Abstract:
Device for fastening a dust box to a cyclone vacuum cleaner, including an accommodating part having a space in a body of the cyclone vacuum cleaner, a dust box mounted in the accommodating part selectively, for collecting various foreign matters separated from air, and fastening means for moving the dust box in the accommodating part in up and down directions selectively for putting, or taking the dust box into/out of the accommodating part, whereby permitting smooth putting in and taking out the dust box with simple operation, and preventing escape of various foreign matters from the dust box during putting or taking the dust box in/out of the cleaner.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention relates to a cyclone vacuum cleaner, and more particularly, to a device for fastening a dust box to a cyclone vacuum cleaner. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE RELATED ART 
   The cyclone vacuum cleaner is a kind of cleaner having a cyclone collector applied to a vacuum cleaner, wherein the cyclone collector uses a cyclone action in separating and collecting various foreign matters from drawn air. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the cyclone vacuum cleaner is provided with a vertical body  10 , and a suction nozzle body  20  fastened to a lower portion of the body  10  for drawing various foreign matters, such as dust. There is a fan coupled to a motor for generating a vacuum in the cleaner body  10  when required. And, there is an accommodating part  111  in an inside of an upper portion of the body  10  for fastening a cyclone collector which separate the various foreign matters from the air drawn through the suction nozzle body  20 , and collecting the foreign matters. 
   The cyclone collector will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 2 ,  3 A and  3 B, in detail. 
   The cyclone collector is provided with a cyclone body  31  of a cone form, an air inlet  34  in communication with an upper portion of a side of the cyclone body  31  for drawing air and dust through the suction nozzle body  20 , an air outlet tube  32  connected to a center of a top of the cyclone body  31  for discharging the air having the various foreign matters separated therefrom, and a dust box  33  connected to a bottom portion of the cyclone body  31  for collecting the dust separated from air. Thus, the cyclone body  31  has a suction force generated therein for drawing air containing various dust. The air inlet  34  is connected to a circumference of the cyclone body  31  in a tangential direction of the cyclone body  31  for subjecting the air and the various foreign matters to a centrifugal force, so that the air and various foreign matters circulate along an inside wall surface of the cyclone body  31 , and separated from each other by a difference of the centrifugal force. That is, the dust with a certain mass is subjected to the centrifugal force, to drop along the inside surface of the cyclone body  31  until the dust is collected in the dust box, and the air with almost no mass is not subjected to the centrifugal force as much as the dust, to ride on a rising current formed at a central portion of an inside of the cyclone body  31  until the air is discharged through an air outlet tube  32 . 
   In the meantime, when the various foreign matters collected in the dust box  33  through the foregoing process reaches to a maximum allowable dust collecting amount, the collected foreign matters should be removed and the dust box should be cleaned. To do this, in the related art, the dust box  33  is detachably fastened to the accommodating part  11  of the vacuum cleaner. That is, the dust box  33  has an elastic hook  33   b  below a hand grip  33   a  which is provided for handing the dust box  33 , and a stop  11   a  on a bottom of the accommodating part  11  for catching the hook, for fastening a lower portion of the dust box  33 . And, there is a projection  11   b  on top of the accommodating part  11 , and a hole  33   c  in an upper portion of the hand grip  33   a  for being caught by the projection  11   b , for fastening an upper portion of the dust box  33 . Accordingly, when the user intends to take the dust box  33  out of the body  10 , as shown in  FIG. 3A , a force should be applied to the dust box  33  upward in the drawing to release the hook  33   b  from the stop  11   a  in the body  10 , thereby freeing the lower portion of the dust box  33  from the accommodating part  11 . Then, as shown in  FIG. 3B , the dust box  33  is lifted upward, to release the hole  33   c  from the projection  11   b  on the body  10 , and to free the upper portion of the dust box  33  from the body  10 , thereby separating the body  10  from the dust box  33 . Opposite to this, the putting the dust box  33  into the accommodating part  11  can be made in a reverse order of the taking out. 
