VACUUM CLEANER HAVING A BLOWER FACILITY STRUCTURE

Abstract: The panel portion structure 32 includes a panel main body 33 and a blower facility valve body 35. The panel main body 33 has a main body exhaust air port 19 and an opening 41 for blower facility. The blower facility valve body 35 is provided at a lower side of the panel main body 33 and supported rotatively so as to close usually the blower facility opening 41. A first exhaust air passage is formed to flow from the intermediate exhaust air port 30 to the main body exhaust air port 19. A second exhaust air passage is formed to flow from the intermediate exhaust air port 30 to the blower facility opening 41. The first exhaust air passage and the second exhaust air passage are changed over by the blower facility valve body 35. The improved blower facility structure can be installed, thereby series kinds of the vacuum cleaner can be developed easily.

Description: The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner having a blower facility structure as referred to in the generic part of claim 1. It particularly relates to a vacuum cleaner having a blower facility structure including an improved exhaust air passage structure suitable for the blower facility structure. Two kinds of conventional vacuum cleaners are known which are a vacuum cleaner having a blower facility structure and a vacuum cleaner without a blower facility structure. As to the above mentioned conventional vacuum cleaner, there appears the problem that the vacuum cleaner having the blower facility structure is not developed in series development with the vacuum cleaner without the blower facility structure. A vacuum cleaner having a blower facility structure, for example, is proposed in JP-A-2847/1986 (Japanese Utility Model). The vacuum cleaner has a dispersion exhaust air port and a concentration exhaust air port for blower facility function. The concentration exhaust air port is positioned at the upperstream side of the dispersion exhaust air port. Both of the dispersion exhaust air port and the concentration exhaust air port are installed at the rear portion of the vacuum cleaner main body. A lid is provided within the vacuum cleaner main body so as to close usually the concentration exhaust air port by a spring member. From DE-U-85 35 391.4 a vacuum cleaner is known having a blower facility structure comprising a main body case having a motor driven blower mechanism and a cord reel mechanism therein, a dust case having a dust collector apparatus therein, and a panel portion structure provided on said main body case. An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner having a blower facility structure wherein an improved blower facility structure can be installed in the vacuum cleaner. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner having a blower facility structure wherein an improved exhaust air passage structure suitable for a blower facility structure can be obtained. A further object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner having a blower facility structure wherein series kinds of the vacuum cleaner can be developed and obtained easily. These objects are solved in accordance with the features of the main claim, dependent claims are directed on preferred embodiments of the present invention. According to the present invention, in a vacuum cleaner having a blower facility structure, an improved blower facility structure can be installed, thereby series kinds of vacuum cleaners can be developed and obtained easily. Fig. 1 shows a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the vacuum cleaner having the blower facility structure according to one embodiment of the present invention; Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the vacuum cleaner having the blower facility structure in which a partial portion thereof is cross-sectioned; Fig. 3 shows a decomposed squint view of the upper main body case of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 4 shows a decomposed squint view of the lower main body case of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 5 shows a plan view of the lower main body case of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 6 shows a plan view of the upper main body case of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 7 shows a squint view of the vicinity portion of the upper main body case of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 8 shows a decomposed squint view of the panel portion structure of the vacuum cleaner including the blower facility structure; Fig. 9 shows a plan view of the panel portion structure of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 10 shows an undersideview of the panel portion structure of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 11 shows a cross-sectional view of the panel portion structure of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 12 shows a bottom view of the panel main body member of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 13 shows a squint view of the valve body supporting member of the vacuum cleaner; Fig. 14 shows a cross-sectional view in which the hose insert nozzle is inserted into the blower facility opening of the panel portion structure. One embodiment of the present invention will be explained referring to the drawings. A vacuum cleaner 1 according to the present invention includes a main body case 2 and a dust case 3 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The main body case 2 installs a motor driven blower mechanism 4 and a cord reel mechanism 5 therein. The dust case 3 installs a dust collector apparatus 6 therein. The main body case 2 is made up of two structures divided above and below and comprising an upper main body case 7 made of synthetic resins