Suction port part, suction port body, and vacuum cleaner

Abstract

To provide a suction port part capable of securing safety in a state where a cover body is removed by stably operating a switching means, a suction port body having the same, and a vacuum cleaner having them.SOLUTION: The suction port part 1 includes a body part 10 having a rotary cleaning body, a motor for driving the rotary cleaning body, and a switching means 107 for switching opening and closing of an electric path for electrically connecting the motor and a power supply means, and a cover body 11 detachably attached to the body part 10 so as to cover at least a part of the rotary cleaning body. The cover body 11 has an abutting part 112. The main body part 10 has a transmission means 108 operated by the abutting part 112 according to the mounting of the cover body 11. The switching means 107 is switched so as to close the electric path according to the operation of the transmission means 108.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] An embodiment of the present invention relates to a suction port portion having a rotary cleaning body driven by an electric motor, a suction port body having the same, and an electric vacuum cleaner having these. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, some electric vacuum cleaners use a rotating cleaning body driven by an electric motor to scrape dust from a surface to be cleaned. The rotating cleaning body has a removable cover that covers at least a portion of the body to allow for maintenance by removing dust that has adhered to the body or become entangled in the bearing. In this configuration, it is desirable that the rotating cleaning body, which is exposed when the cover is removed, is not driven by the electric motor. Therefore, some vacuum cleaners are known that are configured so that a switch is turned on and off when the cover is removed, thereby cutting off power to the motor. However, in this configuration, the switch is pressed by a portion of the cover, and therefore, when the cover is removed, a portion of the switch is exposed, raising concerns that the switch may malfunction due to the intrusion or adhesion of dust. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 64-14352 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The problem that the present invention aims to solve is to provide a suction port section that can stably operate the switching means to ensure safety when the cover body is removed, a suction port body having the same, and an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with these. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] The suction port of this embodiment includes a main body having a rotary cleaning body, an electric motor that drives the rotary cleaning body, and switching means for switching between opening and closing an electric circuit electrically connecting the electric motor and a power supply means, and a cover that is detachable from the main body to cover at least a portion of the rotary cleaning body. The cover has an abutment. The main body has a transmission means that is operated by the abutment when the cover is attached. The switching means is switched to close the electric circuit in response to the operation of the transmission means. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0006] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a part of the air inlet portion of the first embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a plan view showing the inside of the main body of the same suction port. [Figure 4] FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the suction port body including the same suction port portion. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cover body of the same suction port portion. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with the same suction mouth body. [Figure 9] FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a suction port portion of a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0007] (First embodiment) The first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0008] In Fig. 4, 1 denotes a suction port. In this embodiment, an example is shown in which suction port 1 is applied to suction port body 2 shown in Fig. 8. Hereinafter, the front-rear, left-right, and up-down directions are defined based on the state in which suction port body 2 is used on a horizontal object to be cleaned. In the figure, the direction of arrow FR is the forward direction, the direction of arrow RR is the rearward direction, the direction of arrow L is the leftward direction, the direction of arrow R is the rightward direction, the direction of arrow U is the upward direction, and the direction of arrow D is the downward direction.

[0009] The suction port 1 includes a main body 10 and a cover body 11 that is detachable from the main body 10.

[0010] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 6, the main body 10 has a case body 100 forming an outer shell, in which an electric motor 101 and a rotary cleaning body 102 that is driven to rotate by the electric motor 101 are disposed. The case body 100 is basically formed in a box shape with the front, rear, both sides, and top covered, and with a portion of the bottom open as an inlet for sucking in dust. The case body 100 is divided into multiple members that are fixed to each other by screws or the like to form a hollow structure. For example, in this embodiment, the case body 100 is made up of a lower member 100a, which is one member, and an upper member 100b, which is another member.

[0011] A motor chamber 1000 in which the motor 101 is disposed is defined within the case body 100. In this embodiment, the case body 100 is elongated in the left-right direction, i.e., horizontally elongated, and the motor chamber 1000 is disposed at one end of the case body 100 in the longitudinal direction, e.g., the right side. In the illustrated example, a control chamber 1001 is defined at the other end of the case body 100 in the longitudinal direction, e.g., the left side, and a control unit 103 that controls the operation of the motor 101 is disposed in the control chamber 1001. In addition, the control chamber 1001 may be provided with a contact detection means or the like that detects contact between the suction port 1 or suction port body 2 and the object to be cleaned. Furthermore, an air duct section 1002 is defined in the case body 100 between the motor chamber 1000 and the control chamber 1001, i.e., in the center of the longitudinal direction, i.e., the left-right direction. The air passage 1002 is fluidly connected to a connecting pipe 20 that is connected to the rear of the case body 100 and forms part of the air inlet body 2. In this embodiment, the connecting pipe 20 is rotatably connected to the case body 100. The air passage 1002 is in communication with the air inlet.

