U.S. patent application number 14/006042 was filed with the patent office on 2014-03-06 for vacuuming device comprising a vacuum cleaner and a bag filter.
This patent application is currently assigned to EUROFITTERS HOLDING N.V.. The applicant listed for this patent is Ralf Sauer, Jan Schultink. Invention is credited to Ralf Sauer, Jan Schultink.
Application Number | 20140059798 14/006042 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 44263277 |
Filed Date | 2014-03-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20140059798 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sauer; Ralf ; et
al. |
March 6, 2014 |
Vacuuming Device Comprising a Vacuum Cleaner and a Bag Filter
Abstract
The invention relates to a vacuum-cleaning apparatus comprising
a vacuum cleaner and a filter bag, in which the filter bag is
formed as a non-woven fabric filter bag, as a disposable filter bag
and as a flat bag having a first filter bag wall and a second
filter bag wall, the filter bag has at least one surface fold,
wherein each surface fold comprises areas that are positioned
within the surface area of the filter bag wall, and areas that
project over the surface area of the filter bag wall and can be
unfolded during the vacuum-cleaning, the vacuum cleaner comprises a
filter bag receiving space with rigid walls, wherein on the walls
of the filter bag receiving space at least a first spacer device is
provided to space the areas of at least one surface fold positioned
within the surface area of the filter bag wall away from the wall
of the filter bag receiving space, and at least a second spacer
device is provided to space the unfolded areas of the at least one
surface fold away from the wall of the filter bag receiving
space.
Inventors: |
Sauer; Ralf; (Overpelt,
BE) ; Schultink; Jan; (Overpelt, BE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Sauer; Ralf
Schultink; Jan |
Overpelt
Overpelt |
|
BE
BE |
|
|
Assignee: |
EUROFITTERS HOLDING N.V.
OVERPEIT
BE
|
Family ID: |
44263277 |
Appl. No.: |
14/006042 |
Filed: |
March 20, 2012 |
PCT Filed: |
March 20, 2012 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2012/001225 |
371 Date: |
November 21, 2013 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/347 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/00 20130101; A47L
9/1409 20130101; A47L 9/14 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/347 |
International
Class: |
A47L 9/14 20060101
A47L009/14 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 22, 2011 |
EP |
11002354.6 |
Claims
1. Vacuum-cleaning apparatus comprising a vacuum cleaner and a
filter bag in which the filter bag is formed as a non-woven fabric
filter bag, as a disposable filter bag and as a flat bag having a
first filter bag wall and a second filter bag wall, the filter bag
has at least one surface fold, wherein each surface fold comprises
areas that are positioned within the surface area of the filter bag
wall, and areas that project over the surface area of the filter
bag wall and can be unfolded during the vacuum-cleaning, the vacuum
cleaner comprises a filter bag receiving space with rigid walls,
wherein on the walls of the filter bag receiving space at least a
first spacer device is provided to space the areas of at least one
surface fold positioned within the surface area of the filter bag
wall away from the wall of the filter bag receiving space, and at
least a second spacer device is provided to space the unfolded
areas of the at least one surface fold away from the wall of the
filter bag receiving space.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height of the
first or the second spacer devices with respect to the wall of the
filter bag receiving space is in a range of 5 mm to 60 mm.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each first and each
second spacer device is formed as a web, a web-shaped section, a
bow, a bow-shaped section, a rib, a rib-shaped section or a lug and
combinations thereof.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each first and each
second spacer device is formed integrally with the wall of the
filter bag receiving space.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein all first and all
second spacer devices comprise a cage-shaped insert provided in the
filter bag receiving space.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the cage-shaped
insert is removable from the filter bag receiving space and
reinsertable into the filter bag receiving space.
7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filter bag
comprises a plurality of surface folds in the first layer of the
filter bag wall or a plurality of surface folds in the second layer
of the filter bag wall.
