Vacuum cleaner with removable dust collector, and methods of operating the same
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method of operating a vacuum cleaner, comprising:
- operating a suction motor of the vacuum cleaner at a first power level;
moving a compressing plate in a dust collection unit of the vacuum cleaner to compress dust and foreign objects stored in the dust collection unit;
determining an amount of dust and foreign objects stored in a dust collection unit of the vacuum cleaner based on the movements of the compressing plate;
comparing the determined amount of dust and foreign objects to a predetermined amount; and
increasing the power level of the suction motor to a second power level which is higher than the first power level if the result of the comparison step indicates that the determined amount of dust and foreign objects exceeds the predetermined amount.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
84 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a vacuum cleaner, comprising:
-
operating a suction motor of the vacuum cleaner at a first power level; moving a compressing plate in a dust collection unit of the vacuum cleaner to compress dust and foreign objects stored in the dust collection unit; determining an amount of dust and foreign objects stored in a dust collection unit of the vacuum cleaner based on the movements of the compressing plate; comparing the determined amount of dust and foreign objects to a predetermined amount; and increasing the power level of the suction motor to a second power level which is higher than the first power level if the result of the comparison step indicates that the determined amount of dust and foreign objects exceeds the predetermined amount. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
-
a suction unit that operates to suck air into the vacuum cleaner; a dust separation unit that separates dust and foreign objects from air sucked into the vacuum cleaner; a dust collection unit which collects dust separated in the dust separation unit; a movable dust compression plate that compresses dust in the dust collection unit; and a controller that varies the power of the suction unit depending on the amount of dust and foreign objects stored in the dust collection unit, wherein the controller monitors the amount that the dust compression plate is able to move, and wherein the controller uses the amount of movement to determine how much dust and foreign objects are stored in the dust collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:
-
a suction unit that operates to suck air into the vacuum cleaner; a dust separation unit that separates dust and foreign objects from air sucked into the vacuum cleaner; a dust collection unit which collects dust separated in the dust separation unit; a movable dust compression plate that compresses dust in the dust collection unit; and a controller that varies the power of the suction unit depending on the amount of dust and foreign objects stored in the dust collection unit, wherein the dust compression plate rotates back and forth in clockwise and counterclockwise directions within the dust collection unit, and the controller monitors the rotational movements of the dust compression plate to determine the amount of dust and foreign objects stored in the dust collection unit. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
-
Specification