Abstract:
A complex type cleaner includes: a cleaner body having at least one of a dust collecting container for storing dust or foreign materials and a water collecting container for storing contaminated water; and a suction head having a dust suction opening disposed at a lower portion of the cleaner body and sucking dust when the cleaner performs a vacuum cleaning and a suction head having a suction nozzle for sucking contaminated water when the cleaner performs a water cleaning. By implementing both vacuum cleaning function for sucking dust and water cleaning function in one cleaner, a cost can be reduced, users&#39; convenience can be improved, and the cleaner can be conveniently kept in storage.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to a complex type cleaner and, more particularly, to a complex type cleaner capable of selectively performing a vacuum cleaning and a water cleaning.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Background Art  
         [0004]     In general, an up-right type vacuum cleaner includes a cleaner body disposed in a vertically standing state; a suction fan installed in the cleaner body and generating a suction force; a filter container having a filter for collecting dust or dirt sucked by the suction force generated by the suction fan; a suction head disposed at a lower side of the cleaner body and sucking dust or dirt at a floor; and a brush rotatably installed at the suction head and brushing up dust or dirt at the floor.  
         [0005]     The up-right type vacuum cleaner generates a suction force when the suction fan is driven. Dust and foreign materials on a floor or a carpet are sucked through the suction head by virtue of the suction force, filtered by the filter and collected in the filter container.  
         [0006]     Meanwhile, a general extractor includes a water supply container holding a cleansing solution; a pump for pumping the cleansing solution held in the water supply container; a spray nozzle for spraying the cleansing solution pumped by the pump to a cleaning portion; a suction nozzle for sucking the contaminated water and dust at the cleansing solution-sprayed cleaning portion; a water collecting container for storing contaminated water sucked through the suction nozzle; and a suction fan for generating a suction force to suck contaminated water through the suction nozzle.  
         [0007]     In the extractor, when the pump is driven, the cleansing solution stored in the water supply container is sprayed onto the carpet or the like through the spray nozzle, a brush brushes the portion while being rotated, contaminated water is sucked through the suction nozzle and collected in the water collecting container, and air is discharged outwardly.  
         [0008]     Thus, as for the conventional cleaner, a vacuum cleaner is needed to vacuum-clean dust and foreign materials and the extractor is needed to water-clean the carpet or the like, increasing a cost. In addition, since the two cleaners take much space, it is inconvenient to keep them in storage.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]     Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a complex type cleaner implementing both a vacuum cleaning function for sucking dust and a water cleaning function to thereby reduce a cost, enhance users&#39; convenience and be convenient for storage.  
         [0010]     To achieve these and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the present invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided a complex type cleaner including: a cleaner body where one of a dust collecting container for storing dust or foreign materials and a water collecting container for storing contaminated water is selectively mounted; and a suction head having a dust suction opening disposed at a lower portion of the cleaner body and sucking dust when the cleaner performs a vacuum cleaning and a suction head having a suction nozzle for sucking contaminated water when the cleaner performs a water cleaning.  
         [0011]     The cleaner body includes a container mounting part in which one of the dust collecting container and the water collecting container is mounted, and a handle mounted at an upper portion thereof.  
         [0012]     The cleaner body includes a washing water spray unit for spraying washing water onto a carpet when the cleaner is used in a water cleaning mode. The washing water spray unit includes a water tank mounted in the cleaner body and storing washing water; a washing water supply line connected to the water tank and supplying washing water to the carpet; a pump installed at the washing water supply line and pumping the washing water stored in the water tank; and a spray nozzle connected to an end portion of the washing water supply line and spraying the washing water pumped by the pump onto the carpet.  
         [0013]     The dust collecting container includes: a container mounted in the container mounting part formed at the cleaner body and having a space for collecting dust; a suction passage formed at one side of the container and connected to a dust suction hose to suck dust and foreign materials into the container; a filter disposed inside the container and filtering dust and foreign materials sucked into the container; and a discharge passage formed at the container and connected to the filter in order to discharge air which has been purified while passing through the filter.  
