Vacuum cleaner

• US 20070113373A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/21/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Oka, Yasuhiro, Hato, Shigenori
• Application Number:
  US11/589,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20070113373A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/354
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/00 Robotic cleaning machines, i.e. with automatic control of the travelling movement or the cleaning operation
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 2201/04 Automatic control of the travelling movement; Automatic obstacle detection
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/30 with driven dust-loosening tools, e.g. rotating brushes
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/02 Nozzles suction nozzles for fluid transport B65G51/00
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/04 with driven brushes or agitators

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention is provided with a left cover 40 and a right cover 41, which cover a suction port body, so as to be movable in the right and left direction to facilitate cleaning by expanding the suction port body when the side of a wall, a corner of a room, and the like are cleaned. When the vacuum cleaner approaches a wall etc., the right cover 41 moves so as to project to the outside from a bumper 3. A part of the suction port body 2 expands to the side, and an expansion space A covered by the right cover 41 is formed on the right-hand side of the suction port body. Dust and dirt on a floor surface facing to this space are sucked through a main suction port 20. Also, side suction ports 34 made of a flexible material are communicatingly formed in both end portions at the right and the left of a dust suction chamber 18 of the suction port body 2 so that dust and dirt is also sucked through the side suction port 34 when the side of wall is cleaned. The side suction port 34 is formed so as to project to the side from the overall width of a cleaner body, so that dust and dirt at the side are easily sucked for cleaning when the vacuum cleaner runs along the side of wall etc.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner in which a suction port body having a suction port is provided on the front side of a cleaner body, and an expanding means for expanding the suction port body toward the side is provided.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the expanding means expands the suction port body toward the side when the side of wall is cleaned.

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the suction port body has a rotating brush, and the suction port communicating with a dust collection section is formed on a wall surface of a dust suction chamber of the suction port body accommodating the rotating brush.

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 3, wherein the expanding means is configured so that a part of the suction port body is projected from the cleaner body to expand the dust suction chamber to the side.

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a suction port variable means is provided to displace the suction port in a projecting direction in association with an expansion of the suction port body.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein an obstacle detector is provided to detect an obstacle located at the side of the cleaner body so that when the vacuum cleaner approaches a wall, the expanding means projects a part of the suction port body from the cleaner body.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein an obstacle detector is provided to detect an obstacle located at the front and at the side of the cleaner body so that when the vacuum cleaner approaches a corner of a room, the expanding means projects a part of the suction port body from the cleaner body.

8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, wherein when the vacuum cleaner goes away from the side of wall or when cleaning at the side of wall is finished, the expansion means retracts a part of the suction port body into the cleaner body.

9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the expanding means is side suction ports provided in both end portions at the right and left of a dust suction chamber of the suction port body so as to extend to the side.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the side suction port is formed of a flexible material.

11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the side suction port is formed so as to project to the side from the overall width of the cleaner body.

12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein a rotating brush is accommodated in the dust suction chamber so as to be rotatable around a horizontal shaft, and bearing portions at both ends of the rotating brush each are covered by a dust-proof cover to prevent dust and dirt having been sucked through the side suction port from intruding into the bearing portion.

13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein a bumper is provided so as to cover the front and the side of the cleaner body, the bumper being attached to the cleaner body so as to be movable in a front and rear direction and in a right and left direction, and the side suction port provided on a same surface as a side surface of the bumper moves in association with a movement in the right and left direction of the bumper.

14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum cleaner has a running means for running the vacuum cleaner on a floor surface and a steering means for controlling the running direction to make it possible for the vacuum cleaner to run automatically.

15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 7, wherein when the vacuum cleaner goes away from the side of wall or when cleaning at the side of wall is finished, the expansion means retracts a part of the suction port body into the cleaner body.