Suction Apparatus and Separator Unit for a Suction Apparatus with an Obliquely Positioned Flow Diversion

This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2024 203 008.2, filed Mar. 28, 2024; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The invention relates to a separator unit for a suction apparatus, in particular for a cordless and/or hand-held vacuum cleaner. The invention also relates to a suction apparatus having the separator unit.

A suction apparatus, in particular a hand-held vacuum cleaner, typically includes a suction unit which a user can carry and guide by hand. The suction unit has a fan which is operated by electrical energy from an electrical energy storage device of the suction unit. The fan is configured so as to generate a suction airflow in order to draw contaminants through the suction mouth of the suction unit into the separator unit of the suction unit, wherein the separator unit has a collecting container for contaminants. It is preferred that, so as to increase the suction power of the suction unit, the suction airflow is introduced into the separator unit and/or guided within the separator unit in such a manner that the suction airflow flows within the separator unit in a cyclonic manner around the central filter unit of the separator unit.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a suction apparatus and a separator unit for a suction apparatus with an obliquely positioned flow diversion, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which further optimize the flow direction of the suction airflow within the separator unit of a suction unit, in particular in order to create a permanently high suction power even when the suction unit is used for a longer period of time.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a separator unit for a suction apparatus, the separator unit comprising a collecting container enclosed by a housing wall, the collecting container extends along a longitudinal axis, the collecting container has an inlet opening disposed on the housing wall for a suction airflow, the separator unit is configured in such a manner that a suction airflow that is passing through the inlet opening into the collecting container has a flow direction running in the circumferential direction with regard to the longitudinal axis, the separator unit includes a diversion element which is positioned downstream along the flow direction and has a surface that acts on the suction airflow, and the normal vector of an obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element can run in an oblique manner with respect to the longitudinal axis.

Advantageous embodiments are defined in particular in the dependent claims, described in the description below or illustrated in the attached drawing.

In accordance with one aspect, a separator unit for a suction apparatus is described. The separator unit includes a collecting container enclosed by a housing wall. The separator unit can have a longitudinal axis, and the housing wall of the collecting container can be configured in the shape of a (circular) cylinder around the longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis can run centrally within the collecting container. The housing wall can correspond, for example, to the peripheral surface of a hollow cylinder and/or the longitudinal axis can correspond to the vertical axis of the hollow cylinder. The collecting container can extend from a first end face (for example end surface or end plane) along the longitudinal axis up to a second end side (for example end surface or end plane). The first end side can face the fan of the suction apparatus. A cover for emptying the collecting container can be disposed on the opposite-lying second end side.

The collecting container can have a specific total length (for example between 10 cm and 20 cm) along the longitudinal axis from the first end side up to the second end side. Moreover, the collecting container can have a specific total diameter (for example between 8 cm and 12 cm) transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis (in other words in the radial direction with respect to the longitudinal axis).

The first end side (on which the fan is disposed) can run substantially completely within a specific transverse plane which is disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The second end side (on which the cover is disposed) can run within a plane which is disposed in an oblique manner with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the oblique arrangement of the second end side and in particular of the cover can be advantageous for emptying the collecting container.

The collecting container has an inlet opening which is disposed on the housing wall and is preferably closed and/or covered by a (flexible) flap. The flap can be made from a synthetic material, in particular from a flexible and/or elastic synthetic material. The inlet opening is preferably disposed on the upper side of the collecting container, (the inlet opening being provided so as during operation to be oriented upward). Moreover, the inlet opening is preferably disposed on the first end side of the collecting container. At least, the inlet opening is preferably closer to the first end side of the collecting container along the longitudinal axis than the opposite-lying second end side of the collecting container.

