JP2003038401A - Cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric vacuum cleaner capable of smoothly self- running. SOLUTION: A motor-driven blower 13 and a control circuit 15 are operated by power supplied by a battery pack 16. A motor is driven by the control circuit 15 to force a cleaner body 1 to self-run. Dust is sucked from a suction port 4 by the drive of the motor-driven blower 13. The sucked dust is carried to a dust collecting case 12, and collected by a dust collecting filter mounted between the dust collecting case 12 and the motor-driven blower 13. The sucked air from which dust is removed is passed through the motor-driven blower 13 and passed through an air duct 14 accommodating the motor-driven blower 13 to flow in an air release pipe. The air release pipe releases the sucked air toward a surface to be cleaned from a connected discharge hole near the surface to be cleaned. The force in the opposite direction vertical to the surface to be cleaned is applied to the cleaner body 1 by the released air. In releasing the air, the force for sucking the surface to be cleaned by the cleaner body 1 can be decreased so that the cleaner body 1 smoothly self-runs.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cleaning device that drives wheels to drive itself.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, as a cleaning device of this type, a structure disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-284227 has been known.

The cleaning device disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-284227 includes a cleaner body having a hollow portion having a substantially cylindrical shape, and a pair of cleaners are provided near the peripheral portion of the bottom surface of the cleaner body. Wheels are provided. Further, an intake port communicating with the hollow portion of the cleaner body is opened in a substantially central region of the bottom surface, and a suction nozzle is provided downward in the intake port. Further, a side wall is provided on the peripheral portion of the intake port so as to be in close contact with the surface to be cleaned. On the other hand, a dust collecting filter is attached above the suction nozzle, and dust collecting means is attached above the dust collecting filter.
The space sandwiched between the suction nozzle and the dust collecting filter and the hollow portion of the cleaner body is an exhaust gas recirculation path for circulating intake air and exhausting it.

The cleaning device is self-propelled by remotely controlling a traveling device as a driving means for driving the wheels. Further, the motor is driven to rotate the intake fan, and dust is sucked from the suction nozzle to be cleaned. After that, the intake air containing the dust sucked from the suction nozzle is collected by the dust collecting filter, and the intake air from which the dust is removed passes through the exhaust gas recirculation passage and is surrounded by the side wall of the peripheral portion of the intake port. The air is exhausted toward the surface to be cleaned around the suction nozzle. This exhaust raises dust on the surface to be cleaned to facilitate cleaning, and the suction negative pressure by the intake fan is set to the difference between the exhaust pressure and the suction pressure of the intake fan to improve the suction force of the intake fan. There is.

[0005]

However, in the cleaning device described in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-284227,
Part of the surface to be cleaned is hermetically sealed by the side wall provided at the peripheral edge of the intake port, and dust is sucked from the suction nozzle in the hermetically sealed area, so that the surface to be cleaned is sucked by the dust suction means. Since the cleaner body is sucked onto the surface to be cleaned by the force, there is a problem that the cleaner body cannot smoothly run by itself.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that is self-propelled smoothly.

[0007]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning device, a cleaning device main body, an intake port opened in the cleaning device main body toward a surface to be cleaned, and a dust suction device for inhaling dust from the intake port. Means and rotatably attached to the cleaner body,
It is provided with a wheel having an exhaust port for exhausting the exhaust gas from the dust collecting means toward a surface to be cleaned, and a driving means for driving the wheel to make the cleaner body self-propelled.

Then, the intake air sucked together with the dust by the dust suction means from the air intake opening opened in the main body of the cleaner toward the surface to be cleaned is exhausted from the exhaust port of the wheel toward the surface to be cleaned. The force of the vacuum cleaner body being sucked onto the surface to be cleaned is weakened by the suction, so that the cleaner body is prevented from being sucked onto the surface to be cleaned. As a result, the cleaner body can smoothly run on its own.

A cleaning device according to a second aspect is the cleaning device according to the first aspect, wherein the exhaust port has an opening / closing means for opening and closing the exhaust port, and the opening / closing means is provided when the surface is to be cleaned. Only the exhaust port is opened.

The opening / closing means opens the exhaust port only when it comes into contact with the surface to be cleaned, and exhausts the intake air sucked by the dust suction means from the opened exhaust port to concentrate the exhaust gas on the surface to be cleaned. Can be sprayed. As a result, the cleaner body has a weaker force for sucking the surface to be cleaned, so that the cleaner body can more smoothly run by itself.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the cleaning apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the exhaust gas from the exhaust port is exhausted to the cleaner body side, and at least a part of the exhaust gas is sucked by the intake port. To do.

