DUST CONTAINER FOR A VACUUM CLEANER

Abstract: A dust container comprising a dust bag (10), a collar (11) fastened to the bag, and a flexible membrane (16) with a membrane opening (17), where the flexible membrane partly covers an inlet opening (15) that can be at least partly sealed by means of a guillotine arrangement having a plate-shaped element (21), which is provided with an opening and is moved parallel to the plane of the collar. The opening of the plate-shaped element is designed such that a rear part of the plate-shaped opening, as seen in a moving direction of the plate-shaped element from an open to a closed position, is provided with a forwardly extending portion (26) whose central section is place further forward, as seen in the moving direction, than the adjacent side parts of the plate-shaped opening.

Description: DUST CONTAINER FOR A VACUUM CLEANER This invention relates to a sealing arrangement for a dust container comprising a dust bag, a collar fastened to the bag, and a flexible membrane with a membrane opening, where the flexible membrane partly covers a collar opening that can be sealed by a guillotine arrangement having a plate-shaped element, which is provided with an opening and is moved parallel to the plane of the collar. Sealing arrangements for dust containers of the type mentioned above are previously known, see for instance, EP 362624. These dust containers are usually disposable and have the advantage that they make hygienic handling of the dust container possible when the dust container is taken out of the vacuum cleaner. Thus, such a dust container might be sealed automatically when it is taken out of the space in the vacuum cleaner, where it is positioned during the vacuum cleaning operation, and then transferred to a dust bin or the like without spreading dust to the atmosphere. With the type of dust container mentioned above, the collar comprises two or three different layers. A part of one layer forms the movable guillotine arrangement and the remaining parts of the collar are glued to one another to form the guides and stop means for the movement of the guillotine. Each layer is provided with an opening, which together forms a collar opening for the air flowing into the dust container. Between the layers, there is usually a flexible membrane having an opening, which is smaller than the inlet opening of the collar. This membrane serves as a sealing element against the inlet sleeve of the vacuum cleaner, which is inserted through the inlet opening of the collar and through which the dust-laden air enters into the dust container. However, the collar sometimes is influenced by such forces under the vacuum cleaning operation so that it becomes deformed. The closing movement of the plate serving as a guillotine is then prevented because the edges of the guillotine opening engage the edges of the openings in the remaining layers. Thus, the dust leaves through the remaining opening to the atmosphere. This invention provides a dust container that prevents dust from leaving the container even if the guillotine element does not cover the inlet opening completely. This is achieved by a sealing arrangement of a dust container having a dust bag, a collar fastened to the bag, and a flexible membrane having a membrane opening, where the flexible membrane partly covers an inlet opening that can be at least partly sealed by a guillotine arrangement having a plate-shaped element that is provided with an opening and is moved parallel to a plane of the collar. The rear part of the plate-shaped opening, as seen in a moving direction of the plate-shaped element from an open to a closed position, is provided with a forwardly extending portion whose central section is placed further forward, as seen in the moving direction, than adjacent side parts of the plate-shaped opening. An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures in which: FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a dust container according to an embodiment of the invention with an element that is in the process of closing the dust container; FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a first layer of the collar that is a part of the dust container shown in FIG. 1 ; FIG. 3 is an elevation view of a second layer of the collar; and FIG. 4 is an elevation view of a third layer of the collar. The dust container as shown in Figs. 1-4 comprises a bag 10 of air pervious material whose opening is covered by a collar 11 of comparatively stiff material, for instance, cardboard or plastic. The collar 11 comprises three layers that are glued together. The first outer layer 12 forms an outwardly extending side, the second layer 13 is an intermediate layer, and the third layer 14 is an inner layer to which the bag is fastened. The collar has an inlet opening 15 tlπough which the dust-laden air flows into the dust container. The inlet opening is partly covered by a flexible membrane 16, which is placed between the second and third layers that are glued together. The flexible membrane 16 has a membrane opening 17 through which an inlet sleeve (not shown) arranged on the vacuum cleaner is inserted and the flexible membrane 16 forms a seal around the sleeve. Referring to Fig. 2, the first layer 12 comprises a mainly rectangular plate 40 with a mainly oval opening 18 that is surrounded by several tabs 19. The tabs are connected to the plate via a circular bending or tear-offline 20. As shown in Fig. 3, the second layer 13 comprises a plate-shaped central element or guillotine part 21 and two identical but mirror inverted elongated edge portions 22 that are placed at each side of and close to the central element 21. In the finished state of the collar, the central element 21 is not glued to the other layers. The central element has an opening 23 whose width mainly corresponds to the longest diameter