JP2012000458A - Agitator with internal twin motor drive system - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum cleaner that reduces the thickness of a nozzle assembly and improves the weight balance of an agitator and an entire vacuum cleaner.SOLUTION: The floor care apparatus includes a housing having the nozzle assembly 14 and a canister assembly 16. Both a suction generator and a dirt collection vessel 30 are carried on the housing. An agitator cavity is provided on the nozzle assembly. A rotary agitator 40 is provided in the agitator cavity. The rotary agitator includes an internal space. An agitator drive system is provided in the internal space of the rotary agitator. The agitator drive system includes first and second drive motors that simultaneously drive the agitator.

Description

    The present invention relates generally to the field of floor cleaning, specifically to a vacuum cleaner utilizing an agitator with an internal twin motor drive system.

  A vacuum cleaner with a rotating agitator with a single internal drive motor is disclosed in USP 7,070,636. This patentee is the same as the assignee of the present invention (the applicant of the present application).

USP 7,070,636

  The use of an agitator with an internal drive motor eliminates the need for a drive belt and, although necessary, inconvenient and cumbersome maintenance work. This is very advantageous. In addition, the overall design of the drive system is compact. Furthermore, the internal drive system has a high performance reliability and long life.

  Despite these numerous effects, further improvements are possible. The present invention relates to an agitator with an internal twin motor drive system. Such a configuration has more operational effects than a conventional agitator having a single internal drive motor.

  Specifically, when using an internal twin motor drive system, it is possible to provide an agitator with a reduced diameter at the same or higher torque level obtained by a single conventional internal motor design. That is, a vacuum cleaner equipped with a new internal twin motor drive system can be made thinner. This allows you to clean lower bathrooms, kitchen cabinet overhangs and under furniture. Furthermore, since the twin motor can be disposed in the agitator, the overall weight balance of the agitator and the vacuum cleaner can be improved. For this reason, the cleaning performance and overall life of the vacuum cleaner can be improved, and the handling characteristics of the vacuum cleaner can be neutralized, which simplifies the operation.

  In order to achieve the above object and other objects, the present invention described in the present specification provides an improved floor cleaner. The floor cleaner of the present invention comprises a housing provided with a nozzle device and a canister device, an intake air generating device formed on the housing, and a dust receiving container formed on the housing. An agitator cavity is formed in the nozzle device. A rotating agitator is disposed in the agitator cavity. The rotary agitator has an internal space. An agitator drive system is provided in the internal space of the rotary agitator. The agitator drive system includes a first drive motor and a second drive motor.

  More specifically, the first drive motor and the second drive motor are aligned in the internal space. That is, the first drive motor is disposed adjacent to the first end of the rotary agitator, and the second drive motor is disposed adjacent to the second end of the rotary agitator to balance the weight. Air intakes are provided at each end of the rotating agitator. The air discharge port is provided between the first drive motor and the second drive motor. An air filter is provided in an internal space between the air intake port and the drive motor, and cooling air is drawn into the air filter from the air intake port by the first drive motor and the second drive motor. The cooling air flows through the first drive motor and the second drive motor, and then is discharged from the rotary agitator through the air discharge port.

  The invention also relates to a method for driving a rotary agitator in a vacuum cleaner. In the method of the present invention, a first agitator drive motor is prepared, a second agitator drive motor is prepared, and the rotary agitator is simultaneously driven using the first agitator drive motor and the second agitator drive motor.

  More specifically, in the method of the present invention, the first agitator drive motor and the second agitator drive motor are attached to the internal space of the rotary agitator. Next, the first agitator drive motor and the second agitator drive motor are aligned in this internal space so that they face in opposite directions. For this reason, the first agitator drive motor is driven in the clockwise direction, and at the same time, the second agitator drive motor is driven in the counterclockwise direction.

