JP2018061682A - Self-propelled type vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum cleaner with enhanced dust removal force.SOLUTION: A self-propelled type vacuum cleaner includes an operation part 97 adjacent to a rear side of a rotary brush 5. The operation part 97 exposes a rear part of the rotary brush 5 by rising upward when sensors 96 arranged on a rear surface of the self-propelled type vacuum cleaner detect an obstacle. A rising state of the operation part 97 may be a rising state in a nearly vertical direction or may be a state positioned on a front side (a center side of the rotary brush 5 from an end part of the rotary brush 5 in a front and rear direction) relative to a rear end of the rotary brush 5 after moving forward from the former state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

  The present invention relates to a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner.

  A self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner that cleans a room while moving autonomously is known. The self-propelled vacuum cleaner is equipped with a rechargeable battery as a power source, and scrapes dust with a motor-driven rotating brush while moving forward mainly.

  Patent Document 1 discloses suction nozzle position changing means 6 that makes the suction nozzle 5 movable so as to effectively clean the wall.

JP 2004-305265 A

  In Patent Document 1, it is necessary to secure a space for accommodating the suction nozzle 5 in the main body before and after the operation of the suction nozzle 5, which may lead to an increase in the size of the vacuum cleaner.

  This invention made | formed in view of the said situation is a self-propelled vacuum cleaner which has a rotating brush which has a rotating shaft in a substantially horizontal direction, Comprising: The front side of this rotating brush by operate | moving adjacent to the said rotating brush Or it has the operation part which can expose a back side, It is characterized by the above-mentioned.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the vacuum cleaner which improved dust removal power can be provided. Problems, configurations, and effects other than those described above will be described in the specification.

It is a perspective view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner concerning an embodiment. It is a perspective view of the state where the upper case of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner concerning an embodiment was removed. It is a bottom view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner concerning an embodiment. It is AA sectional drawing of FIG. (A) The figure which shows the open state of the action | operation part which concerns on embodiment, (b) The figure which shows another open state of the action | operation part which concerns on embodiment. It is a perspective view of the suction part of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner concerning an embodiment. It is a perspective view of the rotation brush of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner concerning an embodiment. It is a perspective view of the scraping brush of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner concerning an embodiment. It is a perspective view of the mouthpiece cover body of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner concerning an embodiment. It is a disassembled schematic diagram which shows the positional relationship of the dust collection case in the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner main body which concerns on embodiment. It is a block diagram which shows the apparatus connected to the control apparatus of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner which concerns on embodiment, and a control apparatus.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings as appropriate. Similar components are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the same description will not be repeated.
The present embodiment is not limited to the following contents, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within the scope of the gist of the present invention.

  In addition, as shown in FIG. The downward direction is the direction of gravity. The self-propelled vacuum cleaner C mainly proceeds forward.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C according to this embodiment as viewed from the left front.
The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C is a vacuum cleaner that cleans while moving autonomously in a predetermined cleaning area (for example, a room). The self-propelled vacuum cleaner C is installed in an upper case 91 that is an upper wall (and some side walls), a lower case 51 (see FIG. 2) that is a bottom wall (and some side walls), and a front part. And a bumper 92 that is configured to include a main body 50. The upper case 91 is provided with a lid 93 for taking in and out a dust collection case K described later.

(Main body 50)
FIG. 2 is a perspective view looking down from the left front with the upper case 91 removed. The lower case 51 is a casing on which the traveling motor 57, the rotary brush motor 21, the electric blower 81, the control device 95, and the like are placed, and the outer shape thereof has a thin disk shape.

  FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C. FIG. In the lower case 51, two drive mechanism accommodation portions 54 that accommodate a drive mechanism including a drive wheel 61 that can be exposed downward, a traveling motor 57, and a speed reduction mechanism, a side brush attachment portion 82, and A hole portion 52 for fixing the suction portion, an exhaust port 53, and a battery housing portion 55 (see FIG. 4) for housing the rechargeable battery B (see FIG. 4) are formed.

  Drive mechanism accommodation portions 54 are formed on the left and right sides of the lower case 51 that has a substantially disk shape in plan view. In addition, a plurality of exhaust ports 53 are formed in the vicinity of the center of the lower case 51 that has a circular shape in plan view and is sandwiched between the drive mechanism housing portions 54. A battery housing part 55 is formed in front of the center of the lower case 51. Side brush attachment portions 82 for attaching the side brush 40 are formed on the left and right sides of the battery housing portion 55. A hole 52 is formed on the rear side of the center of the lower case 51, that is, on the rear side of the exhaust port 53 and the drive mechanism housing portion 54.

