JP2018086299A - Suction port body and vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a suction port body and vacuum cleaner capable of sucking dust without damaging a cleaning surface.SOLUTION: A suction port body 105 of a vacuum cleaner comprises: a head part 127 including a suction space 135 without internally having a rotary brush and a suction port 122; and a ventilation passage 129 communicating with the suction space 135 via a ventilation port 143. The suction space 135 is extended in parallel with a cleaning surface and the suction port 122 is positioned between a center axis of the suction space 135 and a cleaning surface. The suction space 135 communicates with an outside of the head part 127 via the suction port 122 and has a truncated circular shape or a truncated oval shape in which a portion closer to a cleaning surface side than the suction port in a circular shape or an oval shape contacting with a cleaning surface is truncated in a cross section. The ventilation port 143 is arranged at a position where a distance of one side inner surface is shorter than a distance of the other side inner surface between distances along an inner surface of the head part 127 between the ventilation port 143 and the suction port 122 in a cross section.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 13

Description

  The present invention relates to a suction port body and a vacuum cleaner including the suction port body.

Conventionally, various studies have been made to improve the dust suction performance on floors and carpets. For example, the suction inlet body of the vacuum cleaner of a structure like patent document 1 is disclosed.
According to the configuration of the suction port body disclosed in Patent Document 1, the rotating brush is provided inside the suction port provided on the cleaning surface side of the suction port body. At the time of cleaning, this rotating brush rotates to scrape dust on the cleaning surface, and sucks the place where the dust is floating through the suction port. As described above, the performance of the suction port body is improved by sucking the dust in the floor groove and the dust existing in the back of the carpet using the rotating brush.

  In addition to such a suction port body, a suction port body in which a rotating brush is provided with a rubber blade in addition to a brush, and a suction port body in which a plurality of rotating brushes are provided are disclosed.

JP-A-5-293064

However, in order to scrape the dust by rotating the rotating brush, it is necessary to bring the rotating brush into contact with the floor or the carpet. This is because the rotating brush lifts dust by scratching the cleaning surface directly. In such a method, since the rotating brush is brought into direct contact with the cleaning surface, there is a high possibility that the floor and the carpet will be damaged. Depending on the material used for the carpet, there is a possibility that the hair of the carpet is damaged.
The present invention provides a suction port body and a vacuum cleaner that can suck dust without damaging the cleaning surface.

  In order to solve the above problems, the suction port body of the embodiment according to an embodiment of the present invention has a suction space that does not include a rotating brush inside and a head portion that includes a suction port on the side facing the cleaning surface; A suction port body of an electric vacuum cleaner having a ventilation path that is connected to the head portion and communicates with the suction space via a ventilation port, the suction space being the cleaning Extending in a direction parallel to the surface, the suction port is located between a central axis of the suction space and the cleaning surface, and the suction space communicates with the outside of the head portion via the suction port. In addition, in a cross section orthogonal to the parallel direction, the circular or inferior circular shape in contact with the cleaning surface has a missing circular shape or a defective circular shape that lacks the cleaning surface side of the suction port, and the ventilation port is In the cross section, Distance of the inner surface of one side of the distance along the inner surface of the head portion between said inlet and Kazeguchi is provided in shorter position with respect to the distance of the inner surface of the other side.

The similar circular shape here is not a perfect circular shape, but a shape belonging to a type corresponding to a circular shape, for example, an elliptical shape, an elliptical shape, a polygonal shape, an elliptical shape, an elliptical shape. There are shapes in which a part of the shape and polygonal shape is recessed or protruded.
Moreover, the vacuum cleaner which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention is provided with the suction inlet body and the cleaner main body, and the said suction inlet body is a suction inlet body as described above.

  In the suction port body and the vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, the cross-sectional shape of the suction space is a missing circle shape or a notch circle shape, so that a swirling airflow is generated in the suction space, and this turning The suction efficiency can be improved by winding up dust on the floor or carpet by the airflow.

The top view and sectional drawing which represented the inlet port for demonstrating an operation principle typically. The side view which represented typically the suction inlet for demonstrating an operation principle. Schematic of the vacuum cleaner of 1st Embodiment. The side view of the suction inlet of 1st Embodiment. The top view of the suction inlet of 1st Embodiment. The bottom view of the suction inlet of 1st Embodiment. The front view of the suction inlet of 1st Embodiment. The rear view of the suction inlet body of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of a periphery of a cylindrical body when the X1-X1 cross section of FIG. The perspective view of the suction inlet of 2nd Embodiment. The top view of the suction inlet of 2nd Embodiment. The bottom view of the suction inlet of 2nd Embodiment. The figure which looked at the X11-X11 line cross section of FIG. 11 from the arrow direction. The figure which looked at the X12-X12 line cross section of FIG. 13 from the arrow direction. The figure which looked at the X13-X13 line cross section of FIG. 13 from the arrow direction. The exploded view of the components downstream from the communication part. The expansion cross-sectional view of the suction head of 2nd Embodiment. The expanded cross-sectional view which shows the modification of a suction head.

  The suction port body described in the embodiment for carrying out has a suction space inside and a head portion provided with a suction port on the side facing the cleaning surface, and connected to the head portion and through the ventilation port A suction port body of a vacuum cleaner having a ventilation space communicating with the suction space therein, wherein the suction space extends in a direction parallel to the cleaning surface, and the suction port is The suction space is located between a central axis of the suction space and the cleaning surface, and the suction space communicates with the outside of the head portion via the suction port, and in the cross section orthogonal to the parallel direction, the cleaning space As a circular shape or a similar circular shape in contact with a surface, the cleaning surface side is lacking in a circular shape or a partial circular shape, and the suction space approaches the ventilation port from a position far from the ventilation port. In the suction space It has a portion area of kicking the cross section increases. Thereby, the swirl | vortex airflow which goes to a ventilation port in a suction space is produced | generated.

The ventilation port is in the center of the suction space in the parallel direction, and the enlarged portion is present on at least one of both sides of the ventilation path in the parallel direction. Thereby, the swirling airflow can be efficiently directed to the ventilation path at least on one side of the ventilation path. The enlarged portion exists on both sides of the ventilation path in the parallel direction. Accordingly, a swirling airflow is generated on both the left and right sides of the suction space with respect to the ventilation path, and the swirling airflow can be used in a wide range.
The ventilation opening has a long flat shape in the parallel direction. Thereby, a ventilation path can be reduced in size. Moreover, the suction space long in the parallel direction can be used effectively. The suction space communicates with the outside by a missing portion that is formed in an end wall of the head portion in the parallel direction and extends along the parallel direction. Thereby, the swirl | vortex airflow which generate | occur | produced in the edge part of suction space can be moved to a ventilation port by a spiral track.

<Operating principle>
The operation principle of the embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.
1 and 2 show a suction port body 20 of a vacuum cleaner schematically shown for explaining the operating principle of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a top view and a cross-sectional view of the suction port body 20, and FIG. 2 is a side view of the suction port body 20.

First, on the basis of the operator who operates the vacuum cleaner, the side where the suction port is present is referred to as “front side”, and the side where the vacuum cleaner body is present is referred to as “rear side”.
In both FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B, the left side of the drawing corresponds to the front, and the right side corresponds to the rear. Moreover, the arrow shown in FIG.1 (b) represents the motion direction of the swirl | vortex airflow which swirls within the cylindrical body 22, the black arrow represents the lower half side of the swirl airflow, and the hatched arrow represents the upper half side of the swirl airflow. .

