JPH07319A - Vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To keep a constant running speed regardless of the floor surface state. CONSTITUTION:The revolving speed of running wheels is detected by a revolving speed detection section 35 at the time of a travel. When the floor surface state is changed, the resistance to the running wheels is changed, and the load applied to a wheel driving motor 23 is changed. The output voltage of the wheel driving motor 23 is controlled by a controller 36, and the detected revolving speed of the running wheels is kept at a prescribed speed. When the running speed is to be changed due to the size of a room and the layout of the furniture, the prescribed speed is switched by a running speed selecting switch 39.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner in which traveling wheels provided in a suction port body are electrically driven.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional electric vacuum cleaner having a traveling wheel provided on a suction port body is disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-193137.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. JP-A-2003-264, there is one in which the traveling direction is improved by detecting the traveling direction of the suction port body and rotating the traveling wheels in a predetermined direction with respect to the traveling direction of the suction port body. .
Further, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 4-170728, by transmitting the driving force of a drive motor to a traveling wheel via a planetary gear and a differential device capable of obtaining a wide reduction ratio, the operation can be performed. There is one that has improved running and running performance.

[0003]

However, in the conventional electric vacuum cleaner, since the driving force of the drive motor for driving the traveling wheels is constant, it depends on the floor surface condition (for example, carpet floor, board floor, tatami floor). The load on the drive motor fluctuates, the rotational speed of the traveling wheels, that is, the traveling speed changes, and the operability is poor. For example, on a flat floor, the traveling speed is moderate, but on a carpet floor, the load on the drive motor is large and the traveling speed is too slow. On the contrary, although the traveling speed is moderate on the carpet floor, the load on the drive motor is small on the wooden floor, causing a problem that the traveling speed is too fast.

Even under the same floor condition, it may be more efficient to change the traveling speed as necessary to perform cleaning depending on the size of the room, the installation of furniture, and the like. Conventionally, since the driving force of the drive motor is constant, the traveling speed is uniform and flexible response cannot be expected under the same floor condition.

In view of the above, the present invention provides an electric vacuum cleaner capable of maintaining a constant traveling speed in several stages that is not affected by the floor surface condition.

[0006]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, a traveling wheel is detected by detecting a rotation speed of a traveling wheel 12 and drivingly controlling a wheel drive motor 23 according to the detected rotation speed. The rotation speed of 12 is maintained at the set speed.

The problem solving means according to the second aspect is to change the rotational speed of the traveling wheels 12 maintained by changing the set speed.

[0008]

In the means for solving the problem according to the above-mentioned claim 1, the rotational speed of the traveling wheel 12 is detected by the rotational speed detecting portion 35 during traveling. Here, for example, when the floor surface condition changes from a board floor to a carpet floor, the resistance to the traveling wheels 12 becomes large and the load applied to the wheel driving motor 23 becomes large, and the detected rotational speed of the traveling wheels 12 becomes large. Become slow. At this time, the torque of the wheel driving motor 23 is increased to maintain the detected rotation speed of the traveling wheel 12 at the set speed. When the rotational speed of the traveling wheel 12 becomes faster, the torque of the wheel driving motor 23 is reduced to detect the traveling wheel 1
The rotation speed of 2 is maintained at the set speed. As a result, the rotation speed of the traveling wheels 12, that is, the traveling speed can be maintained constant regardless of the floor surface condition.

In the problem solving means according to the second aspect, when it is desired to change the traveling speed depending on the size of the room, the arrangement of furniture, etc., when the set speed is changed, the traveling speed is maintained at the changed set speed.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention is an upright type electric vacuum cleaner having a suction body 2 attached to a lower portion of a cleaner body 1 as shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, reference numeral 3 is a handle fitted to the upper part of the cleaner body 1 so as to be able to move forward and backward, 4 is an operation unit equipped on the upper part of the cleaner body 1 and having a power switch (not shown), and 5 is the cleaner body 1 and suction. It is a hose that is connected to the mouthpiece 2 and guides dust sucked from the suction mouthpiece 2 to a dust collection chamber (not shown) in the cleaner body 1.

