Vacuum cleaner for household and industrial application

• US 4,370,776 A
• Filed: 08/07/1981
• Issued: 02/01/1983
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/1980
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Progress-Elektrogerate MAUZ & Pfeiffer GmbH & Company Lauterstrasse
• Original Assignee: Progress-Elektrogerate MAUX & Pfeiffer GmbH & Company
• Inventors: Kullik, Gunter R. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Moore, Chris K.
• Application Number:
  US06/291,101
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 15/319, 15/412
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 7/0676 by action on flow sources G05D7/0688, G05D7/0694 take precedence

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner, for household and industrial purposes, including a suction fan, driven by an electric motor, for generating a working air flow, and an electrical converter, in the form of a generator driven by the working air flow, for detecting the strength of the working air flow, the output of the generator being connected with a regulating and control circuit.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner for home and industry, comprising:

a housing having an inlet for drawing in dirt-laden air with a working air flow, and an outlet for discharging environmentally acceptable air;

an electric motor mounted in said housing;

a suction fan mounted in said housing and driven by said electric motor for generating said working air flow in the form of a vacuum flow;

an electrical converter in the form of a generator mounted in said housing and driven by said working air flow, said generator detecting the strength of said working air flow; and

a regulating and control circuit associated with said housing for regulating the speed of said electric motor, the output of said generator being connected with said regulating and control circuit.

2. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, which includes an air turbine mounted in said housing, said air turbine being operatively connected with said generator and being arranged in said working air flow.

3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, in which said air turbine is independently journalled, and which includes a coupling element interposed between and interconnecting said air turbine and said generator.

4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, in which said air turbine and said generator form a single structural unit.

5. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, in which said generator includes a generator shaft, said air turbine being mounted on said shaft.

6. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, in which said air turbine is provided with at least one air guiding means for deflecting and guiding said working air flow which drives said air turbine.

7. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, which includes a tubular structural element mounted in said housing, at least one of said air turbine and said generator being arranged in said tubular element.

8. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, in which both said air turbine and said generator are arranged in said tubular structural element, and in which said tubular element is provided with guide elements for selectively guiding and deflecting said working air flow which passes therethrough.

9. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, in which said air turbine and said generator are arranged on the suction side of said suction fan.

10. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, in which said electric motor, said suction fan, said generator, and said air turbine are all coaxially arranged.

11. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, in which said tubular structural element includes an opening for receiving said working air flow therein, and which includes a dome-like mantle which surrounds said tubular element and has an opening located in the vicinity of said opening of said tubular element.

12. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, in which said suction fan and said electric motor form a motor-blower unit which is provided with its own housing, and in which said air turbine and said generator are respectively provided with a housing, said housing of at least one of said air turbine and said generator being integrally connected with said housing of said motor-blower unit.

13. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, which includes a flow route, for said working air flow, between said air turbine, said generator, and said motor-blower unit.

14. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, in which the entire working air flow passes through said air turbine.

15. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, which includes a branch line of working air flow, only part of said working air flow passing through said air turbine.

16. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, in which the proportion of said working air flow conveyed to said air turbine is variable.