JP2008173263A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum cleaner in which the decline of suction force with time is suppressed. <P>SOLUTION: A paper pack 31 is provided on the upstream side of a suction airflow duct 25 which is a junction position of a first airflow duct 39 and a second airflow duct 42, and an auxiliary pleated filter 43 is provided in the second airflow duct 42 on the upstream side of the junction position. A first state of forming a main airflow duct W1 and a sub airflow duct W2 and a second state of forming a filter cleaning airflow duct can be switched. In the first state, when the amount of dust caught in the paper pack 31 in the first airflow duct 39 increases and the resistance of the airflow duct of the first airflow duct 39 is increased, dust is branched from the second airflow duct 42 to the pleated filter 43 together with suction air. In the second state, the upstream side of the pleated filter 43 is cleaned with outdoor air sucked from an outdoor air take-in port 44 and the amount of ventilation of the second airflow duct 42 is secured. Thus, the decline of the suction force with time is suppressed. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner including a dust collecting portion provided in a vacuum cleaner body.

  Conventionally, this type of vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum cleaner body that houses an electric blower. The vacuum cleaner main body is provided with a dust collecting portion in communication with the suction side of the electric blower. In addition, a main body suction port that communicates with the upstream side of the dust collecting portion is formed in the front portion of the cleaner body, and a hose body, an extension pipe, a floor brush, and the like are sequentially connected to the main body suction port. .

As a dust collecting part of such a vacuum cleaner, for example, a cyclone separation type that separates dust from air by centrifugation is known. The dust collection unit includes a separation unit that centrifuges the sucked dust from the air, and a part of the suction air swirled by the separation unit flows into the first air passage together with the separated dust. The other part of the suction air flows from the central part of the separation part into the second air path. Then, the suction air flowing into the dust collection chamber passes through the filter disposed in the dust collection chamber and merges with the suction air in the second air passage, and then the filter provided on the downstream side of the second air passage. And is sucked into the electric blower (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2004-135994 A (page 4, FIG. 7)

  However, in the above-described electric vacuum cleaner, although the suction air generated by the driving of the electric blower is branched by the separation unit, it finally passes through the common filter and is sucked into the electric blower. As a result, there is a problem that the suction force sequentially decreases in accordance with the degree of clogging.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, and it aims at providing the vacuum cleaner which suppressed the time-dependent fall of suction power.

  In the present invention, the dust collecting part provided in the vacuum cleaner main body sucks in through the main body suction port by driving the first air passage communicating with the suction side of the electric blower from the downstream side of the main body suction port. A second air passage branched from the first air passage on the downstream side of the main body inlet so as to inertially separate dust contained in the air, merged with the first air passage, and communicated with the suction side of the electric blower; A main filter that is provided upstream of the merging position of the first air passage with the second air passage and collects dust, and an auxiliary device that is provided upstream of the merging position of the second air passage and collects dust. A main wind provided with a filter and an opening provided near the upstream side of the auxiliary filter and communicating with the outside air through the second air passage and communicating with the suction side of the electric blower from the main body suction port via the first air passage A secondary air passage communicating with the suction side of the electric blower is formed from the passage and the main body suction port via the second air passage. And a second state that forms a filter cleaning air passage that communicates with the suction side of the electric blower via the auxiliary filter, the second air passage, and the first air passage from the opening. It is.

  According to the present invention, the main filter is provided upstream of the merging position of the first air passage with the second air passage, the auxiliary filter is provided upstream of the merging position of the second air passage, and the main body suction port To form a main air passage communicating with the suction side of the electric blower via the first air passage and a sub air passage communicating with the suction side of the electric blower via the second air passage from the main body suction port. By switching between the state and the second state that forms the filter cleaning air passage communicating with the suction side of the electric blower via the auxiliary filter, the second air passage, and the first air passage from the opening, In the first state, when the amount of dust collected in the first air passage increases and the air passage resistance of the first air passage increases, the dust is branched from the second air passage to the auxiliary filter together with the sucked air. In the 2 state, the upstream side of the auxiliary filter is moved by the outside air sucked from the opening. Since the air permeability of the second air passage is ensured by Kiyoshi, it can be suppressed reduction in suction power over time.

