CLAIM OF PRIORITY
[0001] The present application claims priority from Japanese patent application
JP 2015-134972 filed on July 6, 2015, the content of which is hereby
incorporated by reference into this application.
BACKGROUND
Technical Field
[0002] The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner used for cleaning work and the
like. In particular, the present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner adapted to
collect sucked objects by separating them according to weight.
Background Art
[0003] FIG. 5 shows the conventional vacuum cleaner of this type. The conventional vacuum
cleaner 1' shown in the drawing has a main body portion 2, which includes an air-cooled
two-cycle internal combustion engine 3 functioning as a motor and a blower 5 driven
by the internal combustion engine 3, and also has a centrifugal fan for the blower
5 attached to one end of a crankshaft that is an output axis of the internal combustion
engine 3. The blower 5 has a fan case 20 with a two-part configuration, which includes
a front side case portion 21 and a back side case portion 22 that form a spiral volute
4, and a fan stored in the volute 4 of the fan case 20. A main body cover 23, which
covers a cylinder of the internal combustion engine 3 and the like, is provided integrally
and continuously with the back side of the back side case portion 22. In addition,
an upper handle 7 is provided above the main body portion 2 such that it intersects
at right angles with the crankshaft, while a rear handle 8 is provided on the back
side of the internal combustion engine 3 of the main body portion 2 such that it intersects
at right angles with the upper handle 7. Further, a cylindrical suction opening 25
is provided in the center of the front side of the fan case 20 (i.e., front side case
portion 21), and a blowoff port 24 is provided at one side of the fan case 20.
[0004] A proximal end portion of a suction pipe 10, which is made of a long cylindrical
pipe produced from a synthetic resin material, such as vinyl chloride, through blow
molding and the like, is inserted into the suction opening 25, and is detachably secured
thereto with a tightening band or the like that is looped around the outer periphery
of the suction opening 25, for example. The conventional vacuum cleaner 1' shown in
the drawing is configured such that it can selectively perform an operation of sucking
fallen leaves, dust, and the like, and a blowing operation of sweeping them (which
will be described in detail later). The suction opening 25 has a suction opening cover
15, which can cover the opening, attached thereto in such a manner that it can be
opened or closed via a hinge member and is urged by a spring (not shown) in the direction
to always close the opening. When the vacuum cleaner is in a state of performing an
operation of sucking fallen leaves, dust, and the like, that is, when the vacuum cleaner
is used as a cleaning vacuum cleaner, the suction pipe 10 is connected to the suction
opening 25 with the suction opening cover 15 in an open state.
[0005] Meanwhile, a substantially L-shaped blowoff pipe 31 is detachably attached to the
blowoff port 24, and a dust collection bag 32 with appropriate ventilation characteristics
is attached to the downstream end of the blowoff pipe 31. An operator performs the
aforementioned operation while carrying the dust collection bag 32 by slinging a portable
band 33, which is attached to the dust collection bag 32, over his/her shoulder.
[0006] When the vacuum cleaner 1' with such a configuration is used, the internal combustion
engine 3 is usually started by operating a recoil starter (not shown), and the upper
handle 7 and the rear handle 8 are gripped with both hands so that a tip-end opening
(suction port) 10a of the suction pipe 10 is put close to the objects to be sucked,
such as fallen leaves and dust. The objects sucked into the suction pipe 10 from the
suction port 10a with the rotation of the fan are chopped by cutting blades that rotate
integrally with the fan in the main body portion 2, so that the chopped objects are
discharged with the sucked airflow (i.e., airflow generated with the rotation of the
fan) from the blowoff pipe 31 via the volute 4 formed around the fan, and are then
stored in the dust collection bag 32.
[0007] It should be noted that when the vacuum cleaner 1' is used as a cleaning blower for
sweeping fallen leaves, dust, and the like, the suction pipe 10 is detached and the
suction opening cover 15 is closed, and instead of the blowoff pipe 31 and the dust
collection bag 32, a blowoff pipe with a narrow, flat tip end (not shown), for example,
is attached to the blowoff port 24 so that a tip-end opening of the blowoff pipe is
directed toward the ground to blow away fallen leaves and the like with the air that
is blown out from the tip-end opening with the rotation of the fan (see Patent Document
1).
