JP4078899B2 - Electric vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a charge control method for a secondary battery of an AC / DC dual-use vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a charge control method for charging a secondary battery during AC use.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Secondary batteries typified by nickel hydride secondary batteries or nickel cadmium secondary batteries are widely put into practical use as operating power sources for various equipment systems such as portable telephones and portable photographing machines. In recent years, a large current can be discharged and it is also used as a power source for electric tools and vacuum cleaners.
[0003]
By the way, the AC / DC dual-purpose vacuum cleaner supplies electric current to the electric blower from a commercial power source when used with AC and from a secondary battery incorporated in the cleaner when used with DC. For this reason, a charger for charging a secondary battery having a reduced capacity by using a direct current is provided separately from the main body of the cleaner. The conventional electric blower control and secondary battery charging method will be described below. FIG. 5 is a circuit block diagram of the actual embodiment. Reference numeral 1 denotes a vacuum cleaner main body, in addition to an AC / DC electric blower 2 composed of two windings of an AC winding and a DC winding, a commercial power source is connected to a DC power source. A rectifier circuit 3 that rectifies the electric blower, an electric blower control circuit 4 that includes a microcomputer that controls driving of the electric blower 2, a power supply circuit 5 that generates the power supply, and a plurality of secondary batteries 6 are connected in series or in parallel. The battery pack 7 includes switch means 8 for switching the input to the power supply circuit 5 when using AC and DC, and switch means 9A and 9B for switching the current path to the winding of the electric blower 2 when using AC and DC. It has. The battery pack 7 includes a temperature detection means 10 (generally a thermistor) that is disposed in the vicinity of the secondary battery 6 and detects the temperature of the secondary battery 6. 11 is a charger, a rectifier circuit 12 for rectifying the commercial power source into direct current, a charging power source 13 for supplying current to the secondary battery 6 of the main body 1, a switch means 14 for turning on and off the charging path of the charging power source 13, and temperature detection A charging control circuit 16 is provided for controlling ON / OFF of the switch means 14 by means of signals from the means 10 and battery voltage detection means 15 for detecting battery voltage.
[0004]
The vacuum cleaner main body 1 and the charger 11 are connected to the positive electrode of the secondary battery 6 and the output of the charging power source 13 on one side, the negative electrode of the secondary battery 6 and the charger 11 GND, and the temperature detecting means 10 and the charger 11 are charged. A configuration is adopted in which connection is made by a connector 18 having three contacts for connecting a divided resistor 17 connected to the power supply 13.
[0005]
When the main body of the vacuum cleaner is connected to the commercial power source and the input changeover switch means 8 is switched to the commercial power supply side (shown side), the electric blower control circuit 4 is activated from the power supply circuit 5 by the commercial power supply, and the motor current path changeover switch means 9A is ON, 9B is OFF, current is supplied from the commercial power source to the AC side winding of the electric blower 2, and the motor operates. Next, when the input changeover switch means 8 is switched to the secondary battery 6 side, the secondary battery 6 activates the electric blower control circuit 4 from the power supply circuit 5, and the motor current path changeover switch means 9B is ON and 9A is OFF. Then, current is supplied from the commercial power source to the DC side winding of the electric blower 2, and the motor operates. If the capacity | capacitance of the secondary battery 6 falls and the electric blower 2 stops, the main body 1 will be connected to the charger 11, and the secondary battery 6 will be charged again. If the charging control circuit 16 of the charger 11 determines that the battery temperature is suitable for charging based on a signal from the temperature detecting means 10, the charging path on / off switch means 14 is turned on and the charging power supply 13 passes through the connector 18. The secondary battery 6 is charged. Further, the charge control circuit 16 monitors the state of charge of the battery based on the signal from the temperature detection means 10 or the battery voltage detection means 15, and when the charge completion judgment is made, the charge path on / off switch means 14 is turned off to charge the secondary battery 6. To stop.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the conventional configuration described above, the room is cleaned by alternating current, and when you want to use it cordlessly because the stairs and other cords are obstructing, or when you try to clean a place where the cord does not reach (secondary If you accidentally forget to recharge the secondary battery when you want to use the battery as a power source), you will not be able to use it. You will have to wait several hours to recharge the secondary battery, and you cannot clean it immediately. There was a problem.
