Embodiment mode 1
Fig. 1 to 18 relate to embodiment 1 of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an electric vacuum cleaner; fig. 2 is a perspective view showing a cleaner main body and a dust collecting unit of the electric cleaner; fig. 3 is a plan view showing a cleaner main body and a dust collecting unit of the electric cleaner; fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a cleaner main body of the electric cleaner; FIG. 5 is a sectional view A-A of the cleaner body and dust collection unit shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of the cleaner body and dust collection unit shown in FIG. 3; FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a dust collecting unit of the electric vacuum cleaner; FIG. 8 is a side view showing a dust collecting unit of the electric vacuum cleaner; fig. 9 is an exploded perspective view of a dust collection unit of the electric vacuum cleaner; FIG. 10 is a plan view showing a dust collecting unit of the electric vacuum cleaner; FIG. 11 is a C-C sectional view of the dust collection unit shown in FIG. 10; FIG. 12 is a D-D sectional view of the dust collection unit shown in FIG. 10; FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional E-E view of the dust collection unit shown in FIG. 11; fig. 14 is a plan view showing an inflow part housing of a dust collecting unit of the electric vacuum cleaner; FIG. 15 is a plan view showing a bypass section housing of a dust collecting unit of the electric vacuum cleaner; FIG. 16 is a side view of the dust collection unit taken along a cross-sectional plane indicated by F in FIG. 10; FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along line G-G of the dust collection unit shown in FIG. 11; fig. 18 is a sectional view H-H of the dust collection unit shown in fig. 11.
As shown in fig. 1, the electric vacuum cleaner 1 is configured with a suction port body 2, a suction pipe 3, a connection pipe 4, a suction hose 5, and a cleaner main body 6 as main parts. The suction port body 2 is a member for sucking dust (dirt) on the floor together with air from an opening formed downward. A connection portion for discharging air is provided at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the suction port body 2.
The end of the suction tube 3 on one side (suction side) is connected to the connection portion of the suction port body 2. The suction tube 3 is formed of a cylindrical straight member. The other end of the suction tube 3 is connected to one end (suction side) of the connection tube 4. The connection pipe 4 is formed of a cylindrical member bent in the middle.
The connection pipe 4 is provided with a handle 7. The handle 7 is a member to be held and operated by a user of the electric vacuum cleaner 1. The handle 7 is provided with an operation switch 8 for controlling the operation of the electric vacuum cleaner 1. The other end of the connection tube 4 is connected to one end (suction side) of the suction hose 5. The suction hose 5 is formed of a flexible member in a bellows shape.
The cleaner body 6 is a member for separating dust from air containing dust (dirty air) and discharging the air (clean air) from which the dust is removed (for example, returning it to the room). A hose connection port 9 is formed at the front end of the cleaner body 6. The other end of the suction hose 5 is connected to the hose connection port 9 of the cleaner body 6. Wheels 10 are attached to both sides of the cleaner body 6.
The cleaner body 6 has a power cord 11. The power cord 11 is wound around a cord winding portion (not shown) inside the cleaner body 6. The power supply line 11 is connected to an external power supply, and thereby supplies power to internal devices such as an electric blower 13 described later. The electric blower 13 is driven by energization, and performs a predetermined suction operation in accordance with the operation of the operation switch 8.
The suction port body 2, the suction tube 3, the connection tube 4, and the suction hose 5 are formed continuously inside. When the electric blower 13 performs the suction operation, dust on the floor is sucked into the suction port body 2 together with air. The dust-containing air sucked into the suction port body 2 is sent to the cleaner main body 6 through the inside of the suction port body 2, the suction pipe 3, the connection pipe 4, and the suction hose 5 in this order. Thus, the suction inlet body 2, the suction tube 3, the connection tube 4, and the suction hose 5 form an air passage for allowing dust-containing air to flow from the outside into the cleaner body 6.
As shown in fig. 2 and 3, a dust collection unit 12 is detachably attached to the cleaner body 6. Fig. 4 shows a state where the dust collection unit 12 is detached from the cleaner body 6. The cleaner body 6 has an electric blower housing unit 6a and a dust collection unit housing 6 b.
