Suction Apparatus and Separating Unit for a Suction Apparatus Having a Flap with Restricted Movement

This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2024 203 006.6, filed Mar. 28, 2024; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The invention relates to a separating unit for a suction apparatus, in particular for a cordless and/or handheld vacuum cleaner. The invention also relates to a suction apparatus having a separating unit.

A suction apparatus, in particular a handheld vacuum cleaner, typically includes a suction unit which can be carried and guided by hand by a user. 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 to generate a suction air flow in order to suck dirt through the suction nozzle of the suction unit into the separating unit of the suction unit, the separating unit having a collecting container for dirt. In order to increase the suction power of the suction unit the suction air flow is preferably introduced into the separating unit and/or guided inside the separating unit, such that the suction air flow flows inside the separating unit in the manner of a cyclone around the central filter unit of the separating unit.

German Patent Application DE 10 2021 203 242 A1 describes a dirt filter for a vacuum cleaner. Chinese Patent Application CN 1 12 401 741 A describes a vacuum cleaner device.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a suction apparatus and a separating unit for a suction apparatus having a flap with restricted movement, which overcome the hereinafore-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices of this general type and which further optimize the direction of flow of the suction air flow inside the separating unit of a suction unit, in particular to achieve a permanently high suction power even when the suction unit is in prolonged use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a separating unit for a suction apparatus, wherein the separating unit comprises a collecting container enclosed by a housing wall, the collecting container has an inlet opening for a suction air flow which is disposed on the housing wall and covered with a flexible flap, the flexible flap is fastened to the housing wall via a leading edge of the flap, the flap has a first portion and a subsequent second portion along the leading edge, the flap is configured such that the flap is bent away from the housing wall into the collecting container by an external force acting on the flap and as a result exposes the inlet opening at least in part, and the separating unit is configured such that the bending away of the first portion of the flap is more greatly restricted than the bending away of the second portion of the flap.

Advantageous forms of embodiment are in particular defined in the dependent claims, are described in the following description, or are illustrated in the appended drawing.

In accordance with one aspect, a separating unit for a suction apparatus is described. The separating unit includes a collecting container enclosed by a housing wall. The separating unit can have a longitudinal axis, and the housing wall of the collecting container can be configured to be (circular) cylindrical about the longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis can run centrally inside the collecting container. The housing wall can for example correspond to the lateral 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 (e.g. end surface or end plane) along the longitudinal axis to a second end face (e.g. end surface or end plane). The first end face can face the fan of the suction apparatus. A lid for emptying the collecting container can be disposed on the opposing second end face.

The collecting container can have a particular total length (e.g. between 10 cm and 20 cm) along the longitudinal axis from the first end face to the second end face. Furthermore, the collecting container can have a particular total diameter (e.g. between 8 cm and 12 cm) transversely to the longitudinal axis (i.e. in the radial direction to the longitudinal axis).

The first end face (on which the fan is disposed) can run substantially completely inside a particular transverse plane which is disposed perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. The second end face (on which the lid is disposed) can run inside a plane which is disposed obliquely to the longitudinal axis, wherein the oblique arrangement of the second end face and in particular of the lid may be advantageous for emptying the collecting container.

The collecting container has an inlet opening disposed on the housing wall, which is preferably closed and/or covered with a (flexible) flap. The flap can be made of plastic, in particular a flexible and/or elastic plastic. The inlet opening is preferably disposed on top of the collecting container (which is intended to be aligned upward during operation). Furthermore, the inlet opening is preferably disposed on the first end face of the collecting container. The inlet opening of the first end face of the collecting container along the longitudinal axis is at least preferably closer than the opposing second end face of the collecting container.

The separating unit can further include a filter unit disposed in the collecting container, which is configured to retain dirt particles from the suction air flow (entering the collecting container through the inlet opening) on the surface of the filter unit, the surface of the filter unit preferably being configured to be (circular) cylindrical about the longitudinal axis. The separating unit is preferably configured such that the suction air flow entering the collecting container through the inlet opening flows around the filter unit (along the circumferential direction) in the manner of a cyclone. The separating unit can for this purpose be configured such that the suction air flow entering the collecting container through the inlet opening has a direction of flow which runs substantially in the circumferential direction about the longitudinal axis.