  Hereinafter, the structure of the vacuum cleaner of the 1st Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated with reference to FIG.

  1 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a vacuum cleaner main body, and the vacuum cleaner main body 1 is a so-called canister type vacuum cleaner that can run on a floor surface. The vacuum cleaner main body 1 includes a main body case 4 having a lower case 2 whose upper side is opened to be inclined downward from the rear to the front, and a lid 3 that covers an upper portion of the lower case 2. In the case 4, an electric blower chamber 6 that houses the electric blower 5 is located on the rear side, and a dust collection chamber 8 in which an upper part is opened and closed by the lid 3 and a dust collection unit 7 as a dust collection unit is detachably disposed. Are partitioned by a partition wall P on the front side. Further, the electric blower chamber 6 accommodates a control means 9 for controlling the operation of the electric blower 5 and the like.

  A main body suction port 11 that can communicate with the suction side of the electric blower 5 through the dust collecting unit 7 is formed at the front end of the main body case 4. A hose body 12 is attached to and detached from the main body suction port 11. A hand operating part 13 is provided at the tip of the hose body 12, and a gripping part 14 is provided on the hand operating part 13 to be gripped by an operator. A plurality of setting buttons 15 for setting an operation mode and the like of the electric blower 5 are provided by an operator. The extension pipe 16 and a floor brush 17 as a suction port body are sequentially connected to the distal end portion of the hand operation unit 13 in communication.

  Further, a cord reel around which a power cord (not shown) for supplying power to the electric blower 5 is wound is disposed in the main body case 4 so that the power cord can be taken in and out of the main body case 4.

  The electric blower 5 is disposed along a substantially central position in the left-right direction of the cleaner body 1, that is, along the central axis of the body suction port 11, with the suction side as the front side and the exhaust side as the rear side. Further, the electric blower 5 is operated according to the operation mode set in the control means 9 by the setting button 15.

  The dust collection unit 7 includes a cylindrical communication pipe 21 that communicates with the downstream side of the main body suction port 11, and a main collection as a first dust collection section is provided at the rear end portion on the downstream side of the communication pipe 21. A dust chamber 22 is provided in communication with each other, and a branch pipe 23 is branched at a side portion of the communication pipe 21. In addition, the downstream side of the dust collection unit 7 is connected to the suction side of the electric blower 5 through the suction air passage 25.

  The communication pipe 21 is a pipe having a central axis along the opening direction of the main body suction port 11, and is opened and closed by, for example, the control means 9 between the main body suction port 11 and the downstream side of the main body suction port 11. An opening / closing valve 26 for opening / closing communication with the dust collection chamber 22 is provided. Further, on the downstream side of the communication pipe 21, a branch opening 27 that is a branch part of the branch pipe 23 is formed on the side of the upstream side of the main dust collecting chamber 22, and the branch opening 27 serves as a branch filter. A mesh filter 29 is attached.

  The main dust collection chamber 22 is used mainly when cleaning the electric vacuum cleaner, and is coaxial with the communication pipe 21, that is, linearly with respect to the communication pipe 21 along the central axis of the main body suction port 11. It is connected. In the main dust collection chamber 22, a paper pack 31 as a dust collection bag as a main filter is detachably provided.

  The paper pack 31 is a filter separator that contains coarse dust D1 that is relatively heavy among the dust contained in the suction air and that collects the dust contained in the suction air through the suction air. A mouth frame 33 fixed to the dust collection chamber 22 and a bag body 34 attached to the mouth frame 33 are provided.

  The mouth frame 33 is formed of cardboard or the like, and an opening 36 into which the downstream end of the communication pipe 21 is inserted is formed at a substantially central portion.

  The bag body 34 is formed in a bag shape by laminating a plurality of layers of air permeable materials (not shown), and is folded in an unused state and configured to swell throughout the main dust collecting chamber 22 when used. Further, the bag body 34 is integrated with the mouth frame 33 by attaching the opening side to the peripheral edge portion of the opening 36 of the mouth frame 33. Further, the bag 34 has a fineness of the mesh filter 29 or more.

