Work machine

Abstract

The purpose of the present invention is to improve the workability of a work machine. A blower 1 comprises: a motor 10; a fan part that is operated by the driving force of the motor 10; a housing part 2 that accommodates the motor 10 and the fan part; and an attachment part mounted on the housing part 2. The housing part 2 includes: a first housing member 2a and a second housing member 2b that are combined in the right-left direction; and a filter holder 16b that is disposed so as to span from the first housing member 2a to the second housing member 2b, wherein the filter holder 16b has a first engagement part that engages with the attachment part.

Description

Work equipment

[0001] The present invention relates to a work machine such as a blower.

[0002] One example of a work machine is an electric blower (air blower) that has a centrifugal fan that rotates using the driving force of a motor, a case (housing portion) that houses the motor and the centrifugal fan, and a nozzle portion that sends out air using the air flow generated by the rotation of the centrifugal fan.

[0003] For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an electric blower structure as described above, which is formed by assembling a pair of halves of a case together and includes a case capable of housing a centrifugal fan. One of the halves of the case is provided with a suction port to which an attachment such as a dust collection hose can be attached.

[0004] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2007-332889

[0005] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the suction port is provided in one of the pair of halves of the case, but if the overall layout of the product is changed due to the use of a different type of fan (for example, an axial fan that blows air in the direction of the fan's rotation axis), the suction port may be positioned so as to straddle both halves of the case. If an attachment such as a nozzle is to be detachably attached to an intake port that straddles both halves of the case, an attachment holder must be provided on each of the divided cases.

[0006] In this case, the tolerances for the positions and distances between the multiple attachment holders provided on each of the separate cases tend to be large. This makes it easier for attachments to fall off the attachment holders during operation, or conversely, makes it difficult to remove attachments from the attachment holders, which reduces the operability of the electric blower. Therefore, improvements in the operability of electric blowers have been desired.

[0007] An object of the present invention is to provide a work machine with improved workability.

[0008] The work machine of the present invention has a motor, an operating unit that operates by the driving force of the motor, a housing unit that houses the motor and the operating unit, and an attachment unit that is attached to the housing unit, wherein the housing unit includes a first housing member and a second housing member that are combined in a first direction, and a third housing member that is arranged to straddle the first housing member and the second housing member, and the third housing member has a first engagement portion that engages with the attachment unit.

[0009] According to the present invention, the workability of a work machine can be improved.

[0010] 1. A side view showing the structure of a working machine according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2. A rear view showing the structure of the rear side of the working machine shown in FIG. 1. 3. A side cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the working machine shown in FIG. 1. 4. A perspective view showing the structure of the working machine with a nozzle attached to the rear of the working machine shown in FIG. 1. 5. A side view showing the structure of the working machine shown in FIG. 4. 6. A plan view showing the structure of the working machine shown in FIG. 4. 7. A plan cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the working machine shown in FIG. 4. 8. A side view showing the structure of the filter unit, attachment unit, and nozzle assembled to the working machine shown in FIG. 4. 9. An exploded perspective view showing the structure of the working machine shown in FIG. 4. 10. A rear view showing the structure of the working machine shown in FIG. 9 as viewed from the rear side. 11. A cross-sectional view showing the structure cut along line A-A shown in FIG. 10. 12. A perspective view showing the structure of the filter unit of the working machine shown in FIG. 4 as viewed from the front. 13. A rear view showing the structure of the filter unit of FIG. 12 as viewed from the rear. 14. A diagram showing the structure of the filter unit of FIG. 12, where (a) is a front view seen from the front, and (b) is a cross-sectional view cut along line A-A in (a). 20 is a perspective view showing the structure of the attachment unit of the work machine shown in FIG. 4 as viewed from the rear. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the structure of the attachment unit of FIG. 16 as viewed from the front. FIG. 17 is a rear view showing the structure of the attachment unit of FIG. 16 as viewed from the rear. FIG. 28 is a diagram showing the structure of the attachment unit of FIG. 16, where (a) is a front view as viewed from the front, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a). FIG. 29 is a perspective view showing the structure in which the attachment unit is attached to the filter unit of the work machine shown in FIG. 4 as viewed from the rear. FIG. 20 is a side view showing the structure of FIG. 20. FIG. 20 is a diagram showing the structure of FIG. 20, where (a) is a back view as viewed from the rear, and (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A in (a). FIG. 29 is a rear view showing the structure of a modified example of the work machine according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 21 is an exploded perspective view showing the structure of the work machine shown in FIG. 23. FIG. 21 is a rear view showing the structure of the work machine shown in FIG. 24 as viewed from the rear side.

