JP2002320578A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reliably transport dust sucked from a nozzle in a cylinder type vacuum cleaner even if suction air volume is low. SOLUTION: A plurality of guide blades 410 whose interblade channel width gradually decreases from an entrance to an exit is provided in the vicinity of the entrance of an extension pipe 400 so as to accelerate the flow of air along the axial direction of the extension pipe 400.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner,
In particular, the present invention relates to a technique for effectively transporting dust sucked into a pipe from a suction port to a dust collection chamber by suction air.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art At present, a generally-used vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum cleaner body provided with an electric blower for sucking dust into a dust collection chamber, and an electric vacuum cleaner having one end attached to the vacuum cleaner body. A flexible hose communicating with the blower, a handle attached to the other end of the hose and communicating with the electric blower, an extension tube attached to the handle and communicating with the hose, It is a cylinder type vacuum cleaner comprising a suction body and the like which is attached and communicates with the extension pipe.

A conventional example of using a swirling flow in a cylinder type vacuum cleaner is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-85754. The vacuum cleaner disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 6-85754 has a bendable hose having one end connected to the vacuum cleaner body, a straight pipe connected to the other end of the hose, and a straight pipe. A floor brush connected to the pipe, and a spiral projection formed on an inner wall surface of the straight pipe.

[0004] According to the prior art described above, the suction air of the vacuum cleaner is given a rotating flow or a sudden change of direction, so that no special bag or special operation is required. The inhaled ticks and insects collide with the inner wall of the air passage or receive an electric shock to increase the chance of death.

[0005]

However, the above publication does not specifically describe means for effectively transporting dust to the dust collection chamber. Further, in the technology described in the above-mentioned publication, the point that dust is caught and accumulated on the spiral projection and is not conveyed to the dust collection chamber, or the flow of air flowing in the axial direction of the extension pipe is generated on the spiral projection. Collision causes peeling, dust adheres to the inner wall surface of the extension tube near this peeling part,
There is a problem in that they are deposited and are not transported to the dust collection chamber.

Further, in recent years, in order to reduce power consumption, it is necessary to maintain the dust collecting capability while reducing the input of the vacuum cleaner in order to reduce power consumption. For this reason, there is a problem that the suction air volume is lower than that of the conventional vacuum cleaner, and that dust is difficult to be conveyed in the extension pipe.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-322768 also discloses an example in which a means for generating a swirling flow is provided in an extension pipe of a vacuum cleaner. This causes a loss in the transport force for transporting the paper to the dust collection chamber of the main body.

An object of the present invention is to reliably transfer dust sucked from a suction body to a dust collection chamber even in a low air flow rate in a cylinder type vacuum cleaner.

[0009]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention comprises a vacuum cleaner body having an electric blower for generating a suction force and a dust collecting chamber for accommodating dust. An extension pipe connected to the vacuum cleaner main body via a hose, and a speed increasing means for increasing an airflow flowing near an inner wall surface of the extension pipe near the entrance of the extension pipe. It is characterized by.

[0010] The flow velocity decreases in the boundary layer in contact with the pipe wall.
According to the present invention, since the speed of the air flow along the inner wall surface is increased, the dust receives a sufficient drag from the fluid, and can be transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner body without falling in the pipe.

As the speed increasing means, a plurality of guide vanes, an inflow port (nozzle) through which external air flows in a direction substantially tangential to the inner wall surface of the extension pipe, and a bend-shaped nozzle appropriately provided on the inner wall surface of the extension pipe can be employed. . In addition, on the inner wall of the brush pipe detachably attached to the inlet of the extension pipe,
The inflow port (nozzle) and the like may be appropriately arranged.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this embodiment, in order to prevent a decrease in the flow velocity of the boundary layer generated at a portion in contact with the inner wall of the extension pipe of the vacuum cleaner, a speed increasing means such as a guide blade or a nozzle is installed, and air flowing along the inner wall surface is provided. By increasing the flow velocity, dust is prevented from falling inside the extension pipe, and is transported to the dust collection chamber of the vacuum cleaner main body to be stored.

FIG. 1 is an external view of a vacuum cleaner according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner has a vacuum cleaner main body 100 having a built-in dust collecting chamber provided with an electric blower for suction and a filter, and a hand-operated operation of a hose 200 connected to the dust collecting chamber of the vacuum cleaner main body 100. The unit 300 includes a mouthpiece 500 connected via an extension pipe 400.

