Dust collection station and dust recovery device

Abstract

The invention provides a dust collection station and a dust collection device provided with the dust collection station. The dust collection station is high in dust collection efficiency and capable of facilitating noise reduction and blockage suppression of a dust collector. A dust collection station for collecting dust from a dust collector connected to the dust collector, the dust collector having a suction port body having a suction port at the bottom thereof, the dust collection station having a housing and a base disposed at the lower portion of the housing, the housing having: a collection port connectable to the dust collector and collecting air containing dust from the dust collector; a dust collection unit for storing dust contained in the air recovered through the recovery port; an electric suction machine that generates a suction force that sucks air; the base is provided with a carrying surface on which the dust collector is carried, the carrying surface is provided with a first embedding part, and the first embedding part is arranged in a manner of blocking at least one part of the suction inlet when the dust collector is carried.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The following disclosure relates to a dust collecting station and a dust collecting apparatus. BACKGROUND

[0002] As a conventional dust collector, a stick-type dust collector and a dust collecting apparatus for collecting dust in the dust collector are described in Patent No. 7153867 and Patent No. 7165869. SUMMARY

[0003] As a conventional dust collecting apparatus, the dust collecting apparatus described in Patent No. 7165869 is configured to operate a suction source that generates a suction force for sucking dust from a dust collector, on the condition that a main body of the dust collector is in an upright posture with respect to a connecting wall in which a recovery port for allowing the dust to flow from the dust collector is formed. In order to correspond to the dust collecting apparatus, the amount of air sucked from a suction nozzle of the dust collector is configured to vary depending on the angle of a connection portion of the main body of the dust collector and the suction nozzle.

[0004] However, in such a dust collector, when the main body of the dust collector approaches the upright posture during normal cleaning, the opening area of the suction nozzle decreases, which can cause problems such as an increase in noise and clogging. The same problems occur in the dust collecting apparatus described in Patent No. 7153867.

[0005] An object of the present disclosure is to provide a dust collecting station in which dust can be efficiently collected and in which a dust collector can be used with reduced noise and reduced clogging, and a dust collecting apparatus including the dust collecting station.

[0006] One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a dust collecting station for connecting to a dust collector and collecting dust from the dust collector, the dust collector including a suction inlet body having a suction inlet at a bottom portion, the dust collecting station including a housing and a base disposed at a lower portion of the housing, the housing including a recovery port connectable to the dust collector, the recovery port recovering air containing the dust from the dust collector, a dust collecting portion storing the dust contained in the air recovered via the recovery port, an electric suction machine generating a suction force for suctioning the air, and an exhaust port discharging the air separated from the dust to the outside, the base including a placement surface on which the dust collector is placed, the placement surface including a first fitting portion configured to block at least a portion of the suction inlet when the dust collector is placed.

[0007] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a dust collecting station for connecting to a dust collector and recovering dust from the dust collector, the dust collector having a suction port body having a suction port at a bottom portion, the suction port body having a rear roller rotatably provided at a rear of the bottom portion of the suction port body, the dust collecting station having a housing and a base provided at a lower portion of the housing, the housing having a recovery port connectable to the dust collector to recover air containing the dust from the dust collector, a dust collecting portion to store the dust contained in the air recovered via the recovery port, an electric suction machine to generate a suction force to suction the air, and an exhaust port to exhaust the air separated from the dust to the outside, the base having a placement surface to place the dust collector, the placement surface having an engagement portion formed in a recessed shape to engage with the rear roller.

[0008] Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to a dust collecting station for connecting to a dust collector and recovering dust from the dust collector, the dust collector having a suction port body having a suction port at a bottom portion, the suction port body having a rear roller rotatably provided at a rear of the bottom portion of the suction port body, the dust collecting station having a housing and a base provided at a lower portion of the housing, the housing having a recovery port connectable to the dust collector to recover air containing the dust from the dust collector, a dust collecting portion to store the dust contained in the air recovered via the recovery port, an electric suction machine to generate a suction force to suction the air, and an exhaust port to exhaust the air separated from the dust to the outside, the base having a placement surface to place the dust collector, the placement surface having an engagement portion formed in a recessed shape to engage with the rear roller.

[0009] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a dust collecting station having high dust recovery efficiency, and contributing to low noise and clogging suppression of a dust collector, and a dust recovery device having the same. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0010] Figure 1 A diagram for schematically showing the appearance of the dust collector 100 and the dust collecting station 200.

[0011] Figure 2 A diagram for schematically showing the internal structure of the dust collector 100 and the dust collecting station 200.

[0012] Figure 3 A diagram for schematically showing the appearance of the dust collector 100 and the dust collecting station 200.

[0013] Figure 4 A diagram for Figure 3 A cross-sectional view of line A-A' in FIG. 1.

[0014] Figure 5 A diagram for schematically showing the appearance of the dust collecting station 200 of Embodiment 1.

[0015] Figure 6 A diagram for schematically showing the appearance of the dust collecting station 200 of Embodiment 1.

[0016] Figure 7 A diagram for schematically showing the internal structure of the dust collecting station 200 of Embodiment 1.

[0017] Figure 8 A diagram for schematically showing the internal structure of the dust collecting station 200 of Embodiment 1.

[0018] Figure 9The diagram illustrates the internal structure of the dust collection station 200 with the first cover 233 open.

[0019] Figure 10 The diagram illustrates the appearance of the dust collection station 200 with the first cover 233 open.

[0020] Figure 11 The diagram illustrates the internal structure of the dust collection station 200 with the first cover 233 open.

[0021] Figure 12 The diagram illustrates the appearance of the dust collection station 200 with the first cover 233 open.

[0022] Figure 13 A perspective view of the appearance of the dust collector 231 before it is installed on the mounting section 232 is shown schematically.

[0023] Figure 14 A perspective view of the appearance of the dust collector 231 before it is installed on the mounting section 232 is shown schematically.

[0024] Figure 15 A cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the dust collector 231 before it is installed onto the mounting section 232 is shown for illustrative purposes.

[0025] Figure 16 The diagram illustrates the interior of the housing 201 of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 1.

[0026] Figure 17 The diagram illustrates the interior of the housing 201 of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 1.

[0027] Figure 18 The diagram illustrates the interior of the housing 201 of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 1.

[0028] Figure 19 The diagram illustrates the interior of the housing 201 of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 1.

[0029] Figure 20 The diagram illustrates the interior of the housing 201 of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 1.

[0030] Figure 21 for Figure 2 A magnified view of section X in the middle.

[0031] Figure 22 The diagram illustrates the internal structure of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 2.

[0032] Figure 23 The diagram illustrates the internal structure of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 2.

[0033] Figure 24 The diagram illustrates the internal structure of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 2.

[0034] Figure 25 The diagram illustrates the internal structure of the dust collection station 200 in Embodiment 2.

[0035] Figure 26 This is a perspective view of the dust collection station 200 of Embodiment 3 from above.

[0036] Figure 27 This is a perspective view of the dust collection station 200 of Embodiment 3 from above.

[0037] Figure 28 This is a perspective view of the dust collection station 200 of Embodiment 3 from above.

[0038] Figure 29 This is a perspective view of the suction inlet 102 of the vacuum cleaner 100 in Embodiment 4, viewed from the left front side.

[0039] Figure 30 This is a diagram showing the suction inlet 102 of the vacuum cleaner 100 of Embodiment 4 as viewed from the bottom 11a side.

[0040] Figure 31 This is a diagram showing the suction inlet 102 of the vacuum cleaner 100 viewed from the bottom 11a side in a variation 1 of embodiment 4. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The embodiments of the dust collection station and dust recovery device involved in this disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. This disclosure is not limited to the contents described in the following embodiments, and appropriate design changes can be made within the scope of satisfying the technical solution of this disclosure. In the drawings, the same or equivalent elements are given the same reference numerals, and repeated descriptions are omitted. The drawings only show the main parts. The following description will focus on the main parts and the parts related to this disclosure.

[0042] In this specification, when describing the orientation of the dust collection station 200, the vertical direction when the dust collection station 200 is placed horizontally is defined as the up-down direction Z (Z1-Z2). In the horizontal direction, the direction in which the vacuum cleaner 100 is installed or removed is defined as the front-back direction Y (Y1-Y2), and another horizontal direction is defined as the left-right direction X (X1-X2). In the front-back direction Y, the direction in which the vacuum cleaner 100 connected to the dust collection station 200 is removed is called the first direction (Y1 direction in the figure), and the direction in which the vacuum cleaner 100 is installed onto the dust collection station 200 is called the second direction (Y2 direction in the figure). The second direction is opposite to the first direction. The Y1 side is the front side of the dust collection station 200, and the Y2 side is the back side. Furthermore, the left-right direction of the dust collection station 200 is based on the direction viewed from the Y1 side of the dust collection station 200. That is, in the figure showing the dust collection station 200, the X1 side is the left direction, and the X2 side is the right direction.

[0043] When describing the vacuum cleaner 100 separately, the longitudinal direction of the vacuum cleaner body 101 is defined as the vertical direction Z (Z1-Z2). During use, the side closer to the user is defined as the back side (Y1 side in the diagram), and the side opposite the back side is defined as the front side (Y2 side in the diagram). The back side of the vacuum cleaner 100 can also be called the rear, and the front side can also be called the front. Furthermore, the left-right direction of the vacuum cleaner 100 is determined from the perspective of the user holding the vacuum cleaner 100. That is, in the diagram representing the vacuum cleaner 100, the X1 side is the left direction, and the X2 side is the right direction.

[0044] In this specification, two lines or two planes are "parallel" because the angle (absolute value) between them is within the range of 0° ± 3°. Conversely, two lines or two planes are "orthogonal" (and "perpendicular") because the angle (absolute value) between them is within the range of 90° ± 3°.

[0045] In the following embodiments, a so-called stick vacuum cleaner with a stick shape is used as an example of vacuum cleaner 100, but vacuum cleaner 100 is not limited to stick vacuum cleaner, and may also be a self-propelled vacuum cleaner (also known as a robotic vacuum cleaner).

[0046] (Implementation Method 1) Figure 1 The diagram is intended to schematically show the appearance of the vacuum cleaner 100 and the dust collection station 200. Figure 2 A diagram illustrating the internal structure of the vacuum cleaner 100 and the dust collection station 200. Figure 3 The diagram is intended to schematically show the appearance of the vacuum cleaner 100 and the dust collection station 200. Figure 4 for Figure 3 Cross-sectional view of line A-A' in the middle. Figures 1-4The image shows the posture of the vacuum cleaner 100 when connected (also referred to as mounted) to the dust collection station 200 of this embodiment (and embodiments 2 to 4 described later). It should be noted that... Figure 1 and Figure 2 This is a view taken from the X2 side. Detailed information about the vacuum cleaner 100 will be described later.

[0047] Figure 5 and Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram (perspective view) of the appearance of the dust collection station 200 involved in this embodiment. Figure 7 and Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the dust collection station 200. Figure 7 This is the view taken from the X2 side (right side view). Figure 8 This is a view taken from the Y1 side (rear view). It should be noted that... Figure 5 The image shows the posture of the dust collector 231 being taken out from the mounting part 232 and the cover (also called the first cover) 233 of the mounting part 232 in the horizontally placed dust collection station 200 when it is opened. Figure 6 What is shown is from Figure 5 The posture shown is as follows: the dust collector 231 is installed into the mounting part 232, and the first cover 233 is closed during the process.

