Method of determining the degree of filling of the dust collector of a vacuum cleaner and filling indicator

• US 7,987,550 B2
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Issued: 08/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nilfisk-Advance A/S (Nilfisk Holding A/S)
• Original Assignee: Nilfisk-Advance A/S (Nilfisk Holding A/S)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Anders Hedelund
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US11/885,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20080134461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,978 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/47, 153/39
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2821 Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• 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

Abstract

In order to measure the degree of filling of a dust collector (5), where the dust (15, 16) collected in the dust collector may be of a very varied composition ranging from very fine dust (15) to rather large particles (16), a high pressure difference and a low pressure difference are measured by two differential pressure meters (11, 12), where the one differential pressure meter (12) measures the pressure difference between the compartment (4) of the dust collector, in which the dust collector (5) is arranged, and a measurement position at the connecting stub (6) of the vacuum cleaner, as is known, while the other differential pressure meter (11) measures between two measurement positions inside the connecting stub (6). Hereby, the method and the filling indicator according to the invention will ensure that larger particles do not settle inside the connecting stub (6) since these are detected beforehand by the differential pressure meter (11) which records lower pressure differences that the differential pressure meter (12).

Claims

1. A method of determining the degree of filling of the dust collector (5) of a vacuum cleaner (1), said vacuum cleaner having a compartment (4) for receiving the dust collector, said compartment having a connecting stub (6) for receiving a vacuum cleaner hose, wherein a differential pressure, P_p=(P2−

P1), between an area inside the compartment, but outside the bag, and an area inside the connecting stub is measured, wherein a further differential pressure, P_t=(P3−

P1), is measured between a first area and a second area in the connecting stub.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the one area is disposed near the end of the connecting stub (6) where it is passed into the dust collector (5), and the other area is disposed at a suitable distance inside the connecting stub relative to the said end of the connecting stub.

3. A filling indicator for determining the degree of filling of the dust collector (5) of a vacuum cleaner (1) which is arranged in a compartment (4) in the vacuum cleaner, said dust collector (5) being connected with a connecting stub (6), wherein the degree of filling of the dust collector is determined by a differential pressure meter (12) at two measurement positions, where the one measurement position (P2, P3) is positioned inside the compartment (4) outside the bag (5), while the other measurement position is positioned inside the connecting stub (6), wherein a differential pressure meter (11) with two measurement positions (P1, P3) is additionally provided, where both measurement positions are positioned inside the connecting stub (6).

4. A filling indicator according to claim 3, wherein the one measurement position (P3) is positioned in the connecting stub near the end of the connecting stub where it is passed into the dust collector, while the other measurement position (P1) is positioned at a distance from the one measurement position.

5. A filling indicator according to claim 4, wherein the other measurement position (P1) is common to the two differential pressure measurements.

6. A filling indicator according to claim 3, wherein inside the connecting stub, a pipe (7) is arranged axially with the connecting stub, said pipe extending at its one end from the end of the connecting (6) where it is passed into the dust collector (5), and being terminated at its other end by a transverse pipe member (8).

7. A filling indicator according to claim 3, wherein a transverse pipe member (9) is additionally arranged in the connecting stub (6) at a distance from the end where the connecting stub is passed into the dust collector.

8. A filling indicator according to claim 7, wherein the length of the axial pipe (7) is at least 5 mm, preferably 50 mm.