JP2015080481A - Power generation device for storage battery type cleaner and control method, and storage battery type cleaner including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a power generation device for a storage battery type cleaner, which generates power using such a phenomenon that an exhaust passage becomes high temperature, and which compensates for power of the storage battery needed for the operation of the storage battery type cleaner to thereby reduce a degree of a charge/discharge cycle of the storage battery related to operation, resulting in prolongation of the life of the mounted storage battery, and to provide a storage battery type cleaner including the power generation device and a control method.SOLUTION: The power generation device for a storage battery type cleaner is comprised of : thermoelectric generating modules which is disposed in and in close contact with the outer circumference of an exhaust passage of the storage battery type cleaner, and which is comprised of thermoelectric conversion elements each including insulants on both faces; a storage battery storing power generated by the thermoelectric generating modules; and a control part managing at least power reception operation and power supply operation with respect to the thermoelectric generating modules, and battery capacity and a battery temperature in the storage battery.

Description

  The present invention relates to a power generation system that converts heat of exhaust gas from a vacuum cleaner into electric energy and a storage battery type vacuum cleaner equipped with the system.

  Conventionally, charging of a storage battery type vacuum cleaner has a built-in storage battery so that it can be inserted into and removed from the vacuum cleaner, and the storage battery is connected to a charger by removing it from the vacuum cleaner and connected to a built-in storage battery. Storage battery type vacuum cleaners in which charging terminals that come into contact with a charging base that can be automatically charged simply by placing a vacuum cleaner main body on a charge receiving portion have been commercialized (for example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-143456 JP 61-122825 A

  In a battery-type vacuum cleaner, air sucked together with dust is exhausted through the exhaust passage as exhaust warmed in the cleaner, and in that case, the exhaust passage receives heat from the exhaust passing therethrough. It is warm and hot.

  Therefore, in the present invention, power generation is performed by utilizing the phenomenon that the exhaust passage becomes high temperature, and the power of the storage battery necessary for the operation of the storage battery cleaner is supplemented to save power, thereby generating power for the storage battery cleaner. The present invention provides a storage battery type vacuum cleaner and a control method provided with the device, and the power generation device.

  In order to solve such problems, the present inventor paid attention to the exhaust gas discharged at a high temperature of the storage battery type vacuum cleaner, and as a result of earnestly researching its use, the heat provided with a thermoelectric generation module using a thermoelectric conversion element. By laying the power generation device inside the storage battery cleaner, it has been found that the storage battery of the storage battery type cleaner can store electricity, and the present invention has been achieved.

  That is, the first invention of the present invention is a power generation device for a storage battery type vacuum cleaner, which is a thermoelectric power generation comprising thermoelectric conversion elements provided with insulating materials on both sides arranged in close contact with the outer periphery of the exhaust passage of the storage battery type vacuum cleaner. A storage battery type comprising: a module; a storage battery that stores electric power generated by the thermoelectric generation module; and a control unit that manages at least a power receiving operation and a power supply operation for the thermoelectric generation module and a battery capacity and a battery temperature in the storage battery This is a power generator for a vacuum cleaner.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the thermoelectric generator module according to the first aspect, an exhaust passage heated by exhaust heat is used as a heat source, and a heat insulating plate is provided on one of the pair of insulating materials provided in the thermoelectric generator module. A power generator for a storage battery cleaner, wherein the other insulating material is in close contact with the passage wall of the exhaust passage.

  3rd invention of this invention is a storage battery type cleaner, Comprising: It is provided with the power generation apparatus for storage battery type cleaners as described in 1st or 2nd invention, It is a storage battery type cleaner with a generator characterized by the above-mentioned. .

  A method for controlling a power generator for a storage battery type vacuum cleaner provided with a thermoelectric generation module using a thermoelectric conversion element that constitutes a power storage type vacuum cleaner with a power generator, wherein the storage battery cleaner with the power generator is initially in operation. The storage battery type cleaning is characterized in that the power supplied from the storage battery charging unit is supplied first, and the power generated by the storage battery type vacuum cleaner power generator is charged by the storage battery while the cleaner is in operation. This is a control method for a mechanical power generator.

  According to the storage battery cleaner with a power generator of the present invention, it is possible to generate electricity using a thermoelectric generator module using exhaust heat as a heat source, store it in the battery, and use it as power for operating the cleaner. The life of the storage battery can be reduced by reducing the number of times it can be charged and discharged, and the number of times of charging can be reduced.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional schematic diagram which shows the inside of a storage battery type cleaner provided with the electric power generating apparatus for storage battery type cleaners. It is a figure which shows the structure of the electric power generating apparatus for storage battery type cleaners in this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows one Embodiment of the structure of the exhaust passage outer wall of the storage battery type cleaner of this invention. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the exhaust passage wall surface of the state mounted in the exhaust passage of the thermoelectric generator module. It is a figure of the example of a wiring system using a thermoelectric generation module.

