Vacuum cleaner and suction nozzle

Abstract

To provide an electric vacuum cleaner and suction nozzle that can stably hold a rotating cleaning body and have fewer layout constraints. [Solution] The suction port body includes an electric motor 11 which is the driving source, a rotating cleaning body 12, a transmission unit 13, a fixing member 124 which is the first magnetic body, and a second magnetic body 133. The transmission unit 13 is arranged coaxially with the rotating cleaning body 12 and transmits the power of the electric motor 11 to the rotating cleaning body 12 to rotate the rotating cleaning body 12. The fixing member 124 is positioned on the rotating cleaning body 12. The second magnetic body 133 is for holding the rotating cleaning body 12 in a predetermined position relative to the transmission unit 13 by the magnetic force acting between it and the fixing member 124.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Embodiments of the present invention relate to a vacuum cleaner and a suction inlet body provided with a rotary cleaning member.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, for a rotary cleaning member used in a vacuum cleaner, its end portion is sandwiched and held in a direction intersecting the axial direction by a case body and a lid body. In this configuration, since the lid body needs to contact the rotary cleaning member, there are significant layout constraints.

[0003] Also, for example, when engaging and holding lock shapes provided on the rotary cleaning member and the bearing portion, the stability of the mounting load is lacking due to variations in the molding of the lock shape or wear caused by repeated attachment and detachment.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] The problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner and a suction inlet body that can stably hold a rotary cleaning member and have fewer layout constraints.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The vacuum cleaner of this embodiment is a vacuum cleaner equipped with a suction port. The suction port comprises a drive source, a rotating cleaning body, a transmission unit, a first magnetic body, and a second magnetic body. The transmission unit is arranged coaxially with the rotating cleaning body and transmits power from the drive source to the rotating cleaning body to rotate it. The first magnetic body is positioned on the rotating cleaning body. The second magnetic body is for holding the rotating cleaning body in a predetermined position relative to the transmission unit by the magnetic force acting between it and the first magnetic body. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a cross-sectional view showing a part of the suction port of a vacuum cleaner according to the first embodiment. [Figure 2] A cross-sectional view showing a part of the rotating cleaning body of the suction port shown above. [Figure 3] (a) is a side view showing a part of the transmission section of the suction port body, and (b) is a cross-sectional view at position II in (a). [Figure 4] A magnified view of a portion of the transmission section shown above is shown; (a) is a cross-sectional view, and (b) is a perspective view. [Figure 5] This is an exploded plan view of the suction port assembly shown above. [Figure 6] This is an exploded perspective view showing a magnified portion of the suction port body shown above. [Figure 7] This is a bottom view of the same suction port body. [Figure 8] This is a top view showing a part of the suction port body. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view showing an example of the same electric vacuum cleaner. [Figure 10] The second embodiment shows a part of the transmission section of the suction port body of an electric vacuum cleaner, with (a) being a perspective view and (b) being an exploded perspective view. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] (First embodiment) The first embodiment will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0009] In Figures 7 to 9, 1 indicates the suction port. The suction port 1 is also called a floor brush or cleaning head, and consists of a case body 10 to which an electric motor 11 (which is the drive source), a rotating cleaning body 12, and a transmission unit 13 are attached. The power from the electric motor 11 is transmitted to the rotating cleaning body 12 by the transmission unit 13, causing the rotating cleaning body 12 to rotate. Hereinafter, the forward / backward, left / right, and up / down directions are defined based on the state in which the suction port 1 is used on a horizontal surface to be cleaned. In the figures, the FR arrow direction is forward, the RR arrow direction is backward, the L arrow direction is left, the R arrow direction is right, the U arrow direction is up, and the D arrow direction is down.

[0010] The case body 10 is made of synthetic resin or the like, and in this embodiment, it is formed in a longitudinal shape in the left-right direction, that is, horizontally elongated. The case body 10 has an electric motor room 100 for housing the electric motor 11 and a cleaning body room 101 which is a rotating cleaning body housing section for housing the rotating cleaning body 12. In this embodiment, the case body 10 also has a control room 102 for housing a control unit 14 that controls the operation of the electric motor 11. In the illustrated example, the control room 102 and the electric motor room 100 are arranged side by side from left to right, and the cleaning body room 101 is arranged adjacent to them in front of them via a partition wall 103.

[0011] In this embodiment, the cleaning chamber 101 is located at the very front of the case body 10. The cleaning chamber 101 has an opening 1010 at its lower end, through which the entire lower part of the rotating cleaning body 12 is exposed and can come into contact with the part to be cleaned. In the illustrated example, the opening 1010 is formed across the lower end of the front end of the cleaning chamber 101, which is the front wall portion of the case body 10.

[0012] Furthermore, the case body 10 has a cleaning body support section 104 that houses the transmission section 13 and supports the rotating cleaning body 12. The cleaning body support section 104 is in communication with the motor room 100 and the cleaning body room 101. In this embodiment, the cleaning body support section 104 protrudes forward from the partition wall 103 between the motor room 100 and the control room 102. Therefore, cleaning body rooms 101 are arranged on both the left and right sides of the cleaning body support section 104, and both sides of the cleaning body support section 104 are open facing these cleaning body rooms 101. In the illustrated example, the cleaning body support section 104 is located between the cleaning body rooms 101, 101 and forms a wall that separates the cleaning body rooms 101, 101. However, it is not limited to this, and the cleaning body support section 104 may protrude into the interior of a single cleaning body room 101 that is connected in the left-right direction.

