TECH N ICAL FI ELD

The invention relates to a portable vacuum cleaning device.

BACKG ROU N D

For portable vacuum cleaning devices, such as portable window vacuum cleaners, it is necessary that cleaning liquid which is applied to a surface to be cleaned and transported by means of an airflow via a vacuum cleaner nozzle to a waste liquid container of the vacuum cleaner is effectively disposed of, while avoiding that the cleaning liquid reaches a suction fan causing the airflow.

WO 2013/143616 discloses with reference to Figure 1 a hard-surface suction implement 10 which comprises a suction device 12 with a suction nozzle 14, a separating unit 16 and a suction assembly 18. The hard-surface suction implement 10 further comprises a dirty liquid tank 20 and a handle 22. The separating unit 16 has a separating chamber 32 in which at least one separating element 36 is arranged.

Moreover, the hard-surface suction implement 10 comprises a suction inlet 34, a liquid outlet 52 and an air outlet 40, wherein the suction inlet 34 is flow-connected to the suction nozzle 14, the liquid outlet 52 is flow-connected to the dirty liquid tank 20 and the air outlet 40 is flow- connected to the suction assembly 18. In order for the hard-surface suction implement 10 to be guided along a hard surface by an operator with low expenditure of energy, the handle 22 is arranged below the suction device 12 in relation to an upright position of the hard-surface suction implement 10.

However, a problem with the hard-surface suction implement 10 of WO 2013/143616 is that if the operator operates the implement such that the suction nozzle 14 points in a downwards direction, it is very likely that liquid contained in the dirty liquid tank 20 will impinge on the separating element 36, leak into the air outlet 40 and reach a suction turbine 44 and/or an electric motor 46 driving the turbine, thereby causing damage to the hard-surface suction implement 10.

SU M MARY

An object of the present invention is to solve, or at least mitigate, this problem in the art and thus to provide an improved portable vacuum cleaning device for hard surfaces where cleaning liquid does not reach, and ultimately cause damage to, a suction fan of the cleaning device.

This object is attained in an aspect of the invention by a portable vacuum cleaning device for a hard surface comprising a housing, a container releasably attached to the housing, a nozzle configured to remove a cleaning liquid applied to the hard surface to be cleaned, and a suction fan arranged in the housing to create an airflow through an air inlet of the nozzle via the container and an air suction inlet arranged in the housing for transporting the removed cleaning liquid to the container. The container comprises a separation device configured to separate the liquid from the airflow, a waste liquid tank configured to house the separated liquid, and a protection device configured to prevent the separated liquid from entering the air suction inlet.

Advantageously, the protection device is attached to a back end section of the housing to cover the air suction inlet behind which the suction fan is arranged. The separation device, which is arranged on top of the protection device, is configured to separate the cleaning liquid entering the container with the airflow created by the suction fan which cleaning liquid impinges on the separation device. The airflow will thus pass through the separation device and the protection deice and enter the air suction inlet.

The cleaning liquid may be composed of water, a detergent or a mix thereof. The removed cleaning liquid usually also comprises dirt and/or dust removed from the hard surface mixed with the cleaning liquid.

Further advantageous is that a waste liquid tank is formed between the protection device and the separation device at a base portion of the separation device. The tank is configured to accommodate the cleaning liquid being separated from the airflow by the separation device. The waste liquid tank facilitates retaining of the cleaning liquid at a bottom of the container in order to avoid having cleaning liquid entering the air section inlet of the housing. Further, the waste liquid tank advantageously prevents the cleaning liquid from swirling back and forth in the container, which swirling may be perceived by the user as rendering operation of the cleaning device more difficult.

In an embodiment, the protection device to be arranged at the air suction inlet comprises a tubular protecting member. Advantageously, this even further prevents the cleaning liquid from entering the air suction inlet.

In an embodiment, the protection device is arranged on top of the air suction inlet of the housing such that a proximal end of the tubular protecting member is aligned with the air suction inlet. The tubular protecting member is arranged to extend into the container such that a distal end of the tubular protecting member is located above a maximum cleaning liquid fill level that normally would be reached in the container. Advantageously, the tubular protecting member hampers cleaning liquid from reaching the air suction inlet, while still allowing air to pass through.

In an embodiment, the container advantageously comprises an indicator for indicating to the user a maximum liquid fill level of the container which the user preferably should not let the liquid exceed as the container fills up with cleaning liquid during operation of the vacuum cleaning device. This level is equal to or lower than the height of the tubular protecting member.

In embodiments, the tubular protecting member is arranged to extend into the container at least twice the height of the waste liquid tank, and preferably around three times the height of the waste liquid tank, which height is defined by a top section arranged to prevent the liquid in the tank from exiting the tank in a longitudinal direction.

In another embodiment, the distal end of the tubular protecting member is arranged to have an oval shape. This is advantageous since less turbulence is caused by the airflow created by the suction fan as compared to a circular shape.

In yet an embodiment, in order to further avoid cleaning liquid splashing about in the waste liquid tank, any movement of cleaning liquid within the tank is advantageously prevented by arranging the waste liquid tank with dividing members transversally extending in the tank to divide the waste liquid tank into several smaller chambers.

In still a further embodiment, the separation device covering the protection device comprises a separating portion, in the form of e.g. a double concave deflecting surface, which is arranged to at least partly cover the distal end of the tubular protecting member from cleaning liquid which impinges on the separating portion upon entering the container. Advantageously, the separating portion improves the ability of the cleaning liquid to splash off of the separation device.

In an embodiment, the separation device comprises wings, such as e.g. four or eight wings, extending longitudinally along the separation device down to the waste liquid tank, preferably to the bottom of the waste liquid tank, when the separation device is assembled onto the protection device. Advantageously, these wings divide the volume inside the container into multiple chambers, thereby slowing down movement of the cleaning liquid inside the container. Further advantageous is that the separating portion and the longitudinal wings cooperate to create an air labyrinth for the air to reach the air suction inlet.

Further advantageous is that the separation device (including any wings and/or double concave deflecting surface) forms a surface to which liquid contained in the air flow attaches, thereby facilitating separation of the cleaning liquid from the air flow which can flow further along the wings and down to the air suction inlet via any openings in the separation device .

In an embodiment, the protection device further comprises at least one protecting wall adjoining two adjacent wings while in a further embodiment each pair of adjacent wings is adjoined by a respective protecting wall.

In yet an embodiment, the nozzle comprises a tubular attaching member via which the nozzle is releasably attached to an inlet of the container and via which the cleaning liquid enters the container. Advantageously, the attaching member is configured to create a seal between the container inlet and a periphery of the attaching member when the attaching member is inserted into the tank inlet. Thereby, cleaning liquid will not escape via the container inlet when the user e.g. holds the cleaning device with the nozzle pointing downwards.

In another embodiment, the container comprises a cleaning liquid transport channel configured to extend from the container inlet into the interior of the container for transporting the cleaning liquid to the container. In a further embodiment, an outlet of the cleaning liquid transport channel via which the cleaning liquid is disposed into the container is arranged to be positioned on a distance from interior walls of the container. Advantageously, when the user e.g. holds the cleaning device with the nozzle pointing downwards, cleaning liquid will be hampered from escaping via the cleaning liquid transport channel.

In an embodiment, the cleaning liquid transport channel comprises one or more openings arranged at the container inlet. Advantageously , when the nozzle is removed from the container inlet, the container and the waste liquid tank is set in fluid communication with the container inlet via the openings, since the seal between the container inlet and the periphery of the attaching member is removed, thereby enabling emptying of the container and the waste liquid tank via the openings and the container inlet.

In yet an embodiment, the tubular attaching member comprises two separate sealing members arranged along said periphery and configured to create the seal, advantageously providing a safe seal.

In an embodiment, a first of the two sealing members is arranged downstream of the openings, while a second of the two sealing members is arranged upstream of the openings, when the nozzle is attached to the container inlet.

In still another embodiment, the nozzle comprises at least one flexible wiper lip extending along a nozzle suction opening. The nozzle further comprises one flexible support lip extending parallel or substantially parallel to the wiper lip and which comprises a plurality of recesses along an edge of the lip configured to allow cleaning liquid to pass through the support lip and enter the nozzle suction opening.

Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted according to their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitly defined otherwise herein. All references to "a/an/the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc." are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instance of the element, apparatus, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitly stated otherwise. The steps of any method disclosed herein do not have to be performed in the exact order disclosed, unless explicitly stated.

BRI EF DESCRI PTION OF TH E DRAWI NGS

The invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a portable vacuum cleaning device according to an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the portable vacuum cleaning device of according to the invention, where the container and the nozzle have been removed from the housing; Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the portable vacuum cleaning device according to the invention, where also the separation device and the protection device has been removed from the housing;

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the portable vacuum cleaning device according to the invention; Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the protection device;

Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the separation device;

Figure 7 shows a sectional view of the protection device taken along line A-A;

Figure 8 shows a sectional view of the separation device taken along line A-A;

Figure 9 illustrates the nozzle comprising a tubular attaching member according to an embodiment; and

Figure 10 illustrates a nozzle according to an embodiment.

DETAI LED DESCRI PTI ON

The invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which certain embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of example so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the description.

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of a portable vacuum cleaning device 10 according to an embodiment of the invention. Operation of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10 will be described in the following.

The portable vacuum cleaning device 10 comprises a housing 11 which in an embodiment comprises a handle 36 to be held by the user for operating the device, and a container 12 to be releasably attached to the housing 11. Further, in an embodiment, a nozzle 13 is releasably attached to the container 12, such that the container 12 swiftly can be emptied of cleaning liquid which is removed by the device 10 during a process of cleaning a surface to which the cleaning liquid has been applied.

The cleaning liquid may be composed of water, a detergent or a mix thereof. The removed cleaning liquid usually also comprises dirt and/or dust removed from the hard surface mixed with the cleaning liquid.

Moreover, the housing 11 comprises an air suction inlet 18, behind which a suction fan 14 is arranged to create an airflow through an air inlet of the nozzle 13 via the container 12 and the air suction inlet of the housing 11 in order to remove the cleaning liquid from the surface to be cleaned and transport the cleaning liquid to the container 12. The airflow exits the cleaning device 10 via exhaust outlet 38.

In an embodiment, a rechargeable battery 35 is arranged in an interior of the handle 36 for supplying the vacuum cleaning device with sufficient operational power. The housing 11 may further comprise a processing unit (not shown) configured to control operation of the device 10. The processing unit is typically communicatively connected to a start button 37 operated by a user for starting/stopping the operation of the cleaning device 10.

The portable vacuum cleaning device 10 is typically used on hard surfaces, such as windows, tables, glass doors, etc. A user of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10 applies a cleaning liquid to the surface to be cleaned and then sets a nozzle 13 of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10 into contact for removing the cleaning liquid from the surface.

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10 according to the invention, where the container 12 and the nozzle 13 have been removed from the housing 11, thereby exposing a separation device 15, which is arranged on top of a protection device 17. As can be seen in Figure 2, a waste liquid tank 16 is formed between the protection device 17 and the separation device 15.

Figure 3 illustrates a perspective view of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10 according to the invention, where also the separation device 15 and the protection device 17 has been removed from the housing 11, thereby exposing the air suction inlet 18 in the back end section of the housing 11. The protection device 17 is arranged to cover the air suction inlet 18 in the housing for preventing liquid from entering the air suction fan 14 arranged in the housing 11.

In an embodiment, the back end section of the housing 11 comprises a recess 39 arranged to attach the container 12 to the housing 11, the recess 39 comprising a flat bottom part arranged to receive the container 12.

In a further embodiment, the housing 11 further comprises at least one guiding pin 40 arranged to engage with a corresponding guiding recess of the container 12 for securing the container 12 to the housing 11. Alternatively, a second opposite guiding pin 40a and a corresponding recess in the container can be used.

Figure 4 is an exploded view of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10 according to the invention.

The main components of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10 includes the housing 11 which in an embodiment comprises a handle 36 to be held by the user for operating the device, and a container 12 to be releasably attached to the housing 11. Further, in an embodiment, the nozzle 13 is releasably attached to the container 12, such that the container 12 swiftly can be emptied of cleaning liquid.

Moreover, the housing 11 comprises the air suction inlet 18 arranged in a back end section, behind which air suction inlet 18 the suction fan 14 is arranged to create an airflow through an air inlet of the nozzle 13 via an open bottom section of the container 12 and the air suction inlet 18 of the housing 11 in order to remove the cleaning liquid from the surface to be cleaned and transport the cleaning liquid to the container 12.

In order to prevent the cleaning liquid from entering the air suction inlet 18 and thus potentially damaging the suction fan 14, the protection device 17 is attached to the back end section of the housing 11 to cover the air suction inlet 18. Further shown in Figure 4 is the exhaust outlet 38 via which the airflow caused by the suction fan 14 exits the cleaning device 10.

On top of the protection device 17, the separation device 15 is arranged, which device 15 is configured to separate the cleaning liquid entering the container 12 from the airflow created by the suction fan 14.

