AGITATOR AND CLEANER

• US 20130232702A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 09/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Baek, Ohhyun, Kang, Mingyu
• Granted Patent: US 9,392,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/4
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4041 Roll shaped surface treating tools
• 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 9/0455 Bearing means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0477 Rolls

Abstract

There is provided a cleaner including an agitator, and a mounting portion on which the agitator is rotatably mounted. The agitator includes a brush assembly having brushes, a frame that includes a first opening into which the brush assembly is inserted, an installation space for receiving therein the brush assembly, and a second opening through which the brushes protrude, and first and second side caps that are connected to the frame and support the brush assembly.

Claims

1. A cleaner, comprising:

an agitator; and

a mounting portion on which the agitator is rotatably mounted,

wherein the agitator includes;

a brush assembly having brushes,

a frame that includes a first opening into which the brush assembly is inserted, an installation space to receive the brush assembly, and a second opening through which the brushes protrude, and

first and second side caps that are connected to the frame and support the brush assembly.

2. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the brush assembly includes a rod at which the brushes are installed, and the rod is coupled to the first and second side caps.

3. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second side caps is detachably coupled to the frame.

4. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the frame includes a plurality of first members arranged in parallel to be spaced apart from each other and second members that connect one ends of the plurality of first members.

5. The cleaner of claim 4, wherein a squeegee for cleaning a foreign substance is provided at any one of the plurality of first members.

6. The cleaner of claim 4, wherein the second opening is defined between the two first members adjacent to each other.

7. The cleaner of claim 1, wherein the first side cap includes a first coupling projection, and the second side cap includes a second coupling projection.

8. The cleaner of claim 7, further comprising:

first and second couplers that are connected to the first and second side caps, respectively, and are rotatably installed at the mounting portion.

9. The cleaner of claim 8, wherein the first coupler includes:

a fixing member that defines a first coupling groove to which the first coupling projection is coupled,

a moving member that is coupled to the fixing member and is movable in the first coupling groove, and

an elastic member that elastically supports the moving member within the first coupling groove, and

wherein the second coupler includes a second coupling groove to which the second coupling projection is coupled.

10. The cleaner of claim 9, wherein the moving member includes a pressing member pressed by the first coupling projection inserted into the first coupling groove and a guide portion that guides the movement of the moving member with respect to the fixing member.

11. The cleaner of claim 10, wherein the fixing member includes a guide slot that receives the guide portion.

12. The cleaner of claim 9, wherein the moving member is located at a first position relatively closest to the second coupler before the first coupling projection is inserted into the first coupling groove,

the moving member is located at a second position relatively farthest away from the second coupler when the coupling projection of the first side cap is inserted into the first coupling groove, and

the moving member is located between the first position and the second position when the coupling projection of the first side cap is inserted into the first coupling groove and the coupling projection of the second side cap is inserted into the second coupling groove of the second coupler.

13. The cleaner of claim 12, wherein, when the moving member is located at the second position, a distance between one surface of the moving member and a front end of the second coupler facing the first coupler is greater than a distance between the first coupling projection and the second coupling projection.

14. The cleaner of claim 12, wherein, when the moving member is located at the first position, a distance between one surface of the moving member and a front end of the second coupler facing the first coupler is less than a distance between the first coupling projection and the second coupling projection.

15. The cleaner of claim 8, wherein a driving force of a driving motor to rotate the agitator is received by any one of the first and second couplers.

16. An agitator, comprising:

a frame having an installation space, at least one first opening communicating with the installation space, and a plurality of second openings;

a brush assembly that is installed in the installation space through the at least one first opening and includes a plurality of brushes protruding outward from the frame through the second openings; and

first and second side caps that are fixed to the frame to support the brush assembly.

17. The agitator of claim 16, further comprising:

a rod at which the brushes are provided and which is coupled to the first and second side caps.

18. The agitator of claim 17, wherein the brushes are spirally arranged in a longitudinal direction of the rod.

19. The agitator of claim 17, wherein at least one of the first and second side caps is detachably coupled to the frame.

20. The agitator of claim 16, wherein the frame includes a plurality of first members arranged in parallel to be spaced apart from each other and second members that connect one ends of the plurality of first members.