JP2003235771A - Electric vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] [PROBLEMS] To prevent spark from being generated in a switching relay and extend the life of the switching relay. SOLUTION: In a vacuum cleaner provided with a plurality of batteries 38A, 38B for supplying electric power to a motor 23 of an electric blower, one of the batteries 38A, 38B is electrically connected to the motor 23. A switching relay 50 for switching connection, and a battery 38 provided on the downstream side of the switching relay 50 along the current from the batteries 38A and 38B and supplied to the motor 23 via the switching relay 50.
FET5 to turn on / off the power from A (or 38B)
1 is provided. Then, the control device 52 controls the FET 5
After turning off the motor 1 to stop the rotation of the motor 23, the switching relay 50 is driven to switch the battery.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner having a battery inside a cleaner body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An electric vacuum cleaner having a battery inside a vacuum cleaner body is known. This electric vacuum cleaner is provided with a plurality of batteries in the main body of the vacuum cleaner, and by connecting one of the batteries to the electric blower, the electric power from the battery is supplied to the electric blower to rotate the electric blower. It can be driven to use the vacuum cleaner as long as possible.

In such an electric vacuum cleaner, a switching relay is provided between the plurality of batteries and the electric blower,
This switching relay electrically switches and connects one of the plurality of batteries to the electric blower. For example, when two batteries are provided, such as battery A and battery B, the electric blower is rotationally driven by the electric power from the battery A, and when the remaining amount of the battery A becomes low, the electric blower is driven. The electrical connection with is switched from the battery A to the battery B, and the electric blower is rotationally driven by the electric power from the battery B.

[0004]

However, in the above prior art, since a relatively high voltage is applied to the electric blower, when the electric connection with the electric blower is switched from the battery A to the battery B, The switching relay may be sparked, and the switching relay may be prematurely worn and damaged.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to prevent sparks from occurring in a switching relay and extend the life of the switching relay.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, in the electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention, one of a plurality of batteries provided in the cleaner main body is electrically switched and connected to the electric blower. And a semiconductor switching element that turns off the electric power supplied from the battery to the electric blower before switching the switching relay.

In the above structure, when the battery is switched, the semiconductor switching element is first turned off to stop the electric power from the battery supplied to the electric blower, and then the switching relay is driven to drive the electric blower. Switch the connected battery to another battery. With this configuration, since no current flows through the switching relay when switching the battery, no spark occurs in the switching relay.

If the detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of the battery and the controlling means for controlling the semiconductor switching element and the switching relay based on the detection result of the detecting means are additionally provided, the semiconductor switching element is turned on. It is possible to automatically switch on / off and switching of the switching relay.

Further, it is possible to provide a display means for displaying the fact that the remaining amount is insufficient when all of the batteries are below a certain amount of remaining amount.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. (Embodiment 1) FIG. 1 is an external view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, 1 is a cleaner body, 2 is a dust collecting hose connected to the cleaner body 1, 3 is an L-shaped connecting pipe provided at the base end of the dust collecting hose 2, and 4 is a dust collecting hose. A hand operation pipe provided at the free end of 2 is an extension pipe (extension pipe) 5 connected to the hand operation pipe, and 6 is a suction port body connected to the tip of the extension pipe 5.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the cleaner body 1. As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaner main body 1 includes a cylindrical lower case 7 having an open upper end and an upper case 8 closing the upper open end of the lower case 7. The upper case 8 is detachably fixed to the lower case 7 via a clamp device 9 (see FIG. 1).

The lower case 7 has a square bottom wall 7a, and casters 10 are attached to the lower surface of the bottom wall 7a near each corner. The four casters (wheels) 10 enable the cleaner body 1 to travel in any direction.

Further, inside the lower part of the lower case 7, a partition wall 11 for partitioning the inside into a lower chamber 11a and an upper container storage chamber 11b is attached. This container storage room 11
A bottomed cylindrical dust collecting container 12 is detachably fitted to b. A dust collecting chamber 13 is formed in the dust collecting container 12,
A filter 14 is detachably fitted to the upper end of the dust container 12. The filter 14 has a ring-shaped or tubular filter frame 15 having a lattice-shaped filter support bar 15a at its lower end, and a filter body 16 mounted in the filter frame 15. A cylindrical portion 17 is provided on the peripheral portion of the filter 14, and a guide 17a that opens in the circumferential direction and guides air in the circumferential direction is provided at the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion 17.

