WO2018207327A1 - Cyclone separation apparatus and vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

This cyclone separation apparatus includes: a whirl chamber (29) in which dust-containing air is caused to whirl along a side wall therein to separate dust from the dust-containing air; and a dust collecting chamber which is in communication with the inside of the whirl chamber (29) and can be placed in a collecting state for collecting the dust separated in the whirl chamber and a disposal state for disposal of the collected dust. An inner wall surface of the dust collecting chamber is in a first state when the dust collecting chamber is in the collecting state and is in a second state when the dust collecting chamber is in the disposal state. The inner wall surface of the dust collecting chamber has different properties with respect to the dust in the first state and in the second state.

Description

Cyclone separation device and vacuum cleaner

This invention relates to a cyclone separator and a vacuum cleaner.

Patent Document 1 describes a vacuum cleaner equipped with a cyclone separator. The cyclone separation device includes a swirl chamber that swirls air containing dust to separate the air and dust, and a dust collection chamber that stores dust separated in the swirl chamber.

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-150145

In the cyclone separator, not only air but also air flows into the dust collection chamber. For this reason, an air current is generated inside the dust collecting chamber. This air flow may cause dust to return from the dust collection chamber to the swirl chamber. In order to prevent the dust from returning to the swirl chamber, it is better that the dust is less likely to be separated from the dust collection chamber.

On the other hand, when the dust collected by the dust collection chamber is discarded to the outside, it is better that the dust is more easily separated from the dust collection chamber. Thus, the characteristics required for the dust collection chamber are different between when dust is collected and when dust is discarded. Conventional cyclone separators cannot achieve both the performance of collecting dust and the performance of discarding collected dust.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. An object of the present invention is to provide a cyclone separator that achieves both the ability to collect dust and the ability to discard dust, and a vacuum cleaner that includes the cyclone separator.

The cyclone separation device according to the present invention is configured to swirl dust-containing air along the side wall in the interior to separate the dust from the dust-containing air, and to connect the dust separated in the swirl chamber through the swirl chamber. A dust collection chamber that can be in a collection state for collecting inside and a disposal state for discarding the collected dust. The surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber is in the first state when the dust collecting chamber is in the collecting state, and is in the second state when the dust collecting chamber is in the discarding state. The surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber has different properties with respect to dust in the first state and the second state.

A vacuum cleaner according to the present invention includes the above-described cyclone separation device and a blower that generates an airflow in a swirl chamber included in the cyclone separation device.

The cyclone separator according to the present invention and the electric vacuum cleaner provided with the cyclone separator can achieve both the performance of collecting dust and the performance of discarding dust.

It is a perspective view which shows the electric vacuum cleaner of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a perspective view which shows the state which removed the dust collection unit from the electric vacuum cleaner of Embodiment 1. FIG. It is a rear view which shows the state which removed the dust collection unit from the electric vacuum cleaner of Embodiment 1. FIG. 4 is a view showing an AA cross section of FIG. 3. 2 is a perspective view showing a dust collection unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a front view showing the dust collection unit of the first embodiment. 2 is an exploded view of the dust collection unit according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 7 is a view showing a BB cross section of FIG. 6. It is a figure which shows CC cross section of FIG. It is a figure which shows the DD cross section of FIG. FIG. 4 is a view of the electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 cut along the same cross section as the AA cross section of FIG. 3. 3 is an image diagram showing a composite material forming the dust collection unit of Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is an image diagram illustrating an example of a structure of a fiber material according to Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating how dust accumulates in the first embodiment. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the collection state of Embodiment 1, and dust. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the surface of the inner wall of the said dust collection chamber when the dust collection chamber of Embodiment 1 becomes a disposal state, and dust. One of the modifications of Embodiment 1 is shown. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a dust collection unit according to Embodiment 2. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a dust collection unit according to Embodiment 2. FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the drawings indicate the same or corresponding parts. Also, in the present disclosure, overlapping descriptions will be simplified or omitted as appropriate. Note that the present disclosure may include all combinations of configurations that can be combined among the configurations described in the following embodiments.

Embodiment 1 FIG.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a vacuum cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 1 shows a cordless vertical electric vacuum cleaner 1 as an example. The cordless type vacuum cleaner 1 includes a rechargeable battery. The rechargeable battery is charged via a charging stand (not shown). The charging stand is connected to an external power source by a power cable. When the vacuum cleaner 1 is placed on the charging stand, the rechargeable battery of the vacuum cleaner 1 is electrically connected to the charging stand. Thereby, a rechargeable battery is charged.

The vacuum cleaner 1 is not limited to the cordless type. The vacuum cleaner 1 may include a power cord for connecting to an external power source.

The vacuum cleaner 1 includes, for example, a suction port body 2, a suction pipe 3, and a cleaner body 6. An opening communicating with the outside is formed on the lower surface of the suction port body 2. Further, the suction port body 2 is provided with a cylindrical connection portion. The connecting portion is provided at the central portion of the suction port body 2 in the longitudinal direction. The opening formed on the bottom surface of the suction port body 2 communicates with the connecting portion through the inside of the suction port body 2.

The suction pipe 3 is, for example, a cylindrical member that extends linearly. One end portion of the suction pipe 3 is connected to a connection portion provided in the suction port body 2. The suction port body 2 can be attached to and detached from the suction pipe 3. The other end of the suction pipe 3 is connected to the cleaner body 6. The suction pipe 3 can be attached to and detached from the cleaner body 6.

The suction port body 2 and the suction pipe 3 form an air passage for allowing air containing dust to flow into the cleaner body 6 from the outside. In the present disclosure, items to be cleaned by the electric vacuum cleaner 1 such as dust, dust, dust, hair, and fibers are collectively referred to as “dust”. In the present disclosure, air containing dust is referred to as “dusty air”.

The vacuum cleaner body 6 has a function of separating dust from dust-containing air. Moreover, the cleaner body 6 has a function of collecting separated cases. The cleaner body 6 includes, for example, a body unit 12 and a dust collection unit 13. The dust collection unit 13 is detachable from the main unit 12. The dust collection unit 13 is a device that separates dust from dust-containing air and collects the dust.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the dust collection unit 13 is removed from the electric vacuum cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a rear view illustrating a state in which the dust collection unit 13 is removed from the electric vacuum cleaner 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a view showing a cross section taken along line AA of FIG.

The main body unit 12 includes, for example, an intake air passage forming unit 16, a gripping unit 7, and a container 14. The main unit 12 includes, for example, a rechargeable battery, an electric blower 10 and an exhaust air passage forming unit 17. The rechargeable battery, the electric blower 10 and the exhaust air passage forming unit 17 are housed inside the housing body 14.

