JPH0428322A - 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] (Industrial Application Field) This invention provides a dust collection filter having a connection port at the top to which a hose of a suction device for sucking dust etc. is connected, and this dust collection filter installed The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner equipped with an electric blower that applies negative pressure to a dust collection chamber in which the vacuum cleaner is installed, causes the suction tool to suck in dust, and collects the dust in a dust collection filter.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, such a vacuum cleaner as shown in FIG. 8 is known.

In FIG. 8, H is a vacuum cleaner body, and the vacuum cleaner body H consists of a front case H1 and a rear case H2. A dust collection chamber 1 with an open top is formed in the front case H1, and a rear case H2.
An electric blower chamber 2 is formed inside.

A cover 3 that covers the opening of the dust collection chamber 1 and can be opened and closed is provided at the upper part of the front case H1.

This cover 3 is provided with a rotating body 6 having an insertion port 5 into which the rear part of the hose 4 of the suction tool is inserted.

The dust collecting chamber 1 is provided with a dust collecting filter 7, which is a dust collecting filter.
A connection port 9 is provided to which the rear end portion 4 of a hose (not shown) is inserted into the insertion port 5 of.

On the other hand, an electric blower 8 is installed in the electric blower room 2. When the electric blower 8 is driven, a negative pressure is created in the dust collection chamber 1, and this negative pressure causes a suction tool (not shown) to suck dust. I will do it. The sucked dust is collected by a dust collection filter 7 via a hose 4.

When more than a predetermined amount of collected dust accumulates, an indicator S provided at the top of the cleaner body H displays this.

This display is performed when the pressure in the air path between the dust collection filter 7 and the electric blower 8 is detected using a semiconductor pressure sensor or a piston type duct meter, and the detected pressure becomes less than a preset pressure. It is.

This takes advantage of the fact that when dust accumulates in the dust filter 7, the pressure loss of the dust filter 7 increases according to the amount of accumulated dust.When this pressure loss exceeds a predetermined value, the dust This is displayed when a predetermined amount or more has accumulated.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) However, since the pressure loss of the dust collection filter 7 varies depending on the humidity and density of the dust to be collected, the display of the indicator is inaccurate. In particular, when the main component of dust is cotton waste, even if a large amount of dust accumulates, the pressure loss at the dust collection filter 7 is not so large, and therefore the dust collection filter 7 is completely filled with cotton waste. There was a problem that even if something happened, it would not be displayed on the indicator.

This invention was made in view of the above problems, and its purpose is to prevent the amount of dust collected in the dust collection filter from exceeding a predetermined amount, regardless of the humidity and temperature of the dust, or the main components of the dust. To provide a vacuum cleaner that can reliably detect when this happens.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a dust collecting filter having a connection port to which the rear part of a hose of a suction device that sucks dust, etc. is connected, and this dust collecting filter. A vacuum cleaner equipped with an electric blower that applies negative pressure to the dust collection chamber in which the dust collection chamber is installed, causes the suction tool to suck in dust, etc., and collects the dust and the like in the dust collection filter. A signal emitting means for emitting a signal and a receiving means for receiving a signal emitted from the signal emitting means are provided opposite to each other in a position near the connection port in the interior, and the receiving means receives the signal for a certain period of time or more. a determining means for determining that the amount of dust collected in the dust collection filter has reached a predetermined amount when the determination means does not receive the above-mentioned amount of dust, and a display means for indicating that the amount of dust has reached the predetermined amount when the determining means has made the determination. It is characterized by having the following.

(Function) Since the present invention has the above configuration, when the dust in the dust collecting filter accumulates near the connection port, the signal emitted from the signal emitting means is blocked by the dust, and the receiving means cannot receive the signal. It disappears. The determining means determines that the dust collected in the dust collection filter has reached a predetermined amount when the receiving means does not receive the signal for a certain period of time or more, and the display means indicates that the dust has reached the predetermined amount. indicate.

(Example) Hereinafter, a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

In FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner main body 11 includes a lower case 13 and an electric blower 1 installed at the rear of the lower case 13.
2, and a dust collection case 15 that covers a dust collection chamber 50 formed on the front side of the lower case 13. The dust collection case 15 is provided with an insertion port 17 into which the rear part of the hose 17 of the suction tool is inserted.

Further, a rotary holder 20 is provided at the position of the insertion port 17 of the dust collection case 15, and a rotary body 21 is rotatably held in this rotary holder 20. The rotating body 21 is
A rotary connection body 23 forming a rotary connection port 23a to which a connection portion (rear part of the hose) 16a of a plug-in pipe 16 provided at the rear part of a hose (not shown) of a suction device is connected, and this rotation connection body. 23 and a rotary cylinder body 25 attached via a rubber gasket 24. Plate-shaped contact rings 26, 27 are concentrically attached to the lower surface of the rotating cylinder 25, and cylindrical contact rings 28, 29, 30 are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the rotating cylinder 25. There is.

