JP5038780B2 - Electric vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a vacuum cleaner for surely detecting the amount of dust in a paper pack. <P>SOLUTION: At a position crossing the axial direction of an insertion cylinder portion 84 inserted into the paper pack 21, a sensing surface 207 of a member 193 for transmitting light of a light-emitting portion of a light-emitting portion 211 and a sensing surface 208 of a member 194 for transmitting light of a light-receiving portion of a light-receiving portion 212 face each other. The light emitted from the light emitting portion 211 is surely received at the light-receiving portion 212 within the paper pack 21, and the amount of dust in the paper pack 21 is surely detected by a dust-detecting portion 187. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&amp;INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner including a dust detection unit that detects the amount of dust in a dust collection unit.

Conventionally, this type of electric vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum cleaner body that houses an electric blower at the rear. A dust collection chamber is provided at the front of the vacuum cleaner main body so as to communicate with the suction side of the electric blower, and a paper pack as a dust collection bag is accommodated in the dust collection chamber. This paper pack is provided with an opening communicating with a suction port formed in the upper part of the vacuum cleaner main body, and a hose removably connected to the suction port is inserted into this opening. At the end of the hose inserted into the paper pack, ultrasonic waves are generated downward toward the bottom of the paper pack, and the distance from the upper part of the dust collected in the paper pack is determined by the ultrasonic wave. An ultrasonic sensor, which is a dust detection unit that detects the amount of dust in the paper pack by detecting the reflection, is provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP-A-5-84205 (page 3, FIG. 3)

  However, in the above vacuum cleaner, since the amount of dust is detected by the distance between the upper part of the dust collected in the paper pack and the ultrasonic sensor, for example, the dust is unevenly collected in the paper pack. In some cases, there is a problem that the amount of dust in the paper pack cannot be accurately detected, and the dust leaks from the opening.

  This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, and it aims at providing the vacuum cleaner which can detect the dust amount in a dust collection part reliably.

The present invention is an insertion tube portion that is inserted into a dust collection portion housed in a vacuum cleaner body and sucks dust into the dust collection portion by driving an electric blower, and a light emitting portion at least partially provided on the insertion tube portion And a light receiving portion that receives at least a part of the insertion tube portion and receives light emitted from the light emitting portion, and includes a dust detection portion that detects the amount of dust in the dust collection portion, and is provided in the insertion tube portion. The light emitting unit and the light receiving unit are opposed to each other in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the insertion cylinder part , the light emission part is disposed outside the air path on the proximal end side of the insertion cylinder part, and the light emission part body that emits light A light emitting portion provided along the insertion tube portion, having a distal end located on the distal end side of the insertion tube portion and a proximal end positioned opposite the light emission portion main body outside the insertion tube portion, and guiding light emission from the light emission portion main body A light transmission member, the light receiving portion is disposed outside the air passage on the proximal end side of the insertion tube portion, Provided along the tube portion, the tip is located on the tip side of the insertion tube portion facing the tip of the light emitting portion light transmission member, the base end is located outside the insertion tube portion and facing the light receiving portion main body, and emits light A light receiving part light transmitting member for guiding the light emitted into the dust collecting part through the part light transmitting member to the light receiving part main body .

According to the present invention, at least a part of the light emitting part and at least a part of the light receiving part are opposed to each other at a position intersecting the axial direction of the insertion cylinder part inserted in the dust collecting part. The light emission from the part is reliably received by the light receiving part inside the dust collecting part, and the amount of dust in the dust collecting part can be reliably detected by the dust detecting part . In addition, the light emitting unit main body of the light emitting unit is disposed outside the air path on the proximal end side of the insertion tube portion, transmits light by the light emitting portion light transmission member, and the light receiving portion main body of the light receiving portion is disposed on the proximal end side of the insertion tube portion. It is possible to prevent the dust passing through the air path from adhering to the light emitting unit main body and the light receiving unit main body by arranging the light outside the air path and receiving light by the light receiving unit light transmission member .

