WO2004100750A1

WO2004100750A1 - Cleaning appliance, in particular vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: WO2004100750A1
Application number: PCT/EP2004/005304
Authority: WO
Inventors: Wolfgang Kemmerzell; Albert Kleinhenz; Michael Krammer; Georg Schwalme; Thomas Strehler
Original assignee: BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH
Priority date: 2003-05-15
Filing date: 2004-05-17
Publication date: 2004-11-25
Also published as: US20080209670A1; CN100361617C; DE10321976A1; CN1791348A; EP1626646A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a cleaning appliance, in particular vacuum cleaner. Said appliance comprises a filter (10) and a heating device (12), by means of which the filter (10) can be heated to carry out a pyrolytic cleaning process. During and/or after said pyrolytic cleaning process (10), at least neighbouring areas (14) of the filter (10) are cooled by a cooling air stream (16) and the heating device (12) is supplied with energy from a primary energy source (18). To prevent the risk of overheating and a potential fire if the primary energy source (18) fails, the appliance is equipped with a secondary energy source (20), which can be used to generate the cooling air stream (16), at least if the primary energy source (18) fails.

Description

Cleaning device, in particular vacuum cleaner

The invention relates to a cleaning device according to the preamble of claim 1.

In the present context, cleaning devices include, for example, air cleaning devices, air conditioning systems and, in particular, vacuum cleaners.

Conventional vacuum cleaners work on the principle that air laden with foreign particles is sucked in, filtered in the vacuum cleaner and blown out of the vacuum cleaner in a cleaned form. Since a wide variety of foreign particles or foreign bodies can be contained in the sucked-in air, special requirements must be placed on the filter devices within the vacuum cleaner. For this reason, it is customary to arrange different filter devices one behind the other in relation to the main flow direction of the air laden with foreign particles, these filter devices performing different tasks. For example, it is known to collect coarser foreign particles in a filter bag and then to guide the air flowing out of the filter bag through a fine-pored filter fleece, so that remaining fine foreign particles can also be filtered out before the air is blown out into the atmosphere. For such a function assignment to the individual filter devices, it is necessary to select the pore size of the respective filter device accordingly.

In order to filter out very fine foreign particles from the air, so-called HEPA filters (High Efficiency Particulate Air) are often used in vacuum cleaners. These usually consist of a glass fiber composite, which is arranged in a carrier material, for example paper. With these HEPA filters it is possible to remove very small, harmful particles, in particular allergy-causing substances, from the air to be blown out. These substances include, for example, pollen, fungi and mites or their metabolites or components.

Even if good results are achieved with such HEPA filters, it is nevertheless a disadvantage that the filters are complex and have to be replaced after a certain period of operation due to their contamination. It is also known to use filters made of ceramic material. An example of a vacuum cleaner with a Keratnik filter device is disclosed in WO 01/41619 A1.

In connection with ceramic filter devices, it has already been proposed in an unpublished patent application to use one which can be cleaned pyrolytically, that is to say by heating. Ceramic foams made of aluminum dioxide are suitable for this purpose.

In the present context, the term ceramic filter device is to be understood as any filter device which is provided in a cleaning device for the air to be cleaned to flow through. In connection with vacuum cleaners, the ceramic filter device can form, for example, a pre, main or final filter device. It is in particular also possible that the ceramic filter device forms a dust collecting container in whole or in part, which replaces a conventional filter bag. Furthermore, a ceramic filter device provided according to the invention can additionally or alternatively replace a conventional HEPA filter.

In the cleaning devices of the generic type, it is provided that at least one actual ceramic filter is pyrolytically cleaned within the cleaning device. For this purpose, the heating device provided in the cleaning device heats the ceramic filter to 400 ° C. or more. However, the maximum limit temperature at an ABS part provided adjacent to the filter must not exceed 90 ° C, for example, and 110 ° C at a PP part, for example. Therefore, housing sections adjacent to the filter are cooled during and after cleaning by pyrolysis by means of a cooling air flow, which can be generated, for example, by the main drive motor of the cleaning device, which, like the heating device, is supplied by the primary energy source. In the case of known solutions, it is imperative that the cleaning device is supplied by the primary energy source until the cooling process has ended, which can be formed, in particular, by the public power grid without being restricted to this. If the primary energy source fails, for example because a user unplugs the power cord early, the device can overheat due to the lack of cooling and, in the worst case, a fire. The invention is based on the object of developing the generic cleaning devices in such a way that overheating or fire can also be reliably avoided if the primary energy source fails during or (shortly) after cleaning the filter by pyrolysis.

This object is achieved with the features of claim 1.

Advantageous embodiments and further developments of the invention result from the dependent claims!

The cleaning device according to the invention builds on the generic prior art in that a secondary energy source is provided, with the aid of which the cooling air flow can be generated at least in the event of a failure of the primary energy source. With this solution, the cooling air flow required to avoid overheating or fire can be generated in any case, even if the primary energy source fails. In this context, a failure of the primary energy source is to be understood to mean any state in which the required cooling air flow cannot be generated without the secondary energy source, although a cooling air flow is required.

In certain embodiments of the cleaning device according to the invention it can be provided that the secondary energy source comprises a fuel cell. In this context, so-called "mini fuel cells" are particularly suitable. Mini fuel cells of this type enable a power output of 50 W or more, for example, with a similar space requirement and weight to conventional batteries or rechargeable batteries.

Additionally or alternatively, it can be provided that the secondary energy source comprises an energy store, in particular an energy store that is charged by the primary energy source. In the simplest case, the energy store can be formed, for example, by conventional disposable batteries.

In particularly preferred embodiments of the cleaning device according to the invention, however, it is provided that the energy store is formed by a rechargeable battery which is charged by a charging device powered by the primary energy source. In this context, all commercially available battery types come into consideration as the battery, in particular lithium-ion cells. In many cases, an electric rapid charger can advantageously be used as the charging device.

Furthermore, it is provided in preferred embodiments of the cleaning device according to the invention that the cooling air flow is generated by at least one fan at least in the event of a failure of the primary energy source. The at least one fan is preferably a fan provided separately from the drive motor of the cleaning device.

It is further preferred that a control and / or regulating device is provided, in particular a control and / or regulating device which controls the fan. The control and / or regulating device can in particular comprise a microprocessor and, at least in certain embodiments, can also be provided for controlling or regulating the normal operation of the cleaning device.

In this context, it is preferred that the control and / or regulating device controls the charging device. This solution is particularly suitable when the charging device is an electrical quick charger.

In a preferred development of the cleaning device according to the invention it is provided that current temperature information is supplied to the control and / or regulating device. The current temperature information preferably relates to the temperature in areas adjacent to the filter, since the temperature in these areas first reaches critical values if the primary energy source fails.

It is preferably provided that the current temperature information is obtained via at least one temperature sensor. A Pt 100 can be used as a temperature sensor, for example.

Another advantageous development of the invention provides that the control and / or regulating device provides information about the current state of the secondary Energy source are supplied. For this purpose, for example, the output voltage of a battery forming the secondary energy source can be tapped and fed to the control and / or regulating device. In this way, the charging process of the battery can be optimized, among other things.

It is also considered advantageous if it is provided that information about the current state of the primary energy source is supplied to the control and / or regulating device. In particular, this enables the control and / or regulating device to immediately detect a failure of the primary energy source and to immediately initiate suitable measures, in particular by activating the fan.

Regardless of this, it can be provided that the control and / or regulating device controls the heating device. For example, the control and / or regulating device can control a control circuit assigned to the heating device in the form of a driver circuit, for example in order to set temperatures suitable for cleaning by pyrolysis in normal operation depending on the output signal of one or more temperature sensors.

A particularly preferred development of the invention provides that the control and / or regulating device only activates the heating device to carry out cleaning of the filter by pyrolysis if the secondary energy source can provide sufficient energy to generate the cooling air flow. Whether the secondary energy source can provide sufficient energy to generate the cooling air flow can be determined, for example, by monitoring the state of charge of a battery that forms the secondary energy source.