The (cylindrical) filter unit and the (cylindrical) collecting container preferably have the same central longitudinal axis. Typically disposed between the surface of the filter unit and the inside of the collecting container is the collecting area for receiving the dirt particles sucked up.

The flap at the inlet opening can have a (rectangular) total surface area for (complete) coverage of the (rectangular) inlet opening. The flap and the inlet opening can each have two longitudinal edges (opposing one another along the circumferential direction) and two transverse edges (opposing one another along the longitudinal axis). The flap can be attached to a leading edge at the housing wall. The leading edge can be aligned in parallel to the longitudinal axis (i.e. the leading edge can correspond to a longitudinal edge). On the other hand, the flap can be freely movable on both the 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 expose a portion of the inlet opening).

The flap has a first portion and a subsequent second portion along the leading edge (in particular along the longitudinal axis). The first portion of the flap can face the first end face of the collecting container (and the first transverse edge of the flap), and the second portion of the flap can face the second end face of the collecting container (and the second transverse edge of the flap). Alternatively or additionally, the first portion of the flap of the first end face of the collecting container can be closer than the second portion of the flap.

The flexible flap is configured such that the flap is bent away from the housing wall or away from the inlet opening and/or into the collecting container by an external force acting (in the radial direction) on the flap and as a result exposes the inlet opening at least in part. The flap can for example be bent toward the surface of the filter unit. The force for bending the flap away can be caused by the suction air flow flowing through the inlet opening into the collecting container from outside.

The separating unit can be configured such that the bending away of the first portion of the flap is more restricted and/or limited than the bending away of the second portion of the flap. Thus in an efficient and reliable manner an impulse can be applied (by the flap) to the suction air flow flowing through the inlet opening, by which the suction power of the suction apparatus and/or the dust separation quality of the separating unit are improved.

The separating unit is preferably configured such that the suction air flow entering the collecting container through the inlet opening (in the circumferential direction) flows around the longitudinal axis (in particular around the surface of the filter unit). The separating unit can further be configured such that because the bending away of the first portion of the flap is more restricted than the bending away of the second portion of the flap, the flap is aligned in respect of the inflowing suction air flow such that the suction air flow entering the collecting container through the inlet opening receives an impulse in the direction of the longitudinal axis. This can cause the suction air flow inside the collecting container to flow helically around the longitudinal axis. Thus in an efficient and reliable manner the dirt particles carried with the suction air flow can be caused to move away from the inlet opening (toward the second end face of the collecting container), as a result of which the suction power and/or the separation quality can be increased to a particularly high degree.

The separating unit can have a (mechanical) barrier (which is disposed inside the collecting container), by which the bending away of the first portion of the flap, and in particular not the bending away of the second portion of the flap, is selectively restricted. The separating unit can for example have a support surface (formed by the barrier) for supporting the first portion of the flap, the support surface being configured to restrict the bending away of the first portion of the flap. The support surface can be configured to receive the reverse of the flap (in the region of the first portion of the flap) facing away from the inlet opening. In particular, the separating unit can be configured such that the reverse of the first portion of the flap rests on the support surface if an external force acts on the flap in the radial direction (the force being caused for example by the suction air flow).

By providing a mechanical barrier, the suction air flow circulating inside the collecting container around the longitudinal axis can be partially blocked in the region of the reverse of the flap (facing the collecting container). In consequence, the closing force acting on the reverse of the flap to close the flap is reduced, as a result of which the force required to open the flap is reduced. In consequence, the suction power of the suction apparatus can be further increased.

The separating unit is preferably configured such that the bending away of the second portion of the flap is not substantially restricted, in particular not by a (mechanical) barrier. This means that the inlet opening can still be opened sufficiently wide for the receipt of coarse dirt.

The separating unit can include an ejection and/or compacting element which is configured to be moved inside the collecting container in order to compact dirt particles disposed in the collecting container and/or to eject them from the collecting container (via the second end face). The ejection and/or compacting element can in particular be configured to be moved (starting from an initial position, for example disposed on the first end face) along the longitudinal axis over the surface of the filter unit (in particular toward the second end face of the collecting container).

The ejection and/or compacting element can be configured to form a (mechanical) barrier, which is restricted by the selective bending away of the first portion of the flap (and not of the second portion of the flap). For this purpose the ejection and/or compacting element is disposed in the initial position preferably along the radial direction (in respect of the longitudinal axis) flush with the first portion of the flap. By using the ejection and/or compacting element as a barrier the selective limitation of the freedom of movement of the first portion of the flap can be achieved in a particularly efficient and reliable manner.