An intake air passage 19 is formed inside the intake air passage formation portion 16. The intake air passage 19 is an air passage for guiding dust-containing air from the suction pipe 3 to the dust collection unit 13. The intake air path forming unit 16 is, for example, a cylindrical member that extends linearly. As described above, one end portion of the suction pipe 3 is connected to the connection portion provided in the suction port body 2. The other end of the suction pipe 3 is connected to one end of the intake air passage forming unit 16. The suction pipe 3 appropriately connected to the cleaner body 6 is arranged in a straight line with respect to the intake air passage forming portion 16. Further, a connection port 20 facing sideways is formed at the other end of the intake air passage forming portion 16. The connection port 20 is an opening that connects the intake air passage 19 and the dust collection unit 13.

The dust collecting unit 13 separates dust from the dust-containing air that flows in through the intake air passage 19. The dust collection unit 13 swirls the dust-containing air and separates the dust by centrifugal force. That is, the dust collection unit 13 has a cyclone separation function. The dust collection unit 13 of the present embodiment is an example of a cyclone separation device. The dust collection unit 13 collects the separated dust. The dust collection unit 13 temporarily collects the collected dust. A more specific configuration and function of the dust collection unit 13 will be described later.

The grip part 7 is a part that the user of the vacuum cleaner 1 has. As described above, the suction pipe 3 is connected to one end of the intake air passage forming portion 16. As an example, the gripping portion 7 is disposed on the other end side of the intake air passage forming portion 16. The grip 7 is provided with an operation switch 8. The operation switch 8 includes, for example, a plurality of buttons for controlling the operation of the electric vacuum cleaner 1.

The container 14 forms the outline of the main part of the main unit 12. The container 14 is, for example, a resin molded product. As an example, the container 14 is disposed immediately above the dust collection unit 13.

The exhaust air passage forming unit 17 forms an exhaust air passage 21 in the main unit 12. The exhaust air passage 21 is an air passage for guiding the air from which dust has been removed by the dust collection unit 13 to the exhaust port. Clean air flows from the dust collection unit 13 into the exhaust air passage 21. In addition, illustration of an exhaust port is abbreviate | omitted. Further, the exhaust air passage forming portion 17 forms a connection port 22 on the lower surface of the container 14. The exhaust air passage 21 and the connection port 22 communicate with each other.

The electric blower 10 is a device that generates an air current in an air passage formed in the vacuum cleaner 1. The air passage formed in the vacuum cleaner 1 includes, for example, an air passage for allowing dust-containing air to flow into the cleaner body 6 from the outside, an intake air passage 19, an air passage formed in the dust collection unit 13, and an exhaust. An air path 21 and the like are included. As an example, the electric blower 10 is disposed in the exhaust air passage 21.

The electric blower 10 performs a preset operation in response to an operation on the operation switch 8. When the electric blower 10 operates, an air flow is generated in the air passage formed in the electric vacuum cleaner 1. Thereby, the dust on the floor surface is sucked together with the air from the opening formed in the lower surface of the suction port body 2. That is, dust-containing air is sucked into the suction port body 2. The dust-containing air sucked into the suction port body 2 passes through the suction pipe 3 and is taken into the cleaner body 6.

The dust-containing air taken into the cleaner body 6 passes through the intake air passage 19 and is sent to the dust collecting unit 13 from the connection port 20. A more detailed description of the airflow generated inside the dust collection unit 13 will be described later. The air discharged from the dust collection unit 13 is sent to the exhaust air passage 21 through the connection port 22. The air discharged from the dust collection unit 13 passes through the electric blower 10 in the exhaust air passage 21. The air that has passed through the electric blower 10 further travels through the exhaust air passage 21 and is discharged from the exhaust port to the outside of the cleaner body 6. The air that has passed through the electric blower 10 is returned from the exhaust port to the room being cleaned, for example.

Next, the dust collection unit 13 will be described in more detail. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the dust collection unit 13 of the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a front view showing the dust collection unit 13 of the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the dust collection unit 13 of the first embodiment. In the following description regarding the dust collection unit 13, the upper and lower sides are specified with reference to the orientation on the paper surface in FIG.

The general shape of the entire dust collection unit 13 is a cylindrical shape. The dust collection unit 13 includes, for example, a filter part case 61, an outflow part case 24, an inflow part case 25, and a dust collection part case 26. The filter part case 61, the outflow part case 24, the inflow part case 25, and the dust collecting part case 26 are, for example, resin molded products.

The filter part case 61, the outflow part case 24, the inflow part case 25, and the dust collecting part case 26 can be disassembled into the state shown in FIG. 7 by a preset operation. Moreover, the filter part case 61, the outflow part case 24, the inflow part case 25, and the dust collection part case 26 can be assembled in the state shown in FIG. 5 by preset operation.

For example, by performing a release operation on the lock mechanism that fixes the filter case 61, the outflow portion case 24, the inflow portion case 25, and the dust collecting portion case 26, the state can be disassembled into the state shown in FIG. Further, only the dust collecting case 26 can be removed from the state shown in FIG. A filter 62 is housed in the filter unit case 61. The filter case 61 and the filter 62 may not be provided in the dust collection unit 13. The filter 62 may be provided in a place other than the dust collection unit 13.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a BB cross section of FIG. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. FIG. 10 is a view showing a DD section of FIG.

The inflow portion case 25 includes, for example, a cylindrical portion 33, a conical portion 34, a partition wall portion 35, an inflow pipe 36, and an outer wall portion 38. The cylindrical portion 33 has a hollow cylindrical shape. The cylindrical portion 33 is arranged so that the central axis is directed in the vertical direction. The conical portion 34 has a hollow conical shape with a tip portion cut off. The conical portion 34 is arranged so that the central axis faces the up-down direction. For example, the central axis of the conical part 34 and the central axis of the cylindrical part 33 are aligned in a straight line.

The upper end portion of the conical portion 34 is connected to the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion 33. The diameter of the conical portion 34 decreases as it goes downward from the upper end portion. An opening facing downward is formed at the lower end of the conical portion 34. In the present embodiment, this opening formed at the lower end of the conical portion 34 is referred to as a primary opening 39.

The space inside the cylindrical portion 33 and the space inside the conical portion 34 form a continuous space. In the present embodiment, the continuous space and the portion forming the space are referred to as a swirl chamber 29. That is, in the present embodiment, the dust collection unit 13 includes the swirl chamber 29. The swirl chamber 29 swirls dust-containing air inside. The central axis of the swirl chamber 29 faces in the vertical direction. The side wall of the swirl chamber 29 has a circular cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the swirl chamber 29. The swirl chamber 29 swirls the dust-containing air along this side wall. The swirl chamber 29 separates dust from the dust-containing air by swirling the dust-containing air.

