vacuum cleaner

Abstract

To provide an electric vacuum cleaner that is smaller and lighter while preventing deterioration in assembly workability. [Solution] The electric vacuum cleaner 100 of the present invention comprises a dust collection unit 2, a vacuum cleaner body 1 that houses an electric blower 40 that generates suction force, and a storage battery 3 that supplies power to the electric blower 40. The vacuum cleaner body 1 comprises a motor case section 11 that encloses an electric blower 40 and a drive circuit board 50a that drives the electric blower 40, and has a front opening 110a, and a handle section 12 equipped with an operation switch 13 for instructing the operation and stopping of the electric blower 40. The motor inner case 60 is equipped with an electric blower 40 and a drive circuit board 50a, and with the electric blower 40 and drive circuit board 50a installed, the motor inner case 60 is inserted through the front opening 110a of the motor case section 11.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner.

Background Art

[0002] In an electric vacuum cleaner, there are provided a main body case that forms an outer shell and has wheels for traveling on the floor surface, a dust collection chamber partitioned on the front side of the main body case and where a paper pack is mounted, and an electric blower chamber partitioned on the rear side of the main body case and where an electric blower is mounted.

[0003] The electric blower is housed in a case with openings on the front and upper surfaces, and a filter for capturing fine dust contained in the exhaust air of the electric blower is disposed at the upper surface opening of the case. When mounting the electric blower in the electric blower chamber, the electric blower is housed in the case and mounted in the electric blower chamber in that state. Further, a control board for controlling the electric blower is provided at the outer rear of the case. As such an electric vacuum cleaner, for example, there is the technology described in Patent Document 1. The electric vacuum cleaner described in Patent Document 1 is generally called a canister (floor moving type) for moving the electric vacuum cleaner on the floor surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] In recent years, in electric vacuum cleaners, a cordless type equipped with a rechargeable battery is becoming the mainstream. In a cordless electric vacuum cleaner, for example, there is a stick type equipped with a hand-held handle on a cleaner main body that houses a dust collection chamber and an electric blower. In a stick type electric vacuum cleaner, in order to improve the operability, miniaturization and weight reduction are required. When miniaturizing an electric vacuum cleaner, it is necessary to consider the assembly property of each component.

[0006] In the vacuum cleaner described in Patent Document 1, the electric blower is housed in a case and mounted in the electric blower compartment. However, the control board is located outside the case, so the electric blower and the control board must be assembled separately, resulting in poor assembly efficiency. Furthermore, because the electric blower and the control board are separated by the case, the wiring work connecting the electric blower and the control board is also difficult. This deterioration in assembly efficiency is particularly pronounced in stick-type vacuum cleaners, where miniaturization and weight reduction are required, and there is limited space for assembling components.

[0007] The object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and provide an electric vacuum cleaner that is smaller and lighter while preventing deterioration of assembly workability. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] To achieve the above objective, the present invention provides an electric vacuum cleaner comprising a dust collection unit, a vacuum cleaner body housing an electric blower that generates suction force, and a storage battery that supplies power to the electric blower, wherein the vacuum cleaner body comprises a motor case portion having a front opening and containing the electric blower and a drive circuit board that drives the electric blower, and a handle portion having an operation switch for instructing the operation and stopping of the electric blower, and a motor inner case for mounting the electric blower and the drive circuit board, and the motor inner case is inserted from the front opening of the motor case portion with the electric blower and the drive circuit board mounted. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner that is smaller and lighter while preventing deterioration in assembly workability. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention in a state where it is stored in the vertical direction. [Figure 2] This is an exploded perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 3] Figure 2 shows a side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 as seen from the left. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a plan view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 6] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line VI-VI. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the left front. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the right rear. [Figure 9] This is an exploded perspective view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 10] This is a perspective view showing part of the assembly status of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a top view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, as seen from above. [Figure 12] This is a bottom view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from below. [Figure 13] This is a left side view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the left. [Figure 14] This is a right side view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the right. [Figure 15] This is a front view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, as seen from the front. [Figure 16] This is a front view of the storage battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, as seen from the rear. [Figure 17] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVII-XVII. [Figure 18A] This is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the left rear. [Figure 18B] This is a perspective view of a modified example of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the left rear. [Figure 19] This is an exploded perspective view of the motor assembly 400 and motor inner case 60 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. [Figure 20A] Perspective view of the motor assembly 400 according to Example 2 of the present invention mounted on the motor inner case 60 as seen from below. [Figure 20B] Perspective view of a modified example of the motor assembly 400 according to Example 2 of the present invention mounted on the motor inner case 60 as seen from below. [Figure 21] Perspective view showing the assembled state of the motor case portion 11 according to Example 2 of the present invention. [Figure 22] External perspective view of the motor case portion 11 and the motor front cover 15 according to Example 2 of the present invention. [Figure 23] Perspective view of the dust collection portion 2 according to Example 3 of the present invention. <00001​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​This is a perspective view of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, viewed from above. [Figure 36] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXXVI-XXXVI. [Figure 37] This is a left side view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 38] This is a rear view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 39] This is a front view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 40] This is a bottom view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 41] This is a right side view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 42] This is a top view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 43] This is a rear view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 44] This is a front view of a vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 45] This is a right side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 46] This is a left side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 47] This is a top view of a vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 48] This is a bottom view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 49] This is a left side view of the electric vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention in a state of use. [Figure 50] This is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Figure 51] This is a rear perspective view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In principle, the same reference numerals are used for the same elements in all the drawings. Furthermore, descriptions of parts having the same function will be omitted. It should be noted that the configurations described below are merely embodiments, and it is not intended that the embodiments of the present invention are limited to the following specific embodiments.

[0012] In the following embodiment, when a user is using an electric vacuum cleaner, the direction of the ceiling is defined as "up," the direction of the surface to be cleaned as "down," the direction forward as "forward," the direction backward as "backward," the direction to the left hand as "left," and the direction to the right hand as "right," from the user's perspective. [Examples]

[0013] Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention in a vertically stored state. Figure 37 is a left side view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 38 is a rear view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 39 is a front view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 40 is a bottom view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 41 is a right side view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 42 is a top view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 43 is a rear view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 44 is a front view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 45 is a right side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 46 is a left side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 47 is a top view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 48 is a bottom view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 49 is a left side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention in use. Figure 50 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner 100 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 51 is a rear perspective view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0014] As shown in Figure 1, the vacuum cleaner 100 of this embodiment can be used in various ways, such as handheld and stick configurations, for cleaning. The vacuum cleaner 100 can be used in stick configuration by connecting the extension tube 300 (accessory) and the standard nozzle 200 (accessory) to the vacuum cleaner body 1. The vacuum cleaner 100 can be stored upright in the vertical direction on a support stand (not shown). The vacuum cleaner 100 can also be used with a small nozzle (accessory), a broom-type nozzle (accessory), and an extension hose (accessory), all of which are not shown. The standard nozzle 200 is a power brush type in which the brush is rotated by a motor.

[0015] Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. In the drawings following Figure 2, the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions as viewed from the vacuum cleaner body 1 are shown as appropriate. Figure 3 is a side view of the electric vacuum cleaner 100 in the state shown in Figure 2, viewed from the left side. Figure 4 is a perspective view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 5 is a plan view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0016] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is composed of a vacuum cleaner body 1, a dust collection unit 2, a storage battery 3, and an airtight sealing member 90.

[0017] The vacuum cleaner body 1 is composed of a main body section 10, a motor case section 11, a handle section 12, and a motor front cover 15.

[0018] The main body 10 has a connection port 10a (suction port) to which an extension tube 300 (see Figure 1) and a standard suction nozzle 200 (see Figure 1) are connected. This connection port 10a is molded from the same resin as the main body 10, motor case 11, handle 12, and motor front cover 15. The connection port 10a has a roughly circular opening and is formed facing forward. Accessories such as the aforementioned extension tube 300, standard suction nozzle 200, small suction nozzle (not shown), and broom-shaped suction nozzle (not shown) (hereinafter sometimes collectively referred to as attachments) can be connected to the connection port 10a.

[0019] The main body 10 is equipped with a detachable dust collection unit 2 and an introduction pipe 14 (see Figure 5) that sends air containing dust and debris drawn in from the connection port 10a to the dust collection unit 2. Below the main body 10, the motor case 11 is fixed by screws or the like. The motor case 11 consists of a motor housing 110 that houses the electric blower 40 (see Figure 6), a battery fixing 111 that secures the storage battery 3, and a downward projection 112 that protrudes downward from the motor housing 110.

[0020] The motor case section 11 contains an electric blower 40 (see Figure 6) and a drive circuit board 50a (see Figure 6). A motor front cover 15 is positioned on the front of the motor case section 11, and a circular intake opening 15a is formed therein, into which clean air collected by the dust collection section 2 is drawn in. The motor front cover 15 is provided with a DC jack 17 for connecting to a DC adapter and supplying power to the storage battery 3 for charging, and an insertion opening 19 into which the rear tip of the locking member 2k, which will be described later, is inserted.

