Cleaner

• US 10,646,806 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2017
• Issued: 05/12/2020
• 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): Pham, Minh Chau T
• Application Number:
  US15/475,637
• Publication Number:
  US 20170296958A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 55400, 55471, 55473, 55484, 55495, 55498, 55505, 55DIG 39, 55DIG 3, 210488, 210491, 95277, 15347, 15352, 15353
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/24 Hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/127 tube- or sleeve-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1608 Cyclonic chamber constructions
• 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 9/165 Construction of inlets
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1666 with filtering means
• 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 9/2884 Details of arrangements of batteries or their installation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/322 for hand-supported suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2271/02 Gaskets, sealings
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2279/55 for cleaning appliances, e.g. suction cleaners suction cleaners comprising filters A47L9/10
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 45/12 by centrifugal forces centrifuges B04B; cyclones B04C
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0005 Mounting of filtering elements within casings, housings or frames B01D46/2422 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/0041 for feeding
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/106 Ring-shaped filtering elements
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 46/62 connected in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 50/20 : Combinations of devices covered by groups B01D45/00 and B01D46/00

Abstract

A cleaner includes: a main body that receives a suction motor; and a filter unit that is detachably coupled to the main body to filter air discharged from the suction motor and includes a ring-shaped filter and a filter frame that receives the ring-shaped filter, wherein the filter frame includes: an inner frame; an outer frame that defines a filter space for receiving the filter in cooperation with the inner frame; and a ring-shaped filter cover that connects the outer frame and the inner frame to each other and has one or more air openings.

Claims

1. A cleaner comprising:

a suction motor;

a pre-filter configured to filter air and supply filtered air to the suction motor;

a motor housing that surrounds the suction motor;

a main body that accommodates the suction motor; and

a filter unit that is detachably coupled to the main body and configured to filter air that has been discharged away from the suction motor, the filter unit including a ring-shaped filter surrounding a central axis and a filter frame configured to receive the ring-shaped filter,

wherein the filter frame includes;

an inner frame that defines a space configured to receive at least a portion of the motor housing,

an outer frame, wherein the outer frame and the inner frame define a filter space configured to receive the ring-shaped filter, and

a ring-shaped filter cover that is configured to connect the inner frame to the outer frame, wherein the ring-shaped filter cover defines one or more air openings, and

wherein the filter frame is configured to guide the air discharged from the suction motor to pass through the ring-shaped filter in a direction along the central axis.

2. The cleaner of claim 1, further comprising an exhaust frame that defines a plurality of air exits that are configured to discharge the filtered air that has passed through the ring-shaped filter, the exhaust frame being positioned over a top portion of the ring-shaped filter,

wherein the one or more air openings are circumferentially arranged on the ring-shaped filter cover, and

wherein the plurality of air exits are circumferentially arranged on the exhaust frame.

3. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the inner frame includes a top portion and a circumferential side portion that extends downward from the top portion, and

wherein the filter unit further includes an inner deco member that surrounds the circumferential side portion.

4. The cleaner of claim 3, wherein the inner deco member includes a hook that is configured to be coupled to the circumferential side portion,

wherein the circumferential side portion defines a hook coupling hole that is configured to receive the hook, and

wherein the filter unit further includes an inner sealing member that is configured, based on the filter unit being combined with the main body, to prevent air leakage out of the main body through the hook coupling hole.

5. The cleaner of claim 4, wherein the inner frame further includes a sealing rib that extends downward from the top portion, the sealing rib being disposed inside the circumferential side portion and defining a space between the sealing rib and the circumferential side portion, and

wherein the inner sealing member is disposed in the space between the sealing rib and the circumferential side portion.

6. The cleaner of claim 5, wherein the main body further includes a flow guide that surrounds the suction motor and is configured to guide air to the suction motor, and

wherein the inner sealing member is, based on the filter unit being combined with the main body, seated on an upper end of the flow guide.

