VACUUM CLEANER WITH REMOVABLE DUST COLLECTOR, AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20090229072A1
• Filed: 03/16/2009
• Published: 09/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Yun, Chang Ho, Hyun, Kie Tak, Ha, Gun Ho, Jeong, Kyeong Seon, Son, Young Bok, Kim, Jae Kyum, Lee, Sung Hwa, Yang, Hae Seock, Park, Yun Hee, Kim, Jin Young, Park, Min, Kim, Il Joong, Yoo, Myung Sig, Shin, Jin Hyouk, Choo, Jong Su, Jeong, Hoi Kil, Ko, Moo Hyun, Seo, Jin Wook, Lee, Chang Hoon, HWANG, Man Tae
• Granted Patent: US 8,312,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/352
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/365 of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/108 Dust compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3082 with compression means other than rams performing a rectilinear movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes a dust collector that compresses dust stored inside a dust container to minimize the volume of the dust. The dust collector would include one or more pressing plates that are used to compress the dust stored in dust collector. Various methods are used to control movements of the movable pressing plates to facilitate the compression operations. Also, various methods are used to determine when the dust collector is full and needs to be emptied.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising

a dust separator that separates dust contained in air;

a dust container including a dust storage portion that stores the dust separated by the dust separator;

a partition plate that partitions the dust separator and at least a portion of the dust storage portion; and

at least one press member rotatably disposed within the dust container.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust separator is detachably coupled to the dust container.

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust separator includes a cyclone device that separates dust from the suctioned air using a difference in centrifugal force between the air and the dust.

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the partition plate is formed at a bottom of the dust separator.

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the partition plate has a dust discharge port, and the dust separated in the dust separator is discharged to the dust container through the dust discharge port.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust container comprises a fixed member integrally formed with the dust container, and wherein the fixed member interacts with the at least one press member to compress dust stored in the dust storage portion.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 6, wherein the dust discharge portion is located at a side opposite to the fixed member with respect to a rotating shaft of the at least one press member.

8. The vacuum cleaner according to claims 1, wherein the at least one press member is bidirectionally and automatically movable by a driving device.

9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the driving device comprises:

a driving motor that generates a driving force;

a driven gear coupled to the at least one press member; and

a driving gear that selectively engages with the driven gear so as to transfer the driving force to the driven gear.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, further comprising a main body to which the dust container is detachably coupled, wherein the driving motor and the driving gear are provided in the main body.

11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one press member comprises a rotating shaft and the dust container comprises a stationary shaft to which the rotating shaft is coupled.

12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the driving device comprises:

a gear mechanism comprising at least one gear coupled to the at least one press member;

a lever operated by a user to drive the gear mechanism; and

a return spring that returns the lever to an original position after being operated by the user.

13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the gear mechanism further comprises a rack and pinion.

14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 13, wherein the pinion is attached to the at least one pressing member and the rack is attached to the lever.

15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 14, further comprising a guide rib disposed adjacent to the rack.

16. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the driving device further comprises a shock absorbing spring.

17. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the lever is provided as part of a handle of the dust container.

18. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the driving device is disposed adjacent a floor cover of the dust container.

19. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein a case of the dust container is similar in shape to a case of the dust separator.

20. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust container is disposed below the dust separator.

21. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust container is separate from the dust separator.

22. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the dust separator and dust container are both detachably coupled to a main body of the vacuum cleaner.

24. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 21, wherein the dust separator is detachably coupled to the dust container.

25. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 21, wherein the partition plate has a dust discharge port, and the dust separated in the dust separator is discharged to the dust container through the dust discharge port.

26. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 21, wherein the dust container comprises a fixed member integrally formed with the dust container, and wherein the fixed member interacts with the at least one press member to compress dust stored in the dust storage portion.

27. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 24, wherein the dust discharge portion is located at a side opposite to the fixed member with respect to a rotating shaft of the at least one press member.

28. The vacuum cleaner according to claims 21, wherein the at least one press member is bidirectionally and automatically movable by a driving device.

29. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 26, wherein the driving device comprises:

a driving motor that generates a driving force;

a driven gear coupled to the at least one press member; and

a driving gear that selectively engages with the driven gear so as to transfer the driving force to the driven gear.

30. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 27, further comprising a main body to which the dust container is detachably coupled, wherein the driving motor and the driving gear are provided in the main body.

31. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 21, wherein the at least one press member comprises a rotating shaft and the dust container comprises a stationary shaft to which the rotating shaft is coupled.

32. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 29, wherein the driving device comprises:

a gear mechanism comprising at least one gear coupled to the at least one press member;

a lever operated by a user to drive the gear mechanism; and

a return spring that returns the lever to an original position after being operated by the user.

23. A vacuum cleaner, comprising

a dust separator that separates dust contained in air;

a dust container, separate from the dust separator, disposed below the dust separator and including a dust storage portion that stores the dust separated by the dust separator, wherein a casing of the dust container is similar in shape to a casing of the dust separator;

a partition plate that partitions the dust separator and at least a portion of the dust storage portion; and

at least one press member movably disposed within the dust container.

33. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 23, wherein the dust separator and dust container are both detachably coupled to a main body of the vacuum cleaner.

34. A vacuum cleaner, comprising

a main body;

a dust separator coupled to the main body, that separates dust contained in air;

a dust container detachably coupled to the main body and including a dust storage portion that stores the dust separated by the dust separator;

a partition plate that partitions the dust separator and at least a portion of the dust storage portion; and

at least one plate rotatably disposed within the dust container.