JP2003219997A - Electric cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric cleaner in which power supply terminals is not short-circuited even if the upper case is separated from the lower case. <P>SOLUTION: This is an electric cleaner which is constituted of a lower case 12, an upper case 14 installed on this lower case 12 in a separable manner, an electric blower 13 equipped in the upper case 14, a battery 17, which is equipped in the lower case 12 and drives the electric blower 13, motor terminals 35, 36 electrically connected to the electrodes of the electric blower 13 while being equipped in the upper case 14, and power supply terminals 31, 32, which are equipped in the lower case 12 and are connected to the electrodes of the battery 17, and also when the upper case 14 is mounted on the lower case 12, are electrically connected to the motor terminals 35, 36. A switching element 40, which intercepts the electrical connection of the power supply terminals 31, 32 and the battery 17 when the upper case 14 is separated from the lower case 12, is equipped. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a first case,
An electric vacuum cleaner having a second case detachably mounted on the first case.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electric vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 12 is conventionally known. The electric vacuum cleaner 1 has a dust collecting chamber (not shown).
And a lower case 2 having an electric blower for making the dust collecting chamber a negative pressure, and an upper case 3 detachably mounted on the lower case 2. An upper portion of the lower case 2 is opened, a filter (not shown) is provided in this opening, and the upper case 3 closes the opening. The flange 3F of the upper case 3 is provided with a connection port 5 to which one end of the hose 4 is detachably mounted, and an extension pipe (not shown) is detachably attached to the other end of the hose 4 and the extension pipe A suction port body (not shown) is detachably attached to the tip.

A power switch 6 for an electric blower is provided on the upper surface of the upper case 3, and a power cord (not shown) is provided on the upper case 3.

For cleaning, the plug of the power cord is connected to the outlet of the room and the power switch 6 is turned on, the electric blower is driven, and air is sucked from the suction port body, and this air is extended. It is sucked into the dust collecting chamber of the lower case 2 through the hose. The dust sucked into the dust collecting chamber together with the air is collected in the dust collecting chamber. Further, the air sucked into the dust collecting chamber is sucked into the electric blower through a filter (not shown), and is discharged outside from the electric blower through an exhaust port (not shown).

When dust collects in the dust collecting chamber and the filter is clogged, the upper case 3 is removed from the lower case 2 and the dust in the dust collecting chamber is discarded.

[0006]

By the way, in such an electric vacuum cleaner, there is a problem that the power cord must be connected to an outlet and the power cord becomes an obstacle during cleaning. In order to solve the problem, a battery type is considered.

In the case of the battery type, since the upper case 3 has a built-in electric blower and there is no space for accommodating the battery, the battery is accommodated in the lower case 2 provided with a dust collecting chamber. In order to supply electric power from the battery to the electric blower, a first anode terminal and a first cathode terminal connected to the anode and cathode of the battery are provided in the lower case 2, and a second anode terminal connected to each electrode of the electric blower. And the second cathode terminal are provided on the upper case, and when the upper case 3 is placed on the lower case 2, the first anode terminal and the first anode terminal
When the second anode terminal and the second cathode terminal are connected to the cathode terminal and the upper case 3 is separated from the lower case 2, the first case
It is necessary that the second anode terminal and the second cathode terminal are separated from the anode terminal and the first cathode terminal.

Therefore, when the upper case 3 is separated from the lower case 2, the first anode terminal and the first cathode terminal of the lower case 2 are exposed, and the first anode terminal (power supply terminal).
The first cathode terminal (power supply terminal) and the first cathode terminal (power supply terminal) may be short-circuited if they are touched by a conductive material, and this short-circuit causes problems such as spark generation and burning of the lead wire.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner which does not short-circuit a power supply terminal even when one case is separated from the other case. Especially.

[0010]

To achieve the above object, the present invention is provided in a first case, a second case separably connected to the first case, and either one of these cases. An electric blower provided, and a battery provided in the other case for driving the electric blower,
A motor terminal provided in one case and electrically connected to the electrode of the electric blower, and a motor terminal provided in the other case and electrically connected to the electrode of the battery, and a second case in the first case. An electric vacuum cleaner having a power supply terminal electrically connected to the motor terminal when connected, wherein when the second case is separated from the first case, electricity between the power supply terminal and the battery is provided. It is characterized by cutting off the physical connection.

