VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20070143953A1
• Filed: 11/30/2006
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jae, Hyun, Kie, Jeong, Hoi, Ko, Moo, Yoo, Myung, Yang, Hae, Hwang, Man, Choo, Jong
• Granted Patent: US 7,882,592 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/353
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/0081 Means for exhaust-air diffusion; Means for sound or vibration damping
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/108 Dust compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1625 for series flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1641 for parallel flow
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B30B 9/3082 with compression means other than rams performing a rectilinear movement
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 55/03 Vacuum cleaner

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes both a main dust separation unit and a secondary dust separation unit. One of the dust separation units is provided on a main body of the vacuum cleaner, and the other dust separation unit is provided on a removable dust collection unit that is mountable on the main body.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body;

a dust collection unit removably mounted on the main body and configured to collect dust separated from an incoming flow of air;

a first dust separation unit mounted on an upper portion of the dust collection unit; and

a second dust separation unit mounted on the main body.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein dust separated in the first dust separation unit falls into a main dust collection chamber located in a lower portion of the dust collection unit.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the first dust separation unit comprises a cyclone dust separation unit, and wherein a separation plate is mounted on the dust collection unit between the first dust separation unit and the main dust collection chamber.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein a dust guide passage links the first dust separation unit to the main dust collection chamber.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 5, wherein an inlet to the dust guide passage is formed on a lower portion of a sidewall of the first dust separation unit.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein the dust collection unit is mounted on the main body such that a longitudinal axis of the dust collection unit is angled relative to the vertical.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 7, wherein the dust guide passage is located on a section of the lower portion of the sidewall of the first dust separation unit that is positioned higher than all other sections of the lower portion of the sidewall.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the dust collection unit further comprises a secondary dust collection chamber that is configured to collect dust separated in the second dust separation unit.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the secondary dust collection chamber is located on an upper portion of the dust collection unit.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the secondary dust collection chamber is formed on an outer wall of the first dust separation unit.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the second dust separation unit comprises at least one cyclone type dust separation unit.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 12, wherein a longitudinal axis of the at least one cyclone type dust separation unit is angled relative to the horizontal such that dust separated in the at least one cyclone type dust separation unit will fall into the secondary dust collection chamber.

14. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the second dust separation unit comprises a plurality of cyclones having longitudinal axes which are oriented at an angle with respect to the horizontal.

15. The vacuum cleaner of claim 9, wherein the dust collection unit comprises a cover that is removably mounted on a top of the dust collection unit, and wherein the cover comprises:

a discharge hole that discharges air from the first dust separation unit; and

at least one inlet hole that allows dust separated in the second dust separation unit to be conveyed to the secondary dust collection chamber.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 15, wherein the at least one inlet hole comprises first and second inlet holes that are arranged on opposite sides of the discharge hole.

17. The vacuum cleaner of claim 16, wherein the second dust separation unit comprises:

a first sub-group of cyclones mounted on a first side of the main body; and

a second sub-group of cyclones mounted on a second side of the main body.

18. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein dust separated in the first sub-group of cyclones is introduced into the dust collection unit via the first inlet hole, and wherein dust separated in the second sub-group of cyclones is introduced into the dust collection unit via the second inlet hole.

19. The vacuum cleaner of claim 17, wherein a connection duct couples the discharge hole of the cover to an inlet to the second dust collection unit.

20. The vacuum cleaner of claim 19, wherein the connection duct passes between the first and second sub-groups of cyclones.

21. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the dust collection unit comprises a cover having a discharge hole and at least one inlet hole, and wherein a cone shaped filter member is coupled to the discharge hole and extends into the first dust separation unit.

22. The vacuum cleaner of claim 21, wherein the filter member includes a plurality of holes which allow air to escape from the first dust separation unit.

23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, wherein the dust collection unit comprises:

a first dust storing unit that is removably mounted on the main body and that is configured to store dust separated in the first dust separation unit; and

a second dust storing unit that is removably mounted on the main body and that is configured to store dust separated in the second dust separation unit.

24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further comprising a connection duct that couples an outlet of the first dust separation unit to an inlet of the second dust separation unit such that the first and second dust separation units are arranged in series.

25. The vacuum cleaner of claim 24, wherein the second dust separation unit comprises a plurality of cyclones mounted on the main body.

26. The vacuum cleaner of claim 25, wherein the inlet of the second dust separation unit comprises a plurality of cyclone inlets to the respective plurality of cyclones, and wherein each cyclone inlet is configured to introduce air into its respective cyclone in a tangential direction.

27. The vacuum cleaner of claim 26, wherein the plurality of cyclone inlets comprise guide ribs.

28. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body;

a dust collection unit removably mounted on the main body;

a first dust separation unit mounted on an upper portion of the dust collection unit, wherein dust separated in the first dust separation unit is stored in a main dust collection chamber of the dust collection unit; and

a second dust separation unit mounted on the main body, wherein the second dust separation unit comprises a plurality of cyclones, and wherein dust separated in the second dust separation unit is stored in a secondary dust collection chamber of the dust collection unit.

29. The vacuum cleaner of claim 28, wherein the main dust collection chamber is located in a lower portion of the dust collection unit.

30. The vacuum cleaner of claim 29, wherein the secondary dust collection chamber is located on an upper outer side of the dust collection unit.

31. The vacuum cleaner of claim 28, wherein a connection duct couples an outlet of the first dust separation unit to an inlet of the second dust separation unit such that the first and second dust separation units are arranged in series.

32. The vacuum cleaner of claim 31, wherein the connection duct passes between the plurality of cyclones.

33. The vacuum cleaner of claim 31, wherein the inlet of the second dust separation unit comprises a plurality of guide ribs that guide air from the connection duct into the plurality of cyclones of the second dust separation unit such that the air enters the plurality of cyclones in tangential directions.

34. The vacuum cleaner of claim 28, wherein the dust collection unit comprises a cover having an outlet hole that allows air to escape the first dust separation unit and first and second inlet holes that allow dust separated in the plurality of cyclones of the second dust separation unit to enter the secondary dust collection chamber.

35. The vacuum cleaner of claim 34, wherein the outlet hole of the cover is located between the first and second inlet holes of the cover.