  Hereinafter, the configuration of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

  2 to 4, reference numeral 1 denotes a vacuum cleaner main body, and the vacuum cleaner main body 1 is a so-called canister type electric vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner main body 1 has a main body case 2 and a lid 3 provided on the upper portion of the main body case 2 so as to be opened and closed.

  The main body case 2 includes a lower case 5 formed in a longitudinal shape in the front-rear direction and an upper case 6 attached to the upper side of the lower case 5, and an electric blower chamber 8 that houses the electric blower 7 is a rear portion. And a dust collection chamber 10 in which a dust collection unit 9 as a main dust collection unit is detachably mounted is formed at the front, and a partition wall portion is provided between the electric blower chamber 8 and the dust collection chamber 10. 14 is arranged.

  A large-diameter driven wheel 16 (only one is shown) is rotatably supported on both sides on the rear side of the lower case 5. A swivel wheel 17 is pivotally supported on the lower surface of the lower case 5 below the dust collection chamber 10 so as to be swivelable. As a result, the cleaner main body 1 can travel on the floor surface to be cleaned by the driven wheel 16 and the swivel wheel 17.

  An electric blower 7 is disposed in the electric blower chamber 8 in the front-rear direction, with the suction side as the front side and the exhaust side as the rear side. Further, a control means (not shown) for controlling the driving of the electric blower 7 and the like is accommodated above the electric blower 7 in the electric blower chamber 8. Further, the electric blower chamber 8 has a plurality of exhaust holes 18 formed therein.

  The dust collection unit 9 includes a paper pack 21 that is a dust collection bag as a dust collection unit, and a paper pack holder 22 as a dust collection bag holder that is detachably held in the dust collection chamber 10 by holding the paper pack 21 in a removable manner. And have.

  The paper pack 21 includes a mouth frame 25 in which a pack opening 24 as an opening is formed, and a bag body 26 attached to the mouth frame 25.

  The mouth frame 25 is formed in a plate shape with thick paper such as cardboard.

  The bag body 26 is formed, for example, by laminating a plurality of filter media, which are air permeable materials, into a bag shape, folded in an unused state, and spreads below the paper pack holder 22 in the dust collecting chamber 10 in the used state. It is configured as follows.

  On the other hand, the paper pack holder 22 has a holder main body 28 that holds the mouth frame 25 of the paper pack 21, and a handle 29 that protrudes from one main surface side of the holder main body 28. It can be attached to the edge.

  The holder body 28 is formed in a substantially plate shape, and an opening 31 that communicates with the pack opening 24 of the paper pack 21 is formed in the center. Further, on the main surface of the holder main body 28 opposite to the handle 29, a groove portion (not shown) is formed which is inserted and slid or slid.

  The handle 29 is composed of base portions 45 and 45 that are pivotally supported on both sides of the opening 31 of the holder main body 28, and a connection portion 46 that connects the base portions 45 and 45, respectively. A button 47 as an operation unit for operating a part of the groove and removing the paper pack 21 from the holder main body 28 is provided at a connection position between the base 45 and the base 45. The handle 29 is attached with a torsion spring (not shown) at the base end of the base portion 45 and is biased in a direction in which the connection portion 46 is separated from the holder main body 28, and is acute with respect to the holder main body 28, that is, less than 90 °. It is comprised so that the angle of may be made.

  The partition wall portion 14 includes a partition wall body 51 and a drive mechanism 52 provided on the partition wall body 51.

  The bulkhead body 51 is a wall-like member that partitions the electric blower chamber 8 and the dust collection chamber 10 and is connected to the suction side of the electric blower 7 so that the suction side of the electric blower 7 and the dust collection chamber 10 communicate with each other. A communicating tube portion 54 is formed at a position closer to the lower side. In addition, an outside air introduction port 55 that is an air introduction port that communicates the electric blower chamber 8 and the lid 3 side is formed at a position near the upper side of the partition wall main body 51. Further, at a position between the communication cylinder portion 54 and the outside air introduction port 55 in the vertical direction, a partition wall portion 57 is projected substantially horizontally toward the front side which is the dust collection chamber 10 side. A lower space 57 serves as a lower space 58, and an upper side of the partition wall 57 serves as an upper space 59.