[0048] The dust collection station 200 is a device that collects dust from a vacuum cleaner 100 by connecting to the vacuum cleaner 100. The dust collection station 200 includes a housing 201 and a base 202 disposed at the lower part of the housing 201. The dust collection station 200 also includes a power cord 270 for connecting to a commercial power source. Figure 1 and Figure 5 A portion of the power cord 270 is shown. A recess is provided on the lower right side of the housing 201, from which the power cord 270 extends. By positioning the power cord 270 within the recess, the right side (X2 side) of the housing 201 can fit snugly against the building wall (i.e., be completely attached). However, in this case, it is preferable to set the size of the suction inlet 102 such that, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is installed in the dust collection station 200, the suction inlet 102 is housed between the left side (X1 side) and right side (X2 side) of the dust collection station 200.

[0049] The housing 201 is shaped (e.g., box-like) to accommodate various components such as the second dust collection unit 230 and the second electric suction unit 250, and is made of, for example, resin or metal. The housing 201 preferably includes a support portion 201S for supporting the vacuum cleaner 100 when it is connected to the dust collection station 200. The support portion 201S is preferably located on the front side (Y1 side) of the housing 201, in which case the vacuum cleaner 100 connected to the dust collection station 200 can be removed from the support portion 201S along the first direction Y1.

[0050] The support portion 201S is the part that supports the vacuum cleaner 100 when it is connected to the dust collection station 200. For example, in Figure 5 In the housing 201, a recessed protrusion is provided on the Y1 side, which constitutes the support portion 201S. More specifically, ribs F are provided near the upper and lower ends of the recess (see...). Figure 5 (F1, F2), the part that sets the recycle port 220 (see) Figure 6 The portion of the charging terminal 205, as described later, is configured to contact the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0051] The dust collection station 200 preferably includes a charging terminal 205 for charging the battery 170 of the vacuum cleaner 100. For example, the charging terminal 205 may be provided on the support portion 201S. In this embodiment, as... Figure 6 As shown, the charging terminal 205 is provided on the recessed side protrusion 206 that constitutes the support portion 201S. Alternatively, if the dust collection station 200 does not have the charging terminal 205, the rib F and the recycling port 220 may also constitute the support portion 201S.

[0052] Furthermore, the housing 201 (outer wall) may have a retaining part 201H inside, which is used to retain or form various components disposed within the housing 201. A portion of the retaining part 201H may form various components, or the retaining part 201H may support various components, etc. The retaining part 201H may be detachably mounted to the housing 201, for example, by screws.

[0053] The housing 201 includes: a recovery port 220, which can be connected to a vacuum cleaner 100 and recover dust-containing air from the vacuum cleaner 100; a second dust collection section 230, which stores the dust contained in the air recovered through the recovery port 220; a suction section 254, which has a second electric suction motor 250 that generates a suction force to attract the dust-containing air; and an exhaust port 260, which discharges the air separated from the dust to the outside.

[0054] The housing 201 further includes a dust flow path 21 connecting the recovery port 220 and the second dust collection section 230, and an exhaust path 22 connecting the suction section 254 and the exhaust port 260.

[0055] The recovery port 220 is an opening that communicates with the dust outlet 160 of the vacuum cleaner 100 when the vacuum cleaner 100 is connected (installed) to the dust collection station 200. The recovery port 220 may or may not have an openable and closable cover (not shown). The recovery port 220 and the second dust collection unit 230 are connected through the dust flow path 21.

[0056] When viewed from above, the intake port 220 is preferably configured to draw in air along a third direction inclined relative to the first direction Y1. In this embodiment, the portion protruding to support the vacuum cleaner body 101 (e.g.) Figure 5 A collection port 220 is provided on the support portion 201S. This reduces the thickness of the housing 201 in the depth direction (front-rear direction Y), thus making it less likely to obstruct items or people indoors when the dust collection station 200 is installed with the back side (Y2 side) of the housing 201 facing the interior wall. From a user-friendly perspective, such a dust collection station 200 is ideal. Therefore, with the direction in which the vacuum cleaner 100 connected to the dust collection station 200 is removed designated as the first direction, and the collection port 220 configured in a plan view of the housing 201 such that air is drawn in along a third direction inclined relative to the first direction Y1, this is a preferred embodiment.

[0057] Furthermore, when the recovery port 220 is configured as described above to allow air to be drawn in along a third direction, it is preferable to provide ribs F on the recessed wall opposite to the recovery port 220 (see [link]). Figure 5 In this configuration, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is connected to the housing 201, the ribs F push the vacuum cleaner 100 toward the collection port 220, making it easier for the collection port 220 to fit snugly against the dust outlet 160 of the vacuum cleaner 100, which will be described later. Therefore, the dust collection efficiency of the dust collection station 200 is improved.

[0058] The third direction is a direction that is not parallel to the front-rear direction Y in the plan view of the housing 201, and preferably a direction orthogonal to the front-rear direction Y (i.e., the left-right direction X). In this embodiment, a dust discharge port 160 is provided on the side of the vacuum cleaner body 101 on the X2 side, and the collection port 220 of the dust collection station 200 is configured such that when the vacuum cleaner 100 is installed on the dust collection station 200, air is drawn from the vacuum cleaner 100 along the X2 direction (see...). Figure 6 However, the intake port 220 can also be configured to allow air to be drawn in along the X1 direction. In this case, an exhaust port 160 is provided on the side of the vacuum cleaner body 101 on the X1 side.

[0059] The second dust collection unit 230 includes a dust collector 231 that stores dust from air recovered via the recovery port 220 and a mounting section 232 that detachably mounts (configures) the dust collector 231. In other words, the second dust collection unit 230 includes the dust collector 231 and the mounting section 232.

[0060] The housing 232 is the part that detachably houses the dust collector 231. It has an opening (also called an air intake) 232a that connects the collection port 220 to the dust collector 231 and an opening 232b that exhausts air to the second electric suction machine 250. Furthermore, the housing 232 is preferably cylindrical and has a surrounding wall W. The central axis of the surrounding wall W is preferably in the vertical direction Z, and a cover (also called a first cover) 233 is provided at one end (upper end) of the surrounding wall W.

[0061] An air intake 232a is provided on the surrounding wall W, and an exhaust opening 232b for exhausting air to the side of the second electric suction unit 250 is provided at the lower end of the surrounding wall W (i.e., the bottom of the mounting portion 232). The lower end of the surrounding wall W is the position where the dust collector 231 is installed (also called the setting position). From the perspective of fully ensuring the capacity of the dust collector 231 and facilitating the loading and unloading of the dust collector 231, the mounting portion 232 is preferably approximately rectangular in plan and cross-sectional views (see reference). Figure 4 as well as Figures 9-12 (etc.). For example, the surrounding wall W is preferably a cylindrical shape with opposite wall surfaces parallel to each other, and the bottom (bottom surface) of the mounting portion 232 is preferably parallel to the main surface of the first cover 233 in a cross-sectional view.

[0062] The intake port 232a is preferably configured such that, in a plan view of the housing 201, air is drawn in from a direction opposite to the direction of air intake from the recovery port 220. For example, as Figure 6 As shown, when the recovery port 220 is configured to allow air to be drawn from the vacuum cleaner 100 in the X2 direction, the suction port 232a is preferably configured to allow air to be drawn into the second dust collection section 230 in the X1 direction. When the recovery port 220 and the suction port 232a are configured in this way, the dust flow path 21 connecting the recovery port 220 and the suction port 232a will bend at least in two places, and the distance from the recovery port 220 to the suction port 232a will also become longer. Therefore, the dust collection station 200 can effectively reduce noise.

[0063] like Figure 5 As shown, the mounting portion 232 has an openable and closable cover (also referred to as a first cover) 233. The upper end of the surrounding wall W (i.e., the opening end of the mounting portion 232) is either in an open or closed state through the first cover 233.

[0064] Figure 9 and Figure 11This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the dust collection station 200 with the first cover 233 open. Both are views (front views) viewed from the Y1 side. Figure 10 and Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the appearance of the dust collection station 200 with the first cover 233 open. Both are views (plan views) viewed from the Z1 side. Figure 9 and Figure 10 The image shows the state in which the dust collector 231 is not installed in the mounting section 232 (also known as the uninstalled state). Figure 11 and Figure 12 The image shows the state in which the dust collector 231 is installed (set) in the mounting section 232 (also known as the installation state).

[0065] The first cover 233 is mounted on the upper end of the mounting portion 232 via a hinge portion 234 (see...). Figure 10 and Figure 12 From the perspective of facilitating the user's removal and insertion of the dust collector 231, the hinge portion 234 is provided on the rear side (Y2 side) of the mounting portion 232. Furthermore, when the first cover 233 is closed, the top surface of the first cover 233 can also become part of the top surface of the dust collection station 200. The first cover 233 is, for example, made of a resin molded product manufactured by injecting resin material into an injection molding die.

[0066] The mounting portion 232 preferably includes an openable and closable first cover 233 and a rod L (see Figure 5 (etc.). Furthermore, the first cover 233 preferably has an abutment portion C capable of abutting against the rod L (see...). Figure 5 (etc.). The rod L and the abutment portion C can abut against each other when the dust collector 231 is not installed on the mounting portion 232, and are designed so that the first cover 233 will not close the mounting portion 232 when they abut (contact); when the dust collector 231 is installed on the mounting portion 232, the rod L moves to a position where it does not abut against the abutment portion C, at which point the first cover 233 can close the mounting portion 232. It should be noted that, for reference only, Figure 16 The movement of rod L (second part L2) is indicated by a double-headed arrow.

[0067] Specifically, in the state where the dust collector 231 is not installed in the mounting section 232 (uninstalled state), the abutment part C and the rod L are positioned to prevent the first cover 233 from closing by abutting against each other. That is, in the uninstalled state, the upper end (Z1 side end) of the rod L is positioned to overlap (interfere with) the trajectory of the movement of the abutment part C when the first cover 233 is closed.

[0068] In the uninstalled state, even if the user wants to close the first cover 233, the abutment part C will contact the rod L, thereby restricting the movement of the first cover 233 in the closing direction. Therefore, the mounting part 232 will not be closed by the first cover 233.

[0069] On the other hand, when the dust collector 231 is installed in the mounting portion 232, the rod L moves to a position where it does not abut against the contact portion C. Therefore, in the state where the dust collector 231 is installed in the mounting portion 232 (installed state), the rod L does not abut against the contact portion C, so when the user wants to close the first cover 233, the movement of the first cover 233 is not restricted. Therefore, the mounting portion 232 is closed by the first cover 233.

[0070] This structural design allows users to easily check whether the dust collector 231 has been forgotten to be installed simply by closing the first cover 233. Furthermore, when installed, users can easily close the mounting section 232 through the first cover 233. Therefore, from a user-friendly perspective, the dust collection station 200 is exceptionally well-designed.

[0071] The contact portion C is, for example, formed as a convex shape. For example, in... Figure 5 In the first cover 233, a rib is provided on the inner surface of the mounting portion side, which engages with the upper edge of the surrounding wall W. The rib is configured to protrude in a direction perpendicular to the main surface of the first cover 233, and a portion of the rib protrudes further. This further protruding portion corresponds to the abutment portion C. The tip of the abutment portion C is rounded.

[0072] The rod L is disposed along the inner surface of the surrounding wall W and is related to the opening and closing of the first cover 233. In the uninstalled state, the rod L is positioned on the upper part of the inner surface of the surrounding wall W such that the upper end of the rod L is located approximately at (near) the upper end of the surrounding wall W, or is located above (in the Z1 direction) the upper end of the surrounding wall W. Figure 6 Alternatively, it is preferable to install the rod L in the surrounding wall W near the location where the first cover 233 is closably mounted (near the hinge portion 234). The rod L is, for example, a rod-shaped or plate-shaped component, formed of resin material or metal material.

[0073] like Figure 9 and Figure 11 As shown, the rod L preferably includes: a first part L1 that is rotatable when pressed by the dust collector 231 when it is installed on the mounting portion 232; a second part L2 integrally formed with the first part L1; and a third part L3 that rotatably supports the first part L1. When the dust collector 231 is not installed on the mounting portion 232, the abutting part C of the first cover 233 and the second part L2 of the rod L are configured to abut against each other, and are configured such that the first cover 233 is not closed by the mounting portion 232 when they abut against each other; when the dust collector 231 is installed on the mounting portion 232, the first part L1 is rotated, causing the second part L2 to move to a position where it does not abut against the abutting part C, so that the mounting portion 232 can be closed by the first cover 233.

[0074] The first part L1 is the portion of rod L that extends downward (to the Z2 side) from the third part L3, which serves as a fulcrum, and the second part L2 is the portion of rod L that extends upward (to the Z1 side) from the third part L3, which serves as a fulcrum.

[0075] As previously mentioned, the mounting portion 232 is preferably cylindrical. In this case, the first portion L1 is preferably rotatable about a first axis extending in a direction orthogonal to the central axis direction (vertical direction Z) of the mounting portion 232. The extending direction of the first axis is preferably parallel to the wall surface of the surrounding wall W where the rod L is mounted. Figures 9-12 In the middle, the rod L is installed on the inner surface of the wall W1 on the X2 side, which is parallel to the front-rear direction Y, constituting the surrounding wall W of the mounting part 232. The first part L1 can rotate about a first axis extending in the front-rear direction Y.

[0076] like Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, in the uninstalled state, the end of the first part L1 opposite to the second part L2 is located on the trajectory of the outer wall (shell) of the dust collector 231 when it is installed into the mounting part 232, and the second part L2 is located in a position that can abut against the abutment part C. That is, in the uninstalled state, the upper end (Z1 side end) of the second part L2 is positioned to overlap with the trajectory of the abutment part C when the first cover 233 is closed. In the uninstalled state, when the user wants to close the first cover 233, the abutment part C abuts against the second part L2, restricting the movement of the first cover 233 in the closing direction, so the mounting part 232 is not closed by the first cover 233.

[0077] On the other hand, when the user moves the dust collector 231 from a position above the mounting section 232 (see...) Figure 5 When moving downwards along the Z2 direction in an attempt to install it into the mounting section 232, the first part L1 will be pressed down by the dust collector 231 during the installation process (see...). Figure 11 When the first L1 is pressed, it will move towards the surrounding wall W with the first axis as the center. Figure 11 (The first part L1 rotates in the X2 direction). As the first part L1 rotates, the second part L2 will move from a position where it can abut against the contact part C (see...). Figure 9 Move to a position where it does not contact the contact part C (see...) Figure 11 In the installed state, the upper end of the second part L2 (i.e., the upper end of the second part L2 when it is not in contact with the abutting part C) is approximately at the same position as the upper end of the surrounding wall W in the vertical direction Z, or at a position lower than the upper end of the surrounding wall W.

[0078] In the uninstalled state, the first part L1 is held in place by a force-applying component (not shown) mounted on the third part L3, positioned on the inner side of the mounting portion 232 (opposite to the surrounding wall W). The force-applying component is, for example, a compression spring or a torsion spring. In the installed state, the first part L1 is positioned closer to the surrounding wall W due to pressure from the dust collector 231. In the installed state, the second part L2 is not in contact with the abutment part C, so the movement of the first cover 233 is not restricted when the user attempts to close it. Therefore, the mounting portion 232 is closed by the first cover 233.

[0079] A guide portion R is preferably provided on the surrounding wall W of the mounting portion 232 for guiding the dust collector 231 into the mounting portion 232 (see [reference]). Figure 10 ). Details regarding the dust collection station 200 with guide section R in the mounting section 232 will be described in Embodiment 2.

[0080] The dust collector 231 and the mounting section 232 are detachable. Because the dust collector 231 is detachable from the mounting section 232, the user can remove the dust collector 231 from the dust collection station 200 for washing, and then reinstall it back into the mounting section 232. Therefore, the dust collection station 200 can easily keep both the dust collector 231 and the mounting section 232 clean.

[0081] Furthermore, for example, the recycling device described in Patent No. 7153867 includes a recycling chamber for storing dust collected from a vacuum cleaner, but this chamber is integrated with the recycling device. Therefore, the recycling chamber cannot be removed from the recycling device for washing, making it difficult to keep it clean. Additionally, while it is possible to install commercially available disposable dust bags (i.e., so-called paper bags) on the recycling chamber and discard them after use, this method also makes it difficult to keep the recycling chamber clean because fine dust particles may pass through the paper bag and adhere to it. The recycling device described in Patent No. 7165869 also suffers from the same problem.

[0082] The dust collector 231 is preferably a bag-type, filter-type, or cyclone-type dust collector. The dust collector 231 is made of, for example, resin or metal material. The bag-type dust collector preferably has a dust bag housing capable of accommodating the dust bag P. The dust bag P is made of, for example, a breathable material such as paper, woven fabric, or non-woven fabric, and is disposable.

[0083] Figure 13 and Figure 14 This is a schematic perspective view of the dust collector 231 before it is installed into the mounting section 232. Figure 5 The upper part also shows a perspective view of the appearance of the dust collector 231. Figures 13-15This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the internal structure of the dust collector 231 before it is installed into the mounting section 232. It should be noted that in this specification, when the dust collector 231 is described separately, the orientation is based on the orientation of the dust collector 231 when it is installed into the mounting section 232. Figure 5 as well as Figure 12 As an example, a dust collector 231 with a dust bag is illustrated.

[0084] The dust collector 231 has an external shape (casing) that allows it to be installed into the mounting portion 232. When the mounting portion 232 is generally rectangular in plan view, the outer wall (casing) of the dust collector 231 is also preferably generally rectangular in plan view (see [reference]). Figure 14 When the mounting portion 232 is approximately rectangular in cross-sectional view, the outer wall (shell) of the dust collector 231 is also preferably approximately rectangular in cross-sectional view. Furthermore, when the bottom surface of the mounting portion 232 (the lower end of the surrounding wall W) is flat, the bottom surface 90B (Z2 side bottom surface) of the dust collector 231 is also preferably flat (see...). Figure 13 When the main surface of the mounting portion of the first cover 233 is flat, the top surface of the dust collector 231 (e.g., the top surface 93 of the second cover 91 described later) is also preferably flat (see...). Figures 13-15 ).

[0085] like Figure 5 As shown, the dust collector 231 preferably includes an openable and closable cover (also referred to as a second cover) 91 and a handle 92 integrally formed with the second cover 91. When the handle 92 is integrally formed on the second cover 91, the user can easily install the dust collector 231 onto the mounting portion 232, and when removing the dust collector 231 from the mounting portion 232, dust inside the dust collector 231 will not leak to the outside, allowing for easy removal of the dust collector 231. Such a dust collector 231 achieves a compact design while ensuring sufficient capacity.

[0086] The dust collector 231 has a cylindrical peripheral wall 90 with the vertical direction Z as its central axis. A second cover 91 is mounted on one end (upper end) of the peripheral wall 90 via a hinge portion 97. The end (opening end) 90A of the second cover 91 side of the peripheral wall 90 is obliquely intersecting the central axis direction (vertical direction Z) of the peripheral wall 90 (see...). Figure 13 and Figure 15 The dust or dust bag P is contained within the portion E enclosed by the second cover 91, the surrounding wall 90, and the bottom surface 90B (the end of the surrounding wall 9 on the opposite side of the second cover 91) of the dust collector 231, which has an opening 231b. Figure 13 It contains a dust collection bag P.

[0087] Considering factors such as ease of installation into the mounting section 232, when the second cover 91 is closed, the top surface 93 of the second cover 91 is preferably parallel to the bottom surface 90B of the dust collector 231 (see [reference]). Figures 13-15 An opening is provided between the top surface 93 of the second cover 91 and the lower end 94 of the second cover 91, which contacts the opening end 90A when the second cover 91 is closed. This opening constitutes a grip 92. By inserting a hand into this opening (grip 92) and moving the hand up and down in this state, the user can remove or place (load / unload) the dust collector 231 relative to the mounting portion 232.

[0088] like Figure 5 As shown, the dust collector 231 has an opening 231a connected to the dust flow path 21 and an opening 231b that discharges air separated from the dust to the side of the second electric suction unit 250. In the installed state, the opening 231a contacts the opening (suction port) 232a of the mounting part 232, and the opening 231b contacts the opening 232b of the mounting part 232. Therefore, the opening 231a is provided on the side 90C of the dust collector 231, and the opening 231b is provided on the bottom surface 90B of the dust collector 231. Furthermore, from the perspective of ensuring sufficient tight contact between the openings to improve suction efficiency, at least one of the openings 231a and 232a may be provided with a sealing gasket, and at least one of the openings 231b and 232b may also be provided with a sealing gasket.

[0089] An opening frame 95 is preferably provided around the opening 231a. In the installed state, the opening frame 95 abuts (contacts) with the air intake 232a of the mounting portion 232 (see...). Figure 14 An opening frame 95 is provided along the opening 231a on the outer wall of the dust collector 231. The opening frame 95 is formed to protrude outward from the dust collector 231. Considering factors such as ease of installation into the mounting portion 232, the shape of the opening frame 95 in the thickness direction (i.e., the direction in which it protrudes outward from the dust collector 231) is preferably such that the thickness gradually increases from the lower side (Z2 side) to the upper side (Z1 side). In other words, when viewed from the side, the opening frame 95 is preferably formed to be convex, with the upper side protruding more than the lower side.

[0090] Here, when the dust collector 231 is a dust bag housing capable of accommodating the dust bag P, the opening 231b for exhausting air to the second electric suction motor 250 side is preferably a grid-shaped or striped opening. That is, the dust collector 231 is preferably a dust bag housing capable of accommodating the dust bag, and includes an openable and closable second cover 91, a handle 92 integrally formed with the second cover 91, and an opening 231b with a grid-shaped or striped opening on the bottom surface 90B opposite to the second cover 91. The opening 231b is used to exhaust the air separated from the dust to the second electric suction motor 250 side. The grid-shaped or striped opening of the opening 231b prevents the dust bag P from being exposed from the opening 231b. From the perspective of maximizing this effect, the opening 231b is more preferably a grid-shaped opening (see...). Figure 5 Preferably, a filter (not shown) is installed in this grid-like section. This allows fine dust that the dust bag P could not completely remove to be removed by the filter, thereby preventing fine dust from flowing towards the second electric suction machine 250 and reducing the likelihood of malfunctions in the dust collection station 200. Furthermore, by making the filter removable, it can also be washed separately.