[0007]
The present invention has been made in order to solve such problems, and when a secondary battery is inadvertently cleaned when it is attempted to clean a place that cannot be cleaned with a cord or is difficult to clean with a cord. Charging the secondary battery of an AC / DC vacuum cleaner that eliminates the hassle of forgetting to charge it and not cleaning it, or having to wait for several hours to recharge the secondary battery The purpose is to provide a control method.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a first electric blower driving means for supplying current from a commercial power source to an electric blower, and a second electric current for supplying electric current to the electric blower from a secondary battery built in a cleaner body. When the commercial power is supplied to the electric blower driving means 2 and the cleaner body, the first electric blower driving means is operated, and when the commercial power is cut off, the second electric blower driving means is operated. A switching element for controlling a current supplied to the secondary battery, comprising: an electric blower drive switching control means; and a charging means for charging the secondary battery when commercial power is supplied. has, the switching element is disposed in an intake or exhaust passage of the electric blower, during the charging of the secondary battery, a structure which is cooled by the intake or exhaust of the electric blower Both are characterized by varying the charging current value for charging the secondary battery according to the operation mode of the electric blower, and when the electric blower is operating in the weak mode, the charging current value flowing through the switching element is lowered, When the electric blower is operating in the strong mode, it is possible to charge the secondary battery while using the commercial power supply by increasing the charging current value flowing through the switching element. Then, when you try to clean a place that can not be cleaned or difficult, you forget to charge the secondary battery and can not clean it. If you try to clean it, you have to wait several hours to charge the secondary battery. The troublesomeness of not becoming necessary can be eliminated.
[0009]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a first electric blower driving means for supplying current from a commercial power source to the electric blower, and a second electric current for supplying electric current from the secondary battery built in the cleaner body to the electric blower. When the commercial power is supplied to the electric blower driving means 2 and the cleaner body, the first electric blower driving means is operated, and when the commercial power is cut off, the second electric blower driving means is operated. and a electric blower drive switching control means, to come and commercial power is supplied, the provided charging means for charging the secondary battery, the charging means for controlling the current supplied to the secondary battery switching The switching element is disposed in the intake or exhaust path of the electric blower and is cooled by the intake or exhaust of the electric blower during charging of the secondary battery. , The charging current value for charging the rechargeable battery by the operation mode of the electric blower is characterized in that variable, when the electric blower is operating in the weak mode, to lower the charging current flowing through the switching device, wherein When the electric blower is operating in the strong mode, it is possible to charge the secondary battery while using the commercial power supply by increasing the charging current value flowing through the switching element. When you try to clean a place where cleaning is difficult or difficult, you forget to charge the secondary battery and cannot clean it. If you try to clean it, you have to wait several hours to charge the secondary battery. Such troublesomeness can be eliminated. Also, when the electric blower is operating in the weak mode, the cooling air is reduced and the cooling capacity is lowered, so that the current value flowing through the heat generating components such as the charging current setting load and the switching element is suppressed to suppress those heat generation. When the electric blower is operating in the strong mode, the cooling air is increased and the cooling capacity is increased, so that the heat generation is performed even if the current value flowing through the heating component such as the charging current setting load or the switching element is increased. Therefore, it is possible to adjust the charging time to be shortened, and efficient charging control can be performed while minimizing the influence of reliability of the heat generating component.
[0010]
【Example】
Example 1
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In addition, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected about the same component as a prior art example, and description is abbreviate | omitted.
[0011]
FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of an actual embodiment of a method for controlling charging of a secondary battery of an AC / DC vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. In addition to the AC / DC electric blower 2 composed of windings, a rectifier circuit 3 that rectifies the commercial power source into a direct current, an electric blower control circuit 4 that consists of a microcomputer that controls the drive of the electric blower 2, and the power supply are generated. Power supply circuit 5, battery pack 7 in which a plurality of secondary batteries 6 are connected in series or in parallel, switch means 8 which is an electric blower drive switching control means for switching input to power supply circuit 5 when using AC and when using DC Motor current path switch means 9A and 9B, which are first electric blower driving means for switching the current path to the windings of the electric blower 2 when using AC and when using DC, are provided.
[0012]
The battery pack 7 includes a temperature detection means 10 (generally a thermistor) that is disposed in the vicinity of the secondary battery 6 and detects the temperature of the secondary battery 6. And the divided voltage signal is input to the electric blower control circuit 4. When the commercial power source is connected, a ZVP signal is input to the electric blower control circuit (arrow). From the output of the rectifier circuit 3, a load switching element 21A in which charging current setting loads 20A and 20B (resistance value 20A <20B) for setting a charging current value for charging the secondary battery is the second electric blower driving means , 21B and connected in series to the secondary battery 6. Further, the lamp load 23 is similarly connected in series to the secondary battery 6 through the load switching element 21C.
