DUST COLLECTION DEVICE

Abstract: A dust collection device (10) comprises a housing (12) and an outlet, usually in the form of a flexible open-ended pipe, for attaching the housing (12) to a vacuum pump. The housing (12) has a drilling aperture (16) for receipt of a dust causing drill bit (18) during use. The housing (12) comprises a flexible material arranged, in use, to collapse, thereby coupling the dust collection device (10) to a surface (21) by suction. The dust collection device (10) further comprises an inner core (22) that prevents substantially full collapse of the housing (12) during suction. The inner core (22) has at least one aperture (26) arranged to allow a flow of air down the inner core (22), through the at least one aperture (26) and to the outlet, whereby the dust collection device is, in use, independently held against the surface by the suction induced by the vacuum pump.

Description: -1 - DUST COLLECTION DEVICE This invention relates to a dust collection device and in particular to a device for the collection of dust produced during drilling. It is known that drilling holes into walls or other surfaces causes dust and debris to be produced. If a substantially vertical surface such as a wall is being drilled the bulk of this debris will fall in an area radiating from the location of the drilling. This can be particularly problematical if the area around the drill site should be kept clean for cosmetic or especially for hygienic reasons. With the increase in the do-it-yourself (DIY) industry more and more people are using hand held drills at home, frequently in furnished rooms. Clearing up after drilling in such rooms is both time consuming and can involve a considerable degree of effort. Indeed, in some cases where particular floor coverings or soft furnishings are involved it may not be possible to clean the surroundings completely. Prior art solutions to this problem include a substantially annular cup-type device that is held against the wall to be drilled while a drill bit is passed through the centre of the annulus and some of the dust and debris produced by the drilling process is caught in the cup. The drill is then removed from the surface being drilled, followed by the cup. However, several problems arise with this solution such as: the cup failing to collect some of the debris; some of the debris collected by the cup being dropped in the removal process, leading to a trail of debris from the drill site; and safety difficulties with a device which has to be held by a user's hand while the user operates a high speed drill with his other hand. The final difficulty is highlighted because the devices are generally produced from high impact plastic which could shatter if the drill slips or the user lets go his grip on the housing of the device. Finally these devices only work on substantially vertical surfaces as they require gravity to cause the dust and debris to fall into the cup. -2- One example of such a device is disclosed in German utility model DE GM 8021785 which discloses such a high impact plastic device, with the addition of a brush-type mechanism affixed to a central aperture in the device, which is intended to brush debris from the drill bit during use. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a dust collection device comprising a housing and means for attachment of the housing to a vacuum pump, the housing having a drilling aperture for receipt of a dust-causing drill bit and wherein: the housing comprises a flexible material arranged, in use, to collapse, thereby coupling the dust collection device to a surface by suction; and the dust collection device further comprises an inner core that prevents substantially full collapse of the housing during suction, the inner core having at least one aperture arranged to allow a flow of air down the inner core, through the at least one aperture, to the means for attachment of the housing to the vacuum pump. Preferably, the housing is transparent and is formed from a flexible material. Most preferably, the housing is formed from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene or natural rubber. Preferably, the means for attachment is an aperture, configured to receive a flexible vacuum pump hose. Preferably, the vacuum pump is a domestic vacuum cleaner. Preferably, the inner core is moulded with the housing as a one-piece moulding, although the core may be made of a separate rigid plastic. Alternatively, the device may include replaceable adhesive means for attaching the housing to a surface during use. -3- According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of drilling a hole in a surface, including the steps of: (a) attaching the dust collecting device of the first aspect of the present invention to a vacuum pump; (b) placing the dust collecting device on the surface with the drilling aperture above the site to be drilled, and actuating the vacuum pump to effect suction of the dust collecting device to the surface; (c) drilling the hole by utilising a drill, a drill bit of which is fed through the drilling aperture; (d) removing the drill bit, and destroying the suction; and (e) removing the dust collecting device from the surface. Advantageously, the dust collection device of the preferred embodiment enables effective dust collection in a drilling environment, whilst also overcoming the aforementioned difficulties associated with the prior art. More particularly, the structure of the preferred embodiment of the present invention allows a drill operator to use both hands to stabilise the drill, since the dust collection device develops a seal (through suction) against a surface that can, in use, independently hold the dust collection device in place. Embodiments of the present invention are illustrated, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a device in accordance with the present invention, prior to the actuation of a vacuum pump; FIGURE 2 illustrates a front elevational view of the device of Figure 1 after the actuation of a vacuum pump; FIGURE 3 illustrates a plan view from above of the device of Figure 1 ; FIGURE 4 illustrates an enlarged view of an inner core of a device in accordance with the present invention; FIGURE 5 illustrates a side elevational view of a second embodiment of a device in accordance with the present invention; and -4- FIGURE 6 illustrates a plan view from above of the device of Figure 5. With reference to Figures 1 to 3 there is illustrated a dust collection device 10 comprising a housing 12 and means for attachment of the housing to a vacuum pump (not shown). The aforementioned means for attachment is in the form of an aperture 14 configured to receive a flexible vacuum pump hose 20. The housing 12 also has an aperture 16 for receipt of a dust causing drill bit 18, during use. The housing 12 is transparent and is preferably formed from a flexible material such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene or natural rubber. The means for attachment, as shown in FIGURE 1 and FIGURE 2, is preferably integrally formed as part of the housing 12, and more typically takes the form of an open-ended pipe or tube that extends from the housing. Beneficially, the pipe limits leverage imposed, during use, on the collapsed housing (shown in FIGURE 2) by the vacuum hose. The vacuum pump is a domestic vacuum cleaner that can be operated from a normal mains supply in the usual fashion. The housing 12 is substantially hemispherical and is arranged such that actuation of the vacuum pump results in attachment of a base flange 23 of the housing 12 to a surface 21 by suction, as will be described in detail below. Given the general power provided by standard household vacuum cleaners it is preferable that a solid non-variable rigid core 22 is used. Such a core 22 may be moulded with the housing 12 as a one-piece moulding or may be made of a rigid plastic. The core 22 includes one or more apertures 26 arranged to allow a flow of air down the core 22, through the one or more apertures 26, to the aperture 14. The core 22 also comprises a flange 25, at its end remote from the aperture 16, in order to stabilise the core 22 during -5- use and to prevent buckling of the core 22 or housing 12. This design causes an air pressure away from the open end of the aperture 16, thus minimising the loss of dust or debris through the aperture 16. In other words, a suction towards aperture 14 is produced. In an alternative embodiment, as illustrated in Figure 4, the device has a rigid inner core 22 formed from a threaded pipe 24 having a pair of apertures 26 and an adjustable base in the form of a nut 28. Adjustment of the nut 28 results in variation in the size of the aperture 26 which alters the percentage enclosure of the annular housing. 12. Therefore, if a powerful vacuum cleaner is used a larger aperture can be provided which will allow greater suction of dust around the aperture 16. However, if a lower power vacuum cleaner is used a smaller aperture 26 is provided, in order to allow the housing 12 to be held, by the vacuum, to the surface being drilled. When using the device, the housing 12 is placed on the surface 21 to be drilled with the aperture 16 placed above the site to be drilled. Actuating the vacuum cleaner produces a suction that causes the device 10 to be held to the surface, such as a wall. The bit 18 of a drill is then passed through the aperture 16 and the surface is drilled in the normal fashion. The drill is then removed and the vacuum cleaner deactivated, allowing removal of the device 10. As the vacuum is produced within the housing 12 the housing 12 will flex such that the core 22 is brought into contact with the surface 21 to be drilled. This prevents complete collapse of the housing 12 that would result in overheating or burn out of the vacuum cleaner. Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a second embodiment of the present invention, in which the housing 12 is held to the surface 21 to be drilled by a ring 30 of adhesive material surrounding the base of the aperture 16. Thus, the housing 12 need not be held to the surface 21 by a vacuum. The housing 12 is attached to a vacuum pump via a hose 20 as discussed above and -6- actuation of the vacuum pump will cause collection of dust and debris from the cavity 32 within the housing 12. The housing is substantially "U" shaped which allows access for the drill bit 18 through the aperture 16 while minimising any route for escape of dust from the device other than through the nozzle 20. The devices as described above are advantageous in that they will work on horizontal, angled or vertical surfaces. They will also work across brick work and other roughened surfaces. Also, the devices are preferably transparent, enabling better visual access to the drill site. Modifications may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the devices may comprise differently shaped, i.e. rectangular as opposed to a hemispherical or annular shaped housing. Also, the so-called central core 22 may be offset from the centre of the device 10 and the apertures 26 may be slots or holes.