Then, the intake port sucks at least a part of the exhaust gas exhausted from the exhaust port to the main body of the cleaner, so that the exhaust gas floats up the dust on the surface to be cleaned near the intake port and sucks it from the intake port. Therefore, the exhaust can assist the cleaning, and the cleaning efficiency can be improved.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the cleaning apparatus according to the first or second aspect, the exhaust air from the exhaust port is exhausted to the side opposite to the intake port.

The exhaust gas from the exhaust port is exhausted to the side opposite to the intake port, so that the exhaust gas from the exhaust port is less likely to be sucked into the intake port. For this reason, since the exhaust air is not sucked into the dust suction means or the dust is not soared by the exhaust air from the exhaust port, the dust is not easily sucked and the suction force of the dust suction means is not reduced. As a result, cleaning efficiency is maintained.

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The configuration of a first embodiment of a cleaning device of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 is a self-propelled cleaner body of an electric vacuum cleaner as a cleaning device. This cleaner main body 1 is provided with a substantially hemispherical hollow main body case 2, and this main body case 2 is composed of a bottom plate 2a and a hollow hemispherical cover 2b in which the bottom plate 2a closes a lower opening. ing. The bottom plate 2a and the cover 2b are assembled with each other by screws (not shown). Also, as shown in FIG.
The main body case 2 has a plurality of sensors 3 such as an infrared sensor as a distance detecting means for detecting the distance between the cleaner main body 1 and an obstacle mounted on the outer peripheral surface along the outer periphery in the radial direction of the bottom plate 2a. Has been.

Further, as shown in FIG. 4, in a substantially central region of the bottom plate 2a, an intake port 4 having a longitudinal direction along a direction crossing the traveling direction of the cleaner body 1, for example, an orthogonal direction is provided. It is open. Swiveling wheels 5 are rotatably attached to the ends of the bottom plate 2a in the forward and backward directions of the cleaner body 1, respectively, in a direction intersecting the forward direction.
For example, a pair of wheels 6 are coaxially and rotatably attached so as to face each other in the orthogonal direction. The cleaner body 1 can run on these wheels 6, and the moving direction is set by the turning wheels 5.

A plurality of substantially elliptical exhaust ports 7 having a major axis in the thickness direction of the wheels 6 are formed along the outer peripheral surface of the wheels 6. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a motor 8 as a drive unit for rotating and driving the pair of wheels 6 is connected to the rotation shafts 6a of the wheels 6. And, these rotary shafts 6a,
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a substantially S-shaped cylindrical exhaust pipe 9 having flexibility is rotatably attached, and the exhaust pipe 9 is connected to the wheel 6 with one end thereof facing downward. Is
It communicates with the exhaust port 7 near the surface to be cleaned.

Further, as shown in FIG.
A rotating brush 10 as a rotating body having a rotating shaft 10a along the longitudinal direction is attached, and the rotating shaft 10a has a motor as a rotating body driving means driven by electric power.
11 is connected. The motor 11 rotates and drives the rotary brush 10 via the rotary shaft 10a.

Further, a substantially rectangular dust collecting case 12 communicating with the air inlet 4 is attached above the air inlet 4 inside the main body case 2, and above the dust collecting case 12. An electric blower 13 as a dust suction unit driven by electric power is airtightly attached to the dust collection case 12 via a dust collection filter (not shown). An air passage 14 that communicates with the exhaust side of the electric blower 13 is provided along the inner wall of the main body case 2 that houses the dust collection case 12 and the electric blower 13. The air passage 14 is provided along a substantially arc-shaped upper side surface in the main body case 2, and a branch air passage 14a and a branch air passage 1 are provided on the front side and the rear side in the main body case 2, respectively.
4b and form. Further, the branch air passage 14a and the branch air passage 14b are provided on the side surface inside the main body case 2 along the downward direction. Further, the branch air passage 14a and the branch air passage 14b are formed so as to be thin toward the tip, and become wider again near the outside of the wheel 6 and communicate with the exhaust pipe 9, respectively.

