JP2020195710A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaner capable of improving reliability.SOLUTION: A vacuum cleaner includes a main body case, an electric blower, a structure body, a circuit board, and a control section. The structure body is removably arranged in a wind flow route in the vacuum cleaner, and is at least partially washable. The circuit board is arranged on a lower stream side of the structure body in a wind flow direction in a use state where cleaning is performed by using the vacuum cleaner in the wind flow route. The control section is arranged as at least a part of the circuit board and is separately arranged from the circuit board. When a predetermined condition is satisfied, the control section controls the electric blower or change means arranged between the structure body and the circuit board in the wind flow route, so as to drive the electric blower by allowing a wind flow direction or the wind flow route between at least the structure body and the circuit board to be changed from the use state.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 9

Description

Embodiments of the present invention relate to vacuum cleaners.

A vacuum cleaner having a water-washable structure such as a filter for collecting fine dust is known. Such vacuum cleaners can be defective if the washed structure is operated without sufficient drying. For this reason, the vacuum cleaner has room for further improvement in reliability.

Special Publication No. 61-17490

An object to be solved by the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner capable of improving reliability.

The vacuum cleaner of the embodiment includes a main body case, an electric blower, a structure, a circuit board, and a control unit. The electric blower is provided in the main body case. The structure is detachably arranged in the wind flow path of the vacuum cleaner, and at least a part of the structure can be washed with water. The circuit board is arranged on the downstream side of the structure in the wind flow path in the wind flow direction in a used state where cleaning is performed by using the vacuum cleaner. The control unit is provided as at least a part of the circuit board or separately from the circuit board, and when a predetermined condition is satisfied, the structure and the circuit board are provided by the electric blower or the wind flow path. By controlling the changing means arranged between and, at least the wind flow direction or the wind flow path between the structure and the circuit board is changed from the usage state to change the electric blower. Drive.

The perspective view which shows the electric cleaning apparatus including the electric vacuum cleaner of 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the dust collector of 1st Embodiment partially disassembled. The cross-sectional view which shows the filter of 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the circuit board of 1st Embodiment. The cross-sectional view which shows the vacuum cleaner main body of 1st Embodiment. A perspective view of the vacuum cleaner main body of the first embodiment as viewed from the rear. The block diagram which shows the electrical connection relation at the time of using the vacuum cleaner of 1st Embodiment. The block diagram which shows the electrical connection relation at the time of charging of the vacuum cleaner of 1st Embodiment. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of wind in the drying operation of the first embodiment. The perspective view which shows another example of the charging device of 1st Embodiment. The cross-sectional view which shows the vacuum cleaner main body of the 1st modification of 1st Embodiment. The perspective view which shows the dust collector of the 2nd modification of 1st Embodiment partially disassembled. The block diagram which shows the electrical connection relation of the vacuum cleaner of the 2nd modification of 1st Embodiment. The cross-sectional view which shows the vacuum cleaner main body of the 3rd modification of 1st Embodiment. The cross-sectional view which shows the vacuum cleaner main body of the 4th modification of 1st Embodiment. The cross-sectional view which shows the vacuum cleaner main body (the wind guide is a retracting position) of the 2nd Embodiment. The cross-sectional view which shows the vacuum cleaner main body (the wind guide projecting position) of 2nd Embodiment. The front view which shows the positional relationship between the wind guide of 2nd Embodiment, and a circuit board. The figure which shows the example of the current value of the input power of the electric blower of 3rd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, the vacuum cleaner of the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, configurations having the same or similar functions are designated by the same reference numerals. And the duplicate description may be omitted. As used herein, the term "based on XX" means "based on at least XX" and includes the case where it is based on another element in addition to XX. Further, "based on XX" is not limited to the case where XX is used directly, but also includes the case where XX is calculated or processed. "XX" is an arbitrary element (for example, arbitrary information).

In this specification, front / rear, left / right, and top / bottom are defined based on the user who uses the vacuum cleaner. As used herein, the term "normal operating condition" means the operating condition of the vacuum cleaner when cleaning is performed using the vacuum cleaner. Regarding the rotation direction of the electric blower, the rotation of the electric blower in a normal use state is referred to as "forward rotation", and the rotation in the direction opposite to the forward rotation is referred to as "reverse rotation".

(First Embodiment)
First, the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 9. In the first embodiment, when it is detected that the dust collector once removed from the main body case is reattached to the main body case, the filter included in the dust collector is dried by rotating the electric blower in the reverse direction. This is an example in which a drying operation is carried out. Hereinafter, such a first embodiment will be described in detail.

<1. Overall configuration>
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an electric cleaning device 1 including the electric vacuum cleaner 10 of the first embodiment. The electric cleaning device 1 includes, for example, an electric vacuum cleaner 10 and a charging device (support device) 20 to which the electric vacuum cleaner 10 when not in use is attached.

<1.1 Vacuum cleaner>
First, the vacuum cleaner 10 will be described. The vacuum cleaner 10 is, for example, a so-called stick-type vacuum cleaner, and is a cordless type vacuum cleaner in which a secondary battery unit 160 is built. However, the vacuum cleaner 10 is not limited to the above example, and may be a canister type vacuum cleaner having a vacuum cleaner main body including wheels, or another type of vacuum cleaner.

The vacuum cleaner 10 includes, for example, a vacuum cleaner main body 100, an extension pipe 200, and a suction port (floor brush) 300. The vacuum cleaner main body 100 includes, for example, a main body case 110, a grip portion 120, a dust collector 130, a contact sensor 140, an electric blower 150, a secondary battery unit 160, and a circuit board 170.

The main body case 110 forms the outer shell of the vacuum cleaner main body 100. The main body case 110 houses the electric blower 150, the secondary battery unit 160, and the circuit board 170. Further, the main body case 110 has an extension pipe connecting portion 111 to which one end of the extension pipe 200, which will be described later, is connected.

The grip portion 120 is provided at the upper rear end portion of the main body case 110. The grip portion 120 is a portion gripped by the user when cleaning the floor surface (surface to be cleaned) using the vacuum cleaner 10. The grip unit 120 has an operation reception unit 121 that receives a user's operation regarding the operation of the vacuum cleaner 10. The operation receiving unit 121 includes, for example, a plurality of operation buttons 121a.

The operation button 121a includes a power button for turning on / off the power of the vacuum cleaner 10, one or more mode selection buttons for switching the drive mode (operation mode) of the vacuum cleaner 10, and the like. The drive mode of the vacuum cleaner 10 includes, for example, a "weak mode" in which the electric blower 150, which will be described later, is rotated at a low speed, and a "strong mode" in which the electric blower 150 is rotated at a high speed. Further, the drive mode of the vacuum cleaner 10 includes a "brush rotation mode" for rotating the rotating brush 303, which will be described later, and a "brush stop mode" for not rotating the rotating brush 303.

The dust collector 130 is detachably attached to the main body case 110. The dust collector 130 is a device that separates dust contained in the air sucked into the vacuum cleaner main body 100 by the action of the electric blower 150 described later. The dust collector 130 will be described in detail later.

The contact sensor 140 is provided in a portion of the main body case 110 facing the dust collector 130 and comes into contact with the dust collector 130. For example, the contact sensor 140 comes into contact with the dust collector 130 when the dust collector 130 is attached to the main body case 110, and detects the presence of the dust collector 130. The detection result of the contact sensor 140 is sent to the control unit 177, which will be described later.

The electric blower 150 includes a motor called a fan motor or a main motor and an impeller rotated by the motor, and is driven to generate a negative pressure. The electric blower 150 sucks dust-containing air into the dust collector 130 from the suction port 301a of the suction port body 300, which will be described later, by the generated negative pressure, and the air from which the dust is separated by the dust collector 130 is collected by the electric vacuum cleaner 10. Exhaust to the outside of. The motor of the electric blower 150 is, for example, a DC motor, but is not limited thereto.

