JP7340503B2 - Vacuum cleaner suction body and vacuum cleaner equipped with the same - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a suction body for a vacuum cleaner and a vacuum cleaner equipped with the same.

In the suction mouth of a vacuum cleaner equipped with a rotating brush, in order to clean the rotating brush, the user can remove the cover member (bearing cover) of the rotating brush and remove the rotating brush from the suction body. For example, methods for removing the cover member include a method in which a lever is provided and operated, and a method in which a coin is used.

JP 2020-110472 Publication

However, with respect to the suction port described in Patent Document 1, there was a problem in that it was desired to reduce the number of parts to reduce the weight and improve the ease of assembly.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and aims to provide a vacuum cleaner suction body that can be made lighter and easier to assemble, and a vacuum cleaner equipped with the same. do.

The present invention includes a rotary cleaning body that cleans a surface to be cleaned, a case that pivotally supports and accommodates one end of the rotary cleaning body, and a bearing cover that is attached to the case and holds the other end of the rotary cleaning body. , the bearing cover includes a concave portion cut out in a concave shape toward the outside in the width direction, a flexible portion formed integrally with the concave portion and capable of being flexibly deformed , and a claw portion formed on the flexible portion. and the bearing cover is inserted into the case, the flexible portion is flexibly deformed, and the claw portion is fitted into a fitting hole formed in the case, so that the rotating cleaning body is inserted into the case. an airtight maintenance member is provided on the bottom surface of the bearing cover, and the rear part of the airtightness maintenance member is located inside the recess in the axial direction of the rotary cleaning body. It is characterized by the presence of

Advantageous Effects of Invention According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a suction body for a vacuum cleaner that can reduce weight and improve assemblability, and a vacuum cleaner equipped with the same.

It is a side view showing an example of the vacuum cleaner to which the suction body of this embodiment is applied. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece viewed from above. It is a front view of a mouthpiece. It is a perspective view when a mouthpiece body is seen from the bottom side. FIG. 3 is a top view showing a state in which the upper case is removed from the mouthpiece. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper case is removed from the mouthpiece. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 3 is a top view of the unit cover. It is a perspective view when a unit cover is seen from inside. 9 is a sectional view taken along line XX in FIG. 8. FIG. It is a perspective view when a unit cover is seen from the outside. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the unit cover. FIG. 3 is a top view of the lower case. It is a perspective view showing an LED cover. It is a front view of an LED cover. It is a top view of an LED cover. 16 is a sectional view taken along the line XVII-XVII in FIG. 15. FIG. It is a perspective view showing a bearing cover. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the inside of the bearing cover. FIG. 3 is a side view of the bearing cover. 21 is a sectional view taken along the line XXI-XXI in FIG. 20. FIG. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the bearing cover. It is a side view which shows the case where the sensor lever of a mouthpiece body is ON. It is a side view which shows the case where the sensor lever of a mouthpiece body is OFF. It is a bottom view showing arrangement of a sensor lever. It is a sectional view showing the structure of a joint part, and showing the state where a joint part stands up. It is a sectional view showing the structure of a joint part, and showing the state where a joint part fell down. It is a perspective view showing a sensor lever. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the sensor lever of the mouthpiece body is switched on. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view when the mouthpiece is turned upside down. It is a perspective view of a joint part. It is a side view of a joint part. FIG. 7 is a top view showing a state in which the joint portion is attached to the lower case. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXIV-XXXIV in FIG. 3. FIG. FIG. 3 is a top view showing the inside of the lower case. It is a front view of a joint part. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the back side of the upper case. FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the mouthpiece. 6 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXIX-XXXIX in FIG. 5. FIG.

Embodiments according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing an example of a vacuum cleaner to which the mouthpiece of this embodiment is applied.
As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner 1000 can be used in various ways for cleaning, such as a handy state or a stick state.

Further, the vacuum cleaner 1000 is of a cyclone type and includes a vacuum cleaner main body 1, a dust case (dust collector) 2, and a rechargeable battery 3.

The vacuum cleaner main body 1 includes a main body part 10, a motor case part 11, and a handle part 12. The motor case portion 11 accommodates an electric blower (not shown) that generates suction force. The handle portion 12 is provided with an operation switch SW for switching the suction force.

One end of the extension tube 300 is connected to a connection port of the cleaner body 1 so as to communicate with the dust case 2 of the cleaner body 1. Further, the other end of the extension tube 300 is connected to the mouthpiece body 400. Further, the extension tube 300 has a ventilation path (not shown) formed therein, and is provided with wiring (not shown) for electrically connecting the rechargeable battery 3 and a brush motor (not shown) of the mouthpiece 400.

Note that the vacuum cleaner 1000 is not limited to the illustrated stick type vacuum cleaner, but can also be applied to power cord type or cordless type vacuum cleaners such as handheld type vacuum cleaners and canister (cylinder type) vacuum cleaners. can do.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece viewed from above.
As shown in FIG. 2, the suction body 400 is of a power brush type in which a brush is rotated by a motor, and includes a suction body 20 and a joint portion 30 rotatably connected to the suction body 20. It is composed of

The mouthpiece body 20 is constructed by combining a lower case 21, an upper case 22, and a unit cover 23. The lower case 21, the upper case 22, and the unit cover 23 are all made of synthetic resin material. For example, the lower case 21 and the upper case 22 are made of ABS resin or the like. The unit cover 23 is made of resin such as glass-filled nylon that is harder than ABS resin. Further, the lower case 21 is provided with a bumper portion 24 . This bumper portion 24 is made of elastomer resin and is constructed by double molding with the lower case 21.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the mouthpiece. Note that FIG. 3 shows the mouthpiece body 400 in the state shown in FIG. 2 viewed from the front.
As shown in FIG. 3, the bumper portion 24 is provided on the front side of the lower case 21 and is formed to extend in the width direction (horizontal direction). Moreover, the lower part of the bumper part 24 is formed shorter than the width dimension of the mouthpiece body 20. Further, the right end of the upper part of the bumper section 24 extends to the right end of the lower case 21, and the left end extends to the unit cover 23.

