Patent Publication Number: US-7591042-B2

Title: Upright vacuum cleaner

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a vacuum cleaner, and particularly to an upright vacuum cleaner enabling a convenient grasp and handling by a user. Further, the invention relates to a carrying handle of an upright vacuum cleaner that can prevent unnecessary shaking of the vacuum cleaner and enable a user to transfer it more conveniently. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A vacuum cleaner is generally classified into a canister vacuum cleaner and an upright vacuum cleaner. Particularly, the upright vacuum cleaner includes a main body, a nozzle unit and a handle that are integrally formed. In detail, a suction nozzle, a motor, a suction fan and the like are accommodated in the main body of the vacuum cleaner to generate a suction force of air and filter foreign particles from the sucked air. The nozzle unit is formed at a lower side of the main body to suck air on a floor together with foreign particles. The handle is formed at an upper side of the main body so that a user may hold the handle with ease and handle the vacuum cleaner. 
     In cleaning operation using the upright vacuum cleaner, as a user holding the handle pushes and pulls the nozzle unit, the vacuum cleaner moves to a desired position, dirt on a floor is sucked into the main body of the vacuum cleaner, and the sucked dirt is filtered by the main body. 
     Also, the general upright vacuum cleaner has a difficulty in cleaning a stair or a corner because the nozzle unit, the main body and the handle are formed integrally. To solve such a problem, a long and flexible extension tube wound on upper and lower circumference of the main body is installed. To fix the extension tube to the circumference of the main body of the vacuum cleaner, a pair of protrusions are protruded from the circumference of the main body. The extension tube is latched on the protrusions. In cleaning a place such as a stair or the like, the extension tube is separated from the protrusions and then a nozzle is connected to an end of the extension tube. 
     In the meanwhile, cleaning of a floor is performed by pushing or pulling the handle formed at the upper side of the vacuum cleaner. However, in case the vacuum cleaner is transferred to a place passing through a stair of a building or a distant place, the handle fails to support an overall weight of the vacuum cleaner, which is undesirable. Accordingly, it is more general that a carrying handle capable of supporting the overall weight of the vacuum cleaner should be additionally provided. 
     However, since the carrying handle of the related art vacuum cleaner is formed at a rear side of the vacuum cleaner, it does not accord with a center of gravity of the vacuum cleaner. So, when a user moves the vacuum cleaner, the vacuum cleaner leans to one direction, so that the user collides with the vacuum cleaner. 
     Also, since the vacuum cleaner further needs a protrusion structure for fixing the extension tube, a more complicated fabrication process is required. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention is directed to an upright vacuum cleaner that substantially obviates one or more problems due to limitations and disadvantages of the related art. 
     An object of the invention is to provide an upright vacuum cleaner having a carrying handle and enabling a user to transfer the vacuum cleaner conveniently. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide an upright vacuum cleaner having a simplified structure by integrally forming a carrying handle and a hose seat. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide an upright vacuum cleaner that has a simple structure, can be fabricated by a simple method, and allows a user to use it conveniently. 
     Additional advantages, objects, and features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention may 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 objects and other advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, there is provided an upright vacuum cleaner comprising: a suction nozzle unit through which outer air is sucked; a main body through which air sucked through the suction nozzle unit is introduced; a hose connected to the suction nozzle unit and the main body, for introducing the air sucked through the suction nozzle unit into the main body; a carrying handle having an upper surface on which the hose is seated and gripped by a user while being transferred; and a manipulation handle formed at an upper portion of the main body and gripped by a user during a cleaning operation to hold and manipulate the vacuum cleaner. 
     In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an upright vacuum cleaner comprising: a suction nozzle unit through which outer air is sucked; a main body through which air sucked through the suction nozzle unit is introduced; a flexible and extendable hose connected to the suction nozzle unit and the main body, for introducing the air sucked through the suction nozzle unit into the main body; a carrying handle on which the hose is seated, gripped by a user while transferring the main body, and formed integrally with and spaced apart by a predetermined distance from the main body; and a manipulation handle extending upward from a rear side of the carrying handle and gripped by a user during a cleaning operation to hold and manipulate the vacuum cleaner. 
     In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an upright vacuum cleaner comprising: a nozzle formed at a lower side of the vacuum cleaner, through which outer air is sucked; a main body including at least a dust collection unit; a carrying handle formed at an upper surface of the main body and conveniently gripped by a user while wholly transferring the vacuum cleaner; and a hose separatably and fixedly seated on an upper surface of the carrying handle, for guiding the air sucked through the nozzle to the main body. 
     According to the upright vacuum cleaner provided in the present invention, convenience in using the vacuum cleaner is enhanced. Also, since an additional element can be reduced, the convenience is further enhanced. 
