Abstract:
A vacuum cleaner comprising: a secured tube secured horizontally to the front surface of the main body of the cleaner and sucks in dust from the outside due to a motor in the main body; a pair of securing members which secure two ends of the secured tube to the main body and convey the sucked-in dust to a filter in the main body; and a suction tube which is rotatably provided on the outer circumferential surface of the secured tube and rolls along the surface to be cleaned, and in the cylindrical surface of which are formed dust-suction holes for sucking in dust. Because the suction tube in which the plurality of dust-suction holes are formed is rotatably provided on the outer circumferential surface of the secured tube, the suction tube continuously turns while cleaning bedding by pushing or pulling the main body, and thus the bedding is not sucked into the secured tube.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a vacuum cleaner that facilitates cleaning of bedclothes such as a blanket. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Vacuum cleaners, which are also called electric vacuums, use vacuum suction to remove dust from, e.g., a carpet laid on a floor. Vacuum cleaners can efficiently and thoroughly clean a large indoor space with a plug inserted in a wall outlet. After the cleaning, the vacuum cleaner is turned off, and the plug is pulled out. Then, a cover of a dust container is opened to remove collected dust. 
         [0003]    Such a vacuum cleaner includes a suction port, a motor, a rotor, a filter, a dust collecting case, and a discharge port. An operation of a vacuum cleaner is as follows: a commutator motor rotates a rotor at 10,000 or greater rpm to form a vacuum in the vacuum cleaner, thereby suctioning a foreign substance such as dust through a suction port; and the suctioned foreign substance is filtered out by a filter, and air is discharged through a discharge port. Furthermore, such vacuum cleaners have a function of automatically winding a power cord. In addition, while the power cord is wound or unwound, a gear is operated to automatically remove dust from a filter. The suction port of vacuum cleaners is designed to be conveniently used according to service spaces. 
         [0004]    Vacuum cleaners are classified into hand type ones, upright type ones, pot type ones, and cylinder floor type ones. Hand type vacuum cleaners are appropriate to remove dust from a desk, a shelf, or a suit. Upright type vacuum cleaners are lighter than hand type vacuum cleaners in terms of weight applied to a user&#39;s hand, and are thus appropriate to clean a floor, but dust collecting capacity thereof is small. Cylinder floor type vacuum cleaners have large dust collecting capacity, and are thus appropriate for home use. Cylinder floor type vacuum cleaners have a power consumption of about 600 W, and may be designed to significantly decrease motor noise. 
         [0005]    When such a typical vacuum cleaner suctions, through the suction port, a foreign substance such as dust from flexible bedclothes such as a blanket, a portion of the bedclothes may be suctioned into the suction port, thus degrading cleaning efficiency. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a vacuum cleaner that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. The present invention provides a vacuum cleaner that prevents a portion of bedclothes such as a blanket from being suctioned thereinto, thereby efficiently cleaning the bedclothes. 
         [0007]    The present invention provides a vacuum cleaner including: a stationary tube laterally fixed to a bottom of a cleaner main body to suction dust from an outside by an operation of a vacuum motor disposed within the cleaner main body; a pair of fixing members fixing both ends of the stationary tube to the cleaner main body, and transferring the suctioned dust to a filter part disposed within the cleaner main body; and a suction tube rotatably installed on an outer circumferential surface of the stationary tube, and rolling along a cleaning target surface, and comprising dust suction holes in a circumferential surface thereof to suction dust. 
         [0008]    A dust introduction hole may be disposed in a lower portion of the stationary tube and be elongated along the longitudinal direction of the stationary tube to introduce dust suctioned through the dust suction holes of the suction tube, the fixing members may include transfer tubes, respectively, which transfer the dust introduced through the dust introduction hole, to the filter part, and the suction tube may rotate, entirely surrounding a portion of the outer circumferential surface of the stationary tube between the fixing members. 
         [0009]    The fixing members may include stationary tube insertion holes in which both the ends of the stationary tube are inserted, key seats may be disposed in inner portions of the stationary tube insertion holes, and keys may be disposed on circumferences of both the ends of the stationary tube, and be inserted in the key seats to prevent rotation of the stationary tube. 
         [0010]    The vacuum cleaner may further include an ultraviolet sterilization lamp on the cleaner main body in front of the stationary tube. 
         [0011]    The vacuum cleaner may further include a beating device on the cleaner main body in front of the stationary tube to beat a cleaning target surface, wherein the beating device includes: a beating motor disposed within the cleaner main body; a cam member coupled to a driving shaft of the beating motor; a beating part allowed to protrude from the bottom of the cleaner main body; and a link member having an upper end hinged to the cam member, and a lower end hinged to an upper end of the beating part. 
         [0012]    The vacuum cleaner may further include: a first sensor disposed on the bottom of the cleaner main body, wherein when the cleaner main body is raised from a floor, the first sensor senses the raising of the cleaner main body to stop an operation of the ultraviolet sterilization lamp; and a second sensor disposed within the cleaner main body, and sensing a removal of the filter part to stop an operation of the vacuum motor. 
         [0013]    An entire area of the dust introduction hole may be equal to an entire area of an air introduction hole disposed in a side portion of an air suction room accommodating the vacuum motor. 
         [0014]    According to the embodiments of the present invention, the following effects can be attained. 
         [0015]    First, since the suction tube having the dust suction holes is rotatably installed on the outer circumferential surface of the stationary tube, when the cleaner main body is pushed and pulled to clean bedclothes, the suction tube is continually rotated. Thus, a portion of the bedclothes can be prevented from being suctioned into the stationary tube, and a user can efficiently and conveniently clean the bedclothes. 
         [0016]    Secondly, since the beating device beats bedclothes during a cleaning process, a foreign substance such as dust, dust mites, and germs are removed from the bedclothes, and thus, can be efficiently suctioned. 
         [0017]    Thirdly, the ultraviolet sterilization lamp is operated to emit ultraviolet rays to a cleaning target surface during a cleaning process, thereby killing dust mites and germs. 
         [0018]    Fourthly, when the first sensor senses that the cleaner main body is spaced apart from a cleaning target surface, the operation of the ultraviolet sterilization lamp is stopped to prevent ultraviolet rays from being emitted to a user or a person near the user. 
         [0019]    Fifthly, when the second sensor senses that the filter part is installed, the vacuum motor is operated; and when the second sensor senses that the filter part is not installed, the vacuum motor is not operated, thereby preventing a cleaning process from being unnecessarily performed without the filter part. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0020]      FIG. 1  is a side view illustrating a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 2  is a bottom view illustrating the vacuum cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the vacuum cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating a dust suction part illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the dust suction part illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0000]    
         