The secondary battery unit 160 supplies the vacuum cleaner 10 with the electric power required for the vacuum cleaner 10 to operate. For example, the secondary battery unit 160 supplies electric power to the electric blower 150, the brush motor 304 described later, the circuit board 170, and the like. In the present embodiment, the secondary battery unit 160 is arranged at the rear end of the main body case 110. The secondary battery unit 160 includes, for example, an outer case 161, a secondary battery 162 (see FIG. 7), and a secondary battery control unit 163 (see FIG. 7). The outer case 161 forms the outer shell of the secondary battery unit 160. The secondary battery 162 and the secondary battery control unit 163 are housed inside the outer case 161. The secondary battery 162 is a secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery and stores electric power. The secondary battery control unit 163 controls charging and discharging of the secondary battery 162 based on a control command from the control unit 177 (main body side control unit) described later.

The circuit board 170 includes a printed wiring board provided with a wiring pattern, and a plurality of electronic components mounted on the printed wiring board. The circuit board 170 includes, for example, a control unit 177 that controls the operation of the vacuum cleaner 10. The circuit board 170 will be described in detail later.

Next, the extension pipe 200 will be described. The extension tube 200 is formed in an elongated shape, for example, and has a first end portion 201 and a second end portion 202. The first end 201 of the extension pipe 200 is airtightly connected to the extension pipe connection portion 111 of the vacuum cleaner main body 100. The second end 202 of the extension pipe 200 is airtightly connected to the suction port 300. Inside the extension pipe 200, a connection wiring for electrically connecting the vacuum cleaner main body 100 and the suction port body 300 is provided.

Next, the suction port body 300 will be described. The suction port body 300 is a portion that is moved along the floor surface. The suction port body 300 includes, for example, a suction port body case 301, a connecting pipe 302, a rotary brush 303, and a brush motor 304.

The suction port body case 301 is formed in a horizontally long shape, that is, in a longitudinal shape in the left-right direction. The suction port body case 301 houses the brush motor 304. The suction port body case 301 has a suction port 301a at a lower portion facing the floor surface. The suction port 301a is an opening for sucking dust on the floor surface by driving the electric blower 150.

The connection pipe 302 is a portion that airtightly connects the suction port body case 301 and the second end portion 202 of the extension pipe 200, and is rotatably connected to the suction port body case 301. By connecting the suction port body case 301 and the extension pipe 200 by the connecting pipe 302, an air passage from the suction port 301a of the suction port body case 301 to the vacuum cleaner main body 100 via the extension pipe 200 is formed. ..

The rotary brush 303 is provided at the suction port 301a and is arranged along the floor surface. The rotary brush 303 is rotatably provided with respect to the suction port body case 301. The rotating brush 303 functions to float dust from the floor surface or to raise the tips of hair such as a carpet.

The brush motor 304 is mechanically connected to the rotary brush 303 via a rotary drive mechanism (not shown) to drive (rotate) the rotary brush 303. The brush motor 304 is, for example, a DC motor, but is not limited thereto.

<1.2 Charging device>
Next, the charging device 20 will be described. The vacuum cleaner 10 when not in use is attached to the charging device 20 in a state where the extension pipe 200 is contracted, for example. The charging device 20 has a receiving portion 21 which is a recess corresponding to the outer shape of the vacuum cleaner 10 and supports the vacuum cleaner 10.

The receiving portion 21 of the charging device 20 is, for example, a suction port body receiving portion 21a that supports the suction port body 300 of the vacuum cleaner 10 from below, and an extension pipe receiving portion that supports the extension pipe 200 of the vacuum cleaner 10 from behind. Includes 21b. The charging device 20 has connection terminals 22A and 22B connected to external connection terminals (not shown) provided in the vacuum cleaner 10, and is electrically connected to an external power source. The secondary battery 162 of the vacuum cleaner 10 is electrically connected to an external power source via the charging device 20 when the vacuum cleaner 10 is attached to the charging device 20, and can be charged by the electric power supplied from the external power source. Is. In the present specification, "power is supplied from the charging device" includes the case where power is supplied from an external power source via the charging device 20.

In the present embodiment, the intake port body receiving portion 21a of the charging device 20 has a plurality of ventilation holes 23. The plurality of ventilation holes 23 communicate with another ventilation hole 24 opened on the side surface of the charging device 20. Therefore, during the drying operation of the electric blower 150 described later, the air exhausted from the suction port 301a of the suction port body 300 due to the reverse rotation of the electric blower 150 is the ventilation holes 23 and 24 of the suction port body receiving portion 21a. Is exhausted to the outside of the charging device 20 via.

Next, the configuration of each part of the vacuum cleaner 10 will be described in detail.
<2. Dust collector>
<2.1 Overall configuration of dust collector>
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the dust collector 130 partially disassembled. The dust collector 130 is, for example, a multi-stage centrifugal dust collector including a first separation unit 131 and a second separation unit 132. More specifically, the dust collector 130 includes, for example, a cup portion 135, a separation main body portion 136, a filter (fine dust collection filter) 137, and a lid body 138.

The cup portion 135 is formed, for example, in the shape of a cylindrical bowl. The cup portion 135 has an intake port 130a. The intake port 130a is connected to the intake air passage 181 (see FIG. 5) of the vacuum cleaner main body 100, and sucks the dust-containing air sucked into the intake air passage 181 by the drive of the electric blower 150 into the dust collector 130. ..

The separation main body 136 has a first main body 136a and a second main body 136b. The first main body portion 136a is inserted inside the cup portion 135. Dust-containing air sucked from the intake port 130a is swirled between the first main body portion 136a and the inner peripheral surface of the cup portion 135 to centrifuge coarse dust, which is relatively large dust, from the air (cyclone). The first separation portion 131 to be separated) is formed. The second main body portion 136b includes a ventilation air passage portion 136ba and a plurality of second separation portions 132. The ventilation air passage portion 136ba guides the air from which the coarse dust has been separated by the first separation portion 131 toward the plurality of second separation portions 132. The second separating portion 132 is formed in a truncated cone shape, for example, reducing the diameter from the rear to the front, and centrifuges fine dust, which is relatively small dust that could not be separated by the first separating portion 131, from the air (cyclone). (Separate) (see FIG. 5). The air from which the fine dust has been separated by the second separation unit 132 is sent to the filter 137.

The filter 137 is arranged between the separation main body 136 and the lid 138. The filter 137 separates (filters and separates) a small amount of dust (fine dust) remaining in the air that has passed through the second separation unit 132. Here, the adhesion of dust to the filter 137 hinders the intake air itself to the dust collector 130, which leads to a decrease in the suction force of the vacuum cleaner 10. Therefore, it is necessary to remove dust by periodically removing the filter 137 and washing it with water. When the dust of the filter 137 is removed, the suction power of the vacuum cleaner 10 is restored.

The lid 138 is detachably attached to the separation main body 136 so that the filter 137 is sandwiched between the separation main body 136 and the lid 138. The lid 138 has an exhaust port 130b. The exhaust port 130b is connected to the exhaust air passage 182 (see FIG. 5) of the vacuum cleaner main body 100, and the air that has passed through the filter 137 is exhausted to the inside of the main body case 110.

The dust collector 130 can be disassembled into a cup portion 135, a separation main body portion 136, a filter 137, and a lid body 138 by the user. The cup portion 135, the separation main body portion 136, the filter 137, and the lid body 138 can be washed with water in a separately disassembled state. However, in the dust collector 130, only some parts such as the filter 137 may be washable with water. Further, the dust collector 130 is not limited to the multi-stage centrifugal type, and may be another type of dust collector. The dust collector 130 is an example of a “structure”. The dust collector 130 is detachably arranged in the wind flow path P1 (see FIG. 5) in the vacuum cleaner 10.

<2.2 filter>
Next, the filter 137 will be described.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the filter 137. The filter 137 has a double structure including, for example, an exterior member (first member) 137a and an internal member (second member) 137b. The exterior member 137a forms the surface of the filter 137. The exterior member 137a is, for example, a flexible sheet member having a large number of pores. The internal member 137b is arranged inside the exterior member 137a and is not exposed on the surface of the filter 137. The inner member 137b is, for example, a sponge-like member, and is made of a material that is harder to dry than the outer member 137a. Therefore, even if the surface of the filter 137 (exterior member 137a) seems to be sufficiently dry, the internal member 137b may not be sufficiently dry. However, the configuration of the filter 137 is not limited to the above-mentioned dual structure.

