Patent Description:
A conventional cleaner head C<NUM> of a cross-sectional configuration as shown in <FIG> is used (refer to <CIT>).

That is to say, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, a dust-removed body <NUM> fed in an arrow K direction is a flat sheet, a flat panel, etc., a discharging slit <NUM> on a center and sucking slits <NUM> on an upstream and downstream sides in the feeding direction (the arrow K) are provided, and an interval dimension W<NUM> of the sucking slits <NUM> is set to be sufficiently large. The interval dimension W<NUM> is a dimension of mutual interval between center lines of the two slits <NUM> in the cross section shown in <FIG>.

And, the dust-removed body <NUM> shown in <FIG> is a film (sheet body) supported by a backup roll <NUM> and fed in the arrow K direction, and a corresponding face <NUM> of the cleaner head C<NUM> is formed into a concave face of a low trapezoid or arc to keep the interval dimension between the sucking slit <NUM> and the dust-removed body <NUM> under a predetermined value. Other examples of the prior art can be seen in <CIT> and <CIT>.

As described above, in the conventional cleaner head C<NUM>, various cleaner heads, having the corresponding face <NUM> appropriate for each of the configurations of the dust-removed faces of the dust-removed body <NUM>, are necessary.

Therefore, the inventors of the present invention had an idea that the interval dimension W<NUM> in the conventional cleaner head C<NUM> composed of an extruded section of aluminum as shown in <FIG> be shortened, and considered a cleaner head C<NUM> (as a comparison example) shown in <FIG>.

That is to say, the inventors thought that the interval dimension W<NUM> of the sucking slits <NUM> can be reduced (in comparison with <FIG>) as shown in the comparison example in <FIG>, and the cleaner can be applied to the dust-removed body <NUM> such as a sheet body supported by the backup roll <NUM>.

However, it was revealed that the interval dimension W<NUM> can't be sufficiently small because the cleaner head C<NUM> is composed of an extruded section of aluminum in <FIG> (comparison example).

Concretely, in <FIG>, a pressurized space <NUM> on the center and left and right vacuum spaces <NUM> are formed by a rectangular surrounding wall <NUM> and two bent dividing walls <NUM> within the surrounding wall <NUM>, and, it is difficult to make an interval dimension Wa of a near discharging portion 59A of the pressurized space <NUM> near the discharging slit <NUM> small as shown in <FIG>.

The reason is the difficulty of making a part of a core of an extrusion die thin as to form the small interval dimension Wa shown in <FIG>. That is to say, when the part of the core of the extrusion die is formed thin as the interval dimension Wa, the core is damaged and abraded early in extrusion.

Further, the interval dimension Wa in <FIG> can't be made sufficiently small because the thickness of the extruded dividing wall <NUM> itself is difficult to be thin.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cleaner head and a cleaner apparatus which can be commonly used for dust-removed bodies of which dust-removed faces are straight and arc-convex in cross section.

This object is solved according to the present invention by cleaner head including features of claim <NUM> and a cleaner apparatus including features of claim <NUM>.

The present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In <FIG>, an extruded section <NUM> composed of metal such as aluminum is shown. The extruded section <NUM> has a surrounding outer wall portion <NUM> rectangular in cross section and a pair of dividing inner wall portions <NUM> as one unit.

In <FIG> and <FIG>, a cleaner head <NUM> relating to the present invention is shown. The cleaner head <NUM> is made by opening a discharging slit <NUM> and two sucking slits <NUM> on the extruded section <NUM> in <FIG> by machine work, etc. The pair of dividing inner wall portions <NUM> divides an inner space of the rectangular surrounding outer wall portion <NUM> into a pressurized space P<NUM> and vacuum spaces V<NUM>.

As described above, in <FIG>, the inner space is divided into the pressurized space P<NUM> on the center and the left and right vacuum spaces V<NUM> by the dividing inner wall portions <NUM>.

The surrounding outer wall portion <NUM> of which cross-sectional configuration is laterally long flat rectangular composed of a side (first horizontal face portion) 11A disposed to face the dust-removed face <NUM>, another side (second horizontal face portion) 11B parallel to the side 11A, a left side (vertical left face portion) 11C, and a right side (vertical right face portion) 11D.

