JP7803178B2 - Cleaning equipment and collection containers - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a cleaning device that cleans a surface while moving over the surface.

Autonomous mobile cleaning devices known as cleaning robots are known in the past. While traveling over a surface to be cleaned, such as a floor, these cleaning devices operate an intake fan to draw in air through the intake port of the intake nozzle and suck up debris (suctioned material) such as dust and dirt on the surface to be cleaned. This cleans the surface to be cleaned. The sucked-in debris is collected in a collection box (collection container) attached to the cleaning device. Furthermore, minute dust particles contained in the sucked air are captured by a filter installed in the cleaning device. The air from which dust and other particles have been separated by the filter is then discharged to the outside through an exhaust duct by the intake fan.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2018-112917

The filter installed in the cleaning device has the same function as the filter used in an air purifier in terms of removing minute dust particles and dirt. Therefore, if the filter can be used to purify the air when the cleaning device is not performing a cleaning operation, such as when it is stopped and not performing a cleaning operation, the cleaning device can be given not only a cleaning function but also an air purification function.

The object of the present invention is to provide a cleaning device that can perform not only cleaning functions but also air purification functions, and a collection container that can be attached and detached to the cleaning device.

(1) A cleaning device according to one aspect of the present invention is configured to clean a surface to be cleaned by sucking material into an intake nozzle using the suction force of an intake fan. The cleaning device has a first opening communicating with the intake nozzle and an exhaust port connected to the intake port of the intake fan, and is equipped with a collection container that collects the material sucked into the intake nozzle and flowing into the first opening, and a filter installed in the intake flow path from the exhaust port to the intake fan. The collection container further has a second opening for drawing in outside air. The cleaning device is equipped with an opening/closing mechanism that opens either the first opening or the second opening and closes the other.

As a result of this configuration, the cleaning function of the cleaning device 10 can be realized by opening the first opening and closing the second opening with the opening/closing mechanism. Furthermore, the cleaning device 10 can be operated as an air purifier by closing the first opening and opening the second opening with the opening/closing mechanism.

(2) In the cleaning device of the present invention, the opening and closing mechanism has a first opening and closing member that opens and closes the first opening, and a second opening and closing member that opens and closes the second opening.
The cleaning device further includes a first moving mechanism including a first drive unit that applies a driving force to the first opening/closing member and that moves the first opening/closing member between a first open position that opens the first opening and a first closed position that closes the first opening; a second moving mechanism including a second drive unit that applies a driving force to the second opening/closing member and that moves the second opening/closing member between a second open position that opens the second opening and a second closed position that closes the second opening; a first control unit that moves the first opening/closing member to the first open position and the second opening/closing member to the second closed position during a cleaning operation; and a second control unit that moves the first opening/closing member to the first closed position and the second opening/closing member to the second open position during a non-cleaning operation.

As a result of this configuration, during cleaning operation, the flow path from the first opening to the exhaust port is open, and the flow path from the second opening to the exhaust port is blocked. Furthermore, during non-cleaning operations such as air purification operation, the flow path from the first opening to the exhaust port is blocked, and the flow path from the second opening to the exhaust port is open.

(3) The cleaning device of the present invention further includes a device main body in which the intake fan is provided, and a support part provided on the back of the device main body and detachably supporting the collection container. The intake nozzle is provided at the bottom of the support part so as to face the surface to be cleaned. The first opening is formed in the bottom surface of the collection container. The support part includes: a first support member capable of supporting the bottom surface of the collection container and having a first communication port that opens a first flow path from the intake nozzle via the first opening to the interior of the collection container when the collection container is attached; and a second support member capable of engaging with the side of the collection container and having a second communication port that opens an exhaust flow path from the interior of the collection container via the exhaust port to the intake port of the intake fan when the collection container is attached. The first opening/closing member is provided on the support part. The second opening/closing member is provided on the collection container. The support portion has a connecting portion that connects to the second opening/closing member when the collection container is attached and that disconnects from the second opening/closing member when the collection container is removed.

(4) The cleaning device of the present invention further includes a setting receiving unit that receives setting input for setting the cleaning device to either a cleaning mode in which the cleaning operation is performed or an air cleaning mode in which the air cleaning operation is performed. In this configuration, when the setting receiving unit receives setting input for the cleaning mode, the first control unit preferably operates operating members required for the cleaning operation, moves the first opening/closing member to the first open position, and moves the second opening/closing member to the second closed position. Furthermore, when the setting receiving unit receives setting input for the air cleaning mode, the second control unit preferably moves the first opening/closing member to the first closed position and moves the second opening/closing member to the second open position.

(5) In the cleaning device of the present invention, the opening/closing mechanism includes a valve member that is disposed inside the collection container and is displaceable between a first position and a second position, that opens the first opening and closes the second opening at the first position, and that closes the first opening and opens the second opening at the second position, and a valve drive unit that applies a drive force to the valve member. In this case, the cleaning device further includes a valve drive control unit that moves the valve member to the first position during cleaning operation and moves the valve member to the second position during non-cleaning operation.

Even with this configuration, during cleaning operation, the flow path from the first opening to the exhaust port is open, and the flow path from the second opening to the exhaust port is blocked. Furthermore, during non-cleaning operation such as air purification operation, the flow path from the first opening to the exhaust port is blocked, and the flow path from the second opening to the exhaust port is open.

(6) The cleaning device of the present invention further includes a setting receiving unit that receives a setting input for setting the cleaning device to either a cleaning mode in which the cleaning operation is performed or an air cleaning mode in which the air cleaning operation is performed. In this configuration, it is preferable that the valve drive control unit, when the setting receiving unit receives a setting input for the cleaning mode, actuates an actuating member required for the cleaning operation and moves the valve member to the first position, and when the setting receiving unit receives a setting input for the air cleaning mode, moves the valve member to the second position.

(7) In the cleaning device of the present invention, the collection container is formed in a box shape that is long in the height direction of the cleaning device. Furthermore, the second opening is formed in the upper part of the collection container.

(8) The present invention can also be seen as a collection container that can be attached to and detached from the above-mentioned cleaning device.

This invention makes it possible to achieve not only cleaning functions but also air purification functions.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the appearance of the front side of a cleaning device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal configuration of the cleaning device to which the collection box is attached. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the rear appearance of the cleaning device. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the state in which the collection box is removed from the perspective view of FIG. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the cleaning unit, and is a partially enlarged view showing the state in which the rear cover is removed from the cleaning unit. 6A and 6B are side views of the rear portion of the cleaning device, with FIG. 6A showing the state in which the collection box of the cleaning device is attached, and FIG. 6B showing the state in which the collection box is removed from the cleaning device. FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a collection box attached to the cleaning device. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing a part of a horizontal cut surface at the upper part of the cleaning unit. FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the lower part of the cleaning unit. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the intake nozzle taken along line XX in FIG. 9, viewed from below. FIG. 11 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the upper part of the cleaning unit. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the upper part of the cleaning unit taken along line XII-XII in FIG. 11, viewed from below. FIG. 13 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit of the cleaning device. FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating an example of the procedure of the intake path switching process executed by the control unit of the cleaning apparatus. FIG. 15 is a view showing an opening/closing mechanism of a cleaning device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

A cleaning device 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that the following embodiment is an example of a specific embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the technical scope of the present invention. In the following description, the up-down direction D1 is defined when the cleaning device 10 is placed on the floor surface 23 (see Figure 2), the front-rear direction D2 is defined as the forward direction of the cleaning device 10, and the left-right direction D3 or width direction D3 is defined when viewed from the front of the cleaning device 10.

