Electric dust suction device

Abstract

An electric dust suction device (10), capable of inhibiting the reduction of the suction force of an electric vacuum cleaner (11), comprising the electric vacuum cleaner (11) capable of being mounted on a station (12). The electric dust suction device (10) comprises the station (12) and the electric vacuum cleaner (11). The electric vacuum cleaner (11) comprises a suction tube (15) having a suction port (15a), a first separation and dust collection portion (30), a second separation and dust collection portion (32), a side wall (29c), and a discharge port (48). The first separation and dust collection portion (30) separates coarse dust from dust-containing air suctioned by means of the suction port (15a) and collects the coarse dust. The second separation and dust collection portion (32) further separates and collects fine dust contained in the air after passing through the first separation and dust collection portion (30). The discharge port (48) is arranged on the side wall (29c), and the coarse dust collected in the first separation and dust collection portion (30) and the fine dust collected in the second separation and dust collection portion (32) can pass through the discharge port (48).

Description

Electric cleaning device TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] Embodiments of the present application relate to an electric cleaning device. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the past, as an electric cleaning device, a so-called can type in which dust attracted is accumulated in a dust collection bag provided inside a main body and is discarded together with the dust collection bag when a certain amount is accumulated has generally been used. In addition, a stick type electric cleaning device has been proposed in which dust temporarily accumulated inside the electric cleaning device is transferred to a station side without remaining on the electric cleaning device side each time when the electric cleaning device is installed in a dedicated station after cleaning is completed.

[0003] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2022-183897

[0004] However, in the case of the electric cleaning device capable of being installed in the station as described above, dust attracted to the electric cleaning device is attracted together with coarse dust having a large particle diameter and fine dust (for example, powder and the like) having a smaller particle diameter than the coarse dust. As a result, the filter built in the electric cleaning device is a filter using a fine mesh for fine dust, and there is a problem in that the filter is easily clogged. In this way, if the filter is clogged, there is a problem in that the suction force of the electric cleaning device is reduced.

[0005] SUMMARY

[0006] An example of the problem to be solved by the present application provides an electric cleaning device including an electric cleaning device capable of being installed in a station, which can suppress a reduction in suction force of the electric cleaning device.

[0007] The electric dust collector of one embodiment of the present application includes a station and an electric dust collector. The electric dust collector includes a dust collector main body. The dust collector main body includes a grip portion, a first electric blower that generates a suction force, a main body dust separation and collection portion, and a suction pipe that includes a suction port that sucks air through the suction force of the first electric blower. The electric dust collector is attachable to and detachable from the station in a standing posture in which the suction port is positioned below the main body dust separation and collection portion. The main body dust separation and collection portion includes a first dust separation and collection portion, a second dust separation and collection portion, a side wall, and a waste port. The first dust separation and collection portion separates and collects coarse dust from air that is sucked through the suction port and passed through the suction pipe. The second dust separation and collection portion is positioned above the first dust separation and collection portion in the standing posture and further separates and collects fine dust from the air that has passed through the first dust separation and collection portion. At least a portion of the side wall extends in the vertical direction in the standing posture. The waste port is provided in the side wall and through which the coarse dust collected in the first dust separation and collection portion and the fine dust collected in the second dust separation and collection portion are discharged. The station includes a dust guide inlet, a recovery dust collection portion, and a second electric blower. The dust guide inlet is connected to the waste port. The recovery dust collection portion is in communication with the dust guide inlet and receives the coarse dust collected in the first dust separation and collection portion and the fine dust collected in the second dust separation and collection portion. The second electric blower applies a negative pressure to the first dust separation and collection portion and the second dust separation and collection portion through the recovery dust collection portion, so that the coarse dust collected in the first dust separation and collection portion and the fine dust collected in the second dust separation and collection portion are moved to the recovery dust collection portion.

[0008] In the electric dust collector, for example, the second dust separation and collection portion includes a fine dust separation portion and a fine dust collection chamber. The fine dust separation portion separates the fine dust from the air that has passed through the first dust separation and collection portion. The fine dust collection chamber stores the fine dust separated by the fine dust separation portion. At least a portion of the fine dust collection chamber is positioned below the fine dust separation portion in the standing posture. The waste port includes a coarse dust waste port and a fine dust waste port. The coarse dust waste port is in communication with the first dust separation and collection portion. The fine dust waste port is in communication with the fine dust collection chamber.

[0009] In the electric dust collector, for example, the fine dust separation portion is in communication with the downstream side of the first dust separation and collection portion through the fine dust collection chamber in an air flow generated by the suction force of the first electric blower.

[0010] In the above-described electric cleaning apparatus, for example, the fine dust separation portion includes a filter in a cylindrical shape extending in the up-and-down direction in the installation posture. The fine dust collection chamber has a first portion and a second portion. The first portion surrounds an outer peripheral portion of the fine dust separation portion. The second portion is located on the lower side relative to the first portion in the installation posture and is connected to the first portion. The fine dust discharge port communicates with the second portion.

[0011] In the above-described electric cleaning apparatus, for example, the cleaner main body has an air introduction port. In a case where the second electric blower moves the fine dust from the second separation collection portion to the recovery collection portion, the air introduction port introduces air between the second separation collection portion and the first electric blower.

[0012] In the above-described electric cleaning apparatus, for example, the second separation collection portion has a surface. The surface is located at a position higher than the lower end of the fine dust discharge port in the installation posture and places the fine dust in the fine dust collection chamber.

[0013] In the above-described electric cleaning apparatus, for example, the discharge port has a coarse dust discharge port and a fine dust discharge port. The coarse dust discharge port communicates with the first separation collection portion. The fine dust discharge port communicates with the second separation collection portion. An opening area of the fine dust discharge port is smaller than an opening area of the coarse dust discharge port.

[0014] Effects of Invention

[0015] According to the above-described electric cleaning apparatus, for example, it is possible to suppress a decrease in suction power of the electric cleaner. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing an electric cleaning apparatus constituted by an electric cleaner and a station of an embodiment.

[0017] FIG. 2 is an illustrative and schematic sectional view showing an upper region of the electric cleaning apparatus constituted by the electric cleaner and the station shown in FIG. 1.

[0018] FIG. 3 is an illustrative and schematic sectional view showing a lower region of the electric cleaning apparatus constituted by the electric cleaner and the station shown in FIG. 1.

[0019] FIG. 4 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the discharge port (coarse dust discharge port and fine dust discharge port) of the electric cleaner of the embodiment is closed by a lid body that performs a closing operation.

[0020] FIG. 5 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the discharge port (coarse dust discharge port and fine dust discharge port) of the electric cleaner of the embodiment is opened by a lid body that performs an opening operation.

[0021] Fig. 6 is an illustrative and schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the fine dust discharge port and the fine dust collecting portion of the electric cleaner according to the embodiment.

[0022] Fig. 7 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the cover of the electric cleaner according to the embodiment is removed to expose the discharge ports (the coarse dust discharge port and the fine dust discharge port).

[0023] Fig. 8 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the discharge ports (the coarse dust discharge port and the fine dust discharge port) of the electric cleaner according to the embodiment are closed by the cover.

[0024] Explanation of symbols 1: electric cleaning device; 10: electric cleaner; 11: grip portion; 12: station; 14: cleaner main body; 15: suction pipe; 15a: suction port; 24: first electric blower fan; 28: main body separation collecting portion; 29c: side wall; 30: first separation collecting portion; 31c: upper surface (face); 32: second separation collecting portion; 38: fine dust separation portion; 38a: second filter (filter); 41: fine dust collecting chamber; 41a: first portion; 41b: second portion; 44: second electric blower fan; 45: dust guide inlet; 46: recovery collecting portion; 48: discharge port; 50: coarse dust discharge port; 52: fine dust discharge port; 74: guide inlet. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0025] Hereinafter, the embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. In the present specification, the constituent elements of the embodiment and the explanation of the elements are sometimes described in plural. The constituent elements and the explanation thereof are one example, and are not limited by the description in the present specification. The constituent elements can be identified by a name different from that in the present specification. Furthermore, the constituent elements can be explained by a description different from that in the present specification.

[0026] <Configuration of electric cleaning device 1>

[0027] Fig. 1 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing an electric cleaning device 1 constituted by an electric cleaner 10 and a station 12 according to the embodiment. As shown in Fig. 1, the electric cleaning device 1 is provided with the electric cleaner 10 and the station 12. In each drawing, arrows X1, X2 are shown. In the present embodiment, the arrows X1, X2 are along the up-down direction. The arrow X1 coincides with the upper side, and the arrow X2 coincides with the lower side.

[0028] The electric cleaner 10 is a stick-type electric cleaner provided with a grip portion 11 that a user can hold at an upper portion of a cleaner main body 14, an extension pipe 17 including a suction inlet body 16 that can be attached to a front end (lower end portion) of the extension pipe 17, and the like. The suction inlet body 16 is connected to the cleaner main body 14 via the extension pipe 17 and sucks air by suction force of a first electric blower fan described later. The electric cleaner 10 drives the first electric blower fan described later by operating a switch or the like provided at a portion of the cleaner main body 14, and generates an air current (air flow having suction force) that flows inside the cleaner main body 14 and the extension pipe 17. As a result, the electric cleaner 10 sucks dust or the like present on a floor surface as a cleaning target from the suction inlet body 16. Then, the sucked dust is temporarily accumulated in a dust collecting portion provided inside the cleaner main body 14. A brush that rotates by a motor or the like can be provided inside the suction inlet body 16 and can effectively suck dust present in grooves or the like on a cleaning surface. The electric cleaner 10 can be attached to and detached from the stand 12 in an attachment posture in which the suction inlet body 16 is upright and the extension pipe 17 is attached in a posture in which the suction inlet body 16 is lower than the cleaner main body 14. The suction inlet body 16 is also referred to as a suction inlet body.

[0029] The stand 12 is configured of a cylindrical support portion 18 and a box-shaped stand main body portion 20. The stand 12 is connected to, for example, a commercial power supply. The stand 12 has a configuration that can attach and detach the electric cleaner 10. The stand 12 can mechanically attach (support) the electric cleaner 10 via a hook or the like and can electrically connect via an electric contact. In a case where the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the stand 12, dust accumulated (collected) inside the cleaner main body 14 can be recovered to the stand main body portion 20. Details of the operation in a case where dust is transferred from the electric cleaner 10 to the stand 12 will be described later. In addition, in a case where the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the stand 12, a battery mounted inside, for example, the grip portion 11 of the electric cleaner 10 can be charged.

[0030] Fig. 2 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing an upper region of the electric cleaning device 1 configured of the electric cleaner 10 and the stand 12 shown in Fig. 1. In addition, Fig. 3 is an exemplary and schematic cross-sectional view showing a lower region of the electric cleaning device 1 configured of the electric cleaner 10 and the stand 12 shown in Fig. 1.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 2, a battery 22 for driving the electric cleaner 10 is built in an upper portion of the cleaner main body 14. Further, the cleaner main body 14 is provided with a first electric blower 24, a main body separation dust collecting portion 28, and a suction pipe 15. The suction pipe 15 is provided with a suction port 15a (see FIGS. 7 and 8) that communicates with the extension pipe 17. The suction pipe 15 is connected to the extension pipe 17. As described above, by operating a switch or the like of the operation portion 14a, the cleaner main body 14 is driven by receiving electric power supply from the battery 22, and the built-in first electric blower 24 generates an air flow (suction air) having a suction force. The suction air flows in the arrow X1 direction inside the extension pipe 17 and the suction pipe 15 with the suction port body 16 side as an upstream, and is exhausted to the outside of the electric cleaner 10 via the first electric blower 24. That is, the suction port 15a of the suction pipe 15 sucks air by the suction force of the first electric blower 24. The main body separation dust collecting portion 28 is provided between the first electric blower 24 and the suction pipe 15, and collects dust attracted by the suction air. In the above-described installation attitude, the suction port 15a of the suction pipe 15 is positioned on the lower side with respect to the main body separation dust collecting portion 28.

[0032] The main body separation dust collecting portion 28 is formed of a two-stage structure of a first separation dust collecting portion 30 and a second separation dust collecting portion 32, for example.

[0033] The first separation dust collecting portion 30 has a coarse dust separation portion 34, and a coarse dust collecting portion 36 that accumulates (collects) coarse dust separated by the coarse dust separation portion 34. The coarse dust separation portion 34 is configured by a cylindrical support body 34a that is open at one end and has a bottom at the other end, and a first filter 34b that is supported around the peripheral portion of the support body 34a, such as a sheet shape, for example. The coarse dust separation portion 34 is configured so that the one end of the support body 34a becomes the lower end and the other end becomes the upper end in the installation attitude. The first filter 34b is a filter that separates coarse dust of a first particle size (for example, a particle size of or larger than filament dust and the like) or larger from air containing dust by filtration. Further, the coarse dust collecting portion 36 is formed on the open side of the coarse dust separation portion 34 (the arrow X2 direction side of FIG. 2). Note that the coarse dust is not limited to the above.

[0034] A coarse dust collecting chamber 37 (a dust collecting space) is provided in the coarse dust collecting portion 36. The coarse dust collecting chamber 37 communicates with the suction pipe 15 via an opening and closing valve 29f. The opening and closing valve 29f is, for example, a flapper valve formed of a rubber material or the like and fixed to a peripheral wall of the cleaner main body 14 in a sheet shape. When the electric cleaner 10 is used, the first electric blower 24 opens the opening and closing valve 29f in the direction of the arrow X1 in the drawing by the suction force based on the suction air generated by the first electric blower 24, and introduces the dust that is transported together with the air (suction air) flowing in the inside of the suction pipe 15 to the first separation dust collecting portion 30. The coarse dust of the first particle size or more among the dust that has moved to the first separation dust collecting portion 30 together with the air (suction air) is trapped by the first filter 34b. The trapped coarse dust is accumulated (collected) in the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 of the coarse dust collecting portion 36 by the weight of the dust when the suction air is stopped or the like. In addition, when the electric cleaner 10 (first electric blower 24) is stopped, the opening and closing valve 29f is closed, and the coarse dust accumulated in the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 is prevented from flowing back to the suction pipe 15 side.

[0035] The dust (for example, dust such as a powder smaller than the lint or the like) of the first particle size or less that has passed through the first separation dust collecting portion 30 together with the suction air moves to the second separation dust collecting portion 32 provided on the side closer to the first electric blower 24 than the first separation dust collecting portion 30.

[0036] The second separation dust collecting portion 32 is located on the upper side with respect to the first separation dust collecting portion 30 in the installed posture at least in part. The second separation dust collecting portion 32 is configured of a fine dust separating portion 38 that separates the fine dust of the second particle size or more included in the suction air (air) that has passed through the coarse dust separating portion 34 (first filter 34b), and a fine dust collecting portion 40 that accumulates the fine dust separated by the fine dust separating portion 38. The second particle size is smaller than the first particle size. In addition, the fine dust is not limited to the above. The fine dust separating portion 38 includes, for example, a second filter 38a (for example, a pleated filter) in a cylindrical shape. That is, the second filter 38a is a filter that separates the fine dust of the second particle size or more from the air containing the dust by filtration. The second filter 38a extends in the up-and-down direction in the installed posture. The cylindrical shape of the second filter 38a is, for example, a corrugated shape of a concave-convex shape repeatedly generated in the circumferential direction by folding like a pleated filter, or can not be formed in a concave-convex shape. In addition, the cylindrical shape can be a circular cylindrical shape, an elliptical cylindrical shape, a polygonal cylindrical shape such as a square, or a truncated cone shape. The second filter 38a is an example of a filter.

[0037] A fine dust collecting chamber 41 (a dust collecting space) is provided in the fine dust collecting portion 40. At least a portion of the fine dust collecting chamber 41 (as an example, a portion) is formed around the coarse dust separating portion 34. In the case of the present embodiment, the fine dust collecting chamber 41 (a dust collecting space) is formed so as to surround the coarse dust separating portion 34. At least a portion of the fine dust collecting chamber 41 is positioned lower than the fine dust separating portion 38 in the installed posture. The fine dust separating portion 38 communicates with the downstream side of the first separating dust collecting portion 30 via the fine dust collecting chamber 41 in the suction air (air flow) generated by the suction force of the first electric blower 24. In use of the electric cleaner 10, fine dust of the second particle size or more among dusts that move along with the suction air passing through the first separating dust collecting portion 30 is trapped by the second filter 38a using the suction air generated by the first electric blower 24. The trapped fine dust falls from the second filter 38a due to gravity at the time of stopping of the suction air or the like, and is accumulated in the fine dust collecting chamber 41 of the fine dust collecting portion 40. Further, fine dust that does not fall from the second filter 38a is peeled from the second filter 38a using the transfer air (air flow due to negative pressure) generated at the time of the operation of transferring dusts accumulated in the inside of the cleaner main body 14 to the station 12 side while the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the station 12. Then, the peeled fine dust is transferred to the station main body portion 20 via the fine dust collecting portion 40. In addition, the shape of the second filter 38a can be appropriately selected from a conical shape, a cylindrical shape, a prismatic shape, a pyramidal shape, and the like in addition to the circular conical frustum shape shown in Fig. 2.

[0038] In the installed posture of the electric cleaner 10 configured as described above, the first separating dust collecting portion 30 and the second separating dust collecting portion 32 are positioned on the upper side with respect to the suction pipe 15, the first electric blower 24 is positioned on the upper side with respect to the first separating dust collecting portion 30 and the second separating dust collecting portion 32, and the fine dust separating portion 38 is positioned on the upper side with respect to the coarse dust separating portion 34. Further, in the installed posture of the electric cleaner 10, the suction pipe 15, the first separating dust collecting portion 30 and the second separating dust collecting portion 32, and the first electric blower 24 are arranged in the vertical direction, and the coarse dust separating portion 34 and the fine dust separating portion 38 are arranged in the vertical direction.

[0039] Next, the station 12 will be described. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the station 12 is configured by a support portion 18 in which a communication pipe portion 42 extending in the arrow X1-X2 direction is formed inside, and a box-shaped station main body portion 20 formed below (in the arrow X2 direction) the support portion 18.

[0040] The station main body 20 internally has a second electric blower 44 and a recovery dust collecting portion 46. The second electric blower 44, in the case where the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the station 12, drives for a prescribed period to generate an air flow (transport air) accompanying a transport force due to a negative pressure in the communicating pipe portion 42 via the recovery dust collecting portion 46. The transport air flows from the communicating pipe portion 42 toward the recovery dust collecting portion 46. As a result, dust accumulated in the electric cleaner 10 connected to the station 12 (the support portion 18) can be transported to the recovery dust collecting portion 46. In detail, the second electric blower 44 applies a negative pressure to the first separation dust collecting portion 30 and the second separation dust collecting portion 32 via the recovery dust collecting portion 46, and moves the coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion 30 and the fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion 32 to the recovery dust collecting portion 46.

[0041] The recovery dust collecting portion 46, for example, has a paper bag attached thereto, and can accumulate dust transported from the electric cleaner 10 side. That is, the recovery dust collecting portion 46 can receive the coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion 30 and the fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion 32. Then, at a stage where a prescribed amount of dust is accumulated in the paper bag, the paper bag can be removed from the recovery dust collecting portion 46 together with the paper bag and discarded. Alternatively, the recovery dust collecting portion 46 can be configured to directly accumulate dust without using a paper bag.

[0042] <Detail configuration of main separation dust collecting portion 28>

[0043] Next, the configuration of the main separation dust collecting portion 28 in the electric cleaner 10 will be described in detail. FIG. 4 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the waste ports (coarse dust waste port and fine dust waste port) of the electric cleaner of the embodiment are closed by the cover bodies performing a closing operation. FIG. 5 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the waste ports (coarse dust waste port and fine dust waste port) of the electric cleaner of the embodiment are opened by the cover bodies performing an opening operation.

[0044] As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the main separation dust collecting portion 28 has a housing 29 and a seal member 31. The housing 29 internally houses a coarse dust separation portion 34 and a fine dust separation portion 38. The housing 29 constitutes a coarse dust collecting portion 36 and a fine dust collecting portion 40. The seal member 31 is housed in the interior of the housing 29. The main separation dust collecting portion 28 constitutes a part of the cleaner main body 14, and can be detachable with respect to other parts of the cleaner main body 14. The other parts of the cleaner main body 14 are parts including the grip portion 11, the battery 22, and the first electric blower 24, and constitute the base portion 14b.

[0045] The housing 29 has a lower wall 29a, an upper wall 29b, a side wall 29c, and a partition wall 29d. The housing 29 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin material. Alternatively, the material of the housing 29 is not limited to the above.

[0046] The lower wall 29a extends along a direction intersecting the up-down direction. An air passage 29e is provided in the lower wall 29a. Further, an opening and closing valve 29f that opens and closes the air passage 29e is provided in the lower wall 29a. The air passage 29e communicates with the suction pipe 15 and the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 in a state opened by the opening and closing valve 29f (Fig. 5). That is, the suction pipe 15 communicates with the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 via the air passage 29e.

[0047] The upper wall 29b is spaced apart from the lower wall 29a on the upper side and extends along a direction intersecting the up-down direction. An air passage 29g is provided in the upper wall 29b. The air passage 29g communicates with a space on the inner side of the second filter 38a of the fine dust separation section 38 and the suction port of the first electric blower 24. That is, the space on the inner side of the second filter 38a of the fine dust separation section 38 communicates with the suction port of the first electric blower 24 via the air passage 29g.

[0048] The side wall 29c extends along the up-down direction and covers the outer peripheral edge portion of the lower wall 29a and the outer peripheral edge portion of the upper wall 29b. The side wall 29c is at least a portion of a cylinder shape extending along the up-down direction. The side wall 29c can be a shape extending along the up-down direction as a whole, or a stepped portion can be provided in the side wall 29c, and the side wall 29c can be a shape extending along the up-down direction only in a portion thereof.

[0049] The partition wall 29d is connected to the side wall 29c inside the cylinder of the side wall 29c and divides the housing 29 into two regions in the up-down direction. Specifically, the partition wall 29d divides the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 and the fine dust collecting chamber 41. In other words, the partition wall 29d divides the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 and the fine dust collecting chamber 41. The coarse dust separation section 34 is disposed on the upper surface of the partition wall 29d. An air passage 29h is provided in the partition wall 29d to open a space on the inner side of the coarse dust separation section 34 downward. The partition wall 29d is also referred to as a division wall.

[0050] Further, the housing 29 has a coarse dust housing portion 29i and a fine dust housing portion 29j. The coarse dust housing portion 29i is included in the coarse dust collecting section 36. The fine dust housing portion 29j is included in the fine dust collecting section 40.

[0051] The coarse dust housing portion 29i is composed of the lower wall 29a, the partition wall 29d, and a portion 29ca between the lower wall 29a and the partition wall 29d of the side wall 29c. A portion of the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 is provided inside the coarse dust housing portion 29i. The coarse dust collecting chamber 37 is a space that covers the inside of the coarse dust housing portion 29i and the inside of the coarse dust separation section 34. That is, the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 is surrounded by the inner surface of the coarse dust housing portion 29i and the inner surface of the coarse dust separation section 34. In other words, the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 is formed by the coarse dust housing portion 29i and the coarse dust separation section 34.

[0052] The fine dust housing portion 29j is constituted by the upper wall 29b, the partition wall 29d, and the portion 29cb between the upper wall 29b and the partition wall 29d of the side wall 29c. The fine dust dust-collecting chamber 41 is provided inside the fine dust housing portion 29j. The fine dust dust-collecting chamber 41 is surrounded by the inner surface of the fine dust housing portion 29j, the outer surface of the fine dust separating portion 38, and the outer surface of the coarse dust separating portion 34. In other words, the fine dust housing portion 29j forms the coarse dust dust-collecting chamber 37 together with the fine dust separating portion 38 and the coarse dust separating portion 34.

[0053] The fine dust dust-collecting chamber 41 has a first portion 41a and a second portion 41b. The first portion 41a is a portion between the inner surface of the fine dust housing portion 29j and the outer surface of the fine dust separating portion 38, and surrounds the outer peripheral portion 38b of the fine dust separating portion 38 (the second filter 38a). The second portion 41b is a portion between the inner surface of the fine dust housing portion 29j and the outer surface of the coarse dust separating portion 34. That is, the second portion 41b surrounds the coarse dust separating portion 34. The second portion 41b is located on the lower side relative to the first portion 41a and is connected to the first portion 41a in the installed posture. The second portion 41b is located at a position lower than the fine dust separating portion 38. That is, at least a portion (as an example, one portion) of the fine dust dust-collecting chamber 41 is located at a position lower than the fine dust separating portion 38.

