JP2003225185A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum cleaner allowing a user to easily take out or set a secondary battery. <P>SOLUTION: A slide switch 23 is moved downward ad he engagement with an opening 17 of a dust collecting cup 12 by motor packing 22 is released. By detaching a cup part 14 of the dust collecting cup 12 from a cup storage part 13 of the cleaner body 2, the pressing/holding of a battery holding lid 29 to a battery storage opening 27 by a handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 can be released. The inhibition of detachment of the secondary battery 26 inside the battery storage opening 27 by the handle body 19 via the battery holding lid 29 can be released. By opening the battery storage opening 27 by the rotation of the battery holding lid 29, the secondary battery 26 can be taken out of the battery storage opening 27. In this way, the secondary battery 26 can be set in/taken out of the battery storage opening 27 easily with the simple structure. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner in which a battery is a power source of an electric blower.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electric vacuum cleaner of this type has a cleaner body having an electric blower housed therein, and a battery serving as a power source for the electric blower is internally provided at the bottom of the cleaner body. A battery accommodation port for removably accommodating is opened. The flat plate-shaped lid that holds the battery accommodated in the battery storage port and prevents the battery from being removed from the battery storage port can be removed by a locking mechanism such as screwing. The battery housing opening is closed so that it can be opened and closed. In addition, since a battery, which is a power source of an electric blower, is generally a heavy object, a lid is attached to a battery housing opening in which the battery is housed, with a certain degree of strength secured.

[0003]

However, in the above-described electric vacuum cleaner, the lid body for preventing the detachment of the battery housed in the battery housing port of the cleaner body is screwed to the battery housing port. Since it is installed with a certain degree of strength secured by a lock mechanism such as, each screw body that is the lock mechanism of the lid must be removed every time the battery is taken out from this battery storage port. There is a problem that it is not easy to take out and attach the lid to the mouth.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner in which a battery can be easily taken out and attached.

[0005]

The electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention comprises:
Provided in this dust collecting part is a battery containing part for accommodating a battery that serves as a power source for the electric blower, and a battery containing part for accommodating the battery inside, a dust collecting part for collecting dust from the air blown by the electric blower. And a handle for preventing the battery in the battery housing portion from being detached from the battery housing opening when the dust collecting portion is attached to the cleaner body. By removing the dust collecting part from the main body of the vacuum cleaner, the restraint of detaching the battery from the battery accommodating port by the handle provided in the dust collecting part is released, so that the battery can be taken out from the battery accommodating port. Becomes In particular, when the battery is to be charged by removing the battery from the battery accommodating port, this battery is frequently taken out, which is particularly effective.

[0006]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The configuration of an embodiment of the electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes an electric vacuum cleaner as a cleaning device. The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is a self-propelled machine that moves independently on a floor as a surface to be cleaned such as in a factory or a house. That is, the self-propelled cleaner body 2 is provided. The cleaner body 2 is configured by fitting a lower end edge of a case body 4 as a cylindrical peripheral surface portion having a closed upper end to an outer peripheral edge of a bottom plate portion 3 having a substantially circular flat plate shape.

Further, a pair of traveling wheels as a moving means for traveling, that is, moving the cleaner body 2 on a floor surface as a surface to be cleaned, in both sides of the bottom plate portion 3 with respect to the traveling direction of the cleaner body 2. 5 is rotatably attached. These running wheels 5 are provided on the bottom plate portion 3 of the cleaner body 2
Of the traveling wheels 5 are fitted into the elongated and substantially rectangular fitting openings 6 opened in both sides of the cleaner body 2 from the inside of the cleaner body 2 to the lower side of the cleaner body 2. Is protruding.

Further, wheel drive control means 7 for controlling the rotational drive of the traveling wheels 5 are mounted on the bottom plate portion 3 inside the traveling wheels 5, respectively. The wheel drive control means 7 is composed of a magnetic clutch, an electric motor, and the like. A swivel wheel 8 that swivels along the surface direction of the bottom plate portion 3 is rotatably attached to the rear side of the bottom plate portion 3 with respect to the traveling direction of the cleaner body 2. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slewing wheel 8 is attached to the rear of the middle between the traveling wheels 5.

On the front side of the bottom plate portion 3 of the cleaner body 2, there is formed an inclined surface 9 which is inclined upward.
The inclined surface 9 makes it easier to climb over a step such as the door rail of the cleaner body 2.