[First embodiment]
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described below.

[Cleaning device 10]
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the external appearance of the front side of an autonomously traveling cleaning device 10 (an example of a cleaning device of the present invention) according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the internal structure of the cleaning device 10.

The cleaning device 10 shown in FIG. 1 is an autonomous mobile device that moves forward (in the direction of travel) on a floor surface 23 (see FIG. 2) in a concourse at an airport, station, shopping mall, or the like. It is also referred to as a mobile robot or a traveling robot. While moving autonomously, the cleaning device 10 uses the suction force of an intake fan 72 (see FIG. 2) to suck up debris (suctioned material) such as dust and dirt from the floor surface 23 to be cleaned into an intake nozzle 33 (see FIG. 2) and collects it in a collection box 31 (see FIG. 2). In this way, the cleaning device 10 cleans the floor surface 23. The air sucked in through the intake nozzle 33 is exhausted to the outside through a filter 315 (see FIG. 2). At this time, the filter 315 separates debris from the air, and clean air is exhausted to the outside. The cleaning device 10 automatically travels while cleaning the floor surface 23 based on various cleaning information input in advance, such as the travel route, cleaning area, cleaning time period, and return location for charging.

Note that cleaning device 10 is merely one example of the present invention, and the present invention may also be applied to, for example, a cleaning device that autonomously travels to clean indoor floor surfaces 23, or a cleaning device that autonomously travels to clean road surfaces such as outdoor walkways and roads. Furthermore, the present invention is not limited to autonomously traveling cleaning devices, and may also be applied to, for example, a manual cleaning device that is manually pushed by a user to clean floor surfaces 23.

In this embodiment, the cleaning device 10 is an autonomous mobile robot (autonomous mobile device) that not only has a cleaning function for cleaning the floor surface 23, but also has an air purification function for removing pollen, dust, dirt, droplets, and other minute floating particles, as well as viruses, that are floating in the air around the cleaning device 10. In addition to the cleaning and air purification functions, the cleaning device 10 may also have other functions for realizing other uses. For example, in addition to the cleaning and air purification functions, the cleaning device 10 may also have other functions such as a security function for providing security while autonomously traveling, a care function for supporting the daily activities of a person requiring care, a luggage transport function, and a display and guidance function.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device 10 includes a device main body 11, a cleaning unit 30 provided in the device main body 11, and an opening/closing mechanism 80 (see FIGS. 10 and 12). The opening/closing mechanism 80 is an example of an opening/closing mechanism of the present invention. The device main body 11 includes a travel unit 12 (an example of a propulsion force transmission unit), a motor 13, a battery 14, an operation display unit 20, a display panel 21, an operation handle 22, and a control unit 40. The cleaning device 10 also includes a slide mechanism 50 (see FIG. 2) that supports the cleaning unit 30 so that it can move in the up-down direction D1.

As shown in Figure 1, the device main body 11 has an exterior cover 11A that forms its exterior. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 2, the device main body 11 has a chassis 11B at its bottom. The chassis 11B is disposed generally parallel to the floor surface 23. Furthermore, a support frame is appropriately provided inside the device main body 11 to support each of the functional units described above.

The device body 11 is configured to be able to travel in a predetermined direction of travel on the floor surface 23, which is the surface to be cleaned. In this embodiment, the device body 11 is able to travel using the running unit 12. As shown in FIG. 2, the running unit 12 is provided at the bottom of the device body 11. The running unit 12 transmits propulsive force in the direction of travel to the floor surface 23 while maintaining the running posture of the device body 11, and is attached to the chassis 11B. The running unit 12 has a pair of wheels 121 and four casters 122 for travel.

The wheels 121 are rotatably attached to both ends of the chassis 11B in the left-right direction D3 (width direction) at the center of the chassis 11B in the front-to-rear direction. The four casters 122 are used to maintain the traveling posture of the device main body 11, and are rotatably attached to both ends of the front end and both ends of the rear end of the chassis 11B. When the cleaning device 10 is placed on the floor surface 23, the outer peripheries of the wheels 121 and casters 122 are supported by the floor surface 23. This allows the device main body 11 to be maintained in the traveling posture shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The output shaft of the motor 13 is connected to the rotational shaft of the wheel 121 via a transmission mechanism such as a reduction gear. Therefore, when the motor 13 is driven and its rotational driving force is output from the output shaft, the rotational driving force of the motor 13 is transmitted to the wheel 121. In this embodiment, an individual motor 13 is provided for each of a pair of wheels 121. Therefore, the rotational speed of each wheel 121 is controlled by individually driving and controlling each motor 13. For example, if the rotational speeds of each wheel 121 are controlled to be uniform, the cleaning device 10 will move straight, and if the rotational speeds of each wheel 121 are controlled to be different speeds, the cleaning device 10 will turn toward the wheel 121 with the slower rotational speed.

The battery 14 is located in the center of the device main body 11. The battery 14 supplies power for operation to the operation and display unit 20, the motor 13, the fan motor 74 (see Figure 2) of the intake fan 72 (an example of an intake fan of the present invention) of the intake unit 70 (described below), and the slide motor 55 of the slide mechanism 50 (see Figure 13).

The operation display unit 20 is provided on the top of the device main body 11. The operation display unit 20 is attached to the exterior cover 11A. The operation display unit 20 is a device operated by the user. The operation display unit 20 is, for example, a terminal device having a touch panel that can be operated by touch and that can display specified information.

Various registration information for the cleaning device 10 (such as travel route, cleaning area, cleaning time period, and return location information) can be input directly from the operation and display unit 20. Mode setting values for setting the cleaning mode for the cleaning device 10 to perform cleaning operations and the air purification mode for performing air purification operations can also be input from the operation and display unit 20. The input registration information, mode setting values, etc. are transferred to the control unit 40 and used for travel control and operation control by the control unit 40. The registration information, mode setting values, etc. may also be input to the cleaning device 10 via wireless or wired communication by an information processing device such as a server device.

The display panel 21 is provided on the front of the device main body 11. The display panel 21 is, for example, a liquid crystal panel. Various announcement information is displayed on the display panel 21 by the control unit 40 during cleaning. The announcement information is, for example, information indicating the operating status of the cleaning device 10, such as information indicating that cleaning is being performed when the device is in cleaning operation, or information indicating that air purification is being performed when the device is in air purification operation.

The operating handle 22 is provided at the top of the back surface of the device main body 11. The operating handle 22 is an operating member that the user grips when manually operating the cleaning device 10 to clean, or when the user performs a teaching operation to teach the cleaning device 10 a travel path. The operating handle 22 has various operation buttons that accept operation operations from the user. Operation information for the operation buttons is transferred to the control unit 40 and used by the control unit 40 to control travel.

As shown in FIG. 2, the control unit 40 is provided on top of the device main body 11. The control unit 40 comprehensively controls the operation of the cleaning device 10. In this embodiment, the control unit 40 controls the cleaning operation, air purification operation, etc. of the cleaning device 10. Specifically, the control unit 40 controls the travel operation of the cleaning device 10, the air suction operation by the air suction unit 70, the rotation operation of the rotating brush 26 (an example of an operating member of the present invention), the sliding operation by the sliding mechanism 50, the screen display of the display panel 21, etc.

