TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner including an electric
blower housed in a main body case.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Conventionally, this type of electric vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner main body
including a hollow main body case and a substantially cylindrical electric blower
housed in this main body case. Inside the main body case, a main body dust collecting
chamber and an electric blower chamber housing an electric blower are partitioned
in the front-rear direction by a partition. In the partition, a communication hole
that makes communication between the main body dust collecting chamber and the electric
blower chamber is opened. The main body dust collecting chamber communicates with
the outside of the main body case via a suction port formed in the main body case.
The electric blower chamber communicates with the outside of the main body case via
an exhaust port formed in the main body case. Further, the electric blower is configured
so that a fan cover covering a centrifugal fan to be driven to rotate by an electric
motor part is integrally attached to a motor case housing the electric motor part.
The periphery of the fan cover on the suction side, that is, the front end side of
the electric blower and the end portion on the rear end side of the motor case that
is the exhaust side of the electric blower are respectively fixed to the electric
blower chamber of the main body case via vibration isolating members, and in this
fixed state, the suction side of the electric blower communicates with the rear portion
of the communication hole of the partition (for example, refer to Patent Document
1, Japanese Patent Publication No.
2745700 (pp. 2-3, Fig. 2)).
[0003] DE-197 36 613A describes a noise outlet opening disposed on the rear side of the lower portion of
a front engine case, and a first outlet disposed on the rear side of the upper portion
of a rear engine case.
[0004] US-5,293,664 describes an exhaust port disposed around the whole circumference of the front edge
portion of an intermediate case, with a plurality of outlet holes disposed on the
rear edge portion of a blower case.
[0005] GB-2419811A describes that a first connection pipe configured to exhaust air outside a second
chamber is disposed on the rear side of the upper portion of a first chamber, that
a second connection pipe configured to introduce the air exhausted by the first connection
pipe is disposed on the front side of the upper portion of the second chamber, and
a plurality of discharging openings are disposed on a third chamber covering the rear
edge portion of the second chamber.
[0006] In
EP-1721557A, a plurality of first air passing holes are formed along a circumference of the front
edge of an inner motor casing and a plurality of second air passing holes are disposed
on the rear portion of an outer motor casing that covers the inner motor casing.
[0007] DE-14 78 251-U shows a plurality of first cover exhaust ports, configured to exhaust air from an
exhaust port of a blower, disposed on the front side of the upper portion of a first
blower cover, and a further exhaust port disposed in the rear edge side of a case
body that covers the first cover exhaust ports.
[0008] In
DE-41 00 858-A, a plurality of first cover exhaust ports are provided on the front edge of the lower
portion of a first electric blower cover, and a second cover exhaust port is provided
on the front side of the upper portion of the second electric blower cover.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Technical Problem
[0009] The electric blower causes operation noise when the centrifugal fan cuts wind. Therefore,
with the above-described configuration, the operation noise caused by driving of the
electric blower easily leaks to the outside, and this creates a problem that noise
reduction is not easy.
[0010] In addition, it is not easy to secure a sufficient length of an exhaust air passage
through which exhaust air from the electric blower is exhausted from the main body
case to the outside, and a large volume of air passes through the exhaust air passage
at one time, so that wind noise is caused in this exhaust air passage, and this also
creates a problem that noise reduction is not easy.
[0011] The present invention was made in view of these circumstances, and an object thereof
is to provide an electric vacuum cleaner with improved noise reduction performance.
Solution to Problem
[0012] An electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention includes a first electric blower
cover that has a first cover exhaust port and covers an electric blower, a second
electric blower cover that has a second cover exhaust port, covers at least a part
of the first electric blower cover, and supports this first electric blower cover,
and a case body in which an enclosed space for making communication between the second
cover exhaust port of the second electric blower cover and the exhaust port of the
main body case is partitioned.
