Cleaner

• US 10,231,584 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2017
• Issued: 03/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Sungjun, Kwak, Donghoon
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Dung Van
• Application Number:
  US15/444,611
• Publication Number:
  US 20170332854A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/362 of the horizontal type, e.g. canister or sledge type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/149 Emptying means; Reusable bags
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/244 for telescopic or extensible hoses or pipes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2894 Details related to signal transmission in suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/327 for suction cleaners with hose between nozzle and casing

Abstract

A cleaner that includes: a main body; a suction assembly; and a coupling hose, wherein the main body includes: an air suctioning device, a case, a driving motor that is coupled to a first surface of the case and that is configured to generate driving force, a traveling wheel that is coupled to the first surface of the case and that is configured to rotate based on driving force generated by the driving motor, a motor cover that is configured to cover the driving motor such that the driving motor is located in a space between the first surface of the case and the motor cover, a rotating shaft that is coupled to the driving motor and that is configured to transfer driving force generated by the driving motor to the traveling wheel, and a coupling unit that couples the rotating shaft to the traveling wheel is disclosed.

Claims

1. A cleaner comprising:

a main body that is configured to generate suction force;

a suction assembly that is configured to receive and guide dust to the main body; and

a coupling hose that couples the suction assembly to the main body,

wherein the main body includes;

an air suctioning device that is configured to generate suction force,

a case that includes an interior space accommodating the air suctioning device,

a driving motor that is coupled to a first surface of the case and that is configured to generate driving force,

a traveling wheel that is coupled to the first surface of the case and that is configured to rotate based on driving force generated by the driving motor,

a motor cover that is configured to cover the driving motor such that the driving motor is located in a space between the first surface of the case and the motor cover,

a rotating shaft that is coupled to the driving motor and that is configured to transfer driving force generated by the driving motor to the traveling wheel, and

a coupling unit that couples the rotating shaft to the traveling wheel,

wherein the motor cover includes;

a first plate that faces the traveling wheel and that includes a shaft hole through which the rotating shaft passes,

a partition wall that couples the first plate to the first surface of the case, and

a coupling mount that protrudes from the partition wall and that is fixed to the first surface of the case by a fastening member.

2. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the case includes:

a mount-coupling boss that protrudes from the first surface of the case, and

wherein the fastening member is configured to (i) pass through the coupling mount and (ii) fix the coupling mount to the mount-coupling boss.

3. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the main body further includes:

a bearing that is coupled to the driving motor, that is configured to support the rotating shaft, and that is fixed to the first plate of the motor cover, and

wherein at least a portion of the bearing is located in the space between the first surface of the case and the motor cover.

4. The cleaner of claim 3, wherein the driving motor includes:

a stator,

a bearing coupling plate that includes a first surface that is coupled to the bearing and a second surface that is coupled to the stator, and

an outer rotor that is located adjacent to the stator relative to the bearing, that is coupled to the rotating shaft, and that includes permanent magnets arranged on an inner surface of the outer rotor.

5. The cleaner of claim 3, wherein the main body further includes:

a bearing support plate that includes (i) a first surface that is coupled to the bearing to support the bearing and (ii) a second surface that is coupled to the first plate of the motor cover.

6. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the motor cover further includes:

a rib including a circular-shaped wall that protrudes from the first plate toward the traveling wheel.

7. The cleaner of claim 6, wherein the motor cover further includes:

a plurality of cover-reinforcing ribs that protrude from an outer surface of the circular-shaped wall, that are arranged around the circular-shaped wall, and that are coupled to the first plate.

8. A cleaner comprising:

a main body that is configured to generate suction force;

a suction assembly that is configured to receive and guide dust to the main body; and

a coupling hose that couples the suction assembly to the main body,

wherein the main body includes;

an air suctioning device that is configured to generate suction force,

a case that includes an interior space accommodating the air suctioning device,

a driving motor that is coupled to a first surface of the case and that is configured to generate driving force,

a traveling wheel that is coupled to the first surface of the case and that is configured to rotate based on driving force generated by the driving motor,

a motor cover that is configured to cover the driving motor such that the driving motor is located in a space between the first surface of the case and the motor cover,

a rotating shaft that is coupled to the driving motor and that is configured to transfer driving force generated by the driving motor to the traveling wheel, and

a coupling unit that couples the rotating shaft to the traveling wheel,

wherein the motor cover includes;

a first plate that faces the traveling wheel and that includes a shaft hole through which the rotating shaft passes,

a partition wall that couples the first plate to the first surface of the case, and

a plurality of coupling mounts that are arranged symmetrically around the rotating shaft, each of the plurality of coupling mounts (i) protruding from a respective portion of the partition wall and (ii) being fixed to the first surface of the case by a respective fastening member.