  A suction portion that is a member that accommodates the scraping brush 1 and the rotating brush 5 is attached to the hole portion 52. The rotating brush 5 is a brush that is driven to rotate by a motor, and is located on the rear side of the scraping brush 1.

  4 is a side cross-sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. The bumper 92 is installed so as to be movable in the front-rear direction according to the pressing force acting from the outside. The bumper 92 is urged forward by a pair of left and right bumper springs (not shown). The tip of the bumper spring is curved in a J shape, and this curved portion is in contact with the inner wall surface of the bumper 92. When a drag force from an obstacle acts on the bumper spring via the bumper 92, the bumper spring is deformed, and the bumper 92 is allowed to move backward while urging the bumper 92 forward. When the bumper 92 moves away from the obstacle and loses the above-described drag, the bumper 92 returns to its original position by the biasing force of the bumper spring. Incidentally, the backward movement of the bumper 92 (that is, contact with an obstacle) is detected by sensors 96 (infrared sensors) described later, and the detection result is input to the control device 95.

(Working part 97)
The self-propelled vacuum cleaner C has an operation part 97 adjacent to the rear side of the rotating brush 5. When the sensors 96 provided on the rear surface of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C detect an obstacle, the operation unit 97 rises upward as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B and rotates the rotating brush 5. The back of the can be exposed.

  As a mechanism for raising the operating portion 97, for example, any mechanism that operates using the power of the rechargeable battery B can be employed. As the sensors 96, a sensor that detects the presence or absence of an obstacle, a sensor that detects a distance to the obstacle, a bumper that detects contact with the obstacle, and the like can be used. The operating portion 97 may be exposed up to the upper end portion of the rotating brush 5 by rising, but may be limited to expose the center of the vertical dimension or less. By exposing the rotating brush 5, the obstacle and the wall can be effectively cleaned. The rotating brush 5 itself can move neither in the front-rear direction nor in the left-right direction. For this reason, it is not necessary to provide a space for storing the rotary brush 5 before and after the movement.

  The operating unit 97 may detect whether or not there is an obstacle behind the sensor 96 or the like and determine whether or not to lift, but further, for example, of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner C You may determine using another sensor which detects the presence or absence of an upper obstacle. By doing so, when there is no gap or almost no clearance on the upper side of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C, if the operating part 97 is not lifted up, the operating part 97 comes into contact with the upper obstacle. It is possible to suppress damage and the like. It is preferable that another sensor for detecting the presence / absence of an obstacle on the upper side detects the presence / absence of an obstacle in a range including a range located when the operating unit 97 is raised.

  As illustrated in FIG. 5 (a), the operating part 97 may be lifted up substantially in the vertical direction, or as illustrated in FIG. 5 (b), it may be moved further forward. Further, a mode may be employed in which the rotary brush 5 is positioned on the front side of the rear end of the rotary brush 5 (the center side of the rotary brush 5 relative to the front-rear direction end of the rotary brush 5). If it is the aspect which moves to the front side, it will be easy to make the rear end of the rotating brush 5 contact an obstruction and a wall, and cleaning efficiency can further be improved.

  When the sensors 96 or the like no longer detect an obstacle behind the operation unit 97, the operation unit 97 releases the rising and returns to the original state.

  Another mechanism for raising the operating portion 97 can be as follows. First, the operating portion 97 is urged downward by a biasing portion such as a spring, or a stopper (not shown) is provided on the lower case 51 side, and the operating portion 97 moves downward by its own weight. In addition, the operation unit 97 is supported at a position on the stopper. Preferably, the operating portion 97 is inclined obliquely so that the upper case 91 side is positioned forward and the lower case 51 side is positioned rearward. If it carries out like this, when the action | operation part 97 contacts a wall etc., it will be easy to receive the force which turns to an upper front from a wall etc. That is, by contacting the wall or the like, the operating portion 97 receives an upward force and moves so as to expose the rotating brush 5 against a downward force due to urging or its own weight.

  When such another mechanism is employed, the self-propelled vacuum cleaner C needs to lift the operating portion 97 by the driving force of the driving wheel 61. For this reason, when it is going to clean up by raising the operation part 97, it is preferable to perform control to increase the output of the traveling motor 57 that applies driving force to the driving wheels 61.

