JP3594178B2

JP3594178B2 - Vacuum cleaner and its suction body

Info

Publication number: JP3594178B2
Application number: JP36132199A
Authority: JP
Inventors: 孝輔高橋; 順司内藤; 英紀平野
Original assignee: Toshiba TEC Corp
Current assignee: Toshiba TEC Corp
Priority date: 1999-12-20
Filing date: 1999-12-20
Publication date: 2004-11-24
Anticipated expiration: 2019-12-20
Also published as: JP2001169982A

Description

【０００１】
【発明の属する技術分野】
本発明は、回動自在の連通管を備えた電気掃除機およびその吸込口体に関する。
【０００２】
【従来の技術】
従来、この種の電気掃除機の吸込口体として、例えば略四隅に車輪を有し下面に吸込口を開口する前後方向に対して横長のケース体に、吸込口に連通する連通管を軸方向がケース体の前後方向に沿う位置と長手方向に沿う位置とに選択可能に回動自在に軸支した構成が知られている。この連通管は、ケース体の後部略中央に円筒状で軸方向がケース体の前後方向に沿って一体的に設けられ吸込口に連通する軸支管に回転自在に嵌合する回動管と、この回動管に回動管の径方向に軸方向を有した回転軸により端部が回動自在に軸支され延長管が接続される連通管部とを備え、回動管および連通管部の回動により連通管部の軸方向がケース体の前後方向に沿う位置と長手方向に沿う位置とに選択可能となっている。
【０００３】
そして、この吸込口体は、通常の床面を掃除する際には連通管部の軸方向を前後方向に略沿わせてケース体を左右方向に長手状となるように走行させて掃除し、家具の間等の狭い場所を掃除する際には軸方向をケース体の長手方向に沿わせて走行方向に長手状となるように走行させて掃除し、掃除形態が可変可能な構成が採られている。
【０００４】
【発明が解決しようとする課題】
しかしながら、上記回動管および連通管部を備えケース体の前後方向に沿う位置と長手方向に沿う位置とに選択可能な連通管を有する従来の電気掃除機の吸込口体では、連通管部の回転軸の軸方向が回動管の中心を通るため、掃除形態を可変するために連通管を回動させる際に、連通管部を軸支管の軸方向に対してねじるように力を作用して回動管を回動させる必要があることから、連通管を円滑に回動しにくい。
【０００５】
本発明は、上記問題点に鑑みなされたもので、小さい力で連通管を容易に回動できる電気掃除機およびその吸込口体を提供することを目的とする。
【０００６】
【課題を解決するための手段】
請求項１記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体は、被掃除面と対向する面に吸込口を開口し前後方向に対して交差する方向に長手方向を有するケース体と、前後方向に沿って軸方向を有する回動管、および、この回動管の径方向に沿いかつこの回動管の中心から変位した位置に回転自在に軸支される回転軸が設けられ前記回動管を介して前記吸込口に連通する連通管部を備え、前記回動管および前記連通管部の回動により前記連通管部の軸方向が前記ケース体の前後方向に沿う位置と長手方向に沿う位置とに選択可能に回動可能に前記ケース体に前記吸込口に連通して回動自在に設けられた連通管とを具備し、前記回動管は、前記ケース体に回転自在に保持される円筒状部と、この円筒状部の一端縁に突設された下継手部と、この下継手部に取り付けられ、この下継手部とで前記連通管部を回転自在に軸支する上継手部とを有しているものである。
【０００７】
そして、前後方向に対して交差する方向に長手方向を有するケース体に軸方向がケース体の前後方向に沿う位置と長手方向に沿う位置とに選択可能に回動可能な連通管が、ケース体に回転自在に保持される円筒状部、この円筒状部の一端縁に突設された下継手部、および、この下継手部に取り付けられ、この下継手部とで連通管部を回転自在に軸支する上継手部を有し吸込口に連通しケース体に軸方向がケース体の前後方向に沿って回動自在に設けられる回動管と、この回動管の径方向に沿いかつ回動管の中心から変位した位置に軸方向を有して設けた回転軸を回動管に回転自在に軸支して回動管を介して吸込口に連通する連通管部とを備えるため、連通管部を介して回動管を回動させる際に、連通管部の回転軸に作用する使用者の操作力がモーメントとして作用して、回動管を回動させる力が回動管の中心軸から回転軸の軸支位置までの変位した距離分小さくなり、全体として連通管が小さな力で円滑に回動する。
【０００８】
請求項２記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体は、請求項１記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体において、連通管部の回転軸は、回動管の中心から上方に変位した位置で前記回動管に軸支されたものである。
【０００９】
そして、連通管部の回転軸を回動管の中心から上方に変位した位置で回動管に軸支するため、回動管を回動する際に連通管部の自重が回動管を回転させるモーメントと同方向となり、回動管に作用させるモーメント力が連通管部の自重分小さくなり、全体として連通管を回動させる力がより小さくなり容易に連通管が回動する。
【００１０】
請求項３記載の電気掃除機は、掃除機本体と、この掃除機本体に接続される請求項１または２記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体とを具備したものである。
【００１１】
そして、小さい力で容易に連通管が回動する請求項１または２記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体を備えるため、連通管を回動して掃除形態を変更する動作が容易となり、掃除性が向上する。
【００１２】
【発明の実施の形態】
以下、本発明の実施の一形態を示す電気掃除機の構成を図面を参照して説明する。
【００１３】
図１２において、１は掃除機本体で、この掃除機本体１は、上面を開口した下部本体ケース２ａ、および、この下部本体ケース２ａの後部上面を閉塞する上部本体ケース２ｂが、前面を含む周縁にバンパ３を挟持して接合されて前側上面を開口した本体ケース２を有している。そして、掃除機本体１は、本体ケース２の前側上面を開閉自在に閉塞する蓋体４を回動自在に軸支している。
【００１４】
また、本体ケース２は、進行方向の前側下面に図示しない旋回自在の旋回輪が取り付けられ、本体ケース２の後側側面に大径の従動輪６が回転自在に設けられ、掃除機本体１は旋回輪と従動輪６とにて被掃除面である床面上を走行可能となっている。さらに、本体ケース２の上部には、上下方向に摺動可能なハンドル７が設けられている。
【００１５】
そして、掃除機本体１内には、図示しない電動送風機が収容される電動送風機室が後側に区画形成され、この電動送風機の吸込側に連通しかつ上方が開放して蓋体４にて開閉され集塵フィルタを収容する図示しない集塵室が前側に区画形成されている。さらに、掃除機本体１の前側には、集塵室に臨んで開口しホース８が着脱可能に接続される接続口９が形成されている。
【００１６】
また、ホース８は、可撓なホース本体１１と、このホース本体１１の一端に設けられ掃除機本体１の接続口９に着脱可能に差し込み接続される接続管１２と、ホース本体１１の他端に設けられ延長管１３を介して吸込口本体１４が接続される把持部１５とにて構成されている。そして、把持部１５には、電動送風機の駆動状態を設定操作する各種スイッチ１６，１６を有した操作手段１７が配設されている。
【００１７】
一方、吸込口本体１４は、図１ないし図１０に示すように、前後方向である走行方向に対して横長矩形状で、アクリロニトリル−ブタジエン−スチレン（ＡＢＳ）樹脂などの合成樹脂製の上面を開口した下部ケース２１と、この下部ケース２１の上部に上面の開口を覆い同材質の下面を開口する上部ケース２２とが、下部ケース２１および上部ケース２２の前面を含む周面に沿って軟質部材の緩衝体２３を挟持して結合固定されて、後部略中央が後方に向けて突出する凸字状のケース体２４を備えている。
【００１８】
