Abstract:
A vacuum cleaner includes a suction inlet provided at a main body and a cover hinge-coupled to the main body to cover a dust collection chamber included in the main body. A locking unit is disposed around the suction inlet in order to releasably lock the cover. Further, the vacuum cleaner may include a pivot link for rotatably connecting the cover and the main body. With the pivot link, the cover and the main body are rotatable about two different hinge axes.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner; and, more particularly, to a cover locking/releasing structure and a cover hinge-coupling structure of a vacuum cleaner wherein a suction inlet is formed at a main body thereof. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   In general, a vacuum cleaner suctions dust particles on a floor by using a suction force of a fan rotated by a motor installed inside the vacuum cleaner, entraps the dust particles in a dust bag disposed in front of the fan while releasing dust-free air to the outside of the vacuum cleaner. 
     FIG. 1  shows a conventional vacuum cleaner including a main body  110  and a cover  120  openably attached to the main body  110 . 
   The cover  120  is hinge-coupled to an upper portion of the main body  100 , and an air suction tube  130  is connected to the cover  120 . 
   Further, the main body  110  of the vacuum cleaner includes a motor chamber (not shown) accommodating therein a driving motor (not shown) and a dust chamber  114  for accommodating therein, e.g., a dust bag  150  or a cyclonic dust collection device for collecting dust particles contained in air suctioned through the air inlet tube  130 . 
   When the dust bag  114  is filled with dust particles, it should be replaced or emptied. For the purpose, the cover  120  covering the dust chamber  114  is opened approximately upright, as shown in  FIG. 1 , and the dust bag  150  is removed from the dust chamber  114 . 
   However, in the conventional vacuum cleaner, since the air inlet tube  130  is connected to a suction inlet provided in the cover  120 , a connection structure of the cover  120  and the main body  110  becomes complicated due to wirings for connecting electrical components such as a switch provided at the air inlet tube  130  to the main body  110 . 
   Furthermore, when a user attempts to remove the dust bag  150  from the dust chamber  114  with his hands off the cover  120  after the cover  120  is opened as shown in  FIG. 1 , the cover  120  is often closed due to its weight, which causes an inconvenience to the user. Moreover, in case the user opens the cover  120  with an excessively great force, the cover  120  may be collided with or separated from the main body  110 . 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner having a simple locking/releasing structure of a cover and a main body by providing a suction inlet at the main body. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide a vacuum cleaner having a cover hinge-coupling structure which allows the cover to be rotated about two different hinge axes, while preventing the cover from being unintentionally closed by itself. 
   In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner including: a suction inlet formed at a main body; a cover hinge-coupled to the main body to cover a dust collection chamber defined in the main body; and a locking unit for releasably locking the cover, the locking unit being disposed around the suction inlet. 
   Preferably, the locking unit includes a pair of locking members disposed at two opposite sides of the suction inlet and a resilient member disposed between the locking members to bias the locking members outward, each locking member having an engagement protrusion projected outward; the cover includes an outer portion and an engagement portion each of which has an approximate U-shape in section, the engagement portion having opposite button portions projected through the outer portion and opposite pressing portions extended from the button portions inside the outer portion, the outer portion having opposite projecting portions which are projected inward from the outer portion to be engaged with the respective engagement protrusions of the locking members. 
   In accordance with an another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner including: a main body in which a dust collection chamber is defined; a cover for covering the dust collection chamber; and a pivot link for rotatably connecting the cover and the main body, wherein the cover and the main body are rotatable about different two hinge axes. 
   Preferably, the pivot link includes a cover coupling portion and a main body coupling portion extended from the cover coupling portion in an approximate L-shape; the cover is hinge-coupled to the cover coupling portion of the pivot link to be rotatable about one of the hinge axes; and the main body coupling portion of the pivot link is hinge-coupled to the main body to be rotatable about the other hinge axis. 
   Preferably, the main body coupling portion has a hinge shaft provided at an end portion thereof, the hinge shaft of the main body coupling portion being hinge-coupled to a coupling recess provided at the main body. 
   Preferably, the coupling recess of the main body has wave-shape side surfaces such that side surfaces of the main body coupling portion of the pivot link are friction coupled to the wave-shape side surfaces of the coupling recess. 
   In accordance with a further another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a vacuum cleaner including: a suction inlet provided at a main body; a cover hinge-coupled to the main body to cover a dust collection chamber included in the main body; a locking unit for releasably locking the cover, the locking unit being disposed around the suction inlet; and a pivot link for rotatably connecting the cover and the main body, wherein the cover and the main body are rotatable about different two hinge axes. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments given in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a conventional vacuum cleaner with its cover opened; 
       FIG. 2A  sets forth a perspective view of a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention, wherein a pivot link is shown separately; 
       FIG. 2B  is a partially cut-away perspective view of a locking member and a cover locked together; 
       FIG. 3  provides a cross sectional view of a cover locking/releasing structure in accordance with the present invention; 
       FIG. 4A  shows a cover and a main body hinge-coupled to each other; and 
       FIG. 4B  depicts a partial enlarged view of a portion in  FIG. 4A . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2 to 4B . 
   Referring to  FIG. 2A , there is illustrated a vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention, wherein a cover  5  of the vacuum cleaner is opened and a pivot link  20  for connecting a main body  1  and the cover  5  of the vacuum cleaner is shown separately. 