  In the present embodiment, the rotating brush 5 is provided at the rear end, but may be provided at the front end. For example, what is necessary is just to arrange | position the front side components, such as the rechargeable battery B, to the rear end side, and to secure the arrangement space of the rotating brush 5. In this case, it is preferable to temporarily ignore the detection of an obstacle or the like by the bumper 92 in order to effectively clean the wall. That is, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C can execute a cleaning mode by moving the operating portion 97, and during the mode, the avoidance movement is not performed even if the bumper 92 detects a wall or the like. can do.

(Drive wheel 61)
As shown in FIG. 3, the drive wheel 61 is a wheel that can move the main body 50 forward, backward, and turn by rotation of the drive wheel 61 itself. The drive wheels 61 are arranged on both the left and right sides.

(Support mechanism)
The support mechanism housed in the drive mechanism housing portion 54 shown in FIG. 3 is a mechanism that supports the drive wheel 61 on the main body 50. The support mechanism includes an arm 71 that supports the drive wheel 61.

(Battery housing 55)
As shown in FIG. 4, the battery accommodating portion 55 is a space for accommodating the rechargeable battery B inside the lower case 51, and has a downward opening surrounded by a wall surface.

(Front lid 56)
As shown in FIG. 3, the front lid 56 is a substantially rectangular plate-like member that closes the opening of the battery housing portion 55 (see FIG. 4) formed in the lower case 51 from the lower surface of the lower case 51. The front lid 56 includes a locking claw 56a in the vicinity of the center of the front portion, and includes an overhang portion 56b having screw holes on both the left and right sides of the rear portion. The front lid 56 is fixed to the lower case 51 from below by a locking claw 56a and a screw inserted through the screw hole. Further, the front lid 56 includes a circular auxiliary wheel attachment portion 84 for attaching the auxiliary wheel 83 near the center side of the lower case 51. Further, the front lid 56 includes a groove portion for fixing the guide brush (L) 45 at a position on a line connecting the rotation axis of the side brush 40 and the substantially center position of the lower case 51 in a state of being attached to the lower case 51. A guide brush (L) 45 (brush member) is provided in the groove.

(Auxiliary wheel 83)
As shown in FIG. 3, the auxiliary wheel 83 is an auxiliary wheel for smoothly moving the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C while keeping the main body 50 at a predetermined height from the floor surface. The auxiliary wheel 83 is pivotally supported so as to be driven and rotated by a frictional force generated between the auxiliary wheel 83 and the floor surface as the main body 50 moves. Further, the auxiliary wheel 83 is configured such that the direction can be rotated 360 ° in the horizontal direction. The auxiliary wheel 83 shown in FIG. 3 is provided at the center in the left-right direction in front of the main body 50 and attached to the auxiliary wheel attachment portion 84.

(Suction part)
As shown in FIG. 4, the dust collection case K, the dust collection filter F, the electric blower 81, and the exhaust port 53 (see FIG. 3) in order from the suction portion (the scraping brush 1 and the rotating brush 5) to the downstream side. ) Is formed so that air can flow therethrough. The suction part is a member having a suction port 17 through which dust collected by the rotary brush 5 and the scraping brush 1 passes, and also a member for fixing the rotary brush motor 21 (see FIG. 6).

  A rotating brush accommodating portion 15 that accommodates the rotating brush 5 is formed at the rear portion of the suction portion. A scraping brush accommodating portion 11 that accommodates the scraping brush 1 is formed at the front portion of the rotating brush accommodating portion 15. A rotating brush 5 (see FIG. 3) is disposed in the rotating brush housing portion 15.

  Moreover, the rotating brush 5 and the scraping brush 1 are each rotatably attached. The rotating brush 5 and the scraping brush 1 are detachably attached to the suction part.

  FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the suction portion. As shown in FIG. 6, a rotary brush motor 21 that rotates the rotary brush 5 is provided on the upper surface side of the suction portion, and a power transmission mechanism 22 that transmits the power of the rotary brush motor 21 is provided. The rotation direction of the rotating brush 5 is referred to as a first rotation direction. The rotating brush 5 that rotates in the first rotation direction rotates from the rear side toward the front side in contact with the floor surface.

  The rotary brush motor 21 is attached to one end side in the left-right direction of the suction portion. The rotating brush motor 21 has a rotating shaft arranged in parallel with the rotating shaft 5b of the rotating brush 5 (see FIG. 7).

(Rotating brush housing 15)
The shape of the rotating brush accommodating part 15 is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 6, the rotating brush accommodating part 15 is a recessed part which has a curved surface with a circular arc cross section. A suction port 17 is formed on the curved surface on the front side of the rotating brush housing portion 15. The suction port 17 communicates with the opening of the dust collecting case K (see FIG. 4).

(Scraping brush housing part 11)
The shape of the scraping brush accommodating part 11 is demonstrated. As shown in FIG. 6, the scraping brush accommodating portion 11 is a concave portion having a curved surface with an arcuate cross section. By providing the curved surface of the scraping brush accommodating portion 11 so as to approach the scraping brush 1 (planting), the airtightness of the suction portion can be ensured. For this reason, the performance which takes the garbage of self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C can be improved.

(Rotating brush 5)
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the rotating brush 5. The rotating brush 5 is a substantially cylindrical brush having a rotating shaft 5b in the horizontal direction. In this embodiment, the rotating brush 5 is arranged substantially in parallel with an axis (left-right direction) passing through the rotation center of the drive wheel 61 (see FIG. 3). . The rotating brush 5 is provided continuously from one end side to the other end side in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the rotating brush housing portion 15. The rotary brush 5 is rotatably supported by the suction part 10, and is rotationally driven in a first rotational direction by a rotary brush motor 21 (see FIG. 6) (see FIG. 12). In the present embodiment, even if the rotation direction of the drive wheel 61 changes (reverses) during reverse travel, the rotation direction of the rotary brush 5 can be maintained in the first rotation direction.

  Moreover, the rotating brush 5 is provided with the hair transplant 5c which protrudes in a normal line direction from the outer peripheral surface of the axial part 5a. Here, the flocks 5c of the rotating brush 5 include a plurality of types of flocks such as flocks having different lengths and flocks having different hardness, and are arranged so that each flock is arranged in a spiral with respect to the rotation shaft 5b. It may be.

  As illustrated in FIG. 3, the rotating brush 5 has a size that partially protrudes (protrudes) from the outer end of the main body 50 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C in the bottom view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C. There may be. If it carries out like this, the cleaning by the wall can be performed effectively.

  Here, with respect to the main body 50 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C, at least the vicinity of the rotating brush 5 has a substantially arc shape when viewed from above, so if the rotating brush 5 is installed as close to the rear end as possible, the operating unit As 97 rises, substantially the entire left and right width of the rotating brush 5 can approach or come into contact with an obstacle or a wall (see FIG. 1 and the like). Specifically, a BB broken line shown in FIG. 1 is drawn as an imaginary straight line that is in contact with the operating portion 97 and parallel to the rotation axis of the rotary brush 5.

  A region on the rear side of the BB broken line is a region exposed by the operating unit 97 (a region on the rear side of the front end of the operating unit 97). When the rotating brush 5 is arranged so that a part of the rotating brush 5 reaches the outside of the end face of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C and the rear side of the BB broken line in the bottom view, the rotating brush 5 can reach far and can expand the cleaning range. It is preferable. Furthermore, if the operation part 97 rises, most of the rotating brush 5 can approach or contact a wall or an obstacle.

  In the present embodiment, the case where a plurality of types of flocks are disposed has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this and may be one type. Moreover, the structure which arrange | positions the braid | blade member which consists of elastic materials, such as rubber | gum, between the flocks arrange | positioned helically may be added, and it can change suitably.

  As shown in FIG. 7, one end (left side of the drawing) of the rotating shaft 5 b of the rotating brush 5 is fitted in the fitting recess of the bearing (A) 18 (see FIG. 5) provided in the rotating brush housing portion 15. A fitting portion 6 is provided. The fitting portion 6 is a polygon (in this embodiment, a pentagon) having an odd number of angles in a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the rotation shaft 5b from the viewpoint of transmission of rotational force and the like, and is tapered toward the end of the rotation shaft 5b. Is formed.

  The bearing (A) 18 is connected to a power transmission mechanism 22 that transmits the rotational force of the rotary brush motor 21 (see FIG. 6) to the rotary brush 5. The power transmission mechanism 22 can have an arbitrary configuration. The power transmission mechanism 22 may include, for example, a pulley, may include a gear, or may include a toothed belt or a timing belt.

  As described above, the bearing (B) 7 (see FIG. 7) is provided at the other end (the right side of the drawing) of the rotating shaft 5b of the rotating brush 5. The bearing (B) 7 is locked to a locking portion 19 (see FIG. 5) formed on the left side of the rotary brush housing portion 15.

