U.S. patent application number 10/575540 was filed with the patent office on 2007-03-15 for electric vacuum cleaner.
Invention is credited to Hiromitsu Murata, Yasuhiro Ohtsu, Ryuji Sakaguchi, Ayumi Sasaki.
Application Number | 20070056135 10/575540 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37853572 |
Filed Date | 2007-03-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070056135 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Sasaki; Ayumi ; et
al. |
March 15, 2007 |
Electric vacuum cleaner
Abstract
An electric vacuum cleaner in which it is possible to ensure an
increased area of a lower mesh filter 34 while saving space is
provided. In a partition wall 26 positioned between a coarse dust
air passage 31 through which coarse dust that has been separated in
a separating section 16 and passed through an approximately
straight cylindrical separating main body part 17 passes with
sucked air and a fine dust air passage 32 through which minute dust
that has been separated in the separating section 16 and passed
through auxiliary openings 18 passes with sucked air, there is
formed a communication port 35 for letting the sucked air flowing
into the coarse dust air passage 31 outside along the coarse dust
air passage 31 in an opening manner, and the communication port 35
is provided with the lower mesh filter 34, whereby it is possible
to ensure an increased area of the lower mesh filter 34 easily
while saving space without increasing the cross-sectional area of
the coarse dust air passage 31 or the size of a vacuum cleaner main
body 2, etc.
Inventors: |
Sasaki; Ayumi; (Kanagawa,
JP) ; Ohtsu; Yasuhiro; (Kanagawa, JP) ;
Sakaguchi; Ryuji; (Kanagawa, JP) ; Murata;
Hiromitsu; (Kanagawa, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FRISHAUF, HOLTZ, GOODMAN & CHICK, PC
220 Fifth Avenue
16TH Floor
NEW YORK
NY
10001-7708
US
|
Family ID: |
37853572 |
Appl. No.: |
10/575540 |
Filed: |
October 14, 2004 |
PCT Filed: |
October 14, 2004 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/JP04/15160 |
371 Date: |
April 12, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
15/347 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47L 9/122 20130101;
A47L 9/102 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
015/347 |
International
Class: |
A47L 9/10 20060101
A47L009/10 |
Claims
1. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: a vacuum cleaner main
body with an electric blower housed therein comprising an intake
port and an exhaust port; a separating section for separating dust
that is sucked therein with air through the intake port by driving
the electric blower into coarse dust and fine dust; a coarse dust
air passage into which the coarse dust flows with part of the air;
a fine dust air passage provided parallel with the coarse dust air
passage into which the fine dust flows with the rest of the air; a
partition wall positioned between the coarse dust air passage and
the fine dust air passage; an opening portion opened in the
partition wall along the coarse dust air passage; a first filter
provided in the opening portion; and a second filter provided on
the downstream side of the fine dust air passage.
2. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: a vacuum cleaner main
body with an electric blower housed therein comprising an intake
port and an exhaust port; a separating section comprising a
separating main body part that is formed into an approximately
cylindrical shape and communicates with the intake port and an
auxiliary opening bored on the periphery of the separating main
body part to separate dust that is sucked therein with air through
the intake port by driving the electric blower into coarse dust and
fine dust; a coarse dust air passage into which the coarse dust
flows with part of the air; a fine dust air passage provided
parallel with the coarse dust air passage into which the fine dust
flows with the rest of the air; a partition wall positioned between
the coarse dust air passage and the fine dust air passage; an
opening portion opened in the partition wall along the coarse dust
air passage; a first filter provided in the opening portion; and a
second filter provided on the downstream side of the fine dust air
passage.
3. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein: the
coarse dust air passage has a dust collecting function for
collecting dust that passes therethrough.
4. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein: the
coarse dust air passage and the fine dust air passage run
vertically parallel with each other and are formed below the
separating section, and wherein: the coarse dust air passage has
the dust collecting function in a lower part thereof.
5. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein: the
second filter is provided in a position corresponding to that of
the first filter along the fine dust air passage.
6. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein: the
second filter is a pleat filter with a crease formed therein along
the fine dust air passage.
7. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein: the
vacuum cleaner main body is formed into a vertically longitudinal
shape.
8. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: a vacuum cleaner main
body with an electric blower housed therein comprising an intake
port and an exhaust port; a separating section for separating dust
that is sucked therein with air through the intake port by driving
the electric blower into coarse dust and fine dust; a main
communication passage into which the coarse dust flows with part of
the air; an auxiliary air passage provided parallel with the main
communication passage into which the fine dust flows with the rest
of the air; a partition wall positioned between the main
communication passage and the auxiliary air passage; an opening
portion opened in the partition wall along the main communication
passage; a first filter provided in the opening portion; and a
second filter provided on the downstream side of the auxiliary air
passage.
9. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein: the
coarse dust air passage has a dust collecting function for
collecting dust that passes therethrough.
10. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein: the
coarse dust air passage and the fine dust air passage run
vertically parallel with each other and are formed below the
separating section, and wherein: the coarse dust air passage has
the dust collecting function in a lower part thereof.
11. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein: the
second filter is provided in a position corresponding to that of
the first filter along the fine dust air passage.
12. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein: the
second filter is provided in a position corresponding to that of
the first filter along the fine dust air passage.
13. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein: the
second filter is provided in a position corresponding to that of
the first filter along the fine dust air passage.
14. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein: the
second filter is provided in a position corresponding to that of
the first filter along the fine dust air passage.
15. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 10, wherein: the
second filter is provided in a position corresponding to that of
the first filter along the fine dust air passage.
16. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein: the
second filter is a pleat filter with a crease formed therein along
the fine dust air passage.
17. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein: the
second filter is a pleat filter with a crease formed therein along
the fine dust air passage.
18. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein: the
second filter is a pleat filter with a crease formed therein along
the fine dust air passage.
19. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein: the
second filter is a pleat filter with a crease formed therein along
the fine dust air passage.
20. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 2, wherein: the
vacuum cleaner main body is formed into a vertically longitudinal
shape.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner
comprising a separating section for separating dust that is sucked
therein with air by driving an electric blower.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Conventionally, such kinds of electric vacuum cleaners are
equipped with a vacuum cleaner main body with an electric blower
housed therein. In the vacuum cleaner main body, there is disposed
a separating section communicating with a main body suction port
that is formed in an opening manner in the vacuum cleaner main
body. The separating section is adapted to cyclone-separate dust
that is sucked therein with air through the main body suction port
by driving the electric blower in accordance with the specific
gravity or size thereof. Also, on the downstream side of the
separating section, there is provided an opening portion
communicating with an air passage that communicates with the
suction side of the electric blower, the opening portion being
provided with a filter section. Then, the separating section
separates dust that is sucked therein with air via the main body
suction port by driving the electric blower in accordance with the
specific gravity or size thereof, and the separated dust is
partially trapped in the filter section when passing through the
opening portion with the air so that the air with the dust being
partially removed flows into the electric blower (refer to Patent
Document 1, for example).
Patent Document 1: Japanese Examined Utility Model Publication No.
47-9805 (page 1 to 2 and FIG. 1)
Disclosure of the Invention
Problem to be Solved by the Invention
[0003] In the above-described electric vacuum cleaner, in which
coarse dust and fine dust are collected separately in such a way as
inertial separation, since it is often the case that the filter
section, etc., is clogged with the fine dust, it is necessary to
ensure an increased filtering area.
[0004] It is however necessary to increase the cross-sectional area
of the separating section or the air passage to increase the
filtering area, resulting in a problem in that it is not easy to
ensure an increased filtering area without increasing the size of
the vacuum cleaner main body.
[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the
above-described problem, and an object thereof is to provide an
electric vacuum cleaner in which it is possible to ensure an
increased area of a first filter while saving space.