[0091] In addition to the cylindrical peripheral wall 90 and the second cover 91, the dust collector 231 preferably also includes a locking part 96 related to the opening and closing of the second cover 91 (see...). Figure 5 The locking part 96 is provided along the outer surface of the cylindrical peripheral wall 90 that constitutes the dust collector 231. When the dust collector 231 is a dust bag type, the locking part 96 is preferably related not only to the opening and closing of the second cover 91, but also to the engagement and disengagement of the dust bag.

[0092] For example, the locking part 96 has: a first part having a first locking part 961 that can be engaged and locked to the closed second cover 91; a second part having a pair of second locking parts (not shown) that can be engaged and locked to the mounting plate of the dust collection bag; and an operating part 962.

[0093] The end of the first part opposite to the first locking part 961 is integrated with or linked to the operating part 962. The operating part 962 is a button-shaped part used to operate and link the first part and the second part. A force-applying member (e.g., a compression spring) is disposed on the back of the operating part 962 (i.e., between the operating part 962 and the cylindrical member constituting the surrounding wall 90). The first part can rotate about a second axis extending in a direction orthogonal to the central axis direction (vertical direction Z) of the surrounding wall 90, and the second part can rotate about a third axis parallel to the second axis. Although not shown in the figure, a gap (locked state) is provided between the first part and the second part.

[0094] When the user holds the dust collector 231 with the second cover 91 below and gently presses the operating part 962, the first action is performed. The first action is that the first part rotates around the second axis, causing the first locking part 961 to disengage from the second cover 91.

[0095] For example with Figures 16-20 Conversely, when the user holds the dust collector 231 with the first cover 233 facing downwards, and gently presses the operating part 962 in this state, the first cover 233 opens due to its own weight, and the opening end 90A of the dust collector 231 opens.

[0096] Because of the gap between the first and second parts, when the user presses the operating part 962 lightly, the second part will not move, or the second part will only rotate slightly, while the pair of second locking parts remain locked to the mounting plate of the dust bag.

[0097] When the user presses the operating part 962 further, the first part rotates further around the second axis, pushing the second part further. This triggers a second action, in which the second part and a pair of second locking parts rotate further around the third axis, disengaging the pair of second locking parts from the dust bag mounting plate. Through this second action, the dust-laden dust bag falls naturally from the opening end 90A of the dust collector 231 due to its own weight. Thus, the second locking parts disengage from the dust bag mounting plate only after the first locking part 961 disengages from the second cover 91. Therefore, during the free fall (also known as natural fall), the second cover 91 is less likely to contact the dust bag, allowing it to fall smoothly.

[0098] In the dust collection station 200, a second electric suction unit 250 is disposed below (on the Z2 side) the second dust collection section 230. The second electric suction unit 250 consists of a fan 251 and a motor (also referred to as a second motor) 252 that drives the fan 251. The second electric suction unit 250 generates a suction force to recover (draw in) dust-containing air from the first dust collection section 130 of the vacuum cleaner 100 to the second dust collection section 230 via the recovery port 220. From the perspective of noise reduction, it is preferable to arrange sound-absorbing material, described later, around the second motor 252.

[0099] To stably hold the second electric suction unit 250 within the housing 201, the second electric suction unit 250 is preferably housed (configured) within the housing 253. The housing 253 is provided with an opening 253a communicating with the exhaust path 22. The portion consisting of the second electric suction unit 250, or, in the case of the housing 253, the portion consisting of the second electric suction unit 250 and the housing 253, is also referred to as the suction section 254. It should be noted that when permeable sound-absorbing material is arranged around the second motor 252, it is preferable to house the second electric suction unit 250 together with the sound-absorbing material within the housing 253.

[0100] Under the suction force of the second electric suction unit 250, the air separated from the dust in the second dust collection section 230 flows along the exhaust path 22 and is discharged to the outside from the exhaust port 260. The exhaust path 22 is an air passage connecting the suction section 254 equipped with the second electric suction unit 250 and the exhaust port 260, and directing the air separated from the dust towards the exhaust port 260. During the operation of the second electric suction unit 250, the air separated from the dust flows from the suction section 254 towards the exhaust port 260 within the exhaust path 22. That is, the airflow within the exhaust path 22 is unidirectional.

[0101] From a noise reduction perspective, the exhaust path 22 is preferably relatively long. In this embodiment, the exhaust path 22 has a length of approximately more than half the circumference of the inner perimeter of the housing in a plan view. Specifically, in a plan view (viewed from the Z2 side), when the inner perimeter length of the housing 201 is set to 100%, the length of the exhaust path 22 is approximately 50% or more. Thus, the exhaust path 22 is a relatively long path, enabling the dust collection station 200 to have good quiet performance and achieve low noise levels.

[0102] For example, in the recycling device described in Patent No. 7153867, the exhaust direction after dust is sucked in by the suction source is uncertain and it is discharged randomly. Therefore, it can be inferred that the recycling device is noisy. The recycling device described in Patent No. 7165869 also has the same problem.

[0103] Figure 16 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of the housing 201 of the dust collection station 200 in this embodiment. Figures 17-20 This is the front view viewed from one side (Y1 side) of the vacuum cleaner 100. Figures 16-20 This is a three-dimensional view viewed from above (Z1 direction). Figures 16-20 The portion after the housing 201 (outer wall) and the like have been removed from the dust collection station 200 is shown (i.e., the entire holding part 201H).

[0104] Here, when only the housing 201 is removed from the dust collection station 200, the main part of the exhaust path 22 is covered ( Figures 16-19 (Not shown in the image) is covered and cannot be seen. Figure 7 For ease of explanation, the cover is omitted here. The exhaust path 22 is covered by the cover, preventing air from flowing into the exhaust path 22 from the housing 201, thus ensuring unidirectional airflow within the exhaust path 22. Furthermore, as described later, when sound-absorbing material (not shown) is placed on the inner wall of the exhaust path 22, the sound-absorbing material is placed on the inner wall of the cover of the exhaust path 22, thereby placing the sound-absorbing material on the side closest to the outside of the housing 201. It should be noted that... Figure 11 The diagram shows a cover K disposed in the Y2 side region within the housing 201 (reference numerals k1 and k2 indicate that a rib disposed on the housing 201 contacts the cover K). Figure 6 The image shows a cover K installed in the area where the second control unit 32 (control board) is located.

[0105] The length of the exhaust path 22 refers to the length of the centerline of the cross-section of the exhaust path 22. The starting point of the exhaust path 22 is the end of the exhaust path 22 near the second electric suction machine 250, and the ending point of the exhaust path 22 is the exhaust port 260. The centerline of the cross-section of the exhaust path 22 can be a straight line. For example, when the exhaust path 22 has a curved or bent portion, it can also be an imaginary line that is partially or entirely curved or bent. The starting point of the exhaust path 22, i.e., the end on the side of the second electric suction machine 250, refers to the opening 253a provided in the housing 253, or, in the absence of a housing 253, the fan 251 constituting the second electric suction machine 250.

[0106] Here, as an example, when the inner circumference of the housing 201 (outer wall) in the plan view is set to 100%, the length of the exhaust path 22 is approximately 50% or more. A first approach can be described as follows: During the operation of the second electric suction machine 250, in the plan view, the direction of air flowing from the end (starting point) of the second electric suction machine 250 to the exhaust path 22 is opposite to the direction of exhaust from the exhaust port 260 (end point) to the outside. For example, when the second electric suction machine 250 is running, in the plan view, air flows in the X2 direction at the starting point of the exhaust path 22 and in the X1 direction at the end point. When the inner circumference of the housing 201 (outer wall) in the plan view is set to 100%, in this first approach, the length of the exhaust path 22 is approximately 50% in the plan view. However, in the first approach, if the height (i.e., the position in the vertical direction Z) of at least one of the ends of the second electric suction machine 250 and the exhaust port 260 in the exhaust path 22 is set to different heights, then the length of the exhaust path 22 will exceed approximately 50% relative to 100% of the inner circumference length of the housing 201 (outer wall) in the plan view.

[0107] The exhaust path 22 preferably has a first region 1a and a second region 2a with a smaller cross-sectional area than the first region 1a. Specifically, the exhaust path 22 preferably features a continuously repeating region 1a (also called an expansion region) with a large cross-sectional area and a region 2a (also called a compression region) with a small cross-sectional area. This further improves the sound absorption effect of the exhaust path 22. The cross-sectional area within the exhaust path 22 refers to the area of ​​the cross-section within the exhaust path 22.

[0108] Here, when the direction in which the vacuum cleaner 100 connected to the dust collection station 200 is removed is designated as the first direction Y1, in the plan view of the housing 201, the first region 1a is preferably located on the side of the second direction Y2, which is opposite to the first direction Y1, further than the center of the housing 201. That is, the exhaust path 22 is preferably such that the main region on the side of the second direction Y2 does not have a structure with a reduced cross-sectional area, while the connecting portion of the region in the direction orthogonal to the second direction Y2 (front-back direction X) has a structure with a reduced cross-sectional area (e.g., a structure with openings a1 and a2 described later). In the plan view, by placing the first region 1a on the side of the second direction Y2, which is further than the center of the housing 201, the dust collection station 200 can be stably installed, for example, when the back side (the Y2 side) of the housing 201 faces the interior wall.

[0109] The exhaust port 260 is preferably positioned to lengthen the exhaust path 22. As previously mentioned, the recovery port 220 is preferably configured to draw in air in a third direction (preferably direction X1 or X2) inclined relative to the first direction Y1 in a plan view of the housing 201. In this case, the exhaust port 260 is preferably configured to discharge air in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction in a plan view of the housing 201. When the air intake direction at the recovery port 220 is opposite to the air discharge direction at the exhaust port 260, the total length of the dust flow path 21 and the exhaust path 22 is longer, thus improving the noise reduction performance of the dust collection station 200. Figures 16-20 In the plan view, the intake port 220 is configured to draw in air along the X2 direction, which is inclined relative to the first direction Y1, and the exhaust port 260 is configured to discharge air along the X1 direction, which is opposite to the X2 direction. Furthermore, a filter (not shown) is provided on the exhaust port 260.

[0110] As described below, the dust collection station 200 preferably further includes a second control unit 32, and the second control unit 32 is preferably disposed within the exhaust path 22. Here, the control unit is typically constructed by mounting a chip-shaped control component on a substrate. That is, the second control unit 32 is disposed in the dust collection station 200 as a control substrate. In the dust collection station 200 where the second control unit 32 is disposed within the exhaust path 22, air flows toward the exhaust port 260 on the control substrate constituting the second control unit 32.

[0111] Reference Figures 16-17 To explain in more detail, the air drawn in by the second electric suction machine 250 flows in the X2 direction through the opening 253a provided on the housing 253 of the second electric suction machine 250 (see reference). Figures 17-18 Afterwards, air flows along the Y1 direction, then along the Z1 direction, and then along the Y2 side on the surface of the second control unit 32 (control board) provided on the X2 side inside the housing 201. The air then flows along the Z2 side, passing through the opening a1 provided on the holding part 201H (see reference). Figures 18-19 The opening a1 is for allowing air to flow from the X2 side region inside the housing 201 to the Y2 side region inside the housing 201. Air flows towards the Y2 side through the opening a1, and after flowing towards the X1 side in the Y2 side region inside the housing 201, it passes towards the Y1 side through the opening a2 provided in the holding part 201H (see reference). Figures 19-20 Opening a2 is an opening for allowing air to flow from the Y2 side region within the housing 201 to the X1 side region within the housing 201. Air flows into the X1 side region within the housing 201 through opening a2 (see reference). Figure 20 Although in Figure 6 Not shown in the diagram, but an exhaust port 260 is provided on the X1 side of the housing 201 (see reference). Figure 20Therefore, air will be discharged from the exhaust port 260 in the X1 direction.

[0112] Furthermore, air through opening a2 can also be discharged into the entire spacious area within housing 201 (see reference). Figure 21 However, the airflow through opening a2 is directed towards exhaust port 260. Furthermore, to further reduce noise, a sealed channel, such as a box-type channel, can be provided between opening a2 and exhaust port 260, allowing air passing through opening a2 to flow into this channel. A filter (not shown) can also be provided on opening a2.

[0113] Here, the cross-sectional area within the exhaust path 2 is such that the opening a1 for subsequent airflow is smaller than the area within the exhaust path 22 where the second control section 32 is located, and the area within the housing 201 where subsequent airflow occurs on the Y2 side is larger than the opening a1. Furthermore, the cross-sectional area within the exhaust path 2 is such that the opening a2 for subsequent airflow is smaller than the area within the housing 201 on the Y2 side, and the area within the housing 201 where subsequent airflow occurs on the X1 side is larger than the opening a2. Thus, a first region 1a and a second region 2a with a cross-sectional area smaller than the first region 1a are repeatedly and continuously provided on the exhaust path 22. In the plan view, the region with a cross-sectional area larger than the preceding and following regions (opening a1 and opening a2) is located closer to the Y2 side of the center of the housing 201. In the above arrangement, if the inner perimeter of the housing 201 (outer wall) in the plan view is set to 100%, the length of the exhaust path 22 is at least approximately 50% or more. It should be noted that when passing through the opening 253a, the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust path 22 is larger than that of the opening 253a, and when flowing from that area to the area where the second control substrate 32 is disposed, it passes through the part with a smaller cross-sectional area.

[0114] In these sections, the repeated arrangement of large and small cross-sectional areas can improve the sound absorption effect of the exhaust path 22.

[0115] From the perspective of further reducing noise, the inner wall of the exhaust path 22 is preferably provided with sound-absorbing material (not shown). The longer the exhaust path 22 is provided with sound-absorbing material, the easier it is to improve sound absorption characteristics, which is suitable for improving quietness. Therefore, as mentioned above, if the exhaust path 22 is formed to be relatively long and the sound-absorbing material is provided inside the exhaust path 22, the sound-absorbing material can effectively absorb noise. Based on the same consideration, the inner wall of the dust flow path 21 is also preferably provided with sound-absorbing material. Furthermore, also from the perspective of reducing noise, the connection parts of the components (pipes, etc.) constituting the exhaust path 22 are preferably provided with sealing material.

[0116] The sound-absorbing material only needs to be disposed on at least a portion of the inner wall of the exhaust path 22, but it is preferable to dispose of the sound-absorbing material on at least one side of the inner wall of the exhaust path 22 near the outside of the housing 201. When the inner wall of the dust flow path 21 is disposed of with sound-absorbing material, it is also preferable to dispose of the sound-absorbing material on at least one side of the inner wall of the dust flow path 21 near the outside of the housing 201.

[0117] The sound-absorbing material used in this embodiment is not breathable. Furthermore, from the perspective of improving impact resistance, the sound-absorbing material is preferably made of a soft material. For example, sheets made of woven or non-woven fabric composed of multiple fibers are suitable as sound-absorbing materials. There are no particular limitations on the type of sound-absorbing material; porous materials such as resin porous bodies (sponge) or ceramic porous bodies can also be used. In addition, as a measure to address the heat generated by the device disposed inside the housing 201, the sound-absorbing material can also be formed of a flame-retardant substance.

[0118] To prevent the sound-absorbing material from shifting or falling off, it is preferable to fix the sound-absorbing material within the exhaust path 22. Similarly, it is also preferable to fix the sound-absorbing material within the dust flow path 21. The ends of the sound-absorbing material or portions located in areas with strong airflow can be connected to the housing 201 or the retaining part 201H using fasteners such as adhesives or screws. To improve sound absorption performance, mechanically fixing the sound-absorbing material is preferable compared to using adhesives. Alternatively, the position of the sound-absorbing material can be restricted by a locking portion protruding into the inner surface of the housing 201, corresponding to the placement location of the sound-absorbing material. By providing the locking portion, it is possible to prevent the sound-absorbing material from rolling up and peeling off due to suction force.

[0119] The lower part of the housing 201 is mounted on the base 202. The base 202 preferably has a mounting surface 203 for mounting the vacuum cleaner 100. The mounting surface 203 is a surface parallel to the setting surface of the dust collection station 200 (for example, when the setting surface is a horizontal surface, the mounting surface 203 is a horizontal surface).

[0120] The mounting surface 203 preferably has a fitting portion (referred to as the first fitting portion) A1, which, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is mounted (configured) on the mounting surface, can at least partially close the suction port 120 (see reference) at the bottom 11a of the suction port body 102 of the vacuum cleaner 100. Figure 3 Therefore, with the vacuum cleaner 100 installed in the dust collection station 200, i.e., with the suction inlet 102 resting on the mounting surface 203, the air path from the suction inlet 120 when air is drawn in can be sufficiently sealed. Thus, when the dust collection station 200 collects dust from the vacuum cleaner 100, it can sufficiently ensure that the airflow from the vacuum cleaner 100's dust collection suction inlet 182 and / or exhaust inlet 183 (see reference 183) is collected. Figure 21 This increases the amount of air drawn in, thereby improving the dust collection efficiency of the dust collection station 200.

[0121] Here, the following structure is adopted: when the vacuum cleaner 100 is placed on the dust collection station 200, the dust collection suction port 182 is connected to the first dust collection section 130 of the vacuum cleaner 100; when the vacuum cleaner 100 is not placed on the dust collection station 200, the first dust collection section 130 of the vacuum cleaner 100 is not connected to the dust collection suction port 182. Therefore, when using the vacuum cleaner 100 to clean the floor, the dust collection suction port will not draw in air. Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner 100, which is compatible with such a mounting surface 203, can also effectively suppress the situation where un-drawn dust (i.e., so-called dust residue) remains inside the vacuum cleaner 100. Figure 2 yes Figure 21 Enlarged view of part X. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the first fitting part A1 is trapezoidal in the side view, but it can also be arc-shaped.

[0122] Furthermore, conventional dust collection devices, such as the one described in Japanese Patent No. 7165869, are configured such that a suction source generates an attraction force to draw dust out of the vacuum cleaner, provided that the vacuum cleaner body is in an upright position relative to a connecting wall with a dust collection port that allows dust to flow in from the vacuum cleaner. To accommodate this dust collection device, the amount of air drawn in from the vacuum cleaner's nozzle is configured to vary depending on the angle between the vacuum cleaner body and the nozzle connection. However, in such vacuum cleaners, when the vacuum cleaner body is in a near-upright position during normal cleaning, the nozzle opening area decreases, which may lead to increased noise and clogging. The dust collection device described in Patent No. 7153867 also suffers from the same problem.

[0123] As described below, when the suction port body 102 has a rear roller 13 rotatably disposed behind the bottom 11a of the suction port body 102, the mounting surface 203 preferably has a concave second fitting portion A2, which fits into the rear roller 13 (see reference). Figure 21 When the suction inlet body 102 is equipped with the rear roller 13, when the user removes the vacuum cleaner 100 from the dust collection station 200, the vacuum cleaner 100 needs to be tilted in the Y1 direction relative to the Z1 direction and then removed in the Y1 direction. At this time, the rear roller will rotate backward (in the Y1 direction), making it easier for the suction inlet body 102 to detach from the mounting surface 203. On the other hand, when the suction inlet body 102 is placed on the mounting surface 203, the vacuum cleaner 100 is placed in the Z1 direction, so the overall weight of the vacuum cleaner 100 will act on the second fitting portion A2 located in the Z2 direction, thereby effectively suppressing the suction inlet body 102 from moving backward (in the Y1 direction). Therefore, the mounting surface 203 with the second fitting portion A2 can fix the vacuum cleaner 100 without affecting its operability when placing and removing the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0124] As described above, the mounting surface 203 preferably has at least one of the first fitting portion A1 and the second fitting portion A2, and more preferably has both the first fitting portion A1 and the second fitting portion A2.

[0125] Furthermore, as described later, when the suction inlet body 102 includes a lower housing portion 11 forming the bottom 11a and a rotating cleaning body 12 disposed at the suction inlet 120, the first fitting portion A1 is preferably positioned between the rear wall surface 11d of the rotating cleaning body 12 in the lower housing portion 11 and the rotating cleaning body 12 when the vacuum cleaner 100 is placed on the mounting surface 203. This dust collection station 200 makes it easy to place the vacuum cleaner 100 on the mounting surface 203, and the dust collection efficiency is also sufficiently high.

[0126] The first fitting portion A1 may be formed in a concave shape, but it is preferred to be formed in a convex shape (see reference). Figure 21 ).

[0127] The first fitting portion A1 is formed as a concave part (i.e., a concave fitting portion) so that, when the mounting surface 203 is viewed from the side (e.g., from the X2 side), the lower end of the first fitting portion A1 is located below the mounting surface 203 (Z2 side). When the first fitting portion A1 is a concave fitting portion, the length of the lower end of the first fitting portion A1 and the mounting surface 203 along the vertical direction Z can be determined according to the structure of the suction port body 102. For example, the first fitting portion A1 (concave fitting portion) is constructed by embedding the surrounding portion of the suction port body 102 into a concave part.

[0128] The first fitting portion A1 is formed as a convex part (i.e., a convex fitting portion) meaning that when the mounting surface 203 is viewed from the side (e.g., from the X2 side), the upper end of the first fitting portion A1 protrudes above the mounting surface 203 (Z1 side). When the first fitting portion A1 is a convex fitting portion, the dust recovery efficiency of the dust collection station 200 will be further improved. When the first fitting portion A1 is a convex fitting portion, the length of the upper end of the first fitting portion A1 relative to the mounting surface 203 in the vertical direction Z (i.e., the height of the upper end of the first fitting portion A1 relative to the mounting surface 203) can be determined according to the structure of the suction port body 102, for example, 1 to 10 mm.