The hand operation unit 300 includes the vacuum cleaner main body 10.
A switch operation unit for controlling the electric blower in the unit 0 is provided, and the mouthpiece 500 has a built-in rotary brush that is driven to rotate. Further, the extension pipe 400 includes an inner pipe 401 and an outer pipe 402 which can expand and contract with each other.

In the mouthpiece 500, the universal joint 515 is fitted in the lower case 520, and the upper case 510 is connected to the universal joint 515.
Is fixed to the lower case 520 so as to cover a part of.
A shock absorbing bumper 516 is attached to the outer periphery of the position where the upper case 510 and the lower case 520 come into contact with each other to maintain airtightness and prevent damage to furniture and the like.

In this embodiment, the flow of air containing dust is sucked from the suction port 500 and flows in the order of the inside of the extension pipe 400, the inside of the hand operation section 300, and the inside of the hose 200. In this configuration, the suction port 500 is removed, air containing dust is suctioned from the end of the extension pipe 400, and the extension pipe 40 is removed.
The air flows in the order of the inside, the inside of the hand operation unit 300, and the inside of the hose 200, and can be separated into air and dust in the dust collection chamber of the cleaner body 100.

Next, the structure of the guide blade according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the extension pipe according to the present embodiment, FIG. 3 is a view showing an air flow in the extension pipe without guide vanes, and FIG. 4 is a view showing an air flow in the extension pipe with guide vanes. , FIG. 5 is a view of the guide blade in the present embodiment, FIG. 6 is a view of the guide blade in the present embodiment, FIG. 7 is a view of the guide blade of FIG. It is a figure of the guide blade in this embodiment.

In this extension pipe 400, as shown in FIG.
A plurality of guide vanes 410 are arranged near the entrance of the extension pipe 400. Here, as shown in FIG.
The inter-blade channel width of 0 is configured to gradually decrease from the entrance to the exit of the guide blade 410. With the guide vanes 410 having such a structure, the flow of air near the inner wall surface of the inner pipe 401 of the extension pipe 400 among the flow of air flowing into the extension pipe 400 is increased.

Here, a comparison of the air flow in the extension pipe 400 depending on the presence or absence of the guide blade 410 will be described with reference to FIGS. As shown in FIG. 3, when the guide vane 410 is not provided, the flow rate of air in the extension pipe 400 is slow near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400 due to the boundary layer.
The flow velocity is high at the center of the flow path.

Next, a case where dust is conveyed into the extension pipe 400 when there is no guide blade 410 will be described. Dust is sucked from the floor surface by the rotating brush incorporated in the mouthpiece 500, is given an initial velocity by the rotating brush, and is conveyed to the extension pipe 400. When the dust moves to the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400, The flow rate of the air in the extension pipe 400 is low near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400, so that the drag of the dust from the fluid decreases.

For this reason, the drag that dust receives from the fluid is:
The dust becomes smaller than its own weight, and the dust falls to the entrance side of the extension pipe 400 without being transported in the extension pipe 400. In particular, when the air volume is low, the dust receives a small drag from the fluid, and therefore falls to the inlet side of the extension pipe 400 without being transported inside the extension pipe 400.

On the other hand, when the guide vanes 410 are provided, as shown in FIG. 4, the air flow in the extension pipe 400 is increased by the guide vanes 410 even near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400. 3, the development of the boundary layer in the extension pipe 400 is small, the flow velocity of the air flow is also high near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400, and the drag of the dust from the fluid is sufficient. large.

Therefore, the dust does not fall to the inlet side of the extension pipe 400, flows in the order of the inside of the hand operation unit 300 and the inside of the hose 200, and can be transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner body 100. Therefore, even at a low airflow where the flow velocity in the extension pipe is low, the boundary layer near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400 is thin and the flow velocity is high, so that the drag received by the dust from the fluid is sufficiently large and the dust can be transported.

Here, in FIG. 5, the guide vane 400 has a substantially arcuate shape to gradually reduce the inter-blade flow passage width. However, the rectangular guide vane 410 shown in FIG. The width of the flow path between the blades can be gradually reduced. For this reason, the guide vane 41
Due to 0, the flow of air near the inner wall surface of the inner pipe 401 of the extension pipe 400 among the flow of air along the axial direction of the extension pipe 400 is increased.

Further, since the flow velocity near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400 is increased, when the fine dust is sucked, the
Since fine dust can be prevented from adhering to the inner wall surface of the extension tube 400, the extension tube 400 can be kept clean.

Here, as shown in FIG.
Since the inlet-side tip of the guide vane 410 is rounded, it is possible to suppress separation when the air flow collides with the inlet-side tip of the guide blade 410. Therefore, an increase in loss due to peeling can be suppressed.

Further, since the leading end of the guide vane 410 on the inlet side is directed in the axial direction of the extension pipe 400, the guide vane 410 rarely blocks the flow in the extension pipe 400, and the loss due to separation increases. Can be suppressed.

In order to easily form the guide vanes, as shown in FIG. 7, if the guide vanes 410 are arranged so as not to overlap when viewed from the axial direction of the extension pipe 400, the molding is performed. In this case, the upper mold and the lower mold can be configured in two parts, and the production can be facilitated.

The guide vanes 410 are arranged on the inner wall surface side of the extension pipe 400, and there are no guide vanes near the central axis of the extension pipe 400, so that clogging with dust can be prevented. Further, although not shown, the tip of the guide vane 410 on the entrance side is rounded or inclined in the radial direction of the extension tube to prevent dust such as hair from getting entangled.

Here, if the inner diameter of the inner pipe 401 of the extension pipe 400 is about 20 to 40 mm, the number of guide vanes 410 is about 3 to 8 and the guide pipe extension pipe 40
When the radial blade height of 0 is set to about 2 to 5 mm, the distribution of the air flow in the extension pipe shown in FIG. 4 can be obtained, and the dust does not fall to the inlet side of the extension pipe 400. It flows in the order of the inside of the hand operation part 300 and the inside of the hose 200, and can be transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner main body 100.

When the number of guide blades 410 is small, as shown in FIG. 8, if the guide blades 410 are not arranged at a uniform pitch in the circumferential direction of the extension pipe 400 but are arranged collectively in a certain area, It is easy to increase the flow of air from the inlet to the outlet of 410 and to reduce the thickness of the boundary layer near the inner wall of the extension pipe 400, which is effective.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the extension tube according to the present embodiment, FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating the shape of the nozzle in FIG. 9, and FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating a nozzle having another shape.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, a nozzle 415 for introducing air in a substantially tangential direction of the extension pipe 400 is provided near the inlet of the extension pipe 400.

In this example, similar to the air flow in the extension pipe with guide vanes shown in FIG. 4, a strong swirling flow is generated by the nozzle 415 near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400, and the boundary layer Since the development is small, the flow velocity of the air flow is large even near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400, and the drag received by the dust from the fluid is sufficiently large, the dust does not fall to the inlet side of the extension pipe 400, and Flows in the order of the inside of the hose 200 and can be transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner main body 100.

Here, the nozzle inlet 41 of the nozzle 415
7 to the nozzle outlet 418, the cross-sectional area of the flow path is gradually reduced.
01, the flow of air in the vicinity of the inner wall surface is further increased, the drag received by the dust from the fluid becomes sufficiently large, and the dust does not fall to the inlet side of the extension pipe 400.
It flows in the order inside the hose 200 and can be transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner main body 100.

Further, since the flow velocity near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400 increases, when the fine dust is sucked, the
Since the fine dust can be prevented from adhering to the inner wall surface of the extension tube 0, the extension pipe 400 can be kept clean.

At this time, the angle θ between the axial direction of the nozzle 415 and the axial direction of the extension pipe 400 is set to about 30 to 90 degrees, and the area of the cross section perpendicular to the axis of the nozzle 415 is When the cross-sectional area is approximately 0.01 to 0.2 times the cross-sectional area perpendicular to the axis, pressure loss is suppressed, and dust can be effectively transported.

Further, in the present embodiment, it is not necessary to form a projection in the extension tube 400, so that dust does not catch on the projection, and it is difficult for the dust to drop to the entrance side of the extension tube 400. In the present embodiment, the nozzle 41
Although the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the axis 5 is circular, a similar effect can be obtained with a rectangular cross-sectional shape not shown in the figure.