<3. Circuit board>
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the circuit board 170. For convenience of explanation, some electronic components (for example, capacitors) of the circuit board 170 are not shown. The circuit board 170 has one or more electronic components 171 that realize the switching unit 175 described later, and one or more electronic components 172 that realize the state detection unit 176 and the control unit 177 described later. The electronic component 171 is a semiconductor switching element capable of controlling ON / OFF of a large current, and is, for example, a FET (Field Effect Transistor). The electronic component 171 is an example of a component that generates a large amount of heat in the circuit board 170. On the other hand, the electronic component 172 is an IC (Integrated Circuit) component such as a microcomputer.

Here, the electronic component 171 that realizes the switching unit 175 is an electronic component that handles a relatively large current / voltage in the vacuum cleaner 10. Therefore, if water adheres to the electronic component 171, tracking with an electric potential may occur, and the circuit board 170 may have a problem. Therefore, the region R in which the electronic component 171 is mounted in the circuit board 170 is an example of a region (specific portion) in which the adhesion of water is less preferable than the other portions of the circuit board 170. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, the region R on which the electronic component 171 is mounted in the circuit board 170 is referred to as a “specific portion R”.

<4. Air passage configuration of the vacuum cleaner body and placement position of the circuit board>
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the vacuum cleaner main body 100. Note that in FIG. 5, for convenience of explanation, a portion that is actually a space portion but has nothing to do with the air passage is shown by hatching.

The vacuum cleaner main body 100 has an intake air passage 181, an exhaust air passage 182, a plurality of first exhaust holes 183, and a plurality of second exhaust holes 184 (only one is shown in FIG. 5). The intake air passage 181 is provided between the extension pipe connecting portion 111 and the intake port 130a of the dust collector 130. The intake air passage 181 guides the dust-containing air sucked from the extension pipe 200 into the vacuum cleaner main body 100 toward the intake port 130a of the dust collector 130. The exhaust air passage 182 is provided between the exhaust port 130b of the dust collector 130 and the plurality of exhaust holes 183 and 184. The exhaust air passage 182 guides the air sent from the exhaust port 130b of the dust collector 130 to the inside of the main body case 110 toward the plurality of exhaust holes 183 and 184. More specifically, the exhaust air passage 182 includes a first exhaust air passage 182a, a second exhaust air passage 182b, and a third exhaust air passage 182c.

The first exhaust air passage 182a is provided between the exhaust port 130b of the dust collector 130 and the inlet of the electric blower 150, and allows air sent from the exhaust port 130b of the dust collector 130 to the inside of the main body case 110. , Guide toward the entrance of the electric blower 150. The air guided to the inlet of the electric blower 150 by the first exhaust air passage 182a passes through the inside of the electric blower 150 and reaches the second exhaust air passage 182b. In this process, the electric blower 150 is cooled by the air passing through the electric blower 150.

The second exhaust air passage 182b extends forward and downward from the outlet portion of the electric blower 150. Here, the circuit board 170 is arranged in the second exhaust air passage 182b. The circuit board 170 is located in front of the electric blower 150, for example, in the flow direction of the air discharged from the electric blower 150 to the second exhaust air passage 182b. At least a part of the air that has passed through the electric blower 150 collides with the circuit board 170 and cools the circuit board 170. This promotes heat dissipation of, for example, electronic components 171 and 172. The plurality of first exhaust holes 183 are provided at the lower end of the main body case 110. The second exhaust air passage 182b guides a part of the air flowing through the second exhaust air passage 182b toward the plurality of first exhaust holes 183. As a result, a part of the air flowing through the second exhaust air passage 182b is exhausted to the outside of the vacuum cleaner 10 from the plurality of first exhaust holes 183.

The third exhaust air passage 182c extends rearward from the lower end portion of the second exhaust air passage 182b. The third exhaust air passage 182c passes near the secondary battery unit 160 (for example, below the secondary battery unit 160) and reaches the rear end of the main body case 110. A plurality of second exhaust holes 184 are provided at the rear end of the main body case 110. The third exhaust air passage 182c guides a part of the air flowing through the second exhaust air passage 182b toward the plurality of second exhaust holes 184. As a result, the air flowing through the third exhaust air passage 182c is exhausted to the outside of the vacuum cleaner 10 through the plurality of second exhaust holes 184.

According to the above configuration, in the normal use state of the vacuum cleaner 10, the air sucked from the extension pipe 200 into the vacuum cleaner main body 100 flows in the following wind flow path P1. That is, the air (dust-containing air) sucked from the extension pipe 200 into the vacuum cleaner main body 100 passes through the intake air passage 181, the dust collector 130, the first exhaust air passage 182a, the electric blower 150, and the second exhaust air passage 182b. It passes in this order and is exhausted to the outside of the vacuum cleaner 10 from the plurality of exhaust holes 183 and 184. The circuit board 170 is arranged in the wind flow path P1 of the vacuum cleaner 10 on the downstream side of the dust collector 130 in the wind flow direction in the normal use state of the vacuum cleaner 10.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner main body 100 as viewed from the rear. In the present embodiment, the main body case 110 has an opening 115 provided at the rear end portion of the main body case 110, and a rear end lid 116 that detachably closes the opening 115. The plurality of second exhaust holes 184 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction at the lower end portion of the rear end lid 113, for example.

<5. Vacuum cleaner system configuration>
FIG. 7 is a block diagram showing an electrical connection relationship when the vacuum cleaner 10 is used. Note that FIG. 7 shows an extracted portion related to the control of the electric blower 150. In the present embodiment, the circuit board 170 has a switching unit 175, a state detection unit 176, and a control unit 177.

The switching unit 175 is provided between the secondary battery 162 and the electric blower 150. When the switching unit 175 is closed, electric power is supplied from the secondary battery 162 to the electric blower 150. On the other hand, when the switching unit 175 opens, the supply of electric power from the secondary battery 162 to the electric blower 150 is stopped. The switching unit 175 is ON / OFF controlled at a predetermined cycle according to PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) control by the control unit 177 to supply pulsed input power from the secondary battery 162 to the electric blower 150.

In the present embodiment, the state detection unit 176 and the control unit 177 are provided as at least a part of the circuit board 170. The state detection unit 176 and the control unit 177 are provided as circuit boards separate from the circuit board 170 (circuit board provided with the switching unit 175), and are arranged at positions different from the second exhaust air passage 182b. May be good. This also applies to all the following embodiments and modifications.

The state detection unit 176 detects the attachment / detachment state of the dust collector 130 with respect to the main body case 110 based on the detection result of the contact sensor 140. For example, in the state detection unit 176, the dust collector 130 is removed from the main body case 110 based on the detection result of the contact sensor 140, and the dust collector 130 removed from the main body case 110 is the main body case 110. Detects that it has been reattached to (hereinafter, may be referred to as "reattached"). In other words, the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 has been removed from the wind flow path P1 and then relocated to the wind flow path P1. The state detection unit 176 and the contact sensor 140 receive power from the secondary battery 162 (or from the charging device 20 when the secondary battery 162 is charging) even when the power of the vacuum cleaner 10 is turned off. Supplied and maintain functionality. The state detection unit 176 and the contact sensor 140 do not have to be separate parts, and may be composed of one part.

Further, the state detection unit 176 does not necessarily have to detect the "reattachment" of the dust collector 130, from the state in which the dust collector 130 is not attached to the state in which the dust collector 130 is attached to the main body case 110. The state change of may be detected. Therefore, the description of "reattachment" in the following description means "attachment of the dust collector 130" or "change of state from a state in which the dust collector 130 is not attached to a state in which the dust collector 130 is attached". It may be read as.

The control unit 177 includes, for example, an electric blower control unit 177a and a charge / discharge control unit 177b. The electric blower control unit 177a controls the drive of the electric blower 150 based on the user's operation received by the operation reception unit 121. For example, the electric blower control unit 177a switches from the secondary battery 162 to the electric blower 150 by switching the ON / OFF timing of the switching unit 175 based on the input power target value of the drive mode selected by the user's operation. Change the duty ratio of the supplied input power. For example, the electric blower control unit 177a increases the duty ratio of the input power supplied to the electric blower 150 when the "strong mode" is selected by the user's operation, so that the electric blower 150 has a relatively high rotation speed. To drive. On the other hand, the electric blower control unit 177a reduces the duty ratio of the input power supplied to the electric blower 150 when the "weak mode" is selected by the user's operation, so that the electric blower has a relatively low rotation speed. Drive 150.

