Abstract:
An upright type vacuum cleaner has a locking to selectively restrain the pivoting of a handle assembly when the handle assembly is pivoted to be in a right angle with respect to a base. The locking device includes a locking portion disposed at a side of the base, a locking protrusion movably disposed at the handle assembly and selectively moving between a locking position where the locking protrusion contacts with the locking portion and an unlocking position where the locking protrusion releases out of the locking portion, and a pedal member pivotably disposed at the handle assembly to move the locking protrusion. As the pedal member is disposed at the handle assembly, the size of the base can be reduced and the manipulation of the pedal member becomes easy.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
         [0001]    This application claims priority to copending Korean Patent Application No. 2003-42065, filed Jun. 26, 2003 in the Korean Intellectual Property Office, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.  
         FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention generally relates to a vacuum cleaner. More specifically, the invention relates to an upright type vacuum cleaner having a locking device which restrains a handle assembly from rotating to a predetermined angle, with the handle assembly being rotatably connected to a base.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    Conventional upright type vacuum cleaners include a base which moves on a surface to be cleaned and has a suction port at a lower part, and a handle assembly rotatably connected to the base. The handle assembly includes a vacuum generator, a dust collecting device, and a handle. Also, the upright type vacuum cleaner usually includes a locking device which lessens a user&#39;s fatigue cause by the weight of the handle assembly during operation of the vacuum cleaner. When the vacuum cleaner is not operating, the locking device prevents the handle assembly from inadvertently rotating due to its weight and maintains the vacuum cleaner in a fixed position. The locking device selectively restrains the relative rotation of the handle assembly and the base when the handle assembly is at a predetermined angle with respect to the base.  
           [0004]    Referring to FIG. 1, a locking device of the conventional upright type vacuum cleaner  100  includes a locking protrusion  140 , a pedal protrusion  154 , and a pedal member  150 .  
           [0005]    The locking protrusion  140  is formed at the handle assembly  110  and disposed adjacent to a hinge shaft  115  which is rotatably connected the base  130 . As seen in FIG. 1, the locking protrusion  140  is defined by an upper wall of a locking recess  141  formed in a side of the handle assembly  110 .  
           [0006]    The pedal member  150  is pivotably disposed at the base  130  so as to pivot on a rotary shaft  152  and has the pedal protrusion  154  extending from a side thereof. The pedal protrusion  154  engages and disengages the locking recess  141  as the pedal member  150  rotates. That is, the pedal protrusion  154  is selectively locked with the locking protrusion  140 . An elastic body  155  is also provided to allow the elastic pivot of the pedal member  150 .  
           [0007]    A problem with the conventional vacuum cleaner  100  having the pedal member  150  disposed at the base  130  is that the width A of a rear of the base  130  is very broad. Also, operation of the vacuum cleaner is inconvenient, particularly when manipulating the pedal member  150 , since the pedal member  150  is disposed at the side of the base  130  instead of at the rear of the base  130  where the feet of the user are usually located.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an upright type vacuum cleaner having an improved locking device which allows a reduced sized base and easy manipulation of a pedal member.  
           [0009]    To achieve the above aspect of the present invention, the upright type vacuum cleaner includes a base having a suction port therein through which contaminants are drawn in from a surface to be cleaned, a handle assembly rotably connected to the base, and a locking device that fixes the handle assembly with respect to the base when the handle assembly and the base are at a predetermined angle. The locking device includes a locking portion disposed at a side of the base and a locking protrusion movably disposed on the handle assembly. The locking device is selectively movable between a locked position when the locking protrusion contacts the locking portion and an unlocked position when the locking protrusion is released from the locking portion. A pedal member is pivotably disposed at the handle assembly to move the locking protrusion.  
           [0010]    Because the pedal member is disposed at the handle assembly, the size of the base is reduced. Also, because the pedal member is located at the lower end of the rear side of the handle assembly, a user can conveniently manipulate the pedal member.  
           [0011]    According to a preferred embodiment, the locking device includes a slider having a slider body slidably disposed on the handle assembly and a locking protrusion extending from a side of the slider body. A first cam member is disposed at the pedal member and a second cam member is disposed at a side of the slider corresponding to the first cam member to move the slider by contact with the first cam member while the pedal member pivots.  
