JP4657340B2 - Electric vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a vacuum cleaner that removes dust by a swirling airflow.

Conventionally, a vacuum cleaner is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-252838 (Patent Document 1).
JP 2007-252838 A

  In the conventional vacuum cleaner, the packing member is connected to the cyclone dust collector side with an adhesive at one end of the duct portion. Such a connection has problems such as a decrease in hermeticity due to adhesion peeling.

  Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and an object thereof is to provide a vacuum cleaner having a duct portion with high airtightness.

A vacuum cleaner according to the present invention includes a cyclone dust collecting device having a dust cup that collects dust by a swirling airflow, having an introduction port for introducing a swirling airflow containing dust and an opening serving as an air outlet, and an air A duct that guides air from the opening serving as the outlet of the vacuum cleaner to the main body of the vacuum cleaner, an annular packing that maintains the airtightness between the duct and the opening of the cyclone dust collector, and the packing as a duct. And a packing fixing part to be fixed.

In the vacuum cleaner configured as described above, by providing the packing fixing portion, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner in which the packing portion is fixed to the duct portion and the duct portion has high airtightness.

Preferably, the contact surface between the duct portion of the packing part, and projections are provided for maintaining the air tightness between the packing portion and the duct portion.

Preferably, on the entire circumference of the air inflow surface of the duct portion, a fall prevention wall surface is provided for preventing the duct portion of the packing portion from dropping into the air inflow portion.

Preferably, the packing fixing part is substantially U-shaped.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an external view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, a schematic configuration of a vacuum cleaner 400 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner 400 includes a cleaner main body 410, an air inlet 420, a connection pipe 430, a connection hose 440, an operation handle 450, and the like. The vacuum cleaner main body 410 includes an electric blower, a cyclone dust collector, a control device, and the like that are not shown in FIG.

  The electric blower has a blower fan for performing intake air and a blower drive motor that rotationally drives the blower fan. The control device includes control devices such as a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and a ROM (Read Only Memory), and comprehensively controls the vacuum cleaner 400. Specifically, in the control device, the CPU executes various processes according to a control program stored in the ROM.

  The operation handle 450 is provided with operation switches for the user to perform operations such as whether or not the vacuum cleaner 400 is operated and an operation mode selection operation. A display unit such as an LED (Light Emitting Diodes) that displays the current state of the vacuum cleaner 400 is also provided in the vicinity of the operation switch.

  The vacuum cleaner main body 410 is connected to the air inlet 420 via a connection hose 440 connected to the front end of the vacuum cleaner main body 410 and a connection pipe 430 connected to the connection hose 440. Therefore, in the electric vacuum cleaner 400, the electric blower incorporated in the cleaner main body 410 is operated, whereby intake from the intake port 420 is performed. Then, the air sucked from the intake port 420 flows into the cyclone dust collector through the connection pipe 430 and the connection hose 440. In the cyclone dust collector, dust is centrifuged from the sucked air. The air after the dust is separated by the cyclone dust collector is exhausted from an exhaust port provided at the rear end of the cleaner body 410.

  Hereinafter, the cyclone dust collector which is an example of the cyclone dust collector which concerns on this invention is demonstrated.

  FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view for illustrating the internal structure of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state where the cyclone dust collector constituting the electric vacuum cleaner in FIG. 2 discharges dust. As shown in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 300 has a casing 10, an inner peripheral surface that is substantially cylindrical, and a dust collecting container 11 (an example of a collecting container) that is detachable from the casing 10. ), An inner cylinder 12, an upper filter unit 13, a dust receiving portion 14, a dust removal drive mechanism, and the like.

  In the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 300, the dust collecting container 11, the inner cylinder 12, the upper filter unit 13, and the dust receiving unit 14 are coaxially arranged with the vertical central axis P as the center. Moreover, the cyclone dust collector 300 is configured to be detachable from the cleaner body 410.

  The housing 10, which is an example of the upper lid, includes an inner cylinder 12 that includes an inner cylinder filter 122.

