Dust collector and vacuum cleaner equipped with the same

Abstract

To provide a dust collection device of a vacuum cleaner with improved dust collection performance.SOLUTION: A dust collection device of a vacuum cleaner includes: a dust collection container part having a peripheral wall part; an inner cylinder part arranged inside the dust collection container part; and a dust catch part 51 communicably connected to one end part of the inner cylinder part in an axial direction. The dust collection container part has: a communication port 32d provided in the peripheral wall part 32; and an introduction passage 35 communicating with the communication port 32d. The introduction passage 35 is formed by gradually swelling and bending outward from an outer peripheral surface of the peripheral wall part 32 as going from a downstream side to an upstream side of an air flow inside the introduction passage 35 when viewed from an axial direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 6

Description

【Technical Field】 【0001】 The present invention relates to a dust collection device for a vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner equipped with the same, and more particularly to a dust collection device for a cyclone-type vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner equipped with the same. 【Background Art】 【0002】 As a conventional dust collection device for a vacuum cleaner, Patent Document 1 proposes a dust collection device including a first separation part as a centrifugal separation part having a cup part and a separation filter provided inside the cup part, and a second separation part as a downstream centrifugal separation part communicatively connected to the separation filter so as to cover the opening of the cup part. In this dust collection device, a shade part is provided below the separation filter, a plurality of ventilation openings are provided in the top plate part of the shade part, and the air flowing into the inner space of the shade part is passed through the plurality of ventilation openings and flowed to the outer peripheral space of the separation filter. 【Prior Art Documents】 【Patent Documents】 【0003】 【Patent Document 1】 Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2017-158805 【Summary of the Invention】 【Problems to be Solved by the Invention】 【0004】 In the dust collection device of Patent Document 1, since the air in the inner space of the shade part passes through the plurality of ventilation openings in the top plate part and heads toward the outer peripheral space of the separation filter, the air passing through the plurality of ventilation openings joins the swirling flow, and thus turbulence is likely to occur in the outer peripheral space of the separation filter. As a result, a part of the dust in the swirling flow is likely to short-circuit (directly flow in) to the separation filter. In addition, if dust is contained in the air passing through the plurality of ventilation openings, a part of the dust is likely to be blown toward the separation filter side by the swirling flow, and the opportunity for re-separation is reduced. 【0005】 The present invention aims to provide a dust collection device for an electric vacuum cleaner and an electric vacuum cleaner equipped with the same, taking into consideration the circumstances described above. [Means for solving the problem] 【0006】 According to the present invention, the present invention comprises a bottomed cylindrical dust collection container having a peripheral wall, a bottom, and an opening; a breathable bottomed inner cylinder provided inside the dust collection container; and a dust capturing part connected to one end of the inner cylinder in the axial direction so as to airtightly cover the opening of the dust collection container, The dust collection container section has a communication port provided in the peripheral wall and an introduction passage communicating with the communication port to introduce air containing external dust into the dust collection container section. The dust collection device for an electric vacuum cleaner is provided, wherein the introduction passage has an introduction opening that communicates with the communication opening, and when viewed from the axial direction, the airflow in the introduction passage gradually bulges outward from the outer surface of the peripheral wall as it moves from the downstream side to the upstream side. 【0007】 Furthermore, according to the present invention, there is a vacuum cleaner that includes the dust collection device and a drive device which has an electric blower built in and sends air containing external dust that has been sucked in to the dust collection device. [Effects of the Invention] 【0008】 According to the present invention, a dust collection device for an electric vacuum cleaner with improved dust collection performance can be obtained. [Brief explanation of the drawing] 【0009】 [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the first embodiment of the electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention, viewed from the right rear. [Figure 2] This is a left-side cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner body in the first embodiment of the vacuum cleaner. [Figure 3] This is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner body of the first embodiment, viewed from the front right. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the drive unit of the first embodiment, viewed from the front right. [Figure 5] This is a dust collector according to the first embodiment, where Figure 5(A) is a right side view and Figure 5(B) is a front view. [Figure 6] This is a dust collector according to the first embodiment, where Figure 6(A) is a plan view and Figure 6(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Figure 5(B). [Figure 7] The first embodiment of the dust collection device is shown in Figure 7(A) as a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 6(A), and Figure 7(B) as a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 6(A). [Figure 8] This is an exploded view of the dust collector according to the first embodiment. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the filter unit in the dust collector of the first embodiment. [Figure 10] This is another perspective view of the filter unit in the dust collector of the first embodiment. [Figure 11] The dust collector of the second embodiment is shown, where Figure 11(A) corresponds to Figure 7(A) and Figure 11(B) corresponds to Figure 7(B). [Figure 12] This is a cross-sectional view of the dust collector of the second embodiment, seen from the bottom. [Figure 13] This is a perspective view of the filter unit in the dust collector of the second embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention] 【0010】 The present invention will be described in further detail below with reference to the drawings. The following description is illustrative in all respects and should not be construed as limiting the present invention. 