Vacuum cleaner

• US 6,101,667 A
• Filed: 09/02/1998
• Issued: 08/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yashima Electric Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Yashima Electric Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Masahiro
• Primary Examiner(s): MOORE, CHRISTOPHER K
• Application Number:
  US09/145,300
• Time in Patent Office: 713 Days
• Field of Search: 15/319, 15/339, 15/412
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2821 Pressure, vacuum level or airflow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2836 characterised by the parts which are controlled

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes an automated air quantity adjusting mechanism which has good linearity and has no hysteresis. The automated air quantity adjusting mechanism includes an exhaust opening section 7a formed within a cylindrical body 7. A flange 26 provides the exhaust opening section 7a at the lower section of a supporting body 6 which supports an electric generator 9. A guide shaft 21 is provided at a central section of the exhaust opening section 7a in a standing manner which guide shaft has a stopper member 24 at its uppermost edge section. The mechanism further includes a circular plate shaped valve 22 in which the guide shaft 21 is passed therethrough, and a returning coil spring 25 for pushing the valve 22 towards the stopper 24. The valve 22 is moved downward by negative pressure within an air suction passage 2 so that a distance between the valve 22 and the exhaust opening section 7a is changed and an air quantity flowing towards the air suction passage 2 through the exhaust opening section 7a is adjusted.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a dust suction passage for sucking dust and air;

an air suction passage having one end which is connected to the dust suction passage and another end which is open to an outside air;

an impeller within the air suction passage, wherein the impeller is rotated by a suction force within the air suction passage;

an electric generator rotated by a rotation force of the impeller, the electric generator generating a voltage; and

an air quantity adjusting valve for adjusting air quantity in response to an air pressure differential between the interior and exterior of the dust suction passage, wherein the air quantity adjusting valve is within the air suction passage, and wherein the air quantity adjusting valve includes

(a) a guide shaft provided at a central section of an opening section of the air suction passage for placing the air suction passage and the dust suction passage in communication;

(b) a valve body which moves along the guide shaft in a slidable manner in response to negative pressure within the air suction passage; and

(c) a coil spring for pushing the valve body in a direction which is opposite to the direction the valve body moves due to the negative pressure, wherein the coil spring has a plurality of windings, some windings having a diameter which is different from a diameter of other windings.

2. A valve body as in claim 1, wherein in the valve body is circular.

3. A valve body as in claim 1, wherein the valve body is an equilateral polygon.