Means for Solving the Problem
[0006] The present invention includes: a separating section for
separating dust that is sucked therein with air through an intake
port by driving an electric blower into coarse dust and fine dust;
a coarse dust air passage into which the coarse dust flows with
part of the air; a fine dust air passage provided parallel with the
coarse dust air passage into which the fine dust flows with the
rest of the air; a partition wall positioned between the coarse
dust air passage and the fine dust air passage; a first filter
provided in an opening portion that is opened in the partition wall
along the coarse dust air passage; and a second filter provided on
the downstream side of the fine dust air passage.
[0007] The present invention also includes: a separating section
including a separating main body part that is formed into an
approximately cylindrical shape and communicates with an intake
port and an auxiliary opening bored on the periphery of the
separating main body part to separate dust that is sucked therein
with air through the intake port by driving an electric blower into
coarse dust and fine dust; a coarse dust air passage into which the
coarse dust flows with part of the air; and a fine dust air passage
provided parallel with the coarse dust air passage into which the
fine dust flows with the rest of the air.
[0008] The present invention further includes: a separating section
for separating dust that is sucked therein with air through an
intake port by driving an electric blower into coarse dust and fine
dust; a main communication passage into which the coarse dust flows
with part of the air; an auxiliary air passage provided parallel
with the main communication passage into which the fine dust flows
with the rest of the air; a partition wall positioned between the
main communication passage and the auxiliary air passage; a first
filter provided in an opening portion that is opened in the
partition wall along the main communication passage; and a second
filter provided on the downstream side of the auxiliary
communication passage.
Effect of the Invention
[0009] In accordance with the present invention, in the partition
wall positioned between the coarse dust air passage into which
coarse dust separated in the separating section flows with part of
the air and the fine dust air passage into which fine dust flows
with the rest of the air, there is opened the opening portion along
the coarse dust air passage, and the opening portion is provided
with the first filter, whereby it is possible to ensure an
increased area of the first filter while saving space.
[0010] Also, in accordance with the present invention, the
separating section comprises: the coarse dust air passage into
which coarse dust that has passed through the separating main body
part that is formed into an approximately cylindrical shape and
communicates with the intake port flows with part of the air; and
the fine dust air passage into which fine dust flows with the rest
of the air, whereby it is possible to reduce the size of the
separating section. In addition, the first filter is provided in
the opening portion that is opened along the coarse dust air
passage in the partition wall positioned between the coarse dust
air passage and the fine dust air passage, whereby it is possible
to ensure an increased area of the first filter while saving
space.
[0011] Further, in accordance with the present invention, in the
partition wall positioned between the main communication passage
into which coarse dust separated in the separating section flows
with part of the air and the auxiliary air passage into which fine
dust flows with the rest of the air, there is opened the opening
portion along the main communication passage, and the opening
portion is provided with the first filter, whereby it is possible
to ensure an increased area of the first filter while saving
space.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] [FIG. 1] A vertical cross-sectional view showing an electric
vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present
invention;
[0013] [FIG. 2] A front elevational view showing a part of the
electric vacuum cleaner; and
[0014] [FIG. 3] A perspective view showing the electric vacuum
cleaner.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0015] 1: Electric vacuum cleaner [0016] 2: Vacuum cleaner main
body [0017] 3: Electric blower [0018] 14: Intake port [0019] 15:
Exhaust port [0020] 16: Separating section [0021] 17: Separating
main body part [0022] 18: Auxiliary opening [0023] 26: Partition
wall [0024] 31: Coarse dust air passage (main communication
passage) [0025] 32: Fine dust air passage (auxiliary air passage)
[0026] 34: Lower mesh filter as first filter [0027] 35:
Communication port as opening portion [0028] 38: Pleat filter as
second filter
BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
[0029] The configuration of an electric vacuum cleaner according to
an embodiment of the present invention will hereinafter be
described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3.
[0030] In FIGS. 1 to 3, Numeral 1 denotes an electric vacuum
cleaner. The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is a so-called upright-type,
that is, stick-type vacuum cleaner. Also, the electric vacuum
cleaner 1 includes a vacuum cleaner main body 2 having a vertically
longitudinal shape, and an electric blower 3 is housed in a lower
part of the vacuum cleaner main body 2, while a dust collecting
section 4 is provided above the electric blower 3. Further, a hose
body 5 is connected to an upper part on the rear side of the vacuum
cleaner main body 2 to communicate with the upstream side, that is,
suction side of the dust collecting section 4, and the leading end
portion on the suction side of the hose body 5 is connected with a
cylindrical connecting duct portion 6, a handheld duct portion 7,
and an extension duct 8 in a communicating manner in this order.
Furthermore, the leading end portion on the suction side of the
extension duct 8 is inserted in the upper end portion, one end
portion of a cylindrical attachment 9 that is provided in a lower
part on the rear side of the vacuum cleaner main body 2. Then, in
the lower end portion, the other end portion of the attachment 9,
there is inserted and connected the base end portion on the
downstream side, that is, exhaust side of a floor brush 11 as an
intake port body.
[0031] In the upper end portion of the vacuum cleaner main body 2,
there is provided an arc-shaped handle part 12 to make it possible
to carry the electric vacuum cleaner 1. Also, in an upper part on
the rear side of the vacuum cleaner main body 2, there is provided
an extension duct fixing part 13 for fixing the extension duct 8
thereto detachably. Further, in a rear part of the vacuum cleaner
main body 2, there are bored a plurality of long outlet holes not
shown in the figures to communicate with the exhaust side of the
electric blower 3. Then, in a position of the vacuum cleaner main
body 2 facing the rear part of the dust collecting section 4, there
is formed an approximately circular intake port 14 in an opening
manner. In the vacuum cleaner main body 2, there are also formed a
plurality of Exhaust ports 15 in an opening manner below the intake
port 14.
[0032] The intake port 14 communicates with the floor brush 11 so
that air containing dust that is sucked through the floor brush 11
by driving the electric blower 3 passes therethrough. Also, on the
exhaust side of the intake port 14, there is provided a separating
section 16.
[0033] Using inertia difference due to specific gravity or size,
the separating section 16 is adapted to separate dust that is
sucked therein through the floor brush 11 by driving the electric
blower 3 to pass through the intake port 14 into coarse dust having
a relatively large specific gravity or size and fine dust having a
specific gravity or size smaller than that of the coarse dust, the
section comprising an approximately straight cylindrical separating
main body part 17 that is provided concentrically with the intake
port 14. The separating main body part 17 protrudes into the dust
collecting section 4 with the diameter thereof being reduced from
the intake port 14 side toward the front side of the vacuum cleaner
main body 2, that is, from the intake port 14 side toward the
exhaust ports 15 side. In addition, on the periphery of the
separating main body part 17, there are bored a plurality of
auxiliary openings 18 that penetrate the separating main body part
17 in the radial direction.
[0034] The auxiliary openings 18 are separated from each other in
the circumferential direction of the separating main body part 17
at approximately the same spacing. Also, mesh filters 18a are
installed in the respective auxiliary openings 18 in such a manner
as to cover the respective auxiliary openings 18.
[0035] The exhaust ports 15 are provided along the vertical
direction of the vacuum cleaner main body 2 to have a long hole
shape, and are separated from each other in the horizontal
direction, that is, the width direction of the vacuum cleaner main
body 2 at approximately the same spacing. Also, on the exhaust side
of the exhaust ports 15, there is provided a communication air
passage 19 that communicates with the suction side of the electric
blower 3.
[0036] Then, the intake port 14 and the exhaust ports 15 are
provided in approximately the same direction toward the separating
section 16, as shown in FIG. 2, to face the rear part of the dust
collecting section 4.
[0037] The electric blower 3 is housed in the vacuum cleaner main
body 2 with the suction side thereof facing upward. Also, the
suction side of the electric blower 3 is connected airtightly to
the dust collecting section 4 via the exhaust ports 15. Further,
the electric blower 3 is driven with power to be supplied from an
external power supply not shown in the figures via a power cord not
shown in the figures that is wound unwindably and windably around a
code reel 22 that is provided rotatably in the rear part of the
vacuum cleaner main body 2.