Advantageous Effect of Invention
[0013] According to the present invention, operation noise caused by driving of the electric
blower is insulated by covering at least a part of the first electric blower cover
covering the electric blower by the second electric blower cover, and by exhausting
exhaust air from the electric blower from the exhaust port after passing through the
first electric blower cover, the second electric blower cover, and the enclosed space,
a length of an exhaust air passage is secured and wind noise caused by a large volume
of air is absorbed, whereby improving the noise reduction performance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014]
Fig. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing an internal structure of an electric
vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing an essential portion of the same electric
vacuum cleaner.
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same electric vacuum cleaner.
DESCEITION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0015] Hereinafter, a configuration of an embodiment of the present invention will be described
with reference to Fig.1 to Fig. 3.
[0016] In Fig. 3, the reference numeral 11 denotes a so-called canister-type electric vacuum
cleaner, and this electric vacuum cleaner 11 includes a tube part 12 and a cleaner
main body 13 to which the tube part 12 is removably connected.
[0017] The tube part 12 includes a connection tube part 15 to be connected to the cleaner
main body 13, a flexible hose body 16 communicating with the tip end side of the connection
tube part 15, a hand operation part 17 provided on the tip end side of this hose body
16, an extension tube 18 removably connected to the tip end side of the hand operation
part 17, and a floor brush 19 as a suction port body removably connected to the tip
end side of the extension tube 18.
[0018] On the hand operation part 17, a grip part 21 projects to the hose body 16 side,
and on this grip part 21, a plurality of set buttons 22 for operations are provided.
[0019] The cleaner main body 13 includes, as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, a hollow main body
case 25, and inside this main body case 25, a partition 26 is formed in a substantially
intermediate region in the front-rear direction, a front chamber 27 is partitioned
forward of this partition 26, and a rear chamber 28 is partitioned rearward of the
partition 26. Inside the front chamber 27, a main body dust collecting chamber 31
is partitioned, and inside the rear chamber 28, an electric blower chamber 33 housing
an electric blower part 32, a cord reel chamber not shown housing a cord reel around
which a power cord not shown for supplying electric power to the electric blower part
32, etc., is wound, and an exhaust air passage chamber 35 as an enclosed space, are
partitioned, respectively. Specifically, the main body case 25 has a multiple structure
in which the main body dust collecting chamber 31 is partitioned in the front chamber
27, and the electric blower chamber 33, the cord reel chamber, and the exhaust air
passage chamber 35 are partitioned in the rear chamber 28.
[0020] The main body case 25 is made of, for example, a synthetic resin, etc., and includes
a lower case 41 whose upper side is opened, an upper case 42 covering the rear chamber
28 that is an upper rear portion of the lower case 41, and a lid body 43 that is axially
supported turnably in the up-down direction on the upper case 42 or the lower case
41, covers the front chamber 27, and makes the main body dust collecting chamber 31
openable and closable. In the front portion of the main body case 25, a main body
suction port 44 as a suction port is opened.
[0021] The lower case 41 is formed into a box shape whose upper side is opened, having a
bottom surface 41a opposed to the lower portion of the electric blower part 32, side
surfaces 41b (only one side surface is shown) opposed to the side portions of the
electric blower part 32 , respectively, and a rear surface 41c opposed to the rear
portion of the electric blower part 32. On the side surfaces 41b of the lower case
41, traveling wheels 46 that enable the cleaner main body 13 to travel on a floor
surface as a surface to be cleaned are axially supported rotatably, respectively.
[0022] On the upper portion of the upper case 42, a handle part 48 for carrying the cleaner
main body 13 is formed across the left-right direction. In the rear portion of the
upper case 42, a plurality of exhaust ports 49 communicating with the electric blower
chamber 33 are opened toward the rear upper side, and to the exhaust ports 49, an
exhaust port filter 50 is attached.
[0023] The lid body 43 is axially supported at its rear portion on the upper case 42 or
the lower case 41 so as to become turnable in the up-down direction, and is configured
so as to open the main body dust collecting chamber 31 in an upward turned state and
close the main body dust collecting chamber 31 in a downward turned state.
[0024] The main body suction port 44 makes communication between the main body dust collecting
chamber 31 and the outside of the main body case 25. To this main body suction port
44, a connection tube part 15 (Fig. 3) is communicatively connected in a removable
manner.
[0025] The main body dust collecting chamber 31 is a portion in which dust suctioned together
with air via the tube part 12 (Fig. 3) is trapped by driving of the electric blower
part 32, and a dust collecting bag P, for example, such as a paper pack is attachable
to the inside of the main body dust collecting chamber, and a dust collecting chamber
filter F is attached to the upstream side of the partition 26 on the downstream side
of the dust collecting bag P.
[0026] The electric blower part 32 includes an electric blower 51, a first electric blower
cover 52 covering this electric blower 51, and a second electric blower cover 53 covering
this first electric blower cover 52.
[0027] The electric blower 51 is configured so that a fan cover 58 covering a centrifugal
fan 57 to be driven to rotate by an electric motor part 55 is joined integrally to
a motor case 56 housing the electric motor part 55. The electric blower 51 is disposed
so that the electric motor part 55 (motor case 56) side comes to the rear side and
the centrifugal fan 57 (fan cover 58) side comes to the front side and the front side
is slightly inclined downward with respect to the horizontal direction.
[0028] The electric motor part 55 can rotate a rotary shaft 55a in a predetermined direction
by generating a rotating magnetic pole in a rotor not shown formed integrally with
a rotary shaft 55a and a commutator not shown, and generating a fixed magnetic pole
in a tubular stator not shown positioned around this rotor.
[0029] The motor case 56 includes a case main body 56a formed into a substantially bottomed
cylindrical shape constituting the outer frame of the electric motor part 55, and
an attaching plate part 56b to which the opening side of the case main body 56a is
attached across the radial direction. In the case main body 56a, a plurality of blower
exhaust ports 56c are opened. At the center portion of the rear end portion of the
case main body 56a, a substantially cylindrical motor head part 56d is formed to project
rearward. Further, the outer periphery of the case main body 56a is elastically suspended
and supported on the first electric blower cover 52 via a suspending means 61.
[0030] The motor head part 56d houses such as a bearing not shown and a thrust spring elastically
supporting this bearing. The rotary shaft 55a is axially supported rotatably by the
bearing and a bearing housed in the attaching plate part 56b of the motor case 56.
[0031] The suspending means 61 includes coaxially a ring-shaped inner support portion 61a
to be fixed to the periphery of the case main body 56a and a ring-shaped outer support
portion 61b to be fixed to the first electric blower cover 52 side, and between these
support portions 61a and 61b, a plurality of coil springs 61c as energizing means
are disposed. Specifically, the coil springs 61c are disposed radially with respect
to the electric blower 51. In addition, the coil springs 61c are preferably disposed
at substantially even intervals in the circumferential direction. The suspending means
61 is disposed so as to suspend the gravity center position of the electric blower
51 or a position near the gravity center on the first electric blower cover 52.
[0032] The centrifugal fan 57 blows out air suctioned from the center portion to the outer
peripheral side, and is joined to one end portion of the rotary shaft 55a and positioned
outside the motor case 56, here, the front side of the motor case. Around this centrifugal
fan 57, a rectifier plate 64 for leading the air blown out from the centrifugal fan
57 to the outer peripheral side into the case main body 56a while rectifying the air
is disposed. The centerportionof this rectifier plate 64 is fixed to the attaching
plate part 56b of the motor case 56.
[0033] The fan cover 58 covers the centrifugal fan 57 and the rectifier plate 64 and is
fixed to the front side of the case main body 56a of the motor case 56. This fan cover
58 is formed into a substantially covered cylindrical shape having a circular suction
port 66 opened in the center portion.