For all embodiments of the invention it is preferred that the filter is a ceramic filter. The advantages explained at the outset are achieved with currently available ceramic filters. In principle, however, the invention can also be applied to filters made of a different material if these filters are cleaned by pyrolysis.

Another preferred development of the invention provides that the capacity of the secondary energy source is at least so large that the the maximum stored thermal energy can be released into the environment via the cooling air flow by pyrolysis. The required cooling time depends on the size or the mass of the filter used and the specific heat capacity c. The amount of heat is calculated using Q = c * m * Δt. For example, a temperature change Δt of 400 ° C and a mass of approximately 0.75 kg can be assumed for a ceramic filter. With the specific heat capacity c of ceramics between 0.8 and 1.2, this results, for example, in a heat quantity Q of 360 kJ. With a desired cooling time of approx. 60 min and the conversion of 1 Wh = 3.6 kJ, the electrical power is calculated as 100 Wh / 2 h = 50 W. This would, for example, provide a battery storage of approx. 24 cells type Sub C (available between 1, 2 and 2.4 Ah) (= 24 * 1800 mAh * 1, 2 V).

A basic idea of the invention is to be able to maintain cooling even when the power is interrupted at an inappropriate time. In this way, secondary safety devices (for example warning lamps or signal transmitters), which would otherwise have to be provided for thermal cleaning processes of the ceramic filter, can be dispensed with in many cases. A user of the cleaning device according to the invention does not have to take any special precautionary measures, although high temperatures have to be generated in the cleaning device when cleaning the filter by pyrolysis. The energy store of the secondary energy source can be charged in a particularly advantageous manner during every normal cleaning process, provided that its charge state requires this.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be explained by way of example with reference to the drawing.

It shows:

1 shows a schematic block diagram of the section of a cleaning device relevant to the invention.

In FIG. 1 only the components of a cleaning device in the form of a vacuum cleaner that are essential for understanding the invention are shown. The vacuum cleaner instructs Ceramic filter 10, which is arranged in a filter housing 32. The filter housing 32 can be formed integrally with the rest of the (not shown) vacuum cleaner housing. A heater 12, which is indicated in the form of a heating coil, is provided adjacent to the ceramic filter 10. The filter housing 32 has an air inlet 34 and an air outlet 36. Additional air inlets and air outlets (not shown) can optionally be provided for the actual cleaning operation. A fan 24 is arranged in the area of the air inlet 34, with which a cooling air flow 16 can be generated in the direction illustrated by the arrows. A temperature sensor 28 is furthermore arranged in the filter housing 32, which can be, for example, a temperature sensor of the Pt 100 type. In the case shown, a primary energy source 18 is formed by the public electricity supply network, so that the cleaning device according to the invention can be supplied with energy in the usual way via a mains cable. A control circuit 30 for the heating device 12 is also provided. The control circuit 30 can be, for example, a driver circuit or the like. A secondary energy source is provided in the form of a battery 20, which can be charged by a quick charger 23. A control and / or regulating device 26 controls or regulates the operation of the cleaning device, only the signal lines provided with arrows which are essential for understanding the invention being shown.

In normal operation, the cleaning device shown is supplied with energy via the power network 18 which forms the primary energy source. For example, after a predetermined number of operating hours has been reached or if it is determined on the basis of pressure losses that the filter 10 has to be cleaned, the control and / or regulating device 26 activates the heating device 12 via the control circuit 30. The heating device 12 heats the filter 10 to Purification by pyrolysis, for example, to 400 ° C or more. So that the ABS and PP components of the filter housing 32 provided next to the filter 10 are not heated above temperatures of 90 ° C. or 110 ° C., during and after the cleaning of the filter 10 by pyrolysis, a cooling air flow between the endangered areas of the filter housing 32 and passed the filter 10. During normal operation of the cleaning device, this cooling air flow can optionally also be generated by devices other than the fan 24. Before the control and / or regulating device 26 triggers the cleaning of the filter 10 by pyrolysis, it checks the state of charge in the embodiment shown of the energy store 20, which is charged during normal operation of the cleaning device via the quick charger 22, which is also controlled by the control and / or regulating device 26. As an additional safety measure, the control and / or regulating device 26 triggers the cleaning process of the filter 10 only when the current state of charge of the energy store 20 ensures that the required cooling air flow 16 can be generated in any case in the event of a failure of the primary energy source 18.

In the following it is assumed that the user of the cleaning device disconnects the cleaning device from the mains 18 at the moment when the filter 10 has been heated by the heating device 12 to the maximum temperature of 400 ° C. or more. Since the control and / or regulating device 26, as shown, is also connected to the supply lines provided for connection to the power network 18, the control and / or regulating device 26 detects immediately that the primary energy source 18 has failed. In response to this, the control and / or regulating device 26 activates the fan 24, which then generates the cooling air flow 16 shown. In the case shown, the control and / or regulating device 26 controls the fan 24 as a function of the temperature information supplied by the temperature sensor 28, so that a closed control loop is formed. As soon as the temperature detected by the temperature sensor 28 has dropped to uncritical values, the control and / or regulating device 26 deactivates the fan 24, since there is no longer any danger of overheating or of a fire at this time.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, in the drawings and in the claims can be essential both individually and in any combination for realizing the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 filters

12 heating device

14 adjacent areas

16 cooling air flow

18 primary energy source

20 secondary energy source

22 loading device

24 fans

26 control and / or regulating device

28 temperature sensor

30 control circuit

32 filter housing

34 air intake

36 air outlet

Claims

claims

1. Cleaning device, in particular vacuum cleaner, with a filter (10) and with a heating device (12) with which the filter (10) can be heated for cleaning by pyrolysis, during and / or after cleaning the filter (10 ) are cooled by pyrolysis at least adjacent areas (14) of the filter (10) by a cooling air stream (16) and the heating device (12) is supplied by a primary energy source (18), characterized in that a secondary energy source (20) is provided with the help of which the cooling air flow (16) can be generated at least in the event of a failure of the primary energy source (20).

2. Cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that the secondary energy source (20) comprises a fuel cell.

3. Cleaning device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the secondary energy source (20) comprises an energy store (20), in particular one

Energy storage that is charged by the primary energy source (18).

4. Cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that the energy store (20) is formed by a rechargeable battery which is charged by a charging device (22) fed by the primary energy source (18).

5. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cooling air flow (16) is generated at least in the event of a failure of the primary energy source (18) by at least one fan (24).

6. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a control and / or regulating device (26) is provided, in particular a control and / or regulating device (26) which controls the fan (24).

7. Cleaning device according to one of claims 4 and 6, characterized in that the control and / or regulating device (26) controls the charging device (22).

8. Cleaning device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the control and / or regulating device (26) current temperature information is supplied.

9. Cleaning device according to claim 8, characterized in that the current temperature information is obtained via at least one temperature sensor (28).

10. Cleaning device according to one of claims 6 to 9, characterized in that the control and / or regulating device (26) information about the current state of the secondary energy source (20) are supplied.

11. Cleaning device according to one of claims 6 to 10, characterized in that the control and / or regulating device (26) information about the current state of the primary energy source (18) are supplied.

12. Cleaning device according to one of claims 6 to 11, characterized in that the control and / or regulating device (26) controls the heating device (12).

13. Cleaning device according to claim 12, characterized in that the control and / or regulating device (26) only activates the heating device (12) to carry out cleaning of the filter (10) by pyrolysis when the secondary energy source (20) is used for Generation of the cooling air flow (16) can provide sufficient energy.

14. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the filter (10) is a ceramic filter.

15. Cleaning device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the capacity of the secondary energy source (20) is at least so large that the maximum heat energy stored in the filter (10) during a cleaning process by pyrolysis via the cooling air flow (16) to the Environment can be given.