and a lower main body case 8 made of synthetic resins. A motor driven blower receiving chamber 9 and a cord reel receiving chamber 10 are provided in the interior of the main body case 2. The motor driven blower mechanism 4 is installed within the motor driven blower receiving chamber 9 and the cord reel mechanism 5 is installed within the cord reel receiving chamber 10, respectively. In the main body case 2 is integrated an intermediate wall portion 11. The intermediate wall portion 11 is provided between the motor driven blower receiving chamber 9 and the cord reel receiving chamber 10 and separates the main body case 2 into the motor driven blower receiving chamber 9 and the cord reel receiving chamber 10. The intermediate wall portion 11 prevents the inflowing of the high temperature exhaust air from the motor driven blower receiving chamber 9 into the cord reel receiving chamber 10. A concentration exhaust air chamber 12 and an exhaust air chamber 13 are provided at the rear portion of the motor driven blower receiving chamber 9. The motor driven blower receiving chamber 9 and the concentration exhaust air chamber 12 are communicated with an exhaust air passage 14. A dust indicator member 15 is provided on the upper portion of the upper main body case 7 and connects the front portion of an inhale port of the motor driven blower mechanism 4 with a communicating pipe. A panel portion structure 16 is provided on the upper main body case 7 and surrounds a partition wall portion 17 between the exhaust air chamber 13 and the exhaust air passage 14. A power source switch 18 is installed on a panel main body 33 of the panel portion structure 16 with a snap fit state. A main body exhaust air port 19 is provided on the panel main body 33 of the panel portion structure 16. A filter member made of urethane foam 20 is provided within the main body exhaust air port 19 so as to remove the fine dust and reduce the exhaust air noise and further uniform the exhaust air flow velocity. Fig. 5 shows the assembly state of the lower main body case 8, in which both of the motor driven blower mechanism 4 and the cord reel mechanism 5 are put in the lower main body case 8, taken the coupled surface of the upper main body case 7 and the lower main body case 8. Fig. 6 shows the state of the upper main body case 7 taken the coupled surface of the upper main body case 7 and the lower main body case 8. A front vibration proof rubber member 21 and a rear vibration proof rubber member 22 are fitted on both sides of the motor driven blower mechanism 4, respectively. The motor driven blower mechanism 4 is sandwiched and fixed by means of a front portion receiving rib 23, a circular ring shape rib 24 and a rear portion receiving rib 25, which are provided integrally on the lower main body case 8, respectively, as shown in Fig. 5. The front portion of the front vibration proof rubber member 21 contacts with the front portion receiving rib 23, so that the airtight state between the intake air side and the exhaust air side of the motor driven blower mechanism 4 is maintained. In case of the upper main body case 7 shown in Fig. 6, a front portion receiving rib 26, a circular ring shape rib 27 and a rear portion receiving rib 28 supporting the motor driven blower mechanism 4 are provided integrally on the upper main body case 7 in a similar manner as that of the case of the lower main body case 8 shown in Fig. 5. However, the rear portion receiving rib 28 provided on the upper main body case 7 is bent toward the front portion side of the vacuum cleaner 1 in the form of covering the outside of the filter member or the sound absorbing cover member 20 which is made of gas permeable urethane foam. The exhaust air from the motor driven blower mechanism 4 passes through the sound absorbing cover member 20 and traverses between the rear portion receiving ribs 25 and 28 and the case side wall, and then flows around the rear sides of the rear portion receiving ribs 25 and 28. The shapes of the rear portion receiving ribs 25 and 28 differ from in the upper main body case 7 and in the lower main body case 8. The flow resistance of the exhaust air is increased because the rear portion receiving rib 28 provided on the upper main body case 7 bents toward the front portion side. Therefore, a large amount of the exhaust air easily flows into the lower main body case 8 side. Accordingly, the exhaust air noise diffusion toward the upper direction of the vacuum cleaner 1 can be reduced. The exhaust air which flowed around the rear sides of the rear portion receiving ribs 25 and 28 passes through a latticelike intermediate exhaust air port 30 having a lattice 29 and then it reaches the concentration exhaust air chamber 12. The latticelike intermediate exhaust air port 30 made of synthetic resins is formed to open or unfold the partition wall portion 17 provided on the upper main body case 7. An opening area of the latticelike intermediate exhaust air port 30 is set to be smaller than the opening area of the main body exhaust air port 19, thereby the blower facility function of this embodiment of the present invention can be reinforced. A filter member 31 made of urethane foam is provided on the lower side of the latticelike intermediate exhaust air port 30, thereby the exhaust air noise propagation from the motor driven blower receiving chamber 9 can be reduced. The panel portion structure 16 and a blower facility structure 32 installed on the upper side of the concentration exhaust air chamber 12 will be explained with reference to Figs. 8 to 13. Fig. 8 shows a decomposed squint view of the panel portion structure 16. The panel portion structure 16 includes mainly the panel main body or the rear panel body 33 made of synthetic resins, a filter member 34 made of urethane foam and a essentially plate shaped blower facility valve body 35 provided integrally on the valve body supporting member made of synthetic resins. The power source switch 18 is inserted and fitted in a hole portion, which is provided on the side portion of the panel main body 33. The filter member 34 is arranged on the back side of the main body exhaust air port 19 provided on the panel main body 33. The filter member 34 is penetrated with a boss member, which is provided projectingly on the panel main body 33, and fixed by nuts 36 so as to prevent drop out of the filter member 34. An opening 37 for use of a cord reel pedal is provided on the side portion the panel main body 33. The valve body supporting member for the blower facility valve body 35 has a rotative shaft 38. The shaft 38 is fitted rotatively in shaft holes 39a and 39b, which are provided on ribs 40a and 40b at the rear surface of the panel main body 33. The shaft 38 is usually pressed toward the close state of an opening 41 to use the blower facility, which is provided on the central portion of the panel main body 33, by a torsion spring member 42. Thus constructed panel portion structure 16 is shown in Figs. 9 to 11. The concentration exhaust air chamber 12 is formed by a surrounding space, which is surrounded by the latticelike intermediate exhaust air port 30, wall surface portions 43 and 44 positioned on both sides of the latticelike intermediate exhaust air port 30 and the panel main body 33. The blower facility structure 32 in this embodiment of the present invention comprises the blower facility opening 41 of the panel main body 33, the blower facility valve body 35 and the torsion spring member 42. Next, the operation of the blower facility structure 32 will be explained. The blower facility opening 41 is closed commonly by the blower facility valve body 35, in the case that the blower facility structure 32 is not in use. When the blower facility structure 32 is not in use, the blower facility valve body 35 is positioned in a close state so as to fill the blower facility opening 41. The exhaust air passage is formed to flow from the intermediate exhaust air port 30 from the motor driven blower mechanism 4 to the main body exhaust air port 19. However, the exhaust air passage formed to let the air flow from the intermediate exhaust air port 30 from the motor driven blower mechanism 4 to the blower facility opening 41 is closed. When the blower facility structure 32 is in use, an insert nozzle 47, which is attached at the tip of a hose, is inserted to the blower facility opening 41 from the upper portion thereof. Then, the blower facility valve body 35 is opened or unfolded gradually by the inserting of the tip of the hose insert nozzle 47. The tip of the blower facility valve body 35 contacts the partition wall portion 17 and is positioned at a fully open state so as to shut the exhaust air passage formed to flow from the intermediate exhaust air port 30 from the motor driven blower mechanism 4 to the main body exhaust air port 19. The blower facility structure 32 is set finally at the blower facility condition for utilizing the blower facility structure 32 as shown in Fig. 14. Namely, the exhaust air passage is formed to flow from the intermediate exhaust air port 30 from the motor driven blower mechanism 4 to the blower facility opening 41. However, the exhaust air passage formed to flow from the intermediate exhaust air port 30 from the motor driven blower mechanism 4 to the main body exhaust air port 19 is closed. In the setting condition of the blower facility, the tip of the hose insert nozzle 47 is received and sandwiched by a receiving rib 45. The receiving rib 45 is provided integrally on the partition wall portion 17 within the upper main body case 7. Thus, the hose insert nozzle 47 can obtain the fully installation strength. The tip of the hose insert nozzle 47 is inserted and installed by the spreading motion of the blower facility valve body 35. As shown in Fig. 13, a rib 46 is provided integrally on the valve body supporting member. The rib 46 is positioned at a higher position in comparison with the surface of the valve body supporting member. The tip of the hose insert nozzle 47 contacts and slides with the rib 46. As the rib 46 is provided at a higher position than that of the surface of the valve body supporting member, the surface of the blower facility valve body 35 is not contacted directly the hose insert nozzle 47, thereby the surface of the blower facility valve body 35 can be prevented from grazing or scratching etc.. The operation portion such as the power source switch operation portion and the cord reel pedal operation portion may be provided on the panel main body 33. When several kinds of the panel portion structures are prepared in advance, the wide variation of series development of the vacuum cleaner can be taken measures to meet the situation and attained only by the selection of the panel portion structure. The latticelike intermediate exhaust air port 30 prevents from passing the extraneous substances by the lattice 29, even if the extraneous substances enter into the vacuum cleaner 1 from the blower facility opening 41 of the panel main body 33. Therefore the extraneous substances hardly enter into the motor driven blower receiving chamber 9. The exhaust air from the motor driven blower mechanism 4 flows into the concentration exhaust air chamber 12 and the main body exhaust air port 19 of the panel main body 33 via the exhaust air passage 14 being communicated to the latticelike intermediate exhaust air port 30. In the exhaust air flowing process, the expansion and the contraction of the exhaust air are repeated in the above mentioned structure, thereby the exhaust air noise can be reduced.