[0038] The dust collecting section 4 is provided detachably to the
vacuum cleaner main body 2. As shown in FIG. 1, the dust collecting
section 4 also includes: a hollow housing main body part 25; a
partition wall 26 provided in the housing main body part 25; and an
openable cover part 27 capable of opening and closing the housing
main body part 25.
[0039] The housing main body part 25 communicates with the
separating section 16, and is separated by the partition wall 26
into a coarse dust air passage (main communication passage) 31 on
the front side and a fine dust air passage (auxiliary air passage)
32 on the rear side.
[0040] The coarse dust air passage 31 communicates with the
downstream side of the separating main body part 17 of the
separating section 16 via a vent hole 33 that is formed in the
partition wall 26 in an opening manner concentrically with the
separating main body part 17, and is bent downward with respect to
the axial direction of the separating main body part 17 as well as
being formed into a longitudinal shape along the vertical
direction, that is, the longitudinal direction of the vacuum
cleaner main body 2. Then, the coarse dust air passage 31 is
adapted to flow coarse dust thereinto with part of the air that is
sucked through the intake port 14, having a dust collecting
function for mainly collecting the coarse dust in a lower part
thereof. Further, the downstream side of the coarse dust air
passage 31 communicates with the fine dust air passage 32 via a
communication port 35 as an opening portion with a lower mesh
filter 34 as a first filter provided therein that is opened below
the vent hole 33 in the partition wall 26.
[0041] Here, the lower mesh filter 34 is adapted to prevent coarse
dust collected in the coarse dust air passage 31 from leaking
through the communication port 35 for letting air that is flowed
into the coarse dust air passage 31 to carry the coarse dust out of
the coarse dust air passage 31.
[0042] Also, the communication port 35 is formed into a
longitudinal shape along the coarse dust air passage 31.
[0043] Meanwhile, the fine dust air passage 32 communicates with
the downstream side of the auxiliary openings 18 of the separating
section 16, being formed into a vertically longitudinal shape in
parallel with the coarse dust air passage 31 below the separating
main body part 17. Then, the fine dust air passage 32 is adapted to
flow minute dust that has passed through the mesh filters 18a in
the auxiliary openings 18 thereinto with air that does not pass
through the coarse dust air passage 31, that is, the rest of the
air that is sucked through the intake port 14, housing a filter
body 36 for trapping the minute dust. Further, in a lower part on
the rear side of the fine dust air passage 32, there is formed an
exhaust communication port 37 communicating with the exhaust ports
15 in an opening manner.
[0044] The filter body 36 has a pleat filter 38 as a second filter
and a frame body 39 for holding the periphery of the pleat filter
38 to be detachable within the fine dust air passage 32.
[0045] The pleat filter 38 is formed into a wave shape in an
anteroposteriorly-curved manner, and a crease is formed in the
vertical direction, that is, the direction along the fine dust air
passage 32. Also, the pleat filter 38 is disposed in a position
corresponding to that of the lower mesh filter 34 in the
communication port 35 to face the rear side, that is, the
downstream side of the lower mesh filter 34 so as to be
perpendicular to the air flow from the coarse dust air passage 31.
Further, the pleat filter 38 is formed larger than the lower mesh
filter 34, when viewed from the front, to have a size corresponding
to the entire communication port 35.
[0046] In addition, the frame body 39 is formed into a square frame
shape to be installed in the fine dust air passage 32 in an
inclined manner so that the upper side of the pleat filter 38 is
positioned forward relative to the lower side thereof. Further, the
frame body 39 is provided with an inclined plate part 41 that is
inclined downward from the rear side toward the front side thereof
below the pleat filter 38. The front end portion, that is, the
leading end portion of the inclined plate part 41 is positioned in
a lower part of the fine dust air passage 32 to continue to a
minute dust collecting section 42 that is provided in the openable
cover part 27. The minute dust collecting section 42, which is
adapted to collect minute dust that has been trapped in the pleat
filter 38 and fallen down the inclined plate part 41, can be opened
and closed by opening and closing the openable cover part 27.
[0047] Then, in a rear part of the filter body 36, there is
provided dusting means 43 for removing, that is, shaking off minute
dust that is trapped in the pleat filter 38. The dusting means 43
is adapted to shake off minute dust that is trapped in the pleat
filter 38 to be made to fall down into the minute dust collecting
section 42 by, for example, driving a motor not shown in the
figures in a rotating manner to vibrate the pleat filter 38.
[0048] Further, the exhaust communication port 37 faces and
communicates with the exhaust ports 15. The exhaust communication
port 37 is adapted to let sucked air out through the rear part of
the fine dust air passage 32 toward the exhaust ports 15. Thus, the
filter body 36 communicates with the suction side of the electric
blower 3 via the exhaust communication port 37 and the exhaust
ports 15. A lower filter not shown in the figures is further
installed in the exhaust communication port 37 in such a manner as
to cover the entire exhaust communication port 37.
[0049] Also, the partition wall 26 is positioned between the coarse
dust air passage 31 and the fine dust air passage 32, having a
surface direction along the horizontal direction intersecting with
the anteroposterior direction of the electric vacuum cleaner 1, and
is formed into a vertically longitudinal shape as well as continues
from the upper end portion in the housing main body part 25 through
the openable cover part 27. Further, the communication port 35
provided in the partition wall 26 is separated downward from the
vent hole 33 and is opened to be a longitudinal shape from a
position above the vertically central region of the partition wall
26 through the vicinity of the lower end portion of the partition
wall 26. Then, the lower mesh filter 34 provided in the
communication port 35 is disposed in a grid pattern across the
entire communication port 35.
[0050] In addition, the openable cover part 27 is provided
vertically rotatably in a rear part of the lower end portion of the
housing main body part 25. Further, the openable cover part 27 can
be opened and closed with respect to the housing main body part 25
by operating a cover part clamp not shown in the figures.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 3, the hose body 5 has an elongated
accordion-type cylindrical shape made of, for example, flexible
synthetic resin to be made stretchable in the axial direction
thereof.
[0052] The connecting duct portion 6 is formed into a cylindrical
shape made of, for example, synthetic resin harder than the hose
body 5, and is provided concentrically with the hose body 5 to
communicate with the leading end portion of the hose body 5. The
connecting duct portion 6 is also connected detachably to the base
end portion on the exhaust side of the handheld duct portion 7 in a
communicating manner.
[0053] The handheld duct portion 7 includes: an approximately
cylindrical main body part 46 that communicates with the leading
end portion on the suction side of the connecting duct portion 6
and the base end portion on the exhaust side of the extension duct
8; and a holding part 47 protruding radially from the main body
part 46. The holding part 47 protrudes from the outside surface on
the leading end side of the main body part 46 to be bent toward the
base end side of the main body part 46. The holding part 47 is also
provided with a plurality of setup buttons not shown in the figures
for driving the electric blower 3 in a predetermined driving
mode.
[0054] The extension duct 8 is adapted to function as an arm when
an operator operates the electric vacuum cleaner 1, being formed
into an elongated cylindrical shape, that is, a longitudinal shape
made of metal such as aluminum. The extension duct 8 communicates
with the suction side of the electric blower 3 via the handheld
duct portion 7, the connecting duct portion 6, the hose body 5, and
the dust collecting section 4.
[0055] Then, a packing 79 is installed in the attachment 9 so that
the leading end portion of the extension duct 8 and the base end
portion of the floor brush 11 are inserted detachably into a
communication duct 82, respectively, from above and below to be
connected airtightly.
[0056] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the floor brush 11 is placed on a
floor surface as a to-be-cleaned surface to support the electric
vacuum cleaner 1, communicating with the leading end portion on the
suction side of the extension duct 8 through the attachment 9 with
the extension duct 8 being inserted in the upper end portion of the
attachment 9.
[0057] The floor brush 11 also includes a hollow horizontally-long
case body 81 with a suction port 81a being formed in a lower part
thereof facing the floor surface in an opening manner. On a rear
part of the case body 81, there is rotatably provided the
cylindrical communication duct 82 in a protruding manner to
communicate with the suction port 81a, and the communication duct
82 is inserted into the lower end portion of the attachment 9 to be
connected airtightly.