A control circuit 15 as a control means for controlling the drive of the motor 8 and the electric blower 13 is attached to the front side inside the cleaner body 1. On the rear side inside the cleaner body 1, for example, 1
A battery pack 16 in which zero batteries are arranged side by side in a substantially rectangular shape is arranged. The battery pack 16 supplies electric power for driving the motor 8 and the electric blower 13.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

First, power is supplied from the battery pack 16 to operate the motor 8, the electric blower 13, the control circuit 15, and the like.

After that, the vacuum cleaner main body 1 drives the motor 8 by the control circuit 15 while detecting the distance to the obstacle by the sensor 3 and runs by itself while avoiding the obstacle.

Further, by driving the electric blower 13, dust is sucked upward from the intake port 4.

The inhaled dust reaches the dust collection case 12 and is collected by a dust collection filter (not shown) mounted between the dust collection case 12 and the electric blower 13.

Further, the intake air from which dust has been removed is an electric blower.
After passing through 13 and flowing into the air passage 14 on the upper side of the electric blower 13, it flows into the branch air passages 14a and 14b along the substantially arc-shaped upper side surface.

In the branched air passages 14a and 14b, the intake air reaches the exhaust pipe 9 from the outside of the wheel 6 after the flow rate of the intake air is reduced downward to increase the flow velocity.

The intake air flows through the exhaust pipe 9 to the exhaust pipe 9
Is moved in a substantially S-shape along the flow path and rectified, and is exhausted from the exhaust port 7 near the surface to be cleaned communicating with the exhaust pipe 9 toward the surface to be cleaned.

As described above, according to the first embodiment, since the exhaust gas is exhausted from the exhaust port 7 provided in the wheel 6 toward the surface to be cleaned, the cleaner body 1 is exhausted by the exhaust gas. To the surface to be cleaned in the opposite direction. As a result, the force applied to the cleaner body 1 when sucking air from the intake port 4 that is normally open toward the surface to be cleaned is weakened, so that the cleaner body 1 sticks to the surface to be cleaned. Since it becomes difficult, the cleaner body 1 can smoothly run by itself.

Further, since the exhaust can prevent the cleaner body 1 from sticking to the surface to be cleaned, it is not necessary to weaken the output of the electric blower 13 to prevent the sticking. The suction force can be maintained to improve the cleaning efficiency, and the cleaner body 1 can be moved smoothly. Therefore, the electric power used for moving the cleaner body 1 can be small and the consumption of the battery can be suppressed.

Further, the electric blower 13 is provided above the intake port 4 and sucks the intake air straightly upward, so that the distance between the intake port 4 and the electric blower 13 is shortened, so that the suction force loss by the electric blower 13 is lost. The intake efficiency can be further improved because the amount is reduced.

In addition, the air passage 14 has a substantially arcuate upper surface, so that the intake air is branched into the branch air passage 14a and the branch air passage 14b.
In addition, it is easier to branch.

Then, the intake air is exhausted more strongly from the exhaust port 7 toward the surface to be cleaned by reducing the flow rate in the branch air passage 14a and the branch air passage 14b and increasing the flow velocity. A larger force in the opposite direction perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned can be applied to the machine body 1. As a result, the force of sucking the surface to be cleaned is further weakened, and the cleaner body 1 is less likely to stick to the surface to be cleaned.
Can run more smoothly.

In the first embodiment, the exhaust pipe 9 has a substantially S-shape, but as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the exhaust pipe 17 has a substantially L-shape and is provided near the surface to be cleaned. You may connect the cylindrical connection part 18 which has the substantially rectangular opening 18a.

Although the exhaust port 7 has a substantially elliptical shape, if the exhaust port 7 can exhaust air toward the surface to be cleaned, not only the shape shown in FIG. 9 (a) but also that shown in FIG. 9 (b). A circular shape, a circular shape shown in FIG. 9 (c) arranged in two rows in the thickness direction of the wheel 6, and a circular center position shown in FIG. 9 (d) of the wheel 6 The wheels 6 are arranged in two rows in the thickness direction of the wheel 6 while being shifted in the circumferential direction, and the outer peripheral surface near the surface facing the thickness direction of the wheel 6 as shown in FIG. 9 (e) is cut out along the circumferential direction. 9 (f), a shape in which the central region in the thickness direction of the outer peripheral surface of the wheel 6 is cut out in the circumferential direction as shown in FIG. 9 (f), or a rectangular shape as shown in FIG. 9 (g). It may be something.