(Scraping brush 1)
FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the scraping brush 1. The scraping brush 1 is a brush having a rotation axis in the horizontal direction, and is disposed in front of the rotation brush 5 along an axis (horizontal direction) passing through the rotation center of the drive wheel 61 in the present embodiment (see FIG. 3). The scraping brush 1 is provided continuously from one end side to the other end side in the longitudinal direction (left-right direction) of the scraping brush accommodating portion 11. The scraping brush 1 has a substantially cylindrical shape having a rotation shaft 4 and is rotatably supported by the suction portion. In addition, the scraping brush 1 is provided with a flock 2 on a part or the entire surface of the shaft portion.

  Here, the flock 2 of the scraping brush 1 is preferably longer from the viewpoint of improving the scraping force, and is preferably hard as well. If the flock 2 of the scraping brush 1 is long, the flock 2 reaches the back of the carpet and the like, and it becomes possible to scrape dust from the back, and if the flock 2 of the scraping brush 1 is hard, This is because it becomes possible to scrape dust from the back against the resistance.

  On the other hand, the flocking of the scraping brush 1 is preferably soft from the viewpoint of reducing power consumption. This is because when the flock 2 of the scraping brush 1 is soft, the contact resistance of the carpet hair and the like is reduced, and the scraping brush 1 is easily rotated, so that the power consumption of the travel motor and the rotating brush motor 21 is reduced.

  The rear end of the rotating brush 5 and the front end of the scraping brush 1 are close to each other. For example, the flocking 5c of the rotating brush can be arranged so as to be in contact with the flocking 2 of the scraping brush 1. In the present embodiment, the scraping brush 1 and the rotating brush 5 are installed such that the roots or the vicinity of the roots of the flocks 5c, 2 are in contact with each other. From this, the rotating brush 5 can give its rotational force to the scraping brush 1. That is, the scraping brush 1 is given a rotation corresponding to the rotating brush 5, that is, a rotational force in the direction opposite to the rotating brush 5 (second rotating direction) (see FIG. 12).

(Suction cover 30)
FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the suction cover 30. The suction cover 30 includes a suction cover mounting member 35 and a bearing holding member 37. The mouthpiece cover 30 is a member that covers the opening of the rotary brush housing portion 15 of the suction portion, and is a member that has an opening sectioned by a thin partition 30 a in a region facing the opening of the rotary brush housing portion 15. The suction cover 30 has a bearing holder 106 that holds the shaft 102 (see FIG. 9) on the front side (traveling direction side) of the opening.

  The suction cover 30 has a locking portion (not shown) at a position corresponding to the locking portion of the bearing holding member 37 and the suction cover mounting member 35 on the lower surface, and an elastic body (not shown) via the locking portion. ). The suction cover 30 is swingable about a pair of left and right hinges formed by engaging two engagement claws 30c, 35c provided at the rear portion with the suction cover mounting member 35 and the bearing holding member 37.

  The suction cover 30 can be swung with a rear hinge (a pair of hinges) as a swing shaft. When swinging, it is more preferably biased by an elastic member, so that it can be pressed against a cleaning surface such as a floor or a carpet to fit the unevenness of the cleaning surface, thereby improving the airtightness of the suction space. That is, even when the cleaning target is inclined or has a step, the suction cover 30 follows the cleaning target and maintains and improves the airtightness of the suction space. Various well-known configurations can be adopted as the configuration for realizing such swinging and biasing to the cleaning surface.

  The mouthpiece cover 30 includes groove portions to which guide brushes (S) 49 (see FIG. 3) are fixed on both the left and right sides of the opening. The guide brush (S) 49 is a brush provided so as to extend from the groove toward the cleaning surface. For example, a brush can be employed.

  In a state where the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C is placed on the cleaning surface, the suction portion is grounded to the cleaning surface together with the drive wheel 61 and the auxiliary wheel 83. Since the main body 50 is held at a predetermined height from the floor surface by the drive wheel 61 and the auxiliary wheel 83, the ground contact area between the flocking of the rotating brush 5 and the cleaning surface is not excessively widened. Thereby, the increase of the load of the rotary brush motor 21 is prevented.

(Bearing holding member 37)
The bearing holding member 37 is a member that is located on the left side of the suction cover 30 and holds the bearing (B) 7 provided on the rotating shaft 5 b of the rotating brush 5 from the lower surface. That is, the bearing holding member 37 is a member that holds the rotating shaft 5 b of the rotating brush 5.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the bearing holding member 37 includes a latch 37a at the front and a latching claw 37b at the rear, and is fixed to the suction portion 10 by the latch 37a and the latching claw 37b. The bearing holding member 37 holds the bearing (B) 7 in the suction portion 10 by a concave portion formed between the latch 37 a and the locking claw 37 b. The bearing holding member 37 has a meshing claw 30c formed from the base of the rear locking claw 37b toward the lower surface of the main body 50 (in the attached state). The bearing holding member 37 has a locking portion (not shown) for locking an elastic body (not shown) inserted between the suction cover 30 and the lower surface side.