[0129] Here, when the suction port 102 is equipped with a rotating cleaning body 12, the first fitting portion A1 preferably has a concave fourth fitting portion A4 on the second direction Y2 side, which fits into the rotating cleaning body 12 (see reference). Figure 10 In this case, when the inhalation port 102 is placed on the mounting surface 203, the movement of the inhalation port 102 can be suppressed.

[0130] The mounting surface 203 preferably further includes a convex portion A3 on the first direction Y1 side of the second fitting portion A2. The convex portion A3 refers to the portion where, when viewed from the side (e.g., from the X2 side), the upper end of the convex portion A3 protrudes above the mounting surface 203 (Z1 side). This further suppresses rearward (Y1 direction) movement of the suction inlet 102 when it is placed on the mounting surface 203. The height of the upper end of the convex portion A3 relative to the mounting surface 203 may be approximately the same as, or different from, the upper end height when the first fitting portion A1 is a convex fitting portion.

[0131] The dust collection station 200 preferably includes: a control unit (also called a second control unit) 32 for controlling various components and functional units of the dust collection station 200; and a second communication unit (not shown) for communication with the vacuum cleaner 100 or a server (not shown). The operation of various components and functional units can also be controlled by action instructions from users. Action instructions from users are not particularly limited; for example, they can be instructions for starting operation (operation ON), stopping operation (operation OFF), setting or changing operating modes (e.g., weak suction mode, medium suction mode, strong suction mode, automatic collection ON, OFF), etc. The second control unit 32 and the second communication unit are, for example, provided on the housing 201. Furthermore, the dust collection station 200 may also include a second connection detection unit (not shown) for detecting whether the vacuum cleaner 100 is connected to the dust collection station 200. It should be noted that the second control unit 32 can control the suction force to maintain a constant level.

[0132] The second control unit 32 and the first control unit of the vacuum cleaner 100 described later are respectively composed of a CPU or an MPU, and execute programs recorded in various storage units or external storage devices. The first control unit and the second control unit 32 may also be microcomputers equipped with CPUs and storage devices. The various storage units include, for example, storage units, time storage units, etc., and can be implemented by various ROMs (such as flash memory ROMs) or RAMs.

[0133] The second communication unit and the first communication unit, which may be present in the vacuum cleaner 100 (described later), can be connected to a communication line via a router or gateway, and communicate with each other through the communication line; alternatively, they can communicate directly with each other without a communication line, for example, via short-range wireless communication such as Bluetooth (registered trademark). Alternatively, the vacuum cleaner 100 and the dust collection station 200 may each have a communication terminal, and for example, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is installed (connected) to the dust collection station 200, their respective terminals come into contact with each other to achieve communication.

[0134] The second connection detection unit and the first connection detection unit, which may be included in the vacuum cleaner 100 (described later), can be either a contact detection unit or a non-contact detection unit. A contact detection unit may be, for example, a physical switch or a pressure sensor. A non-contact detection unit may be, for example, an optical sensor such as an infrared photoelectric sensor, a magnetic sensor, a distance sensor, or a near-field communication (NFC) device.

[0135] (Modification 1 of Implementation Method 1) In Embodiment 1, the dust collector 231 is mainly described as a bag-type dust collector having a locking part 96 that relates to the opening and closing of the second cover 91 and the engagement and disengagement of the dust bag. However, a dust collector without such a locking part 96 may also be used. The dust collector 231 may be, for example, a dust collector in which the user opens the second cover 91 by hand or through an operating component and then removes the dust bag stored inside by hand. It may also be a filter-type or cyclone-type dust collector.

[0136] (Modification 2 of Implementation Method 1) In the second dust collection unit 230 of Embodiment 1, a dust collection bag can also be used directly as the dust collector 231.

[0137] (Modification 3 of Implementation Method 1) In the second dust collection section 230 of Embodiment 1, the mounting section 232 may be a recessed base for mounting (configuring) the dust collector 231. In this case, the dust collector 231 is not the dust bag itself, but a dust bag type dust collector or a cyclone type dust collector.

[0138] (Implementation Method 2) As described in Embodiment 1, a guide portion R is preferably provided on the peripheral wall W of the mounting portion 232 for guiding the dust collector 231 into the mounting portion 232 (see reference). Figures 22-25 In this embodiment, the guide part R will be described in detail. Since the other structures are the same as in Embodiment 1 (or its variations), the repeated content will be omitted.

[0139] In the dust collection station 200 of this embodiment, the mounting portion 232 is cylindrical and has a surrounding wall W. At least one guide portion R is provided on the surrounding wall W. The guide portion R is used to guide the dust collector 231 into the mounting portion 232 (see reference). Figures 22-25 The guide portion R is formed to extend in a direction parallel to the central axis of the mounting portion 232 and protrude inwards towards the mounting portion 232. The guide portion R is also referred to as a rib, and is made of, for example, resin or metal.

[0140] Figure 22 This is a schematic diagram of the internal structure of the dust collection station 200 in this embodiment. Figure 23This is a view (rear view) of the dust collection station 200 in its uninstalled state, viewed from the Y2 side. Figure 24 This is a view (rear view) of the dust collection station 200 in its installed state, viewed from the Y2 side. Figure 25 This is a view (main view) of the dust collection station 200 with the first cover 233 open, viewed from the Y1 side during installation. Figure 22 This is a view (right side view) of the dust collection station 200 with the first cover 233 open, viewed from the X2 side during installation.

[0141] Because one or more guide portions R are provided on the surrounding wall W of the mounting section 232, the user can more easily guide the dust collector 231 to the designated position within the mounting section 232. For example, the user can more easily install the dust collector 231 into the mounting section 232, so that the opening 232a of the mounting section 232 fits tightly against the opening 231a of the dust collector 231, and the opening 232b of the mounting section 232 fits tightly against the opening 231b of the dust collector 231. This improves the dust storage efficiency and suction efficiency of the dust collection station 200.

[0142] The shape of the guide portion R in the thickness direction (i.e., the direction in which it protrudes into the inside of the mounting portion 232) is not particularly limited, but for example, a shape in which the thickness gradually increases from the opening end side of the mounting portion 232 to the bottom side (such as a roughly right-angled triangle or a roughly trapezoidal shape) is preferred. Figure 10 The guide portion R1 is formed in a generally trapezoidal shape, and its thickness gradually increases from the opening end side (above) of the mounting portion 232 to the bottom side (below).

[0143] The surrounding wall W is provided with an air intake 232a that connects the recovery port 220 and the dust collector 231. However, it is preferable that, in the plan view of the mounting portion 232, at least one guide portion R is provided on the side of the surrounding wall W (also referred to as the surrounding wall Wx) opposite to the air intake 232a across the central axis of the mounting portion 232. For example, when the mounting portion 232 is approximately rectangular in the plan view, the surrounding wall Wx refers to the wall W2 of the surrounding wall W opposite to the wall W1 where the air intake 232a is provided (see reference). Figure 12 ).

[0144] The surrounding wall Wx preferably has two or more guide portions R. Any two guide portions R provided on the surrounding wall Wx are referred to as the first guide portion R1 and the second guide portion R2. The first guide portion R1 and the second guide portion R2 preferably protrude into the mounting portion 232 by different amounts (referred to as their thickness). For convenience, the one with the larger thickness between the first guide portion R1 and the second guide portion R2 is referred to as the first guide portion R1. That is, the first guide portion R1 is formed to protrude further into the mounting portion 232 than the second guide portion R2. In the installed state, the first guide portion R1 preferably contacts the dust collector 231. This makes it easier to guide the dust collector 231 to the set position within the mounting portion 232. The thickness and shape of the first guide portion R1 are adjusted to preferably contact the dust collector 231 in the installed state. In the installed state, the second guide portion R2 may or may not contact the dust collector 231. Furthermore, it is preferable to configure the first guide portion R1 and the second guide portion R2 such that the hinge portion of the dust collector 231 can be inserted between the first guide portion R1 and the second guide portion R2. In this case, the first guide portion R1 and the second guide portion R2 can also function as guides when installing the dust collector 231 (see reference). Figure 10 ).

[0145] Thus, the guide portion R includes a first guide portion R1, which is disposed on the peripheral wall Wx of the mounting portion 232 in a plan view, on the side opposite to the air intake 232a across the central axis of the mounting portion 232. The first guide portion R1 preferably contacts the dust collector 231 when the dust collector 231 is installed on the mounting portion 232. Particularly preferably, the guide portion R also includes a second guide portion R2, which is disposed on the peripheral wall Wx of the mounting portion 232 in a plan view, on the side opposite to the air intake 232a across the central axis of the mounting portion 232. The first guide portion R1 is formed to protrude further inward into the mounting portion 232 than the second guide portion R2.

[0146] exist Figure 24 and Figure 10 In the generally rectangular mounting portion 232 in the plan view, a first guide portion R1 and a second guide portion R2 are provided on the wall W2 opposite to the wall W1 where the air intake 232a is provided. Figure 24 and Figure 10 In this configuration, the second guide section R2 is positioned closer to the first direction Y1 than the first guide section R1, but it can also be positioned on the second direction Y2 side, which is opposite to the first direction.

[0147] The guide portion R is preferably provided on the surrounding wall W (also called the surrounding wall Wy) on the side of the air intake 232a. The guide portion R provided on the surrounding wall Wy is referred to as the third guide portion R3. That is, the guide portion R preferably also includes the third guide portion R3 provided on the surrounding wall Wy on the side of the air intake 232a. For example, when the mounting portion 232 is approximately rectangular in plan view, the surrounding wall Wy on the side of the air intake 232a refers to the wall W1 in the surrounding wall W where the air intake 232a is provided (see reference). Figure 10 Multiple third guide sections R3 can be installed on the surrounding wall Wy.

[0148] The third guide portion R3 preferably extends from above to below the air intake 232a. That is, the upper end (Z1 side end) of the third guide portion R3 is preferably located above the upper end of the air intake 232a, and the lower end (Z2 side end) of the third guide portion R3 is preferably located below the lower end of the air intake 232a.

[0149] The guide portion R is preferably provided on the surrounding wall W (also called the surrounding wall Wz) on the first direction side. The guide portion R provided on the surrounding wall Wz is referred to as the fourth guide portion R4. That is, when the direction in which the vacuum cleaner 100 connected to the dust collection station 200 is removed is set as the first direction Y1, the guide portion R preferably also includes the fourth guide portion R4 provided on the surrounding wall Wz on the first direction Y1 side. For example, when the mounting portion 232 is approximately rectangular in plan view, the surrounding wall Wy on the first direction side refers to the wall W3 on the first direction Y1 side (see reference). Figure 25 Multiple fourth guide portions R4 can be provided on the surrounding wall Wz. Furthermore, guide portions R can also be provided on the wall on the side opposite to the first direction Y1, in the second direction Y2. For example, in... Figure 26 In the middle, two fourth guide parts R4 are provided on the peripheral wall Wz on the side of the first direction Y1, and guide parts R are also provided on the peripheral wall W on the side of the second direction Y2.

