VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20120030895A1
• Filed: 11/03/2009
• Published: 02/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Chong, Chung Ook, Hyun, Kie Tak
• Granted Patent: US 9,226,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/323
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/108 Dust compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is disclosed. The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner that is able to form dust and foreign substances collected in a dust collection device provided therein in a single mass shape to discharge it efficiently, not scattered in a dust collecting device. The vacuum cleaner includes a body, a dust collection device collecting dust and foreign substances therein, a compression device provided in the dust collection device to collect the dust and foreign substances collected in a predetermined portion of the dust collection device and to compress the collected dust and foreign substances, and a liquid supply device arranged in the dust collection device, in communication with an inside of the dust collection device, to supply liquid material to the dust collection device.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a body;

a dust collection device collecting dust and foreign substances therein;

a compression device provided in the dust collection device to collect the dust and foreign substances collected in a predetermined portion of the dust collection device, the compression device compressing the collected dust and foreign substances; and

a liquid supply device provided on the dust collection device, in communication with an inside of the dust collection device, to supply liquid material into the dust collection device.

2. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dust collection device comprises:

a dust collecting box collecting the dust and foreign substances therein; and

a dust collecting box cover covering the dust collecting box closably, and

the liquid supply device is detachably arranged on the dust collecting box cover.

3. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the liquid supply device comprises:

a storage part storing predetermined liquid material therein; and

a guiding member guiding the liquid material into the dust collecting box by making the storage part in communication with the dust collecting box.

4. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guiding member comprises:

an exhaustion pump connected to the storage to exhaust the liquid material from the storage part; and

a guiding tube having an end connected to the exhaustion pump and the other end passing through the dust collecting box cover toward the dust collecting box to guide the liquid material exhausted by the exhaustion pump into the dust collecting box.

5. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 3, wherein the guiding member comprises a guiding tube connected to the storage part to guide the liquid material stored in the storage part into the dust collecting box and the guiding tube comprises:

a first guiding tube connected to the storage part;

a second guiding tube connected to the first guiding tube, with an end passing through the dust collecting box cover; and

a third guiding tube connected to both of the first and second guiding tubes to suck external air into the dust collecting box in case the pressure inside the dust collecting box is substantially lower than the atmosphere pressure.

6. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 5, wherein in case the pressure inside the dust collecting box is lower than the atmosphere pressure, the first, second and third guiding tubes are in communication with each other for the liquid material stored in the storage part to be sucked into the dust collecting box together with air by gradients between the pressure inside the third guiding tube and the pressure inside the storage part, the gradients formed by flow of air sucked into the dust collecting box along the guide of the third guiding tube.

7. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 4, wherein a diameter of a portion of the guiding tube toward the inside of the dust collecting box is getting smaller gradually toward the end of the guiding tube to spray the liquid material from the guiding tube.

8. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the liquid supply device is configured of a spray device and the liquid supply device comprises:

a storage tank storing liquid material therein;

a spraying part connected to the storage tank, the spraying part secured to an outlet hole formed in the dust collecting box cover; and

a spraying housing coupled to the dust collecting box cover to secure the spraying part to the outlet hole, the spraying housing accommodating the spraying part.

9. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, further comprising:

a securing groove provided in the dust collecting box cover to secure the liquid supply device therein in case the liquid supply device is secured to the dust collecting box cover.

10. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 2, wherein the compression device comprises:

a fixed plate extended upward from a lower surface of the dust collecting box; and

a rotating plate rotatably provided in the dust collecting box, contactable with the fixed plate to collect the dust and foreign substances by using the rotation thereof and to compress the collected dust and foreign substances in the dust collecting box.

11. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 1, wherein the dust collection device comprises:

a dust collecting box collecting the dust and foreign substances therein; and

the liquid supply device is detachably arranged on the dust collecting box.

15. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

a securing groove arranged in a dust collection device accommodating part provided in the body to accommodate the liquid supply device.

12. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12,

wherein the dust collecting box comprises at least one outlet hole that is provided on a side wall thereof and is coupled to a guide tube liquid supply device to guide to guide the liquid material into the dust collecting box.

13. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12, wherein the compression device comprises:

a fixed plate extended upward from a lower surface of the dust collecting box; and

a rotating plate rotatably provided in the dust collecting box, contactable with the fixed plate to collect the dust and foreign substances by using the rotation thereof and to compress the collected dust and foreign substances in the dust collecting box,

wherein the at least one outlet hole is provided adjacent to the fixed plate.

14. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 12, wherein the liquid supply device comprises:

a storage part storing predetermined liquid material therein; and

a guiding member guiding the liquid material into the dust collecting box by making the storage part in communication with the dust collecting box,

wherein the guiding member comprises;

an end connected to the exhaustion pump and

another end passing through the at least one outlet hole toward the dust collecting box to guide the liquid material exhausted by the exhaustion pump into the dust collecting box.

16. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a body;

a dust collection box collecting dust and foreign substances therein;

a dust collecting box cover covering the dust collecting box closably;

a compression device provided in the dust collection box to collect the dust and foreign substances collected in a predetermined portion of the dust collection device, the compression device compressing the collected dust and foreign substances; and

a liquid supply device provided on the dust collection box cover, in communication with an inside of the dust collection box, to supply liquid material into the dust collection box.

17. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the liquid supply device comprises:

a storage part storing predetermined liquid material therein; and

an exhaustion pump connected to the storage to exhaust the liquid material from the storage part; and

a guiding tube having an end connected to the exhaustion pump and the other end passing through the dust collecting box cover toward the dust collecting box to guide the liquid material exhausted by the exhaustion pump into the dust collecting box.

18. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the liquid supply device comprises:

a storage part storing predetermined liquid material therein; and

guiding tube having an end connected to the exhaustion pump and the other end passing through the dust collecting box cover toward the dust collecting box to guide the liquid material exhausted by the exhaustion pump into the dust collecting box when the a pressure inside the dust collecting box is substantially lower than the atmosphere pressure.

19. The vacuum cleaner as claimed in claim 16, wherein the liquid supply device is configured of a spray device and the liquid supply device comprises:

a storage tank storing liquid material therein;

a spraying part connected to the storage tank, the spraying part secured to an outlet hole formed in the dust collecting box cover; and

a spraying housing coupled to the dust collecting box cover to secure the spraying part to the outlet hole, the spraying housing accommodating the spraying part.

20. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a body;

a dust collection box collecting dust and foreign substances therein;

a compression device provided in the dust collection device to collect the dust and foreign substances collected in a predetermined portion of the dust collection box, the compression device compressing the collected dust and foreign substances; and

a liquid supply device provided on the dust collection box, in communication with an inside of the dust collection box, to supply liquid material into the dust collection box.

at least one outlet hole that provided on a side wall of the dust collection box and is coupled to the supply device to guide to guide the liquid material into the dust collecting box and provided adjacent to the compression device.