WO2007065992A1

WO2007065992A1 - Filter cleaning device for a vacuum cleaner

Info

Publication number: WO2007065992A1
Application number: PCT/FR2006/002643
Authority: WO
Inventors: Thierry Prunier; Fabien David; Roland Dubos
Original assignee: Seb S.A.
Priority date: 2005-12-09
Filing date: 2006-12-04
Publication date: 2007-06-14
Also published as: EP1959809A1; FR2894449B1; FR2894449A1; RU2008127873A; EP1959809B1; PT1959809E; CN101309626A; ES2490794T3; RU2423066C2

Abstract

The invention relates to a waste separation device for a vacuum cleaner including a filtration system. The inventive device comprises a folded filter (13) and a device (14) for cleaning the filter (13), said cleaning device (14) having at least one mechanical biasing element (23) which rests on the wall of the filter (13). According to the invention, either the filter (13) can move in relation to the mechanical biasing elements (23) or vice versa. The invention is characterised in that the separation device comprises a secondary separation device which is disposed downstream of a primary filtration system and in that a motor-reduction unit (10) automatically performs a relative mechanical movement between the mechanical biasing elements (23) and the filter (13).

Description

B.0768 ^ext

DECO ECO LMATAG E DEVICE FOR VACUUM CLEANER

The present invention relates to the field of vacuum cleaners using a waste separation step by a pleated type filter.

The most commonly used vacuum cleaners to date use paper filters interposed between a motor-fan unit and an air supply tube for the separation of dust and waste. Air pollution control takes place through said paper or non-woven material filter which mechanically traps particles above the pores of the filter medium.

This filtration results in a progressive clogging of the filtering medium during use up to a threshold from which the suction power, and therefore cleaning power, drops so that the replacement of the filter is necessary.

Conventional vacuum cleaners which thus interpose a filter for the separation of particles have the double disadvantage of causing a loss of suction power over time and of requiring the replacement of the filtering medium when the latter is saturated. This represents a cost for the user.

In addition, when replacing the filter bag, the fine dust present on the surface of the containment volume induces dirt for the user. This maintenance operation, which is also unpleasant, sometimes leads to accidental releases to the environment.

In order to remedy these problems, bagless vacuum cleaners have been proposed, employing a cyclonic or inertial separation, to eliminate waste.

In such devices the polluted air enters tangentially into a separation chamber provided with a grid or a primary separation allowing remove coarse particles before going into a secondary separation to remove residual fine particles. Such an apparatus is described in detail in patent application EP 1 535 562. The inertia separation vacuum cleaner described in document EP 1 535 562 has an air inlet duct opening in a tangential direction into a primary waste separation chamber, said chamber being of generally cylindrical shape. The central part of this chamber opens onto a duct in connection with the suction device, which duct has a secondary filtration assembly in order to remove the finer particles.

An evacuation channel allows the recovery of centrifuged waste in a sealed collecting tank. This waste evacuation channel is located at the same level as the air inlet and is placed in a substantially diametrically opposite position relative to the axis of the cylindrical separation chamber.

As described in detail in the aforementioned document EP 1,535,562, the filtration assembly housed in the central part of the vacuum cleaner comprises a primary filtration device and a secondary fine filtration of the waste conveyed by the air flow.

The air flow in the separation chamber, due to its tangential arrival, and due to its evacuation in the central part of the separation chamber, describes a vortex path favorable for the separation of waste.

The primary filtration device positioned in the main separation chamber, in the upper part of the filtration assembly, is constituted by a cylindrical portion pierced with grid-shaped holes, said holes allow the flow of air flow towards of the secondary filtration chamber.

The main separation chamber, in particular its geometry, as well as the grid for the separation of large waste are configured for the most efficient centrifugal separation possible. In fact, the majority of the waste collected by the squeegee assembly is discharged directly into the waste recovery tank.

The fine part of the waste, in particular dust of low particle size, crosses the primary filtration grid, making that secondary filtration is therefore necessary before the evacuation of the air through the suction group. This secondary filtration is traditionally constituted by a pleated paper filter of cylindrical shape arranged coaxially with the main separation chamber.

Contrary to what happens in conventional vacuum cleaners, a large part of the waste is evacuated by primary filtration before reaching the fine filter constituting secondary filtration. Said filter is therefore much longer to clog and the intervention of the user for maintenance in this part of the device is less frequent. As with conventional vacuum cleaners, clogging of the filter results in a loss of suction power and the progressive ineffectiveness of the vacuum cleaner. Even less frequent, this maintenance intervention remains and therefore constitutes an essential constraint for the proper functioning of the device.

