Self-propelled vacuum cleaner

Abstract

An autonomous vacuum cleaner is provided which can promote reductions in size and load by simplifying the structure of a surrounding cleaning means. An autonomous vacuum cleaner (1) includes a vacuum cleaner body (2) having a wheel (121) for travelling autonomously, and a pivoting cleaner (3) that can vacuum and clean around the vacuum cleaner body (2). The pivoting cleaner (3) is configured including: an arm (21) that can pivot outward from the vacuum cleaner body (2); a vacuum inlet (74) that is provided to the arm (21) to suck up dirt and the like on the floor surface; a rotation support (61, 144) configured to rotatably support the arm (21) on the vacuum cleaner body (2); and a vacuum channel (66) that is provided along a rotation axis of the rotation support (61, 144) to cause the inside of the arm (21) and a sub-duct (143) to communicate with each other.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An autonomous vacuum cleaner capable of cleaning while traveling along a floor surface, comprising:
 a vacuum cleaner body including a wheel for travelling autonomously; and   a surrounding cleaning means capable of vacuum cleaning around the vacuum cleaner body, wherein   the vacuum cleaner body is provided with:
 a dust collection chamber configured to store dirt and the like that have been sucked up by the surrounding cleaning means; and 
 a dust collection path causing the surrounding cleaning means and the dust collection chamber to communicate with each other, and 
   the surrounding cleaning means is configured including:
 a pivoting member capable of pivoting outward from the vacuum cleaner body; 
 a vacuum inlet provided to the pivoting member, the vacuum inlet being configured to suck up dirt and the like on the floor surface, 
 a rotation support configured to rotatably support the pivoting member on the vacuum cleaner body; and 
 a vacuum channel provided along a rotation axis of the rotation support, the vacuum channel causing the inside of the pivoting member and the dust collection path to communicate with each other. 
   
     
     
         2 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotation support of the surrounding cleaning means includes:
 an annular outer tube provided to the vacuum cleaner body; and   a cylindrical inner tube provided to the pivoting member, the inner tube being inserted into the outer tube, wherein   the inside of the inner tube configures the vacuum channel.   
     
     
         3 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein the surrounding cleaning means further includes a rotation drive means configured to drive and rotate the pivoting member with respect to the vacuum cleaner body. 
     
     
         4 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the pivoting member is provided with a rotor configured to rotate together with the pivoting member, and   the vacuum cleaner body is provided on an outer side of the dust collection path with an angle detection means configured to detect a pivot angle of the pivoting member on the basis of the position of the rotor.   
     
     
         5 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the rotor is a permanent magnet, and   the angle detection means is configured including a detection circuit configured to detect changes in a magnetic field with the rotation of the permanent magnet.   
     
     
         6 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the pivoting member includes:
 a first pivoting member rotatably supported on one end side thereof by the vacuum cleaner body; 
 a second pivoting member provided with the vacuum inlet, the second pivoting member being rotatably supported on the other end side of the first pivoting member; and 
 a second rotation support configured to support the second pivoting member in such a manner as to be rotatable with respect to the first pivoting member, 
   the second rotation support is configured including:
 a second outer tube provided to the first pivoting member; 
 a cylindrical second inner tube provided to the second pivoting member, the second inner tube being inserted into the second outer tube; and 
 a second vacuum channel causing the vacuum inlet and the inside of the first pivoting member to communicate with each other through the inside of the second inner tube. 
   
     
     
         7 . The autonomous vacuum cleaner according to  claim 6 , wherein the pivoting member is provided with a rotation biasing means configured to bias the second pivoting member with respect to the first pivoting member in a rotation direction.