The present disclosure relates to the field of vacuum cleaners.
Vacuum cleaners are used for removing debris from an environment to be cleaned and for collecting the removed debris.
Vacuum cleaners conventionally consist of a collection tank or canister, often mounted on wheels or casters, and a cover or lid upon which a motor and impeller assembly is mounted. The motor and impeller assembly creates a suction within the canister, such that debris are drawn into the canister through an air inlet to which a hose can be attached. A filter within the canister prevents incoming debris from escaping from the canister while allowing filtered air to be forcibly expelled through an air outlet. In certain vacuum cleaners a filter bag into which debris is accumulated is present in the canister: the filter bag has a hole which is positioned at the canister air inlet and traps all incoming debris.
In conventional vacuum cleaners several factors contribute to generate noise, namely:
On the other hand, reducing the speed of rotation of the impeller or reducing the velocity of air in the conduits may have deleterious effects upon the operation and performance of the vacuum cleaner.
In view of the foregoing, an object of the present invention is that of offering a vacuum cleaner appliance configured to achieve a reduction in operating noise without adversely affecting the operational performance of the appliance.
An auxiliary object of the invention is to achieve a reduction in operating noise without adversely affecting the operational performance of the appliance in a vacuum cleaner of the type having a canister housing a filter bag. In particular, it is an ancillary object of the invention conceiving a vacuum cleaner of the type just described which, on the one hand, has an efficient air inflow system and, on the other hand, does not negatively affect the ability of the canister to properly house the collecting bag.
Another object of the invention is a vacuum cleaner where the geometry of the air channeling is prone to minimize noise generated by vibrations and acoustically isolate in an efficient manner the motor-impeller assembly.
Furthermore an aim of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner, which presents a relatively simple design and which can be easily serviced and operated.
One or more of the above objects are substantially reached by a vacuum cleaner according to any one of the appended claims.
Further aspects of the invention are discloses herein below.
A 1st aspect concerns a vacuum cleaner (1) comprising a container (2) delimiting an inner collection volume (3); a suction unit (60) provided with a motor (20) and an impeller (21) coupled with the motor (20), the suction unit (60) having at least one inlet port (22), at an impeller inlet side, and at least one outlet port (23), at an impeller outlet side; and an air channeling unit (25), operative between the container (2) and the suction unit (60), having an intake side facing the inner collection volume (3), wherein the air channeling unit (25) comprises: a collector (26) having a suction mouth (27) at said intake side of the air channeling unit (25), a deflector (28), the collector (26) and the deflector (28) delimiting a suction channel (29) connecting the suction mouth (27) to the inlet port (22) of the suction unit (60).
In a 2nd aspect according to the 1st aspect the deflector is positioned at said intake side and radially extends at least over a central portion of the suction mouth (27).
In a 3rd aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the deflector presents axial symmetry and is centered inside the suction mouth (27).
In a 4th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the collector (26) presents a peripheral wall (30) having a front edge (31) delimiting an outer perimeter of the suction mouth (27).
In a 5th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the deflector (28) presents a base wall (32), directed transverse to the peripheral wall (30) of the collector (26), and a side wall (33) emerging from a periphery of the base wall (32) and extending transverse to the base wall (32).
In a 6th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the deflector base wall (32) has a non-flat, convex active surface, with convexity facing the collection volume (3) configured to facilitate airflow deflection towards the periphery of the base wall (32).
In a 7th aspect according to any one of the preceding two aspects, a curved wall portion (34) connects the base wall (32) to the side wall (33).
In an 8th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the curved wall portion (34) confers a bowl shape to the deflector (28), said curved wall portion (34) being configured to facilitate air flow deflection into the suction channel (29).
In a 9th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects the suction mouth (27) has radial size greater than that of the deflector (28).
In a 10th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the deflector (28) has a radial size greater than that of the suction unit (60) inlet port (22).
In an 11th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the deflector (28) has radial size greater than that of the impeller (21).
In a 12th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects from the 4th to the 11th the suction channel (29) comprises a first tract (36) starting at the suction mouth (27) and upwardly spanning between the side wall (33) of the deflector (28) and the peripheral wall (30) of the collector (26).
In a 13th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the first tract (36) delimits a respective airflow volume of tubular shape and—proceeding in the flow direction (i.e. the direction of flow taken by air when the suction unit is operative)—presents a continuously decreasing fluid passage cross section.
In a 14th aspect according to any one of the preceding two aspect, the collector (26) comprises an inner wall (35), which is located radially inside the peripheral wall (30) of the same collector (26), and wherein the side wall (33) of the deflector (28) is positioned between the peripheral wall (30) and the inner wall (35) of the collector (26), the suction channel (29) comprising a second tract (37) consecutive to and downstream of the first tract (36)—proceeding in the flow direction (i.e. the direction of flow taken by air when the suction unit is operative).
In a 15th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the second tract (37) extends downwardly between the inner wall (35) of the collector (26) and the side wall (33) of the deflector (28).
In a 16th aspect according to any one of the preceding two aspects, the second tract (37) delimits a respective airflow volume of tubular shape and—proceeding in the flow direction (i.e. the direction of flow taken by air when the suction unit is operative)—presents a continuously decreasing fluid passage cross section.
In a 17th aspect according to any one of the preceding three aspects, the second tract (37) presents an initial portion having width (A3) of fluid passage cross section greater than the fluid passage cross section of width (A2) of the end portion of the first tract (36).
In a 18th aspect according to any one of the preceding four aspects, the suction channel (29) comprises an upwardly directed third tract (38), consecutive to and downstream of (again referring to the air flow direction) the second tract (37) and placing into fluid communication an end of the second tract (37) with the inlet port (22) of the suction unit (60).
In a 19th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the third tract (38) delimits a respective airflow volume of non-tubular shape.
In a 20th aspect according to any one of the preceding two aspects, the third tract (38) has a width (A5) of fluid passage cross section greater than the fluid passage cross section of width (A4) of the end portion of the second tract (37).
In a 21st aspect according to any one of the preceding three aspects, the third tract (38) has a width (A5) of fluid passage cross section greater than the fluid passage cross section of the width (A6) of the inlet port (22) of the suction unit (60).
In a 22nd aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the impeller (21) and the motor (20) are arranged one behind the other in an axial direction defining a central axis of symmetry (100).
In a 23rd aspect according to the preceding aspect, the first tract (36), the second tract (37) and the third tract (38) are positioned and configured such as to be symmetric with respect to an ideal plane of symmetry passing through said central axis of symmetry (100).
In a 24th aspect according to any one of the preceding two aspects, the deflector (28) and the collector (26) present a geometry of a solid of revolution, are coaxially positioned, and are symmetric with respect to said ideal plane and/or to said central axis of symmetry.
In a 25th aspect according to any one of the preceding three aspects, the first tract (36), the second tract (37), the third tract (38) and the inlet port (22) are concentrically positioned.
In a 26th aspect according to any one of the preceding four aspects, the suction unit (25) has a compact axial size with maximum axial extension defined by a maximum axial extension of the peripheral wall (30) of the collector (26), the first tract, second tract and third tract being axially contained within the maximum axial extension of the peripheral wall.
In a 27th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects from the 12th to the 26th, the suction channel (29) presents a first width (A1) of first tract (36), a second width (A2) of fluid flow transition over the end of side wall (33) and between first tract (36) and second tract (37), a third width (A3) of second tract (37), a fourth width (A4) of fluid flow transition over the end of an exterior wall portion (35a) of inner wall (35) and between second tract (37) and third tract (38), a firth width (A5) of interior wall portion (35b) of inner wall (35), and a sixth width (A6) of inlet port (22).
In a 28th aspect according to preceding aspect, the ratio of first and second widths (A1/A2) is 1.3 or higher.
In a 29th aspect according to any one of the preceding two aspects, the ratio of third and second widths (A3/A2) is 1.3 or higher.
In a 30th aspect according to any one of the preceding three aspects, the ratio of third and fourth widths (A3/A4) is 1.3 or higher.
In a 31st aspect according to any one of the preceding four aspects, the ratio of fifth and fourth widths (A5/A4) is 1.3 or higher.
In a 32nd aspect according to any one of the preceding five aspects, the ratio of fifth and sixth widths (A5/A6) is 1.3 or higher.
