DUST COLLECTOR WITH FILTER CLEANING MECHANISM
A dust collector for use with a power tool comprises a housing, a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing, a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe, a dust container coupled to the housing and positioned upstream of the fan, a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container, and a filter cleaning mechanism. The filter cleaning mechanism includes an anvil, a striker moveable between a first striker position, in which the striker is spaced from the anvil, and a second striker position, in which the striker is in contact with the anvil. The filter cleaning mechanism further includes an actuator moveable between a first actuator position and a second actuator position, in which the actuator is moved closer to the anvil than in the first position, and a first spring biasing the striker toward the anvil.
This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/226,712, filed on Dec. 20, 2018, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/609,369, filed on Dec. 22, 2017, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/649,891, filed on Mar. 29, 2018, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to power tools, and more particularly to dust collectors for use with power tools.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONDust collectors are typically used in tandem with hand-held drilling tools such as rotary hammers to collect dust and other debris during a drilling operation to prevent dust and other debris from accumulating at a worksite. Such dust collectors may be attached to a rotary hammer to position a suction inlet of the collector proximate a drill bit attached to the rotary hammer. Such dust collectors may also include an on-board dust container in which dust and other debris is accumulated. Such dust collectors are often removable from the dust collector to facilitate disposal of the accumulated dust and debris.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention provides, in one aspect, a dust collector for use with a hand-held power tool, the dust collector including a housing, a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing, a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe, a dust container coupled to the housing and positioned upstream of the fan, a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container, and a filter cleaning mechanism including an anvil, a striker moveable between a first striker position, in which the striker is spaced from the anvil, and a second striker position, in which the striker is in contact with the anvil, an actuator moveable between a first actuator position and a second actuator position, in which the actuator is moved closer to the anvil than in the first position, and a first spring biasing the striker toward the anvil. In response to the actuator being depressed, the actuator is moved from the first actuator position to the second actuator position and the first spring moves the striker from the first striker position to the second striker position, such that the anvil impacts the filter, thereby dislodging dust and other debris therefrom.
The present invention provides, in another aspect, a dust collector for use with a hand-held power tool, the dust collector including a housing, a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing, a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe, a dust container coupled to the housing and positioned upstream of the fan, a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container, and a filter cleaning mechanism including a mechanism housing having an internal shoulder, an anvil arranged within the mechanism housing and defining an anvil axis, a striker arranged within the mechanism housing and moveable between a first striker position, in which the striker is engaged against the internal shoulder and spaced from the anvil, and a second striker position, in which the striker is disengaged from the shoulder, in contact with the anvil, and coaxial with the anvil axis, an actuator moveable between a first actuator position and a second actuator position, in which the actuator is moved closer to the anvil than in the first position, the actuator including an actuator contact portion, and a spring biasing the striker against the internal shoulder of the mechanism housing. In response to movement of the actuator from the first actuator position to the second actuator position, the actuator contact portion moves the striker off of the shoulder and the spring moves the striker from the first striker position to the second striker position.
The present invention provides, in another aspect, a dust collector for use with a hand-held power tool, the dust collector including a housing, a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing, a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe, a dust container coupled to the housing and positioned upstream of the fan, a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container, and a filter cleaning mechanism including a carrier pivotably coupled to the dust container about a carrier axis, a cleaning element coupled to the carrier and extending transversely to the carrier axis, the cleaning element element being within the dust container and in contact with the filter, and a knob coupled for co-rotation with the carrier and positioned outside the dust container, wherein rotation of the knob pivots the carrier and the cleaning element about the carrier axis, such that the cleaning element is moved across the filter to dislodge dust and other debris from the filter.
The present invention provides, in another aspect, a dust collector including a housing, a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing, a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe, a dust container coupled to the housing and positioned upstream of the fan, a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container, and a filter cleaning mechanism including a ratchet housing arranged against the filter, a ratchet member configured to rotate within the housing, and a pawl member configured to vibrate the ratchet housing, and thus the filter, in response to rotation of the ratchet member against the pawl member, thereby dislodging dust and other debris from the filter.
The present invention provides, in another aspect, a dust collector including a housing, a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing, a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe, a dust container coupled to the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe, a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container, the filter including a first end, a second end, a plurality of pleats arranged between the first end and the second end, and a plurality of valleys, each valley arranged between a pair of adjacent pleats, and a filter cleaning mechanism including a sweeper having at least one blade arranged within each valley, a biasing member biasing the sweeper toward the first end of the filter and away from the second end of the filter, and a pull cord coupled to the sweeper, the pull cord configured to pull the sweeper along the filter from the first end to the second end, such that the blade moves within the valley between the first end and the second end to dislodge dust and other debris from the filter.
Other features and aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
DETAILED DESCRIPTIONThe dust collector 10 includes a housing 12 and a telescoping suction pipe 20 coupled to the housing 12 through which dust and other debris is drawn into the housing 12. The dust collector 10 also includes a dust container 28, a high efficiency particulate air (“HEPA”) filter 18 positioned in the dust container 28 (
With reference to
The dust container 28 is a selectively attachable to the housing 12. The dust container 28 includes an inlet 24 for a dust laden air stream and an outlet defined by the outlet end 26 of the filter 18. More specifically, the dust container 28 includes opposite side walls 28a and a bottom wall 28b extending between the side walls 28a. The side walls 28a and the bottom wall 28b partially define the dust collection chamber 16. The dust container 28 additionally includes end walls 30 adjacent each of the side walls 28a and the bottom wall 28b, and an opening 30a in one of the end walls 30 through which the filter 18 is received. The dust container 28 is operable to collect dust and other debris from a workpiece during the drilling and/or hammering operation performed by the power tool 100 to maintain the user's work area is substantially clear of dust. Because the dust container 28 is detachable from the housing of the dust collector 10, the dust container 28 may be removed to allow an operator to empty the dust from the dust collection chamber 16.
