Dust collector

Claim 1

A dust collecting device comprising: a fan for generating air currents; a U-shaped air pipe having first and second ends, the first end of the U-shaped air pipe being connected to the fan; a dust collecting means for collecting dust; a cleaning pipe through which the air currents flow; a confluence pipe with a confluence region located therein, the confluence pipe having three ports, with the first of the ports connected to the second end of the air pipe, and said first port having an under side and an upper side, the second of the ports connected to the dust collecting means, the third of the ports connected to the cleaning pipe, and the confluence pipe being formed such that the ports connected to the air pipe and the dust collecting means are substantially aligned, such that the ports connected to the air pipe and the cleaning pipe are at an acute angle with respect to each other; and selector valve means including a stationary portion disposed within the confluence region, the stationary portion defining inside the confluence pipe an air pass path for the passage of air from the air pipe to the dust collecting means, a branch path for the passage of air from the air pipe to the cleaning pipe, and a suction path for the passage of air from the cleaning pipe to the dust collecting means, and further including a movable valve member having a substantially plate-like shape with first and second ends, the first end of the movable valve member being pivotally connected to the stationary portion, wherein the movable valve member is pivotally shifted from outside the confluence pipe between first and second positions in which the second end of the movable valve member is abutted on said under or said upper side of the first port, respectively, such that at the first position the movable valve member blocks the branch path so that the air pipe communicates with the dust collecting means through the air pass path, whereby a suction is created that allows the cleaning pipe to suck dust and other debris from the outside into the cleaning pipe and through the suction path into the dust collecting means, and at the second position the movable valve member blocks the air pass path with the movable valve member being kept in position by the air flow from the air pipe so that the air pipe communicates with the cleaning pipe through the branch path, whereby air is caused to flow to the outside through the cleaning pipe to blow dust and other debris.