The control unit 40 includes, for example, a control board (control circuit board) on which control devices such as a CPU, ROM, and RAM are mounted, a storage device such as an HDD or flash memory, a GPS receiver, etc. The CPU is a processor that executes various types of arithmetic operations. The ROM is non-volatile memory that pre-stores control programs such as BIOS and OS that cause the CPU to execute various processes. The RAM is volatile or non-volatile memory that stores various types of information and is used as temporary storage memory (work area) for the various processes executed by the CPU. The control unit 40 performs various controls related to the cleaning and air purifying operations of the cleaning device 10 by having the CPU execute various control programs pre-stored in the ROM or storage device.

[Cleaning unit 30]
Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the rear appearance of the cleaning device 10. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the cleaning unit 30 is provided on the rear surface of the device body 11. The cleaning unit 30 is supported by a slide mechanism 50 (see Fig. 2) on a rear frame 11C of the device body 11 so as to be movable in the up-down direction D1.

The cleaning unit 30 includes a collection box 31 (an example of a collection container according to the present invention), a support holder 32 (an example of a support part according to the present invention), an air intake nozzle 33 (an example of an air intake nozzle according to the present invention), an extension nozzle 34 (see Figure 3), an air intake unit 70, an exhaust duct 76, and a cover 35.

As shown in FIG. 2, the support holder 32 is provided on the back surface of the device main body 11. The support holder 32 is a support member configured to detachably support the collection box 31. The collection box 31 is removably attached to the support holder 32.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the collection box 31 removed from the support holder 32, and Figure 5 is a partially enlarged view showing the cleaning unit 30 with the cover 35 removed.

As shown in Figures 4 and 5, a storage section 322 capable of storing the collection box 31 is provided in the center of the support holder 32 in the left-right direction D3 (width direction). The collection box 31 is attached to the storage section 322. In other words, the collection box 31 is positioned in the center of the width direction D3 on the back of the device main body 11.

The cover 35 is attached to the support holder 32. When the cover 35 is attached to the support holder 32, it covers the exhaust duct 76 (described below) and other components provided inside the cleaning unit 30, forming an internal space between the support holder 32 and the inner surface of the cover 35.

The storage section 322 is a concave storage space extending in the vertical direction D1. When the cover 35 is attached to the support holder 32, the storage section 322 is defined by the support holder 32 and the cover 35. The collection box 31 is removably attached to the storage section 322, and when attached to the storage section 322, it is stored in the concave storage space of the storage section 322.

As shown in Figure 4, an intake nozzle 33 is provided at the bottom of the support holder 32. In this embodiment, the intake nozzle 33 is formed integrally with the support holder 32. The intake nozzle 33 is provided at the bottom of the support holder 32 so as to face the floor surface 23. In addition, an extension nozzle 34 is provided on the side of the support holder 32.

When the intake fan 72 is activated, the intake nozzle 33 sucks in dust and other debris (suction object) along with air from the floor surface 23. As shown in FIG. 2, the intake nozzle 33 has an intake port 331 facing the floor surface 23. The intake port 331 is positioned above the floor surface 23 at a predetermined gap ΔT. The intake nozzle 33 is elongated in the width direction D3 and is composed of a rectangular cylindrical outer wall 332 (see FIG. 2) that protrudes downward from the outer peripheral edge of the support plate 324 (see FIG. 5) of the support holder 32. The position where the intake port 331 is positioned above the floor surface 23 at the predetermined gap ΔT is the cleaning position where the intake nozzle 33 is positioned during cleaning operations.

As shown in Figure 2, an elastic sheet-like sealing member 335 (see Figure 5) that extends toward the floor surface 23 is provided on the rear edge of the intake port 331 of the intake nozzle 33. The sealing member 335 has a rectangular shape that is long in the width direction D3. The sealing member 335 seals the gap ΔT between the rear edge of the intake port 331 and the floor surface 23.

A pair of rotating brushes 26 are rotatably mounted on the suction nozzle 33 and arranged side by side in the front-to-rear direction D2. Each rotating brush 26 is arranged so as to span both side plates located on either side of the suction nozzle 33 in the width direction D3. Both ends of each rotation shaft of the rotating brush 26 are rotatably supported on the side plates of the suction nozzle 33. Each rotating brush 26 rotates when rotational driving force from a brush motor 56 (see Figure 13) serving as an electric motor provided in the cleaning unit 30 is transmitted via a transmission mechanism 39 (see Figure 5) such as a belt or pulley. When the rotating brush 26 rotates during cleaning operation of the cleaning device 10, debris on the floor surface 23 is efficiently collected.

As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the extension nozzle 34 is provided on the left side of the support holder 32 when viewing the cleaning device 10 from the front. A storage space 38 is provided on the left side of the support holder 32, and the extension nozzle 34 can be stored in the storage space 38. The extension nozzle 34 is rotatably supported by the support holder 32. Specifically, the extension nozzle 34 is supported by the support holder 32 so that it can change its position between a storage position (the position shown in Figures 3 and 4) in which it is stored in the storage space 38, and a side cleaning position (not shown) in which it is tilted to the left from the storage space 38 and can clean the floor surface 23 on the left side of the device main body 11.

As shown in FIG. 2, a plate-shaped back frame 11C (see FIG. 2) extending upward from the rear end of the chassis 11B is provided inside the device main body 11. The support holder 32 is attached to the back frame 11C. The support holder 32 has a plate-shaped base portion 321 (an example of a second support member of the present invention) that engages with the back frame 11C of the device main body 11, and a support plate 324 (an example of a first support member of the present invention) for supporting the bottom surface (base) 31A of the collection box 31. The base portion 321 is attached to the back frame 11C via a slide mechanism 50.

In this embodiment, the support holder 32 is supported by a slide mechanism 50 on the rear frame 11C of the device main body 11 so that it can move in the vertical direction D1. This allows the cleaning unit 30 itself to move in the vertical direction D1. A well-known slide rail, for example, can be used as the slide mechanism 50.

The slide mechanism 50 supports the support holder 32 so that it can move in the vertical direction D1, and transmits a drive force in the vertical direction D1 to the support holder 32 to move the support holder 32 in the vertical direction D1. In this embodiment, when an instruction for an operation other than a cleaning operation, such as an instruction for an air purification operation or a maintenance operation, is input from the operation display unit 20, the control unit 40 drives and controls the slide motor 55 (see FIG. 13) of the slide mechanism 50 to raise the support holder 32. The control unit 40 then moves the support holder 32 from a cleaning position (position shown in FIG. 2) where the floor surface 23 can be cleaned to a retracted position spaced above the cleaning position, and holds the support holder 32 in the retracted position. Thereafter, when a cleaning instruction for performing a cleaning operation is input, the control unit 40 drives and controls the slide motor 55 to lower the support holder 32 from the retracted position to the cleaning position.

As shown in FIG. 5, the base portion 321 is a plate-like member extending in the vertical direction D1. The storage portion 322 is integrally formed with the base portion 321. The storage portion 322 is provided on the rear surface 321A on the rear side of the base portion 321, and is positioned in the center of the base portion 321 in the width direction D3. The storage portion 322 has a pair of side plates 322A and a holding plate 322B. The pair of side plates 322A are spaced a predetermined distance apart in the width direction D3. The holding plate 322B is attached to each side plate 322A so as to span the rear end of the lower part of each side plate 322A in the width direction D3.

A support plate 324 is also provided below the base portion 321. As shown in FIG. 2, the support plate 324 also constitutes the upper surface of the intake nozzle 33. The support plate 324 is provided perpendicular to the base portion 321 and is a plate-like member that extends horizontally rearward from the base portion 321. The support plate 324 supports the bottom surface 31A of the collection box 31 when it is attached to the storage portion 322.

The storage section 322 includes a storage space surrounded by a pair of side plates 322A, a holding plate 322B, and a support plate 324, and the collection box 31 is removably stored in this storage space.

