JP2008289574A - Electric vacuum cleaner - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an electric vacuum cleaner which enables the delicate control of the amount of air by directly detecting the amount of air while suppressing clogging with dusts. <P>SOLUTION: An air amount detection means for detecting the amount of air of a motor fan for sucking dusts has an air amount detection part 10 with the first element layer 11 making a part of the internal surface of an air duct (connection port 5 of hose 4) for sucking dusts and the second element layer 13 provided outside it being thermally insulated and detects the amount of air by causing a difference in resistance value between the first and second element layers 11 and 13. In this arrangement, the first element layer 11 of the air amount detection part 10 makes a part of the internal surface of the air duct for sucking the dusts to eliminate an obstacle in the air duct to suppress clogging with dusts, and a difference in resistance value between the first element layer 11 directly contacting air and the second element layer 13 thermally insulated outside it enables the delicate control of the amount of air by directly detecting the amount of air. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner that detects an air volume and controls a suction force of a motor fan.

Conventionally, in this type of vacuum cleaner, as a method of directly detecting the air volume and controlling the suction force of the motor fan, a generator that rotates in response to wind power is provided in the air passage, One that detects the air volume (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or one that arranges a heating element such as a heat ray or thin film platinum in the air path, and detects a change in the amount of heat released from these heat generators by the air volume (for example, Patent Document 2, 3) is known.
JP-A-4-315422 JP 58-116334 A JP-A-8-117162

  However, in the conventional configurations, since the sub duct containing the rotor and fan of the generator, the heat ray, or the heating element is arranged in the air flow path of the intake air including the sucked dust, the sucked dust may be easily clogged. there were.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner that is not easily clogged with dust and that can directly detect an air volume and perform fine air volume control.

  In order to solve the above-described conventional problems, a vacuum cleaner according to the present invention includes a motor fan for sucking dust, a dust collecting chamber for collecting sucked dust, and a motor for sucking dust. An air volume detecting means for detecting the air volume of the fan, and an electric power control means for controlling the electric power supplied to the motor fan based on a signal from the air volume detecting means, the air volume detecting means is one of the inner surfaces of the air path that sucks dust. The air volume detecting unit having the first element layer constituting the part and the second element layer thermally insulated from the outside, and the difference for amplifying the resistance value difference between the first and second element layers in the air volume detecting unit Dynamic amplifying means.

  As a result, the first element layer of the air volume detecting unit constituting the air volume detecting means constitutes a part of the inner surface of the air path for sucking dust, and since there is no obstacle in the air path, the dust is not easily clogged, and the direct air By amplifying the difference in resistance value between the first element layer touched by and the second insulated element layer outside by the differential amplifying means, the air volume can be directly detected and finely controlled.

  The electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention is less likely to be clogged with dust, and can perform fine air flow control by directly detecting the air flow.

  A first invention includes a motor fan for sucking dust, a dust collection chamber for collecting sucked dust, an air volume detecting means for detecting an air volume of the motor fan for sucking dust, and an air volume. Power control means for controlling the power supplied to the motor fan based on a signal from the detection means, wherein the air volume detection means includes a first element layer that constitutes a part of the inner surface of the air passage that sucks dust and the outside thereof. A vacuum cleaner having an air volume detection unit having a second element layer thermally insulated and differential amplifying means for amplifying a resistance value difference between the first and second element layers in the air volume detection unit. Is. As a result, the first element layer of the air volume detecting unit constituting the air volume detecting means constitutes a part of the inner surface of the air path for sucking dust, and since there is no obstacle in the air path, the dust is not easily clogged, and the direct air By amplifying the difference in resistance value between the first element layer touched by and the second insulated element layer outside by the differential amplifying means, the air volume can be directly detected and finely controlled.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, the first element layer of the air volume detection unit is arranged in the partition wall in the main body of the vacuum cleaner between the dust collection chamber and the motor fan. The air volume can be detected with higher accuracy at the inner partition.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, the first element layer of the air volume detection unit is disposed in the exhaust unit in the cleaner body behind the motor fan, so that the exhaust unit in the cleaner body is more effective. Accurate air volume detection can be performed.

  In the fourth invention, in particular, in the first invention, the first element layer of the air volume detecting unit is arranged in the extension pipe connecting the floor nozzle and the dust collecting chamber, so that the air volume with higher accuracy can be obtained by the extension pipe. Can be detected.