     It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description of the present invention 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 application, illustrate embodiment(s) of the invention and together with the description serve to explain the principle of the invention. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner according to the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along the line I-I′ of  FIG. 3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of an upright vacuum cleaner according to the present invention and illustrates an operation of the 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. 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an upright vacuum cleaner according to the present invention, and  FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the upright vacuum. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the upright vacuum cleaner  1  macroscopically includes a suction nozzle unit  10  contacts with a floor to suck outer air, a main body  20  in which main parts including a suction motor and a fan are mounted, and a manipulation handle  30  formed on an upper portion of the vacuum cleaner such that the vacuum cleaner is moved in an easy way during the cleaning work. The cleaning work using the vacuum cleaner is conducted as follows. First, air is sucked through the suction nozzle unit  10  together with foreign particles. The foreign particles are separated from the sucked air while passing through the main body  20  and cleaned, and then the cleaned air is exhausted through a predetermined discharge hole. In addition, in order to move the vacuum cleaner to a desired position, a user grips the manipulation handle  30  of the vacuum cleaner and then pulls or pushes the vacuum cleaner  1 . 
     In detail, the suction nozzle unit  10  is used for sucking outer air and has a substantially rectangular shape with an opening opened toward the floor. The suction nozzle unit  10  is hinged to the main body  20 , and a pivoting lever  3  controls this hinge movement. In addition, for better movement of the suction nozzle unit  10 , the suction nozzle unit  10  further includes wheels  2  installed at a rear portion of the suction nozzle unit  10 , and a height control knob  4  installed on an upper surface of the suction nozzle unit  10  for height control of the suction nozzle unit  10 . The air sucked into the suction nozzle unit  10  is guided to the main body  10  by means of a hose  29 . For this purpose, both ends of the hose  29  are connected to the suction nozzle unit  10  and the main body  20 , respectively. 
     In detail, the main body  20  includes a front case  21  for protecting a front portion of the main body  20  and a rear case  22  for protecting a rear portion of the main body  20 , and the front and rear portions are fixed with each other by a certain manner such as fitting or screwing. Furthermore, the main body  20  is provided with a dust collecting unit  23  for collecting dusts from the air sucked through the hose  29 , a detachable lever  26  for separating the dust collecting unit  23  from the main body  20  in a convenient way, a discharge cover  24  formed in a side of the main body  20  for allowing the air free from foreign particles to be discharged, a lamp  25  for lighting the floor at night so that the vacuum cleaner may be manipulated in a convenient way, a mini nozzle seat  28  concaved in the top of the front case  21 , and a mini nozzle  27  selectively received in the mini nozzle seat  28 . The mini nozzle  27  may be used for cleaning places that are not directly contacted with the main body of the upright cleaner like a corner and received in the mini nozzle seat  28  during a custody time. 
     In addition, the main body  20  is also provided on its rear side with a cord hook  36  protruded at upper and lower positions of the main body  20  so that a power line is wound kept in custody thereon, a hose guide  50  that configures at least a part of the hose  29  and is made of strong materials unlike the hose  29 , and a holder  51  protruded on the rear side of the main body  20  so as to support the hose guide  50 . The hose guide  50  is used for convenient positioning of the mini nozzle  27  when the mini nozzle  27  is used in connection to the hose  29 . 
     Meanwhile, the hose  29  has a freely expandable and contractable bellows shape such that another suction nozzle unit such as the mini nozzle  27  is conveniently used. In addition, the hose  29  has the bellows shape, so its length may be shortened while being kept in custody and elongated over a few times when being used by a user. Thus, to clean a place far away from the main body of the vacuum cleaner  1 , such as stair or the like, the main body of the vacuum cleaner  1  is fixed and only the hose  29  extends to a desired position such that the mini nozzle  27  reaches the cleaning place to perform cleaning more conveniently. 
     In addition, a carrying handle  40  is formed at the top of the front case  21 . The hose  29  may be seated on the carrying handle  40  in a shrunk state. The carrying handle  40  is used when a user wishes to transfer the vacuum cleaner to another place, and is gripped by the user during the transfer operation. The carrying handle  40  may be used not only for holding and carrying the vacuum cleaner but also for seating the hose  29  thereon. 
     In detail, the manipulation handle  30  includes a handle grip  31  for a user to grip conveniently while the vacuum is operating, and an operation switch  34  formed at a predetermined position of the handle grip  31  and used for controlling operation of the vacuum cleaner itself such as initiation of operation of the vacuum switch and suction force of the vacuum cleaner. In addition, a length of the manipulation handle  30  may be conveniently adjusted. In more detail, for adjustment of length, the manipulation handle  30  includes an extension pipe  33  extended downward to the handle grip  31 , and a fixed pipe  32  that supports the extension pipe  33  and allows the extension pipe  33  to be moved through it by means of selective manipulation of an extension lever  35  so that the length of the manipulation handle  30  may be shortened or elongated. 
       FIG. 3  is a detailed perspective view of the carrying handle and  FIG. 4  is a sectional view taken along the line I-I′ of  FIG. 3 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the carrying handle  40  is protruded upward from a top surface of the front case  21 . In detail, the carrying handle  40  includes a pair of spacers  43 , which are formed spaced apart from each other at both sides of the top surface of the front case  21  and configured to have a space between the pair of spacers  43  such that a user&#39;s hand is inserted, and a smoothly curved portion  42  of which both ends are connected with the pair of spacers  43 , and a seat latch  45  inwardly curved from both edges of the curved portion  42  such that the hose  29  is correctly seated on an inner surface of the curved portion  42 . 
     In detail, the curved portion  42  is to allow a user to conveniently grip the carrying handle  40  and is convexly curved in a front and rear direction and an upper and lower direction. In addition, the curved portion has a U-shaped section such that the hose  29  is seated thereon. Since the curved portion  42  is convexly curved in the front and rear direction, the hose  29  as escaped from the curved portion  42  can be conveniently guided to a rear side. In addition, since the grip position of the curved portion  42  is exactly matched with the gravity center (see  55  of  FIG. 5 ) of the vacuum cleaner, it is possible to use the carrying handle more conveniently. 
     The curved portion  42  also includes a groove portion  41  such that when a user grips the curved portion  42 , user&#39;s fingers are disposed at exact positions. The upper surface of the curved portion  42  on which the hose  29  is seated, is made to have the same shape as that of the hose  29  and has a hose seat surface  44 . 
     The carrying handle  40  having the above-mentioned structure gives the following convenient advantages. In detail, the reason the carrying handle  40  is formed at the top of the front case  21  is to match the gravity center of the vacuum cleaner with the position of the carrying handle  40  in the vertical direction, thereby allowing the vacuum cleaner to be placed at an exact position without leaning to one direction. In other words, since the gravity center of the vacuum cleaner leans to the front direction due to the weight of the suction nozzle unit  10 , the carrying handle  40  is preferably formed at the front case  21  so as to make up for the leaning of the gravity center. 
     Also, since the hose  29  is wound via a roundabout way of the front side of the vacuum cleaner and seated, convenience in use of the vacuum cleaner  1  is enhanced. In detail, if the hose  29  is seated on a rear upper surface of the vacuum cleaner  1 , the hose  29  may be in contact with a user&#39;s body during a pushing and pulling operation of the vacuum cleaner  1 , which hinders the convenient manipulation of the vacuum cleaner  1 . However, when the hose  29  is disposed at the front side of the vacuum cleaner  1 , a carrying distance of the vacuum cleaner  1  in the front and rear direction can be lengthened. 
     In addition, since the carrying handle  40  has two functions at the same time, i.e., the function of the carrying handle and the function of the seat of the hose  29 , the construction of the vacuum cleaner  1  is further simplified and convenience in use of the vacuum cleaner  1  is further enhanced. 
     Further, since the hose  29  is curved via the front side of the vacuum cleaner  1 , the hose  29  can be extended as long as that. Therefore, when the hose  29  is separated from the main body of the vacuum cleaner  1 , the cleanable area can be extended as Long as that. 
     Next, the relationship between the carrying handle  40  and the hose  29  will be described. When the upright vacuum cleaner is used as the original construction, the hose  29  is inserted into the upper surface of the carrying handle  40  and is fixed thereon. At this time, since the hose  29  and the hose seat surface  44  have an equal or similar shape, the hose  29  can be exactly seated on the hose seat surface  44 . Also, the hose  29  can be fixed by the seat latch  45 . Accordingly, once the hose  29  is inserted and external force is not applied, it is not released from the hose seat surface  44 . Under the circumstance that the hose  29  is released from the carrying handle  40 , another hose such as the mini nozzle  27  is inserted into an end portion of the hose guide  50  so that the role of the vacuum cleaner may extend. 
     Meanwhile, when a user wishes to carry the vacuum cleaner  1 , the user can conveniently carry the vacuum cleaner  1  by inserting his/her one hand into the space formed by the pair of spacers  43  below the carrying handle  40  and lifting the carrying handle  40  upward. Also, in order for the user to have a comfortable feeling when gripping the carrying handle  40 , the curved portion  42  is smoothly curved. In addition, since the groove portion  41  is formed at a position where the user&#39;s fingers contact, the position of the curved portion  42  is more exactly guided and accordingly the user has more comfortable feeling. 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of an upright vacuum cleaner according to the present invention and illustrates an operation of the vacuum cleaner. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , the carrying handle  40  is disposed on the center line of gravity of the vacuum cleaner  1 . Accordingly, if the user grips the carrying handle  40  and lifts the vacuum cleaner so as to transfer the vacuum cleaner  1 , the vacuum cleaner  1  can be lifted upward from an exact position without any shaking in the front and rear direction and can be also carried with still maintaining the horizontal position when the vacuum cleaner  1  is placed on the floor. 
     Also, it is natural that the gravity center  55  corresponds to the gravity center of the whole elements including the suction nozzle unit  10 , the main body  20  and the manipulation handle  30  and the carrying handle  40  is installed on the center of gravity in the left and right direction. 
     According to the upright vacuum cleaner provided in the present invention, since the carrying handle used in carrying the vacuum cleaner and the hose seat are designed to have the same function, the whole construction of the vacuum cleaner is simplified and made conveniently. 
     Also, convenience in using the vacuum cleaner is further enhanced. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention. Thus, it is intended that the present invention covers the modifications and variations of this invention provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.