         [0014]     The suction head and the dust collecting container are connected by the dust suction hose so that dust sucked into the dust suction opening is guided to the dust collecting container, and the suction nozzle and the water collecting container are connected by a water suction hose so that water sucked into the suction nozzle is guided to the water collecting container.  
         [0015]     The water collecting container includes: a container having a space for storing contaminated water; a suction pipe connected to the container and extended in a downward direction of the container so as to be connected to the water suction hose; a discharge passage formed at a lower side of the container and externally discharging air sucked together with water into the container; and a water discharge preventing unit mounted at the discharge passage and preventing contaminated water introduced into the container from being leaked through the discharge passage.  
         [0016]     The water discharge preventing unit includes a bent pipe mounted at an end portion of the discharge passage and bent downwardly; and a cut-off valve mounted at an end portion of the bent pipe and preventing water from being discharged by blocking the end portion of the bent pipe when water introduced into the container reaches a pre-set value.  
         [0017]     The cut-off valve includes: a valve body mounted at an end portion of the bent pipe; a floater inserted to be movable vertically inside the valve body and floated up to be tightly attached to the valve sheet formed at the bent pipe when water is filled; and a release preventing cap formed at an end portion of the valve body and preventing release of the floater.  
         [0018]     The foregoing and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0019]     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.  
         [0020]     In the drawings:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container having the water collecting container mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container having the water collecting container mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the dust collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the dust collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the water collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0028]      FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the water collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0029]      FIG. 9  is an exploded sectional view of a water introduction preventing unit of the water collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0030]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container mounted therein in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0031]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container having the water collecting container mounted therein in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0032]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a water collecting container in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0033]      FIG. 13  is a sectional view of a water collecting container in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0034]     Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings.  
         [0035]     There can be several embodiments of the present invention for the complex type cleaner, of which the most preferred one will now be described.  
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container having the water collecting container mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 4  is a sectional view of the complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container having the water collecting container mounted therein in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0037]     The cleaner in accordance with the present invention includes: a cleaner body  10  disposed in a vertically standing state; and a suction head  20  disposed at a lower side of the cleaner body  10  and sucking dust when the cleaner performs a vacuum cleaning and sucking contaminated water when the cleaner performs a water cleaning.  
         [0038]     The cleaner body  10  includes a handle  12  mounted at its upper side, a container mounting part  18  where either a dust collecting container  14  for collecting dust or a water collecting container  16  for collecting contaminated water formed at a front side.  
         [0039]     Two select switches  24  are mounted on the handle  12  to allow a user to select a vacuum cleaning mode or a water cleaning mode.  
         [0040]     A suction fan  26  is mounted at a lower side of the container mounting part  18  and generates a suction force by being connected to the dust collecting container  14  or the water collecting container  16 . An exhaust outlet  28  is formed at one side of the suction fan  26  to exhaust air made clean while passing through the dust collecting container  14  or the water collecting container  16 .  
         [0041]     A locking button  30  for locking either the dust collecting container  14  or the water collecting container  16  to the container mounting part or unlocking it therefrom is installed at a front side of the cleaner body  10 . A washing water spray unit for spraying washing water onto a carpet when the cleaner performs a water cleaning function is installed at the side of the cleaner body  10 .  
         [0042]     The washing water spray unit includes a water tank  32  mounted at the side of the cleaner body  10  and storing washing water; a washing water supply line  34  connected to the water tank  32  and supplying washing water to the suction head  20 ; a pump  36  installed at the washing water supply line  34  and pumping washing water stored in the water tank  32 ; and a spray nozzle  38  connected to the end portion of the washing water supply line  34  and spraying washing water pumped by the pump  36  onto the carpet.  
         [0043]     A dust suction opening  40  for sucking dust or foreign materials is formed at the bottom surface of the suction head  20 . A dust suction hose  22  is connected to a rear side of the suction head  20  in order to guide dust sucked into the dust suction opening  40  to the dust collecting container  14 .  