[0150] A filter (not shown) is preferably disposed at the lower part of the mounting section 232. Specifically, in the installed state, the filter is preferably disposed between the opening 231b of the dust collector 231 and the opening 232b of the mounting section 232. This ensures that fine dust not completely removed by the dust collector 231 is removed by the filter, thereby preventing fine dust from flowing towards the second electric suction machine 250 and minimizing the risk of malfunction in the dust collection station 200. It should be noted that the filter can be disposed on the opening 231b of the dust collector 231, or separately on the opening 231b of the dust collector 231 and the opening 232b of the mounting section 232.

[0151] (Implementation Method 3) The dust collection station 200 of this embodiment also includes an engineering operation unit 80A for inspection or repair. Apart from this, this embodiment is the same as Embodiment 1 (or its variations) or Embodiment 2, so repeated descriptions will be omitted.

[0152] The engineering operation section 80A is the part operated by the manufacturer, service personnel performing maintenance or inspection, etc., and may be, for example, an engineering inspection switch or a software rewriting connector. The engineering operation section 80A preferably has a removable cover 80C (see reference). Figure 27 and Figures 26-28 Therefore, users who actually use the vacuum cleaner 100 through purchase or other means cannot easily access the engineering operation section 80A. A removable cover is fixed to the engineering operation section 80A, for example, by screws.

[0153] Figure 27 These are perspective views of the dust collection station 200 of this embodiment viewed from above, all showing the first cover 233 in the open state. Figure 26 The cover 80C mounted on the engineering operation unit 80A is shown (see reference). Figures 26-28 The image when it was removed. Figure 26 A diagram showing the top portion 201T of the dust collection station 200, which is integrated with the user operation unit 80B described later, is removed.

[0154] The engineering operation unit 80A is preferably disposed on the upper surface (Z1 side surface) of the housing 201 (see reference). Figures 26-28 In traditional dust collection stations, the engineering operation section is located at the back of the station. Therefore, manufacturers or service personnel need to change the product's orientation, such as flipping the dust collection station, to operate it. Furthermore, the main body needs to be supported when flipping the dust collection station or removing the cover from the engineering operation section. However, when the engineering operation section 80A is located on the upper surface of the housing 201, manufacturers or service personnel can operate it without changing the product's orientation, thus shortening operation time and reducing workload.

[0155] From the perspective of preventing users from easily accessing the engineering operation section 80A, the engineering operation section 80A is preferably positioned in a location that is not visible from the outside, as concealed by the closed first cover 233. For example, as Figure 28 As shown, the engineering operation section 80A is disposed on the upper surface of the holding section 201H inside the housing 201, and is approximately at the same height as the opening end of the mounting section 232. The first cover 233, together with the mounting section 232, covers the engineering operation section 80A from above and closes. After the first cover 233 is closed, the engineering operation section 80A cannot be seen from the outside.

[0156] The 200-type dust collection station also features a user operation unit 80B (see reference). Figures 1-4The user operation unit 80B is a part where the user operates or notifies the user; it is also called an input unit or notification unit. Examples of input units include a display such as a touchscreen monitor, a momentary button switch, or a microphone. Examples of notification units include a speaker, a display unit, or an LED light source. The notification unit can be used to notify the user of the remaining battery power of the vacuum cleaner 100, the amount of dust in the dust collector 231, etc. For example, the user can set or change the automatic collection on or off state (described later) by operating the user operation unit 80B.

[0157] From a user-friendly perspective, the user operation unit 80B is preferably located on the upper surface (Z1 side) of the housing 201, and more preferably, both the engineering operation unit 80A and the user operation unit 80B are located on the upper surface of the housing 201. In a dust collection station 200 where both the engineering operation unit 80A and the user operation unit 80B are located on the upper surface of the housing 201, if a substrate 80D integrating the engineering operation unit 80A and the user operation unit 80B is used, it can be easily manufactured (see reference). Figures 1-4 This reduces manufacturing costs. Furthermore, when both the engineering operation unit 80A and the user operation unit 80B are located on the upper surface of the housing 201, manufacturers or service personnel can simultaneously receive notifications (displays) from LEDs on the user operation unit 80B while operating the engineering operation unit 80A, thereby improving manufacturing or maintenance efficiency.

[0158] (Implementation Method 4) In this embodiment, a dust collection device 1 comprising a vacuum cleaner 100 and a dust collection station 200 will be described. The dust collection station 200 of the dust collection device 1 is preferably the dust collection station 200 of Embodiment 1 (or its variations), Embodiment 2, or Embodiment 3. The following mainly describes features unique to this embodiment; repeated descriptions will be omitted.

[0159] Figure 29 This diagram also illustrates the dust collection device 1 of this embodiment. The vacuum cleaner 100 includes a suction port 120 for sucking up dust from the ground, a first electric suction motor 150 for attracting dust, a first dust collection section 130 for storing the dust sucked up by the first electric suction motor 150, and a dust discharge port 160 for discharging the dust from the first dust collection section 130. For example, Figure 30 The vacuum cleaner 100 shown includes: a suction inlet body 102 with a suction inlet 120; a generally cylindrical vacuum cleaner body 101 that is mounted above the suction inlet body 102 and is elongated in the vertical direction; and a handle 103 that extends above the vacuum cleaner body 101. The vacuum cleaner body 101 is provided with a first electric suction motor 150, a first dust collection part 130, and a dust discharge port 160.

[0160] Figure 4 This is a perspective view of the suction inlet 102 of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to this embodiment, viewed from the left front side. Figure 6 This is a view of the suction inlet 102 of the vacuum cleaner 100 of this embodiment, viewed from the bottom 11a side. The suction inlet 102 and the like will be described in detail below with reference to these drawings.

[0161] The suction inlet body 102 has a suction port 120 at its bottom 11a. The suction inlet body 102 may also have a rotating cleaning body 12 at its bottom 11a. The rotating cleaning body 12 preferably includes a rotatably mounted shaft 12A and cleaning material (not shown) disposed around the shaft 12A. When the suction inlet body 102 has the rotating cleaning body 12, it also includes components such as a motor for driving the rotating cleaning body 12. The rotating cleaning body 12 rotates due to the rotation of this motor. The cleaning material may be, for example, a brush.

[0162] More specifically, the suction inlet body 102 preferably includes a lower housing portion 11 forming the bottom 11a and a rotating cleaning body 12 disposed at the suction inlet 120, and more preferably includes an upper housing portion 14 disposed on the lower housing portion 11. The lower housing portion 11 has a front portion 11b extending in the left-right direction and a rear portion 11c protruding rearward from the middle portion in the left-right direction from the rear end of the front portion 11b, the front portion 11b and the rear portion 11c together forming the bottom 11a. On the front portion 11b of the lower housing portion 11, the suction inlet 120 extending in the left-right direction is disposed in the front half, and the rear half is a portion for mounting (disposing) the drive motor, the cylindrical connecting portion, etc. A buffer is provided at the front end of the front portion 11b. The cylindrical connecting portion (not shown) is the portion that connects the connecting portion 15 of the vacuum cleaner body 101 and the suction inlet 120.

[0163] The upper housing portion 14 is composed of one or more components, such as a drive motor and a cylindrical connecting portion located above the suction port 120 and the lower housing portion 11, which are generally positioned at the rear half. Part or all of the upper housing portion 14 may be a rotating cleaning body cover 14 provided on the lower housing portion 11 to cover the upper part of the rotating cleaning body 12. Thus, the suction port body 102 more preferably also includes a rotating cleaning body cover 14 provided on the lower housing portion 11 to cover the upper part of the rotating cleaning body 12. The rotating cleaning body cover 14 is positioned above the rotating cleaning body 12 and preferably has a curved portion. The middle portion 14a in the left-right direction of the upper housing portion 14 protrudes upward to accommodate the joint portion 15a of the cylindrical connecting portion and the connecting portion 15.

[0164] The rotating cleaning body 12 is disposed at the suction port 120, which is approximately the front half of the lower housing portion 11. As previously described, the rotating cleaning body 12 preferably includes a rotatably mounted shaft 12A and cleaning material (not shown) disposed around the shaft 12A, and the tip of the cleaning material (e.g., the tip of a brush) preferably has a length that contacts or approaches the inner wall of the front end of the rotating cleaning body cover 14 or the front portion 11b. For example, the tip of the cleaning material may slide into contact with the inner wall of the rotating cleaning body cover 14 (contacting during movement) or may approach the inner wall without contacting it. When the cleaning material has such a length, the portion of the suction port 120 on the buffer side (i.e., the portion of the bottom 11a that is closer to the front portion 11b of the rotating cleaning body 12) becomes substantially blocked by the cleaning material. In this state, the air flowing from the buffer side portion of the suction port 120 through the space between the rotating cleaning body 12 and the rotating cleaning body cover 14 to the connecting portion 15 is reduced. Therefore, air is mainly drawn in from the portion between the rotating cleaning body 12 and the wall surface 11d in the suction port 120, thereby improving the floor cleaning efficiency. In addition, when the suction port body 102 is placed on the mounting surface 203, and air is drawn in by the second electric suction machine 250, the air path flowing from the buffer side of the suction port 120 through the rotating cleaning body 12 and the rotating cleaning body cover 14 to the connecting part 15 is more fully sealed, thereby improving the efficiency of the dust collection station 200 in recovering dust from the first dust collection part 130 of the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0165] As mentioned above, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is placed on the mounting surface 203, the first fitting part A1 is preferably located between the wall surface 11d on the rear side of the rotating cleaning body 12 in the lower housing part 11 and the rotating cleaning body 12. In this case, the first fitting part A1 can be a concave fitting part, but a convex fitting part is preferred.

[0166] On the lower housing 11, a pair of raised cloths 11e are preferably provided on the left and right sides of the suction inlet 120. Furthermore, a raised brush (not shown) is also preferably provided near the rear of the suction inlet 120 (near the rear side wall 11d). When cleaning the floor, the vacuum cleaner 100 is surrounded by the pair of raised cloths 11e and the raised brush on the left, right, and rear sides of the suction inlet 120, thereby enhancing the suction force in front of the suction inlet 120. Moreover, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is placed on the mounting surface 203, the efficiency of the dust collection station 200 in recovering dust from the first dust collection section 130 of the vacuum cleaner 100 is also improved.

[0167] The connecting portion 15 is located above the rear portion 11c of the lower housing portion 11, and has a joint portion 15a that connects to the rear opening of the cylindrical communicating portion and a tube portion 15b connected to the joint portion 15a. For example, the joint portion 15a can rotate in the left-right direction X, and the tube portion 15b can rotate in the front-back direction Y.

[0168] Preferably, a rear roller 13 is rotatably provided behind (Y1 side) the bottom 11a of the suction inlet body 102. Providing the rear roller 13 can reduce the risk of the suction inlet body 102 causing damage to the ground. As mentioned above, the second fitting portion A2 that the mounting surface 203 may have is a concave fitting portion that fits into the rear roller 13.

[0169] The vacuum cleaner 100 further includes a battery 170 for powering the first electric suction unit 150, etc. The battery 170 is located, for example, below the first dust collection section 130 and on the front side (Y2 side) of the suction tube 180. The vacuum cleaner 100 has a charging terminal (not shown) for powering the battery 170, and the dust collection station 200 also has a charging terminal 205 for powering the battery 170. When the user attaches the vacuum cleaner 100 to the dust collection station 200, the charging terminals come into contact with each other, allowing the dust collection station 200 to supply power to the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0170] The first electric suction machine 150 consists of a fan (not shown) and a motor (also referred to as the first motor) that drives the fan.