An electric blower (not shown), a cord reel, etc. are provided inside the cleaner body 1. Further, an exhaust port 6 for discharging the air sucked from the suction port body 2 is formed on the lower front surface of the cleaner body 1.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the suction port body 2 is composed of an upper case 10a and a lower case 10b. The inside of the suction port body 2 is divided into a suction chamber 15 and a mechanism chamber 16 behind the suction chamber 15.
It is divided by. A pair of left and right traveling wheels 12 is provided at the center of the lower case 10b, and a pair of left and right large wheels 13 is provided at the rear portion.

Further, the suction chamber 15 in the front part of the lower case 10b
A suction port is opened in the, and a rotary brush 11 is provided in the suction port. Both ends of the rotating brush 11 are rotatably supported by the lower case 10b. In addition, the mechanism room 16
Is provided with a rotary brush driving motor 20 for driving the rotary brush 11, and the driving force of the motor 20 is a belt 21.
Is transmitted to the rotating brush 11 via.

The pair of left and right traveling wheels 12 are fixed to both ends of an axle 22 rotatably supported by the lower case 10b and project downward from a pair of openings formed in the lower surface of the lower case 10b. . The axle 22 has a pulley 2
A wheel drive motor 23, which is a direct-current motor for driving the traveling wheels 12, is arranged in the mechanism chamber 16 and 2a is externally fitted and fixed. A planetary gear 24 as a reduction mechanism is connected to the wheel driving motor 23, and the output side pulley 23
A belt 25 is wound around a and the pulley 22a of the axle 22.

The pair of left and right large wheels 13 are provided in the lower case 1.
0b includes a shaft portion 30 rotatably fitted to the left and right side surfaces, and a wheel portion 31 integrally formed with the shaft portion 30 and protruding downward from the lower surface of the lower case 10b. This large wheel 13
It rotates following the running of the suction port body 2.

Further, the suction port body 2 has a rotation speed detecting portion 35 for detecting the rotation speed of the traveling wheel 12, and a wheel driving motor 23 in response to an output signal from the rotation speed detecting portion 35.
A control unit 36 for driving and controlling is provided. further,
The cleaner body 1 is provided with a traveling direction switching unit 40 that switches the traveling direction of the suction port body 2.

The rotation speed detecting section 35, as shown in FIG.
Reflection sheet 37 attached to axle 22 of traveling wheel 12
And a reflection type photo interrupter 3 having a light emitting / receiving element mounted on the lower case 10b so as to face the reflection sheet 37.
8 and.

The traveling direction switching section 40 is, as shown in FIG.
A pair of projections 41a, 41b formed on the pipe 3a directly connected to the handle 3, and a pair of microswitches 4 built in the cleaner body 1 facing the projections 41a, 41b.
2a and 42b. The microswitch 42a,
When the handle 3 is pushed when the suction port body 2 moves forward, the protrusions 41a and 41b are separated from each other to be in an OFF state, and when the handle 3 is pulled when the suction port body 2 moves backward, the protrusions 42a and 41b contact. It contacts and turns on.

The control unit 36 is composed of a microcomputer, and has a calculation function of calculating the rotation speed of the traveling wheel 12 from the output signal of the photo interrupter 38, the calculated rotation speed and a preset set value. Wheel drive motor 2 according to the comparison function and the comparison result
A constant speed traveling function for controlling the output voltage to 3 to maintain the rotation speed of the traveling wheels 12 at a set speed, and an output signal from a traveling speed changeover switch 39 arranged on the operation unit 4 to correspond to the set speed. And a shift function for changing the set value in several steps. Further, the control unit 36 is instructed to the wheel drive motor 2 by the output signal from the traveling direction switching unit 40.
A forward / reverse switching function for controlling the rotation direction of the motor 3 is provided.

The circuits constituting the arithmetic function and the comparison function are constituted by a dedicated IC, a comparator or the like. In addition, the wheel drive motor 23 is the microcomputer 3
The number of revolutions is controlled by a citristor type voltage control by a drive signal from the motor 6.

In the above structure, when the power switch of the operation section 4 is turned on, the electric blower, the rotary brush drive motor 20 and the wheel drive motor 23 are energized. Then, the rotation speed of the traveling wheels 12, that is, the traveling speed is determined by the traveling speed changeover switch 39 in consideration of the floor surface condition, the room size, the furniture arrangement condition, and the like.

