JP2005185569A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum cleaner in which a filter having a pleats-type filter element is prevented from becoming the hotbed of bad smell and mites. <P>SOLUTION: To a synthetic resin filter frame 46, the pleats-type filter element 47 is attached from which dust is removed by a dust removing tool 19 having movable dust-removers 19d and 19e. The synthetic resin filter frame 46 has: a frame part 51; an air-impervious plate part 52 formed integrally with the inside of the frame part 51; and an opening 54 formed at the air-impervious plate part 52. Each of the opening 54 and the filter element 47 has a shape one size larger than a dust removal area 47e regulated by the rotation locus (movement locus) A and B of the dust removers 19d and 19e of the dust removing tool 19, and the air-impervious plate part 52 is provided by consecutively surrounding the filter element 47. By slipping the dust removed from the filter element 47 by the dust remover down along the surface of the air-impervious plate part 52, the dust is prevented from being accumulated and hardened on the surface of the filter element 47. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a filter having a pleated filter element, which filters and separates dust in an airflow formed by operation of an electric blower, and a vacuum cleaner provided with a dust remover for removing dust from the filter. .

  Conventionally, a dust collection case is detachably attached to a main body case with a built-in electric blower, a filter is attached to the dust collection case, and a dust remover is provided on the main body case to remove dust from the pleated filter element that the filter has. An electric vacuum cleaner is known (for example, refer to Patent Document 1).

The dust drop tool described in Patent Document 1 is a rotary type. The dust remover is rotated in conjunction with a cord reel that rotates each time the power cord is wound and fed. Along with the rotation of the dust remover, the dust remover included in the dust remover scrapes off dust trapped in the pleated filter element.
No. 53-162028 (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 55-78050) microfilm (Specification, page 5, lines 6 to 17, page 6, lines 5 to 11, lines 1 and 2) (Figure)

  Generally, the cross section in the direction perpendicular to the axial direction of the dust collecting case is non-circular, and the outer shape of the filter is made corresponding to this cross-sectional shape, and the pleated filter element is also made in the non-circular shape corresponding to this outer shape. It has been. On the other hand, the dust remover of the dust remover rotated in conjunction with the cord reel at the time of dust removal is rotated while drawing a circular rotation locus while intersecting with the bowl-shaped portion on the back surface of the pleated filter element, Thereby, dust removal is performed by vibrating the bowl-shaped part.

  In this way, the combination of the circular rotation trajectory drawn by the dust remover and the non-circular pleated filter element larger than this trajectory increases the area in which the pleated filter element filters dust outside the rotation trajectory. Have.

  The influence of the vibration by the dust remover also affects the outer region of the rotation locus. However, the periphery of the pleated filter element is fixed and vibration is suppressed, and the vibration is attenuated as the distance from the inner region of the rotation trajectory increases, so that the vibration is spread over the entire outer region. It is difficult to sufficiently spread and to remove dust sufficiently over the entire outer region. In addition, since the filter element is non-circular, the rotational trajectory of the dust remover is circular, and it is difficult to uniformly apply dust removal to the outer region. For this reason, even after the dust has been dropped, dust may remain trapped on a part of the surface (upstream surface) of the outer region.

  In this state, for example, when the vacuum cleaner is left unused for several days or more, the dust remaining on the surface of the pleated filter element without being separated as described above may absorb moisture and solidify. . In such a situation, the hardened dust may become a foul odor and a hotbed of house mites. Further, since the surface of the pleated filter element has innumerable fine irregularities, the work of removing the dust solidified on the surface is troublesome and troublesome, and the improvement thereof is demanded.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner that can prevent a filter having a pleated filter element from becoming a hotbed for off-flavors and mites.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a filter frame made of a synthetic resin to which a pleated filter element to be removed by a dust remover having a moved dust remover is attached. A non-venting plate part formed inside the part and an opening opened in the non-venting plate part, and each of the opening and the filter element is made to go around the dust removal region defined by the movement path of the dust remover. In addition to a large shape, a non-venting plate portion is continuously provided around the filter element.

  According to the present invention, since solidification of the dust separated by the filter having the pleated filter element is suppressed, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner in which the filter does not become a hotbed of off-flavors or ticks.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  A vacuum cleaner body 2 provided in the electric vacuum cleaner denoted by reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 is detachably connected to one end 3a of a flexible dust suction hose 3. The dust suction hose 3 includes a hand operation unit 4 at the other end. An extension tube 5 that can be expanded and contracted is detachably connected to the hand operation unit 4, and a suction port body 6 is detachably connected to a distal end portion of the extension tube 5. The hand operating section 4 has a handle 4a, and the handle 4a is provided with an operation switch 4b for remote operation. The illustrated suction opening 6 is suitable for cleaning the floor surface, and has a suction opening (not shown) extending in the width direction on the lower surface thereof.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cleaner body 2 includes a main body case 10, a lid body 20, and a dust collection case (dust cup) 30 that is detachably attached to the main body case 10. The rear part of the lid 20 is hinged to the front part of the main body case 10 so as to be opened and closed in the vertical direction.

  The main body case 10 includes a rear electric part 11 and a front placement part 12. As shown in FIG. 2, an electric blower 13 is built in the electric part 11. The front surface of the electric motor 11 is opened, and this opening communicates with the air inlet 13 </ b> A of the electric blower 13. The mounting part 12 is integrally projected forward from the lower part of the electric part 11, and is formed in a dish shape having a concave shape that opens upward. A dust collection case 30 is detachably mounted on the mounting portion 12. By closing the lid 20, the lid 20 and the placement unit 12 sandwich the dust collecting case 30. The lid 20 has a suction port 21 made of a pipe attached to the front portion thereof. The suction port 21 extends in the front-rear direction, and one end 3a of the dust suction hose 3 is detachably connected thereto.

  On both side walls in the width direction of the main body case 10, oblique bulging portions 14 (only one is shown) extending from the front upper portion to the rear lower portion of the main body case 10 are integrally formed. A rear wheel 15 is rotatably attached. Exhaust portions 16 each having a plurality of exhaust holes are provided in front portions of both the bulging portions 14 and both side walls of the main body case 10. The exhaust unit 16 communicates with an exhaust port 13B (see FIG. 2) of the electric blower 13 through an exhaust air passage (not shown). The air exhausted from the exhaust port 13B of the electric blower 13 is exhausted from the exhaust part 16 through the exhaust air passage.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a cord reel 17 that is located below the electric blower 13 and supplies electric power from a commercial AC power source to the electric blower 13 and the like is disposed in the electric part 11 of the main body case 10. Further, the motor unit 11 is provided with a dust remover 19 for removing dust from a filter which will be described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the dust drop tool 19 is integrally formed over a connecting cylinder part 19a located at the center, a plurality of arms 19b provided radially around the connecting cylinder part 19a, and the arms 19b. And the first and second dust removers 19d and 19e projecting from the two arms 19b that are continuous in the diametrical direction. The dust removers 19d and 19e have coil springs (not shown) built in the dust removers 19d, and are always urged in the protruding direction by the force of the springs, and can be moved back against the urging force. have. One dust remover 19d is arranged close to the connecting cylinder 19a that forms the rotation center of the dust drop tool 19, and the other dust remover 19e is arranged far away.

  The connecting cylinder portion 19a is rotatably fitted on a horizontal support shaft of a rod-like fixed support (not shown) provided in the main body case. Thereby, the dust drop tool 19 is supported rotatably around the support shaft in a posture in which the dust removers 19d and 19e face the front side, that is, the dust collecting case 30. The dust remover 19 can pass the air sucked into the electric blower 13 through the ventilation opening surrounded by the arm 19b and the annular gear portion 19c adjacent to each other.