  The partition wall 57 is formed with a space communication port 61 that allows the lower space 58 and the upper space 59 to communicate with each other.

  In the lower space 58, a filter 63 facing the downstream side of the paper pack 21 is disposed.

  The upper space 59 is provided with a dust removing mechanism 65 for removing dust on the lid 3 side. The dust removing mechanism 65 is configured to reciprocate along the left-right direction by the drive mechanism 52.

  The drive mechanism 52 switches between opening and closing of the outside air introduction port 55 and the space communication port 61, and includes a motor 71 rotated by a control means (not shown) and a gear portion 72 driven by the rotation of the motor 71. And an inlet opening / closing valve 73 that opens and closes the outside air inlet 55 driven by the gear portion 72, and a communication opening / closing valve 74 that opens and closes the space communication opening 61.

  The motor 71 is located in the electric blower chamber 8.

  The gear portion 72 is a gear train in which various gears pivotally supported on the electric blower chamber 8 side or the dust collection chamber 10 side of the partition wall main body 51 are engaged with each other, and are connected to the inlet opening / closing valve 73 and the communication port. The on-off valve 74 is connected to each via a crank mechanism, and the on-off valves 73 and 74 are configured to operate in the vertical direction in conjunction with each other.

  The inlet opening / closing valve 73 is located on the rear side of the outside air inlet 55.

  The communication port opening / closing valve 74 is formed in a horizontally long plate shape, and one long side is pivotally supported on the upper part of the base end side of the partition wall portion 57 so as to be rotatable.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the lid 3 opens and closes the upper side of the dust collection chamber 10 and is pivotally supported by the upper case 6 so that the rear part can be rotated in the vertical direction. . The lid 3 includes a lid lower plate 81 that forms a lower surface, a lid upper plate 82 that forms an upper surface, and a partition plate 83 attached to the inside of the lid lower plate 81. An insertion tube portion 84 is attached to a substantially central portion of the plate 81. In addition, a mounting recess 86 is formed in an inclined manner toward the front upper side on the front side of the lid upper plate 82, and an annular suction port member 88 that opens the main body suction port 87 rotates in the mounting recess 86. A ring 89 is attached as a holding member that is attached in a possible manner and holds the outer peripheral edge portion of the suction port member 88 with the attachment recess 86.

  The lid lower plate 81 is formed with a cylindrical lower plate cylinder portion 91 that forms a dust separation portion in the center region in the front-rear direction, and the lower end portion of the lower plate cylinder portion 91 is airtight to the upper portion of the insertion cylinder portion 84. It is connected to the. Further, a ventilation opening 92 is formed in the rear portion of the lower plate cylinder portion 91, and a mesh filter 93 is attached to the ventilation opening 92. Further, the lid lower plate 81 is formed with an upper inclined portion 94 inclined upward and a lower plate portion 95 spaced apart and positioned below the upper inclined portion 94 at the rear of the lower plate cylinder portion 91. A space portion 96 communicating with the ventilation opening 92 is formed between the upper inclined portion 94 and the lower plate portion 95, a lid body opening portion 97 is opened at the rear portion of the space portion 96, and the lid body. A mounting plate 98 is attached to the opening 97. In addition, the attachment plate 98 has a lid air vent 101 formed on the lower side, and an introduction opening 102 formed above the lid air vent 101. A packing 103 as a seal member for airtight connection with the dust collection chamber 10 is attached to the lower edge portion of the lid lower plate 81.

  A pleated filter 104, which is a surface dust collection filter as a filter, is attached to the lid vent 101 and is located in the space 96. The pleated filter 104 has a plurality of groove portions (not shown) that are recessed from the upstream side to the downstream side and that extend in the vertical direction, and these groove portions are sequentially formed in the left-right direction, thereby forming a so-called pleated shape. In addition, the pleated filter 104 is disposed such that the upper side is inclined forward so that the upstream surface faces downward.