On the other hand, in the central portion of the bottom plate portion 3 inside the cleaner body 2, there is provided a main body suction port 11 in the shape of an elongated rectangle which opens facing the floor surface. This main body suction port 11 is a running wheel 5
And a longitudinal direction along the radial direction of the cleaner body 2, which is a direction that intersects at right angles to the traveling direction of the cleaner body 2. Further, the base end side of the main body suction port 11 is a dust collecting cup 12 as a dust collecting portion detachably attached from the rear of the case body 4 of the cleaner body 2 via a connecting pipe as a tubular body (not shown). Is connected airtightly to. The dust collecting cup 12 swirls the sucked air and separates the dust sucked together with the sucked air from the sucked air by centrifugal separation by its own weight, and collects the dust inside.

Further, the dust collecting cup 12 is provided in the cleaner body 2
It is removably accommodated in a cup accommodating portion 13 provided on the rear side of the bottom plate portion 3 of the above, and has a bottomed substantially cylindrical cup portion 14
Is equipped with. The cup portion 14 is a circular flat bottom portion.
A cylindrical peripheral surface portion 16 is connected from the outer peripheral edge of 15 upward. A circular opening 17 is opened at the upper end of the peripheral surface portion 16.
Is formed in a tapered shape whose diameter gradually increases from the bottom surface 15 side toward the opening 17 side.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, on the opening 17 side of the peripheral surface portion 16 of the cup portion 14, as shown in FIG. 1, a connecting port which is airtightly connected to the base end side of the main body suction port 11 via a connecting pipe. The circular inflow port 18 is opened. Further, on the opening 17 side of the peripheral surface portion 16 of the cup portion 14 substantially facing the inflow port 18, a handle body 19 as a handle that serves as a grip portion when the cup portion 14 is detached from or attached to the cleaner body 2. The upper end region, which is one end region in the longitudinal direction of, is connected. The handle body 19 has a shape in which an elongated rod-shaped body is curved in an arc shape, and a lower end portion which is the other end portion of the handle body 19 projects downward from a bottom surface portion 15 of the cup portion 14. Therefore, the longitudinal dimension of the handle body 19 is larger than the height dimension of the cup portion 14. Further, the handle body 19 projects outward from the outer surface of the case body 4 of the cleaner body 2 when the cup portion 14 is attached to the cleaner body 2.

Further, in the cleaner main body 2 above the cup accommodating portion 13, an electric blower 21 as a suction means for sucking intake air together with dust from the main body suction port 11 is movably accommodated in the vertical direction. Has been done. This electric blower
21 is housed with its suction side facing downward and its exhaust side facing upward. Then, on the suction side of the electric blower 21, a cylindrical motor packing 22 concentrically fitted in the opening 17 of the dust collecting cup 12 in a detachable manner and air-tightly connected to the opening 17. It is installed. The motor packing 22 is made of an elastic material such as rubber.

Further, a slide switch 23 as a moving means for moving the electric blower 21 in the vertical direction is attached to the outer surface of the rear side of the cleaner body 2 corresponding to the side portion of the electric blower 21. The slide switch 23 keeps the electric blower 21 horizontal while
Is a lever for moving the up and down direction.

On the other hand, on the lower side of the front outer surface of the case body 4 of the cleaner body 2, a non-contact type sensor 24 which is a contact control section as a detecting means for detecting the state of the surroundings of the cleaner body 2 is provided. A plurality of, for example, seven are attached. Each of these non-contact type sensors 24 detects obstacles such as steps having a height higher than that which can be overcome by the cleaner body 2 which is preset at the time of design.

The non-contact type sensors 24 are arranged in the radial direction of the case body 4 from the center of the front side of the case body 4 at intervals along the circumferential direction. In addition,
These non-contact type sensors 24 are an infrared sensor that emits infrared light to detect an obstacle existing at a predetermined distance, an image sensor that detects an obstacle in a captured image, and the like.

Further, in the interior of the cleaner body 2 in front of the dust collecting cup 12, the traveling wheels 5 are driven through the wheel drive control means 7 based on the detection of a contact object by any of the non-contact type sensors 24. A control circuit 25 is attached as a control means for controlling the rotation drive of the cleaning device 2 to make the cleaner body 2 self-propelled. The control circuit 25 is mounted on the bottom plate portion 3 on the rear side of the main body suction port 11. Furthermore, this control circuit 25
Is connected to the electric blower 21 and controls the drive state of the electric blower 21.