  The rotational force of the cord reel 17 is applied to the annular gear portion 19c via the transmission device 18 (see FIG. 2). Accordingly, every time the power cord 17a is inserted into and removed from the cord reel 17, the dust drop tool 19 is rotated by using the rotation of the cord reel 17 as a driving force.

  As shown in FIG. 2, a handle portion 31 is provided on the side wall of the dust collection case 30, and an intake inlet 32 is provided above the handle portion 31. When the dust collection case 30 is disposed on the upstream side of the electric blower 13 as shown in FIG. 2, the intake inlet 32 is continuously disposed immediately behind the suction port 21 of the lid 20. The inside of the dust collection case 30 is partitioned by a partition wall 36 into first and second dust storage portions 33 and 34 at a lower portion and a negative pressure space 35 partitioned mainly above the dust storage portion 33. A net filter 37 that connects the dust reservoir 33 and the negative pressure space 35 is attached to the partition wall 36.

  The negative pressure space 35 is provided with a dust separation unit 38 that performs straight flow inertia separation. The dust separation unit 38 includes an air path forming body 39 that is hollow and has a truncated cone shape that is open at both ends, and a guide tube portion 40. The air passage forming body 39 is provided with a large-diameter end on the upstream side continuing to the intake inlet 32. The guide tube portion 40 has an upstream end connected to a small diameter end on the downstream side of the air passage forming body 39, and a downstream end connected to the partition wall 36. An air passage forming body 39 is provided in communication. The air passage forming body 39 has a net filter 39a on its peripheral wall.

  When the vacuum cleaner 1 is used, the negative pressure space 35 becomes negative pressure due to the suction of the electric blower 13, so that the inside of the dust-containing air flowing in the air passage forming body 39 through the intake inlet 32 in the axial direction. Thus, light and small dust that can pass through the net filter 39a flows out into the negative pressure space 35 through the net filter 39a together with part of the air. On the other hand, together with the air that was not sucked and partitioned into the negative pressure space 35, large dust having a mass of a certain amount or more travels straight in the air path forming body 39 by its inertial force. In this manner, air and dust are separated in the air passage forming body 39, and the dust separated from the air is introduced into the dust storage portion 33 through the guide tube portion 40.

  The dust reservoir 33 is provided with a guide wall 33a for turning air introduced into the dust reservoir 33. As a result, the air introduced from the guide tube portion 40 into the dust storage portion 33 is finally sucked into the negative pressure space 35 through the net filter 37 while creating a swirling flow in the dust storage portion 33. The dust separated by the centrifugal separation action associated with is accumulated in the dust reservoir 33.

  The bottom surface of the dust collection case 30 is opened. A bottom plate 41 that opens and closes the bottom opening is attached to the bottom of the dust collecting case 30 so as to be rotatable around a pivot 42. By opening the bottom plate 41, dust accumulated in the dust storage portions 33 and 34 is discarded. be able to. The closed state of the bottom plate 41 is released through a mechanism (not shown) that is interlocked with the pressing of an operation button provided on the handle portion 31.

  The dust collection case 30 has a non-circular cross-section in a direction perpendicular to its axis (matching the front-rear direction of the cleaner body 1), and substantially the entire rear surface of the dust collection case 30 located on the right side in FIG. It is open. The shape of the rear opening is, for example, a substantially rectangular shape that is long in the vertical direction. A filter 45 is detachably attached to the dust collecting case 30 with its rear surface opening closed. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the filter 45 includes a filter frame 46 and a filter element 47 attached to the inside of the frame 46. In the figure, reference numeral 48 denotes an annular sealing material for hermetic holding.

  The filter frame 46 is made of hard synthetic resin, and includes a frame portion 51, a non-ventilated plate portion 52, a slanted portion 53, an opening 54, and a number of element supports 55 and 56.