7. The cleaner of claim 2, further comprising an outer deco member that surrounds the outer frame and is configured to be coupled to the exhaust frame.

8. The cleaner of claim 7, wherein the outer deco member is seated on an upper end of the main body and, based on the filter unit being combined with the main body, protrudes outward from the main body.

9. The cleaner of claim 8, wherein the outer deco member includes an anti-slip portion that is configured to prevent a user'"'"'s hand holding from slipping on the filter unit.

10. The cleaner of claim 2, wherein the filter unit further includes:

an outer sealing member that is coupled to an edge of the filter frame and configured to prevent air leaking out from between an inner side of the main body and the filter frame; and

a support step that protrudes inwardly from the inner side of the main body and is configured to seat the outer sealing member.

11. The cleaner of claim 10, wherein the outer sealing member is coupled to the ring-shaped filter cover.

12. The cleaner of claim 2, wherein the main body further includes a flow guide that surrounds the suction motor and is configured to guide air to the suction motor, the filter frame being coupled to the flow guide.

13. The cleaner of claim 12, wherein the ring-shaped filter cover includes:

a ring-shaped inner body;

an outer body that is spaced apart from the ring-shaped inner body; and

a connection body that connects the ring-shaped inner body to the outer body, the connection body defining an opening that is configured to pass air therethrough,

wherein the ring-shaped inner body includes a rib coupling portion that protrudes inwardly from an inner surface of the ring-shaped inner body, and

wherein the flow guide includes a fixing rib that protrudes outward from an outer surface of the flow guide and is configured to be coupled to the rib coupling portion.

14. The cleaner of claim 13, wherein the inner frame includes a recess that is spaced apart from the rib coupling portion, the recess defining a space between the rib coupling portion and the inner frame and being configured to receive the fixing rib.

19. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the pre-filter is seated on the suction motor housing and disposed vertically below the filter unit.

20. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the filter unit is disposed vertically above the pre-filter and configured to apply pressure to the pre-filter.

15. A cleaner comprising:

a suction motor;

a motor housing that surrounds the suction motor;

a pre-filter configured to filter air and supply filtered air to the suction motor, the pre-filter surrounding at least a portion of the motor housing;

a main body that accommodates the suction motor; and

a filter unit that is detachably coupled to the main body and configured to filter air discharged from the suction motor,

wherein the filter unit includes;

a ring-shaped filter,

a filter frame that is configured to receive the ring-shaped filter,

air inlets that are defined at a first side of the filter frame and configured to receive the air discharged from the suction motor, and

an exhaust frame having air exits that are defined at a second side of the filter frame opposite the first side and that are configured to discharge the air filtered by the ring-shaped filter, the ring-shaped filter being located between the air inlets and the air exits, and

wherein in a state in which the filter unit is coupled to the main body, the air inlets are received in the main body, and the exhaust frame is disposed outside the main body.

16. The cleaner of claim 15, wherein at least some of the air discharged from the suction motor flows through the filter unit in a direction parallel with a rotation axis of the suction motor.

17. A cleaner comprising:

a suction motor;

a pre-filter configured to filter air and supply filtered air to the suction motor;

a motor housing that surrounds the suction motor;

a main body that accommodates the suction motor, the main body including a dust separation unit configured to separate dust by cyclonic flow;

a filter unit detachably coupled to the main body and configured to filter air discharged from the suction motor, the filter unit including a ring-shaped filter and a filter frame configured to receive the ring-shaped filter,

wherein the filter frame includes;

an inner frame,

an outer frame, wherein the outer frame and the inner frame define a filter space configured to receive the ring-shaped filter, and

a ring-shaped filter cover that is configured to connect the inner frame to the outer frame, and

wherein the ring-shape filter defines a hollow space through which an axis of the cyclonic flow passes, the hollow space receiving at least a portion of the motor housing.

18. The cleaner of claim 17, wherein the axis of the cyclonic flow passes through the suction motor.