On the rear side surface portion of the case body 4 of the cleaner body 2 below the cup housing portion 13, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped-shaped battery pack serving as a battery for the electric blower 21 is provided. A rectangular battery accommodating port 27 for detachably accommodating the secondary battery 26, that is, for accommodating the secondary battery 26 in the cleaner body 2 is opened. Here, the secondary battery 26 is an external rechargeable battery that is charged by being taken out from the cleaner body 2 and installed on a charging stand (not shown).
Is supplied to drive the electric blower 21 and the traveling wheels 5 to rotate under the control of the control circuit 25.

Further, the battery accommodating port 27 is opened horizontally toward the rear of the cleaner body 2, and is formed in an elongated rectangular shape having a longitudinal direction in the left-right direction in the traveling direction of the cleaner body 2. Has been done. And this battery receiving port 27
A battery housing chamber 28, which serves as a battery housing portion for housing the secondary battery 26 in the cleaner body 2, is defined inside the chamber. In addition, the battery accommodation port 27 is
The rechargeable battery from this battery receiving port 27
A battery holding lid 29 which is a door serving as a flat plate-like lid for preventing the detachment of 26 is attached.

The battery holding lid 29 is curved in an arc shape that is flush with the outer surface of the case body 4 of the cleaner body 2 when the battery housing port 27 is closed. Further, one side edge in the longitudinal direction of the battery holding lid 29 is rotatably connected to one side edge of the battery housing port 27. Further, at the other side edge in the longitudinal direction of the battery holding lid 29, there is a hook-like engaging claw which is removably engaged with a concave engaging edge portion 31 formed at the other side edge of the battery housing port 27. The part 32 is integrally formed.

Here, the battery holding lid 29 is the secondary battery 26.
When the battery housing opening 27 housed in the battery housing chamber 28 is closed by the battery holding lid 29, the dust collecting cup 12 is attached to the cup housing portion 13, and the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 is attached. Is pressed by the lower end of the
It is held and fixed at 27. That is, the secondary battery 26 housed in the battery housing chamber 28 is stored in the battery housing chamber 28 by holding the battery holding lid 29 by the lower end portion of the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 housed in the cup housing portion 13. Is indirectly held by the battery and is prevented from being detached from the battery accommodation port 27.

Next, the cleaning operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, the traveling route for the cleaner body 2 to travel in a factory, a house, etc., the floor plan for the area to be cleaned, the arrangement of furniture, the autonomous traveling conditions such as the traveling time and the traveling time interval, and the electric blower. Data such as the cleaning conditions according to 21 are input to the control circuit 25 in advance.

Then, at a preset time, the traveling wheels 5 and the electric blower 21 are appropriately driven based on the data such as the independent running condition and the cleaning condition preset in the control circuit 25 of the cleaner body 2.

Here, the traveling wheels 5 are rotationally driven by the control through the wheel drive control means 7 by the control circuit 25,
The cleaner body 2 is made to travel over substantially the entire floor surface.

At this time, the control circuit 25 controls the electric power supplied to the electric blower 21 to suck the dust on the floor surface together with the intake air from the main body suction port 11.

The suction air sucked from the main body suction port 11 is sucked into the cup portion 14 of the dust collecting cup 12 from the inflow port 18 of the dust collecting cup 12 through the connecting pipe. While swirling in a tangential direction in the peripheral surface portion 16 of the cup portion 14 in the cup portion 14,
As the suction wind swirls, the dust sucked together with the suction wind swirls.

Then, the dust is moved along the inner side surface of the peripheral surface portion 16 of the cup portion 14 by the centrifugal force of the vortex flow due to the suction wind sucked in a spiral shape and falls by its own weight to be separated from the suction wind. Then, dust is collected in the cup portion 14.

On the other hand, the suction air swirled in the cup portion 14 is electrically blown from the center of the vortex located on the central axis of the peripheral surface portion 16 of the cup portion 14 through the motor packing 22.
21 is sucked into the suction side and becomes exhaust air.

The exhaust air is exhausted from the exhaust side of the electric blower 21 and then exhausted from the upper side of the cleaner body 2 to the outside.

Further, when the residual amount of the electric charge of the secondary battery 26 becomes small due to the traveling of the cleaner body 2 and the suction of dust, the control circuit 25 appropriately controls the rotational drive of the traveling wheels 5 via the wheel drive control means 7. Drive to a predetermined position.