The suction port body 20 is a cylindrical or columnar space and has a cylindrical body 22 having an opening 22a on the cleaning surface S side, and a front guard 24 provided in front of the cylindrical body 22 so as to be in contact with the cylindrical body 22. A rear guard 26 provided in contact with the cylindrical body 22 at the rear portion of the cylindrical body 22, and a ventilation path 28 provided at the upper center of the rear guard 26 and communicating with the cylindrical body 22.
Here, the cylindrical body corresponds to an example of the head portion of the present invention, the internal space corresponds to an example of the suction space of the present invention, and the opening corresponds to an example of the suction port of the present invention. Further, the space inside the ventilation path corresponds to the ventilation space of the present invention.

The lower surfaces of the front guard 24 and the rear guard 26 are separated from the cleaning surface S by a fixed distance t. The distance t is the distance between the front guard 24 and the cleaning surface S or the rear guard 26 and the cleaning when the inner peripheral surface of the cylinder is in contact with the cleaning surface, assuming that the cylindrical body 22 is a complete cylinder. This is the distance from the surface S.
In other words, the distance t is the front guard 24 and the cleaning surface S or the rear guard 26 and the cleaning surface S when the distance between the central axis of the cylindrical body 22 and the cleaning surface S corresponds to the radius of the cylindrical body 22. And the distance.

When the distance t is determined in this way, dust sucked (sucked) from the opening 22 a is sucked into the cylindrical body 22 from the tangential direction of the cylindrical body 22. At this time, the airflow in the cylindrical body 22 generates a swirling airflow along the inner surface of the cylindrical body 22.
The behavior of the dust sucked from the opening 22a varies depending on the sucked position. Dust sucked from the central portion of the opening 22a (cylindrical body 22) is directly sucked into the ventilation path 28 without turning inside the cylindrical body 22 because the ventilation path 28 is close.

On the other hand, the dust sucked from the end portion of the cylindrical body 22 rides on the swirling air current and rotates (turns) along the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 22 as shown in FIG. It approaches the center and is sucked into the ventilation path 28.
In other words, as shown in FIG. 1A, the dust sucked from the end of the cylindrical body 22 moves toward the ventilation path 28 while drawing a spiral trajectory along the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 22.

  Next, the distance t between the cleaning surface S and the lower surface of the front guard 24 or the cleaning surface S and the lower surface of the rear guard 26 and the opening size d (the opening size in the front-rear direction) of the opening 22a of the cylindrical body 22 are shown in FIG. Will be described. In FIG. 2, the cylindrical body 22, the front guard 24, and the rear guard 26 are integrally illustrated, and the opening portion of the integral body is also an opening portion of the cylindrical body.

As shown in FIG. 2, the opening size d of the opening 22a is equal to twice one of the adjacent sides of the right triangle OAB having the radius r as the hypotenuse. Therefore, it can be obtained by the following formula.
^{d = 2 × {r 2 -} (r-t) 2} 1/2
Here, d is the opening size of the opening 22a of the cylindrical body 22, r is the radius of the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 22, and t is the distance from the opening 22a to the cleaning surface S.

  If the distance t is decreased while the radius r is constant from the mathematical formula, the opening size d is reduced, and if the distance t is increased, the opening size d is increased. The opening size d can be selected from the range of 0 <d <2r, and an appropriate size is selected based on the performance required for the suction port body 20.

<First Embodiment>
Next, a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.
1. Outline of Vacuum Cleaner FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the vacuum cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 3, the electric vacuum cleaner 1 includes an electric vacuum cleaner main body 3 and a suction port body 60. The vacuum cleaner 1 may include a connecting pipe 7 for detachably connecting the vacuum cleaner body 3 and the suction port body 60.

  Here, the connecting pipe 7 includes a hose 11 with an operation unit 9 and a pipe body 13 that can be connected. In addition, the hose 11 and the suction inlet body 60 can also be directly connected without connecting the pipe body 13 and the suction inlet body 60 so that it can respond | correspond to the various usage purposes of the vacuum cleaner 1. FIG.

  The vacuum cleaner 1 sucks dust present on a cleaning surface such as flooring, carpet, carpet, and the like from the opening 62a of the cylindrical body 62 together with ambient air, and collects the dust inside the main body 3 of the vacuum cleaner. Here, a flow path through which dust or the like is sucked from the suction port of the suction port body 60 to the inside of the electric vacuum cleaner body 3 is defined as a suction path. In the suction path, the “side” where the suction port body 60 is located is referred to as “upstream side”, and the “side” where the vacuum cleaner main body 3 is located is referred to as “downstream side”.

  The electric vacuum cleaner main body 3 incorporates an electric blower for sucking dust and the like, and a dust collection space arranged on the upstream side of the electric blower. The dust collection method may be a cyclone type, a paper pack type, or a combination of both. The vacuum cleaner body 3 includes movement assisting wheels 15.

  The hose 11 is composed of a flexible tubular body having flexibility. A downstream end portion of the hose 11 is detachably connected to the electric vacuum cleaner main body 3, and an operation portion 9 is attached to the upstream end portion. The inside of the hose 11 is a space that constitutes a part of the suction path, and is also a storage space in which an electric cable for operating a switch for starting and stopping suction of the vacuum cleaner body 3 is operated by the operation unit 9. is there.

  In addition to the above switches, the operation unit 9 includes a handle 9a for the operator to move (operate) the suction port body 60 along the cleaning surface. The tube 13 is detachably connected to the upstream end of the operation unit 9.

  The tube body 13 is configured to be extendable. Specifically, the tube body 13 includes an inner tube and an outer tube, and the inner tube is supported so as to be insertable / removable with respect to the outer tube. An upstream end portion of the tube body 13 is detachably connected to the suction port body 60. In addition, since the suction inlet body 60 mentioned later is not provided with a rotating brush, the wiring for rotating brush drive becomes unnecessary, and the structure of the pipe body 13 becomes simple.

2. Outline of Suction Port Body The configuration of the suction port body 60 will be described.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the suction port body 60. FIG. 5 is a plan view of the suction port body 60. FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the suction port body 60. FIG. 7 is a front view of the suction port body 60. FIG. 8 is a rear view of the suction port body 60.
Here, a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction (see FIG. 10) as viewed from the operator facing the suction port body 60 is simply referred to as “left-right direction” (see FIG. 10). Further, the direction orthogonal to the cleaning surface 120 is simply referred to as “vertical direction”, the direction away from the cleaning surface 120 is “upward”, and the direction approaching the cleaning surface 120 is “downward”.

The suction port body 60 includes at least a cylindrical body 62 and a ventilation path 68. This will be specifically described below.
The suction port body 60 according to the first embodiment includes a cylindrical body 62, a front guard 64, a rear guard 66, a ventilation path 68, a joint 70, a first pipe 72, a second pipe 74, a base portion 76, and wheels 78a to 78a. 78f, and is connected to the vacuum cleaner main body 3 through the tube 13 and the hose 11. The second pipe 74 is connected to the tube body 13.
Dust sucked from the opening 62 a formed in the cylindrical body 62 is sucked into the dust collection space provided in the vacuum cleaner main body 3 incorporating the electric blower via the tube body 13 and the hose 11.

Here, a combination of at least the cylindrical body 62 and the ventilation path 68 is the suction head 61. In the present embodiment, the suction head 61 also has a base portion 76 in addition to the cylindrical body 62 and the ventilation path 68. The head portion 65 has at least a cylindrical body 62. That is, the suction head 61 has a base portion 76 in addition to the head portion 65 and the ventilation path 68.
In the present embodiment, the head portion 65 includes a front guard 64 and a rear guard 66 in addition to the cylindrical body 62. The opening 62a corresponds to an example of a suction port of the present invention. A space inside the cylindrical body 62 is a suction space 63.
The cylindrical body 62 has a columnar space inside, and an opening 62a is formed on the cleaning surface side. As described in the operation principle, the dust sucked from the opening 62a is sucked by the swirling airflow along the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 62. The cylindrical body 62 has tapered portions 62b and 62c having tapered shapes that are narrowed toward the rotation center axis of the cylindrical body 62 at both ends in the longitudinal direction.