A zero-order opening 48 is formed in the side wall of the swirl chamber 29. For example, the zero-order opening 48 is formed from the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion 33 to the upper end portion of the conical portion 34. The zero-order opening 48 is formed at a position higher than the primary opening 39. That is, the zero-order opening 48 is formed on the upstream side of the primary opening 39. Further, the zero-order opening 48 is formed at a position lower than the outer wall portion 38.

The partition wall 35 has, for example, a cylindrical shape. The diameter of the partition wall portion 35 is smaller than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 33. The conical part 34 and the partition part 35 are arranged so that the conical part 34 is inserted into the space inside the partition part 35 from above. The upper end portion of the partition wall portion 35 is connected to the outer peripheral surface of the conical portion 34. As an example, the central axis of the partition wall 35 coincides with the central axis of the conical part 34.

The outer wall portion 38 has, for example, a cylindrical shape. The diameter of the outer wall portion 38 is larger than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 33. The outer wall portion 38 is provided so as to surround the periphery of the upper end portion of the cylindrical portion 33. The outer wall portion 38 is provided so as to extend upward from the upper end of the cylindrical portion 33. The central axis of the outer wall portion 38 and the central axis of the cylindrical portion 33 are arranged in parallel with a certain interval. That is, the central axis of the outer wall portion 38 does not coincide with the central axis of the cylindrical portion 33. A member that connects the outer wall portion 38 and the cylindrical portion 33 is provided between the outer wall portion 38 and the cylindrical portion 33. The space between the outer wall portion 38 and the cylindrical portion 33 is completely closed by this member.

The inflow pipe 36 forms an inflow air path 27. The inflow air passage 27 is an air passage formed in the dust collection unit 13. The inflow air passage 27 is an air passage for guiding the dust-containing air from the intake air passage formation unit 16 to the swirl chamber 29. Dust-containing air from the intake air passage 19 flows into the swirl chamber 29 through the inflow air passage 27.

The inflow pipe 36 has, for example, a rectangular tube shape. An inflow air passage 27 is formed inside the inflow pipe 36. One end portion of the inflow pipe 36 is connected to the outer wall portion 38. One end of the inflow pipe 36 opens at the outer surface of the outer wall portion 38. This one end of the inlet pipe 36 forms a unit inlet 40. The unit inlet 40 is an opening for taking dust-containing air into the dust collection unit 13. The other end portion of the inflow pipe 36 is connected to the cylindrical portion 33. The other end of the inflow pipe 36 opens at the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 33. This other end of the inflow pipe 36 forms an inflow port 41. The inflow port 41 is an opening for taking the dust-containing material that has passed through the inflow air passage 27 into the swirl chamber 29.

The inflow pipe 36 is connected to the upper part of the cylindrical portion 33. The inflow port 41 is formed in the upper part of the cylindrical portion 33. The inflow port 41 is formed at the uppermost part of the side wall of the swirl chamber 29, for example. The zero-order opening 48 is formed at a position lower than the inflow port 41. That is, the zero-order opening 48 is formed on the downstream side of the inflow port 41. The inflow pipe 36 is, for example, a straight member. The inflow pipe 36 is connected to the cylindrical portion 33 so that the dust-containing air from the inflow air passage 27 flows into the swirl chamber 29 from the tangential direction of the swirl chamber 29. For example, the axis of the inflow pipe 36 is perpendicular to the central axis of the cylindrical portion 33.

Further, the dust collecting unit case 26 includes, for example, a bottom 46 and an outer wall 47. The overall shape of the bottom 46 is circular. The outer wall portion 47 has, for example, a cylindrical shape. The diameter of the outer wall portion 47 is larger than the diameter of the cylindrical portion 33. The outer wall portion 47 is provided so as to stand upright from the edge of the bottom portion 46, for example. The bottom 46 and the outer wall 47 form a cylindrical member that is open at the top and closed at the bottom.

When the dust collecting part case 26 is appropriately disposed with respect to the inflow part case 25, the partition wall part 35 is disposed inside the outer wall part 47. The lower end portion of the partition wall portion 35 is in contact with the bottom portion 46. The central axis of the partition wall portion 35 and the central axis of the outer wall portion 47 are arranged in parallel with a predetermined interval. The central axis of the partition wall 35 does not coincide with the central axis of the outer wall 47. The upper end portion of the outer wall portion 47 is in contact with the lower end portion of the outer wall portion 38. The central axis of the outer wall portion 47 and the central axis of the outer wall portion 38 are arranged in a straight line. When the dust collection unit case 26 is appropriately disposed with respect to the inflow unit case 25, two spaces separated by the partition wall 35 are formed inside the dust collection unit case 26 except for the swirl chamber 29.

Further, the dust collection unit 13 of the present embodiment includes a dust collection chamber. The dust collection chamber is a space for storing dust and a member that forms the space. The dust collection chamber has a function of collecting the dust separated in the swirl chamber 29. The dust collection chamber of the present embodiment includes a zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and a primary dust collection chamber 31. Garbage α is stored in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. In the primary dust collection chamber 31, garbage β is stored. The waste α is relatively bulky dust such as fiber waste and hair. The garbage [beta] is relatively small dust such as sand and fine fiber.

Among the spaces formed inside the partition wall 35, the space excluding the space formed inside the conical portion 34 is the primary dust collection chamber 31. The primary dust collection chamber 31 communicates with the swirl chamber 29 through the primary opening 39. The primary dust collection chamber 31 is formed so as to cover the lower portion of the conical portion 34. The primary dust collection chamber 31 is formed so as to surround the lower end portion of the conical portion 34.

Of the spaces formed inside the outer wall 47, the space excluding the swirl chamber 29 and the primary dust collection chamber 31 is the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. The zero-order dust collection chamber 30 is a continuous space formed between the outer wall portion 47 and the partition wall portion 35, between the outer wall portion 47 and the cylindrical portion 33, and between the outer wall portion 47 and the conical portion 34. It is. The partition wall portion 35, the cylindrical portion 33, and the conical portion 34 form an inner wall of the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. The outer wall 47 forms the outer wall of the zero-order dust collection chamber 30.

The overall shape of the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 is a cylindrical shape. The upper part of the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 is closed by a member that connects the cylindrical portion 33 and the outer wall portion 38. The lower part of the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 is closed by the bottom 46. The zero-order dust collection chamber 30 surrounds most of the swirl chamber 29. The zero-order dust collection chamber 30 surrounds the primary dust collection chamber 31. The zero-order dust collection chamber 30 communicates with the swirl chamber 29 through the zero-order opening 48. The zero-order opening 48 is formed at the top of the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. The zero-order dust collection chamber 30 is provided so as to extend downward from the zero-order opening 48. The zero-order opening 48 is preferably formed so that the width along the central axis direction of the cylindrical portion 33 is smaller than the width along the circumferential direction of the cylindrical portion 33. That is, the shape of the zero-order opening 48 is preferably a horizontally long shape.