[0058] Here, the communication duct 82 is arranged detachably
against the attachment 9 using a brush clamp 83 provided in a rear
part of the attachment 9. Also, the communication duct 82 is in
contact airtightly with the packing 79.
[0059] Further, on either side of the communication duct 82 of the
floor brush 11, there are provided brush following wheels 84
rotatably. The electric vacuum cleaner 1 can travel on the floor
surface forward and backward using the brush following wheels
84.
[0060] Next will be described a cleaning operation according to the
above-described embodiment.
[0061] In a normal cleaning operation, the power cord is plugged
into a socket not shown in the figures with the extension duct 8
being attached to the vacuum cleaner main body 2, and the holding
part 47 of the handheld duct portion 7 is held to operate a
predetermined setup button to drive the electric blower 3.
[0062] Then, the operator holds the holding part 47 to allow the
electric vacuum cleaner 1 to travel forward and backward and suck
dust through the suction port 81a of the floor brush 11 to clean
the floor surface.
[0063] Also, when cleaning a narrow space such as a door rail where
the width of the floor brush 11 cannot enter, the extension duct 8
is detached from the vacuum cleaner main body 2 to suck dust
through the leading end portion of the extension duct 8.
[0064] Further, in a cleaning operation on a desk, etc., the
connecting duct portion 6 is detached from the handheld duct
portion 7 to suck dust through the leading end portion of the
connecting duct portion 6.
[0065] Air sucked with dust passes through the intake port 14 and
the vent hole 33 through the hose body 5 as sucked air to
subsequently flow into the separating section 16.
[0066] The sucked air is then restricted through the separating
main body part 17 to increase the flow rate thereof, and coarse
dust among the dust contained in the sucked air having a relatively
large specific gravity or size passes through the separating main
body part 17 straightforward with sucked air W1 to flow into the
coarse dust air passage 31, while fine dust having a relatively
small specific gravity or size is separated in the circumferential
direction of the separating main body part 17 to flow into the
auxiliary openings 18 to be trapped partially in the mesh filters
18a. Minute dust that has passed through the mesh filters 18a then
flows into the fine dust air passage 32 with sucked air W2.
[0067] The coarse dust flowing into the coarse dust air passage 31
is trapped when the sucked air W1 flowing into the coarse dust air
passage 31 passes through the lower mesh filter 34 to be collected
in the coarse dust air passage 31. Then, the sucked air W1 with the
coarse dust being removed passes through the pleat filter 38 to
subsequently flow from the exhaust ports 15 into the communication
air passage 19 through the exhaust communication port 37 and then
flow toward the suction side of the electric blower 3.
[0068] Meanwhile, the minute dust flowing into the fine dust air
passage 32 is to be trapped in the pleat filter 38 when the sucked
air W2 flows through the pleat filter 38 vertically. Then, the
sucked air W2 with the minute dust being removed flows from the
exhaust ports 15 into the communication air passage 19 through the
exhaust communication port 37 to flow toward the suction side of
the electric blower 3.
[0069] The sucked air flowing into the electric blower 3 then
passes through the electric blower 3 to be exhausted from the
vacuum cleaner main body 2 through an outlet hole as outlet
air.
[0070] Also, after the cleaning operation, etc., the dusting means
43 is to be driven by the motor not shown in the figures so that
the minute dust trapped in the pleat filter 38 is shaken off from
the pleat filter 38 and then collected in the minute dust
collecting section 42 through the inclined plate part 41.
[0071] Further, the dust collected in the coarse dust air passage
31 and the minute dust collecting section 42 is to be put into a
trash, etc., not shown in the figures provided outside the dust
collecting section 4 by detaching the dust collecting section 4
from the vacuum cleaner main body 2 with the electric blower 3
being stopped and operating the cover part clamp to open the
openable cover part 27.
[0072] The dust collecting section 4 is subsequently attached to
the vacuum cleaner main body 2 again to be used.