  The front guard 64 is provided at the front portion of the cylindrical body 62. By providing the front guard 64, the cylindrical body 62 can be protected from an impact even when the suction port body 60 hits a wall or the like during use.

  The front guard 64 is preferably made of a material or a structure that can absorb an impact. For example, materials such as elastomer and fiber fabric may be used. Further, the front guard 64 may be formed integrally with the cylindrical body 62 or may be constituted by a plurality of parts.

  The rear guard 66 is provided at the rear part of the cylindrical body 62. Similar to the front guard 64, the rear guard 66 is provided to prevent the cylindrical body 62 from directly hitting an obstacle when the suction port body 60 is moved rearward.

  The rear guard 66 can be made of a material and a configuration that can absorb an impact in the same manner as the front guard 64. For example, a material or configuration that can absorb impact may be used. Specifically, materials such as elastomers and fiber fabrics can be used. Further, the rear guard 66 may be formed integrally with the cylindrical body 62 or may be constituted by a plurality of parts.

  The ventilation path 68 is connected to the center of the rear part of the cylindrical body 62 via a communication part 68a. The dust sucked from the cylindrical body 62 moves in the ventilation path 68 along the suction airflow toward the first pipe 72. The communication portion 68a corresponds to an example of the ventilation port of the present invention.

  The joint 70 connects the ventilation path 68 and the first pipe 72. The first pipe 72 is connected to be rotatable in the vertical direction about an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the cylindrical body 62.

  The first pipe 72 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape. A pipe cover 72 a is provided on the first pipe 72. The pipe cover 72a is provided with a space where terminals and conductors can be stored. For example, when a light emitting element such as an LED is disposed in the suction port body 60, the pipe cover 72a needs to be electrically wired. It is possible to use the space inside. If no electrical wiring is required, the pipe cover 72a may be omitted.

  The second pipe 74 has one end connected to the first pipe 72 and the other end connected to the tubular body 13. The second pipe 74 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape like the first pipe 72, and has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the first pipe 72.

  With such a configuration, a step 74a is formed at the connection portion between the first pipe 72 and the second pipe 74, and the tubular body 13 is fixed at a fixed position by the step 74a when inserted. In addition, the 1st pipe 72 and the 2nd pipe 74 may be formed separately, or may be formed integrally. What is integrally formed is the joint body 125 of the second embodiment.

  The base portion 76 is provided below the joint 70. With this configuration, by supporting the joint 70 formed slightly upward and rearward from the cylindrical body 62 from below, the opening 62a is prevented from floating from the cleaning surface, and a certain distance between the cleaning surface and the opening 62a. Can be maintained.

The wheels 78a to 78f are rotatably attached to predetermined positions such as the front guard 64, the rear guard 66, and the base portion 76. The wheels 78a and 78b are attached to the lower part of the front guard 64, the wheels 78c and 78d are attached to the lower part of the rear guard 66, and the wheels 78e and 78f are attached to the lower part of the base part 76 and the rear center part.
Since the wheels 78c and 78d are attached to the rear guard 66 having a small thickness, the rear guard 66 is attached with a through hole.

(1) Head Part FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of the periphery of the cylindrical body 62 when the X1-X1 cross section of FIG. 5 is viewed from the arrow direction.
As shown in FIG. 9, the cylindrical body 62 constituting the head portion 65 has an inner peripheral surface shape of the cylindrical body 62 in a cross section (transverse cross section) orthogonal to the central axis Y <b> 1 passing through the center P <b> 1 of the cylindrical body 62. Has a shape lacking a part (lower part) of a complete circular cylinder. That is, the inner peripheral surface shape is a circular shape. In addition, the opening part 62a is comprised by the part which circular shape lacked. The opening 62a is between the central axis of the suction space 63 and the cleaning surface.
The cross-sectional shape of the suction space 63 inside the cylindrical body 62 is substantially the same over the entire length in the direction in which the central axis Y1 of the cylindrical body 62 extends (referred to as the central axis direction). That is, the cross-sectional shape of the cylindrical body 62 does not change even if the central axis direction is moved from one end to the other end. Note that the end of the cylindrical body 62 in the central axis direction is closed by the end wall 80.

The area of the suction space 63 in the cross section is not constant over the central axis direction of the cylindrical body 62. That is, the area of the cross section of the suction space 63 varies depending on the location when the central axis direction is moved from one end to the other end.
Specifically, the area of the suction space 63 in the cross section is constant at an intermediate portion in the central axis direction of the space, and gradually decreases at the end portion in the central axis direction as approaching the end. The position of the opening 62 a is the same in the cross section of the cylindrical body 62.
For this reason, the central axis of the suction space 63 having a cross-sectional shape with a missing circle shape is inclined downward as it approaches the end. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the left and right end portions of the cylindrical body 62 having the suction space 63 are tapered portions 62 b and 62 c that gradually narrow on the left and right sides.
The end portion of the central axis Y1 in the suction space 63 is a space located inside the tapered portions 62b and 62c of the cylindrical body 62.

(2) Ventilation path The ventilation path 68 is cylindrical as shown in FIG. The ventilation path 68 has a shape that becomes narrower as it is away from the cylindrical body 62 when viewed from above (that is, in the state shown in FIG. 5). Further, the ventilation path 68 has a shape that becomes thicker as the distance from the cylindrical body 62 increases when viewed from the side (that is, in the state shown in FIG. 4).

  The ventilation path 68 has a ventilation space 82 having a similar shape corresponding to the external shape of the ventilation path 68. The area of the cross section of the ventilation space 82 on the entrance side of the ventilation path 68 is substantially equal to the area of the cross section of the ventilation space 82 on the exit side.

(3) Connection between the cylindrical body and the ventilation path The communication portion 68a that communicates the inside of the cylindrical body 62 and the inside of the ventilation path 68 is formed in the direction of the central axis of the cylindrical body 62 as shown in FIGS. It has a long shape along. That is, the communication part 68a has a flat shape that is thin in the vertical direction.
As shown in FIG. 9, the communication portion 68 a is present behind the imaginary line segment Y <b> 2 passing through the central axis Y <b> 1 of the cylindrical body 62 and orthogonal to the cleaning surface in the cross section of the cylindrical body 62. The communicating portion 68a passes through the central axis Y1 of the cylindrical body 62 and exists above the imaginary line segment Y3 parallel to the cleaning surface (in a direction away from the cleaning surface).

3. Operation The suction port body 60 of the first embodiment sucks air from the opening 62a from the tangential direction of the cylindrical body 62, so that a swirling airflow is generated inside the cylindrical body 62, and the dust on the cleaning surface is turned into the swirling airflow. Therefore, the inside of the cylindrical body 62 moves to the ventilation path 68 while drawing a trajectory spirally.
In addition, since both end portions of the cylindrical body 62 are tapered portions 62b and 62c, dust sucked from the opening portion 62a of the suction port body 60 has an inclination of the tapered portions 62b and 62c. It becomes easy to move.

<Second Embodiment>
The suction inlet 105 according to the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 10 to 17. Here, the connection structure and connection method of the suction port body 105 to the vacuum cleaner main body 3 are the same as those of the suction port body 60 of the first embodiment, and the description of the connection structure and the like is omitted.

1. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the suction port body 105, FIG. 11 is a plan view, and FIG. 12 is a bottom view. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X11-X11 in FIG. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X12-X12 of FIG. FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line X13-X13 of FIG. FIG. 16 is an exploded view of components on the downstream side of the communication portion. FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the suction head 121.

  The suction port body 105 has at least a suction head 121. The suction head 121 is provided with a suction port 122. The suction port 122 corresponds to the opening 62a of the first embodiment.

The downstream end portion of the suction head 121 is connected to the joint body 125 through the joint 123. The joint body 125 corresponds to a structure in which the first pipe 72 and the second pipe 74 of the first embodiment are connected.
In the suction port body 105 according to the second embodiment, a suction head 121 and a joint body 125 are connected by a joint 123 to be integrated.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the suction port body 105 has a suction passage 126 inside. By this suction passage 126, dust or the like sucked from the suction port 122 of the suction head 121 is sent from the joint body 125 to the tube body 13 outside the figure. The suction port 122 of the suction head 121 serves as the inlet of the suction passage 126, and the downstream port 124 of the joint body 125 serves as the outlet of the suction passage 126.

2. Configuration of Each Part (1) Suction Head The suction head 121 has a head part 127 and a ventilation part 129. The head part 127 is located on the upstream side of the suction head 121, and the ventilation part 129 is located on the downstream side of the suction head 121. The suction port 122 exists on the lower surface of the head portion 127 and faces the cleaning surface 120. The suction head 121 according to this embodiment includes a base portion 131 in addition to the head portion 127 and the ventilation portion 129. The ventilation part 129 corresponds to an example of the ventilation path of the present invention.

  The head portion 127 has a suction space 135 inside. The ventilation portion 129 has a ventilation space 137 inside. The suction space 135 and the ventilation space 137 communicate with each other and constitute a part of the suction path 126.

(1-1) About suction path The suction path 126 in the suction head 121 is comprised from the suction space 135 and the ventilation space 137 as mentioned above.
As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, the suction space 135 has a column shape extending along the cleaning surface 120 in a direction parallel to the cleaning surface 120. The parallel direction here is, for example, the left-right direction as shown in FIG. The suction space 135 communicates with the outside of the head portion 127 via the suction port 122 as shown in FIG.

  The suction space 135 has a space shape in which a swirling airflow is generated with the axis extending in the left-right direction as a swirling axis. In other words, the head portion 127 has a suction recess (135) for generating a swirling airflow. The suction recess 135 is recessed from the suction port 122 to the side opposite to the cleaning surface 120.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the specific shape of the suction space 135 is a circular shape as a whole in a cross-section, and lacks the lower side (on the cleaning surface 120 side) with respect to the suction port 122. It has a circular shape.

  A similar circular shape refers to a shape similar to a circular shape. The similar circular shape in the second embodiment is an elliptical shape that is slightly longer in the vertical direction in which a swirling airflow can be generated. An incomplete circle shape refers to a shape that lacks a portion of the similar circle shape.

  The head portion 127 has a virtual circular plane in which a circular contour that does not partially lack a circular shape that forms the suction space is parallel to the cleaning surface 120 or near the cleaning surface 120. A suction space 135 is provided so as to contact with.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the suction port 122 exists between the center P <b> 11 (Y <b> 11) of the suction space 135 and the cleaning surface 120 in the cross section of the head portion 127. The opening edge of the suction port 122 exists in a plane substantially parallel to the cleaning surface 120. Note that an imaginary line segment that passes through the center P11 of the suction space 135 in the cross section and extends in the left-right direction is defined as a central axis Y11 of the suction space 135 (see FIG. 13).

The swirling axis of the swirling airflow substantially coincides with the central axis Y11 passing through the center P11 of the suction space 135 in the cross section of the head portion 127. The swirling airflow in the region near the swirling axis swirls inside the suction space 135. The swirling airflow in a region away from the swivel axis (in other words, a portion close to the recessed surface of the suction dent (135)) exits from the suction port 122 and passes near the cleaning surface 120, and passes through the suction port. Return from 122 to the suction space 135.
The cross-sectional shape of the suction space 135 is substantially the same regardless of the position in the left-right direction, but the cross-sectional area of the suction space 135 varies depending on the position. Specifically, as in the first embodiment, at both end portions 135b in the left-right direction (center axis direction) of the suction space 135, as shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. The area of the cross section (the diameter of the space) increases as it moves.

In other words, the end portion 135b of the suction space 135 has a shape that tapers toward the end. That is, the overall shape of the suction space 135 is a columnar shape in which the cross-sectional shape is a circular shape in the intermediate portion 135c including the central portion 135a, and is close to a frustum shape in which the cross-sectional shape is a circular shape in both end portions 135b. It has a shape.
The suction port 122 faces the cleaning surface 120 and has a long shape in the left-right direction as shown in FIG. In the second embodiment, the suction port 122 is a platform in which, when viewed from the bottom side, the middle part 122a in the left-right direction has a long rectangular shape and both end parts 122b taper, as in the projected shape of the suction space 135. It has a shape.

As illustrated in FIGS. 12, 13, and 15, the suction port 122 is provided so that the distance from the cleaning surface 120 is constant. For this reason, the central axis of the suction space 135 whose cross-sectional shape is a defective circle shape is inclined downward at the end portion 135b of the suction space 135 as shown in FIG. As a result, a swirling airflow is also generated at the end portion 135b.
Further, since both end portions 135b of the suction space 135 have a tapered truncated cone shape, the swirling airflow generated at the end portion 135b travels toward the ventilation space 137 in a spiral orbit while increasing the turning radius.

  The suction space 135 communicates with the outside of the head portion 127 through the missing portion 139 at the end portion 135b in the left-right direction. The defect | deletion part 139 is comprised so that airflow may flow in along the left-right direction from the outside. As shown by the broken line Y16 in FIG. 10, the swirling airflow swirling in the circumferential direction is directed from the both sides in the left-right direction toward the central ventilation portion 129 by the inflowing airflow.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the suction space 135 is ventilated through a ventilation port 143 that exists on the rear side of an imaginary line segment Y <b> 12 that passes through the turning axis (center axis Y <b> 11) and is orthogonal to the cleaning surface 120. It communicates with the space 137.

  Thereby, the air sucked from the suction port 122 advances toward the ventilation port 143 in a predetermined path. Here, the predetermined trajectory is a trajectory along the inner surface of the suction recess 135 having a shorter distance from the suction port 122 to the ventilation port 143.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the ventilation opening 143 is formed so as to straddle the virtual line Y14 extending in the front-rear direction passing through the center P11 of the suction space 135 and parallel to the cleaning surface 120 in the cross section. ing. As shown in FIG. 17, the ventilation port 143 has a vertical center P12 below the imaginary line segment Y14 (on the cleaning surface side) as shown in FIG.

  The ventilation space 137 extends in a direction intersecting the suction space 135 as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. In the second embodiment, the intersecting direction is a direction orthogonal to the central axis Y11 of the suction space 135 in plan view, that is, the front-rear direction, as shown in FIG. The direction in which the ventilation space 137 extends from the suction space 135 is backward. Further, Y13 shown in FIG. 14 is the central axis of the ventilation space 137.

  The ventilation space 137 passes through the central axis Y13 of the ventilation space 137 and is perpendicular to the cleaning surface 120 (in the state shown in FIGS. 13 and 17, also referred to as “vertical longitudinal section of the ventilation space 137”). As shown in FIG. 17, it has an upstream region 137a extending from the suction space 135 along a virtual line segment Y15 connecting the center P12 of the ventilation port 143 in the vertical direction and the center P13 of the suction port 122 in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 13, the ventilation space 137 has a region extending in a direction parallel to the cleaning surface 120 following the upstream region 137 a in the vertical longitudinal section.