  In the fifth aspect of the invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, the first element layer of the air volume detector is arranged inside the floor nozzle, so that the air volume can be detected with higher accuracy inside the floor nozzle.

  In a sixth aspect of the invention, in particular, in any one of the first to fifth aspects of the invention, the air volume detection unit includes two ring-shaped first and second element layers having different large and small diameters, and first and second elements. By having a configuration with a heat insulating spacer arranged between the element layers, the influence of turbulent flow generated in the hose and surface flow in the air volume detector can be further reduced, so stable air volume detection Can be performed.

  According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, in particular, in the first aspect of the invention, the air volume detecting means is integrated with the dust detecting means for detecting the dust amount or the power control means for controlling the power supplied to the motor fan. It can be a small and easy-to-handle air volume detecting means.

  According to an eighth invention, in particular, in any one of the first to seventh inventions, by providing a heat flow rate calculating means for obtaining a heat flow rate value from a resistance value difference between the first and second element layers, It can be an agile response air volume detection means.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments.

(Embodiment 1)
1 to 3 show a vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the vacuum cleaner includes a vacuum cleaner body 1, a dust collection chamber 2 that has a paper bag that can be taken out by opening and closing the lid 1 a and collects the sucked dust, and dust collection in the vacuum cleaner body 1. Motor fan 3 that sucks dust installed behind the chamber 2, a hose 4 that is connected to the cleaner body 1 through the connection port 5 at the front of the dust collection chamber 2, and an operation setting that is provided at the end pipe of the hose 4 A hand operation unit 6 for performing the above operation, an extension pipe 7 connected to the hose 4, and a floor nozzle 8 that is provided at the tip of the extension pipe 7 and sucks dust with suction air.

  And as shown in FIG. 2, the air volume detection part 10 is provided in the air path (here the connection port 5 of the hose 4) which attracts dust. The air volume detection unit 10 includes a first element layer 11 that constitutes a part of the inner surface of the air path that sucks dust, and a second element layer 13 that is thermally insulated by providing an air layer 12 on the outer side. .

  The first and second element layers 11 and 13 are formed by embedding a thin material having high strength and high thermal conductivity. A thermistor is formed on these element layers 11 and 13 by printing and trimmed to a very close constant. As a thin material with high strength and high thermal conductivity, a “highly oriented” graphite film with a structure close to a single crystal made by a method of graphitizing a polymer film by high-temperature (pyrolysis) treatment is used. is doing. This graphite film has features such as high thermal conductivity and flexibility, and is suitable for use in the air volume detection unit 10.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 3A, the air volume detection unit 10 and the differential amplification means 27 that amplifies the resistance value difference between the first and second element layers 11 and 13 in the air volume detection unit 10. The air volume detecting means 30 for detecting the air volume of the motor fan 3 that sucks dust is configured, and the power control means 28 is supplied to the motor fan 3 based on the signal from the differential amplifying means 27 of the air volume detecting means 30. Is to control.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the thermistors 15 a and 15 b printed on the first element layer 11 and the thermistors 16 a and 16 b printed on the second element layer 13 constitute the air volume detection unit 10. The OP amplifiers 17 to 19 and the high-precision resistors 20 to 26 constitute a differential amplification means 27. The resistance values of the thermistors 15a and 15b and the resistance values of the thermistors 16a and 16b are trimmed to very close values at the time of manufacture, and the resistance values when the motor fan 3 is stopped are equal. When the motor fan 3 is driven and suction air passes through the inside of the hose 4, the air path is cooled by the intake air, so that the resistance values of the thermistors 15 a and 15 b printed on the first element layer 11 increase. go. On the other hand, the second element layer 13 thermally insulated by the air layer 12 remains at room temperature, and the resistance values of the thermistors 16a and 16b printed thereon are hardly changed. Accordingly, a resistance value difference corresponding to the degree of air cooling due to the intake air volume is generated, and the difference is amplified by the differential amplifying means 27 constituted by the OP amplifiers 17 to 19 and the high-precision resistors 20 to 26, and the power control means 28 as the output Vo. Is output.

  About the vacuum cleaner comprised as mentioned above, the operation | movement and an effect | action are demonstrated below.