(Suction cover mounting member 35)
The suction cover mounting member 35 is a member that is located on the right side of the suction cover 30 and that allows the suction cover 30 to be attached to the rear portion of the suction portion 10. That is, the inlet cover mounting member 35 is a member that covers the bearing (A) 18 provided in the suction portion 10. As shown in FIG. 9, the mouthpiece cover mounting member 35 includes a latch 35a at the front and a locking claw 35b at the rear, and is fixed to the suction portion 10 by the latch 35a and the locking claw 35b.

  The mouthpiece cover mounting member 35 is formed with a meshing claw 35c from the base of the rear locking claw 35b toward the lower surface of the main body 50 (see FIG. 3). The suction cover 30 can swing from the lower surface of the main body 50 toward the cleaning surface (floor surface, carpet) about the pair of left and right hinges formed by the engagement claws 30c and the engagement claws 35c. By biasing in the cleaning surface direction with an elastic body or the like, it is possible to fit the cleaning surface according to the unevenness of the cleaning surface. If the cleaning surface is a floor surface, it can also be swung in a manner that fits the cleaning surface by gravity. The suction cover mounting member 35 has a locking portion (not shown) for locking an elastic body (not shown) inserted between the suction cover 30 and the lower surface side.

  The positional relationship between the bearing holding member 37 and the suction cover mounting member 35 may be reversed left and right. The positional relationship between the scraping brush 1 and the raised cloth roller body 100 may be reversed.

(Side brush 40)
The side brush 40 shown in FIG. 3 is a brush having a rotation axis in a substantially vertical direction. By rotating the side brush 40 itself, dust in a place where it is not easy to reach the rotating brush 5 such as a corner of the room outside the main body 50 can be guided to the suction portion (suction port 17). it can. A part of the side brush 40 is exposed from the main body 50 in plan view. The side brush 40 includes three bundles of brushes extending radially at 120 ° intervals in a plan view, and is disposed on the left and right in front of the suction portion 10. The base of the right side brush 40 is fixed to the side brush holder 41. The flocking of the side brush 40 is inclined so as to approach the floor surface toward the tip, and the vicinity of the tip is in contact with the floor surface.

  The side brush holder 41 is installed near the bottom surface of the lower case 51 and is connected to the side brush motor 42 (see FIG. 2). When the side brush motor 42 is driven, the side brush 40 rotates inward (in the direction of the arrow attached to FIG. 3), and dust is collected between the left and right guide brushes (L) 45. ing. The same applies to the left side brush 40.

(Guide brush L)
The guide brush (L) 45 shown in FIG. 3 is a flocking fixed to the groove portion of the front lid 56. The rotating shaft of the side brush 40 and the hypotenuse of the arm (suspension arm) 71 (near the front end of the guide brush 47) are arranged at positions. The guide brush (L) 45 is a brush that guides dust collected by the side brush 40 between the left and right guide brushes (M) 47 and guides it to the suction unit 10. The guide brush (L) 45 preferably has a length that contacts the object to be cleaned (floor surface, carpet) during use. Thereby, it is possible to prevent dust from escaping between the guide brushes (L) 45. The material and length of the flocking of the guide brush (L) 45 are not limited to these, and can be selected as appropriate.

(Guide brush M)
A guide brush (M) 47 shown in FIG. 3 is flocked to a groove portion of an arm (suspension arm) 71. The guide brush (M) 47 is arranged on the inner side of the extension line of the side wall of the rotary brush housing portion 15 and in a direction substantially parallel to the drive wheel 61. The arm (suspension arm) 71 is a member in which a rotation shaft along the front-rear direction is located on the inner side in the left-right direction with respect to the drive wheel 61 and can rotate the drive wheel 61 in the up-down direction.

  The guide brush (M) 47 is a brush that guides dust collected by the side brush 40 to the suction unit 10 via the guide brush (L) 45. The guide brush (M) 47 preferably has a length that always contacts the cleaning target even when the arm 71 moves up and down during use. The material and length of the flocking of the guide brush (M) 47 are not limited to these, and can be selected as appropriate.

(Electric blower 81)
The electric blower 81 shown in FIG. 4 rotates to discharge the air in the dust collecting case K to the outside to generate negative pressure, and sucks dust from the floor through the suction port 17 (suction unit 10). It has a function. An elastic body 80 is installed on the outer peripheral surface of the electric blower 81. By interposing the elastic body in this way, the vibration of the electric blower 81 is attenuated and hardly transmitted to the main body 50, and the vibration and noise of the main body 50 can be reduced. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the electric blower 81 is disposed near the center of the lower case 51 in this embodiment.

  FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a positional relationship among the suction unit 10 (suction port 17), the dust collecting case K, and the electric blower 81 in the main body 50. As shown in FIG. 10, a dust collection case K, a dust collection filter F, an electric blower 81, and an exhaust port 53 (see FIG. 3) are provided in order from the suction port 17 toward the downstream side. A rotating brush 5 that scrapes dust on the floor surface is provided in the vicinity of the suction port 17 (see FIG. 3). When the electric blower 81 and the rotary brush motor 21 are driven, dust on the floor surface or the like is sucked through the suction port 17 (suction part) and scraped by the rotary brush 5 (see FIG. 3). This dust is guided to the dust collection case K through the inlet K1. The air from which the dust has been removed by the dust collection filter F is discharged from the main body 50 through the exhaust port 53 (see FIG. 3). The dust collection case K can be attached and detached by opening a lid 93 (see FIG. 1) provided on the upper case 91.

(Sensors)
FIG. 11 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a control device 95 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner and devices connected to the control device 95. The bumper sensor (obstacle detection means) is an infrared sensor that detects the backward movement of the bumper 92 (that is, contact with the obstacle). As shown in FIG. 4, an infrared sensor is provided in front of the main body 50. For example, when an obstacle comes into contact with the bumper 92, the light receiving time of the sensor light (the reflected light thereof) is shortened. A detection signal corresponding to the change in the light reception time is output to the control device 95.

  The distance measuring sensor (obstacle detection means) is an infrared sensor that detects the distance to the obstacle. In the present embodiment, distance measuring sensors are provided at a total of six locations: three at the front, two at the side, and one at the rear. It is possible to determine whether or not to activate the operation unit 97 in the vicinity of the rotating brush 5 by a distance measuring sensor provided on the rear surface.

  The distance measuring sensor includes a light emitting unit (not shown) that emits infrared light and a light receiving unit (not shown) that receives reflected light that is reflected by the infrared light reflected by an obstacle. The distance to the obstacle is calculated based on the intensity of the reflected light detected by the light receiving unit. In addition, at least the vicinity of the distance measuring sensor in the bumper 92 is formed of resin or glass that transmits infrared rays.

  Incidentally, another type of sensor (for example, an ultrasonic sensor or a visible light sensor) may be used as the distance measuring sensor. In addition, some of the distance measuring sensors may be sensors that determine only the presence or absence of an obstacle (determining whether an obstacle exists within a set distance), thereby reducing costs.

  The floor surface ranging sensor (obstacle detection means) is an infrared sensor that measures the distance to the floor surface, and is installed at four locations on the front, back, left, and right of the lower case 51 (see FIG. 3). By detecting a large step such as a staircase or the like with the floor surface ranging sensor, the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C can be prevented from falling (from the staircase or the like). For example, when a level difference of about 30 mm is detected forward by the floor distance measuring sensor, the control device 95 controls the traveling motor to retract the main body 50 and change the traveling direction. Here, some of the floor ranging sensors, for example, the rear sensor that is not frequently used, are sensors that determine only the presence or absence of a step (whether there is a step greater than a set distance), and reduce costs. Is also possible.

  The rotational speed and rotational angle of the traveling motor are detected from the traveling motor pulse output. The control device 95 calculates the moving speed and moving distance of the main body 50 based on the rotation speed and rotation angle detected from the travel motor pulse output, the gear ratio of the speed reduction mechanism, and the diameter of the drive wheel 61. .

  The traveling motor current measuring instrument is a measuring instrument that measures the current flowing through the armature winding of the traveling motor. Similarly, the electric blower current measuring device measures the current value of the electric blower 81, and the rotating brush motor current measuring device measures the current value of the rotating brush motor 21. The two side brush motor current measuring devices measure the current value of the side brush motor 42. Each current measuring instrument outputs the measured current value to the control device 95. Thereby, for example, an abnormality in which a rotating brush stops the rotation due to a foreign matter entangled can be detected and notified to the user by a display panel (not shown).

(Driver)
A travel motor drive device (left) (right) shown in FIG. 11 is an inverter that drives the left and right travel motors, or a pulse waveform generator by PWM control, and operates according to a command from the control device 95. The same applies to the electric blower driving device, the rotating brush motor driving device, and the side brush motor driving device (left) (right). Each of these driving devices is installed in a control device 95 (see FIG. 2) in the main body 50.