8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height of the
first or the second spacer devices with respect to the wall of the
filter bag receiving space is in a range of 10 mm to 30 mm.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height of the
first and the second spacer devices with respect to the wall of the
filter bag receiving space is in a range of 5 mm to 60 mm.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the height of the
first and the second spacer devices with respect to the wall of the
filter bag receiving space is in a range of 10 mm to 30 mm.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the filter bag
comprises a plurality of surface folds in the first layer of the
filter bag wall and a plurality of surface folds in the second
layer of the filter bag wall.
12. The apparatus according to dam 7, wherein the filter bag
comprises three to seven surface folds in the first layer of the
filter bag wall.
13. The apparatus according to dam 7, wherein the filter bag
comprises three to seven surface folds in the second layer of the
filter bag wall.
14. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the filter bag
comprises three to seven surface folds in the first layer of the
filter bag wall and three to seven surface folds in the second
layer of the filter bag wall.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to vacuum cleaning apparatus
comprising a vacuum cleaner and a filter bag which is formed as a
non-woven fabric filter bag, as a disposable filter bag and as a
flat bag with surface folds.
PRIOR ART
[0002] Filter bags in the form of disposable flat bags and made of
a non-woven fabric are those filter bags that are nowadays most
commonly used. The advantage of non-woven fabric bags (as opposed
to filter bags made of paper) is the substantially higher dust
absorption capacity of the filter bag, along with a high collection
efficiency and longer service life. The flat bag shape is the most
widely spread shape for non-woven fabric bags as bags having this
shape are very easy to manufacture. As opposed to the paper filter
material used for paper filter bags the non-woven fabric material
is very hard to fold permanently owing to the great resilience, so
that the manufacture of more complex bag shapes, such as block
bottom bags or other bag shapes having a bottom, is very
complicated and expensive.
[0003] Rat bags as used in the present invention are filter bags
whose filter bag wall comprised of two individual layers of a
filter material with identical surface areas is formed such that
the two individual layers are connected to each other only at their
circumferential edges (the term identical surface area does not
preclude, of course, that the two individual layers differ from
each other by the fact that one of the layers includes an inlet
opening).
[0004] The connection of the individual layers may be realized by a
welding seam or adhesive seam along the total circumference of the
two individual layers. However, it may also be realized such that
one individual layer made of a filter material is folded about one
of its axes of symmetry while the other, open circumferential edges
of the so created two sub-layers are welded or bonded to each other
(so-called tubular bag). Thus, this type of manufacture requires
three welding or bonding seams. Two of those seams then form the
filter bag edge. The third seam may equally form a filter bag edge
or lie in one of the filter bag walls.
[0005] An individual filter material layer taken by itself may, in
this design, consist of one or more layers which can be laminated,
for instance.
[0006] Rat bags as used in the present invention may also comprise
so-called gussets. These gussets may be fully unfoldable. A flat
bag having such gussets is shown, for instance, in DE 20 2005 000
917 U1 (see FIG. 1 with folded gussets, and FIG. 3 with unfolded
gussets). Alternatively, the gussets may be welded to sections of
the circumferential edge. Such a flat bag is shown in DE 10 2008
006 769 A1 (see FIG. 1 thereof).
[0007] It necessarily follows from the above definition of the term
flat bag that fiat bags are two-dimensional structures immediately
after the manufacture thereof, i.e. they have an internal volume
prior to their use that is substantially equal to zero.
[0008] However, a filter bag with an internal volume that is
substantially equal to zero (prior to its use) is not necessarily a
fiat bag within the meaning of the present invention, as bag shapes
having a bottom, as described for instance in DE 20 2005 016 309 U1
or DE 20 2009 004 433 U1, are not flat bags because they are not
formed of two individual layers having identical surface areas that
are connected to each other only at their circumferential
edges.
[0009] In the light of the above definitions it is a matter of
course that bag shapes that are already three-dimensional
structures after their manufacture and, thus, have an internal
volume different from zero, as are described for instance in WO
00/00269 (see FIGS. 27 and 28 thereof) and DE 10 2007 060 748 (see
in particular FIG. 9 thereof), are not flat bags in accordance with
the present invention.
[0010] A non-woven fabric bag in accordance with the present
invention comprises a filter material of a non-woven fabric.
Aft-laid or wet-laid non-woven fabric, or an extruded nonwoven
fabric, in particular a melt-spun micro-fiber spunbonded non-woven
fabric (melt-blown non-woven fabric) or filament spunbonded
non-woven fabric (spunbond) may be used as non-woven fabric
material. In addition nanofiber layers may be provided. The
differentiation between wet-laid non-woven fabrics, respectively
nonwovens, and conventional wet-laid paper is made in accordance
with the definition provided below, which is also used by EDANA
(International Association Serving the Nonwovens and Related
Industries). Therefore, a conventional (filter) paper is not a
non-woven fabric.
[0011] The non-woven fabric may include staple fibers or endless
fibers. With regard to the manufacturing is is also possible to
provide several layers of staple fibers and endless fibers which
are bonded to exactly one layer of nonwoven fabric.
[0012] The filter material may also be a laminate made of several
nonwoven fabric layers, e.g. filament spunbonded non-woven fabric
and melt-blown nonwoven fabric (SMS, SMS or Sn.times.MS). Such a
laminate may be laminated or also calendered by means of a hot
adhesive. The layer of melt-blown nonwoven fabric may be
creped.
[0013] The term nonwoven fabric (nonwoven) is used according to the
definition in the ISO standard ISO 9092:1988, respectively standard
EN 29092. In particular, in the field of the non-woven fabric
manufacture the terms fibrous web or nonwoven and non-woven fabric
are differentiated as defined below, and should be understood in
accordance with this definition also within the limits of the
present invention. To produce a nonwoven fabric, fibers and/or
filaments are used. The loose and still non-connected fibers and/or
filaments are called nonwoven or fibrous web (web). In a so-called
nonwoven bonding step a non-woven fabric is finally created from
such a fibrous web, the tenacity of which is sufficient, for
instance, to be wound to rollers. In other words, a non-woven
fabric becomes self-supporting by the bonding. (Details about the
use of the definitions described herein and/or methods may be also
learned from the standard work "Vliesstoffe", W. Albrecht, H.
Fuchs, W. Kittelmann, Wiley-VCH, 2000).
[0014] The filter bag wall comprises at least one surface fold. The
design of such surface folds is shown, for instance, in the
European patent application 10163463.2 (see in particular FIG. 10a
and FIG. 10b, respectively FIG. 11a and FIG. 11b thereof). If the
filter bag wall comprises a plurality of surface folds this
material is also called a pleated filter material. Such pleated
filter bag was are shown in the European patent application
10002964.4.
[0015] FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show a cross-section of a filter bag
comprising a wall with two surface folds. Such surface folds
enlarge the filter surface of the filter bag so that a higher dust
absorption capacity of the filter bag, along with a high collection
efficiency and longer service life is obtained (as compared with a
filter bag having same outer dimensions and without surface
folds).
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a filter bag 1 comprising a filter bag wall 10
with two surface folds 11 in the form of so-called dovetail folds.
The figure shows a cross-section of the filter bag through the
filter bag center. The longitudinal axes of the surface folds
accordingly extend in one plane which, again, extends perpendicular
to the plane of projection, and the surface folds extend at theft
longitudinal ends into the welding seams of the filter bag which
extend in parallel to the plane of projection and are positioned in
front of and behind the plane of projection. Thus, the strongest
unfolding of the surface folds is in the middle thereof. The filter
bag is here shown in a state in which the surface folds are already
unfolded to some extent. Each dovetail fold 11 includes areas 11a
positioned within the surface area of the filter bag wall 12, and
areas 11 b projecting over the surface area of the filter bag wall
12. These areas lib are not yet unfolded when inserting the filter
bag into the vacuum cleaner for the first time.
[0017] FIG. 2 shows a filter bag 2 comprising a filter bag wall 20
with two surface folds 21 in the form of so-called triangular
folds. The figure equally shows a cross-section of the filter bag
through the filter bag center. The longitudinal axes of the surface
folds accordingly extend in one plane which, again, extends
perpendicular to the plane of projection, and the surface folds
extend at their longitudinal ends into the welding seams of the
filter bag which extend in parallel to the plane of projection and
are positioned in front of and behind the plane of projection.