The electric blower housing unit 6a is formed of a box-shaped member (e.g., a molded article). In the electric blower housing unit 6a, an upper surface of a portion from the rear end to a predetermined position near the front side is formed to be inclined so as to be higher at the rear and lower at the front. The upper surface of the portion of the electric blower housing unit 6a located on the front side of the predetermined position is formed to be inclined so as to be lower in the rear direction and higher in the front direction.
Therefore, when viewed from the side, a part of the upper surface of the electric blower housing unit 6a is substantially L-shaped. A dust collection unit housing portion 6b is formed in the substantially L-shaped portion of the electric blower housing unit 6 a. The dust collection unit housing portion 6b is formed of a space for housing the dust collection unit 12. When the dust collection unit 12 is appropriately attached to the electric blower accommodation unit 6a, a main portion of the dust collection unit 12 is disposed in the dust collection unit accommodation portion 6b, that is, above the electric blower accommodation unit 6 a.
The structure of the dust collector main body 6 will be described with reference to fig. 5 and 6. In the electric blower housing unit 6a of the cleaner body 6, an electric blower 13, a winding portion, and the like are housed. Further, in the cleaner body 6, an intake air passage 14 for guiding air containing dust to the dust collection unit 12 is formed inside the electric blower housing unit 6 a.
One end of the air intake duct 14 opens at the front surface of the cleaner body 6, and forms a hose connection port 9. The intake air passage 14 passes through the internal space of the electric blower storage unit 6 a. The other end of the intake air passage 14 opens to the upper surface of the electric blower housing unit 6a (i.e., the dust collection unit housing portion 6b side), and forms a main body side outlet 15. The main body side outlet 15 is disposed at a position close to the rear end and close to one side of the upper surface of the electric blower housing unit 6 a.
The dust collection unit 12 is a member for separating dust from the dust-containing air and temporarily storing the separated dust. The dust collecting unit 12 separates dust from air by centrifugal force by swirling dust-containing air inside. That is, the dust collection unit 12 has a cyclone function. The specific structure and function of the dust collection unit 12 are as described below.
In the cleaner body 6, an exhaust air duct 16 for guiding air discharged from the dust collection unit 12 (clean air from which dust is removed in the dust collection unit 12) to an exhaust port (not shown) is formed inside the electric blower housing unit 6 a. One end of the exhaust air passage 16 is open on the upper surface of the electric blower housing unit 6a, and forms a main body side inlet 17.
The exhaust air passage 16 passes through the internal space of the electric blower storage unit 6 a. The other end of the exhaust air passage 16 opens to the outside of the electric blower housing unit 6a to form an exhaust port. The main body side inlet 17 is disposed at a substantially center of the upper surface of the electric blower housing unit 6a near the rear end.
The electric blower 13 is a member for generating an air flow in an air passage (an air passage for allowing dust-containing air to flow into the cleaner body 6, an intake air passage 14, an air passage in a dust collection unit 12, which will be described later, and an exhaust air passage 16) formed in the electric vacuum cleaner 1. The electric blower 13 is disposed in the exhaust air passage 16 at a predetermined position near the rear end in the electric blower housing unit 6 a.
When the electric blower 13 starts a suction operation, an air flow (suction air) is generated in each air passage formed in the electric vacuum cleaner 1. The dust-containing air sucked into the suction port body 2 is introduced into the cleaner main body 6 through the hose connection port 9. The dust-containing air flowing into the cleaner body 6 is sent from the main body side outlet 15 to the dust collection unit 12 through the intake air duct 14. The airflow generated inside the dust collection unit 12 will be described later. The air (clean air) discharged from the dust collection unit 12 flows into the exhaust air passage 16, and passes through the electric blower 13 in the exhaust air passage 16. The air having passed through the electric blower 13 further travels through the exhaust air duct 16, and is discharged from the exhaust port to the outside of the cleaner body 6 (electric cleaner 1).
Next, the dust collection unit 12 will be described in detail. As shown in fig. 7 to 10, the dust collection unit 12 has a substantially elliptic cylindrical shape as a whole. The dust collection unit 12 includes a discharge section case 12a, a bypass section case 12b, an inflow section case 12c, and a dust collection section case 12 d.