In the mouthpiece body 20, an upper case 22 is formed shorter than a lower case 21 in the left-right direction (width direction). In other words, the mouthpiece body 20 is configured such that a portion of the lower case 21 protrudes from the right end of the upper case 22 and the unit cover 23 protrudes from the left end of the upper case 22.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the mouthpiece viewed from the bottom side.
As shown in FIG. 4, the suction body 400 includes a rotating brush (rotating cleaning body) 40 and a bearing cover 50. Note that details of the bearing cover 50 will be described later.

The rotating brush 40 is arranged along the left-right direction (width direction) of the mouthpiece body 20 and is rotatably supported within the brush chamber Q. Further, the rotating brush 40 is continuously provided from one end side of the mouthpiece body 20 in the left-right direction (in the axial direction of the rotating brush 40) to the other end side.

Further, the rotating brush 40 includes a plurality of types of brushes such as brushes having different hardnesses, heights, etc., and each brush is arranged in a spiral shape.

The joint part 30 is connected to an extension tube 300 (see FIG. 1) and used in a stick state, or directly connected to the vacuum cleaner main body 1 and used in a handy state. Further, the joint portion 30 includes a straight pipe portion 31, a rotary joint portion 32, and a rotary cover 33.

Further, the lower case 21 has leg portions 25 formed on the back surface of the lower case 21 . The leg portion 25 is molded integrally with the lower case 21 using resin. Further, the leg portion 25 has extending portions 25a, 25a extending rearward from the vicinity of both left and right sides of the rotation joint portion 32, and a connecting portion 25b connecting the rear ends of the extending portion 25a, and has a flat surface. It is configured to have a U-shape when viewed. Further, a wheel 25c is rotatably supported by the connecting portion 25b.

Further, the lower case 21 is provided with a brush 120 having a shape that follows the rotating brush 40 behind the rotating brush 40 . Providing such a brush 120 prevents dust scraped in from the front by the rotating brush 40 from flying out to the rear. Further, the brush 120 has a rotation axis (not shown) parallel to the rotating brush 40, and is configured to rotate in the front-rear direction.

FIG. 5 is a top view showing a state in which the upper case is removed from the mouthpiece. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the upper case is removed from the mouthpiece.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the lower case 21 houses an LED board 60 (wiring board) on which a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) 61, 61 as light emitting elements are mounted. In front of this LED board 60, a protection member 62 (a member that integrally forms a flow path forming member and a protective cover) that protects the LED 61 is provided. Further, the protection member 62 is configured to be exposed to the outside through a notch 22a (see FIG. 3) formed in the upper case 22.

Furthermore, a flow path portion 64 (a member forming a flow path) that constitutes a part of the flow path communicating with the joint portion 30 is integrally formed on the protection member 62 at the rear of the LED board 60 .

Furthermore, an electric motor 70 serving as a drive source for driving the rotating brush 40 is arranged in the lower case 21 . The electric motor 70 is located at one end (left side) in the left-right direction. Further, a control board 80 that controls the rotating brush 40 is arranged in the lower case 21 on the opposite side of the electric motor 70 in the left-right direction.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VII-VII in FIG. 3. Note that FIG. 7 shows a state in which the joint portion 30 is raised halfway.
As shown in FIG. 7, the straight pipe part 31 of the joint part 30 is formed to extend substantially linearly, and a curved part 31a that is formed to bulge outward is formed at the tip. Furthermore, a terminal portion 34 is formed in the straight tube portion 31 and is electrically connected to an electric motor 70 that drives the rotating brush 40 .

A curved surface portion 32a having a shape along the outer surface 33b of the rotation cover 33 is formed in the rotation joint portion 32. The rotating cover 33 is arranged so as to be sandwiched between the straight pipe portion 31 and the rotating joint 32. Further, the inner surface 33a of the rotating cover 33 slides on the curved surface portion 31a of the straight tube portion 31. The outer surface 33b of the rotary cover 33 slides on the curved surface portion 32a of the rotary joint portion 32.

FIG. 8 is a top view of the unit cover. Note that FIG. 8 shows a state in which the electric motor 70 is attached to the unit cover 23.
As shown in FIG. 8, the unit cover 23 is constructed as a separate component from the lower case 21 and the upper case 22, and forms part of the outer shell of the mouthpiece body 20 (see FIG. 2). In other words, the unit cover 23 is configured to be exposed to the outside of the mouthpiece body 20.

Further, the unit cover 23 is formed with a motor fixing portion 23a to which the electric motor 70 is fixed.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the unit cover viewed from inside.
As shown in FIG. 9, in the unit cover 23, an electric motor 70 is fixed to a motor fixing part 23a at the rear, and a clutch 71 is rotatably supported in front of the electric motor 70. The clutch 71 is a connection portion to which the rotating brush 40 (see FIG. 4) is connected. Further, the clutch 71 is formed into a cup shape, and a plurality of protrusions 71b that fit with the rotating brush 40 (see FIG. 4) are formed on the inside at intervals in the circumferential direction.

The reason why the electric motor 70 and clutch 71 are attached to the unit cover 23 in this way is that the distance between the shafts can be stabilized. The unit cover 23 is made of a stable and hard material such as glass-filled nylon, as described above. What is important for the suction body 400 is the distance between the axis of the electric motor 70 and the axis of the clutch 71 (inter-axis distance). If this distance is not stable, the distance may become closer or farther due to variations in parts. The way the belt is tightened will also change. As a result, the level of noise varies depending on the product, and the rotation becomes unstable. Therefore, in this embodiment, the unit cover 23 made of a hard material is used as a means for fixing the electric motor 70 and the clutch 71.