   A suction inlet  2  to which an air suction tube (not shown) is connected is disposed in a front region of the main body  1  of the vacuum cleaner, and a dust collection chamber  4  is provided behind the suction inlet  2  in order to accommodate therein a dust bag or a cyclonic dust collection device. 
   The cover  5  is hinge-coupled to the main body  1  via the pivot link  20  to cover the dust collection chamber  4 . The dust bag or the cyclonic dust collection device can be removed from the main body  1  after opening the cover  5 , as shown in  FIG. 2A . 
   Further, locking members  30  are installed at outer peripheral portions of the suction inlet  2  to keep the cover  5  locked in position while covering the dust collection chamber  4 . 
   Hereinafter, structures of the cover  5  and the locking members  30  and their locking/releasing operations will be described with reference to  FIGS. 2B to 3 .  FIG. 2B  is a partially cut-away perspective view of the locking member  30  and the cover  5  locked together and  FIG. 3  sets forth a cross sectional view showing a locked state of the cover  5  and the locking members  30 . 
   The locking members  30  are disposed at two opposite sides of the suction inlet  2  and each locking member  30  has an engagement protrusion  32  at an approximately central portion thereof. The upper end of each locking member  30  is supported by a locking member support  30 A such that it is pivotable about the upper end thereof, and a resilient member such as a compression spring  18  is interposed between the lower ends of both locking members  30 . The compression spring  18  serves to bias the locking members  30  outward against stoppers  30 B, respectively. 
   The cover  5  includes a sealing portion  6  brought into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the locking member support  30 A; an outer portion  5 A having protruding portions  5 A′ projected inward from two opposite lower ends thereof; and an engagement member  10  interposed between the sealing portion  6  and the outer portion  5 A. The sealing portion  6 , the outer portion  5 A and the engagement member  10  have an approximate U-shape in section. 
   The engagement member  10  has at both sides thereof button portions  14  projected outward through openings of the outer portion  5 A and pressing portions  12  extended downward from the button portions  14  to be located inside the outer portion  5 A. 
   In case the cover  5  is closed to cover the dust collection chamber  4 , the protruding portions  5 A′ of the outer portion  5 A serve to urge the respective engagement protrusions  32  of the locking members  30 , whereby the engagement members  30  are inwardly moved against a bias force of the compression spring  18 . Then, the protruding portions  5 A′ at the outer portion  5 A of the cover  5  are moved downward beyond the engagement protrusions  32  to contact the stoppers  30 B located below the engagement protrusions  30 . At that time, the locking members  30  are moved outward again by the bias force of the compression spring  18 , so that the engagement protrusions  32  are engaged with the respective protruding portions  5 A′ to prevent the cover  5  from being lifted. By such a locking mechanism, the cover  5  is locked by the locking members  30 . 
   In case of lifting the cover  5  to open the dust collection chamber  4 , when a user pushes the button portions  14  which are protruded outwardly through the outer portion  5 A of the case  5 , the pressing portions  12  integrated with the respective button portions  14  are moved inward to press the locking members  30 , respectively. At that time, the locking members  30  are moved inward against the bias force of the compression spring  18 , the engagement of the engagement protrusions  32  and the protruding portions  5 A′ is released, allowing the cover  5  to be movable in an upward direction. In this state, when the user lifts the cover  5  upward, the dust collection chamber  4  is opened. 
   A connection structure of the cover  5  and the main body  1  of the vacuum cleaner in accordance with the present invention will now be described with reference to  FIGS. 4A and 4B .  FIG. 4A  is a partial perspective view of a coupling portion of the cover  5  and the main body  1  of the vacuum cleaner and  FIG. 4B  provides a partial enlarged view thereof. 
   The cover  5  is hinge-coupled to cover hinge shafts  22  provided at two opposite upper ends of a cover coupling portion  20 A of the approximately L-shaped pivot link  20  (see  FIG. 2A ). Main body coupling portions  20 B are extended from the cover coupling portion  20 A in an approximate L-shape. Further, a main body hinge shaft  24  is provided at an end portion of each of the main body coupling portions  20 B. The main body hinge shafts  24  are hinge-coupled to coupling recesses  15  formed at the main body  1 , respectively. Two opposite side surfaces of each of the coupling recesses of the main body  1  are formed in a wave-shape. By allowing both side surfaces of each of the main body coupling portions  20 B to be friction coupled to the wave-shaped surfaces of the corresponding coupling recess  15 , the cover  5  is prevented from being unintentionally closed due to its weight in an open mode. 
   In case of lifting the cover  5  to open the dust collection chamber  4 , the cover  5  is pivoted by the combination of a rotation of the cover  5  about the cover hinge shafts  22  of the cover coupling portion  20 A and a rotation of the main body coupling portions  20 B about the main body hinge shafts  24 . For example, the cover  5  is completely opened in such a way that the cover  5  is rotated about the cover hinge shafts  22  of the cover coupling portion  20 A of the pivot link  20  while or after the pivot link  20  is rotated about the cover hinge shafts  22  of the cover coupling portion  20 A. In this way, the cover  5  is opened in multi-stages by two different hinge axes of the hinge shafts  22  and  24 . 
   As described above, according to the present invention, there is provided an inventive cover locking/releasing structure and a cover hinge-coupling structure. The locking/releasing structure of the main body and the cover is simplified, and the cover can be prevented from being unintentionally closed due to its weight in an open mode. 
   While the invention has been shown and described with respect to the preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modification may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims.