EP3047776A1

EP3047776A1 - Suction head for electric vacuum cleaners and electric vacuum cleaner equipped with the same

Info

Publication number: EP3047776A1
Application number: EP16151900.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Kouichi Fujita; Masashi Okujima
Original assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Current assignee: Panasonic Intellectual Property Management Co Ltd
Priority date: 2015-01-20
Filing date: 2016-01-19
Publication date: 2016-07-27
Also published as: JP2016131729A

Abstract

A suction head for electric vacuum cleaners includes the following: a lower member (3) having an inlet (4) and forming the bottom surface of the suction head body (1); an upper member (2) covering the top of the lower member (3); an arm (5) connected in a vertically rotatable manner to the upper member (2); holding parts (7) extending backward from the left and right sides of the arm (5); and rollers (8) rotatably held by the holding parts (7). The rollers (8) move vertically with the arm (5), allowing the bottoms of the rollers (8) to be lowered to be flush with the bottom surface of the lower member (3). This allows the inlet (4) to come into close contact with the surface to be cleaned. As a result, the suction head for electric vacuum cleaners can be inexpensive and have high dust-collecting performance.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a suction head for electric vacuum cleaners and an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with the suction head.

2. Description of the Related Art

A conventional suction head for electric vacuum cleaners is shown in Chinese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 101099648 (hereinafter, "Patent Literature 1"), which includes a suction head body including a suction head front, an intermediate joint, an arm, and a connection pipe. The suction head front and the intermediate joint are connected together via a rotary shaft. The suction head front has an inlet at the bottom and forms the bottom surface of the suction head. The intermediate joint includes a vertically rotatable shaft at the rear end. The shaft connects the arm to the intermediate joint. The arm is connected at its rear end to the connection pipe, which is laterally rotatable.
The conventional suction head further includes rollers, which are disposed near the shaft and support the intermediate joint. The rollers are configured to keep the suction head front horizontal when the suction head front is placed on the floor with the inlet down.
Another conventional suction head for electric vacuum cleaners includes an upper member, a pair of rollers, an arm, and a connection pipe. The upper member has an inlet at the bottom. The rollers are rotatably disposed behind the upper member. The arm is connected to and coaxial with the connection pipe in such a manner as to be vertically rotatable. The connection pipe is connected in a laterally rotatable manner to the rear end of the arm.
The conventional suction head for electric vacuum cleaners shown in Patent Literature 1 will now be described with reference to FIG. 3.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the conventional suction head.
As shown in FIG. 3, the conventional suction head includes suction head body 16 including suction head front 17, intermediate joint 18, arm 21, and connection pipe 22. Suction head front 17 has inlet 20 at the bottom and forms the front of suction head body 16. Intermediate joint 18 is connected to the back of suction head front 17 via rotary shaft 19. Rotary shaft 19 supports suction head front 17 in swinging back and forth with respect to intermediate joint 18. Arm 21 is connected in a vertically rotatable manner to the back of intermediate joint 18. The conventional suction head further includes rollers 24 disposed on both sides of arm 21, and rotatably connected to intermediate joint 18 via shaft 23. Thus, shaft 23 supports rollers 24 and arm 21 coaxially.
The above-mentioned another conventional suction head for electric vacuum cleaners will now be described with reference to FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 is a side view of another conventional suction head.
As shown in FIG. 4, another conventional suction head includes suction head body 25 including upper member 27, arm 30, rollers 29, shaft 28, and connection pipe 31. Upper member 27 has inlet 26 at the bottom and forms the outer shell of suction head body 25. Arm 30 is connected in a vertically rotatable manner to the back of upper member 27. Rollers 29 are disposed at the left and right sides of arm 30 and are rotatably connected to upper member 27 via shaft 28 on the same axis as arm 30. Thus, shaft 28 supports arm 30 and rollers 29 coaxially.
In the suction head shown in FIG. 3, inlet 20 needs to be brought into close contact with a surface to be cleaned so that suction head body 16 can work effectively. In order to make inlet 20 of suction head front 17 in parallel and in close contact with the surface to be cleaned, the vertical and back and forth movements of connection pipe 22 are transmitted to arm 21 connected to intermediate joint 18. This simplifies the movement of suction head front 17 located ahead intermediate joint 18. In short, the horizontalization process of inlet 20 of suction head front 17 can be achieved only by the back and forth movement of rotary shaft 19.
In order to keep inlet 20 horizontal, however, it is necessary to connect a plurality of parts including suction head front 17 and intermediate joint 18 together. This causes suction head body 16 to be expensive.
To reduce the cost, the above-described another suction head shown in FIG. 4 has been suggested.
In the suction head shown in FIG. 4, inlet 26 is located at the bottom of upper member 27 of suction head body 25, whereas rollers 29 and arm 30 are located behind upper member 27. In this configuration, it is meaningless to provide rollers 29 unless they are projected from the bottom surface of inlet 26.
In the case that rollers 29 are projected, however, when suction head body 25 is placed on the surface to be cleaned, inlet 26 leans forward and fails to come into close contact with the surface to be cleaned. This decreases the suction performance of suction head body 25.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a suction head for electric vacuum cleaners which is inexpensive and allows the inlet to come into close contact with the surface to be cleaned, thereby providing high dust-collecting performance, and also to provide an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with the suction head.
The suction head for electric vacuum cleaners of the present invention includes an upper member forming the upper outer shell of a suction head body; a lower member having an inlet on the side facing a surface to be cleaned, the lower member being attached under the upper member; an arm disposed in a vertically rotatable manner behind the upper member; a rotary shaft connecting the arm and the upper member; a connection pipe connected in a laterally rotatable manner to the rear end of the arm; a left and right pair of holding parts extending backward from the arm and located under the connection pipe; and a roller rotatably held by the holding parts. When the suction head body is pushed forward, the arm moves downward, allowing the roller to come into contact with the surface to be cleaned. When the suction head body is pulled backward, the arm moves upward, allowing the roller to leave from the surface to be cleaned.
In this configuration, when the arm moves vertically, the roller also moves vertically. This allows the bottom of the roller to be lowered to be flush with the bottom surface of the lower member. As a result, the inlet of the lower member comes into close contact with the surface to be cleaned.
In short, the suction head body allows the inlet of the lower member to come into close contact with the surface to be cleaned by providing just one rotary shaft which rotates the arm. As a result, the suction head for electric vacuum cleaners can be inexpensive and have high dust-collecting performance.
The electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention at least includes an electric blower, a vacuum cleaner body including the electric blower, and the above-described suction head for electric vacuum cleaners, which is connected in communication with the electric blower. This configuration allows the electric vacuum cleaner to have high dust-collecting performance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a suction head for electric vacuum cleaners according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the suction head;
FIG. 3 is a side view of a conventional suction head for electric vacuum cleaners; and
FIG. 4 is a side view of second conventional suction head for electric vacuum cleaners.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to this exemplary embodiment.

EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT

The configuration and operation of the suction head for electric vacuum cleaners and the electric vacuum cleaner equipped with the suction head according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
FIG. 1 is a side view of the suction head for electric vacuum cleaners of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the suction head.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the suction head of the present exemplary embodiment includes suction head body 1 including upper member 2, lower member 3, arm 5, connection pipe 6, holding parts 7, and rollers 8. Suction head body 1 is connected to a vacuum cleaner body (not shown) via connection pipe 6 and other devices.
Suction head body 1 is moved across a surface to be cleaned while the electric blower (not shown) of the vacuum cleaner body generates suction airflow to suction dust on the surface. In short, suction head body 1 of the suction head includes, at its bottom, inlet 4 for dust collection.
Upper member 2 is configured to store lower member 3 and forms the upper outer shell of suction head body 1.
Lower member 3 is mainly composed of iron plate molded and forms the bottom surface of suction head body 1. The bottom surface of lower member 3 has inlet 4 through which dust and other foreign particles are suctioned. Lower member 3 is fixed to upper member 2 with, for example, screws.
Upper member 2 is connected, behind its central or substantially central part, to arm 5. Arm 5 is supported to be vertically rotatable via rotary shaft 9, which can be, for example, a hinge shaft. Arm 5 is connected at its rear end to connection pipe 6, which is laterally rotatable.
Holding parts 7 are disposed near the bottom of connection pipe 6. Holding parts 7 are in the form of ribs extending from the left and right sides of arm 5 toward connection pipe 6 and are connected to rollers 8.
One of rollers 8 is on the left side of one of holding parts 7 and the other roller 8 is on the right side of the other holding part 7. When being in contact with the surface to be cleaned, rollers 8 support suction head body 1.
Lower member 3 includes projected peripheries 15, inclined surfaces 12, and projections 13. Projected peripheries 15 are formed by downwardly projecting the periphery of inlet 4. Inclined surfaces 12 are inclined from projected peripheries 15 toward front and back outer edges 3a of lower member 3 (see FIG. 1). Projections 13 are in the form of ribs extending from left and right end faces 3b of lower member 3 toward the back of inlet 4. Projections 13 are flush with projected peripheries 15 (the position most closely opposed to the surface to be cleaned).
The bottom surface of upper member 2 is covered with lower member 3. Between upper and lower members 2 and 3, a space is created in which brush 14 is stored. Thus, upper and lower members 2, 3 and brush 14 stored between them are assembled as one piece.
Upper member 2 includes lever 11 on the top surface. Lever 11 can be depressed by the user to push brush 14 in or out vertically.
Upper member 2 further includes support body 10 at its rear bottom. Support body 10 can have, for example, a projected surface and extends backward behind rotary shaft 9. Support body 10 is flush with projected peripheries 15 (the position most closely opposed to the surface to be cleaned). The bottom surface of support body 10 can be arc-shaped, that is, have an R face so as to be in line contact with the surface to be cleaned.
The suction head for electric vacuum cleaners of the present exemplary embodiment is thus configured.
The electric vacuum cleaner of the present exemplary embodiment at least includes the following: an electric blower; a vacuum cleaner body including the electric blower; and the above-described suction head for electric vacuum cleaners which is connected in communication with the electric blower. The electric blower generates suction airflow to suction dust through inlet 4 of the suction head.
The operation and effect of the above-described suction head will now be described as follows.
First, suction head body 1 is placed on a surface to be cleaned in such a manner that projected peripheries 15 of lower member 3 and support body 10 are in contact with the surface to be cleaned. As described above, rollers 8 move vertically with arm 5.
When vacuum cleaning, the user moves suction head body 1 back and forth which is usually connected to an extension wand of the electric vacuum cleaner via connection pipe 6. When the user pushes suction head body 1 forward, arm 5 rotates backward about rotary shaft 9. When the user pulls suction head body 1 toward him/her, arm 5 rotates forward about rotary shaft 9. Hence, when the user pushes arm 5 forward, rollers 8 move downward and come into contact with the surface to be cleaned. Meanwhile, when the user pulls arm 5 toward him/her, rollers 8 move upward and leave from the surface to be cleaned.
In the case of using a general suction head to clean a hard floor such as a wooden floor, the user depresses lever to push out brush, which supports suction head body. Meanwhile, to clean a floor covered with a shaggy carpet or the like, the user stores brush inside by returning lever.
The reason is as follows. Dust on a hard floor is exposed on the surface to be cleaned and can be easily suctioned, with the suction airflow generated by the electric blower, through inlet of suction head body. Furthermore, the hard floor has a low frictional resistance with suction head body. This allows the user to move suction head body back and forth with a small force.
However, when there is hardly any distance between the floor and the bottom surface of lower member, the suction pressure acts entirely in the direction of suctioning the floor (in the direction of sticking to the floor). This can cause suction head body to stick to the floor, hindering the user from moving the suction head. The user usually avoids this situation by pushing out brush and creating a certain gap between the bottom surface of lower member and the surface to be cleaned.
Moreover, inclined surfaces of lower member create a large gap between the surface to be cleaned and each of the left and right sides of lower member. The left and right gaps cause air to be suctioned, making it impossible to maintain the vacuum pressure created by suction between the surface to be cleaned and lower member. To overcome this problem, suction head body 1 of the present exemplary embodiment includes projections 13 on the left and right sides of lower member 3 in such a manner as to cover the gaps created by inclined surfaces 12. This configuration reduces the gaps created on the left and right sides, thereby increasing the vacuum pressures on the left and right sides. As a result, dust-collecting performance on a hard floor is improved.
Meanwhile, in the case of vacuum cleaning a shaggy carpet or the like, it is as if suction head body is placed tightly on a hard floor. This causes suction head body to stick to the surface to be cleaned, making it very difficult for the user to operate suction head body.
The dust in a carpet contains particulate dust present in the pile of the carpet and fibrous dust entangled in the pile. In order to suction the particulate dust in the pile of the carpet, it is necessary to bring suction head body into close contact with the carpet. Therefore, it is essential for suction head body to be able to be operated with a small force even when it is in close contact with the carpet.
However, when brought into close contact with the carpet, suction head body is in a vacuum, losing the power to suction particulate dust in the pile. Therefore, it is essential that an appropriate amount of air be supplied between suction head body and the carpet so as to carry the dust with the air.
To meet these requirements, the suction head of the present exemplary embodiment operates as follows. When the user pushes suction head body 1 forward across the surface to be cleaned such as a carpet, the one of projected peripheries 15 which is in front of inlet 4 first comes into contact with the carpet. Next, the one of inclined surfaces 12 which is inclined from this projected periphery 15 comes into contact with the carpet. As a result of the contact with the carpet, suction head body 1 almost leans slightly forward. If, at this moment, the user pushes suction head body 1 forward via connection pipe 6, the force to push it forward is transmitted to arm 5. Every time arm 5 is pushed forward, arm 5 rotates forward about rotary shaft 9, thereby moving suction head body 1 downward. Thus, suction head body 1 is prevented from leaning forward.
On the other hand, the force with which (the load at which) the user pushes suction head body 1 backward (pulls it toward him/her) is transmitted horizontally to connection pipe 6 and applied to the vicinity of rotary shaft 9. In general, when a load is applied to the vicinity of rotary shaft 9, the load acts in the direction to raise the front one of inclined surfaces 12 of lower member 3. In the present exemplary embodiment, however, rollers 8 connected to holding parts 7 move downward following arm 5. The lowered rollers 8 come into contact with the surface to be cleaned and are subjected to the downward component force of the operation load applied to the vicinity of rotary shaft 9. This reduces the force that is applied to the vicinity of rotary shaft 9 and that faces the surface to be cleaned. As a result, suction head body 1 is prevented from leaning backward.
Thus, the force to make suction head body 1 lean forward or backward generated when the user pushes or pulls suction head body 1 is transmitted to inclined surfaces 12 of lower member 3. This allows lower member 3 to be kept horizontal or substantially horizontal on the surface to be cleaned. At the same time, rollers 8 release the operation load component which moves downward (toward the surface to be cleaned). This prevents adhesion between lower member 3 and the surface to be cleaned. As a result, suction airflow is present between projected peripheries 15 of lower member 3 and the surface to be cleaned, allowing particulate dust in the carpet or the like to be suctioned.