  That is, the ventilation space 137 extends along a virtual line segment Y15 connecting the center P13 of the suction port 122 and the center P12 of the ventilation port 143 as shown in FIG. 17 in a vertical longitudinal section (this region is an upstream region). 137a), and then curved so as to be parallel to the cleaning surface 120 as shown in FIG. 13 (this region is the midstream region 137b), and then extends parallel to the cleaning surface 120 (this region is Downstream region 137c).

  As shown in FIG. 13, in the upstream region 137 a and the midstream region 137 b, the distance in the vertical direction (interval between the upper and lower walls) increases as the distance from the suction space 135 increases. In the downstream region 137c, the vertical distance (the distance between the upper and lower walls) is constant. In the middle flow region 137b and the downstream region 137c, the lower end (lower wall) of the ventilation space 137 extends in a direction parallel to the cleaning surface 120.

  When viewed from the front side, the ventilation opening 143 of the suction space 135 has a flat shape that is long in the left-right direction and short in the up-down direction, as shown in FIG. Although the upstream port 145 of the ventilation space 137 is not visible in FIG. 15, like the ventilation port 143, it has a flat shape that is long in the left-right direction and short in the vertical direction.

  In the cross section orthogonal to the vertical direction (corresponding to FIG. 14), the ventilation space 137 becomes smaller in the upstream area 137 a and the middle flow area 137 b as the distance in the left-right direction (the distance between the left and right walls) increases rearward from the suction space 135. It has become. In the downstream region 137c, the distance in the left-right direction (the distance between the left and right walls) is constant. In addition, in the downstream part of the ventilation space 137, the cross-sectional shape orthogonal to the central axis Y13 is circular.

(1-2) Configuration The suction port body 105 is configured to have the above-described suction path 126 inside. That is, the suction port body 105 may have any structure as long as the suction passage 126 can be formed, and the shape and the like are not particularly limited.

  The suction head 121 is configured to have the suction space 135 and the ventilation space 137 described above. That is, the suction head 121 may have a structure that can form the suction space 135 and the ventilation space 137, and the shape and the like are not particularly limited.

  The suction head 121 includes a head portion 127 and a ventilation portion 129. The head portion 127 is formed on a facing (lower) surface 151 a facing the cleaning surface 120 and extends in a direction parallel to the cleaning surface 120 (in the left-right direction), and the suction port 122 extends along the suction port 122. It has a suction dent (135) recessed from the suction opening 122, and a ventilation port 143 facing the suction dent (135). The ventilation portion 129 is connected to the head portion 127 in a state of communicating with the suction recess (135) through the ventilation port 143.

  The space formed by the suction recess (135) is the suction space 135, and hereinafter, the suction recess is also referred to as “135”. The ventilation portion 129 has a cylindrical shape, and the internal space is the ventilation space 137.

  In the cross section perpendicular to the central axis Y11 in the head portion 127 (see FIG. 13), the inner surface 127a that forms the suction recess 135 is a circular shape or a similar circular shape that is in contact with the cleaning surface 120, or a partial circle shape that lacks a part thereof. It has a circular shape. The “part” referred to here is closer to the cleaning surface 120 than the suction port 122 that exists between the circular or similar center P11 and the cleaning surface 120.

In the cross section (vertical vertical cross section) perpendicular to the central axis Y11 in the portion connected to the suction recess 135, the ventilation portion 129 has a longitudinal center P13 of the suction port 122 and the vertical direction of the ventilation port 143 as shown in FIG. And a cylindrical portion extending from the vent hole 143 along a virtual line segment Y15 connecting the center P12. An internal region of the tube portion is an upstream region 137a of the ventilation space 137.
As described above, the suction head 121 according to the second embodiment has the base portion 131 in addition to the head portion 127 and the ventilation portion 129, and each portion will be described below.

The head portion 127 includes a lower head 151 and an upper head 153 as shown in FIGS. 10 to 13. Here, the upper head 153 is placed on the lower head 151.
As shown in FIGS. 10, 11, and 13, the upper head 153 is configured by a semi-cylindrical body having a lower end opened. As shown in FIG. 13, the upper head 153 has a cross-sectional shape in which an oval shape elongated in the vertical direction is cut near the lower ends of the pair of linear portions. That is, the cross-sectional shape of the upper head 153 has an inverted “U” shape, and the lower portion of the upper head 153 is attached to the lower head 151.

  As shown in FIGS. 11 and 15, the outer diameter and the inner diameter of the upper head 153 in the left and right end portions 153 b become smaller (thinner) as the head portion 127 approaches the end in a plan view and a front view. It has a cylindrical shape. It should be noted that the thickness of the semi-cylindrical upper head 153 is substantially constant. As a result, both end portions of the head portion 127 in the left-right direction become tapered portions.

The both end portions 153b in the left-right direction of the upper head 153 have a height that decreases as they approach the end as shown in FIG. 15, and a width (the length in the front-rear direction in FIG. 10) as they approach the end as shown in FIG. .) Also becomes smaller.
As shown in FIG. 15, the central axis Y11 of the suction space 135 is a straight line parallel to the cleaning surface 120 at the intermediate portion 153a in a cross section passing through the central axis Y11 and orthogonal to the cleaning surface 120. In 153b, it inclines so that it may approach the cleaning surface 120 as it approaches an end. The reason why the central axis Y11 approaches the cleaning surface 120 is to make the distance between the suction port 122 and the cleaning surface 120 constant.

  10 to 13, the lower head 151 includes a front lower head 155 attached to the front lower end of the upper head 153 and a rear lower head 157 attached to the rear lower end of the upper head 153.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the front lower head 155 has a fitting groove 159 into which the front portion of the lower end portion of the upper head 153 is inserted. As shown in FIG. 17, the rear lower head 157 has a fitting groove 161 into which the rear portion of the lower end portion of the upper head 153 is inserted.

Here, the front lower head 155 and the rear lower head 157 are made of an elastic material such as a rubber material, for example. Thereby, even if the front part of the head part 127 collides with a wall or the like during cleaning, or the rear part of the head part 127 collides with furniture or the like, damage to the upper head 153 can be suppressed.
That is, the front lower head 155 has the function of the front guard 64 of the first embodiment, and the rear lower head 157 has the function of the rear guard 66 of the first embodiment.

  Further, the front lower head 155 and the rear lower head 157 are made of a rubber material, and the fitting means in which the lower end portion of the upper head 153 is fitted in the fitting groove 159 or the fitting groove 161 is used as the mounting means. Air leakage from between the front lower head 155 and the upper head 153 and between the rear lower head 157 and the upper head 153 can be suppressed.

  In particular, since the size of the fitting grooves 159 and 161 is smaller than the lower end portion of the upper head 153, the fitting grooves 159 and 161 press the lower end portion of the upper head 153 in the groove, so Air can be prevented from leaking from the mounting portion with the head 151, or the upper head 153 can be prevented from coming off.

  The upper surface 155a on the rear side of the front lower head 155 with respect to the fitting groove 159 has an arc that moves upward from the cleaning surface 120 as it moves away from the suction port 122 in the front cross section as shown in FIG. It has a shape. That is, the surface in contact with the suction space 135 of the front lower head 155 constitutes a part of a missing circle shape or a notch circle shape that is a recessed shape of the suction recess 135 of the head portion 127.

The upper surface 157a on the front side of the fitting groove 161 in the rear lower head 157 has an arc that moves upward from the cleaning surface 120 as it moves rearward from the suction port 122 as shown in FIG. The shape is close to the shape. That is, the surface in contact with the suction space 135 of the rear lower head 157 constitutes a part of a missing circle shape or a notch circle shape that is a recessed shape of the suction recess 135 of the head portion 127.
The rear end of the front lower head 155 and the front end of the rear lower head 157 constitute an opening edge of the suction port 122 as shown in FIG. The rear end of the front lower head 155 is recessed in the forward direction so that the central portion in the left-right direction is separated from the rear lower head 157.