           [0012]    The pedal member is disposed at a rear part of the handle assembly facing the user performing the cleaning operation. The first and second cam members respectively have an inclined surface corresponding to each other so as to move the slider toward the unlocked position when the pedal member pivots downward.  
           [0013]    The handle assembly includes a vacuum cleaner body having a vacuum generator, a dust collecting device, and an auxiliary handle formed at a side thereof, and a handle frame pivotably connected to the base to removably receive the vacuum cleaner body. The suction port is in fluid communication with the vacuum generator of the vacuum cleaner body when the vacuum cleaner body is received in the handle frame.  
           [0014]    The handle frame includes a base frame having a receiving portion formed on an upper side thereof and a lower end pivotably connected to the base. The receiving portion is removably received in the vacuum cleaner body. A central frame extends from the base frame and has a central portion cut off in a predetermined shape to surround an outer surface of the vacuum cleaner body to be received in the receiving portion. A handle is formed at a side of the central frame. Preferably, the base frame, the central frame, and the handle are integrally formed.  
           [0015]    The handle assembly and the base includes a pair of first hinge portions extending from the base in a predetermined interval, a pair of second hinge portions formed by recessing a lower end of the handle frame to cover an outer surface of the first hinge portions, respectively, when the handle assembly is connected to the base, and a hinge shaft rotatably connected to the first and second hinge portions. A wheel may be rotatably disposed at the outer side of the second hinge portions.  
           [0016]    The receiving portion includes a mounting recess at which the pedal member is pivotably disposed and slidably receives the slider. The second hinge portion has a first through hole formed in a side thereof, through which the locking protrusion goes in and out of when the slider disposed in the mounting recess moves.  
           [0017]    The locking device includes an elastic member disposed at the mounting recess to elastically bias the slider toward the locked position. When the handle assembly pivots with respect to the base, the locked protrusion moves in contact with the outer surface of the first hinge portion, and when the handle assembly and the base are positioned at a predetermined angle, the locking protrusion contacts with the locking portion and prevents the handle assembly from pivoting with respect to the base.  
           [0018]    A release prevention protrusion is formed extending from a connecting portion of the slider body and the locking protrusion, to prevent the slider body from escaping the handle assembly through the first through hole when the slider moves.  
           [0019]    The locking device includes a cover member disposed in the receiving portion to cover an open upper part of the mounting recess to prevent the slider and the pedal member from escaping from the mounting recess. The cover member includes a through hole to guide the pivoting of the pedal member.  
           [0020]    One locking portion is formed at the connecting portion, and at least one of the locking portions is locked with the locking protrusion when the handle assembly is at a right angle with respect to the base. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0021]    These and other aspects and advantages of the invention will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional upright type vacuum cleaner;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an upright type vacuum cleaner according to a an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the upright type vacuum cleaner illustrated in FIG. 2 after assembly;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 is a partial perspective view of the upright type vacuum cleaner illustrated in FIG. 3;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIGS. 5 and 6 are exploded partial perspective views of the upright type vacuum cleaner illustrated in FIG. 3, showing a locking device of the vacuum cleaner; and  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 7 is a view schematically showing the operation of the locking device of the upright type vacuum cleaner according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0028]    Hereinafter, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be apparent in greater detail with reference to the annexed drawings.  
         [0029]    Referring to FIGS.  2  to  4 , an upright type vacuum cleaner  200  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a base  210 , a handle assembly  220 , and a locking device  300 .  
         [0030]    The base  210  has a suction port (not shown) formed at a bottom side facing a surface to be cleaned to draw in contaminants from the surface. A hose  213  of FIG. 4 connects the suction port of the base  210  with the handle assembly  220  for fluid communication there between.  
         [0031]    The handle assembly  220  is connected to the base  210  and rotates relative thereto in a direction of B in FIG. 3, and includes a vacuum generator (not shown), a dust collecting device  245 , and a handle  230 . The handle assembly  220  also includes a hand frame  230  and a vacuum cleaner body  240 . The vacuum cleaner body  240  is removably connected to the handle frame  230  and includes the vacuum generator and the dust collecting device  245 .  
