the suction air flow flowing in through inlet opening 28 is transported to wall 18, the moistened suction air flow flowing in coming into contact and being mixed with the liquid or the water in a laminar manner. The liquid rinses a surface 46 of wall 18, which reduces an amount of cleaning required later. In cyclone 16, particles (not shown) located in the suction air flow and the liquid are now separated from the suction air flow and reach bottom 25. The dry suction air flow is conveyed out of cyclone 16 into air guide 22 through prefilter 21 via immersion tube 17. Prefilter 21 is disposed in such a manner that a gap 47 is formed between immersion tube 17 and prefilter 21. Gap 47 prevents liquid particles from entering prefilter 21. Furthermore, a collar 48, via which liquid particles can be discharged to the outside, is formed on immersion tube 17.

[0039] The liquid charged with particles or dirt now enters container 14 through opening 20. In this process, separator plate 39 separates coarse particles from fine particles. The fine particles accumulate in the liquid below separator plate 39 in lower receiving space 42. Screen 38 retains the coarse particles so that the cleaned liquid can be transported via liquid line 24. For emptying container 14, bottom wall 19 is tilted via hinge 35 with the result that container 14 is open and can be easily emptied. Optionally, a drain opening (not shown), via which the liquid with finer particles can be drained separately, can be provided in bottom 31.

[0040] When filter 10 is operated in dry mode, liquid line 24 is squeezed and thus blocked by means of slide 34 by a cam 49 formed thereon. Particles flowing in via the suction air flow are directed at wall 18 and separated from the suction air flow as described above. The particles are conveyed into container 14 at bottom 25 via opening 20. In the process, web 26 prevents particles from reaching a center of bottom 19 and being carried away by suction air flow again. Protrusion 30 in particular deflects fibers or the like so that they cannot become caught on edge 29 of bottom wall 19 or opening 20.

[0041] In dry mode, a liquid can also be sucked into filter 10 without metering device 15 being operated. In this case, container 14 can be emptied dust-free, in particular. The filter can be easily cleaned by aspirating clean liquid or water. If liquid is aspirated, a suction function of the suction device is shut off when container 14 is filled and float 45 reaches the horizontal position shown. Once container 14 has been emptied, a suction process can continue.