It is known, from document US 5,307,538, a vacuum cleaner comprising a first filtration by a cyclone, the air then being conveyed to the motor through a filter. This filter is preferably a fine metal filter that can be cleaned using a small brush supplied with the device. However, such a filter unclogging device requires, on the one hand, the intervention of the user, and on the other hand generates significant contact with the fine dust embedded in the pores of the filter. In addition, this operation must take place after partial disassembly of the vacuum cleaner, which does not facilitate the operation.

It is also known, from document FR 2027213, a vacuum cleaner equipped with a pleated filter retaining the dust and the aspirated waste, as well as a filter cleaning member striking the crests of the folds of said filter in order to detach the dust which adhere to the filter, these members being actuated via the reel, during the rewinding operation of the electrical supply wire.

Such a vacuum cleaner therefore already makes it possible to automate the unclogging operation of the filter, but this operation may not be carried out or only partially if the user does not rewind his cord or if he unwinds only a short length of cord. . Furthermore, such a device can be complex to implement if the reel is removed from the filter to be unclogged.

The present invention therefore aims to bring about an improvement to vacuum cleaners having a primary separation of the waste (by centrifugation, inertia, but also by water filtration or by a large mesh filter) as well as a secondary separation of the finer waste, by proposing a device for unclogging the secondary fine filter which reduces the intervention of the user for maintenance as much as possible, while being simple to implement.

The present invention relates to a waste separation device for a vacuum cleaner comprising a filtration system, said device comprising a pleated filter as well as a device for unclogging said filter, said unclogging device having at least one mechanical biasing element resting on the wall of the filter, one of the parts among the filter or the mechanical stressing elements being movable relative to the other part, characterized in that the separation device is a secondary separation device disposed downstream of 'a primary filtration system, and in that a gear motor automatically performs a relative mechanical movement between the mechanical biasing elements and the filter. Advantageously, the primary filtration is carried out by a cyclonic phenomenon or by inertia in a separation chamber connected to a waste recovery tank, which makes it possible to separate a large quantity of waste.

According to a preferred implementation of the invention, the pleated filter is tubular and the relative movement between the mechanical biasing elements and the filter is a circular movement. The tubular characteristic of the secondary filter saves space while providing a large developed filtration area.

The main advantage of the unclogging device according to the invention is therefore to reduce the maintenance operations on the filtration unit and to reduce the cost of replacing the filters. Said device also limits the loss of power linked to clogging of the filter, the performance of the vacuum cleaner thus remaining permanently constant.

The absence of user intervention on the filtration device allows a great improvement in the hygiene of use of the vacuum cleaner. Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings which are given only by way of nonlimiting examples.

Figures 1 to 6 show a first embodiment of the invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner comprising the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top view of the filtration assembly.

FIG. 3 is a section of the filtration assembly according to the plane A-A indicated in FIG. 2.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the filtration assembly.

Figure 5 shows a bottom view of the filtration assembly having the invention.

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of a waste container suitable for present invention.

Figures 7 to 13 show various parts of a filtration assembly according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Figures 14 to 16 show an alternative embodiment of this second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 1 illustrates a cyclonic type vacuum cleaner comprising the invention, such an apparatus is conventionally constituted by a frame 1 supported by wheels 2 and a front caster 3 allowing the displacement and orientation of the vacuum cleaner during its operation .

An engine block 4 is placed on the front of the device. The incoming air stream loaded with waste arrives in an inlet 5 and tangentially enters a main separation chamber 6.

Said main separation chamber 6 has an opening 20 for the evacuation of waste to a tank 37 for recovering said waste. A conduit 8 makes the connection between the waste recovery tank 37 and the main separation chamber 6.

The cyclonic vacuum cleaner comprises a filtration assembly 9 formed by the main separation chamber 6 and a body 15 defining a cylindrical chamber 12 for a secondary filter 13 located in an immediately lower part, the two chambers being in aeraulic relationship with one another.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the filtration assembly (without primary filter 17) which shows the tangential arrival of the flow of air loaded with waste in the intake mouth 5 and the outlet of purified air by a conduit 11 terminating in the upper part of the engine block 4. In this configuration, the air inlet and the discharge are situated practically at the same level, the circulation in the filtration unit 9 being defined for optimum separation of the waste. According to an embodiment of the invention described in FIGS. 1 to 6, the vacuum cleaner comprises a geared motor 10 placed on the frame 1 actuating the filter unclogging device constituting the secondary separation, the motor 4 is vertical and the device secondary filtration is a pleated tubular filter oriented vertically in the filtration assembly 9.

Figure 3 corresponds to a section along the vertical plane AA of the filtration assembly shown in Figure 2. This section shows the positioning of the main separation chamber 6 in the upper part of the filtration assembly 9, the mouth 5 and the air discharge duct 11, the secondary filtration chamber 12 containing the pleated tubular filter 13 and mechanical biasing elements 23 positioned on the axis of the filtration assembly, which assembly of filtration is generally cylindrical in shape. The filtration assembly 9 comprises, in its central lower part, an unclogging device 14 for the secondary fine filter 13.

FIG. 4 shows more precisely the various constituent elements of the filtration assembly 9 and in particular:

the body 15 defining the secondary filtration chamber 12 and housing the filtration means,

the main separation chamber 6 positioned in the upper part of the body 15 comprising the opening 20 in the direction of the connecting duct 8 towards the container 37 for recovering waste,

a primary filter 17 pierced with holes, as described for example in patent EP 1,535,562,

a shutter 18 holding all of the removable parts locked in the filtration assembly, and closing the main separation chamber,

- a return elbow 16 directing the air coming from the pleated filter 13 towards a pipe 11 then towards the suction motor, and located under the main separation chamber, this return elbow being formed by a dome 162 in connection with the central part of the tubular filter, this dome 162 being bordered in part by an opening 164 connecting the internal part of the primary filter 17 to the external part of the pleated filter,

a pleated tubular filter 13 positioned vertically in the lower and central part of the body 15, which lower part forming the secondary separation chamber,

- an unclogging device 14 actuated by a geared motor 10 by means of a transmission 19.

The exploded view of FIG. 4 as well as the section illustrated in FIG. 3 allow a better understanding of the air circulation in the filtration device. The waste-laden air arrives via the inlet mouth 5 tangentially into the primary separation chamber 6, in the direction F, the high-speed air flow rotates around the ring formed between the primary filter 17 and the walls of the chamber 6 and discharges, through the opening 20 (arrow F ₁ ), coarse waste which is expelled to the recovery tank 37.

The air flow then enters through the holes of the primary filter 17, then through the opening 164 in the secondary filtration chamber (arrow F ₂ ), between the body 15 and the pleated filter. The air then passes through this filter from the outside to the inside, discharging residual dust and fine particles as it passes, and rises in the central and upper tubular part of said pleated filter 13 (arrow F ₃ ).

In the upper part of the filtration assembly is located the dome 162 forming the return elbow 16 of the filtered air which then directs the flow towards the duct 11 and the motor responsible for the suction (arrow F ₄ ).

The unclogging device according to the invention is placed in a sealed manner in the lower part of the filtration assembly so as not to disturb the air circulation in the filtration assembly and not to hinder the separation of the particles under the effect of centrifugal force.

Thus, the drive mechanism of the moving part or parts is positioned under the tubular filter 13 and the mechanical biasing elements inside the tubular filter 13. Alternatively, the mechanical biasing elements can be located outside the tubular filter 13. The positioning of the unclogging device 14 in the lower part of the filtration assembly makes cleaning and replacement of the filter easy, in particular because of the accessibility of said filter by the upper part of the filtration assembly after unlocking. the shutter 18 and the removal of the previously mentioned removable parts.

As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5, the unclogging device comprises a geared motor 10 which actuates in rotation mechanical loading elements 23 via a transmission 19. The transmission 19, advantageously located under the filter 13, has the function of transmitting a rotation between the drive shaft of the gear motor 10 and an axis 22 supporting the mechanical biasing elements 23. Said drive shaft is offset relative to the central axis of the overall cylindrical filtration unit 9.

According to this embodiment, the mechanical stressing elements are mobile and the filter 13 is fixed.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the transmission 19 can for example comprise gears 24 connected by a belt 21, or comprise any other device making it possible to transmit a rotational movement between one point and another.