  The main dust collection chamber 22 has a communication opening 38 formed at the downstream end thereof and communicates with the suction air passage 25, and the suction of the electric blower 5 from the main body suction port 11 together with the communication pipe 21 and the suction air passage 25. A straight first air passage 39 communicating with the side is defined. The communication opening 38 may be provided with a filter that is about the same as a urethane filter.

  On the other hand, the branch pipe 23 is partitioned along the outer wall portion of the main dust collecting chamber 22, for example, and has an upstream end connected to the branch opening 27 of the communication pipe 21 via the mesh filter 29, and a downstream opening 41 at the downstream end. Communicates with the suction air passage 25. For this reason, the branch pipe 23, together with the communication pipe 21 and the suction air passage 25, is branched from the first air passage 39 to the side on the upstream side of the paper pack 31, and is branched to the first air passage 39 by the suction air passage 25. A second air passage 42 that merges is defined. Accordingly, the second air passage 42 constitutes an inertia separation portion that separates the dust sucked from the main body suction port 11 into the straight direction and the radial direction of the communication pipe 21 by the communication pipe 21 and the branch pipe 23. ing. The downstream opening 41 of the branch pipe 23 is provided with a pleated filter 43 as an auxiliary filter having a finer mesh than the paper pack 31. In addition, the branch pipe 23 is formed with an open air inlet 44 as an opening that communicates the electric blower chamber 6 with the inside of the branch pipe 23. Therefore, the outside air intake port 44 communicates with the outside air through the second air passage 42 and is located upstream of the pleat filter 43.

  The pleated filter 43 collects fine dust D2, which is fine dust contained in the suction air that passes through, and collects the pleated filter 43. The pleated shape formed by the fold along the left-right direction is the entire vertical direction of the cleaner body 1. It is formed over. Further, on the downstream side of the pleated filter 43, dust removing means 45, which is a dust drop body for removing dust attached to the pleated filter 43, is attached.

  The dust removing means 45 is provided so as to be movable in the vertical direction of the cleaner body 1 in a state where the tip portion is fitted to the pleat portion on the downstream side of the pleat filter 43. By this movement, the tip portion is a peak portion of the pleat portion. By repeatedly overriding, the pleated filter 43 is vibrated and the dust attached to the pleated filter 43 is dropped.

  The dust removing means 45 may be configured to be automatically operated by the control means 9 or the like at an arbitrary timing such as when the electric blower 5 is turned on or off, or may be manually operated by an operator. Is possible.

  The outside air intake port 44 is an opening for taking in outside air for cleaning the pleated filter 43, and is formed in a side portion near the upstream side surface so as to face the upstream side surface of the pleated filter 43. Therefore, the outside air inlet 44 has an opening direction along the left-right direction that is the fold direction of the pleat filter 43.

  The suction air passage 25 is a portion where the downstream side of the main dust collecting chamber 22 (first air passage 39) and the downstream side of the branch pipe 23 (second air passage 42) merge. Therefore, the paper pack 31 and the pleat filter 43 are located upstream from the joining position of the first air passage 39 and the second air passage 42. In the suction air passage 25 constituting a part of the second air passage 42, for example, an air passage switching valve 62 that is opened and closed by the control means 9 is provided.

  The air path switching valve 62 is a second valve that opens and closes communication between the first valve body 62a that opens and closes the outside air intake port 44, and the suction air path 25 from the second air path 42 side and the suction side of the electric blower 5. Body 62b, so that either one of these valve bodies 62a, 62b is selectively closed, in other words, when one of the valve bodies 62a, 62b is open, the other is closed. For example, the opening / closing operation is controlled by the control means 9, for example. The air path switching valve 62 is configured to open and close in conjunction with the opening / closing valve 26.

  In addition, outside air means the air outside the dust collection unit 7, and does not necessarily mean the air outside the cleaner body 1.