[0013] Furthermore, in this embodiment, a suction chamber 105, which is a dust collection groove, is formed in the case body 10. The suction chamber 105 is located below the control room 102 and the motor room 100, adjacent to the rear of the cleaning body room 101 via a partition wall 103, and communicates with the cleaning body room 101 via a communication opening 1030 formed at the bottom of the partition wall 103. A suction port 1050 is opened at the bottom of the suction chamber 105. In this embodiment, the cleaning body room 101 and the suction chamber 105 are formed independently as separate rooms, but this is not limited to this, and the cleaning body room 101 may also serve as the suction chamber, that is, the opening 1010 may also serve as the suction port, or the cleaning body room and the suction chamber 105 or suction port 1050 may be partitioned inside a single opening.

[0014] A connecting pipe 15 is connected to the case body 10. The connecting pipe 15, also called a rotating pipe, is rotatably connected to the case body 10. The connecting pipe 15 connects the suction source to the suction port 1050 of the case body 10. The connecting pipe 15 is in communication with the suction chamber 105. The connecting pipe 15 protrudes from the upper rear side of the case body 10.

[0015] The electric motor 11 incorporates a rotor, a stator, and the like. The electric motor 11 has an output shaft 110 projecting therefrom. The output shaft 110 is the rotating shaft of the electric motor 11 that rotates integrally with the rotor and outputs power to the rotary cleaning body 12. In the present embodiment, the electric motor 11 is disposed in the motor chamber 100 with the output shaft 110 extending along the left-right direction. A pulley 111 is attached to the output shaft 110. The pulley 111 is, for example, an output gear having a circumferential surface formed in a gear-tooth shape and rotates integrally with the output shaft 110.

[0016] The transmission unit 13 is positioned in a direction intersecting the axial direction of the electric motor 11 or the output shaft 110 with respect to the electric motor 11. The transmission unit 13 is positioned in front of the electric motor 11 and disposed on the cleaning body support portion 104. As shown in FIG. 1, the transmission unit 13 has a transmission unit main body portion 130 which is an output portion. The transmission unit main body portion 130 is rotatably supported by the case body 10 in the cleaning body support portion 104. The transmission unit main body portion 130 is, for example, a driven gear. An endless timing belt, which is a transmission member, is wound between the transmission unit main body portion 130 and the pulley 111 (shown in FIG. 8) of the electric motor 11, and the transmission unit 13 rotates in synchronization with the rotation of the output shaft 110 (shown in FIG. 8) of the electric motor 11. In the present embodiment, the transmission unit main body portion 130 is formed in a shaft shape. In a state where the transmission unit main body portion 130 is supported by the cleaning body support portion 104, it projects in a direction parallel or substantially parallel to the output shaft 110, in the left-right direction in the present embodiment, from a cylindrical support projection 1040 formed to surround the periphery of the opening on the side surface of the cleaning body support portion 104 and extends in a shaft shape.

[0017] Also, as shown in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, the transmission unit 13 has a holding shaft portion 132 for holding the rotary cleaning body 12. The holding shaft portion 132 is coaxial with the transmission unit main body portion 130 and protrudes in the axial direction of the holding shaft portion 132 and extends into the cleaning body chamber 101. In the present embodiment, the holding shaft portion 132 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and the transmission unit main body portion 130 is inserted therein and integrally connected coaxially with the transmission unit main body portion 130 via a connecting member such as a screw. That is, the axial direction of the holding shaft portion 132 is parallel or substantially parallel to the output shaft 110 (shown in FIG. 8), and in the present embodiment, it is the left-right direction. The rotary cleaning body 12 is held by the holding shaft portion 132, and the transmission unit 13 or the transmission unit main body portion 130 and the rotary cleaning body 12 are arranged coaxially or substantially coaxially. In the illustrated example, the outer peripheral surface of the holding shaft portion 132 is gradually reduced in diameter from the base end portion to the tip end portion. In the present embodiment, the holding shaft portions 132 are respectively held at both ends of the transmission unit main body portion 130, and the rotary cleaning bodies 12 are held by these holding shaft portions 132 via a holding mechanism 16 described later. That is, in the illustrated example, the rotary cleaning bodies 12 are arranged in pairs with one transmission unit 13 as a reference, and it is a cantilever support structure in which one end portions of the left and right two rotary cleaning bodies 12 are supported, and these rotary cleaning bodies 12 are rotated integrally in the same direction. Note that the transmission unit main body portion 130 and the holding shaft portion 132 may be integrally formed.

[0018] And the rotary cleaning body 12 driven by the electric motor 11 via the transmission unit 13 assists the suction cleaning by scraping and / or discharging dust from the cleaning target portion by being rotated. The rotary cleaning body 12 has a main cleaning portion 120 which is one cleaning portion and a sub-cleaning portion 121 which is another cleaning portion arranged at an axial end portion.

[0019] As shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, the main cleaning unit 120 constitutes the main cleaning area, which accounts for the majority of the cleaning range of the rotating cleaning body 12. The main cleaning unit 120 is provided on the cleaning body main body 122, which is the first component. The cleaning body main body 122 is the main cleaning unit support base to which the main cleaning unit 120 is attached. The cleaning body main body 122 is formed in an axially elongated cylindrical shape and is integrally attached to the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission unit 13. The axis of the cleaning body main body 122 coincides with or approximately coincides with the axis of the rotating cleaning body 12.