         [0032]    The vacuum cleaner body  240  includes the vacuum generator (not shown) and the dust collecting device  245  which are in fluid communication with the suction port when the vacuum cleaner body  240  is mounted in the handle frame  230 . At a side of the vacuum cleaner body  240 , an auxiliary handle  247  is disposed for a user to grip while operating the vacuum cleaner body  240  when it is detached from the handle frame  230 . Hence, with the vacuum cleaner body  240  connected to the handle assembly  220 , the cleaning operation is performed through the suction port of the base  210 . With the vacuum cleaner body  240  detached from the handle assembly  220 , the cleaning operation is performed by connecting another suction port assembly (not shown) of the vacuum cleaner body  240  to the vacuum generator and the dust collecting device  245  providing fluid communication therebetween. Since the vacuum generator and the dust collecting device  245  have configurations like those of the conventional vacuum cleaner, a detailed description thereof will be omitted.  
         [0033]    The handle frame  230  includes a base frame  231 , a central frame  237 , and a handle  239 . Preferably, the base frame  231 , the central frame  237 , and the handle  239  are integrally formed.  
         [0034]    On a top side of the base frame  231 , a receiving portion  232  is formed on which the vacuum cleaner body  240  is mounted. A bottom side of the base frame  231  is rotatably connected to the base  210 . A connecting pipe  232   a  connects the hose  213  with the vacuum cleaner body  240  mounted on the receiving portion  232 . A terminal part  232   b  electrically connects the base  210  with the vacuum cleaner body  240  mounted on the receiving portion  232 .  
         [0035]    The base frame  231  and the base  210  are connected to each other by a pair of first hinge portions  215 , a pair of second hinge portions  233 , and a pair of hinge shafts  234 . The first hinge portions  215  protrude from a rear part of the base  210  at a predetermined distance from each other. The second hinged portions  233  extend from a lower part of the base frame  231  and form recess corresponding to the first hinge portions  215 . The hinge shaft  234  protrudes from the second hinge portions  233  to rotatably connect the first and second hinge portions  215  and  233 . When assembled, the outer surface of the first hinge portions  215  are surrounded by the second hinge portions  233  and are not exposed outside of the vacuum cleaner  200 . Hence, to form the central frame  237 , the base  210  does not have to have a large size to accommodate the enlarged size of the handle assembly  220 . In addition, a wheel  235  may be disposed at an outer wall of the second hinge portions  233  to allow easier manufacture of the base  210 .  
         [0036]    The central frame  237  is connected to an upper part of the base frame  231  and has a central opening  238  that receives the vacuum cleaner body  240  with body  240  being mounted on the receiving portion  232 . The handle  239  is connected to an upper part of the central frame  237 .  
         [0037]    The vacuum cleaner  200  includes a locking device  300  to prevent the rotation of the handle assembly  220  with respect to the base  210  when the handle assembly  220  and the base  210  are positioned at a predetermined angle θ. This conveniently maintains the handle assembly  220  in a fixed position when not operating the vacuum cleaner  200 . The handle assembly  220  is usually connected to the base  210  in a substantially perpendicular arrangement.  
         [0038]    As shown in FIGS.  4  to  7 , the locking device  300  includes a locking portion  310 , a locking protrusion  320 , and a pedal member  330 . The locking protrusion  320  and the pedal member  330  are disposed on the handle assembly  220 .  
         [0039]    The locking portion  310  is formed at a circumference of the first hinge portion  215  of the base  210 . The locking portion  310  may be formed in various shapes and numbers. For example, the locking portion  310  may be formed as a recess as in the conventional vacuum cleaner or as an extension as in the present invention. The locking portion  310  is preferably formed at a location where the locking portion  310  can lock with the locking protrusion  320  when the handle assembly  220  and the base  210  form a right angle.  
         [0040]    The locking protrusion  320  is disposed at the base frame  231  so that the locking protrusion  320  can move between a locked position P 2  and an unlocked position P 1  of FIG. 7. In the locked position P 2 , the locking protrusion  320  contacts the locking portion  310  through a first through hole  236   a  (FIG. 6) which is disposed in the second hinge portion  233 . In the unlocked position P 1 , the locking protrusion  230  is released from the locking portion  310 .  
