JP7627951B2 - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner.

Conventionally, rechargeable vacuum cleaners such as that disclosed in the following Patent Document 1 have been provided. This rechargeable vacuum cleaner is provided with a fan motor and a rechargeable secondary battery that supplies power to the fan motor in the vacuum cleaner body, a floor suction port is connected to the suction port of the vacuum cleaner body via an extension tube, and the center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner body is located rearward of the center of the grip of the vacuum cleaner body.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-47961

Here, in the rechargeable vacuum cleaner of Patent Document 1, the opening formed by the grip for inserting the hand is located on the opposite side of the secondary battery with respect to the rotation axis of the fan motor. With such a configuration, there are problems such as a strain on the user's wrist and poor operability.

Therefore, the present invention aims to create a vacuum cleaner that is easier to operate than conventional vacuum cleaners.

The vacuum cleaner of the present invention, which is provided to solve the above-mentioned problems, comprises a main body having an electric blower that generates suction force, a dust collection section that collects dust, and a handle section, the dust collection section being arranged on one side of the main body in a first direction, and the handle section being arranged on the other side of the main body in the first direction, and the handle section having a first extension section that extends in the first direction, a second extension section that extends in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a curved section that connects the first extension section and the second extension section.

The handle of the vacuum cleaner of the present invention includes a first extension extending in a first direction of the main body, as well as a second extension extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention can be used by gripping either the first extension or the second extension, whichever is easier to grip, depending on the mode of use, etc. Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention has a curved portion at the portion connecting the first extension and the second extension. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention can be smoothly switched from one of the first extension to the other of the second extension without putting strain on the user's wrist, etc. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner with improved operability compared to conventional techniques.

The present invention makes it possible to realize a vacuum cleaner that is easier to operate than conventional vacuum cleaners.

1 is a side view showing a vacuum cleaner system according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner system shown in FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 2 . 2 is an enlarged view of a main part of the vacuum cleaner shown in FIG. 1 , showing a state in which a portion housing a first electric blower is exposed. FIG. 5A to 5D are diagrams showing a first electric blower, in which FIG. 5A is a plan view, FIG. 5B is a perspective view, FIG. 5C is a front view, and FIG. 5D is a right side view. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 1. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of a first dust collecting unit in the vacuum cleaner with the opening/closing unit in a closed state. FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of a first dust collecting unit in the vacuum cleaner with the opening/closing unit in an open state. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a dust collecting unit attached to the vacuum cleaner body. FIG. FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the dust collecting unit of FIG. 9 . FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing the dust collecting unit of FIG. 9 . 10 is a perspective view showing a state in which a first inner cylinder is disposed inside an outer cylinder in the dust collecting unit of FIG. 9 . FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a first inner cylinder constituting the dust collecting unit of FIG. 9 . FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view showing a second inner cylinder provided in the dust collecting unit of FIG. 9 . FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part B in FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the dust collecting and recovering device with the lid removed. FIG. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of part C in FIG. 2 . 13 is an explanatory diagram showing a modified example of a configuration in which a locking portion is provided on the opening/closing portion. FIG.

The following describes in detail the vacuum cleaner system S according to one embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the overall configuration of the vacuum cleaner system S is briefly described, and then the main parts are described in more detail. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the positional relationships in the vertical direction, width direction, front-rear direction, etc. are described based on the state in which the vacuum cleaner 1 is erected as shown in FIG. 1. In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the vertical direction (the longitudinal direction of the vacuum cleaner 1) in the state shown in FIG. 1 is referred to as the first direction, and the direction intersecting the first direction (the horizontal direction in the illustrated example) is referred to as the second direction. In addition, among the horizontal directions in the state shown in FIG. 1, those that need to be described as different from the direction described as the second direction will be referred to as the third direction.

<Overall configuration of the vacuum cleaner system S>
1 and 2, the vacuum cleaner system S includes a vacuum cleaner 1 and a dust collection device 100. The vacuum cleaner system S of this embodiment also includes a stand 200, but the stand 200 may be included as part of the dust collection device 100. With the vacuum cleaner 1 set on the stand 200, the vacuum cleaner system S is capable of collecting dust collected in the vacuum cleaner 1 in the dust collection device 100. The configuration of each part of the vacuum cleaner system S will be described in more detail below.

<Overall configuration of the vacuum cleaner 1>
As shown in Figures 1 to 5, the vacuum cleaner 1 is a stick-shaped (vertical) vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner 1 may be, for example, a rechargeable type or a type that obtains power from an external power source via a power cord. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the vacuum cleaner 1 includes a main body 10, a first dust collecting section 50, an extension tube 180, and a suction tool 190.

The main body 10 forms the main body of the vacuum cleaner 1 and is the part that exerts suction power to collect dust. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the main body 10 includes, inside the main body case 12 that forms the housing, a first electric blower 14 for sucking in air and generating an airflow, a drive circuit for driving other electronic components, and other components.

The main body 10 also includes a battery storage section 15, a handle section 16, and a control section 17. The battery storage section 15 stores a battery 15a. The battery 15a can be attached and detached from the outside of the main body 10 by sliding it in a first direction. The handle section 16 is a section provided for a user of the vacuum cleaner 1 to grip the main body 10. The vacuum cleaner 1 is configured so that the user can grip the main body 10, for example, by passing the user's fingers, except for the thumb, through an opening formed by the handle section 16. The control section 17 controls the operation of the vacuum cleaner 1. An electronic board forming the control section 17 is housed inside the main body 10.

The main body 10 is also provided with a tube section 38x equipped with a suction port 38y for connecting an extension tube 180 or a suction tool 190. The suction port 38y is formed to open at the lower end side (one side in the first direction) of the main body 10. The tube section 38x is also arranged to be aligned with the first dust collection section 50 in a second direction that intersects with the first direction.

The first dust collection section 50 is a section where dust sucked by the vacuum cleaner 1 is collected. The first dust collection section 50 is provided so as to be continuous with the main body section 10. Specifically, the first dust collection section 50 is arranged so as to be aligned with the tube section 38x in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction (first direction) of the main body section 10. The first dust collection section 50 has a characteristic configuration in the vacuum cleaner 1, and the specific structure will be described in detail later.

The extension tube 180 is a cylindrical member that detachably connects the main body 10 and the suction tool 190. One end of the extension tube 180 is shaped so that it can be inserted into the suction port 38y provided in the main body 10, and the other end is shaped so that it can be connected to the suction tool 190. By connecting the main body 10 and the suction tool 190 via the extension tube 180, a continuous path (air passage) can be formed from the suction tool 190 to the main body 10.

The suction tool 190 is connected directly to the suction port 38y of the main body 10, or indirectly via the extension tube 180. The suction tool 190 has a suction port 192 and a joint part 194. The suction port 192 opens toward the bottom surface. The joint part 194 can be connected to the suction port 38y or the extension tube 180. The characteristic features of the suction tool 190 will be described in detail later.

The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is generally configured as described above. The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is characterized by the layout of each component, the structure of the handle portion 16 and the first dust collecting portion 50, etc. These characteristic configurations are described in more detail below.

<<Configuration of the handle portion 16>>
In the main body portion 10, the main body case 12 is formed to extend toward one side (the downward side in FIG. 1) in a first direction (the up-down direction in FIG. 1; the longitudinal direction of the vacuum cleaner 1), whereas the handle portion 16 is formed to extend toward the other side in the first direction (the upward side in FIG. 1). As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the handle portion 16 includes a first extension portion 16a, a second extension portion 16b, a curved portion 16c, and an operating portion 16e. An opening 16d is formed between the main body portion 10 (main body case 12) and the handle portion 16.

The first extension portion 16a is a portion of the handle portion 16 that extends in a first direction. The first extension portion 16a extends in the first direction from the other side (the upper side in the illustrated example) of the first electric blower 14. The size of the first extension portion 16a can be set as appropriate, but in this embodiment, the size is set to a range of 6 cm to 10 cm, taking into consideration ease of gripping, etc.

The second extension portion 16b is a portion that extends in a second direction (horizontal in the illustrated example) perpendicular to the first direction. Like the first extension portion 16a, the second extension portion 16b can also be of any size, but in this embodiment, the size is set to be in the range of 6 cm to 10 cm inclusive, taking into consideration ease of gripping, etc. Also, in this embodiment, the second extension portion 16b is of the same size as the first extension portion 16a. This allows the handle portion 16 to be used with the same feel whether the first extension portion 16a or the second extension portion 16b is gripped.

The curved portion 16c is a curved portion that connects the first extension portion 16a and the second extension portion 16b. By providing the curved portion 16c, the handle portion 16 has a shape in which the boundary between the first extension portion 16a and the second extension portion 16b is curved in an arc shape, and the first extension portion 16a to the second extension portion 16b are continuously connected without any steps. As a result, when one of the first extension portion 16a and the second extension portion 16b is gripped by the handle portion 16, the gripping position can be changed to the other side of the first extension portion 16a and the second extension portion 16b by sliding the hand along the handle portion 16. In other words, the gripping form of the handle portion 16 can be changed without releasing the hand.

The opening 16d is an opening area formed in the handle portion 16 between the first extension portion 16a, the second extension portion 16b, and the curved portion 16c and the main body case 12. The opening 16d can be used to insert a hand when gripping the handle portion 16. The opening 16d is located on the other side (upper side in FIG. 1) of the first electric blower 14 in the first direction (up-down direction in FIG. 1).

The operating unit 16e is provided for operating the vacuum cleaner 1. The operating unit 16e may include various switches. The operating unit 16e may be provided on any of the first extension 16a, the second extension 16b, and the curved portion 16c, but in this embodiment, it is provided on the first extension 16a, which is likely to be gripped in normal use. The operating unit 16e may be provided on any part of the first extension 16a. In this embodiment, the operating unit 16e is provided on the surface facing away from the opening 16d so that it can be easily operated with the thumb during use.

<About Battery 15a>
Battery 15a is arranged to be aligned with first electric blower 14 in a direction (second direction) perpendicular to the axial direction of main body 10. In other words, first electric blower 14 and battery housing section 15 are arranged to be aligned in a direction (second direction) perpendicular to the axial direction (first direction) of main body 10. Furthermore, battery 15a is arranged to at least partially overlap first dust collecting section 50 when viewed from the first direction.

<Regarding the control unit 17>
The control unit 17 is disposed inside the main body 10 on the opposite side of the battery 15a with respect to the first electric blower 14. That is, the control unit 17 is disposed on one side in the second direction with respect to the first electric blower 14 (the front side of the vacuum cleaner 1), and the battery 15a is disposed on the other side in the second direction with respect to the first electric blower 14 (the rear side of the vacuum cleaner 1). The control unit 17 exists within a projected area of the tube 38x (suction port 38y) constituting the main body 10 in the first direction. The control unit 17 is also disposed in an area on the other side (lower side in FIG. 1 ) of the opening 16d of the handle 16 in the first direction.

