U.S. patent application number 10/904522 was filed with the patent office on 2005-06-02 for cleaning tool for floor surfaces having an illumination element for a working area.
This patent application is currently assigned to DUPRO AG. Invention is credited to Worwag, Peter.
Application Number | 20050115014 10/904522 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34585144 |
Filed Date | 2005-06-02 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050115014 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Worwag, Peter |
June 2, 2005 |
Cleaning Tool for Floor Surfaces Having an Illumination Element for
a Working Area
Abstract
A vacuum cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaning device has a
housing with a working chamber that has a bottom plate provided
with a suction slot extending transversely to a working direction
of the vacuum cleaning tool. The housing has a housing front wall
facing in the working direction. The housing front wall has a
receptacle, and an illumination element is arranged in the
receptacle for illuminating a working surface of the vacuum
cleaning tool. A light-permeable cover closes off the receptacle
and covers the illumination element. The illumination element is a
cold light lamp emitting cold light.
Inventors: |
Worwag, Peter; (Staad,
CH) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GUDRUN E. HUCKETT DRAUDT
LONSSTR. 53
WUPPERTAL
42289
DE
|
Assignee: |
DUPRO AG
Industriestr. 6
Romanshorn
CH
|
Family ID: |
34585144 |
Appl. No.: |
10/904522 |
Filed: |
November 15, 2004 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/324 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/30 20130101; A47L
9/2857 20130101; A47L 9/02 20130101; A47L 9/2836 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/324 |
International
Class: |
A47L 005/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 15, 2003 |
DE |
10353456.3 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vacuum cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaning device, the vacuum
cleaning tool comprising: a housing comprising a working chamber
having a bottom plate provided with a suction slot extending
transversely to a working direction of the vacuum cleaning tool;
wherein the housing further has a housing front wall facing in the
working direction; wherein the housing front wall has a receptacle;
an illumination element arranged in the receptacle for illuminating
a working surface of the vacuum cleaning tool; a light-permeable
cover closing off the receptacle and covering the illumination
element; wherein the illumination element is a cold light lamp
emitting cold light.
2. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the cold
light lamp is a cold cathode lamp.
3. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the cold
light lamp comprises several ultra bright light emitting diodes
(LEDs) having a luminous power of at least 2,000 millicandela.
4. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 1, wherein the
luminous power is greater than 5,000 millicandela.
5. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 1, further
comprising: a printed circuit board support, wherein the cold light
lamp is mounted on the printed circuit board support; a casing in
which the printed circuit board support with the cold light lamp
mounted thereon is arranged; wherein the cover, the casing, and the
printed circuit board support with the cold light lamp form an
illumination module.
6. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 5, wherein the cover
is an optical lens.
7. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 5, wherein the
illumination module has locking elements and the receptacle has
counter locking elements, wherein the locking elements and the
counter locking elements interact for securing the illumination
module in the receptacle.
8. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 5, wherein the
illumination module has electrical contact elements connected to
the illumination element, wherein the electrical contact elements
penetrate a back wall of the receptacle and project into the
housing where the electrical contact elements contact a voltage
connector.
9. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 8, wherein the
contact elements and the voltage connector form a plug connection
comprised of a plug and a socket, wherein one of the plug and the
socket is arranged on the printed circuit board support and the
other of the plug and the socket is arranged behind the back wall
of the receptacle in the housing, viewed in direction of insertion
of the illumination module into the receptacle.
10. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 8, further
comprising a drive unit arranged in a motor chamber of the housing,
wherein the drive unit has a drive motor for driving in rotation a
brush roller arranged in the working chamber, wherein the voltage
connector is provided on the drive unit.
11. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 10, further
comprising a belt drive having a drive shaft connected by a
coupling to a motor shaft of the drive motor so that torque is
transmitted onto the drive shaft, wherein the coupling is a
cardan-type coupling.
12. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 11, wherein the
coupling is a claw coupling having coupling elements engaging one
another with minimal radial play or minimal axial play or both
minimal radial and axial play.
13. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 10, further
comprising a vacuum connector that is connected to a housing
section of the housing and is pivotable about a pivot axis, wherein
an electrical supply cable for supplying electric power to the
vacuum cleaning tool is guided through the housing section and the
pivot axis into the motor chamber.
14. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 1, further
comprising a brush roller arranged in the working chamber, wherein
the brush roller has ends that are rotatably supported in a
bearing, respectively, wherein the bearings each are comprised of a
substantially circular disk-shaped support plate and a bearing
shaft end provided on the ends of the brush roller, respectively,
wherein the bearing shaft ends engage the support plates, wherein
the housing has substantially rectangular bearing receptacles and
the support plates are inserted into the bearing receptacles,
wherein a width of the bearing receptacles matches approximately a
diameter of the support plates.
15. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 14, wherein the
support plates are comprised of an elastic material.
16. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 15, wherein the
support plates are comprised of a soft elastic material.
17. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 16, wherein the
support plates are comprised of rubber.
18. The vacuum cleaning tool according to claim 14, wherein the
bearing receptacle has a bottom matched to a circumferential
contour of the support plate.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to a cleaning tool for floor surfaces,
upholstery surfaces or the like, in particular, a vacuum cleaning
tool for vacuum cleaning devices such as a vacuum cleaner. The
cleaning tool is comprised of a housing having a working chamber
whose bottom plate comprises a suction slot that extends
transversely to the working direction of the cleaning tool and is
designed for taking up dirt. The cleaning tool further comprises a
forwardly facing housing end wall provided with a receptacle for an
illumination element for illuminating the surface to be cleaned,
wherein the illumination element is arranged behind a
light-permeable cover.
[0002] Such a vacuum cleaning tool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,896,618. This patent proposes to arrange a rod-shaped
incandescent lamp at the housing end face of the cleaning tool for
providing a sufficient illumination of the working area. The
rod-shaped incandescent lamp is exposed to high mechanical loads
because it is provided on the end face of the housing that is
exposed to mechanical loads by impact so that the lamp filament has
the tendency to break. Also, a sufficient dissipation of thermal
energy must be provided which is effected by a branched-off flow
portion of the sucked-in air. In this connection, it cannot be
prevented that the illumination body (incandescent lamp) will
become soiled.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] It is an object of the present invention to provide a
cleaning tool for floor surfaces with a working area illumination
that, on the one hand, ensures a bright uniform illumination of the
working area and, on the other hand, provides high mechanical load
resistance.
[0004] In accordance with the present invention, this is achieved
in that the illumination element is a cold light emitting cold
light lamp.
[0005] The illumination element is a cold light lamp that emits
cold light and therefore has only minimal heat development. In this
way, it becomes possible to arrange the cold light lamp in a
substantially closed housing so that soiling by means of dirt
particles or dust particles entrained in the sucked-in vacuum flow
is prevented. The cold light lamp is resistant to strong mechanical
impacts because no filament is present. Despite of this, it
provides a bright glistening light that ensures a uniform strong
illumination of the working area.
[0006] Preferably, the cold light lamp is a cold cathode lamp that
has a rod-shaped basic form and ensures, when arranged transversely
to the working direction, an excellent illumination of the working
area across the working width. It can also be expedient to provide
the cold light lamp in the form of several ultra bright LEDs (light
emitting diodes) wherein the LEDs have a luminous power of at least
2,000 mcd (millicandela), preferably more than 5,000 mcd, and have
a radiation angle of 20 degrees to 30 degrees.
[0007] In a preferred embodiment, the cold light lamp is arranged
on a printed circuit board support and the printed circuit board
support together with a casing and a cover that is advantageously
embodied as a lens form a module. In this way, when mounting the
lamp as well as in a maintenance situation, a simply exchange of
the defective cold light lamp can be realized. For this purpose,
the module is secured expediently by locking (snap) elements in the
receptacle and the electrical connection is provided in particular
by contact elements that extend expediently through the back wall
of the receptacle and contact in the housing an electrical voltage
connector. In this connection, the contact elements and the voltage
connector are advantageously designed as a plug connection wherein
one part of the plug connection is provided at the printed circuit
board support and the other part of the plug connection is arranged
behind the back wall in the housing. The illumination module is
therefore secured mechanically safely within the receptacle of the
housing by means of the snap connection as well as by means of the
plug connection.
[0008] According to another aspect of the invention, it is proposed
for compensation of alignment errors to provide between the motor
shaft of an electrical drive motor and the drive shaft of a belt
drive a cardan-type connection by means of a coupling wherein the
coupling is configured like a claw coupling whose coupling elements
engage one another with minimal radial and/or axial play. Without
great constructive expenditure, mounting tolerances as well as
alignment errors can be compensated by enabling corresponding
radial and/or axial play.
[0009] According to a further independent aspect of the invention,
it is provided that brush rollers are supported at their ends by
means of substantially circular disk shaped support plates in the
housing wherein the bearing shaft ends of the brush roller engage
the support plates and the support plates, in turn, are received in
a substantially rectangular bearing receptacle of the housing. In
this connection, the width of the bearing receptacle is matched
approximately to the diameter of the support plate.