[0012] A support portion 1003 is formed at the front of the case body 100. The support portion 1003 protrudes forward from the front of the case body 100. In this embodiment, the support portion 1003 is located at the center of the case body 100 in the left-right direction, and a transmission body 104 is rotatably disposed on the support portion 1003. The transmission body 104 is connected to an output shaft 1010 of the electric motor 101 via a transmission member such as an endless belt, and rotates in conjunction with the rotation of the output shaft 1010 of the electric motor 101. The transmission body 104 and the transmission member constitute a transmission unit for transmitting the rotational force of the electric motor 101 to the rotary cleaning body 102. The transmission body 104 has support shaft portions 1040 extending on both the left and right sides, and the rotary cleaning body 102 is supported by these support shaft portions 1040. Therefore, in this embodiment, the pair of rotating cleaning bodies 102 are each cantilevered by the support portion 1003 via the transmission body 104 and rotate integrally in the same direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the support portion 1003 may be formed on both the left and right sides of the case body 100, and both ends of one rotating cleaning body 102 may be rotatably supported by the support portion 1003. In this case, it is sufficient that the transmission body 104 is disposed on either one of the support portions 1003.

[0013] Furthermore, wiring 106 is electrically connected between the electric motor 101 and the control unit 103. The wiring 106 forms part of an electric path electrically connecting the electric motor 101 and the power supply means. Two power feed lines 1060 are provided to electrically connect the electric motor 101 and the control unit 103. One of the power feed lines 1060 is a positive power feed line and the other is a negative power feed line. In this embodiment, the power feed line 1060 extends laterally between the electric motor chamber 1000 and the control room 1001, for example, through the lower part of the air passage section 1002. Furthermore, the wiring 106 includes power feed lines 1061, 1062, and 1063 extending from the power supply means. The power feed line 1061 is electrically connected to the control unit 103. The power feed line 1062 is connected to the switching means 107. The power feed line 1063 electrically connects the switching means 107 and the control unit 103. That is, switching means 107 is electrically interposed between power feed line 1062 and power feed line 1063. In this embodiment, power feed lines 1061 and 1062 are each introduced into control room 1001 through the inside wall of connecting pipe 20. Furthermore, power feed line 1063 is arranged inside control room 1001 along power feed line 1062.

[0014] The switching means 107 switches between open and closed states of an electric path electrically connecting the electric motor 101 and the power supply means. In this embodiment, the switching means 107 is a mechanical switch, and in the illustrated example, it is a microswitch. The switching means 107 is housed in, for example, the case body 100, and in this embodiment, is arranged in the control room 1001. In the illustrated example, the switching means 107 is located on the opposite side of the control unit 103 from the electric motor 101, that is, at the left end of the case body 100.

[0015] The switching means 107 has a switching means main body 1070. The switching means main body 1070 has fixed contacts and movable contacts therein, and also has terminals to which the power supply lines 1062 and 1063 are electrically connected. The switching means main body 1070 is formed, for example, in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. The switching means main body 1070 also has an actuator 1071, which is a button, disposed therein. When the actuator 1071 is pressed, the movable contact inside the switching means main body 1070 is operated. The actuator 1071 is disposed movably relative to the switching means main body 1070, and its tip protrudes from the switching means main body 1070. In this embodiment, the switching means 107 has a lever 1072, which is an operating piece for pressing the actuator 1071. Lever portion 1072 is movably attached to switching means main body 1070, and in this embodiment, one end, or base end, is rotatably supported on switching means main body 1070, and the other end, or tip end, extends linearly. The base end of lever portion 1072 faces actuator portion 1071, and is configured so that actuator portion 1071 is pressed as lever portion 1072 rotates. Note that lever portion 1072 is not an essential component.

[0016] In the illustrated example, the switching means 107 is disposed vertically along the up-down direction. That is, the switching means 107 is disposed such that the longitudinal direction of the switching means main body 1070 is aligned with the up-down direction, the actuator portion 1071 faces sideways, and the tip of the lever portion 1072 faces downward. Therefore, the actuator portion 1071 can move left and right, and the lever portion 1072 can rotate left and right. In this embodiment, the actuator portion 1071 and the lever portion 1072 are disposed so as to be located on the control unit 103 side with respect to the switching means main body 1070.

[0017] The switching means 107 is switched on and off in response to the operation of a transmission means 108 movably arranged on the main body 10. In the present embodiment, the transmission means 108 is a pressing means that turns on the switching means 107 by physically pressing an actuator portion 1071 of the switching means 107. In the illustrated example, the transmission means 108 is configured to physically press and rotate a lever portion 1072, thereby physically pressing the actuator portion 1071 via the lever portion 1072. The transmission means 108 is housed in the case body 100, and in the present embodiment, is arranged in a control room 1001. In the illustrated example, the transmission means 108 is located close to the switching means 107, for example, adjacent to the front portion of the switching means 107.

[0018] The transmission means 108 is made up of one or more members. In this embodiment, the transmission means 108 is made up of a single, integrated member. The direction of movement of the transmission means 108 is along the direction in which the actuator portion 1071 of the switching means 107 is pressed. The transmission means 108 may be any member that moves in a direction other than linearly along the vertical direction; for example, in this embodiment, the transmission means 108 is rotatably disposed on the main body 10. In this embodiment, the rotation axis A of the transmission means 108 is along the front-rear direction, and the transmission means 108 is rotatable in the left-right direction. Therefore, the direction of movement of the transmission means 108 is along the rotation direction of the lever portion 1072 of the switching means 107.

[0019] In the illustrated example, the transmission means 108 includes a receiving portion 1080 that receives an external force for operating the transmission means 108, and an operating portion 1081 that presses the switching means 107, and is rotatably supported by the main body 10 or the case body 100 at a supported portion 1082. The receiving portion 1080 is located relatively above the operating portion 1081. In addition, the operating portion 1081 is interposed between the receiving portion 1080 and the actuator portion 1071 and / or lever portion 1072 of the switching means 107. In this embodiment, the operating portion 1081 is in close contact with the switching means 107, and in the illustrated example, it is in close contact with the lever portion 1072 of the switching means 107.

[0020] In this embodiment, the receiving portion 1080 and the operating portion 1081 are integrally formed and operate as a single unit. In the illustrated example, as the receiving portion 1080 rotates, the operating portion 1081 also rotates by the same angle as the receiving portion 1080. However, the receiving portion 1080 and the operating portion 1081 extend in different directions that intersect with the rotation axis A of the transmission means 108. That is, in the circumferential direction of the rotation axis A, an angle of less than 180° is formed between the direction in which the receiving portion 1080 extends and the direction in which the operating portion 1081 extends. In this embodiment, the receiving portion 1080 and the operating portion 1081 are each arm portions extending longitudinally from the supported portion 1082, and the transmission means 108 is L-shaped or approximately L-shaped when viewed from the direction along the rotation axis A. Therefore, the direction in which the receiving portion 1080 moves due to the rotation of the transmission means 108 does not coincide with the direction in which the operating portion 1081 moves due to the rotation of the transmission means 108. In the illustrated example, the receiving portion 1080 extends in the left-right direction and is inclined upward as it moves away from the rotation axis A. The operating portion 1081 extends in the up-down direction and is inclined downward as it moves away from the rotation axis A. In other words, the extending directions of the receiving portion 1080 and the operating portion 1081 intersect with each other. Therefore, as the transmission means 108 rotates, the receiving portion 1080 moves up and down, and the operating portion 1081 moves left and right.

[0021] The transmitting means 108 may be formed in a fan shape, a triangle shape, or the like, with the receiving portion 1080 and the operating portion 1081 integrally connected with the supported portion 1082. The movement of the transmitting means 108 is not limited to rotation, and may be sliding, or the like. Furthermore, the receiving portion 1080 and the operating portion 1081 may be formed as separate bodies, and the operating portion 1081 may be configured to move in conjunction with the receiving portion 1080 when the receiving portion 1080 receives an external force.

[0022] The transmission means 108 may be biased in a direction against the external force by a biasing means such as a spring, or may be biased by the actuator portion 1071 or the lever portion 1072 of the switching means 107.

[0023] The movement range of the transmission means 108 in the direction in which it presses the switching means 107, i.e., the rotation angle, is restricted by the abutment with the restricting portion 1004. In this embodiment, the rotation angle of the transmission means 108 in the direction in which it presses the switching means 107 is restricted by the abutment of the operating portion 1081 of the transmission means 108 with the restricting portion 1004. In the illustrated example, the restricting portion 1004 is formed on the case body 100, but is not limited to this and may be formed on the switching means main body 1070 of the switching means 10, etc.

[0024] Furthermore, the movement range of the transmission means 108 in the direction opposite to the direction in which the switching means 107 is pressed, i.e., the rotation angle, is restricted by contact with the case body 100. In this embodiment, the rotation angle in the direction opposite to the direction in which the transmission means 108 presses the switching means 107 is restricted by the contact of the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108 with the upper surface portion 1005 of the case body 100 or the lower portion of the upper member 100b. In the illustrated example, the upper surface portion 1005 forms at least a part of the upper member 100b, is formed elongated in the left-right direction, and covers the upper parts of the motor chamber 1000, the control chamber 1001, and the air passage portion 1002. An opening 1006 is formed in the upper surface portion 1005, and the upper part of the receiving portion 1080 is positioned facing the opening 1006. In this embodiment, the opening 1006 is not closed and communicates the inside and outside of the main body 10, with the upper portion of a portion of the receiving portion 1080 exposed through the opening 1006. In the illustrated example, the opening 1006 is formed in the bottom surface of a recess 1007 formed in the top surface 1005. At least the actuator portion 1071 of the switching means 107, in this embodiment the switching means 107, is not located within the downward projection range of the opening 1006. The recess 1007 is formed such that its side surfaces rise from the outer edge of the bottom surface. Therefore, in the main body 10, the portion of the top surface 1005 of the case body 100 near the opening 1006 is higher than the surface where the opening 1006 is formed, i.e., the bottom surface of the recess 1007.

[0025] In this embodiment, the top surface portion 1005 integrally includes a first portion 10050 that forms the left-right central portion of the upper portion of the case body 100 and second portions 10051 that form both side portions of the first portion 10050. For example, the first portion 10050 covers the air passage portion 1002, part of the motor chamber 1000, and part of the control chamber 1001, while the second portion 10051 covers the remaining portions of the motor chamber 1000 and the control chamber 1001. In the illustrated example, the first portion 10050 covers the air passage portion 1002 as well as the electric motor 101 and the control unit 103 from above. The recess 1007 is formed in a general surface 100510 that forms the upper portion of one of the second portions 10051, and an opening 1006 is formed in the bottom surface of the recess 1007, which is lowered in a stepped manner relative to the general surface 100510. In the illustrated example, the recess 1007 has side surfaces rising from three sides (left, right, and rear) of the outer edge of the bottom surface, and opens into an opposing surface 100511 that is continuous with the front of the general surface 100510. For example, the second portion 10051 gradually slopes downward toward the outside of the case body 100. The general surface 100510 is a surface that extends in the front-rear and left-right directions. The switching means 107 and the transmission means 108 are located below one of the general surfaces 100510 within the control chamber 1001. The opposing surface 100511 is also continuous with the front edge of the general surface 100510 and extends downward relative to the general surface 100510. A support surface 100512 is formed continuous with the lower end of the opposing surface 100511. The support surface 100512 is a surface that extends in the front-rear and left-right directions and is located forward of the opposing surface 100511.

[0026] Then, when the cover 11 is attached to the main body 10, an external force is applied from outside the main body 10 or the case body 100 to the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108 facing the opening 1006, and the transmission means 108 operates. In other words, the transmission means 108 operates in response to the attachment and detachment of the cover body 11 to and from the main body 10.

[0027] When attached to the main body 10, the cover body 11 covers at least the upper part of the rotary cleaning body 102, and defines a cleaning body chamber, which is a rotary cleaning body housing section that houses the rotary cleaning body 102, between the cover body 11 and the main body 10. In this embodiment, the cleaning body chamber is located at the forefront of the suction port 1. At least the lower part of the cleaning body chamber, in this embodiment the section extending from the lower part to the front, is open, and the lower part of the rotary cleaning body 102 exposed from the lower part can come into contact with the part to be cleaned. The cleaning body chamber is in communication with the suction port. However, this is not limiting, and the opening of the cleaning body chamber itself may serve as the suction port.

[0028] The cover body 11 includes a cover main body 110 that covers at least a portion of the rotary cleaning body 102 when attached to the main body 10. In this embodiment, the cover main body 110 is formed long in the left-right direction, i.e., horizontally elongated. For example, the cover main body 110 has a left-right dimension that is the same or approximately the same as the longitudinal dimension of the case body 100. The cover main body 110 has, for example, an open lower portion and a bulging upper portion that is cylindrical in shape to match the shape of the rotary cleaning body 102, giving it a kamaboko-like appearance. When the cover body 11 is attached to the main body 10, the rear edge of the cover main body 110 comes into close contact with the front edge of the case body 100, thereby airtightly closing at least the upper portion of the cleaning body chamber.

[0029] 5 to 7, the cover body 11 is provided with locking portions 111 for locking the cover body 11 to the main body 10. The locking portions 111 are located at the rear of the cover body 11, facing the main body 10. In this embodiment, since the cover body 11 or the cover main body 110 is longitudinal, the locking portions 111 are located at both ends in the left and right directions, which is the longitudinal direction of the cover body 11, so that the cover body 11 can be locked to the main body 10 in a balanced manner.

[0030] The locking portion 111 is configured such that a locking piece 1111 is movably held by a locking holding portion 1110. The locking holding portion 1110 is located adjacent to the front portion of the opposing surface 100511 in the second portion 10051 of the top surface portion 1005 of the case body 100, and is supported by a support surface 100512. For example, the locking holding portion 1110 is inclined downward toward the outside of the cover body 11. The locking piece 1111 is held so as to be slidable in the left-right direction along the locking holding portion 1110. By sliding the locking piece 1111 relative to the locking holding portion 1110, the locking piece 1111 is engaged with and disengaged from a locking receiving portion 1008 formed on the case body 100, thereby locking and unlocking the cover body 11 with respect to the main body 10. However, the locking piece 1111 may be configured to be engaged with and disengaged from the locking receiving portion 1008 by rotation or the like.

[0031] 2 and 5 is formed, for example, in the shape of a plate that protrudes forward from the opposing surface 100511 of the case body 100. Preferably, the locking receiving portion 1008 is located near the opening 1006. In this embodiment, the locking receiving portion 1008 is located below the bottom surface of the recess 1007, i.e., the surface on which the opening 1006 is formed, and above the support surface 100512. A portion of the locking receiving portion 1008 overlaps the opening 1006 or the recess 1007 in the left-right direction.

[0032] As shown in FIGS. 5 to 7 , the cover body 11 is formed with an abutment portion 112 for operating the transmission means 108 when the cover body 11 is attached to the main body 10. The abutment portion 112 protrudes rearward from the cover main body 110. In this embodiment, the abutment portion 112 extends in the front-to-rear direction. However, the abutment portion 112 may be formed to protrude downward from the cover body 11, or may have a shape in which its tip is bent downward. The abutment portion 112 is located near one end of the cover body 11 in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the abutment portion 112 is located close to one of the locking portions 111. In the illustrated example, the abutment portion 112 protrudes rearward from one of the locking holding portions 1110, which is a direction intersecting the operating direction of the locking piece 1111, and is adjacent to the movable range of the locking piece 1111 of the locking portion 111.

[0033] The abutting portion 112 is positioned so that it is inserted into the recess 1007 and overlaps the bottom surface of the recess 1007 when the cover body 11 is attached to the main body 10. The abutting portion 112 is formed with a small width in the left-right direction, and has a width dimension in the left-right direction that allows it to be inserted into the recess 1007. In this embodiment, the abutting portion 112 has a width dimension that allows it to fit into the recess 1007.

[0034] Although the cover body 11 has been exemplified as covering the entire rotary cleaning body 102, it is not limited to this, and may be a member that partially covers the rotary cleaning body 102, such as the bearing portion of the rotary cleaning body 102, in an openable and closable manner, or may be located below the rotary cleaning body 102, such as the bottom of the main body 10. When the cover body 11 is configured to be located below the rotary cleaning body 102, the abutment portion 112 may be formed along the front-to-rear direction, or may be formed to protrude upward.

[0035] The suction port body 2 equipped with the suction port portion 1 is also referred to as a floor brush, a cleaning head, or the like. The suction port body 2 is attached and detached via a connecting pipe 20 and applied to a vacuum cleaner 3 as shown in FIG. 8 . In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 3 is a suction-type vacuum cleaner 3 in which an electric blower 31 serving as a suction source is disposed in the vacuum cleaner body 30, and negative pressure generated by driving the electric blower 31 sucks dust and air from the suction port body 2 into a separation section 32. The vacuum cleaner 3 may be any type, such as a floor-traveling type, a canister type, a stick type, an upright type, a handheld type, or a self-propelled vacuum cleaner. In the illustrated example, the vacuum cleaner 3 is a stick-type vacuum cleaner. In the illustrated example, the suction port body 2 is mechanically and fluidically connected to the vacuum cleaner body 30 by the connecting pipe 20, either directly or indirectly via a tube 33 such as an extension tube. The operation of the electric blower 3 and the operation of the rotary cleaning body 102 or the electric motor 101 are set by the user by operating the operation switch 34. The operation switch 34 is provided on the vacuum cleaner body 30 or on the grip 35 for gripping operation. The vacuum cleaner body 30 is also provided with a main body control unit 36 ​​that operates the electric blower 31 in accordance with the operation set by the operation switch 34. Note that some or all of the functions of the control unit 103 may be integrated into the main body control unit 36. The electric vacuum cleaner 3 also includes a power supply unit 37 as a power supply means. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 37 is a battery or a secondary battery, but is not limited to this and may be an AC-DC adapter, a cord reel device, or the like that draws power from an external power source such as a commercial power source. The power supply unit 37 is capable of supplying power to the electric parts located in the vacuum cleaner body 30, such as the electric blower 31 and the main body control unit 36. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 37 can also supply power to the motor 101, the control unit 103, etc. in the suction port unit 1 of the suction port body 2 via power supply lines 1061, 1062 (shown in FIG. 3). The power supply unit 37 is configured to be electrically connected to the power supply lines 1061, 1062 (shown in FIG. 3) via a conductive part that is wired through the inside of the wall of the pipe body 33, etc.

[0036] Next, the cleaning operation of the electric vacuum cleaner 3 of the embodiment will be described.

[0037] When assembling the suction port unit 1 or the suction port body 2, the electric motor 101, the control unit 103, the switching means 107, the transmission means 108, etc., which are electrically connected by wiring 106, are assembled in appropriate positions to the lower member 100a of the case body 100, and the upper member 100b is attached to the lower member 100a, covering the lower member 100a. In this state, the operating portion 1081 of the transmission means 108 abuts against the lever portion 1072 of the switching means 107, and the receiving portion 1080 faces the opening 1006. In this embodiment, the transmission means 108 is biased counterclockwise in FIG. 1, so that the receiving portion 1080 maintains a state in which the opening 1006 is closed, as shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1 and in FIG. 2.

[0038] Then, a separately molded cover body 11 is attached to the main body 10. The cover body 11 is aligned with the main body 10 in the left-right direction and attached from the upper front side. The abutment portion 112 is inserted into the recess 1007 of the main body 10 and presses downward the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108 exposed from the opening 1006, causing the receiving portion 1080 to sink into the control chamber 1001 inside the main body 10. Therefore, when the transmission means 108 rotates around the rotation axis A, the operating portion 1081 rotates left-right, pushing the lever portion 1072 of the switching means 107 against the biasing force and pressing the actuator portion 1071, thereby turning on the switching means 107. As a result, an electric path electrically connecting the power supply unit 37, which is a power supply unit, and the electric motor 101 is closed, enabling power to be supplied from the power supply unit 37 to the electric motor 101. After this, at each locking portion 111, the locking piece 1111 is slid to lock into the locking receiving portion 1008, thereby locking the cover body 11 to the main body 10 while covering the rotating cleaning body 102, and the abutment portion 112 is securely maintained in the pressed-in state of the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108.

[0039] When cleaning, the user grips the grip portion 35 and operates the operation switch 34, causing the main body control unit 36 ​​to start the electric blower 31. With the suction port body 2 placed on the surface to be cleaned, the control unit 103 receives power from the power supply unit 37 and starts the rotary cleaning body 102 via the electric motor 101. In this embodiment, the rotation of the electric motor 101 is transmitted via the transmission unit, causing the rotary cleaning body 102 to rotate in a forward direction, with the upper side facing forward and the lower side facing backward. Negative pressure generated by the operation of the electric blower 31 acts on the tubular body 33, the suction port body 2, or the suction port of the suction port unit 1 via the separation unit 32. When the user alternately moves the suction port body 2 back and forth over the surface to be cleaned using the grip portion 35, dust on the surface to be cleaned is sucked sequentially through the suction port, the connecting tube 20, the tubular body 33, and the separation unit 32, along with air. Furthermore, as the rotary cleaning body 102 rotates, dust scraped off or scraped out from the area to be cleaned is sucked in through the suction port located behind it. The dust-containing air sucked into the separation section 32 is separated and collected in the separation section 32. The air from which the dust has been separated cools the electric blower 31, and is then discharged to the outside of the vacuum cleaner body 30.

[0040] When cleaning is finished, the user operates the operation switch 34, which causes the main body control unit 36 ​​to stop the electric blower 31 and the control unit 103 to stop the rotation of the electric motor 101, i.e., the rotating cleaning body 102. If dust or the like is attached to the rotating cleaning body 102, the dust can be removed by removing the cover body 11 from the main body 10 and removing the rotating cleaning body 102 from the transmission body 104, for example.

[0041] When removing the cover body 11, the locking piece 1111 of the locking portion 111 is slid outward to release the locking engagement with the lock receiving portion 1008, and then the cover body 11 is removed upward relative to the main body 10. At this time, the abutting portion 112 is released from the recess 1007, and the pressure on the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108 is released, causing the transmission means 108 to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 1 due to the urging force, and the lever portion 1072 of the switching means 107 is released from the pressure on the actuator portion 1071, turning off the switching means 107 and cutting off the power supply from the power supply unit 37 to the electric motor 101. In addition, the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108 is positioned to close the opening 1006, preventing dust from entering through the opening 1006.

[0042] In this way, a transmission means 108 is provided which is operated by the abutment portion 112 of the cover body 11 when the cover body 11 is attached to the main body 10, and the switching means 107 for switching the opening and closing of the electrical circuit electrically connecting the electric motor 101 which drives the rotating cleaning body 102 and the power supply unit 37 is switched to close the electrical circuit in accordance with the operation of the transmission means 108. This allows the switching means 107 to be separated from the position of the abutment portion 112, preventing malfunctions caused by the adhesion of dust that has infiltrated the inside of the main body 10, and allowing the switching means 107 to operate stably. Furthermore, when the cover body 11 is not attached, the abutment portion 112 moves away from the transmission means 108, opening the electrical circuit, so that the electric motor 101 and the rotating cleaning body 102 will not rotate even if the operation switch 34 is operated incorrectly, thereby ensuring safety.

[0043] That is, in this embodiment, by having the operation of the transmission means 108 intervene in the on / off switching of the switching means 107 in response to the attachment and detachment of the cover body 11 to the main body 10, the flexibility of the layout of the switching means 107 is improved, and it is possible to position the switching means 107 so that it is not exposed even when the cover body 11 is removed. Therefore, even if dust does enter the main body 10, the switching means 107 can be positioned at a location where it is difficult for the dust to adhere, and malfunction of the switching means 107 due to the adhesion of dust can be prevented.

[0044] In this embodiment, the switching means 107 is a mechanical switch, and the transmission means 108 is operated by the abutment portion 112 to press the switching means 107, thereby switching the switching means 107. Therefore, the presence of the transmission means 108 can prevent malfunction of the switching means 107 due to the adhesion of dust.

[0045] Since the transmission means 108 blocks the opening 1006 when the cover body 11 is not attached to the main body 10, it becomes difficult for dust to enter the inside of the main body 10 through the opening 1006, and when the cover body 11 is attached to the main body 10, the transmission means 108 is pushed into the inside of the main body 10 via the abutment portion 112 located at the opening 1006, so when the cover body 11 is attached to the main body 10, the opening 1006 can be blocked by the abutment portion 112, and dust can be prevented from entering the inside of the main body 10 through the opening 1006.

[0046] Since the area of ​​the main body 10 near the opening 1006 is higher than the surface on which the opening 1006 is formed, when the user holds the main body 10 with the cover body 11 not attached, it is difficult for the user to accidentally press the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108 located at the opening 1006 with a finger or the like, thereby effectively preventing the electric motor 101 and the rotating cleaning body 102 from operating incorrectly.

[0047] The switching means 107, which is a microswitch, is arranged in the main body 10 in the vertical direction, and the transmission means 108 is arranged rotatably on the main body 10. In addition, the receiving portion 1080 and the operating portion 1081 of the transmission means 108 are shaped to extend in different directions that intersect with the rotation axis A of the transmission means 108. This allows the actuator portion 1071 of the switching means 107 to be positioned away from directly below the opening 1006, and even if dust enters through the opening 1006, the dust is less likely to adhere to the switching means 107.

[0048] In particular, since there is a large tolerance in the arrangement of the switching means 107 in the main body 10, the positions of the lever portion 1072 of the switching means 107 and the opening 1006 are likely to vary from one to another. Therefore, by transmitting the operation of the switching means 107 through the transmission means 108, the switching means 107 can be reliably switched.

[0049] Furthermore, since the receiving portion 1080 of the transmitting means 108 is interposed between the switching means 107 and the opening 1006, it can act as a guard to prevent dust entering through the opening 1006 from adhering to the switching means 107.

[0050] Furthermore, by positioning the abutment portion 112 near the locking portion 111 for locking the cover body 11 to the main body portion 10, misalignment between the abutment portion 112 and the opening 1006 can be suppressed, and the abutment portion 112 can reliably press the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108.

[0051] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Fig. 9. Note that the same components and functions as those in the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numerals and the description thereof will be omitted.

[0052] The switching means 107 in this embodiment is an electrical switch, i.e., a switching element, such as a transistor or FET. The switching means 107 is incorporated in the control unit 103, for example, as a circuit, so as to be able to open and close an electric path electrically connecting the electric motor 101 and the power supply means.

[0053] The switching means 107 is switched on and off in response to detection of the operation of the transmission means 108 by the detection means 109. The detection means 109 is a sensor such as a rotary encoder or an angle sensor that detects the operation of the transmission means 108. The detection means 109 may be a contact sensor or a non-contact sensor.

[0054] The transmission means 108 is shown as having the same shape as in the first embodiment as an example, but is not limited to this and may have any shape as long as its operation can be detected by the detection means 109.

[0055] When the cover body 11 is attached to the main body 10, the abutting portion 112 is inserted into the recess 1007 of the main body 10 and presses downward the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108 exposed from the opening 1006, causing the receiving portion 1080 to sink into the control chamber 1001 inside the main body 10. Therefore, when the transmission means 108 rotates around the rotation axis A and the rotation of the transmission means 108 is detected by the detection means 109, the switching means 107 is turned on and an electric path electrically connecting the power supply unit 37, which is the power supply means, and the electric motor 101 is closed, enabling power to be supplied from the power supply unit 37 to the electric motor 101.

[0056] On the other hand, when the cover body 11 is removed from the main body 10, the abutment portion 112 disengages from the recess 1007, and the pressure on the receiving portion 1080 of the transmission means 108 is released, causing the transmission means 108 to rotate due to the force. When the rotation of the transmission means 108 is detected by the detection means 109, the switching means 107 is turned off and the power supply from the power supply unit 37 to the electric motor 101 is cut off.

[0057] In this way, the switching means 107 can be switched to close the electrical circuit electrically connecting the electric motor 101 and the power supply unit 37 in response to the operation of the transmission means 108 accompanying the attachment of the cover body 11 to the main body unit 10, and by having a configuration similar to that of the first embodiment, it is possible to achieve the same effects as the first embodiment, such as ensuring safety when the cover body 11 is removed from the main body unit 10 by stably operating the switching means 107.

[0058] Furthermore, the switching means 107 is an electrical switch, and is switched based on the detection result of the detection means 109 that detects the operation of the transmission means 108 operated by the abutment portion 112. Therefore, the switching means 107 does not have a mechanically operating contact portion, and malfunctions of the switching means 107 caused by malfunctions such as dust getting caught in the contact portion are less likely to occur.

[0059] Moreover, since the switching means 107 is not directly operated by the transmission means 108, the degree of freedom in the layout of the switching means 107 can be further improved, and it can be placed at any position away from the transmission means 108, for example.

[0060] In each of the above embodiments, the opening 1006 may be covered with a flexible or pliable covering member or the like that can be deformed by contact with the contact portion 112. In this case, the opening 1006 can be kept closed even when the cover body 11 is detached from the main body 10, and dust can be reliably prevented from entering the control room 1001 through the opening 1006 and adhering to the switching means 107 and the like.

[0061] The suction inlet portion 1 can also be applied to a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 3 that does not have a suction inlet body, such as a robot vacuum cleaner. In that case, the case body 100 may be disposed integrally with the vacuum cleaner body of the electric vacuum cleaner 3.

[0062] Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these embodiments. These novel embodiments can be embodied in various other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their modifications are included within the scope and spirit of the invention, and are also included in the scope of the invention and its equivalents as defined in the claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1 Intake port 2. Suction port body 3. Vacuum cleaner 10 Main body 11 Cover body 37 Power supply means 101 Electric motor 102 Rotating cleaning body 107 Switching means 108 Means of communication 109 Detection Methods 111 Locking part 112 Contact part 1006 Opening 1071 Actuator part 1080 Receiving part 1081 Operating unit A Rotation axis

Claims

1. a main body having a rotary cleaning body, an electric motor for driving the rotary cleaning body, and switching means for switching between opening and closing an electric path electrically connecting the electric motor and a power supply means; a suction unit including a cover body that is detachable from the main body so as to cover at least a portion of the rotary cleaning body, The cover body has an abutment portion, the main body portion has a transmission means that is operated by the abutment portion when the cover body is attached, The switching means is switched to close the electric circuit in response to the operation of the transmission means. A suction port portion characterized by:

2. the switching means is a mechanical switch, The transmission means is operated by the contact portion to press the switching means, thereby switching the switching means. The suction mouth portion according to claim 1 .

3. The main body portion has an opening, The transmission means closes the opening when the cover body is not attached to the main body, and is pushed into the main body via the abutment portion located at the opening when the cover body is attached to the main body. The suction mouth portion according to claim 2 .

4. The main body has a portion near the opening that is higher than the surface on which the opening is formed. The suction mouth portion according to claim 2 .

5. The switching means is a microswitch arranged in the main body along the vertical direction, the transmission means is rotatably disposed on the main body portion and includes a receiving portion that receives an external force via the abutment portion when the cover body is attached to the main body portion, and an operating portion that operates an actuator portion of the switching means; The receiving portion and the operating portion extend in different directions that intersect with the rotation axis of the transmission means. The suction mouth portion according to claim 2 .

6. a detection means for detecting the operation of the transmission means operated by the abutment portion, The switching means is an electrical switch that switches based on the detection result of the detection means. The suction mouth portion according to claim 1 .

7. the cover body includes a locking portion for locking the cover body to the main body portion, The abutting portion is located near the locking portion. The suction mouth portion according to claim 1 .

8. The air intake portion according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is provided. A suction mouth body characterized by:

9. The suction mouth body according to claim 8 is provided. A vacuum cleaner characterized by:

10. The air intake portion according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is provided. A vacuum cleaner characterized by:

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