Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaner for improving operability when used as a handy type vacuum cleaner or a stick type vacuum cleaner and also suppressing deterioration of suction force.SOLUTION: A vacuum cleaner 1 includes: an electric blower 14 provided in a cleaner body 10; a dust collection part 12 for collecting dust sucked from a suction path 101a of the cleaner body 10; and a dust collection filter 120 having a support plate 122 and a bag member 121 and mounted on the dust collection part 12. A center axis of a flow channel is changed twice or more concerning the flow channel from a suction port 101b of the cleaner body 10 to the dust collection filter 120. The dust collection part 12 includes a plurality of flow channel formation parts which are projected to an inner side of the dust collection part 12, extending toward the electric blower 14 from a side of the suction path 101a in a front and rear direction, and arranged side by side in a right and left direction. Recessed parts to be air flow channels are formed to be recessed from a position of an outer front surface of the bag member 121 by the adjacent flow channel formation parts among the plurality of flow channel formation parts.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 4

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner. [Background technology]

[0002] Some vacuum cleaners are equipped with disposable dust collection filters in the dust collection section. When dust accumulates in the dust collection filter and begins to become clogged, the dust adheres to the inner wall of the dust collection section, reducing suction power. To solve this problem, for example, there is a technology described in Patent Document 1.

[0003] The technology described in Patent Document 1 provides a filter provided on the dust-collecting side of a cover that covers the dust-collecting part, and a holding member that holds the filter. The holding member includes a filter housing section that houses the filter, and a flow path space provided on the outer periphery of the filter housing section.

[0004] When the dust collection filter swells and sticks to the inside of the lid, the air discharged from the dust collection filter flows through the flow path space. By configuring in this way, the technology described in Patent Document 1 suppresses a decrease in suction force. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2005-296531 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the technology described in Patent Document 1, when the dust collecting filter expands and sticks to the inside of the lid, an air flow path is secured on the lid side located above the dust collecting unit, but no consideration was given to securing an air flow path on the dust collecting unit side.

[0007] In addition, in the technology described in Patent Document 1, the central axis of the suction port of the vacuum cleaner body and the central axis of the mouth plate of the dust collection filter are parallel to each other when attached to the dust collection unit. Therefore, the cover body covering the dust collection unit needs to be configured to rise upward from the vacuum cleaner body. For example, when the technology described in Patent Document 1 is applied to a handheld vacuum cleaner or a stick type vacuum cleaner, there is a problem that the suction port is not visible, making it difficult to clean dust on the floor.

[0008] An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner which improves operability when used as a handheld vacuum cleaner or a stick vacuum cleaner, and which suppresses a decrease in suction power. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides an electric vacuum cleaner comprising: a vacuum cleaner body; an electric blower provided in the vacuum cleaner body; a dust collecting section provided in the vacuum cleaner body and configured to collect dust sucked in from an inlet passage by the suction force generated by the electric blower; and a dust collecting filter comprising a support plate and a bag member and attached to the dust collecting section by fixing the support plate, wherein the central axis of the flow path between the suction port of the vacuum cleaner body and the dust collecting filter is changed two or more times, and the dust collecting section comprises a plurality of flow path forming sections which protrude toward the inside of the dust collecting section, extend from the suction passage side in the front-to-rear direction towards the electric blower side and are aligned in the left-to-right direction, and among the plurality of flow path forming sections, adjacent flow path forming sections form recesses which serve as air flow paths recessed from the outer surface of the bag member. Effect of the Invention

[0010] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner which improves operability when used as a handheld vacuum cleaner or a stick vacuum cleaner, and which suppresses a decrease in suction power. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1]1 is an external perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the vacuum cleaner is stored in a stand. [Diagram 2] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the vacuum cleaner is used as a stick type vacuum cleaner. [Diagram 3] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing a state in which the vacuum cleaner is used as a handheld type. [Figure 4] 1 is a cross-sectional view of a vacuum cleaner body 10 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 cut along the front-rear direction. [Diagram 5] FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of a dust collecting filter 120 according to a second embodiment of the present invention in a folded state. [Figure 6] FIG. 11 is an external perspective view of the dust collecting filter 120 according to the second embodiment of the present invention when being discarded. [Figure 7] FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a state in which a dust collecting filter 120 is being removed from a dust collecting part 12 of a vacuum cleaner 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 8 is an enlarged view of the main part of FIG. 7, illustrating the opening operation function of the dust collection lid 11. FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a state in which a filter frame 18 and a protective filter 180 are removed from a vacuum cleaner 1 according to a second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 10] 11A and 11B are side views showing the operation of the filter frame 18 when pulling out the dust collecting filter 120 with the bag member 121 inflated, where (A) shows the state before the dust collecting filter 120 is pulled out and (B) shows the state after the dust collecting filter 120 has been pulled out. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 1 with a connecting pipe 101 and a dust collecting part 12 disassembled according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 12] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a state in which a button cover 102 is removed from a connecting pipe 101 according to a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 13] 13 is a perspective view of a state in which a button cover 102 is attached to a connecting pipe 101 from the state shown in FIG. 12. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a mouth packing 103 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the front. [Figure 15]FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a mouth packing 103 according to a third embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the rear. [Figure 16] FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from below. [Figure 17] FIG. 11 is a left side view of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention, as viewed from the left side. [Figure 18] FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view of a connecting pipe 101, a lower case 10a, and an upper case 10b according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a pack chamber 10e according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention with a dust-collecting section gasket 127 removed. [Figure 20] 13 is a perspective view of the exterior of a vacuum cleaner and a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner body, showing a state in which the vacuum cleaner is stored in a stand according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 21] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a dust-collecting filter case according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 22] 21 is a cross-sectional view of the electric vacuum cleaner body of the present invention shown in FIG. 20 along the line AA. [Diagram 23] 13A to 13C are diagrams showing a series of operations when removing the dust collecting filter according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 24] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 1 according to the seventh embodiment of the present invention, seen from above, with the dust-collection lid 11 removed. [Diagram 25] 4 is a perspective view of the dust collection lid as viewed from the dust collection part side (rear side). FIG. [Figure 26] FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line IIXVI-IIXVI in FIG. 24. [Figure 27] 11 is a diagram showing the air flow when a dust collection filter 120 is attached to the dust collection unit 12. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In principle, the same elements are given the same reference numerals in all drawings. Furthermore, explanations of parts having the same functions will be omitted. Note that the configurations described below are merely examples, and it is not intended that the embodiment of the present invention is limited to the specific embodiments described below. EXAMPLES

[0013] FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the state where the vacuum cleaner is stored in a stand. FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the state where the vacuum cleaner is used as a stick type. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention, showing the state where the vacuum cleaner is used as a handy type. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a vacuum cleaner body 10 of a vacuum cleaner 1 cut along the front-rear direction. In the first embodiment, front-rear, left-right, and up-down are defined from the viewpoint of a user performing cleaning, as indicated by arrows.

[0014] 1 and 2, the vacuum cleaner 1 includes a vacuum cleaner body 10 constituting an outer shell, an extension tube 20 having one end connected to the vacuum cleaner body 10 via a connecting tube 101, and a suction mouth body 30 connected to the other end of the extension tube 20. The vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment is also provided with a brush part 40 on the outer periphery of the connecting tube 101. The connecting tube 101 is fixed to the front of the vacuum cleaner body 10, and a suction passage 101a through which air flows is formed inside the connecting tube 101, and the suction passage 101a communicates with the internal passage of the extension tube 20.

[0015] The extension tube 20 is connected to the vacuum cleaner body 10 via a connecting tube 101. When not in use, the vacuum cleaner 1 is placed on a stand 50. The upper part of the connecting tube 101 is provided with a lock button 102a that prevents the extension tube 20 from coming loose when the extension tube 20 is connected, and a button cover 102 that covers the lock button 102a.

