Sweeper with electromagnetic filter cleaning
First Claim
1. A sweeping machine including a housing, wheels for moving the housing, a sweeping brush mounted on the housing, a hopper positioned adjacent the brush to receive dust and debris therefrom, a dust collection chamber on the housing, a vacuum fan mounted on the housing and creating an air flow path from the brush through the hopper and to the dust collection chamber, a filter element in said air flow path, said filter element including a plurality of generally parallel pleats having folds extending in a direction transverse to the air flow path, a pleat moving element extending generally transverse to said pleats and having means thereon for engaging said pleats, an actuator, a mounting element for said actuator positioned adjacent said pleats, a bar associated with said actuator and movable upon actuation thereof, said bar being connected to said pleat moving element, yielding means connected between said bar and said mounting element, and means for applying pulsed power to said actuator, thereby moving said bar and said pleat moving element and the pleats associated therewith in a first direction, with said yielding means moving said bar and said pleat moving element and the pleats associated therewith in a second direction upon termination of the pulsed power to said actuator, whereby said pleat moving element imparts a shaking, cleaning movement to said pleats.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A sweeping machine has a housing, wheels for moving the housing, a sweeping brush mounted on the housing, a hopper positioned adjacent the brush to receive dust and debris therefrom, a dust collection chamber on the housing, and a vacuum fan mounted on the housing and creating an air flow path from the brush through the hopper and to the dust collection chamber. There is a filter element in the air flow path, with the filter element including a plurality of generally parallel pleats having folds extending in a direction transverse to the air flow path. There is a pleat moving element extending generally transverse to the pleats and engaged with the pleats. An electric actuator is mounted on top of the pleats and a bar is associated with the actuator and movable upon actuation thereof. There is a spring connected between the pleat moving element and the filter frame. The application of pulsed electric power to the actuator with the electromagnetic field caused thereby moving the pleat moving element and the pleats associated therewith in a first direction, with the spring moving the pleat moving element and the pleats associated therewith in a second direction, with movement in said first and second directions imparting a shaking, cleaning movement to the pleats.
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Citations
28 Claims
- 1. A sweeping machine including a housing, wheels for moving the housing, a sweeping brush mounted on the housing, a hopper positioned adjacent the brush to receive dust and debris therefrom, a dust collection chamber on the housing, a vacuum fan mounted on the housing and creating an air flow path from the brush through the hopper and to the dust collection chamber, a filter element in said air flow path, said filter element including a plurality of generally parallel pleats having folds extending in a direction transverse to the air flow path, a pleat moving element extending generally transverse to said pleats and having means thereon for engaging said pleats, an actuator, a mounting element for said actuator positioned adjacent said pleats, a bar associated with said actuator and movable upon actuation thereof, said bar being connected to said pleat moving element, yielding means connected between said bar and said mounting element, and means for applying pulsed power to said actuator, thereby moving said bar and said pleat moving element and the pleats associated therewith in a first direction, with said yielding means moving said bar and said pleat moving element and the pleats associated therewith in a second direction upon termination of the pulsed power to said actuator, whereby said pleat moving element imparts a shaking, cleaning movement to said pleats.
- 16. A pleated air filter and means for cleaning it, said filter including a frame, a plurality of generally parallel pleats mounted in said frame, said pleats each having spaced parallel upper and lower folds, an elongated pleat moving element associated with said pleat upper folds, an electric coil mounted on said frame above the pleat upper folds, means for applying pulsed electric power to said coil to create an electromagnetic field thereby, which pulsed electromagnetic field causes reciprocal movement of said pleat moving element in a first direction transverse to said generally parallel pleats, a spring connected to said pleat moving element and said frame for moving said pleat moving element in a second direction transverse to said generally parallel pleats, whereby movement in said first and second directions imparts a shaking, cleaning movement to said pleats.
Specification