  The frame part 51 has an outer shape corresponding to the shape of the rear opening of the dust collecting case 30 and is a part that is detachably fitted inside the opening. A sealing material 48 is wound around the outer periphery of the frame portion 51. Reference numeral 51 a denotes a protrusion integrally protruding outside the frame portion 51, and this protrusion 51 a is used as a handle when the filter 45 is removed from the dust collecting case 30.

  The air-impermeable plate portion 52 is a flat wind shield portion that is integrally formed inside the frame portion 51 and restricts the filtration area of the filter 45 to be smaller than the inner area of the frame portion 51. With respect to the direction, it is provided so as to recede downstream from the upstream surface. As a preferred example, at least the upstream surface of the air-impermeable plate portion 52 has a smooth surface without irregularities or steps.

  The inclined portion 53 is also integrally formed inside the frame portion 51. The slanted portion 53 integrally connects the lower end of the air-impermeable plate portion 52 and the lower frame 51b of the frame portion 51 at a position below the air-permeable plate portion 52, and goes from the lower end of the air-impermeable plate portion 52 toward the lower frame 51b. Inclined to the front.

  The opening 54 is opened in the air-impermeable plate portion 52. A filter element 47 is attached to close the opening 54. Each of the group of element supports 55 is formed in a protruding shape so as to protrude forward around the upper portion of the opening 54. The other group of element supports 56 facing the group of element supports 55 in the up-down direction are all formed in a protruding shape integrally around the lower part of the opening 54 so as to protrude forward.

  The filter element 47 is formed in a pleat shape in which a mat-shaped filter medium is bent into a corrugated shape in order to expand the filtration area. The mesh of the filter element 47 is finer than that of the net filters 37 and 39a, and the dust that has passed through the upstream net filters 37 and 39a is captured by the downstream filter element 47.

  The filter element 47 is hermetically closed and supported by adhering the upper and lower end portions of each back groove 47a between the hook-shaped portions projecting downstream thereof to the element supports 55 and 56, respectively. It is attached by closing the opening 54 from the upstream surface. The flange portions of the filter element 47 attached in this way extend in the vertical direction, and the upper and lower ends of the surface groove 47b between the flange portions protruding upstream are respectively open, and the surface grooves 47b The opened lower end faces the oblique part 53.

  The opening 54 and the filter element 47 closing the opening 54 are arranged so as to be shifted toward the upper side of the air-impermeable plate portion 52. Thereby, the area from the lower part of the opening 54 to the lower end of the air-impermeable plate portion 52 (refers to a bent portion that forms a boundary between the air-impermeable plate portion 52 and the oblique portion 53), in other words, below the filter element 47. The lower region 52a of the non-venting plate portion 52 that is continuous with the filter element 47 is widened, and the upper region 52b of the non-venting plate portion 52 that is continuous with the filter element 47 is narrowed.

  The opening 54 and the filter element 47 have a shape slightly larger than the dust removal region 47e (see FIG. 5) of the filter element 47 by the dust drop tool 19, preferably larger than the dust removal region 47e and substantially similar. In this case, since the dust drop tool 19 rotates, the opening 54 and the filter element 47 are each made circular. Here, the dust removal region 47e is a portion that generates sufficient vibration in accordance with the rotational movement of the dust removers 19d and 19e of the dust drop tool 19, and refers to a region defined by the movement locus of the dust removers 19d and 19e. Yes. Specifically, the two-dot chain line in FIG. 5 is a line obtained by projecting the movement trajectories A and B of the dust removers 19d and 19e onto the filter element 47, and the movement trajectories A and B of the dust removers 19d and 19e with respect to the filter element 47 Correspondingly, a region sandwiched between the movement trajectories A and B is a dust removal region 47e. Further, that the opening 54 and the filter element 47 have a shape that is slightly larger than the dust removal region 47e is a size that is determined by design so that the dust removal region 47e vibrates to a predetermined level by the movement of the dust removers 19d and 19e. .