そして、下部ケース２１は上面に略垂直にリブ下部２５ａを有し、上部ケース２２は下面に略垂直に下端縁がリブ下部２５ａに接合するリブ上部２５ｂを有し、ケース体２４はリブ下部２５ａおよびリブ上部２５ｂにより横長矩形状の吸込部２６とこの吸込部２６の後部略中央に後方に一対突出するハウジング部２７，２７とにて凸字状に形成されている。また、吸込部２６内には、リブ下部２５ａおよびリブ上部２５ｂにより、前側に横長に位置し下部ケース２１の下面に吸込口３０が開口形成された吸込室３１と、この吸込室３１の後部略中央に連通して区画形成された風路室３２と、吸込室３１の長手方向の一端側に区画形成された駆動室３３と、風路室３２の駆動室３３側に一方のハウジング部２７に亘って区画形成された回路室３４と、風路室３２の他側に他方のハウジング部２７に亘って区画形成された床面検出室３５とが設けられている。そして、ケース体２４の吸込室３１の駆動室３３と反対側の端部下面は下方に向けて開口し、この開口に閉塞板３６が装着具３７にて着脱可能に取り付けられている。さらに、リブ下部２５ａおよびリブ上部２５ｂの略中央には、それぞれ対向して凹状に形成された切欠保持凹部３８ａ，３８ｂがそれぞれ設けられている。
【００１９】
また、下部ケース２１は、吸込部２６の下面を構成する吸込下部２１ａと、この吸込下部２１ａの後部に一体的に設けられハウジング部２７，２７の下面を構成する一対のハウジング下部２１ｂ，２１ｂとにて凸字状に形成されている。
【００２０】
また、上部ケース２２は、吸込部２６の略上面を覆って着脱可能に下部ケース２１に取り付けられ後部略中央に略半円状に切欠凹部３９が設けられた断面円弧状のケース蓋体２２ａと、このケース蓋体２２ａの後部に切欠凹部３９の両側に位置して一体的に鍔状に設けられ下部ケース２１のハウジング下部２１ｂを覆いハウジング部２７を構成するケース覆部２２ｂとにて凸字状に形成されている。そして、ケース蓋体２２ａの上部には、前方に向けて開口しリーク口としての機能も有する吸気口４０が、ケース体２４の長手方向に沿って複数、例えば２箇所開口形成されている。
【００２１】
さらに、ケース体２４には、下部ケース２１および上部ケース２２間にハウジング部２７，２７間に位置して挟持固定され風路室３２を区画する連結管部４２が設けられている。この連結管部４２は、円筒状で軸方向の一端側がラッパ状に次第に径大となる軸支管部４３と、この軸支管部４３の軸方向の一端縁に外方に向けてフランジ状に突出し周縁がそれぞれ下部ケース２１および上部ケース２２のリブ下部２５ａおよびリブ上部２５ｂの各切欠保持凹部３８ａ，３８ｂに係合する取付板部４４とを備えている。そして、連結管部４２は、軸支管部４３の一端側が吸込室３１に向けてラッパ状に拡開し他端側がケース体２４から後方に向けて略円筒状に突出し、軸支管部４３の軸方向が前後方向かつ水平方向に沿ってケース体２４に配設される。
【００２２】
また、連結管部４２の軸支管部４３の外周面には、一対の環状の端子部４６が軸支管部４３に同軸上に位置して配設されている。また、この端子部４６には、一端が回路室３４内に導入されるリード線の他端が接続されている。
【００２３】
そして、下部ケース２１の吸込下部２１ａの前部両端側には、従動前輪４８ａが回転自在に軸支された従動前輪室４８が形成されている。また、下部ケース２１の一対の後輪ハウジング下部２１ｂ，２１ｂには、それぞれ従動後輪４９ａが回転自在に軸支された従動後輪室４９が形成されている。なお、従動後輪４９ａは、外周面に布などの柔軟部材やゴムなどの弾性部材である図示しない保護シートが設けられている。そして、ケース体２４は、従動前輪４８ａと従動後輪４９ａとにて被掃除面である床面上を走行可能になっている。
【００２４】
また、ケース体２４の後部中央には、一対の軸支部２７，２７間に位置して連通管５１が配設されている。この連通管５１は、連結管部４２の軸支管部４３に回転自在に嵌着された回動管としての継手部５２と、一端を他端が上下方向に回動自在に継手部５２に軸支された連通管部５３とを備えている。
【００２５】
そして、連通管部５３は、略円筒状の筒状部５４と、この筒状部５４の一端に設けられた連通回動部５５とにて構成されている。また、筒状部５４の外周面には、軸方向に長手状のカバー部５６が内部に配線室５７を区画形成してねじ５８などにて取付固定されている。一方、連通回動部５５は、筒状部５４の軸方向に対して直交方向である左右方向に軸方向を有する側面視で略扇形筒状で内周側が筒状部５４の内周面に連続する円筒状に形成されている。そして、連通回動部５５には、扇形状の中心に位置して略円筒状の回転軸６０が一体的に設けられている。
【００２６】
また、連通回動部５５の開口する上縁には、軸方向に沿った壁状で外方に向けて壁状に突出し継手部５２に当接して回動を規制する図示しない回動規制上部が突設されている。さらに、筒状部５４の外周面の下部には、下方に向けて壁状に突出し継手部５２の下部に当接して回動を規制する回動規制下部６１が突設されている。また、筒状部５４の外周面には、軸方向を前後方向に沿って位置する状態で水平方向に沿った径方向の位置に、軸方向に沿って壁状の係止爪部６２が一対突設されている。これら係止爪部６２は、連通管部５３の筒状部５４の軸方向をケース体２４の長手方向に沿って位置する状態で、ケース体２４のハウジング部２７，２７の先端上面に上方に向けて突設された引っ掛け爪部６３にそれぞれ係合可能となっている。
【００２７】
さらに、連通管部５３の連通回動部５５には、揺動閉塞体６５が設けられている。この揺動閉塞体６５は、湾曲する閉塞底板６６と、この閉塞底板６６の対向する一対の縁に円弧の縁が連続する側面視で略扇形状の一対の閉塞側板部６７，６７と、これら閉塞側板部６７，６７の扇形の中心の位置にそれぞれ設けられ閉塞側板部６７，６７の対向方向に沿って軸方向を有し回転軸６０を回転自在に嵌合する円筒状の軸支筒部６８，６８とを備えている。そして、揺動閉塞体６５は、軸支筒部６８，６８が回転軸６０，６０にそれぞれ嵌合することにより、連通回動部５５に対して相対的に回動して連通回動部５５の側方から下方に亘って覆うように軸支されている。
【００２８】
一方、継手部５２は、連結管部４２を嵌合して回転自在に保持される円筒状部７１と、この円筒状部７１の一端縁の半周に略半球状に突設された下継手部７２と、この下継手部７２の上面を覆ってねじ止めなどにより一体的に取り付けられる略半球状の上継手部７３とを備えている。
【００２９】
そして、下継手部７２および上継手部７３には、それぞれ対向して先端部が接合する上下方向に壁状に突設された略平行に一対の区画リブ７４，７４がそれぞれ設けられ、これら区画リブ７４，７４にて連通管部５３の連通回動部５５を収容する風路空間部７５と、この風路空間部７５の左右方向にそれぞれ区画形成された一対の内室７６，７６とが区画形成されている。また、区画リブ７４，７４には、接合する縁に略半円状に切欠部７７が対向してそれぞれ切り欠き形成され、これら切欠部７７，７７にて連通管部５３の回転軸６０，６０を回転自在に軸支する略円形の軸受孔７８，７８を構成する。なお、区画リブ７４は、軸受孔７８，７８の中心軸が円筒状部７１の中心軸に直交する径方向に沿って略水平でかつ円筒状部７１の中心軸より上方に位置する状態に形成されている。
【００３０】
また、下継手部７２および上継手部７３には、風路空間部７５に位置する部分で対向する位置に略コ字状に切欠形成され回動規制上部および回動規制下部６１がそれぞれ当接する切欠逃部７９，７９がそれぞれ設けられ、これら切欠逃部７９，７９により連通管部５３が上下方向へ回動するための逃げ部分となっている。
【００３１】
さらに、継手部５２の円筒状部７１の内周面には、環状に形成され連結管部４２の端子部４６にそれぞれ摺接するリング状接点８０が同軸上に一対設けられ、端子部４６とリング状接点８０とにて摺動接点８１が構成される。
【００３２】
また、連通管５１には、一端に連通管部５３のカバー部５６から先端部分が突出して配設され延長管１３の端部に設けられた図示しないコネクタに接続される端子ピン８２が設けられた図示しないリード線が、他端側を配線室５７内から回転軸６０内を通って継手部５２の内室７６から円筒状部７１のリング状接点８０に接続されて配設されている。
【００３３】
さらに、連結管部４２の外周面には、摺動接点８１の両側に位置して継手部５２の円筒状部７１の内周面に摺接可能にそれぞれ設けられ、摺動接点８１を連結管部４２および円筒状部７１とにて囲む軟質部材であるシール部材８３が一対設けられている。
【００３４】
そして、連通管５１は、連通管部５３の筒状部５４が延長管１３およびホース８を介して掃除機本体１に着脱自在に接続され、吸込口３０が掃除機本体１の接続口９に連通する。
【００３５】
さらに、ケース体２４内には、吸込室３１の左右方向の両端部に位置して設けられた軸受８４ａ，８４ｂにより回転自在に軸支された回転体としての回転清掃体８５が配設されている。この回転清掃体８５は、シャフト８６と、このシャフト８６の一端部に回転自在に設けられ軸受に係脱可能に装着される軸支部材８７と、シャフト８６の他端部に一体的に設けられたプーリ８８と、シャフト８６に螺旋状に設けられた凹溝状のブレード取付溝８９、このブレード取付溝８９に一縁が取り付けられシャフト８６の外周面に壁状でスパイラル状に設けられ先端側が一側に湾曲した清掃部材としてのブレード９０と、一面側である回転清掃体８５が回転する方向の面に起毛が設けられた清掃部材としての布ブレード９１とを備えている。なお、説明の都合上ブレード９０および布ブレード９１を直線状に示した。
