Vacuum cleaner

• US 6,684,451 B2
• Filed: 01/04/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Hayakawa, Hiroshi, Kato, Tomonori, Nishikori, Tamaki, Hayashi, Seizo, Ito, Koichi, Odachi, Toru, Ohara, Naoyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Till, Terrence R.
• Application Number:
  US10/035,139
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059689A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/44, 153/51, 153/50, 15D/IG.1, 15D/IG.10
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/14 cleaning by blowing-off, also combined with suction cleaning
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/225 Convertible suction cleaners, i.e. convertible between different types thereof, e.g. from upright suction cleaners to sledge-type suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/28 Suction cleaners with handles and nozzles fixed on the casings, e.g. wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle A47L5/24 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0072 Mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/08 with means adapted for blowing
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2863 Control elements activated by pivoting movement of the upright vacuum cleaner handle
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/325 for wheeled suction cleaners with steering handle
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0042 characterised by the mechanical construction
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0045 concerning the insertion or the connection of the batteries
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/01 Rechargeable batter
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 15/10 Handles, reels and switches

Abstract

In the invention, a brush body 30 that is rotated and driven by a motor 32 is disposed in a suction unit 2, and dust is sucked from the suction unit 2 by a blower 4, while exhaust of the blower 4 is sent to the suction unit 2 side through an exhaust passage 27. While the exhaust of the blower 4 is blown to the motor 32 exhaust is blown to the floor for lifting the dust from the floor to enhance the dust collection efficiency, and moreover, if the output of the motor 32 for driving the brush 30 is increased, temperature rise of the motor 32 can be suppressed, and thus durability may be enhanced.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner arrangement comprising:

a cleaner main body accommodating a secondary battery and a blower, and having a terminal connector;

a charger having a charging terminal to be connected to said terminal connector for charging said cleaner main body, and also having a box portion accommodating a power transformer; and

guides for guiding said cleaner main body to said charger, said guides including a guide at each end portion of said side wall of said box portion,

wherein said charging terminal is positioned adjacent a side wall of said box portion.

2. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:

a suction unit for sucking dust via a suction force generated by said blower, said suction unit being positioned at a front portion of said cleaner main body,

wherein said terminal connector is at a position other than where said suction unit is located.

3. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:

an engaging portion at a lower side of said cleaner main body;

a mounting portion for mounting part of said cleaner main body, said mounting portion extending forwardly from a front lower side of said box portion; and

a mating portion to be engaged with said engaging portion, said mating portion being on said mounting portion,

wherein said charger is for charging said cleaner main body when said cleaner main body is mounted on said charger.

4. A vacuum cleaner arrangement comprising:

a cleaner main body accommodating a secondary battery and a blower, and having a terminal connector;

a charger having a charging terminal to be connected to said terminal connector for charging said cleaner main body, and also having a box portion accommodating a power transformer,

wherein said charging terminal is positioned adjacent a side wall of said box portion, and

wherein a front upper side of said box portion is sloped.

5. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising:

a suction unit for sucking dust via a suction force generated by said blower, said suction unit being positioned at a front portion of said cleaner main body,

wherein said terminal connector is at a position other than where said suction unit is located.

6. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 5, further comprising:

guides for guiding said cleaner main body to said charger, said guides including a guide at each end portion of said side wall of said box portion.

7. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 5, wherein

said charging terminal is offset in a width direction from a central line of said box portion, and

said power transformer is near said charging terminal.

8. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 5, further comprising:

a guide for setting said cleaner main body onto said charger.

9. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 5, further comprising:

a roller at a rear portion of said cleaner main body.

10. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 5, wherein said terminal connector is in said cleaner main body.

11. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising:

an engaging portion at a lower side of said cleaner main body;

a mounting portion for mounting part of said cleaner main body, said mounting portion extending forwardly from a front lower side of said box portion; and

a mating portion to be engaged with said engaging portion, said mating portion being on said mounting portion,

wherein said charger is for charging said cleaner main body when said cleaner main body is mounted on said charger.

12. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising:

guides for guiding said cleaner main body to said charger, said guides including a guide at each end portion of said side wall of said box portion.

13. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 11, wherein

said terminal connector is in said cleaner main body.

14. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 11, wherein

said charging terminal is offset in a width direction from a central line of said box portion, and

said power transformer is near said charging terminal.

15. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising:

a guide for setting said cleaner main body onto said charger.

16. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 11, further comprising:

a roller at a rear portion of said cleaner main body.

17. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising:

guides for guiding said cleaner main body to said charger, said guides including a guide at each end portion of said side wall of said box portion.

18. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 4, wherein

said terminal connector is in said cleaner main body.

19. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 4, wherein

said charging terminal is offset in a width direction from a central line of said box portion, and

said power transformer is near said charging terminal.

20. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising:

a guide for setting said cleaner main body onto said charger.

21. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 4, further comprising:

a roller at a rear portion of said cleaner main body.

22. A vacuum cleaner arrangement comprising:

a cleaner main body accommodating a secondary battery and a blower, and having a terminal connector;

a charger having a charging terminal to be connected to said terminal connector for charging said cleaner main body, and also having a box portion accommodating a power transformer,

wherein said charging terminal is positioned adjacent a side wall of said box portion,

wherein said charging terminal is offset in a width direction from a central line of said box portion, and

wherein said power transformer is near said charging terminal.

23. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 22, further comprising:

a suction unit for sucking dust via a suction force generated by said blower, said suction unit being positioned at a front portion of said cleaner main body,

wherein said terminal connector is at a position other than where said suction unit is located.

24. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 22, further comprising:

an engaging portion at a lower side of said cleaner main body;

a mounting portion for mounting part of said cleaner main body, said mounting portion extending forwardly from a front lower side of said box portion; and

a mating portion to be engaged with said engaging portion, said mating portion being on said mounting portion,

wherein said charger is for charging said cleaner main body when said cleaner main body is mounted on said charger.

25. A vacuum cleaner arrangement comprising:

a cleaner main body accommodating a secondary battery and a blower, and having a terminal connector;

a charger having a charging terminal to be connected to said terminal connector for charging said cleaner main body, and also having a box portion accommodating a power transformer; and

a roller at a rear portion of said cleaner main body,

wherein said charging terminal is positioned adjacent a side wall of said box portion.

26. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 25, further comprising:

a suction unit for sucking dust via a suction force generated by said blower, said suction unit being positioned at a front portion of said cleaner main body,

wherein said terminal connector is at a position other than where said suction unit is located.

27. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 25, further comprising:

an engaging portion at a lower side of said cleaner main body;

a mounting portion for mounting part of said cleaner main body, said mounting portion extending forwardly from a front lower side of said box portion; and

a mating portion to be engaged with said engaging portion, said mating portion being on said mounting portion,

wherein said charger is for charging said cleaner main body when said cleaner main body is mounted on said charger.

28. A vacuum cleaner arrangement comprising:

a cleaner main body accommodating a secondary battery and a blower, and having a terminal connector connected to said secondary battery;

a charger having a charging terminal to be connected to said terminal connector, and also having a mating portion;

a switch connected between said secondary battery and said blower; and

a manipulation unit for activating said switch, said manipulation unit having an engaging portion to be engaged with said mating portion for setting said cleaner main body on said charger,

wherein said engaging portion is constructed and arranged to move in correspondence with operation of said manipulation unit such that said engaging portion is not engaged with said mating portion when said manipulation unit activates said switch.

29. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 28, wherein

said manipulation unit includes a handle that is rotatably held in said cleaner main body.

30. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 29, further comprising:

an indicator for indicating when said cleaner main body and said charger are electrically connected, said indicator being one of inside said charger and inside said cleaner main body.

31. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 28, wherein

said engaging portion is at a bottom of said cleaner main body.

32. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 31, wherein

an outer surface of a leading end of said mating portion is sloped.

33. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 28, wherein

said mating portion includes a penetration hole, and said engaging portion is to be engaged with said mating portion by engaging said penetration hole at a bottom of said cleaner main body.

34. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 33, wherein

an outer surface of a leading end of said mating portion is sloped.

35. The vacuum cleaner arrangement according to claim 28, further comprising:

an indicator for indicating when said cleaner main body and said charger are electrically connected, said indicator being one of inside said charger and inside said cleaner main body.