Handheld electric vacuum cleaner

Abstract

The technical problem this invention aims to solve is: for vacuum cleaners performing suction operations, to reduce noise during operation, suppress damage to the blower, achieve efficient collection of larger suction items, and enable easy switching between suction (vacuum cleaner) and blowing (blower) modes. The technical solution of this invention is as follows: This invention is a handheld electric vacuum cleaner, comprising: a tube with an intake port at one end and an exhaust port at the other end; a blower, disposed on the outside of the tube and driven by an electric motor; a handheld handle, disposed on the outside of the tube and near the exhaust port along the length of the tube; and an ejector unit, disposed along the length of the tube near the intake port, which delivers pressurized airflow generated by the blower from around the tube into the tube and ejects it towards the exhaust port.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a handheld electric vacuum cleaner for vacuuming dust, agricultural residues, etc. Background Technology

[0002] A vacuum cleaner is used for suctioning and collecting dust such as fallen leaves or crop residues (hereinafter referred to as suction operation). It uses a blower to create suction pressure (negative pressure) inside the tube, sucks dust and other materials into the tube from the suction port at one end of the tube, and collects the sucked dust and other materials into a collector such as a bag from the discharge port at the other end of the tube (see Patent Document 1 below).

[0003] Existing technical documents

[0004] Patent documents

[0005] [Patent Document 1] US Patent No. 9,874,225 Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem that the invention aims to solve

[0007] In order to create negative pressure inside the tube, traditional vacuum cleaners use a blower to draw air from the tube and then discharge it out through a pressure channel branching off from inside the tube. Therefore, some of the material sucked into the tube through the suction inlet is sent to the pressure channel via the rotating blower housing. Consequently, traditional vacuum cleaners suffer from the problem of the blower fan coming into contact with the material being sucked, generating noise or potentially damaging the fan.

[0008] Furthermore, in traditional vacuum cleaners, the pressure channel narrows because of the fan section, preventing larger items sucked into the tube from being collected. Additionally, downstream of the main tube's pressure channel, the airflow pressure towards the outlet is insufficient, hindering the smooth delivery of larger items. Therefore, traditional vacuum cleaners suffer from the problem of inefficiently collecting larger items.

[0009] Furthermore, traditional vacuum cleaners are specialized machines for suction operations. However, when cleaning large areas of fallen leaves, it's more efficient to gather the scattered leaves on the ground before suction. Therefore, a blower is often used in conjunction with the suction function. Thus, a machine that can switch between suction and blowing is needed, but traditional vacuum cleaners, due to their structure, cannot easily switch between these modes.

[0010] This invention is proposed to solve the above-mentioned problems. The problems to be solved by this invention are: reducing the noise of a vacuum cleaner during suction operations; suppressing damage to its blower; achieving efficient collection of larger suction objects; and enabling easy switching between suction (vacuum cleaner) and blowing (blower).

[0011] Technical solutions to solve technical problems

[0012] To solve the above problems, the present invention has the following structure. A handheld electric vacuum cleaner for performing suction operations, characterized in that it comprises: a tube having an intake port at one end and an exhaust port at the other end; a blower disposed on the outside of the tube and driven by an electric motor; a handheld handle disposed on the outside of the tube and near the exhaust port in the longitudinal direction of the tube; and an ejector unit disposed on the longitudinal direction of the tube near the intake port, which delivers pressurized airflow generated by the blower from around the tube into the tube and ejects it toward the exhaust port.

[0013] Invention Effects

[0014] The handheld electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention, which has these features, can reduce noise during vacuuming operations, suppress damage to the blower, efficiently collect larger vacuuming objects, and further, easily integrate the switching mechanism between vacuuming (vacuum cleaner) and blowing (blower). Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 The following are external views of the handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention ((a) is a side view, (b) is a front view).

[0016] Figure 2 for Figure 1 Z1-Z1 cross section in (b)

[0017] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Y1-Y1 cross section in (a)

[0018] Figure 4 This diagram illustrates the position of the tube of a handheld electric vacuum cleaner on the ground.

