JP4983226B2 - Electric vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a vacuum cleaner having a mechanism for compressing collected dust.

  Conventionally, as this type of vacuum cleaner, in order to facilitate the processing of the collected dust, if dust is stored in the dust bag stored in the dust collecting part of the main body and the dust bag is clogged, Set the vacuum cleaner in the hot air circulation, shrink the heat shrinkable member around the dust bag body with hot air due to the temperature rise of the electric blower, compress the dust in the dust bag and downsize it, and dispose of it Some make it easier (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

In addition, the dust collection bag compression plate for compressing the dust collection bag and a driving means for moving the dust collection bag compression plate in the compression and release direction of the dust collection bag are provided to compress the collected dust. In some cases, the dust collection volume is increased (see, for example, Patent Document 2).
JP-A-5-146384 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-313412

  However, in the configuration of the above conventional vacuum cleaner, no consideration is given to the unsafe use of the user. For example, the dust collection bag normally communicates with a removable hose through the suction port of the vacuum cleaner body. That is, when the hose is pulled out while the dust bag is being compressed, if the user inadvertently inserts a hand or finger through the air intake of the vacuum cleaner body, the hand or finger is caught between the operating compression plates. He had the problem of being injured.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and does not hurt even if a hand or a finger is inserted from the air inlet by performing a compression operation while detecting the attachment / detachment of the hose, and can be used safely by the user. An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner that takes safety into consideration, increases dust collection capacity by compressing dust, and facilitates disposal of dust.

In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention includes a dust collection container that collects dust, a compression unit that is disposed in the dust collection container and compresses the collected dust, and the compression unit. A compression driving means for driving the hose, a hose that is detachably connected to the intake port of the cleaner body, a hose attachment / detachment detection means for detecting the attachment / detachment state of the hose and the intake port, and the compression drive means. Control means, and configured to perform dust compression operation only when the hose is connected to the air inlet, and the control means is configured to perform the compression operation during the compression operation of the compression means. When the hose removal detection means detects that the hose has been pulled out, the compression operation of the compression means is stopped , and even if a hand or a finger is inserted from the intake port from which the hose has been removed, Since this is not done, the user Without having to, it is possible to secure, increase the dust collection capacity by compressing dust, also facilitates the disposal of the dust.

  The vacuum cleaner of the present invention increases dust collection capacity by compressing dust, makes it easy to dispose of dust, and can give consideration to safety against unsafe use by users.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dust collection container that collects dust, a compression unit that compresses dust collected and collected in the dust collection container, a compression drive unit that drives the compression unit, and a vacuum cleaner main body. A hose that is detachably connected to an intake port, a hose attachment / detachment detection unit that detects the attachment / detachment state of the hose and the intake port, and a control unit that controls the compression drive unit. It is configured to perform dust compression operation only when connected to the mouth, and the control means detects that the hose has been removed during the compression operation of the compression means.
When the means detects, the compression operation of the compression means is stopped , and even if a hand or a finger is inserted from the intake port from which the hose has been removed, the compression operation is not performed, so the user is injured. The dust collection capacity is increased by compressing the dust, and the disposal of the dust becomes easy.

Further, the first invention stops the compression operation when it is detected that the hose has been pulled out during the compression operation. If the hose is disconnected from the intake port during the compression operation, Even if a hand or finger is inserted from the mouth, the compression operation is not performed, so that the user is not injured and safety can be achieved.

In the second invention, particularly, when the hose is disconnected during the compression operation of the first invention and the hose is connected again while the compression operation is stopped, the compression operation is started from the state before the stop. Even if the hose is disconnected from the air inlet and accidentally inserts a hand or finger through the air inlet, the compression operation will not be performed, so the user will not be injured and safety will be ensured. In addition, the dust can be compressed as intended.

The third invention operates from the direction of compressing dust when the hose is connected again while the hose is pulled out and the compression operation is stopped, particularly during the compression operation of the first invention. Even if the hose is disconnected from the air inlet and accidentally inserts a hand or finger through the air inlet, the compression operation will not be performed, so the user will not be injured and safety will be ensured. In addition, the dust can be compressed as intended .

In particular, the fourth aspect of the invention is provided with notifying means for notifying the operating state of the compressing means of any one of the first to third aspects, and it is easy to determine whether the compression operation is being performed or stopped. It becomes possible to recognize it, and the convenience of the user can be improved.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an external perspective view of the electric vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a structural diagram of the main body of the vacuum cleaner.

