VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20100199457A1
• Filed: 02/12/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kwon, Hyuk-Joo, Hyun, Young-Min, Yang, Hae-Seock, Park, Sang-Jun, Shin, Hyo-Churl, Seo, Jin-Wook
• Granted Patent: US 8,528,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/347
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/122 flat
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/26 Incorporation of winding devices for electric cables devices specially adapted for repeatedly paying-out or re-storing cables B65H75/34; arrangements of electrical cables or lines between relatively-movable parts H02G11/00

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is provided. The vacuum cleaner may include a dust separation device that separates dust and a dust container in which the dust separated in the dust separation device may be stored.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body;

a suction nozzle in communication with the main body, that sucks air into the main body;

a dust separator removably coupled to the main body, the dust separator separating dust from the air sucked into the main body by the suction nozzle and comprising;

a dust separator device that separates dust from air sucked into the dust separator; and

a dust container configured to store the separated dust, wherein the dust container comprises a dust container body, at least one compression member to compress the dust within the dust container and a lower cover attached to the dust container body.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the at least one compression member comprises a rotatable first compression member and a fixed second compression member.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the second compression member is attached to a fixed shaft, and wherein the fixed shaft is integrated with a top surface of the dust collector body.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the fixed shaft includes a coupling boss that extends downward therefrom configured to be inserted into a rotatable shaft of the first compression member, and wherein an insertion member couples the rotatable shaft to the coupling boss.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising a driving device configured to automatically rotate the first compression member, wherein the driving device comprises:

a drive source; and

a power transmission device configured to transmit power from the drive source to the first compression member.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the drive source comprises a compression motor.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein the power transmission device comprises:

a first transfer part coupled to the drive source and disposed on the main body; and

a second transfer device selectively coupled to the first transfer part.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the second transfer device comprises:

a first transfer member disposed below the lower cover of the dust container;

a second transfer member disposed above the lower cover of the dust container;

a fixed member disposed on the second transfer member and coupled to the first transfer member;

a connection part configured to be coupled to the rotation shaft and selectively coupled to the fixed member; and

an elastic member disposed on the first transfer member to elastically support the second transfer member.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein each of the first transfer part and the first transfer member comprises a gear.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the first transfer member comprises:

a gear body;

a plurality of gear teeth disposed along a circumferential surface of the gear body;

a magnetic member disposed on the gear body; and

a gear cover.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, further comprising a detector disposed on a mounting part of the main body, the mounting part being configured to receive the dust separator seated thereon, the detector being configured to detect a rotational position of the first compression member by detecting a magnetic force of the magnetic member.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein a portion of the gear body passes through an opening in the lower cover, and wherein a rotation guide guides rotation of the portion.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 8, wherein the second transfer member comprises a hole at a central portion thereof and a plurality of guide protrusions.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 13, wherein the fixed member comprises an insertion protrusion at a central portion thereof and a plurality of positioning through holes.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 14, wherein the connection part comprises an insertion protrusion receiving part at a central portion thereof and a plurality of guide protrusion receiving parts.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first compression member or the second compression member comprises a cleaning member disposed on a lateral portion thereof.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the second transfer device comprises:

a first transfer member disposed below the lower cover;

a second transfer member disposed above the lower cover and coupled to the first transfer member; and

a connection part coupled to the rotatable shaft and selectively coupled to the second transfer member.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein the second transfer member and the connection part have corresponding interlockable protrusions on facing surfaces thereof.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 18, wherein when the lower cover is closed, the corresponding interlockable protrusions on the facing surfaces of the second transfer member and the connection part interlock to couple the second transfer member and the connection part.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the vacuum cleaner is an upright type vacuum cleaner.