【００３６】
そして、回転清掃体８５は、吸込口３０に臨んで下端が従動前輪４８ａおよび従動後輪４９ａにて形成される平面より上方に位置し、平坦な床面である板の間には接触せず吸込口３０に入り込む凹凸のある床面である絨毯にはブレード９０が接触し、布ブレード９１は従動前輪４８ａおよび従動後輪４９ａにて形成される平面より下方に位置し、板の間に接触してフローリングするように配設される。
【００３７】
また、ケース体２４の駆動室３３内には、図示しない出力軸が回転清掃体８５のプーリ８８に着脱可能に係合して回転清掃体８５を回転させる駆動手段を構成する駆動源としての電動モータ９３が配設されている。この電動モータ９３は、回転清掃体８５をブレード９０が湾曲する側と反対側、すなわち布ブレード９１の起毛が設けられている面側に回転させ、ケース体２４の前進に対して逆回転とする。
【００３８】
一方、ケース体２４の回路室３４内には、電動モータ９３を給電線９４にて接続して電動モータ９３の駆動状態を制御する図示しない制御回路を搭載しリード線が接続される回路基板９５が配設されている。
【００３９】
また、床面検出室３５内には、回路基板９５に図示しないリード線にて接続される床面検知手段９７が配設されている。この床面検知手段９７は、回転自在の車輪９８を有し軸部材９９にて車輪を軸支する側を回動自在に軸支される車輪受け１００と、この車輪受け１００を常時下方に付勢してケース体２４の下面から車輪９８を進退可能に突出させるトーションばねや板ばねなどの図示しない付勢手段と、車輪９８の下端が所定位置、例えば従動前輪４８ａおよび従動後輪４９ａにて形成される平面より下方に突出したことを検知する検知スイッチ１０１とを備えている。そして、床面検知手段９７は、車輪９８の下端が従動前輪４８ａおよび従動後輪４９ａにて形成される平面より下方に突出したことを検知スイッチ１０１にて検知すると、回路基板９５の制御回路にて電動モータ９３の駆動を停止させる制御をする。
【００４０】
次に、上記実施の形態の動作について説明する。
【００４１】
掃除する際、掃除機本体１に延長管１３およびホース８を介して吸込口本体１４を接続する。この接続により、吸込口本体１４の端子ピン８２が延長管１３の図示しないコネクタに接続され、吸込口本体１４内の電動モータ９３が、回路基板９５、リード線４３、摺動接点８１および端子ピン８２を介して延長管１３およびホース８に設けられた図示しない電源線を介して掃除機本体１に電気的に接続されて、電源が供給される。この状態で、ホース８の把持部１５を持って操作手段１７のスイッチ１６の操作により、適宜電動送風機および電動モータ９３を所望の駆動状態で駆動し、把持部１５を押動して吸込口本体１４を床面上で前後に走行させる。なお、床面上を吸込口本体１４が走行する際には、連通管５１の軸方向は吸込口本体１４の走行方向である前後方向に沿った状態である第１の掃除形態となる。
【００４２】
そして、電動送風機の駆動により、電動送風機の負圧側に連通する吸込室３１内が負圧となって吸気口４０から吸気され、この吸気された吸気流が回転清掃体８５のブレード９０および布ブレード９１に当たって回転清掃体８５を回転させる。この吸気流は、回転清掃体８５のブレード９０および布ブレード９１に略垂直に吹き付けられた後、回転清掃体８５の軸方向に沿うようにケース体２４の中心の風路室３２に向けて集まるように回転清掃体８５の回転に長い距離で作用して回転トルクを増大させつつ連通管５１に流れる。また、電動モータ９３の駆動により、出力軸が連結するプーリ８８を介して回転清掃体８５が回転する。このように、吸気流による回転と電動モータ９３の駆動による回転とにて、回転清掃体８５は大きなトルクで回転する。
【００４３】
この吸込口本体１４の床面上での走行により、床面が絨毯などの場合、回転する回転清掃体８５のブレード９０の先端部分が床面に衝突して塵埃を叩き出すとともにブレード９０が掻き出しあるいは掃き取りして掻き取り、塵埃を吸込口３０から吸い込む。また、床面が板の間や畳などの比較的に平坦な場合、回転する回転清掃体８５の布ブレード９１が床面を磨きつつ床面上の塵埃を掃き取り、吸込口３０から吸い込む。
【００４４】
そして、空気とともに吸い込んだ塵埃は、延長管１３およびホース８を介して掃除機本体１の集塵室に流入して捕捉する。
【００４５】
一方、家具の間などの比較的狭い場所、すなわち横長の吸込口本体１４が走行できない幅寸法の床面を掃除する際には、連通管５１の軸方向が吸込口本体１４の長手方向に沿うように連通管５１を回動し、吸込口本体１４を長手方向が走行方向となるように掃除形態を第２の掃除形態に可変し、隙間部分に吸込口本体１４を滑り込ませるようにして掃除する。
【００４６】
そして、掃除の中断によりホース８を床面上においた場合、あるいは吸込口３０に閉塞した塵埃の除去、回転清掃体８５に絡み付いた糸ゴミなどの除去のために、吸込口本体１４の下面が床面から離間すると、床面検知手段９７が付勢手段の付勢により車輪９８が所定位置より突出、すなわち従動前輪４８ａおよび従動後輪４９ａにて形成される平面より下方に突出したことを検知スイッチ１０１にて検知して床面を検知しなくなると、回路基板９５の制御回路が吸込口本体１４の下面が床面から離間して床面を検知しないと判断して電動モータ９３の駆動を停止させる。そして、吸込口本体１４の下面が床面から離間することにより吸込室３１内の負圧も小さくなり、吸気口４０からの吸気量も低減する。この電動モータ９３の駆動停止および吸気量の低減により、回転清掃体８５の回転は停止する。
【００４７】
ここで、連通管５１を回動して第１の掃除形態から第２の掃除形態に可変する際、連通管５１の連通管部５３が継手部５２の円筒状部７１の中心軸から上方に変位した位置で軸支されていることから、円筒状部７１の中心軸の位置である中心Ｏから回転軸６０の軸支位置までの半径Ｒとし、第１の掃除形態において回転軸６０の軸支されている位置が円筒状部７１の中心から角度θ_０の状態とすると、連通管５１を回動させるために作用する力が加わる位置が中心Ｏの位置よりＲｓｉｎθ_０だけ長くなる。このため、同じトルクで連通管５１を回動させるための力が距離が長くなる分小さくなる。
【００４８】
また、図１１および図１３に示すように、第１の掃除形態において回転軸６０の軸支されている位置が円筒状部７１の中心から角度θ_０の状態で上方に位置するとした場合、回転軸６０の軸支位置で連通管５１の自重が作用する力Ｆは、回転軸６０の軸支されている位置において、回転方向である接線方向で、
ｆ_１＝Ｆ×ｃｏｓθ_０
ｆ_２＝Ｆ×ｃｏｓθ_０
となる。そして、連通管５１を角度θだけ回動させた場合には、
ｆ_１＝Ｆ×ｃｏｓ（θ_０−θ）
ｆ_２＝Ｆ×ｃｏｓ（θ_０＋θ）
となり、連通管５１の自重が連通管５１の回転に寄与するトルクＴは、円筒状部７１の中心軸の位置である中心Ｏから回転軸６０の軸支位置までの半径Ｒとすると、
Ｔ＝ｆ_１×Ｒ＋ｆ_２×Ｒ
＝Ｆ×Ｒ×｛ｃｏｓ（θ_０−θ）−ｃｏｓ（θ_０＋θ）｝
となる。そして、角度θ_０が大きくなればなるほど、すなわち軸支位置が上方に変位した位置となるにしたがって、図１４に示すようにトルクＴが、大きくなる。
【００４９】
このことから、回転軸６０が継手部５２の円筒状部７１の中心軸を通る径方向の位置で軸支されている場合に比して、小さい力で継手部５２を回転させて第２の掃除形態に可変できることとなる。
【００５０】
上述したように、連通管部５３の回転軸６０を軸方向が継手部５２の円筒状部７１の中心軸から上方に変位したねじれの位置となるように軸支したため、連通管５１をケース体２４の前後方向に沿う第１の掃除形態と長手方向に沿う第２の掃除形態とに回動する際、連通管部５３の先端側における継手部５２の円筒状部７１に対して回転方向へのモーメントを作用させる掃除作業者の操作力の位置が、円筒状部７１の中心軸から回転軸６０の軸支位置までの変位した距離分だけ回動させる中心軸となる円筒状部７１の中心軸から遠くなる状態となり、この遠くなる距離分だけ連通管部５３に作用させる力が小さくなるので、全体として連通管５１を小さい力で容易に回動できる。
【００５１】
そして、回転軸６０の軸支位置が継手部５２の円筒状部７１の中心軸から上方に変位するため、継手部５２を回動させる際に連通管部５３の自重も回動方向に作用することとなり、連通管５１を回動させる力をさらに小さくでき、より容易に連通管５１を回動できるとともに、吸込口本体１４を床面上に載置しホース８の把持部１５を把持したままの状態で小さい力で連通管５１の回動ができ、掃除性を向上できる。
【００５２】