  In FIG. 1, an electric blower 2 is housed in the cleaner body 1 to generate a suction force. One end of the hose 3 is detachably connected to the air inlet 13 provided in the front portion of the cleaner body 1, and the operation unit 4 operated by the user is provided at the other end of the hose 3. Further, a floor nozzle 6 is connected to the tip of the hose 3 via an extension pipe 5. Further, in the vacuum cleaner main body 1, a dust collecting container 8 described later and a control device 9 for controlling the operation of the electric vacuum cleaner are housed.

  Next, in FIG. 2, the dust collection container 8 is provided with a compression means 11 for compressing the collected dust. The dust collection container 8 is detachably housed in the cleaner body 1 and is configured to communicate with the removable hose 3 through the air inlet 13. The dust collection container 8 is covered with a lid 12. .

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a first control example of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the present embodiment.

  In FIG. 3, 22 is an operation switch for operating the cleaner body 1, and 23 is a stop switch for stopping the operation of the cleaner body 1, both of which are provided in the operation unit 4.

The control device 9 receives the signal from the operation switch 22 and starts the operation of the electric blower 2,
In response to the signal from the stop switch 23, the operation of the electric blower 2 is stopped. Reference numeral 24 denotes hose attachment / detachment detection means for detecting the attachment / detachment state of the hose 3 and the intake port 13 and outputting a detection signal to the control means 21.

  Here, as the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24, for example, a method of detecting a voltage level from a signal line connected through the hose 3 from the intake port 13 of the cleaner body 1 or presence / absence of the hose 3 at the intake port 13 is detected. There is a method of providing a switch.

  The compression drive means 25 receives a signal from the control device 9 and drives the compression means 11 provided in the dust collecting container 8. Here, as the compression driving means 25, for example, a motor (not shown) is driven to rotate forward / reversely, and the compression means 11 is operated in the direction of compressing dust during forward rotation and in the direction of releasing the compression operation during reverse rotation. is there.

  About the vacuum cleaner comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below using FIG. FIG. 4 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the first control example of the electric vacuum cleaner, and FIG. 5 is an operation chart supplementing the explanation of the operation of the first control example.

  4 and 5, when the user presses the operation switch 22 of the operation unit 4 (step 1), the electric blower 2 is activated (step 2), and the electric vacuum cleaner operates. The dust sucked from the floor nozzle 6 together with the air is collected in the dust collecting container 8 through the extension pipe 5 and the hose 3 and through the air inlet 13. When the user finishes cleaning and presses the stop switch 23 (step 3), the operation of the electric blower 2 is stopped (step 4).

  Subsequently, the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24 detects whether the hose 3 is connected to the intake port 13 and inputs a signal to the control device 9 (step 5). When the hose 3 is connected, the control device 9 drives the compression drive means 25 to operate the compression means 11. Here, first, the compression drive means 25 is driven forward (step 6), and the compression means 11 is operated in the compression direction (for example, for 2 seconds) to compress the dust collected in the dust collection container 8. . For example, the collected dust is compressed as shown in <State 1> to <State 3> in FIG.

  Next, the compression drive means 25 is temporarily stopped (step 7), and the compression drive means 25 is driven in reverse (step 8) to operate the compression means 11 in the opening direction (for example, for 2 seconds). For example, as shown in <State 3> to <State 5> in FIG. 5, the compression means 11 is operated in the opening direction to return to the origin position. Finally, the compression driving means 25 is stopped (step 9).

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the dust compression operation is performed only when the hose 3 is connected to the intake port 13, so that the hand or finger can be moved from the intake port 13 during the compression operation. Is not inserted, and safety can be ensured so that the user will not be injured.

  FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the second control example of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 7 is an operation chart for supplementing the explanation of the operation of the second control example.

  In FIG. 6, steps 1 to 4 in the present control example are the same as those in the first control example, and a description thereof will be omitted.

In step 5, the hose removal detection means 24 detects whether or not the hose 3 is connected to the intake port 13 and inputs a signal to the control device 9. When the hose 3 is connected, the control device 9 The compression driving means 25 is driven in the normal direction to operate the compression means 11 in the compression direction (step 11). While the compression drive means 25 is driven forward (for example, 2 seconds, step 12), the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24 detects whether or not the hose 3 is connected to the intake port 13 in step 5, When the hose 3 is pulled out, the control device 9 immediately stops the compression driving means 25 (step 13). For example, as shown in <State 2> in FIG. 7, the compression unit 11 is stopped.