Further, in FIG. 10, the nozzle inlet 417
Is an opening, but when the air volume of the vacuum cleaner is large, the air volume flowing into the nozzle 415 also increases, and there is a possibility that noise may increase. In this case, the nozzle inflow port 417 of the nozzle 415 is closed and extended. Even if a swirling flow is not generated in the pipe 400, the flow velocity of the extension pipe 400 is high and the drag received by the dust from the fluid is sufficiently large.
It can be conveyed to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner main body 100 via the inside of the hand operation unit 300 and the inside of the hose 200 without dropping to the entrance side of 0.

FIG. 11 is a view showing another example of the nozzle. Even when the bend-shaped nozzle 416 shown in FIG. 11 is used, a part of the flow of air in the axial direction of the extension pipe 400 flows into the bend-shaped nozzle 416, and the inside wall of the extension pipe 400 is bent inside the bend-shaped nozzle 416. It turns tangentially, a strong swirling flow is generated, the development of the boundary layer is small, and the flow velocity of the air flow is high even near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400.

For this reason, since the drag received by the dust from the fluid is sufficiently large, the dust is not dropped to the inlet side of the extension pipe 400 but passes through the inside of the manual operation unit 300 and the inside of the hose 200 to collect the dust. Can be transported to the dust chamber.

The bend-shaped nozzle 416 shown in FIG.
If the cross-sectional area of the flow path is gradually reduced from the inlet side to the outlet side, the flow of air in the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the inner pipe 401 of the extension pipe 400 is further increased, and the drag that dust receives from the fluid is reduced. It becomes sufficiently large and dust is
00, without dropping to the entrance side of the
It flows in the order inside the hose 200 and can be transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner main body 100. Also, the bend-shaped nozzle 416
Does not have an opening unlike the nozzle 415, so that sound does not leak outside through the opening.

Next, referring to FIGS.
0 is removed, air containing dust is sucked from the end of the extension pipe 400, flows inside the extension pipe 400, the inside of the hand operation section 300, and the inside of the hose 200 in this order. And the case of separation into dust.

FIG. 12 is a view of a guide blade integrated with a brush body (also referred to as a brush tube) in this embodiment, and FIG.
Is a view of a nozzle integrated with a brush body in this embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a view of a guide blade integrated with a brush body in still another embodiment of the present invention.

The suction port 500 is removed, and air containing dust is sucked from the end of the extension pipe 400, flows in the order of the inside of the extension pipe 400, the inside of the hand operation section 300, and the inside of the hose 200. When air and dust are separated in the chamber, a detachable brush body 425 having a brush 426 may be attached to the entrance side of the extension pipe 400 to perform cleaning.

Therefore, a guide blade 410 integrated with the brush body 425 shown in FIG.
Even when the nozzle 415 integrated with the nozzle 25 is used, the development of the boundary layer near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe 400 is suppressed, and the same effect can be obtained.

Further, a guide blade 410 integrated with the brush body 425 and a nozzle 415 integrated with the brush body 425 are provided.
Can be attached to and detached from the extension tube 400,
Even when the extension tube 400 is used after being removed from the brush body 425, the guide blade 410 integrated with the brush body 425 and the nozzle 415 integrated with the brush body 425 are integrated with the brush body 425. 300 can be used.

In this case, a strong swirling flow is generated near the inner wall surface of the flow path of the hand operation unit 300 and near the inner wall surface of the flow passage of the hose 200, and can be effectively transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner main body 100. .

Next, as shown in FIG.
The case where the guide blade 425 integrated with the extension pipe 5 is attached to the end of the extension pipe 400 on the suction port side will be described. When the suction body 500 is removed and used, the brush 426 and the guide blade 425 are arranged on the opening side of the extension tube 400 as shown in FIG.

Here, when attaching the suction body 500 to the suction side opening of the extension pipe 400, the guide blade 425 integrated with the brush body 425 is rotated by about 180 degrees about the rotation center shown in FIG. Configuration. In this configuration, when the brush 426 and the guide blade 425 are arranged on the opening side of the extension tube 400, the development of the boundary layer near the inner wall surface of the extension tube 400 is suppressed, and the air is also generated near the inner wall surface of the extension tube 400. Flow velocity can be increased.

