KR20080035459A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is provided to prevent the suction force from dropping due to the lapse of time by shifting dust collected in a first dust collector to a second dust collector due to outside air. A vacuum cleaner comprises a main body(1), a first dust collector(21), a second dust collector(22), and a conversion device(58). The main body has a main body suction port(11) communicated with a suction part of an electric fan(5). The first dust collector, which is communicated with outside air, collects dust sucked from the main body suction port by driving of the electric fan, and has a pleated filter(33). The second dust collector is communicated with the first dust collector. The conversion device selectively changes the first status for blocking the outside air while opening the upper part of the first dust collector with the second status for canceling blockage of outside air while blocking the upper part of the first dust collector. The electric fan is placed at the first dust collector which is positioned on the second dust collector.

Description

Electric vacuum cleaner {VACUUM CLEANER}

The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner having a filter and capable of collecting dust sucked by the drive of an electric blower.

Conventionally, this type of vacuum cleaner is provided with the cleaner main body which accommodated the electric blower. In the front of the cleaner body, a dust collecting part connected to the suction side of the electric blower is connected, and a main body suction port is formed in the front of the dust collecting part, and a hose body, an extension pipe, and a floor brush are sequentially connected to the main body suction port. Connected. In the dust collecting unit, a bottomed, substantially cylindrical dust collecting cup, which is a cyclone-type dust collecting device for collecting dust sucked from the main body suction port by driving of the electric blower, is detachably installed. This dust collecting cup has a filter attached inside, and when the suction wind which cyclone-separated coarse dust which is comparatively large dust passes through a filter, fine dust which is the fine dust contained in this suction wind is collected by this filter ( For example, see patent document 1.).

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2003-265376 (page 3-5, Fig. 1)

However, in the above-described vacuum cleaner, clogging occurs in the filter with time, and if the filter is clogged in this way, there is a problem in that the suction force by the electric blower is lowered.

For this reason, the filter should be regularly cleaned to remove the fine dust attached to the filter frequently, and the removed fine dust will be attached to the filter again unless it is exhausted to the outside of the dust collecting cup. It is also not good.

This invention is made | formed in view of such a point, and an object of this invention is to provide the vacuum cleaner which suppressed the fall of the suction force over time.

The present invention includes a first dust collecting part having a filter, capable of communicating with external air, and capable of collecting dust sucked from the main body suction port by driving of an electric blower, and a second dust collecting part connected to the first dust collecting part in succession. And a first state through which upstream sides of the first dust collector and the electric blower are connected to each other to block communication between the first dust collector and the second dust collector, and to open upstream of the first dust collector and to block external air. The second dust collecting part and the upstream side of the electric blower are connected to each other to release the blocking of the communication between the first dust collecting part and the second dust collecting part, and to block the upstream side of the first dust collecting part and to release the blocking of external air. It is provided with the switching mechanism which can switch 2 states selectively.

According to the present invention, the upstream side of the first dust collector and the electric blower are connected in series, the communication between the first dust collector and the second dust collector is blocked, the upstream side of the first dust collector is opened, and the external air is blocked. By selecting the first state by the switching mechanism, dust is collected in the first dust collecting unit, the second dust collecting unit and the upstream side of the electric blower are connected in series, and the first dust collecting unit and the second dust collecting unit are connected in series. By blocking the upstream side of the dust collector and selecting the second state in which the outside air is introduced into the first dust collector by the switching mechanism, the dust collected in the first dust collector can be moved to the second dust collector by the outside air. As a result, a decrease in suction force over time can be suppressed.

EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the structure of the vacuum cleaner of 1st Embodiment of this invention is demonstrated with reference to FIGS.

In FIG. 4, 1 is a vacuum cleaner main body, and this vacuum cleaner main body 1 is a so-called canister type vacuum cleaner which can run a floor surface. The main body case (4) of the cleaner body (1) has a lower case (2), the upper side of which is inclined downward from the rearward direction to the front direction, and a cover (3) covering the upper part of the lower case (2). In the main body case (4), the electric blower (5) is disposed at the rear, and the dust collecting unit (7) (FIG. 1) as a dust collecting part whose upper part is opened and closed by the lid (3), respectively. In addition, the control means 8 which controls the operation | movement of the electric blower 5, etc. are arrange | positioned.

In the front end of the main body case 4, a main body suction port 11 that can be connected to the suction side of the electric blower 5 through the dust collecting unit 7 is formed in an opening, and the main body suction port 11 has a hose. The sieve 12 is detachably provided, and the handle operation part 13 is provided in the front-end | tip part of this hose body 12, and the grip part 14 which an operator grips protrudes from this handle operation part 13, and is installed. The gripping portion 14 is provided with a plurality of setting buttons 15 for setting an operation mode and the like of the electric blower 5 by the operator. Then, the extension pipe 16 and the floor brush 17 as the suction port are sequentially connected to the front end of the handle operating part 13 in sequence.

In addition, a cord reel wound around a power cord (not shown) for feeding power to the electric blower 5 is disposed in the main body case 4, and the power cord can be put in and out of the main body case 4.

The electric blower 5 is arrange | positioned in the substantially center position of the vacuum cleaner main body 1 in the left-right direction, with the suction side forward and the exhaust side backward. The electric blower 5 is operated in accordance with the operation mode set in the control means 8 by the setting button 15.

1 and 2, the dust collecting unit 7 includes, for example, the main dust collecting chamber 21 as the first dust collecting unit at the upper side and the dust collecting chamber 22 as the second dust collecting unit at the lower side, for example. These main dust collecting chambers 21 and the secondary dust collecting chambers 22 are connected to each other via a communication path 26. In addition, the downstream side of the dust collecting unit 7 is connected to the suction side of the electric blower 5 via the suction air passage 28 in series.

The main dust collecting chamber 21 is used as a main when cleaning the vacuum cleaner, and is connected to the downstream side of the main body suction inlet 11 in series, and is arranged along the central axis of the main body suction port 11 to provide an electric blower ( It is a so-called cyclone dust collector which separates dust sucked by the drive of 5) from air, for example by centrifugation. Moreover, the communication tube valve 31 as an upstream valve main body which can block the communication between the main dust collection chamber 21 and the main body suction port 11 is arrange | positioned outside the main dust collection chamber 21 upstream. In addition, in the main dust collecting chamber 21, a pleated filter 33 as a filter is disposed on the exhaust side, which is a communication portion with the suction air passage 28.

The open / close operation of the communication tube valve 31 is controlled by the control means 8.

The pleated filter 33 collects in the main dust collection chamber 21 without passing coarse dust, which is relatively large dust, and attaches and collects fine dust, which is fine dust included in the air, to pass through the pleats along the vertical direction. The shape is formed over the whole left and right direction of the cleaner main body 1. Further, on the downstream side of the pleated filter 33, as shown in FIG. 3, the dust dropping body 34 as a vibration damping mechanism which removes the dust adhering to the pleated filter 33 and falls into the main dust collection chamber 21. Is attached.

The dust dropping body 34 is provided to be movable in the left-right direction (up and down direction in FIG. 3) of the cleaner body 1 in a state where the tip is fitted to the pleats on the downstream side of the pleated filter 33. By this movement, the tip part repeatedly jumps over the ridge of the pleated part, thereby vibrating the pleated filter 33 to drop the dust attached to the pleated filter 33.

On the other hand, the dust dropping body 34 is configured to be automatically operated by the control means 8 (Fig. 4) or the like at an arbitrary timing, for example, when the electric blower 5 is turned on or off. It is possible to operate manually.

Returning to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the dust collecting chamber 22 is detachably housed with a paper pack 37 serving as a disposable dust collecting bag in an auxiliary dust collecting unit which moves and collects dust collected in the main dust collecting chamber 21. In addition, the filter 38 which is more eye-catching than the carton pack 37 is arrange | positioned at the exhaust side which is a communication part with the suction air path 28 from the exterior of this carton pack 37. As shown in FIG.

The paper pack 37 has an entrance plate 37a attached to the lower end portion of the communication path 26 and an envelope-shaped filter portion 37b integrally provided at the entrance plate 37a. An opening (not shown) is formed in the inlet plate 37a, and is comprised so that the communication path 26 and the inside of the filter part 37b may connect. Moreover, the filter part 37b is comprised so that it may be folded in an unused state, and it will swell in the whole dust collecting chamber 22 by use.

The communication path 26 is a hollow pipe-shaped air path communicating between an upstream side of the pleat filter 33 of the main dust collecting chamber 21 and an upstream side of the filter 38 of the subdusting chamber 22, and is disposed along the vertical direction. The valve is configured to be openable and closeable by an on / off valve 41 serving as a communication switching valve. The opening / closing valve 41 is controlled by the control means 8 for its opening and closing operation.

The suction air passage 28 is the main dust collecting passage 45 as the first air passage passing in the downstream side of the main dust collecting chamber 21, and the secondary dust collecting passage 46 as the second air passage passing in the downstream of the dust collecting chamber 22. ) And both of the dust collecting passages 45 and 46 are joined to each other and have a suction passage body 47 which communicates with the suction side of the electric blower 5, and the main dust collecting passage 45 and the secondary collecting passage 46. The switching valve 48 is disposed in the communication portion with the suction air passage main body 47.

The main dust collecting passage 45 is provided so that the exhaust side and the center position of the main dust collecting chamber 21 are located substantially in a straight line. In addition, the main dust collecting passage 45 is formed with an external air introduction hole 51 communicating with external air. Therefore, in the main dust collecting chamber 21, the intake air of the electric blower 5 can pass through the pleat filter 33 from the main body suction port 11 side in the first state, that is, in the cleaning state, and in the second state, that is, during the dust movement state. In the air, outside air can be introduced from the backwash side, which is the downstream side of the pleated filter 33, through the outside air introduction hole 51 and the main dust collecting passage 45. In addition, an outside air inlet valve 52 serving as an outside air switching valve for opening and closing the outside air inlet hole 51 is disposed in the outside air inlet hole 51. The open / close operation of the external air inlet valve 52 is controlled by the control means 8.

In the following, backwashing means removing dust or the like adhering to the filter by passing the fluid through the filter in a direction opposite to the direction in which the fluid passes when collecting dust or the like by the filter.

The dust collecting passage 46 is provided so that the exhaust side and the center position of the dust collecting chamber 22 are located substantially in a straight line.

In addition, the selector valve 48 selectively connects one of the main dust collecting passage 45 and the secondary dust collecting passage 46 to the suction side of the electric blower 5 via the suction cooling main body 47. Thus, the opening and closing operation is controlled by the control means 8.

Then, the switching mechanism 58 is configured by the communication pipe valve 31, the opening / closing valve 41, the switching valve 48, the external air inlet valve 52, the control means 8, and the like. The negative pressure of the electric blower (5) causes the floor brush (17), the extension pipe (16), the hose body (12), the main body suction port (11), the main dust collecting chamber (21), the main dust collecting passage (45) and the suction. The cleaning state which is the said 1st state which forms the main air path W1 which acts as the air path main body 47, and the negative pressure of the electric blower 5 are the outside air introduction hole 51, the main dust collection path 45, and the main dust collection chamber ( 21), the transfer path 26, the dust collecting chamber 22, the dust collecting passage 46, and the switch to the dust moving state, which is the second state forming the air passage W2 which works with the suction air passage body 47; It becomes possible.

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

First, the hose body 12, the extension pipe 16, and the floor brush 17 are successively connected to the main body suction port 11, and the cover 3 of the main body case 4 is opened to open the dust collecting unit 7. ), And close the cover (3).

Then, the power cord is pulled out of the main body case 4, connected to an outlet such as a wall surface, and the operator grips the gripping portion 14 to operate the predetermined setting button 15. Then, the control means 8 controls the electric blower. (5) is driven.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 1, the control means 8 closes the secondary dust collecting passage 46 by the switching valve 48 and transmits the downstream side of the main dust collecting chamber 21 via the main dust collecting passage 45. The inlet side of the blower 5 is connected in series, the on-off valve 41 is closed, the communication between the main dust collecting chamber 21 and the subdusting chamber 22 is blocked, and the communication tube valve 31 is opened to open the main dust collecting chamber 21. The upstream side of the chamber is opened, and the external air inlet valve 52 is closed to block external air to the main dust collection chamber 21 (cleaning state).

As a result, underpressure is driven by the electric blower 5 so that the negative pressure is increased by the floor brush 17, the extension pipe 16, the hose body 12, the main body suction port 11, the main dust collecting chamber 21, and the main dust collecting passage 45. And a main air passage W1 that works with the suction air passage main body 47, and the dust D is sucked into the main dust collecting chamber 21 together with the air.

Of the dust D sucked into the main dust collection chamber 21, coarse dust is centrifuged and collected in the main dust collection chamber 21, and fine dust passes air through the pleat filter 33. At that time, the pleated filter 33 is collected. On the other hand, the coarse dust contained in the main dust collecting chamber 21 is compressed by the air passing through.

The air passing through the pleated filter 33 is sucked into the electric blower 5 through the main dust collecting fan 45 and the suction main body 47, passes through the electric blower 5, becomes exhaust air, and exhaust holes ( It is exhausted to the exterior of the cleaner main body 1 from the figure.