  And the control means 9 controls operation | movement with each valve body 62a, 62b of the opening-and-closing valve 26 and the air path switching valve 62, and the electric blower 5 of the electric blower 5 is passed from the main body inlet 11 via the 1st air path 39. A first state that forms a main air passage W1 communicating with the suction side and a sub air passage W2 communicating with the suction side of the electric blower 5 from the main body suction port 11 via the second air passage 42, and an outside air intake port It is possible to switch at a predetermined timing from 44 to a second state in which a filter cleaning air passage W3 communicating with the suction side of the electric blower 5 via the pleat filter 43, the second air passage 42 and the first air passage 39 is formed. It has become. For example, the control means 9 is set to select the first state during normal cleaning and to select the second state when finishing cleaning.

  Next, the operation of the first embodiment will be described.

  First, the hose body 12, the extension pipe 16 and the floor brush 17 are sequentially connected to the main body suction port 11, the lid body 3 of the main body case 4 is opened, the dust collecting unit 7 is attached, and the lid body 3 is closed.

  Then, the power cord is pulled out from the main body case 4 and connected to an outlet such as a wall surface. When the operator grips the grip portion 14 and operates a predetermined setting button 15, the control means 9 drives the electric blower 5.

  At the same time, the control means 9 opens the on-off valve 26, closes the first valve body 62a of the air path switching valve 62, and opens the second valve body 62b to select the first state.

  As a result, when the electric blower 5 is driven, negative pressure acts on the floor brush 17, the extension pipe 16, the hose body 12, the main body suction port 11, and the first air passage 39 in the main air passage W1, and the auxiliary air passage. At W2, the negative pressure acts on the floor brush 17, the extension pipe 16, the hose body 12, the main body suction port 11 and the second air passage 42, and dust is sucked together with the air serving as the suction air.

  At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, in the state where the coarse dust D1 is not accumulated in the bag body 34 of the paper pack 31, most of the suction air passes through the main air passage W1 via the first air passage 39. Then, the remainder of the suction air passes through the secondary air passage W2 via the second air passage 42.

  Of the dust contained in the suction air, the relatively heavy coarse dust D1 travels straight through the communication pipe 21 along the suction air passing through the main air passage W1, and the bag of the paper pack 31 in the main dust collection chamber 22 Housed in 34. The coarse dust D1 collected in the bag body 34 of the paper pack 31 is compressed by the suction air passing through the main air passage W1.

  Further, among the dust contained in the suction air, the fine dust D2 having a relatively small weight passes through the mesh filter 29 along the suction air that branches into the auxiliary air passage W2 at the branch opening 27, and further, the branch pipe 23 It goes inside and is collected by the pleat filter 43.

  The suction air on the main air passage W1 side that has passed through the paper pack 31 and the suction air on the sub air passage W2 side that has passed through the pleat filter 43 are merged in the suction air passage 25 and sucked into the electric blower 5. It passes through the electric blower 5 to become exhaust air, and is exhausted from the exhaust hole (not shown) to the outside of the cleaner body 1.

  Furthermore, as the coarse dust D1 gradually accumulates in the bag 34 of the paper pack 31, the air path resistance of the first air path 39 gradually increases, and as shown in FIG. The air volume of the suction air passing through is relatively reduced.

  At this time, since the air volume of the suction air passing through the second air path 42 is relatively increased, the total amount of the suction air passing through both the air paths 39 and 42 hardly changes.

  Next, when the operator operates the setting button 15 when cleaning is finished, the control means 9 operates the dust removal means 45 for a predetermined time, for example, to drop the fine dust D2 collected by the pleat filter 43, and 3, the on-off valve 26 is closed, the first valve body 62a of the air path switching valve 62 is opened, the second valve body 62b is closed and switched to the second state, and the negative pressure of the electric blower 5 is changed to the outside air. A filter cleaning air passage W3 that sequentially operates with the intake port 44, the branch pipe 23, the main dust collecting chamber 22, and the suction air passage 25 is formed. The electric blower 5 may be stopped while the dust removing means 45 is being driven.

  As a result, the upstream side of the pleat filter 43 is washed by the air passing along the crease on the upstream side surface of the pleated filter 43, and the fine dust D2 removed from the pleated filter 43 and the dust removing means 45 are removed from the pleated filter 43. The fine dust D2 is transferred to the paper pack 31 via the branch pipe 23 and the mesh filter 29, collected in the bag 34 of the paper pack 31, and the coarse dust D1 in the paper pack 31 is collected. Compressed by negative pressure.

