JPH04212319A - vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Purpose of the invention]

0002

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to a structure capable of killing harmful microorganisms such as mites contained in dust.

0003

[Prior Art] Household floors, tatami mats, carpets, etc. are inhabited by dust mites, spider mites, claw mites, and other mites.
When cleaning with a vacuum cleaner, these mites are collected together with dust in the dust collection chamber of the vacuum cleaner body.

0004

[Problem to be solved by the invention] In conventional vacuum cleaners, the dust mites collected in the dust collection chamber are left for a long time without discarding the dust accumulated in the dust collection chamber. In such cases, it is extremely unsanitary because the dust grows inside the dust collection chamber and escapes from the vacuum cleaner itself.

[0005] Therefore, conventionally, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-207124
As shown in the publication, the paper bag filter, which is removably installed in the dust collection chamber and stores dust inside, is impregnated with insecticide to kill mites. It is being However, this conventional structure has the problem of requiring pesticides as mentioned above. Furthermore, in a vacuum cleaner having a structure in which dust is directly stored in the dust collection chamber formed in the vacuum cleaner body without using a paper bag filter, as shown in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-207124, It is of course impossible to kill or injure mites with such a structure.

[0006] Conventionally, as described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-12158 or No. 51-154065, mold and bacteria existing on the floor surface are removed by blowing hot air onto the floor surface. Vacuum cleaners have been proposed for the purpose of killing and disinfecting.

However, the vacuum cleaner described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-12158 has a dryer installed in the dust suction panel, and hot air from the dryer is blown onto the tatami or carpet surface. Therefore, it is necessary to provide a dryer as a means for generating hot air, which causes problems such as a complicated structure and an increase in the size of the dust suction cup. Furthermore, the killing of mold and bacteria is limited to the surfaces to be cleaned, such as tatami mats and carpets, and does not kill harmful microorganisms such as mites in the dust collection room.

[0008] Furthermore, the vacuum cleaner described in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 51-154065 heats the exhaust air from the exhaust port of the vacuum cleaner body with a separate heater to turn it into hot air, which is then sprayed onto the futon. This futon will be disinfected. That is, the beating machine is equipped with a heater, the exhaust air from the vacuum cleaner body is passed through the heater, heated, and ejected into the beating machine to be blown onto the futon, and the heated futon is beaten with a protruding roller to knock out dust. It is something that is taken out and sucks out dust.
Technically, it is substantially the same as that described in the above-mentioned Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 57-12158. In other words, the aforementioned
-In place of the hot air blowing fan (not shown) in the dryer described in Publication No. 12158,
It simply uses the exhaust air from the vacuum cleaner itself. Then, by vacuuming the dust from the futon,
Most of the exhaust air is circulated between the blower and the vacuum cleaner body via a flexible pipe, but the hot air from the heater heats the futon and disinfects it, so it is difficult to use an electric blower. This does not mean that the exhaust air is recirculated into the dust collection chamber and heated, and that the recirculated exhaust air kills harmful microorganisms such as mites in the dust collection chamber. Furthermore, a heater is still necessary as a means for generating hot air, and there are problems such as a complicated structure and an increase in size of the beating machine.

In addition, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 50-154668 discloses that in a vacuum cleaner, fine dust that passes through the main filter and accumulates inside the main body case of the vacuum cleaner is affected by the shock of wind pressure when the vacuum cleaner starts operating. In order to prevent the dust from floating up and blowing out from the exhaust port, we provided an outlet for the accumulated dust in the main case, and connected one end to the suction port of the dust case when the vacuum cleaner started operating (starting cleaning). After connecting the other side of the hose to the outlet, operate the blower motor,
It is described that the accumulated dust is lifted by wind pressure, the exhaust air is returned together with the accumulated dust from the exhaust port through the hose and the suction port into the dust case, and the accumulated dust is captured by the main filter. However, this actual development in the 1970s-
The method described in Publication No. 154668 recirculates the exhaust air for a very short time at the start of cleaning, with the aim of preventing fine dust accumulated in the main body case from blowing out from the exhaust port. The exhaust air does not kill harmful microorganisms such as mites in the dust collection chamber.

[0010] The present invention raises the temperature in the dust collection chamber by repeatedly circulating heated exhaust air from an electric blower into the dust collection chamber without using insecticides or a separate heater in a vacuum cleaner. The purpose of this is to make it possible to kill harmful microorganisms such as mites in the dust stored in the dust collection chamber.

[0011]

[Structure of the invention]

0012

[Means for Solving the Problems] The vacuum cleaner of the present invention includes:
A vacuum cleaner body having a built-in electric blower and a dust collection chamber communicating with the suction side of the electric blower, and a vacuum cleaner body having a suction port communicating with the dust collection chamber, and the suction port and the exhaust side of the electric blower. and a recirculation means for refluxing the exhaust air from the electric blower to the dust collection chamber by connecting the It kills harmful microorganisms.