In the present embodiment, the electric blower control unit 177a is a user operation input to the operation reception unit 121 when the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 has been removed from the main body case 110. Regardless, the electric blower 150 is not driven. As a result, the electric blower 150 is suppressed from being driven in a state where the dust collector 130 is removed, and the safe operation of the vacuum cleaner 10 is further ensured.

Further, in the present embodiment, the electric blower control unit 177a performs a drying operation of drying the dust collector 130 including the filter 137 when a predetermined condition is satisfied. This drying operation will be described in detail later.

The charge / discharge control unit 177b controls the charging and discharging of the secondary battery 162 by outputting a control command to the secondary battery control unit 163 of the secondary battery unit 160. For example, the charge / discharge control unit 177b issues a control command to discharge the secondary battery 162 when the operation of the user who drives the electric blower 150 is received by the operation reception unit 121, which is the secondary battery control unit of the secondary battery unit 160. Output to 163. Further, the charge / discharge control unit 177b charges the secondary battery 162 when the electric vacuum cleaner 10 is attached to the charging device 20 and the secondary battery 162 is electrically connected to an external power source via the charging device 20. A control command is output to the secondary battery control unit 163 of the secondary battery unit 160.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing an electrical connection relationship during charging of the vacuum cleaner 10. Note that FIG. 8 shows an extracted portion related to the control of the electric blower 150. In the present embodiment, when the vacuum cleaner 10 is attached to the charging device 20, the secondary battery 162 of the vacuum cleaner 10 is electrically connected to the charging device 20 via the first power line L1. The secondary battery 162 is charged by being supplied with electric power from the charging device 20 via the first power line L1. Further, when the vacuum cleaner 10 is attached to the charging device 20, the switching unit 175 of the vacuum cleaner 10 is electrically connected to the charging device 20 via the second power line L2. As a result, the electric blower 150 can be driven by being supplied with electric power from the charging device 20 via the second power line L2 and the switching unit 175. That is, in the present embodiment, the electric blower 150 can be driven by being supplied with electric power from the charging device 20 while the secondary battery 162 is being charged. The first power line L1 and the second power line L2 may be partially common to each other.

<6. Drying operation ＞
Next, the "drying operation" performed by the control unit 177 will be described in detail. Here, when the dust collector 130 is washed with water and is attached to the main body case 110 without being sufficiently dried to use the vacuum cleaner 10, the dust collector 130 (for example, the filter 137) is driven by the electric blower 150. The remaining water may be blown to the downstream side and adhere to the circuit board 170. As described above, when water adheres to the circuit board 170 (for example, the electronic component 171), tracking with an electric potential occurs, and the circuit board 170 may malfunction. Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the predetermined condition is satisfied, a drying operation (operation in a drying mode, which is one of the driving modes of the vacuum cleaner 10) is performed to dry the dust collector 130. Some examples of predetermined conditions for starting the drying operation will be described later.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the flow of wind in the drying operation of the present embodiment. In the present embodiment, when the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control unit 177 controls the electric blower 150 to change at least the direction of wind flow between the dust collector 130 and the circuit board 170, and the electric blower. Drive 150. In addition, in this specification, "changing the wind flow direction" means changing the wind flow direction with respect to the normal use state of the vacuum cleaner 10.

In the present embodiment, when the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control unit 177 changes the wind flow direction by rotating the electric blower 150 in the reverse direction. As shown in FIG. 9, in the drying operation, air flows inside the vacuum cleaner 10 through the following flow path P2. That is, when the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction, the air outside the main body case 110 is sucked into the inside of the main body case 110 through the plurality of second exhaust holes 184. The air sucked into the main body case 110 through the plurality of second exhaust holes 184 flows into the second exhaust air passage 182b through the third exhaust air passage 182c. Further, when the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction, the air outside the main body case 110 is sucked into the inside of the main body case 110 through the plurality of first exhaust holes 183.

The air sucked into the main body case 110 through the plurality of first exhaust holes 183 merges with the air that has flowed into the second exhaust air passage 182b from the plurality of second exhaust holes 184 through the third exhaust air passage 182c. .. The merged air flows through the second exhaust air passage 182b, the electric blower 150, the first exhaust air passage 182a, the dust collector 130, and the intake air passage 181 in this order, and is an extension pipe from the extension pipe connection portion 111 of the vacuum cleaner main body 100. It flows into 200. The air that has flowed into the extension pipe 200 flows into the inside of the suction port body 300 from the extension pipe 200, and is exhausted to the outside of the vacuum cleaner 10 from the suction port 301a of the suction port body 300. When such a drying operation is performed, the air outside the vacuum cleaner 10 passes through the dust collector 130, so that the dust collector 130 (for example, the filter 137) is dried. As a result, the dust collector 130 can be sufficiently dried.

For example, in the case of the flow path P2, the air flowing through the second exhaust air passage 182b collides with the circuit board 170, cools the circuit board 170 (for example, electronic components 171 and 172), and is warmed by the heat of the circuit board 170. .. Further, the air is cooled by the electric blower 150 and warmed by the electric blower 150 even in the process of passing through the electric blower 150. Then, these warmed air passes through the dust collector 130. By passing such warm air through the dust collector 130, the drying of the dust collector 130 can be further promoted.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 177 reattaches the dust collector 130 removed from the main body case 110 to the main body case 110 as a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation (that is, the dust collector 130 is in the wind. When the state detection unit 176 detects that it has been removed from the flow path P1 and then relocated to the wind flow path P1), the drying operation is started. The electric motor control unit 177 performs a drying operation for a predetermined time. The predetermined time may be a fixed time, or the humidity around the vacuum cleaner 10 detected by the humidity sensor provided in the vacuum cleaner 10 or via a communication device provided in the vacuum cleaner 10. It may be set based on the weather information obtained from the outside. As described above, the control unit 177 does not necessarily have to detect the "reattachment" of the dust collector 130, and the dust collector 130 is attached to the main body case 110 from the state where the dust collector 130 is not attached. The state change to the state may be detected. That is, the description of "reattachment" in the present specification includes "attachment of the dust collector 130" or "state change from a state in which the dust collector 130 is not attached to a state in which the dust collector 130 is attached" and the like. May be read as.

In the present embodiment, when the above-mentioned predetermined conditions are satisfied, the control unit 177 performs a drying operation when charging the secondary battery 162. In other words, the control unit 177 detects that the reattachment is detected by the state detection unit 176, and that the vacuum cleaner 10 is attached to the charging device 20 and the secondary battery 162 is connected to the charging device 20. In that case, perform a drying operation. In this case, the control unit 177 outputs a control command for charging the secondary battery 162 to the secondary battery control unit 163 of the secondary battery unit 160, and outputs a control command for rotating the electric blower 150 in the reverse direction to the electric blower 150. To do. In the present specification, "performing a drying operation when charging the secondary battery" means that the reattachment is detected by the state detection unit 176 while the secondary battery 162 is being charged, and the drying operation is performed from the middle of charging the secondary battery 162. When the vacuum cleaner 10 is attached to the charging device 20 after the reattachment is detected by the state detection unit 176, and the drying operation is started substantially at the same time as the start of charging of the secondary battery 162. Including any of the cases.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 177 reversely rotates the electric blower 150 while charging the secondary battery 162, thereby sending the wind warmed by the secondary battery 162 toward the dust collector 130. That is, when the secondary battery 162 is charged, the secondary battery 162 generates heat. Therefore, the air sucked into the main body case 110 from the plurality of second exhaust holes 184 by the reverse rotation of the electric blower 150 generates heat from the secondary battery 162 while flowing through the third exhaust air passage 182c. Receive and warm. By passing the air warmed in this way through the dust collector 130, the drying of the dust collector 130 can be further promoted.