The discharge section housing 12a, the bypass section housing 12b, the inflow section housing 12c, and the dust collection section housing 12d are made of, for example, molded pieces. The discharge unit housing 12a, the bypass unit housing 12b, the inflow unit housing 12c, and the dust collection unit housing 12d can be disassembled into the state shown in fig. 9 or assembled into the state shown in fig. 7 by a predetermined operation (e.g., an operation of a lock mechanism). In addition, only the dust collection unit housing 12d can be removed from the state shown in fig. 7.
Hereinafter, the dust collecting unit 12 will be described, and the dust collecting unit 12 is configured by appropriately combining the discharge section case 12a, the bypass section case 12b, the inflow section case 12c, and the dust collecting section case 12 d. In the following description of the dust collection unit 12, the vertical direction is determined with reference to the direction shown in fig. 8.
As shown in fig. 7, 8, 10, and the like, a unit-side inlet 18 is formed on one side of the inflow portion housing 12c of the dust collection unit 12. A unit-side outlet 19 is formed at substantially the center of the discharge section case 12a of the dust collection unit 12. The cell-side outlet 19 is disposed above the cell-side inlet 18. The unit-side flow inlet 18 and the unit-side flow outlet 19 are open toward the same side. The cell-side outlet 19 is disposed above the cell-side inlet 18.
As shown in fig. 11, the inlet housing 12c has a swirl chamber 20. The upper portion of the swirling chamber 20 is constituted by a cylindrical portion 20 a. The lower portion of the swirl chamber 20 is constituted by a conical portion 20 b.
The cylindrical portion 20a is hollow and cylindrical. The cylindrical portion 20a is disposed with its central axis directed in the vertical direction. The conical portion 20b has a hollow conical shape with a cut-off tip portion. The conical portion 20b is disposed in the vertical direction such that the central axis thereof coincides with the central axis of the cylindrical portion 20 a. The conical portion 20b has an upper end connected to a lower end of the cylindrical portion 20a, and extends downward from the lower end of the cylindrical portion 20a so that the diameter thereof decreases downward.
The continuous space formed by the inner space of the cylindrical portion 20a and the inner space of the conical portion 20b thus formed constitutes the swirling chamber 20. The swirling chamber 20 is a space for swirling the dust-laden air.
As shown in fig. 12 and 13, a main flow inlet 21 is formed in an upper portion of the cylindrical portion 20a (an uppermost portion of a side wall forming the swirl chamber 20). One end of a main inflow pipe 22 is connected to the main flow inlet 21. The other end of the main inflow pipe 22 is connected to the unit-side inflow port 18. The main inlet pipe 22 is a member for guiding the dust-containing air flowing into the main inlet pipe 22 through the intake air duct 14 into the interior of the cylindrical portion 20a (swirl chamber 20). The inner space of the main inlet pipe 22 forms a main inlet air passage. The main intake duct is one of ducts for allowing dust-containing air to flow from the intake duct 14 into the swirl chamber 20.
The main inflow pipe 22 is, for example, a rectangular tube and is formed of a linear member. The axis of the main inflow pipe 22 is orthogonal to the central axis of the cylindrical portion 20a, and is arranged in the tangential direction of the cylindrical portion 20a (the side wall of the swirling chamber 20).
Here, as shown in fig. 12 in particular, the wall surface on the lower side of the main inflow pipe 22 is inclined so as to be directed upward in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20 as it goes toward the main flow inlet 21. In other words, the wall surface on the lower side of the main inflow pipe 22 is inclined such that the cross-sectional area of the air passage of the main inflow pipe 22 becomes smaller as it goes toward the main flow inlet 21.
As shown in fig. 14, a first bypass communication port 23a is provided in an upper wall of the main inflow pipe 22 of the inflow portion housing 12 c. The first bypass communication port 23a is formed by a set of a plurality of fine holes penetrating the upper wall of the main inflow pipe 22. As shown in fig. 15, a second bypass communication port 23b is provided at a predetermined position on the bottom surface of the bypass portion case 12 b. The second bypass communication port 23b is formed by a set of a plurality of fine holes provided through the bottom surface of the bypass portion casing 12 b.
