Electric vacuum cleaner

Abstract

Dust is trapped in a main dust collecting chamber by selecting a cleaning state through a switching mechanism where a switching valve provides communication between the main dust collecting chamber and the upstream side of an electric blower while an outside air incoming valve is closed to cut off the communication with outside air. The dust trapped in the main dust collecting chamber can be transferred to the auxiliary dust collecting chamber by selecting a dust transfer state through the switching mechanism where the switching valve provides communication between the auxiliary dust collecting chamber and the upstream side of the electric blower while the opening-closing valve provides communication between the main dust collecting chamber and the auxiliary dust collecting chamber, and the outside air incoming valve is opened to introduce outside air into the main dust collecting chamber, which can limit the reduction in suction power over time.

1 . An electric vacuum cleaner comprising: 
 a vacuum cleaner main body housing an electric blower and including a main body suction port communicating with the suction side of the electric blower;    a first dust collecting section having a filter and capable of communicating with outside air as well as trapping dust that is sucked therein through the main body suction port by driving the electric blower;    a second dust collecting section connected in a communicating manner to the first dust collecting section; and    a switching mechanism switchable selectively between a first state where the communication between the first dust collecting section and the upstream side of the electric blower is provided while the communication between the first dust collecting section and the second dust collecting section is cut off, and the upstream side of the first dust collecting section is opened while the communication with the outside air is cut off and a second state where the communication between the second dust collecting section and the upstream side of the electric blower is provided while the communication cutoff between the first dust collecting section and the second dust collecting section is released, and the upstream side of the first dust collecting section is closed while the communication cutoff with the outside air is released.    
     
     
         2 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the electric blower is disposed on the side of the first dust collecting section.    
     
     
         3 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the first dust collecting section is positioned above the second dust collecting section.    
     
     
         4 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the switching mechanism is adapted to introduce outside air from the backwash side of the filter in the first dust collecting section.    
     
     
         5 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , further comprising a dust removing mechanism for removing dust, that is trapped in the filter, from the filter.  
     
     
         6 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the second dust collecting section includes a detachable dust bag.    
     
     
         7 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the first dust collecting section is positioned above the second dust collecting section.    
     
     
         8 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 7 , wherein: 
 the switching mechanism is adapted to introduce outside air from the backwash side of the filter in the first dust collecting section.    
     
     
         9 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the switching mechanism is adapted to introduce outside air from the backwash side of the filter in the first dust collecting section.    
     
     
         10 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the switching mechanism is adapted to introduce outside air from the backwash side of the filter in the first dust collecting section.    
     
     
         11 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 10 , further comprising a dust removing mechanism for removing dust, that is trapped in the filter, from the filter.  
     
     
         12 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 9 , further comprising a dust removing mechanism for removing dust, that is trapped in the filter, from the filter.  
     
     
         13 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 8 , further comprising a dust removing mechanism for removing dust, that is trapped in the filter, from the filter.  
     
     
         14 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 7 , further comprising a dust removing mechanism for removing dust, that is trapped in the filter, from the filter.  
     
     
         15 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 4 , further comprising a dust removing mechanism for removing dust, that is trapped in the filter, from the filter.  
     
     
         16 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 3 , further comprising a dust removing mechanism for removing dust, that is trapped in the filter, from the filter.  
     
     
         17 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 2 , further comprising a dust removing mechanism for removing dust, that is trapped in the filter, from the filter.  
     
     
         18 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 2 , wherein: 
 the second dust collecting section includes a detachable dust bag.    
     
     
         19 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 3 , wherein: 
 the second dust collecting section includes a detachable dust bag.    
     
     
         20 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 4 , wherein: 
 the second dust collecting section includes a detachable dust bag.