And, the dividing inner wall portion <NUM> has a vertical portion 12A and an inclined portion 12B of which cross-sectional configuration is bent "L" shaped. As shown in <FIG>, two vertical portions 12A are suspended from the other side (upper side) 11B with right angles, and the inclined portions 12B are bent from a vertically middle position as to come close each other.

An angle θ formed by the inclined portion 12B and a central vertical line Lc is <NUM>° to <NUM>°. The angle θ is preferably <NUM>° to <NUM>°.

To describe further, the pair of left and right dividing inner wall portions <NUM> has a cross-sectional configuration in which the dividing inner wall portions <NUM> are (mutually) approaching from the vertically middle position as to form a predetermined angle <NUM> θ of <NUM>° to <NUM>° (preferably <NUM>° to <NUM>° ), and, confluent with and connected to the side (first horizontal face portion) 11A. A mark G indicates a confluent position where the inclined portions 12B of the pair of the left and right dividing inner wall portions <NUM> and the side (first horizontal face portion) 11A are connected.

As shown in <FIG>, an R-shaped thick portion <NUM> is formed on a corner portion formed by the inclined portion 12B and the side 11A.

On the above-described confluent position G, the discharging slit <NUM> to jet high-pressured air in the pressurized space P<NUM> is opened. That is to say, the discharging slit <NUM> of narrow width dimension ε is formed along the central vertical line Lc.

And, as shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, a pair of the sucking slits <NUM> to suck the air (after dust removing including dust separated and removed from the dust-removed face <NUM>) into the vacuum spaces V<NUM> is formed parallel to each of the inclined portions 12B of the pair of dividing inner wall portions <NUM> mutually approaching with the predetermined angle <NUM> θ.

That is to say, each of the sucking slits <NUM> is opening parallel to the inclined portion 12B. Therefore, the angle formed by the pair of sucking slits <NUM> is <NUM>θ. And, the sucking slits <NUM> are disposed line symmetric each other with respect to the central vertical line Lc.

To explain the construction of the present invention again with another expression, the above-described side (first horizontal face portion) 11A can be called a corresponding wall portion <NUM> facing the dust-removed face <NUM>.

And, as shown in <FIG>, in the cleaner head <NUM> having the discharging slit <NUM> opening in the direction at right angles with the corresponding wall portion <NUM> and the pair of sucking slits <NUM> opening near the upstream side and the downstream side of the discharging slit <NUM>, outer extended lines L<NUM> of the pair of sucking slits <NUM> opening on the corresponding wall portion <NUM> are inclined against the corresponding wall portion <NUM> as to mutually come close and intersect as departed from the corresponding wall portion <NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, the outer extended lines L<NUM> are lines along the center of the slit width of each of the sucking slits <NUM>, mutually come close with the angle of <NUM> θ and intersect on a position of an asterisk <NUM> (in <FIG>).

And, as shown in <FIG>, the sucking slit <NUM> has inner faces <NUM> facing mutually parallel, and, each of the inner faces <NUM> has a cross sectional configuration of straight line and reaches for a flat outer face P<NUM> of the corresponding wall portion <NUM> keeping the straight line.

Therefore, an acute-angled edge <NUM> and an obtuse-angled edge <NUM> are formed (as shown in <FIG>) on an opening end portion 7P on which the sucking slit <NUM> opens on the lower face of the corresponding wall portion <NUM> (the first horizontal face portion 11A). Therefore, when observed from a lower side of <FIG>, the opening end portion 7P of each of the sucking slits <NUM> is observed as a straight groove of small width.

And, it can be said that the sucking slit <NUM> immediately opens on the horizontal face portion 11A with the edges <NUM> and <NUM>.

Next, a cleaner apparatus using the cleaner head <NUM> of the present invention is described with reference to <FIG>.

A mark <NUM> shows a blower. A suction opening 26A of the blower <NUM> and a vacuum space V<NUM> are connected with a suction duct <NUM>.

And, a discharge opening 26B of the blower <NUM> and a pressurized space P<NUM> are connected with a discharge duct <NUM>.

Further, a dust-removing filter <NUM> is disposed on the suction duct <NUM>. With this construction, dust is removed with a circulation (of about <NUM> to <NUM>%) of air.

The suction duct <NUM> is composed of branch ducts 27A and 27B respectively connected to the vacuum space V<NUM> and a confluent duct 27Y to which the branch ducts 27A and 27B become confluent on a position shown by a point <NUM>. And, the dust-removing filter <NUM> is disposed on the confluent duct 27Y.