The separator unit can also include a filter unit disposed in the collecting container and configured so as to retain on the surface of the filter unit dirt particles from the suction airflow (which has passed through the inlet opening into the collecting container), wherein the surface of the filter unit is preferably configured in the shape of a (circular) cylinder around the longitudinal axis. The separator unit is preferably configured in such a manner that the suction airflow that has passed through the inlet opening into the collecting container flows around the filter unit in a cyclonic manner (along the circumferential direction). The separator unit can be configured for this purpose in such a manner that the suction airflow that has passed through the inlet opening into the collecting container has a flow direction which runs substantially in the circumferential direction around the longitudinal axis.

The (cylindrical) filter unit and the (cylindrical) collecting container preferably have the same central longitudinal axis. The collecting area for receiving the drawn-up dirt particles is typically disposed between the surface of the filter unit and the inner side of the collecting container.

The flap at the inlet opening can have a (rectangular) total area for (completely) covering the (rectangular) inlet opening. The flap and the inlet opening can each have two longitudinal edges (lying opposite each other along the circumferential direction) and two transverse edges (lying opposite each other along the longitudinal axis). The flap can be attached to the housing wall at a main edge. The main edge can be configured parallel to the longitudinal axis (in other words the main edge can correspond to a longitudinal edge). On the other hand, the flap can be freely movable on the two transverse edges and on the other longitudinal edge (so that the flap can bend away from the inlet opening into the collecting container in order to open or reveal a subregion of the inlet opening.

The flap has a first subregion and a second subregion which follows along the main edge (in particular along the longitudinal axis). The first subregion of the flap can be facing the first end side of the collecting container (and the first transverse edge of the flap), and the second subregion of the flap can be facing the second end side of the collecting container (and the second transverse edge of the flap). Alternatively or additionally, the first subregion of the flap can be closer to the first end side of the collecting container than the second subregion of the flap.

The flexible flap is configured in such a manner that a force acting on the flap from outside (in the radial direction) bends the flap away from the housing wall or away from the inlet opening and/or into the collecting container and as a result at least partially reveals the inlet opening. The flap can be bent, for example, toward the surface of the filter unit. The force for bending the flap away can be produced by the suction airflow flowing from outside through the inlet opening into the collecting container.

The separator unit can be configured in such a manner that the bending-away of the first subregion of the flap is more severely restricted and/or limited than the bending-away of the second subregion. Thus, it is possible in an efficient and reliable manner (using the flap) to apply a pulse to the suction airflow flowing through the inlet opening, through the use of which the suction power of the suction apparatus and/or the dust-separating efficiency of the separator unit are improved.

The separator unit is preferably configured in such a manner that the suction airflow that is passing through the inlet opening into the collecting container flows (in the circumferential direction) around the longitudinal axis (in particular around the surface of the filter unit). Moreover, the separator unit can be configured in such a manner that as a result the bending-away of the first subregion of the flap is more severely restricted than the bending-away of the second subregion of the flap, the flap is configured with regard to the inflowing suction airflow in such a manner that the suction airflow flowing through the inlet opening into the collecting container receives a pulse in the direction of the longitudinal axis. As a result, it is possible to ensure that the suction airflow flows within the collecting container in a helical manner around the longitudinal axis. It is thus possible in an efficient and reliable manner to achieve that the dirt particles being carried along by the suction airflow are moved away from the inlet opening (toward the second end side of the collecting container), whereby the suction power and/or the separating efficiency can be increased to a particularly high degree.

The separator unit can have a (mechanical) obstacle (which is disposed within the collecting container), by which the bending-away of the first subregion of the flap is selectively restricted and in particular not the bending-away of the second subregion of the flap. The separator unit can have, for example, a contact surface (formed by the obstacle) for contacting the first subregion of the flap, wherein the contact surface is configured so as to limit the bending-away of the first subregion of the flap. The contact surface can be configured so as to receive the rear side of the flap which is remote from the inlet opening (in the region of the first subregion of the flap). In particular, the separator unit can be configured in such a manner that the rear side of the first subregion of the flap contacts the contact surface when a force from outside acts on the flap in a radial direction (wherein the force is created by the suction airflow, for example).