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken along the line XX in FIG. 8.
As shown in FIG. 10, the rotating shaft 70a of the electric motor 70 is provided with a small diameter pulley (driver pulley) 72 on the electric motor side. The rotating shaft 71a of the clutch 71 is provided with a large-diameter pulley (rotating cleaning element pulley) 73 on the brush side. A toothed belt (drive belt) 74 is stretched between the small diameter pulley 72 and the large diameter pulley 73. Further, the unit cover 23 is provided with a tension pulley 75 for increasing the winding angle of the toothed belt 74.

After the small-diameter pulley 72, large-diameter pulley 73, toothed belt 74, and tension pulley 75 are assembled into the unit cover 23, a brush driving electric motor 70 is attached and assembled into the lower case 21. Further, a clutch 71 (see FIG. 9) is fixed to the large diameter pulley 73.

As a result, when the electric motor 70 is driven, driving force is transmitted from the small diameter pulley 72 to the large diameter pulley 73, and the clutch 71 is rotated. Since the rotating brush 40 and the projection 71b of the clutch 71 are fitted, the rotating brush 40 rotates together, and the rotating brush 40 can be attached to and detached from the clutch 71.

Further, FIG. 10 shows the vertical distance L1 and the longitudinal distance L2 between the rotation shaft 70a of the small diameter pulley 72 and the rotation shaft 71a of the large diameter pulley 73. In this embodiment, the rotating shaft 70a of the electric motor 70 and the rotating shaft 71a of the clutch 71 are integrally held by the unit cover 23. Since it is attached to the lower case 21 in this state, errors in the interaxial distances L1 and L2 between the small diameter pulley 72 and the large diameter pulley 73 and assembly variations can be reduced.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the unit cover viewed from the outside.
As shown in FIG. 11, the unit cover 23 has a side surface 23b constituting the outer side surface of the mouthpiece body 20 (see FIG. 2), a front surface 23c constituting the outer front surface, and an upper surface 23d constituting the outer upper surface. Moreover, a notch 23e that does not constitute an outer shell is formed between the front surface 23c and the upper surface 23d. The left end portion of the lower case 21 fits into this notch 23e.

Furthermore, a hole 23f communicating with the inside of the unit cover 23 is formed in the side surface 23b of the unit cover 23. Furthermore, a groove 23g is formed in the side surface 23b, extending from the hole 23f toward the notch 23e. The left end portion of the bumper portion 24 is fitted into this groove 23g.

FIG. 12 is a bottom view of the unit cover.
As shown in FIG. 12, the unit cover 23 is formed with a bottom surface 23h that constitutes the outer bottom surface of the mouthpiece body 20 (see FIG. 2).

In this manner, in the unit cover 23, by configuring the side surface 23b (see FIG. 11) as the outer side surface, the front surface 23c as the outer front surface, and the bottom surface 23h as the outer bottom surface, the weight of the suction body 400 can be reduced. To be more specific, the weight of the mouthpiece 400 can be reduced by constructing a single wall instead of a double or triple wall formed by the unit cover and the outer shell in the conventional mouthpiece.

Further, in the unit cover 23, by configuring the upper surface 23d (see FIG. 11) as an outer upper surface, the upper case 22 can be made smaller, and the mouthpiece body 400 can be made lighter. To be more specific, the conventional upper case is generally formed to be connected to both ends, and the entire outer upper surface is made up of the upper case, but in this embodiment, unlike the conventional case, the outer upper surface is covered by the unit cover 23. It consists of As a result, the width of the upper case 22 can be made shorter than that of the conventional case, and the weight of the upper case 22 can be reduced by eliminating a double wall or the like.

A brush 91 (brush) is provided on the bottom surface 23h. This brush 91 is constituted by a lint brush and is fixed with adhesive. This brush 91 is elongated in the front-rear direction and is disposed on the outside of the bottom surface 23h.

In this way, workability can be improved by providing the brush 91 on the small unit cover 23 rather than providing the brush 91 on the large lower case 21. To explain in detail, if a brush adhesion work is required, a drying process is required. If the shape of the part is small, the space required to store the part can be reduced, improving work efficiency.

Moreover, a notch 23i that does not constitute an outline is formed in the bottom surface 23h. The left end of the lower case 21 fits into this notch 23i. The brush 91 is arranged to extend forward from the edge of the notch 23i. Further, the brush 91 is arranged so as to extend from the bottom surface 23h to the lower part of the front surface 23c.

FIG. 13 is a top view of the lower case. Note that FIG. 13 shows the lower case 21 alone, and from the lower case 21, the unit cover 23 provided with the electric motor 70, the control board 80 (see FIG. 5), the LED board 60 (see FIG. 5), and the protective member 62. (See FIG. 5), the joint portion 30 (see FIG. 5), etc. are shown in a state where they are removed.

As shown in FIG. 13, the lower case 21 includes an upper surface portion 21a forming the outer contour of the mouthpiece body 20 (see FIG. 2), a right side surface portion 21b forming the outer contour of the right side surface, and a rear surface portion forming the outer contour of the rear surface. 21c.

Furthermore, an opening 21d is formed on the upper surface of the lower case 21 to which the electric motor 70, the control board 80, the LED board 60, the protection member 62, the flow passage part 64, etc. are attached.

Further, as described above, the lower case 21 is integrally formed with the bumper portion 24 by double molding. The bumper part 24 has a bumper front part 24a arranged on the front side of the lower case 21, a bumper right side part 24b arranged on the right side, and a bumper left side part 24c arranged on the left side. The bumper right side part 24b is fixed to the right side part 21b.

The bumper left side surface portion 24c is formed to extend rearward from the bumper front portion 24a, and has a protrusion 24d formed inside the tip. This protrusion 24d has a hook shape and is adapted to fit into the hole 23f (see FIG. 11). The bumper left side surface portion 24c also fits into the groove 23g (see FIG. 11).