[0013]
Since the power supply circuit 5 and the motor current path change-over switch means 9A and 9B are heat generating parts, it is necessary to cool them, and a method of cooling with the intake air or the exhaust air of the electric blower 2 is generally adopted. Also in the vacuum cleaner, the charging current setting loads 20A and 20B and the load switching elements 21A and 21B are also arranged in the intake or exhaust path of the electric blower 2 and cooled using the wind. (Not shown).
[0014]
A charging control method for the secondary battery at the time of AC use with such a circuit configuration will be described with reference to a charging operation explanatory diagram shown in FIG.
[0015]
First, the drive operation of the electric blower 2 when using AC (commercial power source) and DC (secondary battery 6 power source) power sources is connected to the commercial power source as in the conventional example, and the input changeover switch means 8 is commercial. When switched to the power supply side (shown in FIG. 1), the electric blower control circuit 4 is activated from the power supply circuit 5 by the commercial power supply, the motor current path switching switch means 9A is turned on, 9B is turned off, and the electric blower 2 AC Current is supplied from the commercial power source to the side windings, and the motor operates. Although not particularly shown here, the input changeover switch means 8 is configured to switch between the commercial power source side and the secondary battery 6 side in conjunction with the commercial power source on / off. When the commercial power supply is turned off and the input changeover switch means 8 is switched to the secondary battery 6 side, the secondary battery 6 activates the electric blower control circuit 4 from the power supply circuit 5, and the electric blower control circuit 4 does not have the ZVP signal. Therefore, it is determined that the commercial power is not connected, the load switching elements 21A, 21B, and 21C are turned off unconditionally, and the connection between the charging current setting loads 20A and 20B and the lamp load 23 and the secondary battery 6 is disconnected. At the same time, 9B of the motor current path change-over switch means is turned ON and 9A is turned OFF, and current is supplied from the commercial power source to the DC side winding of the electric blower 2 to operate the motor.
[0016]
Next, the charging operation to the secondary battery when using the commercial power source will be described. When the commercial power supply is connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the electric blower control circuit 4 turns on the load switching elements 21A and 21C, turns off 21B, starts charging the secondary battery at a constant current value of I1, and loads the lamp load. 23 lights up to indicate that it is in a charged state. The electric blower control circuit 4 detects the temperature of the secondary battery 6 based on a signal from the temperature detection means 10, and when the temperature change dT / dt per unit time of the battery temperature turns positive, the load switching element 21A Is turned OFF and 21B is turned ON, and the charging current value is switched to a current level I2 smaller than I1. The secondary battery is known to have a characteristic that the battery temperature rises as it approaches a fully charged state. However, when the charging current is large, the temperature rises abruptly. Therefore, there is an error in determining the completion of charging at the rate of temperature rise by dT / dt. If the determination is early, the charging will be insufficient, and if the determination is late, there is a risk of premature deterioration of the battery life due to overcharging. Control is performed to reduce.
[0017]
As the secondary battery 6 approaches full charge, the battery temperature rises, and when the electric blower control circuit 4 reaches a predetermined temperature increase rate determination level (dT / dt) set in the electric blower control circuit 4, the electric blower control circuit 4 Since it is determined that the charging is completed, the load switching elements 21B and 21C are turned off to stop the charging, and the load lamp 23 is turned off to notify the user of the completion of the charging. It can be easily recognized, and if the user wants it, it can be switched immediately and used immediately on the spot, so when you try to clean a place that can not be cleaned with a cord or it is difficult to clean, it is inadvertently secondary Eliminates the hassle of forgetting to recharge the battery and not cleaning it, or having to wait for several hours to recharge the rechargeable battery It is possible.
[0018]
Further, in this embodiment, an example is described in which the charging completion determination is performed based on the positive temperature change dT / dt per unit time of the battery temperature. However, as the charging capacity increases, the voltage of the secondary battery also increases. Therefore, it is also possible to determine the completion of charging by detecting a positive temperature change dV / dt per unit time of the battery voltage.
[0019]
Although the above description has been given for the case where there are two types of charging current setting loads, if the load current level is gradually lowered by switching the loads sequentially with three or more types of loads, the charging time can be further shortened and more accurate. The effect that the secondary battery charging control at the time of AC use can be performed by the charging completion determination is also obtained.
[0020]
(Example 2)
Hereinafter, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The circuit block diagram in the actual embodiment of the charge control method for realizing the present embodiment is the same as that of the first embodiment of the present invention, and the description thereof is omitted.
[0021]
The vacuum cleaner of the present invention has a function of operating in two modes of strong / weak against suction force by controlling the motor current path switching switch means 9A using the ZVP signal indicated by the arrow in FIG. It is In the strong mode, the motor current path changeover switch means 9A is continuously ON and the motor operates at full power. In the weak mode, the motor current path changeover switch means 9A performs ON / OFF switching at a predetermined duty ratio by PWM control. The motor operates at a lower rotational speed than strong.