The mechanical biasing elements 23 may for example be in the form of fingers, which fingers scrape the folds of the filter 13 so as to cause the dust to fall when they are rotated. These fingers can be positioned in the middle part, substantially halfway up the pleated tubular filter, or at other levels, depending on their shape and the configuration of the filtered.

At least two mechanical biasing elements 23 are arranged at the end or on the axis 22 serving as a support, advantageously a greater number of said elements, typically six, will also be disposed on the interior or exterior perimeter of the tubular filter, and possibly distributed over the height of the filter, being arranged at different levels on the axis 22. Said mechanical biasing elements 23 can also be metal wires bent in arcs and fixed on one side to the lower part of the axis 22 and on the other side to the upper part of said axis at the upper level of the pleated filter. According to this variant, the convex outer portion of the metal arc presses on the filter and the friction generated during rotation causes the dust to fall and unclog the filter.

The mechanical biasing elements animated in rotation to shake the pleated filter can also consist of fins or blades. Various other rigid or flexible means can be envisaged for mechanically shaking the filter and causing the fall by gravity of the dust, without departing from the scope of the invention.

The secondary filter contained in the type of cyclonic vacuum cleaner carrying the invention can be formed with different materials and any filtering medium known in the field, whether it is paper, nonwoven or fabric.

An advantageous example of embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 6, however, there are multiple variants for the design of a vacuum cleaner of the aforementioned type comprising the device for unclogging the secondary filter according to the invention.

As configured the vacuum cleaner evacuates the largest and most heavy during primary separation. The finest debris, essentially consisting of fine dust, is stopped by the pleated filter 13. During the unclogging operation, the pleated filter releases a part of the fine dust which also falls into the waste collection tank 37. More precisely said waste recovery tank 37, shown in FIG. 6, is arranged in two parts and comprises:

a main compartment 31 intended to receive the waste originating from the primary separation and arriving via the conduit 8,

a secondary compartment 32 accommodating fine debris and dust coming from the secondary separation and the fine filter, after the unclogging operation,

- a rigid link 33, connecting the two compartments together,

- A handle 34 allowing the handling of the recovery tank 37 by the user. The main and secondary compartments are advantageously chosen to have an overall parallelepiped or cylindrical shape and are preferably shaped to best fit with the various components of the vacuum cleaner carried by the frame 1.

More precisely, the main compartment 31 is of larger capacity than the secondary compartment 32, and located on the rear and in the lower part of the vacuum cleaner, in the extension of the duct 8 and substantially positioned opposite the flow of polluted intake air, which flow arriving through the intake port 5.

The secondary compartment 32 is positioned below and substantially vertical to the secondary separation chamber, under the filtration assembly 9.

The height of the secondary compartment is limited so as to avoid deterioration of the compactness of the cyclonic vacuum cleaner and a height excessive.

Advantageously, and as illustrated in FIG. 6, the upper parts of the two compartments have cutouts allowing easy engagement of the recovery tank in a reception housing 7 in the vacuum cleaner. Said cuts are made according to planes inclined towards the front of the vacuum cleaner.

This pointed shape of the waste container facilitates its insertion into the housing 7, the compartment 32 serving as a reference for the insertion of the container 37 in its housing. Therefore, the shape of the recovery tank as a whole is designed to fit optimally in the housing 7.

Advantageously according to the invention, the waste recovery container 37 comprises at least one gripping device allowing the handling of said container for maintenance operations.

This gripping device is preferably a handle 34 oriented vertically housed on the rear of the container, approximately halfway up and in the center of the external face of the main compartment 31, as illustrated in FIG. 6.

A main variant of the embodiment which has just been presented consists in making the filter mobile, the mechanical biasing elements then being fixed. The transmission of movement between the geared motor and the filter could, for example, be obtained by an assembly of gears as will be described later.

Other variants can also be envisaged as a function of the position of the motor on the vacuum cleaner and therefore of the orientation and the position of the air evacuation, of the internal configuration of the filtration assembly which can generate various modes of air circulation and the use of a tubular or flat filter. Figures 7 to 13 show another embodiment of the present invention where the main difference compared to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 relates to the pleated tubular filter 130 which, on the one hand is positioned horizontally in the chamber 120 of the separation device 90, and on the other hand is movable relative to the mechanical biasing elements which are fixed.