As shown in FIG. 10, the cylindrical portion 33 is arranged so as to be shifted with respect to the outer wall portion 47 in a range where it does not contact the outer wall portion 47. The central axis of the cylindrical portion 33 and the central axis of the outer wall portion 47 are not arranged on the same straight line. The central axis of the cylindrical portion 33 is arranged in parallel to the central axis of the outer wall portion 47 with a certain interval. A portion having a small interval between the cylindrical portion 33 and the outer wall portion 47 is defined as a narrow portion 59. The distance between the cylindrical portion 33 and the outer wall portion 47 is equal to the distance between the outer surface of the cylindrical portion 33 and the inner surface of the outer wall portion 47.

10, the distance between the cylindrical portion 33 and the outer wall portion 47 gradually increases as the distance from the narrow portion 59 increases. The distance between the cylindrical portion 33 and the outer wall portion 47 is the largest at the position farthest from the narrow portion 59. For example, the inflow pipe 36 is disposed above a portion where the distance between the cylindrical portion 33 and the outer wall portion 47 is the largest.

A point P shown in FIG. 9 indicates a point where the traveling direction of the air flowing into the swirl chamber 29 from the inflow air passage 27 coincides with the tangential direction of the swirl chamber 29. In the cross section orthogonal to the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 33, an angle rotated about the central axis of the cylindrical portion 33 from the point P in the direction in which air swirls in the swirl chamber 29 is defined as θ1. The narrowed portion 59 is preferably arranged in a range where the angle θ1 is 0 ° to 180 °.

Further, in the cross section orthogonal to the axial direction of the cylindrical portion 33, the air rotates in the swirl chamber 29 around the central axis of the cylindrical portion 33 from the location where the distance between the cylindrical portion 33 and the outer wall portion 47 is the narrowest. This angle is defined as θ2. The zero-order opening 48 is preferably arranged in a range where the angle θ2 is 90 ° to 270 °. More preferably, the zero-order opening 48 is formed at a position where the angle θ2 is 180 °. FIG. 10 shows an example in which a zero-order opening 48 is formed at a position where the angle θ2 is 180 °. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the zero-order opening 48 is disposed at a place where the distance between the cylindrical portion 33 and the outer wall portion 47 is the largest.

The outflow part case 24 includes a lid part 49 and an outflow part 51, for example. The lid portion 49 has a plate shape, for example. When the outflow portion case 24 is appropriately disposed with respect to the inflow portion case 25, the lid portion 49 closes the upper portion of the cylindrical portion 33. In the present embodiment, the upper wall of the swirl chamber 29 is formed by the lid portion 49.

The lid portion 49 and the outer wall portion 38 of the inflow portion case 25 form a space for housing the filter portion case 61. The filter part case 61 is provided in the space inside the outer wall part 38 so as to cover the outflow part case 24 from above. The filter part case 61 is placed in close contact with the outflow part case 24 from above. A unit outlet 58 is formed on the upper surface of the filter case 61. The unit outlet 58 is an opening through which air flows out from the dust collection unit 13.

The outflow part 51 is a member for allowing the air in the swirl chamber 29 to flow out of the swirl chamber 29. The outflow part 51 is provided in the central part of the lid part 49. The outflow portion 51 protrudes downward from the lid portion 49. When the outflow portion case 24 is appropriately disposed with respect to the inflow portion case 25, the outflow portion 51 protrudes from the upper wall of the swirl chamber 29 into the swirl chamber 29.

The portion above the preset position of the outflow portion 51 is cylindrical. The upper part of the outflow part 51 opens at the upper surface of the lid part 49. The lower part of the outflow part 51 has a hollow conical shape whose diameter decreases as it goes downward. For example, the lower end of the outflow portion 51 is disposed below the lower end of the zero-order opening 48. The central axis of the outflow portion 51 coincides with the central axis of the cylindrical portion 33.

The space formed inside the outflow portion 51 forms a part of the outflow air passage 32. The outflow air path 32 is an air path for allowing the air in the swirl chamber 29 to flow out of the dust collection unit 13. The part of the outflow air passage 32, the swirl chamber 29, and the primary dust collection chamber 31 are arranged substantially concentrically.

An outflow port 54 is formed in the outflow portion 51. The outlet 54 is an opening for allowing the air in the swirl chamber 29 to flow out of the swirl chamber 29. Air in the swirl chamber 29 is taken into the outflow air passage 32 via the outlet 54. In the present embodiment, the outlet 54 is formed by a large number of fine holes. For example, some of these fine holes are formed above the lower end of the inflow port 41. A part of the fine hole is formed at a position below the lower end of the zero-order opening 48. Further, in the cylindrical portion of the outflow portion 51, the fine hole is not formed in the portion where the inflow port 41 faces.

FIG. 11 is a view of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 according to Embodiment 1 cut along the same cross section as the AA cross section of FIG. In FIG. 11, the dust collection unit 13 is attached to the main unit 12. When the dust collection unit 13 is appropriately attached to the main unit 12, the upper surface of the filter case 61 is brought into close contact with the lower surface of the container 14. The unit inlet 40 is connected to the connection port 20 of the main unit 12. The unit outlet 58 is connected to the connection port 22 of the main unit 12.

Further, at least a part of the dust collection unit 13 is formed of the composite material 80. The composite material 80 is a material including a plurality of types of materials. In the present embodiment, at least a part of the inner wall forming the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the inner wall forming the primary dust collection chamber 31 is formed by the composite material 80. For example, at least a part of the partition wall portion 35, the cylindrical portion 33, and the conical portion 34 is formed by the composite material 80.

FIG. 12 is an image diagram showing the composite material 80 that forms the dust collection unit 13 of the first embodiment. As described above, the composite material 80 includes a plurality of types of materials. As an example, the composite material 80 includes a fiber material 81, a soft material 82, and a resin material 83, as shown in FIG. As the fiber material 81, for example, a sheet-like woven fabric is used. The fiber material 81 may be a carbon fiber, a glass fiber, or the like used for FRP or the like. The soft material 82 is, for example, silicon rubber. The resin material is, for example, ABS.