[0022]
Similarly to the first embodiment, the vacuum cleaner of the present embodiment also includes the power supply circuit 5, the motor current path switching means 9A and 9B, the charging current setting loads 20A and 20B, and the load switching elements 21A and 21B. It arrange | positions in an intake or exhaust path, and cools using the wind. Next, the charging operation to the secondary battery when using the commercial power source will be described. FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram of the charging operation of the charging control method of the present embodiment. When the commercial power supply is connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1 and the electric blower 2 is operating in the strong mode, the electric blower control circuit 4 turns on the load switching elements 21A and 21C, turns off 21B, and sets the current value of I1. The charging of the secondary battery is started and the lamp load 23 is lit to indicate that it is in a charged state. The electric blower control circuit 4 detects the temperature of the secondary battery 6 based on a signal from the temperature detection means 10, and when the temperature change dT / dt per unit time of the battery temperature turns positive, the load switching element 21A Is turned OFF and 21B is turned ON, and the charging current value is switched to a current level I2 smaller than I1. The secondary battery is known to have a characteristic that the battery temperature increases as it approaches a fully charged state. However, if the charging current is large, the temperature rapidly increases. This is because there is a risk of leading to insufficient charge when the determination is early and insufficient, and early deterioration of the battery life due to overcharge if the determination is late.
[0023]
If the operation in the strong mode is continued as it is, the secondary battery 6 approaches full charge, and the battery temperature rises in a curve indicated by a one-dot chain line, and the first temperature rise rate determination level (dT / dt) When the electric blower control circuit 4 reaches 1, the electric blower control circuit 4 determines that the charging is completed, turns off the load switching elements 21B and 21C, stops charging, and turns off the load lamp 23 to notify the user of the completion of charging. . When the electric blower 2 is operating in the weak mode, the cooling air by the motor is reduced, and the heat generation of the load switching elements 21A and 21B and the charging current setting loads 20A and 20B is increased, so that the charging current value is lower than in the strong mode. The load switching element 21A is turned off from the start of charging, and the load switching element 21B performs an intermittent ON / OFF operation, and the average charging current value per hour of the secondary battery 6 is further increased from I2. The charging control is performed with a small current value (the load switching element 21C is kept in the ON state even when the load switching element 21B is OFF, so the I3 level current value is supplied to the secondary battery 6. ).
[0024]
However, in this case, since the charging current is too low at the same first temperature increase rate determination value (dT / dt) 1 as in the strong mode, even if the battery capacity approaches the charging completion target value X, the battery is shown as a curve shown in practice. Since the temperature does not rise so much and charging continues as it is, overcharging is performed as shown by the dotted line, so in the weak mode, the rate of increase is made smaller than the first temperature increase rate determination value (dT / dt) 1 By switching the determination value to the second temperature increase rate determination level (dT / dt) 2, the electric blower control circuit 4 determines the completion of charging in the weak mode when the battery capacity is close to the charging completion target value X as in the strong mode. . As a result, the vacuum cleaner of this embodiment can stably charge the secondary battery in both strong and weak modes when using AC, and the user tried to clean a place that cannot be cleaned with a cord or is difficult to clean. Sometimes, it is possible to eliminate the trouble of forgetting to recharge the rechargeable battery and not cleaning it, and if you try to clean it, you have to wait several hours to recharge the rechargeable battery.
[0025]
(Example 3)
Hereinafter, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0026]
FIG. 4 is a circuit block diagram in the actual embodiment of the method for controlling the charging of the secondary battery of the AC / DC vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. Reference numeral 24 denotes the cleaner body, and the AC / DC common winding and the secondary during AC operation. In addition to the AC / DC electric blower 25 comprising two exciting windings for supplying charging current to the battery, a rectifier circuit 26 for rectifying commercial power into DC, a charge control circuit 27 comprising a microcomputer, etc. A power supply circuit 28 that generates the power supply, a battery pack 30 in which a plurality of secondary batteries 29 are connected in series or in parallel, an energization path to the electric blower 25 and input to the power supply circuit 28 when using AC and DC Switch means 31 composed of four switches for switching between.
[0027]
The battery pack 30 also includes temperature detection means 32 (generally a thermistor) that is disposed in the vicinity of the secondary battery 29 and detects the temperature of the secondary battery 29, and outputs the power circuit 28 and the dividing resistor. The divided voltage signal is connected to the charging control circuit 27 through the connection 33. When the commercial power source is connected, a ZVP signal is input to the electric blower control circuit (arrow). The winding side for charging current supply of the electric blower 25 is connected to the minus side of the secondary battery 29 via a charging control switch 34 comprising a relay or the like, and the plus side of the winding for supplying charging current of the electric blower 25 is DC. It is configured to be connected to the + side of the secondary battery 29 via a diode 35 that prevents backflow from the secondary battery 29 during operation.
