Measuring system for the control of residual dust in safety vacuum cleaners

• US 6,779,380 B1
• Filed: 08/07/2001
• Issued: 08/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Wap Reinigungssysteme GmbH & Co. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Wap Reinigungssysteme GmbH & Co. (Baxter International Inc.)
• Inventors: Nieuwkamp, Wolfgang
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rogers, David A.
• Application Number:
  US09/869,614
• Time in Patent Office: 1,113 Days
• Field of Search: 73/280.1, 73/280.4, 73/280.5, 73/530.1, 73/530.4, 73/541.1, 73/541.4, 73/617.1, 73/617.3, 73/644.8
• US Class Current: 73/28.01
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2831 Motor parameters, e.g. motor load or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• 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 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/2205 with filters
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/0656 using electric, e.g. electrostatic methods or magnetic methods by investigating individual particles G01N15/1031, G01N15/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2001/2223 aerosol sampling devices
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/60 by investigating electrostatic variables , e.g. electrographic flaw testing G01N27/007 takes precedence

Abstract

A safety vacuum cleaner including a measuring system for residual dust monitoring, including a housing having an air passage with an inlet, an outlet, and a flow cross section. A turbine is disposed within the air passage and is rotatable to move an air stream through the air passage, the air stream containing dust particles. The turbine is electrically grounded such that electrical charges associated with the particles are removed upon contact of the particles with the turbine. A filter element is disposed within the air passage, and at least one electrode is disposed within the air passage downstream of the turbine, the electrode shaped as a grid covering the flow cross section of the air passage. The electrode conducts an electrical current responsive to contact with uncharged particles and emits a measurement signal indicative of the amount of the particles in the air stream.

Claims

1. A safety vacuum cleaner including a measuring system for residual dust monitoring, comprising:

a housing including an air passage having an inlet, an outlet, and a flow cross section;

a turbine at least partially disposed within said air passage, said turbine rotatable to move an air stream through said air passage, the air stream containing dust particles, said turbine electrically grounded such that electrical charges associated with the particles are removed upon contact of the particles with said turbine;

a filter element disposed within said air passage; and

at least one electrode disposed within said air passage downstream of said turbine, said electrode shaped as a grid covering said flow cross section of said air passage, said electrode conducting an electrical current responsive to contact with uncharged particles and emitting a measurement signal indicative of the amount of the particles in the air stream.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said outlet comprises an outlet tube having an open end portion, said electrode positioned within said open end portion.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said electrode is mounted within said air passage proximate said turbine.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said turbine includes at least one turbine blade disposed within a turbine housing, said electrode mounted within said turbine housing proximate said at least one turbine blade.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein all portions of said air passage, besides said electrode, are one of directly and artificially grounded.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a differential amplifier and a processing unit, said differential amplifier amplifying said measurement signal and conducting said measurement signal to said processing unit.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein said processing unit carries out beatwise a comparison of said measurement signal with a desired value, said processing unit delivering an output signal when said measurement signal undershoots or exceeds said desired value.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein said output signal results in one or more of the following:

one of an optical and an acoustic alarm is given;

said turbine is switched off;

said filter element is changed; and

a second turbine and filter are activated.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein said processing unit is interfaced with one of an external data processing installation and a computer.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said measurement signal is shown on a display, said displayed measurement signal corresponding to one or more of the following:

a direct measurement signal;

a correlating particle number;

a proportional filter blocking; and

a degree of filter damage.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a storage unit, said storage unit receiving and storing said measurement signal.