<Regarding the first electric blower 14>
As shown in FIGS. 4 to 6, the first electric blower 14 is housed inside the main body 10 while being covered by the case body 14a. The case body 14a has an exhaust opening 14x on the circumferential surface 14b. The exhaust opening 14x is in a horizontal direction intersecting with the first direction (up-down direction) and is present on one side (the direction of the right side of the vacuum cleaner 1 in the illustrated example) of a third direction (the left-right direction of the vacuum cleaner 1) perpendicular to the second direction (the front-rear direction of the vacuum cleaner 1). In contrast, the external exhaust opening 10x provided on the outer periphery of the main body 10 is provided on the other side of the third direction (the direction of the left side of the vacuum cleaner 1 in the illustrated example). That is, the exhaust opening 14x provided in the case body 14a is provided on the opposite side in the third direction to the external exhaust opening 10x provided in the main body 10.

As described above, the control unit 17 is provided at a position offset from the first electric blower 14 in the second direction (front-rear direction of the vacuum cleaner 1). That is, the control unit 17 is provided at a position circumferentially away from the exhaust opening 14x by a predetermined amount (about 90 degrees in this embodiment). The external exhaust opening 10x is provided at a position further circumferentially away from the control unit 17 by a predetermined amount (about 90 degrees in this embodiment). Therefore, the control unit 17 is disposed midway along the path from the exhaust opening 14x to the external exhaust opening 10x. As a result, the exhaust air discharged from the first electric blower 14 is exhausted to the outside of the main body 10 through a path that passes through the control unit 17. The exhaust opening 14x and the external exhaust opening 10x may be arranged to overlap at least partially when viewed from the third direction, or may be offset from each other.

The center position of the first electric blower 14 is located on the opposite side to the side where the battery 15a is located in a second direction (horizontal direction in the position shown in FIG. 1) that intersects with the central axis that extends in a first direction (longitudinal direction of the vacuum cleaner 1; vertical direction in the position shown in FIG. 1) of the first dust collecting section 50.

<<Configuration of first dust collecting section 50>>
The first dust collecting section 50 will be described in detail below with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 and Figs. 7 to 14. The first dust collecting section 50 is detachably provided on the main body 10. The first dust collecting section 50 is a so-called cyclone type dust collecting device. That is, the first dust collecting section 50 is configured to introduce the air sucked by operating the first electric blower 14 into the first dust collecting container 52, form a swirling air current in the first dust collecting container 52, and collect dust contained in the air in the process of discharging the air. The first dust collecting section 50 can adopt a so-called single-stage or multiple-stage separation method, but in this embodiment, a single-stage separation method is adopted.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the first dust collecting section 50 is disposed on one side (lower side) of the main body 10 in the first direction (longitudinal direction of the vacuum cleaner 1). The first dust collecting section 50 has a first dust collecting container 52 (outer cylinder) and a structure 54, and a dust collecting space 56 is formed between them. The first dust collecting section 50 is capable of forming a swirling air current that swirls the air introduced into the dust collecting space 56 between the structure 54 and the first dust collecting container 52. The first dust collecting section 50 is detachable from the main body 10 at a position below the first electric blower 14. For example, the first dust collecting section 50 may be configured such that the bottom side is engaged with the tube 38x and the upper side is provided with a lock button 52j that locks or unlocks the main body case 12, or the bottom side is provided with a lock button that locks or unlocks the tube 38x and the upper side is engaged with the main body case 12.

As shown in Figures 7 to 9, the first dust collection container 52 is a container for accumulating dust inside. The first dust collection container 52 is a hollow cylinder. As a result, the first dust collection section 50 is provided with a first dust collection chamber 52a that forms a dust collection space 56 inside the first dust collection container 52. The first dust collection container 52 is open on the other side (upper side) in the axial direction. The first dust collection container 52 also has a waste port 52b and an opening/closing section 52c at the lower end side of the first dust collection chamber 52a.

The first dust collecting container 52 has a waste port 52b (opening) on one side (lower side) in the axial direction. The waste port 52b is an opening for disposing of dust from the first dust collecting chamber 52a. The waste port 52b opens at the lower end of the first dust collecting chamber 52a. In addition, the opening/closing part 52c can close the waste port 52b at the bottom of the first dust collecting chamber 52a. Therefore, when the opening/closing part 52c is in the open state, the dust accumulated in the first dust collecting chamber 52a can be disposed of through the waste port 52b. An example of the opening/closing part 52c is a lid or a valve, but in this embodiment, a lid that can close the waste port 52b is the opening/closing part 52c. The opening/closing part 52c is connected to the first dust collecting chamber 52a (the outer cylinder constituting the first dust collecting container 52) so as to be rotatable around the rotation shaft 52e. The opening/closing part 52c has an abutment part 52f in an area on one side of the pivot shaft 52e, and a closing part 52g in an area on the other side.

The abutment portion 52f can be abutted by the abutment portion 152 provided on the receiving portion 130, which will be described later in detail. The blocking portion 52g is a portion that blocks the disposal port 52b. The opening/closing portion 52c is biased by the biasing member 52h (torsion spring in this embodiment) at a portion closer to the abutment portion 52f than the pivot shaft 52e. This biases the blocking portion 52g in a direction to close the disposal port 52b. The opening/closing portion 52c can rotate the blocking portion 52g so that the blocking portion 52g moves away from the disposal port 52b and open the disposal port 52b by applying a force to the abutment portion 52f against the biasing force of the biasing member 52h, such as by abutting the abutment portion 152 against the abutment portion 52f. Although the waste port 52b has an opening surface perpendicular to the axial direction of the first dust collecting container 52, the opening surface may be inclined with respect to the axial direction of the first dust collecting container 52. For example, the opening surface of the waste port 52b may be inclined toward one side or the other of the axial direction of the first dust collecting container 52 as it moves away from the rotating shaft 52e. This makes it easier for the dust in the first dust collecting chamber 52a to clump together, making it easier for the dust collection device 100 to suck it up.

Here, the abutment portion 152 abuts against the abutted portion 52f to open the opening/closing portion 52c, but the present invention is not limited to this. In other words, the configuration may be such that the abutment portion 152 is not biased by the biasing member 52h, and a locking portion that locks the opening/closing portion 52c (blocking portion 52g) in a state where the opening/closing portion 52c (blocking portion 52g) closes the waste port 52b of the first dust collection container 52 as shown in FIG. 19 is provided on either the opening/closing portion 52c (blocking portion 52g) or the first dust collection container 52, and the opening/closing portion 52c opens when the lock is released. In addition, a contact portion 152A that can abut against the locking portion may be provided on the receiving portion 130 instead of the abutment portion 152, and the locking is released when the contact portion 152A abuts against the locking portion. In this case, the locking portion has the abutted portion 52f1 against which the abutment portion 152A abuts. As shown in FIG. 19, it is preferable that the locking portion is configured to rotate by a rotating shaft. In addition, the pivot shaft 52e of the opening/closing part 52c is not shown in FIG. 19, but it is located on the opposite side from the lock part.

In addition, assuming that the opening/closing part 52c is biased by the biasing member 52h as described above, in addition to the configuration in which the abutting part 152 abuts against the abutted part 52f, the receiving part 130 may be provided with an abutting part 152A that can abut against a locking part that locks the opening/closing part 52c (blocking part 52g) in a closed state of the waste port 52b of the first dust collection container 52. In this case, it is preferable that the abutting part 152A abuts against the locking part (abutted part 52f1) before the abutting part 152 abuts against the abutted part 52f. In this way, the opening/closing part 52c can be opened smoothly. On the other hand, when the opening/closing part 52c closes the waste port 52b, it is preferable that the abutting part 152 leaves the opening/closing part 52c, the opening/closing part 52c closes the waste port 52b by biasing, and then the abutting part 152A leaves the locking part to lock the opening/closing part 52c. In this way, it is preferable that the length of the abutting portion 152A is appropriately designed to be longer than that of the abutting portion 152. An opening may be provided in the blocking portion 52g, and a valve or lid may be provided on the blocking portion 52g that can be rotated to open and close the opening. In this case, the operation to open the valve or lid can be mechanically performed by the abutting portion 152 and the abutted portions 52f and 52f1.

As shown in FIG. 10 and FIG. 11, the first dust collecting container 52 has a dust collecting inlet 52x (inlet) on the periphery. The dust collecting inlet 52x is an inlet for allowing air sucked from the suction port 38y into the air passage formed inside the tube 38x to flow into the inside of the first dust collecting container 52. The dust collecting inlet 52x is provided at a position corresponding to an opening provided at the end of the tube 38x, and is located, for example, in the middle of the first direction (axial direction) of the first dust collecting container 52. Therefore, by attaching the first dust collecting unit 50 to the main body 10, the dust collecting inlet 52x can be connected to the air passage formed inside the tube 38x. In addition, the dust collecting inlet 52x can introduce air discharged from the air passage formed inside the tube 38x into the dust collecting space 56 in the tangential direction of the inner circumferential surface of the first dust collecting container 52. Therefore, the air introduced into the dust collection space 56 from the dust collection section inlet 52x forms a swirling flow that flows along the inner circumferential surface of the first dust collection container 52.

9 and 11, the structure 54 is a member disposed inside the first dust collecting container 52. The structure 54 is a member that constitutes the dust collecting space 56 into which air flows between the structure 54 and the first dust collecting container 52. The structure 54 is disposed so that the axial center position is approximately the same as that of the first dust collecting container 52. The structure 54 has a portion (tapered portion 70 described later) that is formed so that the outer shape becomes smaller from one side (upper side in the figure) in the axial direction toward the other side (lower side in the figure). The structure 54 has a first inner tube 60 (inner tube) and one side tube portion 64, and further has a connector 62, which is not an essential component. The first inner tube 60 is connected to the one side tube portion 64, but if the connector 62 is provided, it is connected to at least one of the one side tube portion 64 and the connector 62.

As shown in Figures 9, 12, 13, etc., the first inner tube 60 has a tapered portion 70 and an extending portion 72. The first inner tube 60 also has a first guide portion 74 and a second guide portion 76 on the outer periphery of the tapered portion 70. The first inner tube 60 also has a third guide portion 78 on the inner periphery of the tapered portion 70, although this is not a required configuration.

The tapered section 70 is a section formed so that its outer shape becomes smaller from one axial side (upper side in the figure) to the other axial side (lower side in the figure). The tapered section 70 is formed in a truncated cone shape, and the outer circumferential surface is linearly inclined toward the axial center as it moves from one axial side to the other axial side. The tapered section 70 is open toward one axial side (upper side), while having a closed section 70a that is closed on the other axial side (lower side).

9, the tapered portion 70 is formed so that the outer diameter of the large diameter portion 70b on one side of the axial direction is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the first dust collection container 52. In addition, a circumferential groove 70c extending in the circumferential direction is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the large diameter portion 70b. The tapered portion 70 can form a first sealing portion 73 that seals the gap formed between the inner peripheral surface of the first dust collection container 52 and the tapered portion 70 by an airtight member (first airtight member 70d) made of an O-ring or the like attached to the circumferential groove 70c. That is, by setting the tapered portion 70 inside the first dust collection container 52 with the blocking portion 70a facing the bottom side of the first dust collection container 52, the first sealing portion 73 in which the first airtight member 70d attached to the circumferential groove 70c and the inner peripheral surface of the first dust collection container 52 are in close contact is formed. Further, on the other axial direction side (the bottom side of the first dust collection container 52) of the first sealing portion 73, a dust collection space 56 is formed between the tapered portion 70 (first inner cylinder 60) and the first dust collection container 52. Further, the first sealing portion 73 is formed above the dust collection portion inlet 52x that communicates with the dust collection space 56.

