JP2005052279A5 - - Google Patents

Description

Electric vacuum cleaner

  The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner that deodorizes odors derived from dust and the like contained in exhaust gas.

  In recent years, with the comfort of the living environment being demanded, there is a high unsanitary image regarding the exhaust during operation of a vacuum cleaner, and the need for cleaner exhaust is increasing year by year.

  One of the factors that the user of the vacuum cleaner feels unhealthy about the exhaust is sensing an unpleasant odor in the exhaust. The odor in the exhaust is a mixture of various odors, such as dust odor derived from dust sucked into the vacuum cleaner, hair, lower fatty acid odor derived from sebum, aldehyde derived from food, basic odor, and these odors are removed. Therefore, a deodorizing means is installed at the exhaust port of the vacuum cleaner, and as the deodorizing means, a deodorant that chemically decomposes odor components is used (for example, see Patent Document 1).

In addition, a deodorizing material carrying a transition metal compound on the adsorbent is attached to the exhaust port of the vacuum cleaner, and the odor contained in the exhaust is physically removed, and the adsorbed odor is further chemically decomposed with the transition metal compound. There are some (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP-A-4-231019 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 3-251253

  However, in the conventional configuration, when the operation of the vacuum cleaner is resumed after being left for a certain period of time in a state where dust is held in the dust collection chamber, it is generated from dust and stays in the dust collection chamber, particularly immediately after the operation is started. Therefore, the exhaust air contains high-concentration odors and is exhausted, but the airflow generated by the electric blower is very fast, and the odors are adsorbed and chemically decomposed by the deodorizing means installed at the exhaust port. The ratio of exhausted to the outside of the main body is large, and if the deodorizing means is enlarged to increase the deodorizing performance, the ventilation resistance increases, so the suction performance of the vacuum cleaner decreases. Had.

  Further, in the conventional configuration, since the deodorizing means is installed at the exhaust port, the odor generated from the dust collecting chamber when the vacuum cleaner is in operation or stopped, the inner wall of the main body on the downstream side of the dust collecting chamber, A certain amount adheres and accumulates on the surface of the electric blower, and due to the effect of the heat generated by the blower itself during operation of the electric blower, the attached odor is released at once and the odor with higher concentration than usual is discharged periodically. There was also a problem.

  In addition, when a chemically decomposing deodorant is used as a deodorizing means, the conventional configuration described above, depending on an odor substance that chemically reacts with the deodorant, the odor is not completely decomposed and discharged in a state of off-flavor. However, there was a problem that the odor level was not reduced.

  Further, in the conventional configuration, even when the deodorizing means is installed at the exhaust port, an opening that does not pass through the deodorizing means such as an outlet of the electric conductor is provided in the main body of the vacuum cleaner downstream from the electric blower. It also has a problem that it is difficult to completely remove and discharge the odor derived from dust.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, can improve the deodorizing performance without increasing the size of the deodorizing means, and the odor is generated even immediately after the start of the operation of the vacuum cleaner in which the user can easily recognize the odor derived from dust. It is an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner that can always discharge odorless air without being discharged out of the main body.

  In order to solve the above problems, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention is provided with a storage chamber in communication with the air passage in the air passage before the dust collection chamber, and the storage chamber is filled with a deodorizing material. In addition, a part of the deodorizing material is introduced into the dust collection chamber through the air passage.

  As a result, the dust flowing into the dust collection chamber is mixed with the deodorizing material. Since the deodorizing material is in direct contact with the dust, the odor generated from the dust can be efficiently removed. During the operation, during the stop, it occurs under all conditions, and the dust odor is always removed.

  The vacuum cleaner of the present invention can improve the deodorizing performance without increasing the size of the deodorizing means, and the odor is not discharged outside the main body even immediately after the operation of the vacuum cleaner in which the user can easily recognize the odor derived from dust. Can always discharge odorless air.

