Vacuum cleaner set

Abstract

To provide an electric vacuum cleaner set that can be stored in a stick state with an extension tube and a standard suction nozzle connected to a vacuum cleaner body, and that can reduce the size of a support stand. [Solution] The vacuum cleaner comprises a vacuum cleaner main body 1, an extension tube 300 connectable at one end to the vacuum cleaner main body 1 and sending dust-containing air into the vacuum cleaner main body 1, a suction tool 400 connectable at the other end of the extension tube 300 and having a suction port formed therein, and a support stand 70 which can be stored in a stick state with the extension tube 300 and standard suction port 400 connected to the vacuum cleaner main body 1, the support stand 70 having a base part 71 and a stand part 72, and when the vacuum cleaner is stored in the support stand 70 in a stick state with the extension tube 300 and standard suction port 400 connected to the vacuum cleaner main body 1, the upper end of the stand part 72 is located above the standard suction port 400 and below the upper end of the extension tube 300, and the electric blower and storage battery 3 are located on the stand part side relative to the contact surface between the front of the stand part 72 and the extension tube 300.

Description

[Technical Field]

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

[0002] JP 2016-131795 A (Patent Document 1) is a background art 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] Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-131776 (Patent Document 2) is a background art in this technical field. This publication states that "a vacuum cleaner set includes a vacuum cleaner main body, a suction tool, and an extension tube connectable at one end to the vacuum cleaner main body and at the other end 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 tube aligned along the front surface of the support pole" (see Abstract). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-131795 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2016-131776 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 becomes large in size in order to support the vacuum cleaner body.

[0007] To provide an electric vacuum cleaner set 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 can reduce the size of the support stand. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention provides a vacuum cleaner body having an electric blower that generates suction force to suck in dust and a storage battery that supplies power to the electric blower, an extension tube that can be connected to the vacuum cleaner body at one end and sends air containing dust into the vacuum cleaner body, and a suction tool that can be connected to the other end of the extension tube and has a suction port formed therein; a dust case detachably attached to a main body of the vacuum cleaner main body and configured to collect dust through the suction port and the extension pipe; a support base that can store the extension tube and the suction tool in a stick state connected to the vacuum cleaner body, 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; The support base has a base and a stand formed upright from the base, the stand has a recessed portion recessed rearward along the up-down direction at the front end of the upper surface, the extension tube has a protrusion provided at the rear of the other end, when the vacuum cleaner body is stored in the support base in a stick state with the extension tube and the suction tool connected, the upper end of the stand is located above the suction tool and below the upper end of the extension tube, the electric blower and the storage battery are the extension tube extends from one end to the other end and is located closer to the stand than the rear end of the extension tube; The upper surface of the stand has an inclined surface that slopes downward from the rear surface of the stand toward the recess, and when the protrusion engages with the recess, it is guided by the inclined surface and engages, and the vacuum cleaner body is equipped with a release button that is operated when removing an accessory. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide 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 can achieve a compact support base. Objects, configurations, and effects other than those described above will become clear from the description of the following embodiments. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention is stored in a support base. [Figure 2] 1 is an exploded view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 is a side view of the electric vacuum cleaner in the state of FIG. 2 as viewed from the left side. [Figure 4] 1 is a perspective view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] 1 is a plan view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 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 electric 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 electric vacuum cleaner according to the embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] 1 is a side view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the right side. [Figure 10] 1 is a side view of an electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention, viewed from the left side. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view taken along line XI-XI in FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 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 accessories are 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 an electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 15] 1 is a side view showing an electric vacuum cleaner and a support base according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 16] 1 is a diagram showing a state in which the electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention is used when cleaning a floor surface in a stick state. [Figure 17] 1 is a diagram showing a state in which the electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention is used when cleaning a high place in a stick state. FIG. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[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 electric vacuum cleaner 100 can be used in various forms, such as a handheld form or a stick form, for cleaning. The support stand 70 on which the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is stored stores the electric vacuum cleaner 100 in a stick form with an extension tube 300 (accessory) and a standard suction nozzle 400 (accessory) connected to the electric vacuum cleaner 100, and is configured with a base part 71 and a stand part 72. The electric 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 figures. The standard suction nozzle 400 is a power brush type in which the brush rotates using a motor.

[0012] 2 is an exploded view of the electric vacuum cleaner of this embodiment. In the figures following FIG. 2, front, rear, left, right, top and bottom directions as viewed from the vacuum cleaner main body 1 are indicated as appropriate. As shown in FIG. 2, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is configured to include a vacuum cleaner body 1, a dust case 2 (dust collecting device), a storage battery 3, and an airtight seal member 90.

