Coupling System for a Suction Device Having Guide Contours, Coupling Elements, a Suction-Air-Guiding Component and Suction Device

This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2024 203 011.2, filed Mar. 28, 2024; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The invention relates to a suction device, in particular to a cordless and/or handheld vacuum cleaner, containing a coupling system for attaching an accessory.

A suction device, in particular a handheld vacuum cleaner, typically contains a suction unit which can be held and controlled by a user's hand. The suction unit has a fan which is powered by electrical energy from an electrical energy accumulator of the suction unit. The fan is constructed so as to generate a suction air flow in order to draw impurities through the suction mouth of the suction unit into a collection container of the suction unit. The suction mouth of the suction unit is typically in the form of a coupling element, by means of which in each case one accessory from a number of different accessories can be connected to the suction unit. Examples of accessories include a suction pipe, a floor suction nozzle, a brush suction nozzle, a gap suction nozzle, a mop suction nozzle, etc.

U.S. patent publication No. 2020/0069131 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner containing a suction pipe. German utility model DE 20 2023 104 457 U1 describes an adapter for a vacuum cleaner. International patent disclosure WO 2011/132 366 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner containing a suction pipe and an electrical connector.

The present document addresses the technical problem of providing a particularly sturdy, robust and convenient coupling system for a suction device.

This problem is solved by the subject matter of each of the individual independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are defined in particular in the dependent claims, described in the following description, or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a coupling system for connecting to different suction-air-guiding components of a suction device. The coupling system contains a first coupling element having a housing, a bearing surface and a tubular connecting piece protruding along a longitudinal axis relative to the bearing surface of the first coupling element and a second coupling element having a housing, a bearing surface and a tubular receiving region for receiving the tubular connecting piece of the first coupling element. The tubular receiving region extends starting from the bearing surface of the second coupling element along the longitudinal axis into the housing of the second coupling element. The first coupling element further has at least a first plug-in unit which is disposed next to the tubular connecting piece along a transverse axis. The first plug-in unit has a wall with a depression, the wall extends starting from the bearing surface of the first coupling element along the longitudinal axis into the housing of the first coupling element. The second coupling element has at least a second plug-in unit which is disposed next to the tubular receiving region along the transverse axis. The second plug-in unit is configured so as to form an electrically conductive plug-in connection together with the first plug-in unit of the first coupling element. The tubular connecting piece of the first coupling element has a guide contour. The guide contour on the tubular connecting piece of the first coupling element extends along the longitudinal axis into the depression. The second coupling element has a guide contour which is complementary thereto. The guide contours of the first and second coupling elements are configured so as to interact with one another such that a twisting of the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis is blocked by the guide contours.

According to one aspect, a coupling system for connecting different suction-air-guiding components of a suction device (in particular of a handheld and/or cordless vacuum cleaner) is described. The coupling system contains a first coupling element and a second coupling element which can be interconnected in order to interconnect two components of the suction device. The first coupling element can be arranged on a first component, and the second coupling element can be arranged on, in particular fixed to, a second component. By connecting, in particular by plugging together, the first and second coupling elements, the first and second components can be interconnected. Examples of components include a suction unit (containing a fan and a separation unit, a suction pipe, a floor nozzle, a mop nozzle, etc.).

The first coupling element contains a tubular connecting piece which protrudes (e.g. by 5 cm or more, or by 7 cm or more) along a longitudinal axis of the coupling system relative to the bearing surface of the first coupling element.

The second coupling element contains a tubular receiving region (having a complementary form) for the connecting piece of the first coupling element, which extends starting from the bearing surface of the second coupling element along the longitudinal axis into the housing of the second coupling element. The connecting piece can be plugged into the receiving region along the longitudinal axis in order to interconnect the first and second coupling elements. In this case, the bearing surfaces of the two coupling elements lie against one another when the two coupling elements are interconnected. Suction air can then be conveyed through the receiving region and through the connecting piece. By means of the connecting piece of the first coupling element and the receiving region of the second coupling element, the tubular channel for the suction air flow of the suction device can thus be extended.

The suction unit of the suction device can have an electrical energy accumulator for providing electrical energy to power the fan of the suction device. Furthermore, a component coupled to the suction unit can comprise an electrically powered actuator (e.g. an electric motor) which is powered by electrical energy from the energy accumulator. Alternatively or additionally, the coupled component can comprise a sensor for collecting sensor data. The coupling system can be configured to transmit electrical energy to power the actuator and/or the sensor and/or to transmit data for controlling the actuator and/or to transmit sensor data from the sensor.

The first coupling element contains at least a first plug-in unit which is arranged next to the connecting piece along the transverse axis. The first plug-in unit can be in the form of a socket.

The transverse axis of the coupling system is preferably arranged perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis. The coupling system can further have a vertical axis which is arranged perpendicularly to the transverse axis and to the longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axis, the transverse axis and the vertical axis can correspond to the axes of a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. The origin point of the coordinate system can be arranged at a central point of the coupling system.

The second coupling element comprises at least a second plug-in unit which is arranged next to the receiving region along the transverse axis, and which is constructed so as to form an electrically conductive plug-in connection together with the first plug-in unit of the first coupling element. When the first and the second coupling element are guided toward one another along the longitudinal axis in order to plug the connecting piece into the receiving region, the plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in unit can be produced by means of the same movement. The second plug-in unit can be in the form of a plug connector.

The second plug-in unit has a protective wall which protrudes (e.g. by 5 mm or more, in particular by 7 mm or more, in particular by 10 mm or more) along the longitudinal axis relative to the bearing surface of the second coupling element. The protective wall can thus extend starting from the bearing surface of the second coupling element toward the bearing surface of the first coupling element. The electrically conductive plug-in connection can be configured to transmit electrical energy or to transmit data.

The connecting piece of the first coupling element has a guide contour. The guide contour can extend along the longitudinal axis on the outer wall of the connecting piece (and can thus be arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis). Furthermore, the guide contour on the connecting piece of the first coupling element preferably faces the first plug-in unit. The connecting piece can be divided into two halves, in particular into an upper half and a lower half, for example by a bisecting plane which corresponds to the plane spanned by the longitudinal axis and by the transverse axis. The guide contour of the connecting piece can be arranged (completely) within the bisecting plane.

The second coupling element comprises a guide contour which is constructed so as to be complementary to the guide contour of the connecting piece, which guide contour extends, beginning at the protective wall of the second plug-in unit, along the longitudinal axis into the receiving region. The guide contour of the second coupling element can be arranged (completely) within the bisecting plane of the receiving region. The guide contour of the second coupling element can extend in particular starting from the end face, which faces away from the bearing surface of the second coupling element of the protective wall of the second plug-in unit, along the longitudinal axis into the receiving region. The guide contour can extend into the receiving region for example by 2 cm or more, in particular by 5 cm or more.

The guide contour of the second coupling element can thus begin right at the protruding protective wall, in particular at the end face of the protruding protective wall, of the second plug-in unit. Furthermore, the guide contour can extend along (and parallel to) the longitudinal axis into the receiving region of the second coupling element. A relatively long guide contour can thus be provided.

The guide contours can be constructed so as to interact with one another in such a way that a twisting of the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis (as an axis of rotation) is blocked by the guide contours. Alternatively or additionally, the interaction of the guide contours can guide the plugging-together of the two coupling elements along the longitudinal axis.

A coupling system is thus described which has guide contours which have a particularly long length along the longitudinal axis. A relative movement of the coupling elements of the coupling system which are coupled to one another can thus be reliably prevented. Forces and/or (bending) moments can thus be transmitted in a particularly reliable manner by means of the coupling system.

The guide contours can each have an edge region which faces the edge region of the other guide contour in each case in a plug-in process along the longitudinal axis (for plugging together the two coupling elements). The edge regions can correspond in each case to a start of each guide contour. The edge region of at least one guide contour can have a reduced width (e.g. in the case of a rib) or an increased width (e.g. in the case of a groove) transverse to the longitudinal axis and/or transverse to the transverse axis and/or along the vertical axis, by means of which a threading of the guide contours is supported in the plug-in process along the longitudinal axis. The width can be changed for example by 10% or more, in particular by 20% or more, relative to the width outside the edge region. The width can be changed smoothly along the longitudinal axis. The two coupling elements can thus be plugged together in a particularly convenient and reliable manner.

The guide contours of the first coupling element and the second coupling element can form a tongue-and-groove connection which extends along the longitudinal axis from the protective wall, in particular from the end face of the protective wall, of the second plug-in unit along (and parallel to) the longitudinal axis into the receiving region. In particular, the guide contour of the first coupling element can include a guide rib which is arranged on the outer wall of the connecting piece and which extends along (and parallel to) the longitudinal axis. Secondly, the guide contour of the second coupling element can comprise a guide groove which runs in the protective wall of the second plug-in unit and in the inner wall of the receiving region and which extends along (and parallel to) the longitudinal axis. In an alternative example, the guide contour of the first coupling element is in the form of a guide groove, and the guide contour of the second coupling element is in the form of a guide rib.

By providing a tongue-and-groove connection, a particularly reliable and robust connection of the two coupling elements can be produced.