In addition to forming the dust collection space 56 as described above, the tapered portion 70 also functions as a dust collection space exhaust portion 80 for exhausting air from the dust collection space 56. Specifically, the tapered portion 70 has a large number of vent holes 70e formed in the circumferential direction so as to communicate the inside and outside. The tapered portion 70 may be formed by resin molding, or may be formed by a mesh member 82. The mesh member 82 is a mesh-like member formed of a resin material, a metal material, or a combination of these. Therefore, dust contained in the air passing through the vent holes 70e forming the dust collection space exhaust portion 80 can be captured by the mesh member 82. The surface of the tapered portion 70 is smoother when molded from resin than when made of the mesh member 82, making it possible to reduce the amount of dust that gets caught.

The extension portion 72 is a portion formed to extend further from the tapered portion 70 toward the other side in the axial direction, but in this embodiment, it extends toward the other side in the axial direction from the end portion on the other side in the axial direction (the lower end portion in the illustrated example) as the base end. The extension portion 72 is formed so as to be spaced apart from the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 toward one side in the axial direction (the upper side in the illustrated example) inside the dust collection space 56. The extension portion 72 is formed to surround the periphery of the blocking portion 70a. As a result, the extension portion 72 has a cylindrical shape whose upper end side is blocked by the blocking portion 70a and whose lower end side is open. Since the extension portion 72 is provided to surround the periphery of the blocking portion 70a, airflow and dust that have risen from the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 at the axial center position of the dust collection space 56 collide with the blocking portion 70a, making it difficult to spread in a direction intersecting the axial direction. As a result, in the vacuum cleaner 1, dust such as hair and dirt contained in the airflow is less likely to become entangled in the tapered portion 70. The extension portion 72 is cylindrical. It is preferable that the extension portion 72 is cylindrical with the same outer dimensions from the upper end to the lower end, or is a tapered cylindrical shape whose outer dimensions become smaller from the upper end to the lower end. This makes it possible to prevent the airflow and dust that have been guided by the first guide portion 74 and smoothly guided toward the other axial side (the bottom side of the first dust collection container 52) from becoming entangled in the extension portion 72. Note that the extension portion 72 is not limited to being cylindrical, and may be configured to have multiple extension members extending in the axial direction spaced apart from one another.

The blocking portion 70a may have a convex shape on the center side toward the bottom of the first dust collection container 52, and more preferably may be curved. This makes it easier for the air current and dust that have risen from the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 at the axial center position of the dust collection space 56 to move toward the extension portion 72 by the blocking portion 70a.

In addition, a plurality of ribs (protrusions) 52d that restrict the movement of dust by the swirling airflow may be provided on the bottom portion integrally formed as the bottom of the first dust collecting container 52, or on the bottom portion of the first dust collecting container 52 in the form of a lid that can open and close the bottom of the first dust collecting container 52 by being rotatably supported via a support shaft provided on the periphery of the first dust collecting container 52. The plurality of ribs 52i extend toward the structure 54 and are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction. In addition, as described above, the bottom portion integrally formed as the bottom of the first dust collecting container 52 or the lid-shaped portion that can open and close the bottom of the first dust collecting container 52 may be provided with a protrusion extending toward the structure 54 (blocking portion 70a) instead of or in addition to the plurality of ribs 52i. When a protrusion is provided together with the plurality of ribs 52i, the plurality of ribs 52i are arranged at intervals around the protrusion in a direction intersecting the axis (in this embodiment, radial direction). The protrusion is columnar, for example, cylindrical, prismatic, or cross-shaped, or tapered toward the structure 54. This makes it possible to prevent dust that has collected below the blocking portion 70a from being moved by air currents. If the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 is a lid that can be opened and closed by rotating, dust can be easily disposed of even if it becomes entangled in the protrusion or rib 52i.

As shown in FIG. 12 and FIG. 13, the first guide portion 74 is a rib-shaped portion provided on the outer periphery of the tapered portion 70 and abuts against the inner periphery of the first dust collection container 52. The first guide portion 74 is disposed between the first dust collection container 52 and the first inner tube 60 when the structure 54 is inserted into the first dust collection container 52 with the tapered portion 70 and the extension portion 72 facing the bottom side of the first dust collection container 52. The first guide portion 74 functions as a guide member for guiding the airflow that flows from the dust collection portion inlet 52x into the dust collection space 56 and swirls in a direction along the inner periphery of the first dust collection container 52 to the other side in the axial direction (the bottom side of the first dust collection container 52). The first guide portion 74 extends so as to approach the dust collection portion inlet 52x as it moves from one side to the other side in the axial direction (from the upper side to the lower side in the illustrated example). The end of the first guide portion 74 may reach the dust collection portion inlet 52x. In other words, the first guide portion 74 extends from one side in the axial direction to the other side (from the upper side to the lower side in the illustrated example) so as to approach the dust collection portion inlet 52x from a position upstream in the swirling direction of the airflow relative to the dust collection portion inlet 52x. Note that, although the first guide portion 74 has been described as being provided on the structure 54, it may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the first dust collection container 52. In this case, it is preferable that the first guide portion 74 abuts against the outer peripheral surface of the tapered portion 70 (structure 54).

The second guide portion 76, like the first guide portion 74, is a rib-like portion provided on the outer periphery of the tapered portion 70. The second guide portion 76 is a rib that functions as a guide member for guiding the airflow flowing from the dust collection portion inlet 52x into the dust collection space 56. The second guide portion 76 is formed between the first dust collection container 52 and the first inner tube 60 so as to intersect with the axial direction and extend along the swirling direction. The second guide portion 76 is connected to the terminal end of the first guide portion 74 described above.

The third guide portion 78 is a rib-shaped portion provided on the inner periphery of the first inner tube 60. The third guide portion 78 is disposed inside the internal space 84 of the first inner tube 60. A plurality of third guide portions 78 are provided in the internal space 84 at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction. The third guide portion 78 is formed so as to extend from one circumferential side to the other side of the internal space 84. In this embodiment, when the structure 54 is cut along a plane perpendicular to the axial direction and viewed from one axial side (upper side), the third guide portion 78 is formed so that the tip portion (free end) is located at a position away from the base end portion (connection portion with the inner periphery of the tapered portion 70) in the clockwise direction (the same direction as the rotation direction). In addition, when the connector 62 is provided, the third guide portion 78 is disposed in the internal space 84 formed between the tapered portion 70 (first inner tube 60) and the connector 62.

The connector 62 functions as an airflow outlet 67 for discharging the air that has flowed into the dust collection space 56 to the outside of the first dust collection section 50, and although not essential, the airflow outlet 67 may have a filter. The connector 62 may be detachably connected to the first inner tube 60, and in this case, the other axial end of the connector 62 is connected to the inside of the first inner tube 60. As shown in FIG. 9 and other figures, the connector 62 is, for example, a cylindrical frame. In the following, the connector 62 will be described as a second inner tube 62A as an example. The second inner tube 62A is disposed inside the first inner tube 60 (the axial center side of the first dust collection section 50). The second inner tube 62A is connected to both or one of the first inner tube 60 and the one-side tube portion 64. In this embodiment, the second inner tube 62A is connected to the first inner tube 60. As a result, an internal space 84 is formed between the first inner tube 60 and the second inner tube 62A. The third guide portion 78 described above is provided in multiple locations at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction inside the internal space 84.

As shown in FIG. 14, the second inner cylinder 62A has a second inner cylinder outer frame 90, a second inner cylinder inner frame 92, and a second inner cylinder filter 94 (filter).

The second inner cylinder outer frame 90 is cylindrical and has a support portion 90a and an opening 90b in the middle in the axial direction. The support portion 90a is a columnar portion extending in the axial direction, and multiple support portions 90a (four in this embodiment) are provided at predetermined intervals around the circumference of the second inner cylinder outer frame 90. The opening portion 90b is an opening in the second inner cylinder outer frame 90 between the support portions 90a, 90a that are lined up in the axial direction.

The second inner cylinder inner frame 92 is a cylindrical member disposed inside the second inner cylinder outer frame 90. The second inner cylinder inner frame 92 has a support portion 92a and an opening portion 92b in the middle portion in the axial direction of the cylinder. The support portion 92a is a columnar portion extending in the axial direction of the cylinder, and a plurality of support portions 92a (four in this embodiment) are provided at predetermined intervals in the circumferential direction of the second inner cylinder inner frame 92. The opening portion 92b is an opening portion in the second inner cylinder inner frame 92 between the support portions 92a, 92a that are lined up in the circumferential direction.

The second inner cylinder filter 94 is for capturing dust contained in the air discharged from the internal space 84 through the second inner cylinder 62A. The second inner cylinder filter 94 is a mesh-like filter with many fine holes. The second inner cylinder filter 94 is curved along the second inner cylinder outer frame 90 and the second inner cylinder inner frame 92, and is sandwiched between the second inner cylinder outer frame 90 and the second inner cylinder inner frame 92. As a result, the second inner cylinder filter 94 becomes a wall part of the second inner cylinder 62A and is capable of capturing dust contained in the air that is about to pass through the opening 90b of the second inner cylinder outer frame 90 and the opening 92b of the second inner cylinder inner frame 92. In this embodiment, the second inner cylinder filter 94 is arranged, but it is not necessary to provide it.

As shown in Figures 9 and 11, the one side cylinder portion 64 is provided in a direction away from the bottom side of the first dust collection container 52 (one axial side) with respect to the second inner cylinder 62A described above. The one side cylinder portion 64 is provided integrally with or detachably attached to the second inner cylinder 62A, and is provided at a position adjacent to the upper side of the second inner cylinder 62A. As shown in Figure 11, the one side cylinder portion 64 has an expanded diameter portion 64a, an intermediate portion 64b, and a filter arrangement portion 64c.

The enlarged diameter portion 64a is a portion that continues from the second inner tube 62A side to the upper side. The enlarged diameter portion 64a is formed so as to expand in a tapered shape toward the upper side. The intermediate portion 64b is a portion that is provided at a position adjacent to the enlarged diameter portion 64a on the axially upward side. The intermediate portion 64b is formed so as to extend in the axial direction of the first dust collecting container 52. A circumferential groove 64d extending in the circumferential direction is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the one side tube portion 64. The one side tube portion 64 can form a second sealing portion 65 that seals the gap formed between the inner peripheral surface of the first dust collecting container 52 and the filter arrangement portion 64c by an airtight member (second airtight member 64e) made of an O-ring or the like attached to the circumferential groove 64d. The filter arrangement portion 64c is made to be approximately the same as the inner diameter of the first dust collecting container 52. Therefore, there is almost no gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the filter arrangement portion 64c and the inner peripheral surface of the first dust collecting container 52.

