JP2010022855A - Suction tool for vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a suction tool for a vacuum cleaner whose attitude can be desirably switched to be suitable for gap cleaning. <P>SOLUTION: The suction tool 205 includes a housing 214, a connection mechanism 216, and a connection tube 215. The suction tool 205 has a connection means for connecting the housing 24 so that one end side of the connection tube is oscillatablly in the thickness direction of the housing 214 and rotatably in the axial direction of the connection tube 215. By switching a projection direction of the connection tube 215 with respect to the housing 214, an attitude of the suction tool 205 can be switched between a basic attitude capable of moving the housing 214 forward/backward in the depth direction in a state that a main suction port 224 faces a face 400 to be cleaned and an ereted attitude capable of moving the housing 214 in the width direction in a state that the front face of the housing 214 faces a face 400 to be cleaned. A control means is provided to control turning of the connection tube 215 in the axial direction in a raised attitude of the housing 214. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a suction tool that is connected to a vacuum cleaner body, sucks dust on a surface to be cleaned, and sends it to the vacuum cleaner body side.

  A vacuum cleaner generally has a main body provided with an electric blower, a rear end attached to the main body, a suction hose provided with an operation part at the front end, and a rear end connected to the operation part of the suction hose. The tip end side has a suction pipe to which a suction tool is connected. The user performs cleaning by grasping a grip provided in the operation unit and moving the suction tool back and forth along the surface to be cleaned.

  The conventional suction tool has a shape connected to the suction pipe in a so-called T-shape so that dust on the surface to be cleaned can be efficiently sucked when moved back and forth. That is, the suction tool has a housing having a predetermined width, thickness, and depth, and the width direction of the housing is longer than the thickness and depth. A connecting cylinder is provided at the center in the width direction of the housing, and the connecting cylinder is coupled to the tip of the suction pipe.

  The user grasps the grip provided in the operation unit, sets the suction tool connected to the tip of the suction pipe so that the width direction of the housing is substantially perpendicular to the length direction of the suction pipe, and moves the suction tool Clean it back and forth. As a result, the surface to be cleaned can be efficiently cleaned in units of the width of the housing.

  By the way, the surface to be cleaned includes not only the central portion of the floor surface having a large area, but also the boundary with the wall at the corner of the floor surface, the bottom of the bed, the gap between the wall and the furniture, etc. However, dust must be able to be captured well by the suction tool.

  Therefore, conventionally, the suction tool is rotatable with respect to the suction pipe, and the angle and direction of the suction tool can be changed at the tip of the suction pipe.

  An example of such a configuration is shown in FIG. 19 of Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-262878 (Patent Document 1).

JP-A-10-262878

  In the configuration proposed in Patent Document 1, the suction tool attached to the tip of the suction pipe rotates the suction tool so that the width direction of the housing is parallel to the length direction of the suction pipe. Can do. Thereby, if there exists a clearance beyond the depth direction of a housing, a suction tool can be inserted in the clearance and it can clean.

  However, in the configuration proposed in Patent Document 1, the suction tool cannot be inserted into a gap having a width narrower than the length of the housing of the suction tool in the depth direction, and cleaning cannot be performed. However, the gap between the furniture and the wall or the gap between the furniture and the furniture is often only narrow enough to allow the suction pipe to finally enter. Therefore, conventionally, there has been a case where the suction tool is removed from the suction pipe and the clearance is cleaned using the tip of the suction pipe.

  Therefore, the main object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner suction tool that is improved so that it can be cleaned well even in a narrow gap as described above.

  It is another object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner suction tool that can be switched to a form suitable for the case where the surface to be cleaned is wide or narrow.

  Furthermore, this invention aims at providing the suction tool for vacuum cleaners which can perform clearance gap cleaning stably and favorably.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a housing having a predetermined width, thickness and depth, a main suction port formed in the bottom surface of the housing and extending in the width direction of the housing, a front surface of the housing, and a main suction port. The connected sub suction port and the cylindrical member, one end of which is connected to the housing so that the protruding direction of the cylindrical member can be displaced, and the other end protrudes from the housing, and the suction pipe or hose A connecting cylinder that can be connected, and one end side of the connecting cylinder is swingable in the thickness direction of the housing and is rotatable in the axial direction of the connecting cylinder. A basic posture having a connecting means and capable of moving the housing back and forth in the depth direction with the main suction port facing the surface to be cleaned by switching the protruding direction of the connecting cylinder with respect to the housing; The housing can be switched to a standing posture in which the housing can be moved back and forth in the width direction with the sub suction port facing the surface to be cleaned, and the connecting tube rotates in the axial direction when the housing is in the standing posture. The vacuum cleaner suction tool is characterized in that a restricting means for restricting movement is provided.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided the vacuum cleaner suction tool according to the first aspect, wherein the connecting tube is substantially within a thickness range of the housing when the housing is in a standing posture.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided the suction tool for an electric vacuum cleaner according to the first aspect, characterized in that a moving hooking member is provided to assist the movement of the housing when the housing is in a standing posture. is there.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a coupling means for coupling the one end side of the connecting cylinder to the housing so as to be swingable in the width direction of the housing and also swingable in the thickness direction of the housing. The vacuum cleaner suction tool according to claim 2, further comprising a restricting means for restricting the connecting tube from swinging in a thickness direction of the housing when the housing is in a standing posture. is there.

  The invention according to claim 5 is characterized in that the housing is provided with a shutter that opens and closes in order to switch between the opened state and the closed state of the auxiliary suction port. It is a vacuum cleaner suction tool.

  A sixth aspect of the present invention is the vacuum cleaner suction tool according to the fifth aspect, wherein the shutter opens when the housing stands up.

  A seventh aspect of the present invention is the vacuum cleaner suction tool according to the fifth or sixth aspect, wherein the shutter is formed with a ventilation portion.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the housing can be switched between the basic posture and the standing posture by switching the protruding direction of the connecting tube with respect to the housing. When the housing is in the standing posture, the connecting cylinder does not move in the thickness direction of the housing by the rotation restricting means, and only the angle in the protruding direction extending from the housing is within the thickness range of the housing with respect to the housing in the standing posture. It can be changed. Therefore, the protruding direction of the connecting tube can be maintained so that the housing in the standing posture can be easily moved forward and backward in the housing width direction.

  In the invention according to claim 2, when the housing is in the standing posture, the connecting tube is substantially within the thickness range of the housing, and the housing in which the standing posture is stabilized by pushing and pulling (operating) the connecting tube, It can be easily moved back and forth in the width direction.

  A suction hose connected to the main body side of the vacuum cleaner and a suction pipe connected to the distal end side of the suction hose are connected to the connection cylinder. Therefore, the user grips the operation part provided in the suction pipe or the suction hose, and easily moves the housing of the suction tool back and forth in the housing width direction through the connection pipe and the connection cylinder. Can do.

  According to the invention described in claim 3, when the housing is in a standing posture, the housing can be moved back and forth in the width direction in a state where the front side of the housing, that is, the sub suction port faces the surface to be cleaned (floor, carpet, etc.). it can. The movement is smoothly performed by the movement assisting member.

  In the invention according to claim 4, the same effect as that of the invention according to claim 3 is obtained.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, since the sub suction port can be opened and closed by the shutter, the sub suction port can be opened only when it is necessary to suck dust from the sub suction port.

  In the invention described in claim 6, since the shutter opens when the housing is in the standing posture, the sub suction port is automatically opened in the state where the sub suction port faces the surface to be cleaned and dust should be sucked from the sub suction port. Can be opened. Therefore, operability is improved.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, dust can be sucked from the auxiliary suction port even when the shutter is closed through the ventilation window formed in the shutter. For example, when the housing is in the basic posture, dust is mainly sucked from the main suction port, but when the shutter is open, dust can be sucked simultaneously from the sub suction port on the front surface of the housing. If the vent is formed in the shutter as in claim 7, the sub-suction port is closed when the shutter is closed, but the shutter vent is open at the front of the housing. Therefore, it becomes possible to suck dust in front of the housing through this ventilation portion with a relatively strong suction force. In this manner, dust in the front of the housing can be sucked in auxiliary via the vent portion of the shutter while sucking in dust from the main suction port.
Various modifications are possible.

It is a right view of the vacuum cleaner 200 which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure for demonstrating operation which switches the attitude | position of the suction tool 205 in the vacuum cleaner 200. FIG. It is a right view of the vacuum cleaner 200 in the state in which the suction tool 205 was switched to the standing posture. It is a figure which shows the specific structural example of the rotation mechanism 209, and is an axial direction longitudinal cross-sectional view of the operation part 203 part. FIG. 5 is a right side view of the suction tool 205, and is a diagram showing a state in which the suction tool 205 is in a basic posture on the surface to be cleaned 400. It is the longitudinal cross-sectional view which cut | disconnected the suction tool 205 in the left-right direction center. It is a top view of the suction tool 205. FIG. It is a rear view when the suction tool 205 is made into the standing posture. It is a fragmentary sectional view of FIG. It is a right view when the suction tool 205 is made into the standing posture. It is a bottom view of the suction tool 205 in a standing posture. It is a figure for demonstrating the connection structure which can rotate the housing 214 and the connection mechanism 216 in the suction tool 205, and is the front side sectional view which looked at the state which cut | disconnected the housing 214 perpendicularly | vertically in the width direction from the front side. is there. It is a figure for demonstrating the connection structure which can rotate the housing 214 and the connection mechanism 216 in the suction tool 205, and is the front side sectional view which looked at the state which cut | disconnected the housing 214 perpendicularly | vertically in the width direction from the front side. is there. It is a figure for demonstrating the modification of the movement auxiliary member with which the suction tool 205 is equipped, and the suction tool 205 is a rear view in a standing posture. It is a bottom view of the suction tool 205 shown in FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the further another structural example of the movement assistance member for assisting the movement of the housing 214 in the standing posture of the suction tool 205, and is a rear view of the suction tool 205 in the standing posture. It is a bottom view of the suction tool 205 shown in FIG. A and B are bottom views of the suction tool 205 in a standing posture, respectively. It is a figure which shows the modification of the shutter 225, and is a front view of the suction tool 205. FIG. It is a figure which shows the other modification of the shutter 225, and the suction tool 205 is a front view in a basic posture. It is a right view of the basic posture of the suction tool 265 which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the basic posture of the suction tool 265 which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a front view of the standing posture of the suction tool 265 which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is a top view at the time of the basic posture of the suction tool 275 which concerns on other embodiment of this invention. It is the right-side longitudinal cross-sectional view which looked at the longitudinal cross-section which cut | disconnected the center of the suction tool 275 shown in FIG. 24 in the front-back direction from the right side. It is a schematic diagram which shows the state which inserted the suction tool 205 shown in FIG. 8 in the clearance gap for cleaning. When the suction tool 205 is deformed and the lower end portion and the upper end portion of the housing 214 are compared, the lower end portion is a rear view in an upright state showing an example in which the thickness is wider. It is a mimetic diagram for explaining the state where suction tool 205 is made into a standing posture and a vacuum cleaner is used like a bowl.

  FIG. 1 is a right side view of a vacuum cleaner 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, in FIG. 1, the left side is the front, the right side is the rear, the near side is the left, the back side is the right, and when describing each component of the vacuum cleaner 200, The description will be made while distinguishing left and right and top and bottom.

  The vacuum cleaner 200 includes a vacuum cleaner body 201, a suction hose 202, an operation unit 203, a suction pipe 204, and a suction tool 205. The electric vacuum cleaner main body 201 incorporates an electric blower (not shown), and the electric blower generates a suction force.

  A connecting portion 205 provided on the rear end side of the suction hose 202 is detachably connected to the front side of the electric vacuum cleaner main body 201. The suction hose 202 is flexible and can be bent into any shape. An operation unit 203 is attached to the opposite side (tip side) of the suction hose 202. The operation part 203 includes a pipe part 206 extending in the axial direction of the suction hose 202, a grip 207 extending from the pipe part 206 to the rear side in the direction intersecting the axial direction, and a grip 207 with respect to the central axis of the pipe part 206. And a subgrip 208 provided on the opposite side (side separated by 180 °). Further, a rotation mechanism 209 is interposed between the distal end side of the suction hose 202 and the operation unit 203, and the operation unit 203 and the suction hose 202 are connected to each other so as to be rotatable around an axis.

  The suction pipe 204 is a longitudinal, for example, resin pipe that connects the operation unit 203 and the suction tool 205.

  The suction pipe 204 has a front end side (side to which the suction tool 205 is attached) 211 is coaxially arranged in a rear end side (side to which the operation unit 203 is connected) 212 with the central portion in the length direction as a boundary. It is housed and configured to be variable in length. The length can be varied by operating a lock button 213 provided at the center of the suction pipe 204.

  The suction tool 205 includes a housing 214, a connection cylinder 215, and a coupling mechanism 216 that attaches the connection cylinder 215 to the housing 214.

  The rear end side 212 of the suction pipe 204 can be detached from the operation unit 203, and the operation unit 203 can be directly coupled to the connection cylinder 215 of the suction tool 205.

  In the vacuum cleaner 200 according to this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the posture of the suction tool 205 can be switched by twisting the suction pipe 204 about its axis.

  More specifically, the suction tool 205 normally takes the basic posture shown in FIG. 1, and in this basic posture, a main suction port described later faces the surface to be cleaned 400. From this state, when the suction pipe 204 is twisted about 90 ° around the axis, as shown in FIG. 2, the suction tool 205 is used as a surface to be cleaned 400 (in FIG. 2, the surface 400 to be cleaned is used as a flooring surface for convenience of understanding). It is shown in a state of spreading in the paper surface direction).), However, it remains in the basic posture but is rotated by 90 °. Further, when the suction pipe 204 is further twisted around the axis to rise to an obliquely easy-to-operate state, the suction tool 205 is switched to the standing posture as shown in FIG.

  As will be described later, the standing posture of the suction tool 205 means a state in which the sub suction port formed in the housing 214 of the suction tool 205 faces the surface to be cleaned 400, and the thickness direction of the housing 214 is horizontal. In this state, the suction pipe 204 extends in the width direction of the housing 214.

  In this state, in the operation unit 203 connected to the suction pipe 204, the sub grip 208 is positioned above and the grip 207 is positioned below. Therefore, the suction tool 205 is operated by holding the sub grip 208.

  Thus, the suction tool 205 can switch its posture between the basic posture and the standing posture, which is one of the features of this embodiment.

  When the suction pipe 204 is twisted around the axis, the grip 207 may be rotated while holding the grip 207. That is, as shown in FIG. 1, when the user turns the grip 207 from the normal operation state in which the suction tool 205 is in the basic posture, the suction pipe 204 rotates around the axis in accordance with the operation. Then, when the grip 207 is rotated approximately 180 ° and the sub grip 208 is moved upward, the user may re-grip the sub grip 208. The user can hold the sub grip 208 and operate the suction tool 205 in the standing posture to perform clearance cleaning or the like.

  In this case, as described with reference to FIG. 1, the suction hose 202 is connected to the operation unit 203 via the rotation mechanism 209, so there is no need to rotate the suction hose 202, and the suction hose 202 is left as it is. Thus, the grip 207 can be twisted and the suction pipe 204 can be rotated about its axis. Therefore, the grip 207 and the suction pipe 204 can be easily rotated.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a specific configuration of the rotation mechanism 209 and is an axial longitudinal sectional view of the operation unit 203 portion.