  The first invention includes an intake port for sucking in air containing dust, a main body incorporating an electric blower for generating suction air, a dust collection chamber for separating and holding dust on the intake upstream side of the electric blower, An exhaust port for exhausting air from which dust has been removed in the dust collection chamber, and a retractable electric lead for supplying electric power to the electric blower, and further, the air path before the dust collection chamber includes the air path and A communicating storage chamber is installed, the storage chamber is filled with deodorizing material, and a part of the deodorizing material is input into the dust collection chamber, so that the deodorization input into the dust collection chamber is performed. The material is mixed and contacted with dust, and the odorous substance generated from the dust is removed by the deodorizing material existing in the vicinity of the dust, and the dust collection chamber that is the source of the odor is constantly deodorized by the deodorizing material, so that the vacuum cleaner There is no odorous substance in the exhaust of Prevents the high air odor concentration is discharged even at the start of operation of the electric vacuum cleaner, be an electric vacuum cleaner in use, it is cleaning with no always smell pleasant environment.

  In the second invention, in particular, the deodorizing material of the first invention is an adsorbent, and the adsorbent uses an adsorbent having a predetermined particle diameter within a range of 5 microns to 5 millimeters. As a result, the particulate adsorbent has high contact efficiency with dust, and the odor derived from dust is made thinner on the surface of the adsorbent. Does not occur.

  In the third invention, in particular, the adsorbent of the first or second invention is intermittently charged from the storage chamber to the dust collecting chamber during the operation of the electric blower. By stacking on the dust sucked in and repeating this operation, the adsorbent and dust are alternately stacked, and the odor passing through the dust is surely passed through the adsorbent layer and removed, Deodorizing performance is increased.

  In the fourth aspect of the invention, in particular, the adsorbent of any one of the first to third aspects of the invention is continuously put into the dust collection chamber from the storage chamber during the operation of the electric fan, so that the adsorbent is Therefore, it is uniformly dispersed in the dust, the contact efficiency with the dust is increased, and the deodorizing performance against the odor derived from the dust in the dust collecting chamber is further improved.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention, in particular, the deodorizing material put into the dust collection chamber according to any one of the first to fourth aspects of the invention is put into a dust by putting it in a range of 1 wt% to 50 wt% with respect to the dust. The deodorizing ability can be optimally maintained according to the odor level.

In the sixth aspect of the invention, in particular, by installing the stirring means for stirring the dust in any one of the first to fifth dust collecting chambers, the deodorizing means and the dust put into the dust collecting chamber are mixed more uniformly. Since the deodorizing means comes into contact with more dust, the odor removal efficiency can be maximized.

In the seventh invention, in particular, any one of the storage chambers 1 to 6 is filled with the deodorizing material and the antibacterial material at the same time, so that a predetermined amount of the antibacterial material is added to the dust collection chamber in addition to the deodorizing material, By contacting with dust, the growth of bacteria and fungi adhering to the dust can be suppressed, and the generation of odor from the dust due to the bacteria and fungi can be prevented.

According to an eighth aspect of the invention, in particular, any one of the antibacterial materials according to any one of the first to seventh aspects is formed by using an antibacterial material having a predetermined particle size within a range of 5 microns to 5 millimeters. The antibacterial material efficiently contacts the dust, increases the antibacterial effect against bacteria and fungi attached to the dust, and suppresses the generation of odor.

According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, the antibacterial material put into any one of the first to eighth dust collecting chambers is put in a range of 1 wt% to 50 wt% in a weight ratio with respect to the dust. The antibacterial ability can be optimally maintained according to the number of bacteria.

In the tenth aspect of the invention, the vent type deodorizing means is installed at any one of the first to ninth exhaust ports, so that even if odors remain in the air discharged from the dust collecting chamber, Since the installed deodorizing means removes odor, the odor derived from dust can be reliably deodorized, and the electric vacuum cleaner can always be used in a comfortable environment.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a structural cross-sectional view of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  In FIG. 1, the main body 1 of the vacuum cleaner includes a single front wheel caster 2 and a pair of rear wheels 3 that are pivotally supported. Further, an air inlet 4 for sucking dust is provided in front of the main body 1. Although not shown, a suction tool for sucking dust is connected to the air inlet 4 through an extension pipe and a hose so that the dust is continuously supplied. Served for inhalation.