Further, when the cleaning is completed after traveling through the entire area, the drive of the electric blower 21 is stopped by the control circuit 25, and the traveling wheels 5 are driven through the wheel drive control means 7.
Is controlled appropriately to drive the vehicle to a predetermined position.

Here, when the presence of an obstacle located at a predetermined distance is detected by the non-contact sensor 24 of the cleaner body 2 during cleaning, the control circuit 25 causes the wheel drive control means 7 to operate. The rotational drive of the traveling wheels 5 is controlled to avoid contact with this obstacle, and the amount of electric power supplied to the electric blower 21 is increased to increase the suction force of the electric blower 21 from the main body suction port 11. .

Next, the assembling operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, when removing dust in the cup portion 14 of the dust collecting cup 12 housed in the cup housing portion 13 of the cleaner body 2, the slide switch 23 of the cleaner body 2 is moved downward. The electric blower inside the cleaner body 2
21 and the motor packing 22 are moved upward to release the airtight fitting of the motor packing 22 into the opening 17 of the cup portion 14.

In this state, the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12
By grasping the dust collecting cup 12 and pulling out the dust collecting cup 12 from the cup accommodating portion 13 of the cleaner body 2, the dust collected in the cup portion 14 of the dust collecting cup 12 can be removed. , The handle body of this dust collecting cup 12
The holding and fixing of the battery holding lid 29 by the lower end portion of 19 is released.

For this reason, the battery holding lid 29 is attached to the battery receiving port.
Since it becomes possible to open the battery accommodation port 27 by rotating the battery 27 with respect to the opening 27, the secondary battery 26 accommodated in the battery accommodation chamber 28 through the battery accommodation port 27 It can be taken out from the battery accommodation port 27.

The secondary battery 26 can be charged by installing it on a charging stand (not shown).

When the charged secondary battery 26 is attached to the cleaner body 2, first, the battery holding lid 29 is used to open the battery housing opening 27 of the cleaner body 2, and then the battery housing opening is opened. The secondary battery 26 is housed in the battery housing chamber 28 via 27.

After that, the battery holding lid 29 is rotated to close the battery holding lid 29, and the engaging claw portion 32 of the battery holding lid 29 is engaged with the engaging edge portion 31 of the battery housing opening 27 to store the battery. The mouth 27 is closed with a battery holding lid 29.

In this state, the cup holder of the cleaner body 2
After accommodating the cup part 14 of the dust collecting cup 12 in 13, the slide switch 23 of the cleaner body 2 is moved upward, and the electric blower 21 and the motor packing 22 in the cleaner body 2 are moved downward. The motor packing 22 is airtightly fitted into the opening 17 of the cup portion 14 of the dust collecting cup 12.

At this time, the handle body of the dust collecting cup 12
Since the lower end portion of 19 contacts or comes close to the outer surface of the battery holding lid 29, the battery packing lid is fitted by fitting the motor packing 22 into the opening 17 of the dust collecting cup 12 by the slide switch 23.
The blockage of the battery accommodation port 27 by 29 is held and fixed.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the cleaner body 2 is inserted from the battery housing port 27 of the cleaner body 2.
The secondary battery 26 is accommodated in the battery accommodating chamber 28, and the dust collecting cup 12 is accommodated in the cup accommodating portion 13 of the cleaner body 2 with the battery accommodating port 27 closed by the battery holding lid 29. As a result, the lower end of the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 is
The battery holding port 27 is brought into contact with the outer side surface of the battery holding lid 29 which is closed.

Since the secondary battery 26 housed in the cleaner body 2 has a relatively large weight as compared with other parts of the cleaner body 2, the cleaner body 2 is self-supporting. When moved by movement or the like, the weight of the secondary battery 26 itself may rotate the battery holding lid 29 to open the battery housing port 27. Therefore, it is necessary to secure a certain degree of strength for holding and closing the battery accommodation port 27 by the battery holding lid 29.

Therefore, by moving the slide switch 23 of the cleaner body 2 upward and fitting the motor packing 22 into the opening 17 of the dust collecting cup 12 housed in the cup housing 13, It is not necessary to provide an additional mechanism such as a door lock on the holding lid 29, and further, the handle body of the dust collecting cup 12 is not fixed to the battery holding opening 27 by screwing or the like. The contact of the lower end of the battery 19 with the battery holding lid 29 can be maintained by the weight of the electric blower 21, which generally has a larger weight than the secondary battery 26.