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

[0014] The main body 10 is formed with a connection port 10a (suction port) to which an extension tube 300, a standard suction nozzle 400 (see FIG. 1), or the like is connected. This connection port 10a is molded from the same resin as the main body 10, the motor case 11, the handle 12, and the like. The connection port 10a has a substantially circular opening and is formed facing forward. Accessories such as the extension tube 300, the standard suction nozzle 400, a small suction nozzle (not shown), and a broom-type suction nozzle (not shown) (hereinafter, these may be collectively referred to as attachments) can be connected to the connection port 10a. A terminal (not shown) electrically connected to the circuit board 50 (see FIG. 6) is built into the connection port 10a. When a motor-driven accessory such as the standard suction nozzle 400 is connected, the electrical connection causes the brush to rotate by the motor.

[0015] The main body 10 has a dust case 2 detachably attached thereto, and is provided with an intake 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). The front surface of the motor case 11 is formed with a circular intake port (not shown) through which clean air is drawn after dust has been collected in the dust case 2.

[0017] The handle 12 is provided on the rear side of the main body 10 and includes a grip 12a formed in a generally L-shape. The grip 12a includes a first grip 12a1 that extends linearly so that it gradually becomes higher toward the rear in the front-to-rear direction, and a second grip 12a2 that extends linearly in the generally vertical direction. The second grip 12a2 extends generally downward from the rear end of the first grip 12a1. The first grip 12a1 is located forward of the second grip 12a2. The second grip 12a2 is slightly inclined so that its upper portion faces forward in the vertical direction. The first grip 12a1 and the second grip 12a2 are generally rod-shaped and continuous. By configuring both the first grip 12a1 and the second grip 12a2 linearly, the user can easily 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. The first grip portion 12a1 extends in the front-rear direction so as to gradually become higher toward the rear, which makes it easier to insert a hand into the gap 12c (see FIG. 6).

[0018] Furthermore, operation buttons 12b are provided on the upper surface of first grip portion 12a1 of handle portion 12. Operation buttons 12b are configured with, for example, three buttons: "strong," "standard," 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 these release buttons 18a, 18b, the lock between the main body 10 and the accessory is released, allowing the accessory to be removed from the main body 10. The mechanism of the release buttons 18a, 18b will be described later.

[0020] An airtight seal member 90 can be attached to the front end of the main body 10. The airtight seal member 90 has a substantially circular cylindrical body 91. The cylindrical body 91 has an elastic portion 91a formed in a ring shape from soft resin at its tip end. The cylindrical body 91 has a connecting portion 91b at its base end, which is made of a harder material than the elastic portion 91a and can be connected to the main body 10. The cylindrical body 91 is constructed by integrally molding two different members, the elastic portion 91a and the connecting portion 91b. The elastic portion 91a is made of an elastically deformable (flexibly deformable) material such as an elastomer. Attaching such an airtight seal member 90 to the connection port 10a of the vacuum cleaner main body 1 allows the entire tip 90s of the airtight seal member 90 to be in close contact with the floor surface, thereby improving suction power compared to when it is not in close contact. Furthermore, by forming the connecting portion 91b from a hard material, the airtight seal member 90 can be stably attached to the main body 10 without falling off.

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

[0022] A longitudinally 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. A protrusion (not shown) is formed at the base end of the connection part 91b, which fits into and locks into the fitting groove 10b.

[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, which 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 back and forth.

[0025] FIG. 3 is a side view of the vacuum cleaner 100 in the state shown in FIG. 2, viewed from the left side. As shown in Fig. 3, dust case 2 is a cyclone type that separates dust-laden air sucked in through inlet pipe 14 into dust and air and collects the dust. Dust case 2 is disposed in front of motor case 11 with its axial direction in the front-to-rear direction and has a substantially cylindrical storage section 2a. A substantially rectangular inlet 2b (see Fig. 2) connected to inlet pipe 14 is formed on the top surface (side surface) of dust case 2. The dust-laden air that flows into inlet 2b becomes a swirling flow, and centrifugal force acts on the dust, separating it into dust and air within dust case 2. The dust-separated air is then discharged from the rear (back) of dust case 2.

[0026] A lid 2c, which opens and closes when disposing of dust accumulated inside the dust case 2, is rotatably supported on the front surface of the dust case 2 via a hinge portion 2d. A lid locking 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 JP 2016-137165 A.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner of this 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 body 1, the lid locking mechanism 2e is hidden by the vacuum cleaner body 1. This is because if the lid locking mechanism 2e were provided on the opposite side (outside), there is a risk that the lid locking mechanism 2e would be released during cleaning. However, by hiding the lid locking mechanism 2e by the vacuum cleaner body 1, it is possible to prevent malfunction. For example, when cleaning under a sofa or bed in stick mode, the vacuum cleaner body 1 may be brought close to being horizontal to the floor. In this case, if the lid locking mechanism 2e were provided on the front side, there is a risk that the lid locking mechanism 2e would come into contact with the floor and be released. The positions of the lid locking mechanism 2e and the hinge portion 2d are not limited to this; they may be provided on the left or right side of the vacuum cleaner body 1.

[0028] A maintenance brush 2s (see Figures 2 and 3) is also detachably provided in the dust case 2. This maintenance brush 2s is located in a position that is difficult to see from the outside when the dust case 2 is attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1. This makes it difficult for the maintenance brush 2s to come off during operation, and there is no need to store the maintenance brush 2s in a location separate from the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0029] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the vacuum cleaner of this embodiment. As shown in Fig. 5, the connecting portion 91b of the airtightness maintaining member 90 has extending portions 91b1, 91b1 formed on both the left and right sides that extend rearward. A recessed portion 91b2 is formed between the extending portion 91b1 on the left side and the extending portion 91b1 on the right side in a plan view. This recessed portion 91b2 fits into a front end portion 10d1 of a protruding portion 10d formed on the top surface of the tip of the main body 10. This positions the airtightness maintaining member 90 relative to the connecting 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 allows a swirling flow to be generated within the storage section 2a of the dust case 2, and dust can be effectively separated 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 within motor case 11.

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

[0033] Additionally, electric blower 40 and circuit board 50 are located below first grip portion 12a1 of handle 12. As a result, when a user holds first grip portion 12a1 to operate vacuum cleaner 100, 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] Furthermore, first grip portion 12a1 is formed to have a small thickness T1, and second grip portion 12a2 is formed to have a thickness T2 that is thicker than thickness T1. In other words, first grip portion 12a1 is formed to be thin, and second grip portion 12a2 is formed to be thick. In this way, when gripping second grip portion 12a2 for cleaning, increasing thickness T2 of second grip portion 12a2 makes it easier to grip deeply and increases the strength of second grip portion 12a2.

[0036] The storage battery 3 can be, for example, a highly energy-efficient lithium-ion battery. 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, which makes the vacuum cleaner 100 easier to operate when used with the tip facing upward.

[0037] The airtight seal member 90 is formed so that its tip (tip surface) 90s slopes backward from top to bottom so that it is approximately parallel to the cleaning surface when the second end 12a2 is cut. The dust case 2 is located behind the plane R2 that passes through this tip 90s. This prevents the dust case 2 from hitting the floor surface even when the tip 90s of the airtight seal member 90 is brought into contact with a floor surface such as hardwood flooring.

[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 it into a pleated shape, which allows for a large filter area and reduces pressure loss due to the filter 5.

[0039] The filter 5 is, for example, a high-density HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter. A HEPA filter is an air filter that has a particle collection efficiency 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 Figure 6, the dust case 2, motor 40a, and storage battery 3 are arranged in a straight line in the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) of the vacuum cleaner body 1. In particular, the dust case 2 and motor 40a are arranged coaxially in the longitudinal direction (front-to-back direction) of the vacuum cleaner 100. The motor 40a and storage battery 3 require a large space for installation. However, because the motor 40a and 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 Figure 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 and cools it. A portion of the air that has passed through the motor 40a flows through the storage battery 3 and cools it. 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 together at the circuit board 50 and cool the circuit board 50, and then is 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 circulate cooling air inside the storage battery 3. This makes it easy to cool the storage battery 3 efficiently.

[0042] A circuit board accommodating space 50a for accommodating a circuit board 50 is provided within the housing above the motor 40a and behind the inlet pipe 14. 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 there is a certain amount 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 accommodating space 50a at the rear of the housing, the overall thickness of the vacuum cleaner 100 in the vertical direction does not increase. Therefore, by accommodating the circuit board 50 in the circuit board accommodating space 50a, there is no need to provide a separate space to accommodate the circuit board 50, and therefore an increase in the vertical thickness of the vacuum cleaner 100 can be suppressed.

[0043] In this case, the circuit board 50 is positioned higher, so that the wiring between the circuit board 50 and the connection port 10a equipped with the connection terminal for connecting to accessories and the operation button 12b can be shortened. Therefore, the shortened wiring 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. Pressing either release button 18a or 18b can release the connection of accessories such as the extension tube 300 and standard suction nozzle 400 to the vacuum cleaner main body 1. FIG. 7 shows a state in which neither release button 18a nor 18b is pressed. In this state, when release button 18a is pressed first, release button 18a and its base end 18a1 tilt forward and downward. This releases a predetermined locking mechanism, allowing the accessory to be removed from the vacuum cleaner main body 1.

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

[0046] By providing release button 18b in addition to release button 18a, the 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 seen from the right side. Attachment / detachment mechanisms 2g and 19 are provided at the lower rear end of the dust case 2 and the lower front end of the vacuum cleaner body 1 for attaching and detaching the dust case 2 to and from the vacuum cleaner body 1. That is, when attaching the dust case 2 to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the attachment / detachment mechanisms 2g and 19 are connected by a predetermined mechanism. The attachment / detachment mechanisms 2g and 19 extend to the lowest part of the vacuum cleaner 100, and in particular, the lower end of the attachment / detachment mechanism 19 is the lowest part of the vacuum cleaner 100, and legs 19a are provided below the attachment / detachment mechanism 19. In addition, legs 3n are also provided at the lowermost rear end of the storage battery 3.

[0048] When the vacuum cleaner 100 is placed with its underside facing down on a horizontal plane F, heavy components such as the motor 40a and the storage battery 3 may be present at the rear lower portion of the vacuum cleaner 100, and the vacuum cleaner 100 is supported on the horizontal plane F by the legs 19a and 3h. In this state, the leg 19a is located at the lowest end of the vacuum cleaner 100 and is also 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 diagonally upward, as shown in FIG. 9 . Therefore, the tip of the connection port 10a, which serves as the suction port, also faces diagonally upward. Therefore, the tip 90s of the airtight seal member 90 also faces diagonally upward. Therefore, when the vacuum cleaner 100 is supported on the horizontal plane F, dust remaining inside the connection port 10a and the airtight seal member 90 is unlikely to spill out.

[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 electric 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 a battery pack, and five electric cells 3h (battery cells) are arranged in a case 3a, two above and two below, two below, and one in the center. By orienting the axial direction of the electric cells 3h in the front-to-back direction in this way, the width of the storage battery 3 can be made narrower than when the axial direction of the electric 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, which 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 cooled effectively.

[0055] FIG. 13 is a plan view of the vacuum cleaner with accessories connected thereto. As shown in Figure 13, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 is configured so that the extension tube 300 can be connected with the airtight seal member 90 connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1. In this way, even when the airtight seal 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 nozzle 400 connected together short. This makes the standard suction nozzle 400 closer to the user, improving handling and usability.

[0056] 13, even when the extension tube 300 connected to the standard suction nozzle 400 is removed from the stick state to change the electric vacuum cleaner 100 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 has been described with reference to an example in which the extension tube 300 and the standard suction nozzle 400 are connected to the vacuum cleaner 100, but the present invention is not limited to this embodiment. For example, the standard suction nozzle 400 can be directly connected to the connection port 10a to use the vacuum cleaner 100 as a handheld vacuum cleaner. This improves the airtightness between the vacuum cleaner 100 and the floor surface using the airtight member 90, thereby increasing the suction power.

[0058] In this way, with the electric vacuum cleaner 100, various accessories (attachments) can be attached and detached while the airtightness maintaining member 90 remains attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, allowing for quick switching of cleaning modes. Furthermore, because the airtightness maintaining member 90 can remain attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, the handheld electric vacuum cleaner 100 with the airtightness maintaining member 90 attached can perform cleaning while ensuring high suction power.

[0059] Fig. 14 is a perspective view showing a support base of a vacuum cleaner. Note that the support base 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 base 70 is made up of a base portion 71 and a stand portion 72.

[0060] The base 71 has a generally rectangular mounting surface 71a on which the standard suction nozzle 400 (see FIG. 1) is placed. This mounting surface 71a is provided with a locking portion 71a1 that prevents the standard suction nozzle 400 from sliding forward. Furthermore, because the base 71 gradually becomes higher toward the rear in the front-to-rear direction, the stand support portion 71b is inclined at an angle of 1 degree with respect to the horizontal plane. This makes it possible to prevent the vacuum cleaner 100 from hitting the wall when the support stand 70 is stored against 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 recessed portion recessed rearward along the vertical direction, is provided at the upper front portion of the stand support 71b. In addition, an inclined surface 72b is provided at the upper end of the stand 72, which is inclined toward the engagement portion 72a. This makes it possible for the inclined surface 72b to guide the stand when supporting it in a stick state, making it easier to set it 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 on the support base 70 with the extension tube 300 and standard suction nozzle 400 connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1. Specifically, a generally L-shaped hook (a convex portion protruding downward) 301 with the tip facing downward is provided at the tip of the extension tube 300. This hook 301 is then engaged with an engaging portion 72a (FIG. 14) provided on the stand portion 72 of the support base 70. The standard suction nozzle 400 is also engaged with an engaging portion 71a1 on the mounting surface 71a. This allows the entire vacuum cleaner 100 to be supported on the support base 70 with the vacuum cleaner body 1 side facing upward and the standard suction nozzle 400 side facing downward, thereby enabling the support base to be made more compact. The position of the hook 301 is not limited to this, and it is acceptable to provide it in a location other than the vacuum cleaner main body 1, such as the upper end of the standard suction nozzle 400, as this will allow the extension tube and standard suction nozzle to be stored in a stick state on the vacuum cleaner main body, thereby achieving the effect of miniaturizing the support base.

[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 (glass-filled polypropylene or carbon) that is difficult to deform. 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 attached to the support base 70.

[0064] In this way, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 can be placed on the support base 70 in the stick state, so that the next time you clean, you can immediately use the electric vacuum cleaner 100 in the stick state.

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

[0066] Furthermore, as another embodiment of the present invention, a structure will be described 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. In the above-described embodiment, the engaging portion 72a and the hook 301 are engaged to support the entire vacuum cleaner 100 on the support base 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 while it is installed. In other words, the recess has a stand-side terminal, and 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 main body and is charged when the main body-side terminal and the support base-side terminal are in contact, making it possible to charge the battery while it is installed. 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 the floor. 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 still attached) to create a stick state, and the vacuum cleaner 100 is extended forward of the user to clean a floor surface. In this case, the user can clean by moving the vacuum cleaner 100 back and forth while gripping the second gripping portion 12a2 of the handle portion 12. Also, although not shown, when cleaning a floor surface with the vacuum cleaner 100 positioned to the left or right 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.

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

[0069] Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in Fig. 17, the electric blower 40 (see Fig. 6) and the storage battery 3, which are heavy parts of the vacuum cleaner 100, are located close to the handle 12 (close to the hand), so the center of gravity G of the vacuum cleaner 100 is closer 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 places higher than the floor, improving usability. Fig. 17 has been described using an example of cleaning stairs, but this is also effective when lifting the vacuum cleaner 100 to clean the panel of an air conditioner indoor unit, 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 nozzle 400 are removed from the vacuum cleaner 100 to put it into the handheld state. In this case, since the airtight member 90 remains attached to the vacuum cleaner 100, cleaning can be performed with increased suction power, preventing dust from being left behind. It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and includes various modifications. For example, the above-described embodiment has been described in detail to clearly explain the present invention, and the present invention is not necessarily limited to an 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

[Claim 1] a vacuum cleaner body having an electric blower that generates suction force for sucking dust and a storage battery that supplies power to the electric blower; an extension pipe having one end connectable to the vacuum cleaner body and adapted to send dust-containing air into the vacuum cleaner body; a suction tool that can be connected to the other end of the extension pipe and has a suction port formed therein; a dust case detachably attached to a main body of the vacuum cleaner main body and configured to collect dust through the suction port and the extension pipe; a support base that can store the extension tube and the suction tool in a stick state connected to the vacuum cleaner body, 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; The support base has a base portion and a stand portion formed upright from the base portion, the stand has a recess at the front end of the upper surface that is recessed rearward along the up-down direction, the extension pipe has a protrusion provided at the rear of the other end thereof, When the vacuum cleaner body is stored in the support base in a stick state with the extension tube and the suction tool connected thereto, the upper end of the stand is located above the suction tool and below the upper end of the extension tube, and the electric blower and the storage battery are located closer to the stand than the rear end of the extension tube extending from one end to the other end, an upper surface of the stand portion has an inclined surface that slopes downward from the rear surface of the stand portion toward the recessed portion, and when the protrusion engages with the recessed portion, the protrusion is guided by the inclined surface to engage with the recessed portion; The vacuum cleaner set is characterized in that the vacuum cleaner body is provided with a release button that is operated when removing accessories.

Images