[0034] The first electric blower cover 52 is formed into a substantially cylindrical shape
from, for example, a synthetic resin, etc. This first electric blower cover 52 has
a circular first cover suction port 71 opened in a front end portion as one end portion,
and a substantially cylindrical head housing 72 is formed to project rearward integrally
on the rear end portion as the other end portion for housing the motor head part 56d
of the electric blower 51. Further, in the lower portion of this first electric blower
cover 52, a first cover exhaust port 73 is opened so as to be opposed to the blower
exhaust ports 56c of the electric blower 51. This first electric blower cover 52 is
divided in the front-rear direction by, for example, a substantially cylindrical front
cover portion 52a as one first cover portion and a substantially cylindrical rear
cover portion 52b as the other first cover portion. The first cover suction port 71
side that is the front end side of the first electric blower cover 52 is joined to
a suction side silencer 75 on the main body case 25 side via an upstream side seal
member 74 as a substantially ring-shaped first seal member that is a vibration isolating
member as an elastic member, and the head housing 72 side that is the rear end side
of the first electric blower cover is supported on the second electric blower cover
53 on the main body case 25 side via a downstream side seal member 76 that is a second
seal member as an elastic member. Therefore, the lower portion of the first electric
blower cover 52 is spaced in a floating state from the lower portion of the second
electric blower cover 53.
[0035] The first cover exhaust port 73 is formed, for example, between the respective lower
end portions of the front cover portion 52a and the rear cover portion 52b, and positioned
on the rear side of the first electric blower cover 52. To this first cover exhaust
port 73, a cover filter 77 is attached.
[0036] The upstream side seal member 74 is made of, for example, an elastic material (flexible
material) such as rubber or elastomer. The front end side of this upstream side seal
member 74 is joined airtightly to the rear end side that is the exhaust side of the
suction side silencer 75, and the intermediate position in the front-rear direction
is engaged with the inner edge of the first cover suction port 71 of the first electric
blower cover 52, and the rear end side is attached to the front surface of the fan
cover 58 from the peripheral edge portion of the suction port 66 of the fan cover
58 of the electric blower 51. Therefore, the suction side silencer 75 is connected
airtightly to the suction port 66 of the electric blower 51 via the upstream side
seal member 74.
[0037] This suction side silencer 75 is a so-called expansion silencer, and absorbs operation
noise caused according to driving of the electric blower 51 (hereinafter, simply referred
to as driving noise of the electric blower 51) or wind noise caused by air suctioned
by driving of the electric blower 51, and prevents it from being transmitted to the
floor brush 19 (Fig. 3) side. This suction side silencer 75 includes a funnel form
inducer portion 75a as a silencer main body whose front end portion is attached to
the partition 26 and whose diameter is graduallymade smaller rearward (toward the
downstream side), a partition body 75b attached inside the inducer portion 75a, and
an acoustic absorption material 75c disposed between these inducer portion 75a and
partition body 75b.
[0038] The inducer portion 75a is a portion for rectifying air that passed through the main
body dust collecting chamber 31 to the downstream side, and is connected airtightly
to the rear side that is the downstream side of a communication hole 78 opened in
the partition 26 and communicating with the main body dust collecting chamber 31.
Therefore, the suction port 66 of the electric blower 51 communicates with the main
body dust collecting chamber 31 and the main body suction port 44 via the suction
side silencer 75 and the communication hole 78. On the rear side of the inducer portion
75a, an expansion portion 75e that partitions an expansion space 75d as a silencing
space between the inducer portion and the partition body 75b is formed in a stepped
manner. This expansion portion 75e is formed into a cylindrical shape whose diameter
is substantially constant from the front side to the rear side.
[0039] The partition body 75b is formed to be substantially cylindrical, and attached to
and fixed to the inducer portion 75a by, for example, screws, etc. Further, on the
front end portionof this partition body 75b, aflangeportion75f covering the front
side of the expansion portion 75e is formed integrally in a flange shape. In the periphery
of this partition body 75b, a plurality of communication openings 75g that make communication
between the inside and the outside of the partition body 75b are formed.
[0040] The flange portion 75f continues to the portion on the side more forward (upstream)
than the expansion portion 75e of the inducer portion 75a and forms a rectifying surface
that rectifies air.
