FILTER UNIT FOR THE INTAKE CONNECTOR IN THE DIRTY-WATER TANK OF A FLOOR-CLEANING MACHINE

Abstract

A floor cleaning machine with a filter unit for a suction connector in a dirty-water tank. The filter unit has a substantially sleeve-shaped main body, which has an inlet opening at a face end, a substantially annular float body, which is arranged around and is displaceable along the main body between a closed position and an open position, a cover, which is arranged on the face end and has an entry opening that is configured to be selectively closed off by the float body. A fluid channel is provided in the cover and is configured to allow a fluid to flow from the entry opening into the inlet opening, and a sleeve-shaped filter element. The float body is arranged around the main body in an annular space between the main body and the filter element.

Claims

1. A filter unit (37) for a suction connector (31) in a dirty-water tank (5) of a floor-cleaning machine (1), the filter unit (37) comprising: a substantially sleeve-shaped main body (39), which extends between a first face end (41) and a second face end (43) and has an inlet opening (45) at the first face end (41), a substantially annular float body (77), which is arranged around the main body (39) and is displaceable along the main body (39) between a closed position and an open position, a cover (57), which is arranged on the first face end of the main body, wherein the cover (57) has at least one entry opening (59) which is configured to be closed off by the float body (77) when the latter is in the closed position and which is open when the float body (77) is at a distance from the closed position, and wherein provision is made in the cover (57) of a fluid channel (61), which is configured to allow a fluid to flow from the entry opening (59) into the inlet opening (45), and a sleeve-shaped filter element (69), which is arranged around the main body (39) in such a way that, between the main body (39) and the filter element (69), there is formed an annular space (79) in which the float body (77) is arranged so as to be displaceable between the closed position and the open position, wherein the filter element (69) is formed at least partially from a filter material (71).

2. The filter unit (37) of claim 1, wherein the filter element (69) is held in a detachable manner on the cover (57).

3. The filter unit (37) of claim 1, wherein the main body (39) has an encircling flange (51) which extends away in an outward direction and against which the float body (77) bears when the float body (77) is in the open position, and wherein the filter element (69) extends as far as the flange (51).

4. The filter unit (37) of claim 3, wherein the flange (51) has at least one flange opening (53) which is closed off by the float body (77) when the float body (77) is in the open position and which is opened up when the float body (77) has been displaced from the open position toward the closed position.

5. The filter unit (37) of claim 1, wherein, in a region of the inlet opening (45), the main body (12) has at least one latching element, wherein the at least one latching element (55) is configured to engage with at least one engagement element (35) at the suction connector (31), and wherein the main body (39) and the cover (57) are configured in such a way that, when the at least one latching element (55) is in engagement with the engagement element (35), a fluid connection between the entry opening (59) and the suction connector (31) is provided.

6. The filter unit (37) of claim 5, having a locking body (63), which has a cylindrical portion (65), wherein the cylindrical portion (65) is inserted into the inlet opening (45) and is configured to counteract action of bringing the at least one latching element (55) out of engagement with respect to the suction connector (31).

7. The filter unit (4) of claim 6, wherein the locking body (63) has a collar (67) which extends beyond the main body (79) into the annular space (79), wherein the float body (77) bears against the collar (67) if the float body (77) is in the closed position.

8. The filter unit (37) of claim 6, wherein the cover (57) and the main body (39) are components which are separate from one another, and wherein the locking body (63) is arranged between the cover (57) and the main body (39).

9. The filter unit (37) of claim 5, wherein the at least one latching element include a latching hook (55).

10. The filter unit (37) of claim 1, having an elastic ring element (81) which bears against a surface of the main body (39) facing away from the cover (57) and which is provided to bear against the suction connector (31).

11. The filter unit (37) of claim 1, wherein the filter element (69) has a sieve-like circumferential surface.

12. The filter unit (37) of claim 1, wherein the main body (39) has a tubular portion (49) around which the float body (77) is arranged, wherein the tubular portion (49) is adapted to be fitted over a suction connector (31) of a floor-cleaning machine (1).