  An introduction opening on-off valve 106 is attached to the introduction opening 102 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. The introduction opening on / off valve 106 is configured to open only by air passing from the rear to the front of the introduction opening 102. The introduction opening 102, together with the outside air introduction port 55, the introduction port opening / closing valves 73 and 106, and the like, allows the outside air to flow upstream of the pleat filter 104 when predetermined conditions are satisfied, for example, when cleaning is stopped and the operation of the vacuum cleaner is stopped. An outside air introduction mechanism that is an air introduction mechanism for collecting dust that flows to the side surface and adheres to the upstream side surface of the pleated filter 104 is configured. Hereinafter, the outside air refers to air located outside the air passage, and does not necessarily mean air outside the cleaner body 1.

  Further, the lid upper plate 82 has an insertion hole 121 formed substantially at the center of the mounting recess 86, and a plurality of contact plates 122, for example, three main body side contacts are attached around the insertion hole 121. It has been. In addition, an insertion tube portion 123 that communicates with the main body suction port 87 and protrudes from the suction port member 88 is inserted into the insertion hole 121 in an airtight manner, and this introduction tube portion 123 is connected to the lower plate tube portion 91 in an airtight manner. Has been.

  Further, a connecting pipe 141a, which is a downstream end portion of the hose body 141, is inserted into and connected to the main body suction port 87, and a cylindrical hand operating portion 142 is integrally provided on the distal end side of the hose body 141. In addition, an extendable extension pipe 143 and a floor brush 144 serving as a suction port body are sequentially connected to the distal end portion of the hand operation unit 142. In addition, the hand operating unit 142 is provided with a gripping part 145 for gripping at the time of cleaning, and the gripping part 145 includes a driving state of the electric blower or an electric part (not shown) provided in the floor brush 144. A plurality of setting buttons 146 for setting the driving state and the like are provided. The floor brush 144, the extension pipe 143, and the hose body 141 constitute a pipe portion 147 for sucking dust from the floor surface by driving the electric blower 7.

  The suction port member 88 is configured to rotate integrally following the rotation of the pipe portion 147 connected to the main body suction port 87. In addition, a plurality of, for example, three slip rings 164, which are sliding contacts serving as suction port member side contacts corresponding to the contact plate 122, are formed concentrically on the portion of the suction port member 88 facing the mounting recess 86. ing.

  Here, the slip ring 164 is for connecting the electric part in the floor brush 144, which is an electric part on the hand operation part 142 and the pipe part 147 side, and the cleaner body 1 side, and is a conductive metal. Etc., and is configured to be in contact with the tip of the contact plate 122 and electrically connected to each other.

  The partition plate 83 includes an upper plate 171 and a lower plate 172 spaced downward with respect to the upper plate 171. The partition plate 83 is attached in the space 96 and is located between the upper plate 171 and the lower plate 172. In addition, an upper air passage 173 as a first air passage is defined, and a lower air passage 174 as a second air passage is defined between the lower plate 172 and the lower plate portion 95 of the lid lower plate 81. ing. Further, the partition plate 83 has a square hole shape as a first air passage opening that communicates with the upper air passage 173 and that faces the front side that is the upstream side of the pleated filter 104 at the center in the left-right direction at the rear end. An upper opening 175 is formed, and below the upper opening 175, a second wind is formed as a square hole-shaped opening that communicates with the lower air passage 174 and faces the front side that is the upstream side of the pleated filter 104. A lower opening 176 that is a road opening is formed.

  Further, an upper air passage opening / closing valve 181 as a first air passage opening / closing valve that opens and closes the upper air passage 173 is attached to the partition plate 83 below the upper plate 171 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction. A lower air passage opening / closing valve 182 as a second air passage opening / closing valve for opening / closing the lower air passage 174 is attached to the lower portion of the lower plate 172 so as to be rotatable in the front-rear direction.