In addition, a step 64f is formed on the inner periphery of the filter arrangement portion 64c at the boundary with the intermediate portion 64b. A ring-shaped groove in which an airtight member 64j is arranged is provided in this step 64f, and the step 64f abuts against the lower end of the second filter 64h to improve airtightness. A first filter 64g and a second filter 64h are arranged inside the filter arrangement portion 64c. The first filter 64g is a filter made of, for example, nonwoven fabric or sponge. The first filter 64g is arranged on the step 64f. The second filter 64h has at least a pleated filter and a frame body 64i surrounding the periphery of this filter. The airtight member 64j abuts against the lower end of the frame body 64i. The pleated filter constituting the second filter 64h is arranged on the first filter 64g, and the frame body 64i is inside so as to surround the periphery of the first filter 64g. In addition, the second filter 64h has an airtight member 64k disposed on the upper surface of the frame 64i, and the airtight member 64k abuts against the intake side component 42a, improving airtightness. In addition, by separating the pleated filter of the second filter 64h from the first filter 64g, air is dispersed in the space, making it possible to effectively utilize the surface of the pleated filter. This solves the problem of the filter becoming clogged early and reducing suction power.

<<Regarding the dust collection device 100>>
As shown in Fig. 15 etc., the dust collection device 100 is disposed on the rear side of a support 202 constituting a stand 200. The dust collection device 100 communicates with the first dust collection section 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1 to collect dust from the vacuum cleaner 1. The dust collection device 100 includes a device body including the second dust collection section 110 and the second electric blower 120, and a receiving section 130. Preferably, when the vacuum cleaner 1 is connected to the dust collection device 100, the device body of the dust collection device 100 is located directly below at least one of the first electric blower 14 and the battery 15a. This allows the space on the rear side of the support 202 and below the vacuum cleaner 1 to be utilized. The dust collection device 100 is also configured such that the receiving portion 130 is provided with a space portion 132 and a support portion 134, and the receiving portion 130 and the second dust collection portion 110 are connected to communicate with each other via a communication portion 136. The dust collection device 100 is further provided with an opening means 150 for opening the first dust collection portion 50 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1 by placing the first dust collection portion 50 in the receiving portion 130. With this, the dust collection device 100 is capable of collecting dust from the first dust collection portion 50 to the second dust collection portion 110 via the communication portion 136 by opening the first dust collection portion 50 and applying a suction force generated by the operation of the second electric blower 120. The configuration of each portion will be described in more detail below.

The second dust collecting section 110 is a section that collects dust sucked from the first dust collecting section 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1. The second dust collecting section 110 can be one that directly collects dust inside, or a cyclone type dust collecting section like the first dust collecting section 50, but in this embodiment, it is one that can collect dust inside a paper bag by attaching a paper bag (a so-called "paper bag type"). As shown in Figures 15 and 16, the second dust collecting section 110 has a second dust collecting container 112 and a connection section 114.

The second dust collection container 112 is a hollow container having a second dust collection chamber 112a inside. In addition, a paper pack fixing part 112b is provided inside the second dust collection container 112 to sandwich and fix a backing provided at a connection part of a paper pack (not shown) for collecting dust. Furthermore, on the surface (circumferential surface in this embodiment) constituting the second dust collection container 112, a communication hole 112c is provided at a position corresponding to an opening provided in the backing of the paper pack when the paper pack is attached to the paper pack fixing part 112b. In addition, the second dust collection container 112 can be opened and closed by attaching and detaching the lid 112d. Therefore, by removing the lid 112d and placing the paper pack inside the second dust collection chamber 112a, and fixing the backing of the paper pack to the paper pack fixing part 112b, the opening of the paper pack and the communication hole 112c can be communicated. In addition, among the surfaces constituting the second dust collection container 112 (the bottom surface in this embodiment), the surface separating it from the second motor housing chamber 140 (blower arrangement space) in which the second electric blower 120 is housed is provided with an air vent 112e.

The connection part 114 has a receiving port 114a and a connection passage 114b. The receiving port 114a is a portion to which a pipe part 136b constituting a communication part 136 that connects the receiving part 130 and the second dust collecting part 110 is connected. The connection passage 114b is a passage that connects the receiving port 114a and a communication hole 112c provided in the second dust collecting container 112 so that air and dust can pass through.

The second electric blower 120 can generate a suction force when it is operated. The second electric blower 120 is arranged in the second motor housing 140 that communicates with the second dust collection container 112 of the second dust collection unit 110 via the ventilation hole 112e. The second electric blower 120 can be arranged and installed in any suitable position as long as it can apply a suction force to the second dust collection container 112. In this embodiment, the second electric blower 120 is arranged so that the rotation shaft of the motor provided in the second electric blower 120 faces in the vertical direction in order to suppress the generation of vibration noise at the contact portion with the floor on which the main body of the dust collection device 100 is placed, taking into consideration that vibration tends to occur in the radial direction of the motor provided in the second electric blower 120 when the second electric blower 120 is operated, and that the second electric motor housing 140 is placed on the bottom side of the dust collection device 100.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the receiving part 130 receives the first dust collecting part 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1. Specifically, the receiving part 130 has a recess 130a for the first dust collecting part formed so that the lower end part of the first dust collecting part 50 fits into it. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, the receiving part 130 has a recess 130b for an extension tube formed so that it fits into or abuts on a part of the periphery of the cylindrical part of the main body part 10 having the suction port 38y. Preferably, the cylindrical part of the main body part 10 has a stepped shape, and the receiving part 130 may support the stepped surface 10a from below. Note that the extension tube 180 may fit into or abut on a part of the periphery of the recess 130b for the extension tube. Furthermore, the receiving part 130 is provided with an opening means 150.

The opening means 150 is for opening the first dust collecting chamber 52a of the first dust collecting section 50. The opening means 150 can be structurally (mechanically) opened by rotating the opening/closing section 52c provided in the first dust collecting section 50. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 18, when the first dust collecting section 50 is fitted into the recess 130a for the first dust collecting section, the abutting section 152 protruding like a protrusion is provided at the position where the abutted section 52f of the opening/closing section 52c arrives so as to function as the opening means 150. When the first dust collecting section 50 is fitted into the recess 130a for the first dust collecting section, the abutting section 152 abuts against the abutted section 52f on the first dust collecting section 50 side. By fitting the first dust collecting part 50 into the first dust collecting part recess 130a, a pressing force acts from the contact part 152 on the contacted part 52f in a direction opposite to the biasing force of the biasing member 52h, and the opening and closing part 52c rotates around the rotation shaft 52e to an open state. On the other hand, when the first dust collecting part 50 is removed from the first dust collecting part recess 130a to release the engagement between the two, the pressing force acting from the contact part 152 on the contacted part 52f is released. Accordingly, the opening and closing part 52c returns to the closed state due to the biasing force of the biasing member 52h. Note that the opening and closing part 52c may be configured to engage with the first dust collecting container 52 when the opening and closing part 52c returns to the closed state. Note that, as described above, the receiving part 130 may be provided with the contact part 152A instead of or in addition to the contact part 152.

The space 132 provided in the receiving portion 130 forms a space capable of receiving the opening/closing portion 52c that is opened by fitting the first dust collecting portion 50 into the recess 130a for the first dust collecting portion, at a position in the opening direction of the opening/closing portion 52c (lower in this embodiment) relative to the recess 130a for the first dust collecting portion. Therefore, the opening/closing portion 52c can be opened and closed smoothly without interfering with the receiving portion 130.

Furthermore, the receiving portion 130 is provided with a support portion 134, and the opening/closing portion 52c, which is opened by fitting the first dust collecting portion 50 into the recess 130a for the first dust collecting portion, can be supported by the support portion 134. In this embodiment, when the opening/closing portion 52c is in the open state, the opening/closing portion 52c is inclined. Therefore, the support portion 134 is formed in an inclined state so as to follow the opening/closing portion 52c in the open state.

The receiving portion 130 is connected to the first dust collecting portion 50 through the communication portion 136 so that dust can be sucked from the first dust collecting portion 50 to the second dust collecting portion 110. The communication portion 136 has a communication port 136a connected to the first dust collecting portion recess 130a and a pipe portion 136b connected to the communication port 136a. The pipe portion 136b is composed of a hose or a pipe (a pipe in this embodiment). The communication portion 136 is connected to the first dust collecting portion 50 that is in an open state by being fitted into the first dust collecting portion recess 130a of the receiving portion 130. The communication portion 136 is formed so that the gap between the open opening/closing portion 52c and the inner wall of the communication portion 136 becomes narrower as it moves downstream in the dust suction direction from the first dust collecting portion 50 to the second dust collecting portion 110. Furthermore, the portion of the pipe portion 136b opposite to the side connected to the communication port 136a is connected to the receiving port 114a provided in the connection portion 114 of the second dust collecting portion 110. As a result, the receiving portion 130 is supported by the pipe portion 136b on the upper side relative to the second dust collecting portion 110. Therefore, by fitting the first dust collecting portion 50 into the first dust collecting portion recess 130a of the receiving portion 130, the vacuum cleaner 1 is supported by the pipe portion 136b via the receiving portion 130. Furthermore, the pipe portion 136b is aligned with the extension tube 180 fitted into the extension tube recess 130b of the receiving portion 130. Therefore, by placing the suction tool 190 connected to the tip of the extension tube 180 on the stand 200 and fitting the first dust collection section 50 into the receiving section 130, the vacuum cleaner 1 is stably supported by the extension tube 180 and tube section 136b arranged side by side.

<Regarding the control of the vacuum cleaner system S>
The vacuum cleaner system S may be configured such that when the vacuum cleaner 1 is connected to the dust collection device 100, the dust collection device 100 starts operating. The vacuum cleaner 1 may be connected to the dust collection device 100, and the vacuum cleaner 1 may contact a switch provided on the stand 200 to turn it ON, causing the dust collection device 100 to start suction operation. As another embodiment, the stand 200 may have a charging mechanism, and the dust collection device 100 may start suction operation when it detects electricity flow between the stand 200 and the vacuum cleaner 1. In this case, a wiring may be provided between the electricity-carrying terminal of the stand 200 and the control unit 17 for detecting electricity flow, in addition to the wiring for charging.

<<Variations>>
The electric vacuum cleaner system S of this embodiment is configured as described above, but may be different from the above within the scope of the present invention. For example, in the present embodiment, the first dust collecting part 50 is fitted into the receiving part 130, and the abutting part 152 naturally abuts against the abutted part 52f, but the present invention is not limited to this.

Specifically, an operating unit for operating either or both of the abutted portion 52f and the abutting portion 152 can be provided, and the two can be configured to abut by operating the operating unit. In this case, the operating unit can be provided in either the vacuum cleaner 1 or the dust collection device 100 together with a member that is operated by operating the operating unit. More specifically, the abutting portion 152 can be configured as a movable member, and the abutting portion 152 can be abutted against the abutted portion 52f by operating the operating unit. This allows the user of the vacuum cleaner system S to open the blocking portion 52g or transfer dust from the first dust collection portion 50 to the second dust collection portion 110 at the desired timing.