The first plug-in unit of the first coupling element can extend, starting from the bearing surface of the first coupling element, into the housing of the first coupling element (e.g. by 5 mm or more, or by 7 mm or more). Alternatively or additionally, the first plug-in unit can have a depression having a wall which extends starting from the bearing surface of the first coupling element along the longitudinal axis, and with which the protective wall of the second plug-in unit is in contact when there is an electrically conductive plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in unit.

The first plug-in unit can be in particular in the form of a recessed tank, which is counter-sunk into the housing of the first coupling element, starting from the bearing surface of the first coupling element. The protective wall of the second plug-in unit of the second coupling element can lie against the wall surrounding the tank when the electrically conductive plug-in connection is present.

The guide contour of the first coupling element preferably extends along the longitudinal axis into the depression, in particular into the depression by at least 2 mm. The length of the guide contour along the longitudinal axis can thus be further increased, by means of which the robustness and the sturdiness of the connection between the coupling units is further increased.

The first plug-in unit of the first coupling unit can have two studs which are arranged one after the other or one above the other along the vertical direction. In a corresponding manner, the second plug-in unit of the second coupling unit can have two contact pins for contacting the two studs of the first plug-in unit which are arranged one after the other or one above the other along the vertical axis. Electrical energy and/or data can thus be transmitted in a particularly reliable manner.

The second plug-in unit can have a dividing wall arranged between the two contact pins. The dividing wall can protrude (analogously to the protective wall) relative to the bearing surface of the second coupling element. The end face of the dividing wall can be arranged flush with the end face of the protective wall. In other words, the dividing wall and the protective wall can have the same length along the longitudinal axis.

By means of the dividing wall and the protective wall, each of the two contact pins can thus be individually surrounded.

The guide contour of the second coupling element and the dividing wall can be arranged at the same height in relation to the vertical axis. In this case, the dividing wall can act as a mechanical support for a sub-portion of the guide contour. A particularly sturdy guide contour of the second coupling element can thus be provided.

The first plug-in unit of the first coupling element can have one or more clamping elements on the bottom of the depression (in particular of the tank), which elements are constructed so as to clamp the dividing wall (e.g. between two clamping elements) when there is an electrically conductive plug-in connection between the first plug-in unit and the second plug-in unit. By clamping the dividing wall, the sturdiness of the connection between the two coupling elements can be further improved.

The connecting piece has an end face which faces the receiving region of the second coupling element. The end face of the connecting piece is preferably constructed so as to be oblique in relation to the longitudinal axis so that the end face of the connecting piece is at a different distance from the bearing surface of the first coupling element at different points. The end face of the connecting piece can be arranged for example in a plane which runs parallel to the transverse axis, but which is tilted about the transverse axis so as to produce an oblique suction mouth which is typically advantageous for the operation of the suction device.

The guide contour of the first coupling element preferably does not extend as far as the end face of the connecting piece, but rather ends at a specific distance along the longitudinal axis before the end face of the connecting piece. The two coupling elements can thus be plugged together in a particularly convenient and reliable manner.

The guide contour of the first coupling element can in particular be at a distance from the end face of the connecting piece in such a way that, in a plug-in process (for plugging together the two coupling elements), at substantially the same time, the end face of the connecting piece begins to dip into the receiving region of the second coupling element; and the guide contours of the first coupling element and of the second coupling element begin to mechanically interact, in particular in order to block a twisting of the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis.

Alternatively or additionally, the protective wall of the second plug-in unit can have a specific length starting from the bearing surface of the second coupling element. The specific distance of the guide contour of the first coupling element from the end face of the connecting piece, in particular from the point on the end face of the connecting piece which is at the greatest distance from the bearing surface of the first coupling element, and the specific length of the protective wall of the second plug-in unit (starting from the bearing surface of the second coupling element) differ from one another preferably by at most 20%, in particular by at most 10%.

By means of a guide contour constructed in such a way, and by means of a connecting piece constructed in such a way, it is possible to plug together the two coupling elements in a particularly reliable and convenient manner.

As already set out, the second plug-in unit of the second coupling element can comprise at least one electrically conductive contact pin. The protective wall of the second plug-in unit preferably extends along the longitudinal axis beyond the contact pin, in particular by 2 mm or more. The contact pin can protrude for example with a first length relative to the bearing surface of the second coupling element, and the protective wall of the second plug-in unit can protrude with a second length relative to the bearing surface of the second coupling element. The second length can be greater than the first length. The second length can be greater than the first length in particular by 2 mm or more. A particularly robust coupling system can thus be provided.