Further, by providing the bumper right side surface portion 24b and the bumper left side surface portion 24c, the left and right side surfaces of the mouthpiece body 400 can be protected.

By forming the bumper portion 24 in such a shape, even if the unit cover 23 is configured as a part of the outer shell and is configured to be detachable from the lower case 21, the unit cover 23 can be attached to the lower case 21. After that, it becomes possible to attach the bumper left side surface portion 24c to the unit cover 23. The mouthpiece body 20 can be constructed at a lower cost than when the bumper left side portion 24c is double molded on the unit cover 23.

In addition, by forming a hole 23f in the side surface 23b of the unit cover 23 and inserting and fixing the protrusion 24d of the bumper part 24 into the hole 23f, there is no need to divide the bumper part 24, improving work efficiency. can. To be more specific, if the bumper part 24 is divided into two parts, and the bent part is made into a different part, or if the unit cover 23 is double molded, the number of parts will increase, and the number of parts will increase. Even for those who do this, the work of double molding increases. By providing the bumper portion 24 as in this embodiment, only the lower case 21 needs to be double molded, so that workability can be improved. Furthermore, when the bumper section 24 is divided, it is necessary to bury or fix the divided portion, but by not dividing it as in this embodiment, there is no need for a connecting portion, and the weight can be reduced. become.

In addition, in this embodiment, although the case where the hole 23f was formed in the side surface 23b was given as an example and demonstrated, the hole may be formed in the front surface 23c. In that case, a protrusion is provided in the bumper portion 24 at a position facing the hole 23f.

Further, in the lower case 21, an attachment hole 21j to which the protection member 62 is attached is formed in the opening 21d. This attachment hole 21j communicates with the brush chamber Q in which the rotating brush 40 is accommodated.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the LED cover.
As shown in FIG. 14, the protection member 62 includes a protection plate 63 and a flow path section 64. The protection plate 63 protects the LED 61, is elongated in the left-right direction, and is arranged to fit into a notch 22a of the same shape formed in the upper case 22 (see FIG. 3). Thereby, the surface of the protection plate 63 becomes flush with the surface of the upper case 22. Further, the protection plate 63 is made of resin that transmits light from the LED 60. That is, the protection member 62, including the flow path portion 64, is molded from the same resin that can transmit light.

The flow path portion 64 constitutes a part of a flow path that communicates the joint portion 30 with the brush chamber Q (see FIG. 7) in which the rotating brush 40 (see FIG. 7) is accommodated. Further, the flow path portion 64 constitutes the upper side of the flow path, and has a semi-cylindrical portion 64a.

Further, the protection member 62 has a contact portion 63 a formed below the protection plate 63 that contacts the inner wall surface of the upper case 22 . The contact portion 63a is formed to have substantially the same length in the left-right direction as the protection plate 63.

FIG. 15 is a front view of the LED cover.
As shown in FIG. 15, the contact portion 63a is disposed at a position protruding downward from the lower edge of the protection plate 63. As shown in FIG. Further, in the flow path section 64, a part of the semi-cylindrical section 64a projects upward from the upper end edge of the protection plate 63. Further, the flow path portion 64 projects downward from the lower end edge of the contact portion 63a. Further, both left and right ends 64b and 64c of the flow path portion 64 are formed to extend downward along the attachment hole 21j of the lower case 21.

FIG. 16 is a top view of the LED cover.
As shown in FIG. 16, the protection plate 63 and the flow path portion 64 are connected by a connecting portion 63b. The connecting portion 63b is formed to have a width shorter in the left-right direction than the protection plate 63. Further, the connecting portion 63b is configured such that a gap S in the front-rear direction is formed between the protection plate 63 and the flow path portion 64 when viewed from above.

FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XVII-XVII in FIG. 15.
As shown in FIG. 17, a board holding part 63c for holding the LED board 60 is formed in the connecting part 63b. The substrate holding portion 63c is formed in a concave shape when viewed in longitudinal section, and is formed to extend in the left-right direction (direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing). Moreover, the width of the board holding part 63c in the front-rear direction has a length that allows the lower part of the LED board 60 to fit therein. Thereby, the LED board 60 can be stably held. Further, the protective member 62 is formed with a regulating protrusion 63d that regulates the movement of the LED board 60 in the left-right direction.

Further, a lens-shaped portion 63e is formed on the back surface (rear surface) of the protection plate 63. This lens-shaped portion 63e is formed in an uneven shape (Fresnel lens) and is configured to direct the light of the LED 61 through the protection plate 63 to the floor surface (surface to be cleaned).

In this way, by providing the protection member 62 that integrates the protection plate 63 and the flow path portion 64, that is, by integrating the parts, it is possible to reduce the weight of the mouthpiece body 400 and improve the ease of assembly.

Further, by integrating the substrate holding portion 63c with the protection member 62, it is possible to reduce the weight of the mouthpiece body 400 and improve the assemblability of the mouthpiece body 400.

Furthermore, a lens-shaped portion 63e for shining light from the LED 61 onto the floor surface is formed on the back surface of the protection plate 63. With such a configuration, the floor surface can be brightly illuminated, improving usability, and since there is no need to attach a separate component with a lens function, it is also possible to reduce the weight of the mouthpiece body 400.

Moreover, since the portion other than the protection plate 63 through which the light from the LED 61 passes is covered by the upper case 22, a smooth surface shape can be achieved and the design can be improved.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing the bearing cover.
As shown in FIG. 18, the bearing cover 50 is equipped with a mechanism that can be attached to and detached from the lower case 21. By removing this bearing cover 50 from the lower case 21, the rotating brush 40 (see FIG. 4) can be removed from the lower case 21. Thereby, dust and hair attached to the rotating brush 40 can be removed, and cleaning of the rotating brush 40 becomes easy.

