Highly efficient autonomous vacuum cleaner

• US 7,356,873 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2002
• Issued: 04/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Innovation SARL
• Original Assignee: Nielsen Innovation SARL
• Inventors: Nielsen, Henrik
• Primary Examiner(s): Redding; David A
• Application Number:
  US10/482,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20050125937A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,113 Days
• Field of Search: 153/26, 153/49, 15350-352, 153/87, 153/89, 154/12, 15D/IG.1
• US Class Current: 15/326
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/22 with rotary fans
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/32 with means for connecting a hose hose couplings for suction cleaners A47L9/24
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: F04D 29/444 Bladed diffusers

Abstract

The invention provides a vacuum cleaner comprising in particular a structure mounted on transport members (R, R′) and carrying an electrically-driven turbine (T) for acting through a filter membrane (M) to establish suction in a collector (S) of particles picked up from the floor and entrained to the collector by a flow of air via a transfer duct (C), characterized in that said turbine (T) comprises a set of blades (P) and a nozzle (1) having a box constituted by an upstream portion (11) in the form of a volute centered on the axis of the blades and a diverging downstream portion (12) into which the upstream portion opens out and that communicates with the outside.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising a structure mounted on transport members and carrying an electrically-driven turbine for acting through a filter membrane to establish suction in a collector of particles picked up from the floor and entrained to the collector by a flow of air via a transfer duct, wherein said turbine comprises a set of blades and a nozzle comprising:

a box constituted by an upstream portion in the form of a volute centered on the axis of the blades, and

a diverging downstream portion into which the upstream portion opens out and that communicates with the outside, wherein

said diverging downstream portion is provided with longitudinal internal partitions progressively diverging away from each other, for subdividing and slowing down the flow of air.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the wall of the box and the partitions are made of a material that is acoustically insulating and/or absorbs vibration.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the said diverging downstream portion communicates with the outside via side orifices provided in the wall of the box of the nozzle.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the upstream end of said duct is suitable for being connected to a head formed by a roller carrying an outer peripheral brush and internal fins for beating the floor.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said head is driven in rotation by an internal motor whose shaft is connected coaxially to the rotary shaft of said roller.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein said transfer duct is a flexible hose removably connected to said head.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein the upstream end of said hose is provided with a rigid endpiece serving both to provide a leaktight connection with a spout carried by said head and to provide a handhold for vacuum cleaning without using the head.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein the hose is also extensible.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said transport members are disposed at the bottom portion, and optionally at the top portion of the structure.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said particle transfer duct includes a hinge between a bottom segment and a top segment and enabling said duct to be opened.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein said bottom segment of the transfer duct is provided with a box for receiving heavy particles.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein said structure contains at least one rechargeable electrical battery for powering the turbine and/or rotating the head.