An example of a method for manufacturing the composite material 80 will be briefly described. First, the fiber material 81 is placed on the surface of the base material of the soft material 82. Next, the liquid soft material 82 before curing is impregnated into the base material on which the fiber material 81 is placed and cured. Thereby, the fiber material 81 is embedded in the vicinity of the surface of the soft material 82. The soft material 82 in which the fiber material 81 is embedded is fixed on the resin material 83. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 12, the fiber material 81, the soft material 82, and the resin material 83 will be in the laminated | stacked state. In the example shown in FIG. 12, the fiber material 81 is located on the opposite side of the resin material 83 with the soft material 82 interposed therebetween.

In the example shown in FIG. 12, a fiber material 81 is provided on one side of both surfaces of the composite material 80. The configuration of the composite material 80 is not limited to the above example. For example, both surfaces of the composite material 80 may be formed by the fiber material 81. Further, the composite material 80 may not include the resin material 83. In other words, the composite material 80 may be formed of the fiber material 81 and the soft material 82. Further, the composite material 80 may not include the soft material 82. In other words, the composite material 80 may be formed of the resin material 83 and the fiber material 81 disposed on the surface of the resin material 83. Further, the composite material 80 may be formed of a resin material 83 located at the center of the composite material 80 and a soft material 82 and a fiber material 81 that sandwich both sides of the resin material 83.

FIG. 13 is an image diagram showing an example of the structure of the fiber material 81 of the first embodiment. As described above, for example, a sheet-like woven fabric is used for the fiber material 81. FIG. 13 shows a structure of a plain woven fabric that is a fabric woven in a state where weft yarns 85 and warp yarns 86 pass alternately as an example of the structure of the fiber material 81. The distance between the weft yarns 85 and the distance between the warp yarns 86 constituting the fiber material 81 are set to be smaller than the dust. The interval between the weft yarns 85 and the interval between the warp yarns 86 are, for example, several hundreds [nm] to several hundreds [μm].

The composite material 80 configured as described above is a material whose surface shape changes when subjected to an external force. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the shape of the inner wall surface forming the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the shape of the inner wall surface forming the primary dust collection chamber 31 change when the dust collection unit 13 receives an external force.

More specifically, the surface shape of the composite material 80 changes when it is compressed. For example, when the weft yarn 85 is compressed, the warp yarn 86 is extended along with the compression of the weft yarn 85. Thereby, wrinkles occur in the fiber material 81. That is, unevenness is generated on the surface of the composite material 80. In this manner, the composite material 80 changes its surface shape when it receives an external force. Further, when the external force applied to the composite material 80 disappears, the surface shape of the composite material 80 returns to the original. The composite material 80 of the present embodiment is a material whose surface shape changes reversibly.

In the present embodiment, the dust collection unit 13 is formed of the composite material 80 so that the fiber material 81 is located on the surface to which the dust adheres. In other words, the dust collection unit 13 is configured such that the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber is formed by the fiber material 81. For example, the fiber material 81 is provided on the inner surface of the outer wall portion 47, and the outer surface side of the outer wall portion 47 is formed of the resin material 83. Further, for example, the cylindrical portion 33 and the conical portion 34 may be provided with the fiber material 81 on both sides of the outer surface side and the inner surface side. As described above, it is preferable that the portion of the dust collection unit 13 to which dust may adhere is formed by the composite material 80.

Next, the function of the dust collection unit 13 will be described more specifically. When the electric blower 10 starts operation, dust-containing air is sucked into the suction port body 2 as described above. The dust-containing air sucked into the suction port body 2 passes through the intake air passage 19 and reaches the connection port 20. The dust-containing air that has reached the connection port 20 flows into the inflow air passage 27. The dust-containing air that has flowed into the inflow air passage 27 passes through the inflow air passage 27 and flows into the swirl chamber 29 from the inflow port 41. The dust-containing air that has passed through the inflow air passage 27 flows into the swirl chamber 29 along the inner surface of the cylindrical portion 33, that is, along the side wall of the swirl chamber 29. The above-described path of the dust-containing air is indicated by a solid arrow as the path f in FIGS. 9 and 11.

The dust-containing air that has flowed into the swirl chamber 29 swirls along the side wall that forms the swirl chamber 29. In the present embodiment, the dust-containing air forms a swirling airflow in the swirling chamber 29. The whirling airflow in the whirling chamber 29 flows downward while forming a forced vortex region near the central axis and an outer free vortex region.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating how dust accumulates in the first embodiment. FIG. 14 corresponds to the BB cross section of FIG. FIG. 14 shows the internal state of the dust collection unit 13 during cleaning by the electric vacuum cleaner 1. Centrifugal force acts on the dust contained in the swirling airflow in the swirling chamber 29. For example, the relatively bulky garbage α falls while being pressed against the cylindrical portion 33 by centrifugal force. When the dust α reaches the height of the zeroth-order opening 48, it passes through the zeroth-order opening 48. In addition, air also passes through the zero-order opening 48 along with the waste α.

Garbage α that has passed through the zero-order opening 48 is sent to the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. The air that has passed through the zero-order opening 48 advances in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 while swirling in the same direction as the air swirling in the swirl chamber 29. That is, when the electric blower 10 starts operating, air current is also generated in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. The dust α that has entered the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 from the zero-order opening 48 falls while moving in the same direction as the air swirling direction in the swirl chamber 29.

Dust that has not entered the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 from the zero-order opening 48 moves downward while swirling on the airflow in the swirl chamber 29. For example, relatively bulky garbage β passes through the primary opening 39. Garbage β that has passed through the primary opening 39 falls into the primary dust collection chamber 31 and is collected.

When the swirl airflow in the swirl chamber 29 reaches the bottom of the swirl chamber 29, the traveling direction is changed upward. The swirling airflow whose traveling direction is changed upward is raised along the central axis of the swirling chamber 29. Dust containing dust α and dust β is removed from the air that forms this updraft. The clean air from which the dust has been removed flows out of the swirl chamber 29 through the outlet 54. The clean air that has passed through the outlet 54 passes through the outlet air passage 32 and reaches the unit outlet 58. Then, the clean air passes through the unit outlet 58 and the connection port 22 and is sent to the exhaust air passage 21.

As described above, the dust collection chamber of the present embodiment collects dust including garbage α and garbage β. As the electric blower 10 operates, the dust α accumulates in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. In addition, garbage β accumulates in the primary dust collection chamber 31. The user removes the dust collected in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31 by removing the dust collection unit 13 from the main unit 12 and removing the dust collection unit case 26 from the inflow unit case 25. Can do.

As described above, the dust collection chamber can collect the dust separated by the swirl chamber 29. In the present disclosure, a state in which the dust collection chamber collects dust is defined as a collection state. Specifically, the state of the dust collection chamber when the dust collection unit 13 is attached to the main unit 12 corresponds to the collection state. The dust collecting chamber can collect dust when it is in the collecting state.