In a 33rd aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects from the 12th to the 31st, the first tract, the second tract and the third tract (36, 37, 38) are concentric and intersect a horizontal plane common to the inlet (22).
In a 34th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, from the 12th to the 33rd, the suction unit (60) is configured and positioned relative to the air channeling unit (25) such that—when the motor (20) is operated—the impeller (21) causes a suction flow which sequentially follows the following flow path:
In a 35th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the vacuum cleaner comprises an exhaust unit (39) including: a collection chamber (40) defining a substantially annular airflow volume concentric with said suction unit (60) and positioned around one or more outlet ports of the suction unit (60) to collect air coming from the impeller (21) and convey collected air to an outlet port (41) of the collection chamber (40).
In a 36th aspect according to the preceding aspect the exhaust unit includes two opposed exhaust channels (42), each of the two channels surrounding a respective portion of the collection chamber (40) and having an intake end (43), in correspondence of the outlet port (41) of said collection chamber (40), and an outlet end (44), opposed to the intake end (43) to discharge air drawn in by the suction unit (60).
In a 37th aspect according to any one of the preceding two aspects, the two exhaust channels are symmetrically opposed and substantially identical the one to the other.
In a 38th aspect according to any one of the preceding three aspects the outlet end (44) of each of the two exhaust channels (42) is separate and spaced from the outlet end (44) of the other of the two exhaust channels (42) thereby forming two distinct and spaced apart air discharge openings.
In a 39th aspect according to any one of the preceding four aspects an air filter is located at each outlet end of each one of the two exhaust channels.
In a 40th aspect according to any one of the preceding five aspects, the vacuum cleaner has an alveolar pad (46), optionally a foam pad, covering an inner surface (40a) of the collection chamber (40) surrounding the suction unit (60).
In a 41st aspect according to the preceding aspect, the vacuum cleaner has a further alveolar pad (47), optionally a further foam pad, at least covering inner surfaces (42a) of said two exhaust channels (42) facing the collection chamber (40).
In a 42nd aspect according to any one of preceding aspects from the 14th to the 41st the inner wall (35) of the collector (26) comprises a radially inner terminal portion forming an annular seat, of U-shaped cross section, configured to receive a foot portion of an annular support body (48), optionally made in elastomeric material, having a head portion supporting a first axial end the suction unit (60).
In a 43rd aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects from the 14th to the 42nd, the vacuum cleaner has a further support body (51), optionally in elastomeric material, having a foot portion received in an auxiliary seat of the air exhaust unit and a head portion active on an second axial end of the suction unit axially opposite to the first axial end.
In a 44th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the head portion of the of the further support body—in cooperation with the head portion of the annular support body—is configured and positioned for maintaining the suction unit (60) above the container.
In a 45th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects from the 14th to the 44th, the deflector (28) is suspended in the middle of the suction mouth (27) and supported by a number of connecting elements (55) active on a side of the deflector (28) opposite the collection volume (3).
In a 46th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the first tract (36) and the second tract (37) form together a continuous and constantly tubular airflow volume, which—proceeding radially from outside to inside—defines an upwardly and then downwardly directed continuous and unobstructed flow path. In other words, no support elements are connect the deflector to the peripheral wall in a way to partially or totally obstruct said continuous tubular air flow volume.
In a 47th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the connecting elements (55) connect the deflector (28) to the inner wall (35) of the collector (26).
In a 48th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the connecting elements (55) connect the deflector (28) to a radially inner terminal portion of the inner wall (35).
In a 49th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the vacuum cleaner includes a suction hose (5) configured to be connected at an aperture (6) of the container and a collecting bag (8) configured to be housed inside the container and presenting an inlet opening (5a) configured to be tightly engaged at the aperture (6) present in the container (2) such as to receive the debris collected via the suction hose.
In a 50th aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the collector presents an indent (26a) reducing an axial length of the peripheral wall (30) at least for a portion of a peripheral wall perimeter.
In a 51st aspect according to any one of the preceding aspects, the vacuum cleaner includes a head assembly (9)—including at least the suction unit (60), the air channeling unit (25) and optionally the exhaust unit (39)—removably coupled to a main opening (10) of the container (2).
In a 52nd aspect according to the preceding aspect, the vacuum cleaner has a filter (14) extending across the main opening (10) of the container (2) and interposed between the container (2) and the head assembly (9).
In a 53rd aspect according to the preceding aspect the filter (14) includes a support structure (15) carrying a filtering membrane (16).
In a 54th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the support structure (15) of the filter (14) presents a peripheral frame (17) coupled, optionally detachably coupled, to the head assembly (9), and a grid portion (18) fixed to the peripheral frame (17) and presenting a plurality of through apertures (19).
In a 55th aspect according to any one of the preceding three aspects, the filter (14) has a basket like overall conformation such that, when the head assembly (9) is coupled to the container (2), the filter (14) extends at least in part inside the collection volume and presents a concavity directed towards the head assembly (9).
A 56th aspect concerns a vacuum cleaner (1) comprising a container (2) delimiting an inner collection volume (3); a suction unit (60) provided with a motor (20) and an impeller (21) coupled with the motor (20), the suction unit (60) having at least one inlet port (22), at an impeller inlet side, and at least one outlet port (23), at an impeller outlet side; and an air channeling unit (25), operative between the container (2) and the suction unit (60), having an intake side facing the inner collection volume (3), wherein the vacuum cleaner further comprises an exhaust unit (39) including: a collection chamber (40) defining a substantially annular airflow volume concentric with said suction unit (60) and positioned around one or more outlet ports of the suction unit (60) to collect air coming from the impeller (21) and convey collected air to an outlet port (41) of the collection chamber (40), and two opposed exhaust channels (42), each of the two channels surrounding a respective portion of the collection chamber (40) and having an intake end (43), in correspondence of the outlet port (41) of said collection chamber (40), and a respective outlet end (44), opposed to the intake end (43) to discharge air drawn in by the suction unit (60).
In a 57th aspect the vacuum cleaner of the 56th aspect comprises the features of any one of aspects from the 1st to the 55th.
In a 58th aspect according to one of the preceding two aspects, the two exhaust channels are symmetrically opposed and substantially identical the one to the other.
In a 58th aspect according to any one of the preceding three aspects the outlet end (44) of each of the two exhaust channels (42) is separate and spaced from the outlet end (44) of the other of the two exhaust channels (42) thereby forming two distinct and spaced apart air discharge openings.
In a 59th aspect according to any one of the preceding four aspects a respective outlet filter (45) is located at each outlet end of each one of the two exhaust channels.
In a 60th aspect according to any one of the preceding five aspects, the vacuum cleaner has an alveolar pad (46), optionally a foam pad, covering an inner surface (40a) of the collection chamber (40) surrounding the suction unit (60).
In a 61st aspect according to the preceding aspect, the vacuum cleaner has a further alveolar pad (47), optionally a further foam pad, at least covering inner surfaces (42a) of said two exhaust channels (42) facing the collection chamber (40).
In a 62nd aspect according to any one of the preceding seven aspects the exhaust unit comprises a flow diverter (61), optionally V shaped, positioned in front of said outlet port (41) and configured to divide the flow exiting from the same outlet port into respective flow streams directed into said two exhaust channels (42).
In a 63rd aspect according to any one of the preceding eight aspects the outlet end (44) of each exhaust channel comprises a diverging portion (44a) which is divergent in shape proceeding away from the intake end (43) and a constant cross section portion (44b) consecutive to the diverging portion.
In a 64th aspect according to the preceding aspect, the constant cross section portion (44b) has a flow passage cross section sensibly larger than that of the intake end and terminates at the outlet filters conferring to air flow a direction perpendicular to a front surface of each one of said outlet filters.
Aspects of the present invention will become apparent by reading the following detailed description, given by way of example and not of limitation, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
In the following description and in the claims the terms listed below have the following specific meaning.
Vertical, horizontal, top, down, upwardly, downwardly: these terms refer to a normal condition of operation of the vacuum cleaner during use, with the head assembly tightly coupled to the container.
Upstream and downstream: refer to the position of parts in relation to the airflow during operation of the vacuum cleaner.
Airflow volume: a volume which is occupied by air.
Tubular: refers to a body or to an airflow volume having an annular (i.e., closed but not necessarily round) cross section.
