Cleaner

• US 10,631,698 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2018
• Issued: 04/28/2020
• 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:
  US16/051,173
• Publication Number:
  US 20180333032A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 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 unit configured to guide air into the cleaner;

a dust separation unit comprising;

a first cyclone unit configured to separate dust from air that is suctioned into the cleaner through the suction unit; and

a second cyclone unit configured to receive air that is discharged from the first cyclone unit, the second cyclone unit comprising a plurality of cyclone bodies that are configured to separate dust from the air that is discharged from the first cyclone unit;

a suction motor having a rotary impeller, the suction motor being configured to drive a rotation of the rotary impeller via an impeller shaft to generate a suction force that suctions air into the cleaner through the suction unit;

a motor housing configured to house the suction motor;

a flow guide that is disposed circumferentially around the rotary impeller and that comprises a surface that is configured to guide air from a first passage of the cleaner to a second passage of the cleaner, in which (i) the first passage is configured to guide air that is discharged from the second cyclone unit past an outer surface of the motor housing and towards at least one opening of the motor housing through which air flows to the rotary impeller, and (ii) the second passage is configured to guide air that flows from the rotary impeller towards an outside of the cleaner; and

a dust container configured to store dust that is separated by the dust separation unit,

wherein, in a state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along a vertical direction, a top of the second cyclone unit is disposed below a bottom of the suction motor.

2. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the flow guide is further configured to guide air from the first passage that was discharged from the second cyclone unit to flow past the rotary impeller and into the second passage.

3. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the impeller shaft is arranged at a first end of the motor housing, and

wherein a second end of the motor housing, opposite the first end of the suction motor, is arranged closer to the second cyclone unit than the first end of the motor housing.

4. The cleaner of claim 3, wherein the rotary impeller being disposed at the first end of the motor housing comprises:

the rotary impeller being arranged inside an upper portion of the motor housing and the motor housing circumferentially surrounding the rotary impeller.

5. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the flow guide is disposed circumferentially around at least a portion of the motor housing.

6. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein, in the state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along the vertical direction, the rotary impeller is disposed above the motor, and the motor is disposed above the second cyclone unit.

7. The cleaner of claim 6, further comprising an air exhaust that is disposed above the suction motor and configured to discharge air from the second passage to the outside of the cleaner.

8. The cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a pre-filter that circumferentially surrounds at least part of the motor housing, and that is configured to filter air flowing from the first passage and before the air enters the motor housing through the at least one opening of the motor housing.

9. The cleaner of claim 8, further comprising a filter unit that is configured to be removable from the cleaner and that is configured to filter air that has passed through the second passage,

wherein removing the filter unit from the cleaner exposes at least part of the pre-filter to the outside of the cleaner.

10. The cleaner of claim 8, wherein the pre-filter circumferentially surrounds at least a part of the rotary impeller.

11. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first cyclone unit is configured to generate a helical flow of air that separates the dust from the air, and

wherein an axis of the helical flow of air is arranged longitudinally along the vertical direction in the state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along the vertical direction.

12. The cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a handle that is configured to be held by a user to operate the cleaner using only one hand,

wherein the handle comprises a stopper that is configured to be arranged between an index finger and middle finger of a hand of the user in a state in which the handle is held by the user.

13. The cleaner of claim 12, further comprising a battery housing that is arranged at a base of the handle and that is configured to house a removable battery for powering the cleaner.

14. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the dust container is at least partially transparent to provide visual access to an interior of the dust container from the outside of the cleaner.

15. The cleaner of claim 14, further comprising a dust cover disposed at a bottom of the dust container in the state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along the vertical direction, and that is configured to be opened to provide access to an interior of the dust container.

16. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein, in the state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along the vertical direction, an outlet of the second cyclone unit is disposed under the bottom of the suction motor.

17. A cleaner comprising:

a suction unit configured to guide air into the cleaner;

a dust separation unit comprising;

a first cyclone unit configured to separate dust from air that is suctioned into the cleaner through the suction unit; and

a second cyclone unit configured to receive air that is discharged from the first cyclone unit, the second cyclone unit comprising a plurality of cyclone bodies that are configured to separate dust from the air that is discharged from the first cyclone unit;

a suction motor having a rotary impeller, the suction motor being configured to drive a rotation of the rotary impeller via an impeller shaft to generate a suction force that suctions air into the cleaner through the suction unit;

a motor housing configured to house the suction motor;

a flow guide that is disposed circumferentially around the rotary impeller and arranged between a first passage of the cleaner and a second passage of the cleaner such that air flowing from the first passage flows past the flow guide and into the second passage, with (i) the first passage configured to guide air that is discharged from the second cyclone unit towards an opening of the motor housing through which air flows to the suction motor and the rotary impeller, and (ii) the second passage configured to guide air that flows from the suction motor and the rotary impeller towards an outside of the cleaner; and

a dust container configured to store dust that is separated by the dust separation unit,

wherein, in a state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along a vertical direction, a top of the second cyclone unit is disposed below a bottom of the suction motor.

18. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the flow guide is further configured to guide air from the first passage that was discharged from the second cyclone unit to flow past the rotary impeller and into the second passage.

19. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the impeller shaft is arranged at a first end of the motor housing, and

wherein a second end of the motor housing, opposite the first end of the suction motor, is arranged closer to the second cyclone unit than the first end of the motor housing.

20. The cleaner of claim 19, wherein the rotary impeller being disposed at the first end of the motor housing comprises:

the rotary impeller being arranged inside an upper portion of the motor housing and the motor housing circumferentially surrounding the rotary impeller.

21. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the flow guide is disposed circumferentially around the motor housing.

22. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein, in the state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along the vertical direction, the rotary impeller is disposed above the motor, and the motor is disposed above the second cyclone unit.

23. The cleaner of claim 22, further comprising an air exhaust that is disposed above the suction motor and configured to discharge air from the second passage to the outside of the cleaner.

24. The cleaner of claim 17, further comprising a pre-filter that circumferentially surrounds at least part of the motor housing, and that is configured to filter air flowing from the first passage and before the air enters the motor housing through the at least one opening of the motor housing.

25. The cleaner of claim 24, further comprising a filter unit that is configured to be removable from the cleaner and that is configured to filter air that has passed through the second passage,

wherein removing the filter unit from the cleaner exposes at least part of the pre-filter to the outside of the cleaner.

26. The cleaner of claim 24, wherein the pre-filter circumferentially surrounds at least a part of the rotary impeller.

27. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the first cyclone unit is configured to generate a helical flow of air that separates the dust from the air, and

wherein an axis of the helical flow of air is arranged longitudinally along the vertical direction in the state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along the vertical direction.

28. The cleaner of claim 17, further comprising a handle that is configured to be held by a user to operate the cleaner using only one hand,

wherein the handle comprises a stopper that is configured to be arranged between an index finger and middle finger of a hand of the user in a state in which the handle is held by the user.

29. The cleaner of claim 28, further comprising a battery housing that is arranged at a base of the handle and that is configured to house a removable battery for powering the cleaner.

30. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the dust container is at least partially transparent to provide visual access to an interior of the dust container from an outside of the cleaner.

31. The cleaner of claim 30, further comprising a dust cover disposed at a bottom of the dust container in the state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along the vertical direction, and that is configured to be opened to provide access to an interior of the dust container.

32. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein, in the state in which the cleaner is oriented with the impeller shaft elongated longitudinally along the vertical direction, an outlet of the second cyclone unit is disposed under the bottom of the suction motor.