  Referring to FIG. 4, the operation portion 203 includes a pipe portion 206, a grip 207 protruding upward from the pipe portion 206, and an outer peripheral surface of the pipe portion 206, in the axial direction of the pipe portion 206. A grip 207 and a sub grip 208 provided on the opposite side of 180 ° are included. Behind the pipe part 206, the tip of the suction hose 202 is fitted in a concentric circle so as to be rotatable.

  Specifically, a cylindrical connecting cylinder 217 is fixed to the tip of the suction hose 202, and a cover cylinder 218 is fitted on the concentric circle at the rear of the connecting cylinder 217. The front portion of the connecting cylinder 217 is fitted on the pipe portion 206 concentrically. In addition, a pair of flanges 219 and 220 are formed on the front side of the connecting cylinder 217, and a retaining protrusion 221 provided on the operation unit 203 is fitted between the flanges 219 and 220. It is connected so that it can rotate freely and cannot be pulled out. In order to prevent air from leaking from the gap between the pipe portion 206 and the connecting cylinder 217, a seal packing 222 is disposed between them.

  With this configuration, the operation unit 203 is connected to the suction hose 202 and the connecting cylinder 217 and the cover cylinder 218 fixed thereto so as to be rotatable in the axial direction.

  Next, the configuration of the suction tool 205 that can be switched between the basic posture and the standing posture by twisting the suction pipe 204 will be described in detail.

  FIG. 5 is a right side view of the suction tool 205 and shows a state in which the suction tool 205 is in a basic posture on the surface to be cleaned 400. FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the suction tool 205 cut at the center in the left-right direction. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the suction tool 205.

  5 to 7, the suction tool 205 includes a housing 214, a connection cylinder 215, and a coupling mechanism 216.

  The housing 214 has a width W, a thickness T, and a depth D, and has a dimensional relationship of width W> depth D> thickness T.

  On the bottom surface 223 of the housing 214, a main suction port 224 that is long in the width direction of the housing 214 is formed near the front thereof. In the basic posture, the main suction port 224 faces the surface to be cleaned 400. Dust is sucked from the main inlet 224.

  The housing 214 is also provided with a shutter 225 that can be opened and closed on the front surface thereof. The shutter 225 extends in the width direction of the housing 214 and is attached to the front surface of the housing 214. A rotatable roller 226 that protrudes in an oblique direction is attached to the left and right sides of the shutter 225. The roller 226 functions as a movement assisting member when the suction tool 205 moves when the suction tool 205 is in a standing posture.

  The shutter 225 is further provided with an impact absorbing bar 227 extending in the width direction of the housing 214. The shock absorbing bar 227 is formed of an elastic body, and when the front surface of the suction tool 205 hits a wall or the like, the absorbing bar 227 first hits the wall and alleviates the shock when hit. The shock absorbing bar 227 also functions as a damage preventing member that does not damage the wall or furniture when the suction tool 205 hits the wall or furniture. The shock absorbing bar 227 may be a bulging portion formed integrally with the shutter 225, and a brushed cloth may be attached to the outer surface thereof.

  In addition to the impact absorbing bar 227, a damage preventing member is disposed in the suction tool 205 as necessary. Specifically, a scratch preventing brushed cloth 228 having an arc shape in plan view is attached to the upper surface of the housing 214, and an elastic sheet 229 for preventing scratches is provided on both the left and right side surfaces of the housing 214. Further, a brushed cloth 230 for preventing damage is also attached to the outer peripheral surface of the coupling mechanism 216.

  A rotating brush 232 is provided in the housing 214. The rotating brush 232 has a rotating shaft 233 extending in the width direction of the housing 214, and a plurality of types of brushes 234 and 235 and an elastic spatula 236 are spirally planted on the peripheral surface of the rotating shaft 233. It is a configuration. The rotating brush 232 faces the surface to be cleaned 400 through the main suction port 242.

  The connection mechanism 216 connects the housing 214 and the connection cylinder 215, and allows the protruding direction of the connection cylinder 215 to be displaced with respect to the housing 214.

  Specifically, the coupling mechanism 216 holds the tip 231 of the connection cylinder 215 so as to be swingable in the thickness direction of the housing 214. Further, the coupling mechanism 216 itself is rotatably attached to the housing 214. The direction of rotation is around the axis of the connecting cylinder 215.

  Accordingly, the suction mechanism 205 is cleaned as shown in FIGS. 8 to 10 by rotating the connecting mechanism 216 by 90 ° with respect to the housing 214 and making the front surface of the housing 214 face the cleaning surface 400 in this state. A standing posture in which the depth direction of the housing 214 stands up and down with respect to the surface 400 can be obtained.

  8 is a rear view when the suction tool 205 is in a standing posture, FIG. 9 is a partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 8, and FIG. 10 is a right side view when the suction tool 205 is in a standing posture. It is.

  Furthermore, FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the suction tool 205 in a standing posture.

  In the partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 9, the state of the rotary brush 232, the state of the shutter 225, and the presence of the motor 237 for rotating the rotary brush 232 are shown in the housing 214 in the standing posture. This partial cross section is not a central cross section of the housing 214 in the width direction but a cross section of a portion on the right side in the width direction.