Note that 16c is a plug-in tube cover.

The contact plates 31 and 32 attached to the rotary holder 20 are slidably and resiliently contacted to the contact rings 26 and 27, and the contact rings 28 and 27 are in sliding contact with each other.
．． At 29.30, three contact plates (not shown) attached to the rotary holder 20 are slidably and elastically contacted. The contact rings 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 are connected to five connecting terminals (not shown) which are arranged and fixed on the rotary connection body 23. Then, connect the connecting portion 16a of the insertion tube 16 to the rotating body 21.
When connected to the rotary connection port 23a, the connection is made to five connection plugs (not shown) provided at the rear end of the insertion pipe cover 160 or to the five connection terminals described above. .

The connection terminals connected to the contact rings 26 and 27 are for turning the electric blower 12 on and off by operating a switch (not shown) on a hose (not shown).
The connection terminals connected to the contact rings 28 and 29 are a light emitting element (signal emitting means) 40 and a light receiving element (receiving means), which will be described later.
41 and is used to operate these. Further, the connection terminals connected to the contact ring 30 are for signals output from the light receiving element 41, and these connection terminals are connected to electronic components and lead wires of a control device 60 (described later) provided on the circuit board 42 (Fig. (not shown).

A light-emitting element 40 and a light-receiving element 41 that receive light emitted from the light-emitting element 40 are provided at the rear end of the connecting portion 16a of the insertion tube 16, facing each other.

The dust collection chamber 50 of the lower case 13 is provided with a dust collection filter 51 having a connection port 52 at the top, and a dust collection filter 51 having a connection port 52 at the top.
When connected, the rear end of the connecting portion 16a enters the dust collection chamber 51, and the connecting portion 16a and the connecting port 52 are connected.

Further, in FIG. 1, 53 is a display (display means) that displays when more than a predetermined amount of dust has accumulated in the dust collection filter 51, and 54 is an exhaust filter.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a display system that causes the display 53 to perform display, and 60 is a control device (judgment means) consisting of a microcomputer, etc., which controls the light emission of the light emitting element 40. At the same time, it is determined whether a predetermined amount or more of dust has accumulated in the dust collection filter 51 (X) based on the light reception signal output by the light reception element 41.

Here, the control device 60 determines that more than a predetermined amount of dust has accumulated when the light receiving element 41 does not receive light for a predetermined period of time or more, and displays this on the display 53.

Now, when the power is turned on, the light emitting element 40 emits light by the control device 60, and the light receiving element 41 receives light from the light emitting element 40 and outputs a light reception signal. On the other hand, electric blower 1
2 is driven, and the dust collection chamber 50 is made to have a negative pressure.

This negative pressure causes a suction tool (not shown) to suck in dust, and the dust enters the dust filter 51 via the hose 16. At this time, since the dust passes between the light emitting element 40 and the light receiving element 41, it blocks the light that the light receiving element 40 is receiving.

This blocking is instantaneous and the light receiving element 41 receives light intermittently, so the control device 60 controls the dust collection filter 51
Do not judge if more than a certain amount of dust has accumulated inside.

When dust is collected in the dust collection filter 51 and accumulates at the position B indicated by the broken line, this dust blocks the light emitted from the light emitting element 40, and the light receiving element 41 no longer receives light from the light emitting element 40. . In this case, since the light receiving element 41 does not receive light even after a certain period of time has elapsed, the control device 60 determines that a predetermined amount or more of dust has accumulated, and the display 53 displays whether dust has accumulated.

By the way, if more than a predetermined amount of dust accumulates, the dust will surely block the light from the light emitting element 40, regardless of the humidity or density of the dust. Furthermore, even if the main component of the dust is fluff, if a predetermined amount or more of the dust accumulates, the light from the light emitting element 40 will be reliably blocked. In the past, it has become difficult to reliably detect whether dust has accumulated, regardless of the humidity, density, main components, etc. of the dust.

Furthermore, when the dust accumulates near the connection port 52, the display 53 displays that the dust has reached a certain level, so that when the dust is thrown away, the dust does not spill out of the dust collection chamber 50.

FIG. 3 shows a second embodiment, in which contact rings 26-30 are not used.