  The filter 45 having the above-described configuration is fitted into the rear surface opening of the dust collection case 30 with each front groove 47 b of the filter element 47 facing the negative pressure space 35 of the dust collection case 30. In this state, the filter 45 is placed on the dust reservoir 34 on the downstream side, and the upper space of the inclined portion 53 is in communication with the lower dust reservoir 34. In the state where the dust collecting case 30 to which the filter 45 is attached is set in the cleaner body 2 as shown in FIG. 2, the dust dropr 19 comes close to the back of the filter element 47 as shown in FIG. The movable tip portion enters the back groove 47 a so as to be able to come into contact with the hook-like portion protruding downstream of the filter element 47.

  During the cleaning operation of the electric vacuum cleaner 1, as described above, it is included in the air that has passed through the net filter 39 a of the dust separator 38 and the net filter 37 of the partition wall 36 arranged on the upstream side of the filter 45. As the air in the negative pressure space 35 is sucked into the electric blower 13, the dust is filtered by the filter element 47 of the filter 45 and captured mainly on the surface of the filter element 47.

  When the electric reel 13 is not operated, such as when the electric vacuum cleaner 1 is used or stored, when the cord reel 17 is rotated by the power cord 17a, the dust remover 19 is transmitted via the gearing 18 that is interlocked therewith. Is rotated. Accordingly, the dust removers 19d and 19e of the dust remover 19 are rotated along the rear surface (downstream surface) of the filter element 47 while intersecting with the bowl-shaped portion protruding rearward of the filter element 47. The shape portion is bounced by the dust removers 19d and 19e and vibrates. Due to this vibration, fine dust adhering to the surface of the filter element 47 falls.

  In this case, since the size of the filter element 47 has a similar shape that is slightly larger than the rotation locus B of the dust remover 19e rotating at the maximum radius, the dust removal effect by dust removal linked to the cord reel 17 described above is The filter element 47 is sufficiently exerted over almost the entire area of the filter element 47, and the filter element 47 does not have a portion where the dusting effect is insufficient.

  Since the air-permeable plate portion 52 is continuous around the filter element 47, the dust that has fallen from the filter element 47 due to dust removal falls along the lower region 52 a of the air-permeable plate portion 52. The lower region 52a is substantially vertical, has a smooth surface, and has a much lower frictional resistance than the filter element 47, so that dust does not catch on the surface of the lower region 52a. Further, the dust that has fallen along the lower region 52 a slides according to the inclination of the inclined portion 53 and is accommodated in the dust reservoir 34 that communicates with the lower portion of the inclined portion 53.

  In this way, the dust falling from the filter element 47 is smoothly accumulated in the dust reservoir 34 while being prevented from remaining on the filter 45. As a result, starting from the dust remaining on the surface of the filter 45 as a starting point, it is possible to suppress the dust falling with the subsequent dust dropping of the filter 45 from being blocked and growing upward. For this reason, even if the use interval of the vacuum cleaner 1 may be longer than several days, dust does not absorb moisture on the surface of the filter 45 including the surface of the filter element 47 and harden. There is no fear of becoming a hotbed for house mites. Furthermore, since the falling dust is blocked and does not grow upward as described above, it is possible to suppress clogging of the filter element 47 due to this growth.

  Moreover, even if the dust falling from the filter element 47 due to dust removal is blocked for some reason and stays in the lower region 52a of the air-impermeable plate 52, the smooth lower region 52a as described above. Since the adhesion force of the dust to the surface is weak, the solidified dust remaining on the surface of the lower region 52a can be easily removed as compared with the case where dust solidified on the surface of the filter element 47 is removed.

  In addition, since the lower region 52a of the air-impermeable plate portion 52 is wider than the upper region 52b where the dust is not removed, the lower region 52a can be easily cleaned and wiped with the filter 45 removed. Further, when the filter element 47 is cleaned with the filter 45 removed, the wide lower region 52a can be used as a portion to support the filter 45 so as not to obstruct the cleaning. .