  Furthermore, the present invention includes a step of reducing the overall diameter of the rotating agitator. When the first agitator driving motor and the second agitator driving motor are used to drive the rotating agitator instead of the one driving motor, the diameter can be kept small. That is, the diameter of one drive motor is D and the output is P. On the other hand, the diameter of each of the first agitator drive motor and the second agitator drive motor is smaller than D, and the combined output thereof is at least P. Thus, since the diameter of the agitator can be kept small, the vacuum cleaner, that is, the floor cleaner can be thinned as a whole, and the underhang portion of the cabinet, the furniture, and the like can be more easily cleaned. At the same time, the performance of the vacuum cleaner, i.e. the floor cleaner, is not impaired.

  In the following, several different embodiments of the present invention will be described, which are merely illustrative of the best mode for carrying out the present invention. Of course, without departing from the invention, the invention may be practiced in other embodiments, and some of the details may vary. Accordingly, the accompanying drawings and description are both illustrative and not restrictive.

  The drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification illustrate some aspects of the present invention and, together with the description, explain some principles of the invention.

It is a perspective view which shows the vacuum cleaner comprised according to this invention. It is the schematic of the vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. It is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle device of a vacuum cleaner showing an agitator and an agitator drive system. It is a detailed cross-sectional view of an agitator showing a first power transmission device provided in the internal space of the agitator. FIG. 3 is a detailed cross-sectional view of a first end of an agitator with a first drive motor and a first transmission device. It is a development perspective view of an agitator and an agitator drive system.

 Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail. One embodiment is shown in the accompanying drawings.

  1 and 1a showing the floor cleaner 10 of the present invention will be described. Although the floor cleaner 10 will be described as an upright vacuum cleaner, embodiments of the present invention include canister-type cleaners, extractors, etc. that utilize the rotary agitator and agitator drive system 12 of the present invention described below. It is included.

  The illustrated vertical vacuum cleaner 10 includes a housing 11 having a nozzle device 14 and a canister device 16. The canister device 16 further includes an operation handle 18 and a hand grip 20. The hand grip 20 is equipped with an operation switch 22 for turning the vacuum cleaner 10 on and off. Needless to say, current is supplied to the vacuum cleaner 10 from a standard wall outlet via a cord (not shown).

  A rear wheel (not shown) is provided below the canister device 16 to support the weight of the vacuum cleaner 10. Since the nozzle device 14 (also not shown) is provided with another set of wheels, the user can move the nozzle device up and down by selectively operating the height adjustment switch 24. Such height adjustment switches are known. In order to facilitate storage of the vacuum cleaner 10, the canister device 16 is locked in the upright position shown in FIG. When the foot latch 26 is removed, the canister device 16 can pivot with respect to the nozzle device 14 while the vacuum cleaner 10 is operated back and forth to clean the floor.

  The canister device 16 is provided with a cavity 28 for receiving and holding the garbage receiving container 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the cavity 28 comprises a filter bag chamber that can be reached through a removable door 32. A waste container as a replaceable filter bag 30 is received and held in this cavity. In another embodiment of the invention, the cavity 28 receives a waste cup. Nearly all known designs of waste cups can be used, including designs that generate cyclonic airflow. As is well known, the main filter device may or may not be attached to such a dust cup.

  In the illustrated embodiment, the housing 11, more specifically the canister device 16, is fitted with an intake generator 36. Such an intake generator 36 comprises an intake fan having a function of generating a vacuum air flow for sucking dust / waste from the surface to be cleaned and a corresponding drive motor. Although the intake air generating device 36 has been described as being mounted on the canister housing 16, it can also be mounted on the nozzle device 14 in a similar manner depending on the purpose.

  The nozzle device 14 includes an agitator cavity 38 that houses the rotating agitator 40. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, the rotary agitator 40 is fitted with a cylindrical outer wall 42 holding a series of bristle bundles 44 protruding outward. This cylindrical outer wall 42 then forms an interior space 44 that receives an agitator drive system 46 which will be described in detail below. The outer wall 42 of the agitator 40 can be comprised from a metal material, a timber, a ceramic material, a plastic material, and a composite material, for example. More specifically, although not limited, aluminum, steel, pressed wood, and fiberglass reinforced plastic material can be used.