As shown in FIG. 4, when the cover 35 is attached, the storage section 322 is open on both the rear and upper sides. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B), the collection box 31 is attached to or removed from the storage section 322 from the diagonally upper rear side. Here, FIGS. 6(A) and 6(B) are side views of the rear section of the cleaning device 10, with FIG. 6(A) showing the state in which the collection box 31 is attached to the storage section 322 and FIG. 6(B) showing the state in which the collection box 31 is removed from the storage section 322.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the collection box 31 is removed, the support holder 32 has two second communication ports 73 (one example of a second communication port according to the present invention). The two second communication ports 73 are through-holes formed to penetrate the base portion 321. The two second communication ports 73 communicate with the intake port of the intake fan 72 provided in the intake unit 70, which will be described later. The two second communication ports 73 are arranged at a predetermined distance in the width direction D3.

[Collection Box 31]
The collection box 31 is a container for collecting dust and other debris sucked into the suction port 331 of the suction nozzle 33. The collection box 31 collects dust and other debris (suctioned material) separated from the air by a filter 315 (described later). As shown in FIG. 7 , the collection box 31 has a flat shape in the front-to-rear direction D2 and is formed in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped box that is long in the height direction (up-down direction D1) of the cleaning device 10.

As shown in FIG. 7, the collection box 31 is provided with two exhaust ports 312 (one example of an exhaust port of the present invention) corresponding to the two second communication ports 73 (see FIG. 4). The two exhaust ports 312 are formed near the top of the front wall 31B on the front side of the collection box 31. When the collection box 31 is attached to the storage section 322, the two exhaust ports 312 are connected to the second communication ports 73. In other words, when the collection box 31 is attached to the storage section 322, the two exhaust ports 312 are connected to the intake ports of the intake fan 72. This connects the collection box 31 and the intake unit 70 so that air can be drawn in from the collection box 31.

A filter 315 (an example of a filter according to the present invention) is provided inside the collection box 31. The filter 315 is provided in the air intake path of the intake fan 72. In this embodiment, the filter 315 is provided on the inner surface of the front wall 31B on the front side of the collection box 31, and is positioned so as to cover the exhaust port 312. The filter 315 captures and separates dust and other debris from the air drawn into the intake nozzle 33, thereby producing purified air. In this embodiment, the air purified by the filter 315 is discharged outside the collection box 31 through the exhaust port 312. The filter 315 is not a filter dedicated to cleaning, but can also be used for air purification. For example, a chemical filter, a HEPA filter, or a ULPA filter can be used as the filter 315.

As shown in Figure 6 (B), a first communication port 323 (an example of a first communication port according to the present invention) is formed in the support plate 324 (first support member) of the support holder 32. The first communication port 323 is a rectangular opening that is long in the width direction D3. The first communication port 323 is connected to the intake nozzle 33.

As shown in Figure 7, a first opening 311 (an example of a first opening of the present invention) is formed on the bottom surface 31A of the collection box 31. The first opening 311 is connected to the intake nozzle 33 via a first communication port 323. The first opening 311 is formed in a position corresponding to the first communication port 323, and, like the first communication port 323, is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the width direction D3.

When the collection box 31 is attached to the storage section 322, the first opening 311 on the bottom surface 31A of the collection box 31 is aligned with the first communication port 323, connecting the first opening 311 and the first communication port 323. This places the air intake nozzle 33 in communication with the collection box 31. This also creates an air flow path (hereinafter referred to as the "first flow path") from the air intake nozzle 33 through the first communication port 323 and the first opening 311 to the interior of the collection box 31. Therefore, the first communication port 323 is an opening that opens the first flow path from the air intake nozzle 33 to the interior of the collection box 31.

Furthermore, with the collection box 31 attached to the storage section 322, the exhaust port 312 is aligned with the second communication port 73, connecting the exhaust port 312 and the second communication port 73. This connects the collection box 31 to the intake port of the intake fan 72. In addition, an air flow path (hereinafter referred to as the "exhaust flow path") is formed from the inside of the collection box 31 through the exhaust port 312 and the second communication port 73 to the intake fan 72.

An opening 325 (see Figure 5) that communicates with the extension nozzle 34 is formed in the lower part of the left side plate 322A of the storage section 322. When the collection box 31 is attached to the storage section 322, the side air intake 313 (see Figure 7) formed in the side wall 31C on the lateral side of the collection box 31 is aligned with and connected to the opening 325. As a result, when the extension nozzle 34 is in the side cleaning position, the extension nozzle 34 and the collection box 31 are connected, and dust, particles, and other debris (suctioned material) sucked up from the extension nozzle 34 along with air enter the side air intake 313 through the opening 325 and can be collected in the collection box 31 via the side air intake 313. Furthermore, when the extension nozzle 34 is in the storage position, the opening 325 is blocked by the housing of the extension nozzle 34 or the like. The opening 325 and the side air intake 313 are formed so that their opening areas are approximately the same.

As shown in FIG. 7 , the collection box 31 is provided with a second opening 317 (an example of a second opening of the present invention) for drawing outside air into the collection box 31. The second opening 317 is formed in the upper plate 31E that forms the upper surface of the collection box 31. The second opening 317 is a through opening for drawing air around the cleaning device 10 into the collection box 31, and is formed in a rectangular shape that is long in the width direction D3. The second opening 317 may also be formed in the rear wall 31D on the rear side of the collection box 31. In this case, the second opening 317 is preferably located near the top of the rear wall 31D, at a position sufficiently spaced above the intake nozzle 33.

[Intake unit 70]
2, the suction unit 70 is provided on top of the cleaning unit 30. More specifically, the suction unit 70 is attached to the top of the base portion 321 of the support holder 32. The suction unit 70 generates a suction force that draws air through the suction nozzle 33 of the cleaning unit 30. The suction force causes dust and other debris (suction object) on the floor surface 23 to be sucked into the suction nozzle 33 together with air.

The intake unit 70 includes two intake fans 72 and two fan motors 74 that rotate the intake fans 72. The two intake fans 72 and the two fan motors 74 are arranged at a predetermined distance in the width direction D3.

The fan motor 74 is driven and controlled by a control unit 40 (see Figure 13) provided in the device main body 11. As shown in Figure 8, the fan motor 74 is attached to the rear frame 11C, inserted into the interior of the device main body 11 through an opening (not shown) formed in the rear frame 11C.

The intake fan 72 is, for example, a centrifugal fan or a sirocco fan (multi-blade fan) that blows air in a direction perpendicular to the intake direction D11 (see Figure 8). The intake fan 72 is positioned so that its intake port faces the second communication port 73. A rotation support is provided at the center of the intake fan 72, and the output shaft of the fan motor 74 is attached to this rotation support.

When the fan motor 74 is driven and the intake fan 72 rotates, air is sucked from inside the collection box 31 through the second communication port 73 and sent out to the exhaust duct 76, which will be described later.

Two exhaust ducts 76 are connected to the intake unit 70. The exhaust ducts 76 are spaced apart in the width direction D3. Each exhaust duct 76 is a duct member that guides air sucked in from the collection box 31 by the intake unit 70 into the internal space of the cleaning unit 30. The two exhaust ducts 76 are spaced apart in the width direction D3, with the exhaust duct 76 located on the left guiding air into the upper space 351 on the left side of the cleaning unit 30 and the exhaust duct 76 located on the right guiding air into the upper space 351 on the right side of the cleaning unit 30.

