CN111195108B - Electric vacuum cleaner and container - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides an electric dust collector and a container capable of being used for the electric dust collector. An autonomous vacuum cleaner (10), which is an example of an electric vacuum cleaner, is provided with a main body (11) and a container (40). The container (40) is provided with: an accommodating section (43) for accommodating the sucked dust; and a cover (41) that covers the housing section (43) in a state in which the housing section (43) is housed inside the main body (11). The lid (41) and the housing section (43) of the container (40) are configured to be integrally detachable with respect to the main body (11). This can improve the convenience of the electric vacuum cleaner.

Description

Electric vacuum cleaner and container

Technical Field

The present invention relates to an electric vacuum cleaner and a container usable with the electric vacuum cleaner.

Background

In recent years, a self-propelled cleaner, which is one type of electric vacuum cleaner, has been gaining popularity. Accordingly, various techniques for improving the performance of the self-propelled cleaner have been developed. Specifically, for example, japanese patent application laid-open No. 2007-143667 (hereinafter referred to as "patent document 1") proposes a self-propelled cleaner provided with a detachable dust box for accumulating dust sucked by a suction motor. Patent document 1 discloses a technique for fixing a main body and a dust box in a state where the suction path has high airtightness.

The performance of the autonomous vacuum cleaner for sucking dust is important for a user. Further, since the user himself/herself performs the operation of discarding the dust accumulated in the dust box, the convenience of handling the dust box is also important for the user.

Therefore, a technique is desired that can improve the performance of the self-propelled cleaner and improve the convenience of the user.

Disclosure of Invention

The invention provides a technology for improving convenience of an electric dust collector or a container.

The invention provides an electric dust collector which comprises a main body and a container. The container has: a housing for housing the sucked dust; and a cover covering the accommodating part in a state where the accommodating part is accommodated in the main body. The cover and the housing portion of the container are configured to be integrally detachable with respect to the main body.

Further, the present invention is a container for containing dust sucked by an electric vacuum cleaner. The container is provided with: an accommodating portion for accommodating the sucked dust; and a cover covering the housing part in a state where the housing part is housed inside the main body of the electric vacuum cleaner. The cover and the housing are configured to be integrally detachable with respect to the main body of the electric vacuum cleaner.

In addition, any combination of the above-described constituent elements and a content obtained by converting the expression of the present invention between a method, an apparatus, a system, a recording medium, a computer program, and the like is also effective as a technical means of the present invention.

The present invention can provide a technique for improving the convenience of an electric vacuum cleaner or a container.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the self-propelled cleaner of the present embodiment, as viewed from obliquely above.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner.

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner.

Fig. 4 is a front view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner.

Fig. 5 is a right side view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the self-propelled cleaner with the dust box removed from the main body.

Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the self-propelled cleaner with the dust box removed from the main body.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the chassis of the autonomous vacuum cleaner.

Fig. 9 is a front view, a central longitudinal section, of the self-propelled cleaner in a state where the dust box is housed in the main body.

Fig. 10 is a front longitudinal sectional view of the main body and the dust box of the self-propelled cleaner in a state where the dust box is detached from the main body and separated.

Fig. 11 is a diagram illustrating an example of the dimensional relationship on the bottom surface side of the main body of the self-propelled cleaner.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of a main portion showing an example of a dimensional relationship of a front portion of a right side surface of a main body of the self-propelled cleaner.

Fig. 13A is a plan view of the dust box with the lid closed.

Fig. 13B is a side view of the dust box in a state where the cover is closed.

Fig. 13C is a plan view of the dust box with the cover opened.

Fig. 13D is a side view of the dust box with the cover opened.

Fig. 14A is a side view showing a state in the middle of opening the filter from the state of the dust box shown in fig. 13D.

Fig. 14B is a side view showing a state where the filter is further opened and is completely opened from the state of the dust box shown in fig. 14A.

Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the dust box with the cover opened.

Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the dust box as viewed from below.

Fig. 17 is a partially enlarged front view of the self-propelled cleaner, in which the front view is a central longitudinal section.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the self-propelled cleaner of the present embodiment.

Fig. 19 is a main part sectional view of the periphery of the locking portion of the dust box in a state where the cover is closed.

Fig. 20 is a partial cross-sectional view of the dust box showing the periphery of the locking portion in the state in which the cover is being opened.

Fig. 21 is a partial cross-sectional view of the dust box in the vicinity of the locking portion in a state where the locking portion of the lid is disengaged from the locked portion of the body.

Fig. 22 is a bottom view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner.

Fig. 23 is a main-part cross-sectional view of the periphery of the step sensor of the autonomous vacuum cleaner.

Fig. 24 is an exploded perspective view showing a positional relationship of a peripheral structure of an air intake duct portion of the self-propelled cleaner.

Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the intake duct portion.

Fig. 26 is a side view, central cross-sectional view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner.

Detailed Description

Next, as an embodiment of the present invention, a technique for improving the convenience of a dust box provided in an electric vacuum cleaner, the dust box being a container for storing dust sucked by the electric vacuum cleaner, will be described. Further, as an example of the electric vacuum cleaner, a self-propelled vacuum cleaner that cleans a floor surface while autonomously traveling along the floor surface will be described.

(embodiment mode)

An exemplary self-propelled cleaner 10 of the electric vacuum cleaner according to the present embodiment will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

[ INTEGRATED STRUCTURE OF SELF-PROPELLED DUST COLLECTOR ]

The overall configuration of the self-propelled cleaner 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the respective drawings of fig. 1 to 12 in sequence.

Hereinafter, for example, as shown in the drawings, the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with the side on which the brush 15 is disposed as the front side and the opposite side as the rear side. The left side of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 will be referred to as the left side and the right side of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 will be referred to as the right side when the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 is viewed from the front. The description will be made with the ground surface side (bottom surface 13 side of the main body 11) as the lower side and the opposite side (top surface 12 side) as the upper side.

First, a housing structure of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 1. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 according to the present embodiment, as viewed from obliquely above.

