Suction apparatus and separating unit for a suction apparatus having a flap with restricted movement

Abstract

A separating unit for a suction apparatus includes a collecting container enclosed by a housing wall. The collecting container has an inlet opening for a suction air flow disposed on the housing wall, which is covered with a flexible flap. The flexible flap is fastened to the housing wall at a leading edge of the flap and has a first portion and a subsequent second portion along the leading edge. The flap is configured to be bent into the collecting container away from the housing wall by an external force acting on the flap and as a result exposes the inlet opening at least in part. The separating unit is configured such that the bending away of the first portion of the flap is more greatly restricted than the bending away of the second portion of the flap. 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 enclosing a collecting container;   said collecting container having an inlet opening disposed at said housing wall for a suction air flow;   a flexible flap covering said inlet opening, said flexible flap having a leading edge fastening said flexible flap to said housing wall;   said flexible flap having a first portion and a following second portion along said leading edge;   said flexible flap bending away from said housing wall into said collecting container due to an external force acting on said flexible flap, to at least partly expose said inlet opening; and   said bending away of said first portion of said flexible flap being more greatly restricted than said bending away of said second portion of said flexible flap.   
     
     
         2 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises a barrier for selectively restricting said bending away of said first portion of said flexible flap. 
     
     
         3 . The separating unit according to  claim 2 , wherein said barrier does not restrict said bending away of said second portion of said flexible flap. 
     
     
         4 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein said bending away of said second portion of said flexible flap is substantially not restricted. 
     
     
         5 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 a support surface for supporting said first portion of said flexible flap;   said support surface configured to restrict said bending away of said first portion of said flexible flap.   
     
     
         6 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 a longitudinal axis of the separating unit;   said housing wall of said collecting container configured to be cylindrical about said longitudinal axis;   said collecting container extending from a first end face along the longitudinal axis to a second end face;   said inlet opening being closer to said first end face than to said second end face along said longitudinal axis; and   said first portion of said flexible flap facing said first end face, and said second portion of said flexible flap facing said second end face.   
     
     
         7 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 a longitudinal axis of the separating unit, said suction air flow entering said collecting container through said inlet opening flowing around said longitudinal axis;   said leading edge running parallel to said longitudinal axis; and   said bending away of said first portion of said flexible flap being more greatly restricted than said bending away of said second portion of said flexible flap causing said suction air flow entering said collecting container through said inlet opening to receive an impulse in a direction of said longitudinal axis, causing said suction air flow inside said collecting container to flow helically around said longitudinal axis.   
     
     
         8 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , which further comprises:
 at least one of an ejection or compacting element configured to be moved inside said collecting container to at least one of compact dirt particles disposed in said collecting container or eject the dirt particles from said collecting container; and   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element configured to form a barrier for selectively restricting said bending away of said first portion of said flexible flap.   
     
     
         9 . The separating unit according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said collecting container extends along a longitudinal axis from a first end face to a second end face;   a filter unit is disposed in said collecting container and configured to retain dirt particles from said suction air flow at a surface of said filter unit; and   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element configured to be moved along said longitudinal axis over said surface of said filter unit.   
     
     
         10 . The separating unit according to  claim 9 , wherein said at least one of an ejection or compacting element is disposed in an initial position along a radial direction relative to said longitudinal axis flush with said first portion of said flexible flap. 
     
     
         11 . The separating unit according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 said housing wall of said collecting container runs cylindrically or circular cylindrically about said longitudinal axis;   said surface of said filter unit is configured to be cylindrical or circular cylindrical about said longitudinal axis; and   said at least one of an ejection or compacting element is configured as a ring having an inner edge facing said surface of said filter unit and an outer edge facing said housing wall.   
     
     
         12 . The separating unit according to  claim 11 , wherein said at least one of an ejection or compacting element has a support surface running between said inner edge and said outer edge for supporting said first portion of said flexible flap. 
     
     
         13 . The separating unit according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 said support surface has a normal vector running obliquely relative to said longitudinal axis;   said normal vector of said support surface has a directional component pointing in a radial direction out of said collecting container; and   said longitudinal axis and said normal vector of said support surface enclose an angle therebetween of between 10° and 45°.   
     
     
         14 . The separating unit according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 said at least one of an ejection or compacting element has an annular surface between said inner edge and said outer edge, said annular surface including said support surface for said first portion of said flexible flap; and   said normal vector of said annular surface is aligned parallel to said longitudinal axis with increasing angular distance from said support surface.   
     
     
         15 . The separating unit according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said flexible flap has a linear predetermined bending point, enabling a bending of said second portion about a bending axis; and   said flexible flap is configured to allow bending of said second portion of said flexible flap into said collecting container caused by an external force acting on said second portion about said bending axis.   
     
     
         16 . A suction apparatus, comprising:
 the separating unit according to  claim 1  having a filter unit;   a fan; and   a suction nozzle;   said fan configured to achieve a suction air flow from said suction nozzle, through said inlet opening of the separating unit and through said filter unit to said fan.