The filter 315 provided in the collection box 31 of the cleaning device 10 has the same function as a filter used in an air purifier in terms of removing dust and other particles. Therefore, the cleaning device 10 of this embodiment is configured to be able to purify the air using the filter 315. For example, the cleaning device 10 can perform air purification using the filter 315 during non-cleaning periods when the cleaning device 10 is not performing a cleaning operation, such as when the cleaning device 10 is stopped without performing a cleaning operation.

In this embodiment, the first opening 311 is opened and the second opening 317 is closed by the opening/closing mechanism 80 provided in the cleaning device 10. When the intake fan 72 is activated in this state, the air inside the collection box 31 is sucked out by the intake fan 72, creating a negative pressure inside the collection box 31. This causes dust and other debris to be sucked up along with the air through the suction port 331 of the intake nozzle 33. The sucked-up debris then flows into the collection box 31 through the first communication port 323 and the first opening 311 and is collected in the collection box 31. When air flows into the collection box 31 along with the debris, the air passes through the filter 315 and is discharged to the outside of the collection box 31 through the exhaust port 312. At this time, relatively large debris is collected in the collection box 31, while fine dust and sand are captured by the filter 315. The clean air that has passed through the filter 315 is then sucked into the intake fan 72 via the second communication port 73.

Meanwhile, the opening/closing mechanism 80 closes the first opening 311 and opens the second opening 317. When the intake fan 72 is activated in this state, outside air is drawn into the collection box 31 through the second opening 317, passes through the filter 315, and is discharged to the outside of the collection box 31 through the exhaust port 312. At this time, the filter 315 removes pollen, dust, dirt, droplets, and other tiny floating particles, as well as viruses, from the air, creating purified air. The clean air that has passed through the filter 315 is then drawn into the intake fan 72 via the second communication port 73.

[Opening and closing mechanism 80]
The opening/closing mechanism 80 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 9 to 12. FIGS. 9 to 12 are diagrams illustrating the configuration of the opening/closing mechanism 80. FIG. 9 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the suction nozzle 33 at the bottom of the cleaning unit 30, illustrating the configuration of a first moving mechanism 82 of the opening/closing mechanism 80. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the suction nozzle 33 cut along line X-X in FIG. 9, viewed from below, illustrating the configuration of a second moving mechanism 92 of the opening/closing mechanism 80. FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the upper part of the cleaning unit cut along line XII-XII in FIG. 11, viewed from below.

The opening/closing mechanism 80 opens either the first opening 311 or the second opening 317, and closes the other. Specifically, when the cleaning device 10 performs a cleaning operation, the opening/closing mechanism 80 opens the first opening 311 and closes the second opening 317. This opens the flow path from the intake nozzle 33 through the first opening 311 to the exhaust port 312, and blocks the flow path from the second opening 317 to the exhaust port 312.

In addition, when the cleaning device 10 performs air purification operation, the opening/closing mechanism 80 closes the first opening 311 and opens the second opening 317. This blocks the flow path from the intake nozzle 33 through the first opening 311 to the exhaust port 312, and opens the flow path from the second opening 317 to the exhaust port 312.

The opening/closing mechanism 80 includes a first shutter member 81 (an example of a first opening/closing member according to the present invention) that can open and close the first opening 311, a first moving mechanism 82 (see Figures 9 and 10), a second shutter member 91 (an example of a second opening/closing member according to the present invention) that can open and close the second opening 317, and a second moving mechanism 92 (see Figures 11 and 12).

As shown in FIG. 9 , the first shutter member 81 is provided below the support plate 324 of the support holder 32. The first shutter member 81 is a rectangular plate-like member that is elongated in the width direction D3. The first shutter member 81 is sized to cover the first communication port 323 of the support plate 324. The first shutter member 81 is configured to be movable between a first open position (position indicated by a solid line in FIG. 9 ) that opens the first communication port 323 and a first closed position (position indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 9 ) that closes the first communication port 323. The first shutter member 81 opens and closes the first communication port 323, thereby opening and closing the first opening 311. Note that various components, such as a valve member, can be used as the first shutter member 81 as long as they are capable of opening and closing the first opening 311.

As shown in FIG. 10, a pair of slide guides 83 are provided on the support holder 32. The slide guides 83 are provided inside the intake nozzle 33. The slide guides 83 support the first shutter member 81 on the underside of the support plate 324 so that it can move back and forth in the front-to-back direction D2. The slide guides 83 are provided on both ends of the support plate 324 in the width direction D3. Gaps are provided between the slide guides 83 and the underside of the support plate 324 so that the side ends 811 of the first shutter member 81 on both sides in the width direction D3 can be inserted. By inserting the side ends 811 into these gaps, the first shutter member 81 is supported on the underside of the support plate 324 so that it can move back and forth in the front-to-back direction D2.

In this embodiment, a through-opening 84 (see Figure 9) is formed in the outer peripheral wall 332 on the forward side of the intake nozzle 33 to expose the front end 813 of the first shutter member 81 further forward than the outer peripheral wall 332. When the first shutter member 81 moves to the first open position, the front end 813 is exposed to the outside through the through-opening 84. A sealing member such as a sponge member is provided inside the through-opening 84, so that air does not enter the inside of the intake nozzle 33 through the through-opening 84 even when the intake fan 72 is operating.

As shown in FIG. 10, a pair of coil springs 85 (elastic members) that bias the first shutter member 81 toward the first closed position (rearward) are provided inside the intake nozzle 33. The coil springs 85 are provided on both ends of the underside of the support plate 324 in the width direction D3. One end of the coil springs 85 is attached to the rear end 812 of the first shutter member 81, and the other end is attached to a fixed piece 86 provided on the support plate 324. Note that in this embodiment, the coil springs 85 are used as an example of an elastic member, but it is also possible to use elastic rubber cords made of rubber or the like instead of the coil springs 85.

The coil spring 85 is a so-called tension spring. When the first shutter member 81 is not subjected to any external force, the elastic force of the coil spring 85 pulls the first shutter member 81 toward the first closed position, maintaining the first closed position.

The first moving mechanism 82 is an example of the first moving mechanism of the present invention. The first moving mechanism 82 has a first drive unit 87 that applies a driving force to the first shutter member 81, a first pulley 88 provided on the support holder 32, and a wire 89 that is a linear member wound around the first pulley 88. The first moving mechanism 82 moves the first shutter member 81 between the first open position that opens the first communication port 323 and the first closed position that closes the first communication port 323.

The first pulley 88 is rotatably supported on the outer peripheral wall 332 of the intake nozzle 33 via a bracket 821. One end of a wire 89 wound around the first pulley 88 is connected to the center of the front end 813 of the first shutter member 81. The other end of the wire 89 is connected to the first drive unit 87.

The first drive unit 87 is a solenoid that, when energized, pulls the plunger 871 inward against the pulling force of the coil spring 85 to hold the plunger 871, and releases the holding force when de-energized. The first drive unit 87 is driven and controlled by the control unit 40, so that the first shutter member 81 can be moved to either the first open position or the first closed position. Note that Figure 10 shows the first drive unit 87 in an energized state.

The first movement mechanism 82 is not limited to the above-described configuration. For example, the first drive unit 87 may be an electric motor such as a motor. In this case, instead of transmission members such as the first pulley 88 and wire 89, a transmission mechanism such as a rack or gear that can transmit the driving force of the electric motor is used. Furthermore, in this configuration, the coil spring 85 may be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 11, the second shutter member 91 is provided on the underside of the upper plate 31E of the collection box 31. The second shutter member 91 is a rectangular plate-like member that is long in the width direction D3. The second shutter member 91 is formed to a size that allows it to cover the second opening 317 of the upper plate 31E. The second shutter member 91 is configured to be movable on the underside of the upper plate 31E between a second open position (position shown by dashed lines in FIG. 11) that opens the second opening 317, and a second closed position (position shown by solid lines in FIG. 11) that closes the second opening 317. Note that the second shutter member 91 can be made of various components, such as a valve member, as long as it is capable of opening and closing the second opening 317.

As shown in FIG. 12, three slide guides 93 spaced apart in the width direction D3 are provided inside the collection box 31. The slide guides 93 support the second shutter member 91 on the underside of the upper plate 31E so that it can move back and forth in the front-to-back direction D2. The slide guides 93 are provided inside the collection box 31 at both ends in the width direction D3 and in the center in the width direction D3. A gap is provided between the slide guides 93 and the underside of the upper plate 31E, allowing the second shutter member 91 to pass through. By inserting the slide guides 93 into this gap, the second shutter member 91 is supported on the underside of the upper plate 31E so that it can move back and forth in the front-to-back direction D2.

A connecting member 95 is connected to the front end 913 of the second shutter member 91 via a connecting wire 94. A through opening 96 (see Figure 11) is formed in the front wall 31B of the collection box 31 to expose the connecting member 95 forward from the front wall 31B. The connecting member 95 is supported by the slide guide 93 and the through opening 96 so that it can move in the front-to-rear direction D2. The connecting member 95 is connected to a connecting member 97 provided on the base portion 321 of the support holder 32 when the collection box 31 is attached to the support holder 32. For this reason, the tip of the connecting member 95 is formed in a downward hook shape. A sealing member such as a sponge member is provided inside the through opening 96 to prevent air from entering the collection box 31 through the through opening 96 even when the intake fan 72 is operating.

A connecting member 97 (an example of a connecting member of the present invention) is provided on the base portion 321 of the support holder 32. The connecting member 97 is connected to the connecting member 95 of the second shutter member 91 when the collection box 31 is attached to the support holder 32, and is disconnected from the connecting member 95 of the second shutter member 91 when the collection box 31 is removed. The connecting member 97 is supported by a support hole 98 formed in the base portion 321 so that it can move forward and backward. The connecting member 97 is connected to the connecting member 95 when the collection box 31 is attached to the support holder 32. For this reason, the tip of the connecting member 97 is formed into an upward hook shape. Furthermore, because the tip is formed into an upward hook shape, the connection between the connecting member 97 and the connecting member 95 is easily released when the collection box 31 is pulled diagonally upward from the support holder 32.

As shown in FIG. 12, a pair of coil springs 100 (elastic members) that bias the second shutter member 91 toward the second closed position (rearward) are provided inside the collection box 31. The coil springs 100 are provided at both ends of the collection box 31 in the width direction D3. One end of the coil springs 100 is attached to the front end portion 913 of the second shutter member 91, and the other end is attached to the front wall 31B. Note that in this embodiment, the coil springs 100 are used as an example of an elastic member, but it is also possible to use elastic members such as leaf springs or rubber members instead of the coil springs 100.

The coil spring 100 is a so-called compression spring. When the second shutter member 91 is not subjected to any external force, the elastic force of the coil spring 100 urges the second shutter member 91 toward the second closed position, maintaining the second closed position.

The second movement mechanism 92 is an example of the second movement mechanism of the present invention. The second movement mechanism 92 has a second drive unit 103 that applies a driving force to the second shutter member 91, a second pulley 104 provided on the support holder 32, and a wire 105 that is a linear member wound around the second pulley 104. The second movement mechanism 92 moves the second shutter member 91 between the second open position that opens the second opening 317 and the second closed position that closes the second opening 317.

The second pulley 104 is rotatably supported on the base portion 321 of the support holder 32 via a bracket 921. One end of the wire 105 wound around the second pulley 104 is connected to the connecting member 97. The other end of the wire 105 is connected to the second drive unit 103.

The second drive unit 103 is a solenoid that, when energized, pulls the plunger 106 inward against the spring force of the coil spring 100 to hold the plunger 871, and releases the holding force when de-energized. The second drive unit 103 is driven and controlled by the control unit 40, so that the second shutter member 91 can be moved to either the second open position or the second closed position. Note that Figure 11 shows the second drive unit 103 in a state where it is not energized.

The second movement mechanism 92 is not limited to the above-described configuration. For example, the second drive unit 103 may be an electric motor such as a motor. In this case, instead of transmission members such as the second pulley 104 and wire 105, a transmission mechanism such as a rack or gear that can transmit the driving force of the electric motor is used. Furthermore, in this configuration, the coil spring 100 may be omitted.

Figure 13 is a functional block diagram showing the configuration of the control unit 40 of the cleaning device 10. As shown in Figure 13, the control unit 40 includes various processing units, such as an operation control unit 411, a detection processing unit 412, a setting reception unit 413, and an opening/closing control unit 414. The control unit 40 functions as the various processing units by executing various processes in accordance with the control program using the CPU. Some or all of the processing units may be configured as electronic circuits. The control program may also be a program for causing multiple processors to function as the processing units.

The operation control unit 411 controls the operation of the cleaning device 10 in either a cleaning mode in which a cleaning operation is performed, or an air cleaning mode in which an air cleaning operation is performed.

In this embodiment, the operation control unit 411 controls the operation of the cleaning device 10 so that the cleaning device 10 performs cleaning when the setting input for the cleaning mode is received by the setting reception unit 413 (described below) and when it is detected that the collection box 31 is attached to the support holder 32.

Specifically, the operation control unit 411 drives the slide motor 55 to move the support holder 32 to the cleaning position. The operation control unit 411 also drives the brush motor 56 to rotate the rotating brush 26. The operation control unit 411 also drives the fan motor 74 to operate the intake fan 72. The operation control unit 411 then causes the cleaning device 10 to travel along a predetermined travel route. Alternatively, the operation control unit 411 causes the cleaning device 10 to autonomously travel from its current position toward a predetermined destination position.

In addition, when the setting input for the air purification mode is received by the setting receiving unit 413 (described below) and it is detected that the collection box 31 is attached to the support holder 32, the operation control unit 411 controls the operation of the cleaning device 10 so that the cleaning device 10 performs air purification operations.

Specifically, the operation control unit 411 drives the slide motor 55 to move the support holder 32 to the retracted position. The operation control unit 411 also prohibits the rotation of the rotating brush 26. For example, the operation control unit 411 stops drive control of the brush motor 56 to prevent the rotating brush 26 from rotating. The operation control unit 411 also drives the fan motor 74 to operate the intake fan 72. The operation control unit 411 may cause the cleaning device 10 to travel along a predetermined travel route, or may cause the cleaning device 10 to travel autonomously from its current position toward a predetermined destination position. Alternatively, the operation control unit 411 may perform the air cleaning operation while the cleaning device 10 is stopped at a specific position without traveling.

As shown in FIG. 13, the cleaning device 10 is provided with a magnetic sensor 27 (an example of a detection unit). The magnetic sensor 27 is connected to the control unit 40, and the output signal (detection signal) of the magnetic sensor 27 is input to the control unit 40. The magnetic sensor 27 is provided, for example, in the support holder 32, and when the collection box 31 is attached to the support holder 32, it outputs a detection signal indicating that the collection box 31 has been attached.

The magnetic sensor 27 is merely one example of a detector for detecting the attachment of the collection box 31. For example, a mechanical switch (such as a limit switch) may be used as the detector. In this case, a pressing member is provided on the collection box 31 that activates the mechanical switch when the collection box 31 is attached to the support holder 32.

The detection processing unit 412 determines whether or not a collection box 31 has been attached to the support holder 32 based on the detection signal from the magnetic sensor 27. When the detection signal is input to the control unit 40, the detection processing unit 412 determines that a collection box 31 has been attached.

The setting reception unit 413 performs processing to receive setting input for setting the operation mode of the cleaning device 10 to either the cleaning mode or the air purification mode. For example, when the user operates the operation display unit 20 to input an operation instruction for performing a cleaning operation in the cleaning mode or an operation instruction for performing an air purification operation in the air purification mode, the setting reception unit 413 receives the input of that operation instruction.

The opening/closing control unit 414 is an example of the first control unit and second control unit of the present invention. When the setting input for the cleaning mode is accepted, the opening/closing control unit 414 drives and controls the first drive unit 87 to move the first shutter member 81 to the first open position, and also drives and controls the second drive unit 103 to move the second shutter member 91 to the second closed position. When the setting input for the air purification mode is accepted, the opening/closing control unit 414 drives and controls the first drive unit 87 to move the first shutter member 81 to the first closed position, and also drives and controls the second drive unit 103 to move the second shutter member 91 to the second open position.

[Intake path switching process]
An example of the procedure of the intake path switching process executed by the controller 40 in the cleaning device 10 will be described below with reference to Fig. 14. Fig. 14 is a flowchart showing an example of the procedure of the intake path switching process executed by the controller 40.

Note that one or more steps included in the intake path switching process may be omitted as appropriate. Furthermore, the steps in the intake path switching process may be executed in a different order as long as the same operational effect is achieved. The following description will be given using an example in which the steps in the intake path switching process are executed by the control unit 40, but other embodiments of the present invention may also include processing examples or methods in which one or more processors execute the steps in the intake path switching process in a distributed manner.

First, in step S11, the control unit 40 determines whether the collection box 31 is attached to the support holder 32. If it is determined that the collection box 31 is attached, then in the next step S12, the control unit 40 determines whether an instruction to perform the air purification operation has been input.

If it is determined in step S12 that an instruction to perform air purification has been input, the control unit 40 then performs the first opening/closing process in steps S21 and S22.

Specifically, in step S21, the control unit 40 cuts off the drive voltage to the first drive unit 87, putting the first drive unit 87 in a non-energized state. This causes the pulling force of the coil spring 85 to move the first shutter member 81 to the first closed position, and the first shutter member 81 is held in the first closed position. As a result, the first communication port 323 is closed by the first shutter member 81, that is, the first opening 311 is closed. This prevents air from being sucked in through the intake nozzle 33.

In addition, in step S22, the control unit 40 supplies a drive voltage to the second drive unit 103, placing the second drive unit 103 in an energized state. As a result, the second shutter member 91 moves to the second open position against the spring force of the coil spring 100 and is held in the second open position. As a result, the second opening 317 is opened by the second shutter member 91. As a result, the intake path of the intake fan 72 switches to flow path L2 (see FIG. 11) from the second opening 317 to the exhaust port 312, and atmospheric air is sucked into the collection box 31 by the intake fan through flow path L2 and discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 312.

Then, the control unit 40 drives the slide motor 55 to move the support holder 32 to the retracted position (S23), and controls the operation of the cleaning device 10 so that the cleaning device 10 performs the air cleaning operation according to the air cleaning mode (S24). Then, the series of processes ends.

On the other hand, if an instruction for air purification operation is not input in step S12 and an instruction for cleaning operation is input in the next step S13, the second opening/closing process is then performed in steps S31 and S32.

Specifically, in step S31, the control unit 40 supplies a drive voltage to the first drive unit 87, bringing the first drive unit 87 into an energized state. This causes the first shutter member 81 to move to the first open position against the tensile force of the coil spring 85 and remain in the first open position. As a result, the first communication port 323 is opened by the first shutter member 81, i.e., the first opening 311 is opened. This allows air to be sucked in through the intake nozzle 33.

In step S32, the control unit 40 also cuts off the drive voltage to the second drive unit 103, placing the second drive unit 103 in a non-energized state. This causes the spring force of the coil spring 100 to move the second shutter member 91 to the second open position and hold it there. This causes the second opening 317 to be opened by the second shutter member 91. This switches the intake path of the intake fan 72 to flow path L1 (see FIG. 9 ) from the intake nozzle 33 through the first opening 311 to the exhaust port 312, and debris on the floor 23 is sucked into the collection box 31 through this flow path L1.

Then, the control unit 40 drives the slide motor 55 to move the support holder 32 to the cleaning position (S33), and controls the operation of the cleaning device 10 so that the cleaning device 10 performs a cleaning operation according to the cleaning mode (S34). Then, the series of processes ends.

In this way, the above-mentioned intake path switching process is performed in the cleaning device 10, so when the air purification mode setting is input, the control unit 40 automatically changes the intake path to flow path L2. This allows the air purification function of the cleaning device 10 to be realized, and the cleaning device 10 operates as an air purification device. Furthermore, when the cleaning mode setting is input, the control unit 40 automatically changes the intake path to flow path L1. This allows the cleaning function of the cleaning device 10 to be realized.

Second Embodiment
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 15. In the following, only the configurations different from the first embodiment will be described, and a description of the common configurations will be omitted.

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 15, the second opening 317 is formed on the underside of the rear wall 31D of the collection box 31, rather than on the top plate 31E. The first opening 311 is formed in a cylindrical shape extending upward from the bottom surface 31A. In this configuration, the collection box 31 is provided with an opening/closing mechanism 110 instead of the opening/closing mechanism 80 described above.

As shown in FIG. 15, the opening/closing mechanism 110 is provided inside the collection box 31. This opening/closing mechanism 110 has an opening/closing valve 114 (an example of a valve member of the present invention) supported rotatably around a support shaft 113 provided on the inner surface of the rear wall 31D. The opening/closing valve 114 rotates between a first position and a second position. The first position is a position where the first opening 311 is opened and the second opening 317 is closed (the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 15). The second position is a position where the first opening 311 is closed and the second opening 317 is opened (the position shown by the dashed line in FIG. 15).

The on-off valve 114 receives rotational driving force from a drive unit (one example of a valve drive unit of the present invention) such as a motor (not shown) via a gear transmission mechanism, belt transmission mechanism, or the like. The drive unit may be provided in the collection box 31 or the device main body 11.

In this embodiment, when the setting input for the cleaning mode is received by the setting reception unit 413, the control unit 40 of the cleaning device 10 (an example of a valve drive control unit of the present invention) controls the drive unit to displace the on-off valve 114 to the first position. This switches the intake path of the intake fan 72 to flow path L1 from the first opening 311 to the exhaust port 312, and debris on the floor surface 23 is sucked into the collection box 31 through this flow path L1.

Furthermore, when the setting input for the air purification mode is received by the setting reception unit 413, the control unit 40 controls the drive unit to displace the on-off valve 114 to the second position. This switches the intake path of the intake fan 72 to flow path L2 from the second opening 317 to the exhaust port 312, and atmospheric air is sucked into the collection box 31 by the intake fan through flow path L2 and discharged to the outside through the exhaust port 312.

Even with this configuration, when the cleaning device 10 performs the above-described intake path switching process, the control unit 40 automatically changes the intake path to flow path L2 when the air purification mode setting is input. In this case, the air purification function of the cleaning device 10 is realized, and the cleaning device 10 operates as an air purification device. Furthermore, when the cleaning mode setting is input, the control unit 40 automatically changes the intake path to flow path L1. This allows the cleaning device 10 to achieve its cleaning function.