  During operation, the scrubbing function of the bristle bundle 44 of the agitator 40 interacts with the negative pressure of the air generated by the air intake generator 36 to give a brush action to the carpet that is being cleaned. Scrap is struck out and air with dust / scrap is sucked into the waste receptacle 30 through the agitator cavity / suction port 38. Specifically, as is well known, air with debris / debris continuously passes through the inlet 38, hose and / or integrally formed conduit and / or canister device 16 of the nozzle device 14. Next, it is carried into the garbage receptacle / filter bag 30 and takes in the dust particles, waste particles and other particles floating inside, and arbitrarily sends the cleaned air to the intake air generator 36. A secondary filter (not shown) may be provided between the garbage receptacle / filter bag 30 and the intake air generator 36 to ensure that particulate matter is not drawn into the intake air generator motor. After the air flow flows onto the motor of the intake air generator 36 and cools it, it is forcibly sent to the final stage filtration cartridge 48 and returned to the environment through the outlet 34.

  As can be clearly understood from FIG. 2, the agitator drive system includes a first drive motor 52 and a second drive motor 54. These two drive motors 52, 54 are aligned in the internal space 46 along the longitudinal axis A of the agitator 40. The directions of the first and second agitator drive motors 52 and 54 are opposite to each other. Specifically, the first drive motor 52 is received by and held by the first motor support 56, while the second drive motor 54 is received by and held by the second motor support 58. The first motor support 56 includes a mounting block 60 keyed to a slot 62 on one side of the nozzle device 14, while the second motor support 58 is keyed to a slot 66 on the opposite side of the nozzle device. Block 64 is provided (details are shown in FIG. 2b). The first bearing device 68 is supported by the first motor support 56 and is provided between the first motor support and the first end of the rotary agitator 40. Similarly, the second bearing device 70 is provided on the second motor support 58 and between the second motor support and the second end of the agitator 40. Since these two bearing devices 68, 70 support the agitator 40 in the agitator cavity 38 of the nozzle device 14, the agitator is free to rotate with respect to the nozzle device.

  2 and 3, the first drive motor 52 includes a first drive shaft 72 with first gear teeth 74, while the second drive motor 54 has a second drive shaft with second gear teeth 78. 76. A first power transmission device, indicated generally at 80, is received in the internal space 46 and transmits power from the first drive motor 52 to the rotary agitator 40. Similarly, the second transmission device 82 is received in the internal space 46 and transmits power from the second drive motor 54 to the rotary agitator 40.

  The first transmission device 80 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 2, 2 a, 2 b and 3. As shown in the figure, the first transmission device 80 includes a first planetary gear set support 84 that supports a first planetary gear set including three gears 86, a first drive ring 88, and a corresponding rubber drive boot 90. The first drive motor 52 drives the first drive shaft 72. The drive shaft 72 extends through a bearing 92 held on the hub 94 of the planetary gear set support 84. The planetary gear set support 84 includes three stub shafts 96 that support each of the planetary gears 86. Each planetary gear 86 includes teeth that mesh with the gear teeth 74 of the drive shaft 72. Further, the planetary gear 86 meshes with the teeth of the annular gear 98 fixed to the housing of the first drive motor 52 by pins or other means. Since the planetary gear 86 is driven around the annular gear 98 while the drive shaft 72 is driven by the first drive motor 52, the planetary gear set support 84 rotates.

  As already described, the planetary gear set support 84 includes a drive ring 88 and a corresponding rubber drive boot 90. Both the drive ring 88 and the rubber drive boot 90 include a series of spaced channels 100 that receive and engage axial ribs 102 that project radially inwardly from the inner surface of the cylindrical wall 42 of the rotating agitator 40. Yes. Therefore, the rotation of the planetary gear set support 84 is directly transmitted to the drive ring 88 and the corresponding drive boot 90, causing a movement like the rotation of the agitator 40. Since the rubber drive boot 90 provides the necessary damping action, smooth transmission of power to the agitator 40 can be ensured.

  The second transmission device 82 that transmits power from the second drive motor 54 to the agitator 40 is substantially the same as the first transmission device 80, and corresponding portions of the illustrated second transmission device are denoted by the same reference numerals. The direction of the first drive motor 52 and the first transmission device 80 is set in the first direction in the internal space 46, while the direction of the second drive motor 54 and the second transmission device 82 is set in the reverse direction. So both look like mirror images. The two drive motors 52 and 54 simultaneously drive the rotary agitator 40 via the respective transmission devices 80 and 82. Thus, the first agitator drive motor 52 rotates counterclockwise, while the second agitator drive motor 54 rotates clockwise.