The widths A1 to A6 and the areas of the fluid passage cross section widths A1, A3, A5 to A6 are measured perpendicular to the axis of symmetry and of rotation 100 of the impeller, while widths A2 and A4 are measured parallel to said axis 100.
Certain components may only be schematically represented and may not be in scale.
With reference to
The vacuum cleaner 1 comprises a head assembly designated with reference numeral 9: in the example shown, the head assembly 9 is located at the top side of the vacuum cleaner 1 and is tightly engaged in correspondence of a main opening 10 delimited by a top border 11 of the side wall 12 of the container 2. It should be understood, however, that the container could be designed in a manner different from what is shown in
The head assembly 9 of the presently disclosed non limiting embodiment is detachable from container 2, e.g. by means of latches 13 (see
As shown in
As shown in
The suction unit 60 has at least one inlet port 22, which is located at the inlet side of the impeller, and at least one outlet port 23, which is located at an outlet side of the impeller: in the example shown in
The head assembly 9 also comprises an air channeling unit 25 which, in use conditions, is operative between the container 2 and the suction unit 60; the air channeling unit 25 has an intake side facing the inner collection volume 3: in the example shown, when the head assembly 9 is coupled to the container 2, the air channeling unit 25 develops inside the top portion of the collection volume 3, just above the filter 14 (see
In accordance with aspects of the invention, the air channeling unit 25 comprises a collector 26, having a suction mouth 27 at said intake side of the air channeling unit, and a deflector 28, positioned at said intake side and radially extending at least over a central portion of the suction mouth: more in detail—in the example shown—the collector 26 and the deflector 28 delimit a suction channel 29 which places into fluid communication the suction mouth 27 with the inlet port 22 of the suction unit 60. As it is visible in particular from
Going into further structural detail, and again referring mainly to
The deflector 28 presents a base wall 32, directed transverse to the peripheral wall 30 of the collector 26, and a side wall 33 emerging from a periphery of the base wall 32 and extending transverse to the base wall 32: the side wall 33 of the deflector 28 develops adjacent to and radially inside the peripheral wall 30 of the collector 26. The base wall 32 and the side wall 33 of the deflector are joined by curved wall portion 34 such that the deflector presents a continuous and uninterrupted structure substantially having a bowl shape configured to facilitate air flow deflection from the center to the periphery of the deflector and thus into the suction channel 29.
More in detail, the deflector base wall 32 forms a non-flat, convex, operative surface directed in use towards the collection volume 3 and having convexity facing the bottom of the collection volume 3 (i.e., concave towards motor 20) to facilitate air flow deflection towards the periphery of the base wall 32 as described above.
As already mentioned, the collector 26 and the deflector 28 cooperate to define the suction channel 29. In particular, the collector 26 may comprise an inner wall 35, which is located radially inside the peripheral wall 30 of the same collector. Inner wall 35 includes an exterior wall portion 35a facing peripheral wall 30, an interior wall portion 35b facing inlet port 22 and a shoulder 35c extending therebetween. As it is visible from
In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, tracts 33, 37 and 38 are configured as follows:
In practice air is sucked in the container 2 under the action of the impeller 21 and efficiently flows through the relatively wide suction mouth 27. Then, air impacts on the surface of the deflector 28 and is diverted into the suction channel 29 where the air flow takes the shape of a continuous and undulated tubular flow volume along the first and second tracts 36, 37 undergoing acceleration, deceleration and acceleration again. Then, the tubular flow volume converges into a non-tubular airflow volume when reaching the third tract and, subsequently, is moved towards the suction unit and enters into the suction unit inlet port. Once inside the suction unit, air moves through the impeller 21 and along an outside of the motor 20 reaching the outlet port or ports 23 of the suction unit 60. Air coming from the outlet port or ports of the suction unit 60 is collected by an exhaust unit 39 (see
Referring again to
For instance, the first tract 36 may present an initial portion having a fluid passage cross section width A1 sensibly greater than the fluid passage cross section width A2. For example, the ratio of cross section widths A1/A2 may be 1.3 or higher. The second tract 37 may present an initial portion having fluid passage cross section width A3 greater than the fluid passage cross section width A2. For example, the ratio of cross section widths A3/A2 may be 1.3 or higher. On the other hand, the initial portion fluid passage cross section width A3 of the second tract 37 may be sensibly greater than the fluid passage cross section width A4. For example, the ratio of cross section widths A3/A4 may be 1.3 or higher. Furthermore, the third tract 38 may presents a fluid passage cross section width A5 greater, in particular constantly greater, than the fluid passage cross section width A4. In particular, the ratio of cross section widths A5/A4 may be 1.3 or higher. Finally, the fluid passage cross section width A5 of the third tract 38 may be substantially constant and also sensibly greater than the fluid passage cross section width A6 of the inlet port 22 of the suction unit. For example, the ratio of cross section widths A5/A6 may be 1.3 or higher. The above configuration allows an efficient acceleration and deceleration of the flow with consequent compression and rarefaction of air which contributes to dampening noise.
