Vacuum-cleaner suction tool and vacuum cleaner using the same

[0001] The present invention relates generally to an overall structure of an electric vacuum cleaner, and more particularly to an improvement in usability of a suction tool used in the vacuum cleaner.

[0002] A structure of conventional suction tool 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 14A and FIG. 14B. As disclosed in Japanese Patent Unexamined Publication No. 2002-102125, by operating handle 16 to apply turning forces thereto in leftward and rightward directions, suction tool 1 attached to the front end of handle 16 is turned around and brought from the state as shown in FIG. 14A into the state longitudinally oriented as shown in FIG. 14B, when viewed from the position of the user doing cleaning with handle 16 held in hand. Therefore, it becomes possible to advance suction tool 1 into a narrow space or to make cleaning at a portion close to a side wall.

[0003] At a position somewhat rearward from sucking portion 4, there is provided supporting portion 7 formed of a roller and the like for keeping sucking portion 4 parallel to the surface to be cleaned while suction tool 1 is moved back and forth.

[0004] In the described conventional configuration, however, because the turning center of sucking portion 4 is greatly deviated from the center of sucking portion 4 and also because supporting portion 7 described above is needed to be provided at the rear of sucking portion 4, the width of suction tool 1 becomes great when it is oriented in the longitudinal direction and, hence, it has been only the front portion of suction tool 1 that is then reachable into a narrow space.

[0005] A vacuum-cleaner suction tool is provided which comprises a sucking portion having an opening for sucking up dust on a surface to be cleaned, a joint portion having one end thereof connected with the sucking portion at its upper portion and having the other end provided with a connection pipe, an agitator disposed within the sucking portion for scraping up dust, and a channel portion provided in the opening, the joint portion, and the connection pipe for transporting the sucked-up dust therethrough, in which the joint portion is turnable, relative to the sucking portion, in a direction substantially parallel to a surface to be cleaned to such an extent that the longitudinal central axis of the sucking portion and the longitudinal central axis of the connection pipe become substantially parallel to each other.

[0021] Embodiments 1 to 3 of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0022] Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to FIG. 1 to FIG. 8. FIG. 1 is a side view of a vacuum-cleaner suction tool.

[0023] Sucking portion 4 is provided, on its under side, with opening 12 for sucking up dust. To the upper side of sucking portion 4, one end of joint portion 5 is attached turnably in the direction substantially parallel to a surface 23 to be cleaned. To joint portion 5, supporting portion 7 is attached. Supporting portion 7 is provided with roller 17, which has its surface formed of a soft material such as an elastomer, flexible resin such as polypropylene or vinyl chloride, or a raised blanket and supports joint portion 5 by rolling over surface 23 to be cleaned by being placed in contact with the surface. Joint portion 5 has connection pipe 6 attached to the other end thereof. Incidentally, supporting portion 7 may be attached to connection pipe 6. There is formed channel portion 8 through which dust sucked up at opening 12 is transported to joint portion 5 and further to connection pipe 6.

[0024] FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4 are a top view, a front view, and an internal structural drawing of the vacuum-cleaner suction tool.

[0025] In the portion projecting upwardly from sucking portion 4, there is incorporated electric motor 13. By power of the motor, agitator 14 is rotatively driven via belt 24 so that dust attached to the surface to be cleaned such as a carpet can be forcibly scraped off the surface to be cleaned, and thereby sucking up of dust is performed. Since electric motor 13 is disposed above agitator 14, the width of sucking portion 4, i.e., the size from its front side to rear side, is made small. Further, longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 and longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 are adapted to be arranged substantially perpendicular to each other.

[0026] FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are a side view and a top view of the vacuum-cleaner suction tool when the joint portion 5 has turned, relative to the sucking portion 4, in a direction substantially parallel to the surface to be cleaned such that the longitudinal central axis 4a of the sucking portion 4 and the longitudinal central axis 6a of the connection pipe 6 become substantially parallel to each other.

[0027] Joint portion 5 is attached to sucking portion 4 turnably, so as to be turnable relative to the sucking portion, in a direction substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned to such an extent that longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 and longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 become parallel to each other (become coincident with each other, in the case of embodiment 1). Accordingly, by applying a turning force to joint portion 5 relative to sucking portion 4, it becomes possible to use suction tool 1 in its longitudinal direction (in the direction of longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4). At this time, the outside shape of joint portion 5 and connection pipe 6 falls within the range of the width of sucking portion 4.

[0028] Further, when joint portion 5 has turned, relative to sucking portion 4, in the direction substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned such that longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 and longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 have become substantially parallel to each other (become coincident, in the case of embodiment 1), supporting portion 7 is then positioned at the rear of sucking portion 4 (in the state where longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 and longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 are substantially parallel to each other). Since, in addition, connection pipe 6 can be rotated, relative to joint portion 5, from a position in which longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 is substantially perpendicular to surface 23 to be cleaned to a position in which longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 is substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned, suction tool 1 is enabled to reach even into a space that is low and narrow. Thus, a vacuum-cleaner suction tool enhanced in usability and excellent in dust collecting performance in any cleaning attitude can be provided.

[0029] Since the rotation at this time is made in a direction away from the side where heavy electric motor 13 is incorporated, sucking portion 4 is allowed to stably keep its position even if the rotating force is applied to joint portion 5 relative to sucking portion 4. Further, since electric motor 13 is disposed above agitator 14, the width of sucking portion 4 measured across its longitudinal central axis 4a, in the described condition, can be kept small.

[0030] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are internal structural drawings of the vacuum-cleaner suction tool viewed from its bottom side.