An end portion in the left-right direction at the rear end of the front lower head 155 is linearly recessed in the front direction from the end in the left-right direction toward the center in the left-right direction. The end portion of the front lower head 155 may be recessed in a step shape or may be recessed in a curve.
As shown in FIG. 12, the front end of the rear lower head 157 is recessed rearward so that the center portion in the left-right direction is away from the front lower head 155. The left and right end portions of the front end of the rear lower head 157 are linearly recessed in the rearward direction from the left and right ends toward the center in the left and right directions. Note that the end portion of the rear lower head 157 may be recessed in a step shape, or may be recessed in a curve.

The rear lower head 157 has a plate shape in a plan view, and a rear side portion from the fitting groove 161 is a mounting region for mounting the base portion 131 as shown in FIG. The base portion 131 can be mounted by, for example, screwing using a screw or joining using an adhesive.
The front lower head 155 and the rear lower head 157 are provided with two pairs of left and right wheels 163. This wheel 163 is for moving the suction inlet 105 smoothly. The wheel 163 may be provided either in a state where a part thereof enters the lower head 151 or in a state where the wheel 163 does not enter the lower head 151 at all.

  The ventilation part 129 is comprised by the cylinder as shown in FIGS. 13-15. As shown in FIG. 14, the ventilation portion 129 is connected to the head portion 127 in a state where the central axis Y13 is orthogonal to the central axis Y11 of the suction space 135 in the upper head 153 in plan view. That is, when the state in which the ventilation portion 129 is connected to the head portion 127 is viewed in a plan view, a “T” shape is obtained.

  As shown in FIGS. 14 and 15, the upstream port 145 of the ventilation portion 129 has a flat shape that is thin in the upward direction and wide in the left-right direction, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. The downstream port 165 of the ventilation portion 129 has a circular shape in the cross section. That is, the ventilation portion 129 has a shape that gradually changes from a flat and thin cylindrical shape having a small thickness to a cylindrical shape close to a cylinder as it moves from the upstream side to the downstream side.

  The central axis Y13 of the ventilation portion 129 extends linearly in the front-rear direction in plan view (see FIG. 14), and extends obliquely upward and rearward from the upstream end in side view (when viewed from the left-right direction). Then, it extends in a direction parallel to the cleaning surface 120 (see FIG. 13).

  As shown in FIG. 10, the ventilation portion 129 has an outer flange 167 extending in the radial direction over the entire circumference of the intermediate portion. The lower end portion of the outer casing 167 is attached to the base portion 131 as shown in FIG. Note that the downstream side of the outer casing 167 in the ventilation portion 129 is a connecting portion 169 connected to the joint 123.

  As shown in FIGS. 10 and 13, the base portion 131 has a plate shape. The rear lower head 157 is fixed (mounted) to the front portion 171 of the base portion 131, and the outer collar 167 of the ventilation portion 129 is fixed to the central portion 172. This prevents the head part 127 and the ventilation part 129 from coming off.

In addition, the head part 127 and the ventilation part 129 may be fixed by another means, and a base part may become unnecessary by using another means.
As shown in FIG. 13, the base portion 131 has a recess 173 in the central portion for allowing a joint 123 to be described later to rotate with respect to the ventilation portion 129. A rear end portion of the base portion 131 is provided with a pair of left and right wheels 175 for smoothly moving the suction port body 105.

(2) Joint and Joint Body The joint 123 is connected to the ventilation portion 129 of the suction head 121 and the joint body so that the joint body 125 can be rotated clockwise and counterclockwise with respect to the suction head 121 and can be raised and lowered. 125 is connected.

Hereinafter, the description will be made mainly with reference to FIG.
The joint 123 includes a main body portion 177, a fixing portion 179, and a cover portion 181. The main body portion 177 includes an external fitting cylinder portion 183 that is externally fitted to the connecting portion 169 of the ventilation portion 129, and a bearing portion 185 that receives the shaft portion 191 (191a, 191b) of the joint body 125 from the cleaning surface 120 side. The joint body 125 includes a joint body portion 187 and a joint cover portion 189.

  The external fitting cylinder portion 183 and the connecting portion 169 have grooves 183a and 169a formed in the circumferential direction at positions corresponding to each other. A through-hole 183b is formed in the groove 183a of the outer fitting cylinder portion 183 at intervals in the circumferential direction. The bearing portion 185 has a recessed receiving portion 193 at the upper end portion of a pair of receiving plates 195 erected at intervals in the left-right direction.

  The fixing portion 179 uses a so-called C-ring, and has a convex portion 179a at a position corresponding to the through hole 183b of the outer fitting cylindrical portion 183 on the inner peripheral surface. In a state where the connecting portion 169 is inserted into the outer fitting cylinder portion 183, the fixing portion 179 is fitted into the groove 183a of the outer fitting cylinder portion 183. The tip of the convex portion 179 a of the fixing portion 179 engages with the groove 169 a of the connecting portion 169 beyond the through hole 183 b of the main body portion 177. As a result, the body portion 177 of the joint 123 is rotatably attached to the ventilation portion 129 without coming off.

  The cover portion 181 has a semi-cylindrical shape, and is attached to the main body portion 177 so as to cover them from above in a state where the shaft portion 191 of the joint body 125 is fitted in the recessed receiving portion 193 of the bearing portion 185. . Thereby, the joint body 125 is attached to the main body portion 177 so as to be raised and lowered without coming off.

3. Usage State The airflow in the suction port body 105 during the operation of the vacuum cleaner 1 described above will be described.
First, when the electric blower of the vacuum cleaner main body 3 is driven, the suction port body 105 sucks ambient air through the suction port 122. At this time, since the ventilation space 137 exists behind the suction space 135, the ventilation space 137 is sucked into the ventilation portion 129 from the suction port 122 via the rear side of the suction port 122.

  Upon suction, the lower surface of the lower head 151 (here, the front lower head 155 and the rear lower head 157) is sucked so that the suction port 122 is closest to the cleaning surface 120 in a cross section orthogonal to the left-right direction. The front and back of the mouth 122 are inclined. Thereby, the flow velocity of air entering the suction port 122 can be increased, and as a result, the suction force of dust and the like can be improved.

  Hereinafter, the suction space 135 in the suction head 121 will be described by being divided into a central portion 135a and an end portion 135b in the left-right direction. Here, the central portion 135a is a portion facing the vent hole 143 in the suction space 135. The end portion 135b is a portion located outside the central portion 135a in the left-right direction in the suction space 135.

(1) Central portion At the central portion 135a, air and dust existing between the lower surface 151a of the head portion 127 and the cleaning surface 120, and air and dust around the head portion 127 enter the suction space 135 from the suction port 122. Sucked.

  In the central portion 135a, the ventilation port 143 is present near the middle portion 122a in the left-right direction of the suction port 122, so that most of the dust and the like sucked into the suction space 135 is directly sucked into the ventilation space 137.

(2) End portion The inner surface of the suction dent 135 has a circular shape in a cross section. For this reason, the air or the like sucked into the suction space 135 from the end portion 122 b of the suction port 122 turns to the ventilation port 143 in the center while turning along the inner surface of the suction recess 135.

That is, since the end portion 122b in the left-right direction of the suction port 122 is separated from the ventilation port 143, the air sucked from the end portion 122b is difficult to be directly sucked into the ventilation port 143 (linearly). While turning along the inner surface, the air is sucked into the vent 143.
As a result, a swirling airflow (such as dust) toward the central ventilation portion 129 is generated at the left and right end portions 135b of the suction space 135, as indicated by a broken line Y16 in FIG.