[0016] The vacuum cleaner body 10 has an outer shell formed by a lower case 10a and an upper case 10b arranged above the lower case 10a, and the lower case 10a is composed of a pack chamber 10e that houses a dust collection filter 120 and a motor chamber 10f (electric blower housing) that houses an electric blower 14. The vacuum cleaner body 10 also includes a dust collection section 12 that collects sucked dust, a dust collection lid 11 that covers the upper part of the dust collection section 12 in an openable and closable manner, and a handle section 13 that a user holds when cleaning. The handle section 13 is formed by a part of the upper case 10b, and the upper case 10b has an exhaust port. The dust collection lid 11 opens and closes around a rotating shaft 105, and is biased in a direction to open the dust collection lid 11 by a coil spring 110 (FIG. 8) described later. The dust collection lid 11 also holds the dust collection section 12 in a closed state by a dust collection lid clamp 112. The lower case 10a, which forms the lower side of the dust collection section 12, is provided with a dust collection section gasket 127 (Figure 8). When the dust collection lid 11 is closed, the dust collection lid 11 comes into contact with the dust collection section gasket 127, thereby maintaining an airtight seal inside the dust collection section 12.

[0017] By forming the dust collection cover 11 from a translucent material, the bulge of the dust collection filter 120 can be confirmed, and the design can be further improved.

[0018] A rib 10d is formed on the lower case 10a near the rear of the dust collection lid claw 11a that hooks onto the dust collection lid clamp 112. As a result, when a user lifts the vacuum cleaner 1 by holding the handle 13 when using it as a stick type, the dust collection lid claw 11a is pressed down by the rib 10d, thereby preventing the entire vacuum cleaner body 10 from bending and causing the dust collection lid claw 11a to come off the dust collection lid clamp 112.

[0019] Inside the vacuum cleaner body 10 are an electric blower 14 (Figure 4) that generates suction force, a control board 15 (Figure 4) that mounts a control device that controls the electric blower 14, and a battery pack 16 that is located behind the electric blower 14 and has multiple storage batteries that supply power to the electric blower 14.

[0020] An operation switch 17 is disposed on the handle portion 13 for turning the electric blower 14 on and off and for adjusting the suction power.

[0021] As shown in Fig. 4, dust collecting unit 12 is provided with a disposable dust collecting filter 120 that collects and filters dust sucked in from suction passage 101a in a detachable manner. Dust collecting filter 120 is made up of a bag member 121 that is breathable and flexible and that collects dust, and a support plate 122 that has an inlet 122a formed in the center. Support plate 122 is inserted along a guide groove provided in dust collecting unit 12, and an upper portion is fixed to dust collecting unit 12 by support plate clamp 104.

[0022] The dust collecting filter 120 is attached to the dust collecting unit 12 by fixing the support plate 122 with the support plate clamp 104 .

[0023] With the central axis of the suction passage 101a (central axis A of the suction port 101b) horizontal, the support plate 122 is inclined so that the upper part is located rearward of the lower part and is attached to the dust collection unit 12. In other words, the central axis A of the suction port 101b and the central axis E of the dust collection filter 120 and the support plate 122 are not parallel, but are inclined by approximately 20° (different angles). In addition, a port packing 103 is provided between the connection pipe 101 and the dust collection unit 12. The port packing 103 is formed by an inflow passage 103a (central axis C) communicating with the suction passage 101a of the connection pipe 101 and a rear lip 103c (central axis E) abutting against the support plate 122. In addition, the port packing 103 is formed of a flexible member. For example, by using SBR as the flexible member and providing a mating surface between the mold on the inlet passage 103a side and the mold on the rear lip 103c side on the side of the check valve 103d, a thin plate portion can be generated on the side of the check valve 103d, and the thin plate portion can act as a thread rib to reduce the gap between the check valve 103d and the inlet passage 103a. By reducing the gap between the check valve 103d and the inlet passage 103a, dust accumulated in the dust collection filter 120 can be prevented from flowing back into the inlet passage 103a. A lip shape is provided at the tip of the front lip 103b of the mouth packing 103, and airtightness is maintained by abutting against the support plate 122.

[0024] Dust sucked in from the suction port 101b of the suction passage 101a passes through the suction passage 101a and the inlet passage 103a of the mouth packing 103 together with air, and is collected in the bag member 121 of the dust collection filter 120 from the inlet port 122a of the support plate 122. The dust sucked into the bag member 121 is filtered by the bag member 121, and the air passing through the bag member 121 passes through the protective filter 180 and the electric blower opening 12b and is sucked into the electric blower 14. The protective filter 180 is disposed between the dust collection filter 120 and the electric blower opening 12b to prevent dust leaking from the bag member 121 from being sucked into the electric blower 14. The protective filter 180 is supported by a filter frame 18 that is slidable in the approximately vertical direction, and is attached to the dust collection unit 12.

[0025] Electric blower 14 includes fan 141 that generates suction force, and electric motor 143 that is connected to fan 141 via rotating shaft 142 and drives fan 141 to rotate. Rotation center line D of rotating shaft 142 of electric blower 14 is disposed at an angle that descends toward the downstream side (rear side).

[0026] A battery pack 16 that supplies power to the electric blower 14 is provided on the downstream side (rear side) of the electric blower 14.

[0027] When used as a stick-type vacuum cleaner, the suction body 30 is connected to the connection tube 101 of the vacuum cleaner body 10 via the extension tube 20 as shown in Fig. 2. The user grips the handle 13 and operates the operation switch 17 to drive the electric blower 14 and move the suction body 30 back and forth. The suction force of the electric blower 14 generates suction force in the suction body 30. Dust sucked through the suction body 30 passes through the extension tube 20 and is collected in the dust collection filter 120 of the dust collection section 12.

[0028] When using the vacuum cleaner as a handheld type electric cleaner, the extension tube 20 is removed from the connecting tube 101 of the vacuum cleaner body 10 as shown in Fig. 3. By removing the extension tube 20 from the connecting tube 101, the suction port 101b of the suction passage 101a is exposed. The user holds the handle portion 13 and operates the operation switch 17 to drive the electric blower 14 and move the connecting tube 101. Dust is directly sucked in through suction port 101b, and the sucked in dust is collected in dust collection filter 120 of dust collection section 12.

[0029] In a typical vacuum cleaner, support plate 122 is perpendicular to central axis A of suction port 101b, and so in this state bag member 121 can be sufficiently inflated to ensure dust collection capacity, and the top surface of the vacuum cleaner body is formed to gradually inflate upward from the suction port of the vacuum cleaner body toward the rear of the vacuum cleaner body, but when used as a handheld vacuum cleaner, there is a problem that the suction port is not visible and it is difficult to clean dust on the floor. A configuration for solving this problem will be described with reference to FIG.

[0030] 4, when the central axis of suction port 101b is A and the central position of the inlet of dust collection filter 120 (the central position of inlet 122a of support plate 122) is B, in Example 1, central axis A of suction port 101b is positioned above central position B of the inlet of dust collection filter 120 (the central position of inlet 122a of support plate 122). In other words, central axis A of suction port 101b is positioned closer to handle portion 13 than central position B of the inlet of dust collection filter 120 (the central position of inlet 122a of support plate 122).

[0031] A gasket 103 is formed between the downstream side (rear side) of the suction passage 101a and the inlet 122a of the dust collecting filter 120, and is inclined downward toward the downstream side (rear side), so that the center position B of the inlet of the dust collecting filter 120 is located below the central axis A of the suction port 101b.

[0032] According to the first embodiment, the central axis A of the suction port 101b is positioned above the central position B of the inlet of the dust collection filter 120 (the central position of the inlet 122a of the support plate 122). Therefore, when used as a handheld vacuum cleaner, the suction port 101b is easily visible from the user's line of sight, improving operability during cleaning.

[0033] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the upper surface of the suction port 101b is formed linearly toward the handle portion 13 side (rear side) without any unevenness, thereby improving the design.

[0034] Furthermore, according to the first embodiment, the central axis A of the suction port 101b and the central position B of the inlet of the dust collecting filter 120 are positioned so as to be offset from each other. Therefore, when the vacuum cleaner body 10 is stood upright with the suction port 101b facing downwards, the dust collected in the dust collecting filter 120 can be prevented from spilling out from the inlet 122a and being discharged to the outside from the suction port 101b.

