Vacuum cleaners, storage stands for vacuum cleaners, and accessories for vacuum cleaners

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaner, a vacuum cleaner housing stand, and a vacuum cleaner accessory that enhance the usage rate of recycled materials, and are lightweight and resistant to impact.SOLUTION: A vacuum cleaner comprises a cleaner body 1 housing an electric air blower. In the cleaner body 1, an upper surface cover 12b, a left side surface cover 12c, and a right side surface cover 12d that are parts on which impact is easily exerted are formed of a recycled polycarbonate resin, and an introduction part 10a, a communication part 10b, a flat surface part 10d1, a front inclined part 10d3, and a rear inclined part 10d4 are formed of a recycled polypropylene resin.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, a storage stand for a vacuum cleaner, and accessories for a vacuum cleaner.

Background Art

[0002] As part of recent environmental measures, it is required to increase the usage rate of recycled materials in vacuum cleaners. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a vacuum cleaner to which recycled materials are applied.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] However, recycled materials are relatively weak in strength. When using recycled materials for the outer shell of the vacuum cleaner body as in the vacuum cleaner described in Patent Document 1, the vacuum cleaner may be damaged when it receives an impact. In addition, for stick-type vacuum cleaners, etc., weight reduction of the vacuum cleaner is also required to improve usability.

[0005] The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and aims to provide a vacuum cleaner, a storage stand for a vacuum cleaner, and accessories for a vacuum cleaner that increase the usage rate of recycled materials and are lightweight and impact-resistant.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention comprises a vacuum cleaner body housing an electric blower, the vacuum cleaner body comprising a handle portion provided above the electric blower, a dust collection portion for collecting dust, a communication portion communicating with the dust collection portion and sending air discharged from the dust collection portion to the electric blower, and an introduction portion for introducing dust introduced into the vacuum cleaner body to the dust collection portion, further comprising an extension pipe connected to the vacuum cleaner body, and a suction port connected to the extension pipe, the extension pipe comprising an electric wire arranged along the axial direction of the extension pipe, and an electric wire cover covering the periphery of the electric wire, and the suction port comprising a suction port cover provided on the upper surface of the suction port. before The outside of the handle, the wire cover and the suction nozzle cover , as a part that is susceptible to external impact during use or when falling, Formed from recycled polycarbonate resin, these The parts other than the handle portion, the communication portion, and the introduction portion are characterized by being made of recycled polypropylene resin. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to increase the utilization rate of recycled materials and provide a lightweight and impact-resistant vacuum cleaner, a storage stand for the vacuum cleaner, and accessories for the vacuum cleaner. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing the vacuum cleaner and accessories of this embodiment stored in the storage stand. [Figure 2] This is a perspective view showing the vacuum cleaner body of this embodiment with the extension tube and nozzle removed. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a disassembled perspective view of the vacuum cleaner body. [Figure 4] This is a perspective view of the extension tube. [Figure 5] This is a perspective view of the mouthpiece. [Figure 6] This is a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner. [Figure 7] This is a perspective view showing the storage unit. [Figure 8] This is a disassembled perspective view of the storage unit. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of the accessories. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments for carrying out the present invention (hereinafter referred to as "embodiments") will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as appropriate. Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the vacuum cleaner and accessories of this embodiment stored in the storage stand. As shown in Figure 1, the electric vacuum cleaner 100 can be changed to various usage states, such as handheld and stick configurations, for cleaning. The electric vacuum cleaner 100 also includes a vacuum cleaner body 1 that houses an electric blower 40 (see Figure 3), an extension tube 300 connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1, and a standard suction nozzle (power brush) 400 connected to the extension tube 300, allowing it to be used as a stick-type vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, by removing the extension tube 300 and the standard suction nozzle 400 from the vacuum cleaner body 1, it can be used as a handheld vacuum cleaner.

[0010] The charging stand 200 (storage stand) in which the vacuum cleaner 100 is stored stores the vacuum cleaner 100 in a stick position and comprises a base member 201, a stand member 202, a support column 203, and a holder member 204.

[0011] Furthermore, the charging base 200 is designed to store accessories such as a crevice nozzle 410 (crevice cleaning nozzle), a broom-type nozzle 420, and a small nozzle 430. The crevice nozzle 410, broom-type nozzle 420, and small nozzle 430 are inserted into accessory storage sections 201e formed in the base member 201 and held with their tips facing upwards. An extension hose 440 with a handle can also be attached to the charging base 200.

[0012] Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the vacuum cleaner body of this embodiment with the extension tube and nozzle removed. As shown in Fig. 2, the vacuum cleaner main body 1 includes a dust case 2 (dust collection unit), a rechargeable battery 3, a main body unit 10, and a motor unit 11.

[0013] The main body unit 10 is formed with an introduction part 10a to which an extension pipe 300 (see Fig. 1), a standard suction nozzle 400 (see Fig. 1), etc. are connected and air containing dust is introduced. This introduction part 10a constitutes the outer shell (outer surface) of the vacuum cleaner main body 1 and is formed of a recycled polypropylene resin (hereinafter abbreviated as recycled PP resin). Also, to the introduction part 10a, a gap suction nozzle 410 (see Fig. 1), a broom-shaped suction nozzle 420 (see Fig. 1), a small suction nozzle 430 (see Fig. 1), an extension hose 440 (see Fig. 1), an extension pipe 300 (see Fig. 1), and a standard suction nozzle 400 (see Fig. 1) as accessories can be connected.

[0014] Also, the dust case 2 is detachably attached to the main body unit 10, and a flow path is formed for sending air containing dust sucked from the introduction part 10a into the dust case 2.

[0015] The motor unit 11 includes a motor housing case 11a (motor blower housing case) that houses an electric blower 40 (see Fig. 3) and a main body substrate 50 (see Fig. 3). An exhaust cover 15 is provided at an exhaust port where the electric blower 40, the main body substrate 50, and air are discharged in this motor housing case 11a.

[0016] Also, between the motor unit 11 and the dust case 2, a substantially cylindrical communication part 10b is formed for introducing clean air after being dust-collected by the dust case 2 into the motor unit 11. An input jack 10c connected to a terminal (not shown) of a charging stand 200 is provided in this communication part 10b.

[0017] Further, a handle portion 12 is provided on the main body portion 10. This handle portion 12 is provided on the rear side of the main body portion 10 and is configured to have a substantially triangular shape in side view. Also, by making the handle portion 12 substantially triangular in side view, the user can hold and use the handle portion 12 at a convenient position (easy-to-grip position) according to the usage state.

[0018] Also, an operation switch 12a is provided on the upper surface of the handle portion 12. This operation switch 12a is composed of, for example, three buttons of "strong", "standard", and "on / off". Also, in front of the operation switch 12a of the handle portion 12, a release button 13 that is operated when removing accessories such as an extension tube 300 (see FIG. 1) is provided. By pressing this release button 13, the lock between the main body portion 10 and the accessory is released, and the accessory can be removed from the main body portion 10.

[0019] Also, a brush member 14 is attached along the opening to the tip opening of the introduction portion 10a. This brush member 14 is made of an elastically deformable (flexible) material such as nylon resin. By attaching such a brush member 14 to the introduction portion 10a, the dust on the cleaning target surface can be swept, and by pressing the tip of the brush member 14 against the floor surface, the suction force can be improved.

[0020] The storage battery 3 supplies power to an electric blower 40 (see FIG. 3), a standard suction port 400, etc., and is composed of a rechargeable secondary battery such as a lithium ion battery or a nickel hydrogen battery. Also, the storage battery 3 is arranged with a plurality of battery cells (not shown) side by side, and its periphery is covered by a substantially semi-cylindrical battery housing case 3a (storage battery housing case) made of synthetic resin. Also, the storage battery 3 is supported so as to be slidable in the front-rear direction, and can be removed from the main body portion 10 by sliding the battery housing case 3a backward.

[0021] The dust case 2 is a cyclone type and has the function of separating the dust-containing air sucked in from the inlet 10a into dust and air, and collecting the dust. The dust case 2 is positioned in front of the communication section 10b with its axial direction in the front-to-back direction and has a substantially cylindrical storage section 2a. The storage section 2a has a storage opening on its front. A substantially rectangular inlet 2b (see Figure 3) connected to the main body 10 is formed on the top surface (side) of the dust case 2. The dust-containing air flowing into this inlet 2b becomes a swirling flow, centrifugal force acts on the dust, and after being separated into dust and air within the dust case 2, the air with the dust separated is discharged from the rear (back) of the dust case 2. The dust case 2 is also equipped with a filter (not shown) made of, for example, a high-density HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air Filter).

[0022] Furthermore, a lid 2c, which is opened and closed when disposing of dust accumulated in the dust case 2, is rotatably supported on the front of the dust case 2 via a hinge (not shown) relative to the storage compartment 2a, and closing the lid 2c closes the opening of the storage compartment. In addition, a lid locking mechanism (not shown) for releasing the lock on the lid 2c is provided on the upper part of the lid 2c.

[0023] Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of the vacuum cleaner body shown in Figure 2. As shown in Figure 3, the main body 10 of the vacuum cleaner body 1 is composed of multiple parts. Specifically, the main body 10 includes a base portion 10d that forms the inside of the introduction portion 10a and the inside of the handle portion 12, an upper cover 12b provided on the upper side of the base portion 10d, a left side cover 12c provided on the left side of the base portion 10d, and a right side cover 12d provided on the right side of the base portion 10d.

[0024] The base portion 10d is configured to include a flat portion 10d1 located above the motor portion 11 and extending in the front-rear direction, a cylindrical flow path portion 10d2 extending forward from the flat portion 10d1, a forward-sloping portion 10d3 extending diagonally upward toward the rear from the boundary between the flat portion 10d1 and the flow path portion 10d2, and a rear-sloping portion 10d4 extending diagonally upward toward the front from the rear end of the flat portion 10d1 and connected to the forward-sloping portion 10d3. The forward-sloping portion 10d3 and the rear-sloping portion 10d4 are formed in a concave shape so that the upper side is open. In addition, a circuit board 51 for the operation switch 12a is provided on the forward-sloping portion 10d3.

[0025] The introduction section 10a is made of a separate component from the base section 10d. Furthermore, the introduction section 10a constitutes the outer casing (outer surface) and is provided to cover the area around the tip of the flow channel section 10d2.

[0026] The connecting portion 10b is made of a separate component from the base portion 10d. Furthermore, the connecting portion 10b constitutes the outer casing (outer surface) and is provided to cover the opening at the front end of the motor housing case 11a.

[0027] These inlet section 10a, connecting section 10b, and base section 10d are constructed from recycled PP resin by resin molding. By using recycled PP in this way, the environmental impact can be reduced. Recycled PP is not pure polypropylene resin, but rather recycled PP made from used products and waste generated from the manufacturing process, which can then be used as material or raw material for new products. In Figure 3, the inlet section 10a, connecting section 10b, and base section 10d, which are made from recycled PP resin, are shown with small dots.

[0028] The top cover 12b is composed of a single component consisting of a handle-side top portion 12b1 provided on the upper side of the front inclined portion 10d3 and the rear inclined portion 10d4, and a flow-flow side top portion 12b2 provided on the upper side of the flow-flow portion 10d2.

[0029] The left side cover 12c is composed of a single component comprising a rectangular channel side portion 12c1 provided on the left side of the channel portion 10d2, and a handle side portion 12c2 that extends in the front-rear direction along the flat portion 10d1.

[0030] The right side cover 12d is composed of a rectangular channel side portion 12d1 provided on the right side of the channel portion 10d2 and a handle side portion 12d2 that is elongated in the front-rear direction along the flat portion 10d1, all as a single component.

[0031] These top cover 12b, left side cover 12c, and right side cover 12d are made of recycled polycarbonate resin (hereinafter abbreviated as recycled PC resin). By using recycled PC in this way, the environmental impact can be reduced. Recycled PC is not pure polycarbonate resin, but rather recycled polycarbonate resin made from used products and waste generated from the manufacturing process, which can then be used as material or raw material for new products. In Figure 3, the top cover 12b, left side cover 12c, and right side cover 12d, which are made of recycled PC, are shown with larger dots than those used for recycled PP.

[0032] The motor housing case 11a houses the electric blower 40, which generates heat easily, and therefore needs to be made of a flame-retardant material. For this reason, the motor housing case 11a is made of flame-retardant polycarbonate resin (hereinafter abbreviated as flame-retardant PC). Flame-retardant PC is even more flame-retardant than ordinary polycarbonate resin (PC). Furthermore, although the motor housing case 11a is a part of the exterior that is easily subjected to impact, it is made of flame-retardant PC resin and not recycled material. Also, in Figure 3, the dots are omitted from the illustration.

[0033] The battery housing case 3a houses battery cells (not shown) that easily generate heat, and therefore needs to be made of a flame-retardant material. For this reason, the battery housing case 3a, like the motor housing case 11a, is made of flame-retardant polycarbonate resin (hereinafter abbreviated as flame-retardant PC). Flame-retardant PC is even more flame-retardant than ordinary polycarbonate resin (PC). Furthermore, although the battery housing case 3a is a part of the exterior that is easily subjected to impact, it is made of flame-retardant PC resin, not recycled material. Also, in Figure 3, it is shown without dots.

[0034] The motor housing case 11a is equipped with an exhaust cover 15, but since this exhaust cover 15 does not require flame retardancy, ordinary (pure) ABS resin (non-recycled ABS resin, acrylotril-butanediene-styrene resin) is used. The reason why the exhaust cover 15 is not made of flame-retardant PC is that the electric blower 40 is already covered by a motor housing case 11a made of flame-retardant PC resin. Furthermore, the exhaust cover 15 is not limited to ordinary pure ABS resin, but may also be formed from recycled ABS resin. This reduces the environmental impact.

[0035] Furthermore, Figure 2 shows the state after assembling the parts shown in Figure 3. As shown in Figure 2, the vacuum cleaner body 1 is positioned so that the recycled PP introduction section 10a is visible at the front end of the main body 10. In addition, recycled PP is used for the inner flat surface 10d1 of the handle 12 and for the front inclined section 10d3 and rear inclined section 10d4, which are the parts that are gripped by the hand, and is positioned so that it is visible. Note that the flat surface 10d1, front inclined section 10d3, and rear inclined section 10d4 are parts that are not easily subjected to impact, so recycled PP is used to reduce weight.

[0036] Incidentally, in stick-type electric vacuum cleaners 100, there is a growing demand for weight reduction to improve usability. Therefore, if all parts were made of lightweight recycled PP to increase the use of recycled materials and reduce weight, the visible parts would be more susceptible to accidental impacts from the user. Conversely, if all parts were made of recycled PC, the weight would increase. Therefore, the top cover 12b of the handle section 12, and the left and right side covers 12c and 12d of the main body section 10, which are areas prone to impact, are made of recycled PC instead of recycled PP.

[0037] Furthermore, it is important to provide users with products that have a glossy appearance and superior aesthetics, and using polycarbonate resin is preferable to polypropylene resin. Polycarbonate has better color development and a superior appearance (aesthetics) than ABS or PP. For this reason, the top cover 12b, left side cover 12c, and right side cover 12d are formed from recycled PC. Even if the PC (polycarbonate) resin is recycled PC resin, it has superior aesthetics compared to PP resin.

[0038] Furthermore, in the vacuum cleaner body 1, the introduction section 10a, the connecting section 10b, and the base section 10d, which are parts that are less likely to be subjected to impact when the vacuum cleaner falls over or hits an obstacle, are made of recycled PP to reduce weight.

[0039] The electric blower 40 is positioned horizontally so that its rotary drive shaft (not shown) faces in the front-to-back direction. The air discharged from the electric blower 40 flows to the main circuit board 50 located above the electric blower 40, cooling the main circuit board 50.

[0040] The main circuit board 50 has various components that require cooling mounted mainly on its underside. Most of the air discharged from the electric blower 40 flows to cool the components (heat-generating components) located on the underside of the main circuit board 50.

[0041] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the extension tube. As shown in Figure 4, the extension tube 300 is used when the vacuum cleaner 100 is used in stick mode, and has a straight tubular section 301, a male connector 302 that connects to the inlet section 10a (see Figure 2) of the vacuum cleaner body 1 (see Figure 2), and a female connector 303 that connects to the standard suction nozzle 400 (see Figure 1). Although the extension tube 300 in this embodiment is not extendable, it may also be extendable.

[0042] Furthermore, the connection part 302 has a convex terminal portion 302a for electrically connecting to the vacuum cleaner body 1. The connection part 303 has a concave terminal portion 303a for electrically connecting to the standard suction nozzle 400 (see Figure 1). The connection part 303 is also provided with an operating member 303b that is operated when removing the standard suction nozzle 400 (see Figure 1) or various accessories.

[0043] Furthermore, the extension tube 300 is equipped with a wire 305 connecting the convex terminal portion 302a and the concave terminal portion 303a, with the wire 305 arranged axially along the outside of the tubular portion 301. The extension tube 300 is also provided with a wire cover 304 that covers the wire 305. This wire cover 304 is made of recycled PC. In Figure 4, the recycled PC portion is shown with a large dot. The other tubular portion 301 and connecting portions 302 and 303 are made of non-recycled ABS resin.

[0044] Thus, the wire cover 304 was formed from recycled PC not for the purpose of increasing strength, but for the purpose of improving its design. For example, the wire cover 304 of the extension pipe 300 is positioned facing the user when the vacuum cleaner 100 is stored in the charging base 200, so the visual texture is important. Therefore, by forming the wire cover 304, which is part of the appearance of the extension pipe 300, from recycled PC, the color development is better than that of ABS resin or PP resin, and the design can be improved without any special secondary processing such as painting.

[0045] Figure 5 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece. As shown in Figure 5, the standard suction nozzle 400 is composed of a suction nozzle body 401, a male connector 402 that connects to the connector 303 (see Figure 4) of the extension tube 300, a shaft 403 that rotatably connects the suction nozzle body 401 and the connector 303, and a suction nozzle cover 404 that covers the upper surface of the suction nozzle body 401.

[0046] The suction nozzle body 401 is equipped with an electric brush (not shown), a motor that rotates the electric brush, and the like. The suction nozzle cover 404 is rectangular in shape and covers the entire top surface of the suction nozzle body 401, and is the most conspicuous part of the suction nozzle. This suction nozzle cover 404 is a part that the user sees when using the suction nozzle, and it is positioned facing the user when stored in the charging base 200, so its appearance and texture contribute to its weight. Therefore, by forming the suction nozzle cover 404 from recycled PC, the color development is better than that of ABS resin or PP resin, and the design can be improved without secondary processing such as painting.

[0047] Figure 6 is a perspective view of the vacuum cleaner. As with Figures 3 to 5, Figure 6 is illustrated with large dots for recycled PC parts, small dots for recycled PP parts, and no dots for flame-retardant PC parts (excluding the dust case 2, tubular part 301, connecting part 302, suction nozzle body 401, and connecting part 402). As shown in Figure 6, the top cover 12b, left side cover 12c, and right side cover 12d of the vacuum cleaner 100, which are parts that are most susceptible to impact when the vacuum cleaner 100 falls over, are made from recycled PC. These are the protruding parts of the handle 12 that are most vulnerable to impact when the vacuum cleaner falls over. By using recycled PC in these positions, it is possible to suppress damage to the vacuum cleaner 100. In addition, the flat part 10d1, the front inclined part 10d3, and the rear inclined part 10d4, which are parts that are less susceptible to impact when the vacuum cleaner 100 falls over, are made from recycled PP, thereby reducing the weight.

[0048] Furthermore, the introduction section 10a and the connecting section 10b are not areas subjected to significant impact, and are therefore formed from recycled PP. For example, if the vacuum cleaner 100 is black, recycled PP will be a darker black than recycled PC, while recycled PC will be a lighter black. In this way, using both dark and light blacks can create contrast and further enhance the design.

[0049] Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the storage unit. Figure 8 is an exploded perspective view of the storage unit. As shown in Figures 7 and 8, the charging stand 200 is comprised of a base member 201, a stand member 202, a support column 203, and a holder member 204.

[0050] As shown in Figure 8, the base member 201 has a mounting surface 201a and an extension portion 201b. The mounting surface 201a is a substantially rectangular plate-shaped portion. The extension portion 201b is substantially frustoconical in shape. The extension portion 201b is provided so as to be substantially perpendicular to the mounting surface 201a. The central axis of the extension portion 201b is positioned approximately in the center of the mounting surface 201a in the left-right direction and approximately 3 / 4 of the way from the front-back direction.

[0051] The tip of the extension portion 201b is provided with a base projection-shaped portion 201c to which the stand member 202 can be attached. The base member 201 also has a weight (not shown) inside to prevent the charging base 200 from tipping over when the vacuum cleaner 100 (see Figure 1) is attached to it. A slope-shaped portion 201d of the same width is formed in front of the base projection-shaped portion 201c. Multiple accessory storage compartments 201e are provided on the left and right sides of the extension portion 201b.

[0052] The stand member 202 is roughly cylindrical in shape, and has a recessed portion 202a at its lower end that fits with the base projection 201c of the base member 201. The upper end of the stand member 202 has a stand projection 202b on which the support column 203 can be attached.

[0053] The support column 203 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and a recessed portion 203a is formed at its lower end to fit with the stand projection 202b of the stand member 202. The upper end of the support column 203 is formed with a support column projection 203b to which the holder member 204 can be attached.

[0054] The holder member 204 is equipped with an output plug (not shown) for an AC adapter (not shown) used to charge the battery 3 attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1. When the vacuum cleaner body 1 is placed on the charging base 200, the output plug (not shown) is connected to the input jack 10c (see Figure 2) of the vacuum cleaner 100, and charging begins.

[0055] Furthermore, a projection-shaped portion 204a is formed on the lower surface of the holder member 204, which engages with the support column projection-shaped portion 203b. In addition, a cup portion 204b and a guide portion 204c are formed on the front surface of the holder member 204. The cup portion 204b is provided so as to cover the periphery of the dust case 2 attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1, making it easier to attach when storing the vacuum cleaner body 1. Since the central axis of the cup portion 204b is coaxial with the central axis of the dust case 2, the dust case 2 can be stably held in the cup portion 204b.

[0056] The guide section 204c guides the vacuum cleaner body 1 to the output plug (not shown) and prevents the vacuum cleaner body 1 from tipping over. It is formed in the center of the front surface, recessed towards the rear. The vacuum cleaner body 1 is guided by the guide section 204c and the cup section 204b, and the input jack 10c (see Figure 2) of the vacuum cleaner body 1 is mated with the output plug (not shown) of the charging base 200, electrically connecting the AC adapter (not shown) and the vacuum cleaner 100.

[0057] Furthermore, the base member 201 is made of recycled ABS. In the charging stand 200, heavy objects are located on the upper side, so the base member 201 is subjected to load, and it is necessary to prevent the charging stand 200 from tipping over when it tilts. Since ABS resin is a stronger material than PP resin in terms of load resistance, in this embodiment, the base member 201 is made of recycled ABS resin. In this way, the environmental impact can be reduced by using recycled ABS resin.

[0058] Furthermore, the stand member 202, the support column 203, and the holder member 204 are made of recycled PP. The charging base 200 is a component that should not be conspicuous and is relatively large, so if it is conspicuous, it may give the user a feeling of pressure. For example, to make it inconspicuous, black recycled material (recycled PP) is used. Since recycled PP has inferior color development compared to recycled PC, the stand member 202, the support column 203, and the holder member 204 can be made less conspicuous.

[0059] Figure 9 is a perspective view of the accessories. As shown in Figure 9, the crevice suction nozzle 410 has a nozzle body portion 411 and a nozzle portion 412 that is provided to be able to move back and forth relative to the nozzle body portion 411. Figure 9 shows the nozzle portion 412 housed in the nozzle body portion 411. The nozzle body portion 411 also has a connecting portion 411a that connects to the vacuum cleaner body 1 or the extension pipe 300.

[0060] Furthermore, the crevice nozzle 410 is not a component that requires strength, so the entire thing is made of recycled PP. The broom-shaped nozzle 420, shown as an accessory in Figure 1, is made of recycled PP except for the broom portion. The small nozzle 430 shown in Figure 1 is equipped with a brush and is made of ordinary (pure) ABS resin (not recycled material). The extension hose 440 shown in Figure 1 is also made of ordinary (pure) ABS resin.

[0061] As described above, the vacuum cleaner 100 of this embodiment includes a vacuum cleaner body 1 that houses an electric blower 40. The vacuum cleaner body 1 has a top cover 12b, a left side cover 12c, and a right side cover 12d, which are parts that are easily subjected to impact, made of recycled PC resin, while the other parts, the main body 10, the introduction part 10a, and the communication part 10b, are made of recycled PP resin (see Figures 2, 3, and 6). With this, by using recycled PC in parts that are easily subjected to impact, damage to the vacuum cleaner 100 can be suppressed. Moreover, by applying recycled PC to parts that are easily subjected to impact, i.e., in conspicuous locations, the design can be enhanced.

[0062] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner body 1 is equipped with a handle portion 12 above the electric blower 40. The outer surface (top cover 12b) of the handle portion is made of recycled PC resin, and the inner surface (flat portion 10d1, forward inclined portion 10d3, rear inclined portion 10d4) of the handle portion 12 is made of recycled PP resin (see Figures 2, 3, and 6). This makes it possible to reduce damage to the handle portion 12, which is susceptible to impact, and to enhance the design.

[0063] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner body 1 includes a dust case 2 for collecting dust and a communication section 10b that communicates with the dust case 2 and sends the air discharged from the dust case 2 to an electric blower 40. The communication section 10b is made of recycled PP resin (see Figures 2, 3, and 6). As a result, the introduction section 10a is not a place that is easily subjected to impact and does not require strength, so weight reduction can be achieved by using recycled PP resin.

[0064] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the vacuum cleaner body 1 is equipped with an introduction section 10a that introduces dust introduced into the vacuum cleaner body 1 into the dust case 2. The introduction section 10a is made of recycled PP resin (see Figures 2, 3, and 6). As such, the introduction section 10a is not a place that is easily subjected to impact and does not require strength, so weight reduction can be achieved by using recycled PP resin.

[0065] Furthermore, this embodiment includes a motor housing case 11a that houses the electric blower 40. The motor housing case 11a is made of flame-retardant PC resin (see Figures 2, 3, and 6). This ensures resistance to the heat generated by the electric blower 40 and guarantees safety.

[0066] Furthermore, this embodiment includes a battery housing case 3a that houses a storage battery 3 that supplies power to the electric blower 40. The battery housing case 3a is made of flame-retardant PC resin. This ensures resistance to heat generated from the storage battery 3 and guarantees safety.

[0067] Furthermore, this embodiment includes an extension tube 300 connected to the vacuum cleaner body 1. The extension tube 300 comprises a wire 305 arranged along the axial direction of the extension tube 30 and a wire cover 304 that surrounds the wire 305. The wire cover 304 is made of recycled PC resin (see Figures 4 and 6). This improves the aesthetic appearance during use and storage.

[0068] Furthermore, this embodiment includes a standard suction nozzle 400 connected to an extension tube 300 attached to the vacuum cleaner body 1. The standard suction nozzle 400 includes a suction nozzle cover 404 positioned on its upper surface. The suction nozzle cover 404 is made of recycled PC resin (see Figures 5 and 6). This improves the aesthetic appearance during use and storage.

[0069] Furthermore, the charging stand 200 of this embodiment includes a base member 201 placed on the floor, a stand member 202 connected to the base member 201, a support column 203 extending upward from the stand member 202 and connected thereto, and a holder member 204 connected to the support column 203 and holding the vacuum cleaner body 1. The base member 201 is made of recycled ABS resin. The stand member 202, support column 203 and holder member 204 are made of recycled PP resin (see Figures 7 and 8). With this, when used as a charging stand 200 for a stick-type electric vacuum cleaner 100, it is possible to ensure load on the base member 201 and give the user an inconspicuous impression.

[0070] Furthermore, the crevice suction nozzle 410, which is an accessory of this embodiment, is made of recycled PP resin (see Figure 9). This allows for weight reduction while increasing the use of recycled materials.

[0071] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above. In this embodiment, a stick-type vacuum cleaner 100 was used as an example, but it may also be applied to other types of vacuum cleaners, such as canister-type vacuum cleaners or autonomous robotic vacuum cleaners. Furthermore, although a vacuum cleaner 100 equipped with a rechargeable battery 3 was used as an example, it may also be applied to vacuum cleaners without a rechargeable battery. [Explanation of symbols]

[0072] 1. Vacuum cleaner body 2. Dust case (dust collection section) 3. Storage Battery 3a Battery housing case (rechargeable battery housing case) 10 Main body 10a Introduction 10b Communication part 10d Base 10d1 Flat surface (inside of the handle) 10d2 Flow channel 10d3 Front tilt section (inside of the handle section) 10d4 Rear slope (inside of the handle) 11 Motor section 11a Motor housing case (electric blower housing case) 12 Handle section 12b Top cover (area prone to impact, outside of the handle) 12c Left side cover (area prone to impact) 12d Right side cover (area prone to impact) 40 Electric blower 100 Electric Vacuum Cleaners 200 Charging Stand (Storage Stand) 201 Base component 202 Stand components 203 Post 204 Holder component 300 extension tube 304 Wire cover 305 Electric wire 400 Standard mouthpiece (mouthpiece) 404 Mouthpiece Cover 410 Crevice nozzle (accessory, crevice cleaning nozzle)

Claims

1. It is equipped with a vacuum cleaner body that houses an electric blower, The vacuum cleaner body comprises a handle portion provided above the electric blower, a dust collection portion for collecting dust, a communication portion that communicates with the dust collection portion and sends the air discharged from the dust collection portion to the electric blower, and an introduction portion that introduces the dust introduced into the vacuum cleaner body to the dust collection portion. The vacuum cleaner further comprises an extension tube connected to the main body of the vacuum cleaner and a suction nozzle connected to the extension tube, The extension pipe comprises a wire arranged along the axial direction of the extension pipe and a wire cover that surrounds the wire. The mouthpiece is equipped with a mouthpiece cover positioned on the upper surface of the mouthpiece. An electric vacuum cleaner characterized in that the outer part of the handle, the wire cover, and the suction nozzle cover are made of recycled polycarbonate resin, as these parts are susceptible to external impact during use or when the device is knocked over, while the inner part of the handle, the communication section, and the introduction section, which are the other parts, are made of recycled polypropylene resin.

2. In the vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, The electric blower is housed in an electric blower housing case, The electric blower housing case is characterized by being made of flame-retardant polycarbonate resin.

3. In the vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, The system includes a battery housing case that houses a battery for supplying power to the aforementioned electric blower, The electric vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the battery housing case is made of flame-retardant polycarbonate resin.

4. A storage stand for an electric vacuum cleaner that holds the body of the electric vacuum cleaner described in claim 1, It comprises a base member placed on the floor surface, a stand member connected to the base member, a support column extending upward from the stand member and connected thereto, and a holder member connected to the support column and holding the vacuum cleaner body, The base member is formed from recycled ABS resin. The storage stand for a vacuum cleaner is characterized in that the stand member, support column, and holder member are made of recycled polypropylene resin.

5. An accessory for a vacuum cleaner, which is used as a replacement for the vacuum cleaner described in claim 1, The aforementioned vacuum cleaner accessory is a suction nozzle for cleaning narrow spaces, and is characterized by being made of recycled polypropylene resin.

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