Indicator device for a vacuum cleaner dust container which has an additional pressure controller

• US 5,778,486 A
• Filed: 10/28/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Daewoo Electronics (Government of South Korea)
• Original Assignee: Daewoo Electronics (Government of South Korea)
• Inventors: Kim, Suk-Gu
• Primary Examiner(s): Biefeld, Diana
• Application Number:
  US08/739,042
• Time in Patent Office: 624 Days
• Field of Search: 15/339, 116/266, 116/268, 116/272, 116/DIG. 25
• US Class Current: 15/339
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/19 Means for monitoring filtering operation

Abstract

Disclosed is an indicator device for visually in detail denoting the amount of filled dust in a dust container of a vacuum cleaner with time. The indicator device operates based on a vacuum pressure difference created between an air suction port and an outlet of the vacuum cleaner. A first plunger and a second plunger slidablely positioned in a first cylinder primarily decrease the vacuum degree in a dust collecting compartment and continuously display the amount of filled dust in the dust container. For this purpose, the first plunger is colored red and the second plunger is colored green. A third plunger slidablely positioned in a second cylinder secondarily decreases the vacuum degree in a dust collecting compartment. The user of the vacuum cleaner can notice the operating state of the vacuum cleaner or the replacement time of the dust container by observing the first plunger and the second plunger through a transparent window installed at a hood of the vacuum cleaner.

Claims

1. An indicator device for visually in detail denoting an amount of filled dust in a dust container of a vacuum cleaner comprising:

a transparent first cylinder including an indicating means for denoting the amount of the filled dust and a first adjusting cap assembly installed to one end thereof for adjusting an operating time of the indicating means by controlling a flowing area of a first air under an atmospheric pressure, and including a first supporting means for elastically supporting said indicating means, said indicating means being slidably positioned in said transparent first cylinder so as to primarily decrease a vacuum degree in a dust collecting compartment and continuously displays an amount of filled dust in the dust container;

a second cylinder including a second cap assembly installed to one end thereof for controlling a flowing area of a second air under an atmospheric pressure, including a pressure control means for secondarily decreasing the vacuum degree in the dust collecting compartment, and including a second supporting means for elastically supporting said pressure control means; and

a connecting tube allowing for fluid-communication of said first cylinder, and for pneumatically connecting said first cylinder and said second cylinder to the dust collecting compartment.

2. An indicator device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first adjusting cap assembly includes a first end cap having a first opening formed through said first end cap and includes a hollow first fixing member.

6. An indicator device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said indicating means is slidablely positioned within said first cylinder and includes a first plunger and a second plunger, said first plunger comprises a plurality of second openings formed at a side surface of said first plunger and a third opening formed at a center of an open end of said first plunger, and said second plunger comprises a fourth opening formed through a center of said second plunger and a first cylindrical protrusion for fixing said first supporting means.

7. An indicator device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first plunger is colored red and said second plunger is colored green.

8. An indicator device as claimed in claims 6, wherein said second plunger has a recess formed at a side surface of said second plunger and comprises an O-shaped sealing ring disposed in said recess.

9. An indicator device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said first supporting means is a compression spring and is disposed between said first cylindrical protrusion and a first end of said connecting tube.

10. An indicator device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pressure control means is a third plunger which is slidablely positioned within said second cylinder and which includes a second cylindrical protrusion for fixing said second supporting means.

11. An indicator device as claimed in claim 10, wherein said second supporting means is a compression spring and is disposed between said second cylindrical protrusion and a second end of said connecting tube.

12. An indicator device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said connecting tube includes a horizontal first communicating tube and a vertical second communicating tube.

13. An indicator device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said second communicating tube includes a taper formed in a position adjacent to said first communicating tube, and at the position a diameter of said taper is the same as the diameter of said first communicating tube.

3. An indicator device as claimed in 2, wherein said second adjusting cap assembly includes a second end cap having a fifth opening formed through said second end cap and includes a hollow second fixing member.

4. An indicator device as claimed in claim 3, wherein a diameter of said fifth opening is greater than a diameter of said first opening.

5. An indicator device as claimed in claim 4, wherein a diameter of said second communicating tube is greater than a sum of the diameter of said first opening and a diameter of said fifth opening.