Therefore, the resistance of the dust received from the fluid becomes sufficiently large, so that the dust does not drop to the inlet side of the extension pipe 400 and the inside of the hand operation part 300 and the hose 200
And can be transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner main body 100.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the development of the boundary layer in the extension pipe is small, the flow velocity of the air flow can be increased near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe, and the drag of the dust from the fluid is increased. Is sufficiently large, so that the dust flows in the order of the inside of the hand operation unit and the inside of the hose without dropping to the inlet side of the extension pipe, and can be transported to the dust collection chamber of the cleaner body. In addition, even at a low airflow where the flow velocity in the extension pipe decreases, the flow velocity near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe is fast, so that the drag received by the dust from the fluid is sufficiently large and the dust can be transported.

Further, since the flow velocity near the inner wall surface of the extension tube becomes faster, when fine dust is sucked, the inner wall surface of the extension tube
Since the fine dust can be prevented from adhering, the extension pipe can be kept clean.

[0054]

According to the present invention, in the cylinder type vacuum cleaner, the air flow in the axial direction near the inner wall surface installed near the inlet of the extension pipe is increased, so that the suction can be performed even when the air volume is low. Dust sucked from the body can be reliably transported to the dust collection chamber.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of an extension tube according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an air flow in an extension pipe when there is no guide blade.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the air flow in the extension pipe when there is a guide blade.

FIG. 5 is a view of a guide blade according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a view of a guide blade according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a view of the guide blade of FIG. 2 viewed from the axial direction of the extension pipe.

FIG. 8 is a view of a guide blade according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of an extension tube according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a shape diagram of the nozzle of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a shape diagram of a nozzle according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a view of a guide blade integrated with a brush body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of a nozzle integrated with a brush body according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of a brush-integrated guide blade according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[Description of Signs] 100 Vacuum cleaner main body 200 Hose 300 Hand operation unit 400 Extension pipe 401 Inner pipe 402 Outer pipe 410 Guide vane 415 Nozzle 416 Bend nozzle 417 Nozzle inlet 418 Nozzle outlet 425 Brush body (brush pipe) 500 Suction body 515 Universal joint 516 Shock absorbing bumper 520 Lower case

Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Wataru Yamamoto 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Inside Hitachi Taga Electronics Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kyoichi Sugano 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki Prefecture Hitachi Taga Electronics Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Kenichi Tomita 1-1-1, Higashitaga-cho, Hitachi City, Ibaraki F-term (reference) 3B057 BA01 3B061 AA41 AB04

Claims (7)

[Claims] A vacuum cleaner body having an electric blower for generating a suction force and a dust collecting chamber for storing dust; and an extension pipe connected to the vacuum cleaner body via a hose. An electric vacuum cleaner further comprising a speed increasing means for increasing the speed of an airflow flowing near the inner wall surface of the extension pipe near the entrance of the extension pipe. 2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein
An installation part in which the speed increasing means is installed is detachable from the extension pipe. 3. An electric vacuum cleaner having an electric blower for generating a suction force and a dust collecting chamber for storing dust, and an extension pipe connected to the electric vacuum cleaner through a hose, A vacuum cleaner, wherein a plurality of guide vanes are installed near an inlet of the extension pipe to increase an airflow flowing near an inner wall surface of the extension pipe. 4. An electric vacuum cleaner having an electric blower for generating a suction force and a dust collecting chamber for accommodating dust, and an extension pipe connected to the electric vacuum cleaner through a hose, A vacuum cleaner, wherein an inlet for allowing external air to flow in a direction substantially tangential to an inner wall surface of the extension pipe is disposed near an inlet of the extension pipe. 5. An electric vacuum cleaner having an electric blower for generating a suction force and a dust collecting chamber for storing dust, and an extension tube connected to the electric vacuum cleaner via a hose, A vacuum cleaner having a bend-shaped nozzle installed on an inner wall surface of the extension pipe. 6. An electric vacuum cleaner having an electric blower for generating a suction force and a dust collecting chamber for storing dust, and an extension pipe connected to the electric vacuum cleaner through a hose, A vacuum cleaner, wherein a plurality of guide blades for increasing the speed of an airflow flowing near the inner wall surface of the brush tube are installed on an inner wall of the brush tube detachably attached to an inlet of the extension tube. 7. An electric vacuum cleaner having an electric blower for generating a suction force and a dust collecting chamber for storing dust, and an extension pipe connected to the electric vacuum cleaner through a hose, An electric vacuum cleaner wherein an inlet for allowing external air to flow in a direction substantially tangential to an inner wall surface of the brush tube is disposed in a brush tube detachably attached to an inlet of the extension tube.