Dust collector and vacuum cleaner

Abstract

To provide a downsizable dust collector, and a vacuum cleaner including the dust collector.SOLUTION: A dust collector includes a second separation part 6 comprising cylindrical parts 316 for discharging separated dust from one end and discharging air from which the dust is separated, from the other end. The plurality of cylindrical parts 316 are disposed to surround a reference line C in a substantially same direction as a central axis of a first separation part, and are inclined such that a center of the other end becomes closer to the reference line C than a center of the one end.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a dust collecting device having a plurality of separating sections and a collecting section, and a vacuum cleaner including the same. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, there has been known a dust collecting device used in an electric vacuum cleaner or the like, which includes a first separation section that separates coarse dust particles, i.e., coarse dust particles, from dust-laden air by centrifugal separation, and a second separation section that separates fine dust particles, i.e., fine dust particles, from the air that has passed through the first separation section. The separated coarse dust particles and fine dust particles are separately accumulated inside a cup-shaped container.

[0003] For example, a fine dust accumulating section is set at the lower center of a coarse dust accumulating section that accumulates coarse dust. In this configuration, the fine dust accumulating section needs to be thinner than the cylindrical filter that forms part of the first separation section and is placed at the upper center of the coarse dust accumulating section. In addition, in order to drop the fine dust to the lower end of the coarse dust accumulating section, the fine dust accumulating section needs to be elongated, and the adhesion of fine dust to the inner wall may cause the fine dust accumulating section to become clogged or produce an unpleasant odor.

[0004] In response to this, for example, a fine dust accumulation section is set at the upper end periphery of a coarse dust accumulation section that accumulates coarse dust. In this configuration, clogging of the fine dust accumulation section is unlikely to occur, but in order to ensure ventilation from the first separation section to the second separation section, it is preferable to form the second separation section and the fine dust accumulation section outside the rotating cylinder at the center of rotation of the first separation section, and the outer diameter tends to be large. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6869036 [Patent Document 2] JP 2014-14452 A [Patent Document 3] JP 2022-135553 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a dust collecting device that can be made compact, and a vacuum cleaner including the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The dust collecting device of the embodiment includes a first separation section, a first accumulation section, a second separation section, and a second accumulation section. The first separation section separates dust from dust-containing air by centrifugal separation. The first accumulation section is located on one side of the first separation section in the axial direction with respect to the first separation section, and accumulates the dust separated by the first separation section. The second separation section is located on the opposite side of the first separation section in the axial direction with respect to the first separation section, and separates dust from air that has passed through the first separation section by centrifugal separation. The second accumulation section is located between the first separation section and the second separation section, and accumulates the dust separated by the second separation section. The second separation section is composed of a cylindrical section that discharges the separated dust from one end and discharges the air from which the dust has been separated from the other end. A plurality of cylindrical sections are arranged to surround a reference line that is substantially in the same direction as the central axis of the first separation section, and are inclined so that the center of the other end is closer to the reference line than the center of the one end. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a second separation section of the dust collecting device of the embodiment. FIG. [Diagram 2] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the dust collecting device in an exploded state. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a part of the dust collecting device. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the dust collecting device in a further exploded state from FIG. 2. [Diagram 5] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the assembled state of the dust collecting device. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the assembled state of the dust collecting device. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with the dust collecting device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0009] Hereinafter, one embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0010] In Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, 1 indicates a dust collector. The dust collector 1 is also called a dust collection cup or the like, and separates and accumulates dust from dust-containing air. The dust collector 1 has a tubular, preferably cylindrical, appearance, and is configured with its axial direction as the longitudinal direction. The dust collector 1 is applied to various electrical devices at various angles, but in this embodiment, for clarity of explanation, the direction of the arrow D shown in the figure, that is, one end side or one side of the longitudinal direction of the dust collector 1, is described as the downward direction, and the direction of the arrow U, that is, the other end side or other side of the longitudinal direction of the dust collector 1, is described as the upward direction. That is, the up-down direction in this embodiment is merely added for the purpose of explanation, and does not limit the up-down direction in the usage state or usage posture of the dust collector 1 in the electrical device.

[0011] The dust collecting device 1 is made up of a plurality of members. Preferably, the dust collecting device 1 is made up of a plurality of members that are detachable from one another. In the following description, the term "detachable" basically refers to the ability of a standard user to attach and detach the device by manual operation without using tools or damaging any part of the device by excessive external force. In this embodiment, the dust collecting device 1 is made up of a plurality of members that are detachable from one another in the longitudinal direction.

[0012] In the illustrated example, the dust collecting device 1 is composed of a first member 2, a second member 3, and a third member 4. The first member 2, the second member 3, and the third member 4 may each be broken down into smaller members, but in the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1 of this embodiment, the first member 2, the second member 3, and the third member 4 are basically described as members that are used integrally as a group. In this embodiment, the dust collecting device 1 is in an assembled state with the third member 4 sandwiched between the first member 2 and the second member 3. Hereinafter, the assembled state or the used state of the dust collecting device 1 refers to a state in which the first member 2, the second member 3, and the third member 4 are assembled integrally with each other.

[0013] The dust collecting device 1 is formed with a separation section of multiple stages. In this embodiment, the dust collecting device 1 is formed with a first separation section 5 which is a first stage or upstream stage that separates coarse dust D1, which is coarse dust, from dust-containing air, and a second separation section 6 which is a second stage or downstream stage that further separates fine dust D2, which is fine dust, from the air that has passed through the first separation section 5. Furthermore, the dust collecting device 1 is formed with a first accumulation section 7 in which the coarse dust D1, which is dust separated in the first separation section 5, is accumulated, and a second accumulation section 8 in which the fine dust D2, which is dust separated in the second separation section 6, is accumulated. In the illustrated example, the first separation section 5 and the second separation section 6 are each a centrifugal separation section that centrifuges dust from air. In this embodiment, in the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, the first accumulation section 7 is located below the first separation section 5 on one side in the axial direction, and the second separation section 6 and the second accumulation section 8 are located above the first separation section 5 on the opposite side to the one side in the axial direction, and the second accumulation section 8 is located below the second separation section 6. The axial direction of the first separation section 5 refers to the direction of the rotation axis of the centrifugal separation in the first separation section 5 or a direction parallel thereto. Hereinafter, the term "parallel" is not limited to completely parallel, but also includes approximately parallel within the range of tolerance or error, and substantially parallel. Furthermore, coarse dust D1 refers mainly to fibrous dust such as lint, hair, and cotton dust, and dust with a large mass such as sand grains, while fine dust D2 refers mainly to particulate or powder-like dust with a small mass.