Next, <FIG> shows another embodiment of the present invention. That is to say, a pressing and pulling force giving means <NUM>, giving pressing force F<NUM> and pulling force F<NUM> to each of the pair of dividing inner wall portions <NUM> from outside of the surrounding outer wall portions <NUM> to slightly oscillate and deform the dividing inner wall portions <NUM> as to freely adjust the gap dimension ε of the discharging slit <NUM> on the forth ends of the dividing inner wall portions <NUM>, is provided.

As the pressing and pulling force giving means <NUM>, a bolt-nut connection to connect the vertical left face portion 11C and the dividing inner wall portion <NUM> (on the left side), and a bolt-nut connection to connect the vertical right face portion 11D and the dividing inner wall portion <NUM> (on the right side), are used in <FIG>.

In <FIG>, plural bolt-nut connections are disposed with a predetermined pitch in a direction at right angles with the surface of the figure. Not restricted to the construction shown in <FIG> in which the pressing force F<NUM> and the pulling force F<NUM> are selectively functioned, it is also preferable to dispose bolt-nut connections for only giving the pressing force and bolt-nut connections for only giving the pulling force in turn.

As described above, especially in a long cleaner head, adjustment can be rapidly and easily conducted for uniform air discharge along the whole length of the cleaner head because the pressing and pulling force giving means <NUM> to freely adjust the gap dimension ε of the discharging slit <NUM> is provided. Further, without disassembly of the cleaner head, the adjustment work of high accuracy can be conducted rapidly from outside even during the operation.

In the present invention, as shown in <FIG>, suction flows F<NUM> are generated on positions very near an area where a discharge flow F<NUM> hits the dust-removed face <NUM>, and the flows are very stable. Further, the flows don't generate vortex, and flow at high speed (with the shortest distance) from the exit of the discharging slit <NUM> to the opening end portion 7P of the sucking slit <NUM>. By flowing as described above, the removed dust does not re-stick to the dust-removed face <NUM>, and excellent dust-removing effect is shown.

And, the sucking slits <NUM> are inclined and the interval dimension W<NUM> of the opening ends of the sucking slits <NUM> can be sufficiently small, and the discharge flow F<NUM> comes close to the hitting area on the dust-removed face <NUM> further. Therefore, as shown in <FIG>, the dust-removed body <NUM> such as a sheet body (film) can be dust-removed with a pair of the cleaner heads <NUM> on a middle position between feed rolls <NUM> and <NUM> without the backup roll <NUM> (as shown in <FIG>). That is to say, there is also an advantage that air conveyance is possible without the backup roll <NUM> as shown in <FIG>.

And, as shown in the cross sections in <FIG> and <FIG>, a distance from a center point of the opening end portion 7P of the sucking slit <NUM> on one side and a center point of the opening end portion 7P of the sucking slit <NUM> on the other side is called interval dimension W<NUM>.

As shown in <FIG>, even in a case that the dust-removed body <NUM> is a sheet body (film) fed by the backup roll <NUM> in a direction of an arrow F<NUM>, the gap (interval) with the lower face of the side 11A of the surrounding outer wall portion <NUM> is sufficiently small on the position of the downward opening portion of the sucking slit <NUM>.

That is to say, comparing the dust-removed face <NUM> (II) and the dust-removed face <NUM> (III), on the position of the downward opening portion of the sucking slit <NUM>, the gap (interval) with the lower face of the side 11A of the surrounding outer wall portion <NUM> hardly generates difference, and sucking force through the sucking slit <NUM> is not different.

Therefore, when the dust-removed face <NUM> is any of (I), (II), and (III), the cleaner head <NUM> of the present invention can be applied (commonly used). On the contrary, in <FIG> showing conventional examples, the corresponding face <NUM> must be concave low trapezoid or concave arc because the sucking slits <NUM> have to be prevented from being separated greatly from the dust-removed body <NUM>.

In short, the cleaner head <NUM> of the present invention, in which the conventional corresponding face <NUM> of concave low trapezoid (refer to <FIG>) or concave arc (refer to <FIG>) is not necessary, can be commonly used with the same configuration (dust-removing function can be sufficiently shown).

An embodiment of the present invention is hereby described. Dimensions of the portions in <FIG> and pressures are preferably set as shown below. ΔH is an gap dimension between the corresponding wall portion <NUM> and the dust-removed face <NUM>.

That is to say: <MAT> <MAT> <MAT> <MAT> <MAT> <MAT>.

According to the embodiment of the present invention as shown above, high-pressure flow is jetted from an air reserve chamber pressurized to the pressure Pp of 5KPa to 7KPa through the discharging slit <NUM> of which gap dimension ε is <NUM> to <NUM>. The jetted flow hits the dust-removed face <NUM> distant for the gap dimension Δ H=<NUM> to <NUM> to float foreign matter. The floated foreign matter is immediately sucked by the opening end portion 7P of the sucking slit <NUM>. Therefore, there is an advantage that re-sticking of the foreign matter is not generated at all for high-speed and immediate sucking by the opening end portion 7P (without generation of vortex).

The dust-removing ability is determined by flowing speed. However, sucking ability determines whether the re-sticking is generated or not. The re-sticking of the foreign matter can be sufficiently prevented because the above-mentioned Vp is appropriately low pressure, and the foreign matter is immediately sucked.

The present invention, as described above in detail, can correspond with flexibility to the dust-removed face <NUM> of the dust-removed body <NUM> of flat face (plane) and curved faces of large and small radiuses of curvature with the sufficiently small interval dimension W<NUM> of the opening ends of the sucking slits <NUM> because in the cleaner head having the discharging slit <NUM> opening in the direction at right angles with the corresponding wall portion <NUM> having the flat outer face P<NUM> facing the dust-removed face <NUM>, and the pair of sucking slits <NUM> opening near upstream and downstream of the discharging slit <NUM>, and, the outer extended lines L<NUM> of the pair of sucking slits <NUM> are inclined as to mutually come close and intersect as departed from the flat outer face P<NUM> of the corresponding wall portion <NUM>, further, each of the sucking slits <NUM> has the inner faces <NUM> facing mutually parallel, and each of the inner faces <NUM> has a cross-sectional configuration of straight line, and reaches for the flat outer face P<NUM> of the corresponding wall portion <NUM> keeping the configuration of straight line. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare various cleaner heads.

Further, (as shown in <FIG>) the opening width dimension of the opening end portion 7P becomes very small value for the construction in which the inner faces <NUM> of the sucking slit <NUM> reach for the flat outer face P<NUM> of the corresponding wall portion <NUM> keeping the configuration of straight line to open the sucking slit <NUM>.

Therefore, vortex is not generated in the sucked air on the opening end portion 7P, once removed dust in the air does not re-stick to the opening end portion 7P, and, "re-sticking" of the once removed dust is also not generated on the dust-removed face <NUM>.

(As shown in <FIG>,) the air jetted from the discharging slit <NUM> as the arrow F<NUM> is immediately sucked by (the opening end portion 7P of) the sucking slit <NUM> extremely near to the discharging slit <NUM> as the arrow F<NUM> (without generating vortex-like flow) to show an effect that "re-sticking" of the dust once removed from the dust-removed face <NUM> is not generated.

Especially, in the present invention, (as shown in <FIG>,) perfect prevention effect of "re-sticking" is shown by dust removing from the dust-removed face <NUM> by flowing high-speed air through the parallel duct with the shortest distance (between the simple flat outer face P<NUM> and the dust-removed face <NUM>) formed between the opening portion of the discharging slit <NUM> and the opening end portion 7P of the sucking slit <NUM> mutually very close.

And, the cross-sectional configuration of the pair of dividing inner wall portions <NUM> does not form the narrow interval dimension Wa in the comparison example in <FIG>, the problem of damage and early abrasion of the core of the extrusion die described with <FIG> can be solved, and, in spite of that, the interval dimension W<NUM> of the opening ends of the sucking slits <NUM> can be made sufficiently small because the cleaner head of the present invention is made of the extruded section <NUM>, having the surrounding outer wall portion <NUM> and the pair of dividing inner wall portions <NUM> dividing the inner space of the surrounding outer wall portion <NUM> into the pressurized space P<NUM> and vacuum spaces V<NUM> as one unit, the surrounding outer wall portion <NUM>, in cross-sectional configuration, has the side 11A of straight line disposed to face the dust-removed face <NUM>, the dividing inner wall portions <NUM> are mutually approaching to form the predetermined angle <NUM> θ of <NUM>° to <NUM>° and confluent with and connected to the side 11A, on the connected confluent position G, the discharging slit <NUM> to jet high-pressured air in the pressurized space P<NUM> is opened, further, the pair of sucking slits <NUM> to suck the air after dust removing into the vacuum spaces V<NUM> is formed parallel to each of the pair of dividing inner wall portions <NUM> mutually approaching with the predetermined angle <NUM>θ, further, each of the sucking slits <NUM> has the inner faces <NUM> facing mutually parallel, and each of the inner faces <NUM> has a cross-sectional configuration of straight line, and reaches for the side 11A keeping the configuration of straight line.