The bearing cover 50 also includes a bottom surface portion 51a facing the floor, a right side surface portion 51b extending upward from the right side edge of the bottom surface portion 51a, and a front surface portion extending upward from the front edge of the bottom surface portion 51a. 51c, and a back surface portion 51d that extends briefly upward from the rear edge of the bottom surface portion 51a.

Further, the bearing cover 50 is provided with a locking member 55 that is operated when removing the bearing cover 50 from the lower case 21 (see FIG. 4). This locking member 55 is integrally formed in a recessed portion 51s that is cut out in a concave shape toward the outside (right side). Further, the locking member 55 is formed at a position extending upward from the bottom surface portion 51a.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the inside of the bearing cover.
As shown in FIG. 19, the bearing cover 50 has a left side surface portion 51e extending upward from the left side edge of the bottom surface portion 51a. A rotating brush holding portion 51f cut out into a substantially semicircular shape is formed in the left side portion 51e.

FIG. 20 is a side view of the bearing cover.
As shown in FIG. 20, the bearing cover 50 is provided with a brush (airtight maintaining member) 92. As shown in FIG. This brush 92 is constituted by a lint brush, and is fixed with adhesive or the like. Further, the brush 92 is arranged so as to wrap around from the bottom surface portion 51a toward the front surface portion 51c side.

Further, the locking member 55 is arranged near the rear of the bearing cover 50. Further, the lock member 55 is formed to protrude upward from the right side surface portion 51b.

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along the line XXI-XXI in FIG. 20.
As shown in FIG. 21, the locking member 55 has a flexible portion 55a formed in a substantially U-shape in cross section, and a claw portion 55b formed on the outer surface of the flexible portion 55a. Further, the locking member 55 has a pressing portion 55c that is pressed when releasing the lock. Further, the pressing portion 55c is located below the base of the flexible portion 55a, and is configured so as not to protrude downward and to the right from the recessed portion 51s. The claw portion 55b has a substantially triangular shape in cross section.

A slit-shaped fitting hole 21b1 (see FIG. 4) into which the claw portion 55b fits is formed in the right side portion 21b of the lower case 21. In the state shown in FIG. 21, by pressing the pressing part 55c to the left and bending the flexible part 55a, the claw part 55b comes out of the fitting hole 21b1, and the lock is released. Thereby, the bearing cover 50 can be removed from the lower case 21.

FIG. 22 is a bottom view of the bearing cover.
As shown in FIG. 22, the brush 92 attached to the bottom surface portion 51a is formed in a substantially Z-shape when viewed from the bottom surface. A front portion 92a of the brush 92 is located closer to the outside (right side) of the bottom portion 51a. A rear portion 92b of the brush 92 is located closer to the inside (left side) of the bottom portion 51a.

By the way, when the locking member 55 (see FIG. 21) is made up of a flexible portion 55a and a claw portion 55b, a recessed space (recessed portion 51s) is inevitably formed. When such a space is formed, it becomes easier for dust to be sucked in from the position of the recessed space, and it becomes easier for dust to be sucked in through the space between the bearing cover and the floor (see the broken line arrow in Figure 22). . With such a configuration, the airtightness of the mouthpiece is impaired, resulting in a decrease in suction ability.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a brush 92 is attached to the bottom surface 51a of the bearing cover 50 so that the airtightness is not impaired. Moreover, the shape of the brush 92 was made into a substantially Z-shape, and the rear part 92b of the brush 92 was arranged inside the recessed part 51s (on the rotating brush 40 side). Thereby, airtightness can be ensured between the space on the right side of the mouthpiece body 20 (see FIG. 2) in the recessed portion 51s and the brush chamber Q (see FIG. 7).

Further, on the front side where the recessed portion 51s is not formed, a brush 92 is arranged outside the bottom portion 51a. This makes it possible to secure a wider suction area from the front of the suction mouth main body 20 (see FIG. 2) (see the solid line arrow in FIG. 22), thereby improving usability during cleaning.

Moreover, between the front part 92a and the rear part 92b of the brush 92, an inclined part 92c is formed so as to be located outward toward the front. Thereby, the flow of air sucked in from the front can be smoothed toward the rotating brush 40 side.

In such a bearing cover 50, a flexible portion 55a having a claw portion 55b is provided, and the rotating brush 40 is fixed by fitting the claw portion 55b into the fitting hole 21b1 of the lower case 21. As a result, the weight of the mouthpiece body 400 can be reduced by integrating the parts, and the ease of assembly is also improved.

Further, a brush 92 is provided on the bearing cover 50, and the brush 92 is arranged inside the locking member 55 (claw portion 55b) (on the suction port side). This makes it possible to prevent airtightness from deteriorating and suction performance from deteriorating due to the presence of the recessed portion 51s in which the locking member 55 is provided.

Moreover, the brush 92 is formed in a substantially Z-shape when viewed from the bottom. That is, the brush 92 is arranged so that the rear side where the locking member 55 is provided is on the inside, and the front side is on the outside. Thereby, the lock member 55 (claw portion 55b and flexible portion 55a) can be configured at the front of the mouthpiece body 400 while ensuring the suction width.

FIG. 23 is a side view showing a case where the sensor lever of the mouthpiece is ON. FIG. 24 is a side view showing a case where the sensor lever of the mouthpiece is OFF.
As shown in FIG. 23, the lower case 21 is provided with a sensor lever 100 that stops the rotation of the rotating brush 40 when it detects that the suction body 400 has left the floor surface (surface to be cleaned) M. . This sensor lever 100 has an arm portion 101 extending from a lower case 21 and a wheel 102 provided on the arm portion 101. In FIG. 23, the suction body 400 is in contact with the floor surface M, the sensor lever 100 is pushed up, and the rotating brush 40 is rotationally driven.

Further, the sensor lever 100 is not provided inside the mouthpiece body 20, but is configured to protrude outside the mouthpiece body 20. By configuring the sensor lever 100 to rotate toward the outside of the mouthpiece body 20 in this manner, the mouthpiece body 20 can be made smaller.