[0014] The first member 2 is also called a cup portion, a first dust collecting cup, a dust collecting container, or the like. The first member 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape. In the illustrated example, the first member 2 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The first separation portion 5 and the first accumulation portion 7 are disposed inside the first member 2. In this embodiment, the first member 2 is a member that constitutes the first separation portion 5 and the first accumulation portion 7. In the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, the central axis of the first member 2 coincides with the central axis of the dust collecting device 1. In the following, the term "coincide" is not limited to a perfect coincidence, but also includes a nearly coincidence within a tolerance or error range, a substantially coincidence, and the like.

[0015] For example, the first member 2 is in the shape of a cylinder with a bottom, which has a circular bottom 20 and a side wall 21 rising from the outer edge of the bottom 20 .

[0016] The bottom portion 20 constitutes the lowermost portion of the dust collecting device 1. The bottom portion 20 serves as a support portion for the dust collecting device 1 when the dust collecting device 1 is placed on a horizontal surface. The bottom portion 20 is formed in a circular flat plate shape.

[0017] The side wall portion 21 constitutes an outer shell on the lower end side of the dust collecting device 1. The side wall portion 21 has a vertically elongated shape with a vertical dimension greater than a radial dimension. The side wall portion 21 surrounds the first separation section 5 and the first accumulation section 7. That is, the side wall portion 21 forms an outer wall of the first separation section 5 and the first accumulation section 7. The central axis of the side wall portion 21, i.e., the central axis of the first member 2, coincides with the central axis of the centrifugal separation of the first separation section 5. Preferably, the side wall portion 21 is formed so that the diameter gradually increases as it moves away from the bottom portion 20, i.e., from the bottom to the top.

[0018] Further, the first member 2 has an inlet 22 formed in the side wall portion 21. The inlet 22 is an opening for introducing dust-containing air into the first separation section 5 located inside the first member 2. The inlet 22 is located at the most upstream of the airflow in the dust collecting device 1 and the first separation section 5. The inlet 22 is formed so as to introduce the dust-containing air in the tangential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the side wall portion 21. In this embodiment, the inlet 22 is formed in the shape of a duct extending in the tangential direction of the side wall portion 21. The inlet 22 is located in the middle part of the side wall portion 21 in the up-down direction. In the illustrated example, the inlet 22 is located near the upper part of the side wall portion 21.

[0019] 4, the first member 2 is formed with a retaining portion 23 that retains the third member 4 to the first member 2. The retaining portion 23 is formed as a plate-like protruding portion that protrudes inward from the first member 2 in a direction intersecting or perpendicular to the axial direction of the first member 2. Preferably, the retaining portion 23 is intermittently formed at a plurality of locations in the circumferential direction of the first member 2 or the side wall portion 21. In this embodiment, the retaining portion 23 is formed at an upper end portion of the side wall portion 21.

[0020] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first member 2 is formed with a member support portion 24 that supports the third member 4. The member support portion 24 is a portion that supports the third member 4 so that it does not fall into the first separation portion 5 (shown in FIG. 5) and the first accumulation portion 7 (shown in FIG. 5) inside the first member 2. The member support portion 24 is formed in a tray shape with a stepped shape and a further expanded diameter with respect to the upper end portion of the side wall portion 21. In this embodiment, the member support portion 24 is formed above the holding portion 23 and constitutes the upper end portion of the first member 2. The holding portion 23 is located in the stepped portion where the member support portion 24 and the side wall portion 21 are connected. In the illustrated example, the member support portion 24 is formed over the entire circumference of the side wall portion 21. The upper end portion of the member support portion 24 is an end opening 25. In this embodiment, the end opening 25 functions as a dust disposal port for disposing of the coarse dust D1 accumulated in the first accumulation portion 7. The dust disposal port may be formed at the lower end portion of the first member 2 and may be opened and closed by the bottom portion 20.

[0021] Preferably, the first member 2 is formed of a transparent member, so that the inside, that is, at least a part of the first separation section 5 and the first accumulation section 7, can be visually observed from the outside. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the first member 2 has a marking section 210 formed on the side wall section 21. The marking section 210 serves as a guide for the accumulation limit of the coarse dust D1 in the first accumulation section 7 shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 6, the marking section 210 is located above the bottom section 20 and below the inlet 22. In the first member 2, the area below the marking section 210 or the area from the marking section 210 to the upper surface of the bottom section 20 basically functions as the first accumulation section 7 (shown in FIG. 5), and the area above it functions as the first separation section 5 (shown in FIG. 5). That is, the user can visually check the coarse dust accumulated in the first accumulation section 7 (shown in FIG. 5) from outside the first member 2 and compare its position with the position of the mark portion 210 to determine whether the coarse dust can still be accumulated in the first accumulation section 7 (shown in FIG. 5) or whether the coarse dust should be discarded. In this embodiment, the mark portion 210 is formed as a line extending in the circumferential direction on the outer circumferential surface of the side wall portion 21, but is not limited thereto and may be displayed as letters, patterns, or the like, or a combination thereof.

[0022] 5 and 6 is also called a second separation part assembly, a separation body, etc. A second separation part 6 is disposed inside the second member 3. The second member 3 has an insertion part 30, at least the lower end side of which is inserted into the first member 2 through the third member 4, and a member main body part 31 located above and outside the first member 2 and the third member 4.