Hence, the suction head of the present exemplary embodiment includes rollers 8 that move up and down with arm 5. The suction head with this configuration is inexpensive and allows the inlet to come into close contact with a surface to be cleaned, thereby providing high dust-collecting performance.
The suction head of the present exemplary embodiment can be achieved by modifying part of conventional suction head bodies, allowing easy improvement of the dust-collecting performance.
As described above, the suction head for electric vacuum cleaners of the present invention includes the following: an upper member forming the upper outer shell of a suction head body; a lower member having an inlet on the side facing a surface to be cleaned, the lower member being attached under the upper member; an arm disposed in a vertically rotatable manner behind the upper member; and a rotary shaft connecting the arm and the upper member. The suction head further includes the following: a connection pipe connected in a laterally rotatable manner to the rear end of the arm; a left and right pair of holding parts extending backward from the arm and located under the connection pipe; and a roller rotatably held by the holding parts. The suction head may be configured as follows: when the suction head body is pushed forward, the arm moves downward, allowing the roller to come into contact with the surface to be cleaned, whereas when the suction head body is pulled backward, the arm moves upward, allowing the roller to leave from the surface to be cleaned.
In this configuration, when the arm moves vertically, the roller also moves vertically. This allows the bottom of the roller to be lowered to be flush with the bottom surface of the lower member. As a result, the inlet of the lower member comes into close contact with the surface to be cleaned.
In short, the suction head body allows the inlet of the lower member to come into close contact with the surface to be cleaned by providing just one rotary shaft which rotates the arm. As a result, the suction head for electric vacuum cleaners can be inexpensive and have high dust-collecting performance.
The suction head of the present invention may further include a support body. The support body may be disposed at the rear bottom of the upper member and behind the rotary shaft and may also extend to the vicinity of the roller and be in parallel with the bottom surface of the lower member.
In this configuration, when the suction head body is moved backward, the support body supports the raising of the front of the suction head body, which is achieved by the rotation of the arm. This regulates the raising of the front of the suction head body, thereby preventing the inlet from leaving the surface to be cleaned. As a result, the dust-collecting performance is further improved.
In the suction head of the present invention, the support body may have an arc-shaped bottom surface. In this case, the support body is in line contact with the surface to be cleaned. This reduces the frictional resistance applied to the support body from the surface to be cleaned, allowing the user to operate the suction head body with a smaller force.
In the suction head of the present invention, the lower member may include the following: a projected periphery projecting toward the surface to be cleaned in the periphery of the inlet; an inclined surface inclined from the projected periphery toward the outer edge of the lower member; and projections formed at the left and right end faces of the lower member and being flush with the projected periphery. The projections may extend backward from the left and right end faces of the inlet.
In this configuration, the contact part between the lower member and the surface to be cleaned is referred to as the projected periphery. Providing the projected periphery reduces the contact area between the lower member and the surface to be cleaned, thereby reducing the frictional resistance. Furthermore, the projections on the left and right sides of the lower member are configured to come into contact with the surface to be cleaned, thereby keeping the lower member parallel or substantially parallel with the surface to be cleaned. This reduces the frictional resistance of the lower member, allowing the user to operate the suction head body with a smaller force. Furthermore, the lower member kept parallel or substantially parallel with the surface to be cleaned can be uniformly subjected to the suction force, thereby improving the dust-collecting performance.
The electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention may at least includes the following: an electric blower; a vacuum cleaner body including the electric blower; and the above-described suction head for electric vacuum cleaners, which is connected in communication with the electric blower. This configuration allows the electric vacuum cleaner to have high dust-collecting performance.