[0011]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of an electric vacuum cleaner according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[First Embodiment] An electric vacuum cleaner 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a cylindrical lower case (first case) 12 having a dust collecting chamber 11 and a negative pressure in the dust collecting chamber 11. And a cylindrical upper case (second case) 14 that is separably mounted on the lower case 12 of the electric blower 13.

An opening 15 and a connection port 16 are provided in the upper part of the lower case 12, and a filter 17 is detachably attached to the opening 15. A battery 17 is removably stored in the lower portion of the lower case 12. A terminal mounting portion 18 and a clamp 19 for fixing the upper case 14 to the lower case 12 are provided on the outer side of the lower case 12. K is a caster attached to the lower surface of the lower case 12.

A flange 20 is formed in the lower portion of the upper case 14, and the flange 20 covers the outer peripheral side of the opening 15 of the lower case 12. A hose connection port 21 facing the connection port 16 of the lower case 12 is formed in the flange 20, and a power switch (main power switch) 22 is provided. Further, the lower case 12 is provided at the end of the flange 20.
A terminal holding portion 23 is provided so as to face the terminal mounting portion 18. H is an exhaust port.

One end of a hose 24 is detachably connected to the hose connection port 21, and an extension pipe 25 is connected to the other end of the hose 24.
Is detachably connected. Reference numeral 26 is a suction port body detachably connected to the tip of the extension pipe 25.

On the upper surface of the terminal mounting portion 18, as shown in FIG. 3, a cylindrical first power supply terminal (power supply terminal) 31 having an upper opening in a trumpet shape, and a cylindrical first power supply terminal opening in an upper trumpet shape. The second power supply terminal (power supply terminal) 32, the lower first contact terminal 33, and the lower second contact terminal 34 are provided.

The terminal holding portion 23 has a pin-shaped first motor terminal (motor terminal) 35 and a first motor terminal (motor terminal) 35 which are fitted into the first power source terminal 31 and the second power source terminal 32 of the terminal mounting portion 18 to electrically connect to each other. 2 motor terminals (motor terminals) 36,
Lower first contact terminal (second signal terminal) 33 and lower second
An upper first contact terminal (first signal terminal) 37 and an upper second contact terminal (first signal terminal) 38 electrically connected to the contact terminal (second signal terminal) 34 are provided. Second
The motor terminal 36 is connected to the anode of the electric blower 13 via the power switch 22, and the first motor terminal 35 is connected to the cathode of the electric blower 13. The upper first contact terminal 37 and the upper second contact terminal 38 are electrically connected. The upper case 14 is made up of the lower first and second contact terminals 33, 34 and the upper contact terminals 37, 38.
Separation detecting means for detecting separation from

FIG. 4 shows a circuit diagram of the electric system of the electric vacuum cleaner. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 40 denotes a battery 1.
7 is a switch element (breaking means) made of a semiconductor connected between the anode of No. 7 and the second power supply terminal 32. The first power supply terminal 31 is connected to the cathode of the battery 17, and the lower first contact terminal 33 is grounded via the resistor 41. The lower second contact terminal 34 is connected to the output terminal of a constant voltage circuit (not shown), and a voltage of, for example, 5 volts is applied to the lower second contact terminal 34.

Reference numeral 42 is a control device for reading the voltage generated in the resistor 41 and for controlling the on / off of the switch element 40 according to the read voltage. That is, the control device 42 controls ON / OFF of the switch element 40 according to the voltage applied to the input terminal 42a, and switches the switch element 40 when a voltage of a predetermined value or more is applied to the input terminal 41a. The switch element 40 is turned on, and when the voltage is lower than the predetermined value, the switch element 40 is turned off. The control device 42 is composed of a CPU and the like.