Claims: A vacuum cleaner (1) having a blower facility structure (32) comprising a main body case (2) having a motor driven blower mechanism (4) and a cord reel mechanism (5) therein, a dust case (3) having a dust collector apparatus (6) therein, and a panel portion structure (16) provided on said main body case (2), characterized in that said panel portion structure (16) includes a panel main body member (33) and a blower facility valve body member (35), said panel main body member (33) has a main body exhaust air port (19) and an opening (41) for a blower facility, said blower facility valve body member (35) is provided at a lower side of said panel main body member (33) and is pivotally supported so as to normally close said blower facility opening (41), a first exhaust air passage is formed from an exhaust air passage (14) from said motor driven blower mechanism (4) to said main body exhaust air port (19), a second exhaust air passage is formed from said exhaust air passage (14) from said motor driven blower mechanism (4) to said blower facility opening (41), and said blower facility body member (35) is operable to change over from said first exhaust air passage to said second exhaust air passage. A vacuum cleaner (1) according to claim 1, wherein said main body case (2) comprises an upper main body case (7) and a lower main body case (8), characterized in that a partition wall portion (17) having an intermediate exhaust air port (30) is provided in said upper main body case (7), said intermediate exhaust air port (30) is provided at an intermediate portion of an exhaust air passage (14) from said motor driven blower mechanism (4), and that the first exhaust air passage is formed from said intermediate exhaust air port (30) to said main body exhaust air port (19), and the second exhaust air passage is formed from said intermediate exhaust air port (30) to said blower facility opening (41). A vacuum cleaner (1) having a blower facility structure (32) according to claim 2, characterized in that said intermediate exhaust air port (30) has a latticelike form. A vacuum cleaner (1) having a blower facility structure (32) according to claim 3, characterized in that an opening area of said intermediate exhaust air port (30) of latticelike form is smaller than an opening area of said main body exhaust air port (19). A vacuum cleaner (1) having a blower facility structure (32) according to claim 3, characterized in that a filter member (31) is provided at a lower portion of said intermediate exhaust air port (30). A vacuum cleaner (1) having a blower facility structure (32) according to claim 3, characterized in that said blower facility opening (41) is provided at a central portion of said panel main body member (33). A vacuum cleaner (1) having a blower facility structure (32) according to claim 3, characterized in that a power source switch portion (18) is provided at a side portion of said panel main body member (33). A vacuum cleaner (1) having a blower facility structure (32) according to claim 3, characterized in that an opening (37) for a cord reel pedal is provided at a side portion of said panel main body member (33). A vacuum cleaner (1) having a blower facility structure (32) according to claim 2, characterized in that said blower facility valve body member (35) is provided on a valve body supporting member, said valve body supporting member is rotatively supported at a lower side of said panel main body member (33), and a spring means (42) is associated with said blower facility valve body member (35) for normally pressing said blower facility valve body member (35) toward said blower facility opening (41) to a closed state of the opening.

Inventors: ISHII, YOSHITARO, IWAO, AKIRA, KUBOTA, KAZUHIRO, SUKA, HISAO, SUNAGAWA, MASAO
Applicants: HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1987
Main classification: A47L9
IPC codes: A47L9