In the present embodiment, the rotation speed of the electric blower 150 during the drying operation is set to be the same as the rotation speed of the electric blower 150 in the "strong mode", for example. However, due to the shape of the impeller and the like, the air volume when the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction is smaller than the air volume when the electric blower 150 is rotated forward at the same rotation speed. Therefore, the air volume by the electric blower 150 during the drying operation is, for example, less than or equal to the air volume by the electric blower 150 in the "weak mode" in the normal use state. The rotation speed of the electric blower 150 during the drying operation may be less than or equal to the rotation speed of the electric blower 150 in the "weak mode" under normal use conditions, and may be even lower. In this case, the quietness of the electric blower 150 during the drying operation can be improved.

According to the configuration described above, the reliability of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be improved. That is, as described above, when the dust collector 130 is attached to the main body case 110 after being washed with water, water may remain in a part of the dust collector 130 (for example, inside the filter 137). If the vacuum cleaner 10 is used in this state, the moisture remaining in the dust collector 130 may fly with the wind due to the suction operation of the electric blower 150 and adhere to the circuit board 170. Even if the surface of the circuit board 170 is coated with a drip-proof coating, if the amount of water adhering to the surface is large, the circuit board 170 may be defective.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 10 controls the electric blower 150 when a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied, so that at least the wind between the dust collector 130 and the circuit board 170 is blown. The electric blower 150 is driven by changing the flow direction from the normal operating state of the vacuum cleaner 10. According to such a configuration, even if water remains in a part of the dust collector 130 (for example, inside the filter 137), the water is prevented from flying from the dust collector 130 toward the circuit board 170. The dust collector 130 can be dried by blowing air to the dust collector 130 while suppressing the dust collection device 130. As a result, the possibility that the circuit board 170 may malfunction due to the moisture remaining in the dust collector 130 can be reduced, and the reliability of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be improved.

According to another viewpoint, the control unit 177 may use a plurality of drive modes (for example, "strong mode" and "weak mode") when the vacuum cleaner 10 is used when a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied. The electric blower 150 is controlled by controlling the electric blower 150 so that the air volume from the dust collector 130 toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170 is smaller than that in the drive mode having the minimum suction force (for example, "weak mode"). Drive. According to such a configuration, the dust collector 130 can be dried while suppressing the moisture from flying from the dust collector 130 toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170. Therefore, the reliability of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be improved. In the present specification, "so that the air volume from the dust collector 130 (structure) toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170 becomes smaller" also includes that the wind direction is opposite.

In this embodiment, the dust collector 130 includes a filter 137. The filter 137 is a portion of the dust collector 130 where water tends to remain. According to such a configuration, the filter 137 can be dried while suppressing the moisture from flying from the filter 137 toward the circuit board 170. As a result, the reliability of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be further improved.

In the present embodiment, the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction when a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied. According to such a configuration, it is possible to blow air to the dust collector 130 to dry the dust collector 130 while more reliably suppressing the moisture from flying from the dust collector 130 toward the circuit board 170. .. Further, by performing the drying operation by rotating the electric blower 150 in the reverse direction, the drying operation can be performed without providing additional parts (air passage changing member 510) as in the second embodiment. As a result, it is possible to improve the reliability of the vacuum cleaner 10 while suppressing an increase in the manufacturing cost of the vacuum cleaner 10.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 177 performs a drying operation when the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 is reattached to the main body case 110. According to such a configuration, the drying operation can be automatically performed without any operation by the user. As a result, the convenience of the user can be improved.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 177 performs a drying operation when charging the secondary battery 162. According to such a configuration, the drying operation can be performed by utilizing the time while the user is not using the vacuum cleaner 10. That is, the drying operation has already been completed at the timing when the user wants to use the vacuum cleaner 10, and the user can use the vacuum cleaner 10 immediately. As a result, the convenience of the user can be improved.

Although the first embodiment has been described above, the first embodiment is not limited to the above example. For example, the shape of the charging device 20 is not limited to the example shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing another example of the charging device 20. In the example shown in FIG. 10, the charging device 20 has a main body support portion 25 to which the vacuum cleaner main body 100 from which the extension pipe 200 has been removed is attached, and an extension pipe support portion to which the extension pipe 200 removed from the vacuum cleaner main body 100 is attached. It has 26 and. When the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction to perform the drying operation, the main body support portion 25 passes the air passing through the flow path P2 shown in FIG. 9 and exhausted from the intake air passage 181 to the inside of the charging device 20. It has a plurality of ventilation holes 27 that allow the charging device 20 to escape to the outside.

The charging device 20 is not limited to the type of charging device that can support the vacuum cleaner 10. For example, the control unit 177 may perform a drying operation when the vacuum cleaner 10 is leaned against a wall of a room or the like and is connected to an external power source via an AC adapter or the like to be charged.

Further, the control unit 177 may perform the drying operation at a timing other than the charging of the secondary battery 162. For example, the control unit 177 is in a state where the secondary battery 162 has already been charged or the vacuum cleaner 10 is not connected to the charging device 20 or the AC adapter (not electrically connected to the external power source). When the predetermined condition is satisfied (for example, when the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 is reattached to the main body case 110), the drying operation may be performed. In this case, the control unit 177 supplies electric power from the secondary battery 162 to the electric blower 150 to perform the drying operation. In other words, the control unit 177 performs a drying operation while discharging the secondary battery 162. Here, when the secondary battery 162 is discharged, the secondary battery 162 generates heat. Therefore, by rotating the electric blower 150 in the reverse direction, the air warmed by the secondary battery 162 can be sent toward the dust collector 130 as in the case of charging. The fact that the drying operation may be performed at a timing other than the charging of the secondary battery 162 is the same in any of the embodiments and modifications described later.

<7. Modification example of the first embodiment>
Next, some modifications of the first embodiment will be described. In each modification, the configurations other than those described below are the same as those in the first embodiment. In addition, each modification described below may be applied in combination with another modification or the second and third embodiments described later, respectively.

(First modification)
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the vacuum cleaner main body 100 of the first modification. In the first modification, the plurality of first exhaust holes 183 are provided closer to the secondary battery unit 160 as compared with the first embodiment. For example, at least a part (for example, more than half) of the plurality of first exhaust holes 183 is provided behind the front end 160a of the secondary battery unit 160 (upstream in the wind flow direction during the drying operation). From another point of view, at least half of the plurality of exhaust ports including the plurality of first exhaust holes 183 and the plurality of second exhaust holes 184 are rearward from the front end 160a of the secondary battery unit 160. It is provided in.

According to such a configuration, when the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction during charging or discharging of the secondary battery 162 to perform the drying operation, more air warmed by the secondary battery 162 is collected by the dust collector 130. Can be sent to. As a result, the time required for the dust collector 130 to be sufficiently dried can be further shortened.

(Second modification)
FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a partially disassembled dust collector 130 of the second modified example. The second modification is an example in which the contact sensor unit 401 for detecting the attachment / detachment of the filter 137 is provided in the dust collector 130. The contact sensor unit 401 includes, for example, a contact sensor, a storage unit, a small power supply, and a cover. The contact sensor is provided on the lid 138 at a portion facing the filter 137. The contact sensor separates from the filter 137 when the lid 138 is removed from the separation body 136 and detects that the filter 137 is absent. The contact sensor contacts the filter 137 when the lid 138 is attached to the separation main body 136 with the filter 137 sandwiched between the separation main body 136 and the lid 138, and detects the presence of the filter 137. To do. The storage unit stores the detection result of the contact sensor. The small power supply supplies power to the contact sensor and the storage unit in a state where the dust collector 130 is removed from the main body case 110. The cover is waterproof and flexible, and integrally covers the contact sensor, storage, and small power supply. The state detection unit 176 and the contact sensor unit 401 do not have to be separate parts, and may be composed of one part.