of the opening 18 in the first layer. The central element opening 23 is limited by a half-circular portion 24 at its upper part which via parallel side edge parts 25 continues into a triangular or arc-shaped tongue 26 at its rearpart. The tongue 26 extends toward the center or middle of the central element opening 23. Thus, the opening 23 of the central element 13 is designed such that the rear part of the opening 23, as seen in the direction of movement of the central element from an open to a closed position, is provided with an extending portion whose central or middle section is positioned more forward, as seen in the moving direction, than the adjacent side edge parts of the opening 23. An upper position 27 of the central element 21 serves as a handle or grip part for the central element. The elongated edge portions 22 each comprise an upper portion 28, whose side edge serves as a guide for a main part 29 of the central element, and an L-shaped rearportion 30. Thus, abutment portions 31 and 32 are formed for two outwardly extending tabs 33 of the central element. In the finished state of the collar, the elongated edge portions 22 are glued to the first and third layers. The third layer 14, as shown in Fig. 4, comprises a mainly rectangular plate 41 with a circular opening 34 whose diameter mainly corresponds to the largest diameter of the circular bending line 20 in the first layer. The opening 34 is partly covered by the flexible membrane 16 and the membrane opening 17 is arranged centrally in the opening 34. In the finished state of the collar, the third layer 14 on the side having the membrane 16 is glued to the elongated edge portions 22 of the second layer, and the elongated edge portions are glued to the first layer 12. The dust container operates in the following manner. When inserted into the vacuum cleaner, the collar is pushed into guides arranged in the space in the vacuum cleaner where the dust container is positioned. When the space is closed, the inlet sleeve of the vacuum cleaner enters through the membrane opening such that the membrane surrounds the inlet sleeve and seals against it. At the same time, in the case where the inlet sleeve is an oval tube with suitable dimensions, the inlet sleeve will rest against the oval edges of the inlet opening 15 (i.e., against the edge portions which are defined by tabs 19 of the first layer). In the case where the inlet sleeve is a circular tube with suitable dimensions, the tabs 19 will be pushed aside by the sleeve such that the inlet sleeve instead rests against the circular edges of the inlet opening 15 (i.e., against the edge portions which are defined by the bending line 20 of the first layer and circular opening 34 of the third layer). When the dust container is taken out of the vacuum cleaner, the cover to the space for the dust container is opened, the inlet sleeve is removed from the inlet opening 15, and the operator then grasps the grip part 27 of the dust container and pulls the plate shaped central element 21 upwards as shown in Fig. 1. The middle section of the tongue 26, as seen in the pulling direction, covers the opening of the flexible membrane 16 before the entire collar and hence the dust container is lifted out from the vacuum cleaner. Thus, the plate-shaped central element 21 does not have to cover the entire inlet opening 15, but only the flexible membrane opening 16. Consequently, the problem related to the conventional guillotine arrangement is avoided where the opening of the central element (i.e., the guillotine) sticks at the surrounding edge portions of the collar before the membrane opening has been completely covered. While the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment, various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, other modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or method to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. The present invention herein is not to be construed as being limited, except insofar as indicated in the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A dust container comprising: a dust bag (10), a collar (11) fastened to the bag, and a flexible membrane (16) having a membrane opening (17), the flexible membrane partly covers an inlet opening (15) that can be at least partly sealed by a guillotine arrangement having a plate-shaped element (21) that is provided with an opening (23) and is moved parallel to a plane of the collar characterized in that a rear part of the plate-shaped opening, as seen in a moving direction of the plate-shaped element from an open to a closed position, is provided with a forwardly extending portion (26) whose central section is placed further forward, as seen in the moving direction, than adjacent side parts of the plate-shaped opening. 2. A dust container according to claim 1 characterized in that the forwardly extending portion (26) is triangularly shaped. 3. A dust container according to claim 1 characterized in that the forwardly extending portion (26) is arc shaped. 4. A dust container according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the membrane opening (17) in the closed position of the plate-shaped element (21) is completely covered by the forwardly extending portion (26). 5. A dust container according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that an edge portion of the inlet opening (15) has at least one resilient portion (19) that can be folded or torn off when the dust container is inserted into the vacuum cleaner to adapt the inlet opening (15) to the shape of an inlet sleeve of the vacuum cleaner.

Inventors: BILLSKOG PATRIK, HENGVOSS INGRID, BILLSKOG, PATRIK, HENGVOSS, INGRID
Applicants: BILLSKOG PATRIK, ELECTROLUX AB, HENGVOSS INGRID, AKTIEBOLAGET ELECTROLUX, BILLSKOG, PATRIK, HENGVOSS, INGRID
Application year: 2001
Main classification: A47L9
IPC codes: A47L9