As described above, the interval dimension W<NUM> is sufficiently small, and the cleaner head can correspond with flexibility to the dust-removed face <NUM> of the dust-removed body <NUM> of (flat) plane and curved faces of large and small radiuses of curvature. Therefore, it is not necessary to prepare various cleaner heads.

Further, when <NUM> θ < <NUM>° , the interval dimension W<NUM> can't be sufficiently reduced, and sufficient dust removing is difficult depending on the configuration of the dust-removed face <NUM>.

And, when <NUM> θ > <NUM>° , the sucking area on the dust-removed face <NUM> is excessively small, and sufficient removal (sucking) of the dust is difficult.

Further, (as shown in <FIG>) the opening width dimension of the opening end portion 7P becomes very small value for the construction in which the inner faces <NUM> of the sucking slit <NUM> reach for the side 11A keeping the configuration of straight line to open the sucking slit <NUM>.

Especially, in the present invention, (as shown in <FIG>,) perfect prevention effect of "re-sticking" is shown by dust removing from the dust-removed face <NUM> by flowing high-speed air through the parallel duct with the shortest distance (between the side 11A and the dust-removed face <NUM>) formed between the opening portion of the discharging slit <NUM> and the opening end portion 7P of the sucking slit <NUM> mutually very close.

Especially in a long cleaner head, adjustment can be rapidly and easily conducted for uniform air discharge along the whole length of the cleaner head because the pressing and pulling force giving means <NUM>, giving pressing force F<NUM> and pulling force F<NUM> to each of the pair of dividing inner wall portions <NUM> from outside of the surrounding outer wall portions <NUM> to slightly oscillate and deform the dividing inner wall portions <NUM> as to freely adjust a gap dimension ε of the discharging slit <NUM> on the forth ends of the dividing inner wall portions <NUM>, is provided. Further, without disassemble of the cleaner head, the adjustment work of high accuracy can be conducted rapidly from outside even during the operation.

Claim 1:
A cleaner head made of an extruded section (<NUM>), having a surrounding outer wall portion (<NUM>) and a pair of dividing inner wall portions (<NUM>) dividing an inner space of the surrounding outer wall portion (<NUM>) into a pressurized space (P<NUM>) and vacuum spaces (V<NUM>) as one unit, comprising a construction in which:
the surrounding outer wall portion (<NUM>), in cross-sectional configuration, has a side (11A) of straight line disposed to face a dust-removed face (<NUM>);
the dividing inner wall portions (<NUM>) are mutually approaching to form a predetermined angle (<NUM> θ) of <NUM>° to <NUM>° and confluent with and connected to the side (11A);
on a connected confluent position (G), a discharging slit (<NUM>) to jet high-pressured air in the pressurized space (P<NUM>) is opened, further, a pair of sucking slits (<NUM>) to suck the air after dust removing into the vacuum spaces (V<NUM>) is formed parallel to each of the pair of dividing inner wall portions (<NUM>) mutually approaching with the predetermined angle (<NUM>θ); and
further, each of the sucking slits (<NUM>) has inner faces (<NUM>) facing mutually parallel, and each of the inner faces (<NUM>) has a cross-sectional configuration of straight line, and reaches for the side (11A) keeping the configuration of straight line;
characterized in that
a pressing and pulling force giving means (<NUM>), giving pressing force (F<NUM>) and pulling force (F<NUM>) to each of the pair of dividing inner wall portions (<NUM>) from outside of the surrounding outer wall portions (<NUM>) to slightly oscillate and deform the dividing inner wall portions (<NUM>) as to freely adjust a gap dimension (ε) of the discharging slit (<NUM>) on the forth ends of the dividing inner wall portions (<NUM>), is provided.