Vacuum cleaner

• US 7,992,253 B2
• Filed: 03/18/2009
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Kim, Jin Young, Hwang, Pil Jae, Yun, Chang Ho, Ha, Gun Ho, Hwang, Man Tae, Yang, Hae Seock, Yoo, Myung Sig, Choo, Jong Su, Ko, Moo Hyun, Seo, Jin Wook, Lee, Chang Hoon
• Primary Examiner(s): DANIEL, JAMAL D
• Application Number:
  US12/406,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20090178235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 874 Days
• Field of Search: 153/52, 746/40, 744/62, 744/60, 744/21.R, 464/109
• US Class Current: 15/352
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/108 Dust compression means
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/1691 Mounting or coupling means for cyclonic chamber or dust receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2836 characterised by the parts which are controlled
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2842 Suction motors or blowers
• CPC Class Codes: A47L 9/2857 User input or output elements for control, e.g. buttons, switches or displays

Abstract

A vacuum cleaner is provided. The vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body, in which a dust collector mount part is formed, a dust collector that is removably mounted on the dust collector mount part and having a dust storage part in an inside thereof, at least one compressing member that reduces a volume of dust stored in the dust storage part of the dust collector, a power transfer device that transfers a driving force to the at least one compressing member from outside connected with the at least one compressing member, and a controller that decides an amount of dust stored in the dust storage part.

Claims

1. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body including a suction motor that generates a suction power;

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

a dust collector body configured to store dust separated from the dust separator, the dust collector body being detachably mounted on the main body;

at least one plate movably provided within the dust collector body and configured to compress dust stored in the dust collector body;

a drive device provided in the main body that generates a driving force that moves the at least one plate; and

at least one gear configured to transfer the driving force to the at least one plate, wherein the at least one gear includes a plurality of gear teeth, wherein the plurality of gear teeth have at least one rounded side surface, wherein the at least one gear comprises a driving gear connected to the drive device and a driven gear configured to transfer the driving force from the driving gear to the at least one plate, and wherein the driven gear is engaged with the driving gear when the dust collector body is mounted on the main body, wherein the driving gear and the drive device are provided on the main body and the driven gear is provided on the dust collector body, and wherein the driven gear is engaged with the driving gear in a state in which the dust collector body is mounted on the main body.

2. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein both side surfaces of each of the plurality of gear teeth are rounded having a predetermined curvature.

3. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein gear teeth of each of the driving gear and the driven gear, respectively, have rounded side surfaces.

4. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the driven gear includes a gear axle coupled to the at least one plate.

5. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the main body includes a receptacle configured to receive the driven gear.

6. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of gear teeth has at least one rounded side surface.

7. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 1, wherein the at least one plate comprises a plurality of protrusions disposed on a surface thereof.

8. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body including a suction motor that generates a suction power;

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

a dust collector body configured to store dust separated from the dust separator, the dust collector body being detachably mounted on the main body;

at least one plate rotatably provided within the dust collector body and configured to compress dust stored in the dust collector body;

a drive device configured to generate a driving force to rotate the at least one plate; and

a transfer device comprising a driving gear and a driven gear configured to transfer the driving force from the drive device to the at least one plate, wherein the driving gear and the driven gear, respectively, include a plurality of gear teeth, the plurality of gear teeth of at least one of the driving gear or the driven gear having at least one inclined surface to allow engagement of the driving gear and the driven gear.

9. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein each gear tooth of the at least one of the driving gear or the driven gear has a pair of inclined surfaces.

10. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein the pair of inclined surfaces meets each other at a center of the respective gear tooth.

11. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 9, wherein each gear tooth of both of the driving gear and the driven gear has at least one inclined surface.

12. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the driving gear and the drive device are provided on the main body and the driven gear is provided on the dust collector body, and wherein the driven gear is engaged with the driving gear in a state in which the dust collector body is mounted on the main body.

13. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 12, wherein the dust collector body includes a cover configured to cover at least a portion of the driven gear, and wherein the main body includes a receptacle configured to receive the driven gear and the cover.

14. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 13, wherein at least a portion of the driving gear is located in the receptacle.

15. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 8, wherein the driven gear includes a gear axle and a horizontal section of an outer circumferential surface of the gear axle is non circular in shape.

16. The vacuum cleaner accordingly to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of gear teeth of the at least one of the driving gear or the driven gear has at least one inclined surface.

17. A vacuum cleaner, comprising:

a main body including a suction motor that generates a suction power;

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

a dust collector body detachably mounted on the main body and including a dust storage compartment configured to store dust separated from the dust separator;

at least one plate rotatably provided within the dust storage compartment and configured to compress dust stored in the dust storage compartment; and

a driving gear and a driven gear configured to transfer a driving force to the at least one plate, wherein the driving gear and driven gear are provided outside of the dust collector body, wherein the driven gear is connected to the at least one plate, and wherein the driving gear and the driven gear, respectively, include a plurality of gear teeth, the plurality of gear teeth of at least one of the driving gear or driven gear having at least one rounded surface.

18. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 17, wherein each gear tooth of the driving gear has a first surface, wherein each gear tooth of the driven gear has a second surface that selectively contacts the first surface, and wherein at least one of the first surface and second surface is rounded.

19. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the rounded surface is a side surface of the respective gear tooth.

20. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the driven gear is provided under the dust collector body and the driving gear is provided on the main body.

21. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 17, wherein the at least one plate is provided under the dust separator.

22. The vacuum cleaner according to claim 17, wherein each of the plurality of gear teeth of the at least one of the driving gear or the driven gear has at least one rounded surface.