Vacuum cleaner

Abstract: A plurality of caster mounting portions (12) are pro­ vided on a lower case (4) of a vacuum cleaner main body (1). A plurality of casters (13) are mounted respectively on the caster mounting portions (12) without a wheel moun­ ting base. A suction hose (20) is provided turnable on a substantially central portion of an upper case (2) of the vacuum cleaner main body (1). A distance of an installing position of the suction hose (20) and each of the caster mounting portions (12) is set to have substantially same length, respectively. When the vacuum cleaner main body (1) may collide agaisnt an obstacle body, then the suction hose (20) can move easily and the vacuum cleaner main body (1) can move and turn easily toward an operator's pulling direction.

Description: The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner according to the preamble of claim 1. Such a vacuum cleaner is known from GB-A-343 894. Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 29421/1968 discloses a vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner main body which is turnably supported on a wheel mounting base having casters for running on a portion to be cleaned. In the above conventional vacuum cleaner, since the wheel mounting base is an additional element compared to a common vacuum cleaner structure, the weight and the height of the cleaner main body of the vacuum cleaner increase, thereby causing an inferior handling characteristic. In this vacuum cleaner, the plurality of caster mounting portions having a plurality of casters are installed integrally in the wheel mounting base and the plurality of casters run on the cleaning portion to be cleaned. The wheel mounting base having the plurality of casters can turn independently relative to the cleaner main body of the vacuum cleaner. In other words, the plurality of casters can move and run individually relative to the cleaner main body of the vacuum cleaner. A vacuum cleaner known from US-PS 3 996 641 comprises an upright elongated body closed by a cover. At the bottom of the body a frame for carrying a plurality of casters is releasably attached and rotatable relative to the body. A flexible intake hose is connected to an intake opening axially located on the top of the cover. For reducing the tendency of the body to tip when pulled by the flexible hose used to perform the work, a flexible strap is provided between a frame on the bottom of the body and a portion of the flexible hose spaced from the hose connector. GB-PS 343 894 discloses a vacuum cleaner comprising a casing provided with casters on a circular bottom. The casing is closed by a detachable cover on the upper side. The cover comprises a circular ring detachably fastened thereto and a flat circular top plate disposed on the upper side of the ring. The top face of the cover is formed with a cylindrical neck for the attachement of a collar to which a transparent inspection window is fixed. Tightly secured to the upper end of this window is a further socket member of the swivel joint the companion member thereof comprises a head of an L-shaped connecting member rotatably secured in this socket. The object of the invention is to provide a vacuum cleaner with a reduced weight and height and an improved handling property. This object will be solved by the features of claim 1. Dependent claims are directed on preferred embodiments of the invention. When an operator pulls the suction hose, since the suction hose is mounted on the substantially central portion of the upper face of the cleaner main body, the suction hose can move easily toward a pulling direction of the operator, and by the running member the cleaner main body can move smoothly toward the operator's pulling direction. During the running state, the cleaner main body may collide against an obstacle body on the cleaning portion to be cleaned, then the cleaner main body can turn around a hose mounting portion of the suction hose, and by avoiding the obstacle body the cleaner main body can move or turn toward the pulling direction of the suction hose. Further, there is no wheel mounting base on the cleaner main body, so that the weight and the height dimension of the cleaner main body can be made light and small. Although there is no turning and running wheel mounting base on the cleaner main body, the cleaner main body can avoid the obstacle body on the portion to be cleaned and can run smoothly on the portion to be cleaned without falling down. Further, it is possible to provide a small and light-weight cleaner main body so that the vacuum cleaner exhibits good handling characteristics. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an essential portion of one embodiment of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a schematic and top view showing one embodiment of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a schematic and top view showing one embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in a state of avoiding an obstacle body according to the present invention; Fig. 4 is a schematic and top view showing a further exemplary embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in a state of avoiding an obstacle body; and Fig. 5 is a schematic and top view showing a further exemplary embodiment of a vacuum cleaner in a state of avoiding an obstacle body. Herein-after, one embodiment of the present invention will be explained referring to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a longitudinal and cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention. A cleaner main body 1 of the vacuum cleaner is constituted of an upper case 2, a dust collecting cover 3 and a lower case 4. The cleaner main body 1 has a substantially round shape outer appearance. In other words, both the upper case 2 and the lower case 4 of the cleaner main body 1 have a round shape outer appearance, respectively. An upper surface of the upper case 2 is formed with a smoothly curved shape. Inside the cleaner main body 1 an electrically driven blower motor 5 for generating a suction force, a dust collecting portion 7 for accommodating a filter member 6 and a cord reel winding apparatus 9 for winding a power source cord 8 are provided. The