Also, the dust collection chamber can discard the collected dust to the outside as described above. In the present disclosure, a state in which the dust collection chamber discards dust is referred to as a discard state. Specifically, the state of the dust collection chamber when the dust collection unit 13 is detached from the main body unit 12 corresponds to the disposal state. The state of the dust collection chamber when the dust collection unit case 26 is removed from the inflow unit case 25 also corresponds to the disposal state. When the dust collection chamber is in a discarding state, dust can be discarded.

In the dust collection unit 13 configured as described above, the dust collection chamber can be in a collected state or a discarded state. In other words, the dust collection unit 13 is configured such that the dust collection chamber can be in a collection state and a disposal state.

When the dust collecting chamber is changed from the collected state to the discarded state, force is applied to at least a part of the dust collecting unit 13 by a user or the like. Thereby, the surface shape of the composite material 80 changes. That is, the state of the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber changes. When the dust collection chamber is discarded, the surface state of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber is different from the surface state of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the collection state.

FIG. 15 is a diagram showing the relationship between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and dust in the collection state of the first embodiment. FIG. 15 shows an example of the first state. FIG. 16 is a diagram showing a relationship between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and dust when the dust collection chamber of Embodiment 1 is in a discarded state. FIG. 16 shows an example of a second state different from the first state. In the present embodiment, when the dust collection chamber is discarded, the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber changes from the state shown in FIG. 15 to the state shown in FIG.

As described above, centrifugal force acts on the dust contained in the swirling airflow in the swirling chamber 29. Further, when the electric blower 10 starts operating, an air flow is also generated in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. For this reason, centrifugal force also acts on the garbage α sent from the swirl chamber 29 to the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. The waste α sent to the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 turns along the surface of the inner wall that forms the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. The waste α sent to the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 rotates while contacting the inner surface of the outer wall portion 47, for example.

A frictional force and an electrostatic force act between the dust α rotating inside the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the surface of the inner wall forming the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. In addition, air resistance acts on the dust α rotating inside the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. Further, the dusts α swirling in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 can collide with each other. The speed of the dust α rotating in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 is reduced due to frictional force, electrostatic force, air resistance, and collision of dust. Thereby, a part of the garbage α sent to the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 remains attached to the surface of the inner wall forming the zero-order dust collection chamber 30. Part of the garbage α sent to the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 stays attached to the inner surface of the outer wall portion 47, for example.

As with the waste α sent to the zero-order dust collection chamber 30, a part of the waste β sent to the primary dust collection chamber 31 also remains attached to the surface of the inner wall forming the primary dust collection chamber 31. A part of the garbage β sent to the primary dust collecting chamber 31 stays attached to the inner surface of the partition wall 35, for example. That is, in the present embodiment, part of the dust sent to the dust collection chamber including the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31 remains attached to the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber. In addition, even after the operation of the electric blower 10 is stopped, a part of the dust sent to the dust collection chamber remains attached to the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber. That is, dust can adhere to the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the collected state and the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the discarded state.

As shown in FIG. 15, in the collection state, the fiber material 81 forming the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber is in a smooth state. On the other hand, when the dust collection chamber is in a discarded state, as shown in FIG. 16, the fiber material 81 that forms the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber is uneven. The state of the inner wall surface of the dust chamber with respect to dust is different between the collected state and the discarded state. For example, in the collection state, as shown in FIG. 15, the contact area between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and the dust is relatively large. On the other hand, when the dust collection chamber is changed to a discarded state, as shown in FIG. 16, the contact area between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and the dust becomes relatively small.

When the surface area of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and the contact area of the dust change, the frictional force and electrostatic force acting between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and the dust change. The frictional force and electrostatic force acting between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber and the dust are smaller as the contact area between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber and the dust is smaller. That is, the force with which the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber adsorbs dust decreases as the contact area between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and the dust decreases. In other words, the force with which the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber adsorbs dust increases as the contact area between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and the dust increases.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the contact area between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the collected state and the dust is the contact between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the discarded state and the dust. Greater than area. That is, the frictional force and electrostatic force acting between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the collected state and the dust are more than the frictional force and electrostatic force acting between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the collected state and the dust. Is also big. According to this embodiment, the dust attached to the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber in the collected state is more difficult to separate. Thereby, for example, when the electric blower 10 is operating, the dust attached to the surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber is prevented from turning again. According to the present embodiment, it is possible to prevent the dust collected in the dust collection chamber from returning to the swirl chamber.

Further, since the dust is prevented from returning to the swirl chamber again, the dust is also prevented from returning to the main unit 12. Thereby, for example, it is prevented that the air passage in the main unit 12 is narrowed by dust and the electric blower 10 is clogged with dust. If it is this Embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 1 which can maintain the performance which isolate | separates dust will be obtained.

For example, when dust accumulates in the filter 62, the air volume of the air flowing through the dust collection unit 13 is reduced. That is, when dust accumulates on the filter 62, the suction force of the vacuum cleaner 1 is reduced. In the present embodiment, a large amount of dust adheres to the surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber, so that the amount of dust accumulated in the filter 62 can be further reduced. Thereby, the performance of the dust collection unit 13 and the vacuum cleaner 1 is maintained. In the present embodiment, the frequency of maintenance of the filter 62 by the user is further reduced.

As described above, when the dust collecting chamber is disposed of, a force is applied to at least a part of the dust collecting unit 13 by a user or the like. As a result, the state of the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber changes from the state shown in FIG. 15 to the state shown in FIG. When the dust collection chamber is disposed of, the contact area between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber and the dust is reduced. Thereby, the frictional force and electrostatic force acting between the surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber and the dust are reduced. In the present embodiment, when the dust collection chamber is in a discarded state, the dust attached to the surface of the dust collection chamber is separated from the surface of the dust collection chamber. The user can easily discard the dust collected in the dust collection chamber by changing the dust collection chamber from the collected state to the discarded state. In the present embodiment, when the user discards the dust collected in the dust collecting chamber, for example, the user does not have to perform cleaning with a brush and wiping with a cloth.

In the above embodiment, the surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber is in the state shown in FIG. 15 when the dust collecting chamber is in the collecting state. The surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber is in the state shown in FIG. 16 when the dust collecting chamber is discarded. The surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber is different from that shown in FIG. 15 in the property against dust in the state shown in FIG. With the dust collection unit 13 having the dust collection chamber configured as described above, both the performance of collecting dust and the performance of discarding collected dust can be achieved.