Thus, the strongest unfolding of the surface folds is in the middle
thereof. In this case, too, the filter bag is shown in a state in
which the surface folds are already unfolded to some extent. Each
triangular fold 21 includes areas 21a positioned within the surface
area of the filter bag wall 22, and areas 21b projecting over the
surface area of the filter bag wall 22. These areas 21b are not yet
unfolded when inserting the filter bag into the vacuum cleaner for
the first time.
[0018] The second filter bag wall of the filter bag illustrated in
FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 does not have surface folds. Of course, this
second filter bag wall, too, may comprise one or more surface
folds.
[0019] Apart from the surface folds illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG.
2 surface folds having different shapes are feasible, too. It
should not be regarded as a limitation that the surface folds in
the embodiments of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 extend perpendicular to a bag
edge. Of course, the surface folds may also extend at an angle to
the bag edges.
[0020] Vacuum cleaners according to the prior art have filter bag
receiving spaces with rigid walls. For a filter bag to develop its
filter effect these walls comprise spacer devices in the form of
ribs, respectively rib-shaped sections to prevent the filter bag
from bearing with its filter surface against the wall of the filter
bag receiving space, thus reducing the effective filter effect.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] In the light of this prior art it is the object of the
invention to improve the vacuum cleaning apparatus comprising a
vacuum cleaner and a filter bag as known from the prior art in such
a way that the dust absorption capacity of the filter bag is
further increased, along with a higher collection efficiency and
longer service life.
[0022] This object is achieved by a vacuum-cleaning apparatus
comprising a vacuum cleaner and a filter bag according to patent
claim 1, viz. by an apparatus in which the filter bag is formed as
a non-woven fabric filter bag, as a disposable filter bag and as a
flat bag having a first filter bag wall and a second filter bag
wall in which the filter bag has at least one surface fold, wherein
each surface fold comprises areas that are positioned within the
surface area of the filter bag wall, and areas that project over
the surface area of the filter bag wall and can be unfolded during
the vacuum-cleaning, in which the vacuum cleaner comprises a filter
bag receiving space with rigid walls, wherein on the walls of the
filter bag receiving space at least a first spacer device is
provided to space the areas of at least one surface fold positioned
within the surface area of the filter bag wall away from the wall
of the filter bag receiving space, and at least a second spacer
device is provided to space the unfolded areas of the at least one
surface fold away from the wall of the filter bag receiving
space.
[0023] By providing this (these) special spacer device(s) for the
areas of the surface fold(s) positioned within the surface area of
the filter bag wall and the special spacer devices for the areas of
the surface fold projecting over this surface area the surface fold
can unfold in such a way that the major part of the surface area of
the filter material forming the surface fold becomes exposed to a
flow. Thus, the effective filter surface of the filter bag is
enlarged (as opposed to the use in a conventional vacuum cleaner)
so that the dust absorption capacity of the filter bag, along with
a higher collection efficiency and higher service life, can be
further increased as compared to this conventional apparatus.
[0024] According to a preferred further development of the
invention the height of the first and/or the second spacer devices
with respect to the wall of the filter bag receiving space may be
in a range of 5 mm to 60 mm, preferably of 10 mm to 30 mm. These
dimensions allow an optimal adaptation of the filter bag receiving
space to filter bags with surface folds.
[0025] Corresponding to another further development of the
above-described inventions each first and each second spacer device
may be formed as a web, a web-shaped section, a bow, a bow-shaped
section, a rib, a rib-shaped section and/or a lug. This further
development allows a comparatively uniform, optimal flow exposure
of the filter surface of the total filter bag inside the filter bag
receiving space of the vacuum cleaner.
[0026] According to another further development of the above
described invention each first and each second spacer device may be
formed integrally with the wall of the filter bag receiving space.
Thus, the filter bag receiving space of the vacuum cleaner may be
manufactured by an injection molding process. This ensures a simple
and inexpensive manufacture of the filter bag receiving space.
