JP5517331B2 - Hose for vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a flexible hose made of a synthetic resin excellent in flexibility, and more particularly to a hose for a vacuum cleaner used in a vacuum cleaner.

As a vacuum cleaner hose (so-called cleaner hose) connected between the main body of the vacuum cleaner and the hand operation unit, ones that take into account the flexibility, crush resistance, ventilation resistance and the like of the hose are known.

For example, in Patent Document 1, a suction hose (cleaner hose) whose one end side is connected to the hand operating unit and the other end side is connected to the cleaner body side, a downward side edge 991 on one side edge, and an upward side on the other side edge. A strip of soft material having a substantially S-shaped cross section having side edges 992 is spirally wound while polymerizing adjacent side edges, and the both side edges are joined to form a corrugated wave shape. And forming an inner peripheral surface substantially smooth by projecting an extended portion 993 projecting along the axial direction of the hose from the bottom portion of the upward side edge portion to a free end state (see FIG. 7). According to such cleaner hoses, the soft synthetic resin itself keeps the shape of the hose, and even if it is accidentally stepped on with a foot, it can be temporarily deformed and restored to its original shape. In addition to not having the advantage, the suction hose Since the wall surface is maintained substantially smooth state, ventilation resistance small things like dust and dirt clogging is disclosed to be prevented.

JP 10-43102 A

However, even in a cleaner hose having an extension on the inner peripheral surface of the hose as disclosed in Patent Document 1, it is difficult to improve all of the flexibility, crush resistance and ventilation resistance of the hose. It has been found.

That is, in terms of flexibility and crush resistance, when the tube wall of the hose expands and contracts, the inner periphery 994 of the substantially S-shaped cross section of the strip needs to move so as to ride on the extension 993. For this reason, it has been found that the flexibility of the hose is easily impaired as compared with a hose without an extension. Although it is conceivable to reduce the hardness of the resin material constituting the strip to compensate for flexibility, the resistance to crushing is reduced, so that it is difficult to achieve both flexibility and crush resistance.

In terms of ventilation resistance, when the hose tube wall expands and contracts, particularly when the hose is bent, the inner peripheral portion 994 of the substantially S-shaped cross section of the strip runs on the extension portion 993 at the inner side of the hose. In order to move and push the extension part 993 toward the inner side of the hose, it has been found that the extension part 993 protrudes into the hose and may deteriorate the ventilation resistance of the hose (FIG. 8).

Thus, even if it is a cleaner hose which provided the extension part 993 which smooth | blunts the hose inner peripheral surface as disclosed by patent document 1, all of the flexibility, crush resistance, and ventilation resistance It is still difficult to improve the performance at the same time, and there is a need for a vacuum cleaner hose that can improve all of these performances.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner hose that is excellent in flexibility and crush resistance and has low ventilation resistance.

As a result of intensive studies, the inventor forms the rising portion between the inner peripheral portion and the outer peripheral portion in a substantially S-shaped section of the strip constituting the hose pipe wall, thereby solving the above problem. As a result, the present invention has been completed.

The present invention spirals a strip made of a synthetic resin material having a substantially S-shaped portion in which an inward side edge portion, an outer peripheral portion, a rising portion, an inner peripheral portion and an outward side edge portion are connected in a cross section. The inward side edges and the outward side edges adjacent to each other of the strip are overlapped and joined together to form an uneven corrugated tube wall, and the inner peripheral part and the outward side An electric vacuum cleaner hose having an extension projecting along the hose axial direction and having a substantially smooth hose inner peripheral surface from the connecting portion of the edge , wherein the inward side edge and the outer side It is a hose for a vacuum cleaner in which the facing side edge portion is formed in a linear shape and the rising portion is formed in a bent shape.

In the present invention, the rising portion is convex toward the opposite side of the direction in which the extending portion protrudes, and the first bent portion formed in a protruding manner in the direction in which the extending portion protrudes. It is configured to bent shape and a second bent portion formed in (claim 1).

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the flexible hose which can make ventilation resistance low, improving flexibility and crushing resistance as a hose for vacuum cleaners is obtained.

It is a figure which shows the structure of a vacuum cleaner. It is a fragmentary sectional view which shows 1st Embodiment of the hose for vacuum cleaners of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the pipe wall part structure of the hose of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the cross-sectional shape of the strip for forming the hose of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the bending state of the hose of 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the cross-sectional shape of the strip for forming the hose in other embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the tube wall part structure of the hose for conventional vacuum cleaners. It is sectional drawing which shows the deformation | transformation state at the time of the bending of the hose for conventional vacuum cleaners.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of a hose for a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall appearance of a vacuum cleaner, FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of a flexible hose according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of a hose wall portion of the hose shown in FIG.

In FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner hose A is a flexible hose made of a synthetic resin material, and one end of the hose A is connected to an intake port provided in the vacuum cleaner body 10 via a connection pipe 11. The other end is connected to the hand operation unit 12, and the extension pipe 13 and then the floor nozzle 14 are connected to the hand operation unit 12 to constitute a vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional structure of a vacuum cleaner hose (hereinafter simply referred to as a hose) A according to the first embodiment. The hose A is a synthetic resin strip T having a cross section shown in FIG. Is formed by spirally winding. In FIG. 3, the expanded sectional view of the wall surface part of the hose A is shown.

The strip T is manufactured by extrusion molding so as to have a cross section shown in FIG. 4 using a relatively soft synthetic resin material such as a polyolefin resin, for example. Examples of the polyolefin resin include polypropylene resin (PP), polyethylene resin (PE), and ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer resin (EVA).

In manufacturing the hose for a vacuum cleaner of the present invention, the strip T extruded in a semi-molten state from the extruder is cooled and its cross-sectional shape is fixed, and then the periphery of the guide shaft of the hose manufacturing apparatus (not shown) Is spirally wound. The strip T is wound so that the inward side edge 201 is positioned in the recess 207 of the strip that has been wound in advance, and the inward side edge 201 and the outward side edge that are adjacent to each other and overlapped with each other By filling and adhering the adhesive 30 between the portions 205, the flexible hose A having a corrugated wave-shaped tube wall is manufactured by being joined and integrated.

The adhesive 30 is a hot-melt adhesive made of the same polyolefin resin as the strip T, and it is desirable to use an adhesive whose hardness is higher than that of the strip T. The material of the strip T and the adhesive 30 may be the same, but preferably, for example, when the strip T is EVA having a Shore hardness D35, the adhesive 30 has a Shore hardness D60 or a hardness close thereto. A high density polyethylene resin (HDPE) is used.

The cross-sectional shape of the tube wall of the hose A and the strip T will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the strip T has a substantially S-shaped portion (hereinafter referred to as a substantially S-shaped portion) in its cross section. At both ends of the substantially S-shaped portion, there are an inward side edge 201 and an outward side edge 205 that overlap each other when the strip T is wound spirally and are bonded and integrated by the adhesive 30. (In FIG.3 and FIG.4, the upper side of a figure respond | corresponds to the outer side of a hose, and the lower side of a figure respond | corresponds to the inner side of a hose. It is the same also in FIGS. 5-8). Between the inward side edge 201 and the outward side edge 205 provided at both ends of the substantially S-shaped part, a part constituting the hose inner peripheral surface side when wound (hereinafter referred to as inner peripheral part) 204, a portion (hereinafter referred to as an outer peripheral portion) 202 that constitutes the hose outer peripheral surface side when wound, and a rising portion 203 between the inner peripheral portion 204 and the outer peripheral portion 202 are provided. The cross sections of the inner peripheral portion 204 and the outer peripheral portion 202 are provided substantially parallel to the central axis of the hose, and the inner peripheral portion 204 is disposed closer to the hose central axis than the outer peripheral portion 202 and is wound. The The inward side edge portion 201 and the outward side edge portion 205 are provided such that their cross sections form a predetermined angle (desirably, an angle of 45 degrees to 90 degrees) with respect to the hose center axis. Further, the rising portion 203 has a first bent portion 203a bent in an arc shape so as to be convex toward the outer space of the hose (toward the right in FIG. 4), and toward the inner space of the hose ( In FIG. 4, a bent shape is formed by the second bent portion 203b bent in an arc shape so as to be convex (toward the left). That is, in the present embodiment, the substantially S-shaped portion of the strip T includes the inward side edge portion 201, the outer peripheral portion 202, and the rising portion 203 (the rising portion 203 is formed by the first bent portion 203a and the second bent portion 203b. A concave-convex corrugated hose that is formed by connecting an inner peripheral portion 204 and an outward side edge portion 205 continuously, and that defines an internal space of the hose from an external space by a substantially S-shaped portion. A tube wall is constructed.

