Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaner capable of reducing the size and weight of a dust collector.SOLUTION: A casing including an electric suction machine, a dust collection device, and an air introduction part provided between the dust collection device and the electric suction machine in an air passage, the dust collection device including a dust capture part, a dust discharge port, an inflow port, and an outflow port, the air introduction part including an outside air introduction port and an on-off valve mechanism capable of opening and closing the outside air introduction port, in a state in which the housing is set in a dust collection device capable of collecting dust by a suction force, the dust discharge port is connected to a dust introduction port of the dust collection device, the opening / closing valve mechanism is pressed by a protrusion of the dust collection device to open the outside air introduction port, and outside air can be sucked into the dust collection device via the outside air introduction port, the outflow port, the dust capture portion, the dust discharge port, and the dust introduction port.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses an electric vacuum cleaner in which a vacuum cleaner equipped with a cyclone-type dust collector is attached to a charging base equipped with a dust collection device, and dust in the dust collection device's dust cup is collected in the dust collection device. The charging base is provided with an exhaust circulation pipe extending vertically, the lower end of which is connected to a suction chamber at the bottom of the dust collection device, and the upper end of the exhaust circulation pipe is opened horizontally. After finishing cleaning, when the vacuum cleaner is attached to the charging base, the connection port at the bottom of the dust cup is connected to the pipe at the top of the dust collection device, and the connection port at the top of the dust cup's peripheral wall is connected to the upper opening of the exhaust circulation pipe. When the electric collection blower in the suction chamber of the dust collection device is driven, dust in the dust cup is collected by suction into a paper bag set in the dust collection chamber of the dust collection device, and exhaust air from the dust collection device is circulated into the dust cup via the exhaust circulation pipe. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-078685 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In the case of the electric vacuum cleaner of Patent Document 1, for example, if the dust collector is accidentally dropped to the floor when removing it from the suction device for maintenance, there is a possibility that the valve on the connection port on the circulating air inlet side located on the upper part of the peripheral wall of the dust cup, which is connected to the exhaust circulation pipe of the dust collection device, may be damaged, causing a malfunction.

[0005] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner that has been made in consideration of the above circumstances. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The present invention provides a housing including an air intake port, an exhaust port, a ventilation path connecting the air intake port and the exhaust port, an electric suction machine provided in the ventilation path to circulate air from the air intake port through the ventilation path to the exhaust port, a dust collector provided upstream of the electric suction machine in the airflow direction, and an air introduction section provided between the dust collector and the electric suction machine in the ventilation path, wherein the dust collector has a dust capture section, a dust discharge port, an inlet provided upstream of the dust capture section in the airflow direction, and an outlet provided downstream of the dust capture section in the airflow direction. and the air introduction section has an outside air inlet provided between the outlet in the ventilation duct and the electric suction machine, and an on-off valve mechanism that can open and close the outside air inlet, and when the housing is set on a dust collection device that can collect dust by suction force, the dust exhaust outlet is connected to the dust inlet of the dust collection device, and the on-off valve mechanism is pressed by a protrusion of the dust collection device to open the outside air inlet, so that outside air can be sucked into the dust collection device through the outside air inlet, outlet, dust capture section, dust exhaust outlet and dust inlet. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, even if the dust collecting device is accidentally dropped onto the floor when it is removed from the housing for maintenance, an electric vacuum cleaner can be obtained in which, when the dust collecting device is connected to the dust collection device, no malfunction occurs in the valve provided at the connection port on the outside air inlet side through which outside air flows in from outside the dust collecting device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an electric vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a dust collection device. [Figure 2] 1 is a left side cross-sectional view showing a state in which the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment is attached to a dust collection device. [Figure 3]1 is a front view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view showing a dust collection device with the vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment removed; [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a right side view of the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment. [Figure 6] 1 is a perspective view showing a housing of the vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment with a dust collecting device removed. FIG. [Figure 7] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lower part of the housing of the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment as viewed from the front side. FIG. [Figure 8] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the lower part of the housing of the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment, viewed from the left side. FIG. [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view of a dust collecting device in a vacuum cleaner according to a first embodiment, seen obliquely from the front. [Figure 10] 1 is a left sectional view of a dust collecting device according to a first embodiment. [Figure 11] 1 is a perspective view of a dust collecting device according to a first embodiment, seen from above; [Figure 12] 3 is an exploded view showing a state in which a filter portion is removed from a cup portion of the dust collecting device in the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 13] 1 is a perspective view of a dust collecting device according to a first embodiment, seen from above, with a filter unit removed. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the dust collecting device according to the first embodiment. [Figure 15] 2 is a perspective view of the electric suction cleaner case of the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment, viewed from below. FIG. [Figure 16] 16 is a perspective view of the electric suction machine case of FIG. 15 as seen from a different angle below. FIG. [Figure 17] 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in FIG. 3, showing the on-off valve mechanism of the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment. FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing an operating state of the on-off valve mechanism of FIG. [Figure 19] 2 is a cross-sectional view of the intermediate part of the housing of the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment, as viewed from the front side. FIG. [Figure 20]2 is a cross-sectional view of the middle part of the housing of the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment, as viewed from the left side. FIG. [Figure 21] 3 is a perspective view showing an air turning-back member of the sound reduction section in the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment, as viewed from below. FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a left-side cross-sectional view of the air folding member of FIG. 21. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following description is illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0010] (First embodiment) 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an electric vacuum cleaner 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention is attached to a dust collection device 2. The electric vacuum cleaner 1 comprises a stick-type housing 3 that constitutes the vacuum cleaner body, and a suction port body 4 that is detachably connected to a lower end 3a of the housing 3. In the following description, when the suction port body 4 is placed on a floor F or a base 5 of the dust collection device 2, the suction port body 4 side of the housing 3 is referred to as the lower end 3a, and the side of the housing 3 opposite the suction port body 4 in the longitudinal direction is referred to as the upper end 3b.

[0011] The dust collection device 2 comprises a plate-shaped base 5 on which the suction mouth body 4 of the vacuum cleaner 1 is placed, a holding part 6 provided above the base 5 and holding the housing 3 of the vacuum cleaner 1 placed on the base 5, and a support connecting part 7 supporting the holding part 6 above the base 5, and the space between the base 5 and the holding part 6 is used to accommodate the suction mouth body 4 of the vacuum cleaner 1 attached to the dust collection device 2.

[0012] 2 is a left-side cross-sectional view showing the state in which the electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment is attached to the dust collection device 2. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the housing 3 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 includes an air intake 11 to which the connecting pipe 4a of the suction port body 4 is connected, an exhaust port 12, an air passage 13 connecting the air intake 11 and the exhaust port 12, an electric suction device 14 provided in the air passage 13, a dust collector 15 provided in the air passage 13 upstream of the electric suction device 14 in the first airflow direction E (toward the lower end 3a), a sound-reducing section 16 provided in the air passage 13 downstream of the electric suction device 14 in the first airflow direction E (toward the upper end 3b), and a battery 17 provided inside the housing 3 at the lower end 3a outside the air passage. The dust collector 15 is a mesh type that filters out dust while allowing air to pass through. Here, the first airflow direction E refers to the direction in which air flows from the intake port 11 to the exhaust port 12 via the ventilation passage 13 when the vacuum cleaner 1 is in operation (when the electric suction device 14 is in operation). The first airflow direction E is the direction in which air flows from the lower end 3a of the housing 3 to the upper end 3b. In addition, the term "dust" in this specification is not limited to dust or dirt but also includes fibrous dust such as hair, fiber waste, and animal hair, as well as particulate dust such as soil and sand grains. Because the battery 17 is located outside the ventilation passage at the lower end 3a of the housing 3, the center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner 1 is lower within the housing 3 compared to when the battery 17 is located near the handle 41 or the electric suction device 14. In addition, the battery 17 is located outside the ventilation passage (toward the front when the vacuum cleaner 1 is viewed alone). Therefore, when the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 2, the vacuum cleaner 1 is less likely to tip over in the direction in which it is removed from the dust collection device 2 (toward the rear when the vacuum cleaner 1 is viewed alone).

[0013] FIG. 3 is a front view of the vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , when the vacuum cleaner 1 is detached from the dust collection device 2 and the electric suction device 14 is driven, air containing dust on the floor F flows from the suction port 4b of the suction port body 4 into the air intake 11 of the housing 3, is sent from the air intake 11 to the dust collection device 15, where the dust is captured, and the air from which the dust has been removed is discharged from the dust collection device 15 through the electric suction device 14 and the sound reduction unit 16 to the outside through the air exhaust port 12. In this way, the vacuum cleaner 1 accumulates dust in the dust collection device 15, but when the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 2, it can discharge the dust in the dust collection device 15 to the dust collection device 2. The function of the sound reduction unit 16 when the air flows from the sound reduction unit 16 to the air exhaust port 12 will be described in detail below.

[0014] Returning to Figure 2, dust collection device 2 is a device that sucks and collects dust inside dust collection device 15 of vacuum cleaner 1, but it also functions as a charging stand that charges battery 17 of vacuum cleaner 1 that is attached in an upright position. An electric suction fan 21 for collecting dust is provided in the lower part of holding part 6 of dust collection device 2, and a dust collection part 22 is provided in the upper part of holding part 6. A breathable dust collection bag (e.g., a paper bag) not shown is set inside dust collection part 22, and by opening the lid that forms the top plate of holding part 6, the dust collection bag containing accumulated dust can be removed from dust collection part 22 and disposed of.

[0015] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the dust collection device 2. In the following description with reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, when the dust collection device 2 is placed on a floor F, the side of the dust collection device 2 that holds the vacuum cleaner 1 is referred to as the front, the side opposite the front is referred to as the rear, and the up, down, left, and right directions when viewed from the rear are referred to as the up, down, left, and right directions. The holding portion 6 of the dust collection device 2 has a fitting recess 31 on the front side of the holding portion 6 into which the housing 3 of the vacuum cleaner 1 is fitted. This fitting recess 31 extends in the vertical direction and is open at the top, bottom, and front, and has a concave curved surface that is curved in a substantially U shape when the dust collection device 2 is viewed from above. The fitting recess 31 provides a space for fitting the lower to middle portion of the housing 3 of the vacuum cleaner 1.

[0016] A pair of power supply terminals 32a are provided on the left and right sides of the concave curved surface of the fitting recess 31 of the dust collection device 2 at the rear side midway in the vertical direction, and a communication terminal 32b is provided between the pair of power supply terminals 32a. Furthermore, a protrusion 33 is provided on the rear side of the upper end of the concave curved surface of the fitting recess 31 of the dust collection device 2, and a dust inlet 34 is provided on the left side of the upper end. This dust inlet 34 is an entrance for guiding dust accumulated in the dust collecting device 15 (see FIG. 2) of the vacuum cleaner 1 attached to the dust collection device 2 to the dust collection unit 22 of the dust collection device 2, and leads to the dust collection unit 22 inside the holding part 6. The dust inlet 34 opens toward the right side of the upper end of the concave curved surface of the fitting recess 31. In addition, a magnetic sensor 32c (e.g., a Hall sensor) is provided inside the holding portion 6 near the protrusion 33 (near the back side of the fitting recess 31), and a metal piece 29 is provided inside the holding portion 6 near the front side of the magnetic sensor 32c (see Figures 2 and 4).

[0017] Furthermore, a drive switch 35 for driving the electric suction fan 21 is provided on the upper surface of the holder 6 of the dust collection device 2, and a power cord 8 having a plug that can be attached to a commercial power source (outlet) is provided on the rear side of the support connecting part 7. Furthermore, a control unit (not shown) including a memory unit, a timer, etc. is provided inside the dust collection device 2. When the drive switch 35 is on (automatic collection on state), if the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 2, the control unit drives the electric suction fan 21 to collect dust in the dust collector 15. When the drive switch 35 is off (automatic collection off state), even if the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 2, the control unit does not drive the electric suction fan 21, and dust is not collected in the dust collector 15. That is, when the drive switch 35 is on, dust collection is automatically performed when the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 2, and when the drive switch 35 is off, dust collection is not automatically performed even when the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 2. The control unit controls the electric suction fan 21 to automatically stop a predetermined time after it has been driven. The control unit also determines whether the vacuum cleaner 1 is correctly attached to the dust collection device 2, and controls the electric suction fan 21 to drive only if it is correctly attached and when the drive switch 35 is on. The drive switch 35 may be an alternate switch, or may be one that switches between an on state and an off state using a microcomputer each time it is pressed.

[0018] Returning to FIG. 3 , when a user uses the vacuum cleaner 1, the user stands on the rear side of the vacuum cleaner 1, opposite the front face 40. The structure of the vacuum cleaner 1 will be described below based on the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions when the user uses the vacuum cleaner 1. The housing 3 of the vacuum cleaner 1 is stick-type and has a handle 41 provided on the upper end 3b side and an operating unit 42 provided on the front face below and near the handle 41. The operating unit 42 has multiple switch buttons 42a, 42b, and 42c. By selectively pressing the multiple switch buttons 42a, 42b, and 42c, the user can turn the electric suction device 14 (see FIG. 2 ) on and off, switch between operating modes (strong operating mode, weak operating mode, etc.), and so on. The handle 41 may be detachable from the housing 3. To remove the handle 41, the user may remove the handle 41 while pressing a removal button (not shown) provided on the housing 3. The removal button is preferably provided inside a hole that is too small to be pressed with a finger (for example, a round hole with a diameter of about 2 to 5 mm, large enough to fit the tip of a ballpoint pen). This structure makes it impossible to press the removal button without using a tool, reducing the possibility of accidentally pressing it with a finger while using vacuum cleaner 1 and causing handle 41 to come off.

[0019] A battery cover 43 constituting part of the outer surface of the front face 40 side is provided on the lower end 3a side of the housing 3, and a pair of left and right power receiving terminals 44a are provided on the upper side near the battery cover 43, with a communication terminal 44b provided between the pair of power receiving terminals 44a. The pair of power receiving terminals 44a are electrically connected to the battery 17 via an electric wire. A magnet 36 is also provided above the dust collector 25 on the front face 40 side of the housing 3.

[0020] When the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 2 with the suction mouth body 4 facing the dust collection device 2 (see FIGS. 1, 2, and 4), the magnet 36 provided on the front surface 40 of the vacuum cleaner 1 is magnetically attracted to the metal piece 29 provided near the fitting recess 31 in the dust collection device 2. In this state, the vacuum cleaner 1 is properly attached to the dust collection device 2, and at this time, the pair of power receiving terminals 44a of the vacuum cleaner 1 contacts and electrically connects with the pair of power supply terminals 32a of the dust collection device 2, allowing charging of the battery 17 of the vacuum cleaner 1 to begin. In addition, the communication terminal 32b of the dust collection device 2 contacts the communication terminal 44b of the vacuum cleaner 1, enabling communication. Furthermore, at this time, if the drive switch 35 of the dust collection device 2 is on, the control unit of the dust collection device 2 determines, based on the signal from the magnetic sensor 32c, that the magnet 36 has approached the magnetic sensor 32c (determines that the vacuum cleaner 1 has been properly attached to the dust collection device 2), and drives the electric suction fan 21 for a predetermined time (e.g., about 10 to 30 seconds) to start charging. Alternatively, the control unit of the dust collection device 2 may determine that charging of the battery 17 of the vacuum cleaner 1 has started, and drive the electric suction fan 21 for a predetermined time (e.g., about 10 to 30 seconds). Alternatively, when the drive switch 35 is off, the control unit may determine that charging of the battery 17 has started before the drive switch 35 is turned on, and then drive the electric suction fan 21 for a predetermined time after the drive switch 35 is turned on. Furthermore, in such charging control of battery 17, when a signal including temperature information of battery 17 is sent to the control unit of dust collection device 2 via communication terminals 44b, 32b, the control unit of dust collection device 2 may be configured to not start charging of battery 17 when it determines that the temperature of battery 17 exceeds a predetermined temperature, and to start charging of battery 17 when it determines that the temperature of battery 17 is equal to or lower than the predetermined temperature. Note that if direct contact between magnet 36 and metal piece 29 could make it difficult to remove vacuum cleaner 1 from dust collection device 2 when using vacuum cleaner 1 for cleaning, magnet 36 may be positioned across front surface 40 of housing 3 to provide a distance between magnet 36 and metal piece 29.

[0021] On the other hand, when drive switch 35 of dust collection device 2 is in the on state and it cannot be determined that a magnet has approached magnetic sensor 32c (when it cannot be determined that vacuum cleaner 1 is properly attached to dust collection device 2), the control unit of dust collection device 2 lights or flashes warning lamp 47 provided near drive switch 35 to notify the user that vacuum cleaner 1 is not properly attached to dust collection device 2. Alternatively, when drive switch 35 is turned on in an attachment state in which pair of power receiving terminals 44a of vacuum cleaner 1 are not in contact with pair of power feeding terminals 32a of dust collection device 2 and battery 17 is not charged (improper attachment state), the control unit of dust collection device 2 may light or flash warning lamp 47 provided near drive switch 35 to notify the user that vacuum cleaner 1 is not properly attached to dust collection device 2. Furthermore, the control unit of the dust collection device 2 may alert the user by turning on or flashing a warning lamp 47 when the dust collection bag set in the dust collection device 2 becomes full of dust. These alerts may also or alternatively be made by audio from a speaker. The dust collection device 2 also has a charging lamp 48 next to the warning lamp 47, which turns on or flashes while the battery 17 of the vacuum cleaner 1 is charging, and turns off when charging is complete.

[0022] As shown in Fig. 3, a plate-shaped cover portion 45 of dust collecting device 15 that forms part of the outer surface of front surface 40 is provided above and near multiple power receiving terminals 44a, and a pressed portion 46 that operates during dust collection is provided above and near cover portion 45. The opening / closing valve mechanism including pressed portion 46 operates to guide outside air into dust collecting device 15 when vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to dust collection device 2 after cleaning (see Fig. 2).

[0023] FIG. 5 is a right side view of the vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment. The front side of FIG. 5 is the right side, and the back side of FIG. 5 is the left side. A dust outlet 51 is provided on the right side surface 50 of the housing 3 at a height position of the cover portion 45. This dust outlet 51 connects to the dust inlet 34 of the dust collection device 2 when the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 2 (see FIG. 3). During dust collection, dust in the dust collection device 15 is collected into the dust collection unit 22 through the dust outlet 51 and the dust inlet 34. Note that a packing is provided around at least one of the dust outlet 51 and the dust inlet 34. Note that, as shown in FIG. 3, when the vacuum cleaner 1 with the dust collection device 15 attached is viewed from the front, the dust outlet 51 (see FIG. 5) is not visible. In this embodiment, the cover part 45 of the dust collecting device 15, which will be described later, is located forward of the dust outlet 51, and the dust outlet 51 opens to the right, so that the dust outlet 51 cannot be seen from the front. This improves the design of the vacuum cleaner 1 when viewed from the front.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, an exhaust port 12 consisting of a group of small holes is provided on the rear surface 52 of the housing 3 above the electric suction device 14, and an air vent 53 consisting of a group of small holes is provided between the electric suction device 14 and the dust collecting device 15 near the dust collecting device. This air vent 53 serves as an air intake for introducing outside air into the dust collecting device 15 when the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collecting device 2 (see FIG. 3) and dust in the dust collecting device 15 is sucked into the dust collecting section 22. In this embodiment, the air vent 53 is made up of a group of three different sizes of small holes 53a—large, medium, and small—and the opening area of ​​the air vent 53 (the sum of the opening areas of all the small holes 53a) is set larger than the outside air inlet 151 (see FIGS. 15 and 18), which will be described later. The sizes of the small holes 53a constituting the air vent 53 may be uniform.

[0025] Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the housing 3 of the vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment with the dust collecting device 15 removed. The housing 3 is provided with an externally opening storage recess 61 on the front face 40 side, and the dust collecting device 15 (see Fig. 5) is removably attached to this storage recess 61. As shown in Fig. 6, the storage recess 61 is a recess formed in a shape that allows the dust collecting device 15 to be stored therein, and it can be seen that when the dust collecting device 15 is removed from the storage recess 61, the dust outlet 51 is an opening that connects the inside and outside of the storage recess 61.

[0026] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the lower housing part of the vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment as seen from the front side. Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the lower housing part of the vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment as seen from the left side. The housing 3 has an air intake port 71 at the lower end 3a, and the interior of the housing above the air intake port 71 forms a ventilation passage 13. A partition wall 81 is provided on the side of the lower end 3a of the housing 3, and the partition wall 81 separates the ventilation passage 13 from a battery storage chamber 82.

[0027] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the storage recess 61 is provided above the battery storage chamber 82 in the ventilation passage 13. A wall portion 76 on the upstream side in the first airflow direction E of the surrounding wall that constitutes the storage recess 61 is provided with a communication opening 74 that communicates with the ventilation passage 13 on the upstream side (lower end side) of the storage recess 61 in the first airflow direction E. The wall portion 76 having this communication opening 74 is inclined so that the dust collector insertion / removal opening side of the storage recess 61 (front surface 40 side) is wider than the back side (rear surface 52 side). This structure makes it easy to store the dust collector 15 in the storage recess 61.

[0028] An electric suction device case 72 serving as a cylindrical holding member for holding the electric suction device 14 is provided on the downstream side (upper end side) of the storage recess 61 in the first airflow direction E. A lower end opening 75 of the electric suction device case 72 opens toward the storage recess 61. The electric suction device 14 is covered by the electric suction device case 72, and the air intake 14a of the electric suction device 14 is located downstream of the lower end opening 75 in the first airflow direction E and communicates with the lower end opening 75. That is, the lower end opening 75 of the electric suction device case 72 and the air intake 14a of the electric suction device 14 are provided downstream of the dust collecting device 15 in the first airflow direction E. A nonwoven fabric filter or an open-cell urethane filter may be provided near the lower end opening 75 inside the electric suction device case 72.

[0029] 8, by storing the dust collecting device 15 in the storage recess 61, the interior of the dust collecting device 15 forms part of the ventilation passage 13, and the outer surface 45a of the cover part 45 of the dust collecting device 15 forms part of the outer surface of the front surface 40 of the housing 3, covering the storage recess 61. In this case, the outer surface of the front surface 40 of the housing 3 and the outer surface 45a of the dust collecting device 15 are continuous and flush with each other.

[0030] Fig. 9 is a perspective view of dust collecting device 15 in electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment, seen from diagonally ahead. Fig. 10 is a left-side cross-sectional view of dust collecting device 15 in the first embodiment. Dust collecting device 15 includes curved plate-like cover portion 45 having outer surface 45a and inner surface 45b, cup portion 101 provided on inner surface 45b of cover portion 45, and cup-shaped filter portion 102 as a dust capturing portion that is detachable from cup portion 101. Cover portion 45 and cup portion 101 are unitized.

[0031] In the case of a conventional cyclone-type vacuum cleaner (e.g., JP 2019-122659 A), the dust collector attached to the housing of the suction device is visible from the outside, and the dividing line connecting the cup portion that collects dust and the filter portion is easily perceived as a design that lacks unity. In contrast, in this embodiment, when the dust collector 15 is stored in the storage recess 61, the dividing line 91 (see FIG. 9 ) at the joint between the cup portion 101 and the filter portion 102 is hidden within the storage recess 61 of the housing 3 and is therefore not visible from the outside. In addition, the outer surface 45a of the cover portion 45 of the dust collector 15 is a single surface without a dividing line and is smoothly continuous with the outer surface of the front surface 40 of the housing 3, resulting in a design that has a sense of unity (see FIGS. 3, 5, and 8). Furthermore, since the cover portion 45 and the cup portion 101 are unitized as one component, the fitting step of the dust collecting device 15 to the housing 3 is reduced, and the dimensional tolerances of each component are also reduced, improving ease of installation.

[0032] 10, dust collecting device 15 has an inlet 103 provided upstream of filter unit 102 in the first airflow direction E, an outlet 104 provided downstream of filter unit 102 in the first airflow direction E, and a dust discharge port 105 provided between inlet 103 and filter unit 102. Cup unit 101 is cylindrical, with inlet 103 provided at a lower end 101a of cup unit 101 and dust discharge port 105 provided on the right wall of cup unit 101. Furthermore, cup unit 101 is provided with a check valve 106 inside near inlet 103 (inside cup unit 101), and an opening / closing member 107 outside near dust discharge port 105 (outside cup unit 101).

[0033] 10, check valve 106 is made of a thin plate-like elastic member (e.g., rubber), and opens inlet 103 when air in first airflow direction E from air intake port 71 flows into dust collector 15 while vacuum cleaner 1 is operating (electric suction device 14 is in operation), and closes inlet 103 when vacuum cleaner 1 is stopped (electric suction device 14 is stopped). Check valve 106 may be configured to rotate around a shaft provided on the periphery of inlet 103, and be biased in the direction of closing inlet 103 by the biasing force of a spring (e.g., a torsion spring) provided on the shaft. Opening / closing member 107 is made of a thin plate-like elastic member (e.g., rubber). When air flows into dust collecting device 15 from intake port 71 in first airflow direction E during operation of vacuum cleaner 1, open / close member 107 closes dust discharge port 105, and when vacuum cleaner 1 is stopped, open / close member 107 also closes dust discharge port 105. On the other hand, when vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to dust collection device 2 and dust inside dust collecting device 15 is collected by dust collection device 2 (when electric suction fan 21 is driven), open / close member 107 opens dust discharge port 105. Note that open / close member 107 may be configured to rotate around a shaft provided on the periphery of dust discharge port 105 and be biased in the direction of closing dust discharge port 105 by the biasing force of a spring (for example, a torsion spring) provided on the shaft.

[0034] As shown in FIGS. 8 to 10, the dust collecting device 15 includes a locking mechanism 83 that maintains the dust collecting device 15 in the storage recess 61 (see FIG. 6) of the housing 3. Here, the up, down, left, right, front, and rear directions of the dust collecting device 15 alone are defined as the same as the up, down, left, right, front, and rear directions when the dust collecting device 15 is stored in the storage recess 61 of the housing 3. The locking mechanism 83 includes a slide member 108 that is sandwiched between the cover portion 45 and the cup portion 101 and is movable in the up and down direction, and a biasing member 109 (e.g., a compression coil spring) that is provided between the slide member 108 and the cup portion 101 to bias the slide member 108 downward. The slide member 108 has a knob portion 108a that protrudes outward from a hole 45c provided in the cover portion 45 and a claw portion 108b that protrudes outward and downward from a hole 101b provided in the lower end 101a of the cup portion 101. Furthermore, the dust collector 15 has a locking piece 102 a at the upper end of the filter portion 102 near the cover portion 45 .

[0035] 6 and 8, a locking recess 84 that can be engaged with and disengaged from the claw portion 108b of the dust collector 15 is provided near the lower opening of the storage recess 61 in the housing 3, and a locking rib 85 that can be engaged with and disengaged from the locking piece 102a of the dust collector 15 is provided near the upper opening of the storage recess 61. When the dust collector 15 is attached to the storage recess 61 of the housing 3, the locking piece 102a is first engaged with the locking rib 85, and then the claw portion 108b is engaged with the locking recess 84. The operation of removing the dust collector 15 from the storage recess 61 is the opposite of the attachment operation. At this time, by sliding the knob portion 108a of the locking mechanism 83 upward (toward the handle 41), the claw portion 108b slides upward against the biasing force of the biasing member 109 and disengages from the locking recess 84.

[0036] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the dust collecting device 15 according to the first embodiment, as viewed from above. FIG. 12 is an exploded view showing the dust collecting device 15 according to the first embodiment with the filter unit 102 removed from the cup unit 101. FIG. 13 is a perspective view of the dust collecting device 15 according to the first embodiment with the filter unit 102 removed, as viewed from above. In the dust collecting device 15, the cover unit 45 has an inner surface 45b that faces the outer surface 102b of the filter unit 102, and an insertion guide 113 provided on the inner surface 45b. The filter unit 102 also has a protrusion 102c that faces the outer surface 102b of the cover unit 45. In this embodiment, the protrusion 102c is made up of three parallel ribs, and the protrusion 102c is continuously connected to the locking piece 102a. Therefore, the locking piece 102a forms part of the protrusion 102c.

[0037] As shown in FIGS. 11 to 13, the insertion guide 113 has a pair of outer guide pieces 113a arranged opposite each other to sandwich the outer surface 102b (left and right side surfaces) of the filter unit 102, and a pair of inner guide pieces 113b arranged opposite each other to sandwich the outer surface of the protruding portion 102c of the filter unit 102. That is, the pair of inner guide pieces 113b are positioned between the pair of outer guide pieces 113a. The pair of outer guide pieces 113a and the pair of inner guide pieces 113b extend in the vertical longitudinal direction along the inner surface 45b. Furthermore, the protruding portion 102c of the filter unit 102 extends along the outer surface 102b from the outlet 104 side toward the dust inlet 112 side to a middle portion in the vertical longitudinal direction, but is not provided between the middle portion and the dust inlet 112. A packing 114 is provided around the dust inlet 112.

[0038] The cup part 101 has a receptacle 115 that receives the dust inlet 112 side of the filter part 102, and a step 116 is provided on the inner surface near the receptacle 115. When attaching the separated filter part 102 to the cup part 101, the dust inlet 112 of the filter part 102 is faced toward the receptacle 115 of the cup part 101, the filter part 102 is placed between the pair of outer guide pieces 113a of the cover part 45, and the filter part 102 is moved toward the cup part 101 along the pair of outer guide pieces 113a. This guides the convex part 102c of the filter part 102 between the pair of inner guide pieces 113b of the cover part 45. The filter part 102 is then attached to the cup part 101 by inserting the filter part 102 into the receptacle 115 of the cup part 101 until the packing 114 abuts against the step 116. With this configuration of the dust collecting device 15, by moving the filter part 102 toward the cup part 101 along a pair of widely spaced guide pieces 113a, the convex part 102c can be inserted between the guide pieces 113b, which are spaced closer together than the pair of guide pieces 113a, so that the filter part 102 can be easily attached to the cup part 101.

[0039] 14 is an exploded view of dust collecting device 15 according to the first embodiment. Filter section 102 of dust collecting device 15 includes cylindrical holder section 117 that is detachable from cup section 101, cup-shaped filter body 118 that is detachably provided in holder section 117, and cup-shaped mesh filter 119 that is detachably provided in filter body 118.

[0040] Locking pieces 102a and protrusions 102c are provided on outer surface 102b of holder portion 117. Furthermore, three locking claws 102e are provided near opening 102d on outer surface 102b of holder portion 117 on both sides and the opposite side of protrusions 102c. Meanwhile, as shown in Figures 13 and 14, locking holes 101c are provided in three locations near socket 115 of cup portion 101, excluding a portion along cover portion 45. When filter portion 102 is attached to cup portion 101, three locking claws 102e engage with three locking holes 101c, thereby maintaining the filter portion 102 attached to cup portion 101.

[0041] The filter body 118 includes a truncated pyramidal frame 118a having an opening 118b, a filter body 118c attached to the inner surface of the frame 118a, and a packing 114 attached to the edge of the opening 118b. The filter body 118c is made of a nonwoven fabric filter or an open-cell urethane filter and may be shaped like a truncated pyramid (with the portion corresponding to the opening 118b being open) or like a sheet. If the filter body 118c is shaped like a truncated pyramid, it is inserted into the frame 118a and fixed to the inner surface of the frame 118a. If the filter body 118c is sheet-shaped, it is fixed so that the openings at the top and periphery of the frame 118a are covered from the inner surface by the filter body 118c. When the filter body 118 is housed in the holder 117, the periphery of the opening 118b of the frame 118a fits into the opening 102d of the holder 117.

[0042] The mesh filter 119 has a truncated pyramidal frame 119a having the dust inlet 112, and a mesh member 119b provided on the inner surface of the frame 119a. The mesh member 119b may be shaped like a truncated pyramid (with an opening at the portion corresponding to the dust inlet 112) or like a sheet. In the case of a truncated pyramidal shape, the mesh member 119b is inserted into the frame 119a and fixed to the inner surface of the frame 119a. In the case of a sheet shape, the mesh member 119b is fixed so as to cover the openings provided in the upper and peripheral portions of the frame 119a from the inner surface. The frame 119a of the mesh filter 119 is shaped like a truncated pyramid and is smaller than the frame 118a of the filter main body 118. By storing mesh filter 119 within filter body 118, mesh filter 119 first captures dust, and fine dust particles that cannot be captured by mesh filter 119 are then captured by filter body 118. This is because if dust were captured directly by filter body 118c made of a nonwoven fabric filter or an open-cell urethane filter, it would be difficult to blow away dust that has entered filter body 118c with a reverse airflow during dust collection. Therefore, mesh filter 119 is used to capture dust in advance. In particular, thin fibrous dust particles such as hair are difficult to remove if they become stuck in or tangled in filter body 118c. Therefore, capturing thin fibrous dust particles first by mesh filter 119 is advantageous for improving the dust collection rate when the dust in dust collector 15 is later collected in dust collection device 2 (see FIG. 2). Furthermore, damage to filter body 118c is suppressed, thereby extending the life (usable time) of filter body 118c.

[0043] Therefore, in this embodiment, the openings (mesh openings) of the mesh body 119b of the mesh filter 119 can be set to a size that makes it difficult for hair to get stuck in. For example, if the cross section of a hair is approximately circular, then if the opening of the mesh body 119b is a perfect circle, the diameter of the opening can be made smaller than the average hair thickness, and if the opening of the mesh body 119b is a square, the length of one side can be made shorter than the average hair thickness. Also, if the cross section of a hair is elliptical, then if the opening of the mesh body 119b is a perfect circle, the diameter can be made smaller than the average hair thickness (the major axis of the ellipse), and if the opening of the mesh body 119b is a square, the length of the diagonal can be made shorter than the average hair thickness (the major axis of the ellipse).

[0044] The website of the Japan Hair Science Association (https: / / www.jhsa.jp / hair-skin-knowledge / hair-knowledge / hair-statistics / ) states that the average hair thickness of Japanese people is approximately 0.07 mm to 0.08 mm, while the average hair thickness of blonde hair of Westerners is approximately 0.05 mm to 0.055 mm. Another research institute has also reported that the cross-sectional shape of hair varies depending on race, becoming closer to a perfect circle or oval. Therefore, in the vacuum cleaner of this embodiment, it is preferable to set the size and shape of the openings in mesh body 119b while taking into consideration the racial composition of the countries in which the vacuum cleaner is used.

[0045] In one example of this embodiment, mesh element 119b has square meshes (openings) with sides of less than 0.05 mm. This allows mesh element 119b to capture hair from Japanese and Westerners. Alternatively, mesh element 119b may have square meshes (openings) with sides of less than 0.01 mm. This allows mesh element 119b to capture not only human hair but also cat hair with a thickness of approximately 0.01 mm, making it suitable for cleaning homes where pet cats are kept. In addition, in this embodiment, mesh element 119b may have an opening ratio of 25% to 50% per unit area. Note that an opening ratio below 25% makes it difficult to achieve sufficient suction performance as a vacuum cleaner. On the other hand, an opening ratio above 50% makes it difficult for mesh element 119b to achieve sufficient dust capture performance, but has the advantage of increasing suction power when cleaning the surface to be cleaned. Note that mesh filter 119 is not required. In this case, there is a disadvantage that it is difficult to remove dust from filter body 118c, but since mesh filter 119 is not provided, pressure loss is reduced and suction power can be increased when cleaning the surface to be cleaned.

[0046] 7 and 8, an air introduction section 77 is provided between the dust collector 15 and the electric suction machine 14 in the ventilation passage 13 inside the housing 3. When dust inside the dust collector 15 is collected by the dust collection device 2, the air introduction section 77 introduces air flowing in a second airflow direction J, which is opposite to the first airflow direction E during cleaning, into the dust collector 15. The structure of the air introduction section 77 will be described in detail below.

[0047] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the electric vacuum cleaner case 72 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment, as viewed from below. As shown in FIGS. 7, 8, and 15, an air introduction section 77 is provided in the electric vacuum cleaner case 72. The electric vacuum cleaner case 72 includes a lower end connection section 161 having a lower end opening 75 connectable to the outlet 104 of the dust collector 15, a main body section 162 that surrounds the electric vacuum cleaner 14, and a communication section 163 that connects the lower end connection section 161 and the main body section 162. The air introduction section 77 is provided in the communication section 163 that is disposed between the dust collector 15 and the electric vacuum cleaner 14 in the electric vacuum cleaner case 72. The air introduction section 77 includes an outside air introduction port 151 provided in the peripheral wall of the communication section 163 of the electric vacuum cleaner case 72, and an on-off valve mechanism 152 that can open and close the outside air introduction port 151.

[0048] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of the electric vacuum cleaner case 72 of FIG. 15, viewed from a different angle below. FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of the on-off valve mechanism 152 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment, taken along the line II in FIG. 3. As shown in FIGS. 15 to 17, the on-off valve mechanism 152 includes a bent valve member 172 having a valve portion 171 and a pressed portion 46, a shaft-shaped support portion 173 that rotatably supports the valve member 172 on the outer surface of the communication portion 163, and a biasing member (not shown) that biases the valve member 172 in the direction in which the valve portion 171 closes the outside air inlet 151. The valve member 172 is rotatable about the axis of the support portion 173, which extends in the vertical direction (the longitudinal direction of the housing 3). A torsion spring provided in the support portion 173 can be used as the biasing member. 15 and 16 show a state in which the outside air inlet 151 is open, and FIG. 17 shows a state in which the outside air inlet 151 is closed. are.

[0049] FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view showing the operating state of the on-off valve mechanism 152 of FIG. 17. FIG. 18 shows the state in which the outside air inlet 151 is open. As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, in this embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the housing 3 is roughly an isosceles triangle with each side bulging outward. As shown in FIG. 6, the front surface 40 of the housing 3 is a curved surface that curves left and right and extends up and down (see FIG. 3). Furthermore, the housing 3 has a left side surface 174 on the left side, a right side surface 175 on the right side, and a rear surface 52 on the rear side relative to the front surface 40.

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18 , the valve member 172 is shaped like a bent rod so as to be positioned in front of and to the right of the communication portion 163 of the electric suction device case 72. The valve member 172 has a pressed portion 46 at its front end, which is positioned in front of the communication portion 163, and a valve portion 171 on a flat portion positioned to the right of the communication portion 163. A rectangular outside air inlet 151 that is elongated in the front-to-rear direction is provided on the right side of the peripheral wall of the communication portion 163 of the electric suction device case 72. The valve portion 171 is made of rubber and is sized to completely cover the outside air inlet 151 from the housing 3 side. A pair of left and right holes 176 are provided near the front surface 40 on the left side surface 174 of the housing 3, and the pressed portion 46 of the valve member 172 is positioned near the left hole 176 inside the housing 3. The support portion 173 is positioned near the front surface 40 within the housing 3 and near the pressed portion 46.

[0051] A space S is defined between the housing 3 and the electric suction device case 72, and an air vent 53 is provided on the rear surface 52 of the housing 3, closer to the dust collector 15 (see FIG. 2) than the exhaust port 12. When the outside air inlet 151 of the electric suction device case 72 is open, the interior of the electric suction device case 72 communicates with the space outside the electric vacuum cleaner 1 via the outside air inlet 151, the space S, and the air vent 53. When viewed from the direction of the rotation axis P of the electric suction device 14, the air vent 53 is provided in a position that does not overlap (does not face) the outside air inlet 151. In this embodiment, the air vent 53 is located on the rear side of the electric suction device case 72, and the outside air inlet 151 is located on the right side. Therefore, when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis P, the air vent 53 and the outside air inlet 151 are not located in positions that overlap (do not face) each other. Furthermore, the opening area of ​​the outside air introduction port 151 is set to be larger than the opening area of ​​the air intake port 14a of the electric suction device 14. Inside the electric suction device case 72, a lattice portion 177 is provided between the communication portion 163 and the main body portion 162.

[0052] 1, 2, 4, 17, and 18, when vacuum cleaner 1 is properly set (attached) to dust collection device 2 after cleaning, protrusion 33 of dust collection device 2 is inserted into hole 176 of vacuum cleaner 1. At this time, protrusion 33 of dust collection device 2 presses pressed portion 46 of valve member 172 provided on vacuum cleaner 1 into housing 3 (see FIG. 18). This causes valve member 172 to rotate about the axis of support portion 173, and valve portion 171 (see FIG. 17), which had been closing outside air inlet 151, rotates in a direction that opens outside air inlet 151. Furthermore, at this time, dust outlet 51 (see FIG. 5) of vacuum cleaner 1 connects to dust inlet 34 (see FIG. 4) of dust collection device 2.

[0053] At this time, if the drive switch 35 of the dust collection device 2 is in the on state (automatic collection on state), the electric suction fan 21 is driven, creating a negative pressure inside the dust collection unit 22 of the dust collection device 2 and creating a negative pressure in the communication space inside the vacuum cleaner 1 that is in communication with the dust collection unit 22. In this state, outside air flows into the space S inside the housing 3 through the air vent 53 on the rear surface 52 of the housing 3 of the vacuum cleaner 1 and from the space S into the outside air inlet 151 of the electric suction device case 72. At this time, the opening area of ​​the air vent 53 is larger than the opening area of ​​the outside air inlet 151, so the outside air easily flows into the outside air inlet 151 through the air vent 53. Furthermore, because the air vent 53 and the outside air inlet 151 are not positioned to overlap (face) each other when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis P, the outside air that has entered the space S of the housing 3 from the air vent 53 flows smoothly into the outside air inlet 151 without being obstructed by the valve member 172. Furthermore, the on-off valve mechanism 152 has a support part 173 on the opposite side (front side) from the vent port 53 on the rear side of the housing 3, and is configured so that the valve part 171 of the valve member 172 moves forward to the right around the axis of this support part 173, and therefore the rear side of the outside air introduction port 151 opens wider than the front side. Therefore, outside air that has entered the space S of the housing 3 from the vent port 53 flows smoothly to the outside air introduction port 151 without being obstructed by the valve member 172.

[0054] Furthermore, because the ventilation path from the vent 53 to the outside air inlet 151 is significantly shorter than the ventilation path from the exhaust port 12 to the outside air inlet 151, it is difficult for outside air to flow into the electric vacuum cleaner case 72 via the exhaust port 12, the sound reduction unit 16, and the electric vacuum cleaner 14. In addition, because the opening area of ​​the outside air inlet 151 is set larger than the opening area of ​​the air intake 14a of the electric vacuum cleaner 14, it is easier for outside air to pass through the outside air inlet 151 than through the air intake 14a. This also makes it easier for outside air to flow into the housing 3 from the vent 53 than from the exhaust port 12. These factors prevent air (outside air) in the second airflow direction J, which is opposite to the first airflow direction E during cleaning, from flowing through the electric vacuum cleaner 14, causing the fan of the electric vacuum cleaner 14 to rotate in the opposite direction from when cleaning, thereby generating noise. If the opening area of ​​the outside air inlet 151 is X and the opening area of ​​the air intake 14a of the electric suction device 14 is Y, then X can be set to about 1.1 to 2.0 times Y.

[0055] Air that flows into the communication part 163 of the electric suction machine case 72 through the outside air inlet 151 passes through the outlet 104 of the holder part 117 of the dust collector 15, the filter body 118, and the mesh filter 119. At this time, the air flows from the bottom and peripheral parts of the filter body 118 on the side opposite the opening 118b of the filter element 118c of the filter body 118 to the inside of the filter body 118. The air that has flowed into the inside of the filter body 118 flows from the bottom and peripheral parts of the mesh filter 119 on the side opposite the dust intake port 112 toward the inside of the mesh filter 119. At this time, at least a portion of the dust adhering to the inner surface of the filter element 118c is blown away and passes through the mesh of the mesh filter 119 (see FIG. 14).

[0056] 2, 7, 8, and 10, air flowing into mesh filter 119 of dust collector 15 in second airflow direction J blows away dust adhering to the inner surface of mesh body 119b and flows together with the dust toward dust outlet 105 (see FIG. 10). At this time, openable / closable member 107 is opened by the airflow, and the air containing dust flows into a dust collection bag set in advance in dust collection unit 22 via dust outlet 105 of dust collector 15, dust outlet 51 of housing 3 (see FIG. 5), and dust inlet 34 of dust collection device 2 (see FIG. 4). Dust is captured by the dust collection bag, and the air from which the dust has been removed is discharged from the dust collection bag to the outside via electric suction fan 21 and an exhaust opening (not shown) provided in the wall of support connecting portion 7.

[0057] In this way, when drive switch 35 is on (automatic collection on state), dust adhering to filter body 118 and mesh filter 119 of vacuum cleaner 1 is automatically collected in the dust collection bag of dust collection unit 22 each time vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to dust collection device 2 after cleaning. Therefore, the dust capture space (internal space of mesh filter 119) in dust collector 15 of vacuum cleaner 1 attached to dust collection device 2 after cleaning is generally empty. Therefore, the capacity of the dust capture space in dust collector 15 only needs to be large enough to accommodate the amount of dust that can be captured for one to three days during general household cleaning, allowing dust collector 15 to be made smaller and lighter. In addition, the frequency of maintenance of dust collector 15, such as cleaning mesh filter 119 and filter body 118, can be reduced. Furthermore, this embodiment does not employ a configuration in which exhaust gas from the dust collection device is circulated into the dust cup of the vacuum cleaner via an exhaust gas circulation pipe, as in Patent Document 1, and therefore the vacuum cleaner 1 and dust collection device 2 of this embodiment can have a simpler structure than the vacuum cleaner and dust collection device of Patent Document 1. Furthermore, as described in JP 2021-078685 A, the dust collection device 15 of this embodiment does not have a connection port for introducing circulating air into the upper peripheral wall of the dust cup that is detachable from the vacuum cleaner. Therefore, even if the dust collection device 15 removed from the housing 3 is accidentally dropped on the floor, no malfunction will occur in the valve member 172 or valve portion 171 of the opening / closing valve mechanism 152 provided on the housing 3 side. Furthermore, in the case of an exhaust circulation type such as that described in Patent Publication No. 2021-078685, the circulating air is heated by the heat of the electric recovery blower inside the garbage collection device, making it difficult for the electric recovery blower to be cooled by the circulating air.However, in this embodiment, the electric suction fan 21 (see Figure 2) is reliably cooled by outside air, so the electric suction fan 21 of this embodiment can be expected to have a longer lifespan than the electric recovery blower of Patent Publication 1.In the dust collection device 2 shown in Figures 2 and 4, for example, when the dust collection bag becomes full of dust and the current value of the electric suction fan 21 increases, the control unit turns on or flashes the warning lamp 47, so that the user knows that the dust collection bag is full of dust and can discard the dust-filled dust collection bag and replace it with a new dust collection bag.

[0058] Fig. 19 is a cross-sectional view of the middle part of the housing 3 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment, as seen from the front. Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the middle part of the housing 3 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment, as seen from the left. The housing 3 is provided with a sound-reducing section 16 provided in the ventilation passage 13 downstream of the electric suction device 14 in the first airflow direction E. The sound-reducing section 16 has a function of reducing noise, including the driving sound of the electric suction device 14. The sound-reducing section 16 has an air duct 18 having a first end opening 18a connected to the downstream end of the electric suction device case 72 in the first airflow direction E and a second end opening 18b provided downstream of the first end opening 18a in the first airflow direction E, and an air folding member 19 that folds back air flowing out from the second end opening 18b of the air duct 18 toward the first end opening 18a. Here, the up, down, left, right, front and rear directions of the air folding member 19 alone are defined as the same as the up, down, left, right, front and rear directions when the air folding member 19 is provided inside the housing 3.

[0059] The ventilation pipe 18 has a tapered pipe 23 with an opening 18a at its lower end, the inner and outer diameters of which decrease from the opening 18a toward the opening 18b at its upper end, and a straight pipe 24 with an opening 18b and constant inner and outer diameters. The end of the tapered pipe 23 opposite the opening 18a is connected to the end of the straight pipe 24 opposite the opening 18b. The straight pipe 24 may also be a tapered pipe whose inner and outer diameters decrease slightly from the opening 18a toward the opening 18b.

[0060] The air turning member 19 is cup-shaped, with an opening 19a that faces the straight pipe 24 and is larger than the other-end opening 18b. An engaging recess 19x provided in part of the opening 19a of the air turning member 19 is connected to an engaging protrusion 18x provided in part of the other-end opening 18b of the ventilation pipe 18, so that the other-end opening 18b of the ventilation pipe 18 is inserted into the opening 19a of the air turning member 19. In addition, the outer surface of the tapered pipe 23 of the ventilation pipe 18 is connected to the inner surface of the housing 3 via a plurality of spacers 25, and connecting protrusions 19b provided on the end opposite the opening 19a of the air turning member 19 and on the left and right outer surfaces are fixed to the inner surface of the housing 3. This maintains the direction of the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24 of the ventilation pipe 18 roughly parallel to the longitudinal direction of the housing 3.

[0061] FIG. 21 is a perspective view from below showing the air turning member 19 of the sound reduction unit 16 in the vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment. FIG. 22 is a left side view of the air turning member 19 of FIG. 21. FIG. 23 is a left sectional view of the air turning member 19 of FIG. 21. As shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, the air turning member 19 has a first discharge section 26 and a second discharge section 27. The first discharge section 26 is an outlet through which a portion of the air that is discharged from the other end opening 18b of the straight tube 24 of the ventilation duct 18 into the inside of the air turning member 19 and turned back is discharged to between the housing 3 and the air turning member 19. The second discharge section 27 is an outlet through which the remainder of the turned air is discharged to between the housing 3 and the ventilation duct 18, and is the space between the opening 19a of the air turning member 19 and the straight tube 24.

[0062] In the sound reduction section 16, the other-end opening 18b of the air duct 18 and the second discharge section 27 of the air-turning member 19 overlap by a predetermined distance in the direction of the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24. Here, if the predetermined distance is A and the total length of the inside of the air-turning member 19 in the direction of the axis 24a is B, B is set to be at least three times A. This lengthens the air return path from the other-end opening 18b of the straight pipe 24 to the second discharge section 27, allowing the air exiting the other-end opening 18b to flow into a larger space (the internal space of the air-turning member 19), which is advantageous for reducing noise inside the air-turning member 19. Note that if B is less than three times A, the noise reduction effect inside the air-turning member 19 tends to decrease. In this embodiment, B is set to about four times A. Although B may be four times or more, B should be between three and five times A because a difference of five times or more would increase the size and weight of the vacuum cleaner 1.

[0063] The first discharge section 26 has discharge holes 26a extending in a direction perpendicular to the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24. The discharge holes 26a are formed in the peripheral wall of the air turning member 19. In this embodiment, the opening 19a of the air turning member 19 is substantially rectangular with rounded corners, and flat portions are provided on the left and right sides of the peripheral wall 19c of the air turning member 19. Three discharge holes 26a are provided on each of the left and right flat portions of the peripheral wall 19c. Therefore, the air turning member 19 has a pair of first discharge sections 26, each consisting of a group of three discharge holes 26a, provided on the left and right sides of the peripheral wall 19c. The three discharge holes 26a of one first discharge section 26 and the three discharge holes 26a of the other first discharge section 26 are arranged circumferentially spaced apart from each other on the peripheral wall 19c. More specifically, a first discharge section 26 is provided on each of the left and right side walls.

[0064] Each discharge hole 26a of the pair of first discharge sections 26 has an arch shape extending in the front-rear direction and is aligned in the direction of the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24. In this case, the bulging side of each discharge hole 26a of the arch is arranged toward the second discharge section 27 (opening 19a) (see FIGS. 20 to 22). Furthermore, each discharge hole 26a of the pair of first discharge sections 26 penetrates the peripheral wall 19c obliquely so as to discharge air toward the one-end opening 18a in a direction oblique to the direction of the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24 (see FIG. 19). The inclination angle θ of the oblique direction with respect to the direction of the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24 can be 25° to 65°, and is set to 45° in this embodiment. Each discharge hole 26a has two inner surfaces 26b, 26c along the longitudinal direction (see Figure 21), and the inner surface 26b on the opening 19a side and the inner surface 26c on the connecting protrusion 19b side are curved surfaces parallel to each other, and the two inner surfaces 26b, 26c are inclined at an inclination angle θ of 25° to 65° with respect to the direction of the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24.

[0065] When viewed from the front-to-rear direction perpendicular to the direction of the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24 (see FIG. 19), the ventilation passage 13 between the ventilation duct 18 and the air turning member 19 is seen to have left and right first ventilation sections 13A, and when viewed from the direction facing the first discharge section 26 (see FIG. 20), it is seen to have second ventilation section 13B. FIG. 22 is a left-side cross-sectional view of the air turning member 19 of FIG. 21. Here, the above-mentioned "direction facing the first discharge section 26" means the direction perpendicular to the left-side cross-sectional view (or right-side cross-sectional view) of the air turning member 19 divided into two parts, left and right.

[0066] In this embodiment, the area between the straight pipe 24 of the ventilation duct 18 and the rear side of the peripheral wall 19c of the air turning member 19 is the wide second ventilation section 13B (see FIG. 20), and the other area between the straight pipe 24 and the air turning member 19 (including the area between the straight pipe 24 and the left and right sides of the peripheral wall 19c of the air turning member 19) is the narrow first ventilation section 13A (see FIG. 19). Note that FIG. 20 shows that narrow first ventilation sections 13A are also provided on the left and right sides of the engaging protrusion 18x near the other end opening 18b of the straight pipe 24. In addition, the rear side of the peripheral wall 19c of the air turning member 19 overlaps with the exhaust port 12, and the exhaust port 12 is closer to the second ventilation section 13B than to the first ventilation section 13A. Furthermore, the left and right first discharge sections 26 are arranged in positions that do not overlap (do not face) the exhaust port 12 in the circumferential direction (as viewed from the direction of the axis 24a) about the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24. The part of the air turning member 19 that overlaps with the exhaust port 12 is the rear side of the peripheral wall 19c, but the first discharge sections 26 are not provided in this part, and the first discharge sections 26 are provided in positions shifted to the left and right of the exhaust port 12 on the peripheral wall 19c (see Figures 19 and 20).

[0067] Next, the air flow and effects in the sound reduction section 16 will be described with reference to Figures 19 and 20. The air discharged from the electric suction device 14 and noise including the driving noise and wind noise of the electric suction device 14 flow into the tapered tube 23 of the ventilation duct 18 of the sound reduction section 16 and flow in the straight tube 24 in the first airflow direction E1. At this time, the noise (especially high-frequency noise contained in the driving noise) is attenuated while being reflected on the inner surface of the tapered tube 23. The air discharged from the straight tube 24 flows into the air turning member 19. At this time, the inside of the air turning member 19 becomes an expansion space, reducing noise.

[0068] The air is turned back in the first airflow direction E2 within the air turning member 19, and part of the air flows through the multiple discharge holes 26a of the left and right first discharge sections 26 in the first airflow direction E3 to exit between the housing 3 and the air turning member 19. The other air within the air turning member 19 flows through the first ventilation section 13A and the second ventilation section 13B of the second discharge section 27 in the first airflow direction E4 to exit between the housing 3 and the straight pipe 24. At this time, the air discharge path to the outside of the air turning member 19 does not concentrate at the second discharge section 27, but is dispersed to the multiple discharge holes 26a of the left and right first discharge sections 26, which increases the exhaust area of ​​the air turning member 19, thereby reducing the exhaust wind speed to the outside of the air turning member 19 and reducing noise (especially wind noise). Furthermore, because the air passing through the multiple discharge holes 26a of the left and right first discharge portions 26 is discharged at an inclination angle θ (25° to 65°), wind noise is more easily reduced than when the air is discharged at an angle of 90° relative to the direction of the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24. If the inclination angle θ is less than 25°, the air will have difficulty flowing through each discharge hole 26a, reducing the sound reduction effect, while if it exceeds 65°, the wind noise generated when air flows through each discharge hole 26a tends to increase.

[0069] Furthermore, the left and right first discharge sections 26 are arranged in positions that do not overlap (face) the exhaust port 12 in the circumferential direction centered on the axis 24a of the straight pipe 24, and in addition, the portion of the peripheral wall 19c of the air turning member 19 that does not have the discharge holes 26a overlaps (faces) the exhaust port 12. Therefore, when air is discharged to the outside of the air turning member 19, noise from the left and right first discharge sections 26 is less likely to leak to the outside through the exhaust port 12.

[0070] Since the gap between the housing 3 and the electric suction machine case 72 is blocked, the air discharged to the outside of the air folding member 19 flows toward the exhaust port 12. At this time, the second ventilation section 13B in the second discharge part 27 is wider (has a larger exhaust area) than the first ventilation section 13A, has a larger ventilation volume, and is closer to the exhaust port 12 than the first ventilation section 13A, so the exhaust flow is good. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the circuit board 28 is provided near the second ventilation section 13B on the outer surface of the straight pipe 24, which is advantageous for cooling the circuit board 28 with air from the wider second ventilation section 13B. In the ventilation path of the sound reduction section 16, as described above, the straight pipe 24 of the ventilation duct 18 and the air turning member 19 overlap by a predetermined distance A in the direction of the axis 24a, and the total length B inside the air turning member 19 in the direction of the axis 24a is three or more times the predetermined distance A. Therefore, the air turning path from the other end opening 18b of the straight pipe 24 to the second discharge section 27 is long, and the air coming out of the other end opening 18b flows into a wide space (the internal space of the air turning member 19), thereby reducing noise inside the air turning member 19. In addition, the dimension of the straight pipe 24 where the straight pipe 24 and the air turning member 19 do not overlap is longer than the predetermined distance A, which is the overlapping portion between the straight pipe 24 and the air turning member 19. Therefore, the area between the housing 3 and the straight pipe 24 forms an expansion section, which contributes to reducing noise emitted from the first discharge section 26 and the second discharge section 27. In addition, the ventilation path from the exhaust port 12 to the dust outlet 51 (see Figure 5) is significantly longer than the ventilation path from the ventilation port 53 to the dust outlet 51 during dust collection, so that air flows back from the exhaust port 12 to the electric suction device 14 during dust collection, thereby suppressing noise caused by the reverse rotation of the fan of the electric suction device 14.

[0071] Incidentally, a conventional electric vacuum cleaner, such as the electric vacuum cleaner described in JP 2024-006427 A, has a short exhaust path from the electric blower to the exhaust port, which does not sufficiently reduce noise, and there is room for improvement in noise reduction. In contrast, the electric vacuum cleaner of this embodiment has a long exhaust path from the electric suction device 14 to the exhaust port 12 as described above, and therefore can reduce noise more than the electric vacuum cleaner described in JP 2024-006427 A (see FIGS. 19 and 20).

[0072] (Second embodiment) 19 and 20, in the first embodiment, the area between the straight pipe 24 of the ventilation duct 18 and the rear side of the peripheral wall 19c of the air turning member 19 is the wide second ventilation section 13B, and the other areas between the straight pipe 24 and the air turning member 19 (including the areas between the straight pipe 24 and the left and right sides of the peripheral wall 19c of the air turning member 19) are the narrow first ventilation section 13A. However, the reverse structure may also be used. In other words, the first ventilation section 13A far from the exhaust port 12 may be wide, and the second ventilation section 13B close to the exhaust port 12 may be narrow. For example, the second ventilation section 13B between the straight pipes 24 and the rear side of the peripheral wall 19c of the air-turning member 19 and the first ventilation section 13A between the straight pipes 24 and the left and right sides of the peripheral wall 19c of the air-turning member 19 may be narrowed, and the first ventilation section 13A between the straight pipes 24 and the front side (left and right sides of the engaging protrusions 18x) of the peripheral wall 19c of the air-turning member 19 may be widened. In this way, the amount of air discharged from the ventilation section far from the exhaust port 12 becomes greater than the amount of air discharged from the ventilation section close to the exhaust port 12, and therefore the ventilation path from the air-turning member 19 to the exhaust port 12 is effectively longer, thereby improving the noise reduction effect.

[0073] (Third embodiment) In the first embodiment, an example was given of a configuration in which, when the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection and recovery device 2, the protrusion 33 of the dust collection device 2 abuts against the pressed portion 46 of the valve member 172 of the on-off valve mechanism 152 of the vacuum cleaner 1, causing the valve portion 171 to rotate and open the outside air inlet 151, but the following configuration is also possible: That is, when the control unit of the dust collection device 2 determines that the vacuum cleaner 1 has been attached to the dust collection and recovery device 2, the control unit may operate an actuator provided in the dust collection device 2 to press the pressed portion 46 of the on-off valve mechanism 152 of the vacuum cleaner 1 and open the outside air inlet 151.

[0074] Preferred aspects of the present invention also include any combination of the above-described aspects. In addition to the above-described embodiments, various modifications of the present invention are possible. These modifications should not be interpreted as not falling within the scope of the present invention. The present invention should include all modifications within the meaning and scope of the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0075] 1: electric vacuum cleaner, 2: dust collection device, 3: housing (vacuum cleaner body), 3a: lower end, 3b: upper end, 4: suction port body, 4a: connecting pipe part, 4b: suction port, 5: base part, 6: holding part, 7: support connecting part, 8: power cord, 11: air intake port, 12: exhaust port, 13: ventilation path, 13A: first ventilation part, 13B: second ventilation part, 14: electric suction machine, 14a: air intake port, 15: dust collection device, 16: sound reduction part, 17: battery, 18: ventilation pipe, 18a: one end opening, 18b: other end opening, 18x: engaging protrusion, 19: air folding member, 19a: opening, 19b: connecting protrusion, 19x: engaging recess, 21: Electric suction fan, 22: Dust collection section, 23: Tapered pipe, 24: Straight pipe, 24a: Shaft center, 25: Spacer, 26: First discharge section, 26a: Discharge hole, 26b, 26c: Inner surface, 27: Second discharge section, 28: Circuit board, 29: Metal piece, 31: Fitting recess, 32a: Power supply terminal, 32b: Communication terminal, 32c: Magnetic sensor, 33: Protrusion, 34: Dust inlet, 35: Drive switch, 36: Magnet, 40: Front surface, 41: Handle, 42: Operation section, 42a, 42b,42c: switch button, 43: battery cover, 44a: power receiving terminal, 44b: communication terminal, 45: cover portion, 45a: outer surface, 45b: inner surface, 45c: hole portion, 46: pressure receiving portion, 47: warning lamp, 48: charging lamp, 50: right side surface, 51: dust outlet, 52: rear surface, 53: ventilation hole, 53a: small hole, 61: storage recess, 71: intake port, 72: electric suction machine case, 73: outlet, 74: communication port, 75: bottom opening, 76: wall portion, 77: air introduction portion, 81: partition wall, 82: battery storage chamber, 83: locking mechanism, 84: locking recess, 85: locking rib, 91: dividing line, 101: cup portion, 101a: lower end, 101b: hole portion, 101c: locking hole, 102: filter portion (dust capture portion), 102a: locking piece, 102b: outer surface, 102c: convex portion, 102d: opening, 102e: locking claw, 103: inlet, 104: outlet, 105: dust discharge port, 106: check valve, 107: opening / closing member, 108: sliding member, 108a: knob portion, 108b: claw portion, 109: biasing member, 112: dust intake port, 113: insertion guide, 113a: outer guide piece, 113b: inner guide piece, 114: packing, 115: receiving port, 116: step portion, 117: holder portion, 118: filter body, 118a: frame body, 118b: opening, 118c: filter body, 119: mesh filter, 119a: frame body, 119b: mesh body, 151: outside air inlet, 152: opening / closing valve mechanism, 161: lower end connection portion, 162: main body portion, 163: communication portion, 171: valve portion, 172: valve member, 173: support portion, 174: left side surface, 175: right side surface, 176: hole portion, 177: lattice portion, E, E1, E2, E3, E4: first air flow direction, F: floor surface, J: second air flow direction, P: rotation axis, S: space, θ: tilt angle,

Claims

1. a housing including an air intake port, an exhaust port, a ventilation duct connecting the air intake port and the exhaust port, an electric suction machine provided in the ventilation duct to circulate air from the air intake port through the ventilation duct to the exhaust port, a dust collector provided in the ventilation duct upstream of the electric suction machine in the air flow direction, and an air introduction section provided in the ventilation duct between the dust collector and the electric suction machine, the dust collecting device includes a dust trapping section, a dust discharge port, an inlet provided upstream of the dust trapping section in an airflow direction, and an outlet provided downstream of the dust trapping section in the airflow direction, the air introduction section includes an outside air introduction port provided in the ventilation passage between the outlet and the electric suction machine, and an opening / closing valve mechanism that can open and close the outside air introduction port; When the housing is set on a dust collection device capable of collecting dust by suction force, the dust exhaust port is connected to the dust inlet port of the dust collection device, and the protrusion of the dust collection device presses the opening / closing valve mechanism to open the outside air inlet port, so that outside air can be sucked into the dust collection device through the outside air inlet port, the outlet port, the dust capture unit, the dust exhaust port, and the dust inlet port.

2. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein an opening area of ​​the outside air inlet is set larger than an opening area of ​​an air intake of the electric vacuum cleaner.

3. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the housing has an air vent located closer to the dust collecting device than the exhaust port, and outside air can flow from the air vent to the outside air inlet.

4. The housing further includes a cylindrical holding member that holds the electric suction device, the holding member has a main body portion that covers the periphery of the electric suction machine, a connection port that connects to the outlet, and a communication portion that connects the connection port and the main body portion, 4. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the outside air inlet is provided in the communication part.

5. 5. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the opening / closing valve mechanism comprises: a bent valve member having a valve portion and a pressed portion; a support portion that rotatably supports the valve member on the outer surface of the communication portion; and a biasing member that biases the valve member in a direction in which the valve portion closes the outside air inlet.

6. the housing has an air vent located closer to the dust collector than the exhaust port, 6. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the vent hole is provided at a position not overlapping with the outside air inlet hole when viewed from the direction of the rotation axis of the electric suction device.

7. 4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust collecting device has an opening / closing member that can open and close the dust discharge port.

8. 4. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust collecting device has a check valve at the inlet that allows air to flow from the air intake to the inlet.

9. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the housing has a vent hole located closer to the dust collecting device than the exhaust port, and outside air can flow from the vent hole into the outside air inlet.

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