  In the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 300, the air in the dust collecting container 11 is exhausted from the inner cylinder 12 provided in the central part of the substantially cylindrical dust collecting container 11, thereby being provided in the inner peripheral part of the dust collecting container 11. After the air sucked from the air inlet 111a is swung along the inner peripheral surface of the dust collecting container 11, it is exhausted through the inner cylinder 12 through the upper filter unit 13 which is an example of the filter means, The relatively large collection target contained is collected at the bottom of the dust collecting container 11, and the relatively small collection target is collected by the upper filter unit 13 or the like.

  The dust collecting container 11 is a container having a cylindrical inner peripheral surface for accommodating dust separated from the sucked air and a cylindrical outer shape. The dust collecting container 11 is configured to be detachable from the casing 10 of the cyclone dust collecting apparatus 300.

  A bottom lid 310 is attached to the bottom of the dust collecting container 11 so as to be openable and closable. FIG. 2 shows a state where the bottom cover 310 is closed. The user removes the dust in the dust collecting container 11 by opening the bottom cover 310 after taking out the cyclone dust collecting device 300 from the cleaner body 410.

  An annular seal member 161 is provided between the casing 10 of the cyclone dust collector 300 and the dust container 11. The seal member 161 can prevent air leakage between the housing 10 and the dust collecting container 11.

  In addition, the bottom cover 310 of the dust collecting container 11 is provided with a fitting portion 11 a that fits into the rotating shaft portion 123 b provided on the inner cylinder 12. An annular seal member 11b for filling a gap with the rotation shaft portion 123b of the inner cylinder 12 is provided on the outer peripheral portion of the fitting portion 11a. The seal member 11b can prevent air leakage between the rotary shaft portion 123b and the dust collecting container 11.

  Furthermore, the dust collection container 11 is provided with a connection portion 111 to which the connection hose 440 is connected. Air sucked from the inlet port 420 through the connecting pipe 430 and the connecting hose 440 flows into the dust collecting container 11 from the connecting part 111.

  The air inlet 111 a of the connecting portion 111 to the dust collecting container 11 is formed so that air from the connection hose 440 swirls within the dust collecting container 11. Specifically, the air inlet 111 a is formed so as to face the tangential direction of the dust collecting container 11, so that the air sucked from the air inlet 111 a swirls along the inner periphery of the dust collecting container 11. To do. Accordingly, the dust contained in the swirling air is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the dust collecting container 11 by centrifugal force due to the swirling, and therefore, the swirling speed is lost and falls to the bottom of the dust collecting container 11 and separated from the swirling air. (Centrifugation). The dust centrifuged in the dust collection container 11 is accommodated in the bottom of the dust collection container 11.

  On the other hand, the air after the dust is separated is exhausted from the dust collecting container 11 to the outside through the exhaust port provided in the cleaner body 410 along the exhaust path indicated by the arrow 112a. Here, on the exhaust path 112 from the dust collecting container 11 to the exhaust port, the inner cylinder 12, the dust receiving part 14 and the upper filter unit 13 are arranged in order, and relatively fine dust in the airflow is collected in the inner cylinder. 12 and the filter provided in the upper filter unit 13.

  The inner cylinder 12 is a cylindrical member disposed in the dust collection container 11. Here, the inner cylinder 12 is rotatably supported by the dust receiver 14. Specifically, the inner cylinder 12 is configured such that the annular recess 12a provided at the upper end of the inner cylinder 12 is supported by the annular support part 14c provided at the lower end of the dust receiver 14, thereby It is suspended so that it can rotate together. In addition, the structure which supports the inner cylinder 12 rotatably is not restricted to this. For example, it is conceivable as an example to support the upper and lower ends of the inner cylinder 12.

  The inner cylinder 12 is coupled to the inclined dust removing member 134 so as to be integrally rotatable. As a result, the inner cylinder 12 rotates in conjunction with the inclined dust removing member 134. In addition, the connection structure of the inner cylinder 12 and the inclination dust removal member 134 is not restricted to this. For example, the structure connected so that integral rotation is possible by fitting the fitting part provided in each of the inner cylinder 12 and the inclination dust removal member 134 is considered.

  In addition, an inner cylinder exhaust port 121 for exhausting the air after the dust is separated in the dust collecting container 11 toward the upper filter unit 13 is formed in the upper part of the inner cylinder 12. The inner cylinder exhaust port 121 is provided with an inner cylinder filter 122 having an inner cylinder shape that covers the entire inner cylinder exhaust port 121. The inner cylinder filter 122 filters air passing through the inner cylinder exhaust port 121.