[0013]

[Operation] In the vacuum cleaner of the present invention, by driving the electric blower with the suction port and the exhaust side of the electric blower connected in communication with each other by the recirculation means, the electric blower is connected to the recirculation means and the suction port from the exhaust side of the electric blower. Circulating airflow is generated sequentially through the mouth and dust collection chamber to the suction side of the electric blower, and this circulation airflow repeatedly passes through the electric blower and is heated, raising the temperature of the dust collection chamber. It kills harmful microorganisms such as mites in the dust accumulated in the dust chamber.

[0014]

[Embodiment] Fig. 1 shows the configuration of an embodiment of the vacuum cleaner of the present invention.
4 will be explained.

Reference numeral 1 denotes a vacuum cleaner body, which is composed of a main body case 3 with a ventilation opening 2 opened on the front side, and a dust collection case 4 with an open rear face that is detachably attached to the front side of the main body case 3. There is.

A cylindrical suction port 5 is provided on the front side of the dust collection case 4, and the inside of the dust collection case 4 is connected to a dust collection chamber 6 that communicates with the suction port 5 and the ventilation port 2. It is formed. Further, a filter 7 is removably attached to the rear end of the dust collection chamber 6 and is inserted and removed through an opening on the rear surface. Further, the dust collecting case 4 is rotatably provided with a clamp 8 at the rear end of the upper surface thereof, and a handle portion 9 is formed below the clamp 8. A locking portion 10 is formed protruding from the portion.

On the other hand, engagement receiving portions 11 and 12 are formed at the upper and lower ends of the front surface of the main body case 3, respectively, and the clamp of the dust collection case 4 is attached to these engagement receiving portions 11 and 12. 8 and the locking portion 10 are engaged with each other, so that the dust collecting case 4 is detachably attached to the main body case 3.

An electric blower 13 is disposed inside the main body case 3, with the intake side communicating with the ventilation port 2, and this electric blower 13 is installed upright inside the main body case 3 at the front and rear sides thereof. It is supported by an annular packing 16 held by holding walls 14 and 15, and a support body 18 held by a holding wall 17, which is also provided upright within the main body case 3. In the main body case 3, the intake side and the exhaust side of the electric blower 13 are airtightly partitioned by the packing 16.

Further, a plurality of groove-shaped exhaust ports 19 are formed on the slightly inclined rear surface of the main body case 3 and are connected to the exhaust side of the electric blower 13. A semi-circular and cylindrical connection port 20 is formed protruding from the rear surface and communicates with the exhaust side of the electric blower 13, and a rectifying plate portion 21 extending in the vertical direction is formed within this connection port 20. There is. A sponge-like exhaust filter 22 is provided to cover the front side of the exhaust port 19 and the connection port 20.

A cord reel device 24 for winding and storing a power cord 23 for supplying power to the electric blower 13 is provided inside the main body case 3. Further, an operation switch 25 for starting or stopping the electric blower 13 is provided on the upper surface of the main body case 3, and a first push button 26 for operating the operation switch 25, and a first push button 26 for operating the operation switch 25. A second push button 27 for starting the cord reel device 24 and winding the power cord 23 is provided.

Further, inside the main body case 3, as shown in FIG. 4, an electric blower 13 is electrically connected in parallel with the operation switch 25, and the electric blower 13 is stopped a predetermined time after the switch 25 is turned off. A delay timer switch 28 is provided for this purpose.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 31 denotes a flexible hose serving as a recirculation means, which includes a bellows-shaped hose body 32 that is freely bendable, a cylindrical suction port connection portion (not shown) provided at one end of the hose body 32, It consists of a bent cylindrical connection port connection part 34 provided at the other end of the hose main body 32. The suction port connection portion is connected to the vacuum cleaner main body 1.
The connection port connecting portion 34 is removably fitted and connected to the inner circumference of the suction port 5 of the vacuum cleaner body 1, and the connection port connecting portion 34 is detachably fitted and connected to the outer circumference of the connection port 20 serving as a recirculation means of the vacuum cleaner main body 1. It looks like this.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be explained.

When cleaning, connect the connection port 3 of the hose 31.
4, the extension pipe and the suction port body are connected in sequence in a detachable manner. Then, as the electric blower 13 is driven, dust is sucked in from the suction port body, guided into the dust collection chamber 6 of the vacuum cleaner main body 1 via the extension pipe and hose 31, and filtered through the filter 7 into the dust collection chamber 6. stored within. Further, the exhaust air from the electric blower 13 is discharged to the outside of the cleaner main body 1 via the exhaust port 19 and the connection port 20.

[0025] In order to kill and disinfect the mites in the dust accumulated in the dust collection chamber 6 after cleaning, etc.,
The extension pipe is removed from the connection port connection part 34 of the hose 31, and the connection port connection part 34 is connected to the connection port 20 of the cleaner main body 1 as shown in FIG. At this time, the suction port connection portion of the hose 31 remains connected to the suction port 5 of the cleaner body 1. When the electric blower 13 is driven with the suction port 5 and the exhaust side of the electric blower 13 communicating with each other in this manner, a part of the exhaust air from the electric blower 13 is collected from the connection port 20 via the hose 31. The dust is returned to the dust chamber 6, and the electric blower 1
A circulating air flow is generated from the electric blower 13 through the connection port 20, the hose 31, the suction port 5, and the dust collection chamber 6.