         [0041]    The pedal member  330  is disposed at the base frame  231  and vertically pivots about rotary shaft  331 , so as to selectively move the locking protrusion  320 . Preferably, the pedal member  330  is positioned at a rear part of the handle assembly  220  which faces the user performing the cleaning operation and gripping the handle  239 . The pedal member  330  is conveniently positioned adjacent to the foot of the user. By locating the pedal member  330  in the handle assembly  220  instead of in the base  210 , base  210  can be made smaller.  
         [0042]    To move the locking protrusion  320  using the pedal member  330 , the locking device  300  includes a slider  325 , first and second cam members  333  and  326 , and a spring  340 .  
         [0043]    The slider  325  is slidably disposed at a mounting recess  236  formed in the base frame  231  with the locking protrusion  320  protruding from an end of the slider  325 . On a sidewall of the mounting recess  236 , the first through hole  236   a  is formed. When the slider  325  slides in the mounting recess  236 , the locking protrusion  320  penetrates through the first through hole  236   a  and selectively contacts the circumference of the first hinge portion  215 . A release prevention protrusion  327  prevents the slider  325  from moving through the first through hole  236   a  due to the biasing force of the spring  340  which will be described later, and limits the operating range of the first and second cam members  333  and  326 .  
         [0044]    The first and second cam members  333  and  326  protrude from the outer surfaces of the pedal member  330  and the slider  325  respectively. When the cam members  333  and  326  contact each other, the slider  325  is moved in a direction of B (FIG. 7) in association with the pivoting A of the pedal member  330  (FIG. 7). The first and second cam members  333  and  326  may be configured in various shapes, as long as the cam members  333  and  326  can move the slider  325  in association with the pivoting pedal member  330 . The first and second cam members  333  and  326  have inclined surfaces  333   a  and  326   a , respectively, formed to lead the locking protrusion  320  to the unlocked position P 1  when the pedal member  330  pivots downward.  
         [0045]    The spring  340  is disposed in the mounting recess  236  to elastically urge the slider  325  toward the first hinge portion  215 . Unless the user manipulates the pedal member  330 , due to the elastic recovery force of the spring  340 , the locking protrusion  320  remains in the first through hole  236   a  and in contact with the first hinge portion  215 . While the locking protrusion  320  is in contact with an outer wall of the first hinge portion  215 , if the handle assembly  220  is rotated a predetermined distance to the base  210  at a right angle with respect to the base  210 , the locking protrusion  320  is caught by the locking portion  310  to restrain the downward pivoting of the handle assembly  220 . To facilitate locking operation of the locking protrusion  320  and the locking portion  310 , it is preferred that one of the locking protrusion  320  and the locking portion  310  has an inclined surface  310   a  (FIG. 4).  
         [0046]    The locking device  300  further includes a cover member  390  disposed in the receiving portion  232  covering an upper opening of the mounting recess  236 . While the pedal member  330  pivots, the cover member  390  seals the upper opening of the mounting recess  236  except for a second through hole  391  and a third through hole  393  (FIG. 6). The first cam member  333  goes in and out of the second through hole  391 , and the third through hole  393  prevents interference with the pivoting of the pedal member  330 . The cover member  390  prevents the spring  340  and the slider  325  from coming out of the mounting recess  236 , and also prevents foreign substances from flowing into the mounting recess  236 .  
         [0047]    While the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it is not limited to the upright type vacuum cleaner having the locking device  300  which includes the pedal member  330 , the slider  325 , and the spring  340 . Hence, the locking device  300  may be configured in various shapes, as long as the locking device  300  can selectively lock the pivoting of the handle assembly  220  at a predetermined location and a manipulating portion for the lock is disposed at the handle assembly  220 .  
         [0048]    As aforementioned, the pedal member  330  is disposed at the handle assembly  220  to reduce the size of the base  210 . Even if the size of the handle assembly  220  is enlarged due to the formation of the central frame  237 , the size of the base  210  can be maintained uniformly.  
         [0049]    Also, since the pedal member  330  is disposed at the lower end of the rear part of the handle assembly  220 , the user can conveniently manipulate the pedal member  330 .  
         [0050]    It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention.