ROBOT CLEANER

• US 20170055797A1
• Filed: 08/19/2016
• Published: 03/02/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: KIM, Jongsu, HWANG, Geunbae
• Granted Patent: US 10,517,457 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4005 Arrangements of batteries or cells; Electric power supply arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4011 Regulation of the cleaning machine by electric means; Control systems and remote control systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4013 Contaminants collecting devices, i.e. hoppers, tanks or the like
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4027 Filtering or separating contaminants or debris
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/4097 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Exhaust-air treatment, e.g. air purification; Means for sound or vibration damping
• 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 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/22 Mountings for motor fan assemblies

Abstract

Disclosed is a robot cleaner. The robot cleaner comprising: a cleaner main body defining an external appearance of the robot cleaner, a suction unit provided in the cleaner main body for suctioning air containing dust, a dust separation unit for separating the dust from the air suctioned through the suction unit, and a fan unit connected to the dust separation unit for providing suction force to the suction unit, wherein the fan unit includes: a drive motor, a first chamber surrounding the drive motor and provided with a first suction hole and a first exhaust hole, and a second chamber surrounding the first chamber and provided with a second suction hole and a second exhaust hole, wherein the fan unit includes a cover placed at an upper side of the second suction hole for preventing noise generated from the drive motor from being emitted through the second suction hole, and wherein the cover includes: a cover part for blocking a path of noise transmitted through the second suction hole; and a support part for seating the cover part on a top of the second chamber.

Claims

1. A robot cleaner comprising:

a cleaner main body defining an external appearance of the robot cleaner;

a suction unit provided in the cleaner main body for suctioning air containing dust;

a dust separation unit for separating the dust from the air suctioned through the suction unit; and

a fan unit connected to the dust separation unit for providing suction force to the suction unit,

wherein the fan unit includes;

a drive motor;

a first chamber surrounding the drive motor and provided with a first suction hole and a first exhaust hole; and

a second chamber surrounding the first chamber and provided with a second suction hole and a second exhaust hole,

wherein the fan unit includes a cover placed at an upper side of the second suction hole for preventing noise generated from the drive motor from being emitted through the second suction hole, and

wherein the cover includes;

a cover part for blocking a path of noise transmitted through the second suction hole; and

a support part for seating the cover part on a top of the second chamber.

2. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the first chamber includes:

a first chamber upper member for defining an external appearance of an upper portion; and

a first chamber lower member coupled to the first chamber upper member for defining an external appearance of a lower portion,

wherein the first suction hole is formed in the first chamber upper member, and

wherein the first exhaust hole is formed in the first chamber lower member.

3. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the first chamber lower member includes a first vibration attenuator for supporting the drive motor by coming into contact with a bottom of the drive motor.

4. The robot cleaner according to claim 2, wherein the first chamber upper member includes a second vibration attenuator for supporting the drive motor by coming into contact with a top of the drive motor.

5. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the first suction hole is formed to face an upper side, and

wherein the first exhaust hole is formed to face a lateral side.

6. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the second chamber includes:

a second chamber upper member for defining an external appearance of an upper portion; and

a second chamber lower member coupled to the second chamber upper member for defining an external appearance of a lower portion,

wherein the second suction hole is formed in the second chamber upper member, and

wherein the second exhaust hole is formed in the second chamber lower member.

7. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the second suction hole is formed to face an upper side, and

wherein the second exhaust hole is formed to face a lateral side.

8. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the second exhaust hole is provided with an exhaust filter.

9. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the support part includes:

a support piece seated on the top of the second chamber; and

an arm fixed to a top of the cover part, and

wherein the cover part is spaced apart from the second suction hole.

10. The robot cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the arm is a member having a width smaller than a height thereof.

11. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cover part is configured so that an upper portion thereof has a smaller cross-sectional area than a lower portion thereof.

12. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cover part has a recess formed inside thereof, and

wherein the recess is located to face the second suction hole.

13. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the cover part has a cross-sectional area greater than the second suction hole.

14. The robot cleaner according to claim 1, further comprising a guide having an opening for guiding the air guided from the dust separation unit to the fan unit,

wherein the cover is located between the opening and the second suction hole.

15. The robot cleaner according to claim 14, wherein the guide includes a mesh for widely distributing the air having passed through the dust separation unit.