[0023] The insertion portion 30 protrudes downward from the lower end of the member body portion 31. The insertion portion 30 inserted into the first member 2 is spaced inward from the side wall portion 21 of the first member 2 and is arranged coaxially with the first member 2 or the side wall portion 21. The insertion portion 30 is formed in a cylindrical shape. The insertion portion 30 is inserted into the first separation portion 5, and the internal space of the insertion portion 30 is an exhaust portion from the first separation portion 5 and functions as a part of the communication portion that communicates between the first separation portion 5 and the second separation portion 6. In this embodiment, the insertion portion 30 auxiliaryally constitutes the center of rotation of the centrifugal separation of the first separation portion 5.

[0024] In the illustrated example, the insertion section 30 has a cylindrical filter section 300. The filter section 300 is the most downstream part of the airflow in the first separation section 5. The filter section 300 is located at a position where at least a part of the filter section 300 overlaps with the inlet 22 in the vertical direction. The filter section 300 has an air vent 3000 in the outer peripheral wall. Air flows out of the first separation section 5 through the air vent 3000 and into the second separation section 6. In this embodiment, the air vent 3000 is covered with a filter 3001. Not limited to this, the air vent 3000 itself may be configured to function as a filter by forming a large number of small-area air vents 3000.

[0025] Further, the insertion portion 30 has a connection portion 301. When the dust collecting device 1 is in an assembled state, the connection portion 301 air-tightly connects the first separation portion 5 and the first accumulation portion 7 to the second accumulation portion 8 and / or the second separation portion 6. The connection portion 301 is located on the upper end side of the filter portion 300. The connection portion 301 is located above the ventilation hole 3000. The connection portion 301 protrudes outward from the outer peripheral wall of the filter portion 300. The connection portion 301 is formed in an annular shape continuing around the entire circumference of the filter portion 300, and is arranged coaxially with the filter portion 300.

[0026] 2, the connection portion 301 has a seal portion 3010. The seal portion 3010 is annular and extends around the entire circumference of the connection portion 301, and when the dust collecting device 1 is in an assembled state, the seal portion 3010 air-tightly seals the first collecting portion 7 and the second collecting portion 8 or the second separating portion 6 by radially pressing the outer periphery against the third member 4. The seal portion 3010 is made of, for example, an elastic elastomer or silicone rubber.

[0027] In this embodiment, the insertion section 30 further includes a compression section 302. The compression section 302 is also called a shade section or the like. The compression section 302 is formed in connection with the lower end of the filter section 300. The compression section 302 is coaxial with the filter section 300, formed in a cylindrical shape with a diameter larger than that of the filter section 300, and is connected to the filter section 300 by expanding in a stepped manner. As shown in FIG. 5, the compression section 302 is a partition section that roughly divides the inside of the first member 2 into the first separation section 5 and the first accumulation section 7 in the upper and lower directions. In the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, the compression section 302 faces the bottom section 20, which is the lower part of the first member 2, in the upper and lower directions, and is located at a position spaced apart from the bottom section 20 upward. The compression section 302 is in the shape of a covered cylinder that is open downward. In the illustrated example, the compression section 302 has a compression opening 3020 in the center of the upper end portion that communicates with the inside of the filter section 300. The compression opening 3020 is covered with a filter 3021 for compressing at least a part of the coarse dust D1 accumulated in the first accumulation section 7 into the compression section 302.

[0028] 1, 2 and 5, the member body 31 functions as a lid for the first member 2 and the third member 4 or as a lid for the first stacking section 7 and the second stacking section 8. The member body 31 is formed in a cylindrical shape coaxial with the insertion section 30. The diameter of the member body 31 is set to be equal to or slightly larger than the maximum diameter of the first member 2.

[0029] In this embodiment, the member body 31 has a bottom surface portion 310 formed in connection with the upper end portion of the insertion portion 30. The bottom surface portion 310 is formed in a circular plate shape and extends outward from the entire circumference of the upper end portion of the insertion portion 30 in a flange-like shape. A cylindrical side surface portion 311 rising upward from the bottom surface portion 310 is formed at a position near the outer edge of the bottom surface portion 310, and a flange portion 312 extends further outward from the entire circumference of the upper end portion of the side surface portion 311. A seal portion 313 is disposed below the flange portion 312. The seal portion 313 is an annular shape continuing over the entire circumference of the flange portion 312, and is pressed against the third member 4 in the vertical direction in the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1 to airtightly seal the second member 3 and the third member 4, or the second collecting portion 8 and the outside of the third member 4. The seal portion 313 is formed of, for example, an elastic elastomer or silicone rubber.

[0030] Further, the member body 31 has a cover portion 314 on the outside of the flange portion 312. The cover portion 314 constitutes an outer shell of the member body 31 and an outer shell on the upper end side of the dust collecting device 1. The cover portion 314 is formed in a cylindrical shape. An upper end portion of the cover portion 314 extends upward beyond the flange portion 312.

[0031] Furthermore, the member main body 31 has a top surface 315 at a position near the upper end of the cover portion 314. The top surface 315 covers the upper end side of the cover portion 314. The top surface 315 constitutes the upper end of the dust collecting device 1. The top surface 315 is formed in a circular shape. A protrusion 3150 is formed on the top surface 315. The protrusion 3150 is an annular rib located along the vicinity of the outer edge of the top surface 315. The upper surface of the top surface 315 and the protrusion 3150 surround a space on the downstream side of the dust collecting device 1.

[0032] In addition, the member main body 31 has a cylindrical portion 316 constituting the second separation portion 6 arranged in a space surrounded by the bottom surface portion 310, the cover portion 314, and the top surface portion 315, that is, inside the member main body 31. That is, in an assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, the second separation portion 6 is located above the first separation portion 5. In this embodiment, a plurality of cylindrical portions 316 are arranged so as to surround a predetermined reference line C. The predetermined reference line C is, for example, the central axis of the second member 3 or the cover portion 314, and coincides with the central axis of the first member 2 and / or the central axis of the first separation portion 5 and / or the central axis of the dust collecting device 1. That is, the reference line C is in the same direction as the central axis of the first separation portion 5. The same direction is not limited to being completely the same direction, but also includes being approximately the same direction within the range of tolerance and error, and being substantially the same direction. The space inside the member main body 31 surrounded by the plurality of cylindrical portions 316 is an air passage portion 317 that communicates with the space inside the insertion portion 30. The air passage section 317, together with the space inside the insertion section 30, functions as a part of the communication section that communicates between the first separation section 5 and the second separation section 6. The cylindrical sections 316 are arranged in an annular shape centered on the reference line C, and are preferably positioned at equal or approximately equal angles apart in the circumferential direction.

