U.S. patent application number 10/173014 was filed with the patent office on 2002-12-19 for vacuum cleaner.
This patent application is currently assigned to TWINBIRD CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Inoue, Mineyuki, Maruyama, Kaname, Ogawa, Toshiaki, Taniguchi, Shuichi, Yamada, Takeshi.
Application Number | 20020189048 10/173014 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 19024763 |
Filed Date | 2002-12-19 |
United States Patent
Application |
20020189048 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Maruyama, Kaname ; et
al. |
December 19, 2002 |
Vacuum cleaner
Abstract
A downsized vacuum cleaner whose filter is less likely to be
clogged. An electric motor 2 and a fan 3 are provided within a
cleaner body 1. A dust collecting section 16 is formed annular so
as to surround the circumference of the fan 3. A filter 12 for
filtering dust is mounted at an inside peripheral face of the dust
collecting section 16 and dust separated by the filter 12 is
collected in the dust collecting section 16. A flectional portion
35 is formed at an upper end of a suction tube 32, facing the dust
collecting section 16 so that an airflow flowing along a peripheral
direction of the dust collecting section 16 is generated. This
causes comparatively larger-sized dust to be pressed, by a
centrifugal force, against an inside wall of an outer peripheral
side of the dust collecting section 16 so that only small-sized
dust is filtered by the filter 12, preventing the filter 12 from
being clogged.
Inventors: |
Maruyama, Kaname; (Niigata,
JP) ; Ogawa, Toshiaki; (Niigata, JP) ;
Taniguchi, Shuichi; (Niigata, JP) ; Inoue,
Mineyuki; (Niigata, JP) ; Yamada, Takeshi;
(Niigata, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
GREENBLUM & BERNSTEIN, P.L.C.
1941 ROLAND CLARKE PLACE
RESTON
VA
20191
US
|
Assignee: |
TWINBIRD CORPORATION
Niigata
JP
|
Family ID: |
19024763 |
Appl. No.: |
10/173014 |
Filed: |
June 18, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/344 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/1666 20130101;
A47L 5/24 20130101; A47L 9/165 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
15/344 |
International
Class: |
A47L 005/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jun 18, 2001 |
JP |
2001-185125 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vacuum cleaner, including a body, an electric motor provided
in the body, a fan driven by the electric motor, a filter for
filtering dust contained in air sucked by the fan, and a dust
collecting section for collecting dust separated by the filter,
wherein said dust collecting section is formed annular and is
arranged in an outside periphery of said electric motor and
fan.
2. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said filter is
provided on an inner peripheral side of said dust collecting
section.
3. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein said filter is
provided along an entire inner periphery of said dust collecting
section.
4. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein said filter is
provided along an entire inner periphery of said dust collecting
section.
5. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a
means for forming a vortex airflow for allowing an air to flow
along a peripheral direction of said dust collecting section.
6. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, further comprising a
means for forming a vortex airflow for allowing an air to flow
along a peripheral direction of said dust collecting section.
7. A vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, further comprising a
means for forming a vortex airflow for allowing an air to flow
along a peripheral direction of said dust collecting section.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner,
specifically to a vacuum cleaner in which collected dust is stored
in a detachable container.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] A conventional vacuum cleaner of this type is disclosed in,
for example, Japanese unexamined patent publication No. 5-253096.
This vacuum cleaner is of a handheld type in which a dust
collection container (a dust collecting section) and a filter are
provided in front of a fan motor (a fan and a motor) so that the
dust contained in air sucked by the fan motor is filtered by the
filter to be stored in the dust collection container. Further, a
comparatively large-sized vacuum cleaner, which collects dust
according to the same principle as the above-mentioned, is
disclosed in Japanese unexamined patent publication No.
5-154075.
[0005] According to these conventional vacuum cleaners, however, a
fan motor and a dust collection container are arranged,
horizontally or vertically, in series so that there has been a
problem that the whole bodies of these vacuum cleaners inevitably
become large-sized. Although comparatively small-sized vacuum
cleaners can be obtained by downsizing the dust collection
container when the large-sizing of vacuum cleaners should be
avoided, yet there are possibilities that an intake capacity of
dust is decreased at the cost of its practicability. Further, the
former conventional vacuum cleaners have had a problem that their
filters are liable to be clogged with dust. In order to prevent the
filters from being clogged, a mechanism for clearing away dust
attached to the filter might be provided as proposed in the latter
conventional vacuum cleaners, yet there is also a problem that the
installation of such mechanism inevitably results in an increase in
production costs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] To eliminate the abovementioned problems, it is, therefore,
an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner that
can be structured in comparatively a compact size and is less
likely to be clogged with dust.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, a
vacuum cleaner of the invention includes: a body; an electric motor
provided in the body; a fan driven by the electric motor; a filter
for filtering dust contained in air sucked by the fan; and a dust
collecting section for collecting dust separated by the filter,
wherein the dust collecting section is formed annular, arranged in
an outside periphery of the electric motor and fan.
