JPH06169865A - Travel device for vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a vacuum cleaner having a body capable of following in a hose pull direction at the time of travel, and occurrence of meandering motion for high travel performance. CONSTITUTION:A caster 13 fitted at a rear position on the bottom of a body 11 is constituted of a caster mounting plate fastened to the bottom of the body 11 and having a shaft hole for inserting a support shaft 18, a caster cover 21 having a shaft hole 19 for inserting the shaft 18 and fitted in such a way as free to turn in a horizontal direction, the shaft 18 for connecting the cover 21 and the caster mounting plate to each other, and a caster roller 22 mounted on the cover 21 in such a way as free to turn in a vertical direction. Furthermore, a recess is formed on a part of the periphery of the cover 21 for hooking a leaf spring 23 fitted to the bottom of the body 11 at a position forward of the cover 21.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a traveling device for an electric vacuum cleaner in which a caster for moving is provided at the rear of the bottom surface of the main body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional traveling device for an electric vacuum cleaner will be described below.

FIG. 6 shows a conventional vacuum cleaner provided with a plurality of casters for movement.

In FIG. 6, a hose 2 is provided on the main body 1,
A rotatable front caster portion 3 and a rear caster portion 4 are provided on the bottom surface of the main body 1.

As shown in FIG. 7, the front caster portion 3 is
A front caster roller 6 which rotates in the vertical direction, a front caster cover 3a which supports the front caster roller 6 and is rotatable in the horizontal direction, and a front caster cover 3
It is composed of the horizontal axis 5 of a.

Similarly, the rear caster portion 4 has a rear caster roller 9 which rotates in the vertical direction, a front caster cover 4a which supports the rear caster roller 9 and is rotatable in the horizontal direction, and a front caster cover 4a. It is constituted by the horizontal axis 8 of rotation.

In the traveling device for an electric vacuum cleaner constructed as described above, the front caster portion 3 and the rear caster portion 4 are rotated in the horizontal direction by pulling the hose 2 in the traveling direction, and the main body 1 is moved in the traveling direction. Was aimed at.

[0008]

However, when pulling the hose 2 in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
Remains rotating in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 7, and it is difficult to return to the state of FIG.

Therefore, even if the main body 1 is moved in the direction of arrow A, the rear caster portion 4 is still oriented in the direction of arrow B, so that the main body 1 moves excessively in the direction of arrow C and the main body 1 meanders. Since it is difficult to use, it has a problem that it may hit and damage the furniture when it is used near furniture.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner in which the main body follows the movement in the pulling direction by the hose when the main body moves.

[0011]

In order to achieve the above object, the first means of the present invention is a caster cover in which a caster roller is rotatably supported in a vertical direction, and the caster cover is rotatable in a horizontal direction. A caster composed of a caster rectifier pivotally supported on the base and an elastic member having a locking portion are provided on the bottom surface of the electric vacuum cleaner body, and a locked portion is provided on a part of substantially the outer circumference of the caster cover. The locking portion and the locked portion are engaged with each other when the main body moves straight forward, and the direction of the caster cover is regulated.

A second means is to provide the elastic member inside the caster cover and further provide the locked portion on the caster rectifier.

A third means is a caster composed of a caster cover which rotatably supports a caster roller in a vertical direction and a caster rectifier which rotatably supports the caster cover in a horizontal direction, and a magnetic element. A body is provided on the bottom surface of the vacuum cleaner body, and a magnetic material that faces the magnetic body when the vacuum cleaner body goes straight ahead is provided on the upper surface of the caster cover.

[0014]

According to the present invention, a caster composed of a caster cover having a caster roller rotatably supported in the vertical direction and a caster rectifier having the caster cover rotatably supported in the horizontal direction, and a locking portion. An elastic member having a locking portion is provided on the bottom surface of the vacuum cleaner main body, and the locked portion is provided on a portion of the outer circumference of the caster cover, so that the elastic member having the locking portion engages with the locked portion when traveling straight forward. The caster cover is locked in the direction of travel,
You can run without meandering left and right. Further, at the time of rotation, due to the frictional force generated between the caster roller and the floor surface and the inertial force generated when the front of the main body rotates, an elastic member is provided from the locked portion provided on a part of the outer periphery of the caster cover. The main body travels without interfering with the rotatability of the main body because it comes off, the direction restriction is released, and the body freely rotates.

Further, according to the second means, the elastic member or the like is not exposed to the bottom portion of the electric vacuum cleaner, and the dust or the like on the surface to be cleaned is not attached.

Further, according to the third means, the locking by the locking portion can be made smoother.

[0017]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment of a traveling device for an electric vacuum cleaner according to the present invention
An embodiment of the above will be described with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 1, rollers 12 for moving are provided on both sides of an electric vacuum cleaner body (hereinafter referred to as a body) 11.
A caster 13 for moving is provided on the rear bottom surface.

A hose 1 is provided in front of the main body 11.
4 is attached via a connection pipe 15 and communicates with a dust collection chamber (not shown) inside the main body 11.

Further, a dust cover 16 covering the dust collecting chamber and an upper body 17 covering the motor chamber are provided on the main body 11.
Are arranged.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, the caster 13 is fixed to the bottom surface of the main body 11, and has a caster rectifier 20 having a shaft hole 19 into which the support shaft 18 is inserted, and a shaft into which the support shaft 18 is inserted. This caster cover 21 has a hole 19 and is rotatable in the horizontal direction.
1 is attached to the support shaft 18 connecting the caster rectifier 20 and the caster cover 21,
The caster roller 22 is rotatable in the vertical direction.

Further, in this embodiment, as the elastic member, a leaf spring 23 is attached to the bottom surface of the main body 11, and a concave engaging portion is provided at the tip of the leaf spring 23. The locking portion 24 is provided on a part of the outer circumference of the caster cover 21.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the second embodiment, a leaf spring 23 having a concave or convex locking portion at the tip is attached to the inside of the caster cover 21, and the leaf spring 2 is attached.
The caster rectifier 20 is formed with a locked portion 24 that engages with a concave or convex locking portion provided at the tip of the caster rectifier 20.

In the third embodiment, as shown in FIG. 5, a magnetic body 25 is provided on the bottom surface of the main body 11, and the magnetic body 26 facing the magnetic body 25 when the main body 11 goes straight ahead is the caster cover. It is provided on the upper surface of 21.

The operation of the traveling device for an electric vacuum cleaner thus configured will be described. Hose 14 with arrow A
When pulled in the direction, the elastic member 23 attached to the bottom surface of the main body 11 engages with the locked portion 24 provided on the substantially outer periphery of the caster cover 21, the caster cover 21 is locked, and the main body 11 moves straight.

Further, when the hose 14 is pulled in the direction of the arrow B, the elastic member 23 of the caster cover 21 is moved by the frictional force generated between the caster roller 22 and the floor surface and the inertial force generated when the front of the main body 11 is rotated. It disengages from the locked portion 24 provided on the substantially outer periphery, the direction regulation is released, and the body 11 freely rotates, and the main body 11 also follows this movement.

According to the second embodiment, since the leaf spring 23 is not exposed to the outside, the external appearance is improved and the deterioration of the material of the leaf spring 23 due to the adhesion of dust or the like can be prevented. Although the leaf spring is used as the elastic member in the first and second embodiments, the point is that the elastic member is elastically locked to the locked portion, and other kinds of elastic members are also usable. It can be used as appropriate.

Furthermore, according to the third embodiment, since there is no mechanically fixed position, the caster roller can rotate more smoothly.

As described above, the caster cover 21 is restricted in a fixed direction when traveling straight, and it does not meander when the main body 11 travels, which is convenient.

[0030]

The effect of the above-described embodiment is that when the main body goes straight, the elastic member engages with the locked portion provided on the substantially outer periphery of the caster cover to regulate the direction of the caster cover and the caster roller. The meandering of the main body can be eliminated, and when the main body rotates, the elastic member does not disengage from the locked portion, and the rotatability of the main body is not hindered, which is convenient.

Further, since the rotation direction of the caster cover is regulated inside, it is possible to prevent problems such as damage due to external impact.

Furthermore, since the rotation direction of the caster cover is regulated by a magnetic material, the appearance of the caster cover is not impaired, and dust is adhered from the outside to prevent the movement of the rotation direction from being restricted. It is capable of performing a lubricating operation.

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to prevent the main body from hitting furniture or the like due to meandering while the main body is running, and to prevent the main body and furniture from being scratched. Can be realized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an electric vacuum cleaner showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2A is a bottom view of the electric vacuum cleaner showing the first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a bottom view of a main part of the same embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a central sectional view of an electric vacuum cleaner showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4A is a side view of the caster in the same embodiment, FIG. 4B is a sectional view taken along the line AA of the caster in the same embodiment, and FIG.

FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conventional electric vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of an electric vacuum cleaner showing a conventional example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Electric Vacuum Cleaner Main Body 13 Caster 18 Shaft 19 Shaft Hole 20 Castor Retractor 21 Caster Cover 22 Caster Roller 23 Leaf Spring 24 Locked Part 25 Magnetic Material

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued Front Page (72) Inventor Hiromi Kawashima 1006 Kadoma, Kadoma City, Osaka Prefecture Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A caster composed of a caster cover that rotatably supports a caster roller in a vertical direction and a caster rectifier that rotatably supports the caster cover in a horizontal direction, and a locking portion. An elastic member is provided on the bottom surface of the vacuum cleaner body, and a locked portion is provided on a part of the outer periphery of the caster cover. Further, when the vacuum cleaner body moves straight forward, the locking portion and the locked portion are engaged. Traveling device for electric vacuum cleaner. 2. The traveling device for an electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the elastic member is provided inside the caster cover, and the locked portion is provided on the caster rectifier. 3. A caster composed of a caster cover that rotatably supports a caster roller in a vertical direction and a caster rectifier that rotatably supports the caster cover in a horizontal direction, and a magnetic body for electric cleaning. A traveling device for an electric vacuum cleaner, further comprising a magnetic body provided on a bottom surface of the machine body and facing the magnetic body when the electric vacuum cleaner body travels straight forward, provided on an upper surface of the caster cover.