Vacuum cleaner

A vacuum cleaner comprises a cleaner body where a dust separator is mounted to extract dust from dust-laden air. A dust receptacle is detachably mounted in the cleaner body. A locking unit locks the dust separator and the dust receptacle together. In an exemplary embodiment, an opening unit rotates the dust separator by a predetermined angle when the dust separator and the dust receptacle are unlocked.

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119(a) of Korean Patent Applications No. 2004-93413 filed Nov. 16, 2004 and No. 2005-30611 filed Apr. 13, 2005, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of vacuum cleaners.

2. Description of the Related Art

Generally, a dust collecting apparatus, which separates and collects dust from dust-laden air, comprises a dust separator for removing dust from the dust-laden air and a dust receptacle for collecting the removed dust.

As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. 2003-180569 and Korean Patent Laid-open No. 2003-0038415, such a dust collecting apparatus is detachably mounted to a main body of the vacuum cleaner so that the dust receptacle can be emptied after collecting the dust therein. Therefore, a user first has to remove the dust collecting apparatus from the vacuum cleaner and then detach the dust separator from the dust receptacle to empty the dust receptacle.

However, the inventors have determined that this conventional two-step separation system, involving removing the dust collecting apparatus from the vacuum cleaner and then separating the dust separator from the dust receptacle, may be troublesome for the user. Furthermore, since the user has to apply a certain force to separate the dust separator from the dust receptacle, the dust may be shaken out by the force applied during the separation and contaminate the user's hand or other areas.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is to be understood that both the following summary and the detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention as claimed. Neither the summary nor the description that follows is intended to define or limit the scope of the invention to the particular features mentioned in the summary or in the description.

In some embodiments, the invention solves at least some of the above problems and/or disadvantages and may provide one or more of the advantages described below. Accordingly, in exemplary embodiments, a vacuum cleaner is provided in which only a dust receptacle, instead of an entire dust collecting apparatus, is separated from the vacuum cleaner to remove collected dust.

In other embodiments, a vacuum cleaner is designed to enable convenient separation of the dust receptacle.

Embodiments disclosed herein provide a vacuum cleaner comprising a cleaner body in which a dust separator is rotatably mounted to extract dust from dust-laden air; a dust receptacle is detachably mounted in the cleaner body and disposed below the dust separator; a locking unit locks and releases the dust separator and the dust receptacle with respect to each other; and an opening unit rotates the dust separator by a predetermined angle when the dust separator and the dust receptacle are released from each other. The dust separator may comprise a mono-cyclone unit or a multi-cyclone unit.

In some embodiments, the vacuum cleaner further comprises a cover rotatably mounted to the cleaner body, and the dust separator is connected to the cover.

In certain embodiments, the locking unit comprises a button formed on a handle of the dust receptacle and having a hook; a fastening part provided to the dust separator to lock and release the hook; and a first resilient member pressing the button in a direction for locking the hook.

The fastening part may comprise, for example, a supporting projection protruding from the dust separator, and a hook holder formed on a lower part of the supporting projection.

The opening unit may comprise, for example, a static member fixed on the cleaner body; a guide mounted to the static member; a moving member mounted to the guide and moving between a first position and a second position; and a second resilient member interposed between the static member and the moving member to resiliently bias the moving member toward the second position. The guide may comprise a first guide guiding a left side of the moving member; and a second guide fixed into a second guide insertion hole of the moving member. The second resilient member may be inserted in the second guide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, a certain embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawing figures.

In the following description, similar drawing reference numerals may be used for the same elements even in different drawings. The embodiments described, and their detailed construction and elements, are merely provided to assist in a comprehensive understanding of the invention. Thus, it is apparent that the present invention can be carried out in a variety of ways, and does not require any of the specific features described herein. Also, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail since they would obscure the invention with unnecessary detail.

Referring toFIG. 1, a vacuum cleaner10according to an embodiment of the present invention, comprises a cleaner body11, a cover13, a dust separator110, a dust receptacle120, a locking unit200and an opening unit300.

The cleaner body11has wheels11arotatably mounted on opposite sides thereof, and a suction pipe11bat one side thereof, which is connected to an extension pipe (not shown). A suction force of a built-in vacuum source (not shown) is transmitted through the suction pipe11bso that dust on a surface being cleaned is drawn into the separator collector110, passed through the extension pipe and the suction pipe11b.

A dust collecting chamber S1is provided in the cleaner body11to mount the dust receptacle120. By mounting the dust receptacle120in the dust collecting chamber S1, a lower part of the dust receptacle120is enclosed by a sidewall11cthat constitutes the dust collecting chamber S1so that airflow is restricted.

The cover13is rotatably mounted to the cleaner body11. For this, the cover13is hinged on a hinge shaft X of the cleaner body11to pivot on the hinge shaft X by a predetermined angle in the direction of arrows A and B.

The dust separator110separates dust from external air which is drawn in through the suction pipe11bby the vacuum source (not shown). The dust separator110may comprise a mono-cyclone unit or a multi-cyclone unit. Otherwise, the dust separator110may separate dust using a plurality of filters instead of employing the cyclone system. Since the inner operating principles of dust separator110are not critical to the implementation of the present invention, detailed description thereof will be omitted.

Preferably, the dust separator110is detachably mounted to the cover13for easier maintenance and management although the dust separator110can be rotatably fixed to the cleaner body11without the cover13. When the dust separator110is separated from the dust receptacle120, the dust receptacle110is able to rotate about the hinge shaft X in the direction of arrows A and B together with the cover13. Rotation of the cover13and the dust separator110in the direction A is facilitated by the sloped shape of the bottom of the dust collecting chamber S1.