13. A floor-cleaning machine (1) having a dirty-water tank (5), a suction connector (31), which extends into the dirty-water tank (5), a suction turbine (25), which is fluidically connected to an end of the suction connector (31) that is remote from the dirty-water tank (5) and which serves for generating negative pressure in the dirty-water tank (5), a suction line (21, 23), which ends in the dirty-water tank (5), and which is connected to a device (19) for receiving liquid, by way of negative pressure, from a floor surface (11) to be cleaned, wherein provision is made of a filter unit (37) which is mechanically connected to a free end (33) of the suction connector (31), which free end is arranged in the dirty-water tank (5), the filter unit (37) comprising: a substantially sleeve-shaped main body (39), which extends between a first face end (41) and a second face end (43) and has an inlet opening (45) at the first face end (41), a substantially annular float body (77), which is arranged around the main body (39) and is displaceable along the main body (39) between a closed position and an open position, a cover (57), which is arranged on the first face end of the main body, wherein the cover (57) has at least one entry opening (59) which is configured to be closed off by the float body (77) when the latter is in the closed position and which is open when the float body (77) is at a distance from the closed position, and wherein provision is made in the cover (57) of a fluid channel (61), which is configured to allow a fluid to flow from the entry opening (59) into the inlet opening (45), and a sleeve-shaped filter element (69), which is arranged around the main body (39) in such a way that, between the main body (39) and the filter element (69), there is formed an annular space (79) in which the float body (77) is arranged so as to be displaceable between the closed position and the open position, wherein the filter element (69) is formed at least partially from a filter material (71).

14. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 13, wherein the filter element (69) is held in a detachable manner on the cover (57).

15. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 13, wherein the main body (39) has an encircling flange (51) which extends away in an outward direction and against which the float body (77) bears when the float body (77) is in the open position, and wherein the filter element (69) extends as far as the flange (51).

16. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 15, wherein the flange (51) has at least one flange opening (53) which is closed off by the float body (77) when the float body (77) is in the open position and which is opened up when the float body (77) has been displaced from the open position toward the closed position.

17. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 13, wherein, in a region of the inlet opening (45), the main body (12) has at least one latching element, wherein the at least one latching element (55) is configured to engage with at least one engagement element (35) at the suction connector (31), and wherein the main body (39) and the cover (57) are configured in such a way that, when the at least one latching element (55) is in engagement with the engagement element (35), a fluid connection between the entry opening (59) and the suction connector (31) is provided.

18. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 17, having a locking body (63), which has a cylindrical portion (65), wherein the cylindrical portion (65) is inserted into the inlet opening (45) and is configured to counteract action of bringing the at least one latching element (55) out of engagement with respect to the suction connector (31).

19. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 18, wherein the locking body (63) has a collar (67) which extends beyond the main body (79) into the annular space (79), wherein the float body (77) bears against the collar (67) if the float body (77) is in the closed position.

20. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 18, wherein the cover (57) and the main body (39) are components which are separate from one another, and wherein the locking body (63) is arranged between the cover (57) and the main body (39).

21. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 20, wherein the at least one latching element include a latching hook (55).

22. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 13, having an elastic ring element (81) which bears against a surface of the main body (39) facing away from the cover (57) and which is provided to bear against the suction connector (31).

23. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 13, wherein the filter element (69) has a sieve-like circumferential surface.

24. The floor-cleaning machine (1) of claim 13, wherein the main body (39) has a tubular portion (49) around which the float body (77) is arranged, wherein the tubular portion (49) is adapted to be fitted over a suction connector (31) of a floor-cleaning machine (1).

Description

DRAWINGS

[0032] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

[0033] FIG. 1 is a view of a scrubber dryer with an exemplary embodiment of a filter unit according to the present disclosure in longitudinal section;

[0034] FIG. 2 is a view of an exemplary embodiment of the filter unit of FIG. 1 in cross section; and

[0035] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the exemplary embodiment of the filter unit of FIG. 2.

[0036] Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0037] FIG. 1 shows, as an embodiment of a floor-cleaning machine, a scrubber dryer 1 which has in its housing 3 a dirty-water tank 5 which can be closed off by a cover element 7 which is held in a pivotable manner on the housing 3. The floor-cleaning machine 1 is furthermore provided with a chassis having wheels 9 such that the scrubber dryer 1 can be moved over a floor surface 11 to be cleaned. As can furthermore be gathered from FIG. 1, a brush head 13 is attached in a height-adjustable manner to the housing 3, wherein, in the preferred exemplary embodiment shown here, the brush head 13 has brush elements 15 which are driven in rotation and which can engage with the floor surface 11 to be cleaned in order to detach dirt therefrom, wherein, during the cleaning process, cleaning liquid is applied to the floor surface 11 to be cleaned from a fresh-water tank 17 (schematically illustrated), which is likewise provided in the housing 3.