9. A cleaner comprising:

a main body that is configured to generate suction force;

a suction assembly that is configured to receive and guide dust to the main body; and

a coupling hose that couples the suction assembly to the main body,

wherein the main body includes;

an air suctioning device that is configured to generate suction force,

a case that includes an interior space accommodating the air suctioning device,

a driving motor that is coupled to a first surface of the case and that is configured to generate driving force,

a traveling wheel that is coupled to the first surface of the case and that is configured to rotate based on driving force generated by the driving motor,

a motor cover that is configured to cover the driving motor such that the driving motor is located in a space between the first surface of the case and the motor cover,

a rotating shaft that is coupled to the driving motor and that is configured to transfer driving force generated by the driving motor to the traveling wheel, and

a coupling unit that couples the rotating shaft to the traveling wheel,

wherein the coupling unit includes;

a rotating plate that includes a hub that is coupled to the rotating shaft, and

a plurality of wheel-coupling bosses that protrude from the rotating plate toward the traveling wheel and that are symmetrically arranged about the hub.

10. The cleaner of claim 9, wherein the traveling wheel includes:

a plurality of fastening holes corresponding to the plurality of wheel-coupling bosses,

wherein the plurality of wheel-coupling bosses of the coupling unit are fixed to the traveling wheel by a plurality of fastening members, and

wherein each of the plurality of fastening members is configured to (i) pass through the respective fastening hole and (ii) fix the respective wheel-coupling boss to the traveling wheel.

11. A cleaner comprising:

a main body that is configured to generate suction force;

a suction assembly that is configured to receive and guide dust to the main body; and

a coupling hose that couples the suction assembly to the main body,

wherein the main body includes;

an air suctioning device that is configured to generate suction force,

a case that includes an interior space accommodating the air suctioning device,

a driving motor that is coupled to a first surface of the case and that is configured to generate driving force,

a traveling wheel that is coupled to the first surface of the case and that is configured to rotate based on driving force generated by the driving motor,

a rotating shaft that is coupled to the driving motor and that is configured to transfer driving force generated by the driving motor to the traveling wheel,

a bearing that is coupled to the driving motor and that is configured to support the rotating shaft,

a partition wall that protrudes from a first surface of the case, where the partition wall and the first surface of the case define (i) a space to accommodate the driving motor and (ii) an opening to the space,

a bearing support plate that covers the opening to the space and that is coupled to the bearing, where at least a portion of the bearing is located in the space, and

a coupling unit that is located between the bearing support plate and the traveling wheel and that couples the rotating shaft to the traveling wheel.

12. The cleaner of claim 11, wherein the case further includes:

a support-plate-coupling boss that protrudes from an outer surface of the partition wall,

wherein the bearing support plate includes a fastening hole corresponding to the support-plate-coupling boss, and

wherein the bearing support plate is fixed to the support-plate-coupling boss by a fastening member, the fastening member being configured to pass through the fastening hole and fix the bearing support plate to the support-plate-coupling boss.

13. The cleaner of claim 12, wherein the main body further includes:

a tubular-shaped shock-absorbing member that comprises a flexible material and that is located between the support-plate-coupling boss and the bearing support plate, and

wherein the fastening member passes through the tubular-shaped shock-absorbing member.

14. The cleaner of claim 11, wherein the case further includes:

a plurality of support-plate-coupling bosses that protrude from an outer surface of the partition wall,

wherein the bearing support plate includes a plurality of fastening holes corresponding to the plurality of support-plate-coupling bosses, and

wherein the bearing support plate is fixed to the plurality of support-plate-coupling bosses by a plurality of fastening members, each of the plurality of fastening members being configured to pass through the respective fastening hole and fix the bearing support plate to the respective support-plate-coupling boss.

15. The cleaner of claim 11, wherein the traveling wheel includes:

a wheel body that is coupled to the coupling unit, and

a ring-shaped shock-absorbing band that comprises a flexible material and that wounds the wheel body.

16. The cleaner of claim 15, wherein the wheel body includes:

a first circular-shaped rib that includes a first surface and a second surface,

a plurality of outward radial ribs that are coupled to the first surface of the first circular-shaped rib at first portions of the first surface, and

a plurality of inward radial ribs that are coupled to the second surface of the first circular-shaped rib at second portions of the second surface,

wherein each of the first portions and each of the second portions are alternately arranged along the first circular-shaped rib, and

wherein the first circular-shaped rib, the plurality of outward radial ribs, and the plurality of inward radial ribs protrude from a surface of the wheel body.

17. The cleaner of claim 16, wherein the wheel body further includes:

a second circular-shaped rib that is concentric with the first circular-shaped rib and that has a smaller radius than the first circular-shaped rib, and

wherein the plurality of inward radial ribs couple the first circular-shaped rib to the second circular-shaped rib.

18. The cleaner of claim 11, wherein the main body further includes:

a first traveling wheel (i) that is coupled to a second surface of the case, the second surface being located in an opposite side of the first surface of the case and (ii) that is configured to rotate based on driving force generated by the driving motor, and

a caster that is located on a third surface of the case,

wherein the caster is located between the first surface of the case and the second surface of the case.

19. The cleaner of claim 18, wherein the caster is located closer to a coupling portion between the coupling hose and the main body than the rotating shaft of the driving motor.