[0008] With the structure thus made, an annular dust collecting
section is arranged in a manner that surrounds the outside
periphery of the motor and fan so that the dust separated by the
filter can be collected in the dust collecting section, while the
air from which the dust is cleared away can be sucked by the fan
surrounded by the dust collecting section so as to be exhausted
outward.
[0009] According to a second aspect of the present invention, the
filter of a vacuum cleaner of the first aspect of the invention is
provided in an inner periphery of the dust collecting section.
[0010] With the structure according to the second aspect, the dust
contained in an airflow generated by the rotation of the fan is
separated by the filter provided on the inner peripheral side of
the dust collecting section, while the air from which the dust is
cleared away is allowed to take a shorter route to the fan through
the filter provided in the inner periphery of the dust collecting
section.
[0011] According to a third aspect of the present invention is
provided a vacuum cleaner set forth in the first or second aspect,
in which the filter is formed along an entire inner periphery of
the dust collecting section.
[0012] Thus, the dust contained in the airflow generated by the
rotation of the fan can be filtered over an entire area of the
filter provided along the entire inner periphery of the dust
collecting section.
[0013] According to a fourth aspect of the present invention is
provided a vacuum cleaner set forth in any one of the preceding
aspects, wherein a means for generating a circulating flow is
provided for allowing air to flow in the peripheral direction of
the aforementioned dust collecting section.
[0014] According to the structure of the fourth aspect, the
dust-laden air sucked into the dust collecting section is
circulated along the outer periphery of the dust collecting section
by the means for generating a circulating flow so that dust
particles of a greater size are pressed against an inside wall on
the outer peripheral side of the dust collecting section due to a
centrifugal force. As a result, part of the dust particles is
removed from the airflow, while the remaining ones are removed by
the filter provided in the inner periphery of the dust collecting
section.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] For a more complete understanding of the present invention,
reference is now made to the following description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view showing one
embodiment of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a traverse cross-sectional view showing the vacuum
cleaner of FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line A-A of FIG.
2.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0019] Hereunder is a description of a preferred embodiment of the
present invention with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3. In the
drawings, numeral 1 denotes a cleaner body of a portable type
vacuum cleaner. Inside the cleaner body 1 is provided an electric
motor 2 and a fan 3 attached to a rotating shaft of the electric
motor 2, so that these motor 2 and fan 3 construct a blower 4.
Further, a cylindrical holder 5 is formed in the substantial center
of the cleaner body 1 so as to receive the electric motor 2
therein. A pair of left and right side walls 6, extending
vertically and spaced a certain distance away from an inside wall
of the holder 5, is formed integrally with a bottom wall 7 of the
holder 5 so that a mounting portion 8 for mounting a hereinafter
described dust collection container is constructed by the holder 5,
the left and right side walls 6 and the bottom wall 7. The electric
motor 2 is fixed to a bottom face 1A of the cleaner body 1 with the
fan 3 facing a vent hole 5A formed on the upper face of the holder
5. Further, a dust collection container 11 and a filter 12 are
fitted respectively in a recess 10 formed between the holder 5 and
the side walls 6. The dust collection container 11 comprises an
inside annular wall 13, an outside annular wall 14, which are each
formed cylindrical, and the bottom wall 15 integrally linking these
inside and outside annular walls 13, 14 together so as to be fitted
into the recess 10, thereby forming an annular dust collecting
section 16 surrounded by these inside and outside annular walls 13,
14 and the bottom wall 15. The filter 12 is attached to an opening
18 formed on a peripheral wall of a filter case 17 which is shaped
like an upside-down cup so that the filter 12 may be provided
almost entirely along the inside annular wall 13 of the dust
collection container 11.
[0020] The filter case 17 is detachably attached with a slight
clearance S being kept between the inside annular wall 13 and the
filter case 17 by means of a step portion 13A formed at a periphery
of a lower end of the inside annular wall 13. A bottomed
cylindrical step portion 20 of a small diameter, which covers the
vent hole 5A formed on the upper face of the holder 5, is formed on
the upper face of the inside annular wall 13. A communication hole
21 is defined through the peripheral face of the step portion 20. A
positioning portion 24, which is to be fitted into an annular rib
23 formed on an upper face of the step portion 20, is formed on the
upper face of the filter case 17. Further, a positioning recess 27
which is to be fitted into the positioning portion 24 is formed in
a cover 26 rotatably connected with the cleaner body 1 by a hinge
25. A grip 26A is formed integrally with the cover 26 so that the
filter case 17 and the dust collection container 11 can be removed
from the cleaner body 1 when the cover 26 is opened by holding the
grip 26A, while the filter case 17 and the dust collection
container 11 are fixed as they are clamped by the positioning
recess 27 formed in the cover 26 and the bottom wall 7 when the
cover 26 is closed. At this moment, the positioning portion 24 of
the filter case 17 is fitted into the annular rib 23 of the dust
collection container 11, and then the positioning portion 24 is
fitted into the positioning recess 27 of the cover 26 so that the
filter case 17 and the dust collection container 11 are properly
positioned, respectively.
[0021] Inside the cleaner body 1 is provided a battery room 31 for
housing batteries 30, while a protrusion 33 including a suction
tube 32 thereinside is formed integrally with the distal end side
of the cleaner body 1. To a lower end of the suction tube 32 is
removably attached a suction portion 34 with a suction opening 34a.
A flectional portion 35 which is bent laterally is formed at an
upper end of the suction tube 32, said flectional portion 35 being
open to a space between the inside annular wall 13 and the outside
annular wall 14 of the dust collection container 11, i.e., within
the dust collecting section 16. The flectional portion 35 formed at
the upper end of the suction tube 32 provides a means for
generating a circulating flow so as to give rise to an airflow F
flowing along a peripheral direction of the dust collecting section
16. As the suction tube 32 is allowed to be open within the dust
collecting section 16 in the abovementioned manner, a first intake
passage 40 is formed from the suction opening 34a to the dust
collection container 11 via the suction tube 32. An outlet passage
41 is formed so as to communicate with the intake passage 40, said
outlet passage 41 extending from the filter 12 attached to the dust
collection container 11 to the inside of the holder 5 via the
communication hole 21 and the vent hole 5A. Air that is sucked from
the suction opening 34a through these intake passage 40 and outlet
passage 41 is exhausted to an outside from an outlet (not shown)
formed in the cleaner body 1. In the meantime, numeral 45 denotes a
switch formed in the grip 26A, numeral 46 an operation button for
locking or unlocking the cover 26 and numeral 47 a gasket
interposed between the cleaner body 1 and the cover 26. Further,
numeral 48 denotes a hook that is formed integrally with the
operation button 46 and is engaged with a locker claw 48A formed in
the cleaner body 1.
[0022] Next is a description of the action of the vacuum cleaner
according to the present embodiment. First, the operation button 46
is operated to open the cover 26 and then the dust collection
container 11 is set in the mounting portion 8 formed in the cleaner
body 1. Thereafter, the filter case 17 is attached in a manner that
covers the inside annular wall 13 of the dust collection container
11. At this moment, the lower end of the filter case 17 is engaged
with the step portion 13A formed in a periphery of the lower end of
the inside annular wall 13 so that the filter 12 attached to the
filter case 17 is allowed to be mounted to the dust collection
container 11 with a slight clearance S being kept between the
inside annular wall 13 and itself. When the cover 26 is closed
after the dust collection container 11 and the filter case 17 are
set in the mounting portion 8 thus way, the hook 48 integral with
the operation button 46 is latched by the locker claw 48A formed at
the cleaner body 1 so that the cover 26 is locked. At the same
time, the dust collection container 11 and the filter case 17 that
were set in the mounting portion 8 are clamped between the cover 26
and the mounting portion 8, while the positioning portion 24 of the
filter case 17 is fitted into the annular rib 23 of the dust
collection container 11 and then further fitted into the
positioning recess 27 of the cover 26 so that the dust collection
container 11 and the filter case 17 are stably held in position
relative to the cleaner body 1. Thereafter, the blower 4 is driven
by operating the switch 45, with the grip 26A being gripped.