The provision of a mechanical obstacle renders it possible to partially block the suction airflow circulating within the collecting container around the longitudinal axis in the region of the rear side (facing the collecting container) of the flap. As a result, the closing force acting on the rear side of the flap so as to close the flap is reduced, whereby the force required for opening the flap is reduced. As a result, the suction power of the suction apparatus can be further increased.

The separator unit is preferably configured in such a manner that the bending-away of the second subregion of the flap is substantially not restricted, in particular not by a (mechanical) obstacle. This can bring about that the inlet opening can still be opened sufficiently wide to receive coarse dirt.

The separator unit can include an ejection and/or compression element which is configured to be moved within the collecting container in order to compress dirt particles located in the collecting container and/or eject them (via the second end side) out of the collecting container. In particular, the ejection and/or compression element can be configured so as to be moved (starting from an initial position, disposed for example on the first end side) along the longitudinal axis over the surface of the filter unit (in particular toward the second end side of the collecting container).

The ejection and/or compression element can be configured so as to form a (mechanical) obstacle through the use of which the bending-away of the first subregion of the flap is selectively restricted (and not of the second subregion of the flap). For this purpose, the ejection and/or compression element is disposed in the initial position preferably along the radial direction (with regard to the longitudinal axis) flush with the first subregion of the flap. The use of the ejection and/or compression element as an obstacle renders it possible to selectively restrict the freedom of movement of the first subregion of the flap in a particularly efficient and reliable manner.

The ejection and/or compression element is preferably configured as a ring with an inner edge facing the surface of the filter unit and an outer edge facing the housing wall. A surface of the ring which runs between the inner edge and the outer edge (and faces the second end side of the collecting container) can be configured in an efficient and reliable manner as a contact surface for contacting the first subregion of the flap.

The normal vector (perpendicular to the contact surface) of the contact surface can run in an oblique manner with respect to the longitudinal axis. The angle between the longitudinal axis and the normal vector of the contact surface preferably amounts to between 10° and 45°. Moreover, the normal vector of the contact surface has a directional component which faces in the radial direction out of the collecting container. A contact surface configured in such a manner renders it possible for the flap to be configured in a particularly advantageous manner in order to create a helical suction airflow within the collecting container.

The (annular) ejection and/or compression element can have an annular surface which includes the contact surface for the first subregion of the flap. The annular surface of the ejection and/or compression element can extend in the radial direction from the inner edge up to the outer edge. The annular surface can be facing the second end side of the collecting container. The normal vector of the annual surface can be oriented with an increasing angular spacing from the contact surface parallel to the longitudinal axis. The annular surface of the ejection and/or compression element can thus have an obliquely positioned section (with regard to the longitudinal axis), (which is used as the contact surface for the flexible flap). Outside the obliquely positioned section, the annular surface of the ejection and/or compression element can run substantially within the transverse plane (oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis). Thus, even when providing an obliquely oriented contact surface for the flap, it is still possible to provide a reliable compression and/or ejection function of the ejection and/or compression element.

The flap can have a linear-shaped intended bending site, through the use of which the second subregion is able to bend around an additional bending axis. The intended bending site and/or the additional bending axis can run in a linear manner between the first subregion and the second subregion. A main bending axis of the flap (around the longitudinal axis) can be formed by the main edge. The intended bending site and/or the additional bending axis can be oriented in an oblique manner with respect to the main bending axis.

The intended bending site can be implemented as local (linear-shaped) thinning and/or by a locally changed material of the flap. In particular, the flap can have a thinner and/or other material (compared to the areas of the flap without an intended bending site) regionally locally along the additional bending axis. The linear-shaped intended bending site can be configured in particular as a film hinge, in particular when the flap is made from a synthetic material, in particular from a flexible synthetic material.

The flap can be configured in such a manner that the second subregion of the flap can be bent around the additional bending axis into the collecting container by a force acting from outside (in the radial direction) on the second subregion. The provision of a flap with a linear-shaped intended bending site renders it possible to further amplify the pulse created by the flap (along the longitudinal axis) in order to create in a particularly reliable manner a helical suction airflow.