  Referring to FIGS. 8 to 11, when the suction tool 205 is set in an upright posture, the shutter 225 is pushed up by the surface to be cleaned 400 and opened. When the suction tool 205 is in the basic posture, the shutter 225 is lowered by a biasing force of a spring (not shown) and is in a closed state in which the front surface of the housing 214 is closed. However, when the suction tool 205 is switched to the standing posture, the shutter 225 is pushed up by the surface to be cleaned 400 to be in an open state in which the front surface of the housing 214 is opened. Thereby, the sub suction port 238 formed in the front surface of the housing 214 is opened, and the sub suction port 238 faces the surface to be cleaned 400. Therefore, the suction tool 205 can suck dust from the sub suction port 238 facing the surface to be cleaned 400 in the standing posture.

  The sub suction port 238 is connected to the main suction port 224, and the rotating brush 232 faces the sub suction port 238 and the main suction port 224.

  Further, referring to FIG. 8, when the shutter 225 is in the upright posture, the housing 214 is positioned at both ends in the width direction and on the front side of the housing 214 (the side facing the surface to be cleaned 400 in the upright posture in FIG. 8). ), The auxiliary suction port 239 appears. The auxiliary suction port 239 is a suction port that opens to the moving direction side when the suction tool 205 moves in the width direction of the housing 214, that is, when the suction tool 205 is moved back and forth in the standing posture. Therefore, when the suction tool 205 moves, since there is an auxiliary suction port 239 on the moving direction side, even if there is relatively large dust on the surface to be cleaned 400, the dust is removed from the auxiliary suction port 239. Good suction into housing 214.

  When the suction tool 205 is in the standing posture, the roller 226 and the raised cloth 240 are in contact with the surface to be cleaned 400. As described above, the rollers 226 are attached to both ends of the shutter 225 (both ends as viewed in the width direction of the housing 214). On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 11, the raised fabric 240 is provided at both corners of the bottom surface on the side where the rollers 226 are not disposed. Therefore, in the bottom view, the suction tool 205 in the standing posture is stably supported by the two rollers 226 and the two raised cloths 240 at the four corners facing the surface to be cleaned 400.

  In other words, referring to FIG. 8 and FIG. 11, in the suction tool 205 in the standing posture, the rollers 226 and the raised cloth 240 are arranged at the four front corners of the housing 214 facing the surface to be cleaned 400, respectively. The housing 214 is supported by these four points in a stable standing posture. The sub suction port 238 is open between the contact point 241 and the surface to be cleaned 400.

  By the way, the roller 226 and the raised cloth 240 are used for smoothly moving the suction tool 205 in the standing posture when the suction tool 205 moves on the surface to be cleaned 400, that is, when the suction tool 205 moves in the left-right direction in FIG. , Functioning as a movement assisting member. Therefore, in the state shown in FIG. 3, when holding the sub grip 208 and moving the suction tool 205 back and forth via the suction pipe 204, the suction tool 205 maintains a stable standing posture on the surface to be cleaned 400. It can move smoothly.

  Further, in FIG. 10, the connecting cylinder 215 has its tip 231 swingably held with respect to the coupling mechanism 216 rotated by 90 ° with respect to the housing 214, and this swinging direction is shown in FIG. It is a diagonally left-right direction that is shown by an arrow 242 and is raised to the left. Therefore, the suction tool 205 in the standing posture can be operated with the angle and position of the suction pipe 204 (see FIG. 3) and the sub grip 208 connected to the connection cylinder 215 being easily operated.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 8, the connecting cylinder 215 is positioned on the center line in the thickness direction of the housing 214 with respect to the housing 214 in the standing posture. Therefore, the housing 214 in the standing posture is maintained in a stable and easy-to-handle balance state via the connection cylinder 215.

  FIGS. 12 and 13 are views for explaining a rotatable connection structure between the housing 214 and the coupling mechanism 216 in the suction tool 205, and shows a state in which the housing 214 is cut perpendicularly in the width direction from the front side. FIG.

  12 is a sectional view of the positional relationship between the housing 214 and the connection mechanism 216 shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, and FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the positional relationship between the housing 214 and the coupling mechanism 216 shown in FIGS. is there.

  With reference to FIGS. 12 and 13, the coupling mechanism 216 is provided with a flange 243 disposed in the housing 214 on the distal end side thereof. The flange 243 has an inner peripheral edge 244 forming a suction port, and an outer periphery of the flange 243 has an arcuate peripheral surface 245, two locking concave surfaces 246 cut out at a position 180 ° apart from the center, and It includes two positioning flat surfaces 247 formed at a position 90 degrees apart from the locking concave surface 246.

  On the other hand, a lock piece 248 is disposed in the housing 214 adjacent to the flange 243. The lock piece 248 is always elastically biased toward the outer periphery of the flange 243 by the coil spring 249.