   However, since the foregoing fastening between the related art cleaner body  10  and the dust box  33  is a forced hook fastening, wherein the upper or lower portion of the dust box  33  should be tilted for detaching the dust box  33 , there is a possibility that various foreign matters collected in the dust box  33  can escape from the dust box  33  during the dust box  33  is detached from the body  10 . Though this problem is caused mainly by a sloped top surface of the dust box  33  or a sloped top surface of the accommodating part  11 , the sloped top surfaces are required for taking out, and putting in the dust box  33 . This reduces a maximum dust collecting capacity of the dust box, and causes a serious problem in keeping the room clean, that drops a reliability of the product. And, the taking out, and putting in the dust box  33  are complicated as the lower portion fastening should be released at first before the upper portion fastening is released. 
   DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a device for fastening a dust box to a body of the cyclone vacuum cleaner that substantially obviates one or more of the problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
   An object of the present invention is to provide a device for fastening a dust box to a body of the cyclone vacuum cleaner, which permits smooth taking out, and putting in of a dust box. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a device for fastening a dust box to a body of the cyclone vacuum cleaner, which can maximize an allowable dust collecting capacity, and prevent escape of various foreign matters from the dust box during the dust box is taken out of the body. 
   Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings. 
   To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described, the device for fastening a dust box to a cyclone vacuum cleaner includes an accommodating part having a space in a body of the cyclone vacuum cleaner, a dust box mounted in the accommodating part selectively, for collecting various foreign matters separated from air, and fastening means for moving the dust box in the accommodating part in up and down directions selectively for putting, or taking the dust box into/out of the accommodating part. 
   It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings, which are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the invention: 
     In the drawings: 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a related art cyclone vacuum cleaner: 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a frontal section of key parts of a cyclone collector in a related art cyclone vacuum cleaner; 
       FIGS. 3A and 3B  illustrate sections across line I—I in  FIG. 2  showing the steps of putting a dust box into an accommodating part in a related art cyclone vacuum cleaner, schematically; 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of key parts showing a taking out-putting in structure formed between an accommodating part of a cyclone collector and a dust box in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically; 
       FIG. 5  illustrates a frontal section of key parts of a cyclone collector in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 6A and 6B  illustrate sections across line II—II in  FIG. 5  showing the steps of putting a dust box into an accommodating part in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically; 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a key part disassembled perspective view showing another form of  FIG. 4 ; 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of key parts showing a taking out-putting in structure formed between an accommodating part of a cyclone collector and a dust box in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically; 
       FIG. 9  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of key parts showing a taking out-putting in structure formed between an accommodating part of a cyclone collector and a dust box in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically; 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of key parts showing a taking out-putting in structure formed between an accommodating part of a cyclone collector and a dust box in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically; 
       FIG. 11  illustrates a frontal key part section of a cyclone collector in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIGS. 12A and 12B  illustrate sections across line III—III in  FIG. 11  showing the steps of putting a dust box into an accommodating part in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically; 
       FIG. 13  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of key parts showing a taking out-putting in structure formed between an accommodating part of a cyclone collector and a dust box in accordance with a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically; 
       FIG. 14  illustrates a section showing a dust box put in an accommodating part in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention, schematically; and, 
       FIG. 15  illustrates a key part disassembled perspective view showing a state in which the fifth embodiment of the present invention applied to a canister type cyclone vacuum cleaner. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. A first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 4˜6A ,  6 B.  FIG. 4  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of key parts showing a taking out-putting in structure formed between an accommodating part of a cyclone collector and a dust box in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention schematically, and  FIG. 5  illustrates a frontal section of key parts of a cyclone collector in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
