US2795289A - Dirt bag for suction cleaner - Google Patents

Description

June 11, 1957 A. L. DRESNEK w DIRT BAG FOR SUCTION CLEANER Filed May 6, 1954 V inventor: A/ber-t L D esne His Al; orngy.

United States PatentO DIRT BAG FOR SUCTION CLEANER Albert L. Dresnek, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Application May 6, 1954, Serial No. 428,015

6 Claims. (Cl. 183-43) My invention relates generally to suction cleaners and particularly to improved means for disposing of dirt accumulated in a suction cleaner.

Increased use of suction cleaners by domestic users has intensified the problem of disposing of the dirt collected in the cleaner. The modern tendency is to provide a disposable filter, such as a paper or cloth receptacle, which removes and collects dirt from the dirt-laden air stream that flows through the cleaner. When full, these receptacles are removed and disposed of. Because of the necessity of changing these receptacles frequently, it has become extremely desirable that their insertion and removal be simple and swift, and that the hands of the user not contact the dirty portions of the receptacle during the changing operation.

The art has solved this problem by providing disposable dirt-collecting bags comprising receptacles having a coupling portion formed thereon, and providing av complementary coupling portion on the interior of the suction cleaner that communicates with the inlet of the cleaner. The parts are constructed to cooperate and provide a quick, easy, detachable coupling. Since the receptacles are ordinarily made of paper or the like, due to cost considerations, the coupling portion of the bag is made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as cardboard, which is cemented to the receptacle. It has been found in operation that disposable bags of this type have some serious defects. The connection between the cardboard and the paper receptacle must be complete or the bag will not be adequately sealed and, therefore, will permit escape of some of the dirt-laden air stream into the interior of the cleaner. Another defect is that the portion of the paper receptacle near the bags coupling portion has a tendency to be ripped or torn during the step of mounting the bags coupling portion in the complementary coupling portion of the cleaner.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved dirt-collecting bag of the type referred to, which may be readily coupled and uncoupled to the cleaner without ripping or tearing portions of the bag, and wherein the bag is effectively sealed when mounted in the cleaner.

The above and other objects are obtained by providing in a disposable dirt-collecting bag comprising a receptable made of filtering paper or the like, a coupling member, and a spacing collar between the receptacle and member, which constitutes an effective guide and seal for the bag.

Other objects and details of that which I believe to be novel and my invention will be clear from the following description and claims taken with the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation view of a disposable dirtcollecting bag incorporating my invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary elevation view showing'the coupling portion of the bag and the coupling portion of the cleaner immediately prior to coupling the parts.

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken online 33 of Figure 2 after the parts have been coupled.

My invention deals generally with the same problem Patented June 11, 1957 treated by George H. Bramhall and Warren N. Kemnitz in their application, Serial No. 411,056 filed February 18, 1954, now Patent 2,771,152, and assigned to the same assignee as that of the instant application. However, my invention is more directly concerned with an improvement in the type of disposable dirt-collecting bag disclosed therein, and specifically is concerned with an improvement in the coupling portion of such a bag. The invention covered in the referred to application of Brarrn hall and Kemnitz was made by them prior to my invention, therefore, I do not herein claim anything shown or described in the Bramhall and Kemnitz application, which is to be regarded as prior art with respect to my instant application.

My improved dint bags may be used in any type of suction cleaner, such as the commonly known horizontal or vertical tank varieties. Cleaners of this type normally comprise a casing having air-flow producing mechanism, an air inlet and outlet, cleaning tools, a dirt-collecting receptacle and means for connecting the cleaning tools to the air inlet. My invention contemplates dirt bags that are constructed so as to be coupled to a coupling portion formed on the interior of the cleaner and which communicates with the air inlet. The referred to application of Bramhall and Kemnitz discloses the type of cleaner coupling portion that my dirt bags may be used with.

In Figure 1, there is shown my improved disposable dirt bag; as used herein the term bag is defined as comprising a receptacle and a coupling portion. The dirt bag generally comprises a receptacle 10 having a central portion 12 and pleated end portions 14, and the improved coupling portion, which is permanently secured to the central portion 12. The pleated end portions are adapted to curl and permit the bag to be deformed to fit within an annular filtering chamber in a cleaner. This feature forms no specific part of my invention for my improved coupling portion may be incorporated in any type of disposable dirt bag.