           
                 
               
                 
               
                 
                 
               
                 
                 
               
                 
               
                 
                 
               
                 
               
                 
                 
               
                 
               
                 
                 
               
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   &lt;DESCRIPTION OF THE SYMBOLS&gt; 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   1: VACUUM CLEANER10: CLEANER MAIN BODY 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   11: HANDLE 
                       20: ELECTRIC WIRE 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   30: WHEEL 
                       40: FIRST SENSOR 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   50: AIR SUCTION PART    51: AIR SUCTION ROOM 
                 
                 
                   52: VACUUM MOTOR 60: FILTER PART 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   61: CONTAINER 
                   62: PRIMARY FILTER 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   63: SECONDARY FILTER  70: DUST SUCTION PART 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   71: STATIONARY TUBE 
                   72: FIXING MEMBER 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   73: SUCTION TUBE  80: BEATING DEVICE 
                 
                 
                   81: BEATING MOTOR   82: CAM MEMBER 
                 
                 
                   83: BEATING PART  84: LINK MEMBER 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   90: ULTRAVIOLET STERILIZATION LAMP 
                   100: CONTROL 
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   PART 
                 
                 
                   101: LCD WINDOW  102: PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD 
                 
                 
                   110: SECOND SENSOR   120: REFLECTIVE PLATE 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]    Hereinafter, a vacuum cleaner according to preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
         [0027]      FIG. 1  is a side view illustrating a vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a bottom view illustrating the vacuum cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0028]    A vacuum cleaner  1  according to the current embodiment includes a cleaner main body  10  including a handle  11  in the upper portion thereof. An electric wire  20  is connected to the rear portion of the cleaner main body  10  to receive external power. A wheel  30  rolling along a cleaning target surface, and a dust suction part  70  to be described later are disposed on the bottom of the cleaner main body  10 . 
         [0029]    A beating device  80  and an ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90  to be described later are disposed on the cleaner main body  10 , and are spaced apart from the dust suction part  70 . A first sensor  40  is disposed on the bottom of the cleaner main body  10  behind the dust suction part  70 . When the cleaner main body  10  is raised, the first sensor  40  senses the raising of the cleaner main body  10  to automatically stop an operation of the ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90 . The first sensor  40  is an ultraviolet (IR) sensor. Ultraviolet ray passing holes  10   a  are disposed in the bottom of the cleaner main body  10 . Ultraviolet rays emitted from the ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90  pass through the ultraviolet ray passing holes  10   a.    
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the vacuum cleaner of  FIG. 1 . 
         [0031]    The cleaner main body  10  is provided with an air suction part  50 , a filter part  60 , the dust suction part  70 , the beating device  80 , the ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90 , a control part  100 , and a second sensor  110 . 
         [0032]    The air suction part  50  is disposed in the inner rear portion of the cleaner main body  10  to suction external air through the dust suction part  70 . The air suction part  50  includes an air suction room  51  and a vacuum motor  52  disposed within the air suction room  51  to form a vacuum within the air suction room  51  thereby introducing external air. Air introduction holes  51   a  are disposed in a side portion of the air suction room  51  to receive air introduced through the filter part  60 . 
         [0033]    The filter part  60  contacts a side of the air suction room  51  to filter dust mites and a foreign substance such as dust suctioned by the dust suction part  70 . The filter part includes: a container  61  removably installed in the cleaner main body  10  through the upper portion thereof to contain a large foreign substance such as paper or hairs; a primary filter  62  disposed within the container  61  to filter a large foreign substance; and a secondary filter  63  disposed within the primary filter  62  to filter fine dust. 