RELATED ART DOCUMENTS
Patent Documents
SUMMARY
[0009] By the way, the vacuum cleaner such as the one described above is mainly intended
to suck relatively light and soft objects, such as fallen leaves and cut grass, and
collect them into the dust collection bag with the rotation of the fan. However, in
practice, there has been a possibility that relatively heavy and hard objects, such
as stones and pieces of wood, may also be sucked, which can damage the fan and the
fan case. As measures to prevent such damage to the fan and the fan case, there have
been proposed methods of increasing the pipe diameter of the suction pipe to prevent
heavy objects from being sucked up to the fan, reducing the number of the blades of
the fan, and producing the fan and the fan case using materials with high shock resistance.
[0010] However, when the pipe diameter of the suction pipe is increased or the number of
the blades of the fan is reduced, the suction force would decrease. In particular,
as the vacuum cleaner combines the function of a blower for performing a blowing operation
of sweeping fallen leaves, dust, and the like, if the number of the blades of the
fan is reduced, the blowing performance would decrease when the vacuum cleaner is
used as the blower. Further, when the fan and the like are produced using materials
with high shock resistance, the production costs would inevitably increase.
[0011] The present invention has been made in view of the foregoing, and it is an object
of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner that can effectively prevent
damage to a fan and a fan case without significantly decreasing the suction force.
[0012] In order to achieve the above object, a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present
invention includes a suction portion, a centrifugal separation portion, and a first
collection portion that are provided on an upstream side of a fan stored in a fan
case; and a second collection portion provided on a downstream side of the fan. The
vacuum cleaner is configured to, with rotation of the fan, separate a part of air
introduced into the centrifugal separation portion via the suction portion to the
first collection portion side, thereby collecting sucked objects contained in the
air into the first collection portion, and separate another part of the air introduced
into the centrifugal separation portion to the fan side, thereby collecting sucked
objects contained in the air into the second collection portion.
[0013] In a preferred embodiment, a suction opening provided in the fan case has connected
thereto a suction pipe, the suction pipe including the suction portion and the centrifugal
separation portion.
[0014] In another preferred embodiment, the centrifugal separation portion includes an inner
pipe and an outer pipe, the inner pipe having a proximal end portion connected to
a suction opening provided in the fan case, and the outer pipe being arranged around
an outer periphery of the inner pipe such that a tip-end-side opening of the outer
pipe projects to a tip end side beyond a tip-end-side opening of the inner pipe. The
suction portion communicates with a space formed between the inner pipe and the outer
pipe, and the first collection portion is provided at the tip-end-side opening of
the outer pipe.
[0015] In another preferred embodiment, the vacuum cleaner further includes an adjustment
mechanism for adjusting a position of the tip-end-side opening of the inner pipe with
respect to the outer pipe in an axial line direction.
[0016] In further another preferred embodiment, the adjustment mechanism includes at least
one of a slide structure adapted to move the inner pipe and the outer pipe relative
to each other in the axial line direction, a slide structure adapted to move a plurality
of members relative to each other in the axial line direction, the plurality of members
forming at least one of the inner pipe or the outer pipe, or a bellows structure formed
in at least one of the inner pipe or the outer pipe, the bellows structure being adapted
to expand and contract in the axial line direction.
[0017] In another preferred embodiment, the proximal end portion of the inner pipe projects
to a proximal end side beyond a proximal end portion of the outer pipe, and the proximal
end portion of the outer pipe around the inner pipe is closed.
[0018] In a further preferred embodiment, the suction portion is provided continuously with
the proximal end portion of the outer pipe.
[0019] In another preferred embodiment, the vacuum cleaner further includes an opening/closing
member provided at the first collection portion or the tip-end-side opening of the
outer pipe, the opening/closing member being adapted to be urged so as to close the
tip-end-side opening of the outer pipe.
[0020] The first collection portion is preferably adapted to automatically or manually dispose
sucked objects that have been collected.
[0021] An inside of the first collection portion is preferably visible.
[0022] In another preferred embodiment, the second collection portion is provided at a downstream-side
opening of a blowoff pipe, the blowoff pipe communicating with a volute formed around
the fan in the fan case.