[0019] Figure 5 Explanatory diagrams showing examples of the mounting positions of the blower and battery in a handheld electric vacuum cleaner ((a) Example 1 of mounting position setting, (b) Example 2 of mounting position setting, (c) Example 3 of mounting position setting, (d) Example 4 of mounting position setting).

[0020] Figure 6 This is an illustrative diagram showing the usage of a handheld electric vacuum cleaner.

[0021] Figure 7 An explanatory diagram illustrating the switching mechanism between suction (vacuum cleaner) and blowing (blower) modes of a handheld electric vacuum cleaner is shown ((a) suction mode, (b) blowing mode). Detailed Implementation

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, the same symbols in different figures represent parts with the same function, and therefore, repeated descriptions in the various figures will be omitted as appropriate.

[0023] like Figures 1-3 As shown, a handheld electric vacuum cleaner (hereinafter referred to as a vacuum cleaner) 1 is a handheld work machine for performing suction operations, which includes a tube 10 for suctioning dust or crop residues, a blower 20, a handle 30, and a jetting unit 40.

[0024] The tube 10 has an inlet 10A at one end and an outlet 10B at the other end. The material sucked into the tube 10 through the inlet 10A is discharged through the outlet 10B. During the suction operation, a collection bag (not shown in the figure) is installed at the outlet 10B.

[0025] In the illustrated example, the tube 10 includes a front tube 11 with an intake port 10A and a main tube 12 with the front tube 11 connected to the front end and an outlet port 10B at the base.

[0026] Furthermore, along the entire length of the front tube 11 and the main tube 12, the tube 10 has an inner diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the suction port 10A. Therefore, all the material sucked into the tube 10 through the suction port 10A is smoothly transported to the discharge port 10B without significant resistance.

[0027] In the illustrated example, there is a bending unit 10T between the central unit 10C and the outlet 10B along the length of the tube 10, but the bending unit 10T may be omitted and the tube may be straight.

[0028] The blower 20 is located on the outer side of the tube 10. More specifically, the blower 20 is located close to the outer periphery of the tube 10. (See reference) Figure 2The blower 20 is a centrifugal blower driven by its built-in electric motor 21. The drive shaft of the electric motor 21 is coaxial with the rotation shaft of the fan 22 and is positioned to intersect the length direction of the tube 10. The housing 23 of the blower 20, which has a vortex shape, is provided along the outer periphery of the tube 10. The air drawn in from the suction unit 24 by the rotation of the fan 22 passes through the interior of the housing 23 and is then converted into compressed air and sent into the pressure channel 25 provided along the outer periphery of the tube 10. Alternatively, a compressor or the like can be used instead of the centrifugal blower shown in the figure, as long as it is capable of delivering compressed air.

[0029] A handle 30 is provided on the outside of the tube 10 and near the outlet 10B along the length of the tube 10. In the illustrated example, the handle 30 is provided between the central unit 10C and the outlet 10B along the length of the tube 10.

[0030] Furthermore, in the illustrated example, a handle 30 is disposed on the bending unit 10T of the tube 10, and includes a handle frame 31. One end of the handle frame 31 is connected to a side closer to the front end of the tube 10 than the bending unit 10T, and the other end is connected to a side closer to the base of the tube 10 than the bending unit 10T. A gripping unit 32 is disposed in the center of the handle frame 31, and an operating component 33 for adjusting the rotational speed of the electric motor 21 of the blower 20 is disposed inside the gripping unit 32.

[0031] On the outside of the tube 10, near the outlet 10B, a battery 50 that supplies power to the electric motor 21 is installed. In the illustrated example, the battery 50 is stored on the tube 10 at a location closer to the base than the handle 30, i.e., below the handle 30.

[0032] The ejector unit 40 is positioned along the length of the tube 10 near the inlet 10A. It draws pressurized airflow generated by the blower 20 from around the tube 10 into the tube 10 and ejects it toward the outlet 10B. The pressurized airflow ejected from the ejector unit 40 travels along the inner surface of the tube 10 toward the outlet 10B. This pressurized airflow reduces the pressure inside the tube, thus creating a suction airflow within the tube 10 from the inlet 10A toward the outlet 10B.

[0033] The ejector unit 40 has an annular channel 41 protruding from the outside of the tube 10. The annular channel 41 is arranged around the central axis P of the tube 10, and the pressurized airflow generated by the blower 20 is guided into the annular channel 41 via the pressure channel 25. Figure 1 (b) and Figure 3As shown, the pressure channel 25 is connected at a position offset from the center of the annular channel 41. As a result, in the annular channel 41, the pressurized airflow will form a swirling airflow around the central axis P of the tube 10.

[0034] The annular channel 41 has an opening unit 42 that communicates with the interior of the tube 10 around the central axis P of the tube 10. Furthermore, a nozzle unit 43 is formed inside the tube 10 corresponding to the opening unit 42, and pressurized airflow is ejected from the nozzle unit 43 while swirling along the inner surface of the tube 10.

[0035] In the illustrated example, the nozzle unit 43 is formed by inserting a front tube 11 into the main tube 12. As a result, the annular channel 41 of the injector unit 40 will blow pressurized air out toward the outside of the front tube 11 inserted into the main tube, and the pressurized air will be ejected along the outside (outer circumferential surface) of the front tube 11 toward the outlet 10B.

[0036] The vacuum cleaner 1 with this structure forms a unidirectional suction airflow without splitting from the suction port 10A at one end to the discharge port 10B at the other end within the tube 10. In addition, there are no narrowing sections within the tube 10, so the tube 10 maintains an inner diameter along its length that is large enough to allow larger suction objects to pass through.

[0037] Therefore, the vacuum cleaner 1 can efficiently guide the suction material from the suction tube 10 through the suction port 10A to the discharge port 10B. Even if a large suction material is sucked in through the suction port 10A, it can be smoothly guided to the discharge port 10B for collection without clogging.

[0038] In particular, for the vacuum cleaner 1, since the ejector unit 40 sends a swirling airflow into the tube 10, the suction material can be entrained and transported to the outlet 10B by the swirling airflow. The suction material can be transported by centrifugal force without the need for excessive suction pressure.

[0039] Furthermore, since the vacuum cleaner 1 does not blow air from inside the tube 10 towards the blower 20, the suction material drawn into the tube 10 will not enter the blower 20. Therefore, undesirable situations such as suction material hitting the fan 22 of the blower 20 and causing noise or damaging the fan 22 will not occur. In other words, while reducing noise during operation, damage to the blower 20 can also be suppressed, thus maintaining high durability.

[0040] The following describes the placement and structure of each unit in the vacuum cleaner 1. Figures 1-3In the example shown, the vacuum cleaner 1 is provided with an ejector unit 40, a blower 20, a handle 30, and a battery 50 in sequence from the front end of the tube 10 (suction inlet 10A side). In addition, the tube 10 is provided with a bending unit 10T, a handle 30 is provided on the upper side of the bending unit 10T, and a drive circuit 51 for the blower 20 is provided in the space below the bending unit 10T.

[0041] Based on the above-described arrangement of each unit, by placing the blower 20 near the injector unit 40, the length of the pressure channel 25 can be shortened, reducing the loss of air delivery performance. Furthermore, by incorporating the bending unit 10T, the unused space around the tube 10 is effectively utilized, housing the blower 20 and drive circuit 51 within this space. Therefore, overall, each unit appears compactly arranged around the tube 10. Moreover, by placing a relatively heavy component like the battery 50 near the handle 30, the load on the grip unit 32 of the handle 30 can be reduced when holding it with one hand.

[0042] Furthermore, for the tube 10 with the bending unit 10T, if the blower 20 and the drive circuit 51 are provided on the lower side of the tube 10, such as Figure 4 As shown, when the main body of the vacuum cleaner 1 is placed on the ground, the blower 20 and the like will be placed in the unused space below the tube 10 created by the bending unit 10T, thus avoiding the blower 20 and the like from colliding with the ground.