In the above-described embodiments, a configuration in which a filter 315 is mounted on the collection box 31 is illustrated. However, for example, a filter may be provided between the second communication port 73 and the intake fan 72, and the collection box 31 may not be provided with a filter 315.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiments illustrate configurations in which the first shutter member 81, the second shutter member 91, and the on-off valve 114 are operated by the driving force of a predetermined driving unit, the present invention is not limited to such configurations. Another possible embodiment of the present invention is a configuration in which the first shutter member 81, the second shutter member 91, and the on-off valve 114 are operated by the user manually operating each member.

Furthermore, while the above-described embodiments have been described using the cleaning device 10 as an example of the present invention, the present invention can also be understood as an invention of a collection box 31 that is detachably supported on the support holder 32 of the cleaning device 10.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Cleaning device 11: Device main body 20: Operation display unit 27: Magnetic sensor 30: Cleaning unit 31: Collection box 32: Support holder 33: Intake nozzle 40: Control unit 70: Intake unit 72: Intake fan 73: Second communication port 80: Opening/closing mechanism 81: First shutter member 82: First moving mechanism 91: Second shutter member 92: Second moving mechanism 311: First opening 312: Discharge port 315: Filter 317: Second opening 323: First communication port 324: Support plate 411: Operation control unit 412: Detection processing unit 413: Setting reception unit 414: Opening/closing control unit

Claims (8)

A cleaning device that cleans a surface to be cleaned by sucking an object into an intake nozzle using the suction force of an intake fan,
a collection container having a first opening communicating with the intake nozzle and an exhaust port connected to an intake port of the intake fan, the collection container collecting the aspirated material sucked into the intake nozzle and flowing into the first opening;
a filter provided in an intake air flow path extending from the inside of the collection container through the exhaust port to the intake fan,
The collection container comprises:
Further, the second opening is provided for taking in outside air,
the intake fan draws air from the collection container in one direction from the exhaust port to the intake port;
The cleaning device is
The cleaning device includes an opening/closing mechanism that opens either the first opening or the second opening and closes the other opening. the opening/closing mechanism includes a first opening/closing member that opens and closes the first opening and a second opening/closing member that opens and closes the second opening,
The cleaning device is
a first moving mechanism including a first electric motor that applies a driving force to the first opening/closing member, and that moves the first opening/closing member between a first open position that opens the first opening and a first closed position that closes the first opening;
a second movement mechanism including a second electric motor that applies a driving force to the second opening/closing member and that moves the second opening/closing member between a second open position that opens the second opening and a second closed position that closes the second opening;
a first control unit that moves the first opening/closing member to the first open position and moves the second opening/closing member to the second closed position during a cleaning operation;
The cleaning device according to claim 1 , further comprising: a second control unit that moves the first opening/closing member to the first closed position and moves the second opening/closing member to the second open position when a cleaning operation is not being performed. A cleaning device that cleans a surface to be cleaned by sucking an object into an intake nozzle using the suction force of an intake fan,
a collection container having a first opening communicating with the intake nozzle and an exhaust port connected to an intake port of the intake fan, the collection container collecting the aspirated material sucked into the intake nozzle and flowing into the first opening;
a filter provided in an intake flow path from the exhaust port to the intake fan,
The collection container comprises:
Further, the second opening is provided for taking in outside air,
The cleaning device is
an opening/closing mechanism having a first opening/closing member that opens and closes the first opening and a second opening/closing member that opens and closes the second opening, and opens either the first opening or the second opening and closes the other;
a first moving mechanism including a first drive unit that applies a drive force to the first opening/closing member and that moves the first opening/closing member between a first open position that opens the first opening and a first closed position that closes the first opening;
a second movement mechanism including a second drive unit that applies a drive force to the second opening/closing member and that moves the second opening/closing member between a second open position that opens the second opening and a second closed position that closes the second opening;
a first control unit that moves the first opening/closing member to the first open position and moves the second opening/closing member to the second closed position during a cleaning operation;
a second control unit that moves the first opening/closing member to the first closed position and moves the second opening/closing member to the second open position during a non-cleaning operation;
an apparatus main body in which the intake fan is provided;
a support portion provided on the rear surface of the device body and configured to detachably support the collection container;
the intake nozzle is provided at a lower part of the support part so as to face the surface to be cleaned,
The first opening is formed in a bottom surface of the collection container,
The support portion is
a first support member capable of supporting a bottom surface of the collection container and having a first communication port that opens a first flow path from the suction nozzle through the first opening to the inside of the collection container when the collection container is attached;
a second support member that is engageable with a side surface of the collection container and has a second communication port that opens an exhaust flow path from the inside of the collection container to the intake port of the intake fan via the exhaust port when the collection container is attached;
the first opening/closing member is provided on the support portion,
the second opening/closing member is provided on the collection container,
The support portion has a connecting portion that is connected to the second opening/closing member when the collection container is attached and that is disconnected from the second opening /closing member when the collection container is removed. a setting receiving unit that receives a setting input for setting the cleaning device to either a cleaning mode in which the cleaning device performs the cleaning operation or an air cleaning mode in which the cleaning device performs an air cleaning operation;
the first control unit, when the setting input of the cleaning mode is accepted by the setting accepting unit, actuates an actuating member required for the cleaning operation, moves the first opening/closing member to the first open position, and moves the second opening/closing member to the second closed position;
4. The cleaning device according to claim 2, wherein the second control unit moves the first opening/closing member to the first closed position and moves the second opening/closing member to the second open position when the setting input for the air cleaning mode is accepted by the setting accepting unit. A cleaning device that cleans a surface to be cleaned by sucking an object into an intake nozzle using the suction force of an intake fan,
a collection container having a first opening communicating with the intake nozzle and an exhaust port connected to an intake port of the intake fan, the collection container collecting the aspirated material sucked into the intake nozzle and flowing into the first opening;
a filter provided in an intake air flow path extending from the inside of the collection container through the exhaust port to the intake fan,
The collection container comprises:
Further, the second opening is provided for taking in outside air,
the intake fan draws air from the collection container in one direction from the exhaust port to the intake port;
The cleaning device is
an opening/closing mechanism that opens either the first opening or the second opening and closes the other opening,
The opening and closing mechanism includes:
a valve member disposed within the collection container so as to be displaceable between a first position and a second position, the valve member opening the first opening and closing the second opening at the first position, and closing the first opening and opening the second opening at the second position;
a valve driving unit that applies a driving force to the valve member,
The cleaning device is
The cleaning device further comprises a valve drive control unit that moves the valve member to the first position during a cleaning operation and moves the valve member to the second position during a non-cleaning operation. a setting receiving unit that receives a setting input for setting the cleaning device to either a cleaning mode in which the cleaning device performs the cleaning operation or an air cleaning mode in which the cleaning device performs an air cleaning operation;
6. The cleaning device according to claim 5, wherein the valve drive control unit, when the setting input for the cleaning mode is accepted by the setting accepting unit, activates an actuating member required for the cleaning operation and moves the valve member to the first position, and when the setting input for the air purification mode is accepted by the setting accepting unit, moves the valve member to the second position. The collection container is formed in a box shape that is long in the height direction of the cleaning device,
The cleaning device of claim 1 , wherein the second opening is formed in an upper portion of the collection container. A collection container adapted for use with the cleaning device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A collection container that has the first opening that communicates with the intake nozzle, the second opening for taking in outside air, and the exhaust port that is connected to the intake port of the intake fan, and is detachably supported on the cleaning device.