また、ケース体２４に設けた連結管部４２に回転自在に嵌合する円筒状部７１を有した継手部５２に一端を他端が上下方向に回動自在に連通管部５３を設けて連通管５１を軸方向がケース体２４の前後方向に沿う位置と長手方向に沿う位置とに選択可能に構成したため、電動モータ９３に給電するためのリード線が連通管５１などに絡み付くことがなく掃除形態を可変するための摺動接点８１を容易に配設でき、構造を簡略化でき、製造性を向上できるとともに、継手部５２に連通管部５３を回動軸支するために形成される内室７６を利用してリード線の弛み分を収容する構成とすることにより、別途リード線を収容する空間を設ける必要がなく、小型化が図れる。
【００５３】
なお、上記実施の形態において、キャニスタ型の電気掃除機に限らず、吸込口本体１４が掃除機本体１の下面に直接形成されたアップライト型、掃除機本体１と吸込口本体１４とが一体化された自走式の電気掃除機、ハンディ型などにも適用することができる。
【００５４】
そして、連通管部５３の回転軸６０を継手部５２の円筒状部７１の中心軸より上方に変位して軸支したが、円筒状部７１の中心軸より下方に変位して軸支してもよい。この場合には、吸込口本体１４を持ち上げて連通管部５３の先端側が回転軸６０の軸支位置よりさらに下方に位置するようにして連通管部５３に継手部５２の円筒状部７１を回転させるためのモーメントを作用させれば、小さい力で連通管５１の回動ができる。そして、回転軸６０の軸支位置を下方に位置することにより、ホース８の把持部１５を持って吸込口本体１４を床面上で走行して掃除する際に、延長管１３から連通管部５３の回転軸６０に床面に押し付ける方向に掛かる力の作用する位置が床面に近い低い位置となり、安定して吸込口本体１４を床面上で走行でき、掃除性を向上できる。
【００５５】
また、回転清掃体８５を回転駆動させたが、回転清掃体８５の代わりに例えば走行輪を回転駆動させて走行性を向上させる構成としてもよく、電動モータ９３による駆動の他、エアタービンなどの駆動手段を用いたり、吸込気流を吸気口４０からブレード９０に直接吹き付けて回転させる構成のみでもよい。そして、エアタービンを用いることにより電力の供給が不要となり、給電のためのリード線や端子ピン８２、配線室５７、回路基板９５を配設する回路室３４を設ける必要がなく、軽量小型化できる。また、吸込気流を直接ブレードに吹き付けて回転させる構成では、駆動手段およびこの駆動手段を配設する駆動室３３を設ける必要もなく、さらに軽量小型化できる。
【００５６】
さらに、回転清掃体８５としては、１つに限らず複数設けたり、設けなくてもよい。また、回転清掃体８５は、ブレード９０の他に、起毛を壁状に設けた回転ブラシや、布ブレード９１およびブレード９０が一体のものなどいずれの清掃部材を備えたものでもよい。
【００５７】
また、給電するための構成として、摺動接点８１を用いて説明したが、直接リード線を回路基板９５に接続する構成としてもよい。
【００５８】
そして、床面検知手段９７を配設しなくてもよい。
【００５９】
【発明の効果】
請求項１記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体によれば、ケース体に回転自在に保持される円筒状部、この円筒状部の一端縁に突設された下継手部、および、この下継手部に取り付けられ、この下継手部とで連通管部を回転自在に軸支する上継手部を有し吸込口に連通しケース体の前後方向に軸方向を有して回動自在に設けた回動管に、軸方向が回動管の径方向に沿いかつ回動管の中心から変位して軸支される回転軸を有した連通管部を設けるため、連通管部を介して回動管を回動する際に、連通管部の回転軸に作用する使用者の操作力がモーメントとして作用し、回動管を回動させる力が回動管の中心軸から回転軸の軸支位置までの変位した距離分小さくなり、全体として連通管を小さな力で容易に回動できる。
【００６０】
請求項２記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体によれば、請求項１記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体の効果に加え、連通管部の回転軸を回動管の中心から上方に変位した位置で軸支するため、回動管を回動する際に連通管部の自重が回動管を回転させるモーメントと同方向となり、回動管に作用させるモーメント力が連通管部の自重分小さくなり、全体として連通管を回動させる力をより小さくでき連通管を容易に回動できる。
【００６１】
請求項３記載の電気掃除機によれば、小さい力で容易に連通管を回動できる請求項１または２記載の電気掃除機の吸込口体を備えるため、連通管を回動して掃除形態を変更する動作を容易にでき、掃除性を向上できる。
【図面の簡単な説明】
【図１】本発明の実施の一形態を示す連通管を立てた状態の吸込口本体の側面断面図である。
【図２】同上連通管を倒した状態の吸込口本体を示す側面断面図である。
【図３】同上上部ケースを取り外した吸込口本体を示す平面図である。
【図４】同上吸込口本体の底面図である。
【図５】同上吸込口本体の側面図である。
【図６】同上吸込口本体の平面図である。
【図７】同上吸込口本体の正面図である。
【図８】同上吸込口本体の背面図である。
【図９】同上吸込口本体の中心から端部に変位した位置での側面断面図である。
【図１０】同上吸込口本体の上部ケースと連通管との関係を示す分解斜視図である。
【図１１】同上連通管を示す断面図である。
【図１２】同上電気掃除機を示す斜視図である。
【図１３】同上連通管を回転するために作用する力の関係を示す説明図である。
【図１４】同上連通管の軸支位置と連通管を回転した状態での自重がトルクに作用する状態を示すグラフである。
【符号の説明】
１掃除機本体
１４吸込口本体
２４ケース体
３０吸込口
５２回動管としての継手部
５３連通管部
６０回転軸[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a rotatable communication pipe and a suction port body thereof.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, as a suction port body of this type of vacuum cleaner, for example, a communication pipe communicating with the suction port is provided in a case body that is elongated in the front-rear direction and has wheels at approximately four corners and that opens the suction port on the lower surface. There is known a configuration in which a case is rotatably supported so as to be selectable between a position along a front-back direction and a position along a longitudinal direction of a case body. The communication pipe is a rotary pipe that is rotatably fitted to a shaft support pipe that is cylindrically provided substantially at the center of the rear part of the case body and has an axial direction integrally provided along the front-rear direction of the case body and communicates with the suction port. A communication pipe portion having an end portion rotatably supported by a rotation shaft having an axial direction in a radial direction of the rotation tube and connected to an extension tube, the rotation tube and the communication tube portion; By turning the shaft, the axial direction of the communication pipe portion can be selected between a position along the front-back direction of the case body and a position along the longitudinal direction.