[0020] In this embodiment, the cleaning body portion 122 has an outer shell portion 1220. The outer shell portion 1220 forms the outer shell of the cleaning body portion 122. The outer shell portion 1220 is formed in a cylindrical shape, for example. The main cleaning portion 120 is located on the outer side of the outer shell portion 1220. The main cleaning portion 120 has a cleaning range that extends across the entire axial end of the cleaning body portion 122. In this embodiment, the main cleaning unit 120 is separate from the cleaning body 122 and the outer shell 1220, and has a main cleaning unit base formed in a continuous manner, and a main cleaning member such as a brush or blade that protrudes from the main cleaning unit base and whose tip end can contact the part to be cleaned. The main cleaning unit base is attached to a mounting groove 12200 formed on the outer surface of the outer shell 1220 between both ends, and is arranged axially on the outer circumferential surface of the outer shell 1220, so that the main cleaning member is arranged in a continuous wall-like manner between both ends of the cleaning body 122. In the illustrated example, the main cleaning unit 120 is arranged twisted in the circumferential direction of the cleaning body 122. The main cleaning units 120 are arranged at intervals at multiple locations in the circumferential direction of the cleaning body 122. The multiple main cleaning units 120 may be identical, or the main cleaning member of at least one of the main cleaning units 120 may be different from the main cleaning members of the other main cleaning units 120. The main cleaning unit base may be integrally formed with the cleaning body 122 or the outer shell 1220. Furthermore, the main cleaning unit 120 may be arranged to cover, for example, the entire outer surface of the cleaning body 122 or the outer shell 1220.

[0021] Furthermore, the cleaning body portion 122 has a connecting portion 1221 coaxially with the outer shell portion 1220, as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The connecting portion 1221 is coaxially inserted into the outer shell portion 1220. The connecting portion 1221 integrally has a receiving portion 12210 located at one end and a longitudinal shaft mounting portion 12211 extending from the receiving portion 12210 toward the other end, all coaxially.

[0022] The receiving portion 12210 is an enlarged portion that receives the support projection 1040 of the cleaning body support portion 104 into its interior. The receiving portion 12210 is a large-diameter portion whose diameter is relatively larger than that of the shaft mounting portion 12211. The receiving portion 12210 is located at one end of the cleaning body main body portion 122. The receiving portion 12210 is fitted to the inner circumference side of the outer shell portion 1220, and its outer surface abuts against the inner surface of the outer shell portion 1220. A flange portion 12212 protrudes radially from one end of the receiving portion 12210. A dust collection portion is arranged on the flange portion 12212. The dust collection portion is positioned in close proximity to or in contact with the side surface of the cleaning body support portion 104, thereby suppressing the shaft entry of general dust, as well as filamentous debris such as human hair, pet hair, or threads. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the flange portion 12212 also functions as a retaining portion on one end side, which abuts against one end of the outer shell portion 1220 and closes one end of the mounting groove portion 12200, thereby preventing the main cleaning portion base of the main cleaning portion 120 (shown in Figure 5) from coming off in the axial direction.

[0023] The shaft mounting portion 12211 is formed as an elongated cylindrical shape coaxial with the cleaning body portion 122. One end of the shaft mounting portion 12211 is located inside the receiving portion 12210, and the other end extends from the receiving portion 12210 toward the other end, and is positioned axially close to and facing the opposing portion 1320 which is projected in a flange-like manner toward the base end side of the holding shaft portion 132. For example, the shaft mounting portion 12211 extends in the axial direction of the cleaning body portion 122, and is formed such that its inner circumferential surface gradually decreases in diameter from one end to the other, according to the outer shape of the holding shaft portion 132.

[0024] As shown in Figures 5, 7, and 8, the auxiliary cleaning unit 121 is attached to the end of the cleaning body main unit 122 via a mounting unit 123, which is a second member. The auxiliary cleaning unit 121 constitutes the cleaning range at the end of the cleaning range by the rotating cleaning body 12, that is, the corner cleaning range. The auxiliary cleaning unit 121 has a narrower cleaning range in the left-right direction than the main cleaning unit 120 and primarily functions to remove dust from areas to be cleaned, such as corners of a room. In this embodiment, as shown in Figure 5, the auxiliary cleaning unit 121 is located on the end of the rotating cleaning body 12 that does not face the transmission unit 13, that is, on the free end side, which is the other end of the rotating cleaning body 12. In the illustrated example, the auxiliary cleaning unit 121 is located at the left end of the left rotating cleaning body 12 and at the right end of the right rotating cleaning body 12, respectively. Therefore, both auxiliary cleaning units 121 are located close to both the left and right edges of the case body 10 of the suction port body 1.

[0025] The auxiliary cleaning unit 121 includes an auxiliary cleaning unit base and an auxiliary cleaning member, at least at its tip end, which can contact the part to be cleaned. In this embodiment, the auxiliary cleaning unit 121 is positioned by attaching the auxiliary cleaning unit base to a mounting portion 123 located at the end of the cleaning body main unit 122. However, the auxiliary cleaning unit base may be integrally formed with the mounting portion 123. When attached to the mounting portion 123, the axes of the main cleaning unit 120 and the auxiliary cleaning unit 121 coincide or substantially coincide, and the auxiliary cleaning member is positioned in an annular shape surrounding the axis of the rotating cleaning body 12. In this embodiment, the axial position of the rotating cleaning body 12 changes gradually or continuously such that at least the tip of the auxiliary cleaning member substantially reciprocates or traces a zigzag trajectory between one end and the other end of its arrangement width multiple times per rotation of the rotating cleaning body 12.

[0026] The mounting portion 123, also called a side covering ring, is a support base for the auxiliary cleaning portion 121 to which the auxiliary cleaning portion 121 is attached. In this embodiment, it also functions as a retaining portion that prevents the main cleaning portion base of the main cleaning portion 120 from coming loose in the axial direction by contacting the other end of the outer shell portion 1220 and closing the other end of the mounting groove portion 12200. In the illustrated example, the mounting portion 123 is formed separately from the cleaning body portion 122. The mounting portion 123 is formed in an annular shape, or in this embodiment, in a circular shape. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the mounting portion 123 is fixed in the axial direction to the cleaning body portion 122 by a fixing member 124 and is integrally attached to the cleaning body portion 122 coaxially. That is, the axis of the cleaning body portion 122 and the axis of the mounting portion 123 coincide or substantially coincide. Preferably, the end of the mounting portion 123 is covered by a cap portion.

[0027] The fixing member 124 is, for example, a screw. That is, the fixing member 124 integrally has a head 1240 and an axial screw portion 1241 connected to the head 1240. In the illustrated example, the fixing member 124 is, for example, a pan head screw, and the head 1240 is formed in a flat hemispherical shape. However, the fixing member 124 may be a countersunk screw or the like, with the head 1240 formed in a truncated cone shape.

[0028] The fixing member 124 is a first magnetic material formed of, for example, steel. In this embodiment, the fixing member 124 is positioned on the rotating cleaning body 12 with its head 1240 facing the cleaning body body 122 and its threaded portion 1241 facing the mounting portion 123. In the illustrated example, the fixing member 124 fixes the mounting portion 123 to the shaft mounting portion 12211 of the cleaning body body 122. For example, the fixing member 124 has its threaded portion 1241 inserted into a seat portion 12213 formed on the shaft mounting portion 12211 and screwed into a threaded hole portion 1230, which is the female threaded portion of the mounting portion 123, and its head 1240 is fastened to the seat portion 12213. The seat portion 12213 is located near the other end of the cleaning body body 122 and is separated from the other end of the cleaning body body 122 towards one end. The seat portion 12213 is formed in a direction that intersects or is perpendicular to the axial direction. Then, the mounting portion 123 is fixed to the cleaning body main portion 122 by the fixing member 124, so that the mounting portion 123 abuts against the seat portion 12213 and the other end of the shaft mounting portion 12211 is closed, and an internal space 125 is formed along the axial direction on one end side of the seat portion 12213 inside the shaft mounting portion 12211. That is, the internal space 125 is a recess whose outer circumference is partitioned by the shaft mounting portion 12211, whose other end is partitioned by the seat portion 12213 and the mounting portion 123, and whose one end is open, and it extends in the axial direction of the rotating cleaning body 12 inside the rotating cleaning body 12. In this embodiment, the head portion 1240 of the fixing member 124 is positioned so that it is exposed inside the internal space 125 at the end, i.e., the innermost part, of the internal space 125.

[0029] Furthermore, a holding mechanism 16 is formed by a fixing member 124, which is a first magnetic material, and a second magnetic material 133, which are arranged in the internal space 125 of the rotating cleaning body 12, to hold the rotating cleaning body 12 to the transmission unit 13. The rotating cleaning body 12 is held in a predetermined position where the end of the cleaning body body portion 122 on the transmission unit 13 side is close to or in contact with the transmission unit 13 at a predetermined distance. In this embodiment, a holding mechanism 16 is provided for each rotating cleaning body 12. Note that in this embodiment, one holding mechanism 16 and the other holding mechanism 16 have left-right inverted shapes and configurations, so in order to clarify the explanation, only one holding mechanism 16 will be described.

[0030] A magnetic force, or in this embodiment, a magnetic attraction, is generated between the second magnetic material 133 and the first magnetic material, which is the fixed member 124. This magnetic force causes the rotating cleaning body 12 to be held in the transmission section 13 by the holding mechanism 16. In this embodiment, the second magnetic material 133 is a magnet, but it is not limited to this; it is sufficient if at least one of the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material 133 is a magnet.

[0031] The second magnetic body 133 can be positioned arbitrarily as long as it is in a position that allows a magnetic force to be applied between it and the first magnetic body on the rotating cleaning body 12 side, in order to hold the rotating cleaning body 12 in the transmission unit 13. For example, in this embodiment, as shown in Figures 1 and 3(b), the fixing member 124, which is the first magnetic body, is located at the innermost part of the internal space 125 into which the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission unit 13 is inserted, so the second magnetic body 133 is attached to the tip portion, i.e., the free end, of the holding shaft portion 132. The structure for attaching the second magnetic body 133 to the holding shaft portion 132 can be arbitrary, but in this embodiment, the second magnetic body 133 is press-fitted and held at the tip portion of the holding shaft portion 132. In the illustrated example, the holding shaft portion 132 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a magnetic body receiving portion 1321 into which the second magnetic body 133 is press-fitted is formed at its tip.

[0032] In this embodiment, the second magnetic body 133 is, for example, a rotating body, and in the illustrated example, it is cylindrical. The outer diameter of the second magnetic body 133 is equal to or approximately equal to the inner diameter of the magnetic body receiving portion 1321. As shown in Figures 4(a) and 4(b), the magnetic body receiving portion 1321 has a plurality of support portions 1322 formed on its inner circumferential surface that abut against the outer circumferential surface of the second magnetic body 133. The support portions 1322 are rib-shaped and project radially, and are formed along the axial direction of the holding shaft portion 132. In this embodiment, the support portions 1322 are ribs twisted in the circumferential direction, and are equally or approximately equally distributed in the circumferential direction of the holding shaft portion 132. The outer circumferential surface of the second magnetic body 133 is supported by the support portions 1322, allowing the second magnetic body 133 to be mounted on the magnetic body receiving portion 1321 without eccentricity. The second magnetic body 133 mounted on the magnetic body receiving portion 1321 is flush or approximately flush with the tip of the holding shaft portion 132. Furthermore, the support portion 1322 is located at a distance from the tip of the holding shaft portion 132, towards the base end of the holding shaft portion 132. Therefore, a non-positioned portion 1323 is formed between the tip of the holding shaft portion 132 and the support portion 1322, that is, at the opening of the magnetic material receiving portion 1321, where the support portion 1322 is not located. This non-positioned portion 1323 makes it easier to press-fit the second magnetic material 133 into the magnetic material receiving portion 1321. This is achieved by first inserting the second magnetic material 133 into the non-positioned portion 1323 from the opening of the magnetic material receiving portion 1321, and then press-fitting the second magnetic material 133 while deforming the support portion 1322.

[0033] Preferably, the attachment of the rotating cleaning body 12 to the transmission unit 13 is guided by a guide portion 17 shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3(a). The guide portion 17 guides the rotating cleaning body 12 to move axially closer to the transmission unit 13 by rotating it circumferentially relative to the transmission unit 13. That is, the guide portion 17 guides the rotating cleaning body 12 to twist in the circumferential direction. The guide portion 17 is arranged twisted circumferentially with the axis of the rotating cleaning body 12 as its central axis and is located on either the rotating cleaning body 12 or the transmission unit 13. In this embodiment, the twist angle of the guide portion 17 is shown as approximately 90° in the circumferential direction, but it may be less than 90° or twisted by 90° or more. In this embodiment, the guide portion 17 is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission unit 13, and the guided portion 18 guided by the guide portion 17 is formed on the inner circumferential surface, i.e., within the internal space 125, of the shaft mounting portion 12211 of the cleaning body body portion 122 of the rotating cleaning body 12. In the illustrated example, the guide portion 17 is formed as a continuous groove extending in the axial direction, and the guided portion 18 is formed as a convex portion that fits into the guide portion 17. However, the guide portion 17 and the guided portion 18 may each have different configurations, such as one being convex and the other concave, or both being convex. Furthermore, the guide portion 17 is not limited to being continuous, but may be formed intermittently in the torsional direction. In the illustrated example, the guide portion 17 is located near the base end of the holding shaft portion 132 and is formed in multiple locations circumferentially on the outer circumferential surface of the holding shaft portion 132. In this embodiment, the guide portion 17 guides the rotating cleaning body 12 so that it is locked in place when it is rotated 90° in the circumferential direction. Preferably, when attaching the rotating cleaning body 12 to the transmission portion 13, the direction in which the rotating cleaning body 12 is rotated is opposite to the direction in which the rotating cleaning body 12 is rotated by the electric motor 11. In this embodiment, the rotating cleaning body 12 is guided by the guide portion 17 so that it approaches the transmission portion 13 by rotating it backward as it approaches the transmission portion 13 main body 130 of the transmission portion 13. For example, the twisting direction of the guide portion 17 is opposite to the twisting direction of the support portion 1322 (shown in Figure 4(a)).

[0034] In this embodiment, the guide portion 17 and the guided portion 18 are configured to abut in the axial direction, thereby restricting the axial position of the rotating cleaning body 12 relative to the transmission portion 13. That is, the guide portion 17 in this embodiment functions as a stopper for positioning the rotating cleaning body 12 axially relative to the transmission portion 13. However, the invention is not limited to this, and a stopper portion for positioning the rotating cleaning body 12 axially relative to the transmission portion 13 may be formed separately from the guide portion 17 or the guided portion 18 on at least one of the rotating cleaning body 12 or the transmission portion 13. When the rotating cleaning body 12 is positioned axially relative to the transmission portion 13, the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic body 133 may be in contact with each other, but preferably they are positioned apart from each other.

[0035] The suction port 1 described above is applied to the electric vacuum cleaner 2 shown in Figure 9. In this embodiment, the electric vacuum cleaner 2 is a suction type in which an electric blower 21, which is a suction source, is arranged in the vacuum cleaner body 20, and dust is sucked from the suction port 1 along with air into the separation unit 22 by the negative pressure generated by the driving of the electric blower 21. The electric vacuum cleaner 2 may be any type, such as floor-running type, canister type, stick type, upright type, or handheld type. In the illustrated example, the electric vacuum cleaner 2 is an example of a stick type electric vacuum cleaner. In the illustrated example, the suction port 1 is mechanically and fluidly connected to the vacuum cleaner body 20 by a connecting pipe 15, either indirectly or directly via a pipe 23 such as an extension pipe. The operation of the electric blower 3 and the operation of the rotating cleaning body 12 or electric motor 11 are set by the user by operating an operation switch 24. The operation switch 24 is provided on the vacuum cleaner body 20 or on the gripping part 25 for gripping operation. Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner body 20 is equipped with a main unit control unit 26 that operates the electric blower 21 according to the operation set by the operation switch 24. The main unit control unit 26 is electrically connected to the control unit 14 of the suction port 1. Some or all of the functions of the control unit 14 may be integrated into the main unit control unit 26. In addition, the electric vacuum cleaner 2 is equipped with a power supply unit 27. In this embodiment, the power supply unit 27 is a battery or a secondary battery, but it is not limited to these and may be an AC-DC adapter or a cord reel device that draws power from an external power source such as a commercial power supply.

[0036] Next, the cleaning operation of the vacuum cleaner 2 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0037] During cleaning, the user grasps the gripping part 25 and operates the operation switch 24, which causes the main unit control 26 to start the electric blower 21, and with the suction port body 1 placed on the area to be cleaned, the control unit 14 starts the rotating cleaning body 12 via the electric motor 11. In this embodiment, the rotating cleaning body 12 is rotated by the electric motor 12 in the direction with the upper side forward and the lower side backward, the so-called forward direction. The negative pressure generated by the operation of the electric blower 21 acts on the pipe body 23 and the suction port 1050 of the suction port body 1 via the separation part 22. As the user moves the suction port body 1 back and forth alternately on the area to be cleaned using the gripping part 25, dust on the area to be cleaned is sequentially sucked in along with air through the suction port 1050, connecting pipe 15, pipe body 23, and into the separation part 22. Furthermore, as the rotating cleaning body 12 rotates, the main cleaning member of the main cleaning unit 120 and the sub-cleaning member of the sub-cleaning unit 121 come into contact with the area to be cleaned, and the dust scraped off or removed from the area to be cleaned is sucked in through the suction port 1050 located behind it. The dust-laden air sucked into the separation unit 22 has the dust separated and collected in the separation unit 22. The air from which the dust has been separated is cooled by the electric blower 21 and then discharged to the outside of the vacuum cleaner body 20.

[0038] To describe the operation of the rotating cleaning body 12 in more detail, the rotating cleaning body 12 rotates integrally with the transmission unit 13 as the rotation of the electric motor 11 is transmitted via the transmission unit 13. Because the main cleaning unit 120 is twisted in the circumferential direction, the main cleaning member of the main cleaning unit 120 that contacts the area to be cleaned continuously contacts the area to be cleaned as the rotating cleaning body 12 rotates, and dust is removed from the area to be cleaned within the range in the left-right direction in which the main cleaning unit 120 is located. As for the auxiliary cleaning unit 121, since it is located close to both sides of the case body 10 of the suction port body 1, for example, by moving the side of the suction port body 1 to an area to be cleaned located in a corner such as the corner of a room, the auxiliary cleaning member of the auxiliary cleaning unit 121 comes into contact with the area to be cleaned, and dust is removed from the area to be cleaned near the corner.

[0039] Regarding the attachment and detachment of the rotating cleaning body 12 to the suction port body 1, for example, when attaching the rotating cleaning body 12 to the transmission unit 13, the cleaning body main body 122 of the rotating cleaning body 12 is positioned coaxially with respect to the holding shaft 132 of the transmission unit 13, and the tip of the holding shaft 132 is inserted into the internal space 125 of the shaft mounting portion 12211 of the rotating cleaning body 12. When the rotating cleaning body 12 is rotated, the fitting of the guide portion 17 and the guided portion 18 guides the rotating cleaning body 12 axially so that it approaches the transmission unit main body 130 of the transmission unit 13.

[0040] When the rotating cleaning body 12 is guided to a predetermined position close to the transmission unit body 130 of the transmission unit 13, the rotating cleaning body 12 is held in the predetermined position relative to the transmission unit 13 by the magnetic force acting between the head 1240 of the fixing member 124, which is the first magnetic material located in the internal space 125 of the rotating cleaning body 12, and the second magnetic material 133, which is positioned at the tip of the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission unit 13. In this embodiment, in this state, the head 1240 of the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic material 133 are positioned opposite each other without contact.

[0041] Although Figure 1 shows an example of a structure in which the right-side rotating cleaning body 12 is held by the transmission unit 13, the left-side rotating cleaning body 12 is symmetrical or nearly symmetrical to the right-side rotating cleaning body 12, and its basic holding structure is the same; therefore, its illustration and explanation are omitted.

[0042] On the other hand, when performing maintenance on the rotating cleaning body 12, rotating the rotating cleaning body 12 in the opposite direction to the holding operation described above causes the rotating cleaning body 12 to move away from the transmission unit 13, and the rotating cleaning body 12 can be removed from the transmission unit 13 against the magnetic force acting between the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic body 133.

[0043] Thus, according to one embodiment, the rotating cleaning body 12 is held in a predetermined position relative to the transmission unit 13 by the magnetic force acting between the first magnetic material, which is the fixing member 124, and the second magnetic material 133. This eliminates the need for, for example, engagement between lock shapes provided on the rotating cleaning body 12 and the transmission unit 13, preventing wear caused by repeated attachment and detachment of the rotating cleaning body 12, stabilizing the mounting load, and enabling stable holding of the rotating cleaning body 12. Furthermore, compared to conventional examples such as holding the rotating cleaning body 12 by clamping it in the axial direction with a case body, the rotating cleaning body 12 can be held stably with a simpler configuration, and there are fewer layout constraints.

[0044] Furthermore, if the rotating cleaning body 12 temporarily detaches from the transmission unit 13 due to an impact that occurs during transportation or delivery after leaving the factory, for example, in conventional cases where the rotating cleaning body 12 is held in the transmission unit 13 by a locking mechanism, it is difficult to return it to its original position. In contrast, in this embodiment, the magnetic force acting between the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic body 133 allows the rotating cleaning body 12 to return to its predetermined position.

[0045] Furthermore, by providing a guide section 17 that guides the rotating cleaning body 12 to move axially closer to the transmission section 13 by rotating it circumferentially, even if the magnetic force holding the rotating cleaning body 12 between the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic material 133 is released due to an impact such as an external force applied to the rotating cleaning body 12, when the electric motor 11 is operated, the transmission section 13 rotates, and the guide section 17 guides the rotating cleaning body 12 in a direction toward the transmission section 13, bringing the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic material 133 closer together, thereby restoring the magnetic force holding of the holding mechanism 16.

[0046] Furthermore, the guide section 17 guides the rotating cleaning body 12 toward the transmission section 13 by rotating it in the opposite direction to the rotation direction of the rotating cleaning body 12 by the electric motor 11. Therefore, when the rotating cleaning body 12 rotated by the electric motor 11 comes into contact with the part to be cleaned and a load is generated in the opposite direction to the rotation direction, the load is applied in a direction that brings the rotating cleaning body 12 toward the transmission section 13, making it less likely for the holding mechanism 16 to detach.

[0047] By positioning the first magnetic material, the fixing member 124, at the end of the internal space 125, and the second magnetic material 133 at the tip of the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission portion 13 which is inserted into the internal space 125, the second magnetic material 133 is exposed when the rotating cleaning body 12 is removed from the transmission portion 13. Therefore, even if iron debris or other particles adhere to it due to magnetic force, they can be easily removed. Furthermore, since the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic material 133 are not exposed to the outside when the rotating cleaning body 12 is held in the transmission portion 13, it is less likely for dust and iron debris to be attracted by magnetic force during use, and it is less likely for the magnetic force to have an adverse effect on, for example, the electric motor 11. Moreover, since the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic material 133 are in close proximity to each other when applying magnetic force, it is possible to hold the rotating cleaning body 12 without increasing the magnetic force, it is possible to use a small magnetic material, miniaturization is possible, and the magnetic force has a less impact on, for example, the electric motor 11.

[0048] With the rotating cleaning body 12 held in a predetermined position relative to the transmission unit 13, the fixing member 124 and the second magnetic body 133 are in close proximity, spaced apart, or not in contact with each other. Therefore, the axial relative position of the rotating cleaning body 12 with respect to the transmission unit 13 is not restricted by their abutment. Thus, even if dust adheres to the fixing member 124 or the second magnetic body 133, axial lifting due to the pinching of this dust does not occur, and the relative position of the rotating cleaning body 12 with respect to the transmission unit 13 is precisely restricted by predetermined stopper parts, such as the abutment between the guide part 17 and the guided part 18. As a result, even if there are variations in molding, the rotating cleaning body 12 can be reliably held in a predetermined position. Therefore, gaps are less likely to occur between the flange part 12212 or dust collection part of the rotating cleaning body 12 and the cleaning body support part 104, and lint, hair, etc. are less likely to enter the shaft due to these gaps.

[0049] By using a steel fixing member 124 as the first magnetic material and a magnet as the second magnetic material 133, dust such as iron debris is less likely to adhere to the fixing member 124, which is the first magnetic material located in the innermost part of the internal space 125, which is difficult to maintain directly, due to magnetic force. Furthermore, the second magnetic material 133, which is located at the tip of the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission unit 13, is exposed when the rotating cleaning body 12 is removed from the transmission unit 13, so even if iron debris adheres to it due to magnetic force, it can be easily removed.

[0050] Since a portion of the fixing member 124 that fixes the cleaning body main body 122, which is the first component of the rotating cleaning body 12, and the mounting part 123, which is the second component, in the axial direction functions as the first magnetic material, there is no need to provide a separate magnetic material on the rotating cleaning body 12 to generate a magnetic force with the second magnetic material 133, and a separate configuration for attaching the magnetic material is not required. Furthermore, costs can be reduced by sharing parts, and an increase in the weight of the rotating cleaning body 12 can be suppressed.

[0051] Furthermore, since the second magnetic material 133 is held in place by the magnetic material receiving portion 1321 by the rib-shaped support portion 1322, the second magnetic material 133 can be held without eccentricity with respect to the holding shaft portion 132. As a result, the rotational balance is less likely to be disrupted when the rotating cleaning body 12 is rotated at high speed by the electric motor 11.

[0052] Furthermore, by equipping the vacuum cleaner 2 with the above-mentioned suction port body 1, a vacuum cleaner 2 with a simple structure and good design can be realized.

[0053] (Second embodiment) Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 10. Note that components and operations similar to those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their descriptions are omitted.

[0054] In this embodiment, the mounting member 134 shown in Figure 10(b) is used to attach the second magnetic material 133 to the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission portion 13.

[0055] The mounting member 134 is, for example, a screw. That is, the mounting member 134 integrally has a head 1340 and an axial threaded portion 1341 connected to the head 1340. In the illustrated example, the mounting member 134 is, for example, a countersunk screw, with the head 1340 formed in a truncated cone shape and the threaded portion 1341 connected to the smaller diameter side of the head 1340. Alternatively, the mounting member 134 may be a third magnetic material made of, for example, steel.

[0056] The second magnetic material 133 has a recess 1330 for receiving the head 1340 of the mounting member 134, and an insertion portion 1331 through which the screw portion 1341 is inserted. The recess 1330 is recessed at one end of the second magnetic material 133. In this embodiment, the recess 1330 is a truncated conical counterbore into which the head 1340 of the mounting member 134 is fitted. As shown in Figure 10(a), the head 1340 of the mounting member 134 fitted into the recess 1330 is flush or substantially flush with the end face of the second magnetic material 133.

[0057] Furthermore, a screw hole 1324, which is a female screw portion into which the screw portion 1341 of the mounting member 134 is screwed, is formed at the tip of the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission portion 13.

[0058] Then, the second magnetic body 133 is aligned with the holding shaft portion 132, and the threaded portion 1341 of the mounting member 134 is inserted into the insertion portion 1331 of the second magnetic body 133 and screwed into the threaded hole portion 1324. This fastens the mounting member 1340 with its head 1340 fitted into the recess 1330 of the second magnetic body 133, and the second magnetic body 133 is fixed to the tip of the holding shaft portion 132. In this state, in this embodiment, the second magnetic body 133 is fixed in a position that protrudes from the tip of the holding shaft portion 132.

[0059] Therefore, the cleaning body portion 122 of the rotating cleaning body 12 is positioned coaxially with respect to the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission portion 13, and the tip of the holding shaft portion 132 is inserted into the internal space 125 of the shaft mounting portion 12211 of the rotating cleaning body 12 and the rotating cleaning body 12 is rotated. Due to the fitting of the guide portion 17 and the guided portion 18, the rotating cleaning body 12 is guided axially so that it approaches the transmission portion body 130 of the transmission portion 13. When the rotating cleaning body 12 is guided to a predetermined position close to the transmission portion body 130 of the transmission portion 13, the rotating cleaning body 12 is held in the predetermined position relative to the transmission portion 13 by the magnetic force acting between the head portion 1240 of the fixing member 124, which is the first magnetic body located in the internal space 125 of the rotating cleaning body 12, and the second magnetic body 133 and mounting member 134 located at the tip of the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission portion 13.

[0060] As a result, wear caused by repeated attachment and detachment of the rotating cleaning body 12 does not occur, the mounting load is stable, and the rotating cleaning body 12 can be held stably. This allows the rotating cleaning body 12 to be held stably with a simple configuration, and there are fewer layout constraints, thus achieving the same effects as the first embodiment.

[0061] Furthermore, since the mounting member 134 for fixing the second magnetic material 133 to the holding shaft portion 132 is made of a magnetic material, the magnetic force acting between the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material 133 in the holding mechanism 16 is not impaired by the mounting member 134.

[0062] In each embodiment, multiple magnetic materials may be used in series depending on the required magnetic force.

[0063] Furthermore, the holding mechanism 16 that holds one rotating cleaning body 12 in the transmission unit 13 and the holding mechanism 16 that holds the other rotating cleaning body 12 in the transmission unit 13 do not necessarily have the same structure, as long as they do not deviate from the spirit of this embodiment.

[0064] Furthermore, although the suction port section 1 is shown as an example in which a pair of rotating cleaning bodies 12 are cantilevered and supported by a transmission section 13, it is not limited to this configuration. In other cases, one axial end of a single rotating cleaning body 12 may be connected to the transmission section 13, and the other end may be held by bearing sections on both sides of the case body 10.

[0065] Furthermore, for the first magnetic material of the holding mechanism 16, any other magnetic structural component may be used in addition to the fixing member 124 for fixing the cleaning body main body 122 and the mounting part 123 in the rotating cleaning body 12, or a magnetic material specifically for the holding mechanism 16 may be used. Similarly, for the second magnetic material 133, any magnetic structural component may be used on the transmission part 13 side.

[0066] Furthermore, the arrangement of the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material can be set arbitrarily, as long as the rotating cleaning body 12 can be held against the transmission unit 13 by the action of magnetism. In other words, the arrangement of the first magnetic material in the rotating cleaning body 12 and the arrangement of the second magnetic material in the transmission unit 13 or case body 10 can be set so that the rotating cleaning body 12 can be held toward the transmission unit 13 by applying magnetic force to the rotating cleaning body 12. For example, the first magnetic material may be placed at one end of the shaft mounting portion 12211 of the rotating cleaning body 12, and the second magnetic material may be placed at the opposite portion 1320 of the holding shaft portion 132 of the transmission unit 13. Alternatively, the first magnetic material may be placed inside the flange portion 12212 or the receiving portion 12210 of the rotating cleaning body 12, or on the end side of the transmission unit 13 or case body 10 facing the cleaning body support portion 104, and the second magnetic material may be placed on the side of the cleaning body support portion 104 or at the tip of the support projection portion 1040. In other words, the second magnetic material may not only be positioned in the transmission section 13, but may also be positioned, for example, in the cleaning body support section 104 of the case body 10, and should be positioned in a location that faces the rotating cleaning body 12 in the axial and / or radial direction, in a location where an axial magnetic force acts between it and the first magnetic material, preferably in a location that is in close proximity to or in contact with the first magnetic material in the axial direction. Furthermore, each magnetic material does not need to be exposed to the rotating cleaning body 12, the transmission section 13, the cleaning body support section 104, etc., and may be embedded or covered inside as long as it has sufficient magnetic force to hold the rotating cleaning body 12 in the transmission section 13.

[0067] Furthermore, while an example of attractive magnetic force was given, the rotating cleaning body 12 may also be held towards the transmission unit 13 by the repulsive force between opposing magnets.

[0068] While several embodiments of the present invention have been described, these embodiments are presented as examples only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to these embodiments. These novel embodiments can be carried out in a variety of other forms, and various omissions, substitutions, and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. These embodiments and their variations are included in the scope and spirit of the invention, as well as in the claims of the invention and its equivalents. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0069] 1. Inlet body 2. Electric vacuum cleaner 11. The electric motor is the driving source. 12 Rotating Cleaning Unit 13. Communication Department 17 Guide Section 122 The main body of the cleaning unit, which is the first component. 123 Second component: mounting part 124 The first magnetic material is the fixed member. 125 Interior space 133 Second magnetic material

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner equipped with a suction port, The aforementioned suction port body is Power source and Rotating cleaning body and A transmission unit is arranged coaxially with the rotating cleaning body and transmits power from the drive source to the rotating cleaning body to rotate the rotating cleaning body, The first magnetic material is arranged on the rotating cleaning body, The system includes a second magnetic material for holding the rotating cleaning body in a predetermined position relative to the transmission unit by magnetic force acting between it and the first magnetic material. A vacuum cleaner characterized by the following features.

2. The rotating cleaning body and the transmission unit are each provided with a guide unit that is circumferentially twisted and positioned on either the rotating cleaning body or the transmission unit, and guides the rotating cleaning body to move axially closer to the transmission unit by rotating it circumferentially relative to the transmission unit. The electric vacuum cleaner according to feature 1.

3. The rotating cleaning body has an internal space into which the transmission unit is inserted, The first magnetic material is arranged at the end of the internal space, The second magnetic material is positioned at the tip of the transmission section which is inserted into the internal space. The electric vacuum cleaner according to feature 1.

4. The rotating cleaning body is held in the predetermined position relative to the transmission unit, and the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material are in a separated position. An electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of features 1 to 3.

5. The first magnetic material is steel, The aforementioned second magnetic material is a magnet. An electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of features 1 to 3.

6. The rotating cleaning body comprises a first member, a second member, and a fixing member that fixes the first member and the second member in the axial direction. A portion of the fixing member functions as the first magnetic material. An electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of features 1 to 3.

7. Power source and Rotating cleaning body and A transmission unit is arranged coaxially with the rotating cleaning body and transmits power from the drive source to the rotating cleaning body to rotate the rotating cleaning body, The first magnetic material is arranged on the rotating cleaning body, The transmission section has a second magnetic material arranged therein, The magnetic force acting between the first magnetic material and the second magnetic material holds the rotating cleaning body in a predetermined position relative to the transmission unit. A suction port body characterized by the following features.

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