Further, the strip T is provided with an extension 206. The extension portion 206 is a portion projecting along the hose axis direction so as to extend the inner periphery portion 204 from the connection portion 204a to which the inner periphery portion 204 and the outward side edge portion 205 are connected. By arranging the portion 206 on the inner peripheral surface side of the hose, a concave groove portion on the inner peripheral surface side of the hose inner peripheral surface side of the corrugated corrugated hose tube wall constituted by the S-shaped portion of the strip (that is, from the inside of the hose) A spiral space (A1) formed between adjacent inner peripheral portions 204, 204 as viewed) is closed, and the inner peripheral surface of the hose is configured to be substantially smooth. Here, the inner peripheral surface of the inner peripheral portion 204 of the strip T is lightly brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the extension portion 206 of the previously wound strip, and the tip end portion of the extension portion 206 is The inner peripheral surface of the hose A is substantially smooth without significantly rising from the peripheral portion 204. Further, the extension portion 206 and the inner peripheral portion 204 of the adjacent strips are slidable with each other in a non-bonded state so that the extension portion 206 does not hinder expansion and contraction of the corrugated hose tube wall. Has been. The length of the extension portion 206 is preferably set to such a length that the tip end portion of the extension portion 206 is not detached from the inner peripheral portion 204 even when the hose tube wall is stretched in the hose axial direction.

The extension 206 protrudes in a certain direction (on the right side in FIG. 3) over the entire length of the hose, but when connected to the vacuum cleaner, it extends from the upstream side to the downstream side of the air flow flowing in the hose. From the viewpoint of reducing the ventilation resistance, it is preferable to connect and use the extension portion 206 so as to protrude in the direction toward the front.

The function and effect of the present invention will be described.
According to the vacuum cleaner hose A of the above embodiment, the extension 206 is disposed along the hose axis on the inner peripheral surface side of the hose, thereby forming a concavo-convex wave shape formed of an S-shaped portion of the strip. As a result, the concave groove portion A1 on the hose inner peripheral surface side of the hose tube wall is closed, and the hose inner peripheral surface has a substantially smooth configuration, and the ventilation resistance of the hose is effectively reduced.

In addition, since the rising portion 203 connecting the inner peripheral portion 204 and the outer peripheral portion 202 of the strip T constituting the hose pipe wall has a bent shape, the rigidity of the rising portion 203 in the hose radial direction can be reduced, The inner peripheral portion 204 is allowed to be displaced in the hose radial direction. As a result, when the hose expands / contracts or bends, the resistance that the inner peripheral portion 204 rides on the extension portion 206 is reduced particularly in the portion where the hose tube wall is deformed and the hose flexibility is improved. Become. That is, the adverse effect of the extension portion that tends to deteriorate the flexibility can be reduced, and the flexibility of the hose can be maintained well.

Further, when the hose expands or contracts or bends, the force that the inner peripheral portion 204 presses the extension 206 toward the inner side of the hose is reduced particularly in a portion where the hose tube wall is deformed. Is prevented and prevented from protruding inside the hose. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, even when the hose is bent, it is prevented that the extension portion 206 protrudes into the hose and narrows the flow path (in FIG. 5, the hose is hose bent at the inside of the hose). It shows a deformed shape in a state where the tube wall is contracted), and the ventilation resistance can be kept low.

Moreover, according to this embodiment, it turned out that the crushing resistance of a hose is also improved surprisingly. Although the cause of the improvement of the crushing resistance of the hose is not necessarily clear, the result is that the buckling strength of the hose pipe wall in the hose circumferential direction is improved due to the rising portion 203 of the strip T being bent. It is estimated to be.

As mentioned above, according to the said embodiment, the hose provided with the flexibility suitable for a vacuum cleaner hose, crush resistance, and ventilation resistance can be provided.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and can be implemented with various modifications. Other embodiments of the present invention will be described below. However, in the following description, parts different from the above embodiment will be mainly described, and the same parts will be denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted. To do.