   That is, the fastening means in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention includes at least one projection on a bottom of an accommodating part  10  of a cleaner body  100 , and a recess  331  in the dust box  330  at a position opposite to the projection  111 , wherein the projection  111  and the recess  331  are sloped opposite to each other in direction of coupling. A bottom of the accommodating part  110  may be supported by a spring  112  elastically, for always keeping the dust box  330  mounted in the accommodating part  110  supported. And, the projection  111  and the recess  331  are formed at positions opposite to each other for making the dust box supported from opposite sides of the bottom of the dust box, for stable support when dust box  330  is put in the accommodating part  110 . And, during the dust box  330  is put into the accommodating part, insertion of the dust box  330  may be interfered by the projection  111 . Therefore, there is a guide groove  332  in a bottom surface of the dust box  330  formed along a direction insertion of the dust box  330  is to be made. The guide groove  332  is formed starting from a side ‘a’ insertion of the dust box  330  into the accommodating part  110  is started extended to a side ‘b’ the insertion of the dust box  330  is completed. And, the guide groove  332  connects deepest portions of the recesses  331  in the dust box  330 . That is, the guide groove formed such that portions of the recesses  331  at which the projections  111  make an initial stop are connected. In the meantime, when there is an external impact applied to the dust box  330  during cleaning, the projections  111  on the accommodating part  110  may be come out of the recesses  331 . As a countermeasure to this, the recess  331  is formed such that an insertion starting portion insertion of the projection is started therefrom is deep enough to accommodate the projection  111  fully, and another portion opposite to the insertion starting portion is sloped along a circumference of the bottom of the dust box  330  to a height not to be brought into contact with a bottom of the dust box  330 . And, a setting slot  333 , or shoulder, is extended starting from an end of the recess  331  at which the slope ends to a distance, for preventing movement of the projection  111  in a state the dust box  330  is fastened to the accommodating part  110 , completely. The dust box  330  is cylindrical in overall, and an inside of the accommodating part  110  in which the dust box  330  is set is also formed cylindrical to match with the form of the dust box  330 , for smooth rotation of the dust box  330  in the accommodating part  110 , and preventing movement between the accommodating part  110  and the dust box  330  to the maximum. And, there is a rim  113  around a top circumference of the accommodating part  110 , not only for preventing movement of the dust box  330 , but also closing a gap between the accommodating part  110  and the dust box  330  as an upper circumference of the dust box  330  is covered by the rim  113  when the dust box  330  is moved upward in the accommodating part  110 . 
   A process for fastening the aforementioned dust box in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to  FIGS. 6A and 6B  in detail. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6A , the dust box  330  is inserted into the accommodating part  110 , to insert the projection  111  on the accommodating part  110  into inside of the guide groove  332 , and continuous to this, position the projections  111  in respective recesses  331  of the dust box  330 . Once the dust box  330  is set in the accommodating part  110 , the dust box  330  is rotated in a left (or right) direction by using the hand grip  334  on an outside surface of the dust box  330 , so that, as shown in  FIG. 6B , the dust box  330  moves upward until the dust box  330  is fastened in the accommodating part  110 . That is, the dust box  330  is rotated, so that the dust box  330  moves upward as the projections  111  in the deepest portions of the recesses  331  gradually move toward the setting slot  333  extended from the recesses  331 . This is possible because a portion between the recess  331  and the setting slot  333  and the projection  111  are sloped, oppositely. In this instance, a top rim of the dust box  330  is gradually inserted into the rim  113  around the top circumference of the accommodating part  110 , to close a gap between the dust box  330  and the accommodating part  110 . Due to this, the dust box  330  is mounted into the accommodating part  110  exactly, to prevent escape of the various foreign matters in the dust box  330  during cleaning. And, as the bottom of the accommodating part  110  is elastically supported by the spring  112 , a stable mounting of the dust box  330  is maintained as far as there is no separate force applied thereto. In the meantime, when it is intended to take the dust box  330  out of the accommodating part  110 , the dust box  330  is rotated in a direction opposite to a direction the dust box  330  is rotated for fastening the dust box  330 . That is, when the dust box  330  is rotated in a right direction on the drawing, the projections  111  come out of respective setting slots  333 , and the slopes of the recesses  331  slide along the projections  111 , until the projections  111  reach to the deepest portions of the recesses  33 . Due to this, the dust box  330  moves downwardly, to permit the top of the dust box  330  comes out of the rim  113  of the accommodating part  110 . Then, by pulling the dust box  330  out of the body  100  of the cleaner, taking the dust box  330  out of the cleaner body  100  is completed. In the meantime, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the projections  111  and the recesses  331  may be respectively formed on both sides of the bottom of the accommodating part  110  and both sides of the bottom of the dust box  330 , detailed explanations of which will be omitted. 