  As shown in FIG. 12, when the lock piece 248 is in contact with one of the positioning planes 247 of the flange 243, the coupling mechanism 216 stops at a suitable rotational position when the housing 214 is in the basic posture. It is locked to. The rotation angle of the coupling mechanism 216 is determined in a state where the positioning plane 247 and the lock piece 248 are in contact with each other. However, the coupling mechanism 216 can be easily rotated with respect to the housing 214 from this state.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 13, when the coupling mechanism 216 is rotated to an angle suitable for the standing posture of the housing 214, the lock piece 248 fits into the locking concave surface 246. In this state, unless the housing 214 and the coupling mechanism 216 are twisted with a considerably strong force, the angular positions of the two cannot be changed. That is, when the suction tool 205 is in the standing posture, the connection mechanism 216 is in the rotation position shown in FIG. 10 with respect to the housing 214. In this state, the rotation position of the connection mechanism 216 with respect to the housing 214 is As shown in FIG. 13, the locking concave surface 246 and the locking piece 248 engage with each other to lock the angular position. Therefore, in the standing posture shown in FIG. 10, the coupling mechanism 216 does not easily rotate with respect to the housing 214, and only the connecting cylinder 215 remains while the angular position between the housing 214 and the coupling mechanism 216 is fixed. It can be rotated in the direction of the arrow 242. Therefore, the housing 214 extends in the upright state in the longitudinal direction of the connection pipe 215, in other words, the suction pipe 204 connected to the connection pipe, and the housing 214 does not rotate. There is an advantage that it can be used for clearance cleaning.

  FIG. 14 is a view for explaining a modified example of the movement assisting member provided in the suction tool 205, and shows a rear view of the suction tool 205 in a standing posture. FIG. 15 is a bottom view of the suction tool 205 shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15, suction tool 205 is provided with a pair of rollers (double rollers) 250 for assisting movement of housing 214 in the width direction when housing 214 is in the standing posture. . The double rollers 250 are disposed on the front side of the housing 214 and on both sides of the housing 214 in the width direction. Therefore, when the housing 214 is in the standing posture, the four corners are stably supported by the double roller 250. The double roller 250 is also rotatably attached. Therefore, the housing can move smoothly back and forth in the width direction.

  More specifically, the double roller 250 includes a support member 251 disposed on the front side of the housing 214 on both sides in the width direction, and a support shaft 252 that is held by the support member 251 and extends in the thickness direction of the housing 214. The two shafts 253 are rotatably held at both ends of the support shaft 252.

  In this configuration, the double roller 250 is not attached to the shutter, and the opening / closing operation of the shutter is independent of the state of the double roller 250.

  FIG. 16 is a view for explaining still another configuration example of the movement assisting member for assisting the movement of the housing 214 when the suction tool 205 is in the standing posture, and is a rear view of the suction tool 205 in the standing posture. . FIG. 17 is a bottom view of the suction tool 205 shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIGS. 16 and 17, the suction tool 205 according to this embodiment is not provided with a roller as a movement assist member, and when the shutter 225 is opened, the shutter facing the surface to be cleaned 400 is not opened. The raised cloth 254 adhered to the surface functions as a movement assisting member.

  That is, when the suction tool 205 is in the standing posture, the suction tool 205 is in contact with the surface 400 to be cleaned by the raised cloth 254 and the raised cloth 240. Therefore, these raised cloths 254 and 240 assist the suction tool 205 to move on the surface to be cleaned 400 in the width direction of the housing 214.

  This configuration has an advantage that the configuration can be simplified as compared with the configuration in which the rollers 226 and the double rollers 250 are provided.

  18A and 18B are bottom views of the suction tool 205 in a standing posture, respectively, and a brushed cloth 255 for guiding dust on the surface to be cleaned to the sub suction port on the shutter surface facing the surface to be cleaned. 256 shows a configuration with affixed. Since the suction tool 205 is moved in the vertical direction in FIG. 18A, dust is guided to the auxiliary suction port 238, in particular, the hole 215 a of the connecting cylinder that is opened above the auxiliary suction port 238. It is desirable to use a simple shape.

  That is, in the width direction of the housing 214, a guide surface 257 that guides dust to the center in the thickness direction of the housing 214 is provided at the center in the width direction. As shown in FIG. 18A, the guide surface 257 may be a linear mountain shape in which the center in the width direction of the housing 214 is raised, or may be a guide surface 258 that draws a curved mountain as shown in FIG. 18B.

  Further, these guides may not be constituted by the raised cloths 255 and 256 but may be formed by forming a step for forming the guide surface 257 or 258 on the surface of the shutter 255 facing the surface to be cleaned 400, for example.

  FIG. 19 is a front view of the suction tool 205, showing a modification of the shutter 225. As illustrated in FIG. 19, the shutter 225 may be configured such that a gap 260 is formed between the lower side 259 of the shutter 225 and the surface to be cleaned 400 when the shutter 225 is closed. In this case, when the suction tool 205 is in the basic posture, a gap 260 that is not blocked by the shutter 225 exists on the front side of the suction tool 205. The housing 214 has a main suction port 224 formed on the bottom surface thereof, and a sub suction port 238 connected to the main suction port 224 exists on the front surface thereof. Since there is a gap 260 between the shutter 225 and the surface 400 to be cleaned, dust is sucked from the auxiliary suction port 238 through the gap 260.

  In particular, when the suction tool 205 moves forward in the basic posture, dust on the surface to be cleaned 400 that is in front of the suction tool 205 can be satisfactorily sucked from the gap 260.

  FIG. 20 is a view showing still another modified example of the shutter 225, and the suction tool 205 is a front view in a basic posture.