FIG. 6 shows a modified example of the rising portion 203 (that is, the first bent portion 203a and the second bent portion 203b) of the strip T and the extension portion 206. In the example of the strip T2 shown in FIG. 6A, the rising portion 209 that connects the inner peripheral portion 204 and the outer peripheral portion 202 protrudes in a triangular shape toward the hose outer space side. The bent portion 209a and the second bent portion 209b protruding in a triangular shape toward the hose internal space are formed into a zigzag-shaped (lightning bolt) bent shape. As in the present embodiment, the bent portion shape of the rising portion may be a bent shape that allows relative displacement of the inner peripheral portion 204 and the outer peripheral portion 202 in the hose radial direction, and is circular as in the first embodiment. It may be bent in an arc shape or may be bent in an acute angle as in the second embodiment. As yet another bent form of the rising portion, the first bent portion provided so as to bulge (offset) toward the hose external space side, as shown by the strip T3 in FIG. 6B. A bent shape constituted by 208e and a second bent portion 208f provided so as to bulge toward the inner space of the hose (offset to the opposite side) can be exemplified, and the form of such a rising portion is also Moreover, the same effect as 1st Embodiment is exhibited.

Further, the form of the rising portion 203 of the strip T is not limited to a shape having two bends, a first bend portion and a second bend portion, and the hose radial direction of the inner periphery portion 204 and the outer periphery portion 202 is not limited. As long as the shape is bent so as to allow relative displacement, the number of bent portions may be one, or may be three or more. In particular, when the rising portion has two bent portions of the first bent portion and the second bent portion as in the above embodiment, a series of strip sections can be saved from the outer peripheral portion 202 to the inner peripheral portion 204 in a space-saving manner. While forming, it is more preferable because the rigidity of the rising portion 203 in the hose radial direction can be effectively reduced. From the viewpoint of allowing relative displacement in the hose radial direction between the inner peripheral portion 204 and the outer peripheral portion 202, the thickness of the rising portion 203 portion is thinner than the thickness of the other portions of the strip T. It is preferable.

Further, the shape of the extension portion 206 of the strip T may be a shape such that the thickness of the extension portion decreases toward the tip of the extension portion 206 as shown in FIG. 4 as the first embodiment. However, as shown in the strip T3 of the third embodiment in FIG. 6 (b), the extension 210 may have a constant thickness over the entire extension. From the viewpoint of reducing ventilation resistance, as shown in the first embodiment, the shape of the extension portion is such that the thickness of the extension portion decreases toward the tip of the extension portion in that the hose inner peripheral surface can be smoothed. It is preferable.

About the form which joins the adjacent side edge part of the strip T wound spirally, and integrates it as a tube wall, as demonstrated in the said embodiment, the inward side edge part 201 and the outward side edge part 205 is preferably bonded with an adhesive 30 and bonded, but a method such as heat fusion may also be used. As the adhesive, in addition to the hot-melt adhesive as described above, a solvent-based adhesive can be used corresponding to the resin material constituting the strip, or the same kind of material as the strip can be used. It can also be melted and used as an adhesive. When an adhesive is used, a protrusion that serves as a weir on the surface of the inward side edge 201 or the outward side edge 205 in order to keep the adhesive before solidification within a predetermined adhesion region. Is preferably provided.

Moreover, it is preferable to make the hardness of the adhesive 30 higher than the hardness of the synthetic resin material constituting the strip T, so that the adhesive 30 having a relatively high hardness is made of a resin material having a relatively low hardness. It functions as a reinforcing member for the strip T and can prevent the hose from collapsing without impairing the flexibility of the hose A itself.

The hose for a vacuum cleaner of the present invention can be suitably used for a household or business vacuum cleaner by taking advantage of its flexibility, and has high industrial utility value.

A electric vacuum cleaner hose T synthetic resin strip 201 inward side edge portion 202 outer peripheral portion 203 rising portion 203a first bent portion 203b second bent portion 204 inner peripheral portion 205 outward side edge portion 206 extended portion 30 adhesive

Claims (1)

In the cross section, a strip made of a synthetic resin material having a substantially S-shaped portion in which an inward side edge portion, an outer peripheral portion, a rising portion, an inner peripheral portion and an outward side edge portion are connected in a spiral manner is wound. In addition, the inward side edge and the outward side edge adjacent to each other in the strip are overlapped and joined and integrated to form an uneven corrugated tube wall,
From the connection part of the inner peripheral part and the outward side edge part, it is a hose for a vacuum cleaner in which an extension part protrudes along the hose axial direction and the inner peripheral surface of the hose is substantially smooth,
The inward side edge and the outward side edge are linearly shaped,
The rising portion has a first bent portion that is convex toward the direction in which the extension portion protrudes, and a second bend in which the rising portion is convex toward the side opposite to the direction in which the extension portion protrudes. A vacuum cleaner hose having a bent shape.

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