When the inlet portion housing 12c and the bypass portion housing 12b are appropriately combined to constitute the dust collection unit 12, the first bypass communication port 23a of the inlet portion housing 12c and the second bypass communication port 23b of the bypass portion housing 12b overlap with each other to constitute one bypass communication portion. The space in the main inlet pipe 22 (i.e., the main inlet air passage) and the space in the bypass housing 12b communicate with each other through the bypass communicating portion formed in this manner.
The second bypass communication port 23b is configured not to block each of the fine holes constituting the first bypass communication port 23a when overlapping the first bypass communication port 23 a. Therefore, for example, the opening diameter of the micro holes constituting the second bypass communication port 23b is formed larger than the opening diameter of the micro holes constituting the first bypass communication port 23 a.
A bypass air passage 24 is formed in the space inside the bypass portion case 12 b. The bypass air passage 24 is formed to extend in the revolving direction of the revolving chamber 20. The bypass communication port formed by the first bypass communication port 23a and the second bypass communication port 23b is an opening for introducing a part of the dust-laden air in the main inlet airflow passage of the main inlet pipe 22 into the bypass airflow passage 24. The dust collection unit 12 is provided with a bypass inlet airflow path in addition to the main inlet airflow path described above as an airflow path for allowing dust-containing air to flow from the inlet airflow path 14 into the swirl chamber 20.
In addition, with the above-described configuration, the following operational effects can be achieved together: ensuring the flow path area (total opening area) of the bypass communication port to reduce the pressure loss and ensure the flow of air to the bypass flow path 24; and to suppress the intrusion of dust larger than the opening diameter of the fine holes constituting the first bypass communication port 23a into the bypass air passage 24.
The dust-containing air having flowed into the bypass air passage 24 from the intake air passage 14 via the bypass communication ports (the first bypass communication port 23a and the second bypass communication port 23b) passes through the bypass air passage 24 and is then introduced into the interior of the cylindrical portion 20a (the swirl chamber 20) from the secondary flow inlet 25.
The sub-flow inlet 25 is formed in an upper portion of the cylindrical portion 20a (an uppermost portion of a side wall forming the swirl chamber 20) similarly to the main flow inlet 21. For example, the secondary inlet 25 is disposed at the same height as the primary inlet 21. In other words, the main inlet 21 and the sub-inlets 25 are provided at substantially the same position in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20. Here, five sub-flow inlets 25 are provided.
These secondary inlets 25 and the bypass airflow passage 24 are connected by a secondary inlet pipe 26. A sub communication port 27 is provided through a bottom surface of the bypass air passage 24 of the bypass portion case 12 b. The secondary communication port 27 is provided for each of the secondary flow inlets 25. Therefore, the secondary communication ports 27 are provided in the same number as the secondary flow inlets 25. Here, since the number of the sub-flow inlets 25 is five, the number of the sub-communication ports 27 is also five.
The corresponding sub-flow inlets 25 and sub-communication ports 27 are connected to each other by sub-flow inlet pipes 26. Therefore, the number of the auxiliary inflow pipes 26 is also the same as the number of the auxiliary inflow ports 25 and the auxiliary communication ports 27 (five in this example). The auxiliary inflow pipes 26 are provided above the cylindrical portion 20a of the inflow housing 12c so as to surround the outer periphery of the cylindrical portion 20 a. The secondary inflow pipe 26 is connected to the secondary inflow port 25 along a tangential direction of the side wall of the cylindrical portion 20 a.
The secondary inlet 25 is formed to have an opening area smaller than that of the primary inlet 21. That is, the main flow inlet 21 has the largest opening area among the flow inlets. Here, as shown in fig. 12 in particular, the opening dimension a of the main flow inlet 21 in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20 and the opening dimension a' of each of the sub-flow inlets 25 in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20 are adjusted to be substantially the same.
As shown in fig. 16, an end b of the secondary communication port 27 on the downstream side in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20 is disposed on the upstream side in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20 than an end b' of the secondary flow inlet 25 corresponding to the secondary communication port 27 on the upstream side in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20. Therefore, the auxiliary travel space c, which is a portion extending in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20, is formed in the auxiliary inflow pipe 26 connecting the corresponding auxiliary communication port 27 and the auxiliary inflow port 25. In the auxiliary traveling space c, the airflow flows in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20 in the secondary inflow pipe 26.