[0021] The handle portion 12 is located on the rear side of the main body portion 10 and extends in the front-to-back direction, forming a roughly L-shape. An operation switch 13 is provided on the upper surface of the handle portion 12. The operation switch 13 is a switch that gives instructions to start and stop the motor for driving the brushes provided on the electric blower 40 and the standard suction port 200.

[0022] A release button 18 is provided at the upper front end of the main body 10, which is operated when removing accessories such as the extension tube 300. By pressing this release button 18, the lock between the main body 10 and the accessories is released, and the accessories can be removed from the main body 10.

[0023] Furthermore, an airtight sealing member 90 can be attached to the front end of the main body 10. This airtight sealing member 90 has a roughly circular cylindrical body 91. This cylindrical body 91 has a brush section 91a at its tip, which is made of a bundle of soft bristles. The brush section 91a has bristles attached at intervals in multiple places and is made of an elastically deformable (flexible) material such as nylon resin. By attaching such an airtight sealing member 90 to the connection port 10a of the main body 10, dirt can be swept from the surface to be cleaned, and the suction power can be improved by pressing the tip of the airtight sealing member 90 against the floor surface. In addition, by forming the connection section 91b from a hard material, the airtight sealing member 90 can be attached to the main body 10 in a stable state without falling off.

[0024] In this embodiment, the brush portion 91a is described as being formed of a brush made of nylon bristles or the like, but it is not limited to this. For example, it may be formed in an annular shape with soft resin at the tip. That is, the cylindrical body 91 is constructed by integrally molding two different members, an elastic portion and a connecting portion 91b. The elastic portion is made of an elastically deformable (flexible) material such as an elastomer. By doing so, the entire tip of the airtight-holding member 90 can be brought into close contact with the floor surface, and the suction force can be improved compared to when there is no contact.

[0025] Alternatively, the cylindrical body 91 may be formed from the same material as the connecting portion 91b, and the tip of the cylindrical body 91 may be provided with short, electrostatically flocked bristles arranged in an annular pattern. Even with such electrostatic flocking, it becomes possible to bring the tip of the airtight-holding member 90 into close contact with the floor surface, similar to the elastomer, thereby improving the suction power.

[0026] A vertically elongated fitting groove 10b is formed on the outer surface of the connection port 10a of the main body 10. One fitting groove 10b is formed on each of the left and right sides. In addition, a horizontally elongated fitting groove (not shown) is formed on the lower surface of the connection port 10a of the main body 10. A projection (not shown) is formed at the base end of the connecting part 91b that engages with the fitting groove 10b and the fitting groove (not shown) to lock into place.

[0027] The storage battery 3 supplies power to the motor 40a (see Figure 6) of the electric blower 40 that generates suction force, and is composed of secondary batteries such as lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride batteries.

[0028] The dust collection unit 2 is of the cyclone type and has the function of separating dust-containing air sucked in from the inlet pipe 14 (see Figure 5) into dust and air, and collecting the dust. The dust collection unit 2 in this embodiment is made of transparent resin, but is not limited to that, and may be made of a resin that does not transmit light. The dust collection unit 2 is also positioned in front of the motor case 11 with its axial direction in the front-rear direction, and has a dust collection case 2a (outer cylinder) with a D-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction (front-rear direction). In addition, a roughly rectangular inlet 2b connected to the inlet pipe 14 is formed on the upper surface (side) of the dust collection unit 2. The dust-containing air flowing into this inlet 2b becomes a swirling flow, centrifugal force acts on the dust, and after being separated into dust and air within the dust collection unit 2, the air from which the dust has been separated is discharged from the rear (back) of the dust collection unit 2.

[0029] Furthermore, a bottom cover 2c, which opens and closes when disposing of dust accumulated in the dust collection unit 2, is rotatably supported on the front of the dust collection unit 2 (dust collection case 2a) via a hinge 2d. The hinge 2d is positioned towards the lower right side of the dust collection case 2a when viewed from the rear of the dust collection unit 2. In other words, when the dust collection unit 2 (dust collection case 2a) is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1 and the vacuum cleaner body 1 is viewed from the bottom cover 2c side, the axis of rotation of the hinge 2d is positioned at an angle to the horizontal. As a result, when the bottom cover 2c is opened, the bottom cover 2c is tilted so that the left side is lower. The bottom cover 2c operates to open and close the dust discharge port (lower opening 25b) for discharging dust accumulated in the dust collection unit.

[0030] The dust collection case 2a is composed of a dust containment chamber 2a1 located at the front and a filter containment chamber 2a2 located at the rear. The upper front end of the dust collection case 2a is provided with a lid locking member 2e that controls the opening and closing of the bottom cover 2c, and a lid support projection 2f adjacent to the lid locking member 2e and projecting forward (see Figures 23, 24, and 26). The lid locking member 2e has a claw portion, which hooks onto the projection 2c1 of the bottom cover 2c, thereby holding the bottom cover 2c in a closed position. The lid support projection 2f is inserted into an insertion hole 2c2 formed in the bottom cover 2c when the bottom cover 2c is closed. This restricts the lateral movement of the bottom cover 2c and prevents the claw portion of the lid locking member 2e from disengaging from the projection 2c1 of the bottom cover 2c.

[0031] Below the main body 10 is a single claw portion 10c that protrudes downward and extends towards the rear. At the upper front end of the dust collection unit 2 is an insertion portion 2h that opens forward and into which the claw portion 10c is inserted. At the lower rear end of the dust collection unit 2 is a locking member 2k that is biased to protrude towards the rear. At the lower front end of the vacuum cleaner body 1 (motor front cover 15) is an insertion opening 19 that opens forward and into which the rear tip of the locking member 2k is inserted. By sliding the locking member 2k forward, the rear tip of the locking member 2k comes out of the insertion opening 19, making it possible to move the rear part of the dust collection unit 2 downward. Furthermore, by pulling out the claw portion 10c that is inserted into the insertion portion 2h of the dust collection unit 2 from the insertion portion 2h, the dust collection unit 2 can be removed from the vacuum cleaner body 1. To attach the dust collection unit 2 to the vacuum cleaner body 1, simply reverse the operation of removing the dust collection unit 2. As shown in Figure 4, the dust collection unit 2 is mounted below the vacuum cleaner body 1 with the lid locking member 2e facing upwards. In other words, in the electric vacuum cleaner 100, the dust collection unit 2 is mounted below the main body 10 and in front of the motor case 11. As shown in Figure 5, with the dust collection unit 2 mounted on the main body 10 (vacuum cleaner body 1) and the vacuum cleaner body 1 viewed from above, the lid locking member 2e is positioned inward from the side wall 10d of the main body 10 (side wall of the vacuum cleaner body 1).

[0032] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting Figure 5 along the line VI-VI. As shown in Figure 6, the motor case 11 of the main body 10 houses the electric blower 40. The electric blower 40 consists of a fan 40b that generates suction force and a motor 40a that drives the fan 40b. Also housed inside the motor case 11, behind the electric blower 40, is a drive circuit board 50a that drives the vacuum cleaner 100 (electric blower 40) and a control circuit board 50b that controls it.

[0033] Furthermore, the drive circuit board 50a and the control circuit board 50b are located behind the electric blower 40. This allows the exhaust air from the electric blower 40 to be directed to the drive circuit board 50a and the control circuit board 50b, thereby cooling the components mounted on them. The exhaust air then passes through an exhaust port (not shown) and is discharged from the vacuum cleaner body 1.

[0034] The battery 3 can be made of, for example, a highly energy-efficient lithium-ion battery. The battery 3 is located below the handle 12. By placing the battery 3 at the rear end of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this way, the center of gravity is closer to the handle 12, making it easier to operate when the vacuum cleaner 100 is used with the tip facing upwards. Furthermore, since the battery 3 is exposed to the outside when attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1 and forms part of the appearance of the vacuum cleaner 100, design considerations are necessary. In particular, it is desirable to reduce the number of cut lines between the components that make up the battery 3, along with the design of the battery 3 itself. Means for solving this will be described below.

[0035] Figure 7 is a perspective view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the left front. Figure 8 is a perspective view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the right rear. Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 10 is a perspective view showing part of the assembly of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. Figure 11 is a top view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from above. Figure 12 is a bottom view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from below. Figure 13 is a left side view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the left. Figure 14 is a right side view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the right. Figure 15 is a front view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the front. Figure 16 is a front view of the battery 3 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the rear. Figure 17 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 11 taken along the line XVII-XVII.

