vacuum cleaner

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaner excellent in usability.SOLUTION: A vacuum cleaner 1 includes a suction part incorporating an electric blower 11, a dust collection part for collecting dust in the air sucked by the suction part, a battery 40 as a power source, a display part 13 for displaying a residual amount of the battery in an operable time, and a control part 12. The display part 13 can execute the display so that the operable time is reduced in increments of a certain time. The control part 12 controls a time interval for reducing the operable time in increments of a certain time according to the power consumption.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

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

Background Art

[0002] As a conventional battery-type electric vacuum cleaner, for example, in Patent Document 1, an electric vacuum cleaner is proposed in which an operation mode (operation mode) can be switched so as to increase or decrease the speed level of a vacuum motor, and an operation mode, an operable time as a remaining battery level, etc. can be displayed by a screen provided at the rear end of a motor bucket.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Such an electric vacuum cleaner capable of displaying an operable time (remaining battery level) needs to switch and display the operable time according to the operation mode because the power consumption varies depending on various operation modes such as weak operation and strong operation. However, if the operable time is simply displayed according to the operation intensity, for example, the operable time when starting operation in the weak operation mode is 90 minutes, the operable time when switching to the strong operation mode next is 29 minutes, the operable time when switching back to the weak operation mode again is 80 minutes, and the operable time when switching back to the strong operation mode again is 20 minutes, there is a problem that the user is likely to feel discomfort and confusion.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner made in consideration of the above circumstances.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The present invention comprises a suction unit with a built-in electric blower, a dust collection unit for collecting dust from the air sucked in by the suction unit, a battery as a power source, a display unit that displays the remaining battery level as operating time, and a control unit. The display unit is capable of displaying the operating time in a way that decreases it by a fixed amount of time. The present invention provides a vacuum cleaner characterized in that the control unit controls the time intervals at which the operating time is reduced by a fixed amount of time according to the power consumption. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner that can switch and display the remaining operating time so that the user does not feel any discomfort or confusion even when using it while changing the operating mode. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view showing a vacuum cleaner according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of a vacuum cleaner according to the first embodiment. [Figure 3] This is a flowchart illustrating the operation control of the vacuum cleaner according to the first embodiment, from the start of operation to the end of operation. [Figure 4] This graph shows the relationship between battery voltage (remaining charge) and operating time (displayed remaining time) in the vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a partial end view showing the bottom side of the vacuum cleaner according to the fourth embodiment. [Figure 6] This block diagram shows the electrical configuration of a vacuum cleaner according to the fourth embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] 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.

[0010] The electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention comprises, at least as components, a suction unit incorporating an electric blower, a dust collection unit for collecting dust from the air sucked in by the suction unit, a battery as a power source, a display unit for displaying the remaining battery level as operating time, and a control unit. Vacuum cleaners equipped with these components include non-self-propelled vacuum cleaners that are cleaned by user operation and self-propelled vacuum cleaners that clean autonomously. Non-self-propelled vacuum cleaners include handheld, stick, and canister types. The following provides a detailed explanation of various types of vacuum cleaners.

[0011] (First Embodiment) Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a vacuum cleaner according to the first embodiment of the present invention, and Figure 2 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the vacuum cleaner according to the first embodiment. In Figure 1, arrows indicate the front, back, left, right, up, and down directions of the vacuum cleaner 1 when in use, as viewed from the user.

[0012] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the first embodiment of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 is a stick-type cordless electric vacuum cleaner and comprises a vacuum cleaner body 10 equipped with a battery 40 and a suction port body 70 connected to the vacuum cleaner body 10 via an extension tube 60 as a connecting member. This electric vacuum cleaner 1 can also be used as a handheld type by directly connecting the suction port body 70 to the vacuum cleaner body 10 without using the extension tube 60. Here, "connecting member" includes the extension tube in a stick-type electric vacuum cleaner, and the extension tube and handle tube in a canister-type electric vacuum cleaner.

[0013] More specifically, the vacuum cleaner body 10 comprises a drive unit 20 as the drive mechanism and a dust collection device 30 as the dust collection mechanism which is detachably attached to the drive unit 20. The drive unit 20 includes an electrical component storage section 21a that houses circuit boards and the like that constitute the electric blower 11 and the control section 12, a handle section 21b, a battery mounting section 21c, and a pipe section 21d that are continuously provided to the electrical component storage section 21a, an operation section 21e that is continuously provided to the handle section 21b, and a display section 13 provided at the rear end of the electrical component storage section 21a. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the display section 13 is arranged at a position that does not overlap with the handle section 21b at the rear end of the electrical component storage section 21a so that the user can easily visually recognize it even in a posture with the handle section 21b. Note that the display section 13 may be provided at a position near the pipe section 21d side of the operation section 21e on the upper surface side of the drive unit 20.

[0014] The display section 13 is composed of a display device such as a liquid crystal display or a 7-segment LED, and can display the remaining battery level as the operable time. Note that the display section 13 may be configured to display various operation modes described later. Further, a plurality of switches 21ea, 21eb, 21ec are provided in the operation section 21e. Details of the electrical control system of the entire vacuum cleaner 1 and the plurality of switches 21ea, 21eb, 21ec will be described later.

[0015] The dust collection device 30 is a cyclone-type dust collection device having a dust collection container 30a and a filter section 30b that is detachable from the dust collection container 30a, and is detachably attached along the pipe section 21d of the drive unit 20.

[0016] The extension pipe 60 includes a pipe body 61 and a conductive cable (not shown) provided along the pipe body 61. In a state where the suction port body 70 is connected to the extension pipe 60, the conductive cable of the extension pipe 60 can supply power from the battery 40 to a drive motor 73 (see FIG. 1) of the suction port body 70 described later.

[0017] The suction inlet body 70 includes a suction inlet main body 71 provided with a suction inlet on the bottom surface, a rotary brush 72 rotatably provided at the suction inlet of the suction inlet main body 71, a drive motor 73 for the rotary brush 72 provided in the suction inlet main body 71, and a power transmission mechanism (not shown) for transmitting the rotational force of the drive motor 73 to the rotary brush 72. As the power transmission mechanism, a pulley-belt mechanism, a gear mechanism including a plurality of gears, or the like can be adopted.

[0018] Also, as shown in FIG. 1, the suction inlet body 70 includes a joint portion 71J rotatably provided at the rear portion of the suction inlet main body 71 about the axial center in the front-rear direction, and a connection pipe portion 71P rotatably provided at the rear portion of the joint portion 71J about the axial center in the left-right direction. Inside the suction inlet body 70, the space from the suction inlet to the inside of the connection pipe portion 71P forms a ventilation path through which air containing dust flows.

[0019] 〈Regarding the operation of the vacuum cleaner and the electric control system for controlling the operation〉 As shown in FIGS. 1 to 2, in the vacuum cleaner 1, when the fan of the electric blower 11 rotates, outside air together with dust is sucked into the vacuum cleaner 1 from the suction inlet of the suction inlet body 70, and the floor, tatami mat, carpet, etc. can be cleaned. The air sucked into the vacuum cleaner 1 from the suction inlet flows through the air flow path and enters the dust collecting device 30. The dust sucked in together with the air is collected in the dust collecting container 30a, and the dust in the air is removed. The air after passing through the filter portion 30b from the dust collecting container 30a is discharged from an exhaust port (not shown) provided in the electric component storage portion 21a of the drive device 20.

[0020] The suction force of the vacuum cleaner 1 can be controlled by adjusting the power or current supplied from the battery 40 to the motor of the electric blower 11 via the power supply circuit 17 by the first adjustment portion 14 provided in the control portion 12 to adjust the rotational speed of the fan. Also, the rotational speed of the rotary brush 72 can be controlled by adjusting the power or current supplied from the battery 40 to the drive motor 73 via the power supply circuit 17 by the second adjustment portion 15 provided in the control portion 12.

[0021] The battery 40 is connected to the control unit 12 by a power line, and can supply power to the electric blower 11 and other devices via the control unit 12. The type of battery 40 is not particularly limited as long as it is a rechargeable secondary battery, but examples include lithium-ion batteries, nickel-metal hydride batteries, nickel-cadmium batteries, etc. The control unit 12 may also include a power supply circuit 17 that controls the discharge or charging of the battery 40. The battery 40 is removable from the battery mounting section 21c, but it may also be constructed in a way that prevents removal. The control unit 21e is a part provided to allow the user to operate the vacuum cleaner 1, such as turning it on and off and switching operating modes, and has multiple switches 21ea, 21eb, and 21ec. The control unit 21e can be connected to the control unit 12 by signal lines or the like. When the user presses a button on any of the switches, the control unit 12 detects that the button has been pressed and controls the vacuum cleaner 1.

[0022] The control unit 12 is the part that controls the vacuum cleaner 1 and includes, for example, an arithmetic unit, a memory unit 18, a first adjustment unit 14, a second adjustment unit 15, and the like. The control unit 12 may also have a control module 19. The control module 19 is, for example, a microcontroller having an arithmetic unit, a memory unit 18, a timer, input / output ports, and the like. The arithmetic unit is composed of, for example, a CPU. The memory unit 18 may include ROM such as mask ROM, EPROM, EEPROM, and flash memory (non-volatile memory), and RAM such as FeRAM and SRAM. The control unit 12 may be composed of multiple control boards. These multiple control boards can be connected by signal lines or power lines. The control unit 12 may consist of, for example, a control board equipped with a drive circuit for an electric blower, a control board equipped with a drive circuit for a rotating brush, a control board equipped with a power supply circuit 17, a microcontroller, and the like. These circuits may also be mounted on the same control board.

[0023] The memory unit 18 of the control unit 12 has control software installed for controlling the vacuum cleaner 1. The control software may also include firmware for controlling the electric blower 11, drive motor 73, power supply circuit 17, first and second adjustment units 14 and 15, and operation unit 21e. The firmware can also be considered as part of the electric blower 11, drive motor 73, power supply circuit 17, first and second adjustment units 14 and 15, and operation unit 21e. The control software may include power supplied to the electric blower 11 using the first adjustment unit 14 or control parameters for adjusting power, and power supplied to the drive motor 73 using the second adjustment unit 15 or control parameters for adjusting power. The memory unit 18 stores the set values ​​of these control parameters for each operating mode.

[0024] The first adjustment unit 14 is, for example, part of the drive circuit for the electric blower. The first adjustment unit 14 may include a PWM circuit having a transistor. By adjusting the period or duty cycle of the on / off cycle of this transistor, the power supplied from the battery 40 to the electric blower 11 can be adjusted. The first adjustment unit 14 may also be configured to stop the power supply from the battery 40 to the electric blower 11. The first adjustment unit 14 may also include a phase control circuit having a bidirectional thyristor.

[0025] The first adjustment unit 14 can, for example, adjust (control) the power or current supplied to the electric blower 11 by setting a set value stored in the memory unit 18 as a control parameter during operation. The control parameter can be, for example, the rotational speed of the electric blower 11, the power value supplied to the electric blower 11, or the current value flowing through the electric blower 11. The set value of this control parameter can be set for each operating mode and is stored in the memory unit 18. Furthermore, the first adjustment unit 14 can perform feedback control based on a measured value corresponding to the control parameter.

[0026] The control unit 12 may have a second adjustment unit 15 that adjusts the power or current supplied from the battery 40 to the drive motor 73 that rotates the rotating brush 72. The rotation speed of the rotating brush 72 can be adjusted using this second adjustment unit 15. The second adjustment unit 15 may include a PWM circuit having a transistor. By adjusting the period or duty cycle of the on / off cycle of this transistor, the power supplied from the battery 40 to the drive motor 73 can be adjusted. The second adjustment unit 15 may also be configured to stop the power supply from the battery 40 to the drive motor 73. Furthermore, the second adjustment unit 15 may include a phase control circuit having a bidirectional thyristor. The second adjustment unit 15 can, for example, adjust the power or current supplied to the drive motor 73 so that the rotational speed of the drive motor 73 becomes substantially constant during stable operation.

[0027] The second adjustment unit 15 can, for example, adjust the power or current supplied to the drive motor 73 by setting a set value stored in the memory unit 18 as a control parameter during stable operation. The control parameter can be, for example, the rotational speed of the drive motor 73, the power value supplied to the drive motor 73, or the current value flowing through the drive motor 73. The set value of this control parameter can be set for each operating mode and is stored in the memory unit 18. Furthermore, the second adjustment unit 15 can perform feedback control based on measured values ​​corresponding to the control parameters.

[0028] The vacuum cleaner 1 may have various operating modes, such as an automatic operation mode, a strong operation mode (high suction power mode), and a weak operation mode (low suction power mode). The control unit 21e can be positioned so that the user can press the buttons of multiple switches 21ea, 21eb, and 21ec with their thumb while holding the handle unit 21b. Furthermore, the control unit 21e may be a part that allows the vacuum cleaner 1 to be operated using an external device such as a smartphone.

[0029] In this embodiment, the control unit 21e is provided with three switches 21ea, 21eb, and 21ec. For example, switch 21ea is a "stop switch," switch 21eb is an "automatic operation switch," and switch 21ec is an "indicator switch." Note that the arrangement order of these switches 21ea, 21eb, and 21ec is not limited to the arrangement order shown in Figure 1 and can be freely set. In addition, for example, a "high / low switch" may be provided to allow manual cyclical selection between high and low operation modes.

[0030] Switch 21ea (stop switch) is a switch that switches to the stop mode when pressed during operation (i.e., when the operation is stopped).

[0031] When the switch 21eb (automatic operation switch) is pressed while the unit is stopped, it switches to an automatic operation mode, which includes a low-power mode and a high-power mode. In automatic operation mode, the electric blower 11 and drive motor 73 are driven by automatically switching to either the low-power mode or the high-power mode depending on the material of the surface being cleaned that comes into contact with the rotating brush 72 (for example, flooring, tatami mats, carpets, etc.). More details on this will be described later. Furthermore, the aforementioned "strong / weak switch" may also be provided, and the system may be configured to switch to automatic operation mode when the automatic operation switch is pressed while the weak operation mode or strong operation mode is manually selected.

[0032] Switch 21ec (indicator switch) is a switch that, when pressed while the unit is stopped or in operation, displays the remaining battery level (voltage) of the battery 40 or the current operating mode on the display unit 13. Each time switch 21ec is pressed, the remaining battery level and the current operating mode are displayed alternately. During operation, the display unit 13 continuously displays the battery level or the current operating mode. When the switch 21ec is pressed while the operation is stopped, it is preferable that the control unit 12 controls the display unit 13 to display (light up) the battery level or the current operating mode, and then turn off the display after a predetermined time (for example, 5 seconds).

[0033] When the remaining battery level is displayed on the display unit 13, there are several display methods, such as displaying the remaining operating time in minutes, like "90" minutes, or using a digital display consisting of a combination of hours, a colon, and minutes, like "1:30". In this embodiment, the remaining operating time is displayed on the display unit 13 in this manner. Furthermore, the remaining operating time displayed on the display unit 13 decreases by a fixed amount of time as the battery level decreases. For example, the displayed operating time decreases by one minute each time, such as 90 minutes, 89 minutes, and 88 minutes. In this case, if the time interval for switching (updating) the display from 90 minutes to 89 minutes, or from 77 minutes to 76 minutes, is made different depending on the operating mode (output level), i.e., power consumption (power consumption per unit time), the remaining operating time can be displayed by progressively decreasing it even when the operating mode is changed, thus reducing the likelihood of the user feeling uneasy or confused.

[0034] Therefore, in the vacuum cleaner 1 of the present invention, the control unit 12 is configured to detect power consumption and control the time interval at which the operating time displayed on the display unit 13 is reduced by a fixed amount of time according to the detected power consumption. In this embodiment, the operating time displayed on the display unit 13 is reduced by 1 minute at a time interval, but it is not limited to this, and for example, the operating time may be reduced by 30 seconds at a time interval.

[0035] Furthermore, in this vacuum cleaner 1, as described above, when the switch 21eb (automatic operation switch) is pressed to start the automatic operation mode, the control unit 12 controls the output of the electric blower 11 and the drive motor 73 to be automatically switched to either a low operation mode or a high operation mode depending on the material of the surface to be cleaned that comes into contact with the rotating brush 72 (for example, flooring, tatami mats, carpets, etc.).

[0036] The electrical control system of this vacuum cleaner 1 will be explained in more detail with reference to Figures 1 and 2. The memory unit 18 of the control unit 12 stores a low-power operation mode in which the power consumption (output) is set to a first power consumption (first output), and a high-power operation mode in which the power consumption (output) is set to a second power consumption (second output) which is greater than the first power consumption (first output).

[0037] Furthermore, the control unit 12 is configured to switch to a low-speed operation mode when the load on the drive motor 73 of the rotating brush 72 is small, and to switch to a high-speed operation mode when the load on the drive motor 73 is large, when the automatic operation switch is ON. More details on this will be described later.

[0038] Furthermore, the control unit 12 controls the operating time displayed on the display unit 13 as follows: The time interval at which the operating time displayed on the display unit 13 decreases by a fixed amount of time in the low-power operation mode corresponds to the ratio of the first power consumption (power consumption in the low-power operation mode) to the second power consumption (power consumption in the high-power operation mode), and the time interval at which the operating time displayed on the display unit 13 decreases by a fixed amount of time in the high-power operation mode corresponds to the ratio of the second power consumption to the first power consumption.

[0039] For example, if the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption is 1:3, and the time interval at which the operating time in low-power mode is reduced by a fixed amount of time is X, then the time interval at which the operating time in high-power mode is reduced by a fixed amount of time can be defined as (1 / 3)X. Note that in the following, "the time interval at which the operating time is reduced by a fixed amount of time" may simply be referred to as "time interval".

[0040] In other words, the high-power mode requires three times the power consumption of the low-power mode, and the operating time in high-power mode is one-third of the operating time in low-power mode. Therefore, the time interval in high-power mode can be expressed as (1 / 3)X. Note that this explanation does not intend for the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption to be exactly 1:3, but rather allows for some margin of error.

[0041] According to this vacuum cleaner 1, the time interval settings for the low power mode and the high power mode are based on the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption, making them clear and simple to set.

[0042] In this vacuum cleaner 1, the control unit 12 is configured as follows to determine whether the operating mode during operation is the low power mode or the high power mode. The memory unit 18 pre-stores a first voltage-remaining charge curve for the battery 40 in low-power mode and a second voltage-remaining charge curve for the battery 40 in high-power mode. These voltage-remaining charge curves may be determined as design values ​​by obtaining standard characteristics through pre-measurement. The control unit 12 also continuously detects the voltage value of the battery 40 during operation and is configured to determine whether the detected change in voltage value corresponds to the first voltage-remaining charge curve or the second voltage-remaining charge curve. As a result, the control unit 12 can determine that the power consumption when it determines that it corresponds to the first voltage-remaining charge curve is the first power consumption (suitable for low-power mode), and that the power consumption when it determines that it corresponds to the second voltage-remaining charge curve is the second power consumption (suitable for high-power mode).

[0043] Furthermore, in order to determine whether the operating mode during operation is the low-power mode or the high-power mode, the control unit 12 may be configured as follows. The control unit 12 continuously detects the current value of the drive motor 73 of the rotating brush 72. As the load on the drive motor 73 increases, the current value also increases. Therefore, when the current value is above a predetermined value, it is determined that the system is suitable for high-speed operation, and when the current value is below a predetermined value, it is determined that the system is suitable for low-speed operation. The predetermined value of the current value is stored in the storage unit 18 and may be determined in advance as a suitable value based on results obtained by measurement.

[0044] The control unit 12 described above can determine the operating mode by detecting a change in the voltage value of the battery 40 or by detecting the current value of the drive motor 73, but in this embodiment, the accuracy of the determination is improved by using both methods in combination.

[0045] Figure 3 is a flowchart illustrating the operation control of the vacuum cleaner in the first embodiment, from start to finish. Next, the operation control of the vacuum cleaner 1 from start to finish will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In this embodiment, the operation is set to start in low power mode, but it may also be set to start in high power mode. When the switch 21eb (automatic operation switch) is pressed and the control unit 12 recognizes this (step S1), it starts the stopped electric blower 11 and drive motor 73 to begin operation (step S2). Once operation begins, the control unit 12 detects the voltage value (battery level) of the battery 40 (step S3), calculates the operating time according to the detected voltage value, and displays it on the display unit 13 (step S4). In the first step S4, the control unit 12 calculates the operating time at the start of operation from the detected voltage value by referring to the first voltage-remaining charge curve corresponding to the low-power operation mode stored in the memory unit 18, and displays it on the display unit 13.

[0046] Next, the control unit 12 detects the current value of the drive motor 73 of the rotating brush 72 (step S5), and determines from the detected current value whether the material of the surface to be cleaned is suitable for the low-speed operation mode (step S6). Specifically, if the current value is less than a predetermined value, the control unit 12 determines that it is suitable for the low-speed operation mode.

[0047] If the control unit 12 determines in step S6 that the material of the surface to be cleaned is suitable for the low-power mode, it continues in the low-power mode (step S7). Then, the control unit 12 determines whether there is battery charge remaining based on the voltage value detected in step S3 (step S8). If it determines that there is battery charge remaining, it returns to step S3. At this time, the control unit 12 determines whether there is battery charge remaining based on the detected voltage value by referring to the first voltage-charge curve corresponding to the low-power mode. Specifically, if the detected voltage value is equal to or greater than a predetermined voltage value stored in the memory unit 18 (the voltage value corresponding to no battery charge remaining), it determines that there is battery charge remaining.

[0048] On the other hand, in step S6, if the control unit 12 determines that the material of the surface to be cleaned is not suitable for the low-power mode, specifically, if the current value of the drive motor 73 is above a predetermined value, the control unit 12 switches from the low-power mode to the high-power mode (step S9). This transition from step S6 to step S9 is assumed to occur when the suction port 70 is placed on the carpet at the start of operation, or when the suction port 70 moves from the flooring or tatami mats to the carpet during cleaning.

[0049] After step S9, the system proceeds to step S8, where the control unit 12 determines whether there is battery charge based on the voltage value detected in step S3. If it determines that there is battery charge, the system returns to step S3. At this time, the control unit 12 refers to the second voltage-charge curve corresponding to the high-power operation mode to determine whether there is battery charge based on the detected voltage value. Specifically, if the detected voltage value is equal to or greater than a predetermined voltage value stored in the memory unit 18 (the voltage value corresponding to no battery charge), it determines that there is battery charge.

[0050] Furthermore, in step S8, if the control unit 12 determines that there is no battery charge remaining, it automatically stops operation (step S10). This type of operation control is also applicable to handheld electric vacuum cleaners in which the suction port 70 is directly connected to the vacuum cleaner body 10. Furthermore, if a nozzle without a drive motor 73 is connected to the vacuum cleaner body 10 via an extension pipe 60, or if a nozzle without a drive motor 73 is connected directly to the vacuum cleaner body 10, the system may determine in step S6 that it is suitable for the low-power operation mode and proceed to step S7. In this case, the operating time is extended by the amount by which the power consumption of the drive motor 73 is reduced.

[0051] Figure 4 is a graph showing the relationship between battery voltage (remaining charge) and operating time (displayed remaining time) in the vacuum cleaner of the first embodiment. Next, an example of how to display the operating time of the vacuum cleaner 1 from the start to the end of operation will be explained with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Figure 4 shows an example where the vacuum cleaner is cleaned in low power mode for 2 minutes from the start of operation, then in high power mode for 1 minute, and then cleaned again in low power mode.

[0052] When the switch 21eb (automatic operation switch) is pressed while the unit is stopped, the control unit 12 starts operation in low-power mode. At this time, the display unit 13 displays the remaining operating time at the start of operation. For example, if the maximum operating time of the battery 40 at that time is 90 minutes, the display unit 13 will display "90" minutes, "1:30", etc.

[0053] During the 2 minutes of cleaning in low-power mode from the start of operation, the control unit 12 controls the display update interval so as to decrease the available operating time by 1 minute at a time according to the first power consumption in low-power mode. In the case of Figure 4, the time interval in low-power mode is 1 minute, and when 1 minute of actual operation time has elapsed, the available operating time is displayed as decreased by 1 minute. In other words, at the start of operation (when low-power mode starts), the available operating time is displayed as "90" minutes or "1:30", and when 1 minute of actual operation time has elapsed from the start of low-power mode, the display of available operating time is switched to "89" minutes or "1:29".

[0054] During cleaning, if the suction port 70 moves from the flooring to the carpet, and the result of the determination in step S6 switches the operating mode from the low operating mode to the high operating mode, the control unit 12 controls the time interval for display updates so as to decrease the operating time by 1 minute in accordance with the second power consumption in the high operating mode. In the case of Figure 4, the time interval in the high operating mode is 20 seconds, which is 1 / 3 of the time interval in the low operating mode (1 minute). In other words, the time interval in the high operating mode is set to 1 / 3 inversely to the ratio of the second power consumption to the first power consumption (3 times).

[0055] Therefore, during the period from the start of the high-power operation mode until 1 minute has elapsed in actual operation time, the control unit 12 sequentially switches the display of the available operating time to "87" minutes, "86" minutes, "85" minutes, or sequentially switches to "1:27", "1:26", "1:25", etc. Furthermore, when the operating mode is switched from the high-power mode to the low-power mode, as described above, the control unit 12 controls the time interval for updating the display so as to decrease the available operating time by one minute at a time according to the first power consumption in the low-power mode.

[0056] In Figure 4, the rate of change in the voltage value (battery level) of the battery 40 is shown by the slope of the graph, and it can be seen that the slope is small in the low operating mode and large in the high operating mode. In this way the battery level changes greatly depending on the operating intensity, but in this invention the operating time decreases sequentially, so it is possible to make it less likely for users who look at the operating time displayed on the display unit 13 to feel any sense of incongruity or confusion.

[0057] In other words, if we assume that the operating time is 90 minutes when cleaning is performed continuously from a full charge until the battery is determined to be depleted in low-power mode, and that the operating time is 30 minutes when cleaning is performed continuously from a full charge until the battery is determined to be depleted in high-power mode, then simply displaying the operating time according to the operating intensity on the display unit 13 may result in the operating time fluctuating significantly, increasing or decreasing. For example, if the low-power mode and high-power mode are alternated, the display unit 13 may show "90 minutes," "29 minutes," "80 minutes," and "20 minutes," with the operating time rapidly decreasing and then rapidly increasing, which is likely to cause discomfort and confusion for the user. According to the vacuum cleaner 1 of the present invention, even when the user alternates between the low-power mode and the high-power mode, the display unit 13 shows a progressive decrease in the remaining operating time, as described above, thus reducing the possibility of causing discomfort or confusion to the user.

[0058] (Modified version of the first embodiment) In the first embodiment of the vacuum cleaner 1, the display unit 13 may display the entire operating time by flashing, display only the numbers by flashing, or display only the colon by flashing. For example, the entire display of "90" minutes or "1:30" may flash, only the numerical part of the display "1:30" may flash, or only the colon (:) of "1:30" may flash. Furthermore, in these cases, the control unit 12 may control the number of flashes (number of flashes per unit time) to gradually increase as the remaining operating time displayed on the display unit 13 gradually decreases. In this way, the user can intuitively (visually) recognize the remaining battery level. Alternatively, the number of times the remaining operating time indicator flashes can be reduced when in low-power mode and increased when in high-power mode, thereby allowing the user to recognize the difference between the operating modes (high and low).

[0059] (Second Embodiment) The differences between the second embodiment of the vacuum cleaner and the first embodiment will be explained, primarily with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In the first embodiment, an automatic operation switch (switch 21eb) is provided on the control unit 21e, illustrating a vacuum cleaner 1 capable of cleaning in automatic operation mode. However, in the vacuum cleaner of the second embodiment, instead of an automatic operation switch (switch 21eb), a manual selection switch for manually switching between low operation mode and high operation mode is provided on the control unit 21e. In this case, pressing the manual selection switch while the vacuum cleaner is stopped starts operation in low operation mode, and each press during operation alternates between low operation mode and high operation mode. Alternatively, pressing the manual selection switch while the vacuum cleaner is stopped may start operation in high operation mode.

[0060] In the second embodiment, in step S6 of the flowchart in Figure 3, it is determined whether or not the system is in low-power mode. If it is determined to be in low-power mode, the system proceeds to step S7; if it is determined to be in high-power mode, the system proceeds to step S9. The determination in step 6 is the same as in the first embodiment. Step S4 (detection of the current value of the drive motor 73) may be omitted. In the second embodiment, the operating time is displayed on the display unit 13 in the same manner as in the first embodiment. In the second embodiment, the other configurations are generally the same as in the first embodiment. Furthermore, modifications of the first embodiment can also be applied to the second embodiment.

[0061] (Third embodiment) The differences between the third embodiment of the vacuum cleaner and the first and second embodiments will be explained primarily with reference to Figures 1 to 3. In the third embodiment of the vacuum cleaner, the operation unit 21e is provided with an automatic operation switch as described in the first embodiment and a manual selection switch for manually switching between the low-power mode and the high-power mode as described in the second embodiment. When the automatic operation switch is pressed while the manually selected low-power mode or high-power mode is selected, the vacuum cleaner switches to automatic operation mode.

[0062] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the memory unit 18 also stores a medium operating mode in which the device operates at a third power consumption that is greater than the first power consumption in the low operating mode and less than the second power consumption in the high operating mode. The ratio of the first power consumption, the second power consumption, and the third power consumption can be, for example, 1:3:2. Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the control unit 12 controls the operating time displayed on the display unit 13 so that the time interval in the medium operating mode corresponds to the ratio of the third power consumption to the first power consumption.

[0063] To explain in more detail, the memory unit 18 pre-stores the first voltage-remaining charge curve of the battery 40 in low operating mode, the second voltage-remaining charge curve of the battery 40 in high operating mode, and the third voltage-remaining charge curve of the battery 40 in medium operating mode. Furthermore, the control unit 12 detects the voltage value of the battery 40 during operation, determines whether the detected change in voltage value corresponds to the first voltage-remaining charge curve, the second voltage-remaining charge curve, or the third voltage-remaining charge curve, and determines that it is suitable for the low-power operation mode if it corresponds to the first voltage-remaining charge curve, and that it is suitable for the high-power operation mode if it corresponds to the second voltage-remaining charge curve, and that it is suitable for the medium-power operation mode if it corresponds to the third voltage-remaining charge curve.

[0064] Furthermore, the control unit 12 detects the current value of the drive motor 73 and determines that it is suitable for the low-speed operation mode when the current value is less than a first predetermined value, and that it is suitable for the medium-speed operation mode when the current value is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than a second predetermined value, and that it is suitable for the high-speed operation mode when the current value is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value. The storage unit 18 stores the first predetermined value and the second predetermined value.

[0065] In the third embodiment, pressing the automatic operation switch activates automatic operation mode, and in this automatic operation mode, the system automatically switches between medium operation mode and high operation mode depending on the material of the surface to be cleaned. The control unit 12 determines that medium operation mode is suitable for flooring or tatami mats, and high operation mode is suitable for carpets. Additionally, each press of the manual selection switch alternates between low-power mode and high-power mode.

[0066] In the third embodiment, operation control is performed based on the first and second flowcharts, which correspond to the flowchart in Figure 3. Specifically, the first flowchart corresponds to the operation control when operating in automatic operation mode by pressing the automatic operation switch (similar to the first embodiment), and the second flowchart corresponds to the operation control when operating in low operation mode or high operation mode by pressing the manual selection switch (similar to the second embodiment). In the first flowchart, the low operation mode in the flowchart of Figure 3 corresponds to the medium operation mode. Alternatively, in the third embodiment, when the manual selection switch is pressed to operate in either the low-power mode or the high-power mode, the display unit 13 may display the remaining operating time assuming that operation continues until the battery runs out in that operating mode. In this case, for example, the remaining operating time in low-power mode may be displayed as 90 minutes, when switched to high-power mode it may be displayed as 29 minutes, and when switched back to low-power mode it may be displayed as 80 minutes. However, since the user is switching between high and low operating modes at their own discretion, it is unlikely that the user will feel any discomfort or confusion with such a time display.

[0067] Furthermore, in the third embodiment, the control unit 12 controls the time interval for display updates so as to decrease the operating time by a fixed amount of time according to the power consumption. For example, if the ratio of the first power consumption (low operation mode), the second power consumption (high operation mode), and the third power consumption (medium operation mode) is 1:3:2, then if X is the time interval at which the operating time in low operation mode is reduced by a fixed amount of time, then the time interval at which the operating time in high operation mode is reduced by a fixed amount of time can be set to (1 / 3)X, and the time interval at which the operating time in medium operation mode is reduced by a fixed amount of time can be set to (1 / 2)X. Based on this, the control unit 12 controls the time interval at which the operating time is reduced by a fixed amount of time. Note that this explanation does not intend for the ratio of the first power consumption, second power consumption, and third power consumption to be exactly 1:3:2, but rather intends for some error to be acceptable. Furthermore, the modifications of the first embodiment can also be applied to the third embodiment.

[0068] (Fourth Embodiment) Figure 5 is a partial end view showing the bottom side of the vacuum cleaner of the fourth embodiment, and Figure 6 is a block diagram showing the electrical configuration of the vacuum cleaner of the fourth embodiment. The fourth embodiment of the vacuum cleaner 101 is a self-propelled vacuum cleaner that cleans autonomously. In Figure 5, the arrows indicate the front, back, left, and right directions when viewing the vacuum cleaner 101 from the top side (opposite the bottom side) during floor cleaning. The structure of the vacuum cleaner 101 will be explained based on this.

[0069] The fourth embodiment of the vacuum cleaner 101 will be described with reference to Figures 5 and 6. It comprises a housing 171 that can travel on the floor and has a suction port 171a on its bottom surface 171b, and incorporates an electric blower 111, a dust collector (not shown), a control unit 112, and a battery 140. The battery 140 is a power supply unit that supplies power to the housing 171. In Figure 5, the housing 171 has a circular outer shape in plan view, but it may have an outer shape that is roughly triangular or roughly quadrilateral in plan view.

[0070] The housing 171 includes a rotating brush 172 that is rotatably mounted on both the left and right ends of the suction port 171a around a left-right axis P, a drive motor 173 that rotates the rotating brush 172, and a power transmission mechanism 174 that transmits the rotational force of the drive motor 173 to the rotating brush 172.

[0071] In this self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 101, the configuration of the rotating brush 172, the configuration of the drive motor 173, the configuration of the power transmission mechanism 174, etc., are basically the same as those of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 of the first embodiment. Although Figure 5 illustrates the case where the power transmission mechanism 174 is a pulley-belt type, it may also be a gear type including multiple gears.

[0072] Furthermore, the housing 171 has a left drive wheel unit having a left drive wheel 182 that can rotate in forward and reverse directions with a left drive wheel motor 181, a right drive wheel unit having a right drive wheel 184 that can rotate in forward and reverse directions with a right drive wheel motor 183, a rear wheel 185, a pair of left and right side brushes 186, and a plurality of floor detection sensors 187 provided on the bottom surface 171b, a plurality of ultrasonic sensors 188 for detecting obstacles in front are provided on the front side of the outer periphery, and an operation unit 121e and a display unit 113 are provided on the top surface of the housing 171. An exhaust port (not shown) is provided on the top surface of the housing 171, and the exhaust port and the intake port 171a are connected by a ventilation passage, a dust collector (not shown) is provided near the intake port 171a in the ventilation passage, and an electric blower 111 is provided downstream of the dust collector in the ventilation passage in the direction of airflow. The pair of left and right side brushes 186 are configured to rotate using the drive motor 173 as a power source, but they may also be configured to rotate using a dedicated motor.

[0073] The control unit 121e is equipped with switches that allow selection of various predetermined operations of the vacuum cleaner 101 (e.g., random movement mode, circling movement mode, etc.) and various settings such as timer settings and suction power settings. Furthermore, various settings can also be made using a separate control unit from the housing 171, such as a remote controller (not shown) or a smartphone (mobile terminal). The remote controller also has switches for various settings and corresponds to the control unit 121e. An application for configuring the vacuum cleaner 101 is downloaded to the smartphone, and this smartphone also corresponds to the control unit 121e.

[0074] The control unit 112, like the control unit 12 of the vacuum cleaner 1 in the first embodiment, includes a control module 119 including a storage unit 118, a first adjustment unit 114, a second adjustment unit 115, and a power supply circuit 117.

[0075] In the fourth embodiment, the operating unit 121e of the housing 171 or a separate operating unit (such as a remote controller or smartphone) has an automatic operation switch for inputting an automatic operation mode that automatically switches between a low operation mode and a high operation mode according to the current value of the drive motor 173. As described above, the display unit 113 is provided on the top surface of the housing 171 and can display the operating time, operating mode, etc. The display unit 113 may be provided on a separate control unit (such as a remote controller or smartphone) instead of the housing 171, or it may be provided on both the housing 171 and the separate control unit.

[0076] Furthermore, two-way communication via infrared is possible between the casing 171 and the remote controller, which is a separate operating unit. In addition, two-way communication via the internet is possible between the casing 171 and the smartphone, which is a separate operating unit.

[0077] In the case of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 101, the remaining operating time can be displayed on the display unit 113 of the housing 171 and the display unit of a separate control unit while operating in automatic operation mode, similar to the operation control described in Figure 3 of the first embodiment. However, if the control unit 112 determines in step S8 that there is no battery charge, it switches to a return mode in which the electric blower 111 and drive motor 173 are stopped and the unit returns to a charging station (not shown). Then, once the housing 171 has completed its return to the charging station, operation stops and charging begins.

[0078] In the automatic operation mode of the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 101, as in the first embodiment, when cleaning on a hardwood floor or tatami mat, it operates in a low-power mode in which the drive motor 173 of the electric blower 111 and the rotating brush 172 is driven at a first output (first power consumption), and when cleaning on a carpet, it operates in a high-power mode in which the electric blower 111 and the drive motor 173 are driven at a second output (second power consumption).

[0079] In this case, the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption may be 1:3, as in the first embodiment, or it may be 1:2. If the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption is 1:3, and the time interval at which the operating time displayed on the display unit 113 decreases by a fixed amount of time (e.g., 1 minute) in the low-power mode is X, then the time interval at which the operating time displayed on the display unit 113 decreases by a fixed amount of time (e.g., 1 minute) in the high-power mode is (1 / 3X). Also, if the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption is 1:2, and the time interval in the low-power mode is X, then the time interval in the high-power mode is (1 / 2X).

[0080] According to the fourth embodiment, when cleaning a room with the self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner 101, the user can, for example, recognize the remaining operating time displayed on the display unit 113 of the housing 171 or on the display unit of a separate control unit (such as a remote controller or smartphone). This allows the user to allocate cleaning time according to the areas of the room being cleaned by the electric vacuum cleaner 101, while taking into account the remaining battery level (remaining operating time). For example, if the remaining operating time at the start of operation is 60 minutes, the user can allocate time by looking at the remaining operating time displayed on the display unit, such as cleaning the floor for 10 minutes, cleaning the tatami mats for 10 minutes, and then cleaning the carpet until the remaining battery power runs out. Furthermore, modifications of the first embodiment can also be applied to the fourth embodiment.

[0081] (Other embodiments) In the first to third embodiments, a stick-type electric vacuum cleaner 1 was illustrated in which the suction port 70 is connected to the vacuum cleaner body 10 via an extension pipe 60 as a connecting member. However, the present invention is also applicable to a canister-type electric vacuum cleaner in which the suction port is connected to the vacuum cleaner body via an extension pipe and a handle pipe as connecting members. In this case, the operation unit 21e described in the first to third embodiments can be provided on the handle pipe of the canister-type electric vacuum cleaner. The display unit can be provided, for example, on the upper surface of the handle pipe near the operation unit on the suction port side, or on the upper surface of the vacuum cleaner body.

[0082] (summary) As stated above, (1) The electric vacuum cleaner according to the present invention comprises a suction unit with a built-in electric blower, a dust collection unit for collecting dust from the air sucked in by the suction unit, a battery as a power source, a display unit that displays the remaining battery level as operating time, and a control unit. The display unit is capable of displaying the operating time in a way that decreases it by a fixed amount of time. The control unit is characterized by controlling the time intervals at which the operating time is reduced by a fixed amount of time according to the power consumption.

[0083] This configuration allows for controlling the time interval at which the operating time decreases by a fixed amount of time according to the power consumption. In other words, even when cleaning while switching between operating modes with different power consumption, the operating time displayed on the screen does not fluctuate drastically, such as increasing or decreasing in accordance with the change in operating mode. Therefore, instead of displaying the operating time in a way that might cause discomfort or confusion to the user, such as 90 minutes when starting in low power mode, 29 minutes when switching to high power mode, and 80 minutes when switching back to low power mode, the operating time can be displayed decreasing by a fixed amount of time (for example, one minute at a time). Consequently, the user can clean without feeling discomfort or confusion due to the operating time displayed on the screen. Furthermore, the present invention is applicable to electric vacuum cleaners such as stick-type, handheld-type, and canister-type vacuum cleaners that are powered by battery power.

[0084] Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention may be configured as follows, and these may be combined as appropriate. (2) The control unit has a storage unit that stores a low operating mode in which the unit is operated at a first power consumption and a high operating mode in which the unit is operated at a second power consumption greater than the first power consumption. The control unit may control the operating time displayed on the display unit such that the time interval in the low-power operation mode corresponds to the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption, and the time interval in the high-power operation mode corresponds to the ratio of the second power consumption to the first power consumption. With this configuration, for example, if the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption is 1:3, then if the time interval for decreasing the operating time in low-power mode by a fixed amount of time is X, then the time interval for decreasing the operating time in high-power mode by a fixed amount of time can be set to (1 / 3)X. In this way, the time intervals for low-power mode and high-power mode can be set according to the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption, making it easy to set the time intervals for each operating mode.

[0085] (3) The memory unit has in advance stored the first voltage-remaining charge curve of the battery when in the low operating mode and the second voltage-remaining charge curve of the battery when in the high operating mode. The control unit may also detect the voltage value of the battery during operation, determine whether the detected change in the voltage value corresponds to the first voltage-remaining charge curve or the second voltage-remaining charge curve, and determine that the low-power operation mode is suitable if it is determined to correspond to the first voltage-remaining charge curve, and that the high-power operation mode is suitable if it is determined to correspond to the second voltage-remaining charge curve. This configuration makes it easy for the control unit to determine whether to be in low-power mode or high-power mode.

[0086] (4) A vacuum cleaner body having the suction unit, the dust collection unit, the display unit, and the control unit, and a suction port body connected directly to the vacuum cleaner body or via a connecting member, The suction port body has a drive motor and a rotating brush that is rotated by the drive motor. The vacuum cleaner body or the connecting member has an operating section that includes an automatic operation switch for inputting an automatic operation mode that automatically switches between the low operation mode and the high operation mode according to the current value of the drive motor, The control unit may detect the current value of the drive motor and determine that the low-power operation mode is suitable when the current value is less than a predetermined value, and determine that the high-power operation mode is suitable when the current value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. With this configuration, when the automatic operation switch is ON, the vacuum automatically switches to high-power mode when cleaning carpets, where dust is more difficult to suction and remove compared to flooring or tatami mats, and the load on the drive motor is greater. When cleaning on flooring or tatami mats, the load on the drive motor is reduced, and the vacuum automatically switches to low-power mode. In other words, by automatically switching power consumption according to the material of the surface being cleaned, it is possible to extend the operating time while operating in an energy-saving manner.

[0087] (5) A vacuum cleaner body having the suction unit, the dust collection unit, the display unit, and the control unit, and a suction port body connected directly to the vacuum cleaner body or via a connecting member, The suction port body has a drive motor and a rotating brush that is rotated by the drive motor. The vacuum cleaner body or the connecting member has an operating section that includes a manual selection switch for manually switching between the low-power mode and the high-power mode. The control unit may be configured to operate at the first power consumption when switched to the low power mode using the manual selection switch, and to operate at the second power consumption when switched to the high power mode. With this configuration, the user can operate a manual selection switch to switch to high power mode when cleaning carpets, which are more difficult to vacuum and remove dust from than hardwood floors or tatami mats, and to low power mode when cleaning hardwood floors or tatami mats, thereby extending the operating time while saving energy.

[0088] (6) The memory unit further stores a medium operating mode in which the unit operates at a third power consumption that is greater than the first power consumption and less than the second power consumption. The control unit may also control the operating time displayed on the display unit such that the time interval in the medium operating mode corresponds to the ratio of the third power consumption to the first power consumption. This configuration allows the control unit to perform output control in more stages.

[0089] (7) The memory unit has in advance stored the first voltage-remaining charge curve of the battery when in the low operating mode, the second voltage-remaining charge curve of the battery when in the high operating mode, and the third voltage-remaining charge curve of the battery when in the medium operating mode. The control unit may also detect the voltage value of the battery during operation, determine whether the detected change in the voltage value corresponds to the first voltage-remaining charge curve, the second voltage-remaining charge curve, or the third voltage-remaining charge curve, and determine that it is suitable for the low-power operation mode if it corresponds to the first voltage-remaining charge curve, and that it is suitable for the high-power operation mode if it corresponds to the second voltage-remaining charge curve, and that it is suitable for the medium-power operation mode if it corresponds to the third voltage-remaining charge curve. This configuration allows the control unit to easily determine whether to be in low-power mode, medium-power mode, or high-power mode.

[0090] (8) A vacuum cleaner body having the suction unit, the dust collection unit, the display unit, and the control unit, and a suction port body connected directly to the vacuum cleaner body or via a connecting member, The suction port body has a drive motor and a rotating brush that is rotated by the drive motor. The vacuum cleaner body or the connecting member has an operating section that includes an automatic operation switch for inputting an automatic operation mode that automatically switches to the medium operation mode or the high operation mode according to the current value of the drive motor, and a manual selection switch for manually switching to the low operation mode or the high operation mode. The control unit may also detect the current value of the drive motor and determine that it is suitable for the low-speed operation mode when the current value is less than a first predetermined value, determine that it is suitable for the medium-speed operation mode when the current value is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than a second predetermined value, and determine that it is suitable for the high-speed operation mode when the current value is greater than or equal to the second predetermined value. With this configuration, the user can choose to clean by either automatically controlling power consumption using the automatic operation switch, or by manually controlling power consumption using the manual selection switch.

[0091] (9) A housing that is capable of traveling on a floor surface and has the electric blower, the dust collection unit and the control unit, and has the suction port on its bottom surface, The housing comprises a rotating brush rotatably mounted to the suction port and a drive motor that rotates the rotating brush. The housing can be operated by an operating unit provided on the housing or by an operating unit separate from the housing. The control unit or the separate control unit has an automatic operation switch for inputting an automatic operation mode that automatically switches between the low operation mode and the high operation mode according to the load on the drive motor. The display unit is provided in at least one of the housing and the separate operating unit. The control unit may detect the current value of the drive motor and determine that the low-power operation mode is suitable when the current value is less than a predetermined value, and determine that the high-power operation mode is suitable when the current value is equal to or greater than the predetermined value. This configuration allows the present invention to be applied to a self-propelled electric vacuum cleaner. Furthermore, since the display unit is provided on at least one of the following: the housing (for example, the upper outer surface of the housing) and a separate operating unit (for example, a remote controller, a smartphone (mobile terminal), etc.), the user can see the display unit and recognize the remaining operating time of the self-propelled vacuum cleaner.

[0092] (10) The display unit is capable of displaying the operating time while flashing, The control unit may control the number of blinks per unit time according to the length of the time interval. With this configuration, for example, the number of flashes (number of flashes per unit time) gradually increases as the remaining operating time decreases, allowing the user to intuitively recognize that the battery level is low. The method of displaying the remaining operating time can be, for example, a minute display such as "90 minutes," or a digital display consisting of a combination of hours, a colon, and minutes such as "1:30." The entire remaining operating time displayed may flash, only the numbers may flash, or only the colon may flash.

[0093] 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]

[0094] 1: Electric vacuum cleaner, 10: Vacuum cleaner body, 11: Electric blower, 12: Control unit, 13: Display unit, 14: First adjustment unit, 15: Second adjustment unit, 16: Power supply unit, 17: Power supply circuit, 18: Memory unit, 19: Control module, 20: Drive unit, 21a: Electrical component storage unit, 21b: Handle unit, 21c: Battery mounting unit, 21d: Pipe unit, 21e: Operation unit, 21ea: Switch, 21eb: Switch, 21ec: Switch, 30: Dust collector, 30a: Dust collection container, 30b: Filter unit, 40: Battery, 60: Extension pipe, 61: Pipe body, 70: Suction port body, 71: Suction port body, 71J: Joint unit, 71P: Connecting pipe unit, 72: Rotating brush, 73: Drive motor, 101: Vacuum cleaner, 111: Electric blower, 112: Control unit, 113: Display unit, 114: First adjustment unit, 115: Second adjustment unit, 117: Power supply circuit, 118: Memory unit, 119: Control module, 121e: Operation unit, 140: Battery, 171: Housing, 171a: Suction port, 171b: Bottom surface, 172: Rotating brush, 173: Drive motor, 174: Power transmission mechanism, 181: Motor for left drive wheel, 182: Left drive wheel, 183: Motor for right drive wheel, 184: Right drive wheel, 185: Rear wheel, 186: Side brush, 187: Floor surface detection sensor, 188: Ultrasonic sensor, P: Axis center

Claims

1. It comprises a suction unit with a built-in electric blower, a dust collection unit that collects dust from the air sucked in by the suction unit, a battery as a power source, a display unit that displays the remaining battery level as operating time, and a control unit. The operating modes include a first operating mode and a second operating mode in which the power consumption differs from that of the first operating mode. The display unit is capable of displaying the operating time in a way that decreases it by a fixed amount of time. The control unit displays the available operating time on the display unit, decreasing it by a fixed amount of time at a time. The control unit, When the operating mode is the first operating mode, the time during which operation in the first operating mode is possible, based on the remaining battery charge, is displayed on the display unit as the operating time. A vacuum cleaner characterized in that, when the operating mode is switched from the first operating mode to the second operating mode, the operating time immediately before the switch is continuously displayed on the display unit, and the time interval for reducing the operating time is controlled according to the ratio of power consumption between the first operating mode and the second operating mode.

2. The control unit has a storage unit that stores a first operating mode, which is a low operating mode, in which the unit operates at a first power consumption, and a second operating mode, which is a high operating mode, in which the unit operates at a second power consumption greater than the first power consumption. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the control unit controls the operating time displayed on the display unit such that the time interval in the low operating mode corresponds to the ratio of the first power consumption to the second power consumption, and the time interval in the high operating mode corresponds to the ratio of the second power consumption to the first power consumption.

3. The memory unit further stores a medium operating mode in which the unit operates at a third power consumption that is greater than the first power consumption and less than the second power consumption. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the control unit controls the operating time displayed on the display unit such that the time interval in the medium operating mode corresponds to the ratio of the third power consumption to the first power consumption.

4. The display unit is capable of displaying the operating time while flashing, The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control unit controls the number of flashes per unit time according to the length of the time interval.

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