     FIG. 8  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of key parts showing a taking out-putting in structure formed between an accommodating part of a cyclone collector and a dust box in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically. In the second embodiment of the present invention, a projection  111  is formed on a bottom of inside of the accommodating part  110 , and the recess  331  is formed in a bottom of the dust box  330  opposite to the projection  111 . The recess  331  is formed to elongate from a side insertion of the projection  111  is started along a bottom circumference of the dust box  330 . And, the recess  331  is gradually sloped along a direction of rotation of the dust box  330  until the height of the slope is the same with a height of the bottom of the dust box  330 . 
     FIG. 9  illustrates a disassembled perspective view of key parts showing a taking out-putting in structure formed between an accommodating part of a cyclone collector and a dust box in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the present invention, schematically. The third embodiment has a structure opposite to the structure of the second embodiment. That is, in the third embodiment, a projection  111  is formed on a portion of a bottom of the accommodating part  110  at which insertion of the dust box  330  is started, and the recess  331  is formed in a bottom of the dust box  330  opposite to a position of the projection  111 . In this instance too, the recess  331  is formed elongated from a side the projection is inserted along a bottom circumference of the dust box  330 , and the recess  331  is gradually sloped along a direction of rotation of the dust box  330  until the height of the slope becomes the same with a height of the bottom of the dust box  330 . 
   In the meantime, though not shown, in the structures in respective embodiments of the present invention, the projection  111  may be formed on a center of the bottom of the accommodating part  110 , and the recess  331  is formed in a center of the bottom of the dust box  330  in a opposite position to the projection  111 . 
     FIGS. 10˜12A ,  12 B illustrate a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
   In the fourth embodiment of the present invention, the dust box  330  is put in the accommodating part  110 , not by rotating the dust box  330 , but by moving the dust box  330  upward by means of separate structure, and is taken out of the accommodating part  110  by moving the dust box  330  downward by means of the separate structure. In order to do this, a moving part  400  and a guide part  430  are provided for fastening and moving the dust box  330  in up and down directions in the accommodating part  110 , and fastening means between a bottom of the moving part  400  and a bottom of the accommodating part  110  for moving the moving part  400  in up and down directions, selectively. The fastening means has a basic system similar to the sloped projection  111  and the recess  331  in the foregoing embodiments of the present invention. That is, projections  411  are formed on the top of the guide part  430  oppositely, and the recesses  410  are formed in the bottom of the moving part  400  to accommodate the projections  411 . Alike the first embodiment, it is preferable that the recesses  410  and the projections  411  are formed to have slopes in directions the recesses  410  and the projections  411  are coupled. And, there is a handling part  420  on an outside circumference of the moving part  400  for easy handling of the moving part  400 . When it is intended to put the dust box  330  in the accommodating part  110 , the dust box  330  is placed in the accommodating part  110  at first, to place the dust box  330  on the moving part  400 . Under this condition, the handling part  420  is operated, to rotate the moving part  400  in one side. Upon rotation of the moving part  400 , the recess  410  in the bottom of the moving part  400  gradually moves upward as the recess  410  slides on a top surface of the projections  411  when the recess  410  is moved along the direction of the rotation of the moving part  400 . This is possible because the recess  410  is formed to have a height the same with a height of a surface of the moving part along a direction of rotation of the moving part, gradually. Owing to this, a top end of the dust box  330  is accommodated in the rim  113  of the accommodating part  110 , to complete mounting of the dust box  330 . And, when it is intended to take the dust box  330  out of the accommodating part  110 , the handling part is rotated in a direction opposite to a direction of rotation in the putting the dust box  330  in the accommodating part  110 . According to this, the moving part  400  is rotated, to move the recess downward gradually as the recess  410  slides on a top surface of the projection  411  when the recess  410  moves along the direction of rotation of the moving part  400 . Due to this, the top of the dust box  330  comes out of the rim  113  of the accommodating part  110  gradually, to complete taking out of the dust box. Both the recess  410  and the projection  411  may be sloped. They may taper in a circumferential direction. The guide part  430  may be elastically supported by a spring  112 . 
     FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate a fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
   In the fifth embodiment of the present invention, mere pushing of the dust box  330  into the accommodating part  110  completes putting in the dust box in the accommodating part. To do this, in the fifth embodiment of the present invention, projections  111  sloped gradually the more upwardly as it goes the farther toward inside of the accommodating part  110  are formed on the bottom of the accommodating part  110 , and opposite projections  335  sloped gradually the more downwardly as it goes the more toward front of the accommodating part  110  are formed on the bottom of the dust box  330 . In this instance, the projections  111  and the opposite projections  335  are formed at opposite positions, for making the upward or downward movement of the dust box  330  as the projections  111  and  335  are brought into contact and slide on each other. The projections  111  and  335  are formed in pair on the bottoms of the accommodating part  110  and the dust box  330  respectively, for providing a stable mounting of the dust box  330 . And, in the fifth embodiment of the present invention, a hook  334   a  is provided elastically at an upper portion of the hand grip  334  on the dust box  330 , and a stop  114  at an upper portion of the accommodating part  110  opposite to the hook  334   a  for more stable mounting of the dust box  330 . Accordingly, when the dust box  330  is inserted into the accommodating part  110 , the pair of opposite projections  335  on the bottom of the dust box  330  moves sliding on the projections  111  on the bottom of the accommodating part  110 . In this instance, as the projections  111  are sloped gradually upward as it goes the farther toward inside of the accommodating part  110 , and the opposite projections  335  are sloped in symmetry to the projections  111 , the deeper the dust box  330  is inserted, the higher the dust box  330  moves upward within the accommodating part  110 . During this process, the hook  334   a  at the top of the dust box  330  is caught by the stop  114  at the accommodating part  110 , to fasten the dust box  330 . And, when it is intended to take the dust box  330  out of the accommodating part  110 , merely the hook  334   a  is pressed upward, to release the hook  334   a  from the stop  114 , and, on the same time, to take the dust box  330  out of the accommodating part  110 . According to this, the dust box  330  moves down gradually, until the dust box  330  is taken out of the accommodating part  110 . In this instance, the dust box  330  gradually moves down because of the opposite projections  335  on the bottom of the dust box  330  and the projections  111  on the bottom of the accommodating part  110 . That is, the projections  111  are sloped downwardly as it goes closer to an entrance of the accommodating part  110 . 
   The device for fastening a dust box to a cyclone collector of the present invention is applicable, not only to an upright type cyclone vacuum cleaner, but also to a canister type cyclone vacuum cleaner as shown in  FIG. 15 . 
   It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the device for fastening a dust box to a body of the cyclone vacuum cleaner of the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention cover the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. 
   As explained, the device for fastening a dust box to a cyclone vacuum cleaner of the present invention has a simple operation for mounting a dust box into an accommodating part. 
   The up and down direction putting in and taking out of the dust box permits to prevent escape of the various foreign matters from the dust box through a gap between top of the dust box and top of the accommodating part, that in turn permits to maximize an allowable dust collecting capacity of the dust box, which lengthens a frequency of the dust box cleaning. And, this also permits to prevent escape of the various foreign matters during taking out the dust box that permits to keep the room clean. 
   Thus, the device for fastening a dust box to a cyclone vacuum cleaner of the present invention is very useful in the industry.