[0003]
Then, when cleaning the normal floor surface, the suction port body is moved by moving the case body so as to be elongated in the left-right direction with the axial direction of the communication pipe portion substantially along the front-back direction, and cleaning. When cleaning a narrow place such as between furniture, a configuration is adopted in which the axial direction is along the longitudinal direction of the case body so that it runs in the running direction so as to be long in the running direction, and the cleaning form can be changed. ing.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the suction port body of the conventional vacuum cleaner having the above-described rotating pipe and the communication pipe section and having a communication pipe selectable between a position along the front-rear direction and a position along the longitudinal direction of the case body, Because the axial direction of the rotating shaft passes through the center of the rotating pipe, when rotating the communicating pipe to change the cleaning mode, a force is applied to twist the communicating pipe part in the axial direction of the shaft supporting pipe. Therefore, it is difficult to rotate the communication pipe smoothly.
[0005]
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and has as its object to provide a vacuum cleaner capable of easily rotating a communication pipe with a small force, and a suction port body thereof.
[0006]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
The suction port body of the vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a suction port is opened on a surface facing the surface to be cleaned, a case body having a longitudinal direction in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction, and an axis extending in the front-rear direction. A rotating shaft having a direction, and a rotating shaft rotatably supported at a position along the radial direction of the rotating tube and displaced from the center of the rotating tube, the rotating shaft being provided through the rotating tube. A communication pipe portion communicating with the suction port is provided, and an axial direction of the communication pipe portion is selected between a position along the front-rear direction of the case body and a position along the longitudinal direction by rotation of the rotating tube and the communication tube portion. A communication pipe rotatably provided in the case body so as to be rotatably connected to the suction port.The rotating tube is rotatably held by the case body, a lower joint protruding from one end edge of the cylindrical part, and attached to the lower joint; And an upper joint portion rotatably supporting the communication pipe portion with the upper portion.Is.
[0007]
And, in the case body having a longitudinal direction in a direction intersecting with the front-rear direction, a communication pipe capable of being selectively rotatable between a position along the longitudinal direction of the case body and a position along the longitudinal direction of the case body,A cylindrical portion rotatably held by the case body, a lower joint protruding from one end edge of the cylindrical portion, and a communication pipe portion attached to the lower joint to rotate the communication pipe with the lower joint. Has an upper joint that can be freely supportedA rotary pipe which is communicated with the suction port and is provided on the case body so that the axial direction is rotatable along the front-back direction of the case body, and at a position along the radial direction of the rotary pipe and displaced from the center of the rotary pipe; A communication pipe portion rotatably supported by the rotation pipe so as to rotatably support the rotation shaft provided in the axial direction and communicating with the suction port through the rotation pipe; When rotating the rotating pipe, the operating force of the user acting on the rotating shaft of the communication pipe portion acts as a moment, and the force for rotating the rotating pipe is moved from the center axis of the rotating pipe to the pivotal support position of the rotating shaft. The communication pipe is smoothly rotated with a small force as a whole.
[0008]
The suction port of the vacuum cleaner according to claim 2 is the suction port of the vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the rotation axis of the communication pipe portion is displaced upward from a center of the rotation pipe. It is supported by a moving tube.
[0009]
And, since the rotating shaft of the communication pipe is supported by the rotating pipe at a position displaced upward from the center of the rotating pipe, the own weight of the communication pipe rotates the rotating pipe when rotating the rotating pipe. In the same direction as the moment to be applied, the moment force applied to the rotating pipe is reduced by the weight of the communicating pipe, and the force for rotating the communicating pipe becomes smaller as a whole, and the communicating pipe is easily rotated.
[0010]
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner including a vacuum cleaner main body and a suction port of the vacuum cleaner according to the first or second aspect connected to the vacuum cleaner main body.
[0011]
Further, since the communication pipe is provided with the suction opening of the vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the communication pipe is easily rotated with a small force, the operation of changing the cleaning mode by rotating the communication pipe becomes easy, and the cleaning property is improved. Is improved.
[0012]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, a configuration of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0013]
In FIG. 12, reference numeral 1 denotes a cleaner main body. The cleaner main body 1 has a lower main body case 2a having an open upper surface, and an upper main body case 2b for closing a rear upper surface of the lower main body case 2a. The main body case 2 has a front upper surface opened by being sandwiched and joined with a bumper 3. The cleaner body 1 rotatably supports a lid 4 that closes the front upper surface of the body case 2 so as to be openable and closable.
[0014]
The main body case 2 is provided with a rotatable swivel wheel (not shown) on the front lower surface in the traveling direction, and a large-diameter driven wheel 6 is rotatably provided on the rear side surface of the main body case 2. The turning wheel and the driven wheel 6 can travel on the floor surface to be cleaned. Further, a handle 7 slidable in a vertical direction is provided at an upper portion of the main body case 2.
[0015]
An electric blower chamber for accommodating an electric blower (not shown) is formed in the rear side of the cleaner main body 1. The electric blower chamber communicates with the suction side of the electric blower, and is opened at the top and opened and closed by the lid 4. A dust collecting chamber (not shown) for accommodating the dust collecting filter is formed on the front side. Further, on the front side of the cleaner body 1, there is formed a connection port 9 which opens toward the dust collection chamber and to which a hose 8 is detachably connected.
[0016]
The hose 8 includes a flexible hose body 11, a connection pipe 12 provided at one end of the hose body 11 and removably inserted and connected to the connection port 9 of the cleaner body 1, and the other end of the hose body 11. And a grip 15 to which a suction port main body 14 is connected via an extension pipe 13. An operating means 17 having various switches 16 and 16 for setting and operating the driving state of the electric blower is provided on the gripping portion 15.
[0017]
On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 1 to 10, the suction port main body 14 has a rectangular shape that is oblong in the traveling direction that is the front-rear direction and has an upper surface made of a synthetic resin such as acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) resin. The lower case 21 and an upper case 22 that covers the upper opening above the lower case 21 and opens the lower surface of the same material are formed of a soft member along the peripheral surface including the front surfaces of the lower case 21 and the upper case 22. There is provided a convex case body 24 which is fixedly connected with the buffer body 23 therebetween, and has a substantially central rear portion protruding rearward.
[0018]
The lower case 21 has a rib lower portion 25a substantially vertically on the upper surface, the upper case 22 has a rib upper portion 25b substantially perpendicularly on the lower surface, the lower edge of which is joined to the rib lower portion 25a, and the case body 24 has a rib lower portion 25a. The rib portion 25b is formed in a convex shape by a horizontally long rectangular suction portion 26 and a pair of housing portions 27, 27 projecting rearward substantially at the center of the rear portion of the suction portion 26. In the suction part 26, a suction chamber 31 is formed by a rib lower part 25 a and a rib upper part 25 b, which is located horizontally long on the front side and has an opening 30 formed on the lower surface of the lower case 21, and a rear part of the suction chamber 31. An air passage chamber 32 defined and communicated with the center, a drive chamber 33 defined and formed on one end side of the suction chamber 31 in the longitudinal direction, and one housing portion 27 on the drive chamber 33 side of the air passage chamber 32. A circuit room 34 is formed so as to be divided over the air passage room 32, and a floor surface detection room 35 is formed so as to be formed over the other housing portion 27 on the other side of the air passage room 32. A lower surface of an end of the suction chamber 31 of the case body 24 opposite to the drive chamber 33 is opened downward, and a closing plate 36 is detachably attached to the opening with a mounting tool 37. Further, notch holding recesses 38a and 38b formed in a concave shape facing each other are provided at substantially the centers of the rib lower portion 25a and the rib upper portion 25b, respectively.
[0019]
The lower case 21 has a suction lower portion 21a forming the lower surface of the suction portion 26, and a pair of housing lower portions 21b, 21b provided integrally with a rear portion of the suction lower portion 21a and forming the lower surfaces of the housing portions 27, 27. Is formed in a convex shape.
[0020]
Further, the upper case 22 is detachably attached to the lower case 21 so as to cover substantially the upper surface of the suction portion 26 and has a substantially semicircular cut-out recess 39 substantially at the center of the rear portion thereof. A case cover 22b is provided at the rear of the case lid 22a on both sides of the cutout recess 39 and integrally provided in a flange shape to cover the housing lower part 21b of the lower case 21 and constitute the housing part 27. It is formed in a shape. A plurality of, for example, two, openings are formed in the upper part of the case lid 22a along the longitudinal direction of the case body 24, and the intake ports 40 are opened forward and also function as leak ports.
[0021]
Further, the case body 24 is provided with a connecting pipe portion 42 which is sandwiched and fixed between the lower case 21 and the upper case 22 and located between the housing portions 27 and 27 to partition the air passage chamber 32. The connecting pipe part 42 has a cylindrical support pipe part 43 whose one end in the axial direction gradually increases in diameter in a trumpet shape, and a flange-like protruding outward at one end edge of the axial support pipe part 43 in the axial direction. A mounting plate portion 44 having a peripheral edge that engages with each of the notch holding recesses 38a and 38b of the lower rib portion 25a and the upper rib portion 25b of the lower case 21 and the upper case 22, respectively. The connecting pipe part 42 has one end side of the shaft supporting pipe part 43 expanding in a trumpet shape toward the suction chamber 31 and the other end side projecting rearward from the case body 24 in a substantially cylindrical shape. The direction is arranged in the case body 24 along the front-back direction and the horizontal direction.
[0022]
A pair of annular terminal portions 46 are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft support tube portion 43 of the connecting tube portion 42 so as to be coaxial with the shaft support tube portion 43. Further, the other end of the lead wire whose one end is introduced into the circuit chamber 34 is connected to the terminal portion 46.
[0023]
A driven front wheel chamber 48 in which a driven front wheel 48a is rotatably supported is formed on both front ends of the suction lower portion 21a of the lower case 21. A driven rear wheel chamber 49 in which a driven rear wheel 49a is rotatably supported is formed in a pair of rear wheel housing lower portions 21b, 21b of the lower case 21. The driven rear wheel 49a is provided with a protective sheet (not shown) which is a flexible member such as cloth or an elastic member such as rubber on the outer peripheral surface. The case body 24 can run on the floor surface to be cleaned by the driven front wheel 48a and the driven rear wheel 49a.
[0024]
A communication pipe 51 is provided at the center of the rear part of the case body 24 between the pair of shaft supports 27, 27. The communication pipe 51 has a joint part 52 as a rotating pipe rotatably fitted to the shaft support pipe part 43 of the connection pipe part 42, and a joint part 52 having one end rotatably in the up and down direction. And a supported communication pipe portion 53.
[0025]
The communication pipe 53 includes a substantially cylindrical tubular portion 54 and a communication rotating portion 55 provided at one end of the tubular portion 54. On the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 54, a cover portion 56 which is long in the axial direction defines a wiring chamber 57 therein, and is attached and fixed with screws 58 or the like. On the other hand, the communication rotating part 55 has a substantially fan-shaped cylindrical shape in a side view having an axial direction in the left-right direction that is a direction orthogonal to the axial direction of the cylindrical part 54, and the inner peripheral side is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical part 54. It is formed in a continuous cylindrical shape. A substantially cylindrical rotary shaft 60 is provided integrally with the communication rotating portion 55 at the center of the fan shape.
[0026]
Further, an upper edge of the communication rotating portion 55, which is open, has a wall shape extending in the axial direction and protrudes outward in a wall shape, and abuts on the joint portion 52 to restrict rotation. Is protruding. Further, a lower portion 61 of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 54 is provided with a rotation restricting lower portion 61 which protrudes downward in a wall shape and abuts against the lower portion of the joint portion 52 to restrict the rotation. On the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 54, a pair of wall-shaped locking claws 62 is provided along the axial direction at a radial position along the horizontal direction with the axial direction being located along the front-rear direction. It is protruding. These locking claws 62 are formed on the top surfaces of the housing portions 27, 27 of the case body 24 upward in a state where the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 54 of the communication pipe portion 53 is located along the longitudinal direction of the case body 24. The hooking claw portions 63 projecting toward each other can be engaged with each other.
[0027]
Further, a swing closing body 65 is provided in the communication rotating part 55 of the communication pipe part 53. The swinging closing body 65 includes a curved closing bottom plate 66, a pair of closing side plate portions 67, 67 each having a substantially fan shape in a side view in which an arc edge is continuous with a pair of opposite edges of the closing bottom plate 66. Cylindrical shaft support tube portions provided at the positions of the centers of the sectors of the closed side plate portions 67, 67, respectively, having an axial direction along the facing direction of the closed side plate portions 67, 67 and rotatably fitting the rotary shaft 60. 68, 68 are provided. The swing closing body 65 is relatively rotated with respect to the communication rotation part 55 by the shaft support cylinder parts 68, 68 being fitted to the rotation shafts 60, 60, respectively. Is supported so as to cover from the side to below.
[0028]
On the other hand, the joint portion 52 includes a cylindrical portion 71 which is fitted and rotatably held by the connection pipe portion 42, and a lower joint portion which is provided in a substantially semispherical shape on a half circumference of one end edge of the cylindrical portion 71. 72, and a substantially hemispherical upper joint portion 73 which covers the upper surface of the lower joint portion 72 and is integrally attached by screwing or the like.
[0029]
The lower joint portion 72 and the upper joint portion 73 are provided with a pair of substantially parallel partition ribs 74, 74 protruding in a vertical wall shape and having their distal ends joined to each other. An air passage space 75 that accommodates the communication rotating portion 55 of the communication pipe portion 53 by the ribs 74, 74, and a pair of inner chambers 76 formed in the left and right direction of the air passage space 75. It is compartmentalized. The partition ribs 74, 74 are each formed with a notch 77 in a substantially semicircular shape at the joining edge thereof so as to oppose each other, and the notches 77, 77 are used to form the rotating shafts 60, 60 of the communication pipe 53. Are formed in a substantially circular bearing hole 78 rotatably rotatably. The partition rib 74 is formed such that the central axes of the bearing holes 78 and 78 are substantially horizontal along a radial direction orthogonal to the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71 and are located above the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71. Have been.
[0030]
The lower joint portion 72 and the upper joint portion 73 are notched in a substantially U-shape at positions opposed to each other at a portion located in the air passage space portion 75, and a rotation regulating upper portion and a rotation regulating lower portion 61 abut. Notch escape portions 79, 79 are provided, respectively, and the notch escape portions 79, 79 serve as escape portions for the communication pipe portion 53 to rotate vertically.
[0031]
Further, a pair of ring-shaped contacts 80 are formed coaxially on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 71 of the joint portion 52 and are formed in a ring shape and slidably contact the terminal portions 46 of the connecting pipe portion 42 respectively. A sliding contact 81 is constituted by the contact 80.
[0032]
In addition, the communication pipe 51 is provided at one end with a terminal pin 82 that is provided with a distal end portion protruding from the cover 56 of the communication pipe 53 and connected to a connector (not shown) provided at the end of the extension pipe 13. A lead wire (not shown) is provided so that the other end is connected from the inside of the wiring chamber 57 to the inside of the rotary shaft 60 and from the inner chamber 76 of the joint part 52 to the ring-shaped contact 80 of the cylindrical part 71.
[0033]
Further, on the outer peripheral surface of the connecting pipe portion 42, the sliding contact 81 is provided on both sides of the sliding contact 81 so as to be slidable on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 71 of the joint portion 52. A pair of sealing members 83 which are soft members surrounded by the portion 42 and the cylindrical portion 71 are provided.
[0034]
In the communication pipe 51, the tubular portion 54 of the communication pipe 53 is detachably connected to the cleaner main body 1 via the extension pipe 13 and the hose 8, and the suction port 30 is connected to the connection port 9 of the cleaner main body 1. Communicate.
[0035]
Further, in the case body 24, a rotary cleaning body 85 as a rotary body rotatably supported by bearings 84a and 84b provided at both ends of the suction chamber 31 in the left-right direction is disposed. I have. The rotary cleaning body 85 is provided integrally with a shaft 86, a shaft support member 87 rotatably provided at one end of the shaft 86 and detachably attached to a bearing, and the other end of the shaft 86. A pulley 88, a concave groove-shaped blade mounting groove 89 spirally provided on the shaft 86, an edge is mounted on the blade mounting groove 89, and a wall-shaped spiral is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft 86, and the tip side is formed. The cleaning device includes a blade 90 as a cleaning member curved to one side, and a cloth blade 91 as a cleaning member having a raised surface on the surface in the direction in which the rotary cleaning body 85 rotates on one surface side. For convenience of explanation, the blade 90 and the cloth blade 91 are shown in a straight line.