As shown in FIG. 24, when the suction body 400 leaves the floor surface, the sensor lever 100 rotates so as to protrude downward from the bottom surface of the suction body 20, and the rotation of the rotating brush 40 stops. Note that the sensor lever 100 is provided with a biasing member (not shown) that biases the sensor in a direction to turn off the sensor. Moreover, even when the suction body 400 is turned upside down, the sensor lever 100 pops out as shown in FIG. 24, and the rotation of the rotating brush 40 is stopped.

FIG. 25 is a bottom view showing the arrangement of the sensor lever.
As shown in FIG. 25, the sensor lever 100 is located near the leg portion 25 formed on the lower case 21. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the sensor lever 100 is arranged adjacent to the right extension 25a of the leg 25.

By the way, if the sensor lever 100 is configured to rotate to the outside of the suction body 20 in this way, for example, when cleaning a narrow space by sliding the suction body 400 from side to side, the sensor lever 100 can be attached to the leg of a chair or the like. There is a risk that the sensor lever 100 will be damaged due to the force F being applied to the sensor lever 100. Therefore, in this embodiment, by arranging the sensor lever 100 near the leg portion 25, which is a high-strength component of the lower case 21, the force F can be received by the leg portion 25, and the sensor lever 100 Damage can be prevented. Furthermore, since the sensor lever 100 does not need to be made of strong parts, manufacturing costs do not increase.

FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing the structure of the joint and showing the joint in an upright state. FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view showing the structure of the joint and showing the joint in a collapsed state.
As shown in FIG. 26, the inner wall of the rotation joint portion 32 is formed with a claw 32b into which the rotation cover 33 is fitted. Although only the right side is shown in FIG. 26, claws into which the rotating cover 33 fits are similarly formed on the left side. Moreover, the claw 32b is formed long along the edge of the rotating cover 33.

When the joint portion 30 is in an upright state, the rotary cover 33 is pulled out by the straight pipe portion 31, and the rotary cover 33 is exposed to the outside. Furthermore, when the straight pipe portion 31 is in a vertically erect state, the movement of the rotary cover 33 comes into contact with the claws 32b and is restricted.

As shown in FIG. 27, when the joint portion 30 is in a collapsed state, the curved surface portion 31a of the straight pipe portion 31 faces and overlaps the inner surface 33a of the rotary cover 33. Further, the outer surface 33b of the rotary cover 33 faces and overlaps the curved surface portion 32a of the rotary joint portion 32. At this time, when the joint part does not have a member corresponding to the rotary cover 33 and the straight pipe part 31 has a member equivalent to the rotary cover 33 integrally formed as in the conventional case, when the joint part is laid down. However, as shown by the broken line, the flow path was blocked by the pipe. Therefore, in this embodiment, by newly providing the rotating cover 33, even if the joint portion 30 is folded down, the flow path will not be blocked.

FIG. 28 is a perspective view showing the sensor lever.
As shown in FIG. 28, the sensor lever 100 has a rotation shaft 103, and the rotation shaft 103 is rotatably supported by the lower case 21. Further, in the sensor lever 100, a switch push portion 104 for operating a switch for turning on and off the operation of the rotating brush 40 is integrally formed on the rotating shaft 103. Further, the sensor lever 100 includes a spring 105 that biases the sensor in a direction to turn off the sensor.

Further, in the sensor lever 100, a sensor weight portion 106 is formed integrally with the rotation shaft 103 on the opposite side of the rotation shaft 103 from the switch push portion 104. The sensor weight section 106 is a safety device that prevents the rotating brush 40 from rotating even when the mouthpiece body 400 is turned upside down, and has a U-shaped weight accommodating section 106a.

Further, one end of the weight accommodating portion 106a is fixed to the rotation shaft 103, and a groove portion 106b is formed at the other end. The groove portion 106b has tip portions 106b1 and 106b2 that are thin in the axial direction, and is configured such that the tip portions 106b1 and 106b2 are spaced apart from each other in the axial direction of the rotating shaft 103.

FIG. 29 is a sectional view showing a state in which the sensor lever of the mouthpiece body is switched on. FIG. 30 is a sectional view showing a state in which the sensor lever of the mouthpiece body is switched off. Note that FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view when the mouthpiece body is turned upside down.
As shown in FIG. 29, a spherical weight 107 is accommodated in the weight accommodating portion 106a. A wall portion 21e is formed in the lower case 21 in which the sensor weight portion 106 is provided to prevent the weight 107 from protruding forward from the weight storage portion 106a. Furthermore, a rib 21s is formed on the lower case 21 at a position facing the groove portion 106b. The rib 21s is plate-shaped and is formed to protrude rearward.

In the ON state of the switch shown in FIG. 29, a portion of the weight 107 protrudes forward from the weight accommodating portion 106a, and the weight 107 is in contact with the rear surface of the wall portion 21e. In addition, in FIG. 29, the tip portion 106b2 forming the groove portion 106b is hidden behind the rib 21s.

As shown in FIG. 30, when the suction body 400 is turned upside down, the sensor lever 100 (see FIG. 28) rotates about the rotation shaft 103 by the urging force of the spring 105, and the weight accommodating portion 106a rotates. The groove portion 106b is separated from the rib 21s. Further, in the lower case 21, a recessed portion 21f whose concave surface faces downward is formed above the weight accommodating portion 106a. When the mouthpiece 400 is turned upside down and the rib 21s and the groove 106b are separated, the recess 21f opens and the weight falls into the recess 21f. At this time, the weight 107 is sandwiched between the rib 21s and the groove 106b, so that the weight accommodating portion 106a does not return to the switch ON state. Therefore, when the suction body 400 is upside down, the switch will not be turned on and the rotating brush 40 will not rotate.