  Furthermore, the control means 9 stops the electric blower 5 and stops the operation of the vacuum cleaner when a predetermined time elapses.

  If a predetermined amount or more of dust accumulates in the paper pack 31, the lid 3 is opened, the paper pack 31 is removed from the main dust collection chamber 22 and discarded together with the dust, and a new paper pack 31 is collected. Install in chamber 22.

  As described above, in the first embodiment, the paper pack 31 is provided on the upstream side of the suction air passage 25 that is the joining position of the first air passage 39 and the second air passage 42, and this suction air passage is provided. An auxiliary pleat filter 43 is provided in the second air passage 42 upstream of 25, and a main air passage W1 communicating with the suction side of the electric blower 5 from the main body suction port 11 via the first air passage 39; A first state that forms a secondary air passage W2 that communicates with the suction side of the electric blower 5 from the main body inlet 11 via the second air passage 42, and a pleat filter 43, a second air passage from the outside air inlet 44 The second state in which the filter cleaning air passage W3 that communicates with the suction side of the electric blower 5 via the 42 and the first air passage 39 can be switched.

  For this reason, in the first state, when the amount of dust collected in the paper pack 31 in the first air passage 39 increases and the air passage resistance of the first air passage 39 increases, the dust and the suction air flow in the second air passage. Branching from 42 to the pleated filter 43 prevents a reduction in the total amount of the suction air. In the second state, the upstream side of the pleated filter 43 is washed by the outside air sucked from the outside air intake port 44, and the pleated filter 43 By collecting the collected fine dust D2 in the paper pack 31, the pleat filter 43 is prevented from being clogged, the air permeability of the second air passage 42 is ensured, and the first state when the state becomes the first state again is obtained. By securing the air volume of the suction air that is bypassed to the two air passages 42, it is possible to suppress a temporal decrease in the suction force corresponding to the degree of clogging of the paper pack 31.

  That is, in the conventional case, even if the air passage is divided into a plurality of air passages, there is only one filter that finally passes when sucked into the electric blower 5, so if this filter is clogged, the suction force is reduced. In contrast, in the present embodiment, the first air passage 39 and the second air passage 42 are divided and divided in the first state, and the merging position of the air passages 39 and 42 is reduced. By providing the paper pack 31 and the pleat filter 43 on the upstream side, the suction air is bypassed to the second air passage 42 side even if the paper pack 31 of the first air passage 39 used in the main is gradually clogged. Further, not only the reduction in the total amount of suction air is suppressed, but also the reduction in suction force over time can be suppressed by ensuring the air flow rate of the second air passage 42 in the second state.

  Moreover, by opening the outside air intake port 44 along the fold of the pleat filter 43, the outside air sucked from the outside air intake port 44 flows along the fold of the pleat filter 43. Can be washed reliably.

  Further, the first air passage 39 is provided in a straight line from the main body suction port 11, and the second air passage 42 is branched from the first air passage 39 to the side, so that the paper pack 31 is accumulated in the first state. Even if the amount of dust is increased and the air volume of the suction air passing through the first air passage 39 is reduced, the coarse dust D1 travels straight through the communication pipe 21 due to inertia and is collected from the opening 36 into the paper pack 31. , Can prevent a decrease in dust collection efficiency.

  Further, by providing a mesh filter 29 having a coarser mesh than the bag body 34 of the paper pack 31 at the branch portion between the first air passage 39 and the second air passage 42, the coarse dust D1 is generated in the second state in the first state. The mesh filter 29 prevents the air from being sucked into the road 42, and dust can be reliably inertially separated.

  Then, by using a paper pack 31 that is detachable with respect to the main dust collection chamber 22 constituting the first air passage 39 as the main filter, the paper pack 31 is discarded when the coarse dust D1 is fully accumulated. By attaching a new paper pack 31 to the main dust collection chamber 22, the amount of the suction air passing through the first air passage 39 in the first state can be maintained.

  Moreover, since the fine dust D2 collected by the pleat filter 43 is removed by the dust removing means 45 before switching to the second state, clogging of the pleat filter 43 can be more reliably suppressed.