         [0044]     A suction nozzle  42  is mounted at the front side of the suction head  20  in order to suck contaminated water which has cleaned the carpet or the floor after being sprayed from the washing water spraying unit in the water cleaning mode of the cleaner.  
         [0045]     The suction nozzle  42  and the water collecting container  16  are connected by a water suction hose  23 , so that contaminated water sucked through the suction nozzle  42  can be sucked into the water collecting container  16 .  
         [0046]     The water suction hose  23  is connected at its lower portion to the suction nozzle  42  and its upper portion is fixed to the cleaner body  10  by a fixing member  25 . When the cleaner is used in the water cleaning mode, the upper portion of the water suction hose  23  is connected to the water collecting container  16 , and when the cleaner is used in the vacuum cleaning mode, the upper portion of the water suction hose  23  is separated from the water collecting container  16 .  
         [0047]     Preferably, the suction nozzle  42  has a narrow inlet to facilitate sucking contaminated water.  
         [0048]     A brush  50  is rotatably mounted at the suction opening  40 . When the cleaner is in the vacuum cleaning mode, the brush  50  brushes up dust or foreign materials on the floor or the carpet to the inner side of the suction opening  40 , and in case of the water cleaning mode, the brush  50  rubs on the carpet where washing water has been supplied from the washing water spraying unit to wash the carpet.  
         [0049]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the dust collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the dust collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0050]     The dust collecting container  14  includes a cylindrical container  54  mounted on the container mounting part  18  formed on the cleaner body  10  and having a space for collecting dust and a handle  52  formed at one side thereof; a cover  56  mounted at an upper surface of the container  54  and opened and closed; a suction opening  58  formed at one side of the container  54  and sucking dust and foreign materials by being connected to the dust sucking hose  22 ; a filter  60  disposed inside the container  54  and filtering dust and foreign material sucked into the container  54 ; and a discharge passage  62  formed at a lower portion of the container  54 , connected to the filter  60  to discharge air purified while passing the filter  60 , and connected to the suction fan  26 .  
         [0051]     The filter  60  has a cylindrical form and mounted at an end portion of the discharge passage  62  formed inside the container  54 .  
         [0052]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the water collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 8  is a sectional view of the water collecting container in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0053]     When the complex type cleaner performs a water cleaning, the water collecting container  16  is mounted at the container mounting part  18  of the cleaner body  10  and the water collecting container  16  is connected to the water suction hose  23 .  
         [0054]     The water collecting container  16  includes a container  70  mounted at the container mounting part  18  and having a space for storing contaminant water; a suction pipe  74  connected to the side of the container  70 , extended in a downward direction of the container  70 , and connected to the water suction hose  23 ; a discharge passage  76  formed at a lower side of the container  70  and discharging air from the container  70 ; and a water discharge preventing unit  78  mounted at the discharge passage  76  and preventing contaminated water introduced into the container  70  from being leaked to outside through the discharge passage  76 .  
         [0055]     The container  70  includes a cylindrical cover  80  formed at an opened upper portion to be opened and closed, and a blocking plate  82  formed inside thereof to prevent water sucked through the suction pipe  74  to be introduced toward the water discharge preventing unit  78 .  
         [0056]     The suction pipe  74  is connected at its upper portion to the container  70  and fixed at its lower portion to an outer circumferential surface of the container  70  by a fixing member  77 . The suction pipe  74  has a bent pipe form to serve as a passage for sucking water therethrough and also as a handle allowing a user to grasp.  
         [0057]     The water discharge preventing unit  78  includes a bent pipe  84  mounted at an end portion of the discharge passage  76  and bent at its end portion to be directed toward a lower side to thereby prevent water introduced into the container  70  from being introduced into the discharge passage  76 ; and a cut-off valve  86  mounted at an end portion of the bent pipe  84  and blocking the end portion of the bent pipe  84  to prevent discharge of water when water introduced into the container  70  reaches a pre-set value.  
         [0058]     The cut-off valve  86  includes a valve body  90  mounted at an end portion of the bent pipe  84 ; a floater  91  inserted to be movable up and down inside the valve body  90 ; a valve sheet  92  formed at an end portion of the bent pipe  84  to close the bent pipe  84  as the floater  91  is tightly attached thereto; and a releaser preventing cap  93  formed at the end portion of the valve body  90  and preventing release of the floater  91 .  
         [0059]     The floater  91  has a spherical shape and is made of a material so that it does not float when air is sucked into the bent pipe  84  but has buoyancy so as to float in water.  
         [0060]     An assembling process of the cut-off valve  86  will now be described.  
         [0061]     As shown in  FIG. 8 , a female screw part  96  is formed at an end portion of the valve body  90  and threaded with a mail screw part  95  formed at an end portion of the bent pipe  84 . The valve sheet  92  is integrally formed at the inner circumferential surface of the bent pipe  84 . The release preventing cap  93  is integrally formed at an end portion of the valve body  90 . A plurality of air suction passages  94  are formed at the release preventing cap  93 , through which air is sucked.  
         [0062]     The complex type cleaner constructed as described above in accordance with the present invention operates as follows.  
         [0063]     When the cleaner is used in the vacuum cleaning mode, the user mounts the dust collecting container  14  on the container mounting part  18  of the cleaner body  10 , and operates the select switch  24  to the vacuum cleaning mode.  
         [0064]     Then, the suction fan  26  is driven to generate a suction force, and accordingly, dust or foreign materials on the floor or on the carpet is sucked into the suction head  20  through the suction opening  40 . At this time, the brush  50  mounted at the suction opening  40  is rotated to brush up dust or foreign materials on the floor or the carpet into the suction head  20 . Dust and foreign materials sucked into the suction head  20  is introduced into the container  54  of the dust collecting container  14  through the suction hose  22  and filtered by the filter  60  so as to be collected inside the container  54 , and only air purified while passing through the filter  60  is discharged through the discharge passage  62  and then discharged outwardly through the exhaust outlet  28 .  
         [0065]     When the cleaner is used in the water cleaning mode, the user places the water collecting container  16  of the cleaner body  10 , the suction pipe  74  connected to the water collecting container  16  and the water suction hose  23  connected to the suction nozzle  42  are connected, and then, operates the select switch  24  to the water cleaning mode.  
         [0066]     Then, the suction fan  26  is driven to generate a suction force and at the same time the pump  36  is driven to spray water onto the floor or the carpet.  
         [0067]     Washing water stored in the water tank  32  is guided to the spray nozzle  38  through the water supply line  34  by virtue of the pumping force generated as the pump  36  is driven, and then sprayed onto the floor or the carpet from the spray nozzle  38 .  
         [0068]     In addition, the brush  50  mounted at the suction head  20  is rotated to rub on the washing water-sprayed carpet to thereby perform a washing operation, and then, contaminated water after finishing washing is sucked through the suction nozzle  42  by virtue of the suction force generated as the suction fan  26  is driven.  
         [0069]     Contaminated water sucked through the suction nozzle  42  is introduced into the container  70  of the water collecting container  16  through the suction hose  22 , and air introduced together with the contaminated water into the container  70  is outwardly discharged, through the discharge passage  76  formed at the container  70 . At this time, the water discharge preventing unit  78  formed at the discharge passage  76  serves to prevent contaminated water stored in the container  70  from being discharged through the discharge passage  76 .  
         [0070]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container mounted therein in accordance with a second embodiment of IS the present invention,  FIG. 11  is a sectional view of the complex type cleaner having a dust collecting container having the water collecting container mounted therein in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention,  FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a water collecting container in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention, and  FIG. 13  is a sectional view of a water collecting container in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0071]     The complex type cleaner in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention features that one suction hose  65  connected to a rear side of the cleaner body  10  is selectively connected to one of the suction head  20  and the suction nozzle  42  in order to guide dust sucked through the suction head  20  to the dust collecting container  14  or guide contaminated water sucked through the suction nozzle  42  to the water collecting container  61 .  
         [0072]     Namely, in the second embodiment of the present invention, a first connection portion  73 , to which the suction hose  65  is connected, is formed at a rear side of the suction head  20 , and a second connection portion  75 , to which the suction hose  65  is connected, is formed at the suction nozzle  42 .  
         [0073]     The suction hose  65  is made of a flexible material so that one of the first connection portion  73  formed at the suction head and the second connection portion  75  formed at the suction nozzle  42  can be selectively connected thereto.  
         [0074]     With reference to  FIGS. 12 and 13 , the water collecting container  61  in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention includes: a container  70  mounted in the container mounting part  18  and having a space for storing contaminated water; a suction opening  72  formed at the side of the container  70  and connected to the suction hose  65  to allow contaminated water to be sucked into the container  70  therethrough; a discharge passage  76  formed at a lower side of the container  70  and externally discharging air sucked together with water into the container  70  therethrough; and a water discharge preventing part  78  mounted at the discharge passage  76  and preventing contaminated water introduced into the container  70  from flowing to outside through the discharge passage  76 .  
         [0075]     A handle  63  is formed at the side of the water collecting container  61 , allowing a user to grasp.  
         [0076]     The water discharge preventing unit  78  has the same construction and operation as that of the first embodiment of the present invention, descriptions of which are, thus, omitted.  
         [0077]     When the complex type cleaner in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention is used in the vacuum cleaning mode, the user mounts the dust collecting container  14  in the container mounting part  18  of the cleaner body  10 , connects the suction hose  65  to the first connection portion  73  formed at the rear side of the suction head  20 , and then, operates the cleaner. Then, dust sucked into the dust suction opening  40  of the suction head  20  is sucked into the dust collecting container  14  through the suction hose  65 .  
         [0078]     When the cleaner is used in the water cleaning mode, the user mounts the water collecting container  61  in the container mounting part  18  of the cleaner body  10 , connects the suction hose  65  to the second connection portion  75  formed at the suction nozzle  20 , and then, operates the cleaner. Then, contaminated water which has completed a carpet cleaning after being sprayed from the washing water spray unit is sucked into the suction nozzle  42  and sucked into the water collecting container  61  through the suction hose  65 .  
         [0079]     The operation of the water discharge preventing unit  78  will now be described in detail.  
         [0080]     First, the blocking plate  82  is formed inside the container  70  in order to prevent contaminated water sucked through the suction passage  72  formed at the container  70  from being splashed to the discharge passage  76 , and because the bent pipe  84  having an inlet directing toward the lower side is connected to the discharge passage  76 , only air sucked into the container  70  through the bent pipe  84  is outwardly discharged through the discharge passage  76 .  
         [0081]     When contaminated water introduced into the container  70  is increase to reach a pre-set value, the cut-off valve  86  mounted at the end portion of the bent pipe  84  blocks the bent pipe  84  to prevent discharge of water. Namely, when contaminated water increases, the floater  90  floats up to be tightly attached to the valve sheet  92  formed at the end portion of the bent pipe  84 , thereby preventing contaminated water from being discharged through the bent pipe  84 .  
         [0082]     As so far described, the complex type cleaner in accordance with the present invention has the following advantages.  
         [0083]     That is, for example, when the cleaner is used in the vacuum cleaning mode, the dust collecting container is mounted at the cleaner to suck dust and foreign materials on the floor, and when the cleaner is used in the water cleaning mode, the water collecting container is mounted at the cleaner to suck contaminated water. Accordingly, because one cleaner can be used for the vacuum cleaning and the water cleaning, a cost can be reduced, its use is convenient and the cleaner can be easily kept in storage.  
         [0084]     As the present invention may be embodied in several forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof, it should also be understood that the above-described embodiments are not limited by any of the details of the foregoing description, unless otherwise specified, but rather should be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as defined in the appended claims, and therefore all changes and modifications that fall within the metes and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such metes and bounds are therefore intended to be embraced by the appended claims.