Vacuum cleaner

• US 7,647,672 B2
• Filed: 01/14/2005
• Issued: 01/19/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Chung, Choon-Myun, Nam, Hyeun-Sik, Lee, Yong-Woo, Jung, Young-Gyu
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomas; David B
• Application Number:
  US11/034,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20060010641A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,831 Days
• Field of Search: 153/52, 153/53, 153/47, 554/28, 554/29, 554/591
• US Class Current: 15/352
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/108 Dust compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/165 Construction of inlets

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner comprises: a body; a suction head arranged at a lower side of the body and sucking dust or filth; a suction fan mounted at the body and generating a suction force; a dust collecting container mounted in the body and collecting dust or filth sucked into the suction head; and a compression unit mounted at the body and compressing dust or filth collected in the dust collecting container.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner comprising:

a body;

a suction head arranged at a lower side of the body and sucking dust or filth;

a suction fan mounted at the body and generating a suction force;

a dust collecting container mounted in the body and collecting dust or filth sucked into the suction head; and

a compression unit mounted at the body and compressing dust or filth collected in the dust collecting container,

wherein the compression unit includes a plurality of conduits and a switching valve connected to the conduits,

wherein the switching valve includes;

a valve housing mounted at the body and connected to the conduits;

a valve plate rotatably mounted in the valve housing; and

a controlling lever mounted at the valve plate and rotating the valve plate.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the plurality of conduits includes:

a first conduit connected to an exhaust pipe of the dust collecting container;

a second conduit connected to a bottom surface of the dust collecting container;

a third conduit connected to a suction side of the suction fan;

a fourth conduit connected to a discharge side of the suction fan; and

wherein the switching valve is respectively connected to the first, second, third, and fourth conduits, for connecting the first conduit to the third conduit when the cleaner collects dust or filth, and connecting between the first conduit and the fourth conduit and between the second conduit and the third conduit when the cleaner compresses dust or filth collected in the dust collecting container.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the first conduit is connected to a first exhaust port connected to the exhaust pipe arranged in the dust collecting container.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the second conduit is connected to a second exhaust port formed at a bottom surface of the dust collecting container.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein the second exhaust port is provided with a filter for preventing dust or filth stored in the dust collecting container from being exhausted to the second exhaust port.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the fourth conduit is connected to an exhaust hole formed at the body and exhausting air to the outside.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the switching valve is composed of:

the valve plate rotatably mounted in the valve housing connecting the first conduit to the third conduit or the first conduit and the fourth conduit or the second conduit to the third conduit.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the switching valve further includes a supporting plate mounted at one side surface of the valve body and preventing the valve plate from being separated from the valve body.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the valve housing is provided with a first port connected to the first conduit, a second port connected to the second conduit, a third port connected to the third conduit, and a fourth port connected to the fourth conduit in a radius direction.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the valve plate is formed as a disc shape, and is composed of:

a first connection passage for connecting between the first port and the third port or between the second port and the third port; and

a second connection passage for connecting the first conduit and the fourth conduit.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the controlling lever is exposed to outside of the body so that a user can handle the controlling lever.