  It is important to properly cool the first and second drive motors 52, 54 confined within the internal space 46 of the rotary agitator 40. For this purpose, a first intake opening 110 is provided at the first end of the agitator 40 and a second intake opening 112 is provided at the second end of the agitator. A first air filter 114 is provided in the internal space 46 between the first intake opening 110 and the first drive motor 52. Similarly, the second air filter 116 is provided in the internal space 46 between the second intake opening 112 and the second drive motor 54.

  A third filter 118 is provided in the internal space 46 between the first and second drive motors 52 and 54. The third filter 118 covers a series of exhaust ports 120 provided on the wall 42 of the agitator 40. For example, the filters 114, 116, and 118 are made of an open cell foam material, a woven filter material, or a non-woven filter material.

  As the first and second drive motors 52 and 54 rotate, air is sucked into the intake openings 110 and 112 and then sucked into the first and second air filters 114 and 116, and then the two transmissions are forced. It is fed into the devices 80 and 82 and the third filter 118 and is exhausted from the rotary agitator 40 through the exhaust port 120 (see arrow B in FIGS. 2 and 2b).

  The use of the agitator drive system 12 utilizing the two drive motors 52 and 54 is advantageous in that not only the overall diameter of the agitator 40 but also the overall height of the nozzle device 14 can be kept small. The “thin” nozzle device 14 of the present invention can be more easily fitted and placed under vacuum cleaning obstructions such as furniture, bath tubs and kitchen cabinets, making cleaning more complete and efficient. Furthermore, cleaning can be performed without losing power P. More specifically, when the rotary agitator is driven instead of a single drive motor using the first agitator drive motor 52 and the second agitator drive motor 54, the overall diameter of the rotary agitator 40 can be kept small. That is, the diameter of one drive motor is D, and the output <torque> is P. On the other hand, the diameter of each of the first agitator drive motor 52 and the second agitator drive motor 54 is smaller than D, and the combined output thereof is at least P. For example, conventional vacuum cleaners use a single internal agitator drive motor to drive the rotating agitator. In the case of this one agitator drive motor, since the diameter is 46 mm, the outer diameter of the agitator must be 56 mm. In contrast, the rotating agitator 40 of the present invention with the internal dual motor drive system 12 may have an overall diameter of 46 mm, which is 10 mm smaller than a conventional rotating agitator. That is, the diameter reduction rate is 18%. The reason is that the outer diameter of each of the two drive motors 52 and 54 is 39 mm. Further, since the two drive motors 52 and 54 are used instead of one, the drive motor itself can be further reduced in size, and the nozzle device 14 can be reduced in thickness. This is advantageous because it can be realized without power loss.

  While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, they are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to strictly limit or limit the present invention to these embodiments. In addition, in light of the gist of the present invention, it goes without saying that the present invention can be variously changed and modified. The above embodiments give the principle of the present invention and the best mode of application thereof, and those skilled in the art can use the present invention in various embodiments and appropriately change them according to the intended specific use. It should be possible. All such changes and modifications are intended to be within the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims, and the claims should be interpreted as fair, legal, and equivalent. The accompanying drawings and preferred embodiments are not intended to limit the ordinary meaning of the claims as long as they are interpreted fairly and broadly.

10: Vacuum cleaner 11: Housing 14: Nozzle device 16: Canister device 28: Cavity 30: Garbage container / filter bag 34: Discharge port 36: Intake generator 38: Agitator cavity / intake port 40: Rotating agitator 45 : Agitator drive system 46: internal space 48: filtration cartridge 52: first drive motor 54: second drive motor 68: first bearing device 70: second bearing device 80: first transmission device 82: second transmission device

Claims (20)