[Operation] Next, the operation of the electric vacuum cleaner configured as described above will be described.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the lower case 1
When the upper case 14 is placed on top of the second case 2, as shown in FIG.
The first motor terminal 35 and the second motor terminal 36 of the terminal holding portion 23 are connected to the power supply terminal 32, and the lower first contact terminal 33 and the lower second contact terminal 34 of the terminal mounting portion 18 are connected to the terminal holding portion 23. The upper first contact terminal 37 and the upper second contact terminal 38 are respectively connected.

By connecting the upper first contact terminal 37 and the upper second contact terminal 38 to the lower first contact terminal 33 and the lower second contact terminal 34, a voltage of 5 V is applied to the resistor 41, A current flows through the resistor 41 and the resistor 41
A voltage higher than a predetermined value is generated at. Then, the voltage is applied to the input terminal 42a of the control device 42. Control device 42
Reads the voltage applied to the input terminal 42a, and determines whether the read voltage is equal to or higher than a predetermined value.

Since a voltage higher than a predetermined value is applied to the input terminal 42a, the control device 42 determines that the upper case 14 is placed on the lower case 12, and turns on the switch element 40. When the switch element 40 is turned on, the voltage of the battery 17 is applied between the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32.

Since the first and second motor terminals 35 and 36 are connected to the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32, when the power switch 22 is turned on, a current flows through the electric blower 13 to cause the electric blower to move. 13 is driven. By driving the electric blower 13, the dust collection chamber 11 of the lower case 12 becomes a negative pressure and dust is sucked from the suction port body 26, and the dust is collected through the extension pipe 25 and the hose 24. The dust is collected in the dust collecting chamber 11. The air sucked into the dust collecting chamber 11 is sucked into the electric blower 13 through the filter 17, is exhausted from the exhaust hole 13a of the electric blower 13, and is exhausted from the exhaust port H of the upper case 14.

To dispose of the dust collected in the dust collecting chamber 11,
First, the hose 24 is removed from the hose connection port 21 of the flange 20, the clamp 19 is removed, and the upper case 14 is removed from the lower case 12. Then, the filter 17 of the lower case 12 is removed and the dust in the dust collection chamber 11 is discarded.

By the way, when the upper case 14 is removed from the lower case 12, the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 are exposed and, as shown in FIG. The upper first and second contact terminals 37, 38 of the upper case 14 are separated from the contact terminals 33, 34. This upper first,
As the second contact terminals 37, 38 are separated from each other, no current flows in the resistor 41, so that no voltage is generated in the resistor 41 and the voltage applied to the input terminal 42a of the control device 42 is zero voltage.
That is, the voltage becomes equal to or lower than the predetermined voltage, and the control device 42 determines that the upper case 14 is removed and turns off the switch element 40.

When the switch element 40 is turned off, the battery 17 is connected to the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 of the lower case 12.
No voltage is applied.

Although the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 are exposed, the battery 1 is attached to the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32.
Since the voltage of 7 is not applied, the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 will not be contacted even if the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 are accidentally touched or contacted by a conductive object. A short circuit is prevented.

Thus, the upper case 14 and the lower case 12 are
, The electric connection between the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 and the battery 17 is cut off when the switch element 40 is turned off. Therefore, sparks or a lead wire may be burned due to a short circuit. It can be prevented.

In this first embodiment, the fact that the upper case 14 has been separated indicates that the contact terminals 33, 34 are replaced by the contact terminals 37, 3.
Although the detection is performed by separating 8 from each other, the micro switch may be provided in the lower case 12 for detection, or the Hall element may be provided in the lower case and a magnet may be provided in the upper case 12 for detection.

[Second Embodiment] FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram of an electric system of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the second embodiment.
In the second embodiment, a switch circuit 50 having an off switch S1 for turning off the power and an on switch S2 for turning on the power.
Is provided in the upper case 14, and the switch S1,
A control device (control means) 51 for controlling ON / OFF of the switch element 40 according to the operation of S2 is provided.
That is, the on / off (driving state) of the electric blower 13 is set based on the operation of the switches S1 and S2.