[0011] Hereinafter, an example of an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0012] In this embodiment, a blower 1 will be described as an example of a work machine. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 , the blower 1 is a work machine that takes in air from the rear side and discharges it from a nozzle provided on the front side to blow the air onto a work area or the like, and is also called an air duster. The blower 1 is configured to include a motor 10, a fan unit (operating unit) 10a that rotates by the driving force of the motor 10 and generates an airflow F1 in an axial direction C1 along the rotation axis of the motor 10, a housing unit 2 that accommodates the motor 10 and the fan unit 10a and has an exhaust unit 12 on the front (one) side of the axial direction C1, and a cylindrical nozzle 6 that is detachably attached to the exhaust unit 12. The housing 2 includes a motor case 3 that houses the motor 10 and the fan 10a and has an exhaust section 12, a handle 4 that extends from the motor case 3 in a direction (vertical direction) intersecting the axial direction C1, and a battery attachment section 5 that is connected to the handle 4 and positioned on the opposite side of the handle 4 from the motor case 3. In other words, the motor case 3 and the battery attachment section 5 extend along the axial direction C1 so as to be substantially parallel to each other at both ends of the handle 4. That is, one end of the handle 4 is connected to the motor case 3, and the other end of the handle 4 is connected to the battery attachment section 5. The housing 2 has two housing halves (a first housing member 2a and a second housing member 2b shown in FIG. 4 , which will be described later) molded from a synthetic resin such as nylon or polycarbonate. The housing 2 is assembled by butting together the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b.

[0013] In the blower 1 of this embodiment, the direction along the rotation shaft of the motor 10 is referred to as the axial direction C1 and is also referred to as the front-rear direction, and the direction that intersects with the front-rear direction and in which the handle portion 4 extends (extension direction E1) is referred to as the up-down direction. Furthermore, the direction that is perpendicular to the front-rear direction and the up-down direction is referred to as the left-right direction.

[0014] As shown in FIG. 3 , a motor 10 and a fan unit 10a are housed within the motor case 3. The motor 10 includes a stator 10b, which is a coil, and a rotor 10c, which is a magnet. The fan unit 10a is a centrifugal fan attached to the rotating shaft of the rotor 10c. The fan unit 10a is a centrifugal fan attached to the rotating shaft of the rotor 10c. The fan unit 10a takes in air through an intake unit 11 at the rear of the motor case 3 and sends it toward a nozzle 6 attached to the front of the motor case 3. Specifically, within the motor case 3, the motor 10, including the fan unit 10a, is housed within a cylindrical container. The rotation of the fan unit 10a draws in air through a metal filter 16a attached to the intake unit 11 and sends the air along the inner wall 10d of the cylindrical container toward the nozzle 6. The rotation of the fan unit 10a generates an airflow F1 flowing along the axial direction C1, and the air delivered by the airflow F1 is discharged from the tip of the nozzle 6.

[0015] In addition, the motor 10 is fitted with a motor board 10e which is equipped with an inverter circuit for the motor 10 and a sensor for detecting the rotational position of the rotor 10c, and this motor board 10e is also housed within the motor case 3.

[0016] The handle 4 also has a trigger 9 and a trigger switch 13, which are switches provided on the motor case 3 side so as to protrude forward (one side) in the axial direction C1. A control board 8 equipped with a microcomputer is provided inside the handle 4. A battery pack 7 that supplies power to the motor 10 is detachably attached to the battery mounting section 5. When the trigger 9 is operated, the fan 10a, which is driven by the driving force of the motor 10, rotates, and the rotation of the fan 10a generates an airflow F1 in the axial direction C1. This causes air taken in through the rear intake section 11 to be sent forward by the airflow F1 and discharged from the tip of the nozzle 6.

[0017] 3, a protruding portion 3a that protrudes forward from the motor case 3 is provided directly below the exhaust portion 12 of the motor case 3, and an LED 17 is provided on the protruding portion 3a to brightly illuminate the area where air is blown. By providing the LED 17 on the protruding portion 3a that protrudes forward from the motor case 3 in this way, the work area can be brightened.

[0018] The nozzle 6 is formed in a cylindrical shape, with the diameter of the other end being larger than that of the other end. Specifically, the base end portion 6b attached to the exhaust section 12 of the motor case 3 is provided with an intake port 6d as the nozzle 6, and the tip end portion 6a located opposite the base end portion 6b is provided with an exhaust port 6e as the nozzle 6. The base end portion 6b of the nozzle 6 is wider than the tip end portion 6a, and the nozzle 6 has a tapered shape that narrows toward the tip end.

[0019] Next, another use of the blower 1 of this embodiment will be described. As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , the blower 1 can be used for air suction, for example, by attaching a suction nozzle 18 to the rear side (rear side) of the motor case 3 via an attachment portion 15. This allows the blower 1 to be used for suctioning air, for example, when removing air from a life jacket or a rubber boat. In the blower 1 shown in FIG. 4 , the housing portion 2 including the motor case 3 includes a first housing member 2a and a second housing member 2b that are assembled in the left-right direction (first direction), and a third housing member disposed between the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b (in other words, disposed across the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b). Furthermore, the blower 1 has an attachment portion 15 that is attached to the housing portion 2. Specifically, the third housing member is a filter holder 16b that holds a metal filter 16a. The filter holder 16b is sandwiched and assembled between the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b. The attachment part 15 is detachably mounted on the filter holder 16b. Furthermore, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, a nozzle 18 is attached to the pipe part 15d of the attachment part 15.

[0020] 9 to 11, the motor 10 is disposed in a space surrounded by the first housing member 2a, the second housing member 2b, and the filter holder (third housing member) 16b. The trigger 9, the trigger switch 13, the control board 8, the terminal unit 14, etc. are also disposed in the space surrounded by the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b.

[0021] When the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b are assembled with screws, the protrusion 16d of the filter holder 16b is sandwiched between a groove 2d formed in the inner wall of the rear side of the first housing member 2a and a groove 2e formed in the inner wall of the rear side of the second housing member 2b. This secures the filter holder 16b to the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b. The motor case 3, which is made up of a portion of each of the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b, has an opening 2c formed at its rear end. The opening 2c houses a mesh metal filter 16a and a resin filter holder 16b that supports the metal filter 16a. The filter holder 16b is therefore provided with an air vent 16g through which the airflow generated by the fan unit 10a passes, providing a passage for air drawn in via the nozzle 18. A mesh metal filter 16a is provided to close the vent hole 16g, but the metal filter 16a has many fine holes that allow air to pass through.

[0022] As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the attachment portion 15 is bowl-shaped and is attached to the filter holder 16b from above the filter element (filter portion) 16 including the filter holder 16b.

[0023] Next, a description will be given of the engagement structure between the attachment part 15 and the filter holder 16b. In this embodiment, a snap fit is adopted as the engagement structure between the attachment part 15 and the filter holder 16b.

[0024] First, the structure of the filter element (filter portion) 16, including the filter holder 16b, will be described. As shown in FIGS. 12 to 15 , the filter element 16 includes a mesh-like metal filter (filter) 16a that allows air to pass through and a resin filter holder (third housing member) 16b that supports the metal filter 16a. The filter holder 16b is a resin member in which the metal filter 16a is embedded by insert molding. The filter holder 16b is provided with a first engagement portion that engages with the attachment portion 15, and this first engagement portion is a component of the filter holder 16b side of the snap fit. The component of the snap fit (first engagement portion) on the filter holder 16b side is a pair of holes 16c spaced apart in the left-right direction. The filter holder 16b has four convex portions 16d at its outer periphery (top, bottom, left, and right) that are sandwiched and fixed between the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b.

[0025] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 16 to 19 , the attachment unit 15 includes a bowl-shaped attachment body 15a, a cylindrical pipe 15d provided on the attachment body 15a, and claws 15b provided in notches 15c on both sides of the attachment body 15a. The interior of the pipe 15d serves as a passage through which the airflow generated by the fan unit 10a flows from the nozzle 18 to the ventilation opening 16g. The attachment unit 15 also includes a first engagement portion as a snap fit that engages with the filter holder 16b. In this embodiment, the snap fit components (first engagement portions) on the attachment unit 15 side are the claws 15b provided one on each side, spaced apart in the left-right direction. These claws 15b each protrude in the left-right direction. 20 to 22 , the filter holder 16b and the attachment part 15 are engaged by fitting the two left and right claws 15b of the attachment part 15 into the two left and right holes 16c of the filter holder 16b, respectively. Because the claws 15b protrude in the left-right direction, there is no need to increase the installation accuracy or size accuracy of the two holes 16c provided in the filter holder 16b in the left-right direction. In other words, by employing a snap-fit ​​engagement between the claws 15b and the holes 16c, the attachment part 15 can be attached to and detached from the filter holder 16b by moving it in the front-to-rear direction that intersects the left-to-right direction, rather than in a rotational direction, relative to the housing part 2.

[0026] Here, the two holes (first engagement portions) 16c, which are components of the snap fit, are provided in the filter holder 16b, which is a single member. In other words, the filter holder 16b is a single member that is not separated in the left-right direction. Therefore, in the blower 1 of this embodiment, when the attachment portion 15 is attached to the filter holder 16b, the snap fit claws 15b are fitted into the holes 16c of the filter holder 16b, which is a single member. This makes it easy to control the dimensional accuracy of the positions and distances of the two left and right holes 16c provided in the filter holder 16b. As a result, the workability of the blower 1 can be improved. In other words, by providing the engagement structure of the attachment portion 15 to the filter holder 16b, since the filter holder 16b is a single member, it is easy to control the dimensional accuracy of the positions and distances of the two holes 16c provided spaced apart on the left and right.

[0027] Furthermore, the blower 1 of this embodiment is designed to be compact. However, it is preferable to enlarge the vent 16g to ensure sufficient airflow. Therefore, the shape of the motor case 3 is a vertically elongated, approximately rectangular (non-circular) shape to minimize the left-right dimension while enlarging the air passage. As a result, the filter holder 16b, which is sandwiched and assembled between the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b, is also a vertically elongated, approximately rectangular (non-circular) shape. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 15( a), the shape of the joint 16f of the filter holder 16b to the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b is a substantially rectangular (non-circular) shape in which the left-right length L1 is shorter than the length L2 in the vertical direction (third direction) intersecting the left-right direction (L1<L2). Furthermore, the overall arrangement area of ​​the multiple partitioned vents 16g is also a substantially rectangular (non-circular) shape in which the left-right length L3 is shorter than the length L4 in the vertical direction (third direction) intersecting the left-right direction (L3<L4). Therefore, the opening area of ​​the ventilation hole 16g can be secured, and airflow can be ensured, while reducing the left-right dimension of the housing portion 2. Furthermore, because the filter holder 16b has a substantially rectangular shape, it is difficult to use an engagement structure that rotates the attachment portion 15 for installation. Therefore, by adopting a snap fit for the engagement structure of the attachment portion 15, it is possible to attach the attachment portion 15 by moving it in the front-to-rear direction, rather than by rotating it, and this makes it easier to control the dimensional accuracy of the positions and distances between the multiple first engagement portions provided on the filter holder 16b.

[0028] 12 , the filter holder 16b of the filter element 16 has an end surface 16e that is non-flat in the front-to-rear direction (second direction) that intersects with the left-to-right direction. Specifically, by making the filter holder 16b a vertically elongated, approximately rectangular (non-circular) shape, the end surface 16e of the filter holder 16b can be made into a three-dimensional curved surface, thereby increasing the design freedom of the blower 1. Furthermore, since the filter can be curved, the filter area can be increased, thereby improving the filtering function.

[0029] 14 and 15, in filter holder 16b, two left and right holes (first engagement portions) 16c, which are components of the snap fit, are provided within the area in which metal filter 16a is disposed. That is, by providing two left and right holes 16c in filter holder 16b, which is made of a single member, even if the area of ​​the filter is reduced, and by making filter holder 16b approximately rectangular (non-circular), it is possible to reduce the tolerance in the relative positions of the two left and right holes 16c, and it is possible to ensure the accuracy of mounting attachment portion 15 to filter holder 16b.

[0030] Furthermore, since the filter is a metal filter 16a and the metal filter 16a is insert-molded into the filter holder 16b, the number of parts required for assembling the blower 1 can be reduced. Furthermore, since the filter holder 16b is fixed to the housing portion 2 without any gaps, the filter is more airtight and the filter function is improved. Furthermore, since the metal filter 16a is insert-molded into the filter holder 16b, the filter surface can be easily cleaned. Since the attachment portion 15 engages with the filter holder 16b while the metal filter 16a remains supported by the filter holder 16b, compared to a comparative example in which the metal filter 16a must be removed when attaching the attachment portion 15, this reduces the number of steps required for attaching and detaching the attachment portion 15 and also improves the strength of the filter holder 16b. Furthermore, by engaging the attachment part 15 with the filter holder 16b so as to cover the ventilation hole 16g, the air flowing inside the attachment part 15 passes through the metal filter 16a and the ventilation hole 16g, and the metal filter 16a can capture dust particles contained in the air that has passed through the attachment part 15.

[0031] Next, a modified blower 1 shown in FIGS. 23 to 25 will be described. As shown in FIG. 24, the modified blower 1 is configured with a resin battery holding portion 19 as the third housing member. This battery holding portion 19 is provided with guide rails (first engagement portions) 19a on both sides to guide the battery pack 7 when attaching or detaching it. The battery holding portion 19 is sandwiched and fixed between the first housing member 2a and the second housing member 2b. By regarding the battery pack 7 as an example of an attachment, this configuration also allows the battery holding portion 19, which is a single member, to be provided with multiple first engagement portions. This also facilitates the management of dimensional accuracy regarding the positions and distances of the multiple first engagement portions provided on the battery holding portion 19. As a result, the operability of the modified blower 1 can be improved.

[0032] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment and may be modified in various ways without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the attachment portion 15 and the nozzle 18 may be an integrated member. Furthermore, the third housing member may be disposed across the first and second housing members, at least partially covering the outer surfaces of both the first and second housing members.

[0033] 1...blower (work machine), 2...housing portion, 2a...first housing member, 2b...second housing member, 2c...opening, 2d, 2e...groove portion, 3...motor case, 3a...protruding portion, 4...handle portion, 5...battery mounting portion, 6...nozzle, 6a...tip side portion, 6b...base side portion, 6d...intake port, 6e...exhaust port, 7...battery pack, 8...control board, 9...trigger, 10...motor, 10a...fan portion (operating portion), 10b...stator, 10c...rotor, 10d...inner wall, 10e...motor board, 11...intake portion, 12...exhaust portion, 13...trigger switch, 1 4...Terminal unit, 15...Attachment part, 15a...Attachment main body, 15b...Claw part (first engagement part), 15c...Notch part, 15d...Pipe part, 16...Filter element (filter part), 16a...Metal filter (filter), 16b...Filter holder (third housing member), 16c...Hole part (first engagement part), 16d...Convex part, 16e...End face, 16f...Joint part, 16g...Ventilation hole, 17...LED, 18...Nozzle, 19...Battery holding part (third housing member), 19a...Guide rail (first engagement part), L1, L2...Length

Claims

1. A motor; an operating unit that operates by a driving force of the motor; a housing portion that accommodates the motor and the operating portion therein; an attachment portion attached to the housing portion, The housing portion includes: a first housing member and a second housing member that are combined in a first direction; a third housing member disposed across the first housing member and the second housing member, The attachment portion is removably attached to the third housing member.