As shown in fig. 1, the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 of the present embodiment includes a main body 11, and the main body 11 has a top surface 12 and a bottom surface 13 and forms a housing. The main body 11 has an operation portion 16 provided on the rear side of the top surface 12. The operation unit 16 can receive instruction input from a user, such as a dust suction operation. The self-propelled cleaner 10 performs a cleaning operation based on an instruction received from a user via the operation unit 16.

The autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 includes a control circuit 62 (see fig. 9) and a battery unit 63 (see fig. 9) provided at the rear portion in the main body 11 and below the operation unit 16. The control circuit 62 controls the operation of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10. The battery unit 63 is composed of a secondary battery or the like described later, and supplies power to the control circuit 62 or the like. This facilitates wiring processing of signal lines between the operation unit 16 and the control circuit 62, power lines between the battery unit 63 and the control circuit 62 and the operation unit 16, and the like.

In the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10, autonomous traveling and cleaning operations of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 are controlled by a control program executed by the control circuit 62.

Specifically, first, the control circuit 62 acquires detection results detected by various sensors described later in order to detect the surroundings. The control circuit 62 controls driving of the driving wheels 17a and 17b for moving the main body 11, the brush 15 for cleaning a ground surface such as a ground surface with which the driving wheels 17a and 17b are in contact, and the like based on the detection result.

The details of the control circuit 62 and the battery unit 63 will be described later.

Further, the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 includes a dust box 40 constituting a container. The dust box 40 is housed in a housing portion 30 (see fig. 6) formed on the front side in the main body 11. The dust box 40 accommodates dust and the like sucked by the self-propelled cleaner 10.

The dust box 40 includes a cover 41, an accommodating portion 43 (see fig. 7), and the like. When the dust box 40 is housed in the main body 11, the cover 41 covers the dust box 40 to prevent the housing part 43 housing dust from being seen from the outside. The cover 41 constitutes a part of the top surface 12 of the main body 11 when the dust box 40 is housed in the main body 11. This improves the appearance of the self-propelled cleaner 10.

The cover 41 has a notch 42 formed on the front side of the cover 41. The notch 42 is used for a user to hook a finger when opening the cover 41.

In addition, details regarding the dust box 40 will be described later.

The autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 includes a first protruding portion 14a and a second protruding portion 14b, and the first protruding portion 14a and the second protruding portion 14b are provided so as to protrude outward at both front end portions of the bottom surface 13 of the main body 11, and are collectively referred to as the protruding portions 14. In the present embodiment, a brush 15 for cleaning the floor and collecting dust is provided only on the first protrusion 14a on the left side of the main body 11. That is, since the brush 15 is provided in the first projecting portion 14a, the brush 15 can reach deeper places such as corners of a room and gaps of furniture to collect dust. Therefore, the cleaning effect of the self-propelled cleaner 10 can be improved.

The brush 15 may be provided on the second projecting portion 14b, or the brush may be provided on both the first projecting portion 14a and the second projecting portion 14 b. Further, only one of the first protruding portion 14a and the second protruding portion 14b on which the brush 15 is disposed may be provided on the main body 11.

Next, the structure of the top surface 12 of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10.

As shown in fig. 2, the top surface 12 of the main body 11 has an inverted triangle shape whose width increases from the rear portion toward the front portion in a plan view, and is formed in a shape in which corners of each vertex of the inverted triangle are rounded (rounded shape).

The top surface 12 of the main body 11 is provided with an infrared sensor 21 disposed at the left and right centers near the front end. The infrared sensor 21 receives infrared light emitted from a charging stand (not shown), for example. In particular, when the main body 11 is docked with the charging dock, the infrared sensor 21 receives infrared light from the charging dock. This enables the main body 11 and the charging stand to be butted against each other with high accuracy.

Next, the structure of the bottom surface 13 of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10.

As shown in fig. 3, the main body 11 includes a pair of left and right driving wheels 17a and 17b provided on the front side of the bottom surface 13, an auxiliary wheel 18 provided on the rear side, a suction port 19 for sucking dust, and the like, and a main brush 15a is provided at the suction port 19. The suction port 19 is formed at a position further toward the front side than the pair of driving wheels 17a and 17 b.

The bottom surface 13 of the main body 11 includes four step sensors, i.e., a first step sensor 24a, a second step sensor 24b, a third step sensor 24c, and a fourth step sensor 24d, which are collectively referred to as step sensors 24, disposed in the vicinity of both side ends of the front and rear portions. The step sensor 24 detects a step on the ground. When the level difference sensor 24 detects a level difference on the floor surface, the control circuit 62 (see fig. 9) performs control so as to retract the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 in a direction away from the level difference and to travel while avoiding the level difference.

The pair of left and right driving wheels 17a and 17b are disposed so that the rear portion thereof protrudes outward when viewed from the top surface 12 of the inverted triangular body 11. Therefore, the bottom surface 13 of the main body 11 is formed in a home-base shape with rounded corners. In addition, the above description has been given by taking as an example the configuration in which the main brush 15a is disposed at the suction port 19, but the present invention is not limited thereto. For example, the suction port 19 may not be provided with the main brush.

Next, the front structure of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 4. Fig. 4 is a front view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10.

As shown in fig. 4, the main body 11 includes a first ultrasonic sensor 23a and a second ultrasonic sensor 23b, which are collectively referred to as an ultrasonic sensor 23, provided on the front surface. The ultrasonic sensor 23 detects an obstacle, such as a wall, present in front of the self-propelled cleaner 10 in the forward direction. The ultrasonic sensor 23 can also accurately detect an obstacle formed of a material such as glass through which infrared rays can pass. Therefore, the self-propelled cleaner 10 can be advanced while avoiding contact with an obstacle more reliably.

Specifically, in fig. 4, the self-propelled cleaner 10 of the present embodiment emits ultrasonic waves forward from the second ultrasonic sensor 23b on the right side. The released ultrasonic waves are reflected by an obstacle or the like. The reflected ultrasonic wave is received by the first ultrasonic sensor 23a on the left side. Thereby detecting an obstacle or the like existing in front. Further, the following configuration may be adopted: the ultrasonic waves are emitted from the first ultrasonic sensor 23a on the left side, and the ultrasonic waves reflected by an obstacle or the like are received by the second ultrasonic sensor 23b on the right side.