The ejection and/or compacting 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 faces the second end face of the collecting container) running between the inner edge and the outer edge can be configured in an efficient and reliable manner as a support surface for storing the first portion of the flap.

The normal vector of the support surface (standing perpendicular to the support surface) can run obliquely to the longitudinal axis. The angle between the longitudinal axis and the normal vector of the support surface is preferably between 10° and 45°. Furthermore, the normal vector of the support surface can have a directional component which points in a radial direction out of the collecting container. With a support surface configured in this way, the flap can be aligned in a particularly advantageous manner to create a helical suction air flow inside the collecting container.

The (annular) ejection and/or compacting element can have an annular surface which includes the support surface for the first portion of the flap. The annular surface of the ejection and/or compacting element can extend in the radial direction from the inner edge to the outer edge. The annular surface can face the second end face of the collecting container. The normal vector of the annular surface can with increasing angular distance from the support surface be aligned in parallel to the longitudinal axis. The annular surface of the ejection and/or compacting element can thus have a section (which serves as a support surface for the flexible flap) which is inclined (in respect of the longitudinal axis). Outside the inclined section, the annular surface of the ejection and/or compacting element can run substantially inside the transverse plane (aligned perpendicular to the longitudinal axis). Thus, even when providing an obliquely aligned support surface for the flap, a reliable compacting and/or ejection function of the ejection and/or compacting element can still be provided.

The flap can have a linear predetermined bending point, which enables the second portion to be bent about an additional bending axis. The predetermined bending point and/or the additional bending axis can run linearly between the first portion and the second portion. Due to the leading edge of flap a main bending axis of the flap can be formed (around the longitudinal axis). The predetermined bending point and/or the additional bending axis can be aligned obliquely to the main bending axis.

The predetermined bending point can be implemented as a local (linear) thinning and/or by a locally changed material of the flap. In particular, the flap along the additional bending axis can have a locally thinner and/or different material (compared to the regions of the flap without a predetermined bending point). The linear predetermined bending point can in particular be configured as a film hinge, in particular if the flap is made of plastic, in particular a flexible plastic.

The flap can be configured such that the second portion of the flap is bent about the additional bending axis into the collecting container by an external force acting (in the radial direction) on the second portion. By providing a flap with a linear predetermined bending point the impulse caused by the flap (along the longitudinal axis) can be further strengthened, in order to cause a helical suction air flow in a particularly reliable manner.

As already explained above, the additional bending axis of the predetermined bending point can run obliquely to the main bending axis (i.e. to the leading edge), in particular such that a triangular second portion is formed by the predetermined bending point. Thus the impulse caused by the flap (along the longitudinal axis) can be further strengthened.

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

The collecting container has an inlet opening for a suction air flow disposed on the housing wall. The inlet opening is preferably covered by a flexible flap (as explained above). The inlet opening is preferably disposed on the first end face of the collecting container. The inlet opening of the first end face of the collecting container along the longitudinal axis can at least be closer than the opposing second end face of the collecting container.

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

The separating unit can include a deflection element which has a surface which acts on the suction air flow entering the collecting container through the inlet opening. The surface of the deflection element can be configured as a guide surface to guide the suction air flow. At least part of the suction air flow flowing into the collecting container through the inlet opening can thus strike the surface of the deflection element, in particular an inclined section of the deflection element. The normal vector of the inclined section of the surface of the deflection element can run obliquely to the longitudinal axis. The normal vector of the inclined section of the surface of the deflection element preferably has an angle to the longitudinal axis of between 10° and 45°, in particular between 15° and 25°.

By using a deflection element with an inclined section an impulse can be applied to the suction air flow flowing through the inlet opening, by which the suction power of the suction apparatus and/or the dust separation quality of the separating unit can be improved.

The inclined section of the surface of the deflection element can in particular be aligned such that the suction air flow entering the collecting container through the inlet opening receives an impulse in the direction of the longitudinal axis. As a result, the suction air flow inside the collecting container flows helically around the longitudinal axis. Thus in an efficient and reliable manner the dirt particles carried with the suction air flow can be moved away from the inlet opening (toward the second end face of the collecting container), as a result of which the suction power and/or the separation quality can be increased to a particularly high degree.