In addition, when the contact portion 152 is movable, the contact portion 152 (opening means 150) may be provided on the first dust collecting unit 50 side. For example, the contact portion 152 may be, for example, a shaft-shaped one, and the contact portion 152 may be pushed against the blocking portion 52g from inside the first dust collecting container 52 to open the blocking portion 52g. In this case, the position where the contact portion 152 contacts the blocking portion 52g is the contacted portion 52f2 (not shown). Preferably, the contact portion 152 is configured to push a position of the blocking portion 52g away from the pivot shaft 52e and the axial center position of the first dust collecting container 52 as the contacted portion 52f2. If there is a locking structure that locks the blocking portion 52g with the first dust collecting container 52 in the closed state, it is preferable that the contact portion 152 pushes the locking structure side from the pivot shaft 52e. In addition, an opening may be provided in the blocking portion 52g, and a valve or lid may be provided on the blocking portion 52g that can be rotated to open and close the opening. In this case, the valve or lid can be mechanically opened by the contact portion 152 and the contacted portions 52f and 52f2, regardless of whether they are movable or not.

In addition, the dust collection device 100 is configured such that the device body and the receiving part 130 are connected by the pipe part 136b, but this is not limited to this. The device body may be configured to have the receiving part 130, and the device body may be extended together with the connection path 114b to a height where the first dust collection part 50 fits into the receiving part 130 connected to the connection path 114b. In this case, there is no need to provide a separate pipe part 136b.

In addition, while the first dust collection unit 50 is configured to open the bottom of the first dust collection container 52, the waste port may be formed by opening the side. Even in this case, the receiving part 130 only needs to receive the waste port side of the first dust collection container 52, and the opening/closing part 52c can be opened diagonally or horizontally by rotating.

In the present embodiment, the vacuum cleaner 1 is described as being connected to the dust collection device 100 with the main body 10 and the suction tool 190 connected by the extension tube 180, but this is not limiting. The vacuum cleaner 1 may be connected to the dust collection device 100 with the suction tool 190 attached to the suction port 38y of the main body 10.

The above-mentioned vacuum cleaner system S is preferably configured to fit the main body 10 of the vacuum cleaner 1 into the receiving part 130 of the dust collection device 100, and operate the second electric blower 120 with the opening/closing part 52c open, so that not only the dust in the first dust collection part 50 but also the dust adhering to the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h (if one of the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h is arranged, the other filter) can be sucked in. Specifically, the structure 54 of the vacuum cleaner 1 has the extension part 72 extending toward the blocking part 52g (opening/closing part 52c) that forms the bottom of the first dust collection part 50, and preferably abuts against the bottom of the closed opening/closing part 52c. Then, an opening is provided in the part corresponding to the blocking part 70a by, for example, not providing the blocking part 70a provided in the first inner tube 60. This allows the first inner tube 60 to communicate with the extension part 72. With this configuration, the main body 10 of the vacuum cleaner 1 is fitted into the receiving portion 130 of the dust collection device 100, and the second electric blower 120 is operated with the opening/closing portion 52c open, so that the suction force of the second electric blower 120 also acts on the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h, removing dust adhering to these filters.

In addition, an on-off valve may be provided to adjust the air flowing into the dust collection space 56 from the dust collection inlet 52x by the suction of the second electric blower 120, and the on-off valve may be closed when removing dust adhering to the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h, and opened in other cases. If the on-off valve is closed in this manner, the suction force of the second electric blower 120 makes it easier for air to flow from the external exhaust opening 10x through the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h (one of the filters if one of the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h is provided), through the extension portion 72, and to the dust collection device 100, so that dust adhering to the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h (one of the filters if one of the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h is provided) can be sucked in.

The on-off valve may be provided anywhere between the suction port of the suction tool 190 and the dust collection inlet 52x, and is preferably an on-off valve 170 that opens and closes the opening of the tube 38x that faces the dust collection inlet 52x (see FIG. 3). The on-off valve 170 may be configured to be electrically opened and closed, or may be configured to be manually opened and closed (e.g., a shutter mechanism). If the on-off valve 170 can be electrically opened and closed, the vacuum cleaner 1 may have an operation button for opening and closing, or the vacuum cleaner 1 may be attached to the dust collection device 100 so that the vacuum cleaner 1 detects the above-mentioned current flow between the vacuum cleaner 1 and the dust collection device 100 and closes when the current flow is no longer detected, and opens when the current flow is no longer detected.

In addition, when the main body 10 is fitted into the receiving portion 130 of the dust collection device 100, it is preferable to provide an airtight member 160 such as an O-ring so as to surround the periphery of the blocking portion 52g. The airtight member 160 may be provided on either or both of the receiving portion 130 and the bottom of the first dust collection container 52.

<Effects obtained by the configuration of the vacuum cleaner system S and the vacuum cleaner 1>
Hereinafter, the effects and the like obtained by the above-described vacuum cleaner system S and vacuum cleaner 1 will be described for each aspect of the present invention.

[Regarding the vacuum cleaner according to the first aspect of the present invention]
(1-1) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 comprises a main body portion 10 having a first electric blower 14 (electric blower) that generates suction force, a first dust collection portion 50 that collects dust, and a handle portion 16, in which the first dust collection portion 50 (dust collection portion) is arranged on one side of the main body portion 10 in a first direction and the handle portion 16 is arranged on the other side of the main body portion 10 in the first direction, and is characterized in that the handle portion 16 has a first extension portion 16a extending in the first direction, a second extension portion 16b extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a curved portion 16c having a curved shape connecting the first extension portion 16a and the second extension portion 16b.

In the electric vacuum cleaner 1, the handle portion 16 includes a first extension portion 16a extending in a first direction of the main body portion 10, and a second extension portion 16b extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Therefore, the electric vacuum cleaner 1 can be used by gripping either the first extension portion 16a or the second extension portion 16b, whichever is easier to grip, depending on the usage form, etc. Furthermore, the electric vacuum cleaner 1 is provided with a curved portion 16c having a curved shape at the portion connecting the first extension portion 16a and the second extension portion 16b. Therefore, the electric vacuum cleaner 1 can be smoothly switched from one of the first extension portion 16a and the second extension portion 16b to the other without putting strain on the user's wrist, etc. Therefore, according to the present invention, an electric vacuum cleaner 1 with high operability can be provided.

(1-2) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be the electric vacuum cleaner (1-1) above, characterized in that an operating part 16e is provided on the first extension part 16a.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, the operating part 16e can be easily operated while gripping the handle part 16, making it highly convenient.

(1-3) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be any of the above electric vacuum cleaners (1-1) to (1-2) characterized in that the first extension portion 16a extends from the other side of the first electric blower 14 in the first direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, it is possible to ensure sufficient space for arranging the first electric blower 14 compared to a case in which the handle portion 16 is arranged in a position adjacent to the first electric blower 14 in the second direction.

(1-4) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be any of the above electric vacuum cleaners (1-1) to (1-3) characterized in that it includes a battery 15a arranged alongside the first electric blower 14 in the second direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, the battery 15a, which is a heavy object like the first electric blower 14, can be prevented from being positioned out of the first direction relative to the first electric blower 14. This prevents heavy objects from being positioned all the way in the first direction, making the vacuum cleaner 1 highly stable and easy to operate.

(1-5) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the electric vacuum cleaner (1-4) above, characterized in that the center position of the first electric blower 14 is located on the opposite side of the battery 15a in the second direction, based on the center axis L that extends in the first direction of the first dust collecting section 50.

As described above, the electric vacuum cleaner 1 can be configured with each part compactly arranged by arranging the battery 15a on one side in the second direction based on the central axis L of the first dust collecting section 50, and arranging the first electric blower 14 so that its center position is on the other side. This allows the electric vacuum cleaner 1 to be made compact.

(1-6) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be any of the above electric vacuum cleaners (1-1) to (1-5) characterized in that the first dust collecting section 50 and the battery 15a are arranged so as to overlap at least partially when viewed from the first direction.

By arranging the first dust collection section 50 and the battery 15a in the layout described above, the vacuum cleaner 1 can be made compact in the second direction that intersects with the first direction.

(1-7) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the electric vacuum cleaner (1-1) to (1-6) above, characterized in that the length of the first extension portion 16a is 6 cm or more and 10 cm or less.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, the first extension portion 16a can be grasped and used easily.

(1-8) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of (1-1) to (1-7) above, characterized in that the length of the second extension portion 16b is 6 cm or more and 10 cm or less.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, the second extension portion 16b can be grasped and used easily.

[Regarding the vacuum cleaner according to the second aspect of the present invention]
Conventionally, there has been provided a rechargeable vacuum cleaner as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-47961. This rechargeable vacuum cleaner is provided with a fan motor and a rechargeable secondary battery that supplies power to the fan motor in the vacuum cleaner body, a floor suction port is connected to the suction port of the vacuum cleaner body via an extension tube, and the center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner body is located rearward of the center of the grip of the vacuum cleaner body.

However, the rechargeable vacuum cleaners of the conventional technology described above have a problem in that if the secondary battery becomes larger, for example to improve the battery capacity, the vacuum cleaner body becomes larger.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vacuum cleaner that can be made compact while still being equipped with a battery.

(2-1) The vacuum cleaner 1 provided to solve the above-mentioned problems comprises a main body 10 having a first electric blower 14 (electric blower) that generates suction force, a first dust collection section 50 arranged on one side of the main body 10 in a first direction and for collecting dust, a handle section 16 arranged on the other side of the main body 10 in the first direction, and a battery 15a arranged alongside the first electric blower 14 in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and is characterized in that the central position of the first electric blower 14 is located on the opposite side of the first direction from the side on which the battery 15a is located, based on a central axis L that extends along the first direction of the first dust collection section 50.

The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is laid out so that the battery 15a is disposed on one side of the central axis L of the first dust collecting section 50 in the second direction, and the first electric blower 14 is disposed so that its center position is on the other side. This allows the electric vacuum cleaner 1 to be compact, with each part compactly arranged while still being equipped with the battery 15a.

(2-2) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be the electric vacuum cleaner (2-1) described above, characterized in that the first dust collecting section 50 and the battery 15a are arranged so as to overlap at least partially when viewed from the first direction.

By arranging the first dust collection section 50 and the battery 15a in the layout described above, the vacuum cleaner 1 can be configured compactly in the second direction that intersects with the first direction.

(2-3) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be any of the above electric vacuum cleaners (2-1) to (2-2) characterized in that the handle portion 16 extends from the other side of the first electric blower 14 in the first direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, it is possible to ensure sufficient space for positioning the first electric blower 14 in the second direction relative to the first electric blower 14.

(2-4) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the electric vacuum cleaner of (2-1) to (2-3) above, characterized in that the handle portion 16 defines an opening 16d for inserting a hand, and the opening 16d is located on the other side of the first electric blower 14 in the first direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, it is possible to ensure space in the second direction for placing at least the first electric blower 14.

(2-5) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the electric vacuum cleaner of (2-1) to (2-4) above, further comprising a control unit 17 that controls the first electric blower 14, and the control unit 17 is disposed on the opposite side of the battery 15a with respect to the first electric blower 14.

The electric vacuum cleaner 1 can be made compact by arranging the battery 15a and the control unit 17 based on the first electric blower 14 in the layout described above.

(2-6) The vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the vacuum cleaner of any one of (2-1) to (2-5) above, characterized in that the main body 10 has a tube section 38x with a suction port 38y for sucking in dust, the tube section 38x is arranged to be aligned with the first dust collection section 50 in the second direction, and the control section 17 is present within the projection area of the tube section 38x in the first direction.

As described above, the vacuum cleaner 1 is configured such that the pipe section 38x and the first dust collecting section 50 are aligned in the second direction, while the control section 17 is located within the projection area of the pipe section 38x. This allows the battery 15a to be as close as possible to the first electric blower 14 compared to a configuration in which the control section is located between the first electric blower 14 and the battery 15a, resulting in a compact layout in the second direction. With this configuration, the vacuum cleaner 1 can be made even smaller.

[Regarding the vacuum cleaner according to the third aspect of the present invention]
Conventionally, there has been provided a rechargeable vacuum cleaner as disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 61-47961. This rechargeable vacuum cleaner is provided with a fan motor and a rechargeable secondary battery that supplies power to the fan motor in the vacuum cleaner body, a floor suction port is connected to the suction port of the vacuum cleaner body via an extension tube, and the center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner body is located rearward of the center of the grip of the vacuum cleaner body.

However, the rechargeable vacuum cleaners of the conventional technology described above have a problem in that if the secondary battery becomes larger, for example to improve the battery capacity, the vacuum cleaner body becomes larger.

Therefore, the present invention aims to provide a vacuum cleaner that can be made compact while still being equipped with a battery.

(3-1) The vacuum cleaner 1 provided to solve the above-mentioned problems comprises a main body 10 having a first electric blower 14 that generates suction force, a first dust collection section 50 that is arranged on one side of the main body 10 in a first direction and collects dust, a handle section 16 that is arranged on the other side of the main body 10 in the first direction, a battery 15a that is arranged alongside the first electric blower 14 in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, and a control section 17 that controls the first electric blower 14, the control section 17 being characterized in that it is arranged on the opposite side of the battery 15a with respect to the first electric blower 14.

The electric vacuum cleaner 1 can be constructed compactly while being equipped with the battery 15a by configuring the battery 15a and the control unit 17 based on the first electric blower 14 in the layout described above.

(3-2) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be the electric vacuum cleaner (3-1) described above, characterized in that the first dust collecting section 50 and the battery 15a are arranged so as to overlap at least partially when viewed from the first direction.

By arranging the first dust collection section 50 and the battery 15a in the layout described above, the vacuum cleaner 1 can be configured compactly in the second direction that intersects with the first direction while still being equipped with the battery 15a.

(3-3) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be any of the above electric vacuum cleaners (3-1) to (3-2) characterized in that the handle portion 16 extends from the other side of the first electric blower 14 in the first direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, it is possible to ensure sufficient space for positioning the first electric blower 14 in the second direction relative to the first electric blower 14.

(3-4) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the electric vacuum cleaner of (3-1) to (3-3) above, characterized in that the handle portion 16 defines an opening 16d for inserting a hand, and the opening 16d is located on the other side of the first electric blower 14 in the first direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, it is possible to ensure space in the second direction for placing at least the first electric blower 14.

(3-5) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably characterized in that, in the electric vacuum cleaners (3-1) to (3-4) above, the main body 10 has a tube section 38x having a suction port 38y for sucking in dust, the tube section 38x is arranged to be aligned with the first dust collection section 50 in the second direction, and the control section 17 is present within the projection area of the tube section 38x in the first direction.

As described above, the vacuum cleaner 1 is configured such that the pipe section 38x and the first dust collecting section 50 are aligned in the second direction, while the control section 17 is located within the projection area of the pipe section 38x. This allows the battery 15a to be as close as possible to the first electric blower 14, compared to a configuration in which the control section is located between the first electric blower 14 and the battery 15a, resulting in a compact layout in the second direction. With this configuration, the vacuum cleaner 1 can be made even smaller.

(3-6) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of (3-1) to (3-5) above, characterized in that the control unit 17 is located on the other side of the opening 16d in the first direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, it is possible to ensure space in the second direction for placing at least the first electric blower 14.

(3-7) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably an electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of the above (3-1) to (3-6) characterized in that the exhaust air of the first electric blower 14 can be exhausted to the outside of the main body 10 through a path that passes through the control unit 17.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, the exhaust air from the first electric blower 14 can be used to cool the control unit 17. This allows the vacuum cleaner 1 to simplify the cooling structure of the control unit 17 and to be made smaller.

(3-8) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 is preferably the electric vacuum cleaner (3-7) described above, characterized in that it has a case body 14a that covers the first electric blower 14, the case body 14a has an exhaust opening 14x on one side of a third direction perpendicular to the direction in which the control unit 17 and the first electric blower 14 are aligned and the first direction, and the main body 10 has an external exhaust opening 10x on the other side of the third direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, the exhaust air discharged from the first electric blower 14 and discharged outside the case body 14a through the exhaust opening 14x can be moved to the external exhaust opening 10x provided on the opposite side in the third direction before being discharged. This allows the control unit 17 to be cooled even more efficiently. Furthermore, by configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 as described above, a long passageway for the exhaust air can be secured. This allows the vacuum cleaner 1 to suppress noise associated with the flow of exhaust sound.

(3-9) The electric vacuum cleaner 1 may be the electric vacuum cleaner (3-8) described above, characterized in that the external exhaust opening 10x and the exhaust opening 14x overlap at least partially when viewed from the third direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner 1 in this way, the exhaust airflow path is sufficiently secured, and noise caused by the flow of exhaust air can be suppressed.

[Regarding the vacuum cleaner according to the fourth aspect of the present invention]
Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2004-283327, there is provided a vacuum cleaner that generates a suction airflow and collects dust with the generated airflow. The vacuum cleaner disclosed in this patent document is composed of a vacuum cleaner main body having a dust case on the main body side that collects and stores dust, and an installation stand having a dust case on the installation stand side that stores dust from the dust case on the main body side, and is provided with a means for discharging dust in the dust case on the main body side of the vacuum cleaner main body into the dust case on the installation stand side when the vacuum cleaner main body is installed on the installation stand. In addition, the vacuum cleaner disclosed in the patent document is provided with valves on both the vacuum cleaner main body and the installation stand, and the valves are opened by the airflow of the fan motor, so that dust can be discharged from the dust case on the vacuum cleaner main body side to the dust case on the installation stand side.

However, the vacuum cleaner in Patent Document 1 uses circulating air currents to collect dust in a dust case on the installation stand, which causes the problem that dust tends to remain in the dust case on the main body.

Therefore, the present invention aims to realize a vacuum cleaner unit that can easily collect dust from the vacuum cleaner.

(4-1) The vacuum cleaner system S provided to solve the above-mentioned problems includes a vacuum cleaner 1 and a dust collection device 100, in which the vacuum cleaner 1 includes a main body 10 having a first electric blower 14 that generates suction force, and a first dust collection section 50 in which dust is collected, and the first dust collection section 50 includes a first dust collection container 52 (outer cylinder) having a dust collection section inlet 52x, a dust collection space exhaust section 80, and a structure 54 that forms a dust collection space 56 between the first dust collection container 52 and the structure 54, and a bottom of the first dust collection container 52. and an opening/closing section 52c that can open and close the opening 16d, the structure 54 has a tapered section 70 whose outer shape becomes smaller from one side to the other side in the central axis direction, the dust collection device 100 collects dust from the first dust collection section 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1, and includes a second dust collection section 110 where the dust is collected, and a second electric blower 120 that generates suction force, and the vacuum cleaner 1 or the dust collection device 100 includes an opening means 150 that opens the opening/closing section 52c.

In the vacuum cleaner system S, the opening 16d provided at the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 constituting the first dust collection section 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1 can be opened and closed by the opening/closing section 52c. The vacuum cleaner system S also includes a dust collection device 100 for collecting dust from the first dust collection section 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1, and is capable of collecting dust in the second dust collection section 110 by generating suction force with the second electric blower 120. Furthermore, in the vacuum cleaner system S, the vacuum cleaner 1 or the dust collection device 100 includes an opening means 150 for opening the opening/closing section 52c. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner system S can cause the dust collected in the first dust collection section 50 to fall under the influence of gravity by opening the opening/closing section 52c provided at the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 with the opening means 150. In addition, by operating the second electric blower 120 provided in the dust collection device 100 with the opening/closing section 52c open, a suction force can be applied to the dust in the direction toward the second dust collection section 110. Therefore, the electric vacuum cleaner system S can apply both gravity and the suction force of the second electric blower 120 to the dust collected in the first dust collection section 50, and collect the dust in the second dust collection section 110. Therefore, the electric vacuum cleaner system S can easily and smoothly collect the dust collected on the electric vacuum cleaner 1 side in the dust collection device 100.

(4-2) The vacuum cleaner system S may be the vacuum cleaner system S described above in (4-1), characterized in that the structure 54 has a first inner tube 60 (inner tube) having a tapered portion 70, and an extension portion 72 extending from the first inner tube 60 to the other side in the central axis direction.

Since the vacuum cleaner system S is configured as described above, when an air current is generated that swirls in the dust collection space 56 and rises toward the tapered portion 70 at the axial center position of the dust collection space 56, the flow of the air current and the dust contained therein is obstructed by the extension portion 72. In other words, with the above-described configuration, the air current and dust that rise from the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 at the axial center position of the dust collection space 56 are less likely to spread in a direction intersecting the axial direction. As a result, the vacuum cleaner system S can make it difficult for dust such as hair and dirt contained in the air current to become entangled in the tapered portion 70 in the dust collection space 56.

In the above embodiment, the extension 72 is tubular in shape, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the vacuum cleaner 1 can be provided with a brush or comb teeth extending from the first inner tube 60 to the other side in the axial direction as the extension 72.

(4-3) The vacuum cleaner system S may be the vacuum cleaner system S described above in (4-2), characterized in that the extension portion 72 has an end portion on the other side in the central axis direction spaced apart from the opening/closing portion 52c.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, the internal volume of the dust collection space 56 is sufficiently secured while preventing the air current rising from the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 from spreading outward. In other words, by configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in the above-described way, dust tends to collect below the first inner tube 60 and inside the extension portion 72.

(4-4) The vacuum cleaner system S may be characterized in that the first inner cylinder 60 in the vacuum cleaner system S of (4-2) to (4-3) above is closed at the other end in the central axis direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S as described above, it is possible to prevent the other axial end of the first inner cylinder 60 from becoming clogged with dust.

In this embodiment, an example is shown in which the end of the first inner tube 60 on the other axial side is blocked, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the end of the first inner tube 60 on the other axial side may not be blocked. If the end of the first inner tube 60 on the other axial side is not blocked, it is preferable to configure this area so that it is less likely to become clogged with dust.

(4-5) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (4-1) to (4-4), characterized in that the structure 54 or the first dust collection container 52 has a first guide portion 74 that extends from the upstream side in the swiveling direction toward the dust collection section inlet 52x as it moves from one side to the other side in the central axis direction.

Since the vacuum cleaner system S includes the first guide portion 74 as described above, the airflow that flows into the dust collection space 56 from the dust collection section inlet 52x is guided by the first guide portion 74 and smoothly guided toward the other axial side (the bottom of the first dust collection container 52). In other words, in the vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment, the swirling airflow that flows into the dust collection space 56 from the dust collection section inlet 52x and is generated on one axial side (upper side) is made to flow more easily toward the other axial side, thereby preventing dust such as hair and dirt contained in the airflow from wrapping around the tapered portion 70 of the first inner tube 60.

In this embodiment, an example in which the first guide portion 74 is provided as described above is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the first guide portion 74 may not be provided, or another guide member may be provided instead of the first guide portion 74. When the first guide portion 74 is not provided, measures such as optimizing the shape of the dust collection portion inlet 52x so that the inflow direction of the airflow at the dust collection portion inlet 52x faces the other axial direction side (the bottom of the first dust collection container 52) may be taken. In addition, when another guide member is provided instead of the first guide portion 74, it is preferable to guide the airflow that flows from the dust collection portion inlet 52x into the dust collection space 56 to flow smoothly toward the other axial direction side, as with the first guide portion 74, or to guide the airflow to change its direction to the other axial direction side before the airflow that flows from the dust collection portion inlet 52x makes one revolution in the circumferential direction of the dust collection space 56.

(4-6) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (4-1) to (4-4), characterized in that the structure 54 or the first dust collection container 52 has a second guide portion 76 that guides the airflow flowing from the dust collection section inlet 52x (inlet) into the dust collection space 56, and the second guide portion 76 is arranged to extend in a direction intersecting the axial direction.

The vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment is equipped with the second guide portion 76 as described above, so that the airflow can be smoothly introduced from the dust collection section inlet 52x into the dust collection space 56 and caused to swirl.

In this embodiment, a configuration in which the above-mentioned second guide portion 76 is provided is exemplified, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a configuration in which the second guide portion 76 is not provided, or a configuration that performs the same function as the second guide portion 76 may be provided.

(4-7) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (4-1) to (4-6), characterized in that the first dust collection section 50 has a contact portion that contacts the structure 54 on one side of the dust collection section inlet 52x in the central axial direction. The contact portion may be, for example, a brush or a blade, or a combination of these.

The vacuum cleaner system S is configured in this way, so that when the structure 54 is removed from the first dust collection section 50, the contact section can remove dust entangled in the structure 54.

(4-8) The vacuum cleaner system S is preferably characterized in that in the vacuum cleaner systems S of (4-1) to (4-7) above, a contact portion (contact portion 152, 152A) is provided as an opening means 150 on one side of the dust collection device 100 and the vacuum cleaner 1, and a contacted portion (contacted portion 52f, 52f1) is provided on the other side, and the opening/closing portion 52c opens when the contact portion contacts the contacted portion.

Since the vacuum cleaner system S is configured in this way, the opening/closing section 52c can be opened by the opening means 150 by positioning the vacuum cleaner 1 relative to the dust collection device 100 so that the contacting section and the contacted section come into contact.

(4-9) The vacuum cleaner system S may be the vacuum cleaner system S described above in (4-8), characterized in that the contact portion (contact portion 152, 152A) contacts the contacted portion (contacted portion 52f, 52f1) on the condition that the vacuum cleaner 1 is attached to the dust collection device 100.

Since the vacuum cleaner system S is configured as described above, by connecting the vacuum cleaner 1 to the dust collection device 100, the abutting portion 152 automatically abuts against the abutted portion 52f, and the opening/closing portion 52c can be opened. As a result, the vacuum cleaner system S does not require a separate operation to open the opening/closing portion 52c, and is therefore excellent in terms of convenience.

(4-10) The vacuum cleaner system S may be characterized in that in the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (4-1) to (4-10), the structure 54 or the first dust collection container 52 has a first guide portion 74 that extends from the upstream side in the swiveling direction toward the dust collection section inlet 52x as it moves from one side to the other side in the central axis direction.

The vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment is provided with the first guide portion 74 as described above, so that the airflow that flows into the dust collection space 56 from the dust collection section inlet 52x is guided by the first guide portion 74 and smoothly guided toward the other axial side (the bottom of the first dust collection container 52). In other words, in the vacuum cleaner 1 of this embodiment, the swirling airflow that flows into the dust collection space 56 from the dust collection section inlet 52x and is generated on one axial side (upper side) can be made to easily flow toward the other axial side. This makes it possible to prevent dust such as hair and dust contained in the airflow from wrapping around the structure 54. Therefore, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner 1 that can prevent dust such as hair and dust from wrapping around the dust collection device.

(4-11) The electric vacuum cleaner system S may be the electric vacuum cleaner system S of (4-10) above, characterized in that it has an opening operation part that operates the contact part 152 so that the contact part 152 and the contacted part 52f come into contact with each other.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, the opening/closing part 52c can be opened by operating the operation part 16e to bring the abutting part 152 into contact with the abutted part 52f. This allows the vacuum cleaner system S to open the opening/closing part 52c according to the user's intention.

(4-12) The vacuum cleaner system S may be the vacuum cleaner system S of (4-11) above, characterized in that the opening operation unit is provided in either the vacuum cleaner 1 or the dust collection device 100 together with a member that is operated by operating the operation unit 16e.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, the member operated by the operation of the operating unit 16e can bring the contacting portion (contacting portion 152, 152A) into contact with the contacted portion (contacted portion 52f, 52f1), thereby opening the opening/closing unit 52c.

(4-13) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (4-1) to (4-12), characterized in that the dust collection device 100 includes a receiving portion 130 that receives the first dust collection portion 50, and the receiving portion 130 has an opening means 150.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, the vacuum cleaner 1 is positioned so that the first dust collecting section 50 can be received in the receiving section 130, and the opening/closing section 52c can be opened by the opening means 150.

(4-14) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (4-1) to (4-13), characterized in that the dust collection device 100 has an abutment portion 152 as the opening means 150, the opening/closing portion 52c is rotatable around a rotation axis, has an abutted portion 52f against which the abutment portion 152 can abut in an area on one side of the rotation axis, and has a closing portion that closes the opening 16d in an area on the other side of the rotation axis, and when the abutment portion 152 abuts against the abutment portion 52f, the closing portion rotates away from the opening 16d to enter an open state.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, the opening means 150 can be opened and closed by the principle of leverage, with the pivot shaft 52e as the fulcrum and the point at which the abutting portion 152 abuts on the abutted portion 52f as the point of action. Therefore, as exemplified in the above embodiment, the closing portion 52g can be rotated without applying an excessively large force to the abutted portion 52f.

(4-15) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (4-1) to (4-14), characterized in that the first dust collection section 50 has an opening surface of the opening 16d that is inclined with respect to the central axis direction.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, dust in the first dust collection chamber 52a tends to clump together, making it easier for the dust collection device 100 to suck it up.

(4-16) The vacuum cleaner system S is the vacuum cleaner system S of (4-8) above, except that the vacuum cleaner 1 is provided with a contact portion (contact portion 152, 152A) as the opening means 150, and the dust collection device 100 is provided with a contacted portion (contact portion 52f, 52f1), and the first contact portion (contact portion 152A) contacts the first contact portion (contact portion 52f1) to unlock the locking portion that locks the opening/closing portion 52c in the closed state, and the second contact portion (contact portion 152) contacts the second contact portion (contact portion 52f) to open the opening/closing portion 52c.

[Regarding the vacuum cleaner according to the fifth aspect of the present invention]
Conventionally, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 2004-283327, there has been provided a vacuum cleaner that generates a suction airflow and collects dust with the generated airflow. This vacuum cleaner is composed of a vacuum cleaner main body having a dust case on the main body side that collects and stores dust, and an installation stand having a dust case on the installation stand side that stores dust from the dust case on the main body side, and is provided with a means for discharging dust in the dust case on the main body side of the vacuum cleaner main body into the dust case on the installation stand side when the vacuum cleaner main body is installed on the installation stand. The vacuum cleaner disclosed in the aforementioned patent document is provided with valves on both the vacuum cleaner main body and the installation stand, and the valves are opened by the airflow of the fan motor, so that dust can be discharged from the dust case on the vacuum cleaner main body side to the dust case on the installation stand side.

In addition, as disclosed in JP 2016-26686 A, a cyclone dust collector is disclosed that is provided with an air filter that further filters the air exhausted from the inner cylinder and flowing along the exhaust path.

However, when configured like the vacuum cleaner disclosed in the above-mentioned patent document, the circulating air current can collect dust in a dust case on the installation stand, but it is difficult to collect dust that adheres to the filter that filters the air discharged from the dust case.

The present invention aims to realize a vacuum cleaner system S that can collect dust that adheres to a filter that filters the air discharged from a dust collection container.

(5-1) The vacuum cleaner system S provided to solve the above-mentioned problems includes a vacuum cleaner 1 and a dust collection device 100, in which the vacuum cleaner 1 includes a main body 10 having a first electric blower 14 that generates suction force, and a first dust collection section 50 in which dust is collected, and the first dust collection section 50 includes a first dust collection container 52 having a dust collection section inlet 52x, a dust collection space exhaust section 80, a structure 54 that forms a dust collection space 56 between the first dust collection container 52, an opening/closing section 52c that can open and close an opening (e.g., a waste port 52b) at the bottom of the first dust collection container 52, and a dust collection space exhaust section 80 that can open and close the opening (e.g., a waste port 52b) at the bottom of the first dust collection container 52, and a dust collection space exhaust section 80 that can exhaust the dust from the first dust collection container 52. 4 and the first electric blower 14 (the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h, or one of the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h when one of the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h is arranged), the structure 54 is formed so that the first inner cylinder 60 having the dust collection space exhaust part 80 extends toward the opening, and the dust collection device 100 collects dust from the first dust collection part 50 of the electric vacuum cleaner 1, and is characterized in that it includes a second dust collection part 110 where dust is collected, and a second electric blower 120 that generates suction force.

In the vacuum cleaner system S, an opening provided at the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 constituting the first dust collection section 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1 can be opened and closed by an opening/closing section 52c. The vacuum cleaner system S also includes a dust collection device 100 for collecting dust from the first dust collection section 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1, and is capable of collecting dust in the second dust collection section 110 by generating suction force using the second electric blower 120. Furthermore, in the vacuum cleaner system S, the structure 54 is formed such that the first inner cylinder 60 having the dust collection space exhaust section 80 extends toward the opening at the bottom of the first dust collection container 52. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner system S can operate the second electric blower 120 provided in the dust collection device 100 while the opening/closing unit 52c provided at the bottom of the first dust collection container 52 is open by the opening means 150, and can apply suction force to the filter via the first inner cylinder 60 forming the structure 54, sucking the filter toward the second dust collection unit 110. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner system S can collect dust attached to the filter that filters the air discharged from the first dust collection container 52.