[0010] In a preferred embodiment, the bearing plate is comprised of
an elastic material, preferably of a soft-elastic material,
particularly rubber, so that the manufacturing and mounting
tolerances can be compensated easily without this having an effect
on the support action of the brush roller.
[0011] In order to ensure a safe securing action of the support
plate in the bearing receptacle, it can be advantageous to match
the bottom of the bearing receptacle to the circumferential
geometry of the support plate. A simple electrical cable routing is
achieved in that the vacuum connector is provided with a housing
section through which an electrical connecting cable can be
supplied. The connecting cable is in particular guided in the pivot
axis of the vacuum connector for which purpose bearing pins of the
vacuum connector are hollow, in particular, they are configured as
tubular pins. The cable can thus be guided through the bearing pins
directly into the housing or the motor chamber of the housing in
order to be connected to a connector module.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0012] FIG. 1 is a perspective view onto the cleaning tool
according to the invention in a configuration as a vacuum cleaning
tool for a vacuum cleaner or the like.
[0013] FIG. 2 is a view according to FIG. 1 with the illumination
module being removed.
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective rear view of the illumination
module.
[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the illumination module
according to FIG. 3 in a view from the front.
[0016] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a printed circuit board
support with illumination element.
[0017] FIG. 6 is a detail view of the cleaning tool according to
FIG. 1 with removed top cover and demounted drive unit.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the cleaning tool according
to FIG. 1 with removed top cover.
[0019] FIG. 8 is a detail view of a belt drive for driving a brush
roller arranged in the cleaning tool.
[0020] FIG. 9 shows in a schematic illustration the belt drive
according to FIG. 8.
[0021] FIG. 10 is a detail view of the bottom part with a bearing
receptacle provided in the sidewall.
[0022] FIG. 11 is a view of an end of the brush roller with
slipped-on support plate.
[0023] FIG. 12 is a view according to FIG. 10 with a support plate
arranged in the bearing receptacle.
[0024] FIG. 13 is a perspective rear view of the bottom part of the
housing.
[0025] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a vacuum connector
socket.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] The cleaning tool for floor surfaces, upholstery surfaces or
the like, as illustrated in the drawings, is configured as a vacuum
cleaning tool for a vacuum cleaning device such as a vacuum
cleaner. It is comprised of, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, of a
two-part housing 1 with a top cover 2 and a bottom part 3. FIGS. 6
through 8 show that a working chamber 4 is provided in the housing
1 and a brush roller 5 is arranged in the working chamber 4 and
driven so as to rotate about an axis of rotation 6. The drive
action is realized by a belt drive 7 that, in the illustrated
embodiment, is driven by a drive motor 8. The drive motor 8 is part
of a drive unit 9 that can be inserted as a module into the motor
chamber 10 of the housing 1. The motor chamber 10 is separated from
the working chamber 4 wherein the working chamber 4 in the
illustrated embodiment is connected by a vacuum connector 11 to a
vacuum cleaning device. The connection between the working chamber
4 and the vacuum connector 11 is realized by a vacuum opening 12
that is provided in the partition between the motor chamber 10 and
the working chamber 4. A channel extending underneath the drive
unit 9 to the vacuum connector 11 adjoins the opening 12.
[0027] As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12, in the bottom plate 13 of
the working chamber 4 a suction slot 14 is formed which extends
transversely to the working direction 15 essentially across the
entire width of the working chamber 4. As illustrated in particular
in FIG. 7, the width of the working chamber 4 corresponds
approximately to the width of the vacuum cleaning tool or the width
of its housing 1.
[0028] The housing 1 of the vacuum cleaning tool glides with front
rollers 16 and rear rollers 17 on the surface to be cleaned wherein
the housing 1 has an end face or front wall 18 facing in the
working direction 15 on which an illumination module 22 for
illuminating the surface to be cleaned is arranged.
[0029] In the illustrated embodiment, the illumination module 22 is
arranged in a receptacle 19 (FIG. 2) of the housing 1 wherein the
receptacle 19 is arranged above the working chamber 4 and is
integrated into the housing 1 or its top cover 2. The top cover 2
has a part-circular central section 21 that delimits the motor
chamber 10 for the drive unit 9 and covers the working chamber 4 in
a central area at least partially. The central section 21,
transversely to the working direction 15, is narrower than the
bottom part 3 so that the vacuum cleaning tool in a plan view is of
a substantially T-shaped configuration.