[0041] The acoustic absorption material 75c has breathability, and is disposed so as to
fill the entire expansion space 75d.
[0042] The expansion space 75d is a space for silencing by lowering the pressure by expanding
air that passes through the suction side silencer 75.
[0043] The material of the acoustic absorption material 75c and the size, etc., of the expansion
space 75d are arbitrarily set corresponding to frequencies that are desired to be
absorbed of driving noise of the electric blower 51 and wind noise caused by a flow
of air suctioned by driving of the electric blower 51, etc.
[0044] On the other hand, the downstream side seal member 76 is made of an elastic material
(flexible material), for example, rubber or elastomer, etc. This downstream side seal
member 76 is attached to surround the periphery of the head housing 72.
[0045] The second electric blower cover 53 is made of , for example, a synthetic resin,
etc., and is divided in the up-down direction into, for example, a lower cover portion
53a as one second cover portion and an upper cover portion 53b as the other second
cover portion. This second electric blower cover 53 partitions the electric blower
chamber 33 inside the rear chamber 28.
[0046] The lower cover portion 53a is formed into a box shape which is long in the left-right
width direction and whose upper side is opened, and, for example, both sides of the
lower cover portion are fixed to the lower case 41 by fixation members such as screws.
Therefore, the lower portion of this lower cover portion 53a is spaced in a floating
state from the bottom surface 41a of the lower case 41. One side portion of this lower
cover portion 53a is a wall section that partitions the electric blower chamber 33
and the cord reel chamber, and in this one side portion, a hole portion not shown
that makes communication between the electric blower chamber 33 and the cord reel
chamber is formed, and to this hole portion, a filter not shown is attached. Further,
the lower surface of the lower cover portion 53a is opposed to the first cover exhaust
port 73 of the first electric blower cover 52. The front end portion of this lower
cover portion 53a fits airtightly to the periphery of the suction side silencer 75,
and the rear end portion is fixed to the inner side of the rear surface 41c of the
lower case 41. On the upper portion of the rear end of the lower cover portion 53a,
the lower portion of the above-mentioned downstream side seal member 76 attached to
the first electric blower cover 52 is placed.
[0047] The upper cover portion 53b is formed to be long in the left-right width direction,
and for example, both end sides, etc., thereof are fixed to the lower cover portion
53a by fixation members and cover the entire upper side of the lower cover portion
53a so that the upper cover portion covers the entirety of the first electric blower
cover 52. In a flat front portion of the upper cover portion 53b, a plurality of second
cover exhaust ports 81 that make communication between the electric blower chamber
33 and the exhaust air passage chamber 35 are opened in the left-right width direction.
Further, on the upper portion of this upper cover portion 53b, an attaching portion
83 for attaching a main body control part 82 as a control means for controlling driving
of the electric blower 51 is formed to project upward. To the upper side of the upper
cover portion 53b, a case body 84 for partitioning the exhaust air passage chamber
35 between the case body and the upper cover portion 53b is attached. This upper cover
portion 53b is spaced from the upper portion of the first electric blower cover 52.
Further, the rear end of the upper cover portion 53b curves downward so as to be along
the outer shape of the first electric blower cover 52, and the lower portion of this
rear end is pressure-welded to the upper portion of the above-mentioned downstream
side seal member 76 attached to the first electric blower cover 52. Therefore, the
rear side of the first electric blower cover 52 is elastically sandwiched and fixed
from above and below by the rear end of the upper cover portion 53b and the rear end
of the lower cover portion 53a via the downstream side seal member 76.
[0048] The second cover exhaust ports 81 are positioned above the suction side silencer
75, and opened along the up-down direction. On the upper portions of these second
cover exhaust ports 81, that is, on the exhaust air passage chamber 35 sides that
are the exhaust sides, exhaust side acoustic absorption materials 86 having breathability
are disposed, and these exhaust side acoustic absorption materials 86 cover the entire
second cover exhaust ports 81.
[0049] The material of the exhaust side acoustic absorption materials 86 is, for example,
urethane foam, etc., and is arbitrarily set corresponding to frequencies that are
desired to be absorbed of driving noise of the electric blower 51 and wind noise caused
by a flow of air, etc. , exhausted from the electric blower 51, etc.
[0050] The main body control part 82 controls the electric blower 51 by, for example, conduction
angle control according to an operation on the set buttons 22 (Fig. 3), and is configured
so that various components such as a microcomputer as a control means main body are
mounted on a substrate, and is fixed to the attaching portion 83, for example, horizontally,
that is, so as to be along an air passage direction inside the exhaust air passage
chamber 35.
[0051] The case body 84 is formed to be long horizontally in the left-right width direction
from, for example, synthetic resin, etc., and is opposed to the entire upper portion
of the upper cover portion 53b. Therefore, the exhaust air passage chamber 35 is partitioned
above the second electric blower cover 53. This case body 84 is fixed to the upper
cover portion 53b via attaching members such as screws not shown. Further, the entire
lower end of this case body 84 is in close contact with the upper portion of the upper
cover portion 53b, and the upper portion of the case body is in close contact with
the inner side of the upper case 42 of the main body case 25 and extends horizontally
in the front-rear direction. On the front end of the case body 84, a wall-like front
wall portion 84a is formed integrally along the up-down direction on the side forward
of the second cover exhaust ports 81. The rear end of this case body 84 is in close
contact with the upstream side of the exhaust ports 49. Therefore, between the upper
cover portion 53b (second electric blower cover 53) and the case body 84, the exhaust
air passage chamber 35 is formed as a space that is enclosed from the second cover
exhaust ports 81 to the exhaust ports 49, expands in the left-right width direction,
and extends in the front-rear direction. In other words, the exhaust airpassage chamber
35 is formedat a position between the second cover exhaust ports 81 and the exhaust
ports 49 as an expansion silencing space, that is, a chamber without any other hole
portions or clearances, etc., through which air leaks. Specifically, the exhaust air
passage chamber 35 is formed so that the air passage sectional area becomes larger
than the opening area of the second cover exhaust ports 81.
[0052] The cord reel chamber communicates with the outside of the main body case 25 via
a cord leading out port not shown opened in the rear portion of the upper case 42.
The cord leading out port is formed to have a size capable of leading out the tip
end side of a power cord. The cord reel chamber, the power cord, and the cord reel
are not essential components. Specifically, the electric vacuum cleaner 11 maybe configured
so that electric power is supplied to the electric blower part 32 and the main body
control part 82, etc. , by a battery such as a secondary battery installed inside
the cleaner main body 13 (main body case 25).
[0053] Next, operation and effect of the above-described embodiment will be described.
[0054] When cleaning, in a state where electric power supply to the electric blower 51 is
possible, an operator grips the grip part 21 shown in Fig. 3 and operates the set
buttons 22, and accordingly, the main body control part 82 drives the electric blower
51. Specifically, by rotating the centrifugal fan 57 by the electric motor part 55
of the electric blower 51, a negative pressure is generated. This negative pressure
is applied to the main body dust collecting chamber 31, the main body suction port
44, and the tube part 12 via the suction side silencer 75 to suction dust together
with air from the tip end side of the floor brush 19. In addition, vibration caused
by rotation of the centrifugal fan 57 of the electric blower 51 is absorbed by expansion
and contraction of the coil springs 61c and prevented from being transmitted to the
first electric blower cover 52, and driving noise of the electric blower 51 is silenced
by the suction side silencer 75.
[0055] The operator places the floor brush 19 shown in Fig. 3 on the floor surface, grips
the grip part 21, and makes the floor brush 19 travel forward and backward, and accordingly,
cleaning is performed by suctioning dust on the floor from the floor brush 19.
[0056] The suctionedairbecomes suctioning wind and is suctioned into the main body dust
collecting chamber 31 together with dust via the extension tube 18, the hose body
16, and the connection tube part 15, and the dust is trapped in the dust collecting
bag P in the main body dust collecting chamber 31. Then, suctioning wind from which
the dust was trapped passes through the dust collecting chamber filter F, and is then
suctioned into the suction side silencer 75 from the communication hole 78 and rectified
along the inducer portion 75a and the flange portion 75f of this suction side silencer
75. Further, by expansion of the suctioning wind from the communication openings 75g
into the expansion space 75d, wind noise is absorbed, and further absorbed by the
acoustic absorption material 75c filled in the expansion space 75d.
[0057] Thereafter, the suctioningwindpasses through the inside of the upstream side seal
member 74 from the suction side silencer 75 and is suctioned into the suction port
66 of the electric blower 51 via the first cover suction port 71, and suctioned from
the center portion of the centrifugal fan 57 and blown out to the outer peripheral
side, and suctioned into the case main body 56a of the motor case 56 while being rectified
by the rectifier plate 64 and becomes exhaust air, cools the electric motor part 55
when passing through the inside of the case main body 56a, and is blown out from the
blower exhaust ports 56c.
[0058] Then, after this exhaust air is rectified inside the first electric blower cover
52 and then exhausted from the first cover exhaust port 73 into the electric blower
chamber 33 on the lower side while passing through the cover filter 77 and blown to
the lower surface of the lower cover portion 53a of the second electric blower cover
53, passes through the front side of the first electric blower cover 52 from the lower
cover portion 53a via the periphery of the suction side silencer 75, and is exhausted
into the exhaust air passage chamber 35 on the upper side from the second cover exhaust
ports 81.
[0059] At this time, wind noise caused by the exhaust air and driving noise of the electric
blower 51 included in the exhaust air are absorbed by passage of the exhaust air through
a long air passage and expansion of the exhaust air in the exhaust air passage chamber
35 in such a manner that the exhaust air is exhausted from the first cover exhaust
port 73 to the inside of the second electric blower cover 53 and further exhausted
from the second cover exhaust ports 81 into the exhaust air passage chamber 35, and
by passage through the exhaust side acoustic absorption materials 86 disposed in the
second cover exhaust ports 81.
[0060] Thereafter, the exhaust air passes rearward through the inside of the exhaust air
passage chamber 35 while cooling the main body control part 82, and is exhausted to
the outside of the main body case 25 from the exhaust ports 49 while passing through
the exhaust port filter 50.
[0061] After cleaning is finished, the operator appropriately operates the set buttons 22
to stop driving of the electric blower 51.
[0062] As described above, according to the embodiment described above, the first electric
blower cover 52 covering the electric blower 51 is covered by the second electric
blower cover 53 to insulate driving noise of the electric blower 51, and wind noise
that becomes loud particularly due to concentrated passage of a large volume of air
through a narrow and short air passage is absorbed by securing an exhaust air passage
length in such a manner that the exhaust air from the electric blower 51 is exhausted
from the exhaust ports 49 after passing through the first electric blower cover 52
, the second electric blower cover 53, and the exhaust air passage chamber 35, and
accordingly, noise reduction performance is improved.
[0063] By using the exhaust air passage chamber 35 as an expansion silencing space, driving
noise or wind noise of the electric blower 51 included in the exhaust air that flowed
from the electric blower chamber 33 to the exhaust air passage chamber 35 is absorbed
by expansion of the exhaust air in the exhaust air passage chamber 35, so that the
noise reduction performance can be further improved.
[0064] Further, by disposing the exhaust side acoustic absorption materials 86 on the exhaust
sides of the second cover exhaust ports 81, driving noise or wind noise, etc., of
the electric blower 51 can be absorbed by the exhaust side acoustic absorption materials
86, and the noise reduction performance can be further improved.
[0065] By joining the suction side silencer 75 to the first cover suction port 71 of the
first electric blower cover 52 via the upstream side seal member 74, the electric
blower 51 can be supported together with the first electric blower cover 52 at a position
close to the shaft center of the electric blower 51 via the suction side silencer
75, so that the influence of vibration caused by driving of the electric blower 51
can be suppressed to a minimum.