As shown in fig. 16, the bypass air passage 24, which is an air passage from the second bypass communication port 23b to the sub communication port 27, is formed by the inner surface of the side wall of the bypass portion case 12b and the inner surface of the upper wall of the discharge portion case 12 a. The upper end surface of the secondary inlet pipe 26 forming the air passage from the secondary communication port 27 to the secondary inlet 25 is formed by a part of the bottom surface of the bypass portion case 12 b.
As shown in fig. 11, a zero-order opening 28 is formed in the side wall of the cylindrical portion 20a of the swirling chamber 20. The zero-order opening 28 is disposed below the cell-side inlet 18 in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20. Further, the zero-order opening portion 28 is disposed below the main inlet 21 and all the sub-inlets 25 in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20, that is, at a position downstream of the air flow in the swirling chamber 20.
The lower end of the conical portion 20b of the swirling chamber 20 opens downward (in the central axis direction). The opening formed in the lower end of the conical portion 20b is a primary opening 29. Therefore, the primary opening 29 is disposed on the downstream side of the airflow in the swirl chamber 20 with respect to the zero-order opening 28. Further, a partition plate 30 is provided outside the conical portion 20 b. The separator 30 is substantially cylindrical and has substantially the same diameter as the cylindrical portion 20 a. The upper end of the separator 30 is connected to the vicinity of the connection portion between the cylindrical portion 20a and the conical portion 20 b.
The dust collecting section housing 12d has a substantially elliptical cylindrical shape with a closed lower side and an open upper side. The dust collecting section case 12d is disposed outside and below the inflow section case 12 c. In this state, the portion of the inlet housing 12c below the upper end of the zero-order opening 28 of the cylindrical portion 20a, the conical portion 20b, and the entire partition plate 30 are all housed in the dust collection housing 12 d. The lower end of the partition plate 30 engages with a projection formed on the bottom surface of the dust collection unit case 12 d.
Thus, the space formed between the inflow housing 12c and the dust collection housing 12d is divided into two spaces by the partition plate 30. Of the two spaces thus formed, the space formed outside the cylindrical portion 20a and the partition plate 30 is a zero-order dust collection chamber 31, and the space formed below and outside the conical portion 20b and inside the partition plate 30 is a primary dust collection chamber 32.
The zero-order dust collecting chamber 31 surrounds the entire outer periphery of the swirl chamber 20 so as to cover the same. Further, zero-order dust collecting chamber 31 extends downward from zero-order opening 28. The primary dust collecting chamber 32 extends from below the primary opening 29 to the outside of the conical portion 20b over the entire circumference.
A grid-like discharge port 34 is provided in the center of the upper end of the cylindrical portion 20 a. The discharge port 34 is formed of a fine hole formed by opening a part of the lower side and a side wall of a tube having a substantially cylindrical upper part and a substantially conical lower part. Therefore, compared to the case where the discharge port is formed by opening only at the lower portion of the pipe, the force of sucking the airflow in the swirling chamber 20 in the swirling direction is increased, and the swirling airflow in the swirling chamber 20 easily travels in the swirling direction. Therefore, the swirling force of the airflow above in the swirling chamber 20 can be increased, and the separation performance can be further improved. The discharge port 34 communicates with the unit-side outlet 19 via a discharge pipe 33. In other words, a part of the mesh-like discharge port 34 is formed of fine holes formed by opening a part of the side wall of the discharge pipe 33. The discharge pipe 33 is mainly formed by the discharge portion case 12 a. The discharge port 34 is formed in the bypass portion case 12b, and the upper end wall of the swirl chamber 20 is formed by a part of the bottom surface of the bypass portion case 12 b.
If the dust collection unit 12 having the above-described configuration is appropriately attached to the dust collection unit housing 6b, the center axis of the swirl chamber 20 and the like is obliquely arranged so as to match the slope of the dust collection unit housing 6 b. The cell-side inlet 18 and the cell-side outlet 19 are disposed opposite to the inclined surface, and the cell-side inlet 18 is connected to the main body-side outlet 15. The cell-side outlet 19 is connected to the main-body-side inlet 17 (fig. 5 and 6).
