Cleaning apparatus

• US 8,438,694 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2010
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Dong Won, Jang, Hwi Chan, Joo, Jae Man, Hong, Jun Pyo, Lee, Jun Hwa, Chung, Woo Ram, Jung, Jae Young, Yoo, Kyung Hwan, Ko, Jang Youn, Song, Jeong Gon, Jeung, Sam Jong
• Primary Examiner(s): Glessner, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): MATTEI, BRIAN DAVID
• Application Number:
  US12/801,309
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,077 Days
• Field of Search: 153/19, 153/39, 153/401, 153/47
• US Class Current: 15/319
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 11/24 Floor-sweeping machines, motor-driven
• 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 7/02 with driven tools for special purposes with floor-polishing tools A47L11/20
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/106 Dust removal

Abstract

A cleaning apparatus including a main body, a dust collection unit detachably installed on the main body and provided with a plurality of inlets, through which foreign substances are introduced into the dust collection unit, and a connection hole, to which an external instrument is connected, a shutter to open and close one inlet, and a cap to open and close the connection hole. The shutter opens and closes the inlet in cooperation with one of whether or not the dust collection unit is attached to or detached from the main body and whether or not the connection hole is opened or closed.

Claims

1. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a dust collection unit detachably installed on the main body and provided with at least one inlet, through which foreign substances is introduced into the dust collection unit;

a shutter to open and close the at least one inlet;

guides to guide opening and closing of the at least one inlet by the shutter in cooperation with whether or not the dust collection unit is attached to or detached from the main body; and

interlocking levers, each of which is provided with one end connected to the shutter and the other end having an interlocking protrusion guided by each guide, rotated together with the shutter.

2. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the shutter is hinged to one side of the at least one inlet of the dust collection unit, and is rotated to open and close the at least one inlet.

3. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein a guide plane inclined in a direction of attaching and detaching the dust collection unit to and from the main body to guide the interlocking protrusion is provided on each guide.

4. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a connection hole provided on the dust collection unit, to which an external instrument is connected, and a cap to open and close the connection hole,

wherein the cap is provided with one end hinged to the dust collection unit, and is rotated to open and close the connection hole.

5. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the guides are rotatably installed on the main body, and are rotated to support the interlocking protrusions.

6. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising pressure members, each of which is provided with one end connected to a cap hinge shaft provided on the cap, rotated together with the cap to apply pressure to the guides so as to rotate the guides.

7. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 5, further comprising restoring springs installed on guide hinge shafts to rotatably install the guides on the main body, and restoring the guides to their original positions.

8. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a reception recess to receive and support the interlocking protrusion guided by the guide plane is provided at one side of the guide plane of each guide.

9. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

the dust collection unit includes a first storage part to collect relatively large foreign substances, a second storage part to collect relatively small foreign substances, a first inlet through which foreign substances are introduced into the first storage part, and a second inlet through which foreign substances are introduced into the second storage part; and

the shutter opens and closes the first inlet.

10. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the dust collection unit further includes a support protrusion provided at the lower end of the first inlet to support the lower end of the shutter and to guide, in cooperation with the shutter, air, introduced into the first storage part through the first inlet, to the lower portion of the first storage part.

11. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a dust collection unit detachably installed on the main body and provided with at least one inlet

a shutter to open and close the at least one inlet;

guides, each of which includes a guide plane to guide rotation of the shutter, rotatably installed on the main body; and

interlocking levers, each of which is provided with one end connected to a shutter hinge shaft provided on the shutter and the other end having an interlocking protrusion guided by the guide plane, rotated together with the shutter.

12. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a connection hole provided on the dust collection unit, to which an external instrument is connected, and a cap to open and close the connection hole,

wherein the cap is hinged to one side of the connection hole of the dust collection unit and is rotated to open and close the connection hole, and the shutter is hinged to one side of the at least one inlet of the dust collection unit and is rotated to open and close the at least one inlet.

13. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 12, further comprising:

pressure members, each of which is provided with one end connected to a cap hinge shaft provided on the cap, rotated together with the cap to apply pressure to the guides so as to rotate the guides.

14. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

the dust collection unit includes a first storage part to collect relatively large foreign substances, a second storage part to collect relatively small foreign substances, a first inlet through which foreign substances are introduced into the first storage part, and a second inlet through which foreign substances are introduced into the second storage part; and

the shutter opens and closes the first inlet.

15. A cleaning apparatus comprising:

a main body;

a dust collection unit detachably installed on the main body, the dust collection unit including at least one inlet to collect foreign substances;

a brush unit to sweep the foreign substances to the inside of the dust collection unit through the at least one inlet;

a shutter to open and close one of the at least one inlets;

guides, each of which includes a guide plane to guide rotation of the shutter, rotatably installed on the main body; and

interlocking levers, each of which is provided with one end connected to a shutter hinge shaft provided on the shutter and the other end having an interlocking protrusion guided by guide plane, rotated together with the shutter.

16. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 15, wherein the at least one inlet includes a first inlet through which the foreign substances swept by a brush unit are introduced into the dust collection unit, and a second inlet through which suspended particles of the foreign substances are introduced into the dust collection unit together with air, the second inlet being provided above the first inlet in parallel with the first inlet,

an inner space of the dust collection unit is divided into a first storage part connected with the first inlet, and a second storage part is connected to the second inlet, and

a filter to filter out the foreign substances from the air is disposed in the second storage part.

17. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising a connection hole provided on the dust collection unit, to which an external instrument is connected, and a cap to open and close the connection hole,

wherein the cap is hinged to one side of the connection hole of the dust collection unit and is rotated to open and close the connection hole, and the shutter is hinged to one side of the first inlet of the dust collection unit and is rotated to open and close the first inlet.

18. The cleaning apparatus according to claim 17, further comprising:

pressure members, each of which is provided with one end connected to a cap hinge shaft provided on the cap, rotated together with the cap to apply pressure to the guides so as to rotate the guides.