FILTERED EXHUAST CONDUITS FOR ORGANIC DEBRIS COLLECTION DEVICES

Abstract

A filtered exhaust conduit is provided. The conduit includes an intake end, an exit end, a curved section, a vent, and a filter device. The intake end is connectable to a blower unit, while the exit end is connectable to a debris collector container. The curved section extends between and joins the intake end and the exit end. The vent is between the intake end and the exit end and is positioned through a lower inner wall of the filtered exhaust conduit. The filter device is removably secured over the vent to form a substantially air tight fit on the vent. An organic debris collection device having the filtered exhaust conduit is also provided.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present disclosure is related to organic debris collection devices. More particularly, the present disclosure is related to organic debris collection devices having filtered exhaust conduits.

2. Description of Related Art

The collection of leaves, grass clippings and other organic debris from lawn mowers into either fabric and/or rigid collector bags is well known. In order to keep the air stream and any debris entrained therein moving, the collector bags are often provided with a vent for the high-velocity air.

In lawnmowers that employ collector bags, this is commonly done by using a bag of porous weave that permits the air to escape through the fabric. However, as the bag fills up, the pores become clogged with debris, which substantially blocks the air flow and greatly reduces the vacuum effect, sometimes reducing it to near zero. In addition, when such fabric bags become clogged, they are subjected to high internal pressure from the blower air stream. If the blower is very powerful, the bag can rip apart at the seams.

If the weave of the bag is made larger to avoid clogging, a great quantity of organic debris material is lost through the mesh, and the equipment operator may be exposed to quantities of choking dust and debris particles. Furthermore, the higher air pressure inside the bag tends to “press” the leaves, grass and other debris against the inside of the mesh, effectively blocking the airflow and reducing the vacuum effect.

Additionally, the exhausted fine debris can remain in the air for some time, causing the operator to have an obstructed view and/or difficulty breathing. Additionally, the exhausted debris can redeposit itself on the surface being cleaned such that a less than optimal cleaning result is obtained.

Accordingly, it has been determined that there is a need for exhaust vents that overcome, alleviate, and/or mitigate one or more of the deleterious effects of prior art collection devices.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A filtered exhaust conduit is provided. The conduit includes an intake end, an exit end, a curved section, a vent, and a filter device. The intake end is connectable to a blower unit, while the exit end is connectable to a debris collector container. The curved section extends between and joins the intake end and the exit end. The vent is between the intake end and the exit end and is positioned through a lower inner wall of the filtered exhaust conduit. The filter device is removably secured over the vent to form a substantially air tight fit on the vent.

An organic debris collection device is also provided. The collection device includes a blower unit, a debris collector container, an exhaust conduit, a vent, and a filter device. The exhaust conduit has an intake end connected to the blower unit and an exit end connected to the debris collector container. The vent is between the intake end and the exit end and is positioned through a lower inner wall of the exhaust conduit. The filter device is removably secured over the vent to form a substantially air tight fit on the vent.

The above-described and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated and understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, drawings, and appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of an organic debris collector having a filtered exhaust conduit according to the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view, partially in cross section, showing flow paths in the filtered exhaust conduit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an cross-sectional view of the filtered exhaust conduit of FIG. 2 taken along the line 3-3;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of the filter device of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of an alternate exemplary embodiment of a filter device according to the present disclosure in use with a curved exhaust conduits; and

FIG. 6 illustrates another alternate exemplary embodiment of a filtered exhaust conduit according to the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 3, an exemplary embodiment of a filtered exhaust conduit 10 is shown. Filtered exhaust conduit 10 is shown in use with an organic debris collection device such as that shown and described in Applicants own U.S. Pat. No. 6,029,312, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Advantageously, exhaust conduit 10 of the present disclosure includes a filter device 22 so that the conduit is configured to separate debris in two stages. More particularly, exhaust conduit 10 separates the majority of debris via centrifugal force, while vent device separates a minority of smaller or fine debris remaining entrained in the vented air.

Generally, organic debris collection device includes a blower unit 12 and a collector container 14, where exhaust conduit 10 places the blower unit in fluid communication with the collector container. As illustrated, blower unit 12 and collector container 14 are secured to frame 16 in a known manner so that the organic debris collection device can be selectively secured to a lawn tractor (not shown). During use, blower unit 12 draws in lawn debris expelled from a mower deck (not shown) through an intake conduit 18 and forces the debris into collector container 14 through filtered exhaust conduit 10.