Here, when the handle 3 is pushed, the handle 3
The pipe 3a moves in the direction A, and the protrusions 41a and 41b are separated from the microswitches 42a and 42b. Then, the micro switches 42a and 42b are turned off, the wheel driving motor 23 is normally rotated, the traveling wheels 12 are normally rotated, and the suction port body 2 is advanced.

On the other hand, when the handle 3 is pulled, the pipe 3a of the handle 3 moves in the B direction and the protrusions 41a and 41b come into contact with the microswitches 42a and 42b. Then, the micro switches 42a and 42b are turned on, the wheel drive motor 23 reversely rotates, the traveling wheels 12 reversely rotate, and the suction port body 2 moves backward.

When the reflective sheet 37 faces the detection surface of the photo interrupter 38 according to the rotation of the axle 22 during traveling, the light emitted from the light emitting element is reflected and enters the light receiving element. The rotation speed of the traveling wheel 12 is detected by the electric signal output at this time.

Here, for example, when the floor surface condition changes from a plate floor to a carpet floor, the resistance to the traveling wheels 12 becomes large, the load applied to the wheel drive motor 23 becomes large, and the rotation speed of the traveling wheels 12 becomes large. Become slow. When the rotation speed of the traveling wheel 12 detected by the rotation speed detection unit 35 becomes smaller than the set value, the control unit 36 increases the output voltage to the wheel drive motor 23 to increase the torque of the wheel drive motor 23 to drive the vehicle. The rotation speed of the wheel 12 is maintained at the set speed. On the contrary, the traveling wheel 12 detected by the rotation speed detection unit 35
When the rotation speed of is higher than the set value, the output voltage to the wheel drive motor 23 is reduced to reduce the torque of the wheel drive motor 23, and the rotation speed of the traveling wheels 12 is maintained at the set speed. When it is desired to change the traveling speed depending on the size of the room, the arrangement of furniture, etc., the traveling speed switching switch 39 switches the set speed. As a result, the running speed is
The switched speed is maintained.

As described above, when the floor condition changes and the load applied to the wheel driving motor 23 changes, the output voltage to the wheel driving motor 23 is controlled to maintain the rotational speed of the traveling wheels 12 at the set speed. . Therefore, a constant traveling speed can be maintained regardless of the floor surface condition, and traveling performance and operability are improved.

Moreover, since the traveling speed can be switched by the traveling speed switching switch 39, it is possible to flexibly respond to the size of the room, the arrangement of furniture, etc.
Operability is improved.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and it goes without saying that many modifications and changes can be made to the above embodiments within the scope of the present invention. For example, the vacuum cleaner of the present invention is not limited to the upright type, but may be the cylinder type. In addition, the rotation speed detection unit 35 uses the axle 22
The magnet attached to the magnet and the magnetoelectric conversion element facing the magnet may be used.

[0029]

As is clear from the above description, according to claim 1 of the present invention, even if the floor condition changes and the load applied to the wheel drive motor changes, the rotation speed of the traveling wheels reaches the set speed. The wheel drive motor is drive-controlled so that
A constant traveling speed can be maintained regardless of the floor condition, and traveling and operability are improved.

According to the second aspect, since the traveling speed can be switched, it is possible to flexibly cope with the size of the room and the arrangement of furniture, and there is an excellent effect that the operability is improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a control system of traveling wheels of an electric vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the electric vacuum cleaner.

FIG. 3 is an internal configuration diagram of the suction port body.

FIG. 4 is a side sectional view of the same.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a traveling direction switching unit

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Vacuum Cleaner Main Body 2 Suction Port Body 12 Traveling Wheel 23 Wheel Drive Motor 35 Rotational Speed Detector

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. The vacuum cleaner body is provided with a suction port body,
An electric vacuum cleaner having a traveling wheel and a wheel drive motor for rotating the traveling wheel in the forward and reverse directions in the suction port body, and a rotational speed detecting section for detecting a rotational speed of the traveling wheel, and the rotational speed detection. An electric vacuum cleaner, comprising: constant-speed traveling means for driving and controlling the wheel driving motor according to an output signal from the unit to maintain the rotational speed of the traveling wheel at a set speed. 2. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a speed change means for changing a set speed of the constant speed traveling means.