  For example, the inner cylinder filter 122 is a mesh-shaped air filter or the like. The inner cylinder filter 122 may be provided either inside or outside the inner cylinder exhaust port 121. Further, instead of the inner cylinder exhaust port 121 and the inner cylinder filter 122, a configuration in which a mesh-like hole is formed in the inner cylinder 12 is also conceivable. In that case, the mesh holes function as the inner cylinder exhaust port 121 and the inner cylinder filter 122.

  At the lower part of the inner cylinder 12, there is provided a spiral rotary compression unit 123 that can rotate around a vertical central axis for compressing the dust in the dust collecting container 11. The helical rotation compression unit 123 will be described with reference to FIG. 4 which is a perspective view of the helical rotation compression unit.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the spiral rotary compression portion 123 is provided with a spiral portion 123 a having a spiral curved surface, a rotation shaft portion 123 b, and a disk-shaped shielding member 123 c. .

  The rotating shaft portion 123 b is a hollow cylinder that is fitted into a fitting portion 11 a provided at the bottom of the dust collecting container 11. As described above, the seal member 11b is interposed between the rotating shaft portion 123b and the fitting portion 11a.

  The disc-shaped shielding member 123c includes, in the dust collecting container 11, an upper space portion (separation portion 104) that separates dust by a centrifugal centrifugal force and a lower space portion (dust collection portion 105) that accumulates dust. Serves as a partition. Thereby, the collected dust is prevented from rolling up and clogging the inner cylinder filter 122. Moreover, since it is disk shape, the dust contained in a cyclone air current is not caught, and dust can be efficiently guide | induced to the bottom part of the dust collecting container 11. FIG.

  The rotary shaft portion 123b extends in a spiral shape toward the bottom surface of the dust collecting portion 105 with the rotary shaft portion 123b as the center, and the upper and lower surfaces thereof are curved with a spiral curved surface centered on the vertical central axis P. A plate-shaped spiral portion 123a (a part of the compression member) is provided. As will be described later, the spiral portion 123a is a screw that collects dust collected in the dust collecting container 11 when the inner cylinder 12 rotates and has resistance to rotating in contact with the inner peripheral surface of the dust collecting container 11. It is moved toward the bottom of the dust collecting container 11 by the carrying action. At this time, when the spiral curved surface of the compression member is assumed to be a screw, the screw is retracted by rotation of the compression member, so that dust can be compressed by the spiral curved surface.

  At this time, the spiral curved surface of the spiral portion 123a is preferably formed with the same inclination direction as the swirling airflow. By rotating the spiral portion 123a in the direction opposite to the turning, the dust in the dust collecting container 11 moves to the bottom of the dust collecting container 11 due to friction with the inner surface of the dust collecting container 11.

  However, it is also possible to incline the spiral curved surface of the spiral portion 123a in a direction opposite to the inclination of the airflow swirling along the inner peripheral surface of the dust collecting container 11. At this time, the rotation direction of the spiral portion 123a is the same direction as the rotation direction of the swirling airflow, that is, when the spiral portion 123a is assumed to be a screw, the screw is retracted by the rotation of the spiral portion 123a.

  Further, when the inner cylinder 12 rotates, the spiral portion 123a rotates with respect to the dust moving to the bottom of the dust collecting container 11 by rotating the dust with the bottom surface by friction with the bottom of the dust collecting container 11. It will be extruded and compressed from the outside to the outside. With such a configuration, since the dust is firmly compressed by the rotation, the amount of dust that can be accumulated in the dust collecting container 11 can be increased. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the size of the dust collecting container 11. Also, since the hardly compressed dust cannot be easily dissolved, there is no problem of scattering in the air even when it is taken out, and it can be discarded as it is.

  Further, as described above, a part of the dust compressed by the spiral portion 123a by the rotation of the spiral rotation compression portion 123 of the spiral rotation compression portion 123 includes long hairs and the like, and thus entangles with the spiral portion 123a. Therefore, even if the bottom lid 310 is opened as described above and dust is released from the opening 330 formed in the bottom of the dust collecting container 11, it is not easily released to the outside. Further, when dust is released vigorously, fine dust contained in the dust is scattered in the air, and the room is soiled. Therefore, there is a need for a mechanism for slowly releasing dust to the outside by a simple operation by some method. A mechanism for slowly releasing dust provided for that purpose to the outside by a simple operation will be described below.

  FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing the housing 10 and the helical rotation compression unit 123 attached to the housing 10. FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view for explaining the internal configuration of the housing 10. A handle 314 is provided on the upper surface of the housing 10 provided with the upper filter unit 13 therein. The handle 314 is an example of an operation member that can be operated from the outside.

  The handle 314 is rotatable around the vertical axis independently of the housing 10. Inside the handle 314, an upper handle built-in gear 316 constituting an inclined surface is integrally built, and a lower handle built-in gear 318 constituting an inclined surface is meshed with the upper handle built-in gear 316. When the upper handle built-in gear 316 rotates, the lower handle built-in gear 318 is pushed downward and moves downward. Therefore, by rotating the handle 314, the upper handle built-in gear 316 meshes with the lower handle built-in gear 318, and the rotation of the handle 314 is transmitted to the lower handle built-in gear 318.

  The lower handle built-in gear 318 is formed on the upper surface of the intermediate body 320, and a clutch gear is formed on the lower surface of the intermediate body 320, so that the intermediate body 320 is moved by the downward movement of the lower handle built-in gear 318. At the same time, the clutch gear moves downward.

  A clutch receiving portion that is integrally fixed to the filter dust removing member 132 through a gap is provided below the intermediate body 320, and the clutch gear and the clutch receiving portion are moved along with the downward movement of the intermediate body 320. And the rotation of the handle 314 is transmitted to the filter dust removing member 132 via the clutch mechanism including the clutch gear and the clutch receiving portion, and the inner cylinder 12 connected to the filter dust removing member 132 and the inner cylinder 12 integrally therewith. The connected spiral rotation compression unit 123 rotates, and the spiral portion 132a rotates. As a result, the dust entangled with the spiral portion 123a is slowly conveyed toward the distal end of the spiral portion 123a by the carrying action of the screw of the spiral portion 123a, and from the bottom opening of the dust collecting container 11 opened by opening the bottom lid 310. Released to the outside.

  As the handle 314 is rotated by the operator in this manner, dust is slowly discharged to the outside, so that fine dust contained in the dust is prevented from flying up, and the interior of the room can be prevented without being scattered. It is not contaminated by dust.

  When the hand is released from the handle 314, the intermediate body 320 is pushed up by the spring built in the spring accommodating portion, and the clutch mechanism including the clutch gear and the clutch receiving portion is released. Thus, since the clutch mechanism is in an open state unless the handle 314 is operated, even if the filter dust removing member 132 is rotated by the dust removing drive motor 151, the handle 314 is not rotated, which is safe.

  The air after being filtered by the inner cylinder filter 122 of the inner cylinder 12 is guided to the upper filter unit 13 through the inner cylinder 12.

  FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the packing member 4 attached to the duct portion 1 and the packing fixing members 5 and 6 sandwiched between the packing member 4. Referring to FIG. 6, a packing member 4 and packing fixing members 5 and 6 for pressing the packing member 4 and fixing the packing member 4 to the duct portion 1 are provided in the duct portion 1 of the cleaner body. The packing fixing members 5 and 6 are divided into two parts, and the packing member 4 is fixed to the duct portion 1 by sandwiching the packing member 4 from the upper side and the lower side. The material of the packing member 4 is rubber, and the packing member 4 functions to keep the airtightness between the duct portion 1 and the housing 10 and prevent the generation of sound. The number of divisions of the packing fixing members 5 and 6 is not limited to 2, and may be divided into a larger number.

  FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the packing member 4 and the packing fixing members 5 and 6 fitted in the duct portion 1. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion surrounded by VIII in FIG. 7 and 8, a standing wall 501 for engaging with the packing fixing members 5 and 6 is provided at the tip of the duct portion 1, and a part of the packing fixing members 5 and 6 is engaged with the standing wall 501. Match. The packing fixing members 5 and 6 sandwich a part of the packing member 4 and the standing wall 501 and press the packing member 4 to the standing wall 501 side. As a result, the packing member 4 is in close contact with the duct portion 1. The packing member 4 is provided with convex portions 41 and 42, and the convex portions 41 and 42 are provided over the entire circumference of the air introduction hole. The standing wall 501 is provided in an annular shape and has a rib shape. The number of convex portions 41 and 42 is not limited to two, and more or fewer convex portions may be provided. Further, the heights of the two convex portions 41 and 42 do not have to be the same, and one convex portion may be formed higher than the other convex portion. The convex portions 41 and 42 are elastically deformed by being pressed by the packing fixing member 5 and are in close contact with the standing wall 501. Thereby, the leakage of air can be prevented.

  The vacuum cleaner according to the present invention has a cyclone having a dust collecting container 11 as a dust cup having an introduction port for introducing a swirling airflow containing dust and an opening serving as an air outlet, and collecting dust by the swirling airflow. Packing that maintains the airtightness of the dust collector 300, the duct portion 1 that guides air from the opening serving as the air outlet to the cleaner body incorporating the electric blower 2, and the duct portion 1 and the opening of the cyclone dust collector 300 It has the member 4 and the packing fixing members 5 and 6 which fix a packing member to the duct part 1. FIG.

  On the contact surface of the packing member 4 with the duct portion 1, protrusions 41 and 42 are provided for maintaining the airtightness between the packing member 4 and the duct portion 1. On the entire circumference of the air inflow surface of the duct portion 1, a standing wall 501 is provided as a fall prevention wall surface for preventing the duct portion of the packing member from dropping into the air inflow portion. The packing fixing members 5 and 6 are substantially U-shaped.

  The embodiment disclosed this time should be considered as illustrative in all points and not restrictive. The scope of the present invention is defined by the terms of the claims, rather than the description above, and is intended to include any modifications within the scope and meaning equivalent to the terms of the claims.

1 is an external view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing for demonstrating the internal structure of the vacuum cleaner according to embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the state from which the cyclone dust collector which comprises the vacuum cleaner in FIG. 2 discharges | emits dust. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the housing 10 and a helical rotation compression unit 123 attached to the housing 10. FIG. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view for explaining an internal configuration of the housing 10. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing a packing member 4 attached to a duct portion 1 and packing fixing members 5 and 6 sandwiched between the packing member 4 and the packing member 4. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the packing member 4 and the packing fixing members 5 and 6 fitted in the duct portion 1. FIG. It is sectional drawing which expands and shows the part enclosed with VIII in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Duct part, 2 Electric blower, 4 Packing member, 5, 6 Packing fixing member, 10 Housing | casing, 11b Seal member, 11a Fitting part, 11 Dust collection container, 12 Inner cylinder, 12a Recessed part, 13 Upper filter unit, 14 Dust receiving part, 14c support part, 41, 42 convex part, 104 separating part, 105 dust collecting part, 111 connecting part, 111a air inlet, 112 exhaust path, 112a arrow, 121 inner cylinder exhaust port, 122 inner cylinder filter, 123c Disk-shaped shielding member, 123b Rotating shaft portion, 123 Spiral rotational compression portion, 123a Spiral portion, 132 Filter dust removing member, 132a Spiral portion, 134 Inclined dust removing member, 161 Seal member, 300 Cyclone dust collector, 310 Bottom cover, 320 intermediate body, 330 opening, 400 vacuum cleaner, 410 vacuum cleaner body, 420 air intake Department, 430 connecting tube, 440 connecting hose, 450 operating handle 501 vertical wall.

Claims (4)

A cyclone dust collector having a dust cup that collects dust by the swirling airflow, having an introduction port for introducing a swirling airflow containing dust and an opening serving as an air outlet;
A duct portion for guiding air from an opening serving as an outlet of the air to a vacuum cleaner body incorporating an electric blower;
An annular packing portion that maintains airtightness between the duct portion and the opening of the cyclone dust collector;
The vacuum cleaner provided with the packing fixing | fixed part which fixes the said packing part to the said duct part. Wherein the contact surface between the duct portion of the packing part, the projections for keeping airtightness between the duct portion and the packing part is provided, the electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a drop-prevention wall surface is provided on the entire circumference of the air inflow surface of the duct part to prevent the packing part from falling into the air inflow part of the duct part. . The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the packing fixing portion is substantially U-shaped.

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