As shown in particular in Figure 7 which shows an exploded view of the separation device 90, as well as the motor, the main waste separation device is in accordance with what has been described above. However, the primary filter 170 advantageously carries two arches 172 diametrically opposite and intended to limit the movement of the tubular filter in the chamber 120. These two arches are supported on recesses 152 formed in the body 150. According to this alternative embodiment, a compartment 310 for recovering the waste separated by the main device is removably mounted on the upper part of the device 90 for separation by cooperation between lugs and hooks 312, coming from the tank, with corresponding housings 92, produced in the body 150. This compartment is in accordance with that described in application EP 1 535 562.

Secondary filtration is carried out by the pleated filter 130, which is therefore arranged horizontally in the chamber 120. The air outlet is obtained by an opening 158 arranged on one of the vertical faces of the body 150. An exhaust duct 110 thus routes the filtered air to the motor 4 also arranged horizontally.

Thus, the fine dust from unclogging the pleated filter 130 is collected by a removable compartment 320 separate from the compartment 310, said compartment 320 closing the lower part of the body 150, as it is clearly visible in FIG. 8 which shows a partial exploding view of the separation device 90. This figure also shows Ie geared motor 100, as well as part of the unclogging mechanism. The gear motor 100 is arranged on the body 150 opposite the air outlet opening 158, by means of a housing 104.

As it is clearly visible in FIGS. 8 and 9, the drive mechanism of the filter 130 comprises two toothed wheels 106, 108, one of the wheels, in this case the wheel 106 being linked to the filter 130, l the axis of this wheel corresponding to the axis of rotation of the filter 130. The other wheel 108, meshing with the previous one, is rotated by the drive shaft 102 of the gear motor 100.

The wheel 108 is larger than the wheel 106 in order to reduce the speed of rotation of the filter relative to the speed of the shaft 102 of the gear motor. The number of wheels can be higher depending on the characteristics of the geared motor used and the desired speeds.

As illustrated in FIG. 8, the wheel 106 is disposed outside the body 150, while the wheel 108 is disposed inside, in the chamber 120. The body 150 thus comprises an openwork part 153 allowing the mechanical connection between the wheels 106 and 108. Advantageously, the housing 104 will be sealed on the body 150.

The wheel 108 is linked to a flange 132 constituting, with another flange 134, the mechanical supports of the filter envelope 136 of the pleated filter 130.

The unclogging means also comprise a cleaning assembly 140 of the pleated filter 130 comprising six elements for mechanically biasing the pleats of the filter 130. This assembly 140 is detailed in FIGS. 10 and 11. Thus the cleaning assembly comprises biasing elements 146 , 148 in the shape of bent fingers and connected to a central axis 143. One end of this axis has a cylindrical cap 144, while the other end comprises in particular a retaining lug 142.

According to the example proposed, the six mechanical stressing elements, arranged inside the filter, in contact with the wall of said filter, comprise two groups of three fingers, arranged at two levels along the length of the filter, said fingers of each group being angularly distributed around axis 143.

Furthermore, the end of each finger 146, 148 has a portion swollen radially outward, respectively 1460 and 1480. Advantageously, the fingers 146 are not strictly located in the extension of the fingers 148. As shown in the figure 11 representing a projection along the axis 143 of FIG. 10, the two groups of fingers are offset by an angle α, which, according to the example proposed, is of the order of 30 °.

Figure 12 is a top view of the filtration device 90, without the cover 6, the filter 170, or the tank 310. Figure 13 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 12. Thus, the assembly 140 is kept stationary in the body 150, in particular by the retaining lug 142 arranged in the bottom 156 of a groove 154, elements also visible in FIGS. 7 and 8. The end 144 of the axis 143 is held in an opening 135 of the flange 134. Thus, according to this variant embodiment, the gear motor drives the tubular filter 130 in rotation about the fixed axis 143 of the cleaning assembly 140.

In operation, the air flow is the same as that described above. During an unclogging operation, the bulged parts 1460 and 1480 of the fingers 146, 148 come to stress the folds of the envelope 136 of the rotary pleated filter. Part of the dust retained by the filter is then released and falls into compartment 320. In the case of a tubular filter arranged horizontally, that is to say one whose axis of symmetry is horizontal, it indeed seems advantageous to put the filter in rotation with respect to the biasing elements. In fact, the reverse would not unclog the folds located in the upper part with good efficiency since the dust thus suspended in the air, by gravity, would redeposit on substantially the same folds.