[0054] Fig. 6 is an illustrative and schematic partial cross-sectional view showing the positional relationship between the fine dust waste port and the fine dust dust-collecting portion of the electric dust collector of the embodiment.

[0055] As shown in Figs. 4 to 6, the seal member 31 is interposed between the upper surface 29da of the partition wall 29d and the lower end portion of the coarse dust separating portion 34. The seal member 31 is formed in a circular ring shape, and is installed on the outer peripheral portion of the lower end portion of the coarse dust separating portion 34. The seal member 31 is constituted by, for example, an elastic member such as rubber, and has elasticity. The seal member 31 seals between the partition wall 29d and the coarse dust separating portion 34.

[0056] As shown in Fig. 6, the seal member 31 has a coupling portion 31a and a leg portion 31b. The coupling portion 31a is fitted to the lower end portion of the coarse dust separating portion 34. The leg portion 31b extends obliquely downward from the coupling portion 31a toward the inner surface of the side wall 29c, and is in contact with the upper surface 29da of the partition wall 29d. The leg portion 31b is, for example, elastically deformed by being pressed against the upper surface 29da of the partition wall 29d. The upper surface 31c of the seal member 31 carries the fine dust inside the fine dust dust-collecting chamber 41. The upper surface 31c is an example of a surface.

[0057] Fig. 7 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the cover of the electric dust collector of the embodiment is removed to expose the waste ports (the coarse dust waste port and the fine dust waste port).

[0058] As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 7, the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 is provided with a waste port 48. The waste port 48 is provided to the side wall 29c of the housing 29. As an example, the waste port 48 is provided to a portion of the side wall 29c extending in the up-down direction. Coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion 30 and fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion 32 can pass through the waste port 48. In detail, the waste port 48 includes a coarse dust waste port 50 and a fine dust waste port 52. The coarse dust waste port 50 and the fine dust waste port 52 are provided independently of each other. The coarse dust waste port 50 and the fine dust waste port 52 are provided spaced apart in the up-down direction (arrow X1-X2 direction). The coarse dust waste port 50 is located on the lower side (arrow X2 side) with respect to the fine dust waste port 52. In other words, the fine dust waste port 52 is located on the upper side (arrow X1 side) with respect to the coarse dust waste port 50.

[0059] The coarse dust waste port 50 is provided to the side wall 29c of the coarse dust housing portion 29i, and communicates with the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 of the first separation dust collecting portion 30. Coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion 30 can pass through the coarse dust waste port 50. The fine dust waste port 52 is located at a position lower than the fine dust separation portion 38.

[0060] The fine dust waste port 52 is provided to the side wall 29c of the fine dust housing portion 29j, and communicates with the second portion 41b of the fine dust collecting chamber 41 of the fine dust collecting portion 40. Fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion 32 can pass through the fine dust waste port 52. The opening area of the fine dust waste port 52 is smaller than the opening area of the coarse dust waste port 50. In other words, the opening area of the coarse dust waste port 50 is larger than the opening area of the fine dust waste port 52. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the fine dust waste port 52 communicates with the suction pipe 15 via the fine dust collecting chamber 41 of the second separation dust collecting portion 32 and the first separation dust collecting portion 30. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the lower end 52a (lower edge) of the fine dust waste port 52 is located at a position lower (arrow X2 direction) than the upper surface 31c of the sealing member 31 in the installed posture. In other words, the upper surface 31c of the sealing member 31 is located at a position higher (arrow X1 direction) than the lower end 52a of the fine dust waste port 52 in the installed posture. As an example, the upper surface 31c of the sealing member 31 is located at a position higher than the lower end 52a of the fine dust waste port 52 and lower than the upper end 52b (upper edge) of the fine dust waste port 52. With the above-described configuration, fine dust that has been moved by the transport air and landed on the upper surface 31c of the sealing member 31 can be easily moved to the fine dust waste port 52.

[0061] FIG. 8 is an illustrative and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the waste ports (coarse dust waste port and fine dust waste port) of the electric cleaner of the embodiment are closed by the cover.

[0062] As shown in FIGS. 4, 5, and 8, the waste port 48 (coarse dust waste port 50, fine dust waste port 52) is opened and closed (opened / closed) by a lid 54. The waste port 48 (coarse dust waste port 50, fine dust waste port 52) is in communication with the dust inlet 45 of the station 12 in a state opened by the lid 54.

[0063] The air flow in the case where the opening and closing valve 29f is opened by the suction force of the first electric blower 24 in the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 configured as described above will be described in detail. The air flows from the suction pipe 15 into the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 via the air hole 29e of the lower wall 29a, and enters the inside of the coarse dust separation portion 34 through the air hole 29h of the partition wall 29d. Then, the air passes through the coarse dust separation portion 34 from the inside to the outside to enter the second portion 41b of the fine dust collecting chamber 41. At this time, the coarse dust in the air is separated by the coarse dust separation portion 34. Thereafter, the air flows from the second portion 41b to the first portion 41a of the fine dust collecting chamber 41, and passes through the fine dust separation portion 38 from the outside to the inside to flow to the second portion 41b of the fine dust collecting chamber 41. Then, the air passes through the fine dust separation portion 38 from the outside to the inside, and the fine dust in the air is separated by the fine dust separation portion 38. Thereafter, the air enters the suction port of the first electric blower 24 from the air hole 29g of the upper wall 29b. As described above, the coarse dust separated by the coarse dust separation portion 34 and the fine dust separated by the fine dust separation portion 38 are respectively accumulated (dust collected) in the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 and the fine dust collecting chamber 41 at the time of stopping the suction air, and the like. At this time, the coarse dust captured by the coarse dust separation portion 34 and the fine dust captured by the fine dust separation portion 38 are sometimes maintained in the captured state without falling from the coarse dust separation portion 34 and the fine dust separation portion 38. That is, the coarse dust separation portion 34 can separate and collect the coarse dust, and the fine dust separation portion 38 can separate and collect the fine dust. Thus, it can be defined that the coarse dust separation portion 34 and the fine dust separation portion 38 are respectively included in the coarse dust collecting portion 36 and the fine dust collecting portion 40.

[0064] Next, referring to FIGS. 7, 8, the details of the configuration in which the dust is held in the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 and the accumulated dust can be discharged will be described.

[0065] In the case of using the electric cleaner 10, that is, in the state separated from the station 12, it is necessary to hold the dust (coarse dust and fine dust) accumulated (dust collected) in the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 from spilling to the outside from the main body separation dust collecting portion 28. On the other hand, in the state in which the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the station 12, in order to transfer the dust from the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 to the station 12 (recycle dust collecting portion 46), it is necessary to open the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 with respect to the communicating pipe portion 42 side.

[0066] Therefore, a rough dust discharge port 50 for discharging rough dust is formed in a portion of the side wall 29c of the rough dust collecting portion 36 that forms the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 as the dust discharge port 48. Similarly, a fine dust discharge port 52 for discharging fine dust is formed in a portion of the side wall 29c of the cleaner main body 14 that forms the fine dust collecting portion 40 as the dust discharge port 48.

[0067] As shown in FIG. 7, the rough dust discharge port 50 and the fine dust discharge port 52 are formed separately and at adjacent positions in the present embodiment. Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the positional relationship of the rough dust discharge port 50 and the fine dust discharge port 52 is set so that, in a case where the suction inlet body 16 is positioned as the lower side and the cleaner main body 14 (the extension tube 17) is connected to the stand 12 in the attached posture (upright posture), the fine dust discharge port 52 is positioned higher than the rough dust discharge port 50. That is, for the rough dust discharge port 50 and the fine dust discharge port 52, the rough dust discharge port 50 is disposed on the side (arrow X2 side) close to the suction inlet body 16 in the axial direction of the cleaner main body 14, and the fine dust discharge port 52 is disposed above (arrow X1 side) thereof. Further, as described above, in the present embodiment, the opening area of the rough dust discharge port 50 is set to be larger than the opening area of the fine dust discharge port 52. As a result, when discharging the rough dust and the fine dust that are respectively accumulated in the rough dust collecting portion 36 and the fine dust collecting portion 40, the rough dust, which is larger in shape than the fine dust, can be smoothly discharged. Further, by reducing the opening area of the fine dust discharge port 52 to be smaller than the opening area of the rough dust discharge port 50, the air speed of the air passing through the fine dust discharge port 52 can be increased, and the fine dust (dust that is finer or lighter than the rough dust) can be effectively discharged from the fine dust discharge port 52 by the airflow with the high air speed. In addition, in the present embodiment, the opening shape of the rough dust discharge port 50 and the fine dust discharge port 52 is rectangular, but can be circular, elliptical, or the like other than rectangular.

[0068] Further, the electric cleaner 10 is provided with a lid 54 that can be opened and closed, which covers the rough dust discharge port 50 and the fine dust discharge port 52 so that, in a case where the electric cleaner 10 is detached from the stand 12, the dust accumulated (collected) in the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 (the rough dust collecting chamber 37 and the fine dust collecting chamber 41) does not spill out to the outside of the electric cleaner 10.

[0069] FIG. 8 is an explanatory and schematic perspective view showing a state in which the waste outlets 48 (the coarse dust waste outlet 50 and the fine dust waste outlet 52) of the electric cleaner 10 are closed by the cover 54. In the case of the present embodiment, the cover 54 is composed of a plate-shaped cover body 56 and a rotation fulcrum portion 58 that becomes a center of rotation when the cover body 56 performs an opening and closing operation. FIG. 8 shows a state in which the single cover 54 (cover body 56) performs a closing operation with the rotation fulcrum portion 58 as a center to simultaneously close the coarse dust waste outlet 50 and the fine dust waste outlet 52. In the case of FIG. 8, a rotation shaft is formed on the cover 54 side, the rotation shaft is inserted into a support hole formed in a portion of the side wall 29c of the housing 29 of the main body separation dust collecting portion 28, and the rotation fulcrum portion 58 is constituted. In other embodiments, a support hole can be formed on the cover 54 side, a rotation shaft formed in a portion of the side wall 29c of the housing 29 of the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 can be inserted into the support hole, and the rotation fulcrum portion 58 can be constituted.

[0070] The detailed configuration of the cover 54 and the opening and closing operation will be described using FIGS. 4 and 5.

[0071] As described above, the cover 54 is composed of the plate-shaped cover body 56 and the rotation fulcrum portion 58 that becomes a center of rotation when the cover body 56 performs an opening and closing operation. In the cover body 56, a sealing member such as a resin filler can be arranged around a portion of the cover 54a that closes the waste outlets 48 (the coarse dust waste outlet 50 and the fine dust waste outlet 52) on a surface that abuts against the coarse dust waste outlet 50 and the fine dust waste outlet 52, and the sealing property of the cover 54 at the time of the closing operation can be improved to prevent dust from spilling to the outside.

[0072] As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the rotation fulcrum portion 58 is arranged on a side away from the coarse dust waste outlet 50 and adjacent to the fine dust waste outlet 52 with respect to the adjacently arranged coarse dust waste outlet 50 and fine dust waste outlet 52, supports the cover body 56 (cover 54), and enables the coarse dust waste outlet 50 and the fine dust waste outlet 52 to be simultaneously opened or closed by the cover body 56. In the cover body 56, a force applying member 58a (for example, a torsion spring) that applies a force to cause the cover body 56 to perform a closing operation (to close the coarse dust waste outlet 50 and the fine dust waste outlet 52) is arranged, for example, in the vicinity of the rotation fulcrum portion 58. Thus, in a case in which the electric cleaner 10 is not connected to the station 12, that is, in a case in which the electric cleaner 10 is in a usable state, the cover 54 (cover body 56) can maintain a closing operation state (a state in which the coarse dust waste outlet 50 and the fine dust waste outlet 52 are closed) by the force of the force applying member 58a.

[0073] Further, the lid 54 is provided with a receiving portion 60 for improving the maintaining performance of the closing operation posture of the lid 54 at the edge portion of the lid 54 on the other end side from the rotation fulcrum portion 58, for example, on the other end side of the lid 54. Further, a first magnetic body 62 such as iron or a permanent magnet is built in the inside of the receiving portion 60. In addition, the position of the receiving portion 60 provided at the edge portion of the other end side of the lid 54 is not limited to the end portion of the lid 54, but can be near (around) the end portion. For example, the receiving portion 60 can be formed on the opposite side of the lid 54 from the rotation fulcrum portion 58 with the closing portion 54a closing the waste port 48 interposed therebetween.

[0074] Further, a holding portion 64 is formed at a position opposed to the receiving portion 60 with the partition wall 14c interposed therebetween in a portion of the cleaner main body 14 in the case where the closing operation of the lid 54 is performed. Further, a second magnetic body 66 applying an attractive force to the first magnetic body 62 is built in the holding portion 64. The second magnetic body 66 is, for example, a permanent magnet. The holding portion 64 has a substantially L-shaped lever portion 64a extending from the side where the second magnetic body 66 is built in. A rotation fulcrum portion 64b is formed at a portion of the lever portion 64a, and the holding portion 64 is rotatable about the rotation fulcrum portion 64b. The holding portion 64 is urged by an urging member 64c such as a torsion spring to a posture opposed to the receiving portion 60 shown in Fig. 4. That is, in the state where the electric cleaner 10 is separated from the stand 12, the holding portion 64 in which the second magnetic body 66 is built in attracts the receiving portion 60 in which the first magnetic body 62 is built in with the partition wall 14c interposed therebetween, and maintains the closed state formed by the closing operation of the lid 54. As a result, at the time of the closing operation of the lid 54, the lid 54 is pressed against the coarse dust waste port 50 and the fine dust waste port 52 by the urging force of the urging member 58a provided on the rotation fulcrum portion 58 side and the attractive force of the receiving portion 60 (the first magnetic body 62) and the holding portion 64 (the second magnetic body 66), and the lid 54 simultaneously and firmly closes the coarse dust waste port 50 and the fine dust waste port 52. Thus, in the state where the electric cleaner 10 is separated from the stand 12, dust accumulated (collected) in the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 (the coarse dust collecting chamber 37 and the fine dust collecting chamber 41) can be stably prevented from spilling out to the outside of the electric cleaner 10.

[0075] Further, in the present embodiment, the fine dust discharge port 52 is located at a position higher than the coarse dust discharge port 50, and the rotation fulcrum portion 58 is located at a position higher than the fine dust discharge port 52. As a result, even if dust exists on the outer periphery of the cover 54, it is easy to prevent dust from being caught between the rotation fulcrum portion 58, the cover 54, and the dust collector main body 14, and to cause poor rotation or incomplete closing. For example, even if fine dust is scattered during dust transfer, it is difficult to adhere to the rotation fulcrum portion 58 of the cover 54, and it is difficult to cause poor rotation. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, since the first magnetic body 62 or the like is heavy and is away from the rotation fulcrum portion 58, it is easy to perform the rotation operation of the cover 54 at the time of closing. Furthermore, in the case where the supply of the transfer air is stopped, the cover 54 easily performs the closing operation by the weight, and the adsorption operation of the first magnetic body 62 and the second magnetic body 66 can be smoothly performed.

[0076] In addition, in the case of FIGS. 4 and 5, a rotation shaft is formed on the holding portion 64 side, the rotation shaft is inserted into a support hole formed in a portion of the side wall 29c of the housing 29 of the main body separation dust collecting portion 28, and the rotation fulcrum portion 64b is constituted. In other embodiments, a support hole into which a rotation shaft formed in a portion of the side wall 29c of the housing 29 of the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 is inserted can be formed on the holding portion 64 side, and the rotation fulcrum portion 64b can be constituted.

[0077] Further, by the holding portion 64, a configuration in which the second magnetic body 66 is built in across the partition wall 14c is formed. Even in the case where the partition wall 14c and the holding portion 64 adsorb metal dust or the like, it is easy to remove (clean). As a result, the holding portion 64 can stably perform the adsorption of the cover 54 (the receiving portion 60), and it is easy to suppress poor closing (poor closing) of the cover 54.

[0078] In addition, in the case of FIG. 4, the receiving portion 60 is formed in an edge portion on the other end side from the side on which the rotation fulcrum portion 58 is formed, for example, the farthest side, and the holding portion 64 is formed in a position corresponding to the receiving portion 60. As a result, it is possible to apply force to the cover main body 56 at both end positions, to effectively apply a force to the cover main body 56, and to maintain a stable closing operation posture. In other embodiments, the receiving portion 60 can be located at a position on the other end side from the side on which the rotation fulcrum portion 58 is formed, and the holding portion 64 can be formed in a position corresponding to the receiving portion 60. In this case, it is also possible to apply force to the cover main body 56 at two places, and it is possible to contribute to the maintenance of the closing operation posture of the cover 54.

[0079] As shown in FIG. 4, when the electric cleaner 10 in the state where the lid 54 has performed the opening operation is connected to the station 12, as shown in FIG. 5, the dust guide inlet 45, which is an opening of a part (for example, the upper portion) of the leg portion 18 of the station 12, is opposed to the lid 54. At this time, the first protruding portion 68 formed in the part of the leg portion 18 is in abutment with the rod portion 64a, and the holding portion 64 is rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5. As a result, the holding portion 64 moves (rotates) to the retreat position Q (see FIG. 5) from the opposed position P (see FIG. 4) of the receiving portion 60 in conjunction with the connection operation of connecting the electric cleaner 10 to the station 12. By moving (rotating) the holding portion 64 to the retreat position Q, the attraction force of the first magnetic body 62 to the receiving portion 60 is reduced, and the opening operation of the lid 54 can be easily performed. In other words, the opening operation of the lid 54 can be allowed. That is, in the state where the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the station 12, the attraction force of the lid 54 is reduced to form a state where the lid 54 is easily opened, and the dust collected can be smoothly moved to the station 12. Further, by forming the configuration where the holding portion 64 moves to the retreat position Q, it is not necessary to adopt a configuration of a locking claw or the like that mechanically locks the receiving portion 60. As a result, it is easy to suppress the opening and closing operation failure of the lid 54 due to the dust or the like that can be caused when the configuration of the locking claw or the like is adopted.

[0080] In addition, in the case where the electric cleaner 10 is separated from the station 12, the engagement of the first protruding portion 68 with the rod portion 64a is released, and the holding portion 64 is returned to the opposed position P by the force of the urging member 64c. Further, since the supply of the transfer air (negative pressure) from the station 12 side is stopped, the lid 54 performs the closing operation by the force of the urging member 58a. As a result, by the attraction of the first magnetic body 62 of the receiving portion 60 and the second magnetic body 66 of the holding portion 64, it is returned to the closing operation posture (the posture where the lid main body 56 closes the coarse dust discharge port 50 and the fine dust discharge port 52).

[0081] As described above, when the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the station 12, the second electric blower 44 of the station 12 is driven for a predetermined period, and an air flow (transfer air) accompanied by the transfer force generated by the negative pressure is generated in the communicating pipe portion 42 via the recovery dust collecting portion 46. As described above, at the time of connection, the lid 54 of the electric cleaner 10 easily performs the opening operation. As a result, the air is introduced from the main body of the connected electric cleaner 10 side to the dust collecting portion 28, the suction pipe 15 (see FIG. 2), and the like. The air flow promotes the opening operation of the lid 54, and the opening operation state shown in FIG. 5 is achieved. That is, the dust guide inlet 45 is connected to the discharge port 48 (the coarse dust discharge port 50 and the fine dust discharge port 52) opened by the lid 54 that has performed the opening operation.

[0082] Further, the communication pipe portion 42 provided with the dust introduction port 45 on the upper side has a flow path of a substantially straight line shape, and communicates with the recovery dust collecting portion 46 of the main body portion 20 located on the lower side of the communication pipe portion 42. Thus, the dust (fine dust and coarse dust) discharged through the waste ports 48 (coarse dust waste port 50 and fine dust waste port 52) and the dust introduction port 45 can be smoothly moved to the recovery dust collecting portion 46 to be recovered.

[0083] When the conveyance air flows from the station 12 side, for example, the opening and closing valve 29f is opened by the air flow from the suction pipe 15 side, and the air flow Wl (conveyance air) is generated. As a result, the coarse dust accumulated in the coarse dust collecting portion 36 (coarse dust collecting chamber 37) is discharged from the coarse dust waste port 50 opened by the opening action of the cover 54, and is conveyed to the communication pipe portion 42. That is, the coarse dust can be moved to the recovery dust collecting portion 46. At this time, the air flow W3 from the suction pipe 15 through the coarse dust collecting portion 36 (coarse dust collecting chamber 37) and the coarse dust separating portion 34 toward the fine dust waste port 52 through the fine dust collecting portion 40 (second portion 41b of the fine dust collecting chamber 41) is also generated. By this air flow W3, the fine dust of the fine dust collecting portion 40 (fine dust collecting chamber 41) is conveyed to the recovery dust collecting portion 46.

[0084] Likewise, when the conveyance air flows from the station 12 side, the air flow W2 (conveyance air) is generated by the air flow from the main body separating dust collecting portion 28 side. As a result, the fine dust accumulated in the fine dust collecting portion 40 (fine dust collecting chamber 41) is discharged from the fine dust waste port 52 opened by the opening action of the cover 54, and is conveyed to the communication pipe portion 42. That is, the fine dust can be moved to the recovery dust collecting portion 46. Further, although described later, the air flow W2 includes the air flow through the introduction port 74 of the cleaner main body 14, and the air flow through the first electric blower 24. The introduction port 74 introduces air between the second separating dust collecting portion 32 and the first electric blower 24.

[0085] However, the coarse dust is easily affected by the conveyance air because of the large shape (for example, large particle size), and can be easily conveyed. On the other hand, the fine dust is less affected by the conveyance air (only around the fine dust) because of the small shape (for example, small particle size) than the coarse dust, and sometimes has a lower conveyance efficiency than the coarse dust. Therefore, sometimes the fine dust remains in the fine dust collecting chamber 41.

[0086] In the case of the dust collector main body 14 of the present embodiment, as described above, the turning support point portion 58 of the cover 54 is disposed at a position adjacent to the fine dust discharge port 52 and on the side away from the coarse dust discharge port 50 with respect to the adjacently disposed coarse dust discharge port 50 and fine dust discharge port 52. As a result, in the case where the cover 54 performs the opening operation, the open area (space) M formed by the fine dust discharge port 52 on the side close to the turning support point portion 58 and the cover 54 is smaller (the space is reduced) than the open area (space) N formed by the coarse dust discharge port 50 on the side away from the turning support point portion 58 and the cover 54. As a result, the flow rate of the air current W2 passing through the fine dust discharge port 52 flowing in the open area M is faster than the flow rate of the air current Wl passing through the coarse dust discharge port 50 flowing in the open area N.

[0087] As described above, the fine dust collection chamber 41 of the second separation dust collection portion 32 is provided with the upper surface 3 lc on which the fine dust is placed, the upper surface 3 lc being located at a position higher than the lower end of the fine dust discharge port 52 in the state where the electric dust collector 10 is connected to the stand 12 in the installed posture (the upright posture). As a result, the fine dust placed (residual) on the upper surface 3 lc can also be effectively transported using the air current W2 whose flow rate is accelerated in the open area (space) M reduced by the cover 54. That is, the transport efficiency of the fine dust can be improved, and the fine dust can be effectively transported as with the coarse dust.

[0088] Further, in the case where the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the station 12, the first electric blower 24 of the electric cleaner 10 is stopped. As a result, the air resistance of the air passage becomes large, and the amount of air flowing from the outside into the inside of the first electric blower 24 becomes small. Therefore, as shown in Fig. 5, the cleaner main body 14 is provided with an air inlet door portion 70 which performs an opening operation in the case where the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the station 12. The air inlet door portion 70 is a substantially L-shaped member provided with a stem portion 70a. A rotation fulcrum portion 70b is formed in a part of the stem portion 70a, and the air inlet door portion 70 is rotatable about the rotation fulcrum portion 70b. Further, a biasing member 70c (for example, a torsion spring) which generates a force for maintaining a closed operation state is attached to the air inlet door portion 70. The stem portion 70a of the air inlet door portion 70 is engaged with a second protrusion portion 72 formed in a part of the support portion 18 of the station 12 in the case where the electric cleaner 10 is connected to the station 12 (in the case of Fig. 5, is pushed up in the clockwise direction), and performs an opening operation against the force of the biasing member 70c as shown in Fig. 5. As a result, the air inlet door portion 70 is formed in a part of the cleaner main body 14, and opens an air inlet port 74 through which air is introduced between the second separation dust collecting portion 32 and the first electric blower 24. As a result, the air inlet port 74 is communicated with the outside air intake port 18a formed in a part of the support portion 18, and the outside air (air) flows into the second separation dust collecting portion 32 as the air current W2 (transport air), and contributes to the transport of fine dust. That is, the air volume is increased by the easy intake of outside air, and the transport force of dust, particularly fine dust, is improved, and fine dust can be effectively transported as well as coarse dust.

[0089] Further, in the case of Figs. 4 and 5, a rotation shaft is formed in the air inlet door portion 70, and the rotation shaft is inserted into a support hole formed in a part of the side wall 29c of the housing 29 of the main body separation dust collecting portion 28, and constitutes the rotation fulcrum portion 70b. In other embodiments, a support hole can be formed in the air inlet door portion 70, and a rotation shaft formed in a part of the side wall 29c of the housing 29 of the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 is inserted into the support hole, and constitutes the rotation fulcrum portion 70b.

[0090] When the electric cleaner 10 is separated from the station 12, and the engagement of the stem portion 70a with the second protrusion portion 72 is released, the air inlet door portion 70 performs a closing operation by the force of the biasing member 70c. As a result, the air inlet port 74 is closed. Thus, the decrease in the suction force of the first electric blower 24 at the time of use of the electric cleaner 10 can be prevented.

[0091] Thus, according to the electric suction device 1 of the present embodiment, in the case where the electric suction cleaner 10 is coupled to the station 12, the dust accumulated (collected) in the main body separation collecting portion 28 can be effectively transferred to the recovery collecting portion 46 of the station 12 by the air current W1, W2, W3 (transfer air) generated at the opening operation of the cover 54. Further, in the case where the electric suction cleaner 10 is separated from the station 12, the closure of the waste port 48 (coarse dust waste port 50 and fine dust waste port 52) can be reliably performed by the closing operation of the cover 54 and the suction operation of the receiving portion 60 to the holding portion 64. As a result, the dust accumulated (collected) by the electric suction cleaner 10 can be suppressed (prevented) from spilling from the main body separation collecting portion 28.

[0092] Further, in the example explained in FIG. 4, FIG. 5, the case where the second magnetic body 66 included in the holding portion 64 is provided as a permanent magnet is shown, but is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the second magnetic body 66 can be configured by an electromagnet 66E. In this case, in the case where the electric suction cleaner 10 is separated from the station 12 (in the case where the electric suction cleaner 10 can be used), the electromagnet 66E is supplied with electric power from the battery 22, and generates a magnetic force by electromagnetic induction. As a result, the holding portion 64 (electromagnet 66E) suctions the first magnetic body 62 of the receiving portion 60 of the cover 54 through the partition wall 14c, and the reliable closure of the cover 54 to the waste port 48 (coarse dust waste port 50 and fine dust waste port 52) is achieved. Further, in the case where it is detected that the electric suction cleaner 10 is coupled to the station 12, for example, in the case where it is detected that the contact capable of performing the charging of the battery 22 is connected, the supply of electric power to the electromagnet 66E is cut off, and the electromagnetic induction is stopped. As a result, the suction of the holding portion 64 (electromagnet 66E) to the first magnetic body 62 of the receiving portion 60 of the cover 54 is released. As a result, the urging force to the cover 54 is only the urging force of the urging member 58a, and the opening operation of the cover 54 (the allowance of the opening operation of the cover 54) is easily performed. Further, in the case where the second magnetic body 66 is provided as an electromagnet, by cutting off the supply of electric power to the electromagnet 66E, even in the case where the holding portion 64 suctions metal dust or the like, it can be easily removed (cleaned). As a result, the holding portion 64 can stably perform the suction of the cover 54 (receiving portion 60), and the poor closing operation (poor closure) of the cover 54 is easily suppressed.

[0093] Further, in the case where the second magnetic body 66 is configured by the electromagnet 66E, a configuration can be provided in which the holding portion 64 is moved to the retreat position Q, but by stopping the supply of electric power to the electromagnet 66E, the attraction force to the first magnetic body 62 can be reduced or eliminated. Thus, in the case where the second magnetic body 66 is configured by the electromagnet 66E, the movable mechanism (the moving mechanism to the retreat position Q) of the holding portion 64 can be omitted, and fixed to the opposed position P shown in Fig. 4. Further, in this case, the first protrusion portion 68 on the leg portion 18 side can also be omitted. As a result, the configuration of the cleaner main body 14 and the configuration of the leg portion 18 can be simplified, and can contribute to the improvement of the design, the simplification of the design, and the like.

[0094] <SUMMARY>

[0095] As described above, the electric dust collector 1 of the present embodiment is provided with the station 12 and the electric dust collector 10. The electric dust collector 10 is provided with the cleaner main body 14. The cleaner main body 14 has the grippable grip portion 11, the first electric blower 24 that generates an attraction force, the main body separation dust collecting portion 28, and the attraction pipe 15. The attraction pipe 15 has the attraction port 15a that sucks in air by the attraction force of the first electric blower 24. The electric dust collector 10 can be attached to and detached from the station 12 in an installed posture in which the attraction port 15a is on the lower side with respect to the main body separation dust collecting portion 28. The main body separation dust collecting portion 28 is provided with the first separation dust collecting portion 30, the second separation dust collecting portion 32, the side wall 29c, and the discard port 48. The first separation dust collecting portion 30 separates and collects coarse dust from air that contains dust sucked in by the attraction port 15a and passed through the attraction pipe 15. The second separation dust collecting portion 32 is located at least partially on the upper side with respect to the first separation dust collecting portion 30 in the installed posture, and further separates and collects fine dust contained in air that has passed through the first separation dust collecting portion 30. The side wall 29c extends at least partially in the up-and-down direction in the installed posture. The discard port 48 is provided to the side wall 29c, and the coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion 30 and the fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion 32 can pass through the discard port 48. The station 12 is provided with the dust guide inlet 45, the recovery dust collecting portion 46, and the second electric blower 44. The dust guide inlet 45 is connected to the discard port 48. The recovery dust collecting portion 46 communicates with the dust guide inlet 45, and can receive the coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion 30 and the fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion 32. The second electric blower 44 applies a negative pressure to the first separation dust collecting portion 30 and the second separation dust collecting portion 32 via the recovery dust collecting portion 46, and can move the coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion 30 and the fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion 32 to the recovery dust collecting portion 46.

[0096] According to such a configuration, the first separation dust collecting portion 30 separates and collects the coarse dust from the air, and the second separation dust collecting portion 32 separates and collects the fine dust contained in the air after passing through the first separation dust collecting portion 30. Thus, it is possible to suppress clogging of dust in the main body separation dust collecting portion 28. Therefore, it is possible to suppress reduction of suction force of the electric cleaner 10. Further, according to the above-described configuration, since the waste port 48 is provided to the side wall 29c, it is easy to form the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 in a shape that does not protrude from the cleaner main body 14, and further, it is easy to make the main body separation dust collecting portion 28 and the cleaner main body 14 thin. Thus, in cleaning of a narrow space, under furniture, and the like, the operability of the cleaner main body 14 is good.

[0097] Further, the second separation dust collecting portion 32 includes a fine dust separating portion 38 and a fine dust collecting chamber 41. The fine dust separating portion 38 separates the fine dust from the air after passing through the first separation dust collecting portion 30. The fine dust collecting chamber 41 accumulates the fine dust separated by the fine dust separating portion 38. In the attached posture, at least a part of the fine dust collecting chamber 41 is positioned lower than the fine dust separating portion 38. The waste port 48 includes a coarse dust waste port 50 and a fine dust waste port 52. The coarse dust waste port 50 communicates with the first separation dust collecting portion 30. The fine dust waste port 52 communicates with the fine dust collecting chamber 41.

[0098] According to such a configuration, it is possible to cause the fine dust collected in the fine dust collecting chamber 41 to be discharged from the fine dust waste port 52 without adhering to the first separation dust collecting portion 30.

[0099] Further, the fine dust separating portion 38 communicates with the downstream side of the first separation dust collecting portion 30 via the fine dust collecting chamber 41 in the air current generated by the suction force of the first electric blower 24.

[0100] According to such a configuration, it is possible to effectively perform discharge of the fine dust in the fine dust collecting chamber 41. In addition, if the fine dust collecting portion 40 is provided in the air path (passage of air) of the coarse dust separating portion 34 and the fine dust separating portion 38, it is considered that the fine dust flows back to the fine dust separating portion 38 at the time of use (cleaning operation) of the electric cleaner 10. In detail, the air current is drawn by the first electric blower 24 from the first separation dust collecting portion 30 through the second separation dust collecting portion 32. Thus, it is considered that the fine dust falling to the fine dust collecting chamber 41 from the fine dust separating portion 38 flows back to the fine dust separating portion 38 due to the air current and adheres to the fine dust separating portion 38 again. However, in the present embodiment, the electric cleaner 10 is attached to the station 12 at the end of use of the electric cleaner 10. Thus, it is possible to discharge the dust (fine dust and coarse dust) to the station 12 every time the electric cleaner 10 is used, and thus the fine dust is difficult to flow back to the fine dust separating portion 38.

[0101] Further, the fine dust separation section 38 includes a second filter 38a (filter) that is a cylindrical filter extending in the up-and-down direction in the mounting attitude. The fine dust collection chamber 41 has a first portion 41a and a second portion 41b. The first portion 41a surrounds the outer peripheral portion 38b of the fine dust separation section 38. The second portion 41b is located on the lower side relative to the first portion 41a in the mounting attitude and is connected to the first portion 41a. The fine dust discharge port 52 communicates with the second portion 41b.

[0102] According to such a configuration, when the dust is moved to the station 12, the entire circumference of the second filter 38a can be air washed by the air flow. At this time, since the coarse dust separation section 34 becomes a resistance to the air flow, the air after washing the fine dust separation section 38 flows around the coarse dust separation section 34.

[0103] Further, the cleaner main body 14 has a guide port 74. In a case where the second electric blower 44 moves the fine dust from the second separation collection section 32 to the recovery collection section 46, the guide port 74 guides the air between the second separation collection section 32 and the first electric blower 24.

[0104] According to such a configuration, in a case where the second electric blower 44 moves the fine dust from the second separation collection section 32 to the recovery collection section 46, the air is guided from the guide port 74 to between the second separation collection section 32 and the first electric blower 24. Therefore, for example, even in a case where the air from the discharge port of the cleaner main body 14 is guided in a small amount due to the air path resistance of the fan, winding, or the like of the first electric blower 24, since the air from the guide port 74 increases the air blowing force of the dust, it is possible to move the fine dust from the second separation collection section 32 to the recovery collection section 46. That is, by the air (external air) guided from the guide port 74, it is possible to peel the fine dust captured by the fine dust separation section 38 from the fine dust separation section 38 and discharge it from the fine dust discharge port 52. In addition, the air guided as described above can be the air that flows back from the station 12. Further, the guide port 74 can not be a structure that is opened by mounting the electric cleaner 10 to the station 12. For example, the guide port 74 can be opened in a case where the operation of moving the dust to the station 12 is performed.

[0105] Further, the second separation collection section 32 has an upper surface 31c (face). The upper surface 31c is located at a position higher than the lower end 52a of the fine dust discharge port 52 in the mounting attitude and places the fine dust in the fine dust collection chamber 41.

[0106] According to such a configuration, it is possible to more reliably discharge the fine dust on the upper surface 31c from the fine dust discharge port 52.

[0107] The waste port 48 has a coarse dust waste port 50 and a fine dust waste port 52. The coarse dust waste port 50 communicates with the first separation dust collecting portion 30. The fine dust waste port 52 communicates with the second separation dust collecting portion 32. The opening area of the fine dust waste port 52 is smaller than the opening area of the coarse dust waste port 50.

[0108] According to such a configuration, the coarse dust waste port 50 discharges the coarse dust, and the fine dust waste port 52 discharges the fine dust. Therefore, even if the opening area of the fine dust waste port 52 is smaller than the opening area of the coarse dust waste port 50, the fine dust can be discharged. Further, the fine dust discharged through the fine dust waste port 52 is easily attached to the surface of the member such as the second filter 38a. In this regard, the opening area of the fine dust waste port 52 is reduced to increase the wind speed, and the fine dust attached to the surface of the member is easily moved.

[0109] In addition, in the above embodiment, an example of the filtration separation form is shown as the separation form of the coarse dust separation portion 34 and the fine dust separation portion 38, but the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the separation form of the coarse dust separation portion 34 and the fine dust separation portion 38 can be a centrifugal separation form or the like. Further, in the above embodiment, an example of the electric cleaner 10 in which the cleaner main body 14 is located at the upper center of gravity in the electric cleaner 10 is shown, but the present application is not limited thereto. For example, the electric cleaner 10 can be an electric cleaner 10 in which the cleaner main body 14 is located at the lower center of gravity in the electric cleaner 10. Further, the electric cleaner 10 can be a hand-held electric cleaner in which the suction pipe 15 is directly connected to the suction inlet body 16 without the extension pipe 17, or a hand-held electric cleaner in which the suction inlet body 16 and the extension pipe 17 are not provided.

[0110] Further, in the above embodiment, an example in which the waste port 48 (coarse dust waste port 50, fine dust waste port 52) is provided in the portion of the side wall 29c extending in the vertical direction is shown, but the present application is not limited thereto. For example, a stepped portion can be provided in the side wall 29c, and the waste port 48 (coarse dust waste port 50, fine dust waste port 52) can be provided in the portion of the side wall 29c including the stepped portion. Further, the waste port 48 (coarse dust waste port 50, fine dust waste port 52) can protrude from the side wall 29c.

[0111] The above describes the embodiment of the present application, but the above embodiment is only an example and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application. The above embodiment can be implemented in various ways, and various omissions, substitutions, and changes can be made within the scope of the gist of the present application. The above embodiment is included in the scope and gist of the present application, and is included in the scope of the invention described in the technical solution and the equivalent thereof.

Claims

1. An electric suction cleaner comprising: a station; and an electric suction cleaner, the electric suction cleaner including a cleaner main body having a grippable grip portion, a first electric blower that generates a suction force, a main body separation dust collecting portion, and a suction pipe having a suction port that sucks air through the suction force of the first electric blower, the electric suction cleaner being attachable to and detachable from the station in an attached posture in which the suction port is positioned lower than the main body separation dust collecting portion, the main body separation dust collecting portion including: a first separation dust collecting portion that separates and collects coarse dust from air that has been sucked through the suction port and passed through the suction pipe; a second separation dust collecting portion that is positioned at least partially above the first separation dust collecting portion in the attached posture, further separates and collects fine dust contained in the air that has passed through the first separation dust collecting portion; a side wall that extends at least partially in a vertical direction in the attached posture; and a waste port provided in the side wall, through which the coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion and the fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion are discharged, the station including: a dust guide inlet connected to the waste port; a recovery dust collecting portion that communicates with the dust guide inlet and is capable of receiving the coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion and the fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion; and a second electric blower that applies a negative pressure to the first separation dust collecting portion and the second separation dust collecting portion via the recovery dust collecting portion, causing the coarse dust collected in the first separation dust collecting portion and the fine dust collected in the second separation dust collecting portion to move toward the recovery dust collecting portion.

2. The electric suction cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the second separation dust collecting portion includes: a fine dust separation portion that separates the fine dust from the air that has passed through the first separation dust collecting portion; and a fine dust collecting chamber that stores the fine dust separated by the fine dust separation portion, in the attached posture, at least a portion of the fine dust collecting chamber is positioned lower than the fine dust separation portion, the waste port includes: a coarse dust waste port that communicates with the first separation dust collecting portion; and a fine dust waste port that communicates with the fine dust collecting chamber.

3. The electric suction cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the fine dust separation portion communicates with a downstream side of the first separation dust collecting portion via the fine dust collecting chamber in an air current generated by the suction force of the first electric blower.

4. The electric suction cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the fine dust separation portion includes a filter in the form of a cylinder that extends in the vertical direction in the attached posture, the fine dust collecting chamber includes: a first portion that surrounds an outer peripheral portion of the fine dust separation portion; and a second portion that is positioned below the first portion and connected to the first portion in the attached posture, the fine dust waste port communicates with the second portion.

5. The electric suction cleaner according to claim 1, wherein ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ The dust collector main body has an inlet that introduces air between the second separation dust collecting portion and the first electric blower when the second electric blower moves the fine dust from the second separation dust collecting portion to the recovery dust collecting portion.

6. The electric dust collector according to claim 2, wherein The second separation dust collecting portion has a surface on which the fine dust is placed in the fine dust collecting chamber at a position above the lower end of the fine dust disposal port in the installation posture.

7. The electric dust collector according to claim 1, wherein The disposal port has: a coarse dust disposal port that communicates with the first separation dust collecting portion; and a fine dust disposal port that communicates with the second separation dust collecting portion, The opening area of the fine dust disposal port is smaller than the opening area of the coarse dust disposal port.

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