[0035] Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the central axis of dust collecting filter 120 is E, central axis A of suction port 101b and central axis E of dust collecting filter 120 are configured not to be parallel to each other. With this configuration, when dust collecting filter 120 is removed from dust collecting section 12, dust collected in dust collecting filter 120 spills out from inlet 122a, and the spilled dust can be prevented from being discharged to the outside from suction port 101b.

[0036] In the first embodiment, the user grips the handle portion 13 to operate the vacuum cleaner 1, so a moment is applied to the user's hand. For this reason, in the vacuum cleaner 1, it is preferable to reduce the moment applied to the hand when the user grips the handle portion 13 to operate the vacuum cleaner 1. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the handle portion 13 is configured to straddle the extension line of the central axis A of the suction port 101b. In other words, the handle portion 13 in the first embodiment is configured to intersect with the extension line of the central axis A of the suction port 101b. By configuring as described above in the first embodiment, the moment applied to the user's hand can be reduced, and the operability of the vacuum cleaner can be improved.

[0037] In the electric vacuum cleaner 1, it is preferable to reduce the ventilation loss in order to improve the dust collection efficiency. Therefore, in the first embodiment, when the rotation center line of the rotation shaft 142 of the electric blower 14 is D, the rotation center line D of the rotation shaft 142 of the electric blower 14 and the central axis E of the dust collection filter 120 are configured to be parallel. By configuring in this way, the ventilation loss from the dust collection filter 120 to the electric blower 14 can be reduced, and the dust collection efficiency can be improved. To further improve the efficiency, the rotation center line D of the electric blower and the central axis E of the dust collection filter 120 may be in a straight line. In particular, in an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with a storage battery, the operating time of the electric blower 14 can be reduced by improving the dust collection efficiency, and the weight of the electric vacuum cleaner can be reduced by miniaturizing the storage battery.

[0038] In addition, in the electric vacuum cleaner 1, it is desirable to enlarge the dust collection section 12 in order to ensure the amount of dust collection. However, in order to suppress the deterioration of operability, it is preferable not to enlarge the vacuum cleaner body 10 more than necessary. Therefore, in the first embodiment, the central axis C of the inlet passage 103a of the mouth packing is configured to be tilted further rearward than the central axis E of the support plate 122 of the dust collection filter 120 (approximately 25° with respect to the central axis A). In other words, the central axis C of the inlet passage 103a and the central axis E of the support plate 122 of the dust collection filter 120 are set at different angles. With this configuration, the length of the inlet passage 103a in the front-rear direction can be suppressed while ensuring the area of ​​the support plate 122, so that the dust collection section 12 can be enlarged while suppressing the length of the vacuum cleaner body 10.

[0039] In addition, it is desirable that the electric vacuum cleaner 1 is small. The battery pack 16 stored in the vacuum cleaner body 10 has a larger volume than the electric blower 14 in order to secure the battery capacity, which is a cause of the vacuum cleaner body 10 becoming large. Therefore, in the first embodiment, when the central axis of the battery pack 16 is G, the central axis G of the battery pack 16 is positioned above the rotation center line D of the rotation shaft 142 of the electric blower 14. By configuring in this way, it is possible to prevent the part of the vacuum cleaner body 10 that stores the battery pack 16 from expanding, and it is possible to prevent the vacuum cleaner body 10 from becoming large. Furthermore, in the first embodiment, when the parallel line of the control board 15 is F, the parallel line F of the control board 15 is not parallel to the rotation center line D of the rotation shaft 142 of the electric blower 14. As described above, the battery pack 16 has a larger volume than the electric blower 14, so in the first embodiment, the control board 15 is arranged in consideration of the volumes of the electric blower 14 and the battery pack 16. This makes it possible to prevent the vacuum cleaner 1 from becoming large.

[0040] It is also desirable for the vacuum cleaner 1 to be lightweight. The weight can be reduced by providing projections and recesses on the inside of the lower case 10a and upper case 10b that form the outer shell so that the thickness of the outer shell varies (using topology weight reduction technology). It is desirable for the projections and recesses to be thick in areas where strength is required and thin in areas where it is not, and the shape may be determined by simulation.

[0041] In FIG. 4, point P1 indicates the center of gravity in the handheld state, and point P2 indicates the center of gravity in the stick state. EXAMPLES

[0042] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 5 and 6. In the second embodiment, the configurations of the dust collecting filter 120 and the dust collecting section 12 will be described. Fig. 5 is an external perspective view of the dust collecting filter 120 according to the second embodiment of the present invention in a folded state. Fig. 6 is an external perspective view of the dust collecting filter 120 according to the second embodiment of the present invention when it is to be disposed of. The same reference numerals are used for the configurations common to the first embodiment, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0043] The dust collecting filter 120 includes a quadrilateral support plate 122 having an inlet 122a and made of cardboard, plastic, or the like, a breathable bag member 121 made of paper, cloth, nonwoven fabric such as animal hair, plastic, or the like, and a seal member 123 attached to the support plate 122. The bag member 121 is adhered to the back surface side of the support plate 122. In the second embodiment, the seal member 123 is attached to one of the quadrilateral support plate 122. Although the seal member 123 is attached to the support plate 122 in the second embodiment, it may be attached by adhering to a part of the bag member 121.

[0044] The bonded portion between the bag member 121 and the support plate 122 does not extend over the entire support plate 122, and the outer periphery of the support plate 122 is not bonded to the bag member 121. The bag member 121 is bonded around the opening of the support plate 122. When the support plate 122 is attached to the dust collecting unit 12 of the vacuum cleaner 1, it is caught and fixed by the claws of the support plate clamp 104. However, if the bag member 121 is bonded up to the outer periphery of the support plate 122, the support plate 122 cannot be caught by the claws of the support plate clamp 104, and there is a risk that the claws of the support plate clamp 104 may damage the bag member 121. For this reason, in the second embodiment, the outer periphery of the support plate 122 is not bonded to the bag member 121. The portion where the support plate 122 and the bag member 121 are not bonded must be at least one side of the support plate 122, i.e., the side that is hooked onto the claw portion of the support plate clamp 104, but the other sides may be bonded up to the end of the support plate 122.

[0045] The sealing member 123 is attached to the back surface side of the support plate 122 in a portion where the support plate 122 and the bag member 121 are not bonded. In the second embodiment, the sealing member 123 is attached to the upper side of the back surface of the support plate 122. When bonding the sealing member 123 to the upper side of the back surface of the support plate 122, it is preferable not to bond the vicinity of the end of the support plate 122. The reason for this is that the upper side of the support plate 122 is caught and fixed by the claw portion of the support plate clamp 104, so in order to avoid damaging the sealing member 123, it is preferable not to bond the support plate 122 and the sealing member 123 to the portion that is caught by the claw portion of the support plate clamp 104.

[0046] Sealing member 123 includes sealing portion 124 having glue as an adhesive surface, and release paper 125 (release portion) covering the adhesive surface. Sealing portion 124 and release paper 125 are arranged with the glue as a boundary such that release paper 125 is located on the front side of support plate 122 and sealing portion 124 is located on the back side of support plate 122. Release paper 125 is formed with a hook hole 126 for hooking onto protrusion 104a provided on support plate clamp 104 of vacuum cleaner 1.

[0047] When release paper 125 of sealing member 123 is peeled off from below (the hook hole 126 side), the adhesive surface of sealing portion 124 is exposed. Then, sealing portion 124 is folded back over the upper part of support plate 122, the exposed adhesive surface faces the front surface of support plate 122, and the adhesive surface of sealing portion 124 is affixed to support plate 122. Inflow port 122a of support plate 122 is covered and blocked by sealing portion 124, so that spilling of dust from inflow port 122a can be suppressed even when dust collection filter 120 is disposed of, and the dust collection filter 120 can be handled hygienically.