14. An indicator device for visually in detail denoting an amount of filled dust in a dust container of a vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a transparent first cylinder including an indicating means for denoting the amount of the filled dust and a first adjusting cap assembly installed to one end thereof for adjusting an operating time of the indicating means by controlling a flowing area of a first air under an atmospheric pressure, and including a first supporting means for elastically supporting said indicating means, said indicating means being slidably positioned in said transparent first cylinder so as to primarily decrease a vacuum degree in a dust collecting compartment and continuously displays an amount of filled dust in the dust container, said first adjusting cap assembly includes a first end cap having a first opening formed through said first end cap and includes a hollow first fixing member, and includes a first plunger and a second plunger, said first plunger comprises a plurality of second openings formed at a side surface of said first plunger and a third opening formed at a center of an open end of said first plunger, and said second plunger comprises a fourth opening formed through a center of said second plunger and a first cylindrical protrusion for fixing said supporting means, said second plunger has a recess formed at a side surface of said second plunger and comprises an O-shaped sealing ring disposed in said recess;

(b) a second cylinder including a second cap assembly installed to one end thereof for controlling a flowing area of a second air under an atmospheric pressure, including a pressure control means for secondarily decreasing the vacuum degree in the dust collecting compartment, and including a second supporting means for elastically supporting said pressure control means, in which said second adjusting cap assembly includes a second end cap having a fifth opening formed through said second end cap and includes a hollow second fixing member, said pressure control means is a third plunger which is slidably positioned within said second cylinder and which includes a second cylindrical protrusion for fixing said second supporting means; and

(c) a connecting tube allowing for air-communication of said first cylinder with second cylinder, and for pneumatically connecting said first cylinder and said second cylinder to the dust collecting compartment, in which said connecting tube includes a horizontal first communicating tube and a vertical second communicating tube, said second communicating tube includes a taper formed in a position adjacent to said first communicating tube, and at the position a diameter of said taper is the same as the diameter of said first communicating tube.

15. An indicator device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first plunger is colored red and said second plunger is colored green.

16. An indicator device as claimed in claim 14, wherein said first supporting means is a compression spring and is disposed between said first cylindrical protrusion and a first end of said connecting tube.

17. An indicator device as claimed in claim 14, wherein a diameter of said fifth opening is greater than a diameter of said first opening.

18. An indicator device as claimed in claim 14, whereing said second supporting means is a compression spring and is disposed between said second cylindrical protrusion and a second end of said connecting tube.

19. An indicator device as claimed in claim 14, wherein a diameter of said second communicating tube is greater than a sum of a diameter of said first opening and a diameter of said fifth opening.

20. An indicator device for visually in detail denoting an amount of filled dust in a dust container of a vacuum cleaner comprising:

(a) a transparent first cylinder including an indicating means for denoting the amount of the filled dust and a first adjusting cap assembly installed to one end thereof for adjusting an operating time of the indicating means by controlling a flowing area of a first air under an atmospheric pressure, and including a first supporting means for elastically supporting said indicating means, said indicating means being slidably positioned in said transparent first cylinder so as to primarily decrease a vacuum degree in a dust collecting compartment and continuously displays an amount of filled dust in the dust container, and includes a first plunger and a second plunger, said first plunger comprises a plurality of second openings formed at a side surface of said first plunger and a third opening formed at a center of an open end if said first plunger, said first plinger is colored red, said second plunger comprises a gourth opening formed through a center of said second olunger and a first cylindrical protrusion for fixing said supporting means, said second plunger has a recess formed at a side surface of said second plunger and comprises an O-shaged sealing ring disposed in said recess, and said secind plunger is colored green;

(b) a second cylinder including a second cap assembly installed to one end thereof for controlling a flowing area of a second air under the atmospheric pressure, including a pressure control means for secondarily decreasing the vacuum degree in the dust collecting compartment, and including a second supporting means for elastically supporting said pressure supporting means, in which said adjusting cap assembly includes a second end cap having a fifth opening formed through said second end cap and includes a gollow second fixing member, said pressure control means is a third plunger which is slidably positioned within said second cylinder and which includes a second cylindrical protrusion for fixing said second supporting means, a diameter of said fifth poening is greater than a diameter of said first opening; and

(c) a connecting tube allowing for fluid-communication of said first cylinder with said second cylinder, and for pneumatically connecting said first cylinder and said secind cylinder to the dust collecting compartment, in which said connecting tube includes a horizontal first communicating tube and a vertical second communicating tube, said second communicating tube includes a taper formed in a position adjacent to said first communicating tube, and a diameter of said taper is the same as the diameter of said first communicating tube, and at the position a diameter of said second communicating tube is greater than a sum of the diameter of said first opening and a diameter of said fifth opening.

21. An indicator device as claimed in claim 20, wherein said first supporting means is a compression spring and is disposed between said first cylindrical protrusion and a first end of said connecting tube.

22. An indicator device as claimed in claim 20, whereing said second supporting means is a compression spring and is disposed between said second cylindrical protrusion and a second end of said connecting tube.