VACUUM CLEANER

• US 20160235268A1
• Filed: 09/23/2014
• Published: 08/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: CHOI, Keon Soo, KIM, Shin, LEE, Dong Hyun, HA, Dong Woo, LEE, Chang Hyun, HAN, Ji Yeon
• Granted Patent: US 11,129,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/009 Carrying-vehicles; Arrangements of trollies or wheels; Means for avoiding mechanical obstacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1683 Dust collecting chambers; Dust collecting receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2805 Parameters or conditions being sensed
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2852 Elements for displacement of the vacuum cleaner or the accessories therefor, e.g. wheels, casters or nozzles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2863 Control elements activated by pivoting movement of the upright vacuum cleaner handle
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/32 Handles

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner includes an actuator connected to a suction hose to rotate in left and right directions centering on a first rotation axis, or in forward and backward directions centering on a second rotation axis according to movement of the suction hose, a first displacement sensor detecting rotational displacement of the actuator in the left and right directions, and a second displacement sensor detecting rotational displacement of the actuator in the forward and backward directions, and controls activation of a plurality of driving motors according to the rotational displacement of the actuator in the left and right directions and in the forward and backward directions, which are detected by the first displacement sensor and the second displacement sensor, thereby advancing or rotating the main body in the left and right directions.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body;

a suction nozzle configured to suck in air from a surface being cleaned;

a suction hose configured to guide the air sucked in through the suction nozzle to the main body;

a plurality of wheels provided at both sides of the main body;

a plurality of driving motors configured to provide the plurality of wheels with driving forces;

an actuator connected to the suction hose to rotate in left and right directions centering on a first rotation axis or in forward and backward directions centering on a second rotation axis according to movement of the suction hose;

a first displacement sensor configured to detect rotational displacement of the actuator in the left and right directions;

a second displacement sensor configured to detect rotational displacement of the actuator in the forward and backward directions; and

a control unit configured to control activation of the plurality of driving motors according to the rotational displacement of the actuator, which is detected by the first displacement sensor and the second displacement sensor, in the left and right directions and in the forward and backward directions, thereby advancing or rotating the main body in the left and right directions.

2. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a first rotating body provided to be relatively rotatable with respect to the main body in the left and right directions centering on the first rotation axis, and a second rotating body coupled to the first rotating body to be relatively rotatable with respect to the first rotating body in the forward and backward directions centering on the second rotation axis and connected to the suction hose.

3. The vacuum cleaner of claim 2, further comprising:

a supporting body fixed to the main body to support the first rotating body,

wherein the first rotating body is coupled to the supporting body to be relatively rotatable with respect to the supporting body in the left and right directions centering on the first rotation axis.

4. The vacuum cleaner of claim 3, wherein the first displacement sensor is a potentiometer having a first sensor body and a first adjustment knob provided rotatably on the first sensor body to change resistance.

5. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein the first sensor body is coupled to the supporting body, and the first adjustment knob is inserted into the first rotating body to be rotated together with the first rotating body.

6. The vacuum cleaner of claim 4, wherein the second displacement sensor is a potentiometer having a second sensor body and a second adjustment knob provided rotatably on the second sensor body to change resistance.

7. The vacuum cleaner of claim 6, wherein the second sensor body is coupled to the first rotating body, and the second adjustment knob is inserted into the second rotating body to be rotated together with the second rotating body.

8. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

at least one elastic member configured to elastically support the actuator.

9. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

an inner hose provided inside the actuator to communicate with the suction hose.

10. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, further comprising:

a vent unit provided inside the actuator to communicate with the suction hose.

11. The vacuum cleaner of claim 10, wherein the vent unit includes a first vent coupled to a lower portion of the second rotating body to communicate with the suction hose, and a second vent coupled rotatably to the first vent by a universal joint to communicate with the first vent.

12. The vacuum cleaner of claim 11, wherein the second vent includes a bowl unit having an outer circumferential surface of a spherical shape, and the first vent includes a bowl housing configured to surround and support the bowl unit.

13. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the actuator is provided at an upper portion of the main body, wherein:

a rotational displacement of the actuator occurs in the forward direction and the plurality of driving motors are activated to move the main body in the forward direction when the suction hose is pulled in the forward direction of the main body,

a rotational displacement of the actuator occurs in the left direction and a right driving motor of the plurality of driving motors is activated to rotate the main body in the left direction when the suction hose is pulled in the left direction of the main body, and

a rotational displacement of the actuator occurs in the right direction and a left driving motor of the plurality of driving motors is activated to rotate the main body in the right direction when the suction hose is pulled in the right direction of the main body.

16. The vacuum cleaner of claim 1, wherein the actuator is provided at a front portion of the main body, wherein:

a rotational displacement of the actuator occurs in the backward direction and the plurality of driving motors are activated to move the main body in the forward direction when the suction hose is pulled in the forward direction of the main body,

a rotational displacement of the actuator occurs in the left direction and a right driving motor of the plurality of driving motors is activated to rotate the main body in the left direction when the suction hose is pulled in the left direction of the main body, and

a rotational displacement of the actuator occurs in the right direction and a left driving motor of the plurality of driving motors is activated to rotate the main body in the right direction when the suction hose is pulled in the right direction of the main body.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. (canceled)

19. (canceled)

20. (canceled)

21. (canceled)

22. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body;

a plurality of wheels provided at both sides of the main body;

a plurality of driving motors configured to provide the plurality of wheels with driving forces;

a plurality of reduction gears configured to deliver the driving forces of the plurality of driving motors to the plurality of wheels;

an actuator configured to rotate in left and right directions centering on a first rotation axis or in forward and backward directions centering on a second rotation axis;

a first displacement sensor configured to detect rotational displacement of the actuator in the left and right directions;

a second displacement sensor configured to detect rotational displacement of the actuator in the forward and backward directions; and

multiple clutches configured to intermit power transmission by connecting or disconnecting the plurality of reduction gears and the plurality of wheels,

wherein the vacuum cleaner has an active driving mode in which the multiple clutches are connected and a manual driving mode in which the multiple clutches are disconnected.

23. The vacuum cleaner of claim 22, wherein the plurality of driving motors are activated according to rotation of the actuator in the active driving mode to enable the main body to actively advance or rotate in the left and right directions.

24. The vacuum cleaner of claim 22, wherein the plurality of wheels idly rotate in the manual driving mode without interfering with loads of the plurality of driving motors and the plurality of reduction gears.

25. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body configured to generate a suction force and to separate dust from air being sucked in;

a suction nozzle unit provided at a lower portion of the main body to suck in air from a surface being cleaned;

a driving unit having a plurality of wheels and configured to drive the main body;

a handle unit provided at an upper portion of the main body to be relatively rotatable with respect to the main body; and

a control unit configured to control the driving unit on the basis of a relative rotational displacement of the handle unit with respect to the main body to enable the main body to perform active driving.

26. The vacuum cleaner of claim 25, wherein the handle unit is provided to rotate with respect to the main body centering on at least one rotation axis or the handle unit is provided to rotate with respect to the main body centering on multiple rotation axes which are perpendicular to each other.

28. The vacuum cleaner of claim 25, further comprising:

an actuator provided between the main body and the handle unit to relatively rotatably couple the main body to the handle unit and a displacement sensor configured to detect a relative rotational displacement of the handle unit with respect to the main body.

27. (canceled)

29. (canceled)