Damping Member, Cleaning Device, and Suction Head

The present application claims priority to and incorporates by reference the entire contents of Japanese Patent Application No. 2024-088294 filed in Japan on May 30, 2024.

The techniques disclosed in the present teachings relate to a damping member, a cleaning device, and a suction head.

In a technical field relating to a cleaning device, a vacuum cleaner as disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-253206 is known. In Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2010-253206, a suction port body includes a suction head body, a cleaning unit, and an elastically deformable coil spring. The cleaning unit is supported by the coil spring in a non-contact and floatable state with respect to the suction head body.

When noise is generated from the cleaning device, discomfort is given to a user of the cleaning device and people around the cleaning device.

One non-limiting object of the present teachings is to reduce noise generating from a cleaning device.

In one non-limiting aspect of the present teachings, a damping member is for damping vibration of a cleaning device including a first member and a second member. The damping member may include: a first contact surface that is in contact with the first member; a second contact surface that is in contact with the second member. The first contact surface may include at least two contact surfaces facing in directions different from each other.

According to the present teachings, the noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In one or more embodiments, a damping member may damp vibrations of a cleaning device including a first member and a second member. The damping member may include a first contact surface that is in contact with the first member and a second contact surface that is in contact with the second member. The first contact surface may include at least two contact surfaces facing in directions different from each other.

In the configuration explained above, since the first contact surface includes the at least two contact surfaces facing in the directions different from each other, a contact area between the damping member and the first member increases. Therefore, the damping member can effectively damp vibration. Since the vibration is damped, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

When the first member is a vibration source, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from the first member to the second member. Since vibration of the second member is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced. Since the first contact surface includes the at least two contact surfaces facing in the directions different from each other, even if the first member vibrates in different directions, the damping member can effectively damp vibrations of the first member in a plurality of vibration directions. Since vibration of the second member is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

When the second member is a vibration source, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from the second member to the first member. Since the vibration of the first member is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced. Since the first contact surface includes the at least two contact surfaces facing in the directions different from each other, the damping member can effectively damp vibrations in a plurality of vibration directions input to the first member even if the directions of vibrations input to the first member are different from one another. Since the vibration of the first member is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In the one or more embodiments, the second contact surface may include at least two contact surfaces facing in directions different from each other.

In the configuration explained above, when the first member is a vibration source, since the second contact surface includes the at least two contact surfaces facing in the directions different from each other, the damping member can effectively damp vibrations in a plurality of vibration directions even if the directions of vibrations input to the second member are different from one another. When the second member is a vibration source, since the second contact surface includes the at least two contact surfaces facing in the directions different from each other, the damping member can effectively damp vibrations in a plurality of vibration directions even if the second member vibrates in different directions.

In the one or more embodiments, the damping member may comprise a tubular portion. The first contact surface may include the outer surface of the tubular portion. The second contact surface may include the inner surface of the tubular portion.

In the configuration explained above, when the first member is in contact with the outer surface of the tubular portion and the second member is in contact with the inner surface of the tubular portion, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from one member of the first member and the second member to the other member.

In the one or more embodiments, the second contact surface may include one or both of the upper surface and the lower surface of the damping member.

In the configuration explained above, when the second member is in contact with one or both of the upper surface and the lower surface of the damping member, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from one member of the first member and the second member to the other member.

In the one or more embodiments, the damping member may include an opening in which at least a portion of the second member is disposed.

In the configuration explained above, when at least a part of the second member is disposed in the opening of the damping member, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from one member of the first member and the second member to the other member.

In the one or more embodiments, the damping member may include a tubular portion, a first flange portion connected to one end portion of the tubular portion, and a second flange portion connected to another end portion of the tubular portion. The first contact surface may include the outer surface of the tubular portion, a first surface of the first flange portion, and a second surface of the second flange portion. The second contact surface may include the inner surface of the tubular portion, a third surface of the first flange portion, and a fourth surface of the second flange portion.

In the configuration explained above, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from one member of the first member and the second member to the other member.

In the one or more embodiments, one or both of the first flange portion and the second flange portion may include a plurality of grooves provided at intervals in the circumferential direction.

In the configuration explained above, when the grooves are provided in the first flange portion, the first flange portion is easily bent and deformed by the grooves. Therefore, the damping member can effectively damp vibration. When the damping member is inserted into the opening provided in the first member or the second member, the first flange portion is easily bent and deformed. Therefore, the damping member is easily inserted into the opening. The same applies when the grooves are provided in the second flange portion.