[0030] The receptacle 19 for the illumination module 22 is
essentially provided in the central section 21 and has a width that
matches the width of the central section 21 transversely to the
working direction 15. The receptacle 19, as illustrated in FIG. 2,
has a substantially triangular cross-section whose base is open for
insertion of the illumination module 22.
[0031] The illumination module 22, compare also FIGS. 3 through 6,
is comprised of a casing 23 that has a triangular cross-sectional
shape (FIG. 3) matching that of the receptacle 19. On the back wall
24 of the housing 23, a printed circuit board support 25 (FIG. 5)
with an illumination element 20 is arranged. The casing 23 is
closed in the forward direction by a light permeable cover 26 that
is preferably designed as an optical lens. The cover 26 forms
approximately the hypothenuse of the casing 23 that is
approximately triangular in cross-section and has a slightly
convexly curved outer side wherein the cover 26 is positioned at an
angle of approximately 30 degrees up to 60 degrees, preferably
approximately 45 degrees, relative to the bottom plate 13 of the
bottom part 3 or relative to the surface to be cleaned. The
illumination element 20, the printed circuit board support 25, the
casing 23, and the cover 26 together form a common illumination
module 22 that can be inserted into the receptacle 19.
[0032] As illustrated in FIG. 1, the cover 26 in the mounted state
of the module 22 is positioned approximately in the plane of the
central section 21 so that no edges, recesses or projections are
formed. Preferably, the casing 23 is secured by locking or snap
elements 27 in the receptacle 19 wherein the snap elements 27 in
the illustrated embodiment are formed by locking recesses in the
sidewalls of the casing 23. Counter locking elements 28 on the
walls of the receptacle 19 ensure a save securing action for the
illumination module 22 in the housing 1 of the cleaning tool.
[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the illumination element 20 is a
cold light lamp, in particular, a cold cathode lamp 30. The tubular
illumination body 29 of the cold cathode lamp 30 extends
transversely to the working direction 15 preferably essentially
across the entire width of the casing 23 so that an excellent light
distribution is provided. Cold cathode lamps are connectable in a
simple way to the supply voltage of the electrical drive motor 8
and do not require any complex ballast. When switching on the
supply voltage, a illumination is immediately provided by the cold
cathode lamp. A flickering, flash-like initial illumination as it
is known from neon lights does not occur. For realizing a
connection to the supply voltage, appropriately selected resistors
31 can be used which, as illustrated in FIG. 3, can be positioned
in the openings of the back wall 24 of the casing 23.
[0034] It can also be expedient to provide the cold light lamp 20
in the form of several ultra-bright LEDs 32 that have a luminous
power of at least 2,000 mcd, preferably more than 5,000 mcd, and
have a radiation angle of advantageously approximately 20 degrees
to 30 degrees. In order to ensure excellent light distribution, it
is moreover provided that the cover 26 is an optical lens like a
Fresnel lens. For example, the side of the lens from which the
light is emitted can be provided with a plurality of curved ribs 33
that extend approximately in the working direction 15. The
curvature of the ribs 33 is selected such that their focal point
distance is identical. In this way, excellent diffusion of the
light source arranged behind the cover 26 is provided with uniform
illumination of the working area.
[0035] The electrical connection of the illumination element 20 is
realized preferably by contact elements 34 that project from the
back wall 24 of the casing 23 and pass through appropriate slots 35
in the back wall 36 of the receptacle 19. Behind the back wall 36
of the receptacle 19, within the motor chamber 10 in the housing 1
an electrical voltage connector 37 (FIG. 7) is provided with which
the contact elements 34 interact. Preferably, the contact elements
and the voltage connector 37 provide a plug connection comprised of
plug 38 and socket 39 wherein one part of the plug connection, in
the embodiment the plug 38, is fastened on the printed circuit
board support 25 and the other part of the plug connection, in the
embodiment the socket 39, is provided behind the back wall 36 of
the receptacle 19 in the motor chamber 10 of the housing 1.
[0036] In the illustrated embodiment, the plug connection, i.e.,
the sockets 39 of the plug connection, are provided on the drive
unit 9 that comprises the motor 10 for driving the brush roller 5
arranged rotatably in the working chamber 4 as well as starter
module 82 (FIG. 13).
[0037] In an independent configuration of the invention (FIGS. 6
through 9), the motor shaft 40 of the drive motor 8 is connected by
a coupling 41 to the drive shaft 42 of the belt drive 7 in a
torque-transmitting way. The coupling 41 is configured as a
claw-type plug coupling and realizes a cardan-type connection
because the coupling elements 43 and 44 engage one another with
minimal radial and/or axial play. As a result of the configuration
of the coupling 41, by means of the cardan-like connection realized
by the claw coupling axial tolerances as well as possibly occurring
axial displacements between the motor shaft 40 and the drive shaft
42 can be compensated without constructive expenditure.