Accordingly, in the end portion 135b, air, dust, and the like existing between the lower surface of the head portion 127 and the cleaning surface 120 and air and dust around the end of the head portion 127 are sucked into the suction space 135 from the suction port 122. Then, the air is sucked into the ventilation space 137 along the swirling airflow in the suction space 135.
The end portion 135b of the suction space 135 has a shape that increases in diameter from the end toward the intermediate portion 135c in the left-right direction. For this reason, the dust or the like sucked into the end portion 135b is along the inner peripheral surface of the end portion 135b of the suction space 135 (the end portion 153b of the head portion 127) as indicated by a broken line Y16 in FIG. And turn toward the central portion 135a. That is, it becomes easy to generate the spiral swirl airflow Y16.

On the other hand, the cross-sectional shape of the suction space 135 inside the head portion 127 (see FIG. 13 and FIG. 17) has a circular shape as a whole, including the portion below the suction port 122. The swirling airflow Y16 swirls along the trajectory along. Therefore, below the head portion 127, the swirling airflow Y16 protrudes from the suction port 122, passes through the vicinity of the cleaning surface 120, and returns to the suction port 122 again. The airflow outside the head portion 127 is referred to as an out-of-space airflow.
Therefore, when cleaning a carpet or the like, an airflow outside the space enters between the raised hairs of the carpet. Thereby, the space | interval of raising is expanded and the dust etc. which existed between raising can be sucked in efficiently. As described above, by using the airflow outside the space, the same effect as that of the conventional rotating brush can be obtained, and wear of the carpet or the like can be suppressed.

The cross-sectional shape of the end portion 135b of the suction space 135 is a missing circle shape or a missing circle shape. The area of the cross section of the end portion 135b in the suction space 135 changes from the end toward the intermediate portion 135c in the left-right direction. However, the size of the suction port 122 is set so that the outline of the cross section of the suction space 135 is substantially in contact with the cleaning surface 120 also at the end portion 135b. For this reason, an air flow outside the air can also be generated at the end portion 135 b of the suction space 135.
The end portion 135b of the suction space 135 has a shape that decreases in diameter from the central portion 135a in the left-right direction toward the end. For this reason, the speed of the swirling airflow generated at the end portion 135b can be made faster than that of the intermediate portion 135c, and the cleaning performance can be improved.

4). Others (1) Size of Suction Space According to the study by the inventors, when the electric blower is 20 W or less, the swirling airflow has a suction space diameter (twice the radius r shown in FIG. 2) of 16 mm or more. It has been confirmed that it occurs within a range of 39 mm or less. However, even if the diameter of the suction space is less than 16 mm, a swirling airflow is considered to be generated if the cross-sectional shape of the space is a missing circle or a missing circle.
In addition, by changing the capacity of the electric blower, the inner diameter of the connecting pipe, etc., or changing the size / position of the ventilation port 143, a swirling airflow is generated even if the diameter of the suction space is outside the above range. be able to.

In the above-mentioned range, the suction space improves the dust suction force as the diameter decreases. From this viewpoint, the suction space may have a diameter smaller than 16 mm. However, there is a possibility that large garbage cannot be sucked.
Therefore, when the diameter of the suction space is 16 mm or more and 39 mm or less, it can be said that the swirling airflow can be efficiently generated and relatively large dust can be sucked.

  In particular, a diameter of 25 mm or more is preferable because large dust can be sucked in. In addition, the range whose diameter is 16 mm or more and 39 mm or less is a case where the electric blower mentioned above is 20 W or less, and in the case of an electric blower larger than 20 W, a suction force can be ensured even if the diameter is large. In addition, it is from a viewpoint of energy saving that the power consumption of an electric blower is 20 W or less.

The speed and suction force of the swirling air current depend on the diameter of the suction space and the area of the suction port when the capacity of the electric blower and the inner diameter of the connecting pipe are the same.
According to the inventors' investigation, when the diameter is 16 mm or more and 39 mm or less, the dimension (length) of the suction port in the left-right direction is in the range of 60% or more and 100% or less with respect to the total length of the suction space in the left-right direction. It may be within, preferably 80% or more and 100% or less.
When the diameter is in the above range, the dimension (width) of the suction port in the front-rear direction may be in the range of 10% to 100% with respect to the diameter of the suction space, and the range of 30% to 70%. Good. Within this range, the swirling airflow can be generated efficiently.

(2) Size of the end portion The inventor has confirmed that a swirling airflow is generated in the head portion 127 even if the end portion of the suction port body 105 in the head portion 127 is not tapered.
However, the inventor has found that the suction force of dust is improved by making the shape of the end portion of the head portion (the shape of the end portion 135b of the suction space 135) tapered.

  As shown in FIG. 15, the length L3 in the left-right direction at the tapered portion is 40% or more and 100% with respect to the distance (L2 + L3) from the left-right end of the ventilation port 143 to the left-right end of the suction space 135. It may be in the following range, preferably 50% or more and 100% or less, more preferably 60% or more and 95% or less.

If the ratio of the tapered portion in the left-right direction (L3 / (L2 + L3) in FIG. 15) is within the above range, for example, a high suction force can be obtained even when the diameter of the suction space is 25 mm or more.
The length L3 in the left-right direction of the tapered portion is preferably in the range of 1 to 3.5 times the diameter of the suction space 135, preferably in the range of 1.5 to 3.5 times, more preferably May be in the range of 1.5 times to 3.0 times. If the ratio of the tapered portion to the diameter of the suction space is in the above range, the swirling airflow can be efficiently guided to the air vent.

<Third Embodiment>
A suction head 201 according to the third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG.
FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of the suction head.
The suction head 201 has a suction space 203 and a ventilation space 205 inside. The suction space 203 and the ventilation space 205 are connected via a ventilation port 207. The suction head 201 includes an upper head 211 and a lower head 213. The suction space 203 and the ventilation space 205 are formed by combining the upper head 211 and the lower head 213.

The upper head 211 has a recessed portion 215 that is recessed corresponding to the upper half of the suction space 203 and the ventilation space 205. The lower head 213 has a recessed portion 217 that is recessed corresponding to the lower half of the suction space 203 and the ventilation space 205.
Here, the front part of the lower head 213 is a front guard part 219 corresponding to the front guard 64 of the first embodiment. The rear part of the lower head 213 is a rear guard part 221 corresponding to the rear guard 66 of the first embodiment.

  In the third embodiment, the lower head 213 has through holes 223 in both side walls in the left-right direction. Thereby, since air flows into the suction space 203 in the left-right direction from the through hole 223 (suction), the swirling airflow generated at the end portion in the left-right direction of the suction space 203 is smoothly ventilated at the center in the left-right direction. It can be directed to the mouth 207.

<Modification>
As mentioned above, although the vacuum cleaner and suction inlet concerning each embodiment were demonstrated, this invention is not restricted to said each embodiment, For example, the following modifications may be sufficient. Further, the embodiment may be a combination of the modified example and the modified examples.
In addition, examples that are not described in the embodiments and modifications, and design changes that do not depart from the gist are also included in the present invention.

1. Vacuum cleaner In the first and second embodiments, the vacuum cleaner 1 has been described with respect to the floor moving type, but other types may also be used. Other types include, for example, a cylindrical floor moving type, a broom type (stick type, portable type) and the like.
The vacuum cleaner referred to here is one using an electric blower, and may be a cable type connected to a commercial power supply via a cable, or may be a so-called charging type incorporating a charger (storage battery).