[0043] However, the installation position setting of each unit of the vacuum cleaner 1 described above is only one example, and various different installation position settings and structures may be adopted as appropriate. Figure 5 Examples are shown. (a) Example 1 shows an installation position setting where the blower 20 and battery 50 are positioned on the underside of the tube 10. (b) Example 2 shows an installation position setting where the blower 20 is positioned on the upper side of the tube 10, and the battery 50 is positioned on the side of the handle 30 near the base. (c) Example 3 shows an installation position setting where the blower 20 is positioned on the underside of the tube 10, and the battery 50 is positioned on the upper side of the tube 10. (d) Example 4 shows an installation position setting where the blower 20 is positioned on the underside of the tube 10, and the battery 50 is positioned on the underside of the handle 30. Various installation position settings can be used, and this example is not the only one, considering factors such as weight balance.

[0044] like Figure 6 As shown, the vacuum cleaner 1 is operated by holding the grip unit 32 of the handle 30 with one hand and then pointing the suction port 10A of the tube 10 downwards. A bag B or similar device for collecting the suction material sucked into the tube 10 can be connected to the discharge port 10B of the tube 10 as appropriate.

[0045] At this time, in such Figure 1 In the example shown, the heavier components of the vacuum cleaner 1, namely the blower 20 and the battery 50, are arranged separately at the front and rear of the grip unit 32. As a result, the handle 30 is located between the center of gravity G1 of the blower 20 and the center of gravity G2 of the battery 50, and the center of gravity G0 of the combined weight of the blower 20 (center of gravity G1) and the battery 50 (center of gravity G2) (approximately the center of gravity of the main body of the vacuum cleaner) overlaps with the vertical downward direction of the grip unit 32.

[0046] Thus, by employing a weight-balancing method that positions the center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner 1 body below the grip unit 32 of the handle 30, the operator can hold the grip unit 32 in a well-balanced state while performing tasks, without having to bear a heavy load. Furthermore, for Figure 4 In the examples shown, the same principle can be applied by taking weight balance into account. Figure 6 Similarly, the example shown is a handheld work machine that allows for comfortable operation.

[0047] Figure 7 The vacuum cleaner 1T in the illustrated embodiment achieves the switching between suction and blowing operations by adding a simple switching mechanism to the vacuum cleaner 1 described above (except for the switching mechanism, the rest of the components are the same as the vacuum cleaner 1 described above).

[0048] As a switching mechanism, the front tube 11 is slidably connected to the main tube 12. A baffle 11A is provided on the outer periphery of the front tube 11, which can switch between spraying the pressurized airflow sent into the injector unit 40 towards the outlet 10B or towards the inlet 10A.

[0049] Figure 7 Figure (a) shows the switching state during suction operation. In this state, the front tube 11 slides in the direction of arrow a (front side), and the baffle 11A abuts against the stop provided on the leading edge of the annular channel 41. Thus, the baffle 11A blocks the pressurized airflow from the annular channel 41 toward the front end of the tube 10, and the pressurized airflow entering the tube 10 from the annular channel 41 is ejected along the outer periphery of the front tube 11 toward the outlet 10B. In this state, the front end of the front tube 11 becomes the suction port 10A, and a suction airflow is formed inside the tube 10.

[0050] In contrast, Figure 7Figure (b) shows the switching state during the blowing operation. In this state, the front tube 11 slides in the direction of arrow b (towards the base), and the baffle 11A abuts against the stop provided on the edge of the annular channel 41 on the base side. Thus, the baffle 11A blocks the pressurized airflow from the annular channel 41 toward the base inside the tube 10, and the pressurized airflow entering the tube 10 from the annular channel 41 is ejected along the outer periphery of the front tube 11 toward the front end (towards the suction port 10A). In this state, the front end of the front tube 11 becomes the blowing port, and an exhaust flow from the base of the tube 10 toward the front end is formed inside the tube 10.

[0051] exist Figure 7 In the example shown in (b), the front end (inlet 10A) of the front end tube 11 is contained within the main body tube 12. Based on this, the pressurized airflow ejected along the outer periphery of the front end tube 11 towards the front end is directionally restricted within the front end of the main body tube 12, and the airflow is blown out from the front end of the main body tube 12 with its diffusion suppressed. This achieves directional airflow, enabling efficient collection operations.