[0033] The cylindrical portion 316 is also called a separation tube or the like. The cylindrical portion 316 is formed in a cylindrical shape, preferably a cylindrical shape. In the illustrated example, the cylindrical portion 316 is formed in a truncated cone shape or a truncated cone shape with a small diameter at the lower end and a large diameter at the upper end. That is, the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical portion 316 is larger at the upper end than at the lower end. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical portion 316 is formed so as to gradually increase at a constant or approximately constant rate of increase from the lower end to the upper end. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion 316 are linear on the reference line C side and the opposite side, respectively, when viewed in a cross section including the central axis L1. Here, the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical portion 316 refers to the cross-sectional area in the direction perpendicular to the central axis L1 of the cylindrical portion 316 inside the cylindrical portion 316.

[0034] An introduction opening 3160 is formed in the cylindrical portion 316. The introduction opening 3160 is an opening that introduces the dust-containing air that has passed through the first separation portion 5 into the second separation portion 6. The introduction opening 3160 is a distribution opening that distributes air from the air passage portion 317 into each cylindrical portion 316. The introduction opening 3160 is located at the most upstream of the airflow in the second separation portion 6. The introduction opening 3160 is formed so as to introduce the dust-containing air in the tangential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 316. The introduction opening 3160 is located near the upper end of the cylindrical portion 316. The introduction opening 3160 is close to the top surface portion 315. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the cylindrical portion 316 is constant at the position of the upper end of the cylindrical portion 316 including the introduction opening 3160.

[0035] Further, the cylindrical portion 316 discharges dust separated inside, that is, fine dust D2, from the lower end. That is, the lower end of the cylindrical portion 316 is a dust discharge port 3161 that discharges the fine dust D2 to the second collecting portion 8. The lower end of the cylindrical portion 316 is inserted from above into an opening 3100 opened in the bottom surface portion 310, so that the dust discharge port 3161 is exposed at the lower part of the bottom surface portion 310. The opening 3100 is formed at a position outside the upper end of the inserted portion 30. The dust discharge port 3161 exposed at the lower part of the bottom surface portion 310 from the opening 3100 is positioned facing the upper part of the second collecting portion 8 in the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1. That is, the vertical projection range of the dust discharge port 3161 is at a position that at least partially overlaps with the second collecting portion 8.

[0036] Further, the tubular part 316 discharges clean air, which is the air from which dust, i.e., fine dust D2, has been separated, from the upper end. An exhaust port 3162 for discharging clean air is formed inside the upper end of the tubular part 316. The exhaust port 3162 is located at the most downstream of the airflow in the dust collector 1 and the second separation part 6. The exhaust port 3162 is opened in the top surface part 315. The exhaust port 3162 is formed as the upper end of an exhaust tube part 3163 arranged coaxially with the tubular part 316. The exhaust tube part 3163 is formed in a tubular shape, preferably a cylindrical shape. In the illustrated example, the exhaust tube part 3163 is formed in a truncated cone shape or a truncated cone shape with a small diameter at the lower end and a large diameter at the upper end. That is, the exhaust tube part 3163 has a larger cross-sectional area at the upper end, which is the downstream end, than at the lower end, which is the upstream end. In this embodiment, the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust tube portion 3163 is formed to gradually increase at a constant or approximately constant rate of increase from the lower end to the upper end. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the exhaust tube portion 3163 are linear on the reference line C side and the opposite side when viewed in a cross section including the central axis L2. Here, the cross-sectional area of ​​the exhaust tube portion 3163 refers to the cross-sectional area in the direction perpendicular to the central axis or the reference line C of the dust collecting device 1 inside the exhaust tube portion 3163.

[0037] In addition, a filter or the like may be placed downstream of the exhaust port 3162 to capture fine dust if a small amount of fine dust remains in the air discharged from the exhaust port 3162 of the second separation section 6.

[0038] Moreover, the exhaust tube portion 3163 protrudes downward from the lower surface of the top surface portion 315. The lower end of the exhaust tube portion 3163 extends downward beyond the introduction opening 3160. Moreover, the upper end of the exhaust tube portion 3163 is above the introduction opening 3160 and is flush with the upper surface of the top surface portion 315. Therefore, the downstream end of the exhaust tube portion 3163 does not protrude above the top surface portion 315, which is a space portion downstream of the second separation section 6 and the dust collecting device 1.

[0039] In this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 316 is inclined so that the center of the upper end is closer to the reference line C than the center of the lower end. That is, the central axis L1 of the cylindrical portion 316 is inclined so as to gradually approach the reference line C from the lower end to the upper end. In this embodiment, the exhaust tube portion 3163 is also inclined like the cylindrical portion 316, and the central axis L1 of the cylindrical portion 316 passes through the center of the lower end, which is the upstream end of the exhaust tube portion 3163, and preferably, the central axis L1 of the cylindrical portion 316 and the central axis L2 of the exhaust tube portion 3163 coincide with each other. The center of the upper end of the cylindrical portion 316 is the center of the exhaust port 3162, and the center of the lower end is the center of the dust discharge port 3161. That is, the center of the dust discharge port 3161 is farther from the central axis or the reference line C of the dust collector 1 in a direction perpendicular to the central axis or the reference line C than the center of the exhaust port 3162. Preferably, the inclination of tubular portion 316 and exhaust tube portion 3163 is set so that the outer circumferential surface at a position close to cover portion 314, i.e., at a position farthest from reference line C, is parallel to reference line C and aligned in the vertical direction, and air path portion 317 side, which is the reference line C side, is inclined with respect to reference line C. Therefore, air path portion 317 is formed so as to gradually narrow from the lower end portion, which is the upstream end side, to the upper end portion, which is the downstream end side.

[0040] Preferably, the cylindrical portion 316 and the exhaust tube portion 3163 are each formed so that a cross section perpendicular to their central axes L1, L2 is circular. Therefore, in this embodiment, the dust exhaust port 3161 and the exhaust port 3162 each have an elliptical shape when viewed from the top and bottom.

[0041] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the diameter DI of the imaginary circumscribing circle circumscribing the plurality of cylindrical portions 316 is set to be equal to or smaller than the maximum outer diameter of the first separation section 5 or the first accumulation section 7. The imaginary circumscribing circle refers to the largest circle among the circles circumscribing the cross sections of the plurality of cylindrical portions 316 with the reference line C as the center in a plane perpendicular to the reference line C. In the illustrated example, the inclination of the cylindrical portion 316 is such that the outer peripheral surface at the position close to the cover portion 314, i.e., the position farthest from the reference line C, is parallel to the reference line C and aligned in the vertical up-down direction, so that the imaginary circumscribing circle is a circle circumscribing the position farthest from the reference line C in the cylindrical portion 316. In this embodiment, the diameter DI is equal to or smaller than the diameter of the upper end portion, which is the maximum outer diameter of the side wall portion 21 of the first member 2.

[0042] The second member 3 is provided with an attachment portion 318, which is a separation member locking means for detachably assembling the second member 3 to the first member 2 or the third member 4. The attachment portion 318 may have any configuration, but in this embodiment, the attachment portion 318 is configured as a locking portion that locks the second member 3 to the first member 2 across the third member 4 in the vertical direction. In the illustrated example, the attachment portion 318 has an operation portion 3180 that is elongated in the vertical direction. The upper end side of the operation portion 3180 is held in a state in which it is biased outwardly of the second member 3 or the cover portion 314 by a biasing means 3181 such as a coil spring against the outer surface of the cover portion 314. The lower end side of the operation portion 3180 extends downward from the lower end of the cover portion 314. A locking claw portion 31800 protrudes inwardly from the lower end of the operation portion 3180. The locking claw portion 31800 is hooked on a lock receiving portion 26 formed near the upper end of the first member 2, for example, on the outside of the member support portion 24, so that the mounting portion 318 prevents the second member 3 from slipping upward relative to the first member 2. By pushing the operating portion 3180 toward the cover portion 314 against the bias of the biasing means 3181, the locking claw portion 31800 moves away from the lock receiving portion 26, and the locking of the second member 3 to the first member 2 is released. In this embodiment, the mounting portions 318 and the lock receiving portions 26 are each set in pairs and are disposed at positions opposite each other with respect to the central axis of the dust collecting device 1.

[0043] 6, the second member 3 is provided with a mounting portion 319 for mounting the dust collecting device 1 to the electric device. The mounting portion 319 is formed on the cover portion 314, and the upper end side of the mounting portion 319 protrudes upward from the upper end of the cover portion 314. The mounting portion 319 is located on the opposite side to the inlet 22 with respect to the central axis of the dust collecting device 1. In the illustrated example, the upper end side of the mounting portion 319 serves as a rotation starting point for rotating the dust collecting device 1 when attaching or detaching the dust collecting device 1 to or from the electric device.

[0044] The third member 4 shown in Figs. 2 to 5 is also called a dust collector, a second dust collecting cup, etc. The second collecting section 8 is disposed inside the third member 4. The third member 4 is detachable from the end opening 25 of the first member 2. The third member 4 is formed in a roughly cylindrical or annular shape. The third member 4 has a receiving section 40 formed therein that defines the second collecting section 8. The second collecting section 8 inside the receiving section 40 is annular or arc-shaped, and is a pocket-like recess with an open upper portion and a closed lower portion. In the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, the receiving section 40, i.e., the upper opening of the second collecting section 8, faces the dust discharge port 3161 in the vertical direction at a position spaced downward from the second separating section 6.

[0045] In this embodiment, a holding receiving portion 42 is formed at the lower end of the receiving portion 40. The holding receiving portion 42 receives the holding portion 23 of the first member 2 and holds the third member 4 relative to the first member 2. In the illustrated example, the holding receiving portion 42 is formed in a groove shape along the circumferential direction, and is configured so that the holding portion 23 is inserted in the circumferential direction, and the third member 4 supported by the first member 2 at a position circumferentially shifted from the holding receiving portion 42 relative to the holding portion 23 is rotated in the circumferential direction relative to the third member 4, so that the holding portion 23 is inserted into the holding receiving portion 42, thereby holding the third member 4 relative to the first member 2. In this embodiment, the holding portion 23 and the holding receiving portion 42 form a dust collector locking means for locking the third member 4 to the first member 2.

[0046] Further, in this embodiment, as shown in Figs. 2 to 5, a peripheral wall portion 43 is formed in a continuous manner at the upper end of the receiving portion 40. The peripheral wall portion 43 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and in the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, is positioned between the member support portion 24 of the first member 2 and the cover portion 314 of the second member 3 in the vertical direction, and constitutes a part of the outer shell of the intermediate portion of the dust collecting device 1 in the vertical direction. In the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, the side portion 311 of the second member 3 is positioned so as to overlap with the inner side of the peripheral wall portion 43, and the seal portion 313 is pressed against the upper end of the peripheral wall portion 43 in the vertical direction. A seal portion 44 is disposed on the outer lower portion of the peripheral wall portion 43. The seal portion 44 is an annular shape continuing around the entire circumference of the peripheral wall portion 43, and in the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, is pressed against the upper end of the member support portion 24 of the first member 2 in the vertical direction, and airtightly seals the gap between the third member 4 and the first member 2, or the first collecting portion 7 and the outside of the first member 2. The seal portion 44 is formed of, for example, an elastic elastomer or silicone rubber.

