JP2010268941A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum cleaner having a suction tool made compact and light-weight and having a disinfecting effect sufficiently kept even for long time use by providing UV radiation means inside a rotation brush. <P>SOLUTION: The vacuum cleaner 1 includes a rotation brush 7 provided in the suction tool 6 to easily suck dust on a floor surface by raking up the dust on the floor surface, and a UV lamp 8 inside the rotation brush 7, so that the suction tool 6 and the rotation brush 7 are disinfected by irradiation with UV rays. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a vacuum cleaner having a mechanism for sterilizing a rotating brush in a suction tool.

  Conventionally, as this type of vacuum cleaner, there is one that disinfects a rotating brush by providing a sterilizing means in the vicinity of the rotating brush in the suction tool (for example, see Patent Document 1).

JP 2005-40352 A

  However, in the conventional vacuum cleaner, since the sterilizing means is arranged in the vicinity of the rotating brush, it becomes easy to get dirty, and the effect is reduced after long-term use. Moreover, since it was necessary to ensure the place for arrange | positioning a sterilization means, the suction tool itself had the subject that it enlarged. The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and by sterilizing the inside of the rotating brush rotating brush that is in direct contact with the floor surface to be cleaned, it saves space, suppresses the growth of bacteria, and is always in a clean state. An object is to provide a vacuum cleaner.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention sucks dust on the floor surface from an electric blower that generates suction air, and a dust suction port that communicates with the electric blower and is provided on the lower surface. A suction tool, a rotary brush provided in the suction tool for facilitating the suction of floor dust by scraping the floor dust, and an ultraviolet irradiation means inside the rotary brush for irradiation. This is a vacuum cleaner that can sterilize the suction tool and the rotating brush.

  The vacuum cleaner of the present invention can reduce the size and weight of the suction tool by providing the ultraviolet irradiation means inside the rotating brush, and can sufficiently maintain the sterilizing effect even for long-term use. it can.

Overview of the electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention Overview of rotating brush in the same embodiment Overview of the electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention Illustration of UV irradiation time Overview of the electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention Overview of dust detection means in the same embodiment Relationship diagram between dust amount and ultraviolet irradiation time in the same embodiment

The first invention includes an electric blower that generates suction air, a suction device that communicates with the electric blower and sucks dust on the floor surface from a dust suction port provided on a lower surface, and the suction tool. And irradiating the ultraviolet irradiation means with a vacuum brush provided with a rotating brush for facilitating suction of the floor dust by scraping the floor dust and an ultraviolet lamp provided in the rotating brush. Thus, the suction tool and the rotating brush are sterilized, and particularly the rotating brush that contacts the floor surface is sufficiently sterilized, so that it can be used in a clean state at all times.

  In the second invention, the ultraviolet irradiation means is irradiated when the rotating brush is operating.

  In the third invention, irradiation and extinguishing of the ultraviolet irradiation means are repeated at a predetermined interval.

  According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a dust detection means that reacts to dust of a predetermined size, and the ultraviolet irradiation means is irradiated when dust sucked by the dust detection means is detected.

  According to a fifth aspect of the invention, the intensity of irradiation with the ultraviolet irradiation means is changed according to the amount of dust detected by the dust detection means.

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

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional structure diagram of a suction tool. In FIG. 1, an electric blower 2 is accommodated in the cleaner body 1 to generate a suction force. A hose 3 is connected to the vacuum cleaner main body 1, and an operation unit 4 operated by a user is provided in a part of the hose 3. Further, a suction tool 6 is connected from the hose 3 through the extension pipe 5. Inside the suction tool 6 is provided a rotating brush 7 for efficiently collecting dust on the floor surface to be cleaned. In addition, ultraviolet irradiation means 8 is provided inside the rotating brush 7. The vacuum cleaner main body 1 stores a dust collection bag 8 that collects dust on the floor surface.

  About the vacuum cleaner comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below. In FIG. 1, a lamp capable of irradiating ultraviolet light inside the rotating brush 7 or an ultraviolet irradiating means 8 composed of LEDs can be provided, and the ultraviolet irradiating means 8 is used when the electric vacuum cleaner is operated. Is also driven to irradiate ultraviolet rays.

  In particular, the ultraviolet irradiation at this time is used to operate the electric blower 2 and the rotating brush 7 in the suction tool 6 by the operation unit 4 if the ultraviolet irradiation is performed from the time when the electric vacuum cleaner is energized. Even in a state where the person does not instruct, even when the cleaning is completed due to dust remaining on the rotating brush 7 when the previous cleaning is completed by irradiating ultraviolet rays, It becomes possible to sterilize and maintain a clean state.

  Here, in the rotating brush 7 having the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 as shown in FIG. 2, a transparent resin such as acrylic is used for the resin portion constituting the rotating brush 7, or the resin portion It is conceivable to use one with a hole. The ultraviolet rays irradiated by the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 are irradiated most strongly on the brush portion of the rotary brush 7. By doing so, the brush portion of the rotating brush 7 is sterilized by ultraviolet rays, and the brush portion that will most frequently touch the floor surface during cleaning can be kept clean at all times.

Further, in the past, there has been a configuration in which a part of the suction tool 6 is provided with the ultraviolet irradiation means 8. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 is arranged by the brush portion with the dust repaired by the rotating brush. The ultraviolet irradiation means 8 irradiation part will become dirty immediately after being applied to the part. However, since the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 is provided in the rotary brush 7 as in the present invention, the dust on the floor surface does not directly hit the brush resin part, so that the irradiation part of the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 is less likely to get dirty. Even when used for a long time, the sterilizing effect by the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 can be maintained. Furthermore, by providing the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 in the rotating brush 7, it is not necessary to provide a space for arranging the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 in the suction tool 6, and simultaneously reducing the size and weight of the suction tool 6. become able to.

  Further, since the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 irradiates the floor surface to be cleaned through the rotary brush 7 and the portion of the suction tool 6 facing the rotary brush 7, particularly the floor surface is sterilized simultaneously with the cleaning. Thus, it is possible to obtain an effect of making the floor surface cleaner. In addition, by configuring the rotary brush 7 to be removable from the suction tool 6, the user can clean the rotary brush 7 when it becomes dirty, and always use the sterilizing effect in the best condition. Can continue to do.

(Embodiment 2)
As shown in FIG. 3, the suction tool 6 includes a floor switch 10 for detecting that the suction tool 6 is attached to the floor surface. Usually, when there is such a floor switch 10, the rotating brush 7 is rotated when the suction tool 6 is worn on the floor. In the present invention, only when the suction tool 6 is put on the floor and the floor switch 10 is ON, the rotating brush 7 is rotated and the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 is irradiated at the same time. As a result, when cleaning the floor surface, ultraviolet rays are irradiated when the rotating brush 7 comes closest to the floor surface, so that the sterilizing effect on the floor surface can be maximized. When the suction tool 6 floats from the floor surface, the energy saving effect can be obtained by stopping the irradiation of the ultraviolet irradiation means 8.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 4, the energy saving effect can be achieved by turning on / off the irradiation of the ultraviolet irradiation means 8. At this time, by gradually increasing the irradiation time of the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 in accordance with the time when the suction tool 6 is attached to the floor surface, the floor surface with a lot of dirt, that is, the floor provided on the suction tool 6. In the state where the surface switch 10 is turned on for a long time, a large amount of ultraviolet rays are irradiated so that the sterilization is sufficiently performed. When the surface of the floor switch 10 is relatively short, that is, the time when the floor surface switch 10 is on is short. The amount of irradiation can be reduced. This makes it possible to more efficiently irradiate ultraviolet rays depending on the level of dirt on the floor, and at the same time, more effective energy saving can be achieved.

(Embodiment 3)
As shown in FIG. 5, after the dust on the floor collected through the suction tool 6 and the rotating brush 7 passes between the extension pipe 5 and the hose 3 between the cleaner body 1 and the suction tool 6, the cleaner body 1 Before being sucked in, dust detection means 11 for detecting the dust is provided. The dust detection means 11 can be disposed anywhere between the cleaner body 1 and the suction tool 6, and can be disposed in the vicinity of the operation unit 4, for example. As shown in FIG. 6, the dust detecting means 11 is composed of a light emitting unit 12 and a light receiving unit 13, and the dust received by the light receiving unit 13 is blocked by the time and quantity when the dust passes between them. Is determined. While the dust on the floor surface is sucked and detected by the dust detection means 11, it is considered that there is a large amount of dust near the floor surface with which the suction tool 6 is in contact. Is to be performed.

Where there is no dust, the rotating brush 7 is not soiled by dust. However, in places where there is a lot of dust, the rotating brush 7 comes into contact with dust scattered on the floor surface, and the rotating brush 7 becomes dirty. Therefore, when cleaning is performed, that is, when dust is present where the suction tool 6 and the rotating brush 7 are in contact with each other, the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 is operated to irradiate the rotating brush 7 and the floor surface with ultraviolet rays. 6. When there is no dust on the rotating brush 7 days of contact, the ultraviolet irradiation means 8 is stopped and the ultraviolet irradiation is stopped so that an efficient sterilization effect can be obtained. Become.

  The dust detection means 11 is on the floor surface and can generally detect the amount and size of the sucked dust. It can be almost determined by the magnitude and time of the amount of light that is passed between the issuing unit 12 and the light receiving unit 13 within a predetermined time and the light received by the light receiving unit 13 is blocked. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 7, when the amount of dust detected by the dust detection unit 11 is large, control is performed so that the irradiation time of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 8 is lengthened. Although this relationship is a proportional relationship in FIG. 7, it is conceivable to perform control so as to increase the irradiation time of ultraviolet rays when the amount of dust detected by changing exponentially is small.

  Conversely, when the amount of dust detected by the dust detection unit 11 is small, control is performed to shorten the irradiation time of the ultraviolet irradiation unit 8. By performing such control, the rotating brush 7 and the floor surface are sufficiently sterilized and the sterilization is performed in a small amount of dirt, and the energy is saved. And energy saving can be achieved at the same time.

  As described above, the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention can be sterilized not only on the floor surface but also on the surface that can be contacted with the suction tool. It is particularly useful.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum cleaner main body 2 Electric blower 3 Hose 4 Operation part 5 Extension 6 Suction tool 7 Rotating brush 8 Ultraviolet irradiation means 9 Dust collection bag 10 Floor switch 11 Dust detection means 12 Light emission part 13 Light receiving part

Claims (5)

An electric blower that generates suction air; a suction device that communicates with the electric blower and sucks dust on the floor surface from a dust suction port provided on the lower surface; An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: a rotating brush for facilitating suction of dust on the floor surface by scraping; and an ultraviolet irradiation means provided inside the rotating brush. 2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the ultraviolet irradiation means is irradiated when the rotating brush is in operation. 2. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein irradiation and extinguishing of the ultraviolet irradiation means are repeated at a predetermined interval. 2. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising dust detection means for detecting dust, wherein the dust detection means irradiates the ultraviolet irradiation means when dust sucked from the floor surface is detected. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the intensity of irradiation by the ultraviolet irradiation means is changed according to the amount of dust detected by the dust detection means.