Further, the upper case 8 has a cylindrical body 18 having a flange 18a at the lower end and a lid 19 closing the upper end of the cylindrical body 18. A blower chamber 20 is formed in the cylindrical body 18, and an electric blower 21 that applies suction negative pressure to the dust collection chamber 13 is installed in the blower chamber 20. The electric blower 21 includes a centrifugal fan unit 22 and a motor 23 that drives the centrifugal fan unit 22.

Further, the L-shaped connecting pipe 3 of the dust collecting hose 2 penetrates the flange 18a and the cylindrical portion 1 of the filter 14.
It is inserted in the inside 7 and is horizontally held by the flange 18a so as not to come off and come off.

In the above structure, the air sucked from the connecting pipe 3 toward the dust collecting chamber 13 becomes a swirling flow along the peripheral edge of the dust collecting chamber 13 by the guide 17a and flows downward as shown by an arrow 24. After that, it flows upward, passes through the filter 14, and is sucked into the suction port 22a of the electric blower 20. The air sucked through the suction port 22a flows through the motor 23, is exhausted through the exhaust port 23a into the blower chamber 20, and is then exhausted into the atmosphere through the exhaust port 18b provided in the tubular body 18.

A battery storage chamber 26 is formed in the lower chamber 11a. A battery holding case 29 including a lower holding case 30 and an upper holding case 31 is provided in the battery storage chamber 26, and a battery 38 is stored in the battery holding case 29. An opening 26a is formed in the lower side surface of the lower case 7 corresponding to the battery storage chamber 26, and the opening 26a is covered with a lid 32.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lid 32 includes a lower plate 33 attached to the tip of the lower holding case 30 via a hinge 35, and an arc-shaped lid plate standing around the lower plate 33. And part 34. The battery holding case 29 is slidably installed on the bottom wall 7a of the lower case 7, and can be pulled out to the outside through the opening 26a as shown in FIG. 3 by removing the lid 32 from the opening 26a. Since the battery holding case 29 is provided with the hinge 35 at the tip of the lower holding case 30, when the battery holding case 29 is pulled out from the opening 26a, the lid 32 is closed by the hinge 3.
It bends downward at 5 due to its own weight. At this time,
The length in the longitudinal direction along the battery 38 is the lower holding case 3
Since the upper holding case 31 is formed to be shorter than 0, when the lid 32 is bent downward, the tip of the battery 38 is exposed from the battery holding case 29. Thereby, the battery holding case 2 of the battery 38
It can be easily removed from 9. Further, since the battery 38 can be inserted into the battery holding case 29 with the battery holding case 29 pulled out, the battery 38 can be easily attached to the battery holding case 29.

Although only one battery 38 is shown in FIG. 3, two batteries 3 are provided in the battery holding case 29.
8 can be stored. As shown in FIG. 4, the battery 38 is housed in a battery case 39 composed of two half-split cases 42 and 43, and a connector 41 is provided at the tip thereof. The battery holding case 29 may be configured to accommodate three or more batteries 38.

The battery 38 is inserted into the battery holding case 29 and the battery holding case 29 is inserted into the battery storage chamber 26.
When the lid 32 is set in the opening 26a while being pushed in, the battery 38 is pushed to the back side (left side in the figure) of the battery storage chamber 26 as shown in FIG.
The connector 41 at the front end of the connector 8 is fitted into the connector receiver 28 on the inner wall of the battery storage chamber 26. At this time, the battery 38 is attached to the back surface of the lid body 32 by the elastic body 46 shown in FIG.
Is pressed to the left side of the connector 41 and the connector receiver 2
8 is electrically coupled. In addition, the battery holding case 2
When 9 is pulled out from the opening 26a, the connector 41 and the connector receiver 28 can be easily disengaged from each other.

Next, the electric power of the battery 38 is supplied to the electric blower 2
A circuit configuration for supplying the electric blower 21 to the first motor 23 to rotate the electric blower 21 will be described.