[0047] In this embodiment, a restricting portion 45 that prevents the second member 3 and the third member 4 from coming off from each other is formed on the outer side of the peripheral wall portion 43. The restricting portions 45 may have any configuration, but in this embodiment, they are located on both sides in the circumferential direction with respect to the operating portion 3180 of the mounting portion 318 in the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1. Thus, when the third member 4 tries to rotate in the circumferential direction relative to the second member 3 that is integrally held by the first member 2 in the assembled state of the dust collecting device 1, the restricting portions 45 and the operating portions 3180 interfere with each other to restrict the rotation of the third member 4 relative to the first member 2, thereby preventing the holding portion 23 inserted into the holding receiving portion 42 from coming off.

[0048] Furthermore, the inner wall of the receiving portion 40 surrounds an insertion opening 46 that communicates with the inside of the first member 2 when the dust collecting device 1 is assembled, and is the portion to which the seal portion 3010 of the connection portion 301 of the second member 3 is pressed. The diameter of the insertion opening 46, which is the inner diameter of the inner wall of the receiving portion 42, is larger than the maximum outer diameter of the inserted portion 30 of the first member 2. Therefore, the inserted portion 30 of the second member 3 can be inserted into the first separation portion 5 inside the first member 2 through the insertion opening 46 when the dust collecting device 1 is assembled.

[0049] In this embodiment, an electric vacuum cleaner 9 shown in Fig. 7 is taken as an example of an electric device in which the above-mentioned dust collecting device 1 is used. Fig. 7 shows a stick-type electric vacuum cleaner that is operated by gripping a main body 90 as an example of the vacuum cleaner 9. In the vacuum cleaner 9 of this embodiment, the dust collecting device 1 in an assembled state is detachably attached to the main body 90 by an attachment portion 319 of the second member 3.

[0050] The main body 90 is provided with a suction source 91 such as an electric blower that generates suction force by negative pressure. The main body 90 is provided with a connection port 900 that communicates with the suction side of the suction source 91, i.e., the upstream side of the intake air flow. The connection port 900 is airtightly connected to the exhaust port 3162 of the dust collector 1 attached to the main body 90. The main body 90 is also provided with a communication port 901 that is airtightly connected to the inlet 22 of the dust collector 1 attached to the main body 90 at a position away from the connection port 900. The main body 90 is also provided with a suction port 902 that communicates with the communication port 901. Therefore, the suction force of the suction source 91 acts on the suction port 902 through the communication port 901, the dust collector 1, and the connection port 900. The suction port 902 is connected to a straight pipe portion 92 such as an extension pipe that is an air passage body, or a cleaning head 93 such as an intake port body that is an air passage body.

[0051] Furthermore, the main body 90 is formed with a main body exhaust port 903 for exhausting the air sucked by the suction source 91 from the main body 90. The main body 90 is also formed with a grip 904 for a user to grip and operate the cleaning device. The grip 904 is provided with a setting means 94 such as a switch for setting the operation of the suction source 91. The main body 90 is further provided with a power supply unit 95 which serves as a drive source for the suction source 91, etc., and a control unit 96 which controls the operation of the suction source 91 according to the setting by the setting means 94. The power supply unit 95 is preferably a battery such as a secondary battery so that the vacuum cleaner 9 is cordless, but a cord reel device that draws power from a commercial power source may also be used.

[0052] In the illustrated example, the main body 90 is formed in a longitudinal direction, with the suction port 902 located at one end in the longitudinal direction and the main body exhaust port 903, the gripping portion 904 and the power supply portion 95 located at the other end in the longitudinal direction, and the dust collection device 1 is attached to the main body 90 so as to be located between these along the longitudinal direction of the main body 90.

[0053] Without being limited thereto, the electric vacuum cleaner 9 may be a floor-traveling type or a canister type, an upright type, a self-propelled cleaning robot, etc. Furthermore, the dust collecting device 1 may be used in an electric device such as a charging device or a dust station for a self-propelled cleaning robot.

[0054] Next, the operation of one embodiment will be described.

[0055] When assembling the dust collecting device 1, first, the third member 4 is attached to the end opening 25 of the first member 2. In this embodiment, the third member 4 is placed on the member support portion 24 of the first member 2 and rotated in the circumferential direction to insert the holding portion 23 into the holding receiving portion 42, thereby fixing the third member 4 to the first member 2. In this state, the seal portion 44 of the third member 4 is pressed against the upper end portion of the first member 2. Next, the insert portion 30 of the second member 3 is inserted into the insertion opening 46 of the third member 4, and the second member 3 is locked to the first member 2 by the attachment portion 318. In this state, the seal portion 3010 of the connection portion 301 is pressed against the inner wall of the receiving portion 40 surrounding the insertion opening 46.

[0056] When the dust collector 1 thus assembled is attached to the main body 90, the inlet 22 of the dust collector 1 is airtightly connected to the communication port 901 of the main body 90, and the exhaust port 3162 of the dust collector 1 is airtightly connected to the connection port 900 of the main body 90. Thus, an air passage is formed that extends from the suction source 91 to the dust collector 1 and the suction port 902.

[0057] When a user holding the grip portion 904 operates the setting means 94 to set the operation of the suction source 91, the control unit 96 controls the suction source 91 according to the setting, and negative pressure is generated. In the air passage body connected to the suction port 902, the user places the cleaning head 93 on a part to be cleaned, such as a floor surface, and moves the entire vacuum cleaner 9 back and forth using the grip portion 904, using the negative pressure to suck dust together with air from the air passage body, such as the cleaning head 93 and the straight pipe portion 92.

[0058] Dust-laden air sucked in from the cleaning head 93 etc. is introduced into the first separation section 5 of the dust collector 1 through the suction port 902, the communication port 901, and the inlet 22. As shown in Fig. 5, this introduced dust-laden air swirls along the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 21 of the first member 2. Due to this swirl, coarse dust D1, which is particularly heavy dust among dust, is centrifuged in the first separation section 5. The separated coarse dust D1 falls along the inner circumferential surface of the side wall 21, and is accumulated in the first accumulation section 7 located at the lower part inside the first member 2.