Therefore, it seems more advantageous that the fingers are not located vertically towards the upper part of the chamber 120. FIG. 11 shows an angular positioning of the cleaning assembly 140 in the chamber 120 which gives good results.

Figures 14 to 16 show an alternative embodiment, where the inlet pipe 405 for waste into the main separation chamber 408 closed by a cover 406 is substantially horizontal. The waste container 410 is more in accordance with the example illustrating the first embodiment of the invention, by presenting a vertical grip handle 412 as well as a double waste tank composed of a compartment 414 for waste separated by the main separation device and a compartment 416 for waste from unclogging. The waste is conveyed to the compartments 414, 416 respectively by conduits 415, 417 integrated into the container 410.

Furthermore, in order to facilitate emptying of the tank, the compartments 414, 416 are removably mounted by a hinge 418, a latch 419 enabling the compartments to be kept in tight connection with the conduits 415, 417 of the tank, by means of seals sealing.

Figure 15 shows, like Figure 9, an exploded view of the secondary filter 430 located under the separation chamber, as well as the unclogging device.

We thus find the pleated envelope 436 held between two flanges 432, 434 each provided with an O-ring, such as the seal 435. The device also comprises a gear comprising a wheel 437 of large size linked to the flange 432 and meshing with a wheel 438 whose axis is connected to the axis 452 of the geared motor 450. As in the previous case, the scraper blade 440 is fixed and the cylinder is rotated around said blade.

The scraper blade 440 is illustrated in more detail in FIG. 16. It includes a retaining lug 442, as well as an axis 443 on which are attached two mechanical biasing elements 444, 446 of the pleated envelope 436.

The ends of the elements 444, 446 of mechanical stress advantageously comprise a bulged part, respectively 445, 447, being in the form of small cylinders which allow a gentle interaction with the pleated envelope, in order to damage the surface as little as possible. of the unclogging operation.

Advantageously, these cylinders 445, 447 are covered with a lubricating material or having a very low coefficient of friction, such as PTFE for example.

Preferably, the mechanical biasing elements are oriented downwards so that unclogging is more effective. Figure 15 shows these elements oriented upwards only for better visualization. According to the embodiments presented, the scraper blade can be either integrated in the filter (for example by gluing), or removable from this filter and assembled by a reversible connection of the clipping type.

In an alternative embodiment, the unclogging device can be positioned in the secondary filtration chamber outside the filtering device.

It can for example be imagined, for the various vacuum cleaner configurations described above, to place the unclogging device at the outside of the pleated filter and resting thereon, the mechanical biasing elements then being carried by a crown, the diameter of which is greater than the diameter of the pleated filter, in order to mechanically shake the filter from the outside, by means of a reversing the air flow direction from the inside of the filter to the outside.

Another conceivable variant consists in modifying the air flow in order to force the polluted flow to pass through a flat secondary filter, from the bottom upwards, said flat filter being preferably positioned on an inclined support, the mechanical stressing elements pressing said filter by the air discharge face so as to facilitate unclogging by scraping, according to relative rectilinear or back-and-forth movements between the biasing elements and the surface of the filter. In all variants, it is provided that the dust, coming from unclogging under the action of the device of the invention, is recovered by gravity in the lower part of the vacuum cleaner in a compartment provided for this purpose, which compartment being hermetically closed so as to avoid pressure drops during the operation of the vacuum cleaner.

In all variants, it is provided that the action of the unclogging device is not permanent during the operation of the vacuum cleaner. Indeed, a continuous operation of the unclogging device is not necessary because of the low fouling speed of the filter on the one hand, and because of the wear caused by friction on the material, on the other hand .

Preferably according to the invention the gear motor operates intermittently.

During feasibility studies of the device, it has been found advantageous to operate the unclogging device, and therefore the gear motor, at the end of each use of the vacuum cleaner. The gear motor starts up, preferably according to the invention, each time the vacuum cleaner is stopped. Advantageously, before the gearmotor is put into service, a delay of one or a few seconds of waiting after the engine stops will allow the unclogging efficiency not to be too disturbed by the vacuum generated by the operation of the engine.

To perform the cleaning of the secondary filter intermittently it can also be envisaged to subject the operation of the gear motor to a time delay. To shake the filter and drop the encrusted dust on its surface, it is not necessary to make multiple rotations of the mechanical stressing elements or the filter, depending on the embodiment envisaged, only a few turns are enough, in fact the motorcycle -reducer works for only a few seconds.