The cleaner body 1 is provided with a circuit as shown in FIG. Here, two batteries 38 are provided, which are assumed to be batteries 38A and 38B, respectively. Both-sides of the batteries 38A and 38B are grounded,
The + side of the battery 38A is the contact 50A of the switching relay 50.
On the (A side), the + side of the battery 38B is connected to the contact 50B (B side) of the switching relay 50. The switching relay 50 is provided with a terminal 50D having a movable piece 50E, and this terminal 50D is connected to the + side of the motor 23. Further, an FET (field effect transistor) 51 is provided as a semiconductor switching element, the − side of the motor 23 is connected to the drain D of the FET 51, and the source S of the FET 51 is grounded.

A control device (microcomputer) 52 is provided as control means, and the switching relay 50 and the gate G of the FET 51 are electrically connected to the control device 52. Then, the switching relay 50 drives the movable piece 50E by the control signal from the control device 52, and the movable piece 50E is driven.
Is connected to the contact 50A or the contact 50B. Further, the FET 51 turns on / off the current flowing between the drain D and the source S by the voltage applied to the gate G.
Turn off control.

Voltage sensors 53A and 53B are provided as detecting means on the + side of the batteries 38A and 38B, respectively, and the detection signals detected by the voltage sensors 53A and 53B (voltage detection signals of the batteries 38A and 38B) are controlled by the control device. It is taken in by 52.

Further, a power switch 54 whose one terminal is grounded is connected to the control device 52, and when the power switch 54 is turned on, the control device 52 operates.

In the vacuum cleaner equipped with the power supply circuit having the above structure, the movable piece 50E of the switching relay 50 in the state shown in FIG.
Is connected to a contact 50A (A side), a voltage is applied to the gate G of the FET 51, and the motor 23 is rotationally driven by the electric power supplied from the battery 38A. At this time, the voltage of the battery 38A is measured by the voltage sensor 53.
The detection signal is detected by A, and the detection signal is captured by the control device 52, and the control device 52 detects the remaining amount (voltage) of the battery 38A from the captured detection signal.

Here, when the remaining amount of the battery 38A becomes less than a predetermined value, the electric power supplied to the motor 23 must be switched from the battery 38A to the battery 38B. At this time, as shown in FIG. 6, the control device 52 first sets the voltage applied to the gate G of the FET 51 to zero (or a threshold value or less), and turns off the current flowing between the drain D and the source S of the FET 51. The rotation of the motor 23 is stopped. After that, the control device 52 outputs a control signal to the switching relay 50 to switch and connect the movable piece 50E to the contact 50B (B side).

The switching relay 50 receives the control signal from the control device 52 and connects the movable piece 50E to the contact 50A (A).
From the side) to the contact 50B (B side), but the rotation of the motor 23 is stopped at the time of this connection switching (that is, the motor 2).
Since the power supply to 3 is stopped), the movable piece 50E
The movable piece 50E and the contact 50A when the movable piece 50E is disconnected from the contact 50A and when the movable piece 50E is connected to the contact 50B.
No spark occurs between the movable piece 50E and the contact point 50B.

When the motor 23 is rotationally driven by the electric power from the battery 38B and the remaining amount of the battery 38A is sufficient, the electric power is supplied to the motor 23 when the remaining amount of the battery 23B becomes low. The battery 38B
To the battery 38A. In this case, FE
The voltage applied to the gate G of T51 is set to zero (or a threshold value or less) to turn off the current flowing between the drain D and the source S of the FET 51, and then the movable piece 50E is contacted from the contact 50B (B side) to the contact. Switch connection to 50A (A side).

According to the present embodiment, no sparks are generated between the movable piece 50E and the contact point 50A and between the movable piece 50E and the contact point 50B, so that the contact points 50A, 50A.
B and the movable piece 50E can be prevented from being damaged, and the life of the switching relay 50 can be extended.

In FIG. 5, the voltage sensors 53A, 53A
B is arranged in the vicinity of the batteries 38A, 38B, but these voltage sensors 53A, 53B are connected to the switching relay 5
It can also be provided in the vicinity of the zero contacts 50A, 50B or the contacts 50A, 50B. (Second Embodiment) FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the positions of the FET 51 and the motor 23 are opposite to those of the first embodiment. That is, the terminal 50D of the switching relay 50 is connected to the source S of the FET 51, the drain D of the FET 51 is connected to the + side of the motor 23, and the − side of the motor 23 is grounded. Other configurations are similar to those of the first embodiment.

Also in the case of the present embodiment, when the voltage of the battery 38A drops and the battery 38A is switched and connected to the battery 38B, the voltage applied to the gate of the FET 51 is zero (or less than the threshold value). And FET51
The current flowing between the source S and the drain D is turned off to stop the rotation of the motor 23, and then the movable piece 50E is switched from the contact 50A (A side) to the contact 50B (B side). As a result, the contacts 50A, 50B and the movable piece 50E are
Can be prevented and the life of the switching relay 50 can be extended. (Third Embodiment) FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, a battery 38C is provided in addition to the batteries 38A and 38B, and the batteries 38A and 3B are provided.
Switching relays 60 and 61 for switching the electric power from 8B and 38C and supplying it to the motor 23 are provided.

The switching relay 60 has a + of the battery 38B.
The terminal 6 including the contact 60B connected to the side, the contact 60C connected to the + side of the battery 38C, and the movable piece 60E.
0D is provided. Further, the switching relay 61 is provided with a contact 61A connected to the + side of the battery 38A, a contact 61B connected to a terminal 60D of the switching relay 60, and a terminal 61D provided with a movable piece 61E. The terminal 61D is connected to the drain D of the FET 51.

In addition to the + side voltage sensor 53A of the battery 38A and the + side voltage sensor 53B of the battery 38B, a voltage sensor 53C is provided on the + side of the battery 38C, and each of the voltage sensors 53A, 53B and 53C. The detected detection signal is taken into the control device 52. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment.

In the above structure, when the electric power from the battery 38A is being supplied to the motor 23, the switching relay 6
1, the movable piece 61E is connected to the contact 61A. The movable piece 60E of the switching relay 60 may be connected to either of the contacts 60B and 60C. Then, when the remaining amount of the battery 38A becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value, the control device 52 causes
First, the voltage applied to the gate of the FET 51 is set to zero (or a threshold value or less), and the current flowing between the drain D and the source S of the FET 51 is turned off to turn off the motor 2
3 rotation is stopped, and then the switching relays 60, 61
The control signal is output to. With this control signal,
The switching relay 61 switches and connects the movable piece 61E from the contact 61A (A side) to the contact 61B, and at the same time, the switching relay 60
Connects the movable piece 60E to the contact 60B (B side) to supply the electric power from the battery 38B to the motor 23.

When the motor 23 is rotated for a while and the remaining amount of the battery 38B becomes equal to or less than the predetermined value, the control device 52 first resets the voltage applied to the gate G of the FET 51 to zero, as described above. (Or below threshold) and FE
The current flowing between the drain D and the source S of T51 is turned off to stop the rotation of the motor 23, and then a control signal is output to the switching relays 60 and 61. This time, the switching relay 61 keeps the movable piece 61E connected to the contact 61B, and the switching relay 60 connects the movable piece 60E to the contact 60B (B
Side) to the contact point 60C (C side) by switching connection, and the battery 3
Electric power from 8C is supplied to the motor 23.

According to the present embodiment, three batteries 3
8A, 38B, 38C are provided, and these batteries 3
The electric power from 8A, 38B, 38C is switched to the motor 23.
Since it is supplied to the electric vacuum cleaner, the electric vacuum cleaner can be continuously used for a long time. (Fourth Embodiment) FIG. 10 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In the present embodiment, the control device 52 is provided with the display device 7.
0 is connected, the display device 70 is provided on the upper surface of the lid body 19 as shown in FIG. 3, and displays “no battery remaining” when both of the batteries 38A and 38B are low. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment. It should be noted that in the present embodiment, the control device 52 and the display device 70 constitute display means.

When the electric power of the battery 38A is supplied to the motor 23, the remaining amount of the battery 38A decreases as shown in FIG. When the remaining amount drops to the point A1, this point A1 is the time when "Battery remaining amount" should be displayed. However, if the battery 38B is switched, the motor 23 can be continuously rotated. , At the point A1, “No battery remaining amount” is not displayed, and when the remaining amount drops to the point A2, the control device 52 drives the switching relay 50 to automatically switch from the battery 38A to the battery 38B. To do.