electrically driven blower motor 5 is supported elastically by a large shape vibration-suppressing rubber 10 having an elasticity and a small shape vibration-suppressing rubber 11 having an elasticity so as not to transfer directly a vibration to an outside portion. Four caster mounting portions 12 (12a, 12b 12c and 12d) are provided on the lower case 2 and turnably support four casters 13 as a running member and have a bumper 14 for preventing a scratch with a piece of furniture or the like. at an outside. The casters 13 are mounted on a bottom portion of the lower case 3 of the cleaner main body 1. Herein, the caster mounting portions 12 (12a, 12b, 12c and 12d) are projected toward an outer portion from a side portion of the cleaner main body 1. An inner wall portion 15 is provided on an inner side of the dust collecting cover 3 and is constituted so as to ensure an air-tightness of an inner portion of the dust collecting portion 7 via an air-tightness packing member 16 and further is opened and closed by a cramp 17. Herein, the dust collecting cover 3 is positioned at an upper portion of the cleaner main body 1 and a hose mounting portion 18 is provided at a substantially central portion of the upper case 2 of the cleaner main body 1. The hose mounting portion or the hose installing position 18 is turnably connected to a suction hose 20 for introducing dusts via a substantially L-letter shape hose coupling 19, as shown in Fig. 1, as a basis of a turning axis Q. The suction hose 20 is turnably mounted on a substantially central portion of an upper portion of the upper case 2 of the cleaner main body 1. The turning axis Q for the hose coupling 19 substantially extends in parallel to each of the plurality of caster mounting axes P of the caster mounting portions 12, respectively. The hose coupling 19 is designed for rotating about an angle of substantially 360° or of substantially 180°, in accordance with a turning angle regulating member. Further, distances d₁, d₂, d₃ and d₄ between the hose mounting portion 18 and each of the plurality of caster mounting portions 12 are set so as to have substantially the same length, as shown in Fig. 2. Next, a running characteristic of the vacuum cleaner having the above structure will be explained in more detail. Fig. 2 is a schematic and top view showing one embodiment of the vacuum cleaner according to the present invention, shown from an upper direction. When an operator is located at A direction and moves the vacuum cleaner toward B direction and since the suction hose 20 is turnably disposed at the substantially central portion of the upper portion of the cleaner main body 1 via the substantially L letter shape hose coupling 19, the suction hose 20 can be rotated easily at a position indicated by a dot line and can be turned toward B direction. When the operator pulls the cleaner main body 1 toward B direction and an obstacle body 21 is mid-way of the portion to be cleaned, as shown in Fig. 3, a collision point 21a of the caster mounting portion 12b against the obstacle body 21 works as a fulcrum point and then the cleaner main body 1 can be rotated about the hose mounting portion 18 as a center for turning, and, further, the cleaner main body 1 can be run so as to avoid the obstacle body 21 via a position indicated by a dot line. Further, the distances d₁, d₂, d₃ and d₄ between the hose mounting portion 18 and each of the plurality of caster mounting portions 12 (12a, 12b, 12c and 12d) are substantially the same. In other words, the relationships between these distances are d₁ = d₂ = d₃ = d₄ . When any one of the caster mounting portions 12 collides with the obstacle body 21, it is possible to turn aside according with substantially the same force or substantially the same moment. As stated above, according to this embodiment of the present invention, although the wheel mounting base disposed on the conventional cleaner main body is not provided, it has a similar cleaner main body running characteristic and permits to avoid the obstacle body 21. Therefore, it is possible to widely reduce the weight and the dimension of the wheel mounting base part. Therefore the handling characteristic of the vacuum cleaner can be improved because of the smaller dimension and lighter weight of the cleaner main body 1. Further, the distances d₁, d₂, d₃ and d₄ between each of the caster mounting portions 12 (12a, 12b, 12c and 12d) and the hose mounting portion 18 are substantially the same. Although any one of the caster mounting portions 12 may hit against the obstacle body 21, it can be avoided according to the substantially same force because of the substantially same distance ratio. Accordingly, the operation feeling for the operator remains unchanged. In Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, further examples of vacuum cleaner structures are shown to explain the main aspects of the present invention. The vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 4 has a round shape cleaner main body 101. The vacuum cleaner comprises the cleaner main body 101 and four caster mounting portions 112a, 112b, 112c and 112d. A hose coupling 119 is mounted on the cleaner main body 101. A suction hose 120 is connected to the hose coupling 119. A hose mounting portion 118 for the suction hose 120 or the hose installing position is not a central portion of the cleaner main body 101 but is off to the side portion of the upper face in the cleaner main body 101. In this vacuum structure, the distance d₁₃ between the caster mounting portion 112c and the hose mounting portion 118 is equal to the distance d₁₄ between the caster mounting portion 112d and the hose mounting portion 118. However, both of the distance d₁₁ between the caster mounting portion 112a and the hose mounting portion 118 and the distance d₁₂ between the caster mounting portion 112b and the hose mounting portion 118 differ from the distance d₁₃ between the caster mounting portion 112c and the hose mounting portion 118 or the distance d₁₄ between the caster mounting portion 112d and the hose mounting portion 118, respectively. In other words, the relationships between these distances are d₁₁ < d₁₃ = d₁₄ < d₁₂ . In the above stated vacuum cleaner