Then, when the operator operates the setting button 15 at the end of cleaning, the control means 8 operates the dust dropping body 34 for a predetermined time, for example, to be collected by the pleated filter 33. As the fine dust is dropped into the main dust collecting chamber 21, and as shown in FIG. 2, the main dust collecting passage 45 is blocked by the switching valve 48, and the dust collecting chamber 22 is passed through the secondary dust collecting passage 46. ), And the downstream side of the tube is connected to the suction side of the electric blower (5), the opening and closing valve (41) is opened so that the main dust collecting chamber 21 and the secondary dust collecting chamber (22) are connected in series, and the communication tube valve (31) is closed to close the main dust collecting chamber. The upstream side of 21 is closed and the outside air inlet valve 52 is opened (dust moving state).

At this time, a part of the dust D collected in the main dust collecting chamber 21 falls into the dust collecting chamber 22 through the communication path 26 by its own weight, and is collected by the paper pack 37.

In addition, the negative pressure is driven by the electric blower 5 so that the negative air pressure is introduced into the outside air inlet 51, the main dust collecting passage 45, the main dust collecting chamber 21, the communication passage 26, the dust collecting chamber 22, and the secondary dust collecting passage ( 46 and a sub-window W2 acting on the intake air passage main body 47 are formed so that outside air is introduced into the main dust collecting passage 45 from the outside air introduction hole 51.

The outside air passes through the pleat filter 33 from the downstream side to the upstream side, backwashes the pleat filter 33, and is further sucked into the dust collecting chamber 22 through the communication path 26 to form the paper pack 37. ) And the filter 38 in order, and are sucked into the electric blower 5 by passing through the dust collecting passage 46 and the suction air passage main body 47, passing through the electric blower 5 to become exhaust wind, and exhausted. It is exhausted to the outside of the cleaner main body 1 from a hole (not shown).

As a result, the remainder of the dust D collected in the main dust collection chamber 21 flows into the paper pack 37 of the dust collection chamber 22 from the communication path 26 by the flow of external air, and this paper pack 37 Or is collected by the filter 38.

When the predetermined time elapses, the control means 8 stops the electric blower 5 and stops the operation of the vacuum cleaner.

When a predetermined amount or more of dust is collected in the cartons 37, the lid 3 is opened, the cartons 37 are removed from the dust collecting chamber 22 and disposed together with the dust, and the new cartons 37 are collected in the dust collecting chamber 22. Mount on.

As described above, in the first embodiment, the upstream side of the main dust collecting chamber 21 and the electric blower 5 are connected to each other by the switching valve 48 so that the opening / closing valve 41 is the main dust collecting chamber 21. The communication with the dust collection chamber 22 is blocked, the communication pipe valve 31 opens the upstream side of the main dust collection chamber 21, and the outside air inlet valve 52 is closed to clean the external air. By the selection by the switching mechanism 58, the dust D is sucked into the main dust collection chamber 21 and collected, and the switching valve 48 allows the upstream side of the dust collection chamber 22 and the electric blower 5 to pass through. The main dust collecting chamber 21 and the secondary dust collecting chamber 22 are connected to each other by the opening / closing valve 41, and the upstream side of the main dust collecting chamber 21 is blocked by the communication pipe valve 31, and the outside air enters. By opening the valve 52 and selecting the dust movement state for introducing external air into the main dust collection chamber 21 by the switching mechanism 58 , It is possible to move the dust trapped in the main dust collecting chamber 21, a truth bujip 22 by the outside air.

As a result, since the dust D continues to collect on the main dust collection chamber 21 used in the main at the time of cleaning or the pleat filter 33 is blocked from lapse of time, the dust moved from the main dust collection chamber 21 is suppressed. Until (D) is gathered in the carton pack 37, the fall of the suction force over time can be suppressed.

In addition, since the dust D once compressed in the main dust collecting chamber 21 is moved to the paper pack 37 of the dust collecting chamber 22, the volume of the dust D to be moved to the paper pack 37 is reduced, and the paper pack 37 ) Can be effectively used.

In addition, by arranging the main dust collecting chamber 21 above the dust collecting chamber 22, the main dust collecting chamber 21 is connected to the main dust collecting chamber 21 through the communication path 26 when the opening / closing valve 41 is opened by the switching mechanism 58. A part of the collected dust D can be dropped into the dust collecting chamber 22 by its own weight, and the dust D collected in the main dust collecting chamber 21 is collected into the dust collecting chamber 22 by external air. Even when moving, the dust D can be moved efficiently.