  Further, in the main body 1, a dust collection chamber 5 and an electric blower 6 are installed in order downstream from the suction port 4, and when the electric blower 6 operates, a suction air flow is generated from the suction port 4 toward the exhaust port 7. generate. Further, in the main body 1, an electric blower 9 for supplying electric power to the electric blower 6 and other control units is accommodated.

  Next, the details of the dust collection chamber 5 will be described with reference to the enlarged sectional view of the main part of the dust collection chamber 5 of the vacuum cleaner of FIGS.

  Although not shown in the drawings, the dust collection chamber 5 has a mechanism for centrifuging air containing dust, and further has a dust removing function such as a ventilation resistor. A storage chamber 10 is installed in the upper part of the dust collection chamber 5, and the storage chamber 10 is filled with a predetermined amount of deodorizing material 11 and antibacterial material 12. A stirring means 13 for stirring dust is attached to the lower part of the dust collection chamber 5.

  As the deodorizing material 11, it is preferable to use an adsorbent and activated carbon which has an adsorbing effect on various odors such as lower fatty acids, ammonia and aldehydes which are odor substances derived from dust. Further, a zeolite adsorbent having a similar adsorption effect may be used, and it is more preferable if it is a hydrophobic zeolite that is hardly affected by moisture.

  As the antibacterial material 12, it is possible to use silver, zinc, copper, and organic types such as allyl isothiocyanate, catechins, etc. as an inorganic type, and have an excellent antibacterial effect against bacteria and fungi. In particular, silver is particularly preferable in that it exhibits a high antibacterial effect in a small amount.

  In addition, the said deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 may attach and use the said antibacterial component to the deodorizing material 11, and can express a deodorizing effect and an antibacterial effect with a single material.

  Further, the particle diameters of the deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 are preferably in the range of 5 microns to 5 millimeters in terms of high contact efficiency with dust, and particularly at a particle level of 5 microns to 100 microns. When the material is used, contact efficiency with dust is particularly increased, so that a higher deodorizing effect and antibacterial effect can be obtained.

  The storage chamber 10 filled with the deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 has an opening surface in the lower direction of the dust collection chamber 5, and a metal mesh 14 having a predetermined size is attached to the opening surface. The mesh size of the metal mesh is set according to the particle size of the deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 to be filled. In addition, as the material of the storage chamber 10, a flexible resin is used from the viewpoint that the internal deodorizing material 11 and the like are put into the dust collection chamber 5 due to vibration, and particularly flexibility and long-term material stability. From this point of view, it is preferable to use polypropylene, polycarbonate, ABS or the like.

  As a method of applying vibration to the storage chamber 10, as shown in FIG. 2, vibration is generated by the vibration means 15 installed in the main body 1, and the generated vibration is received via the piston 16 and the spring 17. Is oscillated back and forth. As the vibration means 15, a vibrator or the like that changes the rotation of the motor to an eccentric motion is preferable because it is small and low in cost. Can partially fall into the dust collecting chamber 5.

  In addition, although the input of the deodorizing material 11 etc. per vibration is set based on the mesh size of the metal mesh 14 and the number of amplitudes of the vibration means 15, the input amount of the deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 with respect to the amount of dust is As shown in FIG. 3, the deodorizing effect can be obtained by adding 1 wt% or more based on the addition amount of the deodorizing material 11 with respect to the dust weight and the test result of the deodorizing effect. In this embodiment, the odor intensity is It was set at an input amount of 20 wt% or more that decreased by 1 point or more.

  Moreover, as a specific example of another method for applying vibration to the storage chamber 10, a cross-sectional view of the structure of a vacuum cleaner showing another vibration method in FIG. 4A and the same method in FIG. As shown in the upper cross-sectional view of the main part, a winding means 9 for the electric conductor 8 is used as a driving source for vibration.

  4 (a) and 4 (b), a plurality of protrusions 18 are provided at the circumferential end of the winding means 9. The protrusion 18 hits a piston that transmits vibration to the storage chamber 10 when the winding means 9 rotates, and generates an operation of pushing the piston in the direction of the storage chamber 10. By this operation, the storage chamber 10 vibrates, and the deodorizing material 11 can be put into the dust collection chamber 5. In addition, adjustment of the input amount of the deodorizing material 11 etc. can set a predetermined input amount by optimizing the installation number of the processus | protrusion 18, and the mesh size of the metal mesh 14 of the storage chamber 10. FIG.

  In addition, the method of throwing the deodorizing material 11 etc. into the dust collection chamber 5 is not limited to the said vibration throwing-in method.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the stirring means 13 is fixed to the lower part of the dust collection chamber 5 with a rotating shaft, and the stirring means 13 is not contacted by the rotating magnet means 19 from the outside of the dust collection chamber 5. It is preferable to use a magnetic material from the viewpoint of rotating at.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1, if the ventilation type deodorizing means 20 is also installed in the exhaust port 7 of the main body 1, the exhaust odor can be further reduced. The ventilation type deodorizing means 20 was incorporated in the vent of a structure having granular breathability of activated carbon, and the structure was packaged and bonded with a non-woven fabric finer than the particle size of the activated carbon to prevent the activated carbon from falling off. Use of a material is preferable in that it can achieve both ventilation resistance and deodorization performance.

  When the deodorizing performance is further improved, if the activated carbon powder is also supported on the structure, the deodorizing performance can be further increased without increasing the pressure loss.

  About the vacuum cleaner comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, when the operation of the electric blower 6 is started, a suction airflow is generated on the upstream side of the electric blower 6, and dust is sucked into the dust collection chamber 5 through an extension pipe and a hose. The dust flowing into the dust collection chamber 5 is separated only by the centrifugal separation means of the dust collection chamber 5, and the air flow passes through the electric blower 6 and the exhaust port 7 and is discharged out of the main body 1.

  In addition, the vibration means 15 operates in synchronization with the start of operation of the electric blower 6, and the piston 16 and the spring 17 are made to swing to apply vibration to the storage chamber 10. When the storage chamber 10 vibrates, a part of the deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 filled inside passes through the metal mesh 14 according to the amplitude and is put into the dust collecting chamber 5.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, when the winding means 9 becomes the vibration means, the electric conductor 8 is drawn out and wound at the start and end of the operation of the vacuum cleaner. The deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 are put into the dust collecting chamber 5 at the time of the removing operation.

  The deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 thrown into the dust collecting chamber 5 fall on the sucked dust or diffuse into the dust. Furthermore, when the stirring means 13 operates, dust is stirred, and the dust, the deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 are mixed with a higher contact rate. By this mixing, odorous substances in the dust are removed by the deodorizing material 11. Furthermore, the contact between the antibacterial material 12 and the dust inactivates the activity of the bacteria in the dust, and even when moisture is present in the dust collection chamber 5, the growth of the bacteria is suppressed and the generation of odors derived from the bacteria Can be prevented.

  By the above operation, the dust sucked into the dust collection chamber 5 is given a deodorizing and antibacterial action when it is sucked, and a hygienic state can always be maintained. Moreover, when the inside of the dust collection chamber 5 is in a state in which odors are constantly removed, when the vacuum cleaner is restarted after several hours of stoppage, high-concentration odors are generated in the exhaust immediately after the start of operation. It is no longer included and can always be cleaned with a vacuum cleaner in a comfortable atmosphere.

  Moreover, as shown in FIG. 1, when the ventilation type deodorizing means 20 is installed in the exhaust port 7, the deodorized air in the dust collecting chamber 5 is further deodorized, and the odor level is further increased. Can be reduced.

  Furthermore, sensory evaluation by a plurality of panelists was performed on the exhaust odor during operation of the electric vacuum cleaner of the present embodiment configured as described above, and the deodorizing effect was confirmed.

In FIG. 5, 21 is a sensory test chamber having an internal volume of 1 m ³ , and a polyester film that hardly adsorbs gas is stretched on the wall surface. On the upper surface of the sensory test chamber 21, a window 22 for smelling the odor in the sensory test chamber 21 is prepared.

  In the present embodiment, the total amount of cotton dust, hair, and food waste collected from a general household vacuum cleaner is 50 g as the odor generating dust, and the deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material are placed in the dust collecting chamber 5 of the vacuum cleaner. 12 was mixed and agitated by the agitating means 13 and aspirated, was placed in the sensory test chamber 21 and left for 24 hours.