  The upper air passage opening / closing valve 181 is configured to open only by air passing through the upper air passage 173 from the front to the rear, and the lower air passage opening / closing valve 182 passes through the lower air passage 174 from the rear to the front. It is configured to open only by the air that does.

  The insertion tube portion 84 includes a cylindrical tube portion main body 185 formed along the vertical direction, and a flange portion 186 that protrudes outward from the upper end portion that is the base end side of the tube portion main body 185. I have. Further, on the outside of the cylinder body 185 above the flange 186, a light emitter 188 as a light emitter main body constituting a dust detector 187 for detecting the amount of dust accumulated in the paper pack 21 is provided. A light emission control unit 189 that is a provided substrate and a light reception control unit 191 that is a substrate provided with a light receiving body 190 as a light receiving unit main body are arranged on the left and right. The insertion tube portion 84 has a light emitting portion light transmission member 193 and a light receiving portion light transmission member 194 (hereinafter simply referred to as light beams) that are bent over the tube portion main body 185 and the flange portion 186 to form the dust detection portion 187. Transmission members 193 and 194) are attached.

  The cylinder main body 185 protrudes from the contact portion between the lid 3 and the dust collecting chamber 10 and is inserted into the bag 26 from the pack opening 24 of the paper pack 21 with the lid 3 closed. Thus, the lower end portion of the lower plate cylinder portion 91 of the lid lower plate 81 is airtightly connected. In addition, at the positions of the inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion main body 185 facing each other, accommodating portions 196 and 197 in which the light transmission member 193 and the light transmission member 194 are disposed are formed along the axial direction. Openings 198 and 199 that face the inner peripheral side of the cylindrical body 185 are formed at the distal ends of the housing portions 196 and 197.

  The flange portion 186 is formed in a circular shape, and flange portion accommodating portions 201 and 202 continuous with the accommodating portions 196 and 197 are formed along the radial direction, respectively. Further, the outer peripheral edge of the flange 186 is pressed against the peripheral edge of the pack opening 24 of the mouth frame 25 of the paper pack 21 exposed from the opening 31 of the paper pack holder 22 with the lid 3 closed. A packing 204 as a member is attached.

  The light emission control unit 189 controls light emission such as infrared rays from a light emitter 188 such as a photodiode.

  The light reception control unit 191 receives the infrared light emitted from the light emission control unit 189 by the light receiving body 190 via the light transmission members 193 and 194, and by this light reception, the dust amount in the paper pack 21 is detected. Detection is possible at 187.

  The light transmission member 193 is formed of, for example, a transparent resin, and the proximal end protrudes upward from the flange portion 186 to face the light emitter 188, and an intermediate portion is formed in the flange portion accommodating portion 201 of the flange portion 186. The sensing surface 207, which is fitted and positioned along the axial direction of the insertion tube portion 84, is housed in the housing portion 196, and serves as a sensing portion, is formed in the tube body 185 from the opening 198. It faces the circumference. In addition, the sensing surface 207 is located at a predetermined distance from the inner peripheral surface of the housing portion 196 that is the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 185.

  Similarly, the light transmission member 194 is formed of, for example, transparent resin, and the base end side protrudes upward from the flange portion 186 to face the light receiving body 190, and the intermediate portion accommodates the flange portion of the flange portion 186. It is fitted in the portion 202 and positioned along the axial direction of the insertion tube portion 84, and the distal end side is housed in the housing portion 197. Further, in this light transmission member 194, the sensing surface 208, which is a tip portion serving as a sensing portion, faces the inner peripheral side of the cylindrical body 185 from the opening 199, and sandwiches the air passage in the sensing surface 207 and the insertion cylindrical portion 84. In other words, they are opposed to each other in the direction intersecting the axial direction of the insertion cylinder part 84 in the insertion cylinder part 84. Further, the sensing surface 208 is positioned so as to be depressed by a predetermined distance with respect to the inner peripheral surface of the accommodating portion 196 which is the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion main body 185.

  Further, the light emission control unit 189 and the light transmission member 193 constitute a light emission unit 211, and the light reception control unit 191 and the light transmission member 194 constitute a light reception unit 212.

  In the dust detection unit 187, the light emission control unit 189 of the light emission unit 211 and the light reception control unit 191 of the light reception unit 212 are electrically connected to control means, respectively.

  Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

  First, when cleaning is started, the lid 3 is opened, the mouth frame 25 of the paper pack 21 is inserted between the groove portions of the holder main body 28 of the paper pack holder 22, and the paper pack 21 is attached to the paper pack holder 22.

  Thereafter, the paper pack holder 22 is mounted in the dust collection chamber 10 and the lid 3 is closed.

  At this time, the lower surface of the lid lower plate 81 of the lid 3 pushes down the handle 29 of the paper pack holder 22 against the bias, and the handle 29 becomes substantially parallel along the holder body 28. The packing 204 of the insertion cylinder 84 is pressed against the mouth frame 25 of the paper pack 21, the cylinder body 185 of the insertion cylinder 84 is inserted into the pack opening 24 of the paper pack 21, and the groove of the pleat filter 104 The downstream side of this is fitted with the dust removing mechanism 65, and the outside air inlet 55 and the inlet opening 102 are connected in an airtight manner. At the same time, the packing 103 at the bottom of the lid 3 is brought into pressure contact with the peripheral edge of the dust collection chamber 10 to close the dust collection chamber 10 in an airtight state.

  Then, the operator inserts and connects the connecting pipe 141a of the hose body 141 to the main body suction port 87 of the lid 3 and sequentially connects the extension pipe 143 and the floor brush 144 to the distal end side of the hose body 141. .

  Furthermore, when the operator grips the grip portion 145 and sets the operation mode of the electric blower 7 by the setting button 146 and starts the operation of the vacuum cleaner, the electric blower 7 is driven in the set operation mode, and the floor brush 144 is moved back and forth on the floor surface, and dust on the floor surface is sucked from the front end side of the floor brush 144.

  In this suction state, the introduction opening / closing valve 73 is closed by the drive mechanism 52 and the communication opening / closing valve 74 is opened.

  For this reason, the air sucked from the front end side of the floor brush 144 by the action of the negative pressure by driving the electric blower 7 is sucked into the main body suction port 87 through the extension pipe 143 and the hose body 141, and the lower plate cylinder portion 91 Is branched to the paper pack 21 side and the pleated filter 104 side via the upper air passage 173, and the branched air merges at the space communication port 61 and then from the communication tube portion 54 to the electric blower 7. The air is sucked, passes through the electric blower 7 and becomes exhaust air, and is exhausted from the exhaust hole 18.

  Specifically, of the dust contained in the air, coarse dust travels straight through the lower plate cylinder portion 91 due to inertia and is collected into the paper pack 21 via the cylinder body 185 of the insertion cylinder portion 84. Fine dust contained in the air that has passed through the paper pack 21 is collected by the filter 63, and the air in which the dust is collected is sucked into the electric blower 7 from the lower space 58 through the communication cylinder portion 54. On the other hand, among the dust contained in the air, fine dust is branched to the ventilation opening 92 side by the lower plate cylinder portion 91 and collected by the mesh filter 93, and the fine dust that has passed through the mesh filter 93 is collected. Flows into the space portion 96 from the upper air passage 173 and the upper opening 175, and is collected by the pleated filter 104, and the air in which the dust is collected flows downward from the upper space portion 59 through the space communication port 61. It flows into the space 58 and is sucked into the electric blower 7 from the communication tube 54.

  When the cleaning is finished, when the operator stops the operation mode of the electric blower 7 with the setting button 146, the control unit operates the drive mechanism 52 via the motor 71 to drive the dust removal mechanism 65. Then, the pleat filter 104 is flipped left and right, the inlet opening / closing valve 73 is opened, and the communication opening / closing valve 74 is closed.

  For this reason, the fine dust collected by the pleat filter 104 falls on the lid lower plate 81 by the operation of the dust removing mechanism 65, and the air in the electric blower chamber 8 passes through the introduction opening 102 from the outside air introduction port 55. After passing the upstream side surface of the pleated filter 104 from the upper side to the lower side, it passes through the lower air passage 174, the insertion cylinder part 84, the paper pack 21, the lower space part 58, and the communication cylinder part 54 to the electric blower 7. By being sucked in, the fine dust collected on the pleat filter 104 and the dust removed from the pleat filter 104 by the dust removing mechanism 65 are collected in the paper pack 21.

  Then, after a predetermined time has elapsed, the control unit stops the electric blower 7 and further emits light such as infrared rays from the light emitter 188 of the light emission control unit 189.

  The light enters the light transmission member 193, passes through the light transmission member 193, and exits from the opening 198 through the sensing surface 207 in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the insertion tube portion 84.

  When dust is not accumulated in the paper pack 21 to a predetermined amount or more, that is, not more than a plane position including the sensing surfaces 207 and 208, the light emitted from the opening 198 is not blocked and is directly emitted from the opening 199. The light enters the sensing surface 208 of the transmission member 194, passes through the light transmission member 194, enters the light receiving body 190, and is recognized by the light receiving body 190. For this reason, when this light reception is detected, the dust detection unit 187 determines that dust does not accumulate over a predetermined amount, stops the operation of the dust detection unit 187, and completely stops the operation of the vacuum cleaner. To do.

  On the other hand, when a predetermined amount or more of dust has accumulated in the paper pack 21, a part of the dust is positioned so as to block between the sensing surfaces 207 and 208, so that the light from the light emitter 188 is transmitted to the sensing surface 207. After being emitted from the sensor, it is blocked before reaching the sensing surface 208, and the light is not recognized by the photoreceptor 190, so that the dust detection unit 187 determines that a predetermined amount or more of dust has accumulated, and the control means, for example, a buzzer The user is notified through sound means such as LED or light emitting means such as LED.

  In this way, the light transmission member 193 of the light emitting unit 211 and the light transmission member 194 of the light receiving unit 212 are inserted into each other at a position intersecting the axial direction of the insertion cylindrical unit 84 inserted in the paper pack 21. Compared with the conventional case where the amount of dust is detected by outputting the ultrasonic wave toward the upper surface of the dust in the paper pack and receiving the reflection, for example, by facing the airflow path 84, The light emitted from the light emitter 188 of the light emitter 211 can be reliably received by the light transmission member 194 of the light receiver 212 inside the paper pack 21 and transmitted to the light receiver 190, so the amount of dust in the paper pack 21 can be reduced. The dust detector 187 can reliably detect the dust.

  That is, with the conventional configuration that senses the upper surface of the dust collected in the paper pack, it is easy to reliably detect the amount of dust in the paper pack when the dust does not accumulate in the paper pack. On the other hand, in the embodiment described above, the light emitted from the light emitting unit 211 is emitted in the direction intersecting the axial direction in the paper pack 21 and received by the light receiving unit 212. Regardless of how much dust accumulates, the amount of dust collected in the paper pack 21 can be reliably detected, and dust spillage from the pack opening 24 can be reliably prevented.

  In particular, in the embodiment described above, the sucked air is branched into the dust collection chamber 10 (dust collection unit 9) side and the pleated filter 104 side. Since the current value and suction pressure of the electric blower 7 are hardly changed by being bypassed to the pleat filter 104, the paper pack 21 is detected in the conventional configuration for detecting the dust amount and clogging of the paper pack based on the current value and suction pressure of the electric blower. Therefore, the amount of dust collected in the paper pack 21 can be reliably detected by using the dust detection unit 187 having the light emitting unit 211 and the light receiving unit 212.

  In addition, the dust detection unit 187 senses the amount of dust while the operation of the electric blower 7 is stopped, thereby preventing erroneous detection of dust sucked from the tube portion 147 by driving the electric blower 7. Only dust collected in the paper pack 21 can be reliably detected.