  Further, the air volume of the main air passage W1 and the sub air passage W2 is automatically distributed in response to the clogging of the paper pack 31, and the control means 9 sets the first state according to the cleaning operation of the operator. By automatically switching to the second state, it is possible to easily maintain the suction force only by performing a normal cleaning operation without being particularly conscious of the operator, and the replacement frequency of the paper pack 31 and the pleat filter 43 The frequency of maintenance is reduced, and usability is improved.

  Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In addition, about the structure and effect | action similar to the said 1st Embodiment, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected and the description is abbreviate | omitted.

  In the second embodiment, the mesh filter 29 opens the branch opening 27 in the second state in the first embodiment.

  That is, the mesh filter 29 is opened and closed by, for example, the control means 9 to close the branch opening 27 in the first state, and in the second state, the mesh filter 29 is opened so that the rear side is inclined to the communication pipe 21 side. It is comprised so that it may open.

  Therefore, in the first state, the first air path 39 and the second air path 42 communicate with each other through the mesh filter 29, and in the second state, the first air path 39 and the second air path 39 do not pass through the mesh filter 29. The road 42 is configured to communicate with the road 42.

  When cleaning, the control means 9 in the first state similar to that in the first embodiment is switched. For example, at the end of cleaning, the opening / closing valve 26 is closed, and the air path switching valve 62 is turned on. The first valve body 62a is opened, the second valve body 62b is closed, and the mesh filter 29 is opened to switch to the second state. The negative pressure of the electric blower 5 causes the outside air intake port 44, the branch pipe 23, the main dust collecting A filter cleaning air passage W3 that sequentially operates with the chamber 22 and the suction air passage 25 is formed.

  As a result, the paper pack 31 is provided on the upstream side of the suction air passage 25, which is the position where the first air passage 39 joins the second air passage 42, and the second air passage 42 on the upstream side of the suction air passage 25. An auxiliary pleat filter 43 is provided in the first and second states so that the first state and the second state can be switched. Thus, the same configuration as in the first embodiment is provided. In the second state, the fine dust D2 removed from the pleat filter 43 passes through the mesh filter 29 by opening the rear side of the mesh filter 29 so as to fall down to the communication pipe 21 side in the second state. Therefore, even when the fine dust D2 removed from the pleated filter 43 becomes a relatively large lump, for example, the fine dust D2 can be prevented from adhering to the mesh filter 29.

  In the second embodiment, the first air passage 39 and the second air passage 42 communicate with each other through the mesh filter 29 in the first state, and the first air passage does not pass through the mesh filter 29 in the second state. If the air path 39 and the second air path 42 communicate with each other, the same operation and effect can be achieved with any configuration other than the operation of the mesh filter 29 itself.

  In each of the above embodiments, the crease direction of the pleat filter 43 can be arbitrarily set, for example, in the vertical direction. In this case, by providing the outside air intake port 44 on the upper side of the branch pipe 23, the opening direction of the outside air intake port 44 is set to the direction along the crease direction, and the same effects as the above-described embodiments can be obtained. In addition, the fine dust D2 removed from the pleat filter 43 by the dust removing means 45 falls without being caught by the fold of the pleat filter 43, so that the dust removal efficiency of the pleat filter 43 is improved.

  Furthermore, the dust removing means 45 may be configured not to be provided in order to simplify the configuration of the vacuum cleaner.

  As the main filter, any filter separator other than the paper pack 31 can be used.

  In addition to the mesh filter 29, the branch filter can have any configuration, for example, a plurality of small holes formed in the peripheral surface of the communication pipe 21.

  Further, a plurality of second air passages 42 may be provided.

  The timing of switching between the first state and the second state by the control means 9 is not limited to when the cleaning is started and ended. For example, a clogging detecting means such as a current sensor or a pressure sensor is provided to detect clogging. When the clogging of the pleat filter 43 is detected by the means, the configuration is switched to the second state, the configuration is switched to the second state when the operator inputs a predetermined manual input, or the predetermined time is set in the cleaning state. It can be arbitrarily set, for example, to switch to the second state when it has elapsed.