In FIG. 3, 61 is a connecting body that connects to the connecting part 81 of the insertion pipe 80, and the connecting body 61 holds the inner cylindrical body 63 in which the connecting port 62 is formed and the inner cylindrical body 63, and also collects dust. The holding body 64 is attached to the case 15. The flange portion 65 continuously formed on the upper part of the inner cylinder body 63 is provided with an insertion hole 72 into which an insertion plug 71 (described later) is inserted (see FIG. 4).

Below the insertion hole 72, when connecting the insertion tube 80, the insertion hole 72 is
2, as shown in FIG.
A connecting plate 73 is provided, and the connecting plate 73 is connected to an electronic component (not shown) of the circuit board 42 by a lead wire 75.

On the other hand, a plug-in pipe cover 80c provided on the outer periphery of the plug-in pipe 80
A plug 71 is provided on the rear end surface 80d,
Each plug 71 is connected by a lead wire 82 to a light emitting element 40 and a light receiving element 41 provided at the tip of a connecting portion 81 of an insertion tube 80, respectively. The lead wire 82 is wired between an inner cylinder 83 and an outer cylinder 84 that constitute the connecting portion 81 .

In this embodiment, the inner cylinder 62 may be non-rotatable, or it may be rotatable as in the above embodiment. In this case, the rotation angle will be limited by the lead wire 75.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment, in which a light emitting element 40 and a light receiving element 41 are installed inside the vacuum cleaner body 11, and the light emitting element 40 and light receiving element 41 are connected only when a hose is connected. is arranged so that it enters into the dust collecting filter 51.

In FIG. 5, 90 is an inner cylindrical body provided to be movable up and down with respect to a holding body 91 attached to the dust collection case 15, and 92 is a spring. As shown in FIG. 6, a groove 90a is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the inner cylinder 90, and a lead wire 93 is wired in this groove 90a, and the light emitting element 40 and the light receiving element 41 are connected to the circuit board by the lead wire 93. It is connected to 42 electronic components. Reference numeral 94 designates a receiving portion with which the rear end of the connecting portion 96 of the insertion tube 95 comes into contact, 97.98 a packing, and 99 a spring receiving portion.

As shown in FIG. 7, when the insertion tube 95 is not connected, the inner cylinder 90 is held by the holder 91 (
(not shown in FIG. 7) so that the light emitting element 40 and the light receiving element 41 are taken out from the dust collection filter.

When the insertion tube 95 is inserted into the insertion port 17, the rear end of the connecting portion 96 comes into contact with the receiving portion 94 of the inner cylindrical body 90 via the packing 97, and the inner cylindrical body 90 is pushed downward against the spring 92. The light emitting element 40 and the light receiving element 41 are moved as shown in FIG.
enters the dust collection filter 51. At this time, the insertion tube 95 is held in the state shown in FIG. 5 by a hook (not shown).

In each of the above embodiments, the amount of dust is detected using light emitted from the light emitting element 40, but the amount of dust may be detected using, for example, ultrasonic waves or radio waves. You may also do so.

(Effect) According to the present invention, it is possible to reliably detect when the amount of dust collected in the dust collection filter 7 exceeds a predetermined amount, regardless of the humidity, density, main component, etc. of the dust. I can do it. In addition, if dust accumulates near the connection port, the display will indicate that the dust has reached a certain level, so when disposing of the dust,
Dust will not spill outside the dust collection room.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a side view showing a partial cross section of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a display device, and FIG. 3 is a vacuum cleaner showing a second embodiment. FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing the connection state between the plug and the connection plate, FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view of the vacuum cleaner showing the third embodiment, and FIG. 6 is FIG. FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the vertical movement of the inner cylindrical body, and FIG. 8 is a side view showing a conventional vacuum cleaner. 12.Electric blower 40...Light emitting element (light emitting means) 41...Light receiving element (light receiving means) 5o...Dust collection chamber 51...Dust collection filter 52...Connection port 53...Indicator (Display means) 60...Control device (judgment means)

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A dust collection filter having a connection port to which the rear part of a hose of a suction device that sucks in dust, etc., and a dust collection chamber in which this dust collection filter is installed are set to negative pressure, and the suction device In a vacuum cleaner equipped with an electric blower that sucks dust etc. with a tool and collects the dust etc. in a dust collection filter, a signal is emitted to a position near the connection port in the dust collection filter. An emitting means and a receiving means for receiving a signal emitted from the signal emitting means are provided facing each other, and when the receiving means does not receive the signal for a certain period of time or more, dust or the like is collected in the dust collection filter. A vacuum cleaner comprising: a determining means for determining that dust has reached a predetermined amount; and a display means for displaying that dust has reached a predetermined amount when the determining means has made the determination.