Next, the structure of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 on the side surface side will be described with reference to fig. 4 and 5. Fig. 5 is a right side view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10.

As shown in fig. 4, the main body 11 includes at least an infrared sensor 22a provided on the left side surface on the front side. The infrared sensor 22a measures the distance to surrounding obstacles. More specifically, the infrared sensor 22a includes a light emitting element that emits infrared rays, a light receiving element that receives infrared rays reflected by an obstacle, and the like. In the self-propelled cleaner 10 of the present embodiment, when cleaning a corner of a room, in particular, the cleaning is performed by bringing the position on the front left side (see fig. 4) of the main body 11 where the brush 15 is disposed closer to the corner. Therefore, as an infrared sensor for measuring a distance to an obstacle, it is necessary to dispose the infrared sensor 22a at a position on the front left side of the main body 11 shown in fig. 4. That is, it is preferable that the infrared sensor 22a is disposed only in a position near the front left side of the main body 11 shown in fig. 4. This can reduce the cost of the self-propelled cleaner 10. However, as shown in fig. 4 and 5, the infrared sensor 22a and the infrared sensor 22b may be provided at positions on the front left side and the front right side of the main body 11, respectively. This provides an effect of more reliably detecting an obstacle around the main body 11.

Next, the configuration around the housing section 30 of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 6 and 7. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the self-propelled cleaner 10 in a state where the dust box 40 is removed from the main body 11. Fig. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the self-propelled cleaner 10 in a state where the dust box 40 is detached from the main body 11.

As shown in fig. 6, the main body 11 has a housing 30 formed by the chassis 20 (see fig. 8) in the front portion. The housing 30 houses a dust box 40 as a container. The housing 30 has a first opening 31, a third opening 32, and the like. The first opening 31 is connected to a suction port 19 formed in the bottom surface 13 of the main body 11. The third opening 32 is connected to a suction port (not shown) of the suction motor 61 (see fig. 9) via a flow passage 66 of the intake duct portion 60 described later with reference to fig. 26.

As shown in fig. 7, the dust box 40 includes an accommodating portion 43, a cover 41, and a filter 44 openable and closable with respect to the accommodating portion 43. The housing portion 43 houses dust and the like sucked from the suction port 19. The cover 41 is disposed to cover the upper side of the accommodating portion 43, and the cover 41 constitutes a part of the top surface 12 of the main body 11 in a state where the dust box 40 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 30 of the main body 11. The filter 44 functions so as not to allow dust contained in the container 43 to pass therethrough, but to allow air to pass therethrough. Thereby accommodating dust and the like in the accommodating portion 43.

The upper portion of the filter 44 is locked to the top surface 12 of the body 11 and closed by an opening/closing mechanism 45 provided at the upper portion of the housing portion 43. On the other hand, when the user discards dust contained in the containing section 43, the button 47 (see fig. 13C) provided on the top surface of the containing section 43, which will be described later, is first pressed. Thus, the filter 44 that can be opened and closed with respect to the housing 43 is configured to be opened by engagement and disengagement with the housing 43 by the opening and closing mechanism 45.

As described above, the cover 41 has the notch portion 42, and the user can catch his or her finger when opening the cover 41. On the other hand, the housing portion 30 includes a recess 33, and the recess 33 is formed in the top surface 12 of the main body 11 to have a depth enough to allow a finger of a user to enter. The recess 33 is formed at a position: in a state where the dust box 40 is accommodated in the accommodating portion 30, the recess 33 faces the notch 42 of the cover 41. This allows the user to easily open the cover 41 by putting a finger into the recess 33 and hooking the finger to the notch 42 of the cover 41. The opening surface of the first opening 31 of the housing portion 30 is formed obliquely so as to face obliquely upward. Here, the opening surface is inclined so as to face obliquely upward, which means the following state: the upper end portion of the first opening 31 on the upper side is inclined forward with respect to the lower end portion of the first opening 31 on the lower side.

In addition, the reason for disposing the first opening 31 obliquely will be described later.

Next, a schematic configuration of the chassis 20 included in the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 8. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the chassis 20 of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10.

As shown in fig. 8, the chassis 20 has a housing 30 formed at a front side for housing a dust box 40. Further, the chassis 20 has an intake duct portion 60 disposed on the rear side. The air intake duct portion 60 is formed with a flow path 66, and air sucked from the suction port 19 by the suction force of the suction motor 61 (see fig. 9) and passed through the filter 44 of the dust box 40 flows through the flow path 66 (see fig. 26).

In addition, details of the intake duct portion 60 will be described later.

Next, the internal structure of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 9. Fig. 9 is a front vertical cross-sectional view of the self-propelled cleaner 10 in a state where the dust box 40 is housed in the main body 11.

As shown in fig. 9, the front and rear surfaces of the accommodating portion 43 of the dust box 40 are formed obliquely so as to face obliquely downward. That is, the accommodating portion 43 of the dust box 40 has a shape in which the width in the front-rear direction is narrowed toward the lower portion in the state of being accommodated in the accommodating portion 30. This allows the dust box 40 to be easily attached to and detached from the housing 30. As a result, user convenience is improved. Here, the inclination facing obliquely downward means the following state: in the front surface of the accommodating portion 43, an upper end portion on an upper side of the front surface of the accommodating portion 43 is inclined to the front side with respect to a lower end portion on a lower side of the front surface. Another aspect refers to the following states: in the rear surface of the accommodating portion 43, an upper end portion of the rear surface of the accommodating portion 43 on an upper side is inclined rearward with respect to a lower end portion of the rear surface on a lower side.