It is operated vacuum cleaner for 24 hours, after which the air of 3.6 m ³ in the exhaust amount conversion of the vacuum cleaner was discharged from the vacuum cleaner performs a functional test by a panel of eight to 30 minutes, sensory test A six-step odor intensity determination was performed on the odor in the chamber 15.

  In sensory evaluation, a normal vacuum cleaner not equipped with a deodorizing means as Comparative Example 1 and a dust collecting chamber 5 as a Comparative Example 2 as a normal one, and a ventilation type deodorizing means 20 installed at the exhaust port 7 The sensory evaluation of the exhaust odor was performed in the same manner as in the first embodiment using the vacuum cleaner.

  The sensory evaluation results are shown in FIG. From the results, Comparative Example 2 is reduced by 1 point in odor intensity compared to Comparative Example 1, but Embodiment 1 is reduced by 2.5 points or more, and reaches an odorless level having odor intensity of 1 or less. Confirmed that.

  According to the above test, even when the vacuum cleaner is left for a certain period of time with dust in the dust collection chamber 5 and the odor tends to stay in the dust collection chamber 5, dust collection is performed in this embodiment. Since the inside of the chamber 5 is constantly deodorized and can be deodorized by the vent type deodorizing means 20 even during exhaust, a high deodorizing effect can be exhibited.

  Further, even when the dust is stirred by the stirring means 13 of the present embodiment using the air flow generated in the dust collecting chamber 5, the dust, the deodorizing material 11 and the antibacterial material 12 are the same as described above. It is possible to obtain a deodorizing and antibacterial effect.

  As described above, the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention can always prevent the discharge of the odor derived from dust by mixing the deodorizing material and the antibacterial material directly with the dust. Applicable.

Cross-sectional view of the structure of the electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention Same as above, enlarged sectional view of the main part of the vacuum cleaner dust collection chamber The figure which shows deodorizing material addition amount and deodorizing effect to dust (A) Structure sectional view of a vacuum cleaner showing another vibration method, (b) Main part upper sectional view showing another vibration method Schematic diagram of sensory evaluation test for vacuum cleaner The figure which shows the evaluation result of the odor intensity level of exhaust odor in a vacuum cleaner

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Main body 4 Intake port 5 Dust collection chamber 6 Electric blower 7 Exhaust port 8 Electrical conducting wire 10 Storage chamber 11 Deodorizing material 12 Antibacterial material 13 Stirring means 15 Excitation means 18 Protrusion 20 Ventilation type deodorizing means

Claims (10)

An air inlet that sucks in air containing dust, a main body that incorporates an electric blower that generates suction air, a dust collection chamber that holds dust separately on the intake upstream side of the electric blower, and dust that is collected in the dust collection chamber Equipped with an exhaust port for exhausting the removed air and a take-up and storage type electric conductor that supplies electric power to the electric blower, and a storage chamber in communication with the air path is installed in the air path before the dust collection chamber A vacuum cleaner in which the storage chamber is filled with a deodorizing material, and a part of the deodorizing material is charged into the dust collection chamber. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the deodorizing material is an adsorbent, and the adsorbent uses an adsorbent having a predetermined particle diameter within a range of 5 microns to 5 millimeters. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the deodorizing material is intermittently supplied from the storage chamber to the dust collection chamber during the operation of the electric blower. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the deodorizing material is continuously charged from the storage chamber into the dust collection chamber during the operation of the electric fan. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4 , wherein the deodorizing material put into the dust collecting chamber is put in a range of 1 wt% to 50 wt% by weight with respect to dust. The electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , further comprising a stirring unit that stirs the dust in the dust collection chamber. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 6 , wherein the storage chamber is filled with a deodorizing material and an antibacterial material at the same time. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 7 , wherein the antibacterial material is an antibacterial material having a predetermined particle size within a range of 5 microns to 5 millimeters. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , wherein the antibacterial material put into the dust collection chamber is put in a range of 1 wt% to 50 wt% with respect to dust. The electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 9 , wherein ventilation type deodorizing means is installed at the exhaust port.