Furthermore, when the mouthpiece body 400 floats off the floor in a normal state, the weight 107 is housed in the weight storage portion 106a due to gravity in the state shown in FIG. 30. When the suction body 400 contacts the floor in this state, the weight 107 does not restrict the operation of the weight accommodating part 106a, so the weight accommodating part 106a rotates, turns on the switch, and rotates. The brush 40 rotates.

By the way, in the conventional sensor lever, a large spherical weight is provided between the tip of the U-shaped member and the wall. As described above, there are restrictions on the size of the weight, and it has not been possible to reduce the weight. Therefore, in this embodiment, by forming the rib 21s and the groove 106b, even if the weight 107 is made small and the mouthpiece 400 is turned upside down, the weight remains between the tip of the weight accommodating part 106a and the rib 21s. 107 could be inserted. By making the weight 107 smaller in this way, the sensor lever 100 can be made smaller and lighter.

FIG. 31 is a perspective view of the joint section. FIG. 32 is a side view of the joint. FIG. 33 is a top view showing a state in which the joint portion is attached to the lower case. Note that FIGS. 31 to 33 show a state in which the straight pipe portion 31 of the joint portion 30 is raised in an oblique direction.
As shown in FIG. 31, the rotation joint portion 32 is formed with a cylindrical connecting portion 32c that is connected to the mouthpiece body 20 (see FIG. 2). Further, rectangular through holes 32d, 32e, and 32f are formed in the connecting portion 32c at intervals in the circumferential direction.

As shown in FIG. 32, a through hole 32g is further formed in the connecting portion 32c. The through hole 32g is spaced apart from the through hole 32f in the circumferential direction. In this way, the through holes 32d to 32g are formed in the connecting portion 32c, concentrated on the left side. Note that the number of through holes 32d to 32g is not limited to four, and may be more or less than four.

As shown in FIG. 33, when the joint part 30 is attached to the lower case 21, the connecting part 32c is connected to the flow path part 64 of the protection member 62. Further, a gap S1 for taking in air is formed on the left side surface of the lower case 21. When the electric blower of the cleaner main body 1 is driven and a suction force is generated, air flows from the brush chamber Q (see FIG. 26) through the joint part 30, and at the same time, outside air is taken in from the gap S1. The air taken in from the gap S1 cools the electric motor 70, and then taken into the joint portion 30 through the through holes 32d to 32g.

FIG. 34 is a sectional view taken along the line XXXIV-XXXIV in FIG. 3. Note that FIG. 34 shows a state where the cut is made at the position of the electric motor 70.
As shown in FIG. 34, the rotating shaft 70a of the electric motor 70 is located above the rotating shaft 40a of the rotating brush 40. Thereby, the rotating brush 40 and the electric motor 70 can be partially overlapped in the vertical direction, and the vertical dimension of the mouthpiece body 20 can be reduced while reducing the longitudinal dimension. In addition, in FIG. 34, a circular line L10 indicates the arrangement line of the rotating shaft 70a of the electric motor 70, and a straight line L11 indicates the arrangement line of the LED 61.

By the way, the height of the LED board 60 must be above the rotating brush 40 to illuminate the floor surface. Therefore, the electric motor 70 is placed at a position where the height can be maintained as much as possible to minimize the vertical and longitudinal dimensions.

FIG. 35 is a top view showing the inside of the lower case. FIG. 36 is a front view of the joint section. Note that FIG. 35 is an enlarged view of the right side of FIG.
As shown in FIG. 35, the lower case 21 is provided with a stopper member 110 and a coil spring 111 that urges the stopper member 110 to the left in the left-right direction. The stopper member 110 is supported by the lower case 21 so as to be slidable in the left-right direction. One end of the coil spring 111 opposite to the stopper member 110 is held by the lower case 21, and the other end is in contact with the end surface of the stopper member 110.

As shown in FIG. 36, the joint portion 30 has a recess 32s formed on the right side surface of the rotary joint portion 32, into which the stopper member 110 (see FIG. 35) fits.

By the way, if the mouthpiece body 20 is configured to rotate freely with respect to the joint part 30, when the mouthpiece body 400 is lifted, the side where the electric motor 70 is provided becomes heavy, and the left side of the mouthpiece body 20 becomes heavy. It tilts downward. Therefore, in this embodiment, a stopper member 110 and a coil spring 111 are provided so that when the mouthpiece main body 20 is horizontal, the stopper member 110 is pressed by the coil spring 111, and the stopper member 110 fits into the recess 32s. . Thereby, even if the mouthpiece body 400 is lifted, the mouthpiece body 20 can be prevented from tilting. The fit between the stopper member 110 and the recess 32s is such that the stopper member 110 is fitted into the recess 32s with such force that the mouthpiece body 20 does not tilt when the mouthpiece body 400 is lifted, so that the stopper member 110 is fitted into the recess 32s while the user is cleaning. In addition, when the mouthpiece main body 20 is rotated with respect to the joint portion 30, the structure has a spring force such that the stopper member 110 immediately comes out of the recessed portion 32s.

FIG. 37 is a plan view showing the back side of the upper case.
As shown in FIG. 37, on the back surface of the upper case 22, a plurality of recesses 22b, which serve as a plurality of cut-out portions, are formed at a plurality of locations. By forming these recesses 22b, the weight of the upper case 22 can be reduced, and the weight of the mouthpiece body 400 can be reduced. Further, the recesses 22b are formed in the shape of elongated holes having a predetermined width and long in the front-rear direction, and are formed at intervals in the left-right direction. As a result, the upper case 22 is made lighter while ensuring strength against loads that tend to be applied from above.

Furthermore, screw bosses 22c, 22d, and 22e are formed on the back surface of the upper case 22.

FIG. 38 is a bottom view of the mouthpiece. FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line XXXIX-XXXIX in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 38, in the suction body 400, the lower case 21 and the upper case 22 are fixed with screws. The lower case 21 is formed with screw insertion holes (not shown) into which screws 121a, 121b, and 121c are inserted. The screw insertion holes are formed at positions facing the aforementioned screw bosses 22c, 22d, and 22e in the vertical direction.