[0023] The dust-laden air is sucked from the suction opening 34a by
driving the blower 4 so that it flows into the outlet passage 41
via the intake passage 40, so as to be exhausted from an outlet
(not shown) formed at the cleaner body 1. At this moment, as the
flectional portion 35 is formed at the upper end of the suction
tube 32, facing the dust collecting section 16 of the dust
collection container 11, the air inside the dust collecting section
16 is guided by the flectional portion 35 to turn into a vortex
airflow along the inside and outside annular walls 13, 14 of the
dust collection container 11. Due to the vortex airflow, dust
particles contained in the vortex airflow are pressed against the
inside wall of the outside annular wall 14 of the dust collection
container 11 by a centrifugal force so that comparatively heavy
dust particles remain in the vicinity of the inside peripheral face
of the outside annular wall 14 of the dust collection container 11
to thereby be separated from the vortex airflow. On the other hand,
comparatively light dust particles such as loose dirt and smaller
dust particles are sucked to be drawn toward the outlet passage 41
together with the vortex airflow to thereby be captured by the
filter 12.
[0024] After vacuum cleaning, the cover 26 is opened by releasing
the engagement of the hook 48 with the locker claw 48A through the
operation of the operation button 46. Thereafter, the filter case
17 and the dust collection container 11 are taken off. Then, the
dust collected in the dust collecting section 16 is thrown away
into a trashcan while the dust captured by the filter 12 is
removed. Thus, the filter case 17 is detachable from the dust
collection container 11, so that the maintenance of the filter 12
can be simplified.
[0025] According to the present embodiment, as the dust collecting
section 16 is formed annular, and is arranged in a manner that
surrounds the outside periphery of the electric motor 2 and fan 3,
the dust separated by the filter 12 is collected in the dust
collecting section 16 while the air from which the dust is cleared
away is sucked by the fan 3 surrounded by the dust collecting
section 16 to thereby be exhausted outward. Thus, the annular
formation of the dust collecting section 16 enables the effective
collection and large stowage of dust. Further, the installation of
the filter 12 at the inner peripheral side of the dust collecting
section 16 permits dust sucked by the rotation of the fan 3 to be
filtered by the filter 12 provided at the inner peripheral side of
the dust collecting section 16, while the air from which the dust
is cleared away is allowed to take a short course to flow to the
fan 3 through the filter 12, so that a compact arrangement of the
dust collecting section 16 becomes possible around the electric
motor 2 and the fan 3 to enable the cleaner body 1 to be
down-sized. Further, as the filter 12 is formed along the entire
inner periphery of the dust collecting section 16, the dust
contained in the airflow F formed by the rotation of the fan 3 is
filtered over the whole area of the filter 12 formed along the
entire inner periphery of the dust collecting section 16, thus
ensuring the collection of the dust.
[0026] Furthermore, as the flectional portion 35 is formed at the
upper end of the suction tube 32 facing the dust collecting section
16 of the dust collection container 11, the airflow F flowing along
the peripheral direction of the dust collecting section 16 is
generated, whereby the dust-laden air sucked inside the dust
collecting section 16 rotates along the outer periphery of the dust
collecting section 16 so that the dust particles of greater size
are pressed against the inside wall of the outer peripheral side of
the dust collecting section 16 due to a centrifugal force and thus
part of the dust particles are removed from the airflow F to be
separated, while the dust particles of smaller size are sucked and
thus only such smaller dust particles are filtered by the filter 12
provided at the inner periphery of the dust collecting section 16,
thereby preventing the filter 12 from being clogged. Thus, as the
airflow F flowing along the peripheral direction of the dust
collecting section 16 is generated merely by forming the flectional
portion 35 at the upper end of the suction tube 32 and thus the
filter 12 can be prevented from being clogged, any complicated
mechanism is not necessary for clearing off the dust attached to
the filter 12, eliminating the possibility of the increase in
production costs.
[0027] The present invention should not be limited to the foregoing
embodiment but various modifications are possible within the scope
of the present invention. For example, a shape of the flectional
portion 35 serving as a vortex airflow generation member or a basic
structure of a vacuum cleaner such as a mounting structure of the
filter 12 may be suitably selected according to needs. Further,
although the portable type vacuum cleaner is described in the
foregoing embodiment, the present invention is also applicable to
other types of vacuum cleaners.
* * * * *