(Control device 95)
The control device 95 is, for example, a microcomputer (not shown), reads a program stored in a ROM (Read Only Memory) and develops it in a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a CPU (Central Processing Unit) performs various processes. It is supposed to run. The control device 95 performs arithmetic processing in accordance with signals input from the sensors 96 and outputs command signals to the above-described driving devices.

(Dust collection case K)
The dust collection case K is a container that collects dust sucked from the floor via the suction port 17 (suction part) (see FIG. 10). The dust collection case K includes a main body that stores the collected dust, a lid K2 that allows the collected dust to be taken out, and a foldable handle K3. The dust collection case body has a shape configured such that the lower surface corresponds to the shape of the upper portion of the suction portion 10, and includes an inlet K1 having a shape corresponding to the suction port 17 at a position facing the suction port 17. The overall shape is a substantially rectangular parallelepiped. The lid K2 is opposed to the suction port of the electric blower and includes a dust collection filter F. A handle is provided in the upper part of the main body.

(Other aspects)
In the above-described embodiment, the rotating brush 5 and the operation unit 97 are disposed rearward, but may be disposed forward. In that case, instead of or in addition to the sensors 96, it may be determined whether the operation unit 97 is lifted using the bumper 92. That is, when the operating part 97 of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner C or its vicinity approaches or comes in contact with an obstacle or a wall, the operating part 97 rises to expose the rotating brush 5, and this obstacle or wall It is only necessary to effectively perform cleaning at the time of such as.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Scraping brush 2 Flocking 4 Rotating shaft 5 Rotating brush 5a Shaft part 5b Rotating shaft 5c Flocking 6 Fitting part 7 Bearing (B)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Suction part 11 Scraping brush accommodating part 15 Rotating brush accommodating part 16 Dust collection rib 17 Suction port 18 Bearing (A)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 19 Locking part 21 Rotating brush motor 22 Power transmission mechanism 30 Suction cover 30a Partition 30c Engagement claw 35 Suction cover installation member 35a Latch 35b Engagement claw 35c Engagement claw 37 Bearing holding member 37a Latch 37b Engagement claw 40 Side brush 41 Side brush 41 Holder 42 Side brush motor 45 Guide brush (L)
47 Guide Brush (M)
49 Guide Brush (S)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 50 Main body 51 Lower case 52 Hole part 53 Exhaust port 54 Drive mechanism accommodating part 55 Battery accommodating part 56 Front cover 56a Locking claw 56b Overhang | projection part 61 Drive wheel 70 Support mechanism 71 Arm (suspension)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 81 Electric blower 82 Side brush attaching part 83 Auxiliary wheel 84 Auxiliary wheel attaching part 91 Upper case 92 Bumper 93 Cover 95 Control apparatus 96 Sensors (obstacle detection means)
97 Actuator C Self-propelled vacuum cleaner K Dust collection case K1 Inlet F Dust filter B Rechargeable battery M1 Cleaning surface

Claims (6)

A self-propelled vacuum cleaner having a rotating brush having a rotation axis in a substantially left-right direction,
A self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner having an operation part which can be exposed adjacent to the rotating brush to expose a front side or a rear side of the rotating brush. A detection unit for detecting a wall or an obstacle in the vicinity of the operation unit;
In response to the signal emitted by the detection unit, the operation unit is operated using the power of the rechargeable battery,
The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein cleaning is performed by bringing the rotating brush exposed by the operation of the operating unit closer to or in contact with a wall or an obstacle. The actuating portion is movable to expose the rotating brush in response to contact with a wall or an obstacle,
2. The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein when the operating unit is brought into contact with a wall or an obstacle, an output of a traveling motor that transmits a driving force to a driving wheel can be increased. In the self-propelled vacuum cleaner, at least the main body in the vicinity of the operating portion is substantially arc-shaped,
The self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein a part of the rotating brush protrudes from the main body in a bottom view of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner. The actuating part can move upward to expose the rotating brush,
Having another detection part for detecting an obstacle on the upper side of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner,
The self-propelled according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein control is performed so as to operate, not operate, or determine a range in which the operation unit is operated according to a signal from the other detection unit. Type vacuum cleaner.   The self-propelled type according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the operating portion can be operated to a center side of the rotating brush as compared with a longitudinal end portion of the rotating brush. Electric vacuum cleaner.

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