         [0034]    Transfer tube insertion holes  61   a  are disposed in the lower portion of the container  61 . Transfer tubes  72   c  to be described later are inserted in the transfer tube insertion holes  61   a,  and constitute the dust suction part  70 . Thus, when the vacuum motor  52  is operated, not only air but also a foreign substance such as dust and dust mites are introduced into the container  61  through the transfer tubes  72   c.  The primary filter  62  includes a filtering net  62   a  that filters a large foreign substance and passes air and fine dust. The secondary filter  63  passes air and filters fine dust. 
         [0035]    When the vacuum motor  52  is operated, the dust suction part  70  suctions air, a foreign substance such as dust, and dust mites from the outside of the vacuum cleaner  1 . The dust suction part  70  is installed within an installation recess  10   b  that is laterally elongated in the bottom of the cleaner main body  10 . The dust suction part  70  includes: a stationary tube  71  fixed within the installation recess  10   b;  a suction tube  73  rotatably installed on the outer circumferential surface of the stationary tube  71 ; and the transfer tubes  72   c  for transferring a foreign substance and air suctioned through the suction tube  73  and the stationary tube  71 , to the filter part  60 . 
         [0036]    The beating device  80  is disposed within the cleaner main body  10 , and is spaced forward from the dust suction part  70 . During a cleaning process, the beating device  80  beats bedclothes such as a blanket to remove a foreign substance such as dust, dust mites, or germs therefrom. The beating device  80  includes: a beating motor  81  disposed within the cleaner main body  10 ; a cam member  82  coupled to a driving shaft of the beating motor  81 ; a beating part  83  allowed to protrude from the bottom of the cleaner main body  10 ; and a link member  84  having an upper end eccentrically hinged to the cam member  82  at a side of the driving shaft, and a lower end hinged to the upper end of the beating part  83 . 
         [0037]    The ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90  is disposed within the cleaner main body  10 , and is spaced forward from the beating device  80  to sterilize a floor or bedclothes such as a blanket by using ultraviolet rays during a cleaning process. Thus, dust mites and various germs inhabiting the floor or bedclothes are killed. Like the dust suction part  70 , the ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90  is laterally elongated within the cleaner main body  10 . A reflective plate  120  is disposed above the ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90 , and surrounds the upper portion thereof to downwardly reflect light emitted from the ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90 . The ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90  includes a quartz tube to transmit at least about 90% of ultraviolet rays. 
         [0038]    The control part  100  controls the vacuum motor  52  of the air suction part  50 , the beating motor  81  of the beating device  80 , and the ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90 . The control part  100  includes: a liquid crystal display (LCD) window  101  adjacent to the handle  11  disposed in the upper portion of the cleaner main body  10  such that a user selects respective operations of devices through the LCD window  101 ; and two printed circuit boards  102 , one of which is disposed under the LCD window  101  and the other is disposed within the inner lower portion of the cleaner main body  10 . 
         [0039]    The second sensor  110  is disposed under the filter part  60  within the cleaner main body  10 , and senses a removal of the filter part  60  from the cleaner main body  10  to automatically stop an operation of the vacuum motor  52 . Furthermore, when the vacuum motor  52  is in a stopped state, even though a user presses a button on the LCD window  101  to operate the vacuum motor  52 , the stopped state of the vacuum motor  52  is maintained by means of the second sensor  110 . The second sensor  110  is an ultraviolet (IR) sensor. 
         [0040]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view illustrating the dust suction part illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 .  FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view illustrating the dust suction part illustrated in  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4 . 
         [0041]    The dust suction part  70  includes: the stationary tube  71  fixed within the installation recess  10   b  and having a cylindrical shape; a plurality of fixing members  72  fixing the stationary tube  71  within the installation recess  10   b;  and the suction tube  73  rotatably installed on the outer circumferential surface of the stationary tube  71  to suction air and a foreign substance such as dust from the outside thereof. 
