Intelligent vacuum cleaner

• US 9,131,817 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2012
• Issued: 09/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Shenzhen Silver Star Intelligent Group Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Shenzhen Silver Star Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Huang, Ming, Shi, Yongyi
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, DUNG V
• Application Number:
  US13/717,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20140013539A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 154/12, 153/23
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 9/00 Details or accessories of suction cleaners, e.g. mechanical means for controlling the suction or for effecting pulsating action; Storing devices specially adapted to suction cleaners or parts thereof; Carrying-vehicles specially adapted for suction cleaners
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles

Abstract

An intelligent vacuum cleaner includes a main casing, a vacuum cleaning arrangement, and at least one detachable wheel assembly arrangement. The main casing has a plurality of wheel compartments formed at a bottom side of the main casing. The vacuum cleaning arrangement is operatively provided in the main casing for generating a predetermined vacuum effect. The detachable wheel assembly arrangement is provided on the bottom side of the main casing, and includes at least one driving wheel and a detachable mechanism which is connected to the driving wheel and is detachably mounted in the main casing so that the diving wheel and the detachable mechanism are selectively detachable from the main casing for convenient cleaning of the bottom side of the main casing.

Claims

1. An intelligent vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main casing having at least one wheel compartment formed at a bottom side of said main casing;

a vacuum cleaning arrangement operatively provided in said main casing for generating a predetermined vacuum effect; and

at least one detachable wheel assembly arrangement which is provided on said bottom side of said main casing, and comprises at least one driving wheel and a detachable mechanism which is connected to said driving wheel and is detachably mounted in said main casing so that said diving wheel and said detachable mechanism are selectively detachable from said main casing for convenient cleaning of said bottom side of said main casing;

wherein said wheel compartment is divided into a motor cavity and a wheel cavity which is communicated with said motor cavity, wherein said detachable wheel assembly arrangement further comprises a rotating platform which is provided in said motor cavity and has a rotating slot transversely formed on a top surface of said rotating platform, wherein said detachable mechanism comprises a rotating shaft arranged to be rotatably mounted in said rotating slot of said rotating platform when said driving wheel is accommodated in said wheel cavity of said corresponding wheel compartment.

2. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 1, wherein said detachable wheel assembly arrangement further comprises a securing member mounted on top of said rotating platform so as to sandwich said rotating shaft between said securing member and said rotating platform in a rotatably movable manner.

3. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 2, wherein said detachable mechanism further comprises a resilient element axially mounted on said rotating shaft for ejecting said driving wheel of said detachable wheel assembly arrangement, wherein said resilient element has a plurality of coil spring portions spacedly and axially mounted on said rotating shaft, a connecting portion integrally and transversely extended between said coil spring portions, and a plurality of longitudinal portions integrally, outwardly and longitudinally extended from outer ends of said coil spring portions respectively.

4. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 3, wherein said detachable wheel assembly arrangement further comprises at least one wheel cover detachably attached on said bottom side of said main casing for selectively and detachably covering said wheel compartment respectively.

5. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 4, wherein said wheel cover comprises a cover panel and a detachable cover mechanism provided on said cover panel for detachably and selectively engaging with said bottom side of said main casing.

6. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 5, wherein said detachable cover mechanism comprises an elastic locking member extended from a first peripheral edge of said cover panel, a plurality of locking latches extended from a second peripheral edge which is opposite to said first peripheral edge, and contains a locking slot formed on said bottom side of said main casing at a sidewall of said corresponding wheel compartment and at a position aligning with said elastic locking member, and a plurality of engaging slots spacedly formed on said bottom side of said main casing also at said sidewall of said corresponding wheel compartment, but aligning with said locking latches respectively.

7. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 6, wherein said main casing further has at least one locking sidewall formed as one of said sidewall of said motor cavity respectively in said corresponding locking slot, and a plurality of locking indentions formed on said locking sidewall respectively, wherein said main casing further has a supporting platform formed on said locking slot, wherein said supporting platform is extended between a corresponding sidewall of said locking slot and said locking sidewall.

8. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 7, wherein said elastic locking member has a first locking leg downwardly extended from said first peripheral edge of said wheel cover, and a second locking leg integrally upwardly extended from said first locking leg, wherein an intersection between said first locking leg and said second locking leg is curved so as to form a substantially U-shaped cross section of said elastic locking member, wherein each of said first locking leg and said second locking leg to has a predetermined elasticity for normally exerting a biasing force in a predetermined direction.

9. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 8, wherein said elastic locking member further has a protruding member outwardly protruded from said second locking leg and is arranged to align with said corresponding locking indention formed on said main casing, wherein said protruding member is arranged to fittedly receive in said locking indention so as to selectively lock up a position of said wheel cover.

10. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 9, wherein said elastic locking member further has a pushing member integrally extended from said second locking leg for allowing a user to unlock said elastic locking member by slightly pushing said pushing member toward said main casing, wherein when said elastic locking member is locked on said main casing, said protruding member is arranged to receive in said locking indention while said second locking leg is engaged with said corresponding locking sidewall.

11. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 10, wherein said detachable wheel assembly arrangement further comprises a driving motor, and a driving mechanism extended between said driving motor and said corresponding driving wheel in such a manner that said driving motor is arranged to drive said rotation of said driving wheel through said driving mechanism.

12. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 11, wherein said detachable wheel assembly arrangement further comprises a plurality of tubular sleeves axially mounted on said rotating shaft of said detachable mechanism, wherein said driving motor is accommodated in said motor cavity of said corresponding wheel compartment, wherein said driving mechanism and said driving wheel are accommodated in said wheel cavity of said corresponding wheel compartment.

13. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 12, wherein said wheel compartment further has a side biasing wall formed in said motor cavity, wherein said connecting portion of said corresponding resilient element is arranged to bias against said side biasing wall of said motor cavity, wherein when said wheel cover is locked on said main casing, said wheel cover is arranged to bias against said driving motor.

14. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 13, wherein a longitudinal orientation of said motor cavity and said wheel cavity is substantially perpendicular to each other so as to form a L-shaped cross section of said corresponding wheel compartment.

15. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 14, wherein said securing member comprises an elongated body and a plurality of biasing members formed at and transversely extended from two end portions of said elongated body.

16. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 13, wherein said securing member comprises an elongated body and a plurality of biasing members formed at and transversely extended from two end portions of said elongated body.

17. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 5, wherein a longitudinal orientation of said motor cavity and said wheel cavity is substantially perpendicular to each other so as to form a L-shaped cross section of said corresponding wheel compartment.

18. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 5, wherein said securing member comprises an elongated body and a plurality of biasing members formed at and transversely extended from two end portions of said elongated body.

19. The intelligent vacuum cleaner, as recited in claim 3, wherein a longitudinal orientation of said motor cavity and said wheel cavity is substantially perpendicular to each other so as to form a L-shaped cross section of said corresponding wheel compartment.