Next, the function of the dust collection unit 12 having the above-described structure will be specifically described. After the suction operation of electric blower 3 is started, the dust-containing air passes through intake air duct 14 and reaches main body side outlet 15 as described above. The dust-containing air passes through the main body side outlet 15 and the unit side inlet 18 in this order and flows into the main inflow air passage, which is the interior of the main inflow pipe 22. A part of the dust-containing air having flowed into the main inflow air passage travels (linearly travels) in the axial direction of the main inflow pipe 22, passes through the main flow inlet 21, and flows into the inside of the cylindrical portion 20a (swirl chamber 20). Such a path is indicated by a solid arrow as a path a in the figure.
On the other hand, the other part of the dust-laden air flowing into the main inflow passage enters another passage (a passage B indicated by a broken-line arrow in the figure) from the middle of the passage a.
Specifically, the traveling direction of a part of the dust-containing air flowing through the main flow inlet duct is directed upward from the axial direction of the main flow inlet pipe 22, and reaches the first bypass communication port 23 a. The dust-containing air passes through the first bypass communication port 23a and the second bypass communication port 23b in this order and flows into the bypass air passage 24, which is a space above the inlet case 12c and sandwiched between the bypass case 12b and the outlet case 12 a.
The dust-containing air having flowed into the bypass air passage 24 moves in the bypass air passage 24 in the swirling direction of the air in the swirl chamber 20 across the upper side of the swirl chamber 20. The dust-containing air moves downward through the sub communication port 27 and flows into the sub inflow pipe 26 formed outside the swirling chamber 20. In the secondary inflow pipe 26, the dust-containing air moves in the swirling direction of the air in the swirling chamber 20. The dust-containing air flows from the secondary inflow pipe 26 into the interior of the cylindrical portion 20a (swirl chamber 20) through the secondary inflow port 25.
The dust-containing air having passed through the main flow inlet 21 flows into the swirl chamber 20 from the tangential direction of the swirl chamber 20 along the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 20a (the inner wall surface of the swirl chamber 20). The dust-containing air having passed through the secondary inlet 25 flows into the swirling chamber 20 from the tangential direction of the swirling chamber 20 along the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 20a in the same manner.
The dust-containing air introduced into the swirling chamber 20 through the main flow inlet 21 and the sub flow inlet 25 forms a swirling airflow swirling in a predetermined direction along the side wall in the swirling chamber 20. The swirling airflow forms a forced vortex region near the central axis and a free vortex region outside thereof, and at the same time, flows downward by utilizing the path configuration and gravity thereof.
Centrifugal force acts on the dust contained in the swirling airflow (air in the swirling chamber 20). For example, relatively large trash such as fiber trash and hair (hereinafter, such trash is referred to as "trash α") falls into the swirling chamber 20 while being pressed against the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical portion 20a (the inner wall surface of the swirling chamber 20) by the centrifugal force. When reaching the height of the zero-order opening 28, the dust α is separated from the swirling airflow and is conveyed to the zero-order dust collecting chamber 31 through the zero-order opening 28. The dust α having entered the zero-order dust collecting chamber 31 through the zero-order opening 28 moves in the same direction as the direction of the airflow swirling in the swirling chamber 20 (swirling direction), and falls into the zero-order dust collecting chamber 31. The refuse α reaches the lowermost part of the zero-order dust collecting chamber 31 and is collected.
The dust not entering the zero-order dust collection chamber 31 from the zero-order opening 28 flows downward while swirling in the swirling chamber 20 with the airflow in the swirling chamber 20. Relatively small trash (hereinafter, such trash is referred to as "trash β") such as dust and fine fiber trash passes through the primary opening 29. The garbage β falls into the primary dust collecting chamber 32 and is captured.
When the airflow swirled in the swirl chamber 20 reaches the lowermost portion of the swirl chamber 20, the traveling direction thereof is directed upward and rises along the central axis of the swirl chamber 20. The dust α and the dust β are removed from the air forming the updraft. The airflow (clean air) from which the garbage α and the garbage β are removed is discharged to the outside of the swirling chamber 20 through the discharge port 34. The air discharged from the swirl chamber 20 passes through the discharge pipe 33 and reaches the unit-side outlet 19. The clean air passes through the unit-side outlet 19 and the main-body-side inlet 17 in this order and is sent to the exhaust air duct 16.