It should be noted that according to a further aspect, the first tract, the second tract and the third tract 36, 37, 38 are all positioned and configured such as to be symmetric with respect to an ideal plane of symmetry passing through said central axis of symmetry and of rotation 100 of the impeller.
In particular, the deflector 28 and the collector 26 present a geometry of a solid of revolution and are substantially coaxially positioned and symmetric with respect to said ideal plane: consequently, as shown in
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the deflector 28 is suspended in the middle of the suction mouth and supported by a number of connecting elements 55 active on a side of the deflector opposite the collection volume 3. Thanks to this provision, the first tract and the second tract form together a continuous tubular flow volume, which—proceeding radially from outside to inside—defines an upwardly and then downwardly directed continuous and uninterrupted flow path: in other words no elements positioned across the flow path defined by the first and second tract disturb the incoming airstream.
The connecting elements 55, which connect the deflector to the collector may be made in elastomeric material and are positioned such as to connect the deflector 28 the inner wall 35, optionally to a radially inner terminal portion (shoulder 35c) of the inner wall.
According to a further aspect, and referring now to
In order to further reduce noise propagation an alveolar pad 46, optionally a foam pad, covers an inner surface 40a of the collection chamber 40 surrounding the suction unit 60: as shown in the figures the alveolar pad substantially covers majority if not all the exposed inner surface of the collection chamber. A further alveolar pad 47, optionally a further foam pad, may be provided to cover the inner surfaces 42a of said two exhaust channels 42 facing the collection chamber.
In accordance with an additional aspect, the suction unit 60 is supported within the vacuum cleaner in a way that further contributes to reduce noise generation and which is particularly simple to manufacture and assemble. In greater detail and referring to
In order to efficiently support the suction unit, the vacuum cleaner includes a further support body 51, optionally in elastomeric material, having a foot portion received in an auxiliary seat of the air exhaust unit and a head portion, which—in cooperation with the head portion of the annular support body 48—supports the suction unit above the container. The further support body 51 has a discoidal shape and its foot portion received in engaged into said auxiliary seat formed on a lid of the air exhaust unit covering said collecting chamber and exhaust channels. The head portion of the further support body has a central recess receiving a corresponding axial protrusion of the suction unit casing in order to axially and radially constrain the top portion of the suction unit. In accordance with an aspect, the further support body 51 and the annular support body 48 are positioned on axially opposed sides of the suction unit and are coaxially disposed whereby the central axis 100 is axis of common symmetry for the annular support body and the further support body.
While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments, but on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and the scope of the appended claims.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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16167356.1 | Apr 2016 | EP | regional |
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/470,175 filed Sep. 9, 2021; which is a continuation of U.S. National Stage patent application Ser. No. 16/096,420 filed under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2017/059997, filed Apr. 26, 2017 and granted as U.S. Pat. No. 11,116,369; which claims priority to European Patent Application No. 16167356.1, filed Apr. 27, 2016, and granted as EP3238592 on Jun. 2, 2021. The subject continuation application is related to divisional European Patent Application No. 17720103.5 filed Oct. 9, 2018 and granted as EP3448218 on Aug. 28, 2019. The contents of all applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17470175 | Sep 2021 | US |
Child | 17894463 | US | |
Parent | 16096420 | Oct 2018 | US |
Child | 17470175 | US |