Screws 121a, 121b, and 121c are inserted into the respective screw insertion holes from the bottom side of the lower case 21, and screwed into the screw bosses 22c, 22d, and 22e of the upper case 22 to be fixed.

Note that the lower case 21 is provided with a screw fixing portion using screws 121d for fixing the unit cover 23 to the lower case 21.

As shown in FIG. 39, in the suction body 400, the lower case 21 and the upper case 22 are fixed by claw fitting in addition to the screw fixation described above. That is, a claw 22t is formed on the front edge of the upper case 22, and a claw 22u is formed on the rear edge of the upper case 22. The upper part of the lower case 21 is formed with a recess 21t into which the claw 22t fits, and the rear part of the lower case 21 is formed with a hole 21u into which the claw 22u is fitted.

Further, the back surface (rear surface) of the lower case 21 is formed with a sloped surface 21v that slopes downward and toward the front. By providing the lower case 21 having such an inclined surface 21v, the contact area with the floor surface can be reduced, so the resistance when moving the mouthpiece 400 can be reduced, and the ease of use can be improved.

As explained above, the suction body 400 of the vacuum cleaner according to the present embodiment includes the rotating brush 40 for cleaning the floor surface M, the lower case 21 that pivotally supports and accommodates one end of the rotating brush 40, and the lower case 21. and a bearing cover 50 that is attached to and holds the other end of the rotating brush 40. The bearing cover 50 includes a bending portion 55a that can be bent and deformed, and a claw portion 55b formed on the bending portion 55a. The rotating brush 40 is fixed to the lower case 21 by inserting the bearing cover 50 into the lower case 21, bending and deforming the flexible portion 55a, and fitting the claw portion 55b into the fitting hole 21b1 formed in the lower case 21. be done. According to this, by integrating the parts, the weight of the mouthpiece 400 can be reduced and the ease of assembly can be improved.

Further, in this embodiment, the bearing cover 50 includes a brush 92 located inside the rotating brush 40 in the axial direction (on the suction port side) rather than the claw portion 55b. According to this, it is possible to prevent the airtightness from deteriorating and the suction performance from deteriorating due to the necessity of forming the recessed portion 51s of the claw portion 55b.

Further, in this embodiment, the brush 92 is formed into a substantially Z-shape when viewed from the bottom. According to this, the claw portion 55b can be formed at the front of the mouthpiece body 400 while ensuring the suction width.

Moreover, the vacuum cleaner 1000 of this embodiment is equipped with the above-described suction body 400. According to this, it is possible to reduce the weight of the suction body 400, thereby improving usability during cleaning.

1 Vacuum cleaner body 2 Dust case 20 Suction mouth body 21 Lower case (case)
21b1 Fitting hole 21s Rib 21v Inclined surface 22 Upper case (case)
22a Notch 23 Unit cover (mounting cover)
23a Motor fixing part 23b Side surface (outer side surface)
23c Front (outer front)
23d Top surface (outer top surface)
23e Notch 23f Hole 23g Groove 23h Bottom (outer bottom)
24 Bumper part 24d Projection 25 Leg part 25a Extension part 25b Connecting part 25c Wheel 30 Joint part 31 Straight pipe part 31a Curved part 32 Rotating joint part 32a Curved part 32b Claw 32c Connection part 32d, 32e, 32f, 32g Through hole 32s Recessed portion 33 Rotating cover 33a Inner surface 33b Outer surface 40 Rotating brush (rotating cleaning body)
50 Bearing cover 51s Recessed portion 55 Lock member 55a Flexible portion 55b Claw portion 55c Pressing portion 60 LED board (wiring board)
61 LED (light source)
62 Protective member (member that integrally forms the member forming the flow path and the protective cover)
63 Protective plate (protective cover)
63c Substrate holding part 63e Lens shaped part 64 Channel part (member forming the channel)
70 Electric motor (drive part)
71 Clutch 71a Rotating shaft 71b Projection 72 Small diameter pulley 73 Large diameter pulley 74 Toothed belt 75 Tension pulley 80 Control board 91 Brush 92 Brush (airtight maintenance member)
100 Sensor lever 101 Arm portion 102 Wheel 103 Rotating shaft 104 Switch push portion 105 Spring 106 Sensor weight portion 106a Weight storage portion 106b Groove portion 106b1, 106b2 Tip portion 107 Weight 110 Stopper member 111 Coil spring 400 Suction body (suction mouth of a vacuum cleaner) body)
1000 Vacuum cleaner L1, L2 Center distance M Floor Q Brush room S1 Gap

Claims (3)

a rotating cleaning body that cleans the surface to be cleaned;
a case that pivotally supports and accommodates one end of the rotating cleaning body;
a bearing cover attached to the case and holding the other end of the rotating cleaning body;
The bearing cover includes a recess notched outward in the width direction, a flexible portion integrally formed with the recess and capable of being flexibly deformed , and a claw portion formed on the flexible portion. ,
The rotating cleaning body is fixed to the case by inserting the bearing cover into the case, bending and deforming the flexible part, and fitting the claw part into a fitting hole formed in the case ,
An airtight retaining member is provided on the bottom portion of the bearing cover,
A suction body for a vacuum cleaner, wherein the airtightness maintaining member has a rear portion located inside the recess in the axial direction of the rotary cleaning body. In the vacuum cleaner suction body according to claim 1 ,
The airtight maintenance member is further formed into a substantially Z-shape when viewed from the bottom, and the front part of the airtightness maintenance member is located outside the inside, and the space between the front part and the rear part is located at the front side. A suction body of a vacuum cleaner, characterized in that the mouthpiece body of a vacuum cleaner is located so as to be inclined outward as it approaches . A vacuum cleaner comprising the vacuum cleaner suction body according to claim 1 or 2 .

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