In the one or more embodiments, the damping member may include one surface, another surface facing a direction opposite to a direction in which the one surface faces, a first recess provided on the one surface, and a second recess provided on the other surface. The first contact surface may include a bottom surface of the first recess and an inner side surface of the first recess. The second contact surface may include a bottom surface of the second recess and an inner side surface of the second recess.

In the configuration explained above, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from one member of the first member and the second member to the other member. The damping member can transmit a rotational force of the first member to the second member while allowing a change in relative positions of the first member and the second member.

In the one or more embodiments, the damping member may be disposed around a fixing member that fixes the first member and the second member.

In the configuration explained above, in a state in which the first member and the second member are fixed by the fixing member, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from one member of the first member and the second member to the other member.

In the one or more embodiments, the cleaning device may include a housing including a suction port, a brush disposed in the suction port, a drive unit that rotates the brush, a case that supports at least a portion of the drive unit, and the damping member. The first member may include the case and the second member may include the housing.

In the configuration explained above, when the case of the drive unit is a vibration source, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from the case to the housing. Since vibration of the housing is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In the one or more embodiments, the drive unit may include a motor and a gear that transmits a rotational force generated by the motor to the brush. The case may support the gear.

In the configuration explained above, when the case of the gear is a vibration source, the damping member can damp the vibration transmitted from the case to the housing. Since vibration of the housing is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In the one or more embodiments, the drive unit may include a motor. The case may support the motor.

In the configuration explained above, when the case of the motor is the vibration source, the damping member can damp the vibration transmitted from the case to the housing. Since vibration of the housing is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In the one or more embodiments, the damping member may include a tubular portion. The case may include a holding portion disposed around the tubular portion. The housing may include a protruding portion inserted into the tubular portion.

In the configuration explained above, the tubular portion of the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from the holding portion of the case to the protruding portion of the housing. Since vibration of the housing is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In the one or more embodiments, the cleaning device may include a housing including a suction port, a brush disposed in the suction port, a drive unit that rotates the brush, and the damping member explained above. The drive unit may include a motor, an output shaft coupled to the motor, and a relay shaft coupled to the brush. The first member may include the output shaft and the second member may include the relay shaft.

In the configuration explained above, when the output shaft is a vibration source, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from the output shaft to the relay shaft. Since vibration of the relay shaft is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced. In addition, the damping member can transmit a rotational force of the output shaft to the relay shaft while allowing a change in relative positions of the output shaft and the relay shaft.

In the one or more embodiments, the damping member may include one surface, another surface facing a direction opposite to a direction in which the one surface faces, a first recess provided on the one surface, and a second recess provided on the other surface. The output shaft may include a first cam portion inserted into the first recess. The relay shaft may include a second cam portion inserted into the second recess.

In the configuration explained above, the damping member can transmit a rotational force of the output shaft to the relay shaft while allowing a change in relative positions of the output shaft and the relay shaft.

In the one or more embodiments, the suction head of the cleaning device may include a housing including a suction port, a brush disposed in the suction port, a power transmission mechanism that transmits a rotational force generated by the motor to the brush, a case that supports the power transmission mechanism, and the damping member. The first member may include the case and the second member may include the housing.

In the configuration explained above, when the case of the power transmission mechanism is a vibration source, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from the case to the housing. Since vibration of the housing is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In the one or more embodiments, the power transmission mechanism may include a gear. The case may support the gear.

In the configuration explained above, when the case that supports the gear of the power transmission mechanism is a vibration source, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from the case to the housing. Since vibration of the housing is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In the one or more embodiments, the power transmission mechanism may include a pulley and a belt wound on the pulley. The case may support the pulley.

In the configuration explained above, when the case that supports the pulley of the power transmission mechanism is a vibration source, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from the case to the housing. Since vibration of the housing is reduced, noise generated from the cleaning device is reduced.

In the one or more embodiments, the suction head may include a screw that fixes the first member and the second member. The damping member may be disposed around the screw.

In the configuration explained above, in a state in which the first member and the second member are fixed by the screw, the damping member can damp vibration transmitted from one member of the first member and the second member to the other member.

Embodiments according to the present disclosure are explained below with reference to the drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to the embodiments. Components in the embodiments explained below can be combined as appropriate. A part of the components is sometimes not used.

In the embodiments, positional relationships of sections are explained using terms of “left”, “right”, “front”, “rear”, “up”, and “down”. These terms indicate relative positions or directions with respect to the center of a cleaning device.

A first embodiment is explained.