As already explained above, the additional bending axis of the intended bending site can run in an oblique manner with respect to the main bending axis (in other words with respect to the main edge), in particular in such a manner that a triangular second subregion is formed by the intended bending site. It is thus possible to further amplify the pulse created by the flap (along the longitudinal axis).

In accordance with a further aspect, a further separator unit for a suction apparatus is described. As already explained, the separator unit includes a collecting container enclosed by a housing wall. The collecting container can extend along the longitudinal axis from the first end side up to the opposite-lying second end side. A (cylindrical) filter unit can be disposed in the collecting container. The above described features of the separator unit and in particular of the collecting container can also be used individually or in combination for this separator unit.

The collecting container has an inlet opening disposed at the housing wall for a suction airflow. The inlet opening is preferably covered by a flexible flap (as explained above). The inlet opening is preferably disposed on the first end side of the collecting container. At least, the inlet opening can be closer to the first end side of the collecting container along the longitudinal axis than the opposite-lying second end side of the collecting container.

The separator unit is preferably configured in such a manner that a suction airflow that is passing through the inlet opening into the collecting container has a flow direction running in the circumferential direction with regard to the longitudinal axis. The separator unit can be configured in particular as a centrifugal separator. For this purpose, the flow direction of the suction airflow can have a directional component in the circumferential direction at the inlet opening. Moreover, the flow direction of the suction airflow can have a (relatively small) directional component in the radial direction at the inlet opening. On the other hand, the flow direction of the suction airflow typically substantially does not have a directional component along the longitudinal axis at the inlet opening.

The separator unit can include a diversion element that has a surface which acts on the suction airflow which has passed through the inlet opening into the collecting container. The surface of the diversion element can be configured as a guide surface for guiding the suction airflow. Consequently, at least a part of the suction airflow flowing through the inlet opening into the collecting container can impinge on the surface of the diversion element, in particular on an obliquely positioned section of the diversion element. The normal vector of the obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element can run in an oblique manner with respect to the longitudinal axis. The normal vector of the obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element preferably has an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis between 10° and 45°, in particular between 15° and 25°.

The use of a diversion element with an obliquely positioned section renders it possible to apply a pulse to the suction airflow flowing through the inlet opening, through the use of which the suction power of the suction apparatus and/or the dust-separating efficiency of the separator unit are improved.

The obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element can be configured in particular in such a manner that the suction airflow passing through the inlet opening into the collecting container receives a pulse in the direction of the longitudinal axis. It is thus possible to ensure that the suction airflow flows within the collecting container in a helical manner around the longitudinal axis. It is thus possible in an efficient and reliable manner that the dirt particles being carried along by the suction airflow are moved away from the inlet opening (toward the second end side of the collecting container), whereby the suction power and/or the separating efficiency can be increased to a particularly high degree.

The obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element is preferably disposed in the radial direction with regard to the longitudinal axis flush with the inlet opening (in particular with the first transverse edge of the inlet opening facing the first end side). Consequently, it is possible to apply a pulse to the suction airflow directly downstream of the inlet opening in order to generate the helical suction airflow in a particularly reliable manner.

The surface of the diversion element can be configured in such a manner that the normal vector of the surface of the diversion element is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis with an increasing spacing along the flow direction of the suction airflow increasingly, in particular smoothly, in particular in such a manner that after a predefined spacing the normal vector of the surface of the diversion element is oriented parallel to the longitudinal axis. Due to the smooth change in the orientation of the surface of the diversion element, the flow direction of the suction airflow can be oriented in a particularly efficient manner (in particular without creating any turbulence) with respect to the longitudinal axis.

The normal vector of the obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element preferably has a directional component which faces in the radial direction out of the collecting container. A surface configured in such a manner renders it possible in a particularly advantageous manner to create a helical suction airflow within the collecting container.