Claims: -7- Claims 1. A dust collection device (10) comprising a housing (12) and means for attachment of the housing (12) to a vacuum pump, the housing (12) having a drilling aperture (16) for receipt of a dust causing drill bit (18) and wherein: the housing (12) comprises a flexible material arranged, in use, to collapse, thereby coupling the dust collection device (10) to a surface (21 ) by suction; and the dust collection device further comprises an inner core (22) that prevents substantially full collapse of the housing (12) during suction, the inner core (22) having at least one aperture (26) arranged to allow a flow of air down the inner core (22), through the at least one aperture (26), to the means for attachment of the housing (12) to the vacuum pump. 2. The dust collection device (10) as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the housing (12) is transparent. 3. The dust collection device (10) as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the means for attachment is a connection aperture (14) configured to receive a flexible vacuum pump hose (20). 4. The dust collection device (10) as claimed in claim 3, wherein the connection aperture (14) is at an end of a pipe. 5. The dust collection device (10) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the vacuum pump is realised by a domestic vacuum cleaner. 6. The dust collection device (10) as claimed in any preceding, wherein the housing (12) is formed from one of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), neoprene and natural rubber. -8- 7. The dust collection device (10) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the inner core (22) is moulded with the housing (12) as a one-piece moulding. 8. The dust collection device (10) as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the inner core (22) is made of a rigid plastic. 9. The dust collection device (10) as claimed in any preceding claim, further including replaceable adhesive means (30) for effecting, during use, attachment of the housing (12) to the surface (21 ). 10. The dust collection device (10) of any preceding claim, wherein said at least one aperture (26) is variable in size. 11. The dust collection device (10) of any preceding claim, wherein the means for attachment of the housing to the vacuum pump is integrally formed with the housing (12). 12. A method of drilling a hole in a surface (21 ), including the steps of: (a) attaching a dust collecting device (10) as claimed in any preceding claim to a vacuum pump; (b) placing the dust collecting device (10) on the surface (21 ) with the drilling aperture (16) above the site to be drilled, and actuating the vacuum pump to effect suction of the dust collecting device to the surface; (c) drilling the hole by utilising a drill, a drill bit (18) of which is fed through the drilling aperture (16); (d) removing the drill bit (18), and destroying the suction; and (e) removing the dust collecting device (10) from the surface (21 ).

Inventors: SMITH RICHARD, SMITH, RICHARD
Applicants: ALOUETTE INNOVATION LTD, SMITH RICHARD, ALOUETTE INNOVATION LIMITED, SMITH, RICHARD
Application year: 1999
Main classification: B23Q11
IPC codes: B23Q11