In the switch circuit 50, a resistor R3 is connected between the upper first and second contact terminals 37 and 38, switches S1 and S2 are connected in series to the resistors R1 and R2, respectively, and these are connected in parallel to the resistor R3. It was done. Here, for example, the resistance value is set to R1 <R2 <R3, and the voltage V1 generated when the switch S1 is turned on, the voltage V2 generated when the switch S2 is turned on, and which switch S
It is set such that V1>V2> V3, where V1 is a voltage V3 generated when neither S1 nor S2 is turned on, and the control device 51 reads any of these voltages to determine which switch S
It is for determining whether or not S1 and S2 are operated. In addition,
The lower first contact terminals 33, 34 are second signal terminals, and the upper first contact terminals 37, 38 are first signal terminals.

Then, the control device 51 judges that the ON switch S2 has been operated when the voltage V2 is read and turns on the switch element 40, and judges that the OFF switch S1 has been operated when the voltage V1 is read and switches. Element 40
Turn off.

When the upper case 14 is separated from the lower case 12, the upper first and second contact terminals 37 and 38 are separated from the lower first and second contact terminals 33 and 34 as shown in FIG. Since they are separated from each other, the voltage generated in the resistor 41 becomes zero. Further, when the upper case 14 is only placed on the lower case 12 and the switches S1 and S2 are not operated, the voltage generated in the resistor 41 becomes V3. Accordingly, the control device 51 determines that the upper case 14 is placed on the lower case 12 when the voltage V3 is read and the switches S1 and S2 are not operated, and the control device 51 turns on without controlling the switch element 40. Or keep it off.

When the controller 51 reads that the voltage generated in the resistor 41 has become zero, it judges that the upper case 14 is separated from the lower case 12, and when the switch element 40 is on, that switch element is turned off. Turn off 40,
The electrical connection between the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 and the battery 17 is cut off.

According to this second embodiment, the upper case 14
Even if the upper case 14 is mounted on the lower case 12 again after separating the lower case 12 from the lower case 12, only the voltage V3 is generated in the resistor 41, so the electric blower 13 is not driven unless the switches S1 and S2 are operated. That is, it is possible to prevent a problem that the electric blower 13 is suddenly driven when the upper case 14 is placed on the lower case 12 again. In addition, since the separation is detected by using the signal line L for the operation signal of the operation switches S1 and S2, the dedicated signal line for the separation detection is not required and the configuration is simplified.

In this second embodiment, the switches S1, S
Although the on / off of the electric blower 13 is controlled by the operation of 2, the strength of the electric blower 13 may be set to the strength (driving state) by providing a strength switch. In this case, a power output circuit is provided in place of the switch element 40, and the power output circuit is configured so that the output of the battery 17 can be switched among three stages of zero, weak, and strong, and control of the switching is performed by the control device 51. To do.

When the upper case 14 is separated from the lower case 12, the first and second power supply terminals 31, 32 are moved to the first and second power supply terminals.
If the upper first and second contact terminals 37 and 38 are separated from the lower first and second contact terminals 33 and 34 before the motor terminals 35 and 36 are separated, the first and second power supplies Terminal 31,
Since the electrical connection between the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 and the battery 17 can be cut off before the 32 is exposed, it is possible to reliably prevent generation of sparks and burning of the lead wire due to a short circuit. can do.

[Third Embodiment] FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram of an electric system of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the third embodiment.
In the third embodiment, the protrusion 60 is provided on the lower portion of the upper case 14.
And a switch 61 for electrically connecting or disconnecting the second power supply terminal 32 and the battery 17 to the upper part of the lower case 12, and when the upper case 14 is placed on the lower case 12, The switch 61 is turned on by the protrusion 60, and when the upper case 14 is separated from the lower case 12 as shown in FIG.
The electric connection between the battery 2 and the battery 17 is cut off.