As described above, the main body 11 includes the suction motor 61, the control circuit 62, the battery unit 63, and the like, which are disposed inside the rear portion. The suction motor 61 generates a suction force for sucking dust. The control circuit 62 controls the suction motor 61 and the respective constituent elements of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10. The battery unit 63 supplies power to the components such as the suction motor 61 and the control circuit 62.

Next, referring to fig. 10, the internal structure of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be further described. Fig. 10 is a front view, central longitudinal sectional view, of the main body 11 and the dust box 40 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 in a state where the dust box 40 is detached from the main body 11 and separated.

As shown in fig. 10, the first opening 31 of the housing portion 30 of the main body 11 is formed obliquely so as to face obliquely upward as described above. An opening surface of the second opening 46 connected to the first opening 31 of the dust box 40 is formed obliquely so as to face obliquely downward. Here, the opening surface is inclined so as to face obliquely downward, which means the following state: the upper end portion of the second opening 46 on the upper side is inclined forward with respect to the lower end portion of the second opening 46 on the lower side. Thus, when the dust box 40 is stored in the storage part 30, the second opening 46 of the dust box 40 is stored in a manner of being pressed against the first opening 31 of the storage part 30 by the self weight of the dust box 40. Therefore, the airtightness between the first opening 31 and the second opening 46 is improved.

Similarly, the third opening 32 of the housing 30 is formed obliquely so as to face obliquely upward. The filter 44 connected to the third opening 32 of the dust box 40 is obliquely attached so as to face obliquely downward. Here, the inclination facing obliquely downward means the following state: the upper end portion of the filter 44 on the upper side is inclined rearward with respect to the lower end portion of the filter 44 on the lower side. Thus, when the dust box 40 is stored in the storage part 30, the dust box 40 is stored in such a manner that the opening of the filter 44 of the dust box 40 is pressed against the third opening 32 of the storage part 30 by the self weight of the dust box 40. Therefore, the airtightness between the opening of the filter 44 and the third opening 32 is improved.

That is, in the case where the dust box 40 needs to be frequently attached and detached when the self-propelled cleaner 10 is used, the user can easily attach and detach the dust box 40 to and from the housing 30 while maintaining high airtightness. As a result, the self-propelled cleaner 10 having high suction performance can be realized.

Next, the dimensional relationship of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described specifically with reference to fig. 11. Fig. 11 is a diagram for explaining an example of the dimensional relationship on the bottom surface 13 side of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10.

As shown in fig. 11, the overall length a of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 is 249.0mm, for example, and the overall width B is 248.0mm, for example. The diameter C of the circumscribed circle circumscribed at the first protruding portion 14a and the second protruding portion 14b is, for example, 296.0 mm. The length D from the center of the circumscribed circle to the front end of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 is, for example, 117.0 mm.

Further, a length E of a line segment extending perpendicularly from a straight line l (lowercase letter l) extending in the left-right direction of the main body 11 through the center of the circumscribed circle to the rotation center of the brush 15 is, for example, 79.0 mm. The length F of a line segment extending perpendicularly from a straight line l (lowercase letter l) extending in the left-right direction of the main body 11 through the center of the circumscribed circle to the front end of the second step sensor 24b is, for example, 83.0 mm.

Further, a length G of a line segment extending perpendicularly from a straight line m extending in the front-rear direction of the main body 11 through the center of the circumscribed circle to the rotation center of the brush 15 is, for example, 98.0 mm. The length H of a line segment extending perpendicularly from a straight line m passing through the center of the circumscribed circle and extending in the front-rear direction of the main body 11 to the outer end of the second step sensor 24b is, for example, 112.0 mm.

The total length A is preferably in the range of 240mm to 260mm, more preferably 249.0 mm. The full width B is preferably in the range of 240mm to 260mm, more preferably in the range of 248.0mm to 248.4 mm. The diameter C of the circumscribed circle is preferably in the range of 290 to 310mm, more preferably 296.0 to 296.7 mm.

The length D is preferably in the range of 110mm to 130mm, more preferably 117.0 mm. The length E is preferably in the range of 70mm to 90mm, more preferably in the range of 79.0mm to 79.4 mm. The length F is preferably in the range of 80mm to 100mm, more preferably 83.0 mm.

The width G is preferably in the range of 90mm to 110mm, more preferably in the range of 98.0mm to 98.2 mm. The width H is preferably in the range of 100mm to 120mm, more preferably in the range of 112.0mm to 112.3 mm.

Next, the vertical dimensional relationship of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described in detail with reference to fig. 12. Fig. 12 is an enlarged view of a main part showing an example of a dimensional relationship of a front portion of the right side surface of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10.

As shown in fig. 12, the overall height of the self-propelled cleaner 10, that is, the height I (capital english letter I) from the ground surface K of the driving wheels 17a and 17b to the upper end of the infrared sensor 21 is 92 mm. The height J from the ground surface N to the bottom surface 13 is 20 mm.

The height I (capital English letter I) is preferably in the range of 80mm to 100mm, and more preferably 92 mm. The height J is preferably in the range of 10mm to 30mm, more preferably in the range of 20.0mm to 20.5 mm.

The numerical values described with reference to fig. 11 and 12 are examples, and the design can be performed by changing the numerical values. For example, the design may be performed using a numerical value obtained by multiplying the numerical value of each part by a predetermined coefficient (for example, 0.5 to 2). This improves the degree of freedom in designing the self-propelled cleaner 10. In particular, if the motor, the circuit board, and the like housed in the main body can be downsized, the design can be performed by using a value obtained by multiplying the above-described value of the example by a value of 1.0 or less. This enables a smaller self-propelled cleaner 10 to be realized.

[ Structure of dust collecting case ]

Next, the structure of the dust box 40 as a container of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 13A to 13D. Fig. 13A is a plan view of the dust box 40 in a state where the lid 41 is closed (corresponding to a state when it is stored in the storage section 30 of the main body 11). Fig. 13B is a side view of the dust box 40 with the lid 41 closed. Fig. 13C is a plan view of the dust box 40 in a state where the lid 41 is opened (corresponding to a state when removed from the housing 30 of the body 11). Fig. 13D is a side view of the dust box 40 with the lid 41 opened.

As shown in fig. 13B and 13D, the cover 41 is pivotally supported so as to be rotatable about a shaft 50 as a rotating shaft, and the shaft 50 is provided on a top surface 43a of the accommodating portion 43 accommodating the sucked dust. When the user hooks his or her finger on the notch 42 of the cover 41 and pulls up the cover 41, the cover 41 is rotated upward about the shaft 50, and the top surface 43a of the accommodating portion 43 is opened.

When the cover 41 is rotated, as shown in fig. 13C, the push button 47 provided on the top surface 43a of the accommodating portion 43 appears. The button 47 functions as a button for opening the filter 44 as an opening/closing unit when dust contained in the container 43 is discarded. Therefore, the push button 47 is configured to be operable only in a state where the dust box 40 is detached from the main body 11. That is, the button 47 is covered and hidden by the cover 41 in a state where the dust box 40 is housed in the main body 11. This can prevent the user from erroneously operating the button 47 when dust is not discarded. In addition, the appearance of the self-propelled cleaner 10 is improved.

Next, the opening and closing operation of the filter 44 of the dust box 40 will be described with reference to fig. 14A and 14B. Fig. 14A is a side view showing a state in the middle of opening the filter 44 from the state of the dust box 40 shown in fig. 13D. Fig. 14B is a side view showing a state where the filter 44 is further opened and completely opened from the state of the dust box 40 shown in fig. 14A.

As shown in fig. 14A, when the user presses the visible button 47 in a state where the lid 41 of the dust box 40 is opened (corresponding to fig. 13C), the upper portion of the filter 44 and the upper portion of the housing portion 43 are engaged and disengaged by the opening and closing mechanism 45 shown in fig. 7. At this time, the filter 44 is pivotally supported at the lower end side to the accommodating portion 43 via a shaft 51 as a rotating shaft. Therefore, when the engagement between the housing portion 43 and the filter 44 is disengaged, the filter 44 is rotated downward about the shaft 51 by the self weight of the filter 44 as shown in fig. 14B, and the opening 48 of the housing portion 43 is opened. Thus, by simply pressing the button 47, the filter 44 can be opened to discard the dust contained in the container 43. Therefore, the convenience of the user is improved.

As shown in fig. 14A and 14B, the dust box 40 of the present embodiment is configured such that the range of the rotation angle α of the lid 41 with respect to the top surface 43a of the housing portion 43 is limited to an acute angle. I.e., limited to: even in a state where the cover 41 is opened to the maximum extent, the rotation angle α of the cover 41 with respect to the top surface 43a of the accommodating portion 43 does not exceed a right angle.

As described above, the second opening 46 of the accommodating portion 43 is formed obliquely so as to face obliquely downward. Therefore, when the dust box 40 is directly detached from the main body 11 in the posture at the time of storage, there is a possibility that the dust contained in the containing portion 43 may be spilled from the second opening 46 directed obliquely downward.

However, in the dust box 40 of the present embodiment, the cover 41 and the housing portion 43 are integrally formed via the shaft 50. The dust box 40 is configured such that the rotation angle α of the cover 41 with respect to the top surface 43a of the housing portion 43 does not exceed a right angle. Therefore, when the user grips the lid 41 of the dust box 40 and removes the dust box 40 from the main body 11 for transportation, the second opening 46 of the accommodating portion 43 can be directed slightly obliquely upward if the user grips the dust box so that the lid 41 is oriented substantially vertically. This can reduce the possibility that dust contained in the container 43 will fall through the second opening 46.

When the user holds the cover 41 and pushes the button 47 with the top surface 43a of the housing portion 43 opened, the filter 44 is opened. At this time, the opening 48 of the accommodating portion 43 of the dust box 40 is slightly directed obliquely downward. This makes it easy for dust contained in the container 43 to fall to the outside through the opening 48. Therefore, the convenience and operability of the user are improved.

In addition, the following structure is desired: the cover 41 is pivotally supported to be rotatable relative to the top surface 43a of the accommodating portion 43 within the following ranges: the rotation angle α of the cover 41 with respect to the top surface 43a of the housing portion 43 is smaller than an angle at which the cover 41 is to be parallel to the opening surface of the second opening 46. This can further reduce dust from spilling through the second opening 46 of the housing portion 43.

Next, the structure of the cover 41 of the dust box 40 will be described with reference to fig. 15 to 17. Fig. 15 is a perspective view of the dust box 40 with the lid 41 opened. Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the dust box 40 as viewed from below. Fig. 17 is a partially enlarged front view of the self-propelled cleaner 10, which is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the center.

First, as shown in fig. 15, the cover 41 has a rib 52 provided on the back surface of the cover 41 (the surface facing the top surface 43a of the housing portion 43), particularly on the back side of the peripheral edge of the notch portion 42, for reinforcing the cover 41. This can reduce deformation of the cover 41. When the dust box 40 is detached from the main body 11, the user can easily grip the cover 41 by hooking his or her fingers to the rib 52 through the notch 42. Therefore, the convenience and operability of the user are further improved.

As shown in fig. 15, the ribs 52 are formed not only at the portion where the user catches his or her fingers, but also at a plurality of portions on the back surface of the cover 41.

The cover 41 has a pair of left and right first engaging portions 49a and second engaging portions 49b formed on the back surface and extending downward. When the dust box 40 is stored in the storage portion 30 of the main body 11, the first locking portion 49a and the second locking portion 49b are locked to the locked portion 34b provided in the main body 11 (see fig. 19). Thereby, the cover 41 and the housing portion 43 constituting the dust box 40 are fixed in the housing portion 30 of the body 11. Here, the first locking portion 49a and the second locking portion 49b may be collectively referred to as a locking portion 49.

Further, details about the click section 49 will be described later.

As shown in fig. 16, the cover 41 of the dust box 40 has an area larger than that of the top surface 43a of the accommodating portion 43. Therefore, when the user discards dust contained in the containing portion 43 of the dust box 40 in a dust box or the like, the back surface of the cover 41 which does not overlap with the containing portion 43 can be fixed in abutment with the upper opening edge of the dust box. This makes it easy to discard the dust contained in the container 43, thereby improving user convenience. Further, dust raised when the dust is discarded from the storage portion 43 into a trash can or the like can be shielded by the cover 41 abutting against the opening of the trash can. Therefore, dust scattering can be suppressed. Also, a rib 52 is formed in a portion of the back surface of the cover 41 against which a user abuts the upper opening edge of the trash. This makes it possible to realize a strong structure that is not easily deformed even if the lid 41 is abutted against the trash can lid 41.

As shown in fig. 17, the cover 41 has a rib 52 provided on the back side of the peripheral edge of the cutout 42. The rib 52 is formed at a position where the user can pull the cover 41 upward by hooking his or her finger, that is, at a position retreated from the end 42a of the notch 42 toward the housing portion 43. Thus, the user can easily open the lid 41 by putting his or her finger into the recess 33 of the main body 11 and pulling up the peripheral edge of the notch 42 with his or her finger. Therefore, the convenience and operability of the user are improved. In addition, the rib 52 partially closes the gap between the recess 33 and the cover 41. This improves the appearance of the self-propelled cleaner 10.

Here, another configuration example of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 18. Fig. 18 is a perspective view showing another configuration example of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10.

As described above, according to the technique of the present embodiment, the dust box 40 is housed in the front portion of the main body 11, and a part of the front portion of the top surface 12 is constituted by the cover 41 of the dust box 40. That is, the appearance of the top surface 12 of the main body 11 is divided into a front portion and a rear portion. Therefore, the following configuration can be adopted: an external device 27 such as a sensor, a lamp, and a tachograph is mounted on the rear side of the top surface 12 where the cover 41 is not provided.

Further, although a sensor is exemplified as an example of the external device 27, for example, a LIDAR (Light Detection And Ranging: Light Imaging Detection And Ranging: Laser radar) or the like for measuring a distance to an obstacle, a position of the obstacle, And the like can be exemplified.

Next, referring to fig. 19 to 21, the locking portion 49 of the lid 41 of the dust box 40 will be further described.

In fig. 19 to 21, the second locking portion 49b of the locking portion 49 is described as an example, and the first locking portion 49a is also the same, so that the description thereof is omitted.

Fig. 19 is a main part sectional view of the periphery of the second locking portion 49b in a state where the cover 41 of the dust box 40 is closed. Fig. 20 is a sectional view of the periphery of the second locking portion 49b of the dust box 40 when the cover 41 is opened. Fig. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of the second locking portion 49b when the second locking portion 49b of the cover 41 of the dust box 40 is disengaged from the engaged portion 34 b.

First, as shown in fig. 19, when the dust box 40 is housed in the housing portion 30 of the main body 11 and the lid 41 is closed, the pair of left and right first locking portions 49a (see fig. 15) and the second locking portion 49b provided on the back surface of the lid 41 are engaged with the pair of left and right locked portions (not shown) provided on the main body 11 and the lower ends of the locked portions 34b from the front side (front side). Thereby fixing the dust box 40 to the body 11.

At this time, the tip of the projection 53b provided on the rear surface of the cover 41 and located rearward of the shaft 50 presses the elastic portion 35b provided on the main body 11. Therefore, the protrusion 53b of the cover 41 is biased upward by the elastic portion 35 b. That is, the rear portion of the cover 41 behind the shaft 50 is biased upward. Thereby, a rotational force is applied to the lid 41 in a direction to close the lid 41 with the shaft 50 as a fulcrum. Therefore, airtightness inside the main body 11 by the cover 41 can be further improved, and the suction performance can be improved.

The second locking portion 49b is formed of a material such as a flexible thermoplastic resin, for example, an ABS resin. Therefore, as shown in fig. 20, when the user rotates the cover 41 upward, the second locking portion 49b of the dust box 40 moves forward (forward) while flexing. Thereby, the second engaging portion 49b is disengaged from the engaged portion 34b of the main body 11. At this time, the engaged portion 34b has an inclined surface 34ba inclined so as to face obliquely upward near the upper portion. Therefore, the stress acting on the second locking portion 49b due to the contact with the locked portion 34b is reduced. This can prevent the occurrence of a trouble such as breakage of the second locking portion 49 b.

As shown in fig. 21, when the second locking portion 49b of the dust box 40 is disengaged from the locked portion 34b of the main body 11, the elastic portion 35b returns to the natural length. Therefore, the lid 41 and the housing portion 43 are integrally pushed upward by the restoring force of the elastic portion 35 b. This allows the dust box 40 to be easily detached from the main body 11. As a result, the convenience and operability of the user are further improved.

[ Structure of step-difference sensor ]

Next, the level difference sensor 24 disposed on the bottom surface 13 side of the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 22 and 23. Fig. 22 is a bottom view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10. Fig. 23 is a main part sectional view around the step sensor 24.

Fig. 22 illustrates a state in which the covers 28 (see fig. 23) of the first step sensor 24a, the second step sensor 24b, the third step sensor 24c, and the fourth step sensor 24d, which are collectively referred to as the step sensors 24, are removed.

First, as shown in fig. 23, the level difference sensor 24 includes a light emitting element 25, a light receiving element 26, and the like arranged in a row.

At this time, as shown in fig. 22, the second step sensor 24b is disposed in a position forward of the first step sensor 24a, and is disposed so that the arrangement direction of the light emitting element 25 and the light receiving element 26 is directed obliquely forward (the second protruding portion 14 b). Thus, the second step sensor 24b has a function of detecting a step of a ground surface such as a ground surface on the front side or the left side. Therefore, the number of level difference sensors can be reduced, and the manufacturing cost of the self-propelled cleaner 10 can be reduced.

That is, in the self-propelled cleaner 10 of the present embodiment, the brush 15 is provided in the first protruding portion 14a, and the second step sensor 24b is provided in the vicinity of the second protruding portion 14 b. This can improve the cleaning performance while maintaining safety against, for example, dropping of the self-propelled cleaner 10.

The first step sensor 24a is disposed behind the vicinity of the first protrusion 14a such that the light emitting element 25 and the light receiving element 26 are aligned in the left-right direction of the main body 11. Therefore, the longitudinal dimension (overall length a (see fig. 11)) of the main body 11 can be reduced. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the self-propelled cleaner 10.

Next, the operation of the level difference sensor 24 will be described with reference to fig. 23. As described above, the level difference sensor 24 includes the light emitting element 25 that emits light such as laser light and the light receiving element 26 that detects light reflected by the floor surface and the like.

Specifically, as shown in fig. 23, the light emitting element 25 irradiates light toward the ground surface directly below. The light receiving element 26 receives light reflected by the ground or the like and incident obliquely. As a result, the light reflected by the ground surface can be received more efficiently than in the case where the light receiving element 26 is disposed in a position parallel to the ground surface, and the detection accuracy can be improved. Further, with the arrangement structure of the second level difference sensor 24b, the front level difference can be detected more quickly. Therefore, the safety of the self-propelled cleaner 10 can be further improved.

[ Structure of intake duct section ]

Next, the structure of the air intake duct portion 60 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 will be described with reference to fig. 24 to 26. Fig. 24 is an exploded perspective view showing a positional relationship of the structure around the intake duct portion 60. Fig. 25 is a perspective view of the intake duct portion 60. Fig. 26 is a side view, central cross-sectional view of the autonomous vacuum cleaner 10.

First, as shown in fig. 24, a flow path 66 (see fig. 26) or the like is formed in the air intake duct portion 60, and air flows between the suction motor 61 for sucking dust or the like and the housing portion 43 of the dust box 40 for housing the dust sucked by the suction motor 61 through the flow path 66.

Specifically, air containing dust and the like is sucked from the suction port 19 of the bottom surface 13 of the main body 11 by the suction force generated by the suction motor 61. The air containing dust and the like collects the dust in the housing portion 43 of the dust box 40. Then, the air having passed through the filter 44 from the housing portion 43 flows from the inlet 64 of the intake duct portion 60 into the flow path 66 of the intake duct portion 60. The air flowing into the flow path 66 is discharged to the outside by the suction motor 61.

Further, around the air intake duct portion 60, a control circuit 62 for controlling the suction motor 61, a battery unit 63 for supplying power to the control circuit 62 and the suction motor 61, and the like are arranged. The control circuit 62 and the battery unit 63 are disposed in the vicinity of a flow path 66 through which air flows, which is formed in the intake duct portion 60. Thereby, the control circuit 62 and the battery unit 63 are cooled by the air drawn in and flowing in the flow path 66. In addition, the battery unit 63 uses, for example, a rechargeable secondary battery.

Specifically, the control circuit 62 and the battery unit 63 are disposed at positions facing each other with a flow passage 66 formed in the intake duct portion 60 therebetween, for example, from the top-bottom direction. In the example shown in fig. 24, the control circuit 62 is disposed above the flow path 66, and the battery unit 63 is disposed below the flow path 66. Thus, the core components can be disposed at high density inside the main body 11 of the self-propelled cleaner 10 having a smaller height than width, such as under a sofa, and capable of being inserted. Therefore, the size, weight, and manufacturing cost of the self-propelled cleaner 10 can be reduced.

Further, the heavier battery unit 63 is provided below the flow path 66 of the intake duct portion 60. This lowers the center of gravity of the main body 11, and therefore, the stability of the self-propelled cleaner 10 during traveling or the like is improved.

The intake duct portion 60 is formed of a flame retardant material such as polyphenylene ether (PPE) to which a flame retardant is added.

As shown in fig. 25, the air intake duct portion 60 is formed in a shape surrounding the control circuit 62 and the battery unit 63. This can collect and hold components that may generate heat in the intake duct portion 60. Therefore, the battery unit 63 located below the flow path 66 and the control circuit 62 located above the flow path 66 can be efficiently cooled by the wind flowing through the flow path 66. As a result, the safety of the self-propelled cleaner 10 can be improved.

Further, even if combustible dust is accommodated in the accommodating portion 43 of the dust box 40, for example, in the present embodiment, heat generating components such as the control circuit 62 and the battery unit 63 are disposed so as to be separated from the accommodating portion 43. Therefore, the safety of the self-propelled cleaner 10 can be further improved.

The air intake duct portion 60 is not limited to being formed of PPE described above, and may be formed of any flame retardant material. For example, the air intake duct portion 60 may be formed of polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, polyvinyl acetate, polyurethane, polytetrafluoroethylene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene resin, acrylic resin, or the like to which a flame retardant is added. The air intake duct portion 60 may be formed of a thermoplastic resin such as polyamide, polyimide, polycarbonate, modified polyphenylene ether, polyester, polyethylene terephthalate, polyphenylene sulfide, or polyether ether ketone.

As shown in fig. 26, in the self-propelled cleaner 10 of the present embodiment, the suction motor 61 is disposed at a position where the suction direction is orthogonal to the dust box 40. Therefore, as indicated by the hollow arrows in the drawing, the air intake duct portion 60 forms a flow path 66 in the shape of a letter L bent at a right angle, for example. This enables the main body 11 to be downsized.

The suction motor 61 is not limited to the above-described arrangement position, and may be arranged at any position according to the shape, size, and the like of the main body 11. For example, the suction motor 61 may be disposed at a position facing the dust box 40 in the suction direction. In this case, a linear flow path is formed in the intake duct portion 60. This can reduce the width of the self-propelled cleaner 10 in the front-rear direction.

The present invention has been described above based on embodiments. These embodiments are illustrative, and various modifications can be made to the combination of these components and the processing steps, and these modifications naturally fall within the scope of the present invention.

That is, the technique of the present embodiment can be applied to any type of electric vacuum cleaner such as a stick type, a bucket type, and a hand-held type, in addition to the self-propelled vacuum cleaner described above. In addition, two or more techniques among the techniques of the above embodiments can be arbitrarily combined and applied.