And since the switching mechanism 58 introduces external air from the backwashing side of the pleated filter 33, dust adhering to the pleated filter 33 is efficiently removed from the pleated filter 33 by backwashing this external air. Can be removed

In addition, by attaching a detachable disposable paper pack 37 to the dust collecting chamber 22, the dust D moved from the main dust collecting chamber 21 is discharged together with the paper pack 37 without scattering to the outside air. It is possible to easily and reliably dispose. Also, after disposing of the cartons 37, a new carton pack 37 is attached to the dust collecting chamber 22, whereby the collecting capacity of the dust collecting chamber 22 can be maintained.

In addition, clogging of the pleated filter 33 can be prevented more reliably by providing the dust dropping body 34 which removes the dust adhering to the pleated filter 33 and drops it to the main dust collection chamber 21.

On the other hand, in the first embodiment, as in the second embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the electric blower 5 is positioned near the main dust collecting chamber 21 from the dust collecting chamber 22, preferably, The center position of the exhaust side of the main dust collecting passage 45 and the center position of the suction side of the electric blower 5 may be arranged in substantially the same straight line. In this case, since the hose body 12, the main body suction port 11, the main dust collecting chamber 21, the main dust collecting passage 45, and the electric blower 5 are all located substantially in a straight line, the resistance in the air passage decreases. The suction efficiency is further improved.

In each of the above embodiments, the outside air inlet hole 51 may be opened upstream of the pleated filter 33. In this case, the open air inlet 51 is opened toward the vicinity of the upstream side of the pleated filter 33, for example, so that the dust adhering to the pleated filter 33 is pleated by the introduced outside air. Since it can peel, it becomes possible to achieve the effect similar to each said embodiment.

In addition, the main dust collection chamber 21 and the sub-dust collection chamber 22 can be variously arranged in addition to the main dust collection chamber 21 upward and the sub-dust collection chamber 22 downward.

The removal mechanism can be any other than the dust dropping body 34, and can also be a configuration that is not provided in order to simplify the configuration of the vacuum cleaner.

In addition, it is also possible to configure the dust collecting chamber 22 itself as a dust collecting cup detachable to the vacuum cleaner main body 1 without attaching the paper pack 37 to the dust collecting chamber 22.

The opening and closing operations of the valves 31, 41, 48, and 52 are controlled by the control means 8, but by providing separate valve control means for controlling or mechanically interlocking with opening and closing of any one valve, The valve may be opened or closed.

In addition, the detail part of a vacuum cleaner is not limited to the said structure, As a vacuum cleaner, it is not limited to a canister type, For example, even if it is a self-propelled (driving assistance type) or an autonomous driving type (robot type) vacuum cleaner etc. The floor brush 17 may be used in correspondence with the upright type or the handy type formed directly on the lower surface of the cleaner body 1, for example.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS It is a side view shown in order to demonstrate the 1st state of the vacuum cleaner of 1st Embodiment of this invention.

2 is a side view for explaining a second state of the vacuum cleaner.

3 is a plan view showing the vicinity of a filter of the vacuum cleaner.

4 is a perspective view showing the vacuum cleaner.

It is a side view for demonstrating the 1st state of the vacuum cleaner of 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating the second state of the vacuum cleaner. FIG.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1: cleaner body

5: electric blower

11: body inlet

21: main dust collection chamber as the first dust collecting unit

22: dust collecting chamber as the second dust collecting unit

33: Pleated filter as a filter

34: Dust dropping body as a damping mechanism

37: Paper pack as dust bag

58: switching mechanism

Claims (6)

A vacuum cleaner body having a main body suction port connected to the suction side of the electric blower while accommodating the electric blower; A first dust collecting part having a filter, capable of communicating with external air, and capable of collecting dust sucked from the main body suction port by driving of the electric blower; A second dust collecting part connected to the first dust collecting part successively; The first dust collecting part and the upstream side of the electric blower are connected successively to block the communication between the first dust collecting part and the second dust collecting part, and to open the upstream side of the first dust collecting part and to block the external air. The first state and the upstream side of the second dust collecting unit and the electric blower are connected to each other to release the blocking of the communication between the first dust collecting unit and the second dust collecting unit and close the upstream side of the first dust collecting unit. And a switching mechanism capable of selectively switching a second state for releasing the blocking of the outside air. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the electric blower is arranged on the side of the first dust collector. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the first dust collecting unit is located above the second dust collecting unit. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the switching mechanism introduces outside air from the backwash side of the filter of the first dust collector. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a vibration suppression mechanism for removing dust collected in the filter from the filter. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the second dust collecting unit includes a removable dust collecting bag.

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