[0171] The first dust collection unit 130 is connected to the suction port 120 and the dust discharge port 160. The first dust collection unit 130 can be configured to separate dust-laden air drawn in from the suction port 120 by means of a filter (filter type) or by means of separation by cyclone flow (cyclone type).

[0172] When the first dust collection unit 130 is installed on the vacuum cleaner body 101, it has an opening that communicates with the dust discharge port 160, and a cover 161 is provided at the opening for opening and closing. When the vacuum cleaner 100 is connected to the dust collection station 200, the dust discharge port 160 communicates with the recovery port 220 of the dust collection station 200.

[0173] The dust exhaust port 160 is positioned opposite the collection port 220 of the dust collection station 200. For example, the dust exhaust port 160 can be located on the front side (Y2 side), the back side (Y1 side), or the side side (X1 or X2 side) of the vacuum cleaner body 101. However, considering the preferred configuration of the collection port 220 described later, the dust exhaust port 160 is preferably located on the side of the vacuum cleaner body 101. For example, when the dust exhaust port 160 is located on the X2 side of the vacuum cleaner body 101, the dust exhaust port 160 can connect to the collection port 220 located in the X2 direction of the vacuum cleaner body 101 (see [link]). Figure 31 and Figure 31When the dust outlet 160 is located on the X1 side of the vacuum cleaner body 101, the dust outlet 160 can be connected to the recovery port 220 located in the X1 direction of the vacuum cleaner body 101. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner 100 preferably has a dust outlet 160 on the side of the body that can be connected to the recovery port 220 of the dust collection station 200.

[0174] The gripping part 103 is provided with a first operating part 104 (e.g., an operating switch) for user operation.

[0175] Although not shown, the vacuum cleaner 100 preferably includes a first control unit for controlling various components and functional parts of the vacuum cleaner 100, and a first communication unit for communicating information with the dust collection station 200 or a server (not shown). The operation of the various components or functional parts can also be controlled by action instructions from users, for example. The first control unit and the first communication unit are provided, for example, on the vacuum cleaner body 101 or the handle 103. The vacuum cleaner 100 may also include a connection detection unit (also called a first connection detection unit) for detecting whether the vacuum cleaner 100 is connected to the dust collection station 200.

[0176] When using the vacuum cleaner 100, the user must first remove the vacuum cleaner 100 from the dust collection station 200. When the vacuum cleaner 100 is removed from the dust collection station 200, the battery 170 does not supply power to the first control unit. To start the operation of the vacuum cleaner 100, the user operates the first operation unit 104, and then the battery 170 begins to supply power to the control unit of the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0177] After the vacuum cleaner 100 starts operating, the first electric suction unit 150 begins to work, and when the suction inlet body 102 is equipped with a rotating cleaning body 12, the rotating cleaning body 12 begins to rotate. Dust-laden air drawn in from the suction inlet 120 enters the first dust collection section 130 through the suction pipe 181. If the first dust collection section 130 is a filter type, the dust-laden air is filtered by the filter 131; if the first dust collection section 130 is a cyclone type, the dust-laden air is centrifugally separated by the cyclone flow (rotating flow). The dust is stored inside the first dust collection section 130 (more specifically, mainly inside the filter provided in the first dust collection section 130). The air separated from the dust is drawn in by the first electric suction unit 150 and discharged to the outside of the vacuum cleaner 100 through the exhaust path of the first electric suction unit 150 from the exhaust port 183. When the user operates the first operation unit 104 to stop the operation of the vacuum cleaner 100, the first electric suction machine 150 and the rotating cleaning body 12 will also stop.

[0178] When a user finishes using the vacuum cleaner 100 and installs (connects) it to the dust collection station 200, the vacuum cleaner 100's exhaust port 160 connects to the dust collection station 200's return port 220. That is, the user installs the vacuum cleaner 100 to the dust collection station 200 with the exhaust port 160 and return port 220 facing each other. For example, when the first control unit of the vacuum cleaner 100 detects that the first electric suction motor 150 is in operation and the vacuum cleaner 100 is connected to the dust collection station 200, it will stop the first electric suction motor 150 and stop the battery 170 from supplying power to itself (the first control unit). It should be noted that the user can also stop the vacuum cleaner 100 by pressing the stop button or similar mechanism, thus stopping the battery 170 from supplying power to the first control unit, before installing the vacuum cleaner 100 to the dust collection station 200. In this case, even if the vacuum cleaner 100 is installed to the dust collection station 200, it will not be powered on and will remain unpowered.

[0179] After detecting that the vacuum cleaner 100 is installed on the dust collection station 200, the second control unit 32 of the dust collection station 200 preferably charges the battery 170 of the vacuum cleaner 100. As mentioned above, when the user installs the vacuum cleaner 100 on the dust collection station 200, the charging terminal of the vacuum cleaner 100 contacts the charging terminal 205 of the dust collection station 200, and power is supplied from the dust collection station 200 side to the vacuum cleaner 100 side through these charging terminals.

[0180] After detecting that the vacuum cleaner 100 is installed (connected) to the dust collection station 200, the second control unit 32 can also control the collection of dust from the vacuum cleaner 100. The state in which the second control unit performs this control is called the automatic collection on state. Conversely, the state in which the second control unit does not perform this control is called the automatic collection off state. For example, the user can set or change the automatic collection on state or the automatic collection off state through the input unit (user operation unit 80B) provided on the dust collection station 200.

[0181] When the user attaches the vacuum cleaner 100 to the dust collection station 200 in automatic collection mode, the second electric suction machine 250 will automatically start. After the second electric suction machine 250 starts, the dust accumulated in the first dust collection section 130 of the vacuum cleaner 100 will move sequentially through the dust discharge port 160, the recovery port 220 of the dust collection station 200, and the dust flow path 21 into the second dust collection section 230, and be stored in the dust collector 231 of the second dust collection section 230. The second electric suction machine 250 can automatically stop after running for a period of time. For example, when the first dust collection section 130 is full of dust, the second electric suction machine 250 should preferably run for at least a period of time that ensures all dust is collected into the second dust collection section 230 and no dust remains in the dust flow path 21. After the second electric suction machine 250 stops, the dust collection station 200 enters a standby state. When the vacuum cleaner 100 is removed from the dust collection station 200 and then reinstalled, the same series of operations will be performed.

[0182] On the other hand, in the automatic collection off state, even if the user installs the vacuum cleaner 100 onto the dust collection station 200, the second electric suction machine 250 will not run automatically.

[0183] (Modification 1 of Implementation Method 4) In embodiment 4, the method of using a vacuum cleaner 100 equipped with a rotating cleaning body 12 is mainly described, but a vacuum cleaner without a rotating cleaning body 12 can also be used (see embodiment 4). ​ ). ​ This is a view of the suction port 102 of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this example, viewed from the bottom 11a side. The first fitting portion A1 of the mounting surface 203 is configured to at least partially close the suction port 120 of the suction port 102.

[0184] The embodiments of this disclosure have been described above, but this disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments, and various embodiments may be implemented without departing from its spirit. Furthermore, the various constituent elements disclosed in the above embodiments can be appropriately modified. For example, one of the constituent elements shown in one embodiment may be added to the constituent elements of another embodiment, or several constituent elements may be deleted from all the constituent elements shown in one embodiment.

[0185] Furthermore, the accompanying drawings, for ease of understanding of the invention, schematically illustrate each constituent element. From the perspective of drawing creation, the thickness, length, number, spacing, etc., of each constituent element shown in the drawings may differ from the actual dimensions. Moreover, the structures of each constituent element shown in the above embodiments are merely examples and are not particularly limited. Various modifications can be made without substantially deviating from the effects of this disclosure, which is self-evident.

Claims

1. A dust collection station for connecting to and recovering dust from a vacuum cleaner, characterized in that, The vacuum cleaner has a suction inlet body, and the suction inlet body has a suction port at the bottom. The dust collection station has a shell and a base disposed at the lower part of the shell. The housing includes: a recovery port that can be connected to the vacuum cleaner and recover air containing the dust from the vacuum cleaner; and a dust collection section that stores the dust contained in the air recovered via the recovery port. An electric suction machine that generates an attractive force to draw in the air; And an exhaust vent, which discharges the air separated from the dust to the outside. The base has a mounting surface on which the vacuum cleaner is mounted. The mounting surface has a first fitting portion, which is configured to block at least a portion of the suction inlet when the vacuum cleaner is mounted.

2. The dust collection station according to claim 1, characterized in that, The first fitting portion is formed in a convex shape.

3. The dust collection station according to claim 2, characterized in that, The suction port body includes a lower housing portion forming the bottom, and a rotating cleaning body disposed at the suction port. When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the mounting surface, the first fitting part is disposed between the rear wall of the rotating cleaning body in the lower housing and the rotating cleaning body.

4. The dust collection station according to claim 3, characterized in that, The suction port body also includes a rotating cleaning body cover, which is disposed on the lower housing portion to cover the upper periphery of the rotating cleaning body. The rotating cleaning body includes: a shaft mounted rotatably; and cleaning material disposed around the shaft. The cleaning material has a length in which the front end of the cleaning material is in contact with or close to the inner wall of the front end of the front part of the rotating cleaning body cover or the lower housing.

5. The dust collection station according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The inlet body has a rear roller, which is rotatably disposed at the rear of the bottom of the inlet body. When the direction in which the vacuum cleaner connected to the dust collection station is removed is taken as the first direction, the mounting surface also has a second fitting part on the first direction side of the first fitting part, and the second fitting part is formed in a concave shape so as to fit with the rear roller.

6. The dust collection station according to claim 5, characterized in that, The mounting surface also has a convex portion on the first direction side of the second fitting portion.

7. The dust collection station according to claim 1, characterized in that, The suction port body includes a lower housing portion forming the bottom, and a rotating cleaning body disposed at the suction port. When the vacuum cleaner is placed on the mounting surface, the first fitting part is disposed between the rear wall of the rotating cleaning body in the lower housing and the rotating cleaning body.

8. A dust collection device, characterized in that, It includes a vacuum cleaner and a dust collection station according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 7.

9. A dust collection device, characterized in that, It includes a vacuum cleaner and the dust collection station as described in claim 5.

10. A dust collection device, characterized in that, It includes a vacuum cleaner and the dust collection station as described in claim 6.

11. A dust collection station for connecting to and recovering dust from a vacuum cleaner, characterized in that, The vacuum cleaner has a suction inlet body, and the suction inlet body has a suction port at the bottom. The inlet body has a rear roller, which is rotatably disposed at the rear of the bottom of the inlet body. The dust collection station has a shell and a base disposed at the lower part of the shell. The housing includes: a recovery port that can be connected to the vacuum cleaner and recover air containing the dust from the vacuum cleaner; and a dust collection section that stores the dust contained in the air recovered via the recovery port. An electric suction machine that generates an attractive force to draw in the air; as well as The exhaust port discharges the air separated from the dust to the outside. The base has a mounting surface for placing the vacuum cleaner. The mounting surface has a fitting portion, which is formed in a concave shape to fit into the rear roller.

Images