[0036]
The rotary cleaning body 85 has a lower end that faces the suction port 30 and is positioned above a plane formed by the driven front wheel 48a and the driven rear wheel 49a, and does not contact a flat floor surface plate. The blade 90 comes into contact with the carpet, which is a floor surface having unevenness that enters the floor 30, and the cloth blade 91 is located below a plane formed by the driven front wheel 48 a and the driven rear wheel 49 a, and comes into contact between the boards to floor. It is arranged as follows.
[0037]
Further, in the drive chamber 33 of the case body 24, an output shaft (not shown) is removably engaged with a pulley 88 of the rotary cleaning body 85 so as to detachably engage with the pulley 88. A motor 93 is provided. The electric motor 93 rotates the rotary cleaning body 85 to the side opposite to the side where the blade 90 is curved, that is, to the side on which the raised surface of the cloth blade 91 is provided, and makes the rotation reverse to the forward movement of the case body 24. .
[0038]
On the other hand, in the circuit room 34 of the case body 24, a control circuit (not shown) for controlling the driving state of the electric motor 93 by connecting the electric motor 93 by a power supply line 94 is mounted and a circuit board 95 to which a lead wire is connected. Are arranged.
[0039]
In the floor detection chamber 35, a floor detection means 97 connected to a circuit board 95 by a lead wire (not shown) is provided. The floor detecting means 97 includes a wheel receiver 100 having a rotatable wheel 98 and a rotatably supported side of the shaft member 99 for rotatably supporting the wheel. The wheel receiver 100 is always attached downward. An urging means (not shown) such as a torsion spring or a leaf spring for urging the wheel 98 forward and backward from the lower surface of the case body 24 and a lower end of the wheel 98 at a predetermined position, for example, the driven front wheel 48a and the driven rear wheel 49a. And a detection switch 101 for detecting that it has protruded below a plane formed. Then, when the detection switch 101 detects that the lower end of the wheel 98 protrudes below a plane formed by the driven front wheel 48a and the driven rear wheel 49a, the floor detection means 97 sends the control signal to the control circuit of the circuit board 95. Control to stop the driving of the electric motor 93.
[0040]
Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.
[0041]
At the time of cleaning, the suction port main body 14 is connected to the cleaner main body 1 via the extension pipe 13 and the hose 8. By this connection, the terminal pin 82 of the suction port main body 14 is connected to the connector (not shown) of the extension tube 13, and the electric motor 93 in the suction port main body 14 is connected to the circuit board 95, the lead wire 43, the sliding contact 81, and the terminal pin. The power is supplied to the cleaner main body 1 via a power line (not shown) provided to the extension tube 13 and the hose 8 via 82. In this state, by operating the switch 16 of the operating means 17 while holding the grip 15 of the hose 8, the electric blower and the electric motor 93 are appropriately driven in a desired driving state, and the grip 15 is pushed to move the suction port main body. 14 is driven back and forth on the floor. When the suction port main body 14 travels on the floor, the first cleaning mode is a state in which the axial direction of the communication pipe 51 is along the front-back direction that is the traveling direction of the suction port main body 14.
[0042]
Then, by driving the electric blower, the inside of the suction chamber 31 communicating with the negative pressure side of the electric blower becomes a negative pressure and is sucked from the suction port 40, and the sucked suction flow is supplied to the blade 90 of the rotary cleaning body 85 and the cloth blade. At 91, the rotary cleaning body 85 is rotated. This intake air flow is blown substantially perpendicularly to the blade 90 and the cloth blade 91 of the rotary cleaning body 85, and then gathers toward the center of the case body 24 toward the air path chamber 32 along the axial direction of the rotary cleaning body 85. As described above, the rotation of the rotary cleaning body 85 flows over the communication pipe 51 while increasing the rotational torque by acting on the rotation of the rotary cleaning body 85 over a long distance. In addition, when the electric motor 93 is driven, the rotary cleaning body 85 rotates via the pulley 88 to which the output shaft is connected. Thus, the rotation cleaning body 85 rotates with a large torque by the rotation by the intake air flow and the rotation by the driving of the electric motor 93.
[0043]
When the suction port main body 14 travels on the floor surface, when the floor surface is a carpet or the like, the tip portion of the blade 90 of the rotating rotary cleaning body 85 collides with the floor surface to strike out dust and to scrape the blade 90 out. Alternatively, it is swept and scraped, and dust is sucked through the suction port 30. When the floor surface is relatively flat, such as between a board and a tatami mat, the cloth blade 91 of the rotating rotary cleaning body 85 sweeps dust on the floor surface while polishing the floor surface, and sucks the dust through the suction port 30.
[0044]
Then, the dust sucked in with the air flows into the dust collecting chamber of the cleaner body 1 through the extension pipe 13 and the hose 8 and is captured.
[0045]
On the other hand, when cleaning a relatively narrow place such as between furniture, that is, a floor having a width dimension in which the horizontally long suction port body 14 cannot travel, the axial direction of the communication pipe 51 extends along the longitudinal direction of the suction port body 14. The communication pipe 51 is rotated to change the cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode so that the longitudinal direction of the suction port main body 14 becomes the running direction, and the suction port main body 14 is cleaned by sliding the suction port main body 14 into the gap. I do.
[0046]
When the hose 8 is placed on the floor surface due to the interruption of the cleaning, or in order to remove dust clogged in the suction port 30 and to remove thread dust and the like entangled in the rotary cleaning body 85, the lower surface of the suction port main body 14 is removed. When separated from the floor, the floor detecting means 97 detects that the wheel 98 protrudes from the predetermined position by the urging of the urging means, that is, protrudes below the plane formed by the driven front wheel 48a and the driven rear wheel 49a. When the floor surface is not detected by the switch 101, the control circuit of the circuit board 95 determines that the lower surface of the suction port main body 14 is separated from the floor surface and does not detect the floor surface, and drives the electric motor 93. Stop. When the lower surface of the suction port main body 14 is separated from the floor surface, the negative pressure in the suction chamber 31 is also reduced, and the amount of intake air from the suction port 40 is also reduced. By stopping the drive of the electric motor 93 and reducing the amount of intake air, the rotation of the rotary cleaning body 85 stops.
[0047]
Here, when the communication pipe 51 is rotated to change from the first cleaning mode to the second cleaning mode, the communication pipe section 53 of the communication pipe 51 moves upward from the central axis of the cylindrical section 71 of the joint section 52. Since the shaft is supported at the displaced position, the radius R from the center O, which is the position of the center axis of the cylindrical portion 71, to the shaft support position of the rotating shaft 60 is defined as the radius of the rotating shaft 60 in the first cleaning mode. The supported position is the angle θ from the center of the cylindrical portion 71.₀In this state, the position where the force acting to rotate the communication pipe 51 is applied is shifted from the position of the center O by R sin θ.₀Only longer. For this reason, the force for rotating the communication pipe 51 with the same torque decreases as the distance increases.
[0048]
As shown in FIGS. 11 and 13, in the first cleaning mode, the position at which the rotation shaft 60 is supported is shifted from the center of the cylindrical portion 71 by an angle θ.₀In the state above, the force F exerted by the own weight of the communication pipe 51 at the position where the rotating shaft 60 is supported at the shaft supporting position of the rotating shaft 60 is tangential to the rotating direction at the position where the rotating shaft 60 is supported.
f₁= F × cos θ₀
f₂= F × cos θ₀
It becomes. When the communication pipe 51 is rotated by the angle θ,
f₁= F × cos (θ₀−θ)
f₂= F × cos (θ₀+ Θ)
And the torque T at which the own weight of the communication pipe 51 contributes to the rotation of the communication pipe 51 is a radius R from the center O, which is the position of the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71, to the supporting position of the rotary shaft 60.
T = f₁× R + f₂× R
= F × R × ｛cos (θ₀−θ) −cos (θ₀+ Θ)｝
It becomes. And the angle θ₀The torque T increases as shown in FIG. 14 as the value of .gamma. Increases, that is, as the pivot position becomes a position displaced upward.
[0049]
From this, the joint 52 is rotated with a smaller force than the case where the rotating shaft 60 is axially supported at a radial position passing through the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71 of the joint 52, and the second shaft is rotated. It can be changed to a cleaning mode.