  First, when the user pulls out the power cord from the cord reel, plugs the power cord into a commercial power outlet, and turns on the “on / off” switch (not shown) of the hand control section 6, the power control means 28 The motor fan 3 is driven in response to the signal. When driving is started, the dust collection chamber 2 in front of the motor fan 3 becomes negative pressure, and the floor surface becomes negative pressure through the hose 4, the extension pipe 7 and the floor nozzle 8. Dust on the floor is sucked in using this negative pressure. The sucked dust is collected by being collected in the paper bag set in the dust collecting chamber 2 in the cleaner body 1 through the extension nozzle 7 and the hose 4 from the floor nozzle 8.

  When the motor fan 3 is driven and the intake air volume increases, the resistance value difference between the first and second element layers 11 and 13 increases and the output voltage Vo of the differential amplifying means 27 increases. Conversely, if dust accumulates in the paper bag, hose 4 or the like, the suction air volume decreases and the resistance difference also decreases, so the output voltage Vo of the differential amplifying means 27 decreases. The power control means 28 compares the output voltage Vo with several predetermined comparison values, and controls the power for driving the motor fan 3, whereby fine air volume control can be performed. The comparison value includes a comparison value for limiting power in consideration of noise, a comparison value for weakening the air volume when a curtain or the like is sucked, and a comparison value for detecting that the floor nozzle 8 is separated from the floor surface. and so on.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the first element layer 11 of the air volume detecting unit 10 constituting the air volume detecting unit 30 forms a part of the inner surface of the air path that sucks dust, and By amplifying the resistance difference between the first element layer 11 that is not easily obstructed by dust and that is directly touched by the wind and the insulated second element layer 13 on the outside by the differential amplifying means 27, Fine air flow control can be performed by directly detecting the air flow. In other words, it is possible to provide a vacuum cleaner having a convenient and maintenance-free air volume detecting means.

  In the present embodiment, a paper bag is used for the dust collection chamber 2, but a paper packless type vacuum cleaner can be applied as it is. In addition, the first element layer 11 of the air volume detection unit 10 is disposed in the partition wall portion in the cleaner body 1 between the dust collection chamber 2 and the motor fan 3, and the interior of the cleaner body 1 behind the motor fan 3. The same operation, function, and effect can be realized even if it is arranged in the exhaust pipe, arranged in the extension pipe 7 that communicates the floor nozzle 8 and the dust collecting chamber 2, or arranged inside the floor nozzle 8. it can.

  Further, the air volume detection unit 10 has a heat insulating property arranged between two ring-shaped first and second element layers 11 and 13 having different large and small diameters and the first and second element layers 11 and 13. An air path may be formed as an air volume detecting unit having a plurality of spacers and having a ring shape (cylindrical shape) as a whole. In this case, since the influence of the turbulent flow generated in the hose 4 or the surface layer flow in the air volume detection unit 10 can be further reduced, stable air volume detection can be performed.

  Further, the material of the first and second element layers 11 and 13 may be a material having the characteristics of “high strength”, “good thermal diffusibility”, and “light and thin”, and high strength aluminum. Alloys, aluminum nitride, carbon fiber, graphite, etc. can also be used.

  In addition, by applying a coating process to the joint between the air volume detection unit 10 and the air path (connection port or the like), it is possible to eliminate the step and smooth the flow of the wind.

(Embodiment 2)
4 and 5 show a vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 4, in the vacuum cleaner in the present embodiment, the air volume detecting means 30 is integrated with the dust detecting means 29 for detecting the dust quantity and disposed at the connection port 5 of the hose 4. The dust detection means 29 is generally known, and includes a light emitting element that emits light with a modulation signal of a predetermined frequency and a light receiving element facing the light emitting element in order to reduce the influence of external light.

  Note that the air volume detection means 30 can be integrated with the power control means 28 provided in the storage room of the motor fan 3. Specifically, the power control means 28 includes a voltage detection means for detecting a power supply voltage of a commercial AC power supply, a current sensor for detecting an input current, a DC power supply, and a power element for controlling the power of the motor fan 3; It is composed of a microcomputer and is housed in a space on the motor fan 3.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 5, the modulated output signal A of the dust detection means 29 and the air volume signal B of the air volume detection means 30 are superimposed by the signal superimposing means 31 and output. The power control means 28 inputs this superimposed signal, separates the air volume signal B from the pulse period and the output signal A of the dust quantity from the modulation component, and inputs the motor fan 3 based on the respective signals. Control power. For example, when there is a lot of dust, the input power to the motor fan 3 is increased to increase suction, and conversely, when there is little dust, the input power of the motor fan 3 is reduced to save power consumption.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the air volume detecting means 30 and the dust detecting means 29 or the power control means 28 are integrally arranged, the air volume detecting means 30 that is smaller and easy to handle. It is said.