[0023] According to the present invention, a suction portion, a centrifugal separation portion,
and a first collection portion are provided on an upstream side of a fan stored in
a fan case, and a second collection portion is provided on a downstream side of the
fan. With the rotation of the fan, a part of air introduced into the centrifugal separation
portion via the suction portion is separated to the first collection portion side,
so that sucked objects contained in the air are collected into the first collection
portion, while another part of the air introduced into the centrifugal separation
portion is separated to the fan side, so that sucked objects contained in the air
are collected into the second collection portion.
[0024] More specifically, the centrifugal separation portion includes an inner pipe and
an outer pipe, the inner pipe having a proximal end portion connected to the suction
opening provided in the fan case, and the outer pipe being arranged around an outer
periphery of the inner pipe such that a tip-end-side opening of the outer pipe projects
to a tip end side beyond a tip-end-side opening of the inner pipe. The suction portion
is allowed to communicate with a space formed between the inner pipe and the outer
pipe, and the first collection portion is provided at the tip-end-side opening of
the outer pipe. Air that contains sucked objects, such as fallen leaves, which have
been sucked into the suction portion with the rotation of the fan, is introduced into
the space between the inner pipe and the outer pipe of the centrifugal separation
portion so that, while the air is swirled in the space toward the tip end side, a
part of the air that swirls in the space (i.e., air that swirls on the relatively
outer peripheral side and that contains relatively heavy sucked objects) is discharged
to the tip-end-side opening of the outer pipe, and the sucked objects contained in
the air are thus collected into the first collection portion. Meanwhile, the other
part of the air that swirls in the space (i.e., air that swirls on the relatively
inner peripheral side and that contains relatively light sucked objects) is passed
through the inner pipe from the tip-end-side opening of the inner pipe, and is sucked
into the fan case via the suction opening to which the proximal end portion of the
inner pipe is connected so that the sucked objects contained in the air are collected
into the second collection portion after having passed through the fan case incorporating
the fan. As described above, only the air that contains relatively light sucked objects,
such as fallen leaves and cut grass, is separated from the air sucked into the suction
portion by the centrifugal separation portion provided on the upstream side of the
fan, and then is sucked into the fan case. Thus, it is possible to effectively prevent
damage to the fan and the fan case without significantly decreasing the suction force.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025]
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an embodiment of a vacuum cleaner
in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 2A to 2C are partially enlarged cross-sectional views each schematically showing
an example of an adjustment mechanism (i.e., slide structure) of the vacuum cleaner
in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 3A and 3B are partially enlarged cross-sectional views each schematically showing
an example of an adjustment mechanism (i.e., bellows structure) of the vacuum cleaner
in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view schematically showing another
example of the vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the conventional vacuum cleaner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENT(S)
[0026] Hereafter, embodiments of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention
will be described with reference to the drawings. Although an example shown below
is a hand-held vacuum cleaner having handles to be gripped by an operator, it is needless
to mention that the present invention can also be applied to a back-carried vacuum
cleaner having bands and the like that allow an operator to perform cleaning work
while carrying a main body portion including a blower on his/her back.
[0027] Portions of a vacuum cleaner 1 in this embodiment shown below that correspond to
the portions of the conventional vacuum cleaner 1' shown in FIG. 5 are assigned the
same reference numerals. Thus, the detailed description thereof will be omitted and
the differences will be mainly described hereinafter.
[0028] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing an embodiment of the vacuum
cleaner 1 in accordance with the present invention. In the vacuum cleaner 1 of the
embodiment shown in the drawing, the rear handle 8 is provided in parallel with the
upper handle (i.e., at right angles to a crankshaft 3a of the internal combustion
engine 3). However, the basic portions, such as the main body portion 2 and the blowoff
pipe 31, other than the suction pipe 10 have the same configurations as those of the
conventional vacuum cleaner 1' shown in FIG. 5.
[0029] The suction pipe 10 of the vacuum cleaner 1 in this embodiment includes a suction
portion 11 made of an approximately L-shaped pipe, and a centrifugal separation portion
14 with a double-pipe structure including an inner pipe 12 and an outer pipe 13.