[0038] The drive shaft 42 is secured by means of a support disk 45
in an intermediate wall or partition 46 of the housing 1 wherein
the free end of the drive shaft 42 supports a pulley 47. An endless
belt, in particular, in the form of a toothed belt 48, is arranged
on the pulley 47 and drives the pulley 49 (FIG. 9) secured on the
base member of the brush roller 5.
[0039] In another independent aspect of the present invention, the
brush roller 5 is rotatably secured at its ends 50 and 51 by means
of a support plate 52, respectively, in the bottom part 3 of the
housing 1. As illustrated in FIG. 9, a bearing shaft end 53 of the
brush roller 5 engages the bearing opening 54 of the support plate
52. The support plate 52 is inserted into a bearing receptacle 60.
The bearing receptacle 60 is configured in cross-section as a box
that is opened toward the partition plane 70 (plane where the top
cover 2 and the bottom part 3 meet) of the housing 1 and has a
substantially rectangular configuration. As illustrated in FIG. 10,
the bearing box (receptacle) is open toward the working chamber 4,
preferably completely open, so that the receptacle 60 is embodied
similar to a rail into which the support plate 52 is to be
inserted.
[0040] Advantageously, the bearing plate 52 is a circular
disk-shaped plate, in particular, circular plate or circular disk,
which is inserted into the receptacle 60 that is open toward the
partition plane 70. As illustrated in FIGS. 10 and 12, the wall of
the bearing receptacle 60 is delimited by ribs 61 wherein the
support plate 52 rests exclusively on the rib surfaces 62. In the
gap 63 that is located between two neighboring ribs 62,
respectively, the bearing plate 52 is exposed.
[0041] The bearing receptacle 60 is delimited in the working
direction 15 by outer wall ribs 64 and 65 that are positioned
approximately perpendicularly to the partition plane 70 and extend
from the housing sidewall in the direction toward the working
chamber 4. The bearing receptacle 60 is open toward the working
chamber 4 so that the bearing plate, compare FIG. 12, is secured
between the outer ribs 64 and 65 and is supported in the axial
direction toward the housing sidewall by the ribs 61. In the
direction toward the working chamber 4, the support plate 52 is
secured by the brush member of the brush roller 5.
[0042] Preferably, the bottom 67 of the bearing receptacle 60 is
defined by means of the bottom ribs 68 having different height and
is matched to the circumferential geometry of the support plate 52
so that, as illustrated in FIG. 12, the support plate 52 is
supported about its circumference 55 on the end faces 69 of the
bottom ribs 68.
[0043] Preferably, the support plate 52 is formed of an elastic
material so that dimensional tolerances can be easily compensated
by the elasticity of the support plate 52. In this connection, the
spacing 66 of the outer ribs 64 and 65 of the bearing receptacle 60
is sized such that it corresponds approximately to the outer
diameter 56 of the circular support plate 52. Preferably, the
spacing 66 is somewhat smaller than the spacing 56 so that a
clamping securing action of the support plate 52 in the bearing
receptacle 60 can be obtained.
[0044] FIGS. 13 and 14 show the supply of electrical energy into
the housing 1 of the cleaning tool. By means of an electric plug
coupling 80, an external supply cable is connected. The plug
coupling 80 itself is electrically connected by means of an inner
cable 81 to a starter module 82 of the drive unit 9. The cable 81
extends outside of the tubular vacuum connector 11 in a housing
section 83 that is positioned above the vacuum channel 84. As
illustrated in FIG. 14, the housing section 83 is provided with
lateral bearing pins 85 with which the vacuum connector 11 is
secured in the bearing forks 86 of the bottom part 3 of the housing
1. The cable 81 is guided from the plug coupling 80 through the
housing section 83 and the tubular bearing pins 85 within the pivot
axis 87 of the vacuum connector 11 into the motor chamber 10 of the
housing 1 and is connected therein to the connector/starter module
82.
[0045] In the illustrated embodiment, the connector module 82 is
supplemented by an electronic unit 9 which, for example, by means
of an infrared light barrier 91, determines the dirt load of the
vacuum flow entering via the vacuum opening 12 and displays the
dirt load value by means of corresponding diodes 92 (green, yellow,
red) provided in the top cover 2 of the housing 1.
[0046] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown
and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it
will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise
without departing from such principles.
* * * * *