Electric vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An electric vacuum cleaner includes electric blower for generating a suction force; dust separating unit, installed on an upstream side of the electric blower, for separating dust from air containing the dust suctioned by electric blower; dust collecting chamber for accumulating the dust separated by dust separating unit opened to dust collecting chamber; and humidifying unit, communicating to humidifying port, for generating air of high humidity; wherein humidifying unit supplies the air of high humidity from humidifying port to the dust accumulated in dust collecting chamber.

1 . An electric vacuum cleaner comprising:
 an electric blower for generating a suction force;   a dust separating unit, installed on an upstream side of the electric blower, for separating dust from air containing the dust suctioned by the electric blower;   a dust collecting chamber for accumulating the dust separated by the dust separating unit;   a compressing unit for compressing the dust inside the dust collecting chamber;   a humidifying port opened to the dust collecting chamber; and   a humidifying unit, communicating to the humidifying port, for generating air of high humidity; wherein   the humidifying unit includes a hygroscopic material, a humidifying container incorporating the hygroscopic material, and a heating unit;   a relative humidity around the hygroscopic material is lowered by heating of the heating unit to generate vapor from the hygroscopic material; and   the air of high humidity containing the vapor is supplied from the humidifying port to the dust accumulated in the dust collecting chamber, and then the dust is dried to maintain a state in which the dust is compressed.   
     
     
         2 - 3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the humidifying unit supplies the air of high humidity from the humidifying port to the dust collecting chamber before the compressing unit compresses the dust accumulated in the dust collecting chamber. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the humidifying unit is configured to bring the humidifying container into contact with the electric blower or use an outer surface of the electric blower as a part of the humidifying container, and   the relative humidity around the hygroscopic material is lowered by heat of the electric blower to generate vapor from the hygroscopic material.   
     
     
         7 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the humidifying unit is configured to bring the humidifying container and the electric blower into contact with each other through a heat accumulating material, and   the relative humidity around the hygroscopic material is lowered by heat accumulated in the heat accumulating material to generate vapor from the hygroscopic material.   
     
     
         8 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 an open/close portion for opening/closing a humidifying passage communicating the humidifying port and the humidifying unit is arranged,   the open/close portion closes the humidifying passage when driving the electric blower, and   the open/close portion opens the humidifying passage when the humidifying unit supplies the air of high humidity from the humidifying port to the dust collecting chamber.   
     
     
         9 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the compressing unit includes a compression plate that rises and lowers in the dust collecting chamber; and   the open/close portion is arranged projecting out at an upper surface of the compression plate to close the humidifying port when the compression plate is accommodated at an upper end of the dust collecting chamber.   
     
     
         10 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 8 , wherein
 the open/close portion is configured by a valve body and a hinge and is arranged in the humidifying passage,   the hinge is arranged at an upper end of the humidifying passage to enable the valve body to freely rotate, and   the humidifying passage is closed when the valve body is rotated toward the humidifying port.   
     
     
         11 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 9 , wherein the compression plate includes a communicating portion communicating front and back surfaces of the compression plate. 
     
     
         12 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the hygroscopic material has a property in which a relative humidity and a moisture absorptivity are in a substantially proportional relation. 
     
     
         13 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the heating unit heats at least one of the hygroscopic material and the humidifying container. 
     
     
         14 . The electric vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the humidifying unit lowers a relative humidity around the hygroscopic material by using heat of the electric blower with the humidifying container as the heating unit to generate vapor from the hygroscopic material.