Conduit 10 is, preferably, a curved exhaust conduit that vents high pressure air as described in Applicants own U.S. Pat. No. 6,308,375, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In the illustrated embodiment, conduit 10 includes a pair of oppositely directed exhaust vents 20. Of course, other embodiments of curved exhaust conduits that vent high pressure air through a lower inner wall of the filtered exhaust conduit.

Advantageously, conduit 10 includes a filter device 22 disposed at vents 20. It has been determined that vents 20 reduce back-pressure within collector container 14, while filter device 22 captures minute and/or fine debris that remains entrained in the vented air without substantially increasing the back-pressure within the collector container 14. In this manner, conduit 10 minimizes scattering of the minute and/or fine debris to improve the visibility and comfort of the operator, as well preventing the debris from being re-deposited on the surface being cleaned.

Exhaust conduit 10 is illustrated may have any desired cross-sectional shape. For example, conduit 10 is illustrated having a generally square cross-section at lower intake end 24 a generally round cross-section at upper exit end 26. Lower end 24 includes one or more connecting devices 28 for removably attaching conduit 10 in its operative position to blower unit 12. Similarly, upper end 26 includes one or more connecting devices 28 for removably attaching conduit 10 in its operative position to collector container 14.

Exhaust conduit 10 further includes a curved section 30 extending between and joining the lower and upper ends 24, 26. Curved section 30 preferably has a sector angle of between about 40 to about 90 degrees and any subranges therebetween, more preferably about 75 degrees.

As shown in FIG. 2, blower unit 12 forces air having debris entrained therein through conduit 10. The curvature of curved section 30 forces large debris 32, due to centrifugal force, towards upper inner wall 34 of conduit 10 and into collector container 14. With this arrangement it has been determined that it is possible to completely fill any type of collector container 14 such as a closed rigid container, a closed soft container, a vented rigid container, a vented soft container, and any combinations thereof. Further, the curvature of curved section 20 allows vented air 36, having minute debris particles entrained therein, to exit through vents 20 positioned through a lower inner wall 38 of conduit 10. In this manner, conduit 10 filters debris in two stages, the first stage being provided by the curvature of the conduit and the second stage being provided by filter device 22.

Advantageously, it has now been determined by the present disclosure that the minute debris exiting through vents 20 can be filtered or removed from the air without adversely effecting the flow of material through conduit 10 and into collector container 14.

Accordingly, conduit 10 includes filter device 22 at vents 20 to further filter the minute debris particles from vented air 36. In the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, filter device 22 can include a bag filter 40 secured over each vent 20. Bag filters 40 can be formed of a porous woven or non-woven material so that minute particles 42 are captured by the bag filters, while cleaned air 44 passes through the bag filters.

Bag filters 40 can be operatively secured to conduit 10 over vents 20 in any desired manner so that the bags can be removed, emptied of their contents, and replaced.

In the embodiment of FIG. 3, each bag filter 40 is secured to conduit 10 via a band clamp 46. Band clamp 46 can selectively secure bag filter to conduit 10 over vents 20 in a substantially airtight manner.

Of course, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for filter device 22 to secure bag filters 40 to conduit 10 in any manner sufficient to form a substantially airtight fit and sufficient to allow the bag filters to be removed, cleaned, and replaced.

In the embodiment of FIG. 4, filter device 22 includes two bag filters 40 secured to one another by one or more elastic elements 48 (two shown). During installation, one bag filter 40 is placed on conduit 10 over one vent 20. Then, elements 48 are stretched until the other bag filter 40 can be placed on conduit 10 over the other vent 20 and, once in place, the elements 48 are released so that the bag filters are maintained by the elasticity of elements 48 in the desired position. Preferably, each bag filter 40 in this embodiment further includes a neck area 50 for maintaining a substantially airtight fit over vents 20. In some embodiments, neck area 50 can be an elastically biased member that forms the substantially airtight connection with vents 20.

The porosity of bag filters 40 can be dependent upon various conditions such as the state of the debris being collected. For example during wet conditions, it may be desirable for bag filters 40 to have a large porosity, while during dry conditions it may be desirable for bag filters 40 to have a small porosity.

In the embodiment of FIG. 5, filter device 22 includes a single bag filter 40 having a generally rectangular shape having a pair of neck areas (not shown). During installation, bag filter 40 is placed on conduit 10 so that the bag filter covers both vents 20 (only one shown in phantom). More particularly, bag filter 40 is placed on conduit 10 so that one neck are is over each of the vents 20. Preferably, each neck area of bag filter 40 is configured to maintain a substantially airtight fit over vents 20. In some embodiments, the neck areas can include an elastically biased member that forms the substantially airtight connection with vents 20.