By the suction operation of the electric blower 13, the dust α is collected in the zero-order dust collection chamber 31 and the dust β is collected in the primary dust collection chamber 32 as described above. These wastes α and β can be simply discarded by detaching the dust collecting section housing 12d from the dust collecting unit 12.
In the dust collecting unit 12 configured as described above, the dust-containing air flows into the swirling chamber 20 from the main flow inlet 21 and the sub flow inlet 25 so as to sequentially push the swirling air flow from behind the swirling air flow in the swirling chamber 20. That is, the dust-laden air newly introduced into the swirling chamber 20 flows into the swirling chamber 20 to accelerate the swirling airflow which has been formed in the swirling chamber 20.
Therefore, the swirling force in the swirling chamber 20, particularly, above the zero-order opening 28 can be increased, and the function (separation performance) of separating the garbage (particularly, the garbage α having a relatively large volume) can be greatly improved. Therefore, there is no need to dispose a separate separating device on the upstream side or the downstream side of the dust collection unit 12, and the dust collection unit 12 can be downsized, and the cleaner body 6 and the electric cleaner 1 can be downsized.
Further, if the swirling force in the swirl chamber 20 is decreased, the separation performance is deteriorated. For example, when introducing dust-laden air only from the main flow inlet to the swirl chamber, it is necessary to raise the velocity (flow rate) of the air flowing from the main flow inlet into the swirl chamber to ensure a prescribed swirl force. Therefore, the electric blower is increased in size, and the size of the cleaner body and the electric cleaner is increased. In the dust collecting unit 12 having the above-described configuration, the device can be downsized from such a viewpoint.
Further, the swirl force in the swirl chamber 20 above the zero-order opening 28 is large, and the swirl flow is difficult to fall, but the component of the flow in the swirl chamber 20 above the zero-order opening 28 is large in the swirl direction and the component of the flow falling is small. Therefore, the airflow flowing into the zero-order dust collecting chamber 31 can be prevented from rolling and scattering the dust α accumulated on the bottom surface of the zero-order dust collecting chamber 31, and the collecting performance can be improved.
Further, since the bypass communication port 23a is provided in the side wall of the main inflow pipe 22, the dust-containing air flowing from the main inflow pipe 22 into the bypass airflow passage 24 through the bypass communication port 23a is largely bent in the traveling direction in the main inflow pipe 22. Therefore, particularly the large-volume waste α is difficult to pass through the first bypass communication port 23 a. Therefore, even if a swirl chamber for removing dust α that is likely to cause clogging is not provided separately on the upstream side of the bypass communication port 23a, clogging of the bypass air passage 24 by dust can be suppressed, and the device can be downsized.
Further, by extending the secondary inflow pipe 26 along the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20, the airflow flowing into the swirling chamber 20 easily travels in the swirling direction. Therefore, the swirling force of the airflow above in the swirling chamber 20 can be increased, and the separation performance can be further improved.
Further, since the bypass air passage 24 is formed to extend in the swirling direction of the swirl chamber 20 as described above, the airflow that has flowed into the bypass air passage 24 moves along the swirling direction of the air in the swirl chamber 20. Therefore, the airflow flowing into the swirl chamber 20 from the bypass airflow passage 24 more easily travels in the swirl direction, and the swirl force of the airflow above the swirl chamber 20 can be increased to further improve the separation performance.
Further, by providing the main flow inlet 21 and the respective sub-flow inlets 25 at substantially the same height position in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20, the airflow flowing into the swirling chamber 20 from the respective sub-flow inlets 25 pushes the airflow flowing in from the main flow inlet 21 in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20, and therefore, the airflow can more easily travel in the swirling direction, and the upward swirling force in the swirling chamber 20 can be increased to further improve the separation performance.
Further, the secondary inlet 25 is disposed at a position above the primary inlet 21 in the central axis direction of the swirl chamber 20, whereby the above-described effect can be further enhanced.