According to the third embodiment, since the switch element 40 is unnecessary and the switch 61 is simply turned on / off by the protrusion 60, the circuit configuration is extremely simple and the circuit is inexpensive. Becomes

[Fourth Embodiment] FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment. In this fourth embodiment, the upper first and second contacts are shorter than the lengths of the first and second motor terminals 35 and 36. The terminals 65 and 66 are provided in the terminal holding portion 23 (see FIG. 1) of the upper case 14, and the cylindrical lower first and second contact terminals 67, 67 into which the upper first and second contact terminals 65 and 66 are fitted. When 68 is provided on the terminal mounting portion 18 of the lower case 12 and the upper case 14 is separated from the lower case 12 as shown in FIG. 11, the first and second motor terminals 35 and 36 are connected to the first and second power supply terminals 31. , 32
The upper first and second contact terminals 65 and 66 are separated from the lower first and second contact terminals 67 and 68 before being separated from.

According to the fourth embodiment, the upper first and second contact terminals 65 and 66 are connected to the lower first and second contact terminals 67 before the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 are exposed. Since the voltage of the battery 17 is not applied to the first and second power supply terminals 31 and 32 by separating from the terminals 68 and 68, it is possible to reliably prevent the generation of sparks and the burning of the lead wire due to a short circuit. .

In any of the above embodiments, the upper case 14 is provided with the electric blower 13, and the lower case 12 is provided with the dust collecting chamber 11 and the battery 17. The upper case 14 is provided with the dust collecting chamber 11 and the battery 17. The lower case 12 may be provided with the electric blower 13. Further, although the vacuum cleaner of the upper and lower separation type has been described, the vacuum cleaner of the type that separates in the left and right directions may be used.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the power supply terminal from being short-circuited when the second case is separated from the first case.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an appearance of an electric vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a configuration of the electric vacuum cleaner shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view showing each terminal provided in a terminal holding portion and a terminal mounting portion.

FIG. 4 is a circuit diagram showing an electric system of the first embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit when the upper case is separated from the lower case.

FIG. 6 is a circuit diagram showing an electric system of a second embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit when the upper case of the second embodiment is separated from the lower case.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram showing an electric system of a third embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit when the upper case of the third embodiment is separated from the lower case.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram showing an electric system of a fourth embodiment.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a circuit when the upper case of the fourth embodiment is separated from the lower case.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory view showing a conventional electric vacuum cleaner.

[Explanation of symbols]

12 Lower case (first case) 13 Electric blower 14 Upper case (second case) 17 battery 31 1st power supply terminal (power supply terminal) 32 Second power supply terminal (power supply terminal) 35 1st motor terminal (motor terminal) 36 Second motor terminal (motor terminal) 40 switch element (breaking means)

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A first case, a second case separably connected to the first case, an electric blower provided in either one of the two cases, and an electric blower provided in the other case. A battery for driving the motor, a motor terminal provided in one case and electrically connected to an electrode of the electric blower, and a battery terminal provided in the other case and electrically connected to the electrode of the battery. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a power supply terminal electrically connected to the motor terminal when a second case is connected to the first case, wherein the second case is separated from the first case, An electric vacuum cleaner, characterized in that the electric connection between the power supply terminal and the battery is cut off. 2. A separation detecting means for detecting that the second case is separated from the first case, and when the separation detecting means detects the separation, the electric connection between the power supply terminal and the battery is cut off. 2. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a shut-off unit that operates. 3. The first signal when the separation detecting means is connected to a first signal terminal provided in the one case and the second case provided in the other case. A second signal terminal electrically connected to the terminal;
When the driving state of the electric blower is set, a setting signal corresponding to the setting state is output to the first signal terminal, and when the first signal terminal and the second signal terminal are connected, the connection signal is the first signal. A switch circuit that outputs the signal to one signal terminal, and the cutoff unit controls an output voltage applied to the power supply terminal by reading a setting signal that is input to the second signal terminal through the first signal terminal. And a switch element for turning off the output voltage of the power supply terminal under the control of the control means when a connection signal is not input to the second signal terminal through the first signal terminal. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the electric vacuum cleaner is provided. 4. The separation detecting means detects, when the second case is separated from the first case, the separation before the connection between the motor terminal and the power supply terminal is released. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 or 3. 5. One of the cases is provided with a protrusion projecting toward the other case, and a switch for turning on / off the electrical connection between the power supply terminal and the battery is provided in the other case. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein when the two cases are connected, the switch is turned on by the protrusion and when the first case is separated from the second case, the switch is turned off.