Suction apparatus and separating unit for a suction apparatus with a shielding ejection and/or compacting element

Abstract

A separating unit for a suction apparatus includes a collecting container for particles of dirt, which is surrounded by a housing wall. The collecting container extends along a longitudinal axis. The separating unit also includes an ejection and/or a compacting element which is configured to be moved inside the collecting container, starting from an initial position along the longitudinal axis to a compacting position in order to compact particles of dirt disposed in the collecting container and/or to eject them from the collecting container. The separating unit is configured in such a way that a radial force, with which the ejection and/or compacting element acts in the radial direction on the inside of the housing wall, is lower at the compacting position than at the initial position. A suction apparatus having the separating unit is also provided.

1 . A separating unit for a suction apparatus, the separating unit comprising:
 a housing wall having an inside, said housing wall surrounding a collecting container for particles of dirt;   said collecting container extending along a longitudinal axis;   at least one of an ejection or compacting element configured to be moved inside said collecting container, starting from an initial position, along said longitudinal axis to a compacting position, for at least one of compacting particles of dirt disposed in said collecting container or ejecting the particles of dirt from said collecting container; and   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element acting on said inside of said housing wall with a radial force in a radial direction, said radial force being lower at said compacting position than at said initial position.   
     
     
         2 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said inside of said housing wall has a diameter being greater at said compacting position than at said initial position. 
     
     
         3 . The separating unit according to  claim 2 , wherein said diameter of said inside of said housing wall is between 1% and 5% greater at said compacting position than at said initial position. 
     
     
         4 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said radial force, with which said at least one of an ejection or compacting element acts in the radial direction on said inside of said housing wall, decreases smoothly or linearly, along a movement path from said initial position to said compacting position. 
     
     
         5 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said inside of said housing wall is conical and defines a vertical axis of said conical inside of said housing wall;   said longitudinal axis corresponds to said vertical axis; and   said inside of said housing wall and said longitudinal axis form an angle therebetween.   
     
     
         6 . The separating unit according to  claim 5 , wherein said angle between said inside of said housing wall and said longitudinal axis is between 0.5° and 2.5°. 
     
     
         7 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said housing wall has a thickness in the radial direction, said thickness being lower at said compacting position than at said initial position; and   said thickness of said housing wall decreases smoothly or linearly along said longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         8 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said at least one of an ejection or compacting element has a side wall facing said inside of said housing wall;   said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element at said initial position and at said compacting position, is at least one of spaced apart from said inside of said housing wall of said collecting container or does not touch said inside of said housing wall of said collecting container;   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element has a surface facing said compacting position, said surface has a shield extending in the radial direction beyond said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element to said inside of said housing wall of said collecting container; and   said shield of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element acts on said inside of said housing wall in the radial direction with a radial force being lower at said compacting position than at said initial position.   
     
     
         9 . The separating unit according to  claim 8 , wherein said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element is at least one of spaced apart from said inside of said housing wall of said collecting container or does not touch said inside of said housing wall of said collecting container, along an entire movement path from said initial position through to said compacting position. 
     
     
         10 . The separating unit according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element has a total diameter in the radial direction; and   said shield extends by at least 1% of said total diameter of said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element in the radial direction beyond said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element.   
     
     
         11 . The separating unit according to  claim 10 , wherein said shield extends by between 1% and 5% of said total diameter of said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element in the radial direction beyond said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element. 
     
     
         12 . The separating unit according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said at least one of an ejection or compacting element has a total height along said longitudinal axis; and   said shield has a height of 5% or less of said total height of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element along said longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         13 . The separating unit according to  claim 12 , wherein said shield has a height of between 1% and 5% or less of said total height of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element along said longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         14 . The separating unit according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said shield and said side wall of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element are made of the same material; or   said shield is made of an elastic sealing material.   
     
     
         15 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said collecting container has a total length, a first front side and an opposing second front side, and said collecting container extends along said longitudinal axis from said first front side through to said second front side;   said collecting container has a total length from said first front side through to said second front side;   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element is disposed closer to said first front side in said initial position than in said compacting position;   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element is disposed closer to said second front side in said compacting position than in said initial position; and   said compacting position and said initial position are spaced apart from one another along said longitudinal axis by at least 50% of said total length of said collecting container.   
     
     
         16 . The separating unit according to  claim 15 , wherein said compacting position and said initial position are spaced apart from one another along said longitudinal axis by at least 70% of said total length of said collecting container. 
     
     
         17 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said housing wall of said collecting container runs cylindrically or circular-cylindrically around said longitudinal axis; and   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element runs annularly along said inside of said housing wall around said longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         18 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said collecting container has an inlet opening disposed at said housing wall for a suction air flow;   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element has a surface acting on the suction air flow having entered said collecting container when said at least one of an ejection or compacting element is disposed in said initial position; and   said surface of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element runs, at least in a segment, helically along said inside of said housing wall around said longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         19 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said collecting container has an inlet opening disposed at said housing wall for a suction air flow;   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element has a surface acting on the suction air flow having entered said collecting container when said at least one of an ejection or compacting element is disposed in said initial position;   said surface has an inclined section, in which a normal vector of said surface is disposed obliquely relative to said longitudinal axis; and   in said initial position, said inclined section of said surface of said at least one of an ejection or compacting element is disposed flush with said inlet opening in the radial direction.   
     
     
         20 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 a filter unit disposed in said collecting container, said filter unit having a surface; and   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element being annular and having an inner edge facing said surface of said filter unit for cleaning said surface of said filter unit upon said annular at least one of an ejection or compacting element being moved along said longitudinal axis in a direction of said compacting position.   
     
     
         21 . A suction apparatus, comprising:
 the separating unit according to  claim 1  having an inlet opening and a filter unit;   a fan; and   a suction mouth;   said fan configured to induce a suction air flow from said suction mouth, through said inlet opening and through said filter unit to said fan.