[0048] It is preferable that the sealing portion 124 closes the inlet 122a of the support plate 122 when the dust collecting filter 120 is removed from the dust collecting part 12 of the vacuum cleaner 1. The removal operation of the dust collecting filter 120 will be described with reference to FIG.

[0049] Fig. 7 is a diagram showing a state in which the dust collecting filter 120 is removed from the dust collecting part 12 of the vacuum cleaner 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 8 is an enlarged view of the main part of Fig. 7, showing the opening operation function of the dust collecting lid 11.

[0050] When the dust collection filter 120 is attached to the dust collection unit 12 of the vacuum cleaner 1, the dust collection lid 11 is opened, the support plate 122 of the folded dust collection filter 120 (FIG. 5) is inserted into the guide portion so as to face the outlet portion of the mouth packing 103, and the upper portion of the support plate 122 is hooked onto the claw portion of the support plate clamp 104 and fixed in place. Also, the hook hole 126 formed in the release paper 125 is hooked onto the protrusion 104a of the support plate clamp 104. Then, the dust collection lid 11 is closed.

[0051] The dust collection lid 11 is biased in the opening direction by a coil spring 110 as shown in FIG. Two coil springs 110 are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. One lower end 110a of the coil spring 110 is hooked on the fixed part 106 of the vacuum cleaner body 10, and the other upper end 110b is in contact with the dust collection lid 11. With this configuration, the dust collection lid 11 is biased in the opening direction. Also, the upper end 110b of the coil spring 110 on the dust collection lid 11 side is bent towards the dust collection part 12 side. With this, during manufacturing and assembly, after the coil spring 110 is attached to the fixed part 106, the bent part acts as a guide when attaching the dust collection lid 11 while holding down the tip of the coil spring, making the attachment easy.

[0052] An inner wall 12a of the dust collecting section 12 separated from the electric blower 14 is formed with a communication opening 151 that communicates with the space in which the control board 15 is housed. In the vacuum cleaner 1, the control software written in the control board 15 may be rewritten for maintenance or to improve malfunctions. In the second embodiment, a tool can be inserted through the communication opening 151 to rewrite the control software. The communication opening 151 is disposed outside the dust collecting section packing 127, so that it is not related to the airtight structure of the dust collecting section 12. During normal use, the communication opening 151 needs to be closed so that the user does not touch the control board 15. Therefore, in the second embodiment, a label 152 is attached so as to close the communication opening 151. The model of the dust collecting filter 120 attached to the dust collecting section 12 is written on the label 152. The user can purchase a replacement dust collecting filter 120 by looking at the model written on the label 152. In addition, since the user can easily confirm the model, it is possible to prevent a dust collecting filter 120 of a different model from being mistakenly attached. The affixed surface of the label 152 is inclined with respect to a line perpendicular to the rotation center line D of the rotation shaft 142 of the electric blower 14 so that the upper side is rearward relative to the lower side (see FIG. 4). This makes it easy for the user to see the model written on the label 152. Similarly, the affixed surface of the label 152 is inclined with respect to a line perpendicular to the parallel line F of the control board 15 so that the upper side is rearward relative to the lower side (see FIG. 4). This makes it easy to grasp the position of the control software rewriting connector (not shown) on the control board 15, improving workability. Therefore, the affixed surface of the label 152 is not perpendicular to the rotation center line D of the rotation shaft 142 of the electric blower 14 and the parallel line F of the control board 15.

[0053] Moreover, an opening 12b for the electric blower is formed in the inner wall 12a of the dust collecting section 12, and the opening 12b for the electric blower is located in front of the electric blower 14. The opening 12b for the electric blower has a lattice shape to prevent a user from accidentally putting his / her fingers into the electric blower 14 while ensuring an air inflow path.

[0054] When the electric blower 14 is driven and a suction force is generated, the bag member 121 of the dust collection filter 120 expands due to the suction airflow, and dust is collected in the bag member 121. The downstream side of the bag member 121 is held by the filter frame 18. As shown in FIG. 9, the filter frame 18 has a lattice portion 18a having a large opening in the front-rear direction, and the protective filter 180 is supported in contact with the front surface of the lattice portion 18a. As a result, even if the bag member 121 expands, it abuts against the lattice portion 18a in a manner sandwiching the protective filter 180, so that the bag member 121 and the protective filter 180 are prevented from directly blocking the inlet portion of the electric blower 14, and the suction force can be easily maintained. The filter frame 18 also has an upper surface opening 18b and a side surface opening 18c. As a result, even if the lattice portion 18a having an opening in the front-rear direction is blocked by the bag member 121, the suction force can be easily maintained by sucking in air from the surrounding openings.

[0055] When the electric blower 14 is driven and a suction force is generated, the dust collection lid 11 is bent inward due to the negative pressure. The inside of the dust collection lid 11 is provided with a contact portion 111 that comes into contact with the lower case 10a of the vacuum cleaner body 10 when the dust collection lid 11 is bent. When the electric blower 14 is in operation, the contact portion 111 comes into contact with the lower case 10a, thereby preventing the dust collection lid 11 from opening.

[0056] When the bag member 121 becomes full of dust and the dust collection filter 120 needs to be replaced, the dust collection lid 11 is rotated open, the support plate 122 hooked on the claw portion of the support plate clamp 104 is shifted from the position of the claw portion, and the dust collection filter 120 is pulled upward (FIG. 7).

[0057] The bag member 121 swells and sticks to the inner wall of the dust collecting section 12, particularly to the filter frame 18 on the electric blower 14 side. In the configuration of the second embodiment, the filter frame 18 can slide in a substantially vertical direction as shown in Figs. 10(A) and 10(B). When the dust collecting filter 120 is pulled out upward, the filter frame 18 also slides upward, and the dust collecting filter 120 can be easily pulled up. Furthermore, in the second embodiment, a raised shape 18d is provided on the upper part of the filter frame 18 (Fig. 9). As a result, when the bag member 121 swells to the extent that it sticks to the filter frame 18, the bag member 121 slips under the raised shape 18d. Therefore, when the dust collecting filter 120 is pulled out, the raised shape 18d is pushed upward, and the filter frame 18 can slide easily (Figs. 10(A) and (B)).

[0058] The filter frame 18 is provided with a protrusion 18e, and the inner wall 12a of the dust collecting unit 12 on the electric blower 14 side is provided with a recess 12c, which is a groove of a substantially rectangular shape (FIG. 9). The recess 12c is larger in the vertical direction than the protrusion 18e, and the filter frame 18 is provided on the dust collecting unit 12 in such a manner that the protrusion 18e fits into the recess 12c. This allows the filter frame 18 to slide in the vertical direction, and when the filter frame 18 is pulled out, the protrusion 18e hits the upper end surface of the recess 12c to prevent it from coming off. The position of the recess 12c does not overlap with the electric blower opening 12b in the horizontal direction. This makes it difficult for the size of the recess 12c in the vertical direction, and therefore the sliding range of the filter frame 18, to be affected by the size of the electric blower opening 12b. In the first embodiment, the recess 12c is provided on the electric blower 14 side of the inner wall 12a, but it may be provided on the side of the inner wall 12a. For example, if the left-right size of opening 12b for the electric blower occupies most of inner wall 12a on the electric blower 14 side, the space available for providing recess 12c in inner wall 12a on the electric blower 14 side will be limited; however, this problem can be avoided by providing recess 12c in inner wall 12a on the side surface.

[0059] In addition, because the hook hole 126 formed in the release paper 125 is hooked on the protrusion 104a of the support plate clamp 104, when the dust collection filter 120 is pulled upward, the release paper 125 is rolled up from the seal portion 124, and the seal portion 124 is further pulled and folded back toward the front surface of the support plate 122, so that the seal portion 124 adheres to the surface of the support plate 122 and closes the inlet 122a. This makes it possible to prevent dust from spilling out from the inlet 122a.

[0060] The dust collection filter 120 in the second embodiment is a disposable dust collection filter that is replaced when it becomes full of dust. For this reason, it is necessary to prepare a dust collection filter to be replaced, but there is a risk that the purchase of a new one may be forgotten. Therefore, a sensor that detects that the dust collection filter 120 has been replaced may be provided in the vacuum cleaner 1, and a dust collection filter 120 may be automatically ordered according to the number of times the dust collection filter 120 has been replaced. For example, a home server may be installed, and the home server and the vacuum cleaner 1 may be wirelessly connected, and the home server may receive information from the vacuum cleaner 1 that the dust collection filter 120 has been replaced, and place an order with a retailer. EXAMPLES

[0061] A third embodiment will be described with reference to Figs. 11 to 15. In the third embodiment, the configuration of the dust collecting unit 12 will be described. Fig. 11 is an exploded perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 1 with the connecting pipe 101 and the dust collecting unit 12 disassembled according to the third embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 12 is an exploded perspective view of the connecting pipe 101 according to the third embodiment of the present invention with the button cover 102 removed. Fig. 13 is a perspective view of the connecting pipe 101 with the button cover 102 attached thereto from the state shown in Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the port packing 103 according to the third embodiment of the present invention as seen from the front. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the port packing 103 according to the third embodiment of the present invention as seen from the rear. Configurations common to the first and second embodiments are given the same reference numerals, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0062] A port packing 103 is attached to the front of the dust collecting unit 12 from the inside of the dust collecting unit 12, and a connecting pipe 101 is further attached to the outside (front side) of the dust collecting unit 12. An end of the connecting pipe 101 contacts a front lip 103b of the port packing 103. Since the port packing 103 is formed of a flexible material, when the front lip 103b contacts the connecting pipe 101, airtightness can be ensured between the suction passage 101a and the inlet passage 103a.

[0063] A dust collection unit gasket 127 is disposed on the upper opening edge of the lower case 10a that forms the lower side of the dust collection unit 12, so as to come into contact with the dust collection lid 11 when the dust collection lid 11 is closed to keep the dust collection unit 12 airtight. The front of the dust collection unit gasket 127 is disposed between the support plate clamp 104 and the dust collection lid clamp 112, and the rear of the dust collection unit gasket 127 is disposed behind the filter frame 18. A packing fixing portion 127a is formed at the front end portion of the dust-collecting portion packing 127 (FIGS. 11 and 12).

[0064] Button cover 102 is disposed above connecting pipe 101, covering the lock button 102a and the upper part of dust collection lid clamp 112. When dust collection lid clamp 112 is disposed above connecting pipe 101, dust collection lid clamp 112 covers packing fixing part 127a at the front end part of dust collection part packing 127. As a result, packing fixing part 127a is sandwiched from above and below by lower case 10a and button cover 102, and the front of dust collection part packing 127 is fixed to lower case 10a (FIG. 13).

[0065] In this embodiment, the dust collection lid 11 has a claw portion facing forward and is hooked by the dust collection lid clamp 112, but the dust collection lid 11 may have a claw portion facing backward and a claw receiving portion provided on the button cover 102 for hooking, so that the user can directly place their hand on the dust collection lid 11 to open it. In that case, the dust collection lid clamp 112 can be omitted.

[0066] A lead wire (not shown) for supplying power to the suction port is wired between the dust collection unit packing 127 and the lower case 10a. By attaching the dust collection unit packing 127 to the lower case 10a side, the lead wire is not visible to the user, ensuring a good design.

[0067] In addition, the dust collection unit packing 127 has a shape in which the left and right sides are lowered and the front and rear sides are raised. This ensures the paths of the front inlet and the rear motor inlet, while the left and right sides are lowered, widening the range of the dust collection lid 11, making it easier for the user to approach the dust collection unit 12 when the dust collection lid 11 is opened, and facilitating replacement of the dust collection filter 120.

[0068] As shown in Figures 14 and 15, the mouth gasket 103 includes a front lip 103b that contacts the end of the connecting pipe 101, a rear lip 103c that is larger in diameter than the front lip 103b and that contacts the support plate 122 of the dust collecting filter 120, a check valve 103d that prevents dust collected in the bag member 121 of the dust collecting filter 120 from leaking out, and a check valve connection portion 103e that connects the check valve 103d to the rear lip 103c.

[0069] Since the mouth packing 103 is formed of a flexible material, when the rear lip 103c comes into contact with the support plate 122, airtightness can be ensured between the inflow passage 103a and the inflow port 122a.

[0070] The check valve 103d operates to open downstream (rearward) with the check valve connection part 103e as a fulcrum. By making the check valve connection part 103e convex toward the rear lip 103c and concave toward the front lip 103b with respect to the check valve 103d, it is easier to operate toward the rear lip 103c than when the check valve connection part 103e and the check valve 103d are on the same surface. In addition, a pair of intra-passage protrusions 103f protruding toward the side where the inflow passage 103a is not provided is provided on the left and right in the inflow passage 103a of the mouth packing 103. Furthermore, the intra-passage protrusions 103f are also provided at diagonal positions with respect to the check valve connection part 103e in the inflow passage 103a. The intra-passage protrusions 103f suppress the check valve 103d from opening upstream (front). This makes it possible to suppress the leakage of dust collected in the bag member 121 of the dust collection filter 120. A check valve rib 103g is provided on the front lip 103b side of the check valve 103d to ensure the rigidity of the check valve 103d, thereby suppressing noise caused by the vibration of the check valve 103d. Furthermore, by arranging a passage protrusion 103f at the position where the check valve rib 103g is arranged, it is possible to prevent the check valve 103d from bending toward the front lip 103b due to the weight of dust. The passage protrusion 103f is bent toward the front lip 103b at an L angle, so that when the port packing 103 is pulled toward the rear lip 103c, the port packing 103 gets caught by the passage protrusion 103f, making it difficult for the port packing 103 to come off. The end face of the passage protrusion 103f on the front lip 103b side is chamfered, which reduces flow path loss during suction and reduces the amount of suctioned dust getting caught by the passage protrusion 103f. The rear lip 103c includes an outer lip 103j and an inner lip 103i. When the dust collection filter 120 is attached, each lip flexes to ensure airtightness between the mouth packing 103 and the support plate 122. By making the inner diameter of the tip of the inner lip 103i when the dust collection filter 120 is attached smaller than the outer diameter of the inlet 122a of the dust collection filter 120, it is possible to reduce flow path loss and dust catching at the support plate 122. The mouth packing 103 includes a spill prevention rib 103h on the inside of the inner lip 103i.By making the outside diameter of the spill prevention rib 103h smaller than the outside diameter of the inlet 122a of the dust collection filter 120, when the suction port 101b is facing downward, dust accumulated on the dust collection filter 120 is caught by the spill prevention rib 103h, and the dust can be reduced from flowing back toward the inlet passage 103a. Note that the intra-passage protrusion 103f may be provided on the lower case 10a, and a through hole may be provided in the port packing 103. In that case, the intra-passage protrusion 103f can be formed of the hard material of the lower case 10a, so that the effect of suppressing dust leakage can be improved.

[0071] The connecting pipe 101 can be connected to the extension pipe 20. When connecting the extension pipe 20 to the connecting pipe 101, the extension pipe 20 is inserted into the inside of the connecting pipe 101. When the extension pipe 20 is inserted into the inside of the connecting pipe 101, the end of the extension pipe 20 comes into contact with the front lip 103b of the mouth packing 103. This ensures airtightness between the internal passage of the extension pipe 20 and the inlet passage 103a of the mouth packing 103.

[0072] In this embodiment, a flexible mouth gasket 103 is provided between the connecting pipe 101 and the dust collecting section 12, thereby ensuring airtightness between the suction passage 101a of the connecting pipe 101 and the inlet passage 103a of the mouth gasket 103, between the internal passage of the extension pipe 20 and the inlet passage 103a of the mouth gasket 103, and between the inlet passage 103a of the mouth gasket 103 and the inlet 122a of the support plate 122 (dust collecting filter 120). EXAMPLES

[0073] Example 4 will be described with reference to Fig. 16 and Fig. 17. Fig. 16 is a bottom view of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 according to Example 4 of the present invention as seen from below. Fig. 17 is a left side view of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 according to Example 4 of the present invention as seen from the left. The same reference numerals are used for configurations common to Examples 1 to 3, and detailed descriptions thereof will be omitted.

[0074] The electric vacuum cleaner 1 described in the first to third embodiments drives the electric blower 14 with power supplied from the battery pack 16. Therefore, when the charge capacity of the battery pack 16 decreases, it is necessary to charge the battery pack 16. As shown in Fig. 16, a DC jack 19 for charging the battery pack 16 is provided at the bottom of the vacuum cleaner 1.

[0075] A charging terminal 60 is connected to the DC jack 19 when charging the battery pack 16. When the charging terminal 60 is inserted into the DC jack 19, the charging terminal 60 protrudes from the bottom surface (outer periphery) of the vacuum cleaner body 10. If the vacuum cleaner 1 is placed on floor surface Y with the charging terminal 60 connected to the DC jack 19, the charging terminal 60 may come into contact with the floor surface Y, which may damage the charging terminal 60 or scratch the floor surface Y.

[0076] Therefore, in the electric vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment, a lower body protrusion 10c that protrudes downward is provided on the lower part of the lower case 10a of the vacuum cleaner body 10.

[0077] When the bottommost rear end of the vacuum cleaner 1 (battery pack 16) and the main body lower protrusion 10c are connected in a straight line, a space is formed between the bottommost rear end of the vacuum cleaner 1 (battery pack 16) and the main body lower protrusion 10c. In other words, when the vacuum cleaner 1 is placed on floor surface Y, a space is formed between the bottommost rear end of the vacuum cleaner 1 (battery pack 16) and the main body lower protrusion 10c, which is separated from the floor surface Y. When the DC jack 19 is placed in this space, the charging terminal 60 will not come into contact with the floor surface Y even when it is connected to the DC jack 19.

[0078] According to the fourth embodiment, even when the charging terminal 60 is connected to the DC jack 19 and the battery pack 16 is being charged, the charging terminal 60 does not come into contact with the floor surface Y, so that damage to the charging terminal 60 and scratches on the floor surface Y can be suppressed. EXAMPLES

[0079] Fig. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 1 with the connecting pipe 101, the lower case 10a, and the upper case 10b disassembled according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the pack chamber 10e according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention with the dust collection section gasket 127 removed. The same reference numerals are used for the configurations common to the first to fourth embodiments, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0080] The vacuum cleaner body 10 includes a dust collecting section 12 that collects sucked dust, a dust collecting lid 11 that forms the upper part of the dust collecting section 12 and covers it in an openable and closable manner, and a pack chamber 10e that forms the lower part of the dust collecting section 12. The dust collection lid 11 opens and closes around a rotating shaft 105, and the dust collection section 12 is held in a closed state by a dust collection lid clamp 112 (locking mechanism). The pack chamber 10e is provided with a dust collection section gasket 127 (airtightness maintaining member), and when the dust collection lid 11 is closed, the dust collection lid 11 comes into contact with the dust collection section gasket 127 to maintain airtightness within the dust collection section 12. The pack chamber 10e is made of a material that can easily maintain airtightness by minimizing factors that cause airtightness to leak. In this embodiment, the dust collection section gasket 127 is made of a flexible material, but it is not limited to a flexible material as long as it can maintain airtightness within the dust collection section 12 by contacting the dust collection lid 11.

[0081] If the contact between the dust collection lid 11 and the dust collection unit packing 127 becomes misaligned, it will be impossible to maintain airtightness within the dust collection unit 12, but if the dust collection lid 11 and the dust collection lid clamp 112 are provided as separate parts from the pack chamber 10e, there is a risk that the tolerance accumulation will become large and airtightness will no longer be maintained. Therefore, in the vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment, the fixing parts of the dust collection lid 11 and the fixing parts of the dust collection lid clamp 112 are each provided in the pack chamber 10e, and the mounting structure of the parts necessary to ensure airtightness of the dust collection unit 12 is concentrated in the pack chamber 10e. This makes it possible to minimize the tolerance accumulation in the airtight space, making it easier to maintain airtightness.

[0082] The rear of the pack chamber 10e is provided with a vibration isolating rubber 144 (vibration absorbing member). The vibration isolating rubber 144 fixes at least a part of the electric blower 14, ensures airtightness from the dust collecting section 12 to the electric blower 14, and absorbs vibrations of the electric blower 14.

[0083] The vacuum cleaner 1 described in the first to fourth embodiments drives a suction motor (not shown) provided in the suction body 30 with power supplied from the battery pack 16, and rotates a rotating brush (not shown) provided in the suction body. For this reason, it is necessary to supply power from the control board 15 housed in the motor chamber 10f (electric blower housing section) through the connection tube 101 and the extension tube 20. The conductive part needs to be hidden from the viewpoint of safety and design, but the conductive part 108 is disposed in the pack chamber 10e between the side wall 107a in contact with the dust collection part packing 127 and the outer shell of the pack chamber 10e, and the inner wall 12a of the dust collection part 12 separated from the electric blower 14 is formed with a wiring opening 153 communicating with the space in which the control board 15 is housed. By wiring from the wiring opening 153 through the conductive part 108, the wiring and the wiring opening 153 can be hidden by the dust collection part packing 127, and safety and design can be ensured. By locating wiring opening 153 outside dust collection unit packing 127, it is possible to ensure airtightness without having a configuration that is related to the airtight configuration of dust collection unit 12. In addition, it is desirable for vacuum cleaner 1 to be small. By not providing any parts for hiding the wiring, but hiding it with dust collection unit packing 127, which is essential to dust collection unit 12, and the outer shell of dust collection unit 12, the number of parts is reduced and the size and weight are reduced.

[0084] Dust collection section packing 127 is fixed by being sandwiched between side wall 107a and packing fixing rib 107b. Generally, to prevent molding defects such as sink marks, it is necessary for the rib to stand on a flat surface, but providing side wall 107a and packing fixing rib 107b on dust collection lid 11 may significantly impair the design of vacuum cleaner 1. Therefore, in vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment, pack chamber flat surface 109 is provided in pack chamber 10e, and side wall 107a and packing fixing rib 107b are provided on pack chamber flat surface 109, thereby achieving a structure that does not impair the design. EXAMPLES

[0085] A sixth embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 20 to Fig. 23. In the sixth embodiment, another method for attaching a dust collecting filter to a dust collecting section will be described. Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner 1 (a dust collecting filter type vacuum cleaner) according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention.

[0086] (a) shows the vacuum cleaner body, and (b) shows a state in which it is stored in the stand 50. Fig. 21 is a perspective view of a dust collection filter case 500 according to a sixth embodiment of the present invention. (a) shows a state in which the dust collection filter case is stored in the dust collection section 12, and (b) shows a state in which each component part is slid and rotated to pull the dust collection filter case out of the dust collection chamber. Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA in Fig. 20. (a) shows a state before the dust collection filter attachment part of the dust collection filter case is stored in the dust collection chamber, and (b) shows a state in which the dust collection filter attachment part is stored in the dust collection chamber. Fig. 23 is a diagram showing a series of operations when removing the dust collection filter according to the sixth embodiment of the present invention. (a) shows the dust collection lid 11 in a closed state during normal cleaning, (b) shows the dust collection lid 11 in an open state, (c) shows the dust collection filter case in a pulled-out state, (d) shows the dust collection filter attachment part in a rotated state so that the opening of the dust collection filter faces forward instead of downward, and (e) shows the dust collection filter in a removed state from the dust collection filter case.

[0087] In this embodiment, the dust collecting section 12 further includes a dust collecting filter case 500 for fixing and positioning the dust collecting filter 120 as shown in FIG.

[0088] The dust collection filter case 500 includes a first guide portion 501 provided on the lower case 10a, a second guide portion 502 provided on the first guide portion 501, and a dust collection filter attachment portion 503 provided on the second guide portion 502. The first guide portion 501, the second guide portion 502, and the dust collection filter attachment portion 503 are each provided so as to be slidable in the vertical direction. The dust collection filter attachment portion 503 is attached so as to be rotatable about the rotation axis H of the second guide portion 502. With this configuration, when replacing the dust collection filter 120, the dust collection filter attachment portion 503 is pulled out of the dust collection portion 12, and then the orientation of the opening 503a of the dust collection filter attachment portion 503 can be changed. As a result, even if the inlet 122a of the dust collecting filter 120 in the dust collecting section 12 is facing downward from the horizontal direction, such as when cleaning the floor or storing it in the stand 50, it is possible to make the inlet 122a of the dust collecting filter 120 facing upward from the horizontal direction when the dust collecting filter 120 is removed from the dust collecting filter mounting section 503, thereby preventing dust from spilling out.

[0089] Here, the direction in which the dust-collecting filter case is pulled out to the outside of the dust-collecting chamber is not limited to the upward direction as in this embodiment, and the sliding direction of each part constituting the dust-collecting filter case is not limited to the vertical direction. For example, the dust collection filter case may be structured to be pulled out in the left and right direction.

[0090] In addition, with regard to the pulling-out operation of the dust collecting filter case, in this embodiment, it is a two-step process in which it is pulled out of the dust collecting chamber by linear sliding, and then the dust collecting filter mounting part is rotated to change the orientation of the dust collecting filter, but the sliding trajectory is not limited to a linear one, and the process is not limited to two steps.

[0091] For example, the dust filter may slide along a substantially circular or substantially elliptical path, and the orientation of the dust filter may be changed simultaneously with the sliding.

[0092] Dust collection filter mounting portion 503 is provided with opening 504 so as not to block inlet 122a of dust collection filter 120. In addition, dust collection filter mounting portion 503 is provided with dust spill prevention cover 506 in a manner sandwiching compression spring 505, and dust spill prevention cover 506 closes opening 504 of dust collection filter mounting portion 503 by the elastic force of compression spring 505 unless an external force is applied.

[0093] Here, the means by which dust spill prevention cover 506 closes opening 504 of dust collection filter attachment portion 503 is not limited to the means using compression spring 505 as in this embodiment. For example, other types of springs such as tension springs and torsion springs may be used, and a mechanism that does not use elastic force such as a link mechanism may also be used.

[0094] Dust spill prevention lid 506 is provided with receiving rib 507. As a result, when dust collection filter case 500 is stored in the dust collection chamber, it comes into contact with push-aside protrusion 508 provided on the vacuum cleaner body, and only dust spill prevention lid 506 is pushed aside in the direction that opens opening 504 of dust collection filter attachment part 503.

[0095] With the above-mentioned configuration, when the dust-collecting filter attachment portion 503 is in the dust-collecting chamber, the opening 504 is open, and in other states, the opening 504 is closed by the dust spill prevention cover 506. This makes it possible to prevent dust from spilling out. EXAMPLES

[0096] Example 7 will be described with reference to Figs. 24 to 27. Example 7 describes the air flow in the dust collection section. Fig. 24 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 1 from above with the dust collection lid 11 according to Example 7 of the present invention removed. Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the dust collection lid as viewed from the dust collection section side (rear side). Fig. 26 is a cross-sectional perspective view taken along line IIXVI-IIXVI in Fig. 24. Fig. 27 is a diagram showing the air flow in a state where the dust collection filter 120 is attached to the dust collection section 12.

[0097] In the vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment, a dust collection filter 120 is attached to the dust collection section 12, and the sucked dust is filtered by a bag member 121, and the dust is collected in the bag member 121. The dust collected in the bag member 121 accumulates from the filter frame 18 side close to the electric blower 14, which is the downstream side of the bag member 121. In the vacuum cleaner 1 equipped with the dust collection filter 120, as the dust accumulates in the bag member 121, the dust creates flow resistance, and the flow of air from the inlet passage 103a to the suction port of the electric blower 14 is obstructed. When the air flow is obstructed, the suction force generated by the electric blower 14 decreases. When the suction force decreases, there is a problem that the dust cannot be sucked in, even though the bag member 121 of the dust collection filter 120 has a space in which the dust can be collected. A means for solving this problem will be described below.

[0098] 24 and 26, a plurality of lower flow passage forming portions 128a, 128b, and 128c extending in the front-rear direction are provided at the bottom of the dust collecting portion 12. The lower flow passage forming portions 128a, 128b, and 128c are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The lower flow passage forming portions 128a, 128b, and 128c are formed of ribs.

[0099] Between the lower flow passage forming portion 128a and the inner wall 12a of the dust collecting portion 12, a lower first flow passage 129a extending in the front-rear direction is formed. Between the lower flow passage forming portion 128a and the lower flow passage forming portion 128b, a lower second flow passage 129b extending in the front-rear direction is formed. Between the lower flow passage forming portion 128b and the lower flow passage forming portion 128c, a lower third flow passage 129c extending in the front-rear direction is formed. Between the lower flow passage forming portion 128c and the inner wall 12a, a lower fourth flow passage 129d extending in the front-rear direction is formed. In other words, among the multiple lower flow passage forming portions 128a, 128b, and 128c, adjacent lower flow passage forming portions form recesses (lower first flow passage 129a, lower second flow passage 129b, and lower third flow passage 129c) that become air passages.

[0100] Further, lower flow passage forming portions 128a, 128b, 128c are respectively formed with flat end portions 128a1, 128b1, 128c1 and inclined portions 128a2, 128b2, 128c2 located downstream (rear) of flat end portions 128a1, 128b1, 128c1 and inclined downward toward the downstream (rear) side. In other words, lower flow passage forming portions 128a, 128b, 128c are higher on the suction passage 101a side (upstream side) than on the electric blower 14 side (downstream side).

[0101] On the other hand, as shown in Figures 25 and 26, the dust collecting lid 11 has a plurality of upper flow passage forming portions 113a, 113b extending in the front-rear direction on the dust collecting section 12 side (rear side). The upper flow passage forming portions 113a, 113b are arranged side by side in the left-right direction. The upper flow passage forming portions 113a, 113b are formed in a shape having a predetermined thickness in the left-right direction.

[0102] The dust collecting lid inner wall 114 of the dust collecting lid 11 is formed by a dust collecting lid upper wall 114a forming the upper part of the dust collecting lid 11 and a dust collecting lid side wall 114b forming the side part of the dust collecting lid 11.

[0103] Between the upper flow passage forming portion 113a and the dust-collecting lid side wall 114b, an upper first flow passage 115a extending in the front-rear direction is formed. Between the upper flow passage forming portion 113a and the upper flow passage forming portion 113b, an upper second flow passage 115b extending in the front-rear direction is formed. Between the upper flow passage forming portion 113b and the dust-collecting lid side wall 114b, an upper third flow passage 115c extending in the front-rear direction is formed.

[0104] When the dust collecting filter 120 is attached to the dust collecting section 12 and the electric blower 14 is operated, the bag member 121 of the dust collecting filter 120 expands due to the intake airflow. The lower part of the expanded bag member 121 contacts the flat ends 128a1, 128b1, and 128c1 of the lower flow passage forming sections 128a, 128b, and 128c. Since the lower part of the expanded bag member 121 is supported by the flat ends 128a1, 128b1, and 128c1 of the lower flow passage forming sections 128a, 128b, and 128c, the flow of air can be ensured in the lower first flow passage 129a, the lower second flow passage 129b, the lower third flow passage 129c, and the lower fourth flow passage 129d located at the lower part of the bag member 121. That is, the lower part of the dust collecting section 12 is provided with recesses (lower first flow path 129a, lower second flow path 129b, lower third flow path 129c, lower fourth flow path 129d) which extend from the suction passage 101a side toward the electric blower 14 side and serve as air flow paths recessed outward from the position of the lower outer surface of the bag member 121.

[0105] On the other hand, the upper part of the inflated bag member 121 comes into contact with the upper flow passage forming parts 113a and 113b. Since the upper part of the inflated bag member 121 is supported by the upper flow passage forming parts 113a and 113b, the flow of air can be ensured in the upper first flow passage 115a, the upper second flow passage 115b, and the upper third flow passage 115c located at the upper part of the bag member 121. That is, the inner surface side (rear surface side) of the dust-collecting lid 11 located at the upper part of the dust-collecting part 12 is provided with recesses (upper first flow passage 115a, upper second flow passage 115b, upper third flow passage 115c) that serve as air passages extending from the suction passage 101a side toward the electric blower 14 side and recessed outward from the position of the upper outer surface of the bag member 121.

[0106] In addition, in the vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment, as described in the first embodiment, the support plate 122 is inclined so that the upper part is located rearward of the lower part when the central axis of the suction passage 101a (the central axis A of the suction port 101b) is horizontal. That is, the central axis A of the suction port 101b and the central axis E of the dust collection filter 120 and the support plate 122 are not parallel. Therefore, the bag member 121 of the dust collection filter 120 is disposed in a position close to the bottom surface of the dust collection section 12. Dust sucked in by the suction force of the electric blower 14 hits the bag member 121 against the bottom surface of the dust collection section 12 earlier than when the central axis A of the suction port 101b and the central axis E of the dust collection filter 120 and the support plate 122 are parallel, and the flow of air is obstructed.

[0107] Therefore, in this embodiment, a lower first flow path 129a, a lower second flow path 129b, a lower third flow path 129c, and a lower fourth flow path 129d are formed at the bottom of the dust collecting section 12, and an upper first flow path 115a, an upper second flow path 115b, and an upper third flow path 115c are formed on the inner surface side (back surface side) of the dust collecting lid 11.Therefore, the suction airflow that flows into the bag member 121 bypasses the position that linearly connects the inlet passage 103a and the electric blower 14 as shown in FIG. 27, and flows from below the bag member 121 to the lower first flow path 129a, the lower second flow path 129b, the lower third flow path 129c, and the lower fourth flow path 129d, and from above the bag member 121 to the upper first flow path 115a, the upper second flow path 115b, and the upper third flow path 115c.

[0108] Then, the air that has passed through the upper first flow path 115a, the upper second flow path 115b, and the upper third flow path 115c flows in through the upper opening of the filter frame 18, passes through the protective filter 180, and is sucked into the electric blower 14.

[0109] Furthermore, dust that has flowed into the bag member 121 accumulates above and below the bag member 121. The air that has passed through the lower first flow passage 129a, the lower second flow passage 129b, the lower third flow passage 129c, and the lower fourth flow passage 129d passes through the protective filter 180 from the lower opening of the filter frame 18, and is sucked into the electric blower 14. It is preferable to form the lower first flow passage 129a, the lower second flow passage 129b, the lower third flow passage 129c, and the lower fourth flow passage 129d on the upstream side close to the inflow passage 103a. For this reason, in this embodiment, the height of the lower flow passage forming parts 128a, 128b, and 128c on the upstream side is higher than the height of the downstream side to secure the lower flow passages.

[0110] As described above, according to this embodiment, the first lower flow path 129a, the second lower flow path 129b, the third lower flow path 129c, and the fourth lower flow path 129d are secured below the dust collection filter 120, and the first upper flow path 115a, the second upper flow path 115b, and the third upper flow path 115c are secured above the dust collection filter 120, so that the suction power of the vacuum cleaner can be sustained and the amount of dust collected in the dust collection filter 120 can be secured. In addition, since the dust collection filter 120 can be used for a long time, the effort of replacing the dust collection filter 120 can be reduced, and the cost of purchasing the dust collection filter 120 can be reduced.

[0111] According to this embodiment, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner which improves operability when used as a handheld vacuum cleaner or a stick vacuum cleaner, and which suppresses a decrease in suction power.

[0112] In the embodiment described above, the lower flow path forming portions 128a, 128b, 128c are made to protrude from the bottom of the dust collecting section 12 to form the lower first flow path 129a, the lower second flow path 129b, the lower third flow path 129c, and the lower fourth flow path 129d, but the bottom of the dust collecting section 12 may be bulged outward (downward) to form a recess, and this recess may be used as the lower flow path.

[0113] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various modifications. For example, the above-mentioned embodiments have been described in detail to easily explain the present invention, and are not necessarily limited to those including all of the configurations described. Also, it is possible to replace a part of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add the configuration of another embodiment to the configuration of one embodiment. Also, it is possible to add, delete, or replace a part of the configuration of each embodiment with another configuration. [Explanation of symbols]

[0114] 1...electric vacuum cleaner, 10...vacuum cleaner body, 10a...lower case, 10b...upper case, 10c...body lower projection, 10d...rib, 10e...pack chamber, 10f...motor chamber, 101...connecting pipe, 101a...suction passage, 101b...suction port, 102...button cover, 102a...lock button, 103...mouth gasket, 103a...inlet passage, 103b...front lip, 103c...rear lip, 103d...check valve, 103e...check valve connection, 103f...passage inner projection, 103g...check valve rib, 103h...spill prevention rib, 103i...inner lip, 103j ...Outer lip, 104...Support plate clamp, 104a...Protrusion, 105...Pivot shaft, 106...Fixed portion, 107a...Side wall, 107b...Packing fixing rib, 108...Conductive portion, 109...Pack chamber flat surface, 11...Dust collection lid, 11a...Dust collection lid claw, 110...Coil spring, 110a...Lower end portion, 110b...Upper end portion, 111...Contact portion, 112...Dust collection lid clamp, 113a, 113b...Upper flow passage forming portion, 114...Dust collection lid inner wall, 114a...Dust collection lid upper wall, 114b...Dust collection lid side wall, 115a...Upper first flow passage, 115b...Upper second flow passage, 115c...Upper Third flow path, 12... dust collection section, 12a... inner wall, 12b... opening for electric blower, 12c... recess, 120... dust collection filter, 121... bag member, 122... support plate, 122a... inlet, 123... sealing member, 124... sealing section, 125... release paper, 126... hook hole, 127... dust collection section packing, 127a... packing fixing section, 128a, 128b, 128c... lower flow path forming section, 128a1, 128b1, 128c1... flat end, 128a2, 128b2, 128c2... inclined section, 129a... lower first flow path, 129b... lower second flow path, 129c... Third lower flow passage, 129d...fourth lower flow passage, 13...handle portion, 14...electric blower, 141...fan, 142...rotating shaft, 143...electric motor, 144...anti-vibration rubber, 15...control board, 151...communication opening, 152...label, 153...wiring opening, 16...battery pack, 17...operation switch, 18...filter frame, 18a...lattice portion, 18b...top opening, 18c...side opening, 18d...raised shape, 18e...convex portion, 180...protective filter, 19...DC jack, 20...extension tube, 30...suction mouth body, 40...brush portion, 50...stand, 60...charging terminal

Claims

1. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: a vacuum cleaner body; an electric blower provided in the vacuum cleaner body; a dust collecting section provided in the vacuum cleaner body for collecting dust sucked through a suction passage by a suction force generated by the electric blower; and a dust collecting filter comprising a support plate and a bag member, the dust collecting filter being attached to the dust collecting section by fixing the support plate, The central axis of the flow path between the suction port of the vacuum cleaner body and the dust collection filter is changed two or more times, The dust collecting section includes a plurality of flow path forming portions that protrude toward the inside of the dust collecting section, extend from the suction passage side toward the electric blower side in the front-rear direction, and are aligned in the left-right direction, the plurality of flow path forming portions are arranged adjacent to each other to form recesses that are recessed from an outer surface of the bag member and serve as air flow paths.

2. 2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the flow path forming portion is formed on a plurality of surfaces of the dust collecting portion.

3. 3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the flow path forming portion is formed on an opposing surface of the dust collecting portion.

4. 4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, A dust collection lid is provided to cover the dust collection section, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the flow path forming portion is provided on an inner surface side of the dust collection lid.

5. 4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, a filter frame is provided between the dust collecting filter and the electric blower; The filter frame has an opening through which air flows in from the recess.

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