  Further, the light emitting unit 211 has the light emitter 188 disposed outside the air path communicating with the suction side of the electric blower 7 and transmits light by the light transmission member 193. The light receiving unit 212 electrically drives the light receiver 190. It is disposed outside the air passage communicating with the suction side of the blower 7 and receives light by the light transmission member 194, thereby preventing dust passing through the air passage from adhering to the control units 189 and 191. In addition, it is possible to reliably prevent malfunction of the control units 189 and 191 due to dust.

  That is, if each control unit or the like is completely sealed against dust, the whole becomes large, and if these are arranged in the air passage, the air passage is compressed. In this case, the dust detection unit 187 can be saved in space, and the air path is not compressed.

  Furthermore, by providing the sensing surfaces 207 and 208 at a position recessed by a predetermined distance from the inner peripheral surface of the insertion tube portion 84, dust adheres to the sensing surfaces 207 and 208, and the sensing surfaces 207 and 208 become dirty. Etc. can be suppressed to prevent sensitivity degradation.

  And since air always passes through the insertion cylinder part 84 when the electric blower 7 is driven, even if dust adheres to the sensing surfaces 207 and 208, it can be blown away by the suction air passing through the insertion cylinder part 84. In addition, the sensitivity of the dust detection unit 187 can be ensured.

  In the above-described embodiment, the timing of sensing the amount of dust by the dust detection unit 187 can be arbitrarily set as long as the electric blower 7 is stopped, for example. It is also possible to make it correspond.

  Further, as the dust collecting unit, other than the paper pack 21, for example, a dust collecting cup can be used.

Its to the insertion tube portion 84, in the above embodiment is formed on the lid 3, but for example also the connection pipe 141a of the hose 141 as an insertion tube portion by insertably project into the paper pack 21 Good.

  The details of the vacuum cleaner are not limited to the above configuration, and the vacuum cleaner is not limited to the canister type, for example, an autonomously traveling (robot type) vacuum cleaner or a handy type is also supported. Can be used.

It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows the cover body of the vacuum cleaner of one embodiment of this invention from the front. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view which shows a vacuum cleaner same as the above from the side. It is a perspective view which shows the state which opened the cover body same as the above. It is a perspective view which shows a vacuum cleaner same as the above.

1 Vacuum cleaner body 7 Electric blower
21 Paper pack as a dust collector
84 Insertion tube
187 Dust detector
188 Light emitter as light emitter
190 Photoreceptor as the receiver body
193 Light transmitting member
194 Light receiving member
211 Light emitter
212 Receiver

Claims (2)

A vacuum cleaner body containing an electric blower,
Inserted into the dust collecting portion housed in the cleaner body, an insertion cylinder portion that sucks dust into the dust collecting portion by driving the electric blower,
A light emitting portion provided at least in part on the insertion tube portion; and a light receiving portion provided at least in part on the insertion tube portion and receiving light emitted from the light emitting portion, and the amount of dust in the dust collection portion is reduced. A dust detection unit to detect,
The light emitting part and the light receiving part provided in the insertion cylinder part are opposed to each other in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the insertion cylinder part ,
The light emitting unit
A light emitting unit body that is disposed outside the air path on the proximal end side of the insertion tube part and emits light;
Provided along the insertion tube portion, the distal end is located on the distal end side of the insertion tube portion, the proximal end is located outside the insertion tube portion and opposed to the light emitting portion body, and light emission from the light emitting portion body A light emitting part light transmission member that guides
The light receiving unit is
A light receiving unit body that is disposed outside the air path on the proximal end side of the insertion tube part and receives light;
Provided along the insertion tube portion, the distal end is located on the distal end side of the insertion tube portion facing the distal end of the light emitting unit light transmission member, and the proximal end is opposed to the light receiving unit main body outside the insertion tube portion And a light receiving part light transmitting member for guiding the light emitted into the dust collecting part through the light emitting part light transmitting member to the light receiving part main body. . The tip of the light emitting portion light transmitting member and the light receiving section light transmission member, an electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 wherein characterized in that provided in the recessed relative to the inner surface of the insertion tube position.

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