[0066] In addition, by disposing the acoustic absorption material 75c inside the expansion
space 75d of the suction side silencer 75, the acoustic absorption effect of the suction
side silencer 75 can be further increased, so that the noise reduction performance
can be further improved.
[0067] Noise on the suction side of the electric blower 51 can be absorbed by the suction
side silencer 75, so that noise emitted from the tip end side of the floor brush 19
via the main body dust collecting chamber 31, the main body suction port 44, and the
tube part 12 can be further suppressed, and the noise reduction performance can be
further improved.
[0068] The first cover exhaust port 73 is disposed on the rear side of the first electric
blower cover 52, the second cover exhaust ports 81 are disposed on the front side
of the second electric blower cover 53, that is, at positions distant from the first
cover exhaust port 73, and the exhaust ports 49 are disposed on the rear side of the
main body case 25, that is, at positions distant from the second cover exhaust ports
81, and accordingly, the length of the exhaust air passage through which the exhaust
air from the electric blower 51 passes is lengthened by repeatedly folding back in
the front-rear direction as shown by the arrows in Fig. 2, so that the noise reduction
performance can be further improved.
[0069] Further, the periphery of the electric blower 51 is elastically suspended on the
first electric blower cover 52 by the suspending means 61, and the front side and
the rear side that are both end portions in the axial direction of the first electric
blower cover 52 are elastically supported via the seal members 74 and 76, respectively,
and accordingly, transmission of vibration caused by driving of the electric blower
51 to the second electric blower cover 53 or the outside of the main body case 25
can be suppressed, and the noise reduction performance can be further improved.
[0070] The lower portion of the first electric blower cover 52 is spaced from the lower
portion of the second electric blower cover 53, and the lower portion of the second
electric blower cover 53 is spaced from the bottom surface 41a of the lower case 41
of the main body case 25, so that the vibration caused by driving of the electric
blower 51 is hardly transmitted to the main body case 25, and noise caused by this
vibration can be suppressed, so that the noise reduction performance can be further
improved.
[0071] Moreover, the main body case 25 is formed to have a multiple structure such as by
partitioning the main body dust collecting chamber 31 inside the front chamber 27
and partitioning the electric blower chamber 33 inside the rear chamber 28, so that
driving noise of the electric blower 51 and vibration caused by driving, etc., are
hardly transmitted to the outside of the main body case 25, and the noise reduction
performance can be further improved.
[0072] By disposing the main body control part 82 inside the exhaust air passage chamber
35, the main body control part 82 can be efficiently cooled by the exhaust air passing
through the exhaust air passage chamber 35.
[0073] In addition, in the embodiment described above, a part of the exhaust air passage
chamber 35 maybe used as an expansion silencing space.
[0074] The second electric blower cover 53 may be arranged to cover a part of the first
electric blower cover 52.
[0075] Further, the details of the electric vacuum cleaner 11 are not limited to the configuration
described above, and the present invention is applicable, for example, not only to
the canister-type electric vacuum cleaner 11 but also to an arbitrary electric vacuum
cleaner, such as an upright-type electric vacuum cleaner having a floor brush 19 connected
to the lower portion of a vertically long cleaner main body 13, or a handy-type electric
vacuum cleaner, etc.
REFERENCE SIGNS LIST
[0076]
- 11
- Electric vacuum cleaner
- 25
- Main body case
- 35
- Exhaust air passage chamber as enclosed space
- 44
- Main body suction port as suction port
- 49
- Exhaust port
- 51
- Electric blower
- 52
- First electric blower cover
- 53
- Second electric blower cover
- 61
- Suspending means
- 71
- First cover suction port
- 73
- First cover exhaust port
- 74
- Upstream side seal member that is vibration isolating member as elastic member
- 75
- Suction side silencer
- 75c
- Acoustic absorption material
- 75d
- Expansion space as silencing space
- 76
- Downstream side seal member as elastic member
- 81
- Second cover exhaust port
- 84
- Case body
- 86
- Exhaust side acoustic absorption material