Also, when the dust collection unit 13 removed from the main unit 12 is attached again, the dust collection chamber returns from the discarded state to the collected state again. After returning to the collection state, no force from the user is applied to the dust collection unit 13. That is, when the dust collection chamber returns to the collection state again, the surface state of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber returns to the state shown in FIG. Thus, the state of the surface of the inner wall of the dust chamber changes reversibly when the inner wall of the dust chamber is formed by the composite material 80.

Further, the user may tap the dust collecting unit case 26 when the dust in the dust collecting unit case 26 is discarded after removing the dust collecting unit case 26 from the inflow unit case 25, for example. That is, the user may apply a force to the dust collection unit 13 not only when the dust collection chamber is disposed of but also when the dust is disposed. Further, for example, when the user discards the dust in the dust collecting unit case 26, the user may grasp the dust collecting unit case 26 to deform it. For example, the user may continue to deform the dust collecting unit case 26 when discarding the dust in the dust collecting unit case 26. In each of the above examples, the user can dispose of dust more easily.

Further, the dust collection unit 13 may be configured such that the inner wall of the dust collection chamber does not deform more than a certain amount when the dust collection chamber is in a collecting state. The dust collection unit 13 may have a member that regulates deformation of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber that is in the collection state. For example, the deformation of the dust collecting unit case 26 may be regulated by the inflow unit case 25. Thereby, for example, even when the dust collection unit 13 receives an external force when the dust collection chamber is in the collection state, the surface state of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber is maintained in a state suitable for collecting dust. The

In the present embodiment, the shape of each member is mentioned, but these do not mean the complete shape literally. For example, the circular member may not be a complete circular member. The cylindrical member may not be a complete cylindrical member. For example, the surface of the cylindrical member may include irregularities for connection with other members. Also, a part of the surface of each member may be formed flat for connection with other members.

The dust collection unit 13 which is an example of the cyclone separator and the vacuum cleaner 1 including the dust collection unit 13 are not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention. is there. Below, some modified examples are shown.

For example, the vacuum cleaner 1 is not limited to a vertical type. The vacuum cleaner 1 may have a wheel on the main body portion. The vacuum cleaner 1 may be a canister type. For example, the canister-type vacuum cleaner 1 may have a mechanism for vibrating the dust collector case 26 by winding a power cord. This mechanism may change the surface shape of the inner wall of the dust collector case 26 by vibrating the dust collector case 26. Thus, for example, the canister-type vacuum cleaner 1 may have a mechanism for separating dust from the dust collector case 26 using winding of the power cord.

Further, the material forming the inner wall of the dust collection chamber is not limited to the composite material 80 shown in the above embodiment. The material forming the inner wall of the dust collection chamber may be a material whose electrical characteristics change due to an external force, such as a piezoelectric element and a conductive polymer. The material forming the inner wall of the dust collection chamber may be a material that is neutralized when the dust collection chamber is discarded. In this example, the electrostatic force acting between the surface of the dust collection chamber and the dust when the dust collection chamber is in a discarded state is reduced, so that the same effect as in the above embodiment can be obtained. Further, when the dust collection chamber returns to the collection state, the electrostatic force acting between the surface of the dust collection chamber and the dust is increased, so that the same effect as the above embodiment can be obtained.

The material forming the inner wall of the dust collection chamber may be, for example, a resin material impregnated with a hydrophilic drug. The inner wall of the dust collection chamber may be configured such that a hydrophilic drug oozes out by receiving an external force. In this example, when the dust collection chamber is discarded, the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber is covered with a hydrophilic chemical. Thereby, the user can wash | clean the surface of the inner wall of a dust collection chamber effectively with water washing. Moreover, the user can return the surface of the inner wall of a dust collection chamber to the original state by blowing the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber after washing with a cloth or the like.

In the above embodiment, the composite material 80 that forms the inner wall of the dust collection chamber may have a light-transmitting property. That is, the fiber material 81, the soft material 82, and the resin material 83 may have translucency. In this case, the user can easily confirm the amount of dust accumulated in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31 without removing and disassembling the dust collection unit 13. Since the composite material 80 that forms the inner wall of the dust collection chamber has translucency, the dust collection unit 13 that is more convenient for the user and the vacuum cleaner 1 including the dust collection unit 13 can be obtained.

The number and arrangement of the swirl chamber 29, the zero-order dust collection chamber 30, the primary dust collection chamber 31, the inflow pipe 36, and the zero-order opening 48 are not limited to those described in the above embodiment. The specifications of each member constituting the dust collection unit 13 are appropriately set depending on, for example, the speed of the airflow in the swirl chamber 29, the size, mass, dust collection performance, maintainability, and output of the electric blower 10 in the dust collection unit 13. Is done. As the specifications of each member constituting the dust collection unit 13, it is preferable that an optimum specification is selected in accordance with the performance required for the vacuum cleaner 1.

For example, the dust collection chamber included in the dust collection unit 13 may include only one of the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31. The dust collection chamber may store the waste α and the waste β in the same space.

FIG. 17 shows one of the modifications of the first embodiment. FIG. 17 corresponds to FIG. As shown in FIG. 17, the dust collection unit 13 may include a release button 91. The release button 91 is provided on the outer surface of the outer wall 47 of the dust collecting unit case 26.

As described above, the user can remove the dust collecting part case 26 by performing a release operation on the lock mechanism that fixes the inflow part case 25 and the dust collecting part case 26. This locking mechanism is formed, for example, on the upper part of the outer wall 47 of the dust collecting unit case 26. The release button 91 is for releasing the lock mechanism of the outer wall portion 47 while deforming the outer wall portion 47. The user can release the lock mechanism of the outer wall portion 47 while deforming the outer wall portion 47 by pressing the release button 91 toward the center side of the dust collecting portion case 26.

In the modified example shown in FIG. 17, the user can greatly deform the dust collecting unit case 26 by operating the release button 91 when putting the dust collecting chamber into a discarded state. Thereby, when the dust collecting chamber is disposed of, dust such as dust α attached to the inner surface of the dust collecting unit case 26 is easily separated from the inner surface of the dust collecting unit case 26.

When the user releases the release button 91, the outer wall 47 returns from the deformed state to the state before the deformation. The release button 91 in this modification is an example of a deformation means that reversibly deforms the inner wall of the dust collection chamber. The dust collection unit 13 may include a latch-type or trigger-type mechanism as another example of deformation means for reversibly deforming the inner wall of the dust collection chamber. Further, the dust collection unit 13 may further include, for example, a mechanism that holds the release button 91 in a pressed state. That is, the dust collection unit 13 may include a mechanism that holds the inner wall of the dust collection chamber while being deformed.