When the battery 38B is switched, the electric power from the battery 38B is supplied to the motor 23.
Eventually, the remaining amount of the battery 38B also decreases as shown in FIG.
Then, when the remaining amount is reduced to the point B1, the display device 70 displays "No battery remaining" for the first time. If the motor 23 continues to be rotated while the display device 70 displays "No battery remaining", the remaining amount of the battery 38 further decreases, and eventually the motor 23 stops rotating at the point B2.

According to the present embodiment, the battery 38A,
When the remaining capacity of both batteries 38B is low, the message "no battery remaining" is displayed for the first time.
It is not necessary to charge B frequently.

The remaining amount of the batteries 38A and 38B can be displayed on the display device 70 one by one.

In each of the above embodiments, the battery 38
Although the control device 52 automatically switches between A and 38B, the battery may be switched by a person. For example, an operating lever for switching the switching relay 50 and the like is attached to the outer surface of the cleaner body 1, and a display for displaying the voltage value detected by the voltage sensors 53A and 53B (that is, the remaining amount of the batteries 38A and 38B). A vacuum cleaner is provided in the cleaner body 1. Further, when the operation lever is operated, the FET 51 is mechanically turned off at a timing slightly earlier than the battery switching by the switching relay. By doing so, a person can recognize the battery switching timing from the voltage value displayed on the display and manually operate the operating lever to switch the battery without causing the switching relay 50 to spark. It can be carried out.

[0043]

As described above, according to the present invention,
Since it is possible to prevent sparks from being generated in the switching relay when switching the battery, it is possible to extend the life of the switching relay.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of a cleaner body of the electric vacuum cleaner shown in FIG.

3 is an external perspective view of a cleaner body of the electric vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1. FIG.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a battery.

FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating the timing of battery switching in the circuit of FIG.

FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a circuit diagram according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

9 is a diagram illustrating the timing of battery switching in the circuit of FIG.

FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a timing of displaying “no battery remaining amount”.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 vacuum cleaner 21 electric blower 23 motor 38, 38A, 38B, 38C batteries 50, 60, 61 switching relay 51 FET (field effect transistor) 52 Control device 53A, 53B, 53C voltage sensor 70 Display

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An electric appliance including a dust collecting chamber, an electric blower for applying suction negative pressure to the dust collecting chamber, and a plurality of batteries for supplying electric power to the electric blower in a cleaner body. In a vacuum cleaner, a switching relay for electrically switching and connecting one battery of the plurality of batteries to the electric blower, and turning off the power supplied from the battery to the electric blower before switching the switching relay. An electric vacuum cleaner, comprising: 2. A vacuum cleaner main body provided with a dust collection chamber, an electric blower for applying suction negative pressure to the dust collection chamber, and a plurality of batteries for supplying electric power to the electric blower. In the vacuum cleaner, a switching relay that electrically switches and connects one battery of the plurality of batteries to the electric blower; a semiconductor switching element that turns on / off power supplied from the battery to the electric blower; When the remaining amount of the battery supplying electric power to the electric blower becomes a predetermined value or less as a result of detection by the detection unit that detects the remaining amount of the battery and the detection unit, the semiconductor switching element is turned off. Then, the power supply to the electric blower is stopped, and then the switching relay is controlled to switch from the battery currently connected to the electric blower to another battery. Vacuum cleaner, characterized in that and a control means for connecting. 3. A vacuum cleaner main body provided with a dust collection chamber, an electric blower for applying suction negative pressure to the dust collection chamber, and a plurality of batteries for supplying electric power to the electric blower. In the vacuum cleaner, a switching relay that electrically switches and connects one battery of the plurality of batteries to the electric blower; and a switching relay that is provided on the downstream side of the switching relay along the current from the battery. A semiconductor switching element that turns on / off the electric power from the battery supplied to the electric blower via a relay, a detection unit that detects the remaining amount of the battery, and a detection result obtained by the detection unit. And a display means for displaying that the remaining amount is insufficient when the remaining amount becomes less than a certain value.