[0059] In this embodiment, as shown diagrammatically by the arrows in Figure 5, the dust-laden air swirls to the bottom of the compression section 302 and is then sucked from the bottom of the compression section 302 into the compression opening 3020, compressing the coarse dust D1 and forcing it into the bottom 20 of the first member 2 or into the bottom of the filter 3021 inside the compression section 302.

[0060] A portion of the dust-laden air swirling in the first separation section 5 passes through the ventilation opening 3000 of the filter section 300 located at the center of the swirl, and at that time, a portion of the dust is captured by the filter 3001. Furthermore, the dust-laden air that passes through the ventilation opening 3000 and the compression opening 3020 and flows out of the first separation section 5 passes upward through the air passage section 317, and is distributed from the introduction opening 3160 to the inside of each of the cylindrical sections 316 that constitute the second separation section 6.

[0061] The dust-laden air introduced into the inside of the cylindrical part 316 from the introduction opening 3160 swirls along the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical part 316. Due to this swirl, fine dust D2, which is light dust remaining in the dust-laden air, is centrifuged in the second separation part 6 and falls along the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical part 316, and is discharged from the dust discharge port 3161 at the lower end of the cylindrical part 316 to the outside of the second separation part 6 or the cylindrical part 316, and falls and is accumulated in the second accumulation part 8 defined inside the receiving part 40 located below the dust discharge port 3161.

[0062] The air swirling inside the tubular portion 316 of the second separation section 6 becomes clean air as the fine dust D2 is separated out, and the clean air is discharged from the second separation section 6 and the dust collecting device 1 through the exhaust tubular portion 3163 located at the center of the swirl and the exhaust port 3162.

[0063] The clean air discharged from the dust collecting device 1 is sucked into the suction source 91 and cools each part of the suction source 91 , and then is exhausted to the outside of the main body 90 from the main body exhaust port 903 .

[0064] When cleaning is completed, the user operates the setting means 94 to stop the suction source 91, and the control unit 96 stops the suction source 91. The user removes the dust collecting device 1 from the main body unit 90 as necessary.

[0065] Then, in the removed dust collecting device 1, first, the second member 3 is released from the first member 2 by pressing the mounting portion 318, and the second member 3 is moved upward relative to the first member 2 and the third member 4 to pull out the insertion portion 30 from the first member 2 to remove it. As shown in FIG. 2, the third member 4 remains at the upper end of the first member 2, and in this state, the receiving portion 40 and the upper portion of the second stacking portion 8 are opened and exposed. That is, by at least moving the second member 3 relative to the first member 2 and the third member 4, the second separating portion 6 is separated and the second stacking portion 8 is opened. Note that separation of the second separating portion 6 also includes changing the relative position or relative posture with at least one of the first separating portion 5, the first stacking portion 7, the second stacking portion 8, the first member 2, and the third member 4 by moving or rotating the second member 3 constituting the second separating portion 6, and / or separating the second member 3 constituting the second separating portion 6 by removing it from the first member 2 and / or the third member 4.

[0066] Furthermore, by rotating the third member 4 in the circumferential direction relative to the first member 2, the third member 4 is lifted upward from the first member 2 at a position where the holding portion 23 is relatively pulled out from the holding receiving portion 42, and the third member 4 is removed from the first member 2 as shown in Fig. 4. By removing the third member 4 in this manner, the end opening 25 of the first member 2 opens, and the first separating portion 5 and the first stacking portion 7 are each opened.

[0067] The coarse dust D1 is discarded from the first collecting section 7 of the first member 2 through the end opening 25 by turning the first member 2 upside down at a prescribed position such as a trash can. The fine dust D2 is discarded from the second collecting section 8 of the third member 4 by turning the third member 4, which has been removed from the first member 2, upside down at a prescribed position such as a trash can.

[0068] According to this embodiment, in the dust collecting device 1, a plurality of cylindrical portions 316 constituting the second separation section 6 are arranged to surround a reference line C in a direction approximately parallel to the central axis of the first separation section 5, and the center of the upper end of each cylindrical portion 316 is inclined so as to be closer to the reference line C than the center of the lower end, so that the vertical dimension can be reduced while maintaining the axial length of the second separation section 6, and the outer diameter can be reduced, and the second separation section 6 and the second member 3 can be made compact, so that the dust collecting device 1 can be made compact without deteriorating the separation performance of the second separation section 6. Furthermore, since the circumferential length of the filter portion 300 of the first separation section 5 is not shortened, thread-like dust is less likely to wind around the filter portion 300 in the first separation section 5, and maintenance of the first separation section 5 becomes easier.

[0069] In addition, by inclining the tubular portion 316, the air passage portion 317 surrounded by the tubular portion 316 can be narrowed from the upstream side to the downstream side, so that the dust-containing air passing through the air passage portion 317 can be gradually compressed from the upstream side to the downstream side and introduced into the second separation portion 6 while maintaining the wind speed, thereby improving the separation performance in the second separation portion 6.

[0070] In particular, by forming the second collection section 8 inwardly of the side wall section 21 that constitutes the outer wall of the first collection section 7 or the first separation section 5, the outer diameter of the first member 2 that forms the outer wall of the first collection section 7 and the first separation section 5 can be reduced, and therefore, by slimming down the first member 2, the entire dust collection device 1 can be made more compact.

[0071] In this embodiment, the diameter DI of an imaginary circumscribing circle circumscribing the tubular portion 316 is less than or equal to the maximum outer diameter of the first separation section 5 or the first accumulation section 7, so that the maximum outer diameter of the dust collection device 1 is essentially never larger than the maximum outer diameter of the first separation section 5 or the first accumulation section 7.

[0072] Furthermore, since the second collection section 8, together with the second separation section 8, is located above the first separation section 5, the shape of the second collection section 8 is less influenced by the structures of the first separation section 5 and the first collection section 7, compared to, for example, a structure in which the second collection section is formed in the center of the first collection section which is located below the first separation section, and the second collection section 8 does not need to be formed elongated, so that fine dust D2 is less likely to adhere to the inner surface of the second collection section 8 and clog the second collection section 8 or remain when disposed of, and unpleasant odors caused by remaining fine dust D2 can also be prevented.