Further, the dust collection unit 13 may include a mechanism for generating vibration as another example of the deformation means for reversibly deforming the inner wall of the dust collection chamber. This mechanism for generating vibration is provided in the filter case 61, for example. The mechanism that generates vibrations vibrates the entire dust collection unit 13 or the dust collection unit case 26, for example. Thereby, the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber vibrates, that is, deforms. The dust collection unit 13 may be configured such that the state of the surface of the inner wall of the dust collection chamber changes due to vibration.

Further, the cyclone separation device according to the present invention is not limited to the dust collection unit 13 and can be used other than the vacuum cleaner 1. For example, the cyclone separation apparatus according to the present invention can be applied to an apparatus for separating powder and an apparatus for separating refrigerant.

Embodiment 2. FIG.
Next, a second embodiment will be described. 18 and 19 are cross-sectional views showing the dust collection unit 13 of the second embodiment. 18 and 19 correspond to FIG. 8 in the first embodiment. With reference to FIGS. 18 and 19, the second embodiment will be described with a focus on differences from the first embodiment. Parts that are the same as or equivalent to those in the first embodiment are given the same reference numerals, and descriptions thereof are simplified or omitted.

The dust collection unit 13 of the present embodiment includes a dust collection unit case 26 as in the first embodiment. The dust collector case 26 includes a bottom 46 and an outer wall 47. The overall shape of the bottom 46 is circular. The outer wall portion 47 has a cylindrical shape. The outer wall 47 may not be cylindrical. The outer wall portion 47 may be, for example, a rectangular cylinder. Further, the overall shape of the bottom 46 may be, for example, a polygonal shape.

In the present embodiment, the bottom 46 and the outer wall 47 are formed as separate bodies. In the present embodiment, the bottom 46 and the outer wall 47 are connected via a hinge 104 as shown in FIGS. The bottom part 46 is rotatable with respect to the outer wall part 47 about the hinge 104 as an axis. The bottom 46 opens and closes by rotating. FIG. 18 shows a state where the bottom 46 is closed. FIG. 19 shows a state where the bottom 46 is open. By opening the bottom 46, the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31 are opened as shown in FIG. The user can dispose of the dust in the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31 to the outside by opening the bottom 46.

In the present embodiment, the bottom portion 46 is provided with an engaging portion 102. An engaging portion 103 is provided at the lower portion of the outer wall portion 47. The engaging portion 102 and the engaging portion 103 are formed so as to mesh with each other. A release button 101 is provided on the outer surface of the outer wall portion 47. The release button 101 is a member similar to the release button 91 in the first embodiment, and is an example of a deformation unit.

The user can deform the outer wall portion 47 by pressing the release button 101. When the outer wall portion 47 is deformed, the engaging portion 103 provided on the outer wall portion 47 is detached from the engaging portion 102. As a result, the bottom 46 rotates about the hinge 104 as an axis. That is, the bottom 46 opens as shown in FIG. In the present embodiment, the user can greatly deform the outer wall 47 while opening the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31. For this reason, the user can discard dust more easily.

The dust collection unit 13 of the present embodiment may be configured such that a place other than the bottom 46 opens and closes. For example, a part of the outer wall portion 47 may be opened and closed. Further, the mechanism for opening the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31 is not limited to the release button 101. The mechanism for opening the zero-order dust collection chamber 30 and the primary dust collection chamber 31 may be, for example, a mechanism that is pushed from the upper portion of the dust collection portion case 26 toward the lower portion of the dust collection portion case 26.

The cyclone separator according to the present invention and the electric vacuum cleaner provided with the cyclone separator can be used, for example, for indoor cleaning.

1 vacuum cleaner, 2 suction port, 3 suction pipe, 6 vacuum cleaner body, 7 gripping part, 8 operation switch, 10 electric blower, 12 body unit, 13 dust collecting unit, 14 housing, 16 intake air passage forming part , 17 Exhaust air passage formation section, 19 Intake air path, 20 connection port, 21 Exhaust air path, 22 Connection port, 24 Outflow part case, 25 Inflow part case, 26 Dust collector case, 27 Inlet air path, 29 Swirling chamber 30 primary dust collection chamber, 31 primary dust collection chamber, 32 outflow air duct, 33 cylindrical section, 34 conical section, 35 bulkhead section, 36 inflow pipe, 38 outer wall section, 39 primary opening, 40 unit inlet, 41 flow Entrance, 46 bottom, 47 outer wall, 48 0th order opening, 49 lid, 51 outflow 54 outlet, 58 unit outlet, 59 narrow part, 61 filter part case, 62 filter, 80 composite material, 81 fiber material, 82 soft material, 83 resin material, 83 weft, 86 warp, 91 release button, 101 release button , 102 engaging part, 103 engaging part, 104 hinge

Claims (11)

1. A swirl chamber that swirls the dust-containing air along the side wall to separate the dust from the dust-containing air;
   A dust collection chamber that communicates with the inside of the swirl chamber and can be in a collection state for collecting the dust separated in the swirl chamber and in a discard state for discarding the collected dust;
   With
   The surface of the inner wall of the dust collecting chamber is in the first state when the dust collecting chamber is in the collecting state, and is in the second state when the dust collecting chamber is in the discarding state. And a cyclone separation device having different properties with respect to dust in the second state.
2. The cyclone separation device according to claim 1, wherein the force of the surface in the first state adsorbing dust is larger than the force of the surface in the second state adsorbing dust.
3. 3. The cyclone separator according to claim 2, wherein when the surface changes from the first state to the second state, a frictional force acting between the surface and dust attached to the surface is reduced.
4. 3. The cyclone separator according to claim 2, wherein when the surface changes from the first state to the second state, an electrostatic force acting between the surface and dust attached to the surface is reduced.
5. 3. The cyclone separator according to claim 2, wherein when the surface changes from the first state to the second state, a contact area between the surface and dust attached to the surface is reduced.
6. The cyclone separator according to any one of claims 2 to 5, wherein the inner wall of the dust collection chamber is formed of a material that changes its surface shape when subjected to an external force.
7. The cyclone separator according to claim 6, wherein the material includes a soft material and a fiber material embedded in the soft material.
8. The cyclone separator according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the material has translucency.
9. The cyclone separator according to any one of claims 1 to 8, further comprising a deforming unit that reversibly deforms the inner wall of the dust collection chamber.
10. The cyclone separator according to claim 9, wherein the deformation means opens the dust collection chamber and discards the dust collected in the dust collection chamber to the outside.
11. The cyclone separator according to any one of claims 1 to 10,
    A blower that generates an air flow in the swirl chamber of the cyclone separator;
    Electric vacuum cleaner.

Images