  Similarly, after the forward drive of the compression drive means 25 is finished and stopped (step 14), the compression drive means 25 is driven in reverse (step 16), and the compression means 11 is operated in the opening direction. During the operation (for example, 2 seconds, step 17), in step 15, the hose removal detection means 24 detects whether or not the hose 3 is connected to the intake port 13, and when the hose 3 is removed, the control device 9 stops the compression driving means 25 (step 18).

  Therefore, even if the hose 3 is pulled out, the compression operation by the compression drive means 25 is stopped. Therefore, even if a hand or a finger is inserted from the air inlet 13, safety is ensured so that the user will not be injured. be able to.

  FIG. 8 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the third control example of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 9 is an operation chart for supplementing the explanation of the operation of the third control example.

  In FIG. 8, steps 1 to 19 in the present control example are the same as those in the second control example, and a description thereof will be omitted. After stopping the compression drive means 25 in step 13, the hose removal detection means 24 detects again whether the hose 3 is connected to the inlet 13 (step 21) and confirms that the hose 3 is connected. If it detects, it will return to step 11 and will drive the compression drive means 25 forward, and will continue the operation | movement before a stop. For example, when the operation is continued from the state indicated by <state 2> in FIG. 9, the control is continued until the compression driving means 25 is driven to rotate forward in step 11 until the compression driving means 25 is stopped in step 19. .

  Similarly, after stopping the compression drive means 25 in step 18, the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24 detects again whether the hose 3 is connected to the inlet 13 (step 22), and the hose 3 is connected. If this is detected, the process returns to step 16 to drive the compression driving means 25 in the reverse direction, and the operation before the stop is continued.

  Therefore, in the unlikely event that the hose 3 is removed from the air inlet 13 and a hand or finger is inserted through the air inlet 13, safety can be ensured so that the user will not be injured, and dust can be compressed as intended. .

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the fourth control example of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 11 is an operation chart for supplementing the explanation of the operation of the fourth control example.

  In FIG. 10, steps 1 to 19 in the present control example are the same as those in the second control example, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  After stopping the compression drive means 25 in step 13, the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24 detects again whether the hose 3 is connected to the inlet 13 (step 23) and confirms that the hose 3 is connected. If detected, the process returns to step 11 to drive the compression drive means 25 in the normal direction to operate the compression means 11 in the compression direction, and the control is continued.

  Similarly, after stopping the compression drive means 25 in step 18, the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24 detects again whether the hose 3 is connected to the intake port 13 (step 24), and the hose 3 is connected. If it is detected, the control returns to step 11 to drive the compression drive means 25 in the normal direction and operate the compression means 11 in the compression direction to continue the control.

  For example, when the operation is continued from the state indicated by <state 4> in FIG. 11, the control is continued because the compression drive unit 25 is driven to rotate forward in step 11 and the compression unit 11 is operated in the compression direction.

  Therefore, in the unlikely event that the hose 3 is removed from the air inlet 13 and a hand or finger is inserted through the air inlet 13, safety can be ensured so that the user will not be injured, and dust can be compressed as intended. .

  FIG. 12 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the fifth control example of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 13 is an operation chart for supplementing the explanation of the operation of the fifth control example.

  In FIG. 12, steps 1 to 4 in this control example are the same as those in the first control example, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

  In step 5, the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24 detects whether the hose 3 is connected to the inlet 13 and inputs a signal to the control means 21, and if the hose 3 is connected, the control device 9 Then, the compression drive means 25 is driven in the normal direction to operate the compression means 11 in the compression direction (step 11). While the compression drive means 25 is driven forward (for example, 2 seconds, step 12), in step 5, the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24 detects whether the hose 3 is connected to the inlet 13 and the hose. When 3 is removed, the control device 9 drives the compression drive means 25 in the reverse direction by driving the compression drive means 25 in the reverse direction (step 25). For example, as shown from <state 14> to <state 15> in FIG. 13, the compression means 11 is operated in the opening direction and stopped at the origin position.