The first coupling unit can have a first plug-in unit along the transverse axis on each of the two sides of the connecting piece. In a corresponding manner, the second coupling unit can have a second plug-in unit along the transverse axis on each of the two sides of the receiving region. The two first plug-in units and the two second plug-in units can each form in pairs an electrically conductive plug-in connection. One of the two electrically conductive plug-in connections can be configured to transmit electrical energy to power an actuator (e.g. an electric motor) and/or a sensor. The other electrically conductive plug-in connection can be configured to transmit data, in particular to transmit control data to control the actuator and/or to transmit sensor data. A coupling system for a suction device having an expanded range of functions can thus be provided. Furthermore, by means of the spatial separation of data transfer and energy transfer (on opposite sides of the connecting piece or of the receiving region) error-free operation of the suction device can be achieved.

The two electrically conductive plug-in connections can be mechanically configured and/or coded differently so as to prevent the first coupling element and the second coupling element from being plugged together incorrectly, in particular when rotated by 180°. By way of example, on the protective wall of (precisely) one of the two second plug-in units, a connecting portion can be arranged which is inserted into a corresponding groove in the wall of the depression of the corresponding first plug-in unit when the electrically conductive plug-in connection is formed. The other second plug-in unit does not have this connecting portion, and the other first plug-in unit does not have this groove. A particularly convenient and reliable coupling system can thus be provided.

The connecting piece of the first coupling element can have a guide contour along the transverse axis on each of the two sides of the connecting piece. The two guide contours can each be arranged in the bisecting plane of the connecting piece.

In a corresponding manner, the second coupling element can have a guide contour which is complementary thereto along the transverse axis on each of the two sides of the receiving region, which each extend, beginning at the protective wall (in particular beginning at the end face of the protective wall) of each second plug-in unit along the longitudinal axis, into the receiving region. The two guide contours can each be arranged in the bisecting plane of the receiving region.

The guide contours can each be constructed in pairs so as to interact with one another in such a way that a twisting of the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis is blocked by the guide contours.

By providing pairs of guide contours on the two (opposite) sides of the connecting piece and of the receiving region respectively, a particularly robust and sturdy connection can be produced between the coupling elements.

According to another aspect, a first coupling element is described for the coupling system described in this document. In particular, a first coupling element is described which comprises a tubular connecting piece which protrudes along the longitudinal axis relative to the bearing surface of the first coupling element, and which is constructed so as to be inserted into a tubular receiving region of the second coupling element of the coupling system, wherein the receiving region extends, starting from the bearing surface of the second coupling element, along the longitudinal axis into the housing of the second coupling element.

The first coupling element can comprise at least a first plug-in unit which is arranged next to the connecting piece along the transverse axis, and which is constructed so as to form an electrically conductive plug-in connection together with the second plug-in unit of the second coupling element. The second plug-in unit of the second coupling element is arranged next to the receiving region along the transverse axis, and the second plug-in unit of the second coupling element has a protective wall which protrudes along the longitudinal axis relative to the bearing surface of the second coupling element.

The connecting piece of the first coupling element has a guide contour which is arranged on the outer wall of the connecting piece and which faces the first plug-in unit. The guide contour of the first coupling element can be constructed so as to interact with the complementary guide contour of the second coupling element in such a way that a twisting of the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis is blocked by the guide contours. In this arrangement, the guide contour of the second coupling element extends, beginning at the protective wall of the second plug-in unit, along the longitudinal axis into the receiving region.

According to another aspect, a second coupling element is described for the coupling system described in this document. In particular, a second coupling element is described which comprises a tubular receiving region for the connecting piece of the first coupling element of the coupling system. The receiving region extends, starting from the bearing surface of the second coupling element, along the longitudinal axis into the housing of the second coupling element. The tubular connecting piece of the first coupling element protrudes along the longitudinal axis relative to the bearing surface of the first coupling element.

The second coupling element can comprise a second plug-in unit which is arranged next to the receiving region along the transverse axis and which is constructed so as to form an electrically conductive plug-in connection together with the first plug-in unit of the first coupling element, and which has a protective wall which protrudes along the longitudinal axis relative to the bearing surface of the second coupling element. The first plug-in unit of the first coupling element can be arranged next to the connecting piece along the transverse axis.

The second coupling element has a guide contour which is constructed so as to be complementary to the guide contour on the connecting piece of the first coupling element, and which extends, beginning at the protective wall of the second plug-in unit, along the longitudinal axis into the receiving region. The guide contour of the second coupling element can be constructed so as to interact with the guide contour of the first coupling element in such a way that a twisting of the first coupling element relative to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis is blocked by the guide contours.

According to another aspect, another coupling system is described for connecting different suction-air-guiding components of a suction device. It should be noted that the features described in this document (in particular the above-described features) of a coupling system can also be applied to this coupling system individually or in combination.