Central portion 12 has an opening 16 formed therein which constitutes the only opening in the receptacle 10. The receptacle is made of a conventional filtering paper or cloth material or composition, and is fragile, yield able and pliable. Mounting plate or member 18, in the form of a generally rectangular piece of rigid or semi-rigid material such as cardboard, is secured to central portion 12. Plate 18 has an aperture 20 formed therein which is aligned with the opening 16 in the receptacle 10. Plate 18 is connected to the cleaner coupling portion when the bag is mounted in operative position in the cleaner.

In the referred application of Bramhall and Kemnitz,

the bag mounting plate was secured directly to the central portion of the receptacle by cementing or the like. In my invention, I provide a novel spacing collar 22 be.- tween the plate and the receptacle. Collar 22 constitutes an effective means for sealing the receptacle 10 and for guiding the mounting plate into the cleaner coupling portion during the step of assembling the parts. Collar 22 is made of a material similar to that of the plate 18, is flat and has three straight sides 24, 26 and 28, and a curved side 30. Collar 22 is positioned between plate 13 and the central portion 12 of the receptacle, and has an opening 32 that is aligned with the openings 16 and 20. Collar 22 is secured to its associated parts by cementing, such as gluing or the like. In securing the parts, one face of the collar may be completely covered with cement and secured to the part of the central portion 12 that surrounds opening 16, and the other face of the collar may be completely covered with cement and secured to the plate 18. The large cementing surface provided by collar 22 permits a very effective sealed connection between the receptacle and the plate.

The curved side 30 of the collar constitutes a means for initially guiding the mounting plate of the bag into the coupling portion of the cleaner in that it provides a' smooth leading edge. The thickness of the collar is utilized to space the plate 18 from the central portion 12 of the receptacle. This has certain functional" advantages, namely, that of facilitating mounting the bag in' the cleaner without tearing the receptacle as well:

In Figures 2 and 3, the coupling: portion of the bag is shown in association with the coupling portion of the.

of a cleaner, a coupling portion for the purpose of re-;'

ceiving mounting plate 18' of the bag. However, the cleaner coupling portion must communicate with the air inlet of the cleaner for the purpose of directing the dirt laden stream which comes through the air inlet into the.

bag.

The coupling portion of the cleaner is indicated in the drawing generally by reference numeral 40; and comprises the aperturedfiange-like mounting bracket 42, that is secured to the cleaner casing 44 by a connection, such as pipe 46. Connection 46 connects the casing and bracket and communicates with the air inlet of the cleaner, which ordinarily extends to the exterior of the cleaner and has a flexible hose connected thereto which supports cleaning tools on its free end. As can best be seen in Figure 2, mounting bracket 42 supports spring clips 48, t) and 52, which are made of a resilient or flexible material, such as spring metal. Each clip has a fiat portion 54 secured to one side of bracket 42, and other portions 56, which are bent around an edge of the bracket and contact the other side of the bracket. As can best be seen in Figure 3, the flat portions 54 are secured to one side of the bracket 42, and the bent portions 56 extend around the edges of said bracket and contact its other side. 7

The edge of bracket 42 not having a spring clip may be closed by a channel-shaped pivotal latch member 58. The details of the latch and its mounting will not be explained as they form no specific part of this invention.

When it is desired to mount a. bag in the filtering chamber within the cleaner casing 44, the latch 58 (if there be such a latch) is pivoted (clockwise as shown in Figure 2) to the position shown in Figure 2, and the bag is juxtaposed to the coupling portion 40 in the manner illustrated in Figure 2. The bag is then moved toward the coupling portion 40, care being taken to insure that the leading edge 60 of the plate 18 parts the adjacent portions 62 of the clips 48 and 52, so as to permit its reception between the bracket 42 and said clips. Upon further movement of the bag toward the mounting portion 40, the plate 18, which is disposed in a plane that is parallel to the plane of bracket 42, slides within the clips 48 and 52 further. When the point is reached that the curved edge 30 of the collar 22 is positioned near the portions 62 of the clips, edge 30 guides the coupling portion of the bag into the coupling portion 40. Edge 30 constitutes a smooth surface which prevents jamming of the coupling portions. More importantly, it prevents pricking of the part of central portion 12 that is adjacent to the plate 18 by the portions 62 of the spring clips.

