VACUUM CLEANER WITH REMOVABLE DUST COLLECTOR, AND METHODS OF OPERATING THE SAME

• US 20080023036A1
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• 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, Jin, Lee, Chang, Seo, Jin, Yun, Chang, Park, Yun, Ha, Gun
• Granted Patent: US 8,060,979 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 134/21
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 5/365 of the vertical type, e.g. tank or bucket type
• 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 a dust collector that compresses dust stored inside a dust container to minimize the volume of the dust. The dust collector would include one or more pressing plates that are used to compress the dust stored in dust collector. Various methods are used to control movements of the movable pressing plates to facilitate the compression operations. Also, various methods are used to determine when the dust collector is full and needs to be emptied.

Claims

1. A method of operating a vacuum cleaner having a dust container with a compression plate that compresses dust in the dust container, comprising:

moving the compression plate in a first direction to compress dust in the dust container until the compression plate is forced to stop; and

moving the compression plate in a second opposite direction.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the moving steps result in the compression plate being moved in alternating directions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the moving steps result in dust being compressed against one surface as the compression plate moves in a first of two alternating directions.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising holding the compression plate at a position in which it is compressing dust for a predetermined period of time after the compression plate is forced to stop before the compression plate is allowed to move in the alternating direction.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the compression plate continuously applies pressure to the dust during the predetermined period of time during which it is held in position.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the moving step results in dust being compressed against two different surfaces as the compression plate moves in both of the alternating directions.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising holding the compression plate at positions in which it is compressing dust for a predetermined period of time after the compression plate is forced to stop before the compression plate is allowed to move in an alternating direction.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the compression plate continuously applies pressure to the dust during the predetermined period of time during which it is held in position.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining how far the compression plate was able to move before it stopped;

determining whether the amount that the compression plate was able to move before it stopped is less than a predetermined minimum movement amount; and

informing the user if the amount that the compression plate was able to move before it stopped is less than the predetermined minimum movement amount.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the informing step comprises informing the user that the dust container is full.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the informing step comprises sounding an audible alert.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the informing step comprises illuminating an indicator light.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the informing step comprises:

operating a suction motor of the vacuum cleaner at a reduced level for a predetermined period of time; and

shutting off the suction motor after it has been operated at the reduced level.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the informing step comprises shutting off a suction motor of the vacuum cleaner.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of moving the compression plate in the first direction comprises:

moving the compression plate to compress dust in the dust container;

sensing an amount of force the compression plate is applying to the dust as it moves;

comparing the sensed force to a predetermined amount of force; and

halting movement of the compression plate when the sensed amount of force exceeds the predetermined amount of force.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the halting step comprises continuously applying pressure to the dust while the compression plate is halted.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the moving, sensing, comparing and halting steps are performed as the compression plate is moved in both alternating directions.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the compression plate is mounted in the dust container such that it rotates within the dust container, and wherein the moving steps comprise rotating the compression plate within the dust container.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining how far the compression plate was able to move before it stopped comprises measuring an angle of rotation through which the compression plate rotated before it stopped.

20. A method of determining if a dust container of a vacuum cleaner is full, comprising:

moving a dust compression plate within the dust container to compress dust in the dust container until the compression plate is forced to stop;

determining how far the compression plate was able to move before it stopped;

determining that the dust container is full if the amount that the compression plate was able to move before it stopped is less than a predetermined minimum movement amount.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the moving step comprises moving the compression plate in alternating directions.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the moving step results in dust being compressed against one surface as the compression plate moves in a first of two alternating directions.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the moving step results in dust being compressed against two different surfaces as the compression plate moves in the alternating directions.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the moving step comprises:

moving the compression plate to compress dust in the dust container;

sensing an amount of force the compression plate is applying to the dust as it moves;

comparing the sensed force to a predetermined amount of force; and

halting movement of the compression plate when the sensed amount of force exceeds the predetermined amount of force.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the moving step comprises moving the compression plate in alternating directions, and wherein the sensing, comparing and halting steps are performed as the compression plate is moved in both alternating directions.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the compression plate is mounted in the dust container such that it rotates within the dust container, and wherein the moving step comprises rotating the compression plate within the dust container.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the step of determining how far the compression plate was able to move before it stopped comprises measuring an angle of rotation through which the compression plate rotated before it stopped.

28. A method of operating a vacuum cleaner having a dust container, wherein a compression plate is mounted in the dust container, comprising:

operating a suction motor of the vacuum cleaner;

halting operation of the suction motor; and

moving the compression plate into a position at which it compresses dust in the dust container after operation of the suction motor has halted.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the moving step comprises:

moving the compression plate such that it compresses dust in the dust container;

detecting a force applied to the dust by the compression plate; and

halting movement of the compression plate when the detected force exceeds a predetermined compression force.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the moving step comprises rotating the compression plate in the dust container.