[0036] The storage battery 3 is made of synthetic resin and its outer casing consists of a roughly semi-cylindrical battery case 31 having open front and top sections, and a battery cover 32 that covers the open front and top sections of the battery case 31. The battery case 31 houses the battery cells 33. The battery cover 32 has an L-shape when viewed from the side. That is, the battery cover 32 consists of a front covering portion 321 that covers the front of the battery case 31 and an upper covering portion 322 that covers the top of the battery case 31. Multiple parting lines PL, which are mold seams, are formed on the battery case 31 along the axial direction.

[0037] The storage battery 3 contains multiple battery cells 33, battery holders 34a and 34b that sandwich and hold the battery cells 33 from the front and rear directions, battery cell terminals 35a and 35b that are positioned in the front and rear directions of the battery cells 33 and electrically connected to the battery cells 33, battery sheets 36a and 36b that are positioned between the battery cell terminals 35a and the battery cover 32, and between the battery cell terminals 35b and the battery case 31, respectively, and a battery control board 37 that controls the charging and discharging of the battery cells 33. The battery control board 37 is mounted on top of the battery holders 34a and 34b.

[0038] In this embodiment, there are five battery cells 33. The five battery cells 33 are arranged so that their longitudinal direction is in the front-to-back direction, with three battery cells 33a in the upper row and two battery cells 33b in the lower row, arranged side by side in the left-to-right direction. In other words, the battery cells 33 are arranged in two layers in the vertical direction. The battery cells 33 have a cylindrical cross-section perpendicular to their longitudinal direction, and there is a gap above and below between adjacent battery cells 33 on the left and right. This gap is used to position the battery cells 33b in the lower row between adjacent battery cells 33a in the upper row. By arranging the battery cells 33 in this way, the installation space for the battery cells 33 can be reduced. The battery cells 33 are arranged so that their longitudinal direction is in the front-to-back direction and in the same direction as the handle portion 12 that extends in the longitudinal direction, so the balance of the battery cells 33 is stable, and the operability when the user grips the handle portion 12 and cleans can be improved.

[0039] The top of the battery control board 37 is provided with a connection terminal 37a that is electrically connected to the battery cell terminals 35a and 35b and also supplies power to the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0040] The upper covering portion 322 of the battery cover 32 is provided with a slide rail 322a for sliding the battery 3 in the front-to-back direction to attach it to the vacuum cleaner body 1 in a detachable manner, a terminal opening 322b into which the main body terminal 11d (see Figures 18A and B) on the vacuum cleaner body 1 side is inserted when the battery 3 is slid and attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, and a battery lock portion 323 for fixing the battery 3 to the main body. The connection terminal 37a is positioned to be located at the terminal opening 322b. The main body terminal 11d is electrically connected to the connection terminal 37a when inserted into the terminal opening 322b. As shown in Figure 15, the slide rail 322a is provided on the left and right sides of the battery cover 32, and is formed to extend upward from the surface of the battery cover 32 and then extend outward to the left and right. In other words, the slide rail 322a is formed in an inverted L shape when viewed from the front-to-back direction of the battery 3.

[0041] As shown in Figure 17, the battery lock portion 323 is formed integrally with the battery cover 32 (upper covering portion 322) and consists of a rising portion 323a extending upward from the upper covering portion 322 of the battery cover 32, a flat portion 323b extending rearward in the front-rear direction (horizontal direction) from the upper end of the rising portion 323a, a claw portion 323c protruding upward from the flat portion 323b, and an operating portion 323d extending upward from the rear end of the flat portion 323b. Since the battery lock portion 323 in this embodiment is formed integrally with the battery cover 32, the number of parts can be reduced, and the weight of the storage battery 3 can be reduced.

[0042] As shown in Figures 9, 10, and 16, a notch 31a is formed in the upper rear part of the battery case 31 to allow the operating part 323d to move downward. When the operating part 323d is pressed, the connection between the rising part 323a and the flat part 323b bends in the direction of the press, causing the flat part 323b, the claw part 323c, and the operating part 323d to move downward. The rising part 323a and the flat part 323b form an elastically deformable part. In addition, a battery cover mounting part 31b is formed in the upper part of the battery case 31 to support the left and right ends of the upper covering part 322 of the battery cover 32. The battery cover mounting part 31b is located below the end part 31e (end of the cylindrical part) of the battery case 31. Furthermore, a battery cover outer peripheral receiving part 31f is formed in the front part of the battery case 31 to receive the outer peripheral part 321d of the front covering part 321 of the battery cover 32. The outer diameter of the outer peripheral receiving portion 31f of the battery cover is larger than the outer diameter of the outer peripheral portion 321d of the front covering portion 321. Furthermore, the front covering portion 321 of the battery cover 32 has a fitting projection 321e that protrudes forward (towards the vacuum cleaner body) and fits into the vacuum cleaner body 1.

[0043] The front covering portion 321 of the battery cover 32 has an upper fixing projection 321a which rests on the battery fixing rib 11a of the vacuum cleaner body 1 (see Figures 18A and B), which will be described later, and a lower fixing recess 321b (fixing recess) into which the battery fixing projection 11b of the vacuum cleaner body 1 is inserted. The lower fixing recess 321b is recessed from the surface of the front covering portion 321 toward the rear in the front-rear direction. Furthermore, when the storage battery 3 is viewed from the front, the lower fixing recess 321b has a roughly triangular shape with the upper part protruding. In addition, the lower fixing recess 321b has a first lower fixing recess 321b1 which is small and roughly triangular in shape, and a second lower fixing recess 321b2 which is slightly larger than the first lower fixing recess 321b1. The second lower fixing recess 321b2 is recessed from the surface of the front covering portion 321 toward the rear in the front-rear direction, and the first lower fixing recess 321b1 is further recessed toward the rear in the front-rear direction from the rear end face of the second lower fixing recess 321b2.

[0044] A gap is created between adjacent battery cells 33b located in the lower section of the battery case 31. Of these gaps, the lower gap narrows as it goes from bottom to top. The lower fixing recess 321b is shaped like a roughly triangular shape with a protruding upper section to match the shape of the lower gap, and is positioned within the lower gap. This eliminates the need to create new space for the battery fixing rib 11a (see Figures 18A and B), allowing for a smaller and lighter storage battery 3.

[0045] As shown in Figure 9, after housing the battery cells 33, battery control board 37, etc., the battery cover 32 is slid with the upper covering portion 322 of the battery cover 32 placed on the battery cover mounting portion 31b. Then, with the open front and top of the battery case 31 closed, the battery cover 32 is fixed to the battery case 31 using screws. The battery case 31 is provided with a first screw boss 31c formed on the lower front and a second screw boss 31d formed on the upper rear. The front covering portion 321 of the battery cover 32 has a first screw hole 321c that corresponds to the first screw boss 31c, and the upper covering portion 322 of the battery cover 32 has a second screw hole 322d that corresponds to the second screw boss 31d. The first screw 351 is inserted into the first screw hole 321c and screwed into the first screw boss 31c. The second screw 352 is inserted into the second screw hole 322d and screwed into the second screw boss 31d. This integrates the battery case 31 and the battery cover 32, forming the storage battery 3. In this embodiment, the longitudinal direction of the first screw 351 and the first screw boss 31c is the front-to-back direction. The first screw boss 31c is positioned in the gap formed between adjacent storage batteries located vertically within the battery case 31 and the inside of the battery case 31. This eliminates the need to create a new space for the first screw boss 31c, allowing the storage battery 3 to be miniaturized.

[0046] In the state where the battery case 31 and the battery cover 32 are integrated, the left and right ends of the upper covering portion 322 of the battery cover 32, which forms the joint with the battery case 31, are covered by the end portion 31e (cylindrical end portion) of the battery case 31, and the outer circumference 321d of the front covering portion 321 of the battery cover 32 is covered by the outer circumference receiving portion 31f of the battery cover. In other words, when viewing the storage battery 3 from the left and right directions, the inter-component cut line that forms the joint between the battery case 31 and the battery cover 32 is not exposed to the outside and is covered by the battery case 31.

[0047] Next, the method for attaching the storage battery 3 to the vacuum cleaner body 1 will be explained using Figures 2 to 4 and Figures 6 to 18B. Figure 18A is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the left rear. Figure 18B is a perspective view of a modified example of the vacuum cleaner body 1 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, viewed from the left rear. The motor case portion 11 consists of a motor housing portion 110 and a battery fixing portion 111, and is fixed to the vacuum cleaner body 1. The motor housing portion 110 of the motor case portion 11 has a battery fixing rib 11a that is above the motor housing portion 110 and protrudes toward the rear in the front-rear direction of the vacuum cleaner body 1, a battery fixing projection 11b that is below the motor case portion 11 and protrudes toward the rear in the front-rear direction of the vacuum cleaner body 1, and a battery receiving portion 11c that protrudes toward the rear in the front-rear direction of the vacuum cleaner body 1 and is along the outer circumference of the motor case portion 11. The battery fixing rib 11a has a portion that extends in the left-right direction and a portion that extends downward, and is formed in two parts, left and right. The parts that extend downward reinforce the parts that extend to the left and right.

[0048] The upper part of the battery fixing portion 111 of the motor case portion 11 is provided with a main terminal 11d that is electrically connected to the connection terminal 37a of the storage battery 3, and a guide rail 11e that guides the slide rail 322a of the storage battery 3. In addition, a battery locking portion 11f that protrudes downward is formed on the upper rear part of the battery fixing portion 111 of the motor case portion 11. The battery fixing projection 11b has a roughly triangular shape with the upper part protruding when viewed from the rear of the motor case portion 11 (vacuum cleaner body 1). The shape of the battery fixing projection 11b is formed to match the shape of the lower fixing recess 321b of the storage battery 3.

[0049] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 18B, the battery fixing protrusion 11b may also have a first battery fixing protrusion 11b1 that is roughly triangular in shape with the upper part protruding when viewed from the rear of the motor case 11 (vacuum cleaner body 1), and a second battery fixing protrusion 11b2 located to the upper right and upper left of the first battery fixing protrusion 11b1. This allows the shape of the battery fixing protrusion 11b to match the two-tiered shape of the lower fixing recess 321b of the battery 3, thereby strengthening the fit between the vacuum cleaner body 1 and the battery 3. In addition, it prevents the installation of the wrong battery.

[0050] To attach the battery 3 to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the slide rail 322a of the battery 3 is aligned with the guide rail 11e of the battery fixing part 111 (motor case part 11), and the battery 3 is slid forward. When the battery 3 is slid forward, the upper fixing projection 321a of the battery 3 is placed on the battery fixing rib 11a of the motor housing part 110 (motor case part 11), and the battery fixing projection 11b of the motor housing part 110 (motor case part 11) is inserted into the lower fixing recess 321b of the battery 3. In addition, the fitting projection 321e of the battery 3 is inserted into the battery receiving part 11c along the outer circumference of the motor housing part 110 (motor case part 11). Furthermore, the inclined portion of the claw portion 323c of the battery lock portion 323 comes into contact with the battery locking portion 11f of the battery fixing portion 111 (motor case portion 11), causing the elastic deformation portion (upright portion 323a, flat portion 323b) to bend downward, allowing the claw portion 323c to overcome the battery locking portion 11f. As the elastic deformation portion returns to its original position, the claw portion 323c catches on the battery locking portion 11f, and the rechargeable battery 3 is fixed to the vacuum cleaner body 1 via the battery fixing portion 111. When removing the rechargeable battery 3 from the vacuum cleaner body 1, the operating portion 323d of the battery lock portion 323 is pressed down to avoid the claw portion 323c catching on the battery locking portion 11f, and then the rechargeable battery 3 is slid toward the rear of the vacuum cleaner body 1.

[0051] As mentioned above, in this embodiment, when viewed from the left or right direction, the inter-component cut line that forms the joint between the battery case 31 and the battery cover 32 is covered by the battery case 31 and is not exposed to the outside. Therefore, as shown in Figure 4, when the battery 3 is installed in the vacuum cleaner body 1, the inter-component cut line that forms the joint between the battery case 31 and the battery cover 32 is covered by the vacuum cleaner body 1 and is not exposed to the outside.

[0052] Although the claw portion 323c catches on the battery locking portion 11f and the storage battery 3 is fixed to the vacuum cleaner body 1 via the battery fixing portion 111, if the storage battery 3 is pulled strongly downwards, the claw portion 323c may go over the battery locking portion 11f and the storage battery 3 may come off the vacuum cleaner body 1. To prevent such unintended detachment of the battery, a downward-facing protrusion 324 is provided on the slide rail 322a. By providing the protrusion 324, rattling between the slide rail 322a and the guide rail 11e can be suppressed, the vertical movement of the storage battery can be suppressed, and the detachment of the storage battery 3 can be suppressed. In addition, as shown in Figures 18B and 20B, the main body terminal 11d may also have a T-shaped rib 50f. Furthermore, the terminal opening 322b has a T-shaped recess 325 corresponding to the T-shaped rib 50f of the main body terminal 11g. When the battery 3 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the T-shaped rib 50f and the T-shaped recess 325 engage with each other, thereby suppressing the vertical movement of the battery 3 and preventing it from falling out.

[0053] As shown in Figure 9, the connection terminal 37a has five convex terminals arranged in a row, but the leftmost terminal (positive terminal) is positioned further away from the other four terminals to prevent a short circuit caused by contact with the rightmost terminal (negative terminal). Correspondingly, the portion of the terminal opening 322b corresponding to the positive terminal is a blank space. The T-shaped recess 325 is provided in this blank space, which prevents the battery 3 from falling out without requiring additional space, and also contributes to miniaturization.

[0054] In this embodiment, when the storage battery 3 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the parting lines between the battery case 31 and the battery cover 32 are not exposed to the outside, thus improving the aesthetic design of the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the storage battery 3 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the storage battery 3 is supported by the battery fixing rib 11a, the battery fixing protrusion 11b, and the guide rail 11e. This reduces the stress applied to the battery locking part 323, suppresses damage to the battery locking part 323, and simplifies the structure.

[0056] Furthermore, the battery 3 can be removed from the vacuum cleaner body 1 by pressing the battery locking part 323 and avoiding snagging with the battery locking part 11f of the vacuum cleaner body 1, thus improving the ease of removing the battery 3. [Examples]

[0057] Next, Embodiment 2 of the present invention will be described using Figures 2 to 4 and Figures 19 to 22. Figure 19 is an exploded perspective view of the motor assembly 400 and motor inner case 60 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 20A is a perspective view from below of the motor assembly 400 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention mounted on the motor inner case 60. Figure 20B is a perspective view from below of a modified example of the motor assembly 400 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention mounted on the motor inner case 60. Figure 21 is a perspective view showing the assembled state of the motor case section 11 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Figure 22 is an external perspective view of the motor case section 11 and motor front cover 15 according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. Components common to Embodiment 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their detailed descriptions are omitted.

[0058] The motor case section 11, which is fixed below the main body section 10, has an outer casing consisting of a motor housing section 110 for housing the electric blower 40 and a battery fixing section 111 that extends from the top of the motor housing section 110 toward the rear. The upper surface of the battery fixing section 111 is provided with a terminal holder mounting section 111a for mounting the terminal holder 16.

[0059] The electric blower 40 consists of a fan 40b that generates suction force and a motor 40a that drives the fan 40b. Behind the electric blower 40 in the axial direction is a drive circuit board 50a that drives the vacuum cleaner 100. The drive circuit board 50a is positioned so that its flat surface is perpendicular to the axial direction of the electric blower 40. One end of the power cable 50c is connected to the drive circuit board 50a. The other end of the power cable 50c is connected to the main unit terminal 11d. The main unit terminal 11d is fixed to the terminal holder 16. The drive circuit board 50a is also provided with a first male connector 50d for electrical connection to the control circuit board 50b. A second male connector 50e for electrical connection to the control circuit board 50b is provided on a part of the main unit terminal 11d. Below the electric blower 40 is a DC jack 17 for supplying power to the storage battery 3 via the control circuit board 50b for charging.

[0060] In this embodiment, the motor assembly 400 is composed of an electric blower 40, a drive circuit board 50a, a control circuit board 50b, a power cable 50c, a first male connector 50d, a second male connector 50e, a main body terminal 11d, a terminal holder 16, and a DC jack 17. Since the motor assembly 400 is composed of multiple parts, the amount of work required to assemble them into the motor case 11 is considerable. A means to solve this problem will be described below.

[0061] In this embodiment, a motor inner case 60 is used to mount the motor assembly 400. The motor inner case 60 has an upper opening 60a that is open at the top, a front opening 60b that is open at the front, a control circuit board fixing part 60c located at the rear of the motor inner case 60 for fixing the control circuit board 50b, a cable fixing part 60d located above the control circuit board fixing part 60c for inserting and fixing the power cable 50c from above, and a DC jack fixing part 60e located at the lower front of the motor inner case 60 for fixing the DC jack 17. As a result, fixing parts for fixing multiple components are provided on the motor inner case 60, making it easier to position the components during assembly and improving ease of assembly. Furthermore, if each fixing part is made of a separate part, a fixing structure for fixing the fixing parts to each other is not required, which leads to miniaturization and weight reduction.

[0062] When mounting the motor assembly 400 into the motor inner case 60, the electric blower 40 and drive circuit board 50a are inserted through the upper opening 60a of the motor inner case 60, as shown in Figure 19. The electric blower 40 is positioned so that the intake port 40b1 of the fan 40b is located at the front opening 60b. After mounting the electric blower 40 and drive circuit board 50a into the motor inner case 60, the power cable 50c is inserted into the cable fixing part 60d to secure the power cable 50c. Next, the control circuit board 50b is fixed to the control circuit board fixing part 60c from the rear side, and the first male connector 50d and the second male connector 50e are connected to the female connectors of the control circuit board 50b, respectively. The control circuit board 50b is positioned so that its flat surface is perpendicular to the axial direction of the electric blower 40. Next, as shown in Figures 20A and 20B, the DC jack 17 is fixed to the DC jack fixing part 60e, the lead wire 17a extending from the DC jack 17 is wired to the bottom of the motor inner case 60, and the male lead wire connector 17b is connected to the female connector of the control circuit board 50b. The control circuit board 50b is also provided with a third female connector 50b1 into which the third male lead wire (not shown) extending from the operation board 13a (see Figure 6) of the operation switch 13 provided on the main body 10 is inserted. The motor assembly 400 mounted on the motor inner case 60 is as shown in the left diagram of Figure 21. By integrally molding the cable fixing part 60d and the control circuit board fixing part 60c, positioning becomes easier and the handling of the motor assembly as a component is improved.

[0063] Next, the motor inner case 60, which houses the motor assembly 400, is inserted through the front opening 110a of the motor case section 11, and the motor inner case 60 is housed in the motor housing section 110 of the motor case section 11. The terminal holder 16 passes through the motor housing section 110 and is placed on the terminal holder mounting section 111a formed on the upper surface of the battery fixing section 111. The DC jack fixing section 60e, which has the DC jack 17 fixed to it, is housed in the downward protrusion 112. When the motor inner case 60, which houses the motor assembly 400, is housed in the motor case section 11, it will look like the right diagram in Figure 22.

[0064] As shown in Figure 22, the motor assembly 400 is housed in the motor housing section 110 of the motor case section 11 via the motor inner case 60, the terminal holder 16 is placed on the terminal holder mounting section 111a formed on the upper surface of the battery fixing section 111, and the DC jack fixing section 60e, to which the DC jack 17 is fixed, is housed in the downward projection section 112.

[0065] As shown in Figure 21, the motor case 11 has a fixing claw 110d that protrudes downward. Furthermore, the motor inner case 60 has a fixing claw receiving portion 61. When inserting the motor assembly 400 into the motor case 11, the fixing claw receiving portion 61 provided on the motor inner case 60 contacts the fixing claw 110d provided on the motor case 11, thereby securing it. This allows the motor assembly 400 and the motor case 11 to be fixed without attaching the motor front cover 15, making the parts easier to handle and improving assembly efficiency. In addition, with this configuration, whether the dust collection unit 2 is a cyclone type or a paper bag type (not shown), as in this embodiment, the parts of the motor assembly 400 and the motor case 11 can be shared (modularized), reducing the number of parts and manufacturing costs when manufacturing vacuum cleaners with multiple dust collection methods.

[0066] After the motor assembly 400 is housed in the motor housing 110 of the motor case 11, the motor front cover 15 is attached to the front of the motor case 11. As shown in Figures 6 and 22, the motor front cover 15 is provided with a first front cover claw portion 15b and a second front cover claw portion 15c on the top and bottom, respectively. Above the motor housing 110 of the motor case 11, there is a first front cover fixing portion 110b into which the first front cover claw portion 15b is inserted, and the lower projection 112 of the motor case 11 is provided with a second front cover fixing portion 110c into which the second front cover claw portion 15c is inserted.

[0067] The motor front cover 15 is then fixed to the motor case 11 by inserting the first claw portion 15b of the front cover into the first fixing portion 110b of the front cover and the second claw portion 15c of the front cover into the second fixing portion 110c of the front cover. A DC jack opening 15d is formed in the motor front cover, and the DC jack 17 is exposed to the outside through this DC jack opening 15d. The motor front cover is also provided with an insertion opening 19 into which the rear tip of the locking member 2k of the dust collection unit 2 is inserted. Furthermore, the motor front cover 15 has a circular suction opening 15a that communicates with the suction port 40b1 of the electric blower 40.

[0068] In this embodiment, the electric blower 40, drive circuit board 50a, and control circuit board 50b are mounted in the motor inner case 60 and then inserted into the motor case section 11, thereby improving the ease of assembly of the vacuum cleaner 100. Furthermore, since the drive circuit board 50a and control circuit board 50b are mounted in the motor inner case 60, damage to the circuit boards when the vacuum cleaner 100 is dropped can be suppressed. In addition, since the motor case section 11, which constitutes the exterior of the vacuum cleaner body, can be made from a single cylindrical part, the cut lines between parts do not appear on the exterior, improving the aesthetic design of the vacuum cleaner body. [Examples]

[0069] Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described using Figures 23 to 36. Figure 23 is a perspective view of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Figure 24 is a top view of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, viewed from above. Figure 25 is a cross-sectional view of Figure 24 cut along the line XXV-XXV. Figure 26 is an exploded perspective view of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Figure 27 is a side view showing the bottom cover 2c of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention in an open state. Figure 28 is a front view of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, with the bottom cover 2c open, viewed from the front. Figure 29 is an exploded perspective view of the inner cylinder 20 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. Figure 30 is a front view of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, with the bottom cover 2c and inner cylinder 20 removed, viewed from the front. Figure 31 is a front view of the inner cylinder 20 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, viewed from the front. Figure 32 is a rear view of the inner cylinder 20 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, viewed from the rear. Figure 33 is a perspective view of the bottom cover 2c of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, viewed from the back side. Components common to Embodiments 1 and 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and their detailed descriptions are omitted. When describing the dust collection unit 2, it is assumed that the dust collection unit 2 is removed, and the rear side, which is the bottom cover 2c side of the dust collection unit 2, is referred to as "top," and the front side as "bottom," with "front" and "rear," which are the directions of the arrows in the figure, indicated in parentheses.

[0070] As shown in Figures 23 to 26, the inlet 2b of the dust collection case 2a comprises an inner side wall 2b1, an outer side wall 2b2, an inlet opening 2b3, a front side wall 2b4, and a rear side wall 2b5.

[0071] The inside of the dust collection case 2a is separated into a dust containment chamber 2a1 and a filter containment chamber 2a2 by a partition wall 2m (see Figures 25, 27, and 30).

[0072] The filter housing chamber 2a2, located at the rear of the dust collection case 2a, houses the filter 5 (third filter section) (see Figures 6 and 25). The filter 5 consists of a HEPA filter 5a (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter) and a sponge filter 5b positioned upstream of the HEPA filter 5a, and is located on the side opposite the bottom cover. The HEPA filter 5a is constructed by folding it into a pleated shape, which increases the filter area and reduces pressure loss. The HEPA filter 5a has a particle collection efficiency of 99.97% or more for particles with a diameter of 0.3 μm at the rated airflow rate, and has an initial pressure loss of 225 Pa or less.

[0073] The HEPA filter 5a is rotatably mounted on a shaft 2s located on the upper side of the filter housing chamber 2a2 using a hinge mechanism, and is fixed in an openable and closable manner by a claw portion 2n located at an axisymmetric position. The HEPA filter 5a is also detachable from the dust collection unit 2. The claw portion 2n on the dust collection case 2a is positioned to face the inner circumference of the dust collection case 2a. When the user wishes to dispose of the dust collected by the HEPA filter 5a or to clean the HEPA filter 5a itself, it can be released by moving the claw portion 2n outward. In this embodiment, the claw portion 2n is described as being fixed using the elasticity of a plastic molded product, but a mechanism using a separate clamp-shaped part and a coil spring may also be used, or it may be fixed using magnetic force such as a magnet.

[0074] The dust collection chamber 2a1 of the dust collection unit 2 is equipped with an inner cylinder 20 (dust separation unit) for centrifuging the dust sucked into the dust collection unit 2. The inner cylinder 20 comprises an upper inner cylinder 21 that is approximately concentric with the dust collection chamber 2a1, a lower inner cylinder 24 connected to the upper inner cylinder 21, and an umbrella-shaped portion 23 connected to the lower inner cylinder 24. In other words, the upper inner cylinder 21 is located on the side opposite the bottom cover, and the umbrella-shaped portion 23 is located on the bottom cover 2c side of the inner cylinder 20.

[0075] The upper part 21 of the inner cylinder is provided with a filter section 22 (first filter section) formed by a grid-like frame 21e (support beams). The filter section 22 (first filter section) of the inner cylinder 20 has an intake section that communicates with the sponge filter 5b and the HEPA filter 5a. The filter section 22 is a substantially cylindrical portion. In this embodiment, the frame 21e extends in the front-rear direction, but a grid-like structure with frame (support beams) in the up-down and left-right directions is also acceptable. Below (forward of) the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder is an upper inner cylinder flange section 21f that extends radially outward.

[0076] The filter section 22 has a mesh member 22a stretched across its outer surface (see Figures 27 and 29). The mesh member 22a is held in place by the frame 21e by covering or insert molding. In this embodiment, by providing the mesh member 22a in the filter section 22, the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder has a filter function that filters out dust, suppressing the inflow of fine dust into the inside of the inner cylinder 20.

[0077] The upper part 21 of the inner cylinder has an opening 21b at the top (rear). Furthermore, the outer diameter of the portion of the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder located above (rear) the filter section 22 is approximately the same as or less than the outer diameter of the filter section 22. This makes it easy to remove hair wrapped around the filter section 22 by sliding it upward (rear) towards the top (rear) of the inner cylinder 20, thus facilitating maintenance.

[0078] In this embodiment, the mesh member 22a is made of polyester, but it may also be made of metal (for example, stainless steel), and the intake section may be constructed by providing multiple small-diameter through holes (holes of about φ2 mm that can be molded with a mold) instead of using the frame 21e. Unlike the case where the mesh member 22a is stretched over the frame 21e, the through holes are effective against strength and tearing, and have the advantage of not requiring secondary molding.

[0079] In the center of the partition wall 2m that divides the inside of the dust collection section 2, a communication opening 2u is formed that connects the dust containment chamber 2a1 and the filter containment chamber 2a2 (see Figure 30). On the inner circumference of the communication opening 2u, a filter receiving section 2r that protrudes inward and is divided in the circumferential direction, and a fixing claw section 2r1 that is located between the divided filter receiving sections 2r are formed. The fixing claw section 2r1 is located in front of the filter receiving section 2r (towards the bottom cover 2c).

[0080] The rear (upper) part of the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder is provided with a fixed rail section 21a formed in an arc shape along the circumferential direction (see Figure 29). Two fixed rail sections 21a are provided at opposing positions on the rear (upper) part of the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder. A notch 21a1 is formed between the two fixed rail sections 21a (see Figures 29 and 32). In addition, a groove 21a2 is formed on the outer circumference of the fixed rail section 21a (see Figure 29). The fixed rail section 21a is provided to fix to the fixed claw section 2r1 provided on the bottom surface of the filter receiving section 2r.

[0081] To fix the upper inner cylinder portion 21 (inner cylinder 20) to the dust collection case 2a, the position of the notch portion 21a1 formed between the two fixing rail portions 21a is aligned with the position of the fixing claw portion 2r1, and the rear end face of the fixing rail portion 21a is brought into contact with the filter receiving portion 2r. Then, by rotating the upper inner cylinder portion 21 clockwise around its vertical axis, the groove 21a2 of the fixing rail portion 21a and the fixing claw portion 2r1 engage, and the upper inner cylinder portion 21 (inner cylinder 20) is fixed to the dust collection case 2a. In this embodiment, it is possible to remove only the upper inner cylinder portion 21 from the dust collection unit 2, which is useful when cleaning (maintaining) only the upper inner cylinder portion 21.

[0082] When removing the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder, the groove 21a2 of the fixing rail 21a is released from the fixing claw 2r1 by rotating the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder counterclockwise around its vertical axis. The fixing rail 21a, which is provided on the upper surface (rear) of the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder, is smaller than the outer diameter of the filter 22 of the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder. This has the effect of preventing the fixing rail 21a from getting in the way when removing dust that has been sucked in and adheres to the filter 22 of the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder (for example, if hair gets tangled in it), and also making it easier to remove the dust. The upper part 21 of the inner cylinder is fixed to the dust collection unit 2 and is in communication with the filter housing chamber 2a2 via the communication opening 2u.

[0083] As shown in Figure 29, the lower part (front) of the upper inner cylinder 21 is provided with a lower inner cylinder 24 connected to the upper inner cylinder 21. The lower inner cylinder 24 has an inner cylinder lower cylindrical portion 24d extending in the axial direction (up and down direction) and an engaging portion 24a at the upper part (rear) of the lower inner cylinder 24, which extends radially outward from the lower inner cylinder lower cylindrical portion 24d. The engaging portion 24a has an outer diameter that is approximately the same as or smaller than the bottom surface 21d of the upper inner cylinder 21. A hole portion 24c extending in the axial direction (up and down direction) is formed in the lower inner cylinder lower cylindrical portion 24d. A rear flange 24b is formed on the outer circumference of the engaging portion 24a, and when the rear flange 24b of the lower inner cylinder 24 engages with the convex portion 21c of the upper inner cylinder 21, the upper inner cylinder 21 and the lower inner cylinder 24 engage without any gap between the bottom surface 21d of the upper inner cylinder 21 and the rear flange 24b of the lower inner cylinder 24.

[0084] The umbrella portion 23 engages with the lower part 24 of the inner cylinder. The umbrella portion 23 comprises an umbrella cylindrical portion 23b extending in the axial direction (up and down direction), a claw portion 23a formed on the upper (rear) part of the umbrella cylindrical portion 23b, a plurality of support portions 23g extending radially outward from the umbrella cylindrical portion 23b at the upper (rear) part of the umbrella cylindrical portion 23b, a substantially annular upper end flange 23d that widens outward in the circumferential direction formed on the outer circumference of the support portions 23g, an extended umbrella portion 23f extending downward (forward) in the axial direction from the upper end flange 23d, and a flange 23c that widens outward from the lower (front) end in the axial direction of the extended umbrella portion 23f. In addition, an umbrella filter 23h (second filter portion) is provided between adjacent support portions 23g. The umbrella filter 23h (second filter section) is located on the side opposite the bottom cover of the umbrella section 23 and is in communication with the intake section of the filter section 22 (first filter section).

[0085] The claw portion 23a of the umbrella portion 23 engages with the hole portion 24c of the lower part of the inner cylinder 24, and a compression spring 24e is provided between the lower inner cylinder cylindrical portion 24d of the lower inner cylinder 24 and the umbrella portion cylindrical portion 23b, allowing the umbrella portion 23 to slide in the front-rear direction. The compression spring 24e biases the umbrella portion 23 downward (forward).

[0086] The vertical (front-to-back) length of the extension umbrella portion 23f is shorter than the vertical (front-to-back) length of the umbrella cylindrical portion 23b. In this embodiment, two flanges 23c are provided on the left-to-right side of the extension umbrella portion 23f. The flanges 23c have an arc shape that follows the dust collection case 2a. There is a space between the two flanges 23c in the circumferential direction. The two flanges 23c are located in the left-to-right direction when the bottom cover 2c is at its bottom when the bottom cover 2c is opened. The space between the two flanges 23c in the circumferential direction is located in the up-to-down direction. It is desirable that the flanges 23c have a shape that follows the dust collection case 2a so as not to obstruct the flow of dust from the separation portion, and that they are provided at a certain distance from the inner diameter of the dust collection case 2a. If the dust collection case 2a consists of an arc portion and a straight portion, it is desirable that the flanges 23c have a shape that follows them, or a shape consisting only of the arc portion.

[0087] A bowl-shaped receiving portion 2j is formed in the center of the bottom cover 2c to receive the tip 23e of the umbrella cylindrical portion 23b. The receiving portion 2j is an annular shape that is larger than the outer diameter of the umbrella cylindrical portion 23b and is dimensionally related to fit with the tip 23e of the umbrella cylindrical portion 23b. The receiving portion 2j is also bowl-shaped so as to be recessed from the dust containment chamber 2a1 side toward the bottom cover 2c side. The annular portion 2j1 of the receiving portion 2j is formed to protrude from the back side of the bottom cover 2c toward the dust containment chamber 2a1 side. In this embodiment, the receiving portion 2j is bowl-shaped and the annular portion 2j1 of the receiving portion 2j is configured to protrude from the back side of the bottom cover 2c toward the dust containment chamber 2a1 side, thereby improving the strength of the bottom cover 2c, allowing for smooth opening and closing of the bottom cover 2c, and suppressing damage to the bottom cover 2c when it is opened and closed repeatedly.

[0088] Furthermore, the underside of the bottom cover 2c is provided with multiple swirling suppression ribs 2t that protrude from the underside toward the dust collection chamber 2a1 and extend from the annular portion 2j1 (central portion) toward the outer circumference. The multiple swirling suppression ribs 2t have the function of suppressing the rotation of dust swirling within the dust collection case 2a and promoting the separation of dust from the swirling flow. In addition, the underside of the bottom cover 2c is provided with an airtight portion 2p that contacts the dust collection case 2a when the bottom cover 2c is closed and maintains airtightness. The airtight portion 2p is provided around the bottom cover 2c. In this embodiment, as described above, the strength of the bottom cover 2c is improved, so that when the bottom cover 2c is closed, the airtightness with the dust collection case 2a via the airtight portion 2p can be improved.

[0089] As shown in Figure 25, when the bottom cover 2c is closed, the receiving portion 2j of the bottom cover 2c and the tip portion 23e of the umbrella portion cylindrical portion 23b are in contact, and the umbrella portion 23 is positioned upward (rearward) against the biasing force of the compression spring 24e. The bottom cover 2c is held closed by a locking mechanism. The upper front end of the dust collection case 2a is provided with a lid locking member 2e and a lid support projection 2f adjacent to the lid locking member 2e and protruding forward (towards the bottom cover 2c). The lid locking member 2e has a claw portion, and by hooking this claw portion onto the projection 2c1 of the bottom cover 2c, it holds the bottom cover 2c in a closed position. The lid support projection 2f is inserted into an insertion hole 2c2 formed in the bottom cover 2c when the bottom cover 2c is closed. This restricts the lateral movement of the bottom cover 2c and prevents the claw portion of the lid locking member 2e from coming off the projection 2c1 of the bottom cover 2c.

[0090] When the lid locking member 2e is operated to release the lock on the bottom lid 2c, and the bottom lid 2c is opened, as shown in Figure 27, the umbrella portion 23 slides forward (towards the bottom lid 2c) due to the biasing force of the compression spring 24e and protrudes from the lower opening 25b of the dust collection case 2a. The lower opening 25b of the dust collection case 2a becomes a dust discharge port from which dust is discharged.

[0091] Next, the airflow into the dust collection unit 2 will be described. Figure 34 is a perspective view of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, viewed from below. Figure 35 is a perspective view of the dust collection unit 2 according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention, viewed from above. Figure 36 is a cross-sectional view obtained by cutting Figure 5 along the line XXXVI-XXXVI.

[0092] As described above, the dust collection case 2a in this embodiment has a D-shaped cross-section in the direction perpendicular to the front-to-back direction. When the dust collection unit 2 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, it is positioned so that the D-shaped planar portion 2z of the dust collection case 2a is located upwards.

[0093] As shown in Figure 36, the D-shaped planar portion 2z of the dust collection case 2a is provided with an inlet 2b that communicates with the outlet 14a of the introduction pipe 14 formed in the main body portion 10. As mentioned above, the inlet 2b comprises an inner side wall 2b1, an outer side wall 2b2, an inlet opening 2b3, a front side wall 2b4, and a rear side wall 2b5 (see Figures 23 to 25). The connection portion of the inlet 2b that connects to the outlet 14a of the introduction pipe 14 is located towards the left side of the dust collection case 2a. Furthermore, the inlet 2b is provided so as to be inclined from the left side of the dust collection case 2a toward the outer circumference of the dust collection case 2a (the left side in this embodiment).

[0094] The inlet 2b, which is positioned to slope toward the outer circumference (left side) of the dust collection case 2a, has an inner side wall 2b1 that extends approximately tangentially to the inner cylinder 20 (upper part 21 of the inner cylinder) and is formed to connect with the dust collection case 2a. In other words, the inlet 2b is positioned so as not to overlap with the outer circumference of the inner cylinder 20 (upper part 21 of the inner cylinder) on the extension of the inner side wall 2b1 of the inlet 2b. Furthermore, the outer side wall 2b2 of the inlet 2b is positioned to connect with the inner wall of the dust collection case 2a. The outer side wall 2b2 is curved and connected to the side wall of the dust collection case 2a. This makes it possible to suppress the reduction in the flow velocity of the dust-containing air flowing in from the inlet pipe 14, and to provide a vacuum cleaner with high suction power.

[0095] When the operation switch 13 of the vacuum cleaner body 1 is pressed, the electric blower 40 is activated and generates suction. Dust on the surface to be cleaned is sucked in by the suction force of the electric blower 40, passes through the inlet pipe 14 of the main body 10, is discharged from the outlet 14a, and flows into the dust collection case 2a from the inlet 2b.

[0096] Since the inlet 2b is positioned to slope toward the outside (left side) of the dust collection case 2a, the dust-containing air flowing into the dust collection case 2a from the inlet 2b forms a counterclockwise swirling flow when viewed from the front.

[0097] In this embodiment, the distance W between the inner circumference of the dust collection case 2a and the outer circumference of the inner cylinder 20 (upper part of the inner cylinder 21) at the position of the flat section 2z is shorter than in other parts, thereby increasing the rotational speed of the swirling flow and improving the rotational force, and suppressing the separation phenomenon in which the swirling flow hits the inner cylinder 20 (upper part of the inner cylinder 21) and flows in the opposite direction to the rotational direction. In addition, since the inner cylinder 20 (upper part of the inner cylinder 21) is positioned so as not to overlap with the outer circumference of the extension line of the inner side wall 2b1 of the inlet 2b, the air flowing into the dust collection case 2a from the inlet 2b can flow smoothly along the inside of the dust collection case 2a, thereby suppressing the adhesion of dust to the inner cylinder 20 (upper part of the inner cylinder 21).

[0098] The swirling flow that enters the dust collection case 2a is divided into a swirling flow SR1 that flows around the inner cylinder 20 (upper part 21 of the inner cylinder) and a swirling flow SR2 that flows through the gap G toward the bottom cover 2c (see Figures 34 and 35).

[0099] Lightweight dust particles contained in the swirling flow SR1 are separated from the air by centrifugal force and move towards the bottom cover 2c side through the gap G while swirling. The swirling dust particles are then prevented from swirling by the swirling suppression rib 2t and accumulate on the bottom cover 2c. Dust particles that are not separated from the swirling flow SR1 are captured by the filter section 22 (first filter section) of the inner cylinder 20, and fine dust particles that pass through the filter section 22 are captured by the sponge filter 5b and the HEPA filter 5a.

[0100] Dust particles contained in the swirling flow SR2 are separated from the air by centrifugal force and move towards the bottom cover 2c side through the gap G while swirling. The swirling dust particles are prevented from swirling by the swirling suppression rib 2t and accumulate on the bottom cover 2c. The swirling flow SR2 is prevented from swirling by the swirling suppression rib 2t, and its swirling force is suppressed by the inner surface of the flat part 2z of the D-shaped dust collection case 2a. The air with its swirling force suppressed then moves towards the umbrella part 23, and dust particles that were not separated from the swirling flow SR2 are captured by the umbrella part filter 23h (second filter part) provided on the umbrella part 23. Further fine dust particles that pass through the umbrella part filter 23h (second filter part) are captured by the sponge filter 5b and the HEPA filter 5a. The dust particles captured by the umbrella part filter 23h are compressed by the suction force of the electric blower 40, so that the amount of dust collected in the dust collection case 2a can be ensured.

[0101] After stopping the operation of the electric blower 40 by pressing the operation switch 13, the dust is disposed of in the dust collection case 2a. To dispose of the dust, the bottom cover 2c of the dust collection case 2a is positioned downwards and the bottom cover 2c is opened. When the bottom cover 2c is opened, the umbrella portion 23 moves downwards (forward) due to the biasing force of the compression spring 24e, and the dust is discharged. When discharging dust from the dust collection case 2a, it is preferable that the dust is discharged smoothly so that no dust remains inside the dust collection case 2a. Therefore, in this embodiment, measures have been taken to ensure that the dust inside the dust collection case 2a is discharged smoothly.

[0102] As shown in Figures 23 to 27, the dust collection case 2a of this embodiment has a tapered section 25a in which the inner diameter of the dust collection case 2a gradually increases from the side opposite the bottom cover to the side opposite the bottom cover 2c. That is, the dust collection case 2a has a straight section 25d extending from the side opposite the bottom cover to the side opposite the bottom cover 2c, and a tapered section 25a from an intermediate position in the straight section 25d so that the inner diameter of the dust collection case 2a gradually increases towards the side opposite the bottom cover 2c. No step is formed between the straight section 25d and the tapered section 25a of the dust collection case 2a. In other words, the tapered start section 25a1 of the tapered section 25a is located at the end of the straight section 25d, and the tapered section 25a is formed continuously from the end of the straight section 25d. Furthermore, the tapered start section 25a1 of the tapered section 25a is located behind the front end 22a1 of the mesh section of the filter section 22 (see Figure 27). This allows for increased axial (forward-backward) component of the swirling flow while suppressing loss of the circumferential component, thereby improving the separation performance between dust and air while also suppressing dust re-stirring.

[0103] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the tapered initiation portion 25a1 is positioned behind (opposite to the bottom cover side) the position of the front side wall 2b4 (bottom cover side wall). If the tapered initiation portion 25a1 is located at the same position as or in front of the front side wall 2b4, the swirling component of the swirling flow can be increased, but the axial component becomes smaller, making it easier for dust to be blown back. In contrast, as in this embodiment, by positioning the tapered initiation portion 25a1 behind the front side wall 2b4, it is possible to increase the axial (forward-backward) component of the swirling flow while suppressing the loss of the circumferential component of the swirling flow, thereby improving the separation performance of dust and air while also suppressing dust blown back.

[0104] Furthermore, when the umbrella portion 23 is provided inside the dust collection case 2a as in this embodiment, the distance between the umbrella portion 23 and the inner wall (side wall) of the dust collection case 2a becomes small, which can lead to dust accumulation and a decrease in dust separation performance and dust collection volume. In this embodiment, the tapered portion 25a has a tapered shape that gradually widens without steps from the tapered start portion 25a1 toward the bottom cover 2c located in front, so that swirling dust is less likely to accumulate inside the dust collection case 2a, and dust separation performance can be improved.

[0105] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the distance between the flange 23c of the umbrella portion 23 and the tapered portion 25a is made approximately the same as the distance between the upper end flange 23d and the tapered portion 25a, thereby preventing dust from getting trapped between the umbrella portion 23 and the tapered portion 25a, and suppressing dust from being blown back into the upper part 21 of the inner cylinder.

[0106] Then, when the bottom cover 2c is opened, as shown in Figure 25, the biasing force of the compression spring 24e causes the umbrella portion 23 to slide downward (forward), enabling the dust accumulated in the tapered portion 25a to be smoothly discharged.

[0107] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the umbrella portion 23 is equipped with a flange 23c, so when the umbrella portion 23 moves downward, the flange 23c assists in the discharge of dust, making the discharge of dust even smoother. When the bottom cover 2c is open and the umbrella portion 23 has moved downward, the flange 23c is in approximately the same position as the surface of the lower opening 25b of the dust collection case 2a, so that dust does not remain inside the dust collection case 2a. In this embodiment, there is one flange 23c in the vertical direction (front-back direction), but multiple flanges may be provided.

[0108] In this embodiment, the dust collection case 2a is provided with a straight section 25d extending from the side opposite the bottom cover towards the bottom cover 2c, and a tapered section 25a such that the inner diameter of the dust collection case 2a gradually increases from an intermediate position in the straight section 25d toward the bottom cover 2c, thereby enabling smooth discharge of dust collected in the dust collection case 2a.

[0109] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications are included. For example, the embodiments described above are described in detail for the purpose of explaining the present invention in an easy-to-understand manner, and are not necessarily limited to those having all the configurations described. Furthermore, it is possible to replace parts of the configuration of one embodiment with the configuration of another embodiment, and it is also possible to add configurations from other embodiments to the configuration of one embodiment. In addition, it is possible to add, delete, or replace parts of the configuration of each embodiment with other configurations. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0110] 1…Vacuum cleaner body, 2…Dust collection unit, 2a…Dust collection case, 2a1…Dust containment chamber, 2a2…Filter containment chamber, 2b…Inlet, 2b1…Inner side wall, 2b2…Outer side wall, 2b3…Inlet opening, 2b4…Front side wall, 2b5…Rear side wall, 2c…Bottom cover, 2c1…Protrusion, 2c2…Insertion hole, 2d…Hinge, 2e…Lid locking member, 2f…Lid support projection, 2h…Insertion part, 2j…Receiving part, 2j1…Annular part, 2k…Lock member, 2m…Partition wall, 2n…Claw part, 2p…Airtight part, 2r…Filter receiving part, 2r1…Fixing claw part, 2s…Shaft part, 2t…Swivel suppression rib, 2u…Communication opening, 2z…Plane Part 3...Battery, 5...Filter, 5a...HEPA filter, 5b...Sponge filter, 10...Main body, 10a...Connection port, 10b...Matching groove, 10c...Claw part, 10d...Side wall, 11...Motor case part, 11a...Battery fixing rib, 11b...Battery fixing protrusion, 11b1...First battery fixing protrusion, 11b2...Second battery fixing protrusion, 11c...Battery receiver, 11d...Main body terminal, 11e...Guide rail, 11f...Battery locking part, 11g...Main body terminal, 12...Handle part, 13...Operation switch, 13a...Operation board, 14...Inlet pipe, 14a...Outlet, 15...Motor front cover, 15a...Suction opening, 1 5b...Front cover first claw part, 15c...Front cover second claw part, 15d...DC jack opening hole, 16...Terminal holder, 17...DC jack, 17a...Lead wire, 17b...Lead wire male connector, 18...Release button, 19...Insertion opening, 20...Inner cylinder, 21...Upper part of inner cylinder, 21a...Fixing rail part, 21a1...Notch part, 21a2...Groove, 21b...Opening, 21c...Protrusion, 21d...Bottom surface, 21e...Frame body, 21f...Upper part flange part of inner cylinder, 22...Filter part, 22a...Mesh member, 22a1...Front end of mesh part, 23...Umbrella part, 23a...Claw part, 23b...Umbrella part cylindrical part, 23c...Flange, 2 3d...Upper flange, 23e...Tip, 23f...Extended umbrella section, 23g...Support section, 23h...Umbrella filter, 24...Lower part of inner cylinder, 24a...Engaging section, 24b...Rear flange, 24c...Hole, 24d...Lower cylindrical section of inner cylinder, 24e...Compression spring, 25a...Tapered section, 25a1...Taper start section, 25b...Lower opening, 25d...Straight section, 31...Battery case, 31a...Notch, 31b...Battery cover mounting section, 31c...First thread boss, 31d...Second thread boss, 31e...End section, 31f...Battery cover outer circumference receiving section, 32...Battery cover, 33...Battery cell, 33a...Battery cell, 33b...Battery cell,34a...Battery holder, 34b...Battery holder, 35a...Battery cell terminals, 35b...Battery cell terminals, 36a...Battery sheet, 36b...Battery sheet, 37...Battery control board, 37a...Connection terminals, 40...Electric blower, 40a...Motor, 40b...Fan, 40b1...Intake port, 50a...Drive circuit board, 50b...Control circuit board, 50b1...Third female connector, 50c...Power cable, 50d...First male connector, 5 0e...Second male connector, 50f...T-shaped rib, 60...Motor inner case, 60a...Upper opening, 60b...Front opening, 60c...Control circuit board fixing part, 60d...Cable fixing part, 60e...DC jack fixing part, 61...Fixing claw receiver part, 90...Airtight retaining member, 91...Cylindrical body, 91a...Brush part, 91b...Connection part, 100...Electric vacuum cleaner, 110...Motor housing part, 110a...Front opening, 110b...Front Cover first fixing part, 110c... Front cover second fixing part, 110d... Fixing claw, 111... Battery fixing part, 111a... Terminal holder mounting part, 112... Downward protrusion, 200... Standard suction nozzle, 300... Extension tube, 321... Front covering part, 321a... Upper fixing protrusion, 321b... Lower fixing recess, 321b1... First lower fixing recess, 321b2... Second lower fixing recess, 321c... First screw hole, 321d... Outer circumference, 321e... Fitting protrusion, 32 2...Upper covering part, 322a...Slide rail, 322b...Terminal opening, 322d...Second screw hole, 323...Battery lock part, 323a...Rising part, 323b...Flat part, 323c...Claw part, 323d...Operating part, 324...Convex part, 325...T-shaped recess, 351...First screw, 352...Second screw, 400...Motor assembly, G...Gap, PL...Parting line, SR1...Swirl flow, SR2...Swirl flow, W...Distance

Claims

1. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising a dust collection unit, a vacuum cleaner body housing an electric blower that generates suction force, and a storage battery that supplies power to the electric blower, The vacuum cleaner body comprises a motor case section having a front opening and containing the electric blower and a drive circuit board that drives the electric blower, and a handle section equipped with an operation switch for instructing the operation and stopping of the electric blower. The motor inner case comprises the aforementioned electric blower and the aforementioned drive circuit board, An electric vacuum cleaner characterized in that, with the electric blower and the drive circuit board mounted, the motor inner case is inserted through the front opening of the motor case.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, The motor case portion has fixing claws, The electric vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the motor inner case has a fixing claw receiving portion that fixes the motor inner case to the motor case portion by contacting the fixing claw.

3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, An electric vacuum cleaner characterized by having an upper opening above the motor inner case into which the electric blower and the drive circuit board are inserted.

4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that, at the rear of the motor inner case, there is a control circuit board fixing part for fixing a control circuit board that controls the electric blower.

5. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that, above the motor inner case, it is provided with a cable fixing part for fixing a power cable, one end of which is connected to the drive circuit board.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, The electric vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the motor case portion has a motor housing portion for housing the electric blower and a battery fixing portion extending from the upper part of the motor housing portion toward the rear.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, A vacuum cleaner characterized in that the storage battery is fixed below the battery fixing part.

8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, The power cable is equipped with a terminal holder for securing the main unit terminal connected to the other end of the power cable. The vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the upper surface of the battery fixing portion is provided with a terminal holder mounting portion for mounting the terminal holder.

9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, The electric vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the motor inner case includes a DC jack fixing part for fixing a DC jack for supplying power to the storage battery and charging it.

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