When the dust collector 130 is attached to the main body case 110, the contact sensor unit 401 is electrically connected to the control unit 177 via a terminal (not shown) exposed on the surface of the cover and a terminal on the main body case 110 side. Will be done. The detection result of the contact sensor stored in the storage unit of the contact sensor unit 401 is output to the control unit 177 when the dust collector 130 is attached to the main body case 110. The configuration and arrangement of the contact sensor unit 401 are not limited to the above example. For example, the contact sensor unit 401 may be provided on the separation main body 136 instead of the lid 138.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram showing an electrical connection relationship of the vacuum cleaner 10 of the second modification. In the second modification, the control unit 177 detects the attachment / detachment state of the filter 137 with respect to the separation main body unit 136 and the lid body 138 based on the detection result of the contact sensor unit 401 (the detection result of the contact sensor stored in the storage unit). To do. For example, when the contact sensor detects that the filter 137 has been separated from the contact sensor, the state detection unit 176A considers that the filter 137 has been removed from between the separation main body 136 and the lid 138. The removal of the filter 137 with respect to the separation main body 136 and the lid 138 is detected. Further, in the state detection unit 176A, when the contact sensor detects that the contact sensor comes into contact with the filter 137 again, the filter 137 removed from between the separation main body 136 and the lid 138 is removed from the separation main body 136 and the lid. It detects that it has been reattached to the body 138 (hereinafter, may be referred to as "reattachment" of the filter 137). In other words, the state detection unit 176A detects that the filter 137 has been removed from the wind flow path P1 and then relocated to the wind flow path P1.

In this modification, the control unit 177 is reattached with the filter 137 removed from between the separation main body unit 136 and the lid body 138 as a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation (that is, the filter 137 is wind-proof). When the state detection unit 176A detects that it has been removed from the flow path P1 and then relocated to the wind flow path P1), the drying operation is started.

According to such a configuration, it is possible to determine whether or not to perform the drying operation based on whether or not the filter 137 is removed. Therefore, even when the dust collector 130 is removed from the main body case 110, the operation is a user operation without washing the filter 137 with water (for example, an operation of simply discarding the dust in the dust collector 130). , It is possible to suppress the occurrence of unnecessary drying operation. As a result, the convenience of the user can be further improved. In the case of this modification, the contact sensor 140 that detects the attachment of the dust collector 130 may be omitted.

Further, in this modification, the control unit 177 detects that the filter 137 has been removed from the separation main body unit 136 and the lid body 138 by the state detection unit 176A (when the reattachment of the filter 137 is not detected). ), The electric blower 150 is not driven regardless of the user's operation input to the operation reception unit 121. As a result, it is suppressed that the electric blower 150 is driven in a state where the filter 137 is removed, and a safer operation of the vacuum cleaner 10 is ensured.

(Third modification example)
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view showing the vacuum cleaner main body 100 of the third modification. In the third modification, for example, when it is detected that the dust collector 130 removed from the main body case 110 is reattached to the main body case 110, the electric blower 150 is driven at least temporarily to drive the electric vacuum cleaner 10. This is an example in which the humidity of the air flowing inside is detected, and when the detected humidity is equal to or higher than the threshold value, the drying operation is performed assuming that the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied.

More specifically, the vacuum cleaner body 100 has a humidity sensor 411. The humidity sensor 411 is provided, for example, on the downstream side of the dust collector 130 in the direction of wind flow when the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction. For example, the humidity sensor 411 is provided in the intake air passage 181. The humidity sensor 411 detects the humidity of the air passing through the dust collector 130 and flowing through the intake air passage 181 when the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction.

When the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 removed from the main body case 110 is reattached to the main body case 110, the control unit 177 rotates the electric blower 150 in the reverse direction. Then, with the electric blower 150 rotated in the reverse direction, the humidity sensor 411 detects the humidity of the air flowing through the intake air passage 181. When the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 411 is equal to or higher than the first threshold value, the control unit 177 determines that the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied, and performs the drying operation. The humidity detected by the humidity sensor 411 is an example of "value related to humidity".

The control unit 177 may change the length of time for the drying operation according to the magnitude of the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 411. For example, the control unit 177 may lengthen the time required for the drying operation as the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 411 is higher. Further, the control unit 177 may monitor the value detected by the humidity sensor 411 and perform the drying operation until the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 411 becomes less than the second threshold value. The second threshold value may be the same value as the first threshold value, or may be a value different from the first threshold value.

According to such a configuration, the case where water remains in the dust collector 130 can be detected with higher accuracy. As a result, it is possible to suppress unnecessary drying operation when the dust collector 130 is not washed with water or when the dust collector 130 is already sufficiently dried. As a result, the convenience of the user can be further improved.

Instead of the above, when the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 removed from the main body case 110 is reattached to the main body case 110, the control unit 177 is before driving the electric blower 150. The difference between the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 411 (first humidity) and the humidity detected by the humidity sensor 411 with the electric blower 150 driven (reverse rotation) is equal to or greater than the third threshold value. If this is the case, it may be determined that the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied, and the drying operation may be performed. According to such a configuration, when the humidity of the room is high due to the weather or the like, it is possible to prevent the dust collector 130 from being erroneously detected as having been washed with water and performing a drying operation. The above difference value is an example of "value related to humidity".

In this case, the control unit 177 may change the length of time for performing the drying operation according to the magnitude of the difference value between the first humidity and the second humidity. For example, the control unit 177 may lengthen the time for performing the drying operation as the difference value of the humidity detected by the first humidity and the second humidity becomes larger. Further, the control unit 177 monitors the value (second humidity) detected by the humidity sensor 411 while driving the electric blower 150, and the difference value between the first humidity and the second humidity becomes less than the fourth threshold value. You may perform the drying operation until. The fourth threshold value may be the same value as the third threshold value, or may be a value different from the third threshold value.

In this modified example, it is not essential that the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 is reattached to the main body case 110 as a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation. The control unit 177 may start the drying operation at another timing when the value related to humidity is equal to or higher than the threshold value. This also applies to the fourth modification.

Further, as will be described in detail later, when the electric blower 150 is rotated forward to perform the drying operation as in the second and third embodiments described later, the humidity sensor 411 uses the exhaust air passage 182 (for example, the first one). It is provided in the exhaust air passage 182a).

(Fourth modification)
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view showing the vacuum cleaner main body 100 of the fourth modified example. In the fourth modification, when it is detected that the dust collector 130 removed from the main body case 110 is reattached to the main body case 110, the electric blower 150 is driven to drive the air flowing inside the vacuum cleaner 10. Humidity is detected by two humidity sensors 421 and 422, and when the difference value of the humidity detected by the two humidity sensors 421 and 422 is equal to or greater than the threshold value, the drying operation is performed assuming that the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied. This is an example to do.

More specifically, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 has a first humidity sensor 421 and a second humidity sensor 422. The first humidity sensor 421 is provided on the upstream side of the dust collector 130 in the direction of wind flow when the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction. For example, the first humidity sensor 421 is provided in the exhaust air passage 182 (for example, the first exhaust air passage 182a). The first humidity sensor 421 detects the humidity of the air before passing through the dust collector 130. On the other hand, the second humidity sensor 422 is provided on the downstream side of the dust collector 130 in the direction of wind flow when the electric blower 150 is rotated in the reverse direction. For example, the second humidity sensor 422 is provided in the intake air passage 181. The second humidity sensor 422 detects the humidity of the air after passing through the dust collector 130.

When the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 removed from the main body case 110 is reattached to the main body case 110, the control unit 177 rotates the electric blower 150 in the reverse direction. Then, with the electric blower 150 rotated in the reverse direction, the humidity of the air is detected by the first humidity sensor 421 and the second humidity sensor 422. When the difference value of the humidity detected by the first humidity sensor 421 and the second humidity sensor 422 is equal to or greater than the fifth threshold value, the control unit 177 determines that the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied, and performs the drying operation. Do. The above difference value is an example of "value related to humidity".

The control unit 177 may change the length of time for the drying operation according to the magnitude of the difference value of the humidity detected by the first humidity sensor 421 and the second humidity sensor 422. For example, the control unit 177 may lengthen the time required for the drying operation as the difference value of the humidity detected by the first humidity sensor 421 and the second humidity sensor 422 is larger. Further, the control unit 177 may monitor the difference value of the humidity detected by the first humidity sensor 421 and the second humidity sensor 422, and perform the drying operation until the difference value becomes less than the sixth threshold value. The sixth threshold value may be the same value as the fifth threshold value, or may be a value different from the fifth threshold value. The names such as "first" and "second" regarding the threshold value described above are for convenience of explanation and may be reassigned as appropriate.

Further, as will be described in detail later, when the electric blower 150 is rotated forward to perform the drying operation as in the second and third embodiments described later, the first humidity sensor 421 is provided in the intake air passage 181. The second humidity sensor 422 is provided in the exhaust air passage 182 (for example, the first exhaust air passage 182a).

(Fifth modification)
The fifth modification is an example in which when the operation of the user who selects the drying operation is received by the operation receiving unit 121, the drying operation is performed assuming that the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied.

In this modification, the operation receiving unit 121 can accept the operation of the user who selects the drying operation (drying mode). For example, the drying operation is selected by long-pressing one operation button 121a included in the operation reception unit 121. The operation of the user who selects the drying operation is an example of "the operation of the user who selects a specific mode". As the drying operation, the operation reception unit 121 may perform a quiet and relatively long-time drying operation (normal drying operation), or may make a certain amount of noise, so that a short-time drying operation (rapid drying operation) may be performed. It may be possible to accept the user's choice of whether to do it.

When the operation of the user who selects the drying operation is accepted by the operation receiving unit 121, the control unit 177 determines that the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied, and starts the drying operation. In this modification as well, the drying operation may be performed when the secondary battery 162 is being charged, or may be performed at a timing other than when the secondary battery 162 is being charged. When the operation of the user who selects "rapid drying operation" is accepted by the operation receiving unit 121, the control unit 177 rotates the electric blower 150 during the drying operation as compared with the case where "normal drying operation" is selected. Increase the number.

According to another viewpoint, when the operation of the user who selects the drying operation is received by the operation reception unit 121, the control unit 177 has a higher suction force than the drive mode having the maximum suction force among the plurality of drive modes (furthermore). Speaking of which, the electric blower 150 is controlled to drive the electric blower 150 so that the air volume from the dust collector 130 toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170 becomes smaller (for example, than the minimum drive mode). As described above, in the present specification, "so that the air volume from the dust collector 130 (structure) toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170 becomes smaller" also includes that the wind direction is opposite.

According to such a configuration, the drying operation can be performed at an arbitrary timing specified by the user. As a result, the convenience of the user can be enhanced. Further, according to such a configuration, it is possible to prevent the dust collector 130 from being erroneously detected as having been washed with water and the drying operation being performed. Further, according to this modification, the contact sensor 140, the contact sensor unit 401, the humidity sensors 421 and 422, and the like can be omitted. Therefore, it is possible to improve the reliability of the vacuum cleaner 10 while suppressing an increase in the manufacturing cost of the vacuum cleaner 10. In this modified example, it is not essential that the state detection unit 176 detects that the dust collector 130 is reattached to the main body case 110 as a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation.

(Second Embodiment)
Next, the second embodiment will be described. The second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the air passage changing member 510 provided in the vacuum cleaner main body 100 is controlled when the drying operation is performed. The configuration other than that described below is the same as that of the first embodiment.

16 and 17 are cross-sectional views showing the vacuum cleaner main body 100 of the second embodiment. In the present embodiment, the vacuum cleaner main body 100 includes an air passage changing member (air passage changing unit) 510. The air passage changing member 510 is provided between the dust collector 130 and the circuit board 170 in the direction of wind flow in the normal use state of the vacuum cleaner. For example, the air passage changing member 510 is provided in the second exhaust air passage 182b and is located between the electric blower 150 and the circuit board 170. The air passage changing member 510 includes a wind guide 511 that regulates the flow direction of the wind, and a driving member 512 (see FIG. 17) that moves the wind guide 511 between the retracted position and the protruding position. The drive member 512 is, for example, a solenoid, but is not limited thereto. The air passage changing member 510 is an example of the “changing means”.

FIG. 16 shows a state in which the wind guide 511 is located at the retracted position (first position). The wind guide 511 is located at the retracted position at a position that does not substantially obstruct the flow of wind from the electric blower 150 to the circuit board 170. For example, the wind guide 511 does not substantially overlap the circuit board 170 when viewed in the direction D from the electric blower 150 toward the circuit board 170. For example, the wind guide 511 does not overlap with the specific region R (the region on which the electronic component 171 is mounted) of the circuit board 170 when viewed in the direction D. Therefore, the wind from the electric blower 150 collides with substantially the entire area of the circuit board 170, and the heat dissipation of the circuit board 170 (for example, the electronic component 171) is efficiently promoted.

FIG. 17 shows a state in which the wind guide 511 is located at the protruding position (second position). The wind guide 511 protrudes between the electric blower 150 and the circuit board 170 at the protruding position. For example, the wind guide 511 covers a large area of the circuit board 170 as compared with the retracted position when viewed in the direction D from the electric blower 150 toward the circuit board 170. For example, the wind guide 511 is formed in a plate shape, and directs the flow of wind from the electric blower 150 toward the circuit board 170 toward the first exhaust hole 183.

FIG. 18 is a plan view showing the relationship between the wind guide 511 and the circuit board 170. FIG. 18 is a view from the direction D from the electric blower 150 toward the circuit board 170, and is a diagram showing a state in which the wind guide 511 is in the protruding position. As shown in FIG. 18, the wind guide 511 in the protruding position covers at least a specific portion R in the circuit board 170. The wind guide 511 at the protruding position may cover the entire area of the circuit board 170.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 177 controls the drive member 512 in the normal use state of the vacuum cleaner 10 and retracts the wind guide 511 to the retracted position. On the other hand, the control unit 177 moves the wind guide 511 to the protruding position by controlling the drive member 512 when the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied. As a result, at least the wind flow path P1 between the dust collector 130 and the circuit board 170 is changed to become the path P3. Note that "changing the wind flow path" means changing the wind flow path with respect to the usage state in which cleaning is performed using the vacuum cleaner 10.

In the present embodiment, the control unit 177 moves the wind guide 511 to the protruding position when the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied, so that the wind is generated between the dust collector 130 and the circuit board 170. The flow path P1 is changed to the flow path P3, and the electric blower 150 is driven to rotate the electric blower 150 forward. As a result, in the drying operation, the air that has passed through the dust collector 130 is sent to the second exhaust air passage 182b in the same manner as in the normal use state of the vacuum cleaner 10. However, in the present embodiment, since the wind guide 511 is moved to the protruding position, the wind that has passed through the dust collector 130 during the drying operation does not hit the specific portion R of the circuit board 170.

When the control unit 177 drives the electric blower 150 to perform the drying operation, the control unit 177 drives the electric blower 150 into a plurality of drive modes (for example, "strong mode" and "weak mode") in the normal use state of the vacuum cleaner 10. The electric blower 150 is driven at a rotation speed lower than that of the drive mode (“strong mode”) in which the suction force is maximum in the mode ”). For example, the control unit 177 drives the electric blower 150 at the same or lower rotation speed as the drive mode having the minimum suction force among the plurality of drive modes (for example, "strong mode" and "weak mode"). As a result, the heat generation of the electronic component 171 can be suppressed in a state where the wind guide 511 does not blow the specific portion R of the circuit board 170 and the efficient heat dissipation of the electronic component 171 cannot be expected.

According to such a configuration, even if water remains in a part of the dust collector 130 (for example, inside the filter 137), the water content is directed from the dust collector 130 toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170. The dust collector 130 can be dried by blowing wind to the dust collector 130 while suppressing the flying of the dust collector 130. As a result, the possibility that the circuit board 170 may malfunction due to the moisture remaining in the dust collector 130 can be reduced, and the reliability of the vacuum cleaner 10 can be improved.

According to another aspect, the control unit 177 has a plurality of drive modes (for example, "strong mode" and "weak mode") when the vacuum cleaner 10 is used when a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied. The air passage changing member 510 is controlled so that the air volume from the dust collector 130 toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170 is smaller than that in the drive mode with the minimum suction force (for example, "weak mode"), and is electrically operated. Drive the blower 150. According to such a configuration, the dust collector 130 can be dried while suppressing the moisture from flying from the dust collector 130 toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170.

Also in the present embodiment, the drying operation may be performed at the time of charging the secondary battery 162, or may be performed at a timing other than the charging of the secondary battery 162.