         [0042]    A dust introduction hole  71   a  is disposed in the lower portion of the stationary tube  71  along the longitudinal direction thereof to introduce air and a foreign substance such as dust suctioned through the suction tube  73 . Dust discharge holes  71   b  are disposed in both ends of the stationary tube  71 , respectively, to discharge air and a foreign substance such as dust introduced through the dust introduction hole  71   a,  to the fixing member  72 . When the entire area of the dust introduction hole  71   a  is equal to the entire area of the air introduction hole  51   a  disposed in a side portion of the air suction room  51 , suction efficiency for suctioning air and a foreign substance such as dust from the outside is maximized. 
         [0043]    The fixing members  72  not only fix the stationary tube  71  within the installation recess  10   b,  but also transfer air and a foreign substance such as dust discharged through the dust discharge holes  71   b  of the stationary tube  71 , to the filter part  60 . The fixing member  72  includes: a stationary tube fixing part  72   a  having a space therein and a stationary tube insertion hole  72   b  at a side thereof to receive an end of the stationary tube  71 ; and the transfer tube  72   c  integrally formed with the stationary tube fixing part  72   a,  and having an end fitted in the transfer tube insertion hole  61   a  of the filter part  60 . Brackets  72   d  are disposed on both sides of an outer surface of the stationary tube fixing part  72   a,  respectively. Screws pass through the brackets  72   d  to fix the stationary tube fixing part  72   a  within the installation recess  10   b.  The dust discharge holes  71   b  of the stationary tube  71  communicate with the transfer tubes  72   c  to transfer air and a foreign substance such as dust discharged from the dust discharge holes  71   b,  to the filter part  60  through the transfer tubes  72   c.  Key seats  72   e  are disposed in the inner portions of the stationary tube fixing parts  72   a.  Keys  71   c  are disposed on the outer circumferences of both ends of the stationary tube  71 , and are fitted in the key seats  72   e  so as to prevent rotation of the stationary tube  71 . 
         [0044]    The suction tube  73  is rotatably installed on the entire outer circumferential surface of the stationary tube  71  except for both the ends fitted in the fixing members  72 . Dust suction holes  73   a  are disposed in the circumference of the suction tube  73  to suction air and a foreign substance such as dust from the outside thereof. 
         [0045]    Hereinafter, a cleaning process using a vacuum cleaner configured as described above will now be described in detail according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0046]    First, a user opens a filter part cover disposed in the upper portion of the cleaner main body  10  to install the filter part  60  within the cleaner main body  10 , and then, closes the filter part cover. Subsequently, a button of the LCD window  101  is pressed to operate the vacuum motor  52 , thereby forming a vacuum within the air suction room  51  and the filter part  60 . 
         [0047]    When a vacuum is formed within the air suction room  51  and the filter part  60 , the user holds the handle  11 , and moves the cleaner main body  10  with the bottom thereof on a floor as a cleaning target, or on bedclothes such as a blanket. When the cleaner main body  10  is moved on bedclothes as a cleaning target, the LCD window  101  is manipulated to operate the beating motor  81 . 
         [0048]    The ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90  can be used for both a floor and bedclothes. When the user holds the handle  11 , and pushes and pulls the cleaner main body  10  to clean bedclothes, the ultraviolet sterilization lamp  90  kills dust mites and various germs inhabiting the bedclothes, and the beating motor  81  vertically moves the beating part  83  to beat the bedclothes. While the beating part  83  beats the bedclothes, dust, dust mites, and germs are removed from the bedclothes. 
         [0049]    The dust, dust mites, and germs removed from the bedclothes are suctioned into the dust suction holes  73   a  of the suction tube  73 , and are transferred to the filter part through the dust introduction hole  71   a  and the dust discharge holes  71   b  of the stationary tube  71 , and the transfer tubes  72   c.    
         [0050]    Among the dust, dust mites, and germs transferred to the filter part  60 , large particles are primarily filtered out through the primary filter  62 , and fine particles are secondarily filtered out through the secondary filter  63 . The dust, dust mites, and germs filtered by the primary filter  62  and the secondary filter  63  are collected in the container  61 . 
         [0051]    Air, suctioned together with the dust, dust mites, and germs, passes through the secondary filter  63 , and is then introduced into the air suction room  51 , and is then discharged to the rear side of the cleaner main body  10 . 
         [0052]    While the bedclothes are cleaned, the suction tube  73  disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the stationary tube  71  is continually rotated, thus preventing a portion of the bedclothes from being suctioned into the suction tube  73  and the stationary tube  71 . Hence, the user can efficiently and conveniently clean the bedclothes. 
         [0053]    It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.