2. Suction Port Body (1) Structure The suction port body 60 of the first embodiment includes a cylindrical body 62, a ventilation path 68, a joint 70, a first pipe 72, and a second pipe 74, and these internal spaces are It is a suction path through which dust and the like pass.
The suction port body 105 of the second embodiment has a suction head 121, a joint 123, and a joint body 125, and these internal spaces serve as suction passages 126 for passage of dust and the like.

  However, the suction port body only needs to have a structure having at least an oval-shaped or an oval-shaped suction space inside. For example, the pipe body (13) is connected to the ventilation port of the cylindrical body or the downstream port of the suction head. Such a structure may be used. In this case, the suction path of the suction port body is formed only in the cylindrical body or the suction head. Conversely, when other members or the like are combined and dust or the like sucked from the suction port passes through the other members, the passages inside the other members are also included in the suction path.

(2) Whole suction space (2-1) In the first and second embodiments, the left and right direction parallel to the cleaning surface is taken as an example of the direction in which the suction spaces 63 and 135 extend. However, the direction in which the suction space extends may be another direction, for example, the front-rear direction or a direction that obliquely intersects the front-rear direction.

(2-2) Missing Circle Shape In the first embodiment, the missing circle shape of the suction space 63 in the cross section orthogonal to the direction in which the suction space 63 extends is such that the lower side of the circle shape is cut off. doing. In the second embodiment, the missing circular shape of the suction space 135 in the cross section orthogonal to the extending direction of the suction space 135 has a shape in which the lower side of the elliptical shape that is an elliptical shape is cut off. Yes.

However, the similar circular shape that forms the basis of the defective circular shape of the suction space in the cross section may be other shapes than the elliptical shape. Other shapes include an elliptical shape, a polygonal shape with a hexagonal shape or more.
That is, the cross-sectional shape of the suction space may be a shape that allows dust or the like sucked from the suction port to generate a swirling airflow along the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body or the inner peripheral surface of the head portion.

Therefore, the shape of the cylindrical body or the head portion is not particularly limited as long as it has the above-described suction space inside.
Although the suction spaces 63 and 135 have a columnar shape, as described above, the suction space only needs to have a shape that can generate a swirling airflow, and the shape of the suction space as a whole is limited to a columnar shape. Is not to be done. For example, the suction space may have a cylindrical shape whose cross-sectional shape is an oval shape or an oval shape.

(2-3) End Shape In the second embodiment, the end portion 135b in the left-right direction has a shape that becomes thinner as it moves from the intermediate portion 135c to the end. However, the shape of the end portion may be a shape that can move toward the ventilation space so that the swirling airflow generated at the end portion does not disappear before being sucked into the ventilation space, such as a taper angle at the end portion, etc. Can be appropriately selected.

  That is, the taper of the end portion only needs to gradually increase in the direction in which the swirling airflow generated at the end portion of the suction space is directed to the ventilation port. In 1st Embodiment and 2nd Embodiment, there exists a ventilation port in the approximate center of the direction (it is the left-right direction) where a suction space is extended, and it is from the edge of the direction where a suction space extends to the center side with a ventilation port. Towards (as it moves), the cross-sectional area increases.

For example, when there are ventilation openings at both ends in the direction in which the suction space extends, the taper shape may be configured to gradually increase from the center in the direction in which the suction space extends toward each end.
In the first embodiment and the second embodiment, both end portions in the left-right direction of the head portion, that is, two portions on both sides of the communication port are tapered, but either one of both sides may be used. However, in consideration of actual use, it is preferable that both end portions in the left-right direction are tapered.

(2-4) Defect portion The defect portion 139 of the second embodiment is configured by a notch that is recessed from the lower surface toward the central axis of the suction space. However, the function of the missing part is to allow an air flow in the left-right direction to flow into the suction space from the outside. In other words, the missing part can be said to be an inflow part. This inflow part is also comprised by the through-hole 223 of 3rd Embodiment. In addition, the shape of a defect | deletion part and a through-hole is not specifically limited.

(3) Ventilation space (3-1) Stretching direction The ventilation space is connected to the suction space in the cross section perpendicular to the direction in which the suction space extends in the portion connected to the suction space. It only has to exist. Therefore, the ventilation space may extend in a straight line over the entire length of the ventilation space, or the extending direction may change linearly or may change in a curve. Moreover, the direction of the ventilation space extended from the suction space in planar view is not specifically limited.

(3-2) Connection position The ventilation space is not particularly limited as long as it is connected to the suction space via the ventilation port.
For example, when the length of the suction space in the extending direction is short, the ventilation space may be connected to an end portion of the suction space in the extending direction.
Further, the ventilation space may be connected at a central portion in the extending direction of the suction space. In this case, the swirling airflow can be used on both sides in the extending direction with respect to the ventilation space in the suction space. Further, when connected at the central portion, the suction force can be made substantially equal on both sides of the suction space with respect to the ventilation space.

(3-3) Number In the first and second embodiments, for example, one ventilation path 68 and ventilation section 129 are connected to one cylindrical body 62 and head section 127 (that is, one ventilation space is 1). However, for example, a plurality of ventilation spaces may be connected to one suction space, or one ventilation space may be connected to a plurality of suction spaces. Also good.

3. Suction space The suction space is configured by one member of the cylindrical body 62 in the first embodiment, and in the second embodiment, the upper head 153 and the lower head 151 (the front lower head 155 and the rear lower head 157) It is comprised by the member.
The suction space only needs to extend in a predetermined direction, and its cross-sectional shape may be a missing circle or a missing circle, and the number of parts, materials, sizes, etc. of the members for constituting the suction space are particularly limited. Is not to be done.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum cleaner 105 Suction port body 122 Suction port 127 Head part 129 Ventilation part 135 Suction space 137 Ventilation space 143 Ventilation hole

Claims (5)

A head portion having a suction space not provided with a rotating brush and having a suction port on the side facing the cleaning surface;
A ventilation path that is connected to the head portion and has a ventilation space that communicates with the suction space through a ventilation opening;
A suction port body of a vacuum cleaner having
The suction space extends in a direction parallel to the cleaning surface,
The suction port is located between the central axis of the suction space and the cleaning surface,
The suction space communicates with the outside of the head portion through the suction port, and in the cross section perpendicular to the parallel direction, the cleaning space is more in shape than the suction port in a circular shape or a similar circular shape in contact with the cleaning surface. It has a missing circle shape or a missing circle shape that lacks the surface side,
In the cross section, the ventilation port is a position where the distance of the inner surface on one side becomes shorter than the distance of the inner surface on the other side among the distances along the inner surface of the head portion between the ventilation port and the suction port. Suction port body is provided. A head portion having a suction space not provided with a rotating brush and having a suction port on the side facing the cleaning surface;
A ventilation path that is connected to the head portion and has a ventilation space that communicates with the suction space through a ventilation opening;
A suction port body of a vacuum cleaner having
The suction space has a shape that extends in a direction parallel to the cleaning surface and generates a swirling airflow that swirls around an axis in the parallel direction. The head portion includes a lower head having the suction port and an upper head placed on the lower head as separate bodies,
The suction port body according to claim 1, wherein the suction space is configured by the lower head and the upper head. The upper head is composed of a semi-cylindrical body whose lower end is open,
The lower head has a shape that is a portion on the front side of the suction port in a cross section perpendicular to the parallel direction, and that the surface facing the suction space is separated upward from the suction port. The suction port body according to claim 3, wherein a surface that is a portion on the rear side of the suction port and faces the suction space is separated upward from the suction port. In a vacuum cleaner comprising a suction port and a vacuum cleaner body,
The vacuum inlet is the vacuum inlet according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

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