2. the operating unit is a fan unit that rotates by a driving force of the motor, The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the third housing member has an air vent through which the airflow generated by the fan portion passes.

3. The third housing member has a first engagement portion that engages with the attachment portion, The first engagement portion includes a claw portion protruding in the first direction, The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the third housing member and the attachment portion are engaged with each other by the claw portion.

4. The third housing member has a first engagement portion that engages with the attachment portion, The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the first engagement portion is provided in a plurality of portions spaced apart from each other in the first direction.

5. the third housing member is a single member that is sandwiched and fixed between the first housing member and the second housing member, The work machine according to claim 4 , wherein the plurality of first engagement portions are provided on the third housing member which is made of a single member.

6. a filter portion including the third housing member and through which air can pass is provided; The work machine according to claim 2 , wherein the filter portion has an end surface that is non-flat in a second direction that intersects with the first direction.

7. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein the attachment portion is attached to and detached from the third housing member by moving in a second direction intersecting the first direction.

8. the filter unit includes a filter through which air can pass, and a filter holder that supports the filter and is provided as the third housing member, The work machine according to claim 6, wherein a shape of the joint portion of the filter holder to the first housing member and the second housing member is non-circular and the length in the first direction is shorter than the length in a third direction that intersects with the first direction.

9. The third housing member has a first engagement portion that engages with the attachment portion, The first engagement portion is provided in a plurality of positions spaced apart from each other in the first direction, The work machine according to claim 8 , wherein the plurality of first engagement portions are provided within a region in which the filter is disposed.

10. The filter is a mesh-shaped metal filter, 9. The work machine according to claim 8, wherein the filter holder is a resin member in which the metallic filter is embedded by insert molding.

11. The work machine according to claim 1 , wherein a nozzle is detachably attached to the attachment portion.

12. The work machine according to claim 6 , wherein the vent hole has a non-circular shape whose length in the first direction is shorter than its length in a third direction intersecting the first direction.

13. A motor; a fan unit that rotates by the driving force of the motor; a housing portion that accommodates the motor and the fan portion therein; an attachment portion attached to the housing portion, The housing portion includes: the filter holder has an air vent through which the airflow generated by the fan portion can pass, the filter holder closes the air vent and supports a filter through which the airflow can pass, The attachment portion is detachably attached to the filter holder.

14. the attachment portion allows the airflow generated by the fan portion to pass through the inside of the attachment portion, The work machine according to claim 13 , wherein the filter holder is engaged with the attachment part while supporting the filter such that air flowing through the inside of the attachment part passes through the filter and the air vent.

15. A motor, an operating unit that operates by a driving force of the motor; a housing portion that accommodates the motor and the operating portion therein; an attachment portion attached to the housing portion, The housing portion includes: a first housing member and a second housing member that are combined in a first direction; a third housing member disposed across the first housing member and the second housing member, the third housing member has a first engagement portion that engages with the attachment portion, The first engagement portion includes a claw portion protruding in the first direction, The third housing member and the attachment portion are engaged with each other by the claw portion.

16. A motor, an operating unit that operates by a driving force of the motor; a housing portion that accommodates the motor and the operating portion therein; an attachment portion attached to the housing portion, The housing portion includes: a first housing member and a second housing member that are combined in a first direction; a third housing member disposed across the first housing member and the second housing member, the third housing member has a first engagement portion that engages with the attachment portion, A work machine, wherein the first engagement portion is provided in plurality and spaced apart from one another in the first direction.