As a result, the opening operation due to the rotation of the battery holding lid 29 with respect to the battery holding port 27 can be surely pressed and held, so that the secondary battery 26 in the battery holding chamber 28 closed by the battery holding lid 29. It is possible to reliably prevent the battery from being detached from the battery housing opening 27 with a simple structure, and to easily open and close the battery holding lid 29 with respect to the battery housing opening 27.

Further, in this state, the slide switch 23 is moved downward to release the fitting of the dust collecting cup 12 into the opening 17 by the motor packing 22.
Is removed from the cup accommodating portion 13 of the cleaner body 2, the holding and fixing of the battery holding lid 29 of the cleaner body 2 by the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 can be released.

Therefore, since it becomes possible to open the battery accommodation opening 27 by rotating the battery holding lid 29, the battery accommodation opening 27 can be opened by rotating the battery holding lid 29. The secondary battery 26 can be taken out from the battery accommodation port 27. As a result, each of attachment and detachment of the secondary battery 26 to and from the battery accommodation port 27 and holding of the secondary battery 26 accommodated in the battery accommodation chamber 28 from the battery accommodation port 27 can be reliably and simply performed. You can easily.

Further, by bending the lower end portion of the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 toward the peripheral surface 16 side of the cup portion 14 of the dust collecting cup 12 in an arc shape, the dust collecting cup 12
When the battery holding lid 29 is held by the lower end portion of the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 by housing 12 in the cup housing portion 13 of the cleaner body 2, the outer surface of the battery holding lid 29 is laterally moved. Can be held from.

Therefore, the cup accommodating portion 13 of the cleaner body 2 is
The secondary battery 26 housed in the battery housing chamber 28 of the cleaner body 2 with the cup portion 14 of the dust collecting cup 12 housed therein.
Even if the secondary battery 26 collides with the inside of the battery holding lid 29 due to movement, the opening operation of the battery holding lid 29 due to the restoring force due to the elastic deformation of the lower end region of the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12. Can be more reliably prevented, so that the detachment of the secondary battery 26 from the battery accommodation port 27 can be more reliably suppressed.

Since the self-moving vacuum cleaner 1 generally has a large weight, if the vacuum cleaner 1 stops while moving on the floor to clean itself, Since it is not easy to move the electric vacuum cleaner 1 to a predetermined position by lifting it, the secondary battery 26 is taken out from the battery housing chamber 28 of the cleaner body 2 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1,
It is desirable to replace the secondary battery 26 with a charged secondary battery 26 and then charge the secondary battery 26.

Therefore, in the electric vacuum cleaner 1 in which the secondary battery 26 is replaceable, the battery accommodation port 27 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1
Since the frequency of taking out and attaching the secondary battery 26 from the battery becomes extremely large, it is particularly effective and convenient for the user to use the structure in which the battery holding lid 29 is held by the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12. You can definitely improve.

In the above embodiment, a battery holding lid 29 is attached to the battery accommodating port 27 of the cleaner body 2 so as to be openable and closable, and the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 attached to the cleaner body 2 is used. Although the battery holding lid 29 is configured to hold the block of the battery housing port 27, the handle body 19 of the dust collecting cup 12 directly holds the secondary battery 26 housed in the battery housing chamber 28. Even if the battery holding lid 29 is not provided, the same operational effect as that of the above-described embodiment can be obtained.

[0055]

According to the present invention, the removal of the dust collecting portion from the main body of the vacuum cleaner releases the restraint of the battery being detached from the battery storing opening by the handle of the dust collecting portion. The battery can be easily attached to and removed from the battery housing.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory side view showing an embodiment of an electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory top view showing the same electric vacuum cleaner.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vacuum cleaner 2 Vacuum cleaner body 12 Dust collection cup as a dust collector 19 Handle body as handle 21 electric blower 26 Secondary battery as a battery 27 Battery compartment 28 Battery storage room as battery storage

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A battery accommodating portion having a cleaner body accommodating an electric blower and a battery accommodating port for attaching and detaching a battery serving as a power source of the electric blower, the accommodating portion being provided in the cleaner body and accommodating the battery therein. And a dust collecting portion that is detachably attached to the cleaner body and collects dust from the suction air from the electric blower, and the dust collecting portion is provided on the dust collecting portion and is attached to the cleaner body. An electric vacuum cleaner, comprising: a handle for preventing the battery in the battery housing portion from being detached from the battery housing opening. 2. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum cleaner body is movable independently.