With reference to
The striker 40 is biased away from anvil 40 by a second spring 50 seated on the anvil 40. In the embodiment illustrated in
Once the striker 40 has been pushed off the internal shoulder 48, the first spring 44 rebounds, releasing the stored potential energy of the first spring 44 and displacing the striker 40 toward the second striker position, in which it strikes the anvil (
As a user rotates the knob 694, the first spring 691 biases the ratchet member 692 against the pawl 690, causing the teeth of the ratchet member 692 and pawl 690 to slide relative to each other in response to rotation of the ratchet member 692 relative to the pawl 690. This in turn causes the ratchet housing 689 to undergo reciprocating axial displacement against the filter 618 to dislodge dust and other debris from the inlet surface of the filter 618.
As shown in
As shown in
Various features of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
Claims
1. A dust collector for use with a hand-held power tool, the dust collector comprising:
- a housing;
- a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing;
- a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe;
- a dust container coupled to the housing and positioned upstream of the fan;
- a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container; and
- a filter cleaning mechanism including a carrier pivotably coupled to the dust container about a carrier axis, a cleaning element coupled to the carrier and extending transversely to the carrier axis, the cleaning element being within the dust container and in contact with the filter, and a knob coupled for co-rotation with the carrier and positioned outside the dust container, wherein rotation of the knob pivots the carrier and the cleaning element about the carrier axis, such that the cleaning element is moved across the filter to dislodge dust and other debris from the filter.
2. The dust collector of claim 1, wherein the filter includes an upstream side within the dust container and a downstream side facing the suction fan, wherein the cleaning element contacts the upstream side when the cleaning element is moved across the filter.
3. The dust collector of claim 1, wherein the knob and the carrier are integrally formed.
4. The dust collector of claim 1, wherein the cleaning element is supported on the carrier by a clip on a screw boss.
5. The dust collector of claim 1, wherein the cleaning element comprises a brush having a plurality of bristles.
6. The dust collector of claim 1, wherein the cleaning element comprises a comb with a plurality of teeth, wherein the filter includes a plurality of pleats and a plurality of valleys, each valley arranged between a pair of adjacent pleats, and wherein the teeth are arranged within the respective valleys, such that in response to the carrier and the comb pivoting about the carrier axis, the teeth move within the valleys.
7. The dust collector of claim 6, wherein each tooth, within its respective valley, is configured to move across up to 67% of a surface area of each adjacent pleat.
8. The dust collector of claim 1, wherein the dust container includes opposite side walls and a bottom wall extending between the side walls, wherein the side walls and the bottom wall partially define a dust collection chamber, and wherein the carrier is pivotably supported by one of the side walls.
9. The dust collector of claim 8, wherein the carrier is pivotably supported by both of the side walls.
10. The dust collector of claim 1, wherein the dust container includes opposite side walls and a bottom wall extending between the side walls, wherein the side walls and the bottom wall partially define a dust collection chamber, and wherein the carrier is pivotably supported by the bottom wall.
11. The dust collector of claim 8, wherein the dust container further includes an end wall adjacent each of the side walls and the bottom wall, and an opening in the end wall through which the filter is received.
12. A dust collector comprising:
- a housing;
- a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing;
- a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe;
- a dust container coupled to the housing and positioned upstream of the fan;
- a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container; and
- a filter cleaning mechanism including a ratchet housing arranged against the filter, a ratchet member configured to rotate within the housing, and a pawl member configured to vibrate the ratchet housing, and thus the filter, in response to rotation of the ratchet member against the pawl member, thereby dislodging dust and other debris from the filter.
13. The dust collector of claim 12, wherein the ratchet assembly further includes a first spring positioned within the ratchet housing, and wherein the first spring is configured to bias the ratchet member against the pawl member.
14. The dust collector of claim 13, wherein the ratchet assembly further includes a second spring configured to bias the ratchet housing against the filter.
15. The dust collector of claim 14, wherein the second spring is a resilient clip configured to bias the ratchet housing against the filter.
16. The dust collector of claim 12, wherein the filter cleaning mechanism further includes a shaft extending into the ratchet housing, the shaft having a first end coupled to the ratchet member, and a second end having a knob, such that rotation of the knob causes rotation of the shaft and the ratchet member within the ratchet housing.
17. A dust collector comprising:
- a housing;
- a telescoping suction pipe coupled to the housing;
- a suction fan positioned in the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe;
- a dust container coupled to the housing and operable to generate a vacuum in the suction pipe;
- a filter at least partially arranged in the dust container, the filter including a first end, a second end, a plurality of pleats arranged between the first end and the second end, and a plurality of valleys, each valley arranged between a pair of adjacent pleats; and
- a filter cleaning mechanism including a sweeper having at least one blade arranged within each valley, a biasing member biasing the sweeper toward the first end of the filter and away from the second end of the filter, and a pull cord coupled to the sweeper, the pull cord configured to pull the sweeper along the filter from the first end to the second end, such that the blade moves within the valley between the first end and the second end to dislodge dust and other debris from the filter.
Type: Application
Filed: Dec 21, 2021
Publication Date: Apr 14, 2022
Inventors: Joseph R. Beeson (West Allis, WI), Daryl S. Richards (Sussex, WI), Tyler S. Sigafoose (Pewaukee, WI), Cheng Liang Zhang (Dongguan City)
Application Number: 17/557,564