Vacuum cleaner set and vacuum cleaner support stand

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaner in which parts other than a cleaner body are supported in a stick state in which an extension pipe and a standard suction port are connected to the cleaner body.SOLUTION: A vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body 1, an extension pipe 300, one end of which can be connected to the cleaner body, for feeding dust-containing air into the cleaner body 1, and a standard suction port 400 that can be connected to the extension pipe 300, and is formed with a suction port. The vacuum cleaner includes a support base 70 that can store the cleaner body 1 in a state that the extension pipe 300 and the standard suction port 400 are connected to the cleaner body, and the state of the storage to the support base 70 is achieved by placing the parts other than the cleaner body 1 while supporting them.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner. Set and vacuum cleaner support stand Regarding. [Background technology]

[0002] JP 2016-131795 A (Patent Document 1) is a background technique in this technical field. This publication states that "the electric vacuum cleaner comprises a vacuum cleaner main body having a main body connection port, a storage stand that supports and stores the vacuum cleaner main body, and a charging path that is provided on the storage stand and charges the secondary battery of the vacuum cleaner main body when the vacuum cleaner main body is stored in the storage stand. The storage stand comprises a support part that supports the vacuum cleaner main body with the main body connection port facing downward, a recessed part having a bottom plate that faces the main body connection port when the vacuum cleaner main body is supported on the support part, and a side wall part having a notch that opens the recessed part to the side of the storage stand to ensure visibility" (see abstract).

[0003] In addition, as background art of this technical field, there is JP 2016-131776 A (Patent Document 2). This publication describes a vacuum cleaner set having a vacuum cleaner body, a suction tool, and an extension tube whose one end is connectable to the vacuum cleaner body and whose other end is connectable to the suction tool, and a vacuum cleaner stand on which the vacuum cleaner set is placed, the vacuum cleaner stand having a base and a support pole formed upright from the base. A stand-side recess that is recessed downward is formed at the front end of the upper surface of the support pole, and the vacuum cleaner main body is supported on the support pole by fitting the main body-side protrusion and the stand-side recess together with the suction pipe aligned along the front surface of the support pole" (see abstract). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2016-131795 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2016-131776 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In the electric vacuum cleaner disclosed in Patent Document 1, accessories such as an extension tube are first removed from the main body and then stored in the storage stand.

[0006] Furthermore, the electric vacuum cleaner disclosed in Patent Document 2 can be stored with the accessories still connected, but the vacuum cleaner stand required to support the vacuum cleaner body is large.

[0007] The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner that can be stored in a stick state with an extension tube and a standard suction nozzle connected to the vacuum cleaner body, and that allows the support stand to be made compact. Set and vacuum cleaner support stand The purpose is to provide. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides an electric blower that generates a suction force for sucking in dust, a storage battery that supplies power to the electric blower, A handle portion that is gripped by a user; a vacuum cleaner body having the above structure, an extension tube having one end connectable to the vacuum cleaner body and configured to send dust-containing air to the vacuum cleaner body, and a suction tool having a suction port and connectable to the other end of the extension tube; a dust case that is detachably attached to a main body of the vacuum cleaner main body and that collects dust through the suction port and the extension tube; a support base capable of storing the extension tube and the suction tool in a stick state connected to the vacuum cleaner body; the handle portion is disposed on the rear side of the main body portion in the front-rear direction and above the storage battery, the storage battery is disposed behind the electric blower, the dust case is disposed in front of the electric blower, and the dust case, the electric blower and the storage battery are disposed in a straight line in the front-rear direction of the vacuum cleaner body, and cleaning is performed while gripping the handle portion in a stick state in which the extension tube and the suction tool are connected to the vacuum cleaner body,The support base has a base portion and a stand portion formed upright from the base portion, the base portion has a placement surface on which the suction tool is placed, and a locking portion formed vertically upward on the base portion at a front end of the base portion, the placement surface is inclined downward from the rear in the front-rear direction toward the locking portion at the front, the front end of the upper surface of the stand portion has a recessed portion recessed rearward along the up-down direction, and the storage state of the support base is such that the vacuum cleaner body is not stored in the vacuum cleaner body, and a protrusion provided at the rear of the other end of the extension tube engages with the recessed portion to store the vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner body is supported, and when the vacuum cleaner body is stored on the support base, the engaging part engages the suction tool to prevent it from slipping off, and when the vacuum cleaner body is stored on the support base in a stick state with the extension tube and the suction tool connected to it, with the vacuum cleaner body on the upper side and the suction tool on the lower side, the electric blower and the storage battery are located on the side of the stand part that is positioned rearward of the portion on the front surface of the stand part where the concave part on the front surface of the stand part and the convex part on the rear surface of the extension tube come into contact and engage with each other. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the present invention, the vacuum cleaner can be stored in a stick state with the extension tube and standard suction nozzle connected to the vacuum cleaner body, and the support base can be made compact. Set and vacuum cleaner support stand can be provided. Problems, configurations and effects other than those described above will become apparent from the following description of the embodiments. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention is stored in a support stand. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 3] 3 is a side view of the vacuum cleaner in the state shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the left side. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Diagram 5]1 is a plan view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 6] 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of a release button of the vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the periphery of a release button of the vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a side view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the right side. [Figure 10] 1 is a side view of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the left side. [Figure 11] 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI of FIG. 10. [Figure 12] 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 10. [Figure 13] 1 is a plan view of a state in which an accessory is connected to a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 14] 1 is a perspective view showing a support base of a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 15] 1 is a side view showing a vacuum cleaner and a support base according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 16] 1 is a diagram showing a usage state of the vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention when the vacuum cleaner is in a stick state and cleaning a floor surface. [Figure 17] 1 is a diagram showing a usage state of the vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention when cleaning a high place with the vacuum cleaner in a stick state; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which the electric vacuum cleaner of this embodiment is stored in a support stand. As shown in Fig. 1, the vacuum cleaner 100 can be changed into various usage forms such as a handheld state and a stick state for cleaning. The support stand 70 in which the vacuum cleaner 100 is stored stores the vacuum cleaner 100 in a stick state with an extension tube 300 (accessory) and a standard suction nozzle 400 (accessory) connected to the vacuum cleaner 100, and is configured with a base part 71 and a stand part 72. The vacuum cleaner 100 can also be used by connecting a small suction nozzle (accessory), a broom-type suction nozzle (accessory), an extension hose (accessory), or the like, none of which are shown in the figure. The standard suction nozzle 400 is of a power brush type in which the brush rotates by a motor.

[0012] Fig. 2 is an exploded view of the electric vacuum cleaner of this embodiment. In Fig. 2 and subsequent figures, front, rear, left, right, top and bottom directions as viewed from the vacuum cleaner body 1 are appropriately indicated. As shown in FIG. 2, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 includes a vacuum cleaner body 1, a dust case 2 (dust collecting device), a storage battery 3, and an airtightness maintaining member 90.

[0013] The vacuum cleaner body 1 is configured to include a main body section 10, a motor case section 11, and a handle section 12.

[0014] The main body 10 is formed with a connection port 10a (suction port) to which the extension tube 300, the standard suction nozzle 400 (see FIG. 1), etc. are connected. This connection port 10a is molded from the same resin as the main body 10, the motor case 11, the handle 12, etc. The connection port 10a has a substantially circular opening and is formed facing forward. The connection port 10a is also adapted to connect the above-mentioned extension tube 300, the standard suction nozzle 400, a small suction nozzle (not shown), a broom-type suction nozzle (not shown), etc. (hereinafter, these may be collectively referred to as attachments) as accessories. The connection port 10a has a built-in terminal (not shown) electrically connected to the circuit board 50 (see FIG. 6), and when a motor-driven accessory such as the standard suction nozzle 400 is connected, the motor rotates the brush through electrical connection.

[0015] The main body 10 has a dust case 2 removably attached thereto, and is provided with an introduction pipe 14 (see FIG. 3) for sending into the dust case 2 air containing dust sucked from the connection port 10a.

[0016] The motor case 11 houses an electric blower 40 (see FIG. 6) and a circuit board 50 (see FIG. 6). In addition, a circular suction port (not shown) is formed on the front surface of the motor case 11, through which clean air is sucked in after dust is collected in the dust case 2.

[0017] The handle portion 12 is provided on the rear side of the main body portion 10 and has a grip portion 12a formed in a substantially L-shape. The grip portion 12a has a first grip portion 12a1 that extends linearly so as to become gradually higher toward the rear in the front-rear direction, and a second grip portion 12a2 that extends linearly in the substantially vertical direction. In addition, the grip portion 12a has the second grip portion 12a2 that extends substantially downward from the rear end of the first grip portion 12a1. The first grip portion 12a1 is located forward of the second grip portion 12a2. The second grip portion 12a2 is slightly inclined so that its upper portion faces forward in the vertical direction. In addition, the first grip portion 12a1 and the second grip portion 12a2 are formed substantially rod-shaped and continuous. In this way, by configuring both the first grip portion 12a1 and the second grip portion 12a2 in a linear shape, it becomes easier for the user to recognize the position of the handle. Furthermore, since first gripping portion 12a1 and second gripping portion 12a2 are connected so as to be bent at an angle close to a right angle, the hand is less likely to slip toward second gripping portion 12a2 when gripping first gripping portion 12a1, and conversely, the hand is less likely to slip toward first gripping portion 12a1 when gripping second gripping portion 12a2. First grip portion 12a1 extends in the front-rear direction so as to become gradually higher toward the rear, which makes it easier to insert a hand into gap 12c (see FIG. 6).

[0018] Furthermore, an operation button 12b is provided on the upper surface of the first grip portion 12a1 of the handle portion 12. The operation button 12b is composed of three buttons, for example, "Strong," "Normal," and "Off."

[0019] The main body 10 is provided at its upper front end and upper rear end with release buttons 18a, 18b that are operated when removing accessories such as the extension tube 300. By pressing the release buttons 18a, 18b, the lock between the main body 10 and the accessories is released, allowing the accessories to be removed from the main body 10. The mechanism of the release buttons 18a, 18b will be described later.

[0020] Also, an airtightness member 90 can be attached to the front end of the main body 10. This airtightness member 90 has a substantially circular cylinder 91. This cylinder 91 has an elastic part 91a formed in a ring shape from soft resin on the tip side. The cylinder 91 has a connection part 91b formed from a material harder than the elastic part 91a on the base end side and connectable to the main body 10. The cylinder 91 is configured by integrally molding two different members, the elastic part 91a and the connection part 91b. The elastic part 91a is configured from a material that can be elastically deformed (flexibly deformed) such as an elastomer. By attaching such an airtightness member 90 to the connection port 10a of the vacuum cleaner main body 1, the entire tip 90s of the airtightness member 90 can be brought into close contact with the floor surface, and the suction force can be improved compared to when it is not in close contact. Also, by forming the connection part 91b from a hard material, the airtightness member 90 can be attached to the main body 10 in a stable state without falling off.

[0021] In this embodiment, the elastic portion 91a is made of an elastic material such as elastomer, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the cylindrical body 91 may be made of the same material as the connecting portion 91b, and the tip of the cylindrical body 91 may be provided with a ring of short hairs that are electrostatically planted. Even with such electrostatically planted hairs, the tip of the airtight member 90 can be brought into close contact with the floor surface, as with elastomer, and the suction force can be improved.

[0022] A vertically long and narrow 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. A protrusion (not shown) that fits and locks into the fitting groove 10b is formed on the base end of the connection part 91b.

[0023] Furthermore, the main body 10 may be provided with a light emitting element above the connection port 10a.

[0024] The storage battery 3 supplies power to the motor 40a (see FIG. 6) of the electric blower 40 that generates suction force, and is composed of a secondary battery such as a lithium-ion battery or a nickel-metal hydride battery. The storage battery 3 has a substantially semi-cylindrical case 3a made of synthetic resin, and can be attached to and detached from the main body 10 by sliding the case 3a in the forward and backward directions.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 in the state shown in FIG. 2, seen from the left side. As shown in Fig. 3, the dust case 2 is of a cyclone type and has a function of separating the dust-containing air sucked in from the inlet pipe 14 into dust and air and collecting the dust. The dust case 2 is disposed in front of the motor case 11 with its axial direction in the front-rear direction and has a substantially cylindrical storage section 2a. The upper surface (side surface) of the dust case 2 is formed with a substantially rectangular inlet 2b (see Fig. 2) connected to the inlet pipe 14. The dust-containing air that flows into this inlet 2b becomes a swirling flow, and centrifugal force acts on the dust, separating the dust and air inside the dust case 2, and the air from which the dust has been separated is discharged from the rear (back) of the dust case 2.

[0026] A lid 2c that opens and closes when disposing of dust accumulated in the dust case 2 is supported rotatably via a hinge portion 2d on the front surface of the dust case 2. A lid lock mechanism 2e for unlocking the lid 2c is provided on the top of the lid 2c. The internal mechanism of the dust case 2 can be configured based on JP2016-137165A.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of the present embodiment. As shown in FIG. 4, the vacuum cleaner 100 has the dust case 2 attached below the main body 10 and in front of the motor case 11. In this case, when the dust case 2 is attached to the vacuum cleaner main body 1, the lid lock mechanism 2e is hidden on the vacuum cleaner main body 1 side. This is because if the lid lock mechanism 2e is provided on the opposite side (outside), there is a risk that the lid lock mechanism 2e will be released during cleaning. However, by making the lid lock mechanism 2e hidden on the vacuum cleaner main body 1 side, it is possible to prevent malfunction. For example, when cleaning under a sofa or bed in the stick state, the vacuum cleaner main body 1 may be brought close to being horizontal to the floor surface. In this case, if the lid lock mechanism 2e is provided on the front side, there is a possibility that the lid lock mechanism 2e will come into contact with the floor surface and be released. The positions of the lid lock mechanism 2e and the hinge part 2d are not limited to this, and they may be provided on the left and right sides of the vacuum cleaner main body 1.

[0028] In addition, a maintenance brush 2s (see Figs. 2 and 3) is detachably provided in the dust case 2. This maintenance brush 2s is disposed in a position that is difficult to see from the outside when the dust case 2 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1. Therefore, it is difficult to come off during operation, and there is no need to store the maintenance brush 2s in a place separate from the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the vacuum cleaner of the present embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the connection portion 91b of the airtightness maintaining member 90 has extension portions 91b1, 91b1 formed on both the left and right sides, which extend rearward. A concave portion 91b2 is formed between the left extension portion 91b1 and the right extension portion 91b1 in a plan view. This concave portion 91b2 fits into a front end portion 10d1 of a protrusion 10d formed on the top surface of the tip of the main body portion 10. This positions the airtightness maintaining member 90 relative to the connection port 10a (see Fig. 2) in the front-rear and left-right directions.

[0030] The inlet pipe 14 formed in the main body 10 first extends diagonally rearward to the right, then extends downward, and is connected to the inlet 2b (see FIG. 2) of the dust case 2. This makes it possible to generate a swirling flow in the storage section 2a of the dust case 2, and effectively separates dust by centrifugal force.

[0031] Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VI-VI in Fig. 5. As shown in Fig. 6, electric blower 40 is housed in motor case 11 of main body 10. Electric blower 40 is driven by motor 40a. In addition, a circuit board 50 (circuit board) that controls vacuum cleaner main body 1 is housed above electric blower 40 inside motor case 11.

[0032] Moreover, electric blower 40 and circuit board 50 are arranged so as to overlap in the vertical direction. This allows the front-to-rear dimension of vacuum cleaner body 1 to be shortened. Moreover, electric blower 40 is formed with motor case section 11 bulging toward handle section 12, allowing the front-to-rear dimension (total length) of main body section 10 to be shortened.

[0033] Moreover, electric blower 40 and circuit board 50 are located below first grip portion 12a1 of handle portion 12. As a result, when a user operates vacuum cleaner 100 by gripping first grip portion 12a1, the center of gravity of vacuum cleaner 100 is located near the bottom of first grip portion 12a1. Therefore, when vacuum cleaner 100 is used with the tip facing upward, vacuum cleaner 100 can be held stably.

[0034] A gap 12c for inserting a hand is formed between the first grip portion 12a1 and the top surface 11c of the motor case portion 11. A gap 12d is formed between the second grip portion 12a2 and the back surface 11d of the motor case portion 11.

[0035] Also, the thickness T1 of the first grip portion 12a1 is formed to be thin, and the thickness T2 of the second grip portion 12a2 is formed to be thicker than the thickness T1. That is, the first grip portion 12a1 is formed to be thin, and the second grip portion 12a2 is formed to be thick. In this way, when the second grip portion 12a2 is held for cleaning, by making the thickness T2 of the second grip portion 12a2 thick, it becomes easier to hold it deeply and the strength of the second grip portion 12a2 can be increased.

[0036] The storage battery 3 can be, for example, a lithium ion battery with high energy efficiency. The storage battery 3 is disposed below the second grip portion 12a2 of the handle portion 12. By providing the storage battery 3 at the rear end of the vacuum cleaner 100 in this manner, the center of gravity of the handle portion 12 is closer to the second grip portion 12a2, so that the operation feel can be lightened when the vacuum cleaner 100 is used with the tip facing upward.

[0037] The airtightness member 90 is formed so that the tip (tip surface) 90s is inclined so as to retreat from the upper part to the lower part so that the second end 12a2 is approximately parallel to the cleaning surface when it is cut. The dust case 2 is located behind the plane R2 that passes through the tip 90s. This prevents the dust case 2 from hitting the floor surface even when the tip 90s of the airtightness member 90 is brought into contact with a floor surface such as a wooden floor.

[0038] A filter 5 is housed at the axial rear end of the housing portion 2a inside the dust case 2. This filter 5 is configured by folding in a pleated shape, which can increase the filter area and reduce pressure loss caused by the filter 5.

[0039] The filter 5 is, for example, a high-density HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter). A HEPA filter is an air filter that has a particle collection rate of 99.97% or more for particles with a particle size of 0.3 μm at a rated air volume and an initial pressure loss of 245 Pa or less.

[0040] As shown in Fig. 6, the dust case 2, the motor 40a, and the storage battery 3 are arranged in a straight line in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the vacuum cleaner body 1. In particular, the dust case 2 and the motor 40a are arranged coaxially in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) of the vacuum cleaner 100. The motor 40a and the storage battery 3 require a large space for installation. However, since the motor 40a and the storage battery 3 are arranged in a straight line with the dust case 2, the width of the vacuum cleaner 100 in the vertical direction can be narrowed, making the vacuum cleaner 100 more compact.

[0041] In Fig. 6, arrows F indicate the flow of air sucked into the vacuum cleaner 100. The air sucked into the dust case 2 enters the electric blower 40. The air passes around the motor 40a to cool the motor 40a. A portion of the air that has passed through the motor 40a flows through the storage battery 3 to cool the storage battery 3. The remaining portion of the air that has passed around the motor 40a and the air that has passed through the storage battery 3 join at the circuit board 50 to cool the circuit board 50, and is then discharged outside the system of the vacuum cleaner 100. In this case, since the storage battery 3 is disposed directly behind the motor 40a, it is easy to flow cooling air into the storage battery 3. This makes it possible to easily cool the storage battery 3 efficiently.

[0042] A circuit board housing space 50a for housing the circuit board 50 is provided behind the inlet pipe 14 and in the housing above the motor 40a. The inlet pipe 14 must be formed in the front of the vacuum cleaner 100 to generate a swirling flow inside the dust case 2, so the vacuum cleaner 100 has a certain degree of thickness in the vertical direction. Therefore, even if the housing of the vacuum cleaner 100 is given some vertical thickness to form the circuit board housing space 50a behind the inlet pipe 14, the overall thickness of the vacuum cleaner 100 in the vertical direction does not increase. Therefore, if the circuit board 50 is housed in the circuit board housing space 50a, there is no need to provide a separate space for housing the circuit board 50, so that an increase in the vertical thickness of the vacuum cleaner 100 can be suppressed.

[0043] In this case, since the circuit board 50 is disposed at a higher position, the length of the wires connecting the circuit board 50 to the connection port 10a having the connection terminal for connecting to accessories and the operation button 12b can be shortened. Therefore, the shortened length of the wires and improved workability during manufacturing can reduce the manufacturing cost of the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0044] 7 and 8 are enlarged cross-sectional views of the periphery of the release buttons 18a and 18b. When either the release button 18a or 18b is pressed, the connection of the accessories such as the extension tube 300 and the standard suction nozzle 400 to the vacuum cleaner body 1 can be released. FIG. 7 shows a state where neither the release button 18a nor 18b is pressed. In this state, when the release button 18a is pressed first, the release button 18a and its base end portion 18a1 are tilted forward and downward. This releases a predetermined locking mechanism, and the accessories can be removed from the vacuum cleaner body 1.

[0045] On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, when the release button 18b is pressed, the release button 18b and its base end 18b1 are tilted forward and downward. A long shaft-shaped member 18c is disposed between the base end 18a1 of the release button 18a and the base end 18b1 of the release button 18b. When the base end 18b1 of the release button 18b is tilted forward and downward, the base end 18b1 pushes one end of the shaft-shaped member 18c forward. Then, the shaft-shaped member 18c moves forward, and the other end presses the base end 18a1 of the release button 18a, and the release button 18a and its base end 18a1 are tilted forward and downward. As a result, as shown in FIG. 8, a predetermined locking mechanism is released, and the airtight member 90 can be removed from the vacuum cleaner body 1.

[0046] By providing release button 18b in addition to release button 18a, a user of vacuum cleaner 100 can remove the accessory from vacuum cleaner body 1 by operating release button 18b while holding first grip portion 12a1.

[0047] FIG. 9 is a side view of the vacuum cleaner as viewed from the right side. Attachment / detachment mechanisms 2g, 19 for attaching and detaching the dust case 2 to and from the vacuum cleaner body 1 are provided at the lower rear end of the dust case 2 and the lower front end of the vacuum cleaner body 1. That is, when the dust case 2 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the attachment / detachment mechanisms 2g and 19 are connected by a predetermined mechanism. The attachment / detachment mechanisms 2g, 19 extend to the lowest part of the vacuum cleaner 100, and in particular, the lower end of the attachment / detachment mechanism 19 becomes the lowest part of the vacuum cleaner 100, and a leg 19a is provided below the attachment / detachment mechanism 19. In addition, a leg 3n is provided at the lowermost rear end of the storage battery 3.

[0048] When the vacuum cleaner 100 is placed on a horizontal plane F with its bottom side facing down, heavy parts such as the motor 40a and the storage battery 3 may be present at the rear lower part of the vacuum cleaner 100, and the vacuum cleaner 100 is supported on the horizontal plane F by the legs 19a and 3h. At this time, the legs 19a are located at the lowest end of the vacuum cleaner 100, and the legs 19a are located at the middle position in the longitudinal direction of the vacuum cleaner 100, so that the front of the vacuum cleaner 100 placed on the horizontal plane F faces obliquely upward as shown in FIG. 9. Therefore, the tip of the connection port 10a, which serves as the suction port, also faces obliquely upward. Therefore, the tip 90s of the airtightness member 90 also faces obliquely upward. Therefore, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is supported on the horizontal plane F, dust remaining inside the connection port 10a and the airtightness member 90 is unlikely to spill out to the outside.

[0049] As shown in FIG. 9, the storage battery 3 can be charged by connecting an AC adapter (not shown) to a terminal t provided on the right side of the vacuum cleaner body 1.

[0050] FIG. 10 is a side view of the vacuum cleaner of this embodiment as viewed from the left side.

[0051] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. In the housing structure of the vacuum cleaner 100, the housing 20 that covers the motor 40a and the circuit board 50 is a single flame-retardant case. Because the motor 40a and the circuit board 50 are not covered by a double or triple housing structure, the weight of the vacuum cleaner 100 can be reduced.

[0052] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 12, the storage battery 3 is an assembled battery, and five single cells 3h (battery cells) are arranged in a case 3a, two above and two below, and one in the center. By orienting the axial direction of the single cells 3h in the front-to-rear direction in this way, the width of the storage battery 3 can be made narrower than when the axial direction of the single cells 3h is oriented in the left-to-right direction.

[0053] The case 3a also contains unit cells 3h held by a synthetic resin holding member 3j. The holding member 3j is configured to form a gap 3k between the upper unit cell 3h and the lower unit cell 3h.

[0054] By forming such gaps 3k, air can flow around each of the unit cells 3h, and each of the unit cells 3h can be effectively cooled.

[0055] FIG. 13 is a plan view of the vacuum cleaner with the accessories connected thereto. As shown in Fig. 13, the vacuum cleaner 100 is configured so that the extension tube 300 can be connected with the airtightness maintaining member 90 connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1. In this way, even if the airtightness maintaining member 90 remains connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the position of the connection port 10a for connecting the extension tube 300 does not change. This makes it possible to keep the overall length L of the vacuum cleaner body 1, extension tube 300, and standard suction port 400 connected short. This brings the position of the standard suction port 400 closer to the hand, improving handling and usability.

[0056] 13, even when the extension tube 300 connected to the standard suction port 400 is removed from the stick state to switch to the handheld state, the airtight member 90 remains attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1. Therefore, cleaning can be performed with increased suction power.

[0057] 13, the vacuum cleaner 100 is connected to the extension tube 300 and the standard suction port 400, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the standard suction port 400 can be directly connected to the connection port 10a to use the vacuum cleaner 100 as a handheld vacuum cleaner. This increases the airtightness with the floor surface by the airtight member 90, thereby increasing the suction power.

[0058] In this way, with the vacuum cleaner 100, various accessories (attachments) can be attached and detached while the airtightness maintaining member 90 is still attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, and cleaning can be performed by quickly switching between different cleaning modes. Also, since the airtightness maintaining member 90 can be left attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, cleaning can be performed while maintaining high suction power with the vacuum cleaner 100 in a handheld state with the airtightness maintaining member 90 attached.

[0059] Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing a support stand of a vacuum cleaner. Note that the support stand 70 shown in Fig. 14 is in a state where the vacuum cleaner 100 and all accessories (attachments) have been removed. As shown in Fig. 14, the support stand 70 is composed of a base part 71 and a stand part 72.

[0060] The base portion 71 has a generally rectangular mounting surface 71a on which the standard suction nozzle 400 (see FIG. 1) is placed. The mounting surface 71a is provided with a locking portion 71a1 that prevents the standard suction nozzle 400 from sliding forward. In addition, since the base portion 71 is gradually higher toward the rear in the front-rear direction, the stand support portion 71b has an inclination angle of 1 degree with respect to the horizontal plane. Therefore, even when the support stand 70 is stored against a wall, it is possible to prevent the vacuum cleaner 100 from hitting the wall.

[0061] The stand 72 extends vertically upward from a stand support 71b provided behind the placement surface 71a. An engagement portion 72a, which is a recess that is recessed rearward along the up-down direction, is provided at the upper front portion of the stand support 71b. In addition, an inclined surface 72b that is inclined toward the engagement portion 72a is provided at the upper end portion of the stand 72. This makes it possible for the inclined surface 72b to guide the stand 72 when it is supported in a stick state, making it easy to set up. The installation method will be described later.

[0062] FIG. 15 is a side view showing the vacuum cleaner and the support base. As shown in FIG. 15, the vacuum cleaner 100 is supported by the support base 70 with the extension tube 300 and the standard suction nozzle 400 connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1. Specifically, a generally L-shaped hook (a protruding portion protruding downward) 301 with the tip facing downward is provided at the tip of the extension tube 300. This hook 301 is engaged with an engagement portion 72a (FIG. 14) provided on the stand portion 72 of the support base 70. The standard suction nozzle 400 is engaged with an engagement portion 71a1 on the placement surface 71a. This allows the entire vacuum cleaner 100 to be supported by the support base 70 with the vacuum cleaner body 1 side facing upward and the standard suction nozzle 400 side facing downward, making it possible to reduce the size of the support base. The position of hook 301 is not limited to this, and it is acceptable to provide it somewhere other than the vacuum cleaner body 1, such as at the upper end of standard suction nozzle 400, as this will allow the extension tube and standard suction nozzle to be stored in a stick state connected to the vacuum cleaner body, thereby achieving the effect of miniaturizing the support stand.

[0063] In order to keep the entire vacuum cleaner 100 attached to the support base 70, the extension tube 300 is made of a resin that is difficult to deform (glass-reinforced polypropylene or carbon). This has the effect of preventing deformation during long-term use even when the hook 301 at the tip of the extension tube 300 is engaged with the support base 70.

[0064] In this way, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 can be placed on the support stand 70 in the stick state, so that the next time the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is used for cleaning, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 can be used immediately in the stick state.

[0065] Furthermore, the mounting surface 71a of the base portion 71 is formed to extend forward beyond the extension tube 300. This allows the standard suction port 400 to be supported by the mounting surface 71a in a state where the standard suction port 400 is connected to the extension tube 300, that is, in a state where the extension tube 300 and the standard suction port 400 are connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1 (stick state). This allows the vacuum cleaner 100 to be stably supported on the support stand 70.

[0066] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, a structure in which a charging terminal is provided on the aforementioned engaging portion 72a and a connection terminal is provided on the hook 301, so that charging can be performed in the installed state, will be described. In the embodiment described above, the engaging portion 72a and the hook 301 are engaged to support the entire vacuum cleaner 100 on the support stand 70, but by providing a charging terminal on the engaging portion 72a and a connection terminal on the hook 301, it becomes possible to charge the vacuum cleaner in the installed state. In other words, the recess has a stand-side terminal, the protrusion has a main body-side terminal that contacts the support base-side terminal when engaged with the recess, and a storage battery is provided that is attached to the vacuum cleaner body and charged when the main body-side terminal and the support base-side terminal are in contact, making it possible to charge the battery in the installed state. This eliminates the need to connect an AC adapter and allows for easy charging.

[0067] FIG. 16 is a diagram showing how the stick vacuum cleaner is used to clean a floor surface. FIG. 16 shows a case where the extension tube 300 and the standard suction nozzle 400 are connected to the vacuum cleaner 100 (with the airtight member 90 attached) to make it into a stick state, and the vacuum cleaner 100 is pushed forward from the user to clean the floor surface. In this case, the user can move the vacuum cleaner 100 back and forth while gripping the second gripping portion 12a2 of the handle portion 12 to perform cleaning. Also, although not shown, when cleaning a floor surface with the vacuum cleaner 100 positioned on the left or right side of the user, the user can move the vacuum cleaner 100 back and forth while gripping the first gripping portion 12a1 of the handle portion 12. In this way, when cleaning a floor surface, the user can change the position of the handle portion 12 to clean the floor surface.

[0068] FIG. 17 is a diagram showing how to use the stick vacuum cleaner when cleaning high places. Incidentally, in a vacuum cleaner whose center of gravity is at the tip when in stick state (see JP 2016-137165 A), when cleaning in a place higher than the floor, the user needs to lift the tip of the vacuum cleaner upwards, which can put strain on the wrists.

[0069] In this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 17, the electric blower 40 (see Fig. 6) and the storage battery 3, which are heavy objects of the vacuum cleaner 100, are located close to the handle portion 12 (close to the hand), so that the center of gravity G of the vacuum cleaner 100 is close to the hand of the user. This makes cleaning easier even when the vacuum cleaner 100 is in the stick state and used to clean a place higher than the floor surface, improving usability. Fig. 17 has been described using an example of cleaning stairs, but it is also effective when lifting the vacuum cleaner 100 to clean the panel of an indoor unit of an air conditioner, etc.

[0070] Furthermore, when using the vacuum cleaner 100 in the stick state, to remove dust remaining in the corners of stairs, the extension tube 300 and the standard suction port 400 are removed from the vacuum cleaner 100 to put it in the handy state. In this case, since the airtight member 90 is still attached to the vacuum cleaner 100, cleaning can be performed with increased suction power, preventing dust from being left behind. The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but includes various modified examples. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to easily explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to the embodiment having all of the described configurations. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 Vacuum cleaner body 2 Dust case (dust collector) 3. Storage battery 10a Connection port (suction port) 14 Introductory tube 40 Electric blower 40a motor 50 Circuit Board 50a Circuit board storage space

Claims

1. a vacuum cleaner body having an electric blower that generates a suction force for sucking in dust, a storage battery that supplies power to the electric blower, and a handle portion that is held by a user; an extension pipe having one end connectable to the vacuum cleaner body and configured to send dust-containing air to the vacuum cleaner body; A suction tool having a suction port formed therein and connectable to the other end of the extension pipe; a dust case that is detachably attached to a main body of the vacuum cleaner main body and that collects dust through the suction port and the extension tube; a support base capable of storing the extension tube and the suction tool in a stick state connected to the vacuum cleaner body; The handle portion is disposed on the rear side of the main body portion in the front-rear direction and above the storage battery, the storage battery is disposed behind the electric blower, the dust case is disposed in front of the electric blower, and the dust case, the electric blower, and the storage battery are disposed on a straight line in the front-rear direction of the vacuum cleaner body; In a stick state in which the extension tube and the suction tool are connected to the vacuum cleaner body, cleaning is performed while gripping the handle portion, The support base has a base portion and a stand portion formed upright from the base portion, the base portion has a mounting surface on which the suction tool is mounted, and a locking portion formed at a front end portion of the base portion in a vertical upward direction to the base portion, The placement surface is inclined downward from the rear to the front of the locking portion in the front-rear direction, The stand has a front end on an upper surface thereof that is recessed rearward along a vertical direction, In the storage state on the support base, the vacuum cleaner body is supported by engaging a protrusion provided at the rear of the other end of the extension tube with the recess, and when the vacuum cleaner body is stored on the support base, the suction tool is prevented from slipping off by the engaging portion; When the vacuum cleaner body is stored in a stick state with the extension tube and suction tool connected to it, with the vacuum cleaner body on the upper side and the suction tool on the lower side, on the support base, the electric blower and the storage battery are located on the side of the stand part that is positioned rearward of the portion on the front surface of the stand part where the concave portion on the front surface of the stand part and the convex portion on the rear surface of the extension tube come into contact and engage with each other.

2. 2. The electric vacuum cleaner set according to claim 1, wherein an upper surface of the stand has an inclined surface toward the recess, and when the protrusion is engaged with the recess, the protrusion is guided by the inclined surface to engage with the recess.

3. 2. The vacuum cleaner set according to claim 1, wherein the base portion has an inclination angle of 1 degree with respect to a horizontal surface when the base portion is placed on the horizontal surface.

4. The recess has a support base side terminal, the protrusion has a main body side terminal that contacts the support base side terminal when engaged with the recess, 3. The electric vacuum cleaner set according to claim 1, wherein the storage battery is charged in a state where the main body side terminal and the support base side terminal are in contact with each other.

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