It should be recognized that conduit 10 is described above by way of example having filter device 22 formed of one or more bag filters 40. Of course, it is contemplated by the present disclosure for conduit 10 to have any filter device 22 that can remove particles 42 from vented air 36.

For example, an alternate embodiment of conduit 10 is illustrated in FIG. 6, in which the conduit includes filter device 22 having a cyclone separator 52 at each vent 20. Cyclone separators 52 are configured to form a whirling air current 54 from vented air 36 so that the particles 42 are separated from the air via centrifugal force in a known manner. Cyclone separator 52 includes a collection container 56 for collecting the separated particles 42 and an outlet pipe 58 for venting cleaned air 44. Preferably, collection container 56 is removably secured to cyclone separator 52 so that the container can be removed, emptied of its contents, and replaced.

In some embodiments, collection container 56 can be made of a transparent or translucent material so that the operator can determine when the container is full. Moreover, it has been determined that once collector container 14 is full so that debris 32 can no longer flow into the collector, the debris 32 begins to back-up in conduit 10 and finally into filter device 22. In the embodiment where, collection container 56 can be made of a transparent or translucent, the operator can detect when collector container 14 is full by merely monitoring the state of the debris in the collection container.

It should also be noted that the terms “first”, “second”, “third”, “upper”, “lower”, and the like may be used herein to modify various elements. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated.

While the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more exemplary embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A filtered exhaust conduit comprising:

an intake end connectable to a blower unit;

an exit end connectable to a debris collector container;

a curved section extending between and joining said intake end and said exit end;

a vent between said intake end and said exit end, said vent being positioned through a lower inner wall of the filtered exhaust conduit; and

a filter device removably secured over said vent to form a substantially air tight fit on said vent.

2. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 1, wherein said filter device comprises a filter bag.

3. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 2, wherein said filter bag comprises a neck area for maintaining said substantially airtight fit.

4. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 1, wherein said filter device comprises a cyclone separator.

5. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 4, wherein said cyclone separator comprises a collection container for collecting separated particles and an outlet pipe for venting cleaned air.

6. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 5, wherein said collection container is removably secured to said cyclone separator.

7. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 5, wherein said collection container is made of a transparent or translucent material.

8. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 1, wherein said vent comprises a pair of oppositely directed exhaust vents.

9. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 8, wherein said filter device comprises a single filter bag having a pair of neck areas, each of said pair of necl areas being removably secured over a respective one of said pair of exhaust vents.

10. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 8, wherein said filter device comprises a pair of filter bags, each of said pair of filter bags being removably secured over a respective one of said pair of exhaust vents.

11. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 10, wherein said filter device further comprises one or more elastic members securing said pair of filter bags to one another.

12. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 8, wherein said filter device comprises a cyclone separator positioned at each of said pair of exhaust vents.

13. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 12, wherein said cyclone separators each comprise a collection container removably secured to said cyclone separator.

14. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 13, wherein, said collection container is made of a transparent or translucent material.

15. The filtered exhaust conduit of claim 1, wherein said curved section has a sector angle of about 75 degrees.

16. An organic debris collection device comprising:

a blower unit;

a debris collector container;

an exhaust conduit having an intake end connected to said blower unit and an exit end connected to said debris collector container;

a vent between said intake end and said exit end, said vent being positioned through a lower inner wall of said exhaust conduit; and

a filter device removably secured over said vent to form a substantially air tight fit on said vent.

17. The organic debris collection device of claim 16, wherein said collector container is selected from the group consisting of a closed rigid container, a closed soft container, a vented rigid container, a vented soft container, and any combinations thereof.

18. The organic debris collection device of claim 16, wherein said exhaust conduit comprises a curved section having a sector angle of between about 40 to about 90 degrees.

19. The organic debris collection device of claim 16, wherein said vent comprises a pair of oppositely directed exhaust vents, said filter device comprising a pair of filter bags, each of said pair of filter bags being removably secured over a respective one of said pair of exhaust vents.

20. The organic debris collection device of claim 19, wherein said filter device further comprises one or more elastic members securing said pair of filter bags to one another.

21. The organic debris collection device of claim 16, wherein said vent comprises a pair of oppositely directed exhaust vents, said filter device comprising a cyclone separator positioned at each of said pair of exhaust vents.

22. The organic debris collection device of claim 21, wherein said cyclone separator comprises a collection container for collecting separated particles and an outlet pipe for venting cleaned air, said collection container being removably secured to said cyclone separator.