Further, at a base portion of the protection device 17, a space 16 is provided which forms the waste liquid tank when the protection device 17, the separation device 15 and the container 12 is attached to the housing 11 (as has been illustrated in the previous drawings), which tank is configured to accommodate the separated cleaning liquid upon operation of the cleaning device 10. Advantageously, the waste liquid tank 16 facilitates retaining of the cleaning liquid at a bottom of the container 12 in order to avoid having cleaning liquid entering the air section inlet 18 of the housing 11. Further, the waste liquid tank 16 advantageously prevents the cleaning liquid from swirling back and forth in the container 12, which swirling may be perceived by the user as rendering operation of the cleaning device 10 more difficult.

To summarize, an air flow is created by the suction fan 14 via the air suction inlet 18, the container 12 and the nozzle 13, which air flow allows the nozzle 13 to remove the cleaning liquid from a surface to be cleaned. The air flow transports the cleaning liquid in to the container 12, where it impinges on the separation device 15 configured to separate the cleaning liquid from the airflow.

The separated cleaning liquid flows along exterior walls of the separation device 15 and ends up in the waste liquid tank 16 without entering the air suction inlet 18 and the suction fan 14.

In an embodiment, in order to facilitate cleaning of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10, the protection device 16 is advantageously arranged to be releasably attached to the back end section of the housing 11.

In yet a further embodiment, the separation device 15 is in its turn arranged to be releasably attached to the protection device 17.

Advantageously, a user removes the container 12 from the housing 12 (with or without removing the nozzle 13 from the container 12), the container being attached to the housing 11 at the back end section. Thereafter, the protection device 17 and the separation device 15 being attached to the protection device 17 is released - as a composite unit - from the back end section of the housing 11, where the protection device 17 covers the air suction inlet 18. Finally, the user releases the separation device 15 from the protection device 17, whereby the user straightforwardly can clean an interior of the separation device 15.

Hence, the user has easily and straightforwardly disassembled the portable vacuum cleaning device 10 into its five main components illustrated in the exploded view of Figure 4. As can be concluded, due to the construction of the portable vacuum cleaning device 10, it can easily be cleaned by a user.

With further reference to Figure 4, in an embodiment, a rechargeable battery 35 is arranged in an interior of the handle 36 for supplying the vacuum cleaning device with sufficient operational power. The housing 11 may further comprise a processing unit (not shown) configured to control operation of the device 10.

Further embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to Figures 5-8, where Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the protection device 17 and Figure 6 shows a perspective view of the separation device 15, while Figure 7 shows a sectional view of the of the protection device 17 taken along line A-A and Figure 8 shows a sectional view of separation device 15 taken along line A-A.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 7, the protection device 17 to be arranged at the air suction inlet 18 comprises a tubular protecting member 19. Hence, the protection device 17 will be arranged on top of the air suction inlet 18 of the housing 11 such that a proximal end 20 of the tubular protecting member 19 is aligned with the air suction inlet 18.

As is shown in Figures 5 and 7, the tubular protecting member 19 is arranged to extend into the container 12 (when the five main components in Figure 4 are assembled to have the vacuum cleaning device 10 in operational mode) such that a distal end 21 of the tubular protecting member 19 is located above a maximum cleaning liquid fill level that normally would be reached in the container 12.

It may be envisaged that the container 12 advantageously comprises an indicator for indicating to the user a maximum liquid fill level of the container 12 which the user preferably should not exceed as the container 12 fills up with cleaning liquid during operation of the vacuum cleaning device 10.

In an embodiment, to prevent cleaning liquid from entering the air suction inlet 18 via the distal end 21 of the tubular protecting member 19, the tubular protecting member 19 is arranged to extend into the container 12 at least twice the height of the waste liquid tank 16, and preferably three times the height of the waste liquid tank 16.

As is illustrated in Figures 5 and 7, the height of the waste liquid tank 16 is defined by top section 28 which is arranged to prevent the liquid in the tank 16 from exiting the tank 16 in a longitudinal direction.

In an embodiment, the indicated maximum liquid fill level is selected to substantially coincide with the height of the waste liquid tank 16. In still an embodiment, the distal end 21 of the tubular protecting member 19 is arranged to have an oval shape. This is advantageous since less turbulence is caused by the airflow created by the suction fan 14 as compared to a circular shape.

In order to further avoid cleaning liquid splashing about in the waste liquid tank 16, any movement of cleaning liquid within the tank 16 is advantageously prevented by arranging the waste liquid tank 16 with dividing members 27a, 27b, 27c, 27d transversally extending in the tank 16 to separate the waste liquid tank 16 into several smaller chambers.