The bag is shown coupled to the cleaner in Figure 3. When the parts are in this position, the collar 22 spaces the central portion 12 from the spring clips. This prevents contact between the clips and the central portion 12, and thereby avoids ripping and tearing of the central portion, which is likely to result if the collar were not present. When the plate 18 has been fully seated in the coupling portion 4-9, the leading edge 60 of the plate will have been seated between the spring clip 50 and the adjacent portion of the bracket 42, and three edges of the plate 18 will be restrained by the spring clips. If a latch 58 is provided, it may be pivoted (counterclockwise as 4 shown in Figure 2) to its closed or locking position, thereby' closing the fourth edge of the plate 18.

In removing the bag from the cleaner, the bag is uncoupled from the cleaner coupling portion by following the reverse procedure to that set forth for mounting a bag.

As will be evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of my invention are not limited to the construction of the example illustrated, and I contemplate that various and other modifications will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, my intention that the appended claims will cover such modifications and applications as do not depart from the true spirit and scope of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. in a suction cleaner having a casing, a dirt receptacle made of a fragile filtering material and having an opening therein, a coupling portion formed in said casing and having a planar face and an opening therein, said rcceptacle adapted to be mounted in said casing with its opening aligned with the opening in said coupling portion, and gripping means on said coupling portion, that imrovement comprising a spacing collar which is secured to said. receptacle, and a fiat mounting member which is secured to said spacing collar, said spacing collar and said mounting member each having an opening which is aligned with the opening in said receptacle, said spacing collar and said mounting member both being disposed on the exterior of said receptacle whereby said mounting member is spaced away from said receptacle on the ex* terior thereof, said mounting member being larger than and extending beyond said spacing collar, whereby said mounting member is adapted to be moved into planar contact with said face and be gripped by said gripping means.

2. A device as defined inclaim 1 wherein portions of said gripping means are positioned between said receptacle and said mounting member when said mounting member is gripped by said gripping means.

3. .A device as defined in claim 1 wherein said spacing collar comprises a fiat plate having a curved edge for guiding said mounting member into said coupling portion.

4. A dirt-collecting bag for use in a suction cleaner having a casing having an air inlet, a bracket secured to said casing, said bracket having an opening communicating with said air inlet, and resilient clips on said bracket, said bag comprising a receptacle being made of a flexible and pliable filtering material, an opening in said receptacle, a rigid flat spacing collar cemented to said receptacle, a rigid flat mounting plate cemented to said collar, said collar and said plate each having 'an opening, the openings in said collar and said plate being aligned with the opening in said receptacle, said plate adapted to be coupled to said bracket by positioning said plate between said bracket and said clips, said plate,.when coupled, being disposed parallel to. and contiguous with said bracket, all of the openings being aligned.

5. For use in a suction cleaner, a dirt-collecting bag comprising a receptacle of fragile filtering material havr ing an opening therein for connection to the air inlet of the cleaner, a spacing collar secured to said receptacle on the exterior thereof, and a mounting member secured to said spacing collar on the exterior of said receptacle, said spacing collar and said mounting member each having.

an opening which is aligned with the opening in said receptacle, said mounting member being larger than said collar, whereby said mounting member extends beyond said spacing collar and is spaced away from said receptacle on the exterior thereof.

6. A device as defined in claim 5 whcreinsaid spacing collar comprises a flat plate having a curved edge, for facilitating mounting of said bag in said cleaner.

(References on follow g Pa References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Wallace July 4, 1911 Muentener Feb. 16, 1937 Scene Dec. 5, 1950 Ferraris Oct. 16, 1951 Sosnowich Dec. 11, 1951 Anderson Dec. 16, 1952 6 Wales Aug. 17, 1954 Meyerhoefer Oct. 11, 1955 Daiger'et a1. Feb. 12, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Apr. 19, 1923 France May 1, 1911 Germany Aug. 28, 1936

Images