Suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner, comprising a dust flow display device

• US 20070180648A1
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Published: 08/09/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Original Assignee: Miele & CIE KG
• Inventors: Andrup, Klemens, Wolf, Cornelius, Tiekoetter, Stefan, Liebig, Oliver, Kara, Seyfettin, Becker, Diethard, Stork, Heiko, Schultz, Rainer
• Granted Patent: US 7,805,803 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/281 the amount or condition of incoming dirt or dust
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays

Abstract

The invention relates to a suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner, that can be connected to a suction pipe and/or a suction tube of the vacuum cleaner. Said suction nozzle (2) comprises a nozzle part that can be connected to the suction pipe or the suction tube of the vacuum cleaner by means of a tubular connection part (2.2). A dust sensor (11) is arranged in the flow path of the vacuum cleaner, the signals thereof being evaluated by a battery-operated electronic control device that can be activated by a low-pressure switch. During operation, said control device controls a display device (9,16) displaying the dust flow. The control device, the low-pressure switch, the display elements (9,16) displaying the dust flow, and a battery compartment (8) for receiving the batteries are arranged in a housing (7) formed on the upper side of the tubular connection part (2.2). The dust sensor is arranged beneath the housing (7), inside the upper region of the connection part (2.2), in the dust air stream. Said arrangement can be used to create an easily visible ergonomically favourable dust flow display. A mounting position that is advantageous in terms of flow is also provided for the dust sensor. Fine dust particles can still not be reliably detected with the piezoelectric sensor, enabling the degree of purity to be monitored in an actively functional manner.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner having at least one of a suction wand and a suction hose, the suction nozzle comprising:

a nozzle part having a suction mouth;

a tubular connection part configured to connect to at least one of the suction wand and the suction hose;

a dust sensor disposed in a dust-air stream inside an upward portion of the connection part, the dust sensor being insertable underneath a housing of the connection part through an opening formed on an upper side of the connection part so as to protrude into the dust-air stream near an upper wall area of the connection part;

an indicating device having indicating elements indicating a dust flow, the indicating elements being disposed in a receiving chamber formed at the upper side of the connection part; and

an electronic control device configured to analyze signals of the dust sensor and controlling the indicating device during operation.

16. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 15, further comprising a holding device having a receiving element and being disposed at the upper side of the connection part, wherein the dust sensor is a piezoelectric dust sensor disposed in the receiving element and protrudes at an angle into the dust-air stream and wherein the receiving element is insertable, together with the sensor, into an interior of the connection part through the opening.

17. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 16, wherein the the angle is 25 to 50 degrees relative to the upper wall of the connection part.

18. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 16, further comprising a printed circuit board disposed at the upper side of the holding device and wherein the control device and the indicating elements are mounted on the printed circuit board.

19. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 18, further comprising a low-pressure switch disposed above the printed circuit board, a battery compartment disposed in the housing below the holding device, current conducting elements, and batteries disposed in the battery compartment and in communication with the control device via the current-conducting elements, wherein the control device is battery-operated and activatable by the low-pressure switch.

20. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 19, wherein the low-pressure switch includes an air inlet port in communication with dust-air stream inside the connection part via an aperture, the air inlet port being located in a wind shadow of at least one of the receiving element, the holding device and of the dust sensor.

21. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 15, wherein the housing includes an upwardly directed viewing window for the dust-flow indicator, the light signals of the indicating elements being displayable to an outside through the viewing window.

22. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 21, further comprising a printed circuit board and wherein the indicating elements include LEDs and are disposed on the printed circuit board and spaced from viewing window by a distance defined according to a light radiation of the LEDs, so that when the LEDs are activated a flat illumination is achieved for the viewing window.

23. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 22, further comprising a reflector mounted on the printed circuit board behind the indicating elements and reflecting light beams of the indicating elements toward the viewing window.

24. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 15, wherein the connection part includes a closable further opening in a lower wall opposite the dust sensor and allowing the dust sensor to be accessed from outside.

25. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 16, wherein the connection part includes snap-in locking and fastening elements on the upper side, and wherein the housing includes an upper housing shell, the upper housing shell and the holding device being attachable to the snap-in locking and fastening elements.

26. The suction nozzle for a vacuum cleaner as recited in claim 15, further comprising a parking aid mounted at a lower side of the connection part.

27. A connection part for a suction nozzle of a vacuum cleaner, the connection part comprising:

a first connecting portion disposed at a first side of the connection part and connectable to connector member of a suction nozzle;

a second connecting portion disposed at a second opposite side of the connection part and connectable to at least one of a suction wand and a suction hose of the vacuum cleaner;

a dust sensor disposed in a dust-air stream inside an upward portion of the connection part, the dust sensor being insertable underneath a housing of the connection part through an opening formed on an upper side of the connection part so as to protrude into the dust-air stream near an upper wall area of the connection part; and

an indicating device having indicating elements indicating a dust flow, the indicating elements being disposed in a receiving chamber formed at the upper side of the connection part.