GB2255003A

GB2255003A - Portable vacuum suction device

Info

Publication number: GB2255003A
Application number: GB9208064A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Robert David Clarke
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-04-23
Filing date: 1992-04-03
Publication date: 1992-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 2012-04-03
Also published as: GB2255003B; GB9108689D0; GB9208064D0

Abstract

The device comprises a housing 10, a motor driven fan within said housing, a suction tube 20 extending from the housing on the suction side of the fan, means 25 for securing a collection bag 24 on the pressure side of the fan and means 22 for venting air to atmosphere between the pressure side of the fan and said securing means, the arrangement being such that when the device is in its intended attitude for use the collection bag hangs downwardly to receive waste leaving the air stream at said venting means under the influence of gravity and its acquired momentum. <IMAGE>

Description

PORTABLE TOOL This invention concerns a portable tool and more especially a vacuum suction device particularly, though by no means exclusively, adapted for the collection of garden waste such as fallen leaves.

Portable garden suction devices are known which exhaust into a fabric waste collection bag. These have a number of disadvantages. The presence of the bag establishes substantial back pressure requiring a motor of considerable power to generate useful suction. For this reason petrol driven motors have been chosen which have the problems of weight and noise. Again, dust escapes through the collection bag which is generally inconvenient, and the bag must be demounted from the device for emptying which can be a time consuming and difficult operation.

It is amongst the objects of the present invention to provide a portable vacuum suction device which addresses the problems aforementioned.

According to the present invention there is provided a portable vacuum suction device comprising a housing, a motor driven fan within said housing, a suction tube extending from the housing on the suction side of the fan, means for securing a collection bag on the pressure side of the fan and means for venting air to atmosphere between the pressure side of the fan and said securing means, the arrangement being such that when the device is in its intended attitude for use the collection bag hangs downwardly to receive waste leaving the air stream at said venting means under the influence of gravity and its aquired momentum.

The motor may be an electric motor.

The securing means may be adapted to secure the mouth of a conventional disposable plastics refuse sack.

The housing may have handle means on its upper side.

Strap means may be provided to suspend the housing from the shoulder of a user.

The strap means may be connectible with the handle means at an adjustable position therealong to enable a user to keep the device balanced as the bag is progressively filled. This arrangement also permits some adjustment to suit the height of the user.

The invention will be further apparent from the following description with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawing, which show, by way of example only, one form of portable vacuum suction device embodying same.

Of the drawing : Figure 1 shows a side view of the device; and Figure 2 shows a cross-section through the housing of the device on the line Il-Il of Figure 1, and on an enlarged scale.

Referring now to the drawing, it will be seen that the device, which is intended primarily for the collection of garden waste such as fallen leaves, comprises a housing 10 containing a fan 11 driven by an electric motor 12 controlled by an on-off switch 13 at the rear of the housing 10.

On the top of the housing 10 is an elongated handle 14 the underside of which is provided with a plurality of spaced transversely extending grooves 15.

A strap 16 is provided to suspend the housing 10 from a shoulder of the user. The length of the strap 16 can be adjusted by a buckle 17. The strap 16 passes through a hook member 18 which may be engaged with a desired one of the grooves 15, for a purpose which will be apparent hereinafter. The hook member defines a single suspension point allowing freedom of motion of the device in both the vertical and horizontal planes.

A suction tube 20 extends forwardly and downwardly from the front end of the housing to terminate in a nozzle 21 positioned adjacent the ground when the housing is suspended from the shoulder of the user with the strap 16 suitably adjusted to suit his stature.

The suction tube 20 communicates, through the housing 10, with the suctions side of the fan 11.

On the underside of the housing 10 at the rear thereof is a truncated conical chamber 22 having a peripheral wall formed from a mesh material which communicates, through the housing 10, which the pressure side of the fan 11.

The lower end of the chamber (which is the end of greater diameter) is connected with a ring 23 which may be introduced into the mouth of a conventional disposable plastics refuse sack 24 which can be secured to the ring by a buckled steel tape 25.

In use, with the motor 12 running, garden waste such as fallen leaves and small twigs can be collected by the nozzle 21. The waste is conveyed in an air stream through the fan 11, which shreds the waste to some extent, and into the chamber 22 where the air vents to atmosphere to leave the waste to fall under the influence of gravity and its aquired momentum into the sack 24.

When the sack 24 is filled it is removed, tied off and discarded.

As the sack 24 fills the connection between the forward end of the strap 16 and the handle 14 may be adjusted by changing the groove 15 into which the hook member 18 engages to keep the device reasonably well balanced.

The absence of substantial back pressure because the air can escape through the wall of the chamber 22 - enables strong suction currents with a motor of modest power.

It will be appreciated that it is not intended to limit the invention to the above example only, many variations, such as might readily occur to one skilled in the art, being possible, without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims

1. A portable vacuum suction device comprising a housing, a motor driven fan within said housing, a suction tube extending from the housing on the suction side of the fan, means for securing a collection bag on the pressure side of the fan and means for venting air to atmosphere between the pressure side of the fan and said securing means, the arrangement being such that when the device is in its intended attitude for use the collection bag hangs downwardly to receive waste leaving the air stream at said venting means under the influence of gravity and its aquired momentum.

2. A portable vacuum suction device according to claim 1, wherein the motor is an electric motor.

3. A portable vacuum suction device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the securing means is adapted to secure the mouth of a conventional disposable plastics refuse sack.

4. A portable vacuum suction device according to any preceding claim, wherein said venting means a chamber whose peripheral wall is of mesh material.

5. A portable vacuum suction device according to claim 4, wherein said chamber is of truncated conical form.

6. A portable vacuum suction device according to any preceding claim, wherein the housing has handle means on its upper side.

7. A portable vacuum suction device according to claim 6, wherein strap means is provided to suspend the housing from the shoulder of a user.

8. A portable vacuum suction device according to claim 7, wherein the strap means is connectible with the handle means at an adjustable position therealong to enable a user to keep the device balanced as the bag is progressively filled.