The inclined section of the surface of the deflection element is preferably disposed flush with the inlet opening (in particular with the first transverse edge of the inlet opening facing the first end face) in the radial direction in respect of the longitudinal axis. Thus an impulse can be applied to the suction air flow in the direction of flow directly behind the inlet opening in order to generate the helical suction air flow in a particularly reliable manner.

The surface of the deflection element can be configured such that the normal vector of the surface of the deflection element is with increasing distance along the direction of flow of the suction air flow increasingly, in particular progressively, aligned in parallel to the longitudinal axis, in particular such that as from a predefined distance the normal vector of the surface of the deflection element is aligned in parallel to the longitudinal axis. By progressively changing the alignment of the surface of the deflection element, the direction of flow of the suction air flow can be aligned toward the longitudinal axis in a particularly efficient manner (in particular without causing turbulence).

The normal vector of the inclined section of the surface of the deflection element preferably has a directional component which points in the radial direction out of the collecting container. Due to a surface configured in this way a helical suction air flow inside the collecting container can be achieved in a particularly reliable manner.

Furthermore, the normal vector of the inclined section of the surface of the deflection element is preferably aligned toward the second end face of the collecting container. Thus a helical suction air flow inside the collecting container toward the second end face of the collecting container can be achieved in a particularly reliable manner.

It may be noted that at least one portion of the inclined section of the surface of the deflection element can serve as a support surface for the flexible flap of the separating unit (as explained above). Thus a change in the direction of flow of the suction air flow can be achieved in a particularly reliable manner.

As already explained, the housing wall of the collecting container preferably runs cylindrically, in particular circular cylindrically, about the longitudinal axis. The deflection element can run annularly along the inside of the housing wall around the longitudinal axis. In this case the annular deflection element can have an outer edge facing the housing wall and an inner edge facing away from the housing wall, in particular facing the filter unit of the separating unit.

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

The inner edge at the first angular position can have an inner edge distance with a first distance value from a reference plane disposed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis (wherein the reference plane for example corresponds to the reverse of the deflection element facing away from the surface of the deflection element). At the first angular position the outer edge can have an outer edge distance with a second distance value from the reference plane. The first distance value can be less than the second distance value.

As already explained, the collecting container can have a particular total length from the first end face to the second end face. The second distance value can for example be between 0.5% and 2% of the total length higher or larger than the first distance value. Thus the inclined section of the surface of the deflection element can be provided in a particularly reliable manner.

The inner edge distance and the outer edge distance can align with increasing angular distance, in particular progressively, so that as from a second angular position the inner edge distance and the outer edge distance have the same distance value, in particular the first distance value. The second angular position is (in the circumferential direction) preferably between 70° and 110°, for instance 90°, away from the first angular position. By aligning the distance values, the normal vector of the surface of the deflection element can little by little be aligned in parallel to the longitudinal axis. Thus a particularly reliable change in the direction of flow of the suction air flow can be achieved.

The inner edge distance and the outer edge distance can each have the same distance value as from the second angular position. In this case the shared distance value can (progressively) increase with increasing angular distance from the second angular position, in particular such that the inner edge distance and the outer edge distance have a third distance value at a third angular position. The third angular position can for example be between 350° and 360°, for instance between 353° and 359°, away from the first angular position. Furthermore, the third distance value can be 5% or more, in particular between 5% and 20%, of the total length of the collecting container higher or larger than the first distance value.

Between the third angular position and the first angular position, the surface of the annular deflection element can have a step at which the distance value of the inner edge distance and of the outer edge distance is reduced (abruptly) to the second distance value or to the first distance value.

Thus a deflection element can be provided which (in the circumferential direction) has a ramped surface which acts on the suction air flow in the collecting container (and thus serves as a guide surface for the suction air flow). Thus a helical suction air flow can be achieved in a particularly reliable manner.

As already explained, the separating unit can include an (annular) ejection and/or compacting element which is configured to be moved inside the collecting container in order to compact the dirt particles disposed in the collecting container and/or to eject them from the collecting container. The ejection and/or compacting element can in particular be configured (starting from the initial position, for example disposed at the first end face) to be moved along the longitudinal axis over the surface of the filter unit (in particular toward the second end face of the collecting container). In the initial position the ejection and/or compacting element is preferably disposed along the radial direction (in respect of the longitudinal axis) flush with the inlet opening (in particular with the first transverse edge of the inlet opening).