Moreover, the normal vector of the obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element is preferably oriented toward the second end side of the collecting container. It is thus possible in a particularly reliable manner to create a helical suction airflow within the collecting container with respect to the second end side of the collecting container.

It should be noted that at least one subregion of the obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element can be used as a contact surface for the flexible flap of the separator unit (as explained above). It is thus possible in a particularly reliable manner to create a change in the flow direction of the suction airflow.

As already explained, the housing wall of the collecting container preferably runs in a cylindrical, in particular in the shape of a circular cylinder, around the longitudinal axis. The diversion element can run in an annular manner along the inner side of the housing wall around the longitudinal axis. In so doing, the annular diversion element can have an outer edge facing the housing wall and an inner edge remote from the housing wall, in particular facing the filter unit of the separator unit.

The surface of the diversion element can be disposed at a first angular position with regard to the longitudinal axis along the radial direction flush with the inlet opening (in particular with the first transverse edge of the inlet opening). The obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element can thus be disposed in the region of the first angular position (starting from the first angular position, for example). The first angular position can have the value 0°, for example.

The inner edge can have at the first angular position an inner edge spacing with a first spacing value from a reference plane disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (wherein the reference plane corresponds, for example, to the rear side of the diversion element remote from the surface of the diversion element). At the first angular position, the outer edge can have an outer edge spacing with a second spacing value from the reference plane. The first spacing value can be smaller than the second spacing value.

As already explained, the collecting container can have a specific total length from the first end side up to the second end side. The second spacing value can, for example, be between 0.5% and 2% of the total length higher or greater than the first spacing value. It is thus possible to provide the obliquely positioned section of the surface of the diversion element in a particularly reliable manner.

The inner edge spacing and the outer edge spacing can become harmonized with an increasing angular spacing, in particular smoothly, so that, after a second angular position, the inner edge spacing and the outer edge spacing have the same spacing value, in particular the first spacing value. The second angular position is (in the circumferential direction) preferably spaced from the first angular position between 70° and 110° approximately by 90°. By harmonizing the spacing value, it is possible to orient the normal vector of the surface of the diversion element little by little parallel to the longitudinal axis. It is thus possible to create a particularly reliable change in the flow direction of the suction airflow.

The inner edge spacing and the outer edge spacing can each have the same spacing value after the second angular position. In this case, the common spacing value can be increased (smoothly) with an increasing angular spacing from the second angular position, in particular in such a manner that the inner edge spacing and the outer edge spacing at a third angular position have a third spacing value. The third angular position can be spaced, for example, between 350° and 360°, approximately between 353° and 359° from the first angular position. Moreover, the third spacing value can be higher or greater than the first spacing value by 5% or more, in particular between 5% and 20%, of the total length of the collecting container.

The surface of the annular diversion element can have a step between the third angular position and the first angular position and at the step the spacing value of the inner edge spacing and the outer edge spacing is reduced (abruptly) to the second spacing value or to the first spacing value.

This means that a diversion element can be provided which has (in the circumferential direction) a ramp-shaped surface which acts on the suction airflow in the collecting container (and consequently is used as a guide surface for the suction airflow). It is thus possible in a particularly reliable manner to create a helical suction airflow.

As already explained, the separator unit can include an (annular) ejection and/or compression element which is configured to be moved within the collecting container in order to compress dirt particles located in the collecting container and/or eject them out of the collecting container. In particular, the ejection and/or compression element can be configured so as to be moved (starting from the initial position, disposed for example on the first end side) along the longitudinal axis over the surface of the filter unit (in particular toward the second end side of the collecting container). The ejection and/or compression element is disposed in the initial position preferably along the radial direction (with regard to the longitudinal axis) flush with the inlet opening (in particular with the first transverse edge of the inlet opening).

In a preferred embodiment, the ejection and/or compression element is configured as a diversion element which has a surface which acts on the suction airflow. In other words, the diversion element can be configured as an (annular) ejection and/or compression element). It is thus possible to create the flow direction of the suction airflow in a particularly efficient manner.