[0031] In two positions, an angular distance of 90° apart from each other, of the portion where joint portion 5 is connected to sucking portion 4, there are provided grooves 19. Further, there is provided retaining member 15 formed of a metallic or plastic plate spring which is adapted to be fitted into one or the other of grooves 19 for suppressing the turning of joint portion 5.

[0032] When joint portion 5 is turned, relative to sucking portion 4, in the direction substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned and, thereby, longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 and longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 are caused to be substantially parallel to each other (to be coincident with each other, in the case of the present embodiment), or longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 and longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 are caused to be substantially perpendicular to each other, retaining member 15 is, then, put into one or the other of grooves 19, so that sucking portion 4 can maintain its present position even when it is subjected to an external force of some degree by collision with furniture or the like while the vacuum cleaner is being used.

[0033] Since supporting portion 7 is attached to joint portion 5, sucking portion 4 is prevented from lifting from the floor in the normal cleaning condition in which longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 and longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 are substantially perpendicular to each other, so that high usability is obtained. Further, since supporting portion 7 is configured to be positioned on the rear side of sucking portion 4 when joint portion 5 connected with connection pipe 6 is turned, relative to sucking portion 4, in a direction substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned, it is made possible to bring the forward end of sucking portion 4, from left to right, into close contact with wall surfaces. Hence, dust liable to collect at corners can be fully sucked up. Thus, a vacuum-cleaner suction tool providing high usability and excellent dust collecting performance in any cleaning attitude can be provided.

[0034] Embodiment 2 will now be described with reference to FIG. 9, FIG. 10, and FIG. 11. Components like those used in the above described embodiment 1 will be given like names and reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0035] Although supporting portion 7 is fixedly attached to one end of joint portion 5 in embodiment 1, supporting portion 7, in embodiment 2, is rotatably attached to one end of joint portion 5 by way of first rotation center 9 as shown in FIG. 9. Supporting portion 7 is further attached to connection pipe 6 by way of second rotation center 10 located at a position closer to sucking portion 4 than first rotation center 9. Incidentally, supporting portion 7 may be attached to connection pipe 6 the same as in embodiment 1. Since roller 17 is positioned closer to the side of sucking portion 4 than first rotation center 9, even if a force is applied to connection pipe 6 to push it down, the front portion of sucking portion 4 is prevented from lifting from the floor due to a rotational movement of supporting portion 7 carried on first rotation center 9.

[0036] In the above described configuration, when joint portion 5 has turned, relative to sucking portion 4, in a direction substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned and, thereby, longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 has become substantially parallel to (coincident with, in the present embodiment) longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6, supporting portion 7 turns in an upward direction from surface 23 to be cleaned so as to be positioned higher than sucking portion 4. In addition, since connection pipe 6 can be turned, relative to joint portion 5, from its state where longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 is substantially perpendicular to surface 23 to be cleaned to its state where longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 is substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned, it becomes possible to insert suction tool 1 into a space that is low and narrow. Thus, a vacuum-cleaner suction tool providing high usability and excellent dust collecting performance in any cleaning attitude can be provided.

[0037] FIG. 11 shows internal structure of the first rotation center to which supporting portion 7 is connected.

[0038] There is further provided urging member 21 formed of a spring or the like between supporting portion 7 and joint portion 5. Hence, supporting portion 7 is urged in the direction of sucking portion 4, while it is turnable in an upward direction from surface 23 to be cleaned. Therefore, sucking portion 4 is prevented from lifting from the floor, as described above, due to turning of supporting portion 7 in the normal cleaning condition in which longitudinal central axis 4a of sucking portion 4 is substantially perpendicular to longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6, whereby usability of vacuum-cleaner suction tool 1 is enhanced. In addition, when joint portion 5 with connection pipe 6 attached thereto is turned, relative to sucking portion 4, in a direction substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned, supporting portion 7 ensures that sucking portion 4 is secured in position, so that the front end of suction tool 1, from left to right, can be brought into close contact with wall faces, and hence dust liable to collect at corners can be fully sucked up. Thus, a vacuum-cleaner suction tool providing high usability and high dust collecting performance in any cleaning attitude can be provided.

[0039] Embodiment 3 will be described with reference to FIG. 12 and FIG. 13. Components like those used in embodiments 1 and 2 will be denoted by like reference numerals and description thereof will be omitted.

[0040] Embodiment 3 is a vacuum cleaner having the vacuum-cleaner suction tool described in embodiments 1 and 2 connected thereto.

[0041] FIG. 12 and FIG. 13 show general drawings of a vacuum cleaner. The vacuum cleaner has dust collecting chamber 2 for collecting dust, channel portion 8 through which sucked-up dust is transported to dust collecting chamber 2, handle portion 16, power supplying battery 20, and electric fan 22 for generating a suction air flow. Electric fan 22 communicates with suction tool 1 through channel portion 8.

[0042] In the state where longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 is substantially parallel to surface 23 to be cleaned, suction tool 1 can be advanced even into a space under a bed or a table as shown in FIG. 12. Hence, it is made possible to fully suck up dust on the surface to be cleaned. When longitudinal central axis 6a of connection pipe 6 is turned to a position in which it is substantially perpendicular to surface 23 to be cleaned as shown in FIG. 13, the cleaner in a non-cleaning condition can be conveniently placed or stored, for example, in a small space.

[0043] Though the vacuum cleaner of embodiment 3 has been described as a broom-type rechargeable vacuum cleaner, the described configuration is applicable to general vacuum cleaners irrespective of the type of cleaner or power source system.