Further, the plurality of sub-flow inlets 25 may be disposed so as to be located on the upper side in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20 as going to the downstream side in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20 with respect to the main flow inlet 21. By setting the positional relationship between the main flow inlet 21 and the plurality of sub-flow inlets 25 in this manner, the air flow that has fallen in the downstream side in the swirling direction can be pushed upward compared to the upstream side, and thus the above-described effect can be further enhanced.
Further, by making the opening dimensions of the main flow inlet 21 and the sub-flow inlets 25 substantially the same in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20, the flows of air flowing from the respective inlets into the swirling chamber 20 can be smoothly merged, and the swirling force can be further increased to further improve the separation performance.
Further, by disposing the end portion of the sub communication port 27 on the downstream side in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20 at a position closer to the upstream side in the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20 than the sub flow inlet 25 corresponding to the sub communication port 27, that is, by providing the auxiliary travel space c extending along the swirling direction of the swirling chamber 20 in the sub flow pipe 26, the swirling direction component of the air flow velocity can be strengthened before flowing into the swirling chamber 20, the air flow flowing into the swirling chamber 20 can be made to travel in the swirling direction more easily, and therefore the upward swirling force in the swirling chamber 20 can be increased, and the separation performance can be further improved.
Further, by forming the main inflow pipe 22 to have a wall surface inclined so as to be directed upward in the central axis direction of the swirling chamber 20 as going toward the main flow inlet 21, the airflow flowing into the swirling chamber 20 from the main flow inlet 21 is directed upward and the swirling airflow is less likely to fall, so that the upward swirling force in the swirling chamber 20 can be increased to further improve the separation performance.
Further, by disposing the bypass air passage 24 above the swirl chamber 20, the total air passage length of the bypass air passage 24 can be shortened with a simple configuration, and therefore, the dust collection unit 12 can be configured in a compact size, and operability can be improved.
Here, the number of the sub-inlets 25 is set to five, but if one or more sub-inlets 25 are provided in addition to the main inlet 21, certain effects can be expected for the above-described contents. Further, even if a plurality of inlets having an equivalent relationship with each other are provided without distinguishing the main inlet 21 and the sub-inlet 25, a certain effect can be expected for the above-described contents.
Here, although the case where the bypass inlet 41 is formed on the upper surface of the main inlet pipe 22 (forming the upper wall of the main inlet airflow passage) is described, a certain effect can be expected regardless of the position of the main inlet pipe 22 where the bypass inlet 41 is formed.
Here, although the case where the dust collection unit 12 having the above-described configuration is applied to the canister type electric vacuum cleaner 1 has been described as an example, the dust collection unit may be applied to an electric vacuum cleaner 1 other than the canister type (for example, a stick type, a hand-held type, or the like).
Industrial applicability
The present invention is applicable to a cyclone separation device having a swirling chamber in which dust-containing air is swirled along a side wall to separate dust from the dust-containing air, and an electric vacuum cleaner having such a cyclone separation device.
Description of the reference numerals
1 electric vacuum cleaner, 2 suction inlet body, 3 suction pipe, 4 connection pipe, 5 suction hose, 6 vacuum cleaner main body, 6a electric blower storage unit, 6b dust collection unit storage unit, 7 handle, 8 operation switch, 9 hose connection port, 10 wheels, 11 power supply line, 12 dust collection unit, 12a discharge portion casing, 12b bypass portion casing, 12c inflow portion casing, 12d dust collection portion casing, 13 electric blower, 14 suction air path, 15 main body side outflow port, 16 exhaust air path, 17 main body side inflow port, 18 unit side inflow port, 19 unit side outflow port, 20 swirl chamber, 20a cylindrical portion, 20b conical portion, 21 main flow inlet, 22 main inflow pipe, 23a first bypass communication port, 23b second bypass communication port, 24 bypass, 25 sub flow inlet, 26 sub flow inlet pipe, 27 sub communication port, 28 zero-order opening portion, 29 primary opening portion, 29 first bypass opening portion, and, 30 partition boards, 31 zero-time dust collecting chambers, 32 primary dust collecting chambers, 33 discharge pipes and 34 discharge ports.