[0027] Alternatively, all first and all second spacer devices may
also be formed as a cage-shaped insert which is provided in the
filter bag receiving space. By this further development it is
possible to retrofit already existing vacuum cleaners. In this
design, the cage-shaped insert may be formed to be removable from
the filter bag receiving space and insertable into the filter bag
receiving space.
[0028] According to a further development of all above-described
inventions the filter bag may comprise several, preferably three to
seven surface folds in the first layer of the filter bag wall
and/or several, preferably three to seven surface folds in the
second layer of the filter bag wall. Surprisingly, it has shown
that this configuration allows the optimum ratio between the dust
absorption capacity of the filter bag, along with a high collection
efficiency and long service life, and a cost-efficient production
of the filter bags.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0029] The attached drawing serves to explain the prior art and the
invention, in which
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a filter bag according to the prior art with
two surface folds in the form of dovetail folds;
[0031] FIG. 2 shows a filter bag according to the prior art with
two surface folds in the form of triangular folds;
[0032] FIG. 3 a first embodiment of the present invention; and
[0033] FIG. 4 a first embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a first embodiment of the present invention.
This embodiment is particularly suited for a filter bag with
dovetail folds as illustrated in FIG. 1.
[0035] FIG. 3 shows the filter bag with fully unfolded surface
folds 31. The areas 31a, which are positioned within the surface
area of the filter bag wall 32, are spaced away by a first spacer
device 35 from the wall of the filter bag receiving space 33. The
areas 31b, which project over the surface area of the filter bag
wall 32, are spaced away by a second spacer device 36 from the wall
of the filter bag receiving space 33.
[0036] As is recognizable in FIG. 3, the height of the first and
second spacer devices depends on both the size of the surface fold
and the shape of the filter bag receiving space. If the filter bag
receiving space has, in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 3, a
shape that is similar to the shape of the filter bag in operation
the spacer devices may be formed smaller than in a case where the
filter bag space is substantially cuboid-shaped, as is common in
the prior art. In the latter case, in particular if the filter bag
comprises several surface folds, the first spacer devices for the
various surface folds will also have a different size. The same
applies to the second spacer devices (see in this respect the
embodiment discussed in connection with FIG. 4).
[0037] In the present case, the first and second spacer devices are
formed as web-shaped sections which extend section-wise along the
surface fold.
[0038] According to this embodiment the first and the second spacer
devices are formed integrally with the wall of the filter bag
receiving space 33. This allows a simple production of the filter
bag receiving space, for instance by an injection molding
process.
[0039] Alternatively, the first and second spacer devices may also
be formed as ribs, a rib-shaped section and/or a lug.
[0040] FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
This embodiment is particularly suited for a filter bag with
triangular folds as illustrated in FIG. 2.
[0041] FIG. 4 shows the filter bag with fully unfolded surface
folds 41. The areas 41a, which are positioned within the surface
area of the filter bag wall 42, are spaced away by a first spacer
device 45 from the wall of the filter bag receiving space. The
areas 41b, which project over the surface area of the filter bag
wall 42, are spaced away by a second spacer device 46 from the wall
of the filter bag receiving space.
[0042] Regarding shape and size of the first and second spacer
devices the statements made in connection with the first embodiment
apply analogously.
[0043] According to a third, non-illustrated embodiment of the
invention the first and second spacer devices are provided in the
form of a cage. The outer shape of this cage is predefined by the
second spacer devices spacing away the areas of the surface folds
that extend beyond the surface area of the filter bag wall.
Usefully, all bars forming the second spacer devices run
substantially parallel to each other and substantially parallel to
the surface folds of the filter bags if these are inserted into the
cage as intended. Equally substantially parallel to these bars run
the bars that form the first spacer devices. These bars reproduce
the shape of the surface areas of the filter bag and, accordingly,
extend into the interior of the cage formed by the second spacer
devices.
[0044] If necessary, it is also possible to provide cage bars which
run at an angle, in particular perpendicular to the bars forming
the first and second spacer devices. Such bars running at an angle
serve to stabilize specific areas of the filter bag, e.g. the area
of the net opening.
* * * * *