Electrostatic cleaner

Abstract

This electrostatic cleaner comprises a dust adsorption means and a dust gathering means. The dust adsorption means includes: a dust collection part 2 having electrification; and a static electricity generation part 3 for electrifying the outer surface of the dust collection part 2. An electrostatic adsorption sheet 30 of the static electricity generation part 3 is stuck to the lower surface 28 of the dust collection part 2. The dust gathering means includes: a dust wiping part 4 for moving an adsorption target that is on the electrostatic adsorption sheet 30; and a dust storage part 5 for storing the adsorption target moved by the dust wiping part 4.

Description

Electrostatic cleaner

[0001] The present invention relates to an electrostatic cleaner that attracts and collects objects such as dust on a floor surface by electrostatic force.

[0002] To collect dust generated in daily life, vacuum cleaners are generally used. However, while this device has a large suction power and can operate continuously, it generates noise and scatters dirty exhaust air outside. Furthermore, it consumes a lot of power, which creates cost issues. Therefore, to solve these problems of noise, exhaust, and power consumption, electrostatic cleaners that use electrostatic force to attract and collect dust have been developed.

[0003] Conventionally, there are two types of electrostatic cleaners. The first type is a device similar to an electrostatic duster or electrostatic duster, constructed of bundles of easily electrostatically charged fibers or bundles of plastic filaments. By contacting this duster-like device with dust on a floor or other surface, the dust can be attracted by electrostatic force. The second type is a device that charges the surface of a material using ion discharge and attracts the dust by directly contacting the charged material, and a device that ionizes dust in the air using ion discharge and attracts the dust to the surface of the charged material. This allows for not only contact of dust with the material but also non-contact attraction of the dust. Furthermore, the electrostatic dust collector described in Patent Document 1 charges a cylindrical dust collector with static electricity using ion discharge, attracting dust on the floor surface to the surface of the dust collector, and then transports the attracted dust to a dust bag by rotating the dust collector. Then, light is irradiated onto the dust collector to remove static electricity, causing the dust to fall from the dust collector into a dust bag for collection. In the electrostatic vacuum cleaner described in Patent Document 2, dust on the floor is picked up by a rotating brush installed at the dust inlet of the dust collector and introduced into the dust collector. The introduced dust is then ionized by a discharge anode and a discharge cathode within the dust collector. The ionized dust is then electrically attracted to the attraction anode and the attraction cathode within the dust collector. Furthermore, in the electrostatic roll cleaner described in Non-Patent Document 1, a cylindrical high-voltage electrode is attached to the surface of a cylindrical body, and annular reference electrodes are attached to both ends of the cylinder via an insulating coating over the high-voltage electrode. This creates a capacitor formed by the high-voltage electrode, the reference electrode, and the insulating coating, which can be charged to create a potential difference between the two electrodes. Therefore, for example, when a negative voltage is applied to the high-voltage electrode, a positive charge is induced in the dust particles through the surface resistance from the reference electrode to the dust particles, and the dust particles are adsorbed to the insulating coating of the high-voltage electrode by electrostatic attraction.

[0004] JP 1999-56731 A JP 2001-78939 A

[0005] Yuki Furuya and 1 other author, "Cotton Yarn Adsorption and Desorption Characteristics of Electrostatic Roll Cleaner," Journal of the Institute of Electrostatic Engineers, 2023, Vol. 47, No. 3, pp. 121-126

[0006] However, the above-mentioned conventional electrostatic cleaner technologies have the following problems: In both the first and second types of electrostatic cleaners, the electrostatic force for attracting dust is weak, and dust cannot be held for a long period of time. Furthermore, the strength of the electrostatic attraction force cannot be freely controlled.

[0007] The electrostatic precipitator described in Patent Document 1 is configured to charge the surface of the dust collector by ion discharge and remove the charge by light irradiation while rotating the cylindrical dust collector, so the time the charged dust collector surface is in contact with or facing dust is short. As a result, the electrostatic force exerted by the dust collector surface on the dust is very small. Therefore, cleaning using this electrostatic precipitator does not achieve sufficient cleaning effectiveness. Furthermore, the electrostatic vacuum cleaner described in Patent Document 2 is configured to ionize and attract only dust introduced into the dust collection unit using a rotating brush, which may leave much of the dust on the floor unswept. In other words, the rotating brush is not designed to directly attract dust on the floor, but is designed only to introduce the dust into the dust collection unit, so there is a risk of much dust being left behind on the floor. Therefore, even with this electrostatic vacuum cleaner, sufficient cleaning effectiveness cannot be achieved. Furthermore, the electrostatic roll cleaner described in Non-Patent Document 1 is designed to create a potential difference between the high-voltage electrode, the reference electrode, and the insulating film by charging a capacitor formed by the two electrodes. Therefore, when the electrostatic roll cleaner is pressed against the floor and the insulating film comes into contact with the floor, much of the charge that should be attracted to the insulating film is transferred to the floor or the dust itself. This reduces the voltage difference between the high-voltage electrode and the dust, preventing sufficient electrostatic attraction. Furthermore, in this cleaner, the insulating film rotates and moves simultaneously with the cylindrical body, so the time required to attract dust to the insulating film is short. As a result, sufficient attraction is not achieved. Furthermore, when discarding the attracted dust, it is necessary to cut off the current between the high-voltage electrode and the reference electrode. However, simply cutting off the current does not allow the dust to easily fall off the insulating film because static electricity remains in the insulating film.

[0008] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide an electrostatic cleaner that is noise-free, emits no exhaust, and has reduced power consumption, as well as being able to obtain a strong electrostatic attraction force and to easily dispose of the object to be attracted. In this specification, the object to be attracted refers to substances that can be electrostatically attracted, such as dust, particles, dirt, and hair.

[0009] In order to solve the above problems, a first aspect of the present invention is an electrostatic cleaner comprising dust adsorption means that adsorbs objects to be adsorbed by static electricity, and dust collection means that collects the objects to be adsorbed by the dust adsorption means, wherein the dust adsorption means has a dust collection section that is electrically charged, and a static electricity generation section that can generate static electricity and charge the outer surface of the dust collection section, and the dust collection means has a dust wiping section that moves in contact with the outer surface of the dust collection section to move the objects to be adsorbed on this outer surface, and a dust storage section that stores the objects to be adsorbed moved by the dust wiping section through a dust inlet.

[0010] In this embodiment, when the dust collection unit of the dust adsorption means is placed on a floor surface and the static electricity generating unit is activated, the static electricity generating unit generates static electricity to charge the outer surface of the dust collection unit. As a result, the outer surface of the dust collection unit facing the floor electrostatically attracts all objects on the floor, including difficult-to-clean objects such as hair, pet hair, lint, and dust. Meanwhile, the dust wiping unit of the dust collection means moves in contact with the outer surface of the dust collection unit, moving the objects attracted to the outer surface facing the floor to the dust storage unit. This allows the objects to be forcibly stored in the dust storage unit through the dust inlet by the dust wiping unit. As such, in this invention, objects are attracted using static electricity, so there is no noise or exhaust like with vacuum suction-type electric vacuum cleaners, and power consumption is very low.

[0011] In particular, the present invention can attract objects with a strong electrostatic force. That is, in conventional techniques (e.g., the technique of Patent Document 1), a cylindrical dust collector must be rotated to attract and collect dust. This shortens the contact and facing time between the dust collector surface and the dust, making it difficult to generate sufficient electrostatic force. In contrast, the electrostatic cleaner of the present invention does not require the dust collection unit of the dust collecting means to rotate when attracting and collecting objects. Therefore, the outer surface of the dust collection unit that faces the floor can be maintained at a constant distance from the floor without moving away from the floor. This lengthens the contact and facing time between the outer surface of the dust collection unit and the objects, thereby generating sufficient electrostatic force. Furthermore, since the objects on the floor are attracted to the dust collection unit by the static electricity generating unit and then stored in the dust storage unit by the dust wiping unit, there is no leftover material, as occurs in conventional techniques (e.g., the technique of Patent Document 2), and the objects can be collected almost completely. Furthermore, when dropping the object to be adsorbed from the dust collection section, instead of turning off the power and waiting for the object to fall naturally as in conventional technology (for example, the technology in non-patent document 1), the object to be adsorbed is physically and forcibly stored in the dust storage section by the dust wiping section, so that the object to be adsorbed can be reliably and quickly removed from the dust collection section without being left behind in the dust collection section.

[0012] According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to the first aspect, the outer surface of the dust collecting unit that faces the floor surface has any shape including at least one of a flat surface, an inclined surface, a V-shaped surface, an arcuate surface, and a corrugated surface.

[0013] With this configuration, the shape of the outer surface of the dust collection section that faces the floor surface can be made to correspond to the shape of the floor surface on which the object to be adsorbed is located, thereby ensuring an optimal dust adsorption area for that outer surface.

[0014] According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to the first or second aspect, the outer surface of the dust collecting unit that faces the floor surface is positioned in a state of not contacting the floor surface.

[0015] This configuration prevents the outer surface for attracting objects from coming into contact with the floor surface and being scratched during operation of the electrostatic cleaner. It also prevents the friction between the outer surface and the floor from transferring much of the charge that should be induced on the outer surface of the dust collection unit to the floor surface or the objects themselves, thereby ensuring sufficient electrostatic attraction force for objects on the floor.

[0016] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to any one of the first to third aspects, the static electricity generating unit has a pair of electrodes, a dielectric layer covering the pair of electrodes, a rechargeable battery capable of applying a voltage between the pair of electrodes, and a boost circuit capable of boosting the voltage from the battery to apply a desired high voltage between the pair of electrodes.

[0017] In this configuration, the voltage from the battery is boosted by the boost circuit, and the desired high voltage is applied to the pair of electrodes. Simultaneously, electrostatic induction occurs in the dielectric layer covering the pair of electrodes, generating static electricity on the outer surface of the dust collecting unit. In other words, a high voltage can be applied stably to the pair of electrodes for a long period of time, allowing the objects to be attracted to the outer surface of the dust collecting unit for a long period of time. As a result, the outer surface of the dust collecting unit can attract and hold the objects to be attracted for a long period of time with a strong electrostatic force, thereby achieving a sufficient cleaning effect. Furthermore, by varying the voltage applied to the pair of electrodes using the boost circuit, the strength of the electrostatic attraction force can be freely controlled. Furthermore, the use of a rechargeable battery makes the electrostatic cleaner cordless, improving cleaning workability and sustainability.

[0018] According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to the fourth aspect, the pair of electrodes and the dielectric layer of the static electricity generating unit are provided on the outer surface of the dust collecting unit that faces the floor surface.

[0019] In other words, a separate static electricity generating unit can be attached to the outside of the outer surface of the dust collecting unit. This not only allows the static electricity generating unit itself to attract objects to be attracted, but also allows the static electricity generating unit to be quickly replaced in the event of a malfunction. Alternatively, the static electricity generating unit can be incorporated as part of the dust collecting unit, and the outer surface can be formed by this static electricity generating unit.

[0020] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the dust wiping unit has a wiper member that contacts the outer surface of the dust collecting unit, and a transport mechanism that moves the wiper member along the outer surface of the dust collecting unit to the dust storage unit.

[0021] With this configuration, while the wiper member of the dust wiping unit is in contact with the outer surface of the dust collecting unit, the wiper member can be moved by the transport mechanism along the outer surface of the dust collecting unit to the dust storage unit.

[0022] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to the sixth aspect, at least the portion of the wiper member that comes into contact with the outer surface of the dust collecting unit has any shape, including at least one of a circular cross section, a triangular cross section, a plate cross section, and a brush cross section, and has a structure such as a foam or sponge made of a flexible material such as silicone or polyurethane. Note that in this specification, the term "brush-like" refers to a state in which a plurality of rod-shaped members are arranged at a relatively high density over an area that has a large area, regardless of whether the rod-shaped members are in contact with each other or whether they are spaced evenly apart.

[0023] According to an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, the dust storage section is located within the dust collection section or adjacent to the dust collection section.

[0024] According to a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to the eighth aspect, the dust storage section is disposed so as to be removable from within the dust collection section or from a position adjacent to the dust collection section.

[0025] According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the electrostatic cleaner according to any one of the first to ninth aspects, the dust wiping section and the dust storing section are formed of a non-electrostatic material.

[0026] In this manner, the object to be attracted is not electrostatically attracted to the dust storage section, so that the object to be attracted can be quickly and reliably discarded from the dust storage section to the outside.

[0027] As described above in detail, the electrostatic cleaner according to the first aspect of the present invention has the advantages of generating no noise or exhaust and consuming very little power. It also has the excellent advantages of being able to generate sufficient electrostatic force, collecting almost all of the objects to be attracted without leaving any on the floor, and reliably and quickly removing the objects from the dust collection section without leaving any behind in the dust collection section.

[0028] Furthermore, with the electrostatic cleaner according to the second aspect of the present invention, the dust collecting section can ensure an optimal dust adsorption area on the outer surface facing the floor.

[0029] The electrostatic cleaner according to the third aspect of the present invention can prevent the outer surface for attracting objects from coming into contact with the floor surface and being scratched during operation, and can also prevent a decrease in electrostatic attraction force caused by friction between the outer surface and the floor surface, thereby ensuring sufficient electrostatic attraction force.

[0030] The electrostatic cleaner according to the fourth aspect of the present invention can attract and hold objects for a long time using a strong electrostatic force, thereby achieving a sufficient cleaning effect. Furthermore, the strength of the electrostatic attraction force can be freely controlled. Furthermore, by using a rechargeable battery, the electrostatic cleaner can be made cordless, improving cleaning workability and sustainability.

[0031] According to the electrostatic cleaner of the tenth aspect of the present invention, the objects to be attracted can be quickly and reliably discarded from the dust storage section to the outside.

[0032] 12 is an external view of an electrostatic cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 12 is a front view showing the interior of the electrostatic cleaner; FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view showing the main components of the electrostatic cleaner; FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the assembled state of the main components; FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. 4; FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a wiper member; FIG. 12 is a front view of the wiper member; FIG. 12 is a perspective view for explaining a conveying mechanism; FIG. 12 is a perspective view from the rear showing the assembled state of a dust collection unit, a static electricity generation unit, a dust wiping unit, and a dust storage unit; FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a method for removing the dust storage unit; FIG. 12 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the assembled state of the main components, the dust collection unit, the static electricity generation unit, the dust wiping unit, and the dust storage unit, in a housing 1A; and FIG. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view for explaining the dust adsorption action of the electrostatic cleaner, where FIG. 12(a) shows the electrostatic cleaner placed on a floor surface, FIG. 12(b) shows the charged state, and FIG. 12(c) shows the state in which dust is adsorbed. 15(a) and 15(c) are schematic cross-sectional views illustrating the dust collection action of the electrostatic cleaner, with FIG. 13(a) showing a state in which dust is being wiped away, FIG. 13(b) showing a state in which dust is being collected, and FIG. 13(c) showing a state in which dust is being disposed of. A schematic cross-sectional view showing a main part of an electrostatic cleaner according to a second embodiment of the present invention. A schematic cross-sectional view showing modified cross-sectional shapes of the electrostatic adsorption sheet and the underside of the dust collection unit, with FIG. 15(a) showing a V-shaped cross-section, FIG. 15(b) showing a circular arc-shaped cross-section, and FIG. 15(c) showing a wavy cross-section. A perspective view showing a main part of an electrostatic cleaner according to a third embodiment of the present invention. A perspective view showing the direction in which the dust storage unit is removed. A perspective view showing a modified dust storage unit. A perspective view showing another modified dust storage unit.

[0033] The best mode of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

[0034] (Embodiment 1) Fig. 1 is an external view of an electrostatic cleaner according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and Fig. 2 is a front view showing the inside of the electrostatic cleaner.

[0035] As shown in Fig. 1, the electrostatic cleaner 1 of this embodiment has a housing 1A, a power box 1B formed on a top wall 1a of the housing 1A, and a handle 1C attached to the power box 1B. This electrostatic cleaner 1 is a vacuum cleaner that can clean dust and dirt on a floor surface by placing the housing 1A on the floor surface and moving it using the handle 1C, and the main components of this vacuum cleaner are assembled inside the housing 1A as shown in Fig. 2.

[0036] Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the main components of the electrostatic cleaner. Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing the assembled state of the main components, and Fig. 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view of Fig. 4. The main components shown in Fig. 3 constitute a dust adsorption means and a dust collection means. The dust adsorption means is a means for adsorbing dust using static electricity. Specifically, the dust collection unit 2 and the static electricity generation unit 3 constitute the dust adsorption means.

[0037] The dust collection unit 2 is a case body having an electrostatic property. Its front surface 21 (the surface on the left in the drawing) and top surface 22 are open, and its rear surface 23 (the surface on the right in the drawing) is formed in a semi-cylindrical shape. As shown in FIG. 4, the dust collection unit 2 is disposed between belt mechanisms 44 and 45 of a conveying mechanism 43, which will be described later.

[0038] In FIG. 3 , the static electricity generating unit 3 generates static electricity and charges the outer surface of the dust collecting unit 2. In this embodiment, the static electricity generating unit 3 generates static electricity in an electrostatic attraction sheet 30 that is separate from the dust collecting unit 2, and the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 functions as the outer surface of the dust collecting unit 2. Specifically, the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 includes a pair of electrodes 30a, 30b and a dielectric layer 30c. As shown in FIG. 5 , the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 is attached to the underside 28 of the dust collecting unit 2 that faces the floor surface 100. As shown in FIG. 3 , the electrodes 30a, 30b of the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 are connected to a battery 31 via a boost circuit 32. The battery 31 and the boost circuit 32 are housed in the power box 1B (see FIG. 1 ). The battery 31 is a power source for applying voltage between the pair of electrodes 30a, 30b and is also rechargeable. Charging can be achieved by inserting the plug of an AC / DC adapter (AC / DC converter) connected to a commercial AC power source into the jack 1b of the power box 1B. The boost circuit 32 boosts the DC voltage from the battery 31 and applies a desired high voltage between the pair of electrodes 30a, 30b. In this embodiment and the following modified examples and examples, the planar shape of the electrodes 30a, 30b is comb-shaped, but the present invention is not limited to this shape and can be modified as appropriate, such as flat, arc-shaped, circular, or semicircular. While this embodiment and the following modified examples and examples use a DC power source, an AC power source can also be used. Furthermore, while a bipolar type having two electrodes is adopted in this embodiment and the following modified examples and examples, a monopolar type having a single electrode can also be adopted. As described above, by attaching the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 to the underside 28 of the dust collection unit 2 and configuring it to function as the outer surface of the dust collection unit 2, it is possible to quickly and easily replace or repair the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 in the event of a malfunction in the static electricity generating unit 3. The distance d (see FIG. 5) between the electrostatic attraction sheet 30, which serves as the outer surface of the dust collection unit 2, and the floor surface 100 is maintained at a constant value by rollers 46 to 49, which will be described later, to prevent the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 from coming into contact with the floor surface 100.Furthermore, the inventors have conducted extensive research and have found that in the configuration of this embodiment, the distance d is preferably in the range of 1.00 mm to 20.00 mm.

[0039] In FIG. 3 , the dust collecting unit is a unit for collecting dust attracted by the dust attracting unit. Specifically, the dust collecting unit is made up of a dust wiping unit 4 and a dust storage unit 5. The dust wiping unit 4 moves in contact with the electrostatic attracting sheet 30, which is the outer surface of the dust collecting unit 2, thereby moving dust on the electrostatic attracting sheet 30. Specifically, the dust wiping unit 4 includes a wiper member 40 and a transport mechanism 43. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the wiper member 40, and FIG. 7 is a front view of the wiper member 40. The wiper member 40 is a member that contacts the electrostatic attracting sheet 30. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 , the wiper member 40 has a structure in which a blade 41 with a circular cross section in the short direction is held by a long arm 42. The blade 41 is a member that directly contacts the electrostatic attracting sheet 30. Note that, in order to avoid damaging the surface of the electrostatic attracting sheet 30, it is preferable to use a structure such as a foam or sponge made of a flexible material such as silicone or polyurethane as the blade 41. The cross-sectional shape of the wiper member 40 is arbitrary. Therefore, although the cross-sectional shape of the blade 41 is set to be circular in this embodiment, any cross-sectional shape may be applied, such as a triangular cross-section, a plate cross-section, or a brush cross-section. The wiper member 40 is attached to a conveying mechanism 43.

[0040] The transport mechanism 43 moves the wiper member 40 along the outer surface of the dust collection unit 2 to the dust storage unit 5 (see FIGS. 3 to 5). FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the transport mechanism 43. In this figure, the left side of the figure indicates the rear, and the right side indicates the front. As shown in FIG. 8, the transport mechanism 43 is composed of a pair of belt mechanisms 44, 45 and four rollers 46 to 49. The belt mechanism 44 (45) has a pair of pulleys 44a, 44b (45a, 45b) and a belt 44c (45c) wound around these pulleys 44a, 44b (45a, 45b). The belt mechanisms 44, 45 are arranged parallel to each other in the front-to-rear direction, with a distance between them equal to the length of the wiper member 40. The pulleys 44b, 45b are connected by a single shaft 44e. Rollers 46-49 are located below and behind the pulleys 44a, 44b, 45a, and 45b. These rollers 46-49 are mounted in the housing 1A (see FIG. 1) so as to be freely rotatable, except for roller 47, which is mechanically connected to pulley 44b via gears 47a and 44d. Specifically, gear 44d is attached to the outer shaft of pulley 44b, and gear 47a is attached to the inner shaft of roller 47. These gears 47a and 44d are meshed with each other. In other words, the conveying mechanism 43 transmits the rotational force of roller 47 to pulley 44b via gears 47a and 44d, and the rotational force of pulley 44b rotates belts 44c and 45c of belt mechanisms 44 and 45 in the forward and backward directions. The wiper member 40 is mounted on these belts 44c and 45c. 4 and 5, the arm 42 is fixed to the belts 44c, 45c so that the blade 41 faces the outer surface of the dust collecting unit 2. As a result, by rotating the belts 44c, 45c of the conveying mechanism 43, the wiper member 40 can be conveyed to the dust storage unit 5 while keeping the blade 41 in contact with the outer surface of the dust collecting unit 2.

[0041] The dust storage compartment 5 is a portion for storing dust removed by the wiper member 40 of the dust wiping unit 4. The dust storage compartment 5 is a non-electrostatic case body. As shown in FIG. 3, only its top surface is open, forming a dust inlet. The front surface 51 is semi-cylindrical, and the rear surface 52 is inclined rearward. As shown in FIG. 4, the size and shape of the dust storage compartment 5 are set so that it fits snugly within the dust collecting unit 2. FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view of the assembled dust collecting unit 2, static electricity generating unit 3, dust wiping unit 4, and dust storage compartment 5, and FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing how to remove the dust storage compartment 5. As shown in FIG. 9, the dust storage compartment 5 is set within the dust collecting unit 2, but as shown in FIG. 10, the dust storage compartment 5 can be removed from the dust collecting unit 2 by pulling it out through the front opening 21 of the dust collecting unit 2.

[0042] Fig. 11 is a partially cutaway plan view showing the state in which the main components, namely, the dust collection unit 2, the static electricity generating unit 3, the dust wiping unit 4, and the dust storage unit 5, are assembled into the housing 1A. This figure shows the state in which the top wall 1a of the housing 1A in Fig. 1 has been removed. As shown in Fig. 11, the housing 1A has a central main body storage chamber 10 and roller storage chambers 11 and 12 on either side of it. For ease of understanding, the partitions between the main body storage chamber 10 and the roller storage chambers 11 and 12 are hatched.

[0043] Rollers 46 and 47 are disposed in roller housing chamber 11. Roller 46 is supported by bearing 11a so as to be freely rotatable, and roller 47, which has a gear 47a, is supported by bearing 11b. Rollers 48 and 49 are disposed in roller housing chamber 12 and are supported by bearings 12a and 12b so as to be freely rotatable.

[0044] Within the main body storage chamber 10, belt mechanisms 44 and 45 of a transport mechanism 43 for transporting a wiper member 40 (not shown) are disposed adjacent to the roller storage chambers 11 and 12. A pulley 44a of the belt mechanism 44 is rotatably supported by a bearing 11c of the roller storage chamber 11 and a retaining hole 24 of the dust collecting unit 2. A pulley 44b is rotatably supported by a bearing 11d and a retaining hole 25. A pulley 45a of the belt mechanism 45 is rotatably supported by a bearing 12c of the roller storage chamber 12 and a retaining hole 26 of the dust collecting unit 2. A pulley 45b is rotatably supported by a bearing 12d and a retaining hole 27. The dust collecting unit 2 is disposed inside the belt mechanisms 44 and 45 and is fixed by the rotation shafts of the pulleys 44a, 44b, 45a, and 45b inserted into the retaining holes 24 to 27. The dust storage unit 5 is placed inside the dust collection unit 2. The electrostatic attraction sheet 30 of the static electricity generating unit 3 is disposed below the dust collection unit 2. In this figure, the wiper member 40 of the dust wiping unit 4 is located below the belts 44c and 45c.

[0045] Next, the operation and effect of the electrostatic cleaner 1 of this embodiment will be described. Fig. 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the dust adsorption function of the electrostatic cleaner 1, with Fig. 12(a) showing the electrostatic cleaner 1 placed on a floor surface 100, Fig. 12(b) showing the electrostatic cleaner 1 in a charged state, and Fig. 12(c) showing the electrostatic cleaner 1 in a dust-adsorbed state. Fig. 13 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating the dust collection function of the electrostatic cleaner 1, with Fig. 13(a) showing the electrostatic cleaner 1 in a dust-wiping state, Fig. 13(b) showing the electrostatic cleaner 1 in a dust-collecting state, and Fig. 13(c) showing the electrostatic cleaner 1 in a dust-disposal state.

[0046] When a user carries the electrostatic cleaner 1 shown in FIG. 1 to a predetermined location and places the housing 1A on a floor surface 100, the electrostatic attraction sheet 30, which is the outer surface of the dust collection unit 2, faces the floor surface 100, as shown in FIG. 12(a). The distance d between the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 and the floor surface 100 is maintained at a constant value by rollers 46 to 49. Therefore, the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 is not damaged by the floor surface 100, and static electricity induced on the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 does not transfer to the floor surface 100 or dust 101. When the power switch (not shown) is turned on in this state, static electricity 102 is generated on the surface of the electrostatic attraction sheet 30, charging the electrostatic attraction sheet 30, as shown in FIG. 12(b). This induces static electricity of the opposite polarity to the static electricity 102 in the dust 101, which is then attracted to the electrostatic attraction sheet 30, as shown in FIG. 12(c). The electrostatic attraction sheet 30 reliably attracts the dust 101 by electrostatic force without leaving any dust behind on the floor surface 100. In other words, the non-curved, large-area, charged electrostatic attraction sheet 30 can be placed facing the dust 101 on the floor surface 100 for a long period of time, thereby generating a strong electrostatic force on the dust 101.

[0047] In this state, when the user uses the handle 1C to move the housing 1A forward (to the left in the figure), the rollers 46 to 49 rotate and the wiper member 40 moves backward (to the right in the figure). As a result, as shown in FIG. 13(a), the blade 41 of the wiper member 40 collects dust 101 and moves the dust 101 backward. 13(b), when the wiper member 40 moves to directly above the dust collection compartment 5, the dust 101 falls through the top opening serving as a dust inlet and is collected in the dust collection compartment 5. Note that it is also possible to move the housing 1A to a predetermined location while the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 is attracting the dust 101, and then cut off the power to the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 to allow the dust 101 to fall naturally. However, even if the voltage application is stopped, static electricity remains, making it impossible to remove all of the dust 101 from the electrostatic attraction sheet 30. Physically and forcibly moving the dust 101 with the wiper member 40, rather than waiting for it to fall naturally, as in the electrostatic cleaner 1 of this embodiment, allows the dust 101 to be collected more reliably and quickly. When it is desired to dispose of the dust 101 stored in the dust storage section 5, the dust storage section 5 is pulled out from the dust collection section 2 as shown in Figure 13(c).The dust storage section 5 is then carried to a designated garbage disposal site and the dust 101 is disposed of. At this time, since the dust storage section 5 is made of a non-electrostatic material, the dust 101 can be easily disposed of from the dust storage section 5.

[0048] (Embodiment 2) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 14 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the main components of an electrostatic cleaner according to the second embodiment of the present invention. In the electrostatic cleaner of the first embodiment, a separate electrostatic attraction sheet 30 was attached to the underside 28 of the dust collecting unit 2, and the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 functioned as the outer surface of the dust collecting unit 2. In this embodiment, however, an electrostatic attraction structure equivalent to the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 is constructed on the underside 28 of the dust collecting unit 2 itself. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 14, electrodes 30a and 30b electrically connected to the battery 31 and the boost circuit 32 shown in FIG. 3, and a dielectric layer 30c covering these electrodes 30a and 30b, are disposed on the bottom of the dust collecting unit 2 facing the floor surface 100, thereby forming the underside 28 of the dust collecting unit 2 itself. Other configurations, functions, and effects are similar to those of the first embodiment, and therefore will not be described again.

[0049] (Variation 1) In the first and second embodiments, the cross-sectional shape of the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 and the cross-sectional shape of the underside 28 of the dust collecting unit 2 are shown as flat plates, but these cross-sectional shapes may be arbitrary. Therefore, the cross-sectional shape of the electrostatic attraction sheet 30 taken along line XV-XV in Figure 4 (the cross-sectional shape corresponding to the left-right cross section in Figure 5 or the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the plane of Figure 5) and the cross-sectional shape of the underside 28 taken along line XV-XV in Figure 4 (the cross-sectional shape corresponding to the left-right cross section in Figure 5 or the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the plane of Figure 5) can be set to correspond to the shape of the floor surface 100. For example, they can be V-shaped as shown in Figure 15(a), arc-shaped as shown in Figure 15(b), or wavy as shown in Figure 15(c). Alternatively, a shape that combines the V-shaped, arc-shaped, wavy, and flat shapes can also be adopted.

[0050] Third Embodiment Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described. FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing the main components of an electrostatic cleaner according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 17 is a perspective view showing the direction in which the dust collection unit 5 is removed. While the electrostatic cleaners of the first and second embodiments are configured such that the dust collection unit 5 is disposed inside the dust collection unit 2, this embodiment differs from the first and second embodiments in that the dust collection unit 5 is disposed adjacent to the dust collection unit 2. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 16 , the dust collection unit 2 has a semi-cylindrical front surface 21 and a flat rear surface 23. Meanwhile, the dust collection unit 5 has a flat front surface 51 and a semi-cylindrical rear surface 52. The dust collection unit 5 and the dust collection unit 2 are assembled into the housing 1A with the rear surface 23 and the front surface 51 abutting against each other. As shown in FIG. 17 , the dust collection unit 5 can be removed from and retracted into the housing 1A by sliding it left and right. The other configurations, actions and effects are the same as those of the first and second embodiments, and therefore the description thereof will be omitted.

[0051] (Variation 2) In the third embodiment, the fully open top surface of the dust collection compartment 5 is set as the dust inlet, but the dust collection compartment 5 can also be configured as shown in Fig. 18. That is, the top surface of the dust collection compartment 5 is covered to form a top surface 53, and a dust inlet 54 that is elongated in the width direction is formed on the top surface 53. Then, by providing a cover structure on either the front surface 51 or both side surfaces 55, 56 that can be opened or closed, it becomes possible to dispose of the dust inside.

[0052] (Modification 3) The dust collection section 5 used in the first and second embodiments can also be configured as shown in Fig. 19. That is, the upper surface of the entire opening is covered with a top surface 53, and a long and narrow dust inlet 54 is formed in the top surface 53 in the width direction. The front surface 51 is then made into an openable and closable lid structure, so that the dust inside can be disposed of.

[0053] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and modifications, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the invention. Furthermore, while the above-described embodiments and modifications use dust and dirt as the object to be attracted, it goes without saying that the electrostatic cleaner of the present invention can also electrostatically attract other substances, such as dust, particles, and hair. For example, while the above-described embodiments and modifications employ a mechanical structure in which the wiper member 40 is rotated by a belt conveyor, the present invention is not limited to this structure, and a method of rotating the wiper member 40 by an electrical structure is also within the scope of the present invention.

[0054] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1...Electrostatic cleaner, 1A...Housing, 1B...Power box, 1C...Handle, 1a...Ceiling wall, 1b...Jack, 2...Dust collection section, 3...Static electricity generating section, 4...Dust wiping section, 5...Dust storage section, 10...Main body storage chamber, 11, 12...Roller storage chamber, 11a to 11d...Bearings, 12a to 12d...Bearings, 21...Front surface, 21...Front opening, 22...Top surface, 23...Rear surface, 24 to 27...Retaining holes, 28...Bottom surface, 30...Electrostatic adsorption sheet, 30a, 30b...Electrodes, 30c...Dielectric layer, 31...Battery, 32...Boost circuit, 40...Wiper member, 41...Blade, 42...Arm, 43...Transport mechanism, 44, 45...Belt mechanism, 44a, 44b, ...Pulley, 45a, 45b...pulleys, 44c, 45c...belt, 44d, 47a...gear, 44e...shaft, 46 to 49...rollers, 51...front surface, 52...rear surface, 53...top surface, 54...dust intake opening, 55...both sides, 100...floor surface, 101...dust, 102...static electricity, d...distance.

Claims

1. An electrostatic cleaner comprising dust suction means for sucking an object to be sucked by static electricity and dust collection means for collecting the object to be sucked by the dust suction means, wherein the dust suction means has a dust collecting part having an electrostatic property and an electrostatic generating part capable of generating static electricity and charging the outer surface of the dust collecting part, and the dust collection means has a dust wiping part that moves in contact with the outer surface of the dust collecting part to move the object to be sucked on the outer surface and a dust storage part that stores the object to be sucked moved by the dust wiping part through a dust inlet. An electrostatic cleaner characterized by this.

2. The electrostatic cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the dust collecting part facing the floor surface is an arbitrary shape including at least one of a flat surface, an inclined surface, a V-shaped surface, an arc-shaped surface, and a corrugated surface.

3. The electrostatic cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer surface of the dust collecting part facing the floor surface is positioned in a non-contact state with the floor surface.

4. The electrostatic generating part has a pair of electrodes, a dielectric layer covering the pair of electrodes, a battery capable of applying and charging a voltage between the pair of electrodes, and a booster circuit capable of boosting the voltage from the battery and applying a desired high voltage between the pair of electrodes. The electrostatic cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by this.

5. The electrostatic cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the pair of electrodes and the dielectric layer of the electrostatic generating part are provided on the outer surface of the dust collecting part facing the floor surface.

6. The dust wiping part has a wiper member that contacts the outer surface of the dust collecting part and a transport mechanism that moves the wiper member along the outer surface of the dust collecting part to the dust storage part. The electrostatic cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by this.

7. At least the contact part of the wiper member with the outer surface of the dust collecting part has an arbitrary shape having at least one of a circular cross-section shape, a triangular cross-section shape, a plate-shaped cross-section, and a brush-shaped cross-section, and is a structure such as a foam or sponge formed of a flexible material such as silicon or polyurethane. The electrostatic cleaner according to claim 6, characterized by this.

8. The dust storage part is located inside the dust collecting part or adjacent to the dust collecting part. The electrostatic cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by this.

9. The electrostatic cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the dust storage unit is disposed so as to be removable from within the dust collection unit or from an adjacent position of the dust collection unit.

10. The electrostatic cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the dust wiping unit and the dust storage unit are formed of a non-charged material.

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