Patent FR-2909275-A1 (FR)
Title: Liquid/gas separator for vacuum cleaner, comprises upstream pipe and downstream pipe connected through communication orifice, and gas-permeable disc shaped filtration unit to direct in-drawn liquid to its periphery by centrifugation
Inventor: CURIEN GERARD
IPC: A47L9/16
Filed: 2006-12-01
Abstract: The liquid/gas separator (1) for a vacuum cleaner, comprises an upstream pipe (3) and a downstream pipe (4) connected through a communication orifice, a gas-permeable disc shaped filtration unit to direct a in-drawn liquid to its periphery by centrifugation, a sealing unit, and a device for separating dust placed in gas flow through the separator of upstream of the filtration unit. The pipes are attached to be rotatable inside either pipe. The filtration unit forms an unit of closing the communication orifice, and rotates by a motor unit. The liquid/gas separator (1) for a vacuum cleaner, comprises an upstream pipe (3) and a downstream pipe (4) connected through a communication orifice, a gas-permeable disc shaped filtration unit to direct a in-drawn liquid to its periphery by centrifugation, a sealing unit, and a device for separating dust placed in gas flow through the separator of upstream of the filtration unit. The pipes are attached to be rotatable inside either pipe. The filtration unit forms an unit of closing the communication orifice, and rotates by a motor unit. The communication orifice has a section, which is inferior to a passage section of the upstream pipe to define a support edge (10) in cooperation with the filtration unit made up of obturation unit. The filtration unit is radially maintained away from a wall of the upstream pipe. The support edge is perpendicular to a rotation axis of the filtration unit, and is movable in rotation around the rotation axis. The support edge is synchronized with the rotation of the filtration unit, and comprises a sealed joint. The filtration unit extends radially by connected with the rotation axis, beyond the contact points with the support edge. The support edge is placed in a tip of a turbine, which is movable in rotation in the orifice around the rotation axis. The turbine is induced by a gas flow through the separator or by motorized unit. The sealing unit in the orifice prevents a penetration of liquid in the orifice in which the sealing unit comprises a ring connected with orifice and the support edge. The turbine is integrated in a chamber, whose side is substantially perpendicular to the turbine axis, and is equipped with canals of gas deviation towards a peripheral edge of the chamber connected with the downstream pipe. The sealed joint comprises closed recess to confine during the rotation of the filtration unit, and is formed by a disk, which is mounted coaxially in the filtration unit. The support edge comprises first sealing unit, which is constituted by grooves to cooperate with strips having complementary sealing unit. The device rotates around rotation axis and constitutes the chamber in cooperation with the filtration unit, pipe or wall with which the complementary unit is connected through the sealing unit. The filtration unit is constituted by a tubular brush of which bristles are assembled radially on a perforated tube, whose first end on a side of an upstream of the pipe is sealed and other end on the side of a downstream pipe is hollow to allow the gas flow in the communication orifice. An independent claim is included for a household appliance.