【0011】 (First Embodiment) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention as viewed from the rear right side. FIG. 2 is a left side cross-sectional view of the cleaner main body in the electric vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the cleaner main body of the first embodiment as viewed from the front right side, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the drive device of the first embodiment as viewed from the front right side. In FIGS. 1 and 2, the front, rear, left, right, up, and down directions of the electric vacuum cleaner as viewed by the user during use (cleaning) are indicated by arrows, and the following description of the electric vacuum cleaner is based on these front, rear, left, right, up, and down directions. 【0012】 <Regarding the overall configuration of the electric vacuum cleaner> As shown in FIG. 1, the electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment is a stick-type electric vacuum cleaner including a cleaner main body 10, a suction port body 90, and an extension pipe 80 that airtightly connects the cleaner main body 10 and the suction port body 90. Note that the suction port body 90 can be directly connected to the cleaner main body 10 without passing through the extension pipe 80 and used as a handy-type electric vacuum cleaner. 【0013】 As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the cleaner main body 10 includes a drive device 20, a dust collecting device 30 detachably provided on the drive device 20, and a battery 70 as a power source detachably provided on the drive device 20. 【0014】 The drive device 20 includes an electric component storage portion 21 that houses an electric blower M and a control board, etc., a handle 22 continuously provided at the rear end of the electric component storage portion 21, an operation switch portion 23 provided on the upper portion of the handle 22, a battery mounting portion 24 provided on the lower portion of the electric component storage portion 21, a pipe portion 25 continuously provided so as to protrude forward from the upper front end of the electric component storage portion 21, and a dust collecting device mounting portion 26 provided along the lower end edge of the pipe portion 25 and the front end edge of the electric component storage portion 21. The central axis of the dust collecting device 30 installed in the dust collecting device mounting portion 26 is parallel to the central axis of the pipe portion 25. Also, in the present embodiment, the positional relationship between the dust collecting device mounting portion 26 and the pipe portion 25 is such that the pipe portion 25 is above and the dust collecting device mounting portion 26 is below, but a structure with a positional relationship where the pipe portion 25 is below and the dust collecting device mounting portion 26 is above may also be used. 【0015】 The electrical component storage section 21 has an air inlet 21a at its front edge and an exhaust port 21b on its right side. The air inlet 21a and the exhaust port 21b are connected by a ventilation passage within the electrical component storage section 21, and an electric blower M is provided in the ventilation passage. In addition, a hook-shaped leg portion 21c is provided below the air inlet 21a of the electrical component storage section 21. 【0016】 The battery mounting section 24 is formed in a concave shape that opens to the rear and downward so that the battery 70 can be slid in and out, and a power receiving terminal (not shown) is provided at the back of the section that can be electrically and mechanically connected to the charging and discharging terminals of the battery 70. 【0017】 The pipe section 25 has a connection port 25a at its front end that can be connected to the extension pipe 80 or the connecting pipe section 93 of the suction port body 90 (described later), and also has a storage space below the connection port 25a. This storage space is provided with a pair of clip-type terminals 25b (see Figure 2) that can be electrically and mechanically connected to a pair of pin-type terminals (not shown) that the extension pipe 80 or the suction port body 90 has when connected. The pair of clip-type terminals 25b are electrically connected to the control circuit by conductive wires (not shown). 【0018】 The dust collector mounting section 26 has an outlet 26a at the rear lower end of the pipe section 25 that communicates with the connection port 25a, and an engaging recess 26b at the lower end of the pipe section 25 that can engage with the engaging projection 32e of the dust collector 30, which will be described later. The dust collector mounting section 26 also has a locking rib 26c at the right front end of the electrical component storage section 21 that can detachably engage with the locking claw 52b of the dust collector 30, which will be described later. The portion of the dust collector mounting section 26 on the air inlet 21a side is shaped to accommodate the dust capturing section 51 of the dust collector 30, which will be described later, when the dust collector 30 is mounted. 【0019】 The operation switch section 23 includes, for example, a stop switch, a weak / strong switch for manual operation mode, and an automatic switch for automatic operation mode. The low / high switch is a switch that, when pressed while the drive unit 20 is stopped or in automatic operation mode, switches to manual low operation mode with minimum output, and when pressed while in manual low operation mode, switches to manual high operation mode with maximum output. The automatic switch is a switch that, when pressed while the drive unit 20 is stopped, in manual low-power mode or manual high-power mode, switches to an automatic medium-power mode with intermediate output. In automatic mode, if the current value of the rotating brush drive motor (described later) exceeds a predetermined value while in automatic medium-power mode, it switches to the automatic high-power mode with maximum output, and if the current value of the rotating brush drive motor falls below a predetermined value while in automatic high-power mode, it switches back to automatic medium-power mode. 【0020】 The dust collector 30 comprises a dust collection container section 31 and a dust capture unit 40 that is detachably attached to the dust collection container section 31. Further details about the dust collector 30 will be described later. 【0021】 As shown in Figure 1, the suction port body 90 comprises a suction port main body 91 having a suction port at its bottom, a joint portion 92 rotatably mounted on the suction port main body 91 around a first axis in the front-rear direction, a connecting pipe portion 93 rotatably mounted on the joint portion 92 around a second axis in the left-right direction, a rotating brush (not shown), a drive motor for the rotating brush, and a motor drive circuit housed within the suction port main body 91, and a pair of pin-shaped terminals (not shown) provided on the outer surface of the connecting pipe portion 93. In the suction port body 90, the pair of pin-shaped terminals, the motor drive circuit, and the drive motor for the rotating brush are electrically connected by conductive wires (not shown). 【0022】 As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the extension pipe 80 comprises a pipe body 81 having one end detachable from the pipe section 25 of the drive unit 20 and the other end detachable from the connecting pipe section 93 of the suction port 90, a conductive cable (not shown) provided along the outer surface of the pipe body 81, and a cover member 82 covering the conductive cable. The conductive cable has a pair of pin-type terminals on one end that can be electrically and mechanically connected to a pair of clip-type terminals 25b of the drive unit 20, and a pair of clip-type terminals on the other end that can be electrically and mechanically connected to a pair of pin-type terminals of the suction port 90. 【0023】 <Regarding the configuration of the dust collection system> Figure 5 shows a dust collector according to the first embodiment, where Figure 5(A) is a right side view and Figure 5(B) is a front view. Figure 6 also shows a dust collector according to the first embodiment, where Figure 6(A) is a plan view and Figure 6(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II in Figure 5(B). Figure 7 also shows a dust collector according to the first embodiment, where Figure 7(A) is a cross-sectional view taken along line II-II in Figure 6(A) and Figure 7(B) is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Figure 6(A). Figure 8 is an exploded view of the dust collector according to the first embodiment, Figure 9 is a perspective view of the filter unit in the dust collector according to the first embodiment, and Figure 10 is another perspective view of the filter unit in the dust collector according to the first embodiment. 【0024】 As shown in Figures 2 and 5-10, the dust collector 30 comprises the dust collection container section 31 and the dust capture unit 40 which is detachably attached to the dust collection container section 31. 【0025】 [Dust collection container section] As shown in Figures 5-8, the dust collection container section 31 is formed in a substantially bottomed cylindrical shape, having a peripheral wall section 32, a bottom section 33, and an opening 34 (see Figure 8). 【0026】 The peripheral wall portion 32 is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, with the inner diameter gradually narrowing from one end 32a on the opening 34 side and the other end 32c on the bottom 33 side towards the intermediate portion 32b (constricted at the intermediate portion 32b) (see Figure 7). Alternatively, the peripheral wall portion 32 may have a constant inner diameter from one end 32a to the intermediate portion 32b, and a structure where the inner diameter gradually widens from the intermediate portion 32b to the other end 32c. 【0027】 In this embodiment, the peripheral wall portion 32 also has an opening at the other end 32c opposite to the opening 34, and the bottom portion 33 is provided at the opening on the other end 32c side so as to be openable and closable via a hinge portion 31a and an opening / closing mechanism 31b. In other words, the bottom portion 33 is a lid portion that opens and closes the opening on the other end 32c side. 【0028】 As shown in Figure 7, the opening and closing mechanism 31b has a locking projection on the bottom portion 33 opposite to the hinge portion 31a, and a locking lever provided near the locking projection on the peripheral wall portion 32 and biased by a spring in the direction of locking onto the locking projection. By pressing the locking lever, the locking lever disengages from the locking projection and the bottom portion 33 opens. The dust collection container portion 31 may be configured so that the bottom portion 33 does not open. 【0029】 Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2, 4, and 7, a hook-shaped engaging projection 32e is provided on the side of the peripheral wall 32 closer to the opening 34 than the opening / closing mechanism 31b, which engages with the engaging recess 26b of the drive unit 20 when the dust collector 30 is attached to the dust collector mounting portion 26 of the drive unit 20. 【0030】 Furthermore, as shown in Figures 6(B) and 7, the peripheral wall portion 32 has a communication port 32d provided between one end portion 32a on the opening 34 side and the intermediate portion 32b, and an introduction passage 35 that communicates with the communication port 32d to introduce air containing external dust into the dust collection container portion 31. In other words, the cyclone inlet is provided in a spiral shape on the peripheral wall portion 32, and the inlet shape is formed by varying the diameter from a large to a small diameter and connecting them tangentially. 【0031】 The inlet passage 35 has an inlet 35a that communicates with the communication port 32d. When the dust collector 30 is mounted on the dust collector mounting section 26 of the drive unit 20, the inlet 35a of the dust collector 30 is airtightly connected to the outlet 26a of the drive unit 20 (see Figure 2). In this embodiment, the inlet 35a is a rectangle with rounded corners, and the cross-sectional shape of the inlet passage 35 is a continuous series of these rectangles. Alternatively, the inlet 35a may be made circular or elliptical so that the cross-sectional shape of the inlet passage 35 is a continuous series of circular or elliptical shapes, thereby making the entire inner surface a smooth curved surface. 【0032】 When viewed from the axis P direction of the peripheral wall portion 32, the introduction passage 35 is curved and gradually bulges outward from the outer peripheral surface 32x of the peripheral wall portion 32 as the airflow A (see Figure 6(B)) within the introduction passage 35 moves from the downstream side to the upstream side. In other words, the introduction passage 35 is not linearly connected in the tangential direction to the outer peripheral surface 32x of the peripheral wall portion 32 of the dust collection container portion 31. 【0033】 In other words, the introduction path 35 is connected to the outer surface 32x of the peripheral wall 32 while curving from a curvature greater than that of the peripheral wall 32 to a gradually smaller curvature (curving in a logarithmic spiral manner). Alternatively, the introduction path 35 is connected to the outer surface 32x of the peripheral wall 32 while curving with a curvature similar to that of the peripheral wall 32, centered on an eccentric axis offset from the axis P of the peripheral wall 32. 【0034】 The introduction path 35 is provided on the outer circumferential surface 32x of the peripheral wall 32 within a predetermined central angle θ1 range centered on the axis P of the peripheral wall 32. The introduction path 35 has a structure in which the open end 35b on the peripheral wall 32 side protrudes slightly from the peripheral wall 32. 【0035】 The predetermined central angle θ1, which is the range in which the introduction passage 35 is provided, is the range from the downstream end in the direction of the airflow A at the communication port 32d to the opening end 35b of the introduction passage 35 (see Figure 6(B)). From the viewpoint of suppressing the enlargement of the dust collection container section 31, it is preferable that the predetermined central angle θ1 be less than 180°, and in this embodiment it is approximately 153°. 【0036】 Furthermore, the communication port 32d is provided in the peripheral wall portion 32 within a predetermined central angle θ2 range centered on the axis P of the peripheral wall portion 32 (see Figure 6(B)). This predetermined central angle θ2 is the range from the downstream end to the upstream end in the direction of the airflow A at the communication port 32d. The predetermined central angle θ2 is less than or equal to the predetermined central angle θ1, and in this embodiment it is approximately 120°. 