The dust receptacle120is connected to a lower part of the dust separator110to store the dust removed by the dust separator110. Also, the dust receptacle120has a handle121for a user to grip when emptying the dust receptacle120.

Referring toFIG. 2, a locking unit200locks and releases the dust receptacle120with respect to the dust separator110. To this end, the locking unit200comprises a button210, a fastening part220and a first resilient member230.

The button210is mounted to the handle121of the dust receptacle120to move in the direction of arrows C and D. Guide projections211are formed on opposite sides of the button210whereas guide grooves121afor insertion of the guide projections211are formed on opposite sides of the handle121. Additionally, a hook213is provided to an end of the button210to be fastened or released by the fastening part220.

The fastening part220is formed at the dust separator110to correspond to the hook213. The fastening part220comprises a supporting projection221protruded on the dust separator110and a hook holder223disposed at a lower part of the supporting projection221and directly locked or released with respect to the hook213. The fastening part220may be formed integrally with the dust separator110or formed as a separate part to be welded or attached onto the dust separator110.

The first resilient member230is interposed between the button210and the dust receptacle120and constantly biases the button210in the direction D which is a locking direction.

A resilient-member insertion projection215is formed at the button210to mount the first resilient member230. One side of the first resilient member230is fit around the resilient-member insertion projection215. For the first resilient member230, any other material instead of the coil spring can be used as long as it has resiliency. By existence of the first resilient member230, if the button210is not pressed in the direction of arrow C, the button210can be kept in a locking position where the hook213and the hook holder223are engaged, as shown inFIG. 2.

Using the locking unit200, therefore, the dust receptacle120can be drawn from the cleaner body11by itself. As a result, the user can easily remove the dust collected in the dust receptacle. Also, because minimal force is required to release dust receptacle120from the dust separator110, the dust does not easily bounce out from the dust receptacle120due to the applied force to contaminate the user's hand.

Referring toFIG. 3, when the dust separator110(FIG. 1) and the dust receptacle120(FIG. 1) are released from each other, the opening unit300automatically rotates the dust separator110in the direction of arrow B by a predetermined distance, as shown inFIG. 6. To this end, the opening unit300comprises a static member310, a guide320, a second resilient member330and a moving member340.

The static member310is mounted in the cleaner body11to serve as a supporting block. The static member310may be formed integrally with the cleaner body11or may be separately formed and welded or otherwise attached to the cleaner body11.

The guide320is mounted on a static top side310aof the static member310to guide a vertical movement of the moving member340in the directions of arrows O and P. To accomplish this, the guide320comprises a first guide321and a second guide323.

The first guide321is disposed on the left of the static top side310aof the static member310. The first guide321includes a rounded guide groove321a(FIG. 5) having a corresponding form to a left side340a(FIG. 5) of the moving member340.

The second guide323is disposed on the right of the static top side310aof the static member310and is fixed into a second guide insertion hole340b(FIG. 5).

The second resilient member330is implemented by a coil spring disposed between the static member310and the moving member340and inserted into the second guide323. The second resilient member340resiliently biases the moving member340in the direction of arrow O, that is, to a second position shown inFIG. 5. In other words, the second resilient member330is compressed as shown inFIG. 3when the dust separator110(FIG. 1) and the dust receptacle120(FIG. 2) are in the locking position; however, as the dust separator110(FIG. 1) and the dust receptacle120(FIG. 2) are released from each other, the second resilient member330is extended and thereby presses the dust separator110(FIG. 1) in the arrowed direction O so that the dust separator110is rotated about the hinge shaft X (FIG. 1) in the arrowed direction A, as shown inFIG. 6.

Referring toFIG. 5, as it moves along the guide320in the directions O and P, the moving member340presses against one side of the dust separator110with a moving top side340cthereof. More specifically, when the hook213(FIG. 2) is separated from the hook holder223(FIG. 2), the moving member340is moved by the second resilient member330, pushing out the dust separator110from a first position as shown inFIG. 3to a second position as shown inFIG. 5.

The left side340aof the moving member340has a rounded shape corresponding to the guide groove321a. The second guide insertion hole340bis vertically formed on the moving top side340cof the moving member340. The moving member340is vertically guided in the directions of arrows O and P by the first guide321guiding the left side340aof the moving member340and the second guide323inserted in the second guide insertion hole340b.

Referring toFIG. 6, when the dust separator110is released from the dust receptacle120, the dust separator110is automatically rotated about the hinge shaft X in direction A, due to the opening unit300, without the user manually rotating the dust separator110in direction A. As a result, the user can easily remove dust receptacle120without having to rotate the dust separator110in direction A.

Hereinbelow, the process for removing the dust receptacle120will be described.

Referring toFIG. 4, as the user presses the button210in the direction of arrow C, the hook213is separated from the hook holder223, thereby releasing the dust separator110from the dust receptacle120. Therefore, the second resilient member330is extended as shown inFIG. 5, thereby pressing the moving member340in the direction O.

With reference toFIG. 6, the dust separator110is rotated about the hinge shaft X in direction A so that the user can remove only the dust receptacle120when it is filled with dust.

As can be appreciated from the above description, when using a vacuum cleaner equipped with features according to some embodiments of the present invention, the dust receptacle120can be removed alone from the cleaner body11by separating the dust separator110and the dust receptacle120from each other using the locking unit220. Accordingly, removal of the dust collected in the dust receptacle120is simplified.

In addition, since the user does not have to apply a great force to separate the dust separator110from the dust receptacle120, the dust in the dust receptacle120is not easily bounced out by the applied force, and therefore does not get on the user's hand or other surfaces.

Furthermore, after the dust separator110and the dust receptacle120are released from each other by the opening unit300, the user can easily remove the dust receptacle120from the cleaner body110without having to rotate the dust separator110.