[0073] As mentioned above, in the above-described embodiment, it is
arranged that in the partition wall 26 positioned between the
coarse dust air passage 31 through which coarse dust separated in
the separating section 16 passes with sucked air W1 and the fine
dust air passage 32 through which minute dust separated in the
separating section 16 passes with residual sucked air W2, there is
formed the communication port 35, which is adapted to let the
sucked air W1 flowing into the coarse dust air passage 31 out of
the coarse dust air passage 31, along the coarse dust air passage
31 in an opening manner, and that the communication port 35 is
provided with the lower mesh filter 34 for preventing dust
collected in the coarse dust air passage 31 from leaking from the
coarse dust air passage 31.
[0074] It is consequently possible to ensure an increased area of
the lower mesh filter 34 easily while saving space without
increasing the cross-sectional area of the coarse dust air passage
31 or the size of the vacuum cleaner main body 2, etc., relative to
the case where a lower mesh filter is formed along, for example, a
direction intersecting with the coarse dust air passage 31.
[0075] Particularly, in the above-described embodiment, since the
separating section 16 includes the approximately straight
cylindrical separating main body part 17 and the auxiliary openings
18 bored on the periphery of the separating main body part 17 to
separate dust contained in sucked air straightforward, it is
possible to further reduce the size of the separating section 16
and the electric vacuum cleaner 1 relative to the case where a
cyclone separating section for swirling sucked air to centrifuge
dust is used, for example.
[0076] In addition, since the coarse dust air passage 31 has the
dust collecting function for collecting dust that passes
therethrough, it is possible to reduce the size of the vacuum
cleaner main body 2 relative to the case where a dust collecting
section is provided separately from the coarse dust air passage
31.
[0077] Further, since the air passages 31 and 32 run vertically
parallel with each other and the coarse dust air passage 31 has the
dust collecting function in a lower part thereof, dust flowing into
the air passages 31 and 32 falls down by its own weight to
accumulate easily in the bottom of the housing main body part 25,
resulting in an easy separation between sucked air and dust.
[0078] Then, since the pleat filter 38 is provided along the fine
dust air passage 32 in a position corresponding to that of the
lower mesh filter 34, the resistance in the air passages is
increased due to the filters 34 and 38, resulting in an improvement
in dust collecting performance and a lower possibility of clogging
the filters 34 and 38.
[0079] Also, since the pleat filter 38 has a pleat shape with a
crease formed therein along the fine dust air passage 32, it is
possible to ensure an increased surface area of the pleat filter 38
through which sucked air W2 passes, resulting in an improvement in
dust collecting efficiency.
[0080] Furthermore, since the intake port 14 and the exhaust ports
15 are positioned facing the rear part of the dust collecting
section 4 on the same side of the housing main body part 25, it is
only required to provide a seal packing, etc., in a rear part of
the dust collecting section 4 when attaching the dust collecting
section 4 to the vacuum cleaner main body 2, resulting in an
improvement in sealing performance relative to the case where seal
packing, etc., is provided in both front and rear parts of the dust
collecting section 4, for example.
[0081] Then, since the pleat filter 38 is inclined downward toward
the front side and the inclined plate part 41 continuing to the
upper part of the minute dust collecting section 42 is provided
below the pleat filter 38, it is possible to collect minute dust
shaken off from the pleat filter 38 when the dusting means 43 is
driven in the minute dust collecting section 42 reliably.
[0082] Also, applying the foregoing dust collecting section 4 to an
upright-type electric vacuum cleaner allows the configuration of
the vacuum cleaner main body 2 having a vertically longitudinal
shape to be utilized effectively to prevent the size of the vacuum
cleaner main body 2 from increasing.
[0083] It is noted in the above-described embodiment that the
separating section 16 is not restricted to the above-described
configuration as long as it is capable of separating dust in
accordance with the specific gravity or size thereof.
[0084] Similarly, the details of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 are
not restricted to the above-described configuration.
[0085] Then, the electric vacuum cleaner 1 can be applied
correspondingly to not only a stick-type one but also a so-called
canister-type one, etc.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0086] The present invention is preferably utilized for, for
example, an upright-type electric vacuum cleaner.
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