[0038] As can also be gathered from FIG. 1, in the exemplary embodiment described here, a suction foot 19 is attached to the housing 3 of the floor-cleaning machine, which suction foot serves as a receiving device for cleaning liquid present on the floor surface 11 to be cleaned. The suction foot 19 is, in a manner known per se, configured in such a way that it has two sealing lips which are at a distance from one another and which, during cleaning operation, bear with an edge on the floor surface 11 to be cleaned, wherein the sealing lip facing in the direction of travel has inlet slits such that cleaning liquid applied beforehand can enter the region between the sealing lips. The region between the sealing lips is connected via a suction line 21 and an inlet connector 23 to the dirty-water tank 5, wherein the inlet connector 23 projects into the dirty-water tank 5.

[0039] The scrubber dryer 1 furthermore has a suction turbine 25 in the housing 3, which suction turbine has a drive motor 27 and a fan wheel 29 (schematically illustrated) that is driven thereby, wherein the inlet of the suction turbine 25 is connected via a suction connector 31 to the interior of the dirty-water tank 5, wherein the free end 33 of the suction connector 31 is provided with an undercut 35 (see FIGS. 2 and 3). In this case, the undercut 35 forms an engagement element.

[0040] Attached to the suction connector 31 on the free end 33 thereof is an exemplary embodiment of a filter unit 37 according to the invention, which is illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 and 3.

[0041] The filter unit 37 has a main body 39, which, in the preferred exemplary embodiment shown here, is of cylindrical and sleeve-shaped construction and surrounds the upper part of the suction connector 31, wherein the main body 39 extends between a first face end 41 and a second face end 43. Furthermore, the main body 39 has an inlet opening 45 at the first face end 41, wherein, in the region of the inlet opening 45, provision is made of a neck 47 which projects into the inlet (suction) connector 31 such that the neck 47 extends substantially parallel to an outer wall 49 of the main body 39 that forms a tubular portion. The main body 39 furthermore has, in the region of the second face end 43, an encircling flange 51 which extends away from the outer wall 49 in an outward direction and in which flange openings 53 are provided. FIGS. 2 and 3 furthermore show that, in the region of the first face end 41, provision is made at the inlet opening 45 of latching hooks 55 which, when the main body 39 has been mounted onto the suction connector 31, engage with the undercut 35 such that pulling of the main body 39 off from the suction connector 31 is then prevented.

[0042] The filter unit 37 moreover has a cover 57 which is fastened to the main body 39 on that side of the first face end 41 which faces away from the suction connector 31, wherein provision is made in the cover 57 of an entry opening 59, which is of encircling form in this preferred exemplary embodiment, and the cover 57 is moreover configured in such a way that provision is made therein of a fluid channel 61 via which the entry opening 59 is connected to the inlet opening 45 in the main body 39, so that a fluid such as air can enter the fluid channel 61 through the entry opening 59 and can then pass into the suction connector 31 through the inlet opening 45.

[0043] The filter unit 37 furthermore has a locking body 63 which comprises a cylindrical portion 65 which is configured in such a way that it can be inserted into the inlet opening 45 and the neck 47 of the main body 39 in such a way that it prevents the latching hooks 55 from pivoting inward and, in this way, from being brought out of engagement with the undercut 35. Consequently, the cylindrical portion 65 prevents the main body 39 from being able to be detached from the suction connector 31. Moreover, a collar 67 is provided on the locking body 63, said collar extending outward along the first face end 41 of the main body 39 and therebeyond. The locking body 63 is in this case clamped between the main body 39 or the first face end 41 thereof and the cover 57.

[0044] The filter unit 37 moreover has a sleeve-shaped filter element 69 whose cylindrical portion 71, which forms a circumferential surface, is formed from a sieve-like filter material and which also has a coupling portion 73 which is pushed over the cover 57, wherein there is a press fit between the cover 57 and the coupling portion 73, so that the filter element 69 cannot be readily pulled off from the cover 57. The cylindrical portion 71 composed of the filter material extends as far as the encircling flange 51 on the main body 39, wherein a ring 75 is provided on the cylindrical portion 71 on that end thereof which is remote from the coupling portion 73, said ring engaging with the encircling flange 51.

[0045] The filter unit 37 moreover has a substantially annular float body 77 which is arranged around the main body 39 and in particular the outer wall 49 of the latter, wherein the float body 77 is displaceable along the main body 39 or the outer wall 49 thereof between a closed position and an open position. If the float body 77 is in the closed position, it bears against the collar 67 of the locking body 63 and closes off the entry opening 59 in the cover 57, while, in the open position, at the lower end, it bears against the encircling flange 51 of the main body 39 and closes off the flange openings 53 provided therein. The float body 77 thus moves within an annular space 79 formed between the filter element 69, 71 and the main body 39. The float body 77 is in this case formed in such a way that, when the level in the dirty-water tank 5 rises, the float body 77 is displaced along the main body 39 toward the collar 67 of the locking body 63 and the entry opening 59 of the cover 57.