[0052] As mentioned above, Figure 7 The vacuum cleaner 1T in the embodiment of the present invention, by adding a simple switching mechanism, can become a machine that functions as both a vacuum cleaner and a blower. In the prior art, it is known that switching between a vacuum cleaner and a blower is achieved through external accessories, but in this case, the disassembly and assembly of the accessories are cumbersome, and the switching process requires considerable effort. The vacuum cleaner 1T in this embodiment of the present invention eliminates the need for accessory installation and removal; a simple switching operation is all that is required to switch between the vacuum cleaner and the blower. Therefore, it is not only simple to operate, but also eliminates the need for dedicated storage of accessories, simplifying their management.

[0053] In this embodiment of the invention, the vacuum cleaner 1T can be switched to a blower when sweeping large areas of fallen leaves, which can gather the fallen leaves scattered on the ground to a certain extent, and then switch back to the vacuum cleaner to suck up the gathered fallen leaves, thus achieving efficient collection operations.

[0054] In the foregoing, embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the specific construction is not limited to these embodiments. Even if there are design changes, they should be included in the present invention as long as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Furthermore, for the above embodiments, as long as they do not cause contradictions or problems in terms of purpose and construction, the techniques of each other can be combined.

[0055] Symbol Explanation

[0056] 1. 1A~1D, 1T: Vacuum cleaner (handheld electric vacuum cleaner);

[0057] 10: Tube; 10A: Inlet; 10B: Outlet;

[0058] 10C: Central unit; 10T: Bending unit;

[0059] 11: Front-end tube; 11A: Baffle plate; 12: Main tube;

[0060] 20: Blower; 21: Electric motor; 22: Fan;

[0061] 23: Housing; 24: Suction unit; 25: Pressure channel;

[0062] 30: Handle; 31: Handle holder; 32: Grip unit; 33: Operating component;

[0063] 40: Injector unit; 41: Annular channel; 42: Opening unit; 43: Nozzle unit;

[0064] 50: Battery; 51: Drive circuit; P: Central axis; G0, G1, G2: Center of gravity position

Claims

1. A handheld electric vacuum cleaner, wherein the handheld electric vacuum cleaner performs suction operations, characterized in that, It has the following characteristics: The tube has an inlet at one end and an outlet at the other end; A blower is installed on the outside of the tube and is driven by an electric motor; A hand handle is provided on the outside of the tube and near the outlet along the length of the tube; as well as An injector unit, disposed along the length of the tube near the inlet, draws pressurized airflow generated by the blower from around the tube into the tube and ejects it toward the outlet; and The blower is a centrifugal blower located near the outer periphery of the tube; the blower is arranged near the ejector unit located at one end of the tube and delivers pressurized airflow to the ejector unit via a pressure channel located along the outer periphery of the tube. The battery that powers the electric motor is located near the handle arrangement at the other end of the tube.

2. The handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the entire length of the tube, the inner diameter of the tube is equal to or greater than the diameter of the suction inlet.

3. The handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, There is a curved unit between the central unit along the length of the tube and the outlet.

4. The handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The center of gravity of the main body of the electric vacuum cleaner is located below the grip unit of the handle.

5. The handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The battery is installed on the outside of the tube, near the outlet.

6. The handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, characterized in that, The handle is located between the center of gravity of the battery and the center of gravity of the blower.

7. The handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, For the injector unit... An annular channel protrudes from the outer side of the tube, the annular channel being arranged around the central axis of the tube, and the pressurized airflow generated by the blower is guided into the channel. Within the annular channel, the pressurized airflow forms a swirling airflow around the central axis.

8. The handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The tube has a front tube with the inlet and a main tube with the front end connected to the front tube and the outlet at its base, and the injector unit ejects pressurized airflow along the outside of the front tube inserted into the main tube.

9. The handheld electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, characterized in that, The front end tube is slidably connected to the main body tube. A baffle is provided on the outer periphery of the front tube, which can switch between spraying the pressurized airflow into the injector unit toward the outlet side or toward the inlet side.

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