[0028]
A charging control method for the secondary battery at the time of AC use with such a circuit configuration will be described with reference to a charging operation explanatory diagram shown in FIG.
[0029]
First, when the cleaner body is connected to a commercial power source and the input changeover switch means 31 is switched to the commercial power source side (shown in FIG. 4), the charge control circuit 27 is activated from the power circuit 28 by the commercial power source, and the electric blower 25 is turned on. Simultaneously with the operation, the charging control switch 34 is turned ON, and the charging current is supplied to the secondary battery from the charging current supply winding of the electric blower 25. Although not particularly shown here, the input changeover switch means 31 is configured so that the switch is switched between the commercial power source side and the secondary battery 29 side in conjunction with commercial power on / off. When the commercial power supply is turned off and the input changeover switch means 31 is switched to the secondary battery 29 side, the secondary battery 29 activates the charge control circuit 27 from the power supply circuit 28, and the electric blower 25 is operated by the secondary battery and charged at the same time. The control circuit 27 determines that the commercial power source is not connected due to the absence of the ZVP signal, turns off the charging control switch 34, and disconnects the charging current from the charging current supply winding of the electric blower 25. The charging control circuit 27 detects the temperature of the secondary battery 29 based on a signal from the temperature detection means 10 while the commercial power supply is connected and the charging current is supplied from the charging current supply winding of the electric blower 25 to the secondary battery. When the temperature change dT / dt per unit time of the battery temperature reaches a predetermined temperature increase rate determination level set in the electric blower control circuit 27, the electric blower control circuit 27 determines that charging is complete, and AC Even during operation, the charging control switch 34 is turned OFF, the charging current from the charging current supply winding of the electric blower 25 is cut, and the charging ends.
[0030]
Therefore, since the secondary battery is charged during AC use, if the user desires, it can be switched immediately and used on the spot, so an attempt was made to clean a place that could not be cleaned with a cord. Sometimes you can forget to recharge the secondary battery and cannot clean it, and if you try to clean it, you can eliminate the hassle of waiting for several hours to charge the secondary battery. As in Embodiments 1 and 2, the charging current setting load that becomes a heat-generating component is not required, and the effect that the circuit can be reduced in size and the cooling structure can be simplified.
[0031]
【The invention's effect】
According to the present invention, when cleaning is performed with alternating current and it is impossible to clean with a cord or when it is difficult to clean a place, it is impossible to clean by accidentally forgetting to recharge the secondary battery. Therefore, it is possible to provide a charge control method for a secondary battery of an AC / DC vacuum cleaner that can eliminate the troublesomeness of having to wait for several hours to charge the secondary battery.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram showing a configuration of a charge control device for a secondary battery showing first and second embodiments of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a charge control method charging method showing a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the operation of the charging control method according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the configuration of a charge control device for a secondary battery according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Circuit block diagram [FIG. 5] A charge control circuit block diagram showing a configuration of a charge control device for a secondary battery using a charger provided separately from a conventional main body [Explanation of symbols]
2,25 Electric blower 4 Electric blower control circuit 6, 29 Secondary battery 8, 31 Input changeover switch means 9A, 9B Secondary battery 10, 32 Temperature detection means 20A, 20B Charging current setting load 21A, 21B, 21C Switching for load Element 23 Lamp load 27 Charge control circuit 34 Charge control switch

Claims (1)

A first electric blower driving means for supplying current from a commercial power source to the electric blower; a second electric blower driving means for supplying current to the electric blower from a secondary battery built in the cleaner main body; and a cleaner main body. Electric blower drive switching control means for operating the first electric blower drive means when commercial power is supplied to the power supply, and operating the second electric blower drive means when the commercial power supply is cut off, When commercial power is supplied, charging means for charging the secondary battery is provided, the charging means has a switching element for controlling a current supplied to the secondary battery, and the switching element is the electric blower intake or disposed in an exhaust passage of, during charging of the secondary battery, with a structure that is cooled by the intake or exhaust of the electric blower, the operation mode of the electric blower The charging current value for charging the secondary battery is variable, and when the electric blower is operating in the weak mode, the charging current value flowing through the switching element is lowered, and the electric blower is operated in the strong mode. A vacuum cleaner that increases the value of the charging current that flows through the switching element when it is running.

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