Coupling System for a Suction Apparatus, and Component of a Suction Apparatus Having a Coupling Element

This application claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. § 119, of German Patent Application DE 10 2024 203 009.0, filed Mar. 28, 2024; the prior application is herewith incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The invention relates to a suction apparatus, in particular a cordless and/or hand-guided vacuum cleaner, having a coupling system for connection of an accessory.

A suction apparatus, in particular a hand-held vacuum cleaner, typically contains 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 store of the suction unit. The fan is configured to generate a suction air current in order to suck dirt through the suction nozzle of the suction unit into a collection container of the suction unit. The suction nozzle of the suction unit is typically configured as a coupling element, via which in each case an accessory consisting of a set of different accessories can be connected to the suction unit. Examples of accessories include a suction tube, a floor suction nozzle, a brush suction nozzle, a crevice suction nozzle, a wiper suction nozzle, etc.

U.S. patent publication 2020/0069131 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner having a suction tube. German utility model DE 20 2023 104 457 U1 describes an adapter for a vacuum cleaner. International patent disclosure WO 2011/132366 A1 describes a vacuum cleaner having a suction tube and an electrical connector.

The present document is concerned with the technical object of providing a particularly stable, robust and convenient coupling system for a suction apparatus.

The object is achieved in each case by the subject matters of the individual independent claims. Advantageous forms of embodiment are in particular defined in the dependent claims, described in the following description, or illustrated in the appended drawing.

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 apparatus. The coupling system contains a first coupling element having a contact surface and a tubular connecting piece protruding along a longitudinal axis compared to the contact surface of the first coupling element and a second coupling element having a contact surface, a housing and a tubular receiving area for the tubular connecting piece of the first coupling element. The tubular receiving area, starts from the contact surface of the second coupling element, extends along the longitudinal axis into the housing of the second coupling element. The first coupling element further has at least one first plug-in unit disposed along a transverse axis next to the tubular connecting piece. The second coupling element further has at least one second plug-in unit disposed along the transverse axis next to the tubular receiving area. The at least one second plug-in unit is configured to form, with the at least one first plug-in unit of the first coupling element, an electrically conductive plug-in connection. The at least one second plug-in unit has a protective wall protruding along the longitudinal axis compared to the contact surface of the second coupling element. The tubular connecting piece of the first coupling element has a guide contour. The second coupling element has a guide contour complementary to the guide contour of the tubular connecting piece. The guide contour of the second coupling element begins at the protective wall of the second plug-in unit and extends along the longitudinal axis into the tubular receiving area. The guide contours of the first and second coupling elements are configured to interact, such that due to the guide contours any twisting of the first coupling element compared to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis is blocked.

In accordance with one aspect a coupling system for connecting different suction-air-guiding components of a suction apparatus (in particular of a hand-guided and/or cordless vacuum cleaner) are described. The coupling system contains a first coupling element and a second coupling element, which can be connected to one another in order to connect two components of the suction apparatus to one another. The first coupling element can be arranged on a first component and the second coupling element can be arranged on, in particular fastened to, a second component. By connecting, in particular by plugging together, the first and the second coupling elements the first and the second components can be connected to one another. Examples of components include a suction unit (having a fan and a separation unit, a suction tube, a floor nozzle, a wiper nozzle, etc.).

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

The second coupling element contains a (complementarily configured) tubular receiving area for the connecting piece of the first coupling element which, starting from the contact surface of the second coupling element, extends along the longitudinal axis into the housing of the second coupling element. The connecting piece can be plugged into the receiving area along the longitudinal axis, in order to connect the first and the second coupling element to one another. In this case the contact surfaces of both the coupling elements rest on one another if both the coupling elements are connected to one another. Suction air can then be conveyed through the receiving area and through the connecting piece. Using the connecting piece of the first coupling element and the receiving area of the second coupling element an extension of the tubular duct for the suction air current of the suction apparatus can thus be achieved.

The suction unit of the suction apparatus can have an electrical energy store for the provision of electrical energy for operation of the fan of the suction apparatus. Furthermore, a component coupled to the suction unit can comprise an electrically operated actuator (e.g. an electric motor), which is operated with electrical energy from the energy store. Alternatively or additionally, the coupled component can comprise a sensor for capturing sensor data. The coupling system can be configured to transmit electrical energy for operation of the actuator and/or of the sensor and/or data for control of the actuator and/or sensor data of the sensor.

The first coupling element contains at least one first plug-in unit, which is arranged along the transverse axis next to the connecting piece. The first plug-in unit can be configured as a jack.

The transverse axis of the coupling system is preferably arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. The coupling system can further have a vertical axis which is arranged perpendicular 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 point of origin of the coordinate system can be arranged in a center point of the coupling system.

The second coupling element contains at least one second plug-in unit, which is arranged along the transverse axis next to the receiving area, and which is configured to form, with the first plug-in unit of the first coupling element, an electrically conductive plug-in connection. If the first and the second coupling element are moved toward one another along the longitudinal axis in order to plug the connecting piece into the receiving area, the plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in unit can be achieved by the same movement. The second plug-in unit can be configured as a plug-in connector.

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

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

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

The guide contour of the second coupling element can thus start immediately 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 in parallel to) the longitudinal axis into the receiving area of the second coupling element. Thus a relatively long guide contour can be provided.

The guide contours can be configured to interact such that any twisting of the first coupling element compared to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis (as the axis of rotation) is blocked by the guide contours. Alternatively or additionally, by the interaction of the guide contours it is possible to guide the plugging together of both the coupling elements along the longitudinal axis.

Thus a coupling system is described which has guide contours which have a particularly great length along the longitudinal axis. In this way a relative movement of the coupled-together coupling elements of the coupling system can be reliably prevented. Furthermore, in this way a particularly reliable transmission of forces and/or (bending) torques via the coupling system can be achieved.

The guide contours can each have a border area which during a plug-in procedure faces the border area of the other guide contour in each case along the longitudinal axis (for plugging both the coupling elements together). The border areas can each correspond to a start of the respective guide contour. The border area 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) transversely to the longitudinal axis and/or transversely to the transverse axis and/or along the vertical axis, by which the threading of the guide contours along the longitudinal axis is supported during the plug-in procedure. The width can for example be changed by 10% or more, in particular by 20% or more, compared to the width outside the border area. The change in the width can be achieved smoothly along the longitudinal axis. In this way both the coupling elements can be plugged together particularly conveniently and reliably.

The guide contours of the first coupling element and of 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, along the second plug-in unit (and in parallel thereto) of the longitudinal axis into the receiving area. In particular, the guide contour of the first coupling element can comprise a guide rib which is arranged on the external wall of the connecting piece, and which extends along (and in parallel to) the longitudinal axis. On the other hand, 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 internal wall of the receiving area, and which extends along (and in parallel to) the longitudinal axis. In an alternative example the guide contour of the first coupling element is configured as a guide groove and the guide contour of the second coupling element as a guide rib.

By providing a tongue-and-groove connection a particularly reliable and robust connection of both the coupling elements can be achieved.

The first plug-in unit of the first coupling element can, starting from the contact surface of the first coupling element, extend 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 recess having a wall which, starting from the contact surface of the first coupling element, extends along the longitudinal axis and which touches the protective wall of the second plug-in unit if the electrically conductive plug-in connection between the first and the second plug-in unit exists.

The first plug-in unit can in particular be configured as a recessed basin which, starting from the contact surface of the first coupling element, is recessed into the housing of the first coupling element. The protective wall of the second plug-in unit of the second coupling element can rest on the wall of the first plug-in unit surrounding the basin if the electrically conductive plug-in connection exists.

The guide contour of the first coupling element extends along the longitudinal axis preferably into the recess, in particular by at least 2 mm into the recess. In this way the length of the guide contour along the longitudinal axis can be further increased, as a result of which the robustness and stability of the connection between the coupling units are further increased.

The first plug-in unit of the first coupling unit can have two contact bolts, which are arranged along the vertical axis behind or above one another. In a corresponding manner the second plug-in unit of the second coupling unit can have two contact pins for contacting the two contact bolts of the first plug-in unit, which are arranged along the vertical axis behind or above one another. In this way a particularly reliable transmission of electrical energy and/or of data can be achieved.

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

Thanks to the partition wall and thanks to the protective wall both the contact pins can thus each be encased individually.

The guide contour of the second coupling element and the partition wall can be arranged at the same height in respect of the vertical axis. In this case the partition wall can act as a mechanical support for a section of the guide contour. In this way a particularly stable guide contour of the second coupling element can be provided.

The first plug-in unit of the first coupling element can have one or more clamping elements on the floor of the recess (in particular of the basin), which are configured to clamp the partition wall (e.g. between two clamping elements) if the electrically conductive plug-in connection between the first plug-in unit and the second plug-in unit exists. By clamping the partition wall the stability of the connection between both the coupling elements can be further improved.

The connecting piece has an end face facing the receiving area of the second coupling element. The end face of the connecting piece is preferably configured to be oblique in respect of the longitudinal axis, so that at different points the end face of the connecting piece is at different distances from the contact surface of the first coupling element. The end face of the connecting piece can for example be arranged in a plane which runs in parallel to the transverse axis but which is inclined about the transverse axis, resulting in an oblique suction nozzle which is typically advantageous for operation of the suction apparatus.

The guide contour of the first coupling element preferably does not extend as far as the end face of the connecting piece, but ends at a particular distance along the longitudinal axis in front of the end face of the connecting piece. In this way a particularly convenient and reliable plugging together of both the coupling elements can be achieved.

The guide contour of the first coupling element can in particular be at a distance from the end face of the connecting piece, such that substantially simultaneously during a plug-in procedure (for plugging both the coupling elements together):

Alternatively or additionally, the protective wall of the second plug-in unit can, starting from the contact surface of the second coupling element, have a particular length. The particular distance of the guide contour of the first coupling element from the end face of the connecting piece, in particular from the point of the end face of the connecting piece which is furthest away from the contact surface of the first coupling element, and the particular length of the protective wall of the second plug-in unit (starting from the contact surface of the second coupling element) preferably deviate from one another by a maximum of 20%, in particular by a maximum of 10%.

Thanks to a guide contour configured in this way and thanks to a connecting piece configured in this way it is possible to plug both the coupling elements together particularly reliably and conveniently.

As already explained, 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 for example protrude by a first length compared to the contact surface of the second coupling element, and the protective wall of the second plug-in unit can protrude by a second length compared to the contact surface of the second coupling element. The second length can be greater than the first length. The second length can in particular be greater by 2 mm or more than the first length. In this way a particularly robust coupling system can be provided.

The first coupling unit can in each case have a first plug-in unit along the transverse axis on both sides of the connecting piece. In a corresponding manner, the second coupling unit along the transverse axis on both sides of the receiving area can in each case have a second plug-in unit. Both the first plug-in units and both the second plug-in units can each in pairs form an electrically conductive plug-in connection. One of the two electrically conductive plug-in connections can be configured for the transmission of electrical energy for operation of an actuator (e.g. of an electric motor) and/or of a sensor. The other electrically conductive plug-in connection can be configured for the transmission of data, in particular for the transmission of control data for controlling the actuator and/or for transmitting sensor data. In this way a coupling system for a suction apparatus having an enhanced functionality can be provided. Furthermore, thanks to the spatial separation of data transmission and energy transmission (on opposing sides of the connecting piece or of the receiving area) it is possible to achieve fault-free operation of the suction apparatus.

Both the electrically conductive plug-in connections can be configured and/or encoded mechanically differently, such that incorrect plugging together, in particular rotated by 180°, of the first coupling element and of the second coupling element is prevented. For example, on the protective wall of (exactly) one of the two second plug-in units, a web can be arranged which is pushed into a corresponding groove in the wall of the recess 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 web, and the other first plug-in unit does not have this groove. In this way, a particularly convenient and reliable coupling system can be provided.

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

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

The guide contours can in each case be configured to interact in pairs, such that thanks to the guide contours any twisting of the first coupling element compared to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis is blocked.

By providing pairs of guide contours on both (opposing) sides of the connecting piece or of the receiving area a particularly robust and stable connection between the coupling elements can be achieved.

In accordance with a further aspect a first coupling element for the coupling system described in this document is described. In particular, a first coupling element is described which contains a tubular connecting piece which protrudes along the longitudinal axis compared to the contact surface of the first coupling element, and which is configured to be plugged into a tubular receiving area of the second coupling element of the coupling system, wherein the receiving area, starting from the contact surface of the second coupling element, extends along the longitudinal axis into the housing of the second coupling element.

The first coupling element can comprise at least one first plug-in unit which is arranged along the transverse axis next to the connecting piece, and which is configured to form, with the second plug-in unit of the second coupling element, an electrically conductive plug-in connection, wherein the second plug-in unit of the second coupling element is arranged along the transverse axis next to the receiving area, and wherein the second plug-in unit of the second coupling element has a protective wall which protrudes along the longitudinal axis compared to the contact surface of the second coupling element.

The connecting piece of the first coupling element has a guide contour which is arranged on the external wall of the connecting piece, and which faces the first plug-in unit. The guide contour of the first coupling element can be configured so that it interacts with the complementary guide contour of the second coupling element, such that thanks to the guide contours any twisting of the first coupling element compared to the second coupling element about (around) the longitudinal axis is blocked. In this case 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 area.

In accordance with a further aspect a second coupling element for the coupling system described in this document is described. In particular, a second coupling element is described which contains a tubular receiving area for the connecting piece of the first coupling element of the coupling system. The receiving area extends, starting from the contact 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 compared to the contact surface of the first coupling element.

The second coupling element can comprise a second plug-in unit which is arranged along the transverse axis next to the receiving area, and which is configured to form, with the first plug-in unit of the first coupling element, an electrically conductive plug-in connection, and which has a protective wall which protrudes along the longitudinal axis compared to the contact surface of the second coupling element. The first plug-in unit of the first coupling element can be arranged along the transverse axis next to the connecting piece.

The second coupling element has a guide contour which is configured 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 area. The guide contour of the second coupling element can be configured to interact with the guide contour of the first coupling element, such that thanks to the guide contours any twisting of the first coupling element compared to the second coupling element about the longitudinal axis is blocked.

In accordance with a further aspect a further coupling system for connection of different suction-air-guiding components of a suction apparatus are described. It may be noted that the features described in this document (in particular the features described above) of a coupling system can also be used individually or in combination for this coupling system.