  Furthermore, in the unlikely event, dust remains on the boundary between the lower region 52a and the inclined portion 53 (or the lower frame 51b of the filter frame 46 when the inclined portion 53 is omitted), The dust falling from this point may grow upward, and even when the filter 45 is left uncleaned, the lower region 52a is widened. The time to clog can be delayed.

  The present invention is not limited to the one embodiment. For example, in the one embodiment, the filter element 47 is attached to the air-impermeable plate portion 52 with an adhesive, but instead, the frame portion 51, the air-impermeable plate portion 52, and the oblique portion 53 are made of a synthetic resin material. When molding, the filter element 47 may be integrally attached to the air-impermeable plate portion 52 by setting the filter element 47 in the mold and insert molding. In such a case, since the labor for fixing the adhesive is not required, not only the productivity can be improved, but also the reliability of the airtightness between the air-impermeable plate portion 52 and the filter element 47 can be improved.

  In the above embodiment, the dust remover is rotated. Alternatively, the dust remover may be reciprocally rotated like a wiper. Also in this case, the dust removal area is defined by the movement path of the dust remover with respect to the rotation center of the dust drop tool. In the above-described embodiment, the dust remover of the dust removal tool is in the form of a dot.

The perspective view which shows the vacuum cleaner which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The side view which shows a partial cross section of the vacuum cleaner main body of the electric vacuum cleaner of FIG. The front view of the filter with which the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 is provided. The perspective view which decomposes | disassembles the filter with which the vacuum cleaner of FIG. 1 is equipped, and shows it seeing from a front side with a dust remover. The perspective view which shows the relationship between the filter with which the vacuum cleaner of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Electric vacuum cleaner, 2 ... Vacuum cleaner main body, 13 ... Electric blower, 19 ... Dust removal tool, 19a ... Connection cylinder part (rotation center), 19d, 19e ... Dust collector, 30 ... Dust collection case, 45 ... Filter, 46 ... Filter frame, 47 ... Filter element, 47a ... Back groove, 47b ... Front groove, 47e ... Dust removal area, A, B ... Rotation locus (movement locus), 51 ... Frame portion, 52 ... Air-permeable plate portion, 52a ... Lower region, 52b ... Upper region, 54 ... Opening

Claims (3)

A pleated filter element having a plurality of bowl-shaped portions, and a filter frame to which the filter element is attached, are arranged in an air flow formed by operation of an electric blower, and filter dust in the air flow In a vacuum cleaner comprising: a filter to be separated; and a dust remover that has a dust remover that moves along the filter while intersecting the bowl-shaped portion, and removes dust from the filter element.
The filter frame body has a frame part, a non-venting plate part formed inside the frame part, and an opening opened in the non-venting plate part,
Each of the opening and the filter element has a shape that is slightly larger than the dust removal area defined by the movement path of the dust remover, and the air-permeable plate portion is continuously provided around the filter element. Electric vacuum cleaner. A pleated filter element having a plurality of bowl-shaped portions, and a filter frame to which the filter element is attached, are arranged in an air flow formed by operation of an electric blower, and filter dust in the air flow In a vacuum cleaner comprising: a filter to be separated; and a dust remover that has a dust remover that moves along the filter while intersecting the bowl-shaped portion, and removes dust from the filter element.
The filter frame body has a frame part, a non-venting plate part formed inside the frame part, and an opening opened in the non-venting plate part,
Each of the opening and the filter element is larger than the dust removal area defined by the movement path of the dust remover, has a shape substantially similar to the dust removal area, and the air-permeable plate portion is around the filter element. A vacuum cleaner provided continuously.   The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a dust collection case disposed upstream of the electric blower, wherein the filter is removably attached to the dust collection case, and the filter element is not vented. The lower region of the non-venting plate portion connected below the filter element is made wider than the upper region of the non-venting plate portion connected above the filter element.

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