having the round shape cleaner main body 101, when the caster mounting portion 112a, the caster mounting portion 112c, and the caster mounting portion 112d, each of which has the shorter distances d₁₁, d₁₃ and d₁₄ in comparison with the distances d₁₂, hits against the obstacle body 121, the force required for avoiding generates a turning moment. For example, as shown in Fig. 4, when the caster mounting portion 112a hits against the obstacle body 121, a collision portion 121a becomes a fulcrum point. Therefore, since the distance ratio becomes large or the distance d₁₁ is shorter than the distance d₁₂, the operation characteristic of the vacuum cleaner may be lowered. Besides, the vacuum cleaner shown in Fig. 5 has an oval shape cleaner main body 201. The vacuum cleaner comprises the cleaner main body 201 and four caster mounting portions 212a, 212b, 212c and 212d. A hose coupling 219 is mounted on the cleaner main body 201. A suction hose 220 is connected to the hose coupling 219. A hose mounting portion 218 for the suction hose 220 or the hose installing position is not a central portion of the cleaner main body 201 but is off to the side portion of the upper face in the cleaner main body 201. In this vacuum cleaner structure, the distance d₂₁ between the caster mounting portion 112a and the hose mounting portion 218 is equal to the distance d₂₂ between the caster mounting portion 212b and the hose mounting portion 218. The distance d₂₃ between the caster mounting portion 212c and the hose mounting portion 218 is equal to the distance d₂₄ between the caster mounting portion 212d and the hose mounting portion 218. However, the distance d₂₁ between the caster mounting portion 212a and the hose mounting portion 218 or the distance d₂₂ between the caster mounting portion 212b and the hose mounting portion 218 differs from the distance d₂₃ between the caster mounting portion 212c and the hose mounting portion 218 or the distance d₂₄ between the caster mounting portion 212d and the hose mounting portion 218. In other words, the relationships between these distances are d₂₁ = d₂₂ < d₂₃ = d₂₄ . In the above vacuum cleaner having the oval shape cleaner main body 201, when the caster mounting portion 212a and the caster mounting portion 212b, each of which has the shorter distances d₂₁ and d₂₂ compared the distances d₂₃ and d₂₄, hits against the obstacle body 221, the force required for avoiding the obstacle body generates a turning moment. For example, as shown in Fig. 5, the caster mounting portion 212b hits against the obstacle body 221, the collision portion 221a becomes a fulcrum point for turning the cleaner main body 201. Therefore, since the distance ratio becomes large or the distance d₂₂ is shorter than the distance d₂₃, the operation characteristic of the vacuum cleaner may be lowered. However, in the present invention, even if the caster mounting portions 12 do not project from the outside portion of the cleaner main body 1 and if a member corresponding to the bumper 14 is provided at an outer peripheral portion of the cleaner main body 1, the following operation can be got. In other words, in the above case when one of the caster mounting portions 12 collides with the obstacle body 21, the cleaner main body 1 can rotate and run forward around the collision portion 21a as a fulcrum point for turning. Then the effects similar to the above stated embodiment in which the caster mounting portions 12 project from the outer wall of the cleaner main body 1, in other words, the avoidance characteristic for the obstacle body 21 in the cleaner main body 1, can be obtained. Further, in a case that the vacuum cleaner structure in which no dust collecting portion 7 installs into the cleaner main body 1, in other words, the dust collecting portion 7 is seperated from the cleaner main body 1 at a front portion of the suction hose 20, the height of the cleaner main body 1 can be lowered and the cleaner main body 1 does not fall down easily. Since the suction hose 20 is mounted turnable on the substantially central portion of the upper face of the cleaner main body 1 via the substantially L letter shape hose coupling 19, the hose coupling 19 can rotate easily toward the pulling direction of the operator. Accordingly the cleaner main body 1 can follow and run trouble free and smoothly toward the operator side.

Claims: A vacuum cleaner comprising a main body (1) for accomodating a blower motor (5), running members (13) provided on a lower portion (4) of the main body (1), a filter element (6) disposed within an upper portion (2) of the main body (1), a cover (3) attached to the upper portion (2) for opening and closing the main body (1) and a substantially L-shaped hose coupling (19) one end of which is connected to a suction hose (20) and the other free end is rotatably mounted on the upper side of the cover (3), characterized in that the running members (13) are arranged so as to project from the outer wall of the main body (1), the main body (1) is provided turnable against the running members (13), the free end of the suction hose (20) projects between an outer wall and an inner wall (15) of the cover (3) and the blower motor (5) is mounted in the lower portion (4) of the main body (1). A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, characterized in that mounting portions (12) are provided for the running members (13) and that at least one bumper (14) is mounted on one or both surfaces of the mounting portions (12). A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hose coupling (19) is arranged such that its turning axis Q is aligned with a central axis of the main body (1). A vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the hose coupling (19) is arranged such that its turning axis Q is laterally offset with respect to a central axis of the main body (1). A vacuum cleaner according to one of the claims 1 to 4, characterized in that a cord reel winding apparatus (9) for a power source cord (8) is mounted in the lower portion (4) of the main body (1).

Inventors: SAGAWA KOUITI, SUNAGAWA MASAO, SAGAWA, KOUITI, SUNAGAWA, MASAO
Applicants: HITACHI LTD, HITACHI, LTD.
Application year: 1990
Main classification: A47L5
IPC codes: A47L9, A47L5