【0037】 As shown in Figure 6(B), when viewed from the direction of the axis P, the upstream end of the communication opening 32d is located downstream of the connection point J (see Figure 5(B)) between the opening end 35b side of the inlet passage 35 and the peripheral wall 32. Therefore, as shown in Figures 5(B) and 6(B), when the inlet opening 35a is viewed from the front side (direction perpendicular to the axis P), a part 32y of the peripheral wall 32 (the upstream end side of the communication opening 32d) protrudes into the inlet passage 35. 【0038】 A portion 32y of this peripheral wall 32 conceals the inner cylinder 41 of the dust capture unit 40 (described later) so that dust-containing air does not directly hit the inner cylinder 41 when dust-containing air flows into the intake passage 35 from the inlet 35a, and also acts as a windbreak to guide the dust-containing air to the outer circumference of the inner cylinder 41. Further details will be provided later. 【0039】 [Dust collection unit] As shown in Figures 2 and 5-10 (especially Figure 7), the dust capture unit 40 comprises a breathable, bottomed inner cylinder portion 41 provided inside the dust collection container portion 31, a dust capture portion 51 connected to one end of the inner cylinder portion 41 in the axial direction P (opening 34 side) so as to airtightly cover the opening 34 of the dust collection container portion 31, and a dust partition portion 61 extending from the other end of the inner cylinder portion 41 in the axial direction P (bottom 33 side) toward the bottom 33 of the dust collection container portion 31. 【0040】 The inner cylinder portion 41 comprises a cylindrical frame 41a having a bottom portion 41aa and an outer peripheral portion 41ab provided with a plurality of slits, and a mesh member (not shown) provided on the outer peripheral portion 41ab so as to cover the plurality of slits, with the side opposite to the bottom portion 41aa being open. 【0041】 The dust capturing section 51 has a cup section 52 that is airtightly and detachably fitted into the opening 34 of the dust collection container section 31, and a pleated filter section 53 that is airtightly and detachably fitted into the cup section 52. 【0042】 The cup portion 52 has a locking mechanism 52a on its outer circumferential surface (see Figure 8). This locking mechanism 52a includes a lever having a locking claw 52b that engages with the locking rib 26c of the drive unit 20 when the dust collector 30 is mounted on the dust collector mounting portion 26 of the drive unit 20. The locking mechanism 52a is configured to bias the lever in the direction that engages the locking claw 52b with the locking rib 26c using a spring, and when the lever is pressed, the locking claw 52b disengages from the locking rib 26c. 【0043】 As shown in Figures 1-3, in the vacuum cleaner 1 in which the dust collector 30 is mounted on the drive unit 20, the locking mechanism 52a and introduction path 35 of the dust collector 30 are located on the right side, the hinge portion 31a of the dust collector 30 is located on the lower side, and the opening / closing mechanism 31b of the dust collector 30 is housed in a recess (dust collector mounting portion 26) on the lower side of the pipe portion 25 of the drive unit 20. Although not shown, the left side of the vacuum cleaner 1 has no protrusions from the dust collector 30, resulting in a clean appearance. In this way, by consolidating the protrusions from the dust collector 30 on either the left or right side of the vacuum cleaner 1, the appearance of the other side without protrusions can be made clean. This is also true for vacuum cleaners in which the dust collector is located on the upper side of the pipe portion. In this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 1 is designed to have a clean appearance with no protrusions from the dust collector 30 on the left side, assuming that the user will hold the handle with their right hand while cleaning. In this embodiment, the inner cylinder portion 41 and the cup portion 52 are made of a single integrally molded component, but the inner cylinder portion 41 and the cup portion 52 may be made of separate components that can be detached. 【0044】 The dust partition section 61 has a plurality of partition plate sections 62 that protrude radially from the axis P with a projection dimension approximately equal to the radius from the axis P of the inner cylinder section 41, and a cylindrical dust trap section 63 that connects to the other end of the inner cylinder section 41 so as to cover the portion of the plurality of partition plate sections 62 on the inner cylinder section 41 side. In other words, in this embodiment, the diameter of the inner cylinder section 41 is enlarged so that the diameter of the inner cylinder section 41 is approximately the same as the diameter of the dust partition section 61. Multiple partition plate sections 62 and dust trap sections 63 are made of a single molded member joined together. In this embodiment, there is a gap between the portion of the three partition plate sections 62b covered by the dust trap section 63 and the inner surface of the cylindrical peripheral wall of the dust trap section 63, but there is no gap between the portion of the remaining partition plate section 62a covered by the dust trap section 63 and the inner surface of the cylindrical peripheral wall of the dust trap section 63. Also, the four partition plate sections 62 (62a, 62b) are formed in a cross shape when viewed from the bottom section 33 side (see Figures 8-10). In this embodiment, the inner cylinder portion 41 and the dust partition portion 61 are made of separate components, but the inner cylinder portion 41 and the dust partition portion 61 may be made of a single integrally molded component. 【0045】 The multiple partition plate sections 62 divide the central space on the bottom 33 side of the dust collection container section 31. In this embodiment, four wing-shaped partition plate sections 62 are arranged at a central angle of 90° around the axis P. The multiple partition plate sections 62 include one partition plate section 62a that protrudes radially outward with a projection dimension greater than or equal to the radius from the axis P of the inner cylinder section 41, and multiple other partition plate sections 62b that protrude radially outward with a projection dimension smaller than the radius. A part of the one partition plate section 62a protrudes radially outward with a projection dimension greater than the radius of the inner cylinder section 41, and the flange 63b, which will be described later, is shaped so that it does not protrude radially outward, thereby preventing dust clumps from swirling. A part of the partition plate section 62a that protrudes radially outward with a projection dimension greater than the radius of the inner cylinder section 41 is provided on the hinge 31a side, so dust tends to accumulate on the hinge side. With this configuration, when the dust collector 30 is attached to the drive unit 20, the hinge side is on the bottom, making it easier for the user to see how much dust has accumulated in the dust collection container 31 during cleaning. Furthermore, when the dust capture unit 40 is installed inside the dust collection container section 31, each end of the multiple partition plate sections 62 is in contact with or close to the bottom 33 of the dust collection container section 31. In addition, each side end of the multiple partition plate sections 62 is shaped to approach the axis P as it moves towards the bottom 33 of the dust collection container section 31. This shape makes it easier for dust to accumulate at the bottom. 【0046】 The peripheral wall of the cylindrical dust trap section 63 has a plurality of ventilation holes 63a that penetrate from the inner circumferential surface to the outer circumferential surface. In other words, a plurality of ventilation holes 63a that connect the inner circumferential surface side and the outer circumferential surface side of the cylindrical peripheral wall of the dust trap section 63 are provided in the cylindrical peripheral wall of the dust trap section 63. Furthermore, the plurality of ventilation holes 63a are provided at positions corresponding to the space between one partition plate section 62 and other partition plate sections 62 adjacent in the circumferential direction in the plurality of partition plate sections 62 (see Figures 8 to 10). In this embodiment, two groups of the plurality of ventilation holes 63a are provided at positions facing each other, but the plurality of ventilation holes 63a may be provided around the entire circumference of the dust trap section 63. 【0047】 Furthermore, the dust trap portion 63 has an outer diameter that is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the inner cylinder portion 41, and has a flange portion 63b that protrudes radially outward at the other end opposite to the end that connects to the inner cylinder portion 41. 【0048】 When the dust capturing unit 40 is installed inside the dust collection container section 31, when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axis P direction, the flange section 63b is located at the narrowed intermediate section 32b of the dust collection container section 31, and the introduction passage 35 and the inner cylinder section 41 are located in positions that overlap each other. 【0049】 <Regarding the operation of the vacuum cleaner> As shown in Figures 1-4, when cleaning with the electric vacuum cleaner 1 configured in this way, pressing the weak / strong switch or the automatic switch on the operation switch section 23 of the vacuum cleaner body 10 activates the electric blower M and the drive motor for the rotating brush. As a result, the rotating brush sweeps dust from the floor surface towards the intake port, and the dust is sucked into the intake port body 90 along with the air. The air containing the dust flows through the extension pipe 80 into the pipe section 25 of the drive unit 20, and from the outlet 26a of the pipe section 25, it flows into the introduction passage 35 of the dust collector 30 through the inlet 35a. 【0050】 As shown in Figures 5-7, the airflow A containing dust that flows into the introduction passage 35 of the dust collection container section 31 (see Figure 6(B)) travels along the curved outer inner surface 35c of the introduction passage 35 and flows into the dust collection container section 31 through the communication port 32d. At this time, a part 32y of the peripheral wall portion 32 that protrudes into the introduction passage 35 acts as a windbreak, preventing the airflow A from directly hitting the inner cylinder 41. In addition, this part 32y of the peripheral wall portion 32 guides the airflow A to travel along the outer inner surface 35c of the introduction passage 35. Furthermore, the part 32y of the peripheral wall portion 32 that protrudes into the introduction passage 35 has a tip portion that constitutes the upstream end of the communication port 32d in the swirling flow direction (direction of airflow A). When viewed from the direction of the axis P, the tip portion is formed in a pointed shape with a surface S that slopes radially from the inside to the outside (see Figure 6(B)). In other words, the tip portion of a part 32y of the peripheral wall 32 has a pointed shape with a slope (surface S) where the inner cylinder side surface of the peripheral wall 32 approaches the inlet side surface, oriented from the upstream side to the downstream side in the direction of rotation of the swirling flow (direction of airflow A). This makes it possible to suppress turbulence at the tip portion of a part 32y of the peripheral wall 32. 【0051】 Therefore, airflow A can flow smoothly into the dust collection container section 31 while swirling, and the swirling speed of airflow A increases, improving the centrifugal separation performance of the dust. In addition, direct collision of airflow A with the inner cylinder section 41 is effectively suppressed, so turbulence near the communication port 32d is suppressed and pressure loss is reduced. 【0052】 As shown in Figure 7(A), the airflow A that flows into the dust collection container section 31 swirls around the inner cylinder section 41, and then swirls around the dust trap section 63 of the dust partition section 61. At this time, the swirling speed increases because the intermediate section 32b of the peripheral wall section 32 facing the dust trap section 63 is narrower than the end section 32a, thereby improving the centrifugal separation performance of the dust. 【0053】 Subsequently, airflow A passes through the narrow space between the flange portion 63b and the peripheral wall portion 32 while swirling, and then swirls around the multiple partition plate portions 62. At this time, there is a wide space between the multiple partition plate portions 62 and the peripheral wall portion 32, and the multiple partition plate portions 62 obstruct the swirling of airflow A, so the swirling speed of airflow A decreases, and relatively large first dust accumulates on the bottom portion 33. In particular, as described above, direct collision of airflow A with the inner cylinder portion 41 is avoided, so the wrapping of fibrous first dust (hair, pet hair, fiber debris, etc.) around the inner cylinder portion 41 is suppressed, and fibrous first dust tends to accumulate in the space on the bottom portion 33. Furthermore, among the multiple partition plate portions 62, the partition plate portion 62a with a large radial outward projection dimension suppresses the swirling (dust turbulence) of the first dust on the bottom portion 33. 【0054】 The airflow A, which has swirled around the multiple partition plate sections 62 while slowing down, proceeds along each partition plate section 62 into the dust trap section 63, and the airflow B inside the dust trap section 63 flows into the outer periphery space of the dust trap section 63 through multiple ventilation holes 63a. At this time, even if fibrous first dust is contained in the airflow B, the fibrous first dust cannot pass through the ventilation holes 63a and is captured by the dust trap section 63. 【0055】 The airflow B that passes through the multiple ventilation holes 63a and flows into the outer peripheral space of the dust trap section 63 flows into the inner cylinder section 41, and the remainder merges with the swirling airflow A. When airflow B merges with airflow A, the dust in airflow B is separated again. If the airflow C (see Figure 7(A)) flowing into the inner cylinder 41 contains second dust particles smaller than the first dust particles, the second dust particles are captured as the airflow C passes through the filter 53. The air D, from which the dust has been removed after passing through the filter 53, flows into the drive unit 20 from the air inlet 21a and is discharged to the outside from the exhaust port 21b (see Figures 2-4). 【0056】 After cleaning, the dust collector 30 can be removed from the drive unit 20 by releasing the locking mechanism 52a, and the bottom 33 can be opened by operating the opening / closing mechanism 31b of the dust collector 30 to dispose of the dust accumulated inside. Also, as shown in Figure 8, the dust capturing unit 40 can be removed from the dust collection container 31, and the filter 53 can be removed from the cup 52 to disassemble the dust collector 30, allowing each disassembled part to be washed with water and kept clean. 【0057】 (Modification of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment, examples were given in which the introduction passage 35 of the dust collector 30 is connected to the outer surface 32x of the peripheral wall portion 32 while curving from a curvature greater than the curvature of the peripheral wall portion 32 to a gradually smaller curvature (curving in a logarithmic spiral manner), or in which the introduction passage 35 is connected to the outer surface 32x of the peripheral wall portion 32 while curving with a curvature about the same as the curvature of the peripheral wall portion 32, centered on an eccentric axis at a position offset from the axis P of the peripheral wall portion 32. However, the introduction passage 35 may be configured as follows. In other words, the introduction passage 35 may be connected linearly in a tangential direction to the outer peripheral surface 32x of the peripheral wall portion 32 of the dust collection container portion 31, and the introduction passage 35 may be formed to curve gradually outward from the outer peripheral surface 32x starting a short distance from the connection point. 【0058】 (Second Embodiment) Figure 11 shows a dust collector according to the second embodiment, where Figure 11(A) corresponds to Figure 7(A) and Figure 11(B) corresponds to Figure 7(B). Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view of the dust collector according to the second embodiment, viewed from the bottom, and Figure 13 is a perspective view of the filter unit in the dust collector according to the second embodiment. In Figures 11 to 13, elements similar to those in Figures 7 to 10 are denoted by the same reference numerals. The dust collector 130 of the second embodiment is generally the same as that of the first embodiment, except that the configuration of the dust capture unit 40 in the dust collector 30 of the first embodiment is different. The following will mainly describe the differences between the second embodiment and the first embodiment. 【0059】 As shown in Figures 11-13, in the dust collector 130 of the second embodiment, one of the multiple partition plate portions 162a of the dust partition portion 161 protrudes radially outward with a projection dimension approximately equal to the radius from the axis P of the inner cylinder portion 41. In other words, this one partition plate portion 162a has a shorter radial outward projection dimension than one partition plate portion 62a (see Figure 7) in the first embodiment. With this configuration, dust such as fibrous dust containing hair is less likely to clog between the radially outward tip of one partition plate portion 162a and the inner circumferential surface of the dust collection container portion 31, allowing for dust collection without uneven distribution. 【0060】 Furthermore, in the dust collector 130 of the second embodiment, the flange portion 163b of the dust capturing unit 140 has a smaller outer diameter for the portion 163ba on the partition plate portion 162a side than for the other portion 163bb (see Figure 12). With this configuration, the outer circumference of the flange portion 163b has a partially elliptical arc shape on the partition plate portion 162a side. This makes it less likely for dust such as fibrous dust containing hair to clog between the elliptical arc portion 163ba of the flange portion 163b and the inner circumferential surface of the dust collection container portion 31, allowing for even dust collection. In addition, it is possible to suppress the phenomenon in which fibrous dust containing hair clogs between the elliptical arc portion 163ba of the flange portion 163b and the inner circumferential surface of the dust collection container portion 31, causing the fibrous dust to reach out and wrap around the inner cylinder portion 41 (mesh portion). 【0061】 Furthermore, in the dust collector 130 of the second embodiment, as shown in Figures 11 to 13, the dust capturing unit 140 is provided with a second flange portion 163c having an outer diameter approximately equal to the other portion 163bb of the flange portion 163b on one end that connects to the inner cylinder portion 41 of the dust trap portion 163. With this configuration, the air (airflow B) flowing from the inner circumference side of the dust trap portion 163 through the multiple ventilation holes 63a to the outer circumference side can be forcibly converted into a downward airflow by the second flange portion 163b, making it easier to be taken in by the large downward airflow A along the inner surface of the dust collection container portion 31. In addition, the second flange portion 163b functions as a guard when fibrous dust, including hair, that is trying to flow from the inner circumference side of the dust trap portion 163 through the multiple ventilation holes 63a to the outer circumference side tries to reach the inner cylinder portion 41 (mesh portion). 【0062】 (Third embodiment) In the dust collector 30 of the first embodiment (see Figures 8-10) and the dust collector 130 of the second embodiment (see Figures 11-13), the dust capturing unit 40 was equipped with a dust capturing section 51 having a cup section 52 and a filter section 53, but a second centrifugal separator may be used instead of the filter section 53. In other words, the dust capturing section of the third embodiment has a cup section 52 and a second centrifugal separator that is detachably attached to the cup section 52, and this dust capturing section may be connected to the inner cylinder section 41. 【0063】 In this case, the second centrifugal separator comprises a plurality of small double-cylinder sections arranged concentrically around the axis P. Each of the plurality of double-cylinder sections has a conical cylinder section and a cylindrical section inserted with a gap inside the conical cylinder section. With this second centrifugal separator, the airflow from the inner cylinder section 41 is introduced into each conical cylinder section of the plurality of double-cylinder sections to centrifuge the second dust, the centrifuged second dust is collected in grooves provided on the outer circumference of the cup section, and the air from which the second dust has been removed is introduced into the drive unit 20 by flowing from inside each conical cylinder section into each cylindrical section. The second centrifugal separator may be fixed to the cup portion 52 and not detachable. 【0064】 (Fourth Embodiment) In the dust collector 30 of the first embodiment (see Figures 8-10) and the dust collector 130 of the second embodiment (see Figures 11-13), the dust capturing unit 40 had a dust partition 61. However, the dust trap 63 of the dust partition 61 may be omitted, or only three partition plates 62b or only four partition plates 62a and 62b of the multiple partition plate portions 62 of the dust partition 61 may be omitted, or the dust partition 61 itself (the multiple partition plate portions 62a and 62b and the dust trap 63) may be omitted. If the multiple partition plates 62a and 62b are omitted, ribs may be provided on the bottom 33 of the dust collection container 31 or on the inner surface of the peripheral wall 32, and these ribs may be used to suppress the swirling (dust disturbance) of the first dust. 【0065】 (Other embodiments) In the first embodiment, a stick-type vacuum cleaner 1 (see Figure 1) was used as an example, but the dust collection devices of the first to fourth embodiments are also applicable to canister-type vacuum cleaners. 【0066】 As stated above, (1) The dust collection device for an electric vacuum cleaner according to the present invention comprises a bottomed cylindrical dust collection container having a peripheral wall, a bottom and an opening, a bottomed inner cylinder having ventilation provided inside the dust collection container, and a dust capturing part connected to one end of the inner cylinder in the axial direction so as to airtightly cover the opening of the dust collection container, The dust collection container section has a communication port provided in the peripheral wall and an introduction passage communicating with the communication port to introduce air containing external dust into the dust collection container section. The introduction passage has an introduction opening that communicates with the communication opening, and is characterized in that, when viewed from the axial direction, the outer surface of the peripheral wall gradually bulges outward and curves as the airflow in the introduction passage moves from the downstream side to the upstream side. 【0067】 With this configuration, the inlet path is not connected tangentially and linearly to the peripheral wall of the dust collection container, but rather curves as it connects to the peripheral wall. This makes it easier to generate a swirling flow with less turbulence along the inner surface of the peripheral wall. Therefore, without increasing the diameter (inner and outer diameter) of the peripheral wall of the dust collection container, the diameter of the inner cylinder can be increased, reducing pressure loss, suppressing the entanglement of fibrous dust in the inner cylinder, and improving dust separation performance. In other words, this configuration allows for an increase in the diameter of the inner cylinder without increasing the diameter of the dust collection container, resulting in reduced pressure loss, reduced hair entanglement, and improved separation performance. 【0068】 Furthermore, the dust collection device for the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention may be configured as follows, and these may be combined as appropriate. (2) When viewed from a direction perpendicular to the axial direction, the introduction passage and the inner cylinder are located in positions that overlap each other. When the inlet is viewed from the orthogonal direction, a portion of the peripheral wall may protrude into the inlet passage so as to conceal the inner cylindrical portion. With this configuration, a portion of the outer surface of the peripheral wall protrudes into the intake passage and functions as a windbreak, thereby suppressing short-circuiting (direct inflow) of dust-containing air introduced into the intake passage into the inner cylinder, and making it easier to generate a swirling flow. 【0069】 (3) A portion of the peripheral wall that protrudes into the introduction passage has a tip portion that constitutes the upstream end of the communication opening in the swirling flow direction, and when viewed from the axial direction, the tip portion may be formed in a pointed shape having a surface that slopes radially from the inside to the outside. This configuration makes it possible to suppress turbulence at a portion of the tip of the peripheral wall. 【0070】 (4) The introduction path may be provided on the outer surface of the peripheral wall portion within a range of a central angle of less than 180° with respect to the axis of the peripheral wall portion. This configuration allows the inlet passage portion that protrudes outward from the outer surface of the peripheral wall to be kept small, thereby suppressing the need to enlarge the dust collection container. 【0071】 (5) The dust partition portion further extends from the other end of the inner cylinder portion in the axial direction toward the bottom of the dust collection container portion, The dust partition may have a plurality of partition plate portions that protrude radially from the axis. With this configuration, the dust partition allows for adjustment of the flow rate (or flow velocity) of the swirling flow at the bottom of the dust collection container, thereby suppressing the turbulence of dust accumulated at the bottom of the dust collection container. 【0072】 (6) The plurality of partition plate portions may include one partition plate portion that protrudes radially outward with a protrusion dimension equal to or greater than the radius from the axis of the inner cylinder portion, and a plurality of other partition plate portions that protrude radially outward with a protrusion dimension smaller than the radius. With this configuration, if the radial outward projection dimension of one partition plate is approximately the radius from the axis of the inner cylinder, dust such as fibrous dust containing hair is less likely to clog between the radial outward tip of one partition plate and the inner circumferential surface of the dust collection container, allowing for even dust collection. Furthermore, if the radial outward projection dimension of one partition plate is greater than the radius from the axis of the inner cylinder, a clump of dust can form between the radial outward tip of one partition plate and the inner circumferential surface of the dust collection container, preventing the clump from swirling. 【0073】 (7) The dust partition portion further has a cylindrical dust trap portion that is connected to the other end of the inner cylinder portion so as to cover a part of the plurality of partition plate portions, The dust trap portion may have a plurality of ventilation holes in its cylindrical peripheral wall that connect the inner and outer surfaces of the cylindrical peripheral wall. With this configuration, fibrous dust such as hair can be captured in the inner space of the dust trap, and the air that has passed through multiple ventilation holes from the inner space of the dust trap can flow out into the space between the cylindrical peripheral wall of the dust trap and the peripheral wall of the dust collection container and merge with the swirling flow. In other words, the air that has passed through the multiple ventilation holes does not directly merge with the swirling flow in the outer space of the inner cylinder. Therefore, the situation in which turbulence occurs, as in the dust collector of Patent Document 1, is suppressed. As a result, it is possible to suppress short-circuiting of dust-containing air into the inner cylinder while promoting the re-separation of dust in the air that has passed through the multiple ventilation holes. 【0074】 (8) The plurality of partition plates are arranged at a central angle of 90° with respect to the axis, The plurality of ventilation holes may be provided at positions corresponding to the space between one partition plate portion and other partition plate portions adjacent in the circumferential direction within the plurality of partition plate portions. This configuration makes it easier to capture fibrous dust in the space between two partition plates that are adjacent to each other in the circumferential direction, and allows air that has flowed into the space between the two partition plates in the inner space of the dust trap to escape to the outer periphery of the dust trap through multiple ventilation holes. 【0075】 (9) The dust trap portion has an outer diameter that is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the inner cylinder portion, and has a flange portion that protrudes radially outward at the other end opposite to the end that connects to the inner cylinder portion. The peripheral wall portion may be narrower on the intermediate side facing the flange portion than on the bottom side. With this configuration, the swirling flow around the outer circumference of the flange becomes faster, increasing the centrifugal force, while the swirling flow slows down at the bottom, allowing the centrifugalally dispersed dust to be captured without becoming agitated. Furthermore, with this configuration, the bottom of the dust collection container can be opened and closed, and because the peripheral wall is wider at the bottom, it is easy to open the bottom and dispose of the dust. 【0076】 (10) A second flange portion having an outer diameter substantially equal to that of the flange portion may be provided on one end of the dust trap portion that connects to the inner cylinder portion. With this configuration, the air flowing from the inner circumference of the dust trap through multiple ventilation holes to the outer circumference is forcibly converted into a downward airflow by the second flange, making it easier for the air to be drawn into the large downward airflow along the inner surface of the dust collection container. In addition, the second flange functions as a guard to prevent fibrous dust, including hair, from reaching the inner cylinder (mesh) when it tries to flow from the inner circumference of the dust trap through multiple ventilation holes to the outer circumference. 【0077】 (11) The flange portion may have an outer diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the portion on the side of one partition plate. In this configuration, the outer circumference of the flange portion has a partially elliptical arc shape on the side of the one partition plate portion. As a result, dust such as fibrous dust containing hair is less likely to clog between the partially elliptical arc of the flange portion and the inner circumferential surface of the dust collection container portion, allowing for even dust collection. Furthermore, it is possible to suppress the phenomenon in which fibrous dust containing hair clogs between the partially elliptical arc of the flange portion and the inner circumferential surface of the dust collection container portion, causing the fibrous dust to reach out and wrap around the inner cylinder portion (mesh portion). 【0078】 Preferred embodiments of the present invention also include combinations of any of the embodiments described above. In addition to the embodiments described above, various modifications of the present invention are possible. These modifications should not be interpreted as being outside the scope of the present invention. The present invention should include the meaning of equivalents of the claims and all variations within that scope. [Explanation of symbols] 【0079】 1: Electric vacuum cleaner, 10: Vacuum cleaner body, 20: Drive unit, 21: Electrical component storage section, 21a: Air inlet, 21b: Exhaust port, 21c: Leg section, 22: Handle, 23: Operation switch section, 24: Battery mounting section, 25: Pipe section, 25a: Connection port, 25b: Clip-type terminal, 26: Dust collector mounting section, 26a: Outlet, 26b: Engaging recess, 26c: Locking rib, 30, 130: Dust collector, 31: Dust collection container section, 31a: Hinge section, 31b: Opening / closing mechanism, 32: Peripheral wall section, 32a: One end, 32b: Middle section, 32c: Other end, 32d: Communication port, 32e: Engaging projection, 32x: Outer surface, 32y: Part, 33: Bottom, 34: Opening, 35: Inlet, 35a: Inlet, 35b: Opening end, 35c: Outer inner surface, 40, 140: Dust capture unit, 41: Inner cylinder, 41a: Cylindrical frame, 41aa: Bottom, 41ab: Outer circumference, 51: Dust capture section, 52: Cup section, 52a: Locking mechanism, 52b: Locking claw, 53: Filter section, 61, 161: Dust partition section, 62, 62a, 62b: Partition plate section, 63, 163: Dust trap section, 63a: Ventilation hole, 63b, 163b: Flange section, 70: Battery, 80: Extension pipe, 81: Pipe body, 82: Cover member, 90: Inlet body, 91: Inlet body, 92: Joint, 93: Connecting pipe, 163ba: Elliptical arc, 163bb: Other parts, 163c: Second flange, A, B: Airflow, J: Connection position, M: Electric blower, P: Axis, S: Surface, θ1: Center angle

Claims

[Claim 1] A dust collection container section having a bottom, An inner cylindrical portion having ventilation is provided within the dust collection container portion, The dust collection container comprises a dust trap section located at the bottom of the inner cylindrical section and having a cylindrical peripheral wall with an open bottom side, The dust trap section is A ventilation section that allows air to circulate between the inner and outer sides of the aforementioned peripheral wall, It has a first flange portion that protrudes from the outer circumferential surface of the peripheral wall, In the aforementioned ventilation section, airflow passes from the inner side to the outer side of the peripheral wall. The first flange portion is provided on the bottom side with respect to the ventilation portion. Dust collector. [Claim 2] The ventilation portion includes a plurality of ventilation holes penetrating the peripheral wall, The dust collection device according to claim 1. [Claim 3] The dust trap section is located at least in part within the peripheral wall and further includes a partition plate section that divides the space within the peripheral wall in the circumferential direction. The ventilation portion is provided extending from one side to the other of the partition plate portion in the circumferential direction of the peripheral wall. The dust collection device according to claim 1 or 2. [Claim 4] The partition plate portion is formed to be continuous with the inner surface of the peripheral wall. The dust collector according to claim 3. [Claim 5] The dust trap portion further has a second flange portion that protrudes from the outer surface of the peripheral wall, The second flange portion is provided on the side opposite to the bottom portion with respect to the ventilation portion. A dust collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 4. [Claim 6] A dust collection device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The system includes a drive unit that sends air containing dust to the dust collector, Vacuum cleaner.

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