Next, the configuration of the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

The cleaning device shown in FIGS. 10 to 12 has basically the same structure as the cleaning device shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, but one of the outer peripheral surface and the side surface of the wheel 20 is provided. A cutout portion 21 cut out in a substantially rectangular shape is provided. The notch 21 has a substantially circular exhaust port 22.
Is opened so as to communicate with one end of the exhaust pipe 9 in the direction along the radial direction of the wheel 20. An opening / closing valve 23 as an opening / closing means for opening / closing these exhaust ports 22 is attached to the center axis side of the wheels 20 of these exhaust ports 22, and this opening / closing valve 23 is
A substantially cylindrical base portion 23b that closes the exhaust port 22 and the base portion 2
The protrusion 23a is formed so as to penetrate in the thickness direction of 3b. The protrusion 23a slightly projects from the virtual outer peripheral surface of the wheel 20.

On the other hand, a spring 24 as an urging means is attached to the protrusion 23a on the side of the wheel 20 in the direction of the central axis of the wheel 20.
Is urged in the opening direction. The wheel 20 is attached so that the side wall 21a of the cutout portion 21 faces the inner side of the cleaner body 1. Therefore, the on-off valve 23 has the protrusion 23a.
Only when the cleaner comes into contact with the surface to be cleaned, the base portion 23b moves in the direction of the central axis of the wheel 20 due to the weight of the cleaner body 1, and the exhaust port
2 is opened, and when the projection 23a stops contacting the surface to be cleaned, the base portion 23b is returned to the original position by the spring 24 and the exhaust port 22 is closed.

Next, the operation of the second embodiment will be described.

First, the intake air that has been sucked together with dust from the intake port 4 has its dust removed by a dust collection filter (not shown), then passes through the exhaust pipe 9 through the air passage 14 and flows into the wheels 20. To do.

Here, the protrusion 23a of the on-off valve 23, which is in contact with the surface to be cleaned, is pushed in the direction opposite to the opening direction of the exhaust port 22 by the self-weight of the cleaner body 1, and the exhaust port 22 opens.

The intake air flowing into the wheel 20 is exhausted from the open exhaust port 22 toward the surface to be cleaned.

Next, the exhaust gas collides with the side wall 21a of the wheel 20 and flows in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the side wall 21a.

At this time, the exhaust carries the dust around the intake port 4 toward the intake port 4 and sucks it from the intake port 4.

Further, when the wheel 20 is rotated to move the cleaner main body 1, the protrusion 23 contacting the surface to be cleaned 23
a does not come into contact with the surface to be cleaned, the base portion 23b returns to the original position by the biasing force of the spring 24, and the exhaust port 22 is closed again.

Then, the projection 23a of the other on-off valve 23 comes into contact with the surface to be cleaned and the exhaust port 22 closed by this on-off valve 23.
Opens, and the intake air is exhausted from the exhaust port 22.

As described above, according to the second embodiment, since the exhaust gas is discharged from the exhaust port 22 facing the surface to be cleaned, the same effect as that of the first embodiment can be obtained. Can be played.

Further, since only the exhaust port 22 provided with the opening / closing valve 23 that is in contact with the surface to be cleaned is opened and exhausted toward the surface to be cleaned, this exhaust causes the opposite of the surface perpendicular to the surface to be cleaned. A larger directional force can be applied to the cleaner body 1. As a result, it is possible to further suppress the force with which the cleaner body 1 sucks the surface to be cleaned at the time of intake, so that the cleaner body 1 can be more smoothly driven by itself.

Further, since the intake air is exhausted toward the surface to be cleaned and then flows out to the cleaner main body 1 side, the dust around the intake port 4 is moved to the intake port 4 by the exhaust air and is inhaled. Therefore, the cleaning efficiency can be improved.

In the second embodiment, the exhaust gas may be exhausted in a direction such as the inner rear side of the cleaner body 1 that does not hinder the suction of dust.

Although the notch 21 has a substantially rectangular shape,
It suffices if the exhaust gas from the exhaust port 22 can appropriately flow in the direction of the intake port 4. Therefore, in addition to the shape as shown in FIG. 13, another side wall 25 is provided in the cutout portion 21 as shown in FIG. 14, or the cutout portion 21 as shown in FIG.
Is formed only on the outer peripheral surface of the wheel 20, and an opening 27 is provided in one of the side walls 26 of the wheel 20, or as shown in FIG.
A cylindrical protrusion 29 may be provided on one of the side walls 28 of the cutout portion 21 formed only on the outer peripheral surface of 20 to exhaust the air.

