Patent ID: 8142554

Claim:
Method for cleaning the filters of a vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner comprising a dirt collecting container, which dirt collecting container has a suction inlet and is in flow connection with at least one suction unit via at least one filter and at least one suction extraction line, and at least one external air inlet which opens into the suction extraction line downstream of the at least one filter and which is adapted to be closed by means of at least one closing valve, wherein the at least one closing valve has a valve body which is movable back and forth between a closed position, in which the valve body lies against a valve seat, and an open position, in which the valve body is at a distance from the valve seat, wherein the valve body is acted upon by a closing spring with a closing force and, in the closed position, the valve body is additionally acted upon by a magnetic holder with a magnetic holding force, the method comprising: while the suction unit is switched on and during a suction operation of the vacuum cleaner, opening the at least one closing valve such that a side of the at least one filter that is oriented away from the dirt collecting container is impinged upon by external air, and subsequently closing the at least one closing valve again, after the at least one suction unit is switched off, opening and closing the at least one closing valve again at least once such that the side of the at least one filter that is oriented away from the dirt collecting container is impinged upon at least once more by the external air, wherein: the magnetic holder is equipped with an electromagnet, to which current is applied to close the at least one closing valve, and the current supply to the electromagnet is switched off at the same time that the suction unit is switched off.