Cleaner

• US 10,617,269 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2017
• Issued: 04/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Nam, Bohyun, Kim, Namhee, Kim, Jinju, An, Hyeonjeong, Hwang, Jungbae, Hwang, Philjae, Hwang, Mantae, Sung, Eunji, Lee, Taekgi
• Primary Examiner(s): Horton, Andrew A
• Application Number:
  US15/475,533
• Publication Number:
  US 20170332860A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,110 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/22 with rotary fans
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/12 Dry filters
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/16 Arrangement or disposition of cyclones or other devices with centrifugal action
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1633 Concentric cyclones
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1675 movable, revolving or rotary
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/28 Installation of the electric equipment, e.g. adaptation or attachment to the suction cleaner; Controlling suction cleaners by electric means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2873 Docking units or charging stations for autonomous or robotic vacuum cleaners A47L2201/02
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/32 Handles

Abstract

A cleaner includes: a suction motor that generates suction force; a dust separation unit that separates dust from air sucked by the suction force; a motor housing that covers the suction motor; a flow guide that surrounds an outer side of the motor housing and guides air discharged from the dust separation unit to the suction motor; and a body that forms an external appearance by surrounding the flow guide and guides air discharged from the suction motor together with the flow guide.

Claims

1. A cleaner comprising:

a suction motor that is configured to generate suction force to thereby suction air;

a dust separation unit that is configured to separate dust from the suctioned air;

a motor housing that accommodates the suction motor;

a flow guide that surrounds an outer side of the motor housing and is configured to guide air discharged from the dust separation unit to the suction motor; and

a body that surrounds the flow guide and is configured to guide air discharged from the suction motor,

wherein a first passage is defined by a first side of the flow guide, the first air passage being configured to guide air to the suction motor, and

wherein a second air passage is defined by the body and a second side of the flow guide, the second air passage being configured to guide air discharged from the suction motor.

2. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first side of the flow guide is at an inner side of the flow guide, and

wherein the second side of the flow guide is at an outer side of the flow guide.

3. The cleaner of claim 2, wherein the flow guide includes a guide body that has an open top and bottom, and

wherein the guide body includes passage walls that protrude radially outward from an outer side of the guide body to define at least a portion of the first air passage.

4. The cleaner of claim 3, wherein the passage walls include reinforcing ribs that extend from the passage walls toward the body, the reinforcing ribs being configured to limit inward deformation of the body.

5. The cleaner of claim 3, further comprising a pre-filter that is disposed inside the guide body and surrounds the motor housing.

6. The cleaner of claim 5, wherein the suction motor includes an impeller, the impeller being positioned at an upper portion of the suction motor, and wherein the pre-filter is configured to cover the impeller.

7. The cleaner of claim 5, wherein an inner side of the guide body includes a filter support step that is configured to support the pre-filter.

8. The cleaner of claim 7, wherein the motor housing includes a filter support configured to support the pre-filter.

9. The cleaner of claim 5, further comprising a filter unit configured to filter air discharged from the suction motor, wherein the filter unit is configured to restrict movement of the pre-filter.

10. The cleaner of claim 2, wherein the motor housing includes:

an upper motor housing that is configured to cover the suction motor, the first air passage being defined between the flow guide and the upper motor housing; and

a lower motor housing that is coupled to the upper motor housing and that includes an air guide configured to guide air discharged from the suction motor to the second air passage.

11. The cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a filter unit that includes:

a filter configured to filter air discharged from the suction motor, and

a filter frame configured to receive the filter,

wherein the filter frame is configured, based on being inserted between the body and the flow guide, to become coupled to the flow guide.

12. The cleaner of claim 11, wherein an outer side of the flow guide includes a fixing rib, and wherein the filter frame includes a rib receiving part that is configured to receive the fixing rib.

13. The cleaner of claim 12, wherein a portion of the flow guide is positioned in the filter frame based on the filter frame being fixed to the flow guide, and

wherein the filter unit includes an inner sealing member that is configured to prevent air from leaking between the outer side of the flow guide and an inner side of the filter frame.

14. The cleaner of claim 13, wherein the inner sealing member is seated on an upper end of the flow guide.

15. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the flow guide is fastened to the motor housing by fasteners.