Claims

A suction head for electric vacuum cleaners comprising:
an upper member forming an upper outer shell of a suction head body;

a lower member having an inlet on a side facing a surface to be cleaned, the lower member being attached under the upper member;

an arm disposed in a vertically rotatable manner behind the upper member;

a rotary shaft connecting the arm and the upper member;

a connection pipe connected in a laterally rotatable manner to a rear end of the arm;

a left and right pair of holding parts extending backward from the arm and located under the connection pipe; and

a roller rotatably held by the holding parts,

wherein

when the suction head body is pushed forward, the arm moves downward, allowing the roller to come into contact with the surface to be cleaned, and

when the suction head body is pulled backward, the arm moves upward, allowing the roller to leave from the surface to be cleaned.
The suction head for electric vacuum cleaners of claim 1, further comprising a support body disposed at a rear bottom of the upper member and behind the rotary shaft, the support body extending to a vicinity of the roller and being in parallel with a bottom surface of the lower member.
The suction head for electric vacuum cleaners of claim 2, wherein the support body has an arc-shaped bottom surface.
The suction head for electric vacuum cleaners of claim 1, wherein the lower member includes:
a projected periphery projecting toward the surface to be cleaned in a periphery of the inlet;

an inclined surface inclined from the projected periphery toward an outer edge of the lower member; and

projections formed at left and right end faces of the lower member and being flush with the projected periphery, wherein the projections extend backward from left and right end faces of the inlet.
An electric vacuum cleaner at least comprising:
an electric blower;

a vacuum cleaner body including the electric blower; and

the suction head for electric vacuum cleaners of claim 1 connected in communication with the electric blower.