In the drying operation of the present embodiment, similarly to the third modification of the first embodiment, the electric blower 150 is driven to detect the humidity of the air flowing inside the vacuum cleaner 10, and the value related to the humidity is equal to or higher than the threshold value. It may be done in some cases. In this case, the humidity sensor 411 is provided in the exhaust air passage 182.

Further, in the drying operation of the present embodiment, the humidity of the air flowing inside the vacuum cleaner 10 is detected by the two humidity sensors 421 and 422 by driving the electric blower 150 as in the fourth modification of the first embodiment. However, it may be performed when the value related to humidity is equal to or higher than the threshold value. In this case, the first humidity sensor 421 is provided in the intake air passage 181 and the second humidity sensor 422 is provided in the exhaust air passage 182.

(Third Embodiment)
Next, a third embodiment will be described. The third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the electric blower 150 is driven in a forward rotation and the strength of the wind flow is weakened when the drying operation is performed. The configuration other than that described below is the same as that of the first embodiment.

FIG. 19 is a diagram showing an example of the current value of the input power input to the electric blower 150 in each drive mode. In the present embodiment, when the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied, the control unit 177 is among a plurality of drive modes (for example, "strong mode" and "weak mode") during normal use of the vacuum cleaner 10. The electric blower 150 is rotated at a rotation speed even lower than that of the drive mode (for example, "weak mode") having the smallest suction force. This drying operation may be performed when the secondary battery 162 is being charged, or may be performed at a timing other than when the secondary battery 162 is being charged.

According to another viewpoint, the control unit 177 may use a plurality of drive modes (for example, "strong mode" and "weak mode") when the vacuum cleaner 10 is used when a predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied. The electric blower 150 is controlled so that the air volume from the dust collector 130 toward the specific portion R of the circuit board 170 is smaller than that in the drive mode with the minimum suction force (for example, "weak mode"), and the electric blower 150 is used. To drive.

According to such a configuration, even if water remains in a part of the dust collector 130 (for example, inside the filter 137), the water is collected while suppressing the water from flying in the form of water droplets. Air can be blown to the dust device 130 to dry the dust collector 130. As a result, it is possible to reduce the possibility that water droplets adhere to the circuit board 170 and cause a problem in the circuit board 170, and improve the reliability of the vacuum cleaner 10.

Although some embodiments and modifications have been described above, the embodiments are not limited to the above examples. For example, the above-described embodiments and modifications may be realized in appropriate combinations with each other. For example, the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is not limited to the above-mentioned example. Further, even if the operation of the user who selects the start of operation of the vacuum cleaner 10 is accepted by the operation reception unit 121, the control unit 177 operates the user when the predetermined condition for starting the drying operation is satisfied. The drying operation may be performed by changing the wind flow direction or the wind flow path by controlling the electric blower 150 or the air passage changing member 510 before the operation corresponding to the above.

For example, when the electric blower 150 is driven in a drive mode (for example, "weak mode") in which the rotation speed is lower than the drive mode having the maximum suction force among the plurality of drive modes due to the structure of the vacuum cleaner 10. When the amount of water flying from the dust collector 130 to the circuit board 170 is less than the allowable amount, the drying operation is electrically operated at the same rotation speed as the drive mode (the drive mode in which the rotation speed is lower than the drive mode in which the suction force is maximum). The blower 150 may be rotated forward.

Further, the vacuum cleaner 10 may perform a drying operation every time it is attached to the charging device 20. In this case, the determination by the state determination unit 176 may not be performed.

According to at least one embodiment described above, the vacuum cleaner has a circuit when a predetermined condition is satisfied, as compared with the drive mode having the smallest suction force among the plurality of drive modes when the vacuum cleaner is used. Reliability can be improved by having a control unit that controls an electric blower or a changing means so that the air volume toward a specific portion of the substrate becomes small.

Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. These embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, replacements, and changes can be made without departing from the gist of the invention. These embodiments and modifications thereof are included in the scope and gist of the invention, as well as in the scope of the invention described in the claims and the equivalent scope thereof.

10 ... Vacuum cleaner, 100 ... Vacuum cleaner body, 121 ... Operation reception unit, 130 ... Dust collector (structure), 137 ... Filter, 150 ... Electric blower, 160 ... Secondary battery unit, 162 ... Secondary battery, 170 ... Circuit board, 175 ... Switching unit, 176 ... State detection unit, 177 ... Control unit, 510 ... Air passage changing member, 511 ... Wind guide, 512 ... Drive member, R ... Specific part of circuit board, P1, P2 P3 ... Wind flow path.

Claims (11)

With the main body case
The electric blower provided in the main body case and
A structure that is detachably placed in the wind flow path of a vacuum cleaner and that at least part of it can be washed with water.
In the wind flow path, a circuit board arranged on the downstream side of the structure in the wind flow direction in a used state where cleaning is performed using the vacuum cleaner, and
It is provided as at least a part of the circuit board or separately from the circuit board, and when a predetermined condition is satisfied, it is arranged between the structure and the circuit board by the electric blower or the wind flow path. By controlling the changed means, at least the control unit that drives the electric blower by changing the wind flow direction or the wind flow path between the structure and the circuit board from the usage state. ,
Vacuum cleaner equipped with. The structure includes a filter.
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1. When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control unit changes the flow direction of the wind by rotating the electric blower in the reverse direction with respect to the usage state.
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2. Further equipped with a secondary battery provided in the main body case,
When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control unit is heated by the secondary battery by rotating the electric blower in the reverse direction with respect to the usage state while charging or discharging the secondary battery. Send the wind towards the structure,
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 3. When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control unit changes the wind flow path by controlling the changing means.
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2. Further comprising a state detection unit capable of detecting that the structure or a filter contained in the structure is arranged in the wind flow path.
The predetermined condition includes that the state detection unit detects that the structure or the filter removed from the wind flow path is arranged in the wind flow path.
The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 5. Further provided with a humidity detector for detecting the humidity of air passing through the wind flow path,
The predetermined condition includes that the value related to the humidity detected by the humidity detection unit is equal to or higher than the threshold value.
The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 6. It also has an operation reception unit that accepts user operations.
The predetermined condition includes that the operation of the user who selects the specific mode is accepted by the operation reception unit.
The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 7. Further equipped with a secondary battery provided in the main body case,
When the predetermined condition is satisfied, the control unit controls the electric blower or the changing means at the time of charging the secondary battery, so that at least the wind can be generated between the structure and the circuit board. The electric blower is driven by changing the flow direction or the flow path of the wind from the usage state.
The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 8. With the main body case
The electric blower provided in the main body case and
A structure that is detachably placed in the wind flow path of a vacuum cleaner and that at least part of it can be washed with water.
In the wind flow path, a circuit board arranged on the downstream side of the structure in the wind flow direction in a used state where cleaning is performed using the vacuum cleaner, and
When a predetermined condition is satisfied by being provided as at least a part of the circuit board or separately from the circuit board, the drive mode having the minimum suction force among the plurality of drive modes when the vacuum cleaner is used is used. Also controls the electric blower or the changing means arranged between the structure and the circuit board in the wind flow path so that the air volume from the structure to the specific portion of the circuit board becomes small. In addition, the control unit that drives the electric blower and
Vacuum cleaner equipped with. With the main body case
The electric blower provided in the main body case and
A structure that is detachably placed in the wind flow path of a vacuum cleaner and that at least part of it can be washed with water.
In the wind flow path, a circuit board arranged on the downstream side of the structure in the wind flow direction in a used state where cleaning is performed using the vacuum cleaner, and
An operation reception unit that can accept the selection of a plurality of drive modes when using the vacuum cleaner and the selection of the drying mode for drying the structure.
When the operation of the user who selects the drying mode is received by the operation receiving unit, which is provided as at least a part of the circuit board or separately from the circuit board, the attractive force is generated in the plurality of drive modes. It is arranged between the structure and the circuit board in the electric blower or the air flow path so that the air volume from the structure to the specific portion of the circuit board is smaller than the maximum drive mode. A control unit that controls the changing means and drives the electric blower,
Vacuum cleaner equipped with.

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