MEANS FOR CLEANING FILTERS IN WET AND DRY VACUUM CLEANERS

Abstract: A means for cleaning the filters (8, 9, 20) in wet and dry vacuum cleaners consisting of at least one motor (3, 4, 27), provided with a filter, in conjunction with the vacuum cleaner and drawing liquid, dust or equivalent substance into the tank (10) of the vacuum cleaner. In the means of the invention, for cleaning purposes a blowing circulation can be produced through the filter (8, 9, 20), which is opposite in direction to the normal direction in which the air passes through, using the own motor (3, 4, 27) of the vacuum cleaner.

Description: Means for cleaning filters in wet and dry vacuum cleaners The present invention concerns a means for cleaning filters in we and dry vacuum cleaners, said means consisting of at least one motor provided with a filter, in conjunction with the vacuum clea er, and which draws- the liquid, dust or equivalent matter into th tank of the vacuum cleaner. A drawback of this kind αf vacuum cleaners of prior art is that cleaning αf the filters is carried out either by disposal αr by manual cleaning. This is either expensive or unhygienic. The obje αf the present invention is to provide a new kind of means for cleaning the filters in wet and dry vacuum cleaners. The means of the invention is characterized in that for cleaning purposes a blowing circulation can be produced through the filter, opposite i direction to the normal direction in which the air passes through, using the own motor of the vacuum cleaner. With the- aid .of the invention, cleaning of the filters is substantially faster, and less handling of dust and refuse is required. The cleaning which takes place faster and with greater ease increases the effective¬ ness of the means in the working environment. An advantageous embodiment αf the invention, in which the vacuum cleaner has two motors, each provided with a filter, is character¬ ized in that in the suction air exit port of the vacuum cleaner there is a shut-off valve known in itself in the art, by closing which and operating only one motor a cleaning blowing circulation can be produced in the filter associated with the other motor. Since the vacuum cleaner is very often provided with two motors, the cleaning blowing circulation of the invention is therefore eas to accomplish. This is a solution which is not only reliable in operation but also advantageous. Another embodiment of the invention, wherein the vacuum cleaner ha one motor with filter, is characterized in that in the duct betwee the filter and the motor has been inserted an auxiliary filter, provided with a shut-off valve, and another by-pass duct, provided with a shut-of-f valve, lesding to the exhaust air space, whereby in the filter- can be produced a cleaning blowing circulation by open¬ ing the shut-off valves. This is another embodiment, which is like¬ wise reliable in operation and applicable on vacuum cleaner types having one motor of which the direction αf blowing cannot be changed. The invention is described in the following with the aid of examples and referring to the attached drawings, in which Figs 1-4 present the means according to one embodiment. Figs 5-6 present the means αf another embodiment. In Fig. 1, a two-motor vacuum cleaner is shown in normal use. In Fig. 2, the filter on motor A is being cleaned and motor B is running, and the shut-off valve 6 is closed to the exhaust air. In Fig. 3, the filter on motor B is being cleaned and motor A is running, and the shut-off valve 6 is closed to the exhaust air. Fig. 4 depicts the cleaning αf the filter- on motor A, but forced circulation is in use because the intake port 13 is closed and the shut-off valve 6 is closed. The same cleaning system operates even more efficiently when the number of motors is increased. Fig. 5 shows a single-motor vacuum cleaner in normal use with the valve 22 of the auxiliary filter 19 closed and the valve 21 in the by-pass tube closed. The exhaust valve 16 is open. Fig. 6 depicts the cleaning of the filter of a single-motor vacuum cleaner through an auxiliary filter 19. The shut-off valve 26 of the main filter 20 is closed and the valve 16 in the exhaust pipe is closed. The shut-off valve 22 αf the auxiliary filter 19 is open and the shut-off valve 21 is open. By these functions, an efficient forced circulation is achieved. The shut-off valve is controlled by one push rod 17. It is obvious to a person skilled in the art that the invention is not confined tα the examples presented in the foregoing but may vary within the scope of the claims stated below.

Claims: C I aims ~ 1 . A means for cleaning the filters (8,9,20) in wet and dry vacu cleaners consisting of at least one motor (3,4,27) provided with filter, associated with the vacuum cleaner and drawing liquid, du or equivalent substance into the tank (10) of the vacuum cleaner, characte ized in that in the filter (8,9,20) can be produced a blowing circulation which is opposite in direction to the normal direction in which the air passes through, using the own motor (3,4,27) of the vacuum cleaner. 2. Means according to claim 1, said vacuum cleaner having two motors (3,4) provided with filter (8,9), characterized in that in the suction air exit port <7> of the vacuum cleaner there is a shut-off valve (6) known in itself in the art, by closing which a using only one motor a cleaning blowing circulation is achievable in the filter associated with the other motor. 3. Means according to claim 1, said vacuum cleaner having one motor (27) provided with filter (20), characterized in that in th duct between the filter (20) and the motor (27) has been inserted an auxiliaray filter (19) provided with a shut-off valve (23) and another by-pass duct (21), provided with a shut-off valve (22), leading into the exit air space (24) of the motor, whereby in the filter (20) a cleaning blowing circulation can be produced by opening the shut-off valves (22,23).

Inventors: OLLILA MARTTI, OLLILA, MARTTI
Applicants: OLLILA MARTTI, OLLILA, MARTTI
Application year: 1984
Main classification: A47L9
IPC codes: A47L9