[0073] Furthermore, since the outer diameter of the second collecting section 8 is less than the maximum outer diameter of the first separating section 5 or the first collecting section 7, the diameter at the position of the second collecting section 8 can be prevented from becoming large, making it possible to make the entire dust collecting device 1 compact.

[0074] The cylindrical portion 316 is formed with a gradually changing diameter so that the lower end is small and the upper end is large, and the center of the upper end is inclined so that it is closer to the reference line C than the center of the lower end, so that the diameter dimension of the inserted portion 30, which is the center of the swirl of the airflow in the first separation portion 5, can be increased and the outer diameter of the second member 3 can be reduced. In this configuration, since the size of the outer diameter of the second member 3 is restricted by the size of the diameter and the position of the lower end of the cylindrical portion 316, the inclination of the cylindrical portion 316 is limited to the inclination of the outer peripheral surface on the opposite side to the reference line C parallel to the reference line C, the outer diameter of the second member 3 can be reduced while the air passage portion 317 that carries the airflow from the first separation portion 5 to the second separation portion 6 is not narrowed. In addition, by forming the inner peripheral surface on the opposite side to the reference line C of the cylindrical portion 316 in a straight line, even when the cylindrical portion 316 is molded from a synthetic resin, it is possible to remove the molding die along the central axis L1, so that the die structure is simplified and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

[0075] The upper end of the tubular section 316 of the second separation section 6 has an exhaust tube section 3163 for discharging air, and the central axis L1 of the tubular section 316 passes through the center of the lower end, which is the upstream end, of the exhaust tube section 3163, so that the center of rotation of the airflow in the second separation section 6 coincides with the center of introduction to the exhaust side. Therefore, even if the central axis L1 of the tubular section 316 is inclined, the air passage to the exhaust side is not bent, and separation performance is unlikely to decrease.

[0076] In addition, since the cross-sectional area Sb of the upper end of exhaust tube portion 3163 is larger than the cross-sectional area Sa of the lower end, pressure loss of the exhaust passing through exhaust tube portion 3163 is less likely to occur compared to when the cross-sectional area Sa is larger than the cross-sectional area Sb, and since the inner circumferential surface of exhaust tube portion 3163 is linear when viewed in a cross section including central axis L2, no unevenness occurs in the air passage inside exhaust tube portion 3163, and pressure loss due to unevenness is low. Thus, pressure loss is less likely to occur in exhaust tube portion 3163 as a whole.

[0077] Furthermore, the inclusion of the above-described dust collecting device 1 also enables the vacuum cleaner 9 to be made lighter and more compact. In particular, when the vacuum cleaner 9 is a stick-type vacuum cleaner, the dust collecting device 1 can be made compact and slim, allowing the entire vacuum cleaner to be made slimmer, and the light weight of the dust collecting device 1 reduces the load on the user's hands when holding the grip 904, making cleaning easier and improving usability.

[0078] Furthermore, since the upper end of the central axis L2 of the exhaust tube portion 3163 is inclined toward the reference line C, the exhaust air from the exhaust ports 3162 of each tubular portion 316 can be concentrated toward the reference line C and collectively sucked into the suction source 91, resulting in good suction efficiency. In particular, in an example in which the central axis of the dust collector 1, which coincides with the reference line C, is aligned with the central axis of the suction source 91, the exhaust air from each exhaust port 3162 heads directly toward the suction source 91, resulting in better suction efficiency.

[0079] In one embodiment, an example is given in which the first separation section 5 and the first accumulation section 7 are formed by the first member 2, the second separation section 6 is formed by the second member 3, and the second accumulation section 8 is formed by the third member 4, but this is not limited to the above, and the first separation section 5, the second separation section 6, the first accumulation section 7, and the second accumulation section 8 may each be formed by a single or multiple members.

[0080] Although some embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples, and it is not intended that the scope of the invention be limited to these embodiments. These novel embodiments can be implemented in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, and are included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents described in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0081] 1 Dust collector 5 First separation section 6 Second separation section 7 First Stacking Section 8. Second stacking section 9. Vacuum Cleaner 316 Cylindrical section 3163 Exhaust tube part C reference line DI diameter L1,L2 center axis Sa,Sb cross-sectional area

Claims

1. A first separation unit that centrifugally separates dust from dust-containing air, A first accumulation unit that is located on one side in the axial direction of the first separation unit with respect to the first separation unit and accumulates the dust separated by the first separation unit, A second separation unit that is located on the side opposite to one side in the axial direction of the first separation unit with respect to the first separation unit and centrifugally separates dust from the air that has passed through the first separation unit, A second accumulation unit that is located between the first separation unit and the second separation unit and accumulates the dust separated by the second separation unit, The second separation unit includes a cylindrical part that discharges the separated dust from one end and discharges the air from which the dust has been separated from the other end, A plurality of the cylindrical parts are arranged so as to surround a reference line substantially in the same direction as the central axis of the first separation unit, The other end of the cylindrical part has an exhaust pipe part that partitions the exhaust port of the second separation unit into a downstream end part and discharges air, In a cross section including the central axis of the exhaust pipe part, the inner peripheral surface on the side opposite to the reference line is a straight line substantially parallel to the reference line, and the inner peripheral surface on the reference line side is inclined so as to approach the reference line from one end to the other end, and the inner peripheral surface is straight from the upstream end part which is one end to the downstream end part which is the other end, and the cross section orthogonal to the central axis is circular, and the elliptical cross-sectional area orthogonal to the reference line at the downstream end part which is the other end is larger than the elliptical cross-sectional area orthogonal to the reference line at the upstream end part which is one end A dust collecting device characterized by this.

2. The outer diameter of the second accumulation unit is equal to or less than the maximum outer diameter of the first separation unit or the first accumulation unit The dust collecting device according to claim 1, characterized by this.

3. Equipped with the dust collecting device according to claim 1 or 2 A vacuum cleaner characterized by this.

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