[0050]
As described above, since the rotating shaft 60 of the communication pipe portion 53 is axially supported so that the axial direction is at a twist position displaced upward from the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71 of the joint portion 52, the communication pipe 51 is formed of the case body. When rotating between the first cleaning mode along the front-rear direction and the second cleaning mode along the longitudinal direction, the rotation direction of the cylindrical portion 71 of the joint 52 at the distal end side of the communication pipe 53 is rotated. The position of the operating force of the cleaning operator for applying the moment of the center is the center axis of the cylindrical portion 71 which is the center axis rotated by the displaced distance from the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71 to the pivotal support position of the rotary shaft 60. The communication tube 51 becomes farther from the shaft, and the force acting on the communication tube portion 53 is reduced by the distance, so that the communication tube 51 can be easily rotated as a whole with a small force.
[0051]
Since the pivotal support position of the rotating shaft 60 is displaced upward from the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71 of the joint portion 52, when the joint portion 52 is rotated, the own weight of the communication pipe portion 53 also acts in the rotating direction. As a result, the force for rotating the communication pipe 51 can be further reduced, the communication pipe 51 can be more easily rotated, and the suction port main body 14 is placed on the floor surface and the grip portion 15 of the hose 8 is held. In this state, the communication pipe 51 can be rotated with a small force, and the cleaning performance can be improved.
[0052]
Further, a communication pipe 53 is provided so that one end of the joint 52 has a cylindrical part 71 rotatably fitted to the connection pipe 42 provided on the case body 24 and the other end is rotatable vertically. Since the tube 51 is configured so that the axial direction can be selected between a position along the front-rear direction of the case body 24 and a position along the longitudinal direction, the lead wire for supplying power to the electric motor 93 is cleaned without being entangled with the communication tube 51 or the like. The sliding contact 81 for changing the form can be easily arranged, the structure can be simplified, the manufacturability can be improved, and the inner part formed to pivotally support the communication pipe part 53 in the joint part 52 can be formed. By using the chamber 76 to accommodate the slack of the lead wire, there is no need to provide a separate space for accommodating the lead wire, and the size can be reduced.
[0053]
In the above embodiment, not only the canister-type vacuum cleaner, but also an upright type in which the suction main body 14 is directly formed on the lower surface of the cleaner main body 1, the cleaner main body 1 and the suction main body 14 are integrated. It can also be applied to a self-propelled vacuum cleaner, a handy type, and the like.
[0054]
The rotating shaft 60 of the communication pipe portion 53 is displaced above the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71 of the joint portion 52 and axially supported, but is displaced below the central axis of the cylindrical portion 71 and axially supported. Is also good. In this case, the suction port main body 14 is lifted, and the cylindrical portion 71 of the joint 52 is rotated to the communication pipe 53 so that the distal end side of the communication pipe 53 is positioned further below the pivotal support position of the rotary shaft 60. If a moment is applied to the communication pipe 51, the communication pipe 51 can be rotated with a small force. By positioning the shaft supporting position of the rotating shaft 60 downward, when the suction port body 14 is moved on the floor surface and cleaned by holding the grip 15 of the hose 8, the communication pipe section is extended from the extension pipe 13. The position where the force acting on the rotating shaft 60 in the direction of pressing against the floor surface acts on the floor surface is a low position near the floor surface, and the suction port body 14 can stably run on the floor surface, and the cleaning performance can be improved.
[0055]
In addition, the rotary cleaning body 85 is driven to rotate, but instead of the rotary cleaning body 85, for example, a running wheel may be driven to rotate to improve the traveling performance. In addition to the driving by the electric motor 93, an air turbine or the like may be used. It is also possible to use only driving means, or to simply rotate the suction airflow by directly blowing the suction airflow from the suction port 40 to the blade 90. The use of an air turbine eliminates the need for power supply, and eliminates the need for providing a power supply lead wire, terminal pins 82, wiring chamber 57, and circuit chamber 34 in which the circuit board 95 is disposed, and can reduce the weight and size. . Further, in the configuration in which the suction airflow is directly blown against the blades to rotate the blades, there is no need to provide a driving unit and a driving chamber 33 in which the driving units are disposed, and the weight and size can be further reduced.
[0056]
Further, the number of the rotary cleaning member 85 is not limited to one, and a plurality of the rotary cleaning members may be provided or may not be provided. Further, the rotary cleaning body 85 may be provided with any cleaning member such as a rotary brush provided with raised hairs in a wall shape, a cloth blade 91 and an integral blade 90, in addition to the blade 90.
[0057]
Further, although the configuration for supplying power has been described using the sliding contact 81, a configuration in which a lead wire is directly connected to the circuit board 95 may be employed.
[0058]
Then, the floor detecting means 97 may not be provided.
[0059]
【The invention's effect】
According to the suction body of the vacuum cleaner according to claim 1,A cylindrical portion rotatably held by the case body, a lower joint protruding from one end edge of the cylindrical portion, and a communication pipe portion attached to the lower joint to rotate the communication pipe with the lower joint. Has an upper joint that can be freely supportedA rotating pipe, which communicates with the suction port and has an axial direction in the front-rear direction of the case body and is rotatably provided, has an axial direction displaced from the center of the rotating pipe along the radial direction of the rotating pipe. In order to provide a communication pipe having a rotating shaft to be supported, when the rotating pipe is rotated through the communication pipe, the operating force of the user acting on the rotation shaft of the communication pipe acts as a moment. In addition, the force for rotating the rotating tube is reduced by the displaced distance from the central axis of the rotating tube to the position where the rotating shaft is supported, and the communication tube can be easily rotated as a whole with a small force.
[0060]
According to the suction opening of the vacuum cleaner according to the second aspect, in addition to the effect of the suction opening of the vacuum cleaner according to the first aspect, the rotation axis of the communication pipe is displaced upward from the center of the rotary pipe. Since the pivot is supported at the position, the weight of the communication pipe when rotating the rotary pipe is in the same direction as the moment of rotating the rotary pipe, and the moment force acting on the rotary pipe is reduced by the weight of the communication pipe. As a result, the force for rotating the communication pipe can be reduced as a whole, and the communication pipe can be easily rotated.
[0061]
According to the third aspect of the invention, since the communication pipe can be easily rotated with a small force, the suction port of the vacuum cleaner according to the first or second aspect is provided. Can be easily changed, and the cleaning property can be improved.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a side cross-sectional view of a suction port main body according to an embodiment of the present invention with a communication pipe set up.
FIG. 2 is a side sectional view showing the suction port main body in a state where the communication pipe is folded down.
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the suction port main body with the upper case removed.
FIG. 4 is a bottom view of the suction port main body.
FIG. 5 is a side view of the suction port main body.
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the suction port main body.
FIG. 7 is a front view of the suction port main body.
FIG. 8 is a rear view of the suction port main body.
FIG. 9 is a side cross-sectional view at a position displaced from the center to the end of the suction port main body.
FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a relationship between an upper case of the suction port main body and the communication pipe.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the communication pipe.
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the electric vacuum cleaner.
FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a relationship between forces acting to rotate the communication pipe.
FIG. 14 is a graph showing a state in which the weight of the communication pipe and the weight of the communication pipe when rotating the communication pipe affect torque.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 Vacuum cleaner body
14 Suction port body
24 case body
30 Suction port
52 Joints as rotating pipes
53 Communication pipe
60 rotation axis

Claims

A case body having a longitudinal direction in a direction intersecting the front-rear direction with an opening opened at a surface facing the surface to be cleaned,
A rotating pipe having an axial direction along the front and rear direction, and a rotating shaft rotatably supported at a position along a radial direction of the rotating pipe and displaced from the center of the rotating pipe; A communication pipe portion that communicates with the suction port through a moving tube, and a position and a longitudinal direction in which an axial direction of the communication pipe portion is along a front-rear direction of the case body due to rotation of the rotating tube and the communication pipe portion. A communication pipe provided rotatably in communication with the suction port in the case body so as to be selectively rotatable at a position along with the case body ,
The rotating tube,
A cylindrical portion rotatably held by the case body,
A lower joint portion protruding from one end edge of the cylindrical portion,
A suction port body for a vacuum cleaner , comprising: an upper joint portion attached to the lower joint portion, the upper joint portion rotatably supporting the communication pipe portion with the lower joint portion. .

2. The suction port body for a vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a rotation shaft of the communication pipe portion is supported by the rotation pipe at a position displaced upward from a center of the rotation pipe.

The vacuum cleaner body,
3. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: the suction port of the electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 connected to the main body of the electric vacuum cleaner.