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

• US 20090293221A1
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Published: 12/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Ha, Gun Ho, Yun, Chang Ho, Hyun, Kie Tak, Jeong, Kyeong Seon, Son, Young Bok, Kim, Jae Kyum, Lee, Sung Hwa, Yang, Hae Seock, Park, Yun Hee, Kim, Jin Young, Park, Min, Kim, Il Joong, Yoo, Myung Sig, Shin, Jin Hyouk, Choo, Jong Su, Jeong, Hoi Kil, Ko, Moo Hyun, Seo, Jin Wook, Lee, Chang Hoon, HWANG, Man Tae
• Granted Patent: US 8,544,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 15/347
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/108 Dust compression means

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 vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body having a suction air stream inlet and a suction air stream outlet;

a dust separator that communicates with the main body and that separates dust and dirt from the suction air stream, wherein the dust separator includes an air inlet and an air outlet, and wherein the suction air stream inlet and the suction air stream outlet are in fluid communication with, respectively, the air inlet and the air outlet of the dust separator;

a filter located in the dust separator;

a dust container detachably mounted in the main body, that receives and retains dirt and dust separated from the suction air stream;

at least one plate positioned in the dust container;

a lever provided in the dust container and configured to exert a force to drive the at least one plate; and

at least one gear coupled to the at least one plate and configured to transfer the force from the lever to the at least one plate.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the least one plate is rotatably mounted in the dust container and the at least one gear is configured to rotate the at least one plate.

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the lever is configured to be operated by a user to transfer the force from the lever to the at least one plate.

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one gear is provided under the dust container.

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 4, wherein the at least one gear comprises a first gear in communication with the lever and a second gear connected to the at least one plate.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the first gear mates with a rack provide on a connecting part attached to the lever.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the first gear has more teeth than the second gear to rotate the at least one plate to exceed an angle to which the first gear is rotated.

8. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the at least one plate is connected to a rotational shaft, and wherein the rotational shaft is inserted into and fixed to the second gear.

9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, wherein the second gear is connected to a rotational shaft, and wherein the rotational shaft passes through a bottom of the dust container.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 5, further comprising a floor cover configured to cover at least a portion of one of the first gear and the second gear.

23. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1s, further comprising a fixed shaft integrally formed with the dust container that protrudes from an inner surface of the dust container and guides movement of the at least one plate.

11. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body having a suction motor;

a dust separator that communicates with the suction motor and that separates dust from air;

a dust container detachably coupled to the dust separator, that stores dust separated from the dust separator;

a first plate rotatably provided in the dust container; and

a lever mounted on the dust container and configured to rotate the first plate, wherein a rotational center line of the first plate is spaced apart from a rotational center line of the lever.

12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 11, further comprising a drive mechanism comprising at least one gear coupled to the first plate and configured to transfer a force from the lever to the first plate.

13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the lever is configured to be operated by a user to transfer the force from the lever to the first plate.

14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the dust container includes a dust chamber, wherein the first plate is located within the dust chamber, wherein the driving mechanism is located outside of the dust chamber, and wherein the first plate is connected to the drive mechanism by a rotational shaft.

15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 14, further comprising a second plate fixed to the dust chamber, wherein the second plate is provided in an approximate radial disposition between an inner surface of the dust chamber and the rotational shaft of the first plate, and wherein a rotational center line of the first plate extends vertically with respect to a bottom of the dust chamber.

16. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the at least one gear comprises a first gear connected to the lever and a second gear connected to the first plate, wherein a rotational center line of the first gear is spaced apart from the rotational center line of the first plate.

17. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 16, wherein the first gear mates with a rack provide on a connecting part attached to the lever.

18. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body including a suction motor and a mounting portion;

a dust separator that communicates with the suction motor;

a dust container detachably mounted to the mounting portion;

at least one plate provided in the dust container;

a drive mechanism comprising at least one gear coupled to the at least one plate and configured to drive the at least one plate; and

an exhaust port configured to exhaust air separated from the dust in the dust separator, wherein at least a portion of the drive mechanism is exposed to an outside of the dust container and the main body in a state in which the dust container is mounted to the mounting portion.

19. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 18, wherein the least one plate is rotatably mounted in the dust container and the drive mechanism is configured to rotate the at least one plate.

20. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 18, wherein at least a portion of the drive mechanism is provided under the dust container.

21. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 20, wherein the dust container includes a collector body having an outer wall and a bottom wall defining a bottom of the outer wall, and wherein at least a portion of the drive mechanism is exposed to an outside of the outer wall in a state in which the dust container is mounted to the mounting portion.

22. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 20, wherein the dust container includes a dust container handle, and wherein the drive mechanism is mounted on the dust container handle.

24. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body having a suction air stream inlet and a suction air stream outlet;

a dust separator that communicates with the main body and that separates dust and dirt from a suction air stream, wherein the dust separator includes an air inlet and an air outlet, and wherein the suction air stream inlet and the suction air stream outlet are in fluid communication with, respectively, the air inlet and the air outlet of the dust separator;

a filter located in the dust separator;

a dust container detachably mounted in the main body, that receives and retains dirt and dust separated from the suction air stream;

first and second plates provided in the dust container, the first plate being rotatably installed within the dust container;

a drive mechanism comprising at least one gear coupled to the first plate and configured to rotate the first plate, the drive mechanism being provided at the dust container;

a return device having at least one spring coupled to the first plate and configured to restore the first plate to its original position; and

an exhaust port configured to exhaust air separated from the dust in the dust separator.

25. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 24, wherein the return device is connected to the drive mechanism.

26. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 24, wherein the dust container includes a bottom wall that defines a bottom thereof and supports the second plate.