As described above, the electric vacuum cleaner of the present invention includes the main body and the container. The container has: a housing for housing the sucked dust; and a cover covering the accommodating part in a state where the accommodating part is accommodated in the main body. The cover and the housing portion of the container are configured to be integrally detachable with respect to the main body. With this configuration, the container for accommodating dust can be easily attached and detached. Therefore, the convenience of the user is improved.

In addition, the following structure is desired: in the electric dust collector, the cover is provided with a locking part, and the main body is provided with a locked part. When the container housing portion of the container is housed inside the body, the locking portion engages with the locked portion, thereby fixing the container to the body. With this configuration, the container and the lid of the container can be integrally fixed to the main body.

In addition, the following structure is desired: the main body of the electric dust collector of the invention is provided with: a suction port from which dust is sucked; a housing section for housing a housing section of the container; and a first opening provided in the housing portion and connected to the suction port. The housing section has a second opening that is connected to the first opening when the housing section is housed in the housing section. The opening surface of the second opening is arranged such that the lower end of the opening surface is inclined downward and rearward with respect to the upper end surface of the opening surface. With this structure, the airtightness between the first opening and the second opening can be improved. Therefore, the suction performance of the electric vacuum cleaner can be improved.

In addition, the following structure is desired: the cover of the electric dust collector is supported by the shaft, and the cover can rotate relative to the top surface of the accommodating part within the range of acute angle relative to the rotation angle of the top surface of the accommodating part. With this configuration, dust can be reduced from spilling through the second opening of the housing portion.

In addition, the following structure is desired: the cover of the electric dust collector is supported by the shaft to rotate relative to the top surface of the containing part in the following range: the rotation angle of the cover with respect to the top surface of the housing portion is smaller than an angle at which the cover is to be parallel to the opening surface of the second opening. With this configuration, dust can be further reduced from spilling through the second opening.

In addition, the following structure is desirable: the accommodating part of the electric dust collector comprises: an opening through which dust contained in the containing section is discharged to the outside when the containing section is detached from the main body; an opening/closing section provided in the opening; a button provided on the top surface of the housing portion and operated to open the opening/closing portion; and an opening/closing mechanism for opening the opening/closing portion when the button is operated. With this configuration, it is possible to prevent a user from erroneously operating the button. In addition, the appearance of the electric dust collector can be improved.

Further, the present invention is a container for containing dust sucked by an electric vacuum cleaner. The container is provided with: a housing for housing the sucked dust; and a cover covering the housing part in a state where the housing part is housed inside the main body of the electric vacuum cleaner. The cover and the housing portion of the container are configured to be integrally detachable with respect to the main body of the electric vacuum cleaner. With this configuration, the container can be easily attached to and detached from the main body of the electric vacuum cleaner. Therefore, the convenience of the user can be improved.

Claims (7)

1. An electric vacuum cleaner, wherein,

the electric dust collector comprises a main body and a container,

the container has:

an accommodating portion for accommodating the sucked dust; and

a cover covering the housing part in a state where the housing part is housed in the main body,

the lid and the housing portion of the container are configured to be integrally detachable with respect to the main body,

the main body is provided with:

a suction port from which dust is sucked;

a housing portion for housing the housing portion of the container; and

a first opening provided in the housing portion and connected to the suction port,

the housing portion has a second opening that is connected to the first opening when the housing portion is housed in the housing portion,

an opening surface of the second opening is arranged such that a lower end portion of the opening surface is inclined downward and rearward with respect to an upper end portion surface of the opening surface,

the accommodating portion has a third opening on a face on a downstream side with respect to the second opening,

the cover is pivotally supported on the container above the third opening,

the filter pivotally supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the third opening is pivotally supported on the container below the third opening.

2. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1,

the cover has a locking portion which is provided with a locking portion,

the main body is provided with a locked part,

when the housing portion of the container is housed in the main body, the engaging portion engages with the engaged portion, thereby fixing the container to the main body.

3. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1 or 2,

the cover is pivotally supported so as to be rotatable with respect to the top surface of the housing portion within a range in which a rotation angle with respect to the top surface of the housing portion is an acute angle.

4. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 1,

the cover is pivotally supported to be rotatable with respect to the top surface of the accommodating portion within a range of: a rotation angle of the cover with respect to the top surface of the housing portion is smaller than an angle at which the cover is to be parallel to the opening surface of the second opening.

5. The electric vacuum cleaner according to any one of claims 1, 2, and 4,

the accommodating portion includes:

a third opening through which dust particles accommodated in the accommodating section are discharged to the outside when the accommodating section is detached from the main body;

the filter is arranged at the third opening;

a button provided on a top surface of the housing portion, the button being operated to open the filter; and

an opening/closing mechanism for opening the filter when the button is operated.

6. The electric vacuum cleaner according to claim 3,

the accommodating portion includes:

a third opening through which dust contained in the container is discharged to the outside when the container is detached from the main body;

the filter is arranged at the third opening;

a button provided on a top surface of the housing portion, the button being operated to open the filter; and

an opening/closing mechanism for opening the filter when the button is operated.

7. A container for containing dust sucked by an electric vacuum cleaner, wherein,

the container is provided with:

a housing for housing the sucked dust; and

a cover covering the housing part in a state where the housing part is housed in the main body of the electric vacuum cleaner,

the lid and the housing portion of the container are configured to be integrally detachable with respect to the main body,

the main body is provided with:

a suction port from which dust is sucked;

a housing portion for housing the housing portion of the container; and

a first opening provided in the housing portion and connected to the suction port,

the housing section has a second opening that is connected to the first opening when the housing section is housed in the housing section,

an opening surface of the second opening is arranged such that a lower end portion of the opening surface is inclined downward and rearward with respect to an upper end portion surface of the opening surface,

the accommodating portion has a third opening on a face on a downstream side with respect to the second opening,

the cover is pivotally supported on the container above the third opening,

the filter pivotally supported so as to be openable and closable with respect to the third opening is pivotally supported on the container below the third opening.

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