  The air path switching valve 62 includes the first valve body 62a and the second valve body 62b. In the first state, the air path switching valve 62 is located downstream of the electric blower 5 from the outside air intake port 44 of the second air path 42. If the side and this electric blower 5 are connected and the outside air intake port 44 and the 2nd air path 42 are connected in a 2nd state, the structure can be set arbitrarily.

  Furthermore, each of the valves 26 and 62 or the mesh filter 29 is configured to automatically switch between opening and closing by the control means 9, but may be configured such that the operator manually switches between opening and closing at an arbitrary timing.

  In the second state, the hose body 12, the extension pipe 16 and the floor brush 17 connected to the main body suction port 11 have air path resistance, so that the outside air intake port can be closed without closing the on-off valve 26. Since the outside air taken in from 44 does not flow backward from the main body suction port 11 to the upstream side which is the hose body 12 side, the same effect as each of the above embodiments can be obtained even if the on-off valve 26 is not provided. It is possible. In this case, the configuration and the control by the control means 9 can be simplified.

  The details of the vacuum cleaner are not limited to the above configuration, and the vacuum cleaner is not limited to the canister type, for example, self-propelled (running assist type) or autonomous running type (robot type) electric For example, a vacuum cleaner or the like may be used. For example, the floor brush 17 may be an upright type or a handy type directly formed on the lower surface of the vacuum cleaner body 1.

It is an explanatory side view showing the 1st state of the vacuum cleaner of a 1st embodiment of the present invention. It is an explanatory side view showing the state where dust was collected by the main filter of the 1st state of a vacuum cleaner same as the above. It is explanatory side view which shows the 2nd state of a vacuum cleaner same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows a vacuum cleaner same as the above. It is explanatory side view which shows the 2nd state of the vacuum cleaner of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

1 Vacuum Cleaner Body 5 Electric Blower 7 Dust Collection Unit as Dust Collection Unit
11 Main unit inlet
26 On-off valve
29 Mesh filter as branch filter
31 Paper pack as main filter
39 First airway
42 Second wind path
43 Pleated filter as auxiliary filter
44 Outside air intake as opening
62 Airway selector valve
W1 Main wind path
W2 secondary air passage
W3 Filter cleaning air passage

Claims (5)

A vacuum cleaner body containing an electric blower,
A dust collector provided in the vacuum cleaner body;
A main body suction port provided in the vacuum cleaner main body in communication with the upstream side of the dust collecting portion,
The dust collecting part is
A first air passage communicating from the downstream side of the main body suction port to the suction side of the electric blower;
Branching from the first air path downstream of the main body suction port so as to inertially separate dust contained in the air sucked through the main body suction port by driving the electric blower, A second air passage that merges and communicates with the suction side of the electric blower;
A main filter provided on the upstream side of the merging position of the first air passage with the second air passage, and collecting dust;
An auxiliary filter provided on the upstream side of the merging position of the second air passage, and collecting dust;
An opening provided near the upstream side of the auxiliary filter and communicating with the outside air through the second air passage;
A main air passage that communicates from the main body suction port via the first air passage to the suction side of the electric blower and a main air passage that communicates from the main body suction port via the second air passage to the suction side of the electric blower. A first state that forms a secondary air passage, and a filter cleaning air passage that communicates from the opening to the suction side of the electric blower via the auxiliary filter, the second air passage, and the first air passage A vacuum cleaner characterized in that it can be switched between a second state and a second state. The auxiliary filter is a pleated filter having a plurality of folds along a predetermined direction,
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the opening has an opening direction along a fold of the pleated filter. Air path switching that allows the downstream side of the electric blower to communicate with the suction side of the electric blower from the opening of the second air path in the first state, and communicates the opening and the second air path in the second state. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a valve. 4. An on-off valve that opens and closes in conjunction with the air path switching valve, opens the communication between the main body suction port and the dust collecting portion in the first state, and closes the communication in the second state. Electric vacuum cleaner. Comprising a branch filter located at a branch portion between the first air path and the second air path;
In the first state, the first air passage and the second air passage communicate with each other through the branch filter,
5. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein, in the second state, the first air path and the second air path communicate with each other without passing through the branching filter.

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