  Therefore, even if the hose 3 is pulled out, the compression means 11 operates in the opening direction. Therefore, even if a user's hand or finger is inserted from the air inlet 13, it is safe to prevent being caught and injured. be able to. After that, even if the user presses the operation switch 22 to operate the vacuum cleaner, there is no problem that the compression means 11 interferes with suction.

  FIG. 14 is a flowchart for explaining the operation of the sixth control example of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 15 is an operation chart for supplementing the explanation of the operation of the sixth control example.

  In FIG. 14, steps 1 to 25 in the present control example are the same as those in the fifth control example, and a description thereof is omitted. After the compression drive means 25 is driven in reverse at step 25 to return the compression means 11 to the origin position, the hose attachment / detachment detection means 24 detects again whether or not the hose 3 is connected to the intake port 13 (step 26). ), When it is detected that the hose 3 is connected, the process returns to step 11 to drive the compression driving means 25 in the normal direction to continue the operation.

  For example, from the state shown in <State 21> in FIG. 15 to <State 25>, the compression driving means 25 is driven to rotate forward in Step 11, and the control is continued until the compression driving means 25 is stopped in Step 9.

  Therefore, in the unlikely event that the hose 3 is removed from the air inlet 13, even if a user's hand or finger is inserted through the air inlet 13, safety is ensured so as not to be injured and the dust is compressed as intended. be able to.

As shown in FIG. 16, for example, the cleaner body 1 is provided with a notification means 26 constituted by LEDs, and the fact that the compression drive means 25 is operating is indicated by the lighting of the “compression operation” LED, and the hose 3. The user can easily know the operating state of the compression drive means 25 by indicating that the dust removal operation has been stopped due to an abnormality, such as when the compression operation is interrupted due to the removal of the LED, by indicating that the “protection stop” LED is lit. It is possible to improve the usability of the vacuum cleaner. The notification means is not limited to the LED, but may be a display by liquid crystal or a sound.

  As described above, the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention takes safety into consideration for unsafe use by users, and is particularly useful for various vacuum cleaners for home use, business use, store use, and the like.

External appearance perspective view of the electric vacuum cleaner in Embodiment 1 of this invention Structure of the vacuum cleaner body of the vacuum cleaner The block diagram which shows the 1st control example of the same vacuum cleaner Flow chart for explaining the operation of the first control example Operation chart supplementing the operation explanation of the first control example The flowchart explaining operation | movement of the 2nd control example of the same vacuum cleaner. Operation chart supplementing the operation explanation of the second control example The flowchart explaining operation | movement of the 3rd control example of the same vacuum cleaner. Operation chart supplementing the operation explanation of the third control example The flowchart explaining operation | movement of the 4th control example of the same vacuum cleaner. Operation chart supplementing the operation explanation of the fourth control example The flowchart explaining operation | movement of the 5th control example of the same vacuum cleaner. Operation chart supplementing the operation explanation of the fifth control example The flowchart explaining operation | movement of the 6th control example of the same vacuum cleaner. Operation chart supplementing the operation explanation of the sixth control example Schematic of notification means showing another example of a vacuum cleaner

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum cleaner main body 2 Electric blower 3 Hose 4 Operation part 5 Extension pipe 6 Floor nozzle 8 Dust collection container 9 Control apparatus 11 Compression means 12 Lid 13 Inlet 22 Operation switch 23 Stop switch 24 Hose removal detection means 25 Compression drive means 26 Information means

Claims (4)

A dust collecting container for collecting dust, a compressing means for compressing the dust disposed and collected in the dust collecting container, a compression driving means for driving the compressing means, and a suction port of the vacuum cleaner main body. A hose to be connected; hose attachment / detachment detection means for detecting the attachment / detachment state of the hose and the intake port; and control means for controlling the compression drive means , wherein the hose is connected to the intake port. It is configured to perform dust compression operation only in the state, and when the hose removal detection unit detects that the hose has been pulled out during the compression operation of the compression unit, the control unit A vacuum cleaner characterized by stopping the compression operation of the means . During the compression operation, the hose is pulled out, while the compression operation is stopped, when the hose is connected again, according to claim 1, characterized in that to continue the compression operation from the previous stopped state Electric vacuum cleaner. During the compression operation, the hose is pulled out, while the compression operation is stopped, when the hose is connected again, according to claim 1, characterized in that to continue to operate in a direction to compress the dust Electric vacuum cleaner. The electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , further comprising notification means for notifying an operating state of the compression means.

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