  In the configuration of FIG. 20, the lower side 259 of the shutter 225 is a side having irregularities in the width direction of the housing 214. Therefore, small gaps 260 and large gaps 261 are alternately formed in the width direction between the surface to be cleaned 400 and the lower side 259 of the shutter 225. By utilizing these gaps, when the suction tool 205 is moved forward in the basic posture, it is possible to satisfactorily suck dust in front of the suction tool 205.

  21 to 23 are a right side view of a basic posture, a front view of the basic posture, and a front view of a standing posture of a suction tool 265 according to another embodiment of the present invention.

  With reference to FIGS. 21 to 23, the suction tool 265 is characterized in that the front surface of the housing 214 is closed by a front plate 266, and a plurality of ventilation windows 267 are formed on the front plate 266. Specifically, for example, five ventilation windows 267 are arranged, and these ventilation windows 267 are arranged in the width direction of the suction tool 265. Therefore, the suction tool 265 can suck dust in front of the suction window 267 through the plurality of ventilation windows 267.

  Further, the lower side 268 of the front plate 266 is a side having irregularities in the width direction of the housing 214, and a gap 268 is formed between the front plate 266 and the surface to be cleaned 400. Therefore, it is possible to suck dust in front of the housing 214 through the gap 269.

  With this configuration, the ventilation window 267 faces the surface to be cleaned 400 in a state where the suction tool 265 is in the standing posture, and dust on the surface to be cleaned 400 can be sucked through the ventilation window 267. Therefore, according to this structure, it can be set as the suction tool 265 of a simpler structure which does not provide a shutter.

  21 to 23, reference numeral 270 denotes a roller, and reference numeral 271 denotes a raised cloth, which functions as a movement assisting member for the housing 214 in the standing posture.

  Since the rest of the configuration is the same as that of the suction tool 205 in the embodiment described above, the corresponding portions are denoted by corresponding numbers, and redundant descriptions are omitted.

  FIG. 24 is a diagram illustrating another configuration of the suction tool, and is a plan view when the suction tool is in the basic posture. The suction tool 275 shown in FIG. 24 differs from the suction tool 205 shown in FIG. 7 in the configuration of a coupling mechanism 276 for connecting the connection tube 215 to the housing 214.

  FIG. 25 is a right-side vertical cross-sectional view of a vertical cross-section obtained by cutting the center of the suction tool 275 shown in FIG.

  Referring to FIGS. 24 and 25, the coupling mechanism 276 holds the connecting tube 215 so as to be pivotable in the left-right direction around the tip thereof, and the coupling mechanism 276 itself moves in the thickness direction with respect to the housing 214. It is pivotally connected. Therefore, when the housing 214 is in the basic posture, the coupling mechanism 276 rotates in the vertical direction with respect to the housing 214, so that the connection cylinder 215 whose tip is held by the coupling mechanism 276 and the rear end side of the connection cylinder are coupled. The suction pipe can extend obliquely rearward with respect to the housing 214 at a desired angle. Further, since the angle is displaced by the rotation of the connecting mechanism 276, the operability is not impaired.

  Further, the connection cylinder 215 can be rotated in the width direction of the housing 214 by the coupling mechanism 276. Therefore, since the housing 214 swings in the left-right direction with respect to the connection pipe 215, that is, the suction pipe 204 extending rearward of the connection pipe 215, operability is not impaired.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 25, a regulation pin 277 for regulating the rotation of the coupling mechanism 276 relative to the housing 214 in a state where the connection cylinder 215 protrudes substantially horizontally behind the housing 214 is provided. ing. The restriction pin 277 is always elastically biased upward by the coil spring 278. The connection mechanism 276 includes a recess 279 that receives the tip of the restriction pin 277 when the rotation angle of the connection mechanism 276 is horizontal with respect to the housing 214.

  Therefore, in the suction tool 275, the connection cylinder 215 is projected horizontally to the rear of the housing 214, and the housing 214 is set in the standing posture in this state, so that the coupling mechanism 276 is moved to the left and right with respect to the housing 214 in the standing posture. It does not rotate in the direction (the thickness direction of the housing) and is fixed at a position protruding upward from the housing 214 in the standing posture. Since the connecting cylinder 215 can rotate in the width direction of the housing 214 with respect to the fixed coupling mechanism 276, the connecting cylinder 215 is tilted in the width direction of the housing 214, and the housing 214 in the standing posture is moved in the width direction. It can be easily operated back and forth.

  That is, the suction tool of the present invention includes the housing, the coupling mechanism, and the connection cylinder. However, the configuration of the coupling mechanism and the connection cylinder is not limited to the coupling mechanism and the connection cylinder described with reference to FIG. , 25, it is possible to use the structure of the coupling mechanism and the connecting cylinder.

  FIG. 26 is a schematic view showing a state in which the suction tool 205 shown in FIG. 8 is inserted into the gap for cleaning the gap. As shown in FIG. 26, when the suction tool 205 is raised, the suction tool 205 can be inserted into a gap slightly wider than the thickness of the housing 214, and the clearance can be easily cleaned. it can. The housing 214 and the coupling mechanism 216 of the suction tool 205 inserted in the gap are provided with a raised cloth 228, an elastic sheet 229, a raised cloth 230, and the like for preventing damage. Even if it hits the wall, it can prevent the furniture and wall from being damaged.