[0030] The inner pipe 12 has a cylindrical shape with the same diameter as that of the suction
opening 25 of the fan case 20, and the outer pipe 13 includes, from the proximal end
side (i.e., main body portion 2 side) thereof, a cylindrical portion 13a with a larger
diameter than that of the inner pipe 12 and a truncated cone portion 13b whose diameter
decreases from the cylindrical portion 13a toward the tip end side. The outer pipe
13 is secured by being arranged around the outer periphery of the inner pipe 12 such
that a tip-end-side opening 13c of the outer pipe 13 (or the truncated cone portion
13b thereof) projects to the tip end side beyond a tip-end-side opening 12c of the
inner pipe 12, while a proximal end portion 12d of the inner pipe 12 projects to the
proximal end side beyond a proximal end portion 13d of the outer pipe 13 (or the cylindrical
portion 13a thereof). In the example shown in the drawing, the tip-end-side opening
12c of the inner pipe 12 is located on the proximal end side than the boundary portion
between the cylindrical portion 13a and the truncated cone portion 13b of the outer
pipe 13. However, the tip-end-side opening 12c of the inner pipe 12 may also be located
on the tip end side than the boundary portion. In addition, the proximal end portion
13d of the outer pipe 13 around the inner pipe 12 is closed, and an inlet port 13e,
which opens laterally into a space (i.e., swirl space) 19 formed between the inner
pipe 12 and the outer pipe 13 (or the cylindrical portion 13a thereof), is formed
in the outer peripheral portion of the proximal end portion 13d of the outer pipe
13 (in other words, a portion on the most proximal end side of the outer pipe 13),
and further, a downstream-side opening of the suction portion 11 is provided continuously
with the inlet port 13a. Herein, the suction portion 11 communicates with the space
19 so that, in order to allow the air sucked into the suction portion 11 to smoothly
swirl in the space 19, the air is introduced at a position off the axial line L of
the centrifugal separation portion 14 (i.e., at a twisted position with respect to
the axial line L). In the example shown in the drawing, the introducing direction
of the suction portion 11 and the direction of the axial line L of the centrifugal
separation portion 14 intersect at right angles with each other in a plan view. However,
the introducing direction of the suction portion 11 and the direction of the axial
line L need not intersect at right angles with each other.
[0031] A collection box (i.e., first collection portion) 16 is detachably attached to the
tip-end-side opening 13c of the outer pipe 13, and the proximal end portion 12d of
the inner pipe 12 is detachably attached to the suction opening 25 of the fan case
20. It should be noted that the attachment structure of the collection box 16 with
respect to the outer pipe 13 and the attachment structure of the inner pipe 12 with
respect to the fan case 20 are not limited to those shown in the drawing, and appropriate
attachment structures may be adopted.
[0032] In this embodiment, as shown in the drawing, the crankshaft 3a rotatably supported
in a crank case of the internal combustion engine 3, a fan 6 attached to the crankshaft
3a, the suction opening 25 provided in the fan case 20 that stores the fan 6, the
inner pipe 12 connected to the suction opening 25, the outer pipe 13 provided around
the inner pipe 12, and the like are concentrically arranged along the same axial line
L, and cutting blades 6a that rotate integrally with the fan 6 are attached to the
crankshaft 3a together with the fan 6.
[0033] In the vacuum cleaner 1 with such a configuration, a recoil starter 9 is operated
to start the internal combustion engine 3, and the fan 6 and the cutting blades 6a
are rotated. Then, sucked airflow is generated in the suction pipe 10 with the rotation
of the fan 6. The air containing sucked objects, such as fallen leaves, which has
been sucked into the suction portion 11 of the suction pipe 10, is introduced into
the space 19 between the inner pipe 12 and the outer pipe 13 of the centrifugal separation
portion 14 via the inlet port 13e formed in the outer pipe 13, and thus, the air swirls
in the space 19 toward the tip end side (i.e., downward in the usual usage state).
During the swirling, due to the centrifugal force, relatively heavy sucked objects
contained in the sucked air are guided to the outer peripheral side, while relatively
light sucked objects contained in the sucked air are guided to the inner peripheral
side. Then, a part of the air swirling in the space 19 (i.e., air that swirls on the
relatively outer peripheral side and that contains relatively heavy sucked objects)
is discharged toward the tip-end-side opening 13c of the outer pipe 13, so that the
sucked objects contained in the air are collected into the collection box 16. Meanwhile,
the other part of the air swirling in the space 19 (i.e., air that swirls on the relatively
inner peripheral side and that contains relatively light sucked objects) passes through
the inner pipe 12 from the tip-end-side opening 12c of the inner pipe 12 (i.e., upward
in the usual usage state), and is sucked into the fan 6 in the fan case 20 via the
suction opening 25 to which the proximal end portion 12d of the inner pipe 12 is connected,
so that the sucked objects contained in the air are chopped by the cutting blades
6a that rotate integrally with the fan 6, and the chopped objects are discharged with
the sucked air from the blowoff pipe 31 via the volute 4 formed around the fan 6,
and are then collected into the dust collection bag (i.e., second collection portion)
32 provided at the downstream-side opening of the blowoff pipe 31.
[0034] As described above, the vacuum cleaner 1 in accordance with this embodiment is adapted
to separate only the air containing relatively light sucked objects, such as fallen
leaves and dust, from the air sucked into the suction portion 11 by the centrifugal
separation portion 14 of the suction pipe 10, and cause the separated air to be sucked
into the fan case 20. Thus, it is possible to effectively prevent damage to the fan
6 and the fan case 20 without significantly decreasing the suction force.
[0035] It should be noted that in the above embodiment, the inner pipe 12, in particular,
the tip-end-side opening 12c thereof is arranged at a fixed position with respect
to the outer pipe 13. However, it is also possible to provide an adjustment mechanism
for adjusting the relative position of the tip-end-side opening 12c of the inner pipe
12 with respect to the outer pipe 13 (in particular, the distance between the inner
wall surface of the truncated cone portion 13b of the outer pipe 13 and the tip-end-side
opening 12c of the inner pipe 12) to allow for adequate suction settings in accordance
with the preference of the operator, the circumstances of the operation and the targets
to be operated, for example. Examples of such an adjustment mechanism include a slide
structure 17A that moves the inner pipe 12 and the outer pipe 13 relative to each
other in the axial line L direction (see FIG. 2A), a slide structure 17B or 17C that
moves a plurality of members, which form the inner pipe 12 and/or the outer pipe 13
(or the cylindrical portion 13a thereof), relative to each other in the axial line
L direction so as to adjust the relative position of the tip-end-side opening 12c
of the inner pipe 12 with respect to the outer pipe 13 (see FIGS. 2B and 2C), and
a bellows structure 18A or 18B including a flexible member and the like formed at
the tip end of the inner pipe 12 or in the outer pipe 13 (see FIGS. 3A and 3B). It
should be noted that when such an adjustment mechanism is provided, a stopper mechanism
that defines the amount of movement of the tip-end-side opening 12c of the inner pipe
12 with respect to the outer pipe 13 is preferably provided to surely prevent relatively
heavy sucked objects, such as stones and pieces of wood, from being sucked into the
fan 6.
[0036] In addition, in order to increase the suction force of the fan 6 or prevent a backflow
of the sucked objects, which have been collected in the collection box 16, into the
outer pipe 13, it is also possible to provide, as shown in FIG. 4, an opening/closing
member 13A, which is urged by a spring or the like so as to close the tip-end-side
opening 13c of the outer pipe 13, at the collection box 16 or the tip-end-side opening
13c of the outer pipe 13. In such a case, the urged opening/closing member 13A is
preferably configured to be usually closed by the suction force generated with the
rotation of the fan 6, for example, and is configured to, when heavy sucked objects,
such as stones and pieces of wood, are discharged with airflow to the tip-end-side
opening 13c, open upon collision with the sucked objects. In addition, if such an
opening/closing member 13A is provided, it is also possible to omit the collection
box 16 and configure the urged opening/closing member 13A such that it opens when
a predetermined amount of sucked objects have accumulated on or around the opening/closing
member 13A.
[0037] In addition, the collection box 16 is preferably configured such that sucked objects
that have been collected can be automatically or manually disposed at appropriate
timing. For example, the collection box 16 is desirably produced from a transparent
material or provided with a window for checking so that the inside of the box can
be visible.
[0038] Although the internal combustion engine 3 is used as the drive source of the fan
6 in the aforementioned embodiment, it is needless to mention that an electric motor
and the like may also be adopted as the drive source, for example. In addition, although
the suction pipe 10 (or the inner pipe 12 thereof) and the fan case 20 (or the front
side case portion 21 thereof) are provided as separate components in the aforementioned
embodiment, it is needless to mention that such components may be integrally molded
if the vacuum cleaner need not combine the function of a blower.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS
[0039]
- 1
- Vacuum cleaner
- 2
- Main body portion
- 3
- Internal combustion engine
- 3a
- Crankshaft
- 4
- Volute
- 5
- Blower
- 6
- Fan
- 6a
- Cutting blade
- 10
- Suction pipe
- 11
- Suction portion
- 12
- Inner pipe
- 12c
- Tip-end-side opening of inner pipe
- 12d
- Proximal end portion of inner pipe
- 13
- Outer pipe
- 13a
- Cylindrical portion
- 13b
- Truncated cone portion
- 13c
- Tip-end-side opening of outer pipe
- 13d
- Proximal end portion of outer pipe
- 13e
- Inlet port
- 13A
- Opening/closing member
- 14
- Centrifugal separation portion
- 15
- Suction opening cover
- 16
- Collection box (first collection portion)
- 17A to 17C
- Slide structure
- 18A and 18B
- Bellows structure
- 19
- Space (swirl space)
- 20
- Fan case
- 21
- Front side case portion
- 22
- Back side case portion
- 23
- Main body cover
- 24
- Blowoff port
- 25
- Suction opening
- 31
- Blowoff pipe
- 32
- Dust collection bag (second collection portion)
1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:
a suction portion, a centrifugal separation portion, and a first collection portion
that are provided on an upstream side of a fan stored in a fan case; and
a second collection portion provided on a downstream side of the fan, wherein
the vacuum cleaner is configured to, with rotation of the fan, separate a part of
air introduced into the centrifugal separation portion via the suction portion to
the first collection portion side, thereby collecting sucked objects contained in
the air into the first collection portion, and separate another part of the air introduced
into the centrifugal separation portion to the fan side, thereby collecting sucked
objects contained in the air into the second collection portion.
2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a suction opening provided in the
fan case has connected thereto a suction pipe, the suction pipe including the suction
portion and the centrifugal separation portion.
3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2, wherein
the centrifugal separation portion includes an inner pipe and an outer pipe, the inner
pipe having a proximal end portion connected to a suction opening provided in the
fan case, and the outer pipe being arranged around an outer periphery of the inner
pipe such that a tip-end-side opening of the outer pipe projects to a tip end side
beyond a tip-end-side opening of the inner pipe,
the suction portion communicates with a space formed between the inner pipe and the
outer pipe, and
the first collection portion is provided at the tip-end-side opening of the outer
pipe.
4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, further comprising an adjustment mechanism
for adjusting a position of the tip-end-side opening of the inner pipe with respect
to the outer pipe in an axial line direction.
5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein
the adjustment mechanism includes at least one of
a slide structure adapted to move the inner pipe and the outer pipe relative to each
other in the axial line direction,
a slide structure adapted to move a plurality of members relative to each other in
the axial line direction, the plurality of members forming at least one of the inner
pipe or the outer pipe, or
a bellows structure formed in at least one of the inner pipe or the outer pipe, the
bellows structure being adapted to expand and contract in the axial line direction.
6. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein
the proximal end portion of the inner pipe projects to a proximal end side beyond
a proximal end portion of the outer pipe, and
the proximal end portion of the outer pipe around the inner pipe is closed.
7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the suction portion is provided continuously
with the proximal end portion of the outer pipe.
8. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 3 to 7, further comprising an opening/closing
member provided at the first collection portion or the tip-end-side opening of the
outer pipe, the opening/closing member being adapted to be urged so as to close the
tip-end-side opening of the outer pipe.
9. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first collection
portion is adapted to automatically or manually dispose sucked objects that have been
collected.
10. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein an inside of the
first collection portion is visible.
11. The vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the second collection
portion is provided at a downstream-side opening of a blowoff pipe, the blowoff pipe
communicating with a volute formed around the fan in the fan case.