In the embodiment shown in Figures 6 and 8, the separation device 15 being arranged to cover the protection device 17 comprises a separating portion 22 which is arranged to at least partly cover the distal end 21 of the tubular protecting member 19 from cleaning liquid which impinges on the separating portion 22 upon entering the container 12.

Advantageously, the cleaning liquid transported to the container 12 via the nozzle 13 by the airflow will splash onto the separating portion 22, while the airflow caused by the suction fan 14 will enter opening 26, the distal end 21 of the protection device 17 and finally the air suction inlet 18 of the housing 11.

With reference again to Figure 6, in yet an embodiment, the separating portion 22 comprises a double concave deflecting surface 23 advantageously facilitating the cleaning liquid that impinges on the surface 23 to effectively splash off of the surface.

As is shown in Figures 6 and 8, in still an embodiment, the separation device 15 comprises wings 24a, 24b, 24c extending longitudinally along the separation device 15 down to the waste liquid tank 16, preferably to the bottom of the waste liquid tank 16, when the separation device is assembled onto the protection device 17.

The separation device 15 may comprises four wings, or even eight wings, which advantageously divide the volume inside the container 12 into multiple chambers, thereby slowing down movement if the cleaning liquid inside the container 12.

Advantageously, the separating portion 22 and the longitudinal wings 24a, 24b, 24c cooperates to create an air labyrinth for the air to reach the air suction inlet 18.

Further advantageous is that the separation device 15 (including any wings 24a, 24b, 24c and/or double concave deflecting surface 23) forms a surface to which liquid contained in the air flow attaches, and is thereby separated from the air flow which can flow further along the wings and down to the air suction inlet 18 via any openings in the separation device 15.

In an embodiment, the protection device 15 further comprises at least one protecting wall 25a adjoining two adjacent wings 24b, 24c, while in a further embodiment each pair of adjacent wings is adjoined by a respective protecting wall.

Figure 9 illustrates a further embodiment of the invention, where the nozzle 13 comprises a tubular attaching member 29 via which the nozzle 13 is releasably attached to an inlet 30 of the container 12 and via which the cleaning liquid enters the container 12. Advantageously, the attaching member 29 is configured to create a seal between the container inlet 30 and a periphery of the attaching member 29 when the attaching member 29 is inserted into the tank inlet 30. Thereby, cleaning liquid will not escape via the container inlet 30 when the user e.g. holds the cleaning device 10 with the nozzle 13 pointing downwards.

In an embodiment, the container 12 comprises a cleaning liquid transport channel 31 configured to extend from the container inlet 30 into the interior of the container 12 for transporting the cleaning liquid to the container.

Advantageously, an outlet 32 of the cleaning liquid transport channel 31 via which the cleaning liquid is disposed into the container 12 is arranged to be positioned on a distance from interior walls of the container 12. Again, when the user e.g. holds the cleaning device 10 with the nozzle 13 pointing downwards, cleaning liquid will be hampered from escaping via the cleaning liquid transport channel 31.

With further reference to Figure 9, in an embodiment, the cleaning liquid transport channel 31 comprises one or more openings 33 arranged at the container inlet 30.

When the nozzle 13 is removed from the container inlet 30, the container 12, and the waste liquid tank, is set in fluid communication with the container inlet 30 via the openings 33, since the seal between the container inlet 30 and the periphery of the attaching member 29 is removed.

Advantageously, the container 12, and the waste liquid tank, can be emptied of cleaning liquid via the openings 33 and the container inlet 30.

In yet an embodiment, the tubular attaching member 29 comprises two separate sealing members 34a, 34b arranged along said periphery and configured to create the seal. This advantageously creates a safe seal.

In Figure 9, a first 34a of the two sealing members is arranged downstream of the openings 33, while a second 34b of the two sealing members is arranged upstream of the openings 33, when the nozzle 13 is attached to the container inlet 30.

Figure 10 illustrates a perspective view of the nozzle 13 according to an embodiment of the invention. The nozzle 13 comprises at least one flexible wiper lip 41 extending along a nozzle suction opening 42.

The nozzle 13 further comprises one flexible support lip 43 extending parallel or substantially parallel to the wiper lip 41 and which comprises a plurality of recesses along an edge of the lip 43 configured to allow cleaning liquid to pass through the support lip 43 and enter the nozzle suction opening 42.

The invention has mainly been described above with reference to a few embodiments.

However, as is readily appreciated by a person skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosed above are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as defined by the appended patent claims.