Various variants of the invention have already been mentioned, it can also be envisaged several possibilities, different from those described above, for the transmission between the gear motor and the elements set in rotation. In the various configurations envisaged, the filter may be flat or tubular, made up of various materials and the circulation of air in the filter assembly designed in different ways, without going beyond the ambit of the invention.

Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown by way of examples, but it also includes all the technical equivalents and their combinations.

Claims

B.0768Rext CLAIMS

1. Waste separation device for a vacuum cleaner comprising a filtration system, said device comprising a pleated filter (13, 130, 430) as well as an unclogging device (14) of said filter (13, 130, 430), said unclogging device (14) having at least one mechanical biasing element (23, 146, 148, 444, 446) bearing on the wall of the filter (13, 130, 430), one of the parts among the filter (13 , 130, 430) or the mechanical biasing elements (23, 146, 148, 444, 446) being movable with respect to the other part, characterized in that the separation device is a secondary separation device arranged downstream of a primary filtration system, and in that a geared motor (10, 100, 450) automatically performs a relative mechanical movement between the mechanical biasing elements (23, 146, 148, 444, 446) and the filter

(13, 130, 430).

2. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the primary filtration is carried out by a cyclonic phenomenon or by inertia in a separation chamber (6, 408) connected to a tank (31, 310, 410 ) waste recovery.

3. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the gear motor (10, 100, 450) operates intermittently.

4. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the gear motor (10, 100,

450) starts operating when the vacuum cleaner stops.

5. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pleated filter (13, 130, 430) is tubular and in that the relative movement between the mechanical biasing elements (23, 146 , 148, 444, 446) and the filter (13, 130, 430) is a circular movement.

6. Device for separating waste for a vacuum cleaner according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the movable part or parts carry out a limited number of rotations with respect to the part or fixed parts for each cycle. cleaning the filter (13, 130, 430).

7. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that it comprises at least two mechanical biasing elements (23, 146, 148, 444, 446) in the form of fingers, and preferably six, also distributed over the interior or exterior perimeter of the tubular filter (13, 130, 430).

8. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the mechanical biasing elements (23, 146, 148) are located substantially halfway up the tubular filter (13, 130) .

9. Waste separation device for a cyclonic vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the mechanical loading elements (23, 146, 148, 444, 446) are distributed over the height of the filter ( 13, 130, 430) tubular, at different levels.

10. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the pleated filter (13) is arranged vertically and in that the drive mechanism of the moving part or parts (s ) is positioned under the tubular filter (13) and said elements inside the tubular filter (13).

11. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 5 to 9, characterized in that the pleated filter (13) is arranged vertically and in that the drive mechanism of the moving part or parts (s ) is positioned under the tubular filter (13) and said elements outside the tubular filter (13).

12. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the mechanical biasing elements (23) are movable, the pleated filter (13) being fixed.

13. Device for separating waste for a vacuum cleaner according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the mechanism for driving the mechanical biasing elements (23) comprises a transmission (19) connecting an axis (22) supporting said elements and the shaft of the gear motor (10), said drive shaft being offset relative to the central axis of the filtration assembly (9) of generally cylindrical shape.

14. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the pleated filter (130, 430) is movable, the mechanical biasing elements (146, 148, 444, 446) being fixed .

15. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the pleated filter (130, 430) is arranged horizontally.

16. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the mechanical biasing elements (146, 148, 444, 446) are arranged inside the pleated filter (130, 430) and are composed of several fingers in contact with the wall of the filter (130, 430), said fingers being arranged at two levels along the length of the filter (130, 430).

17. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 15 or 16, characterized in that the filter drive mechanism (130, 430) comprises at least two toothed wheels (106, 108, 437, 438) , one of the wheels being linked to the filter (130, 430) and whose axis corresponds to the axis of rotation of the filter (130, 430), while the other wheel, meshing the previous one, is put into rotation by the drive shaft (102, 452) of the gear motor (100, 450).

18. Device for separating waste for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 2 to M, characterized in that it comprises a compartment (320) for recovering waste from unclogging, said compartment (320) being separated from the container (310) for recovering waste from the primary filtration system.

19. Waste separation device for vacuum cleaner according to one of claims 2 to 17, characterized in that it comprises a tank (32, 416) for recovering waste from unclogging, said tank (32, 416) being integral of the tank (31, 410) for recovering the waste from the primary filtration system.