Further, the wheel 20 has the side wall 21a on the main body 1 of the cleaner.
Although the side wall 21a is attached to the side, the side wall 21a may be attached to the outer side so that exhaust does not soar dust or obstruct the suction of dust.

Then, the number of openings of the exhaust port 22 may be increased or decreased in response to increasing or decreasing the suction force of the electric blower 13.

Further, the exhaust port 22 may be provided above rather than in a portion in contact with the floor surface so that the exhaust gas is taken out upward so as not to obstruct the cleaning.

[0056]

According to the cleaning apparatus of the first aspect, the intake air sucked together with the dust by the dust suction means from the intake port opened toward the surface to be cleaned of the cleaner body is cleaned from the exhaust port of the wheel. By exhausting air toward the surface, the vacuum cleaner body's suction force on the surface to be cleaned can be weakened by the suction of the dust suction means. You can run on your own.

According to the cleaning device of the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the cleaning device of the first aspect, the opening / closing means opens the exhaust port only when it comes into contact with the surface to be cleaned, and the opened exhaust port. By exhausting the intake air sucked by the dust suction means from this, this exhaust air can be concentrated and sprayed on the surface to be cleaned. As a result, the cleaner body has a weaker force for sucking the surface to be cleaned, so that the cleaner body can more smoothly run by itself.

According to the cleaning device of the third aspect, in addition to the effect of the cleaning device of the first or second aspect, the intake port sucks at least a part of the exhaust gas exhausted from the exhaust port to the cleaner body side. As a result, dust on the surface to be cleaned in the vicinity of the intake port is lifted by this exhaust gas and sucked from the intake port, so that this exhaust gas can assist cleaning and improve cleaning efficiency.

According to the cleaning device of the fourth aspect, in addition to the effect of the cleaning device of the first or second aspect, since the exhaust gas from the exhaust port is exhausted to the side opposite to the intake port, It is possible to prevent the exhaust gas from being sucked into the intake port, and the exhaust gas from the exhaust port does not suck the exhaust gas into the dust suction means or raise dust. As a result, the dust is not easily sucked and the suction force of the dust suction means is not reduced, so that the cleaning efficiency can be maintained.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a first embodiment of a cleaning device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front sectional view showing the above cleaning device.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory sectional view showing the above cleaning device.

FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing the above cleaning device.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a flow of wind on wheels of the same cleaning device.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a partial wind flow of the above cleaning device.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a wind flow of another example of the wheels of the above cleaning device.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a partial wind flow of another example of the above-described cleaning device.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing still another example of the wheels of the above cleaning device. (a) A perspective view of yet another example of a wheel of the above cleaning device (b) A perspective view of yet another example of a wheel of the above cleaning device (c) A perspective view of yet another example of a wheel of the above cleaning device (d) ) Same as above, perspective view of yet another example of cleaning device wheel (e) Perspective view of yet another example of cleaning device wheel (f) Same as above, perspective view of yet another example of cleaning device wheel (g) Same as above A perspective view of still another example of the wheel of the cleaning device.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a wheel of the second embodiment of the cleaning device of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing a part of wheels of the same cleaning device.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory side view showing the operation of the opening / closing means of the above cleaning device.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view showing another example of wheels of the same cleaning device.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing still another example of the wheels of the above cleaning device.

FIG. 15 is a perspective view showing still another example of the wheels of the above cleaning device.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing still another example of the wheels of the above cleaning device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Vacuum cleaner body 4 air intake 6,20 wheels 7,22 exhaust port 8 Motor as drive means 13 Electric blower as dust collecting means 23 Open / close valve as opening / closing means

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A cleaner main body, an intake port opened to the surface to be cleaned in the cleaner main body, a dust suction means for sucking dust from the intake port, and rotatably attached to the cleaner main body. A cleaning characterized by comprising: a wheel having an exhaust port for exhausting the exhaust gas from the dust collecting means toward a surface to be cleaned; and a drive means for driving the wheel to drive the cleaner main body by itself. apparatus. 2. The exhaust port has an opening / closing means for opening / closing the exhaust port, and the opening / closing means opens the exhaust port only when it contacts the surface to be cleaned. Cleaning device. 3. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein the exhaust gas from the exhaust port is exhausted to the cleaner body side, and at least a part of the exhaust gas is sucked by the intake port. 4. The cleaning device according to claim 1, wherein exhaust air from the exhaust port is exhausted to a side opposite to the intake port.