By the way, since the temperature rise when the electric blower 13 is driven is 20 to 25°C, the temperature of the exhaust air during normal cleaning is 40 to 50°C. On the other hand, when a circulating airflow is generated as described above, this circulating airflow is heated by repeatedly passing through the electric blower 13,
The temperature reaches 50℃ or more, and the temperature inside the dust collection chamber 6 also reaches 50℃.
Reaching temperatures above ℃. In addition, mites are exposed to 2 at temperatures above 50℃.
Since the mites will die in ~3 minutes, the mites in the dust collection chamber 6 can be killed by generating the circulating airflow as described above.

That is, harmful microorganisms such as mites in the dust in the dust collection chamber 6 can be killed without using insecticides or a separately provided external heat source.

At this time, since the connection port 20 to which the connection port connection portion 34 of the hose 31 is connected has a semicircular shape on the rear surface, outside air is also taken in from the connection port connection portion 34 of the hose 31, and the circulating air flow is This prevents the electric blower 13 from burning out due to the sudden temperature rise.

In particular, according to the configuration of the above embodiment,
All you need to do is form a connection port 20 in the vacuum cleaner body 1 that communicates with the exhaust side of the electric blower 13, and then use the hose 31 and suction port 5 to guide dust to the dust collection chamber 6 during cleaning. Since the exhaust air from the blower 13 can be returned to the dust collection chamber 6, harmful microorganisms such as mites in the dust collection chamber 6 can be removed with a simple structure and at low cost without making any design changes to existing vacuum cleaners. can kill or injure.

Such thermal disinfection of the dust collection chamber 6 can be carried out using the operation switch 25 for starting or stopping the electric blower 13.
This can be done with the button turned on, but it can also be done with it turned off. That is, after the operation switch 25 is turned off, the electric blower 13 operates continuously for a predetermined period of time, for example, 3 minutes or more, and then stops due to the activation of the delay timer switch 28. The dust collection chamber 6 can be thermally disinfected by connecting the part 34 to the connection port 20 of the cleaner main body 1 and then turning off the operation switch 25.

[0031] In this way, there is no risk of forgetting to stop the electric blower 13. As mentioned above, it is sufficient to generate circulating airflow for 3 minutes or more to kill the mites, but since the electric blower 13 automatically stops after operating for 3 minutes or more using the delay timer switch 28, in reality In addition to sufficiently disinfecting the dust collection chamber 6, it is possible to prevent circulating airflow and excessive temperature rise of the electric blower 13, thereby preventing deformation of the vacuum cleaner body 1 due to heat and preventing the electric blower 13 from deforming due to heat.
It is safe because it prevents the lifespan from being shortened.

[0032] As the delay timer switch 28, a bimetal switch or the like which turns off when a predetermined temperature is reached may be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, a display section 41 is provided on the top surface of the vacuum cleaner body 1, which lights up when the connection port connection section 34 of the hose 31 is connected to the connection port 20, for example, when the electric blower 13 is driven. may be provided. If such a display section 41 is provided, it will be clearly displayed that the dust collection chamber 6 is being disinfected, which is convenient for the user.

[0034]

According to the present invention, the suction port communicating with the suction side of the electric blower and the exhaust side of the electric blower are connected to each other by the recirculation means, so that the recirculation means, the suction port, and the collector are connected from the exhaust side of the electric blower. Circulating airflow is generated sequentially through the dust chamber to the suction side of the electric blower, and this circulating airflow repeatedly passes through the electric blower and is heated, raising the temperature of the dust collection chamber. It is hygienic as it can kill harmful microorganisms such as dust mites in accumulated dust. In addition, since the heated exhaust air from the electric blower is recirculated into the dust collection chamber using the suction port on the vacuum cleaner body, a new communication port has been added to the vacuum cleaner body to allow this exhaust air to flow back into the dust collection chamber. There is no need to provide the same structure, which simplifies the structure.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view showing an embodiment of a vacuum cleaner of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same as above.

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the same as above.

FIG. 4 is a wiring diagram same as above.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Vacuum cleaner body 5 Suction port 6 Dust collection room 13 Electric blower 20 Connection port as reflux means 31 Hose that serves as a means of reflux

Claims (1)

[Claims] Claim 1: A vacuum cleaner body having a built-in electric blower, a dust collection chamber communicating with the suction side of the electric blower, and a suction port communicating with the dust collection chamber; and a recirculation means that is connected in communication with the exhaust side of the electric blower to recirculate the exhaust air from the electric blower to the dust collection chamber, and the exhaust air from the electric blower is recirculated to the dust collection chamber and captured in the dust collection chamber. A vacuum cleaner characterized by killing harmful microorganisms in dust.