  In the embodiment described so far, the housing 214 in the standing posture is exemplified in such a manner that the thickness of the lower end portion and the thickness of the upper portion thereof are substantially equal when the shutter 225 is opened. However, as shown in FIG. 27, when the suction tool 205 is in the standing posture, the shutter 225 is opened so that the lower end portion and the upper end portion of the housing 214 are thicker at the lower end portion. Also good. By doing so, the stability of the standing housing 214 is increased.

  By the way, when cleaning is performed with the suction tool 205 in an upright position, it is preferable to devise rotation of the rotary brush 232.

  When the suction tool 205 is set in the standing posture, the main suction port 224 is opened on the side surface of the housing 214 in the standing posture as shown in FIG. Therefore, as in the case where the housing 214 is in the basic posture, when the rotating brush 232 is rotated, the rotating brush 232 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 9, and thus on the surface to be cleaned 400 scraped up by the rotating brush 232. Dust may jump out from the main inlet 224 to the side.

  Therefore, when the housing 214 is in the standing posture, it is preferable that the rotation of the rotating brush 232 is made slower than in the basic posture.

  Further, when the housing 214 is in the standing posture, the rotation of the rotating brush 232 may be stopped.

  Alternatively, when the housing 214 is in the standing posture, the rotation direction of the rotating brush 232 may be reversed from that when the housing 214 is in the basic posture. That is, in FIG. 9, the rotating brush 232 is rotated counterclockwise. In this way, the flow of dust stirred by the rotating brush 232 is directed not to the main suction port 224 side but to the inside of the housing. Therefore, even if the housing 214 is in the standing posture, the dust flows from the main suction port 224. There is no fear of jumping out to the side.

  When rotating the rotary brush 232 in the reverse direction as described above, the rotational speed of the rotary brush 232 may be kept low.

  In addition, when the rotating brush 232 is reversely rotated as described above, the stepped portion near the floor surface of the wall is scratched by the wind generated by the rotating brush 232, and dust accumulated on the stepped surface and the crosspiece near the floor is good. There is also an advantage that it can be scraped off.

  Furthermore, as schematically shown in FIG. 28, the suction tool 205 is set in a standing posture, and the electric blower of the vacuum cleaner main body 201 is not operated, and only the rotating brush 232 is moved in the forward direction (when the suction tool 205 is in the basic posture). , The rotating brush 232 functions to sweep up dust on the surface to be cleaned 400 with a scissors. That is, if the suction tool 205 is set in an upright position and only the rotating brush 232 is rotated without operating the electric blower of the main body 201 of the electric vacuum cleaner, the electric vacuum cleaner can be used like a kite.

  The present invention is not limited to the contents of the above embodiments, but within the scope of the claims.

205 Suction tool 214 Housing 215 Connection cylinder 216 Connecting mechanism 223 Bottom surface 224 Main suction port 225 Shutter 226 Roller 233 Rotating brush 233 Shaft 234, 235 Brush 236 Spatula 237 Motor 238 Sub suction port 239 Auxiliary suction port 240 Brushed cloth 250 Double roller 254, 255 , 256 Brushed cloth 265 Suction tool 275 Suction tool 276 Link mechanism 400 Surface to be cleaned

Claims (7)

A housing having a predetermined width, thickness and depth;
A main suction port formed in the bottom surface of the housing and elongated in the width direction of the housing;
A sub suction port formed on the front surface of the housing and connected to the main suction port;
A cylindrical member, one end of which is connected to the housing so that the protruding direction of the cylindrical member can be displaced, and the other end protrudes from the housing, so that a suction pipe or hose can be connected. A connecting tube, and
One end side of the connecting cylinder has a connecting means for connecting the housing so as to be swingable in the thickness direction of the housing and to be rotatable in the axial direction of the connecting cylinder,
A basic posture in which the housing can be moved back and forth in the depth direction with the main suction port facing the surface to be cleaned by switching the protruding direction of the connecting cylinder with respect to the housing, and the sub suction port facing the surface to be cleaned The housing posture can be switched to a standing posture where the housing can be moved back and forth in the width direction.
A suction tool for a vacuum cleaner, comprising: a restricting means for restricting the connecting tube from rotating in the axial direction when the housing is in a standing posture.   The suction tool for a vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the connecting cylinder is substantially within a thickness range of the housing when the housing is in a standing posture.   2. The vacuum cleaner suction tool according to claim 1, further comprising a movement assisting member for assisting the movement of the housing when the housing is in a standing posture. A connecting means for connecting the one end side of the connecting tube to the housing so as to be swingable in the width direction of the housing and also swingable in the thickness direction of the housing;
The suction tool for a vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, further comprising a restricting means for restricting the connecting tube from swinging in a thickness direction of the housing when the housing is in a standing posture.   The housing for a vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the housing is provided with a shutter that opens and closes in order to switch between the opened state and the closed state of the auxiliary suction port. Suction tool.   The vacuum cleaner suction tool according to claim 5, wherein the shutter opens when the housing stands up.   The vacuum cleaner suction tool according to claim 5, wherein the shutter has a ventilation portion.

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