[0046] Finally, in the preferred exemplary embodiment described here, an elastic ring element 81 is provided between the free end 33 of the suction connector 31 and the main body 39, which elastic ring element is slightly compressed when the latching hooks 55 engage with the undercut 35. In this way, damage to the filter unit 37 due to vibrations or detachment of said filter unit from the suction connector is prevented. Moreover, manufacturing tolerances are compensated by way of the elastic ring element 81. Furthermore, the elastic ring element 81 can provide sealing action.

[0047] The exemplary embodiment of the filter unit 37 according to the invention can be fitted on the suction connector 31 of the scrubber dryer 1 in the following manner. Firstly, the elastic ring element 81 and the main body 39 are mounted onto the suction connector 31, wherein the latching hooks 55 are brought into engagement with the undercut 35. Then, the float body 77 is pushed onto the main body 39, wherein the float body 77 surrounds the main body 39 or the outer wall 49 thereof. Then, the locking body 63 is inserted into the inlet opening 45 and locks the latching hooks 55 in the engagement position. The fitting of the locking body moreover ensures the correct engagement of the latching hooks. Due to the collar 67, it is additionally achieved that the float body 77 can no longer be taken off. Subsequently, the cover 57 is fastened to the main body 39, wherein the locking body 63 is thus clamped. Finally, the filter element 69 can be pushed over the arrangement fitted beforehand, wherein the press fit between cover 57 and coupling portion 73 prevents simple detachment of the filter element 69.

[0048] During the operation of the scrubber dryer 1, air laden with dirty water and dirt is sucked through the suction line 21 and the inlet connector 23 from the suction foot 19 into the dirty-water tank 5 by means of the suction turbine 25, wherein the air passes through the cylindrical portion 71 of the filter element 69 and can then flow onward through the entry opening 59 and the inlet opening 45 to the suction turbine, wherein dirt particles are separated out at the cylindrical portion 71. When the dirty-water level in the dirty-water tank 5 rises, the float body 77 moves from the position shown in FIG. 5 further upward until, at a particular level, it is so close to the entry opening 59 of the cover 57 that, owing to the air flow, it is drawn against the collar 67 of the locking body 63 and closes off the entry opening 59. In this case, the current consumption of the suction turbine is changed, and it is indicated to a user that the dirty-water level in the dirty-water tank 5 is so high that the tank has to be emptied.

[0049] The flange openings 53 in the encircling flange 51 of the main body 39 moreover make it possible for foam to be able to enter the annular space 79, which likewise, even if the dirty-water level itself is still at a relatively low level, has the effect that the float body 77 is moved upward, so that likewise the entry opening 59 is closed off, whereby it is then indicated to the user that he or she has to empty the dirty-water tank 5.

[0050] If the cylindrical portion 71 of the filter element 69 is sufficiently dirty, air can pass through said portion only to a small extent, which then leads to the float body 77 being drawn toward the entry opening 59, and closing off the latter, owing to an air flow through the flange openings 53. In this case, a user has to clean the filter element 69, wherein he or she merely has to pull the coupling portion 73 off from the cover 57. In this case, however, it is not possible for the float body 77 to be detached because it is still trapped between the encircling flange 51 and the collar 67.

[0051] It is thus possible for the filter unit 37 to be fitted and also cleaned in a simple manner, wherein, when the filter unit 37 is cleaned and in particular when the filter element 69 is removed, there is no risk, in particular because of the locking body 63, of the float body 77 being lost. Moreover, the construction of the filter unit 37 is very compact since the filter unit is arranged only around the suction connector 31 and thus takes up relatively little space in the dirty-water tank 5.

[0052] The foregoing description of the embodiments has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

TABLE-US-00001 Reference signs: 1 Scrubber dryer 3 Housing 5 Dirty-water tank 7 Cover element 9 Wheel 11 Floor surface 13 Brush head 15 Brush element 17 Fresh-water tank 19 Suction foot 21 Suction line 23 Inlet connector 25 Suction turbine 27 Drive motor 29 Fan wheel 31 Suction connector 33 Free end 35 Undercut 37 Filter unit 39 Main body 41 First face end 43 Second face end 45 Inlet opening 47 Neck 49 Outer wall 51 Encircling flange 53 Flange opening 55 Latching hook 57 Cover 59 Entry opening 61 Fluid channel 63 Locking body 65 Cylindrical portion 67 Collar 69 Filter element 71 Cylindrical portion 73 Coupling portion 75 Ring 77 Float body 79 Annular space 81 Elastic ring element