Housing with nozzle device and canister device,
An intake generator supported by the housing,
A garbage receiving container supported by the housing;
An agitator cavity formed in the nozzle device,
A rotary agitator provided in the agitator cavity and provided with an internal space, and an agitator drive system provided in the internal space of the rotary agitator and provided with a first drive motor and a second drive motor. Floor cleaner.
The floor cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the first drive motor and the second drive motor are aligned in the inner space.
3. The weight balance is achieved by providing the first drive motor adjacent to the first end of the rotary agitator and providing the second drive motor adjacent to the second end of the rotary agitator. The listed floor cleaner.
The rotary agitator is further provided with a first intake opening at a first end of the agitator, a second intake opening at a second end of the agitator, and between the first drive motor and the second drive motor. The floor cleaner of Claim 3 provided with the exhaust port in the wall of.
Furthermore, a first air filter is provided in the internal space between the first drive motor and the first intake opening, and second air is provided in the internal space between the second drive motor and the second intake opening. A filter, and a third air filter provided in the internal space between the first drive motor and the second drive motor and covering the exhaust port,
The first drive motor and the second drive motor draw cooling air into the filter through the first intake opening and the second intake opening, and the cooling air causes the first drive motor and the second drive motor to move. The floor cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the floor cleaner is exhausted from the rotary agitator through the exhaust port after passing through.
And a first motor support that engages the first drive motor and attaches the first drive motor to the nozzle device, and engages the second drive motor, which is connected to the nozzle device. The floor cleaner according to claim 5, further comprising a second motor support attached to the floor cleaner.
And a first bearing device provided between the first motor support and the first end of the rotary agitator, and between the second motor support and the second end of the rotary agitator. The floor cleaner of Claim 6 provided with the 2nd bearing apparatus provided.
And a first power transmission device that is received in the internal space and transmits power from the first drive motor to the rotary agitator, and is received in the internal space and transmits power from the second drive motor to the rotary agitator. The floor cleaner of Claim 7 provided with the 2nd power transmission device to do.
9. The floor cleaner of claim 8, wherein the first drive motor comprises a first drive shaft and the second drive motor comprises a second drive shaft.
10. The floor cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the first power transmission device includes a first planetary gear set support that supports not only the first planetary gear set but also the first drive ring and the corresponding rubber drive boot.
The floor cleaner according to claim 10, wherein the second power transmission device includes a second planetary gear set support that supports not only the second planetary gear set but also the second drive ring and the corresponding rubber drive boot.
The first planetary gear set support holds a first bearing, and the first drive shaft extends through the first bearing, while the second planetary gear set support holds a second bearing, and the first The floor cleaner according to claim 11, wherein the second shaft extends through two bearings.
And a first annular gear fixed to the first housing of the first drive motor, and a second annular gear fixed to the second housing of the second drive motor. 13. A floor cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the first planetary gear set is driven around the annular gear while the second planetary gear set is driven around the second annular gear by the second drive motor.
The floor cleaner according to claim 13, further comprising a plurality of axial ribs protruding inward from the wall of the rotary agitator toward the internal space.
The first and second drive rings and corresponding rubber drive boots receive and engage the plurality of axial ribs at the wall of the rotating agitator, whereby the rotating agitator is 15. A floor cleaner according to claim 14, comprising a plurality of spaced channels that rotate with the first and second planetary gear set supports.
Prepare the first agitator drive motor,
A method comprising preparing a second agitator drive motor and driving a rotary agitator of a vacuum cleaner comprising simultaneously rotating the rotary agitator by the first agitator drive motor and the second agitator drive motor.
The method of claim 16, further comprising mounting both the first and second agitator drive motors in the internal space of the rotary agitator.
The first and second agitator drive motors are arranged in the internal space of the rotary agitator, and the directions of the first and second agitator motors are set in opposite directions. The method described.
19. The method of claim 18, comprising driving the first agitator drive motor counterclockwise and simultaneously driving the second agitator drive motor clockwise.
  The first agitator drive motor and the second agitator drive motor are used to drive the rotary agitator instead of a single drive motor, thereby reducing the overall diameter of the rotary agitator, The diameter of the one drive motor is D, the output is P, the diameter of each of the first agitator drive motor and the second agitator drive motor is smaller than D, and the combined output thereof is at least P. 19. The method according to 19.

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