(5-2) The electric vacuum cleaner system S may be the electric vacuum cleaner system S of (5-1) above, characterized in that the storage space in which the filters (the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h, or one of the first filter 64g and the second filter 64h if either one of them is provided) are arranged communicates with the first inner cylinder 60, and the first inner cylinder 60 communicates with the second dust collecting section 110 when the opening/closing section 52c is open.

Since the electric vacuum cleaner system S is configured in this way, the suction force generated by the second electric blower 120 provided in the second dust collection unit 110 can be reliably applied to the filter disposed in the storage space. This allows the electric vacuum cleaner system S to more reliably collect dust adhering to the filter that filters the air discharged from the dust collection container.

(5-3) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (5-1) to (5-2), characterized in that the vacuum cleaner 1 or the dust collection device 100 includes an opening means 150 for opening the opening/closing part 52c.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, the opening means 150 can open the opening/closing section 52c provided at the bottom of the first dust collection container 52, and the dust adhering to the filter that filters the air discharged from the dust collection container can be collected in the second dust collection section 110.

(5-4) The vacuum cleaner system S may be the vacuum cleaner system S of (5-3) above, characterized in that a contact portion (contact portion 152, 152A) serving as an opening means 150 is provided on one side of the dust collection device 100 and the vacuum cleaner 1, and a contacted portion (contacted portion 52f, 52f1) is provided on the other side, and the opening/closing portion 52c opens on the condition that the contact portion contacts the contacted portion.

Since the vacuum cleaner system S is configured in this way, the opening/closing section 52c can be opened by the opening means 150 by positioning the vacuum cleaner 1 relative to the dust collection device 100 so that the contacting section and the contacted section come into contact.

(5-5) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (5-1) to (5-4), characterized in that the dust collection device 100 includes a receiving portion 130 that receives the first dust collection portion 50, and the receiving portion 130 includes an opening means 150.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, the vacuum cleaner 1 is positioned so that the first dust collecting section 50 can be received in the receiving section 130, and the opening/closing section 52c can be opened by the opening means 150.

(5-6) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (5-1) to (5-5), characterized in that the dust collection device 100 has an abutment portion 152 as the opening means 150, the opening/closing portion 52c is rotatable about a rotation axis, has an abutment portion 52f with which the abutment portion 152 can abut in an area on one side of the rotation axis, and has a blocking portion that blocks an opening (e.g., waste outlet 52b) in an area on the other side of the rotation axis, and, on the condition that the abutment portion 152 abuts against the abutment portion 52f, the blocking portion rotates away from the opening to enter the open state.

By configuring the vacuum cleaner system S in this way, the opening means 150 can be opened and closed by the principle of leverage, with the pivot shaft 52e as the fulcrum and the point at which the abutting portion 152 abuts on the abutted portion 52f as the point of action. Therefore, as exemplified in the above embodiment, the closing portion 52g can be rotated without applying an excessively large force to the abutted portion 52f.

(5-7) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (5-1) to (5-6), characterized in that it includes an airtight member 160 provided on either the receiving portion 130 or the bottom of the first dust collecting container 52, and the first dust collecting container 52 and the receiving portion 130 are in airtight contact with each other via the airtight member 160.

With this configuration, when the first dust collection container 52 is fitted into the receiving portion 130, the two can be connected airtight. This allows dust to be collected smoothly when it is sucked from the first dust collection section 50 side to the second dust collection section 110 side.

(5-8) The vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the vacuum cleaner systems S described above in (5-1) to (5-7), characterized in that the vacuum cleaner is provided with an open/close valve for adjusting the air flowing into the dust collection space.

According to this configuration, by operating the second electric blower 120 with the on-off valve closed, it is possible to collect dust adhering to the filter that filters the air discharged from the dust collection container.
(5-9) The electric vacuum cleaner system S may be any of the electric vacuum cleaner systems S of (5-1) to (5-8) above, characterized in that the electric vacuum cleaner is provided with an opening/closing valve capable of opening and closing an opening in the main body 10 that faces the dust collection section inlet 52x.
According to this configuration, by operating the second electric blower 120 with the on-off valve closed, it is possible to collect dust adhering to the filter that filters the air discharged from the dust collection container.

(5-10) The vacuum cleaner system S is the vacuum cleaner system S of (5-4) above, except that the vacuum cleaner 1 is provided with a contact portion (contact portion 152, 152A) as the opening means 150, and the dust collection device 100 is provided with a contacted portion (contact portion 52f, 52f1), and the first contact portion (contact portion 152A) contacts the first contact portion (contact portion 52f1) to unlock the locking portion that locks the opening/closing portion 52c in the closed state, and the second contact portion (contact portion 152) contacts the second contact portion (contact portion 52f) to open the opening/closing portion 52c.

[Regarding the vacuum cleaner according to the sixth aspect of the present invention]
In order to solve the same problem as that described above in [Regarding the vacuum cleaner according to the fifth aspect of the present invention], the present invention aims to realize a vacuum cleaner system S that is capable of collecting dust adhering to a filter that filters the air discharged from a dust collection container.

(6-1) The vacuum cleaner system S provided to solve the above-mentioned problems includes a vacuum cleaner 1 and a dust collection device 100, in which the vacuum cleaner 1 includes a main body 10 having a first electric blower 14 that generates suction force and an external exhaust opening 10x for discharging the exhaust air of the first electric blower 14 to the outside, and a first dust collection section 50 in which dust is collected, and the first dust collection section 50 includes a first dust collection container 52 having a dust collection section inlet 52x, a dust collection space exhaust section 80, and a structure 54 that forms a dust collection space 56 between the first dust collection container 52 and the structure 54 that opens an opening (e.g., a waste port 52b) of the first dust collection container 52. The vacuum cleaner has a closable opening/closing part (e.g., opening/closing part 52c) and a filter (first filter 64g and second filter 64h, or one of the first filter 64g and second filter 64h when one of them is arranged) arranged between the structure 54 and the first electric blower 14, and the vacuum cleaner is provided with an opening/closing valve that can be opened and closed to adjust the air flowing into the dust collection space, and the dust collection device 100 collects dust from the first dust collection part 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1, and is characterized in that it includes a second dust collection part 110 where dust is collected, and a second electric blower 120 that generates suction force.

According to this configuration, by operating the second electric blower 120 with the on-off valve closed, air can be made to flow easily from the external exhaust opening 10x through the filter to the dust collection device 100. This makes it possible to collect dust adhering to the filter that filters the air discharged from the first dust collection container 52. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner system S can collect dust adhering to the filter that filters the air discharged from the dust collection container.

(6-2) The vacuum cleaner system S provided to solve the above-mentioned problems includes a vacuum cleaner 1 and a dust collection device 100, in which the vacuum cleaner 1 includes a main body 10 having a first electric blower 14 that generates suction force and an external exhaust opening 10x for discharging the exhaust air of the first electric blower 14 to the outside, and a first dust collection section 50 in which dust is collected, and the first dust collection section 50 includes a first dust collection container 52 having a dust collection section inlet 52x, a dust collection space exhaust section 80, and a structure 54 that forms a dust collection space 56 between the first dust collection container 52 and the structure 54, and an opening (e.g., a waste port 52b) of the first dust collection container 52 that can be opened and closed. The vacuum cleaner has an opening/closing part (e.g., opening/closing part 52c) and a filter (first filter 64g and second filter 64h, or one of the first filter 64g and second filter 64h when one of them is arranged) arranged between the structure 54 and the first electric blower 14, and the vacuum cleaner is provided with an opening/closing valve capable of opening and closing an opening of the main body 10 facing the dust collection part inlet 52x, and the dust collection device 100 collects dust from the first dust collection part 50 of the vacuum cleaner 1, and is characterized in that it is equipped with a second dust collection part 110 where dust is collected, and a second electric blower 120 that generates suction force.

According to this configuration, by operating the second electric blower 120 with the on-off valve closed, air can be made to flow easily from the external exhaust opening 10x through the filter to the dust collection device 100. This makes it possible to collect dust adhering to the filter that filters the air discharged from the first dust collection container 52. Therefore, the vacuum cleaner system S can collect dust adhering to the filter that filters the air discharged from the dust collection container.

(6-3) The vacuum cleaner system S may have the configurations (5-3) to (5-7) described above in the vacuum cleaner system S described above in (6-1) to (6-2).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments and variations, and other embodiments may be possible within the scope of the claims, based on the teachings and spirit of the invention. The components of the above-described embodiments may be arbitrarily selected and combined. Any component of the embodiment may also be arbitrarily combined with any component described in the means for solving the invention, or any component that embodies any component described in the means for solving the invention. We intend to obtain rights to these as well through amendments to this application or divisional applications, etc.

This invention can be used effectively in vacuum cleaners in general.

1: Vacuum cleaner 10: Main body 10x: External exhaust opening 14: First electric blower 14a: Case body 14x: Exhaust opening 15a: Battery 16: Handle 16a: First extension 16b: Second extension 16c: Curved portion 16d: Opening 16e: Operation unit 17: Control unit 38x: Tube 38y: Suction port 50: First dust collection unit (dust collection unit)
52: First dust collecting container (outer cylinder)
52a: First dust collection chamber 52c: Opening/closing part 52e: Rotating shaft 52f: Abutted part 52g: Closing part 52x: Dust collection part inlet 54: Structure 56: Dust collection space 60: First inner cylinder (inner cylinder)
70: Tapered portion 72: Extension portion 74: First guide portion 76: Second guide portion 80: Dust collection space exhaust portion 94: Second inner cylinder filter (filter)
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 100: Dust recovery device 110: Second dust collecting section 120: Second electric blower 130: Receiving section 150: Opening means 152: Contact section 160: Airtight member S: Vacuum cleaner system

Claims (7)

a main body having an electric blower that generates a suction force and a control unit that controls the electric blower;
A dust collecting section in which dust is collected;
A vacuum cleaner comprising a handle portion,
The dust collecting unit is disposed on one side of the main body in a first direction,
The handle portion is disposed on the other side of the main body portion in the first direction,
The handle portion is
A first extension portion extending in the first direction;
A second extension portion extending in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction;
A curved portion having a curved shape connecting the first extension portion and the second extension portion,
a battery disposed on a rear side of the vacuum cleaner so as to be aligned with the electric blower in the second direction;
the control unit is disposed on a front side of the vacuum cleaner, on an opposite side to the battery with respect to the electric blower;
The handle portion defines an opening between the handle portion and the main body portion for inserting a hand therein,
the opening is located on the other side of the electric blower in the first direction,
The electric vacuum cleaner, wherein the handle portion extends from a side other than the electric blower in the first direction. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the first extension section is provided with an operating section. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that the center position of the electric blower is located on the opposite side of the battery in the second direction, based on a central axis of the dust collecting unit that extends in the first direction. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the dust collection unit and the battery are arranged so as to overlap at least partially when viewed from the first direction. The main body portion has a pipe portion having a suction port for sucking dust, and the pipe portion is arranged to be aligned with the dust collecting portion in the second direction,
The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 , wherein the control portion is present within a projected area of the tube portion in the first direction. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the length of the first extension portion is 6 cm or more and 10 cm or less. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the length of the second extension portion is 6 cm or more and 10 cm or less.

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