Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

To provide a vacuum cleaner capable of effectively preventing damage to a fan and a fan case without significantly decreasing the suction force. The vacuum cleaner 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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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 , 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  claim 3 , 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  claim 3 , 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  claim 1 , wherein the first collection portion is adapted to automatically or manually dispose sucked objects that have been collected. 
     
     
         10 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein an inside of the first collection portion is visible. 
     
     
         11 . The vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , 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.