Auxiliary apparatus for better vacuuming effect

• US 8,635,741 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2010
• Issued: 01/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Industrial Technology Research Institute
• Inventors: Peng, Wen-Yang, Tsai, Ya-Hui, Liu, Chun-Hsien
• Primary Examiner(s): REDDING, DAVID A
• Application Number:
  US12/915,912
• Publication Number:
  US 20120047679A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,187 Days
• Field of Search: 153/39, 153/47, 153/87, 152/462
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/248 Parts, details or accessories of hoses or pipes nozzles A47L9/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2868 Arrangements for power supply of vacuum cleaners or the accessories thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2889 Safety or protection devices or systems, e.g. for prevention of motor over-heating or for protection of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/30 Arrangement of illuminating devices

Abstract

An auxiliary apparatus for better vacuum cleaning effect, comprising: a first frame, formed with a first entrance and a first exit connected to the first entrance by a channel; a second frame, formed with a second entrance and a second exit, both arranged at positions between the first entrance and the first exit while being connected to the channel; and an energy harvester, wherein an airflow entering the first frame through the first entrance is split into a first airflow and a second airflow while enabling the first airflow to flow toward the first exit and the second airflow to flow into the second frame through the second entrance where it is guided toward the energy harvester for driving the same, and then the second airflow is guided to flow out of the second exit and enters the first frame for merging with the first airflow.

Claims

1. An auxiliary apparatus for better vacuum cleaning effect, comprising:

a first frame, formed with a first entrance and a first exit in a manner that the first entrance is connected to the first exit by a channel;

a second frame, disposed at a side of the first frame while being formed with a second entrance and a second exit in a manner that the second entrance and the second exit are arranged at positions between the first entrance and the first exit and are connected to the channel of the first frame; and

an energy harvester, for converting wind energy into electricity;

wherein the first frame, the second frame, and the energy harvester are constructed and arranged such that a main airflow being induced to enter the first frame through the first entrance is split into a first airflow and a second airflow while enabling the first airflow to flow toward the first exit and the second airflow to flow into the second frame through the second entrance so as to be guided toward the energy harvester for driving the same to generate electricity, and then the second airflow is guided to flow out of the second exit and enters the first frame where it is merged with the first airflow for flowing out of the first frame through the first exit.

2. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second frame further comprises:

a filter, disposed at a position between the second entrance and the energy harvester for enabling the second airflow to flow passing the filter before entering the energy harvester.

3. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first frame, the second frame, and the energy harvester are constructed and arranged such that the flow rate of the second airflow is smaller than that of the first airflow, and the first and the second airflows are induced to flow in different directions.

4. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy harvester further comprises:

an electric generator; and

an energy harvesting unit, for harvesting wind energy of the second airflow to be used for driving the electric generator to generate electricity.

5. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 4, wherein the energy harvesting unit is an impeller, and the electric generator is a coreless rotary permanent-magnet electric generator.

6. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 5, wherein the impeller is a device selected from the group consisting of:

an axial-flow impeller and a damper impeller.

7. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 4, wherein the energy harvester is a light-weight oscillating object, and the electric generator is an oscillating coreless linear permanent-magnet electric generator.

8. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 4, wherein the energy harvester is a device of oscillating blades, and the electric generator is an oscillation piezoelectric generator.

9. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 1, wherein the energy harvester is connected to at least one light emitting devices for enabling the same to be driven to emit light by the electricity generated from the energy harvester.

10. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 9, wherein the at least one light emitting device is arranged on the outer sidewall of the second frame.

11. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second frame is formed with a hollow section at a position between the second entrance and the energy harvester so as to be used for enabling the interior of the second frame to communicate with its ambient environment.

12. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 11, wherein the second frame further has a switch received therein, the switch is configured with a plurality of switching positions including a first switching position, a second switching position and a third switching position, in a manner that the hollow section is closed for enabling the second entrance to communicate with the energy harvester when the switch is enable to be positioned at the first switching position, the hollow section is opened while blocking the communication between the hollow section and the second entrance for enabling the hollow section to communicate with the energy harvester when the switch is enable to be positioned at the second switching position, and the hollow section is opened while blocking the communication between the hollow section and the energy harvester for enabling the hollow section to communicate with the second entrance when the switch is enable to be positioned at the third switching position.

13. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 12, wherein the switch further comprises:

a screen, capable of being selectively placed at a close position or an open position according to the switching of the switch, and in consequence, enabling the hollow section to be closed or opened.

14. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first frame has a plurality of block panels disposed therein in a manner that each of the plural block panels is arranged extending from the inner sidewall of the first frame toward the first entrance by a specific length while enabling an included angle to be formed between the referring block panel and the inner sidewall, and there is at least one of the plural block panels being arranged at a side of the second entrance that is proximate to the first entrance, and there are at least two of the plural block panels other than those arranged in the second entrance that are arranged at the two opposite sides of the second exit while allowing one of the two block panels to be arranged at a side of the second exit that is proximate to the first exit.

15. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 14, wherein the included angle is smaller than 90 degrees.

16. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 12, wherein when the switch is positioned at the third switching position, an external airflow is induced to flow toward the filter.

17. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 16, wherein the first frame, the second frame, and the energy harvester are constructed and arranged such that the external airflow blowing through the filter is capable of blowing off the dust attached to the filter.

18. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 17, wherein the first frame, the second frame, and the energy harvester are constructed and arranged such that the external airflow passing through the filter along with the dust from the filter is guided to flow out of the second frame through the second exit 22 and then enter the first frame.

19. The auxiliary apparatus of claim 18, wherein the external airflow entering the first frame is merged with the first airflow before being directed to flow out of the first frame through the first exit.

20. An auxiliary apparatus for better vacuum cleaning effect, comprising:

a first frame, formed with a first entrance and a first exit in a manner that the first entrance is connected to the first exit by a channel;

a second frame, disposed at a side of the first frame while being formed with a second entrance and a second exit in a manner that the second entrance and the second exit are arranged at positions between the first entrance and the first exit and are connected to the channel of the first frame; and

an energy harvester, for converting wind energy into electricity;

wherein a main airflow being induced to enter the first frame through the first entrance is split into a first airflow and a second airflow while enabling the first airflow to flow toward the first exit and the second airflow to flow into the second frame through the second entrance so as to be guided toward the energy harvester for driving the same to generate electricity, and then the second airflow is guided to flow out of the second exit and enters the first frame where it is merged with the first airflow for flowing out of the first frame through the first exit and

wherein the second frame is not disposed and received inside the first frame.