(Embodiment 3)
6 and 7 show a vacuum cleaner according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. The same elements as those in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof is omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the vacuum cleaner in the present embodiment has a thermal resistance having a known thermal conductivity and thickness between the first and second element layers 11 and 13 constituting the air volume detection unit 10. The layer 32 is provided.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the heat flow rate calculation means 33 obtains the heat flow rate value from the resistance value difference between the first and second element layers 11 and 13. The heat flow velocity value is superimposed on the air volume signal output from the differential amplification means 27 by the signal superimposing means 34 and output.

  The power control means 28 receives this superimposed signal, uses the signal after passing through the low-pass filter as the air volume signal, and uses the signal after passing through the high-pass filter as the heat flow rate signal. And based on each signal, the input electric power of the motor fan 3 is controlled.

  The heat flux indicates the amount of energy (heat flow) flowing through a unit area, and the temperature change is a result of this energy flow. Therefore, if the heat flux is known, the temperature can be predicted. That is, it is possible to predict the degree of air cooling due to intake air and to provide more agile response.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, since the thermal flow rate calculating means 33 for obtaining the thermal flow rate value from the resistance value difference between the first and second element layers 11 and 13 is provided, a more agile response. The air volume detecting means can be used.

  As described above, the electric vacuum cleaner according to the present invention can be applied regardless of the type of the vacuum cleaner because dust is not easily clogged and the air volume can be directly detected and finely controlled.

The perspective view which shows the whole vacuum cleaner in Embodiment 1 of this invention. (A) Perspective view showing the connection port of the hose of the same vacuum cleaner (b) Sectional view taken along line AA of (a) (A) Circuit block diagram of the vacuum cleaner (b) Circuit diagram of differential amplification means of the vacuum cleaner The partial side view which shows the connection port of the hose of the vacuum cleaner in Embodiment 2 of this invention (A) Circuit block diagram of the vacuum cleaner (b) Waveform diagram showing a superimposed signal of the vacuum cleaner Sectional drawing which shows the connection port of the hose of the vacuum cleaner in Embodiment 3 of this invention Circuit block diagram of the vacuum cleaner

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Vacuum cleaner main body 2 Dust collection chamber 3 Motor fan 4 Hose 5 Connection port 6 Hand operation part 7 Extension pipe 8 Floor nozzle 10 Air volume detection part 11 1st element layer 12 Air layer 13 2nd element layer 27 Differential amplification means 28 Power control means 29 Dust detection means 30 Air volume detection means 31, 34 Signal superimposition means 32 Thermal resistance layer 33 Thermal flow rate calculation means

Claims (8)

The motor fan that sucks in the dust, the dust collection chamber that collects the sucked dust, the air volume detection means that detects the air volume of the motor fan that sucks dust, and the signal from the air volume detection means Power control means for controlling the power supplied to the motor fan based on the air volume detection means, and the air volume detection means is provided with heat insulation on the outside of the first element layer constituting a part of the inner surface of the air passage for sucking dust. An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: an air volume detection unit having a second element layer; and differential amplification means for amplifying a difference in resistance value between the first and second element layers in the air volume detection unit. The vacuum cleaner of Claim 1 which has arrange | positioned the 1st element layer of an air volume detection part in the partition part in the cleaner body between a dust collection chamber and a motor fan. The vacuum cleaner of Claim 1 which has arrange | positioned the 1st element layer of an air volume detection part in the exhaust part in the cleaner body behind a motor fan. The vacuum cleaner of Claim 1 which has arrange | positioned the 1st element layer of an air volume detection part to the extension pipe | tube which connects a floor nozzle and a dust collection chamber. The vacuum cleaner of Claim 1 which has arrange | positioned the 1st element layer of the air volume detection part inside the floor nozzle. The air volume detection unit is configured to include two ring-shaped first and second element layers having different large and small diameters, and a spacer having heat insulation disposed between the first and second element layers. The vacuum cleaner of any one of 1-5. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the air volume detecting means is integrated with a dust detecting means for detecting the amount of dust or a power control means for controlling power supplied to the motor fan. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a heat flow rate calculating means for obtaining a heat flow rate value from a resistance value difference between the first and second element layers.

Images