Hereinafter, the embodiments will be described in detail with reference to the drawings, but the examples of the present invention are not limited thereto.
FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing the inside of a storage battery type vacuum cleaner having the power generation device of the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a thermoelectric generator module, 2 is an exhaust passage, 10 is an intake port, 11 is an intake passage, 12 is a storage battery, 14 is a fan, 15 is a fan motor, 16 is a power supply board, 17 is a cord, 18 is exhaust Mouth (exhaust passage end), 20 is a control unit, 50 is a storage battery cleaner, 51 is a vacuum cleaner housing, 52 is a dust storage chamber, 53 is a battery chamber, 54 instrument chamber, 55 is a code storage chamber, D is a dust , PF is a pack filter that collects dust.
Here, the black arrow indicates the flow of intake air including dust sucked from the suction port 10, and the white arrow indicates the flow of exhaust gas that is heated by a fan, a fan motor, etc. after dust is removed by a paper filter. .

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a configuration of a power generator 30 for a storage battery type vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. The thermoelectric generator module 1 disposed on the outer wall of the exhaust passage 2, the electric power generated by the thermoelectric generator module 1 is stored, and the storage battery It comprises a rechargeable storage battery 12 serving as a power source for operating the vacuum cleaner, and a control unit 20 that controls and controls the power generation operation of the thermoelectric generator module 1 and the storage battery 12. 3 is a heat insulation plate.
In FIG. 2, a one-dot chain line whose direction is indicated by a black arrow indicates a power supply line from the thermoelectric generator module 1 to the control unit 20, and a two-dot chain line indicates a power supply line to the fan motor 15. A solid line whose direction is indicated by a black arrow indicates a power receiving line from the thermoelectric generator module 1 to the storage battery 12.

  The control unit 20 is usually referred to as a microcomputer, and is a main component electronic component such as a CPU, a ROM, a RAM, a lower voltage circuit, a lower voltage prevention, a temperature monitoring function, and the power control of the storage battery 12. The power control of the fan motor is performed.

  Usually, the electric power (electric energy) generated by the thermoelectric generator module 1 is charged to the storage battery 12 with a DC voltage through the control unit 20. When the charging capacity of the storage battery 12 is in a fully charged state, an electronic circuit for monitoring the charging of the storage battery 12 by the control unit 20 is assembled. Conversely, when the charging capacity of the storage battery 12 is monitored and the power receiving capacity decreases, charging of the storage battery is started from the control unit 20 side. The power stored in the storage battery operates the storage battery cleaner 50.

Next, the thermoelectric generator module 1 will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a structure in the vicinity of the passage wall of the exhaust passage 2 provided with the power generation module according to the present invention. One end of the exhaust passage 2 is disposed between the passage wall of the exhaust passage 2 and the heat insulating plate 3. The thermoelectric generator module 1 is disposed so as to be in close contact with the wall, and the other end side is in contact with the heat insulating plate 3.
In addition, for the close contact between the passage wall of the exhaust passage 2 and the thermoelectric generator module 1, thermal grease or a high temperature adhesive is applied to the close contact surface, and the close contact is fixed.

  The arrangement of the thermoelectric generator module 1 can be selected as appropriate depending on the upper surface, lower surface, side surface, etc. of the exhaust passage 2 or the shape of the exhaust passage 2.

  By adopting such a structure, the passage wall of the exhaust passage 2 is warmed by the exhaust heat (broken black arrow), and the temperature of the passage wall rises. Therefore, a temperature difference is generated between the passage wall and the heat insulating plate 3. The temperature difference is converted into electricity by the action of the thermoelectric conversion element constituting the thermoelectric generator module 1 (Seebeck effect) to generate electricity. The generated electricity is stored in a chargeable / dischargeable battery, a so-called storage battery, and is discharged as necessary. The solid black arrow indicates the traveling direction of the exhaust gas.

FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the passage wall surface mounted in the exhaust passage 2 of the thermoelectric generator module 1, and the inside of the passage wall of the exhaust passage 2 is heated by exhaust heat, so that the outer surface of the passage wall of the exhaust passage 2 , even result in a heated electrode 1B _H side of the thermoelectric module 1 using a thermoelectric conversion element 1C disposed in close contact with the electrodes 1B _H, the temperature of the electrode 1B _H side of the thermoelectric conversion element 1C (high temperature portion ) And the temperature (low temperature part) on the other end side and the electrode 1B _L side, the Seebeck effect is developed, and heat energy from the exhaust heat is converted into electric energy, that is, power is generated.

As shown in FIG. 4, the thermoelectric module 1 to be used has a high temperature side electrode 1 _</ b> B _H exposed on the surface side (high temperature portion) heated by exhaust heat, and a ceramic plate (low temperature side) on the cooling surface side (low temperature portion). It is an insulator 1A _L ).
The high temperature side electrode 1B _H (if necessary, for example, via the high temperature side insulator 1A _H ) is exposed to a high heat source, and the ceramic plate on the cooling surface side and the heat sink (adhered to the insulating plate wall) are brought into close contact. Applying thermal grease or high-temperature adhesive to the joint surface and rubbing it several times to remove air, the high-temperature side electrode 1B that occurs when the heat sink capacity is low or the contact surface contains air The temperature difference between the _H side and the low temperature side electrode 1B _L side becomes small, and the phenomenon that the power generation amount decreases can be prevented.
Further, the maximum usable temperature of the thermoelectric generator module is preferably 350 ° C. for short-time use and 250 ° C. for continuous use, and is used so as not to exceed these temperatures.

Table 1 shows the specifications of a typical thermoelectric generator module used in the present invention.
As the size of the thermoelectric module increases, the current and voltage also increase.

Next, an example of the wiring system of the thermoelectric generator module 1 is shown in FIG.
Since the thermoelectric generation module 1 has a low voltage for generating electricity per unit, in order to connect to a normal load, a plurality of thermoelectric generation modules 1 connected in series is made into one system, which is used for the performance of the vacuum cleaner. Accordingly, a plurality of systems are used and connected to the control unit 20. 5 is a lead wire.

As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of thermoelectric generator modules 1 are arranged, and the required electromotive force is obtained by connecting the thermoelectric generator modules in series.
In normal times, the generated electromotive force (electric energy) is charged to the storage battery 12 with a DC voltage through the control unit 20.

The control device 20 monitors the battery capacity of the storage battery 12, and when the battery capacity of the storage battery reaches a fully charged state, an electronic circuit that stops the charging of the storage battery 12 in the control unit 20 is incorporated. When the battery capacity of the storage battery 12 is monitored and the battery capacity decreases, a signal to start charging the storage battery 12 is output from the control unit 20 side, and a monitoring circuit for charging is provided.
The control unit 20 also monitors the temperature change of the storage battery 12 with a temperature sensor, and an electronic circuit that stops the charging operation when the battery temperature is about to exceed a predetermined temperature is also incorporated.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Thermoelectric generation module 2 Exhaust passage 3 Heat insulation plate 5 Lead wire 10 Suction port 11 Intake passage 12 Storage battery 14 Fan 15 Fan motor 16 Power supply board 17 Code 18 Exhaust port 20 Control part 30 Power generator 50 for storage battery type cleaners Storage battery type cleaner 51 Vacuum cleaner casing 52 Dust storage chamber 53 Battery chamber 54 Instrument chamber 55 Code storage chamber 1A _H high temperature side insulator (thermoelectric power generation module)
1A _L low temperature side insulator (thermoelectric power module)
1B _H high temperature side electrode (thermoelectric module)
1B _L low temperature side electrode (thermoelectric module)
1C Thermoelectric conversion element PF Pack filter D Dust

Claims (4)

A power generator for a storage battery type vacuum cleaner,
A thermoelectric generation module comprising a thermoelectric conversion element provided with an insulating material on both sides disposed in close contact with the outer periphery of the exhaust passage of the storage battery cleaner;
A storage battery for storing electric power generated by the thermoelectric generation module;
A control unit for managing at least a power receiving operation and a power feeding operation for the thermoelectric generation module, a battery capacity and a battery temperature in the storage battery,
A power generator for a storage battery type vacuum cleaner characterized by comprising: The thermoelectric generation module is
The exhaust passage heated by the exhaust heat is used as a heat source,
A heat insulating plate is provided on one of the pair of insulating materials provided in the thermoelectric generation module,
The power generator for a storage battery type vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the other insulating material is in close contact with the passage wall of the exhaust passage. A battery-powered vacuum cleaner,
A storage battery type vacuum cleaner with a power generator, comprising the power generator according to claim 1. A method for controlling a power generator for a storage battery type vacuum cleaner provided with a thermoelectric generation module using a thermoelectric conversion element constituting a storage battery type vacuum cleaner with a power generator,
At the beginning of operation of the storage battery